We don't know how long they kept up the tradition, but it certainly persisted for a prolonged period.

MRC Watchdogs churn out breaking news on a daily basis. Don't miss Today's Highlights, where you can keep up with the top MRC content, whether it's the latest study on media bias, a glaring omission from the elitist media, or how the Big Tech companies are serving up the same leftist spin as the media.  Top Stories: Media Outlets Panic Over U.S. Capture of Maduro, Warning of Inspired Terrorism and Potential World War III ABC, NBC Barely Touch Minnesota Fraud, While CBS Delivers the Goods Checking on a Sudden Net Worth Boom for Ilhan Omar CNN Makes Several Attempts To Paint YouTuber Nick Shirley As A Bigot Media Deny Trump Any 'Achievements' in 2025   1) Media Outlets Panic Over U.S. Capture of Maduro, Warning of Inspired Terrorism and Potential World War III Baseless Terror Speculation by ABC: ABC's claim that the Maduro raid could inspire domestic terror attacks lacks evidence and ignores the operation's success in removing a dictator, echoing past media blame-shifting on U.S. actions. CBS's Hypocritical Fuming on Authorization: CBS decries the lack of congressional or UN involvement as "mind-boggling," but this strategic bypass prevented leaks and ensured a "textbook" mission, as praised by military analysts. CNN's WWIII Fear-Mongering Ignores Precedents: CNN warns the capture sets a dangerous example that could spark global conflict with Russia or China, yet overlooks similar U.S. operations like the bin Laden raid that faced no such apocalyptic backlash. Flawed Comparisons to Russia by CNN: Equating the targeted Maduro arrest to Russia's invasive war in Ukraine is absurd, as the U.S. aimed for justice without occupation, highlighting media bias in framing American resolve as aggression. 2) ABC, NBC Barely Touch Minnesota Fraud, While CBS Delivers the Goods ABC's Journalistic Blackout: ABC devoted just 25 seconds to the scandal, ignoring investigative details while spending nearly five times more airtime (122 seconds) portraying Somalis as victims of "fear" from ICE raids and Trump's rhetoric—clear evidence of agenda-driven reporting that shields fraud from scrutiny. NBC's Reactive Reluctance: NBC avoided the story until a viral independent journalist's video racked up over 100 million views, forcing a belated two-minute report; before that, they gave it only 65 seconds while emphasizing backlash—highlighting how big media relies on outsiders to do their job and delays exposing scandals tied to progressive favorites. CBS Stands Out for Real Journalism: Unlike its competitors, CBS delivered over eight minutes of coverage, including three full-length investigative reports uncovering new fraud details—showing that fair reporting is possible, but rare, in a landscape dominated by bias that downplays billions in taxpayer losses. 3) Checking on a Sudden Net Worth Boom for Ilhan Omar Explosive Net Worth Surge Tied to Husband's Ventures: Rep. Ilhan Omar's net worth has skyrocketed since entering Congress in 2019, far beyond her $174,000 salary, largely due to her husband Tim Mynett's businesses—his winery valued at $1-5 million and venture capital firm at $5-25 million—after her campaign funneled $2.9 million to his consulting business in 2020, raising serious questions about financial transparency. Dramatic Undisclosed Value Jumps Demand Scrutiny: Omar's disclosures reveal unexplained explosions in asset values, with Mynett's winery jumping from up to $50,000 in 2023 to $5 million recently, and his Rose Lake Capital soaring from $1-1,000 to $5-25 million over two years—yet she reports minimal income and dismisses millionaire status as "ridiculous," while his firm's officer details were suspiciously scrubbed from LinkedIn. Media "Fact-Checkers" Shield Democrats from Accountability: Snopes downplays the facts as "somewhat factual" needing "context," echoing Omar's denials of a "right-wing smear" without probing the surges or her mocking TikTok rants—highlighting biased journalism that avoids deeper investigation, especially amid Minnesota's massive Somali welfare fraud scandal. 4) CNN Makes Several Attempts To Paint YouTuber Nick Shirley As A Bigot CNN's Repeated Smear Tactics Without Evidence: Across multiple shows like Inside Politics, CNN News Central, and The Arena, CNN anchors and correspondents repeatedly labeled YouTuber Nick Shirley as sharing "anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim videos" while downplaying his viral exposé on Minnesota childcare fraud as having "limited" or "little evidence"—yet provided zero specific examples of bigoted content, exposing a deliberate attempt to discredit a citizen journalist forcing real federal investigations. Deflecting from Billions in Taxpayer Fraud: Instead of focusing on Shirley's findings that sparked DHS and ICE probes into years-long Somali community-linked fraud potentially worth $9 billion, CNN emphasized "context" about Shirley's MAGA ties and past prank videos, while highlighting agency concerns over his tactics—prioritizing protection of sensitive narratives over accountability for massive welfare abuse. Liberal Media's Playbook to Silence Inconvenient Truths: By framing legitimate fraud allegations tied to immigrant-run centers as potentially "Islamophobic" without proof, CNN mirrors broader bias that shields progressive failures (like under Gov. Tim Walz) and attacks independent voices succeeding where legacy outlets fail—undermining public trust and proving mainstream media's fear of "racist" labels trumps exposing corruption. 5) Media Deny Trump Any 'Achievements' in 2025 Media Refuses to Credit Trump's Massive Government Downsizing: In 2025, the Trump administration slashed over 317,000 federal employees through firings, retirements, and resignations, while issuing an early executive order dismantling DEI programs as "illegal and immoral"—yet outlets like NPR framed it as a tragic "burning the whole house down," focusing on victim stories and warnings of reverting to the "1800s," denying these conservative reforms any "achievement" label. Immigration Enforcement Successes Spun as Failures: DHS achieved over 605,000 deportations and 1.9 million voluntary self-deportations in 2025, with 70% of arrests targeting criminals like murderers and rapists—but The Washington Post downplayed it by criticizing tactical shifts and data, accusing manipulation while ignoring the focus on "the worst of the worst," as DHS countered, refusing to acknowledge border security wins. Double Standard in Defining "Achievements": Liberal policies like Obamacare are celebrated as "signature achievements" regardless of outcomes, but Trump's 2025 conservative victories in reducing bureaucracy and enforcing immigration laws are met with negative framing, victim highlights, and outright denial—exposing how media bias measures success by ideology, not results, eroding fair journalism.            

For conservatives, January 2025 felt like an auspicious moment to be alive. Donald Trump sat atop the world with a bully pulpit larger than any media outlet and the power to drive virtually any narrative he chose. Yet instead of using that power, we spent the year arguing over the power the GOP supposedly lacked.Almost no legislation was passed. Many of the most transformational policies Trump enacted through executive action now sit mired in the courts.Where is our Mamdani?Fast-forward to January 2026. The economy looks grim. Democrats are crushing Republicans in special elections. It feels like a different universe.Republicans tend to operate on a familiar two-year cycle. After a victory, the first year involves explaining why campaign promises cannot be fulfilled. The second year, ending in November elections, turns into defensive posturing: As disappointed as voters may be, they must remember that Democrats represent instant political death.The implication stays constant. Voters must dutifully back the GOP, ignore the fact that Republicans currently hold power, and politely bypass the primary process out of fear of weakening resistance to Democrats.As we enter the new year, we have reached the “rally around the GOP to stop the Democrats” phase of the cycle once again.But reality intrudes. No matter how faithfully the base rallies, Republicans will likely lose in November because of the economy. Absent a dramatic national reset, Democrats will retake the House, probably with a substantial majority.That makes the present moment decisive. With trifecta control still intact for now, Republicans must use what power they have to improve daily life, enact changes harder to undo, and reinforce red-state America so the coming blue wave does not obliterate the remaining red firewall.Whether Republicans break free from their familiar cycle of election-failure theater comes down to the answers to these six questions.1. Will the red firewall hold?Republicans will likely lose the House and surrender residual power in battleground states such as Georgia and Arizona. Independents have abandoned the GOP, and that trend will accelerate as economic conditions worsen.The question is whether Republicans will give their voters something worth turning out for. Base turnout alone will not flip purple territory, but it could stop the bleeding deep into red states and keep races such as the Iowa and Ohio governorships out of reach.This past year made clear that Republicans are losing races they never should have had to defend. A deeper economic downturn would push that line even farther.2. How toxic do AI data centers become — and will Republicans notice?By the end of 2025, opposition to data centers surged across ideological lines. Communities worry about water use, power strain, housing values, and secondary effects.Democrats have begun embracing that resistance as Trump elevates data centers and tech interests as pillars of his economic agenda. Will this issue fracture Republicans’ coalition or even force a break with Trump?3. What will Republicans do with health care?Democrats engineered a trap that forces Republicans to address health care, the single largest driver of deficits, inflation, and household pain.Obamacare made unsubsidized insurance unaffordable for most Americans. Democrats then timed the expiration of expanded subsidies to land on Trump’s watch, ensuring that voters blame him rather than the law’s architects.Anything Trump does — or refuses to do — will be pinned on him. That reality argues for pushing a genuinely free-market repeal-and-replace that lowers costs. History suggests that outcome remains unlikely. I’m not holding my breath, anyway.4. Will Trump finally ignore a lawless court?Could a powerless judge issue a ruling so egregious that it would prompt Trump to defy it at long last?I am not holding my breath on that one, either.RELATED: The courts are running the country — and Trump is letting it happen Photo by Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images5. Will Trump clear the decks on his promises dating back to 2015?Democrats will likely control one or both chambers for the remainder of Trump’s term. Regardless of strategy, they probably win the midterms.That means Trump has nothing to lose by executing fully on his original agenda now. Immigration moratoria, judicial reform, welfare devolution, bans on the Council on American-Islamic Relations and Antifa — these changes should be forced through every “must-pass” bill available.An all-out approach carries policy upside and political clarity.6. Will Trump stop making bad primary endorsements?This year’s primaries matter far more than the general election. They will determine whether red states have leaders willing to defend their prerogatives when Democrats reclaim federal power.If Trump continues endorsing lackluster governors and candidates such as Byron Donalds in Florida, Greg Abbott in Texas, and Brad Little in Idaho, conservatives will have nowhere to retreat when figures like Zohran Mamdani dominate national politics.RELATED: Trump’s agenda faces a midterm kill switch in 2026 Photo by Amir Hamja-Pool/Getty ImagesMamdani’s takeover of New York and his appointment of Ramzi Kassem — a 9/11 al-Qaeda defense lawyer — as chief counsel drew outrage on the right. At his inauguration, Mamdani declared, “We’ll replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.”Rather than merely lamenting how Marxists consolidate power in deep-blue America, conservatives should let that example ignite action where they actually govern. If the left can floor the gas pedal in its strongholds, why can’t we?Where is our Mamdani?This moment demands urgency. GOP power has become a “use it or lose it” proposition. Trump must finally become the right-wing disruptor his supporters were promised.If he cannot — or will not — then Republicans deserve to go the way of the Whigs.

Scott Adams, the creator of the "Dilbert" comic strip and a frequent defender of President Donald Trump, revealed in May 2025 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it had metastasized to his bones, and he was not long for this world."The disease is already intolerable," said Adams. "So if you're wondering, 'Hey Scott, do you have any good days?' Nope. Nope. Every day is a nightmare, and evening is very worse."'What happens next is between me and Jesus.'While Adams had run out of good days, good news was on the horizon.The 68-year-old cartoonist revealed on the Sunday episode of his show, "Real Coffee with Scott Adams," that he is converting to Christianity.In November, Adams requested Trump's help in securing the prostate cancer drug Pluvicto for which his health care provider had apparently approved his application but "dropped the ball in scheduling the brief IV to administer it."Trump and members of his administration indicated they were "on it" and apparently intervened on the cartoonist's behalf. However, Adams' potentially life-changing treatment was postponed last month on account of his radiation treatment.Last week, Adams noted on his show that "the odds of me recovering are essentially zero."In addition to suffering paralysis below the waist, Adams indicated that he is struggling to breathe on account of ongoing heart failure.Days after telling his audience that January will probably be "a month of transition one way or the other," Adams made clear on Sunday that the imminent changes in his life were not all of a medical nature.RELATED: Christian, what do you believe when faith stops being theoretical? Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images"Many of my Christian friends and Christian followers say to me, 'Scott, you still have time. You should convert to Christianity.' And I usually just let that sit because that's not an argument I want to have," said Adams. "I've not been a believer. But I also have respect for any Christian who goes out of their way to try to convert me because how would I believe you and believe your own religion if you're not trying to convert me?"'You're never too late.'Evidently the efforts of Adams' friends were not in vain."You're going to hear for the first time today that it is my plan to convert," said Adams. "So I still have time. But my understanding is you're never too late. And on top of that, any skepticism I have about reality would certainly be instantly answered if I wake up in heaven."Adams — who has long wrestled with questions about God and has been critical both of religion and atheism in his writing — notified his Christian friends that he does not require any more apologetics and has embraced what appears to be Catholic philosopher Blaise Pascal's argument for believing in God."I am now convinced that the risk-reward is completely smart. If it turns out that there's nothing there, I've lost nothing but I've respected your wishes, and I like doing that," said Adams. "If it turns out there is something there and the Christian model is the closest to it, I win.""Argument made, argument accepted," added Adams.In the wake of his announcement, Adams wrote on X that while he appreciates the outpouring of support and questions, "What happens next is between me and Jesus."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Antifa first rose to mainstream prominence during the summer riots of 2020. While how the group managed to recruit so many young people has remained a mystery to most Americans, domestic security expert Kyle Shideler knows its methods well.“So as to the psychological perspective, you know, you talk about those mug shots. There’s almost, like, if you look at, over the course of 2020, there’s almost like a ‘faces of meth’ campaign,” domestic security expert Kyle Shideler tells BlazeTV hosts Christopher Rufo and Jonathan “Lomez” Keeperman on “Rufo & Lomez.”“You see them at their first arrest, and they’re kind of fresh-faced and relatively normal-looking, and you see them in the next one and the next one and the next one, and by the end of it, you know, five years later, they’re unrecognizable. Clearly hard living, drugs, homelessness, and the like,” he continues.“This is part of that affinity-group structure is to suck people in so that the group becomes their only social outlet. … So they get these masses of people out into the streets, and then the goal is to try to get them to engage in some criminal act, right, to get them to step over the line and then bring them further into the group,” he explains.When they successfully get these college students to commit even just a small crime that could land them in jail, that’s when they organize their "jail support."“You pay their bail. You tell them how much you care about them and how the movement’s going to take care of them. They get out of jail, and now they’re, you know, more tightly bound to the group. And that’s what we saw all through 2020,” Schideler says.“And that’s what these things are really for,” he explains. “The large-scale mass-movement protests, from the point of view of Antifa, it's to slowly weed through and bring people further and further along into radicalization to be willing to do more and more radical things.”Want more from Rufo & Lomez?To enjoy more of the news through the anthropological lens of Christopher Rufo and Lomez, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced in September that he would run for a third term, stating, "I'm staying in the fight — and I need you with me."Evidently Walz had neither the requisite fight nor the support to stick it out.The failed vice presidential candidate announced on Monday that he won't seek a third term after all."I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort," said Walz. "But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all."'They want to poison our people against each other.'"Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can't spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences," added Walz. "So I've decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work."A recent KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA poll of 578 registered voters found that 69% believe Walz needs to do more to stop fraud in Minnesota. According to the poll, Walz's disapproval rating was 48%.Incredible graft has taken place in the Gopher State under Walz's nose, including the the student aid fraud plaguing Minnesota's publicly funded schools as well as the historic fraud allegedly committed by members of the Somali community in relation to coronavirus relief funding and taxpayer-subsidized day-care facilities.RELATED: Tim Walz's nightmare continues as HHS shuts off $185M to Minnesota amid allegedly 'fake' Somali day care centers Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images The Trump administration and Congress have launched investigations into the apparent widespread fraud that has taken place in Walz's back yard, and some officials have called for Walz to resign.Walz claimed that he is "passing on the race with zero sadness and zero regret" and suggested both that he is confident a fellow traveler will run for governor and that he will "find ways to contribute to the state" after he leaves office in January 2027.Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reportedly met with Walz on Sunday evening. Two individuals briefed on their conversation told the New York Times that Klobuchar is considering jumping into the race to succeed Walz.Blaze News has reached out to Klobuchar's office for comment.Walz used up a great deal of room in his Monday statement criticizing President Donald Trump and his allies, suggesting they want to make Minnesota "a colder, meaner place. They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family."The governor cited as an example of this supposed cruelty the Trump administration's pause on child-care payments to Minnesota.Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill announced on Dec. 30 that funds from the Administration for Children and Families — $185 million of which the Gopher State receives yearly — were being paused as the result of "shocking and credible allegations of extensive fraud in Minnesota's child-care programs.""We believe the state of Minnesota has allowed scammers and fake day cares to siphon millions of taxpayer dollars over the past decade," added O'Neill.While acknowledging that fraud in the state government was a legitimate concern and that the "buck stops with [him]," Walz suggested that Republicans were somehow making his "fight harder to win."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

For decades, the United States focused its counterterrorism efforts on the Middle East and Asia. Meanwhile, a dangerous convergence of international terrorism and transnational crime took root much closer to home. Across Latin America — centered in Venezuela — hostile networks quietly expanded. The Trump administration has finally acted. How the United States manages Venezuela’s transition to legitimate leadership now carries direct national security consequences.The media frames U.S. action against Venezuela as a narco-trafficking problem. The threat runs far deeper.Allowing hostile powers to entrench themselves in the Western Hemisphere threatens not just economic interests but national survival.Hezbollah, backed by Iran, began building a Latin American presence as early as the mid-1980s. What started as fundraising and money laundering in the tri-border area of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay grew into a sprawling criminal-terrorist network. That network carried out devastating attacks in Argentina during the 1990s. Over time, Hezbollah expanded into recruitment, training, and operational planning, embedding itself across the region.The threat escalated sharply in 2012, when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad forged a strategic alliance with Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez. That partnership gave Iran a state sponsor in the Western Hemisphere and dramatically expanded its reach. Iran gained the ability to move money, oil, and personnel throughout the region and even established drone-production capabilities inside Venezuela.U.S. law enforcement recognized the danger. The Drug Enforcement Administration launched Project Cassandra to investigate Hezbollah’s evolution into a global crime syndicate. The DEA tracked cocaine shipments from Latin America through West Africa into Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Investigators uncovered a network believed to generate roughly $1 billion annually through drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and money laundering.The Obama administration later curtailed Project Cassandra in pursuit of a nuclear agreement with Iran. That decision left much of the criminal-terrorist infrastructure intact. Its consequences persist. Hezbollah-linked networks still operate across the region with minimal interference.Under Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela functioned as both a failed state and a logistical lifeline for Iran. The regime facilitated the movement of operatives and equipment throughout Latin America and beyond. In return, Iran supplied Venezuela’s oil sector with blending materials and refining equipment, helping Maduro evade sanctions and cling to power.Venezuela also issued hundreds of passports and national IDs to individuals from the Middle East, including figures linked to Hezbollah. Those documents allowed operatives to travel freely under new identities, posing a direct threat to U.S. and regional security. The ability to move undetected across borders remains one of the most valuable tools available to terrorist organizations, and Venezuela provided it willingly.Recognizing the gravity of the threat, the Trump administration took unprecedented steps. After imposing an oil blockade and designating the Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization, U.S. authorities captured Maduro to face justice in the United States.For the first time in a century, the Western Hemisphere now anchors the U.S. National Security Strategy. The Trump administration’s corollary to the Monroe Doctrine commits the United States to denying non-hemispheric powers — including Iran, Russia, China, and Turkey — the ability to position forces or control strategic assets in the Americas.RELATED: The pernicious myth that America doesn’t win wars Photo by AFP via Getty ImagesEvidence of coordination with America’s adversaries is not speculative. Russia’s Foreign Ministry openly acknowledged Venezuela as a strategic partner, citing what it called the “deliberate escalation of tensions” around a friendly nation. Russia arms Venezuela’s military, built a Kalashnikov rifle factory inside the country, and protects key installations with S-300 surface-to-air missile systems.China played a parallel role. Beijing became Venezuela’s largest oil customer and financed more than $60 billion in projects. Roughly 7% of China’s oil imports came from Venezuela, propping up the Maduro regime while fueling China’s economy.As left-wing governments across Latin America gave way to more pro-American leadership, Venezuela’s isolation only increased its value to hostile powers. It became a forward operating base against the United States.Consider the implications. Iranian ballistic missiles — capable of inflicting serious damage even without nuclear warheads — stationed in Venezuela would sit on America’s doorstep. Add Russian or Chinese nuclear capabilities, and the risk escalates from strategic challenge to strategic catastrophe.Allowing hostile powers to entrench themselves in the Western Hemisphere threatens not just economic interests but national survival. The fusion of terrorist and criminal networks inside Venezuela posed a clear and present danger that demanded decisive action.The United States must remain firm in its commitment to a secure, sovereign hemisphere. Ignoring threats in our own back yard invites disaster. And the regime in Tehran understands that reality better than most — nervously, right now more than ever.

In the wake of the narco-regime’s takedown, five lessons emerge — for the region, for the U.S., and for the world.

Maduro’s fall presents the communist Chinese with a comprehensive embarrassment.

Hypocritical Sen. Chris Murphy Pivots (Again) on Trump's Maduro Arrest and Venezuelan Leadership