Hundreds Of Deleted Posts Reveal Swing-District Democrat May Be Most Insane Yet

William Lawrence, the Democratic nominee in one of the country’s most closely watched House races, deleted hundreds of social media posts in which the former Democratic Socialists of America member called for abolishing the Senate, eliminating police and prisons, ending fossil-fuel production, opening borders, and dismantling the nuclear family.The posts, first reported by CNN, many of which were written under an older Twitter handle, offer a striking look at the views Lawrence expressed while building his career as a progressive organizer and co-founding the Sunrise Movement.Lawrence is now the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, where he will face Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in November. Lawrence won the August Democratic primary with roughly 44% of the vote, defeating former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam. The race is expected to be among the most competitive in the country, putting Lawrence’s old rhetoric under the microscope as Democrats attempt to flip the seat.Among the deleted posts was a 2021 message in which Lawrence praised the “defund the police” movement for bringing America “nearer to a world without police and prisons.” He also argued that fossil-fuel production should be ended through “forced nationalization,” while calling for President Joe Biden to end the coal industry through executive action. Lawrence also wrote that America should “Abolish the Senate.”In 2021, Lawrence wrote, “F**k isolation and the nuclear family domicile,” while praising communal living. The following year, he described the nuclear-family home as an “isolating, individualistic, violent way of organizing society.” He subsequently argued that the “hetero-patriarchal nuclear family” was a material foundation of wealth accumulation and praised “queer” families as creating conditions for “solidarity and wealth sharing.”Lawrence also wrote that he wanted to “imagine a world beyond the nation-state and capitalism,” declared “Racial capitalism is the problem. Empire is the problem,” and advocated for “a world of free and open migration.”His hostility was not limited to conservative policies. The deleted posts include repeated attacks on moderate Democrats, including former Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who currently serves in the Senate. In 2020, Lawrence said he was “ashamed to be represented” by Slotkin and referred to her as a “supposed Democrat” after she responded to President Donald Trump’s killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.He also attacked then-Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) after she criticized the “defund the police” movement, dismissing her comments as a “tantrum” and suggesting that “timid Dems” could leave the party if they could not accept the activist left.During another fight over President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, Lawrence called for leftists to go “scorched earth” against Democrats who opposed them. At another point, he declared, “It’s time for the Dem civil war to rage.”Perhaps the most disturbing example came in 2021, when Lawrence posted lyrics for a song inspired by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin’s opposition to portions of the party’s climate agenda. “Our generation says f**k you for everything,” Lawrence wrote in the lyrics. “Hurry up and die so that we can get started.”Lawrence has since attempted to distance himself from at least some of his old views. He told CNN that he no longer supports defunding the police or open borders and said his previous comments about Slotkin were wrong. He also said his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America had lapsed in July.“Like many millennials, I’ve done my fair share of thinking out loud on the Internet,” Lawrence said, adding that he disagrees with some things he posted in the past.But Lawrence has hardly abandoned the political movement that produced his earlier rhetoric, and his campaign has been endorsed by prominent figures on the far left, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). His campaign platform includes “healthcare for all,” higher taxes on wealthy Americans, a federal moratorium on data centers, and ending U.S. involvement in the war in Iran. His campaign also emphasizes opposition to corporate political money.Lawrence’s candidacy had already caused concern among more moderate Democrats. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) previously argued that Lawrence was not the candidate capable of winning the district, while Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) said his history of inflammatory rhetoric demonstrated a lack of judgment and temperament.Now, however, Lawrence is no longer simply a left-wing activist trying to win a democratic primary by running to the left — he is the Democratic nominee in a district Republicans must defend. In November, voters in Michigan’s 7th will get to decide whether Lawrence’s explanation that his old posts were merely “thinking out loud” is enough to put them behind the candidate who once wrote them.

Top Republican ‘Expects’ McConnell To Return Later This Month

A top House Republican has laid out a potential timeline for Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) return to Washington, D.C., following a months-long hospitalization as questions continue to swirl around the Kentucky Republican’s health.Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said Thursday he expects McConnell to return to Capitol Hill the week after Labor Day, when the Senate reconvenes from its five-week recess on September 14.“I expect that. I sure hope so,” Comer told a reporter when asked about a September return, while cautioning that he has not spoken with the former majority leader personally.“They have all said it’s their goal for Sen. McConnell to be here when the Senate comes in next week,” Comer added.McConnell’s office has not confirmed the timeline. In August, the longtime senator announced that he had been released from a rehabilitation facility and would continue his recovery at his Kentucky home, ending a months-long hospitalization that renewed calls for the 84-year-old to resign.“Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I’ve received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff,” McConnell said in the statement.McConnell, who is not running for re-election, provided no timeline for a possible return to Washington, D.C. Between June 15, 2026, and August 8, 2026, McConnell missed 60 of 60 roll call votes. He last voted on June 11, according to a government tracker.  “On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” McConnell said in the latest health update.The 84-year-old’s extended hospitalization has fueled mounting questions about both his health and what would happen if Kentucky’s longest-serving senator were unable to complete his final term. He has been absent from the Senate since June 14, when emergency responders were dispatched to his Washington residence following what was widely reported as emergency radio traffic describing a cardiac arrest requiring CPR. Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear publicly called on the Republican to provide more information about his condition or step aside.The lack of transparency sparked widespread speculation online. It has also drawn renewed attention to an unusual wrinkle in Kentucky election law that could become significant if McConnell vacates his seat before his term expires in January 2027. With a Democrat occupying the governor’s office, Republican lawmakers recently moved to eliminate the governor’s appointment authority in favor of a special election process.Previous health updates have included photos of McConnell with his wife, Elaine Chao, as well as statements from his physician. However, his office has not provided the media or the public with a video statement or an appearance by McConnell during his extended absence.

Maria Bartiromo Breaks Silence On Abrupt Departure From FOX News

An attorney for former FOX News host Maria Bartiromo said on Friday that the longtime anchor was not fired from the network. Bartiromo’s attorney Bryan Freedman ripped “irresponsible reports” surrounding FOX News Media’s announcement that Bartiromo was no longer with the media giant.“For many years, Maria Bartiromo hosted three number one rated television shows on FOX channels. She has been, without question, one of the hardest working journalists throughout her award-winning career,” said Freedman. “The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of FOX are absolutely and unequivocally false. Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise. Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.” Bartiromo’s departure was announced suddenly on Thursday in a short statement from FOX News Media that read, “Effective today, Maria Bartiromo is no longer with FOX News Media. We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter.”By Friday morning, the network changed the 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. “Mornings With Maria” show name to “Mornings with FOX Business.” The show will be hosted by rotating anchors. While FOX News said that Bartiromo’s departure was effective on Thursday, she had been off air for weeks. President Donald Trump, who is a friend of Bartiromo, said on Thursday, “I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great shows on FOX News/Business. Three different shows, always number one. Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior.” He added that “her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy.” After the news broke, speculation swarmed that Bartiromo might become Trump’s new press secretary. Vice President JD Vance addressed the rumors, saying, “No, I don’t think so. I just saw the news literally as I walked out. I love Maria. I think she’s an amazing person, an amazing talent.” He joked that he should bring FOX News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy, who was sitting in the briefing room, up to explain what had happened. Bartiromo has built one of the most recognizable careers in business journalism. She made history in 1995 as the first journalist to broadcast live regularly from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange while working for CNBC. After two decades at CNBC, she joined FOX Business in January 2014. She went on to host three programs: the weekday show “Mornings with Maria,” “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street,” and FOX News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” 

Why The Trump Administration’s Fight Against Fraud Is Personal

Vice President JD Vance is making his mark on this administration in several ways, but one in particular is through President Trump’s historic focus on tackling fraud. Formalized through an anti-fraud task force that includes several agencies and advisors from the president’s team, the group has come together to advance a whole-of-government approach to eliminate fraud and the gross abuse of our federal programs.As chairman of the task force, the vice president has executed this mission with lethal force. So much so that the White House recently unveiled its website dedicated to tracking the number of fraud cases uncovered. Already, the administration has exposed $229.9 billion in fraud and stopped $56.4 billion in suspected fraud from going out the door. These numbers are snapshots in time and keep growing. Dubbed The Fraud Ledger, the site sends a clear message: President Trump and Vice President Vance take fraud seriously. If you defraud American citizens, especially our most vulnerable populations who rely on our federal benefits, justice will be served.Unsurprisingly, stopping fraud is an issue that connects with normal Americans, and the Vice President has been taking this anti-fraud agenda on the road to meet them. Tackling fraud isn’t just some flimsy messaging exercise that lives in the bubble of Washington, D.C. The mission resonates at the heart of our country. Most Americans have experienced the generosity of their fellow neighbors – either directly or through friends and neighbors. That generosity often manifests in our federal programs and government assistance. But the integrity of those programs disintegrates when fraudsters and criminals manipulate and steal from those programs meant to serve our neighbors and us.For me, this is personal. Both of my parents were born into government-assisted housing, at a time when America still prioritized its own citizens. My mother grew up in a New York City Housing Authority public housing development in Woodside, Queens. My father grew up in Manhattan under similar circumstances. Throughout the 1940s and ’50s, my paternal grandfather was so poor that he had to buy food on credit just to feed his family. None of these people were trying to game the system. They didn’t want a handout for life; they needed a hand up. And that hand up is exactly what it was meant to be: a bridge to real prosperity, not a permanent dependency on government assistance. That is the promise these programs are supposed to keep, and it is exactly what fraud steals from the family standing where my parents once stood.A few months ago in Maine — which has a serious fraud problem — the vice president touted the Trump administration’s several fraud-related wins, stating: ”Maine is the bronze medalist” for its insane amount of fraud.Health and Human Services department found earlier this year that Maine made at least $45.6 million in improper Medicaid payments that were slated to help children diagnosed with autism. Instead of going to children who desperately needed the assistance, the money went to providers giving poor services or providing no services at all. It’s a disservice to those children and their families who actually need assistance for a state to operate with such neglect.Maine has zero oversight of the money going out the door, has failed to complete any of its required audits of nursing facilities that have received over $382 million, and food stamp benefits have consistently been going out more than 75 days after a recipient’s death. Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end of Maine’s fraud. As Vance put it: “You have been fleeced by your own government for far too long, and we are stopping it every single day.”The crowd in Maine was one of his most energetic to date. Normal Americans are exceedingly glad and relieved that their elected leaders are finally tackling the outrageous notion that their tax dollars have lined fraudsters’ pockets. That crowd in Maine is just one example.The vice president has also talked about major fraud-related wins and exposures in Kansas City and Milwaukee. He highlighted the case of Markita Barnes, who was convicted on 10 counts of healthcare fraud for stealing more than $2.3 million from a Medicaid prenatal program for at-risk mothers and children. Fraud is a “dual victim crime,” Vance said. Those victims are the taxpayer and the intended beneficiary.The vice president will no doubt continue his message about fighting fraud on the road and for good. The American people love to hear how the Trump administration is fighting for them, saving their tax dollars and putting fraudsters and criminals behind bars.***Harrison Fields is a partner at CGCN Group and former Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary in the Trump White House.

RFK Jr. And Pete Hegseth Open Investigation Into Army COVID Vax Over Unverified Deaths

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have enlisted an Army doctor to investigate whether COVID-19 vaccines contributed to the deaths of U.S. service members, according to newly revealed court testimony.Dr. Theresa Long, an Army physician who is certified in aerospace medicine and holds a master’s degree in public health, told a federal court in an August deposition that Hegseth appointed her as Kennedy’s senior medical military adviser. Long’s testimony was first reported by Politico on Thursday, which obtained the deposition from an ongoing federal lawsuit involving former Defense Department health official Terry Adirim. Long is examining 2,544 reported but unverified deaths among service members that were submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to determine whether they were caused by COVID vaccination.Long said Kennedy and Hegseth tasked her with investigating the military’s health surveillance system during the pandemic as well as two military medical databases. She told the court that she hoped to complete her research into potential vaccine complications “within a year.”Long also testified that she personally knows of 28 people who died because of the COVID vaccine, though she said she was not permitted to provide additional details about those cases. The investigation comes as the Trump administration has taken a series of steps to revisit the Biden administration’s COVID vaccine mandate for members of the armed forces.Hegseth established the COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force in May to assist service members who were removed from the military over the vaccine requirement and seek to return. The Pentagon said nearly 170 service members had been reinstated or re-accessed as of April, while more than 800 additional former service members had expressed interest in returning.The Department of War has also conducted its own studies examining health conditions among active-duty personnel following COVID vaccination. A March 2026 Pentagon report found that myocarditis and pericarditis increased in the short term following vaccination, but said the increase was not sustained over a one-year period. The report also found that the increase was small compared with rates following COVID infection. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, has been identified as a rare adverse event associated with mRNA COVID vaccines, particularly among younger males.Long, however, has questioned some of the military’s underlying health data and told the court she was reviewing it again as part of her assignment. The 2,544 deaths under examination come from VAERS, which is designed as an early-warning system for possible vaccine safety problems. The database accepts reports of health problems occurring after vaccination, including reports in which the person submitting the information is uncertain whether the vaccine caused the event.The Biden administration’s military vaccine mandate required service members to receive the COVID vaccine, and the Pentagon ultimately discharged more than 8,000 troops who refused the shots before Congress required the Department of Defense to rescind the mandate in 2022.Kennedy has repeatedly criticized the mandate and argued that requiring service members to receive the COVID vaccine violated their rights.Now, Long’s investigation will examine the health records and military surveillance data surrounding the vaccine’s use among service members, including whether some deaths previously reported after vaccination can be tied to the shots themselves.

Lindsay Clancy Trial Ends In Mistrial After Defense’s Hail Mary Attempt

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday in the triple-murder trial of Lindsay Clancy after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict and after an unprecedented move from Clancy’s defense.The nine-woman, three-man jury told Sullivan for the third time that they were deadlocked and unable to reach a unanimous decision after around 38 hours of deliberations.“With a heavy heart we report we cannot come to a unanimous decision,” the jurors wrote in a note.Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington then made a last-ditch effort before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court after the judge prepared to declare a mistrial. Sullivan gave Reddington one hour to file an emergency stay before bringing the jury back into the courtroom to officially declare a mistrial.In his appeal to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Reddington pushed for the removal of a lone holdout juror, arguing that the juror is “biased” against those with “debilitating mental illness.”The high court rejected Reddington’s emergency appeal.Earlier on Friday, tensions flared in the courtroom when the judge denied Clancy’s defense attorney a request to remove the lone juror accused of holding up a verdict, sparking a fiery exchange over the judge’s reasonable doubt instructions.On Thursday, a holdout juror was singled out after the foreperson sent Sullivan a note alleging that one juror was refusing to follow the judge’s instructions on reasonable doubt. The surprise note sent the courtroom into a scramble and sparked a heated sidebar involving Sullivan, the defense, and the prosecution. Reporters inside the courthouse described Clancy’s attorney as visibly angry and frustrated.The most serious charges Clancy faced were three counts of first-degree murder, each carrying a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. She is expected to remain in custody at Tewksbury State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, while prosecutors decide whether to retry her before a new jury, pursue a plea agreement, or decline to prosecute the case again.The jury first said they were deadlocked on Tuesday after four days of deliberations, sending Judge Sullivan a note saying they were “unable to come to a unanimous decision.” The judge instructed them to continue deliberating, but the jury returned Wednesday still unable to reach a verdict after more than 27 hours of deliberations. Sullivan then issued a final “Tuey-Rodriguez” or “dynamite” instruction on Wednesday, urging jurors to reconsider their positions and make every effort to reach a unanimous verdict before the mistrial was ultimately declared. Yet, on Friday, they again said they were deadlocked.Clancy killed the young children by strangling them with exercise bands while inside the family’s home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, after she sent her then-husband Patrick Clancy to pick up takeout food and medication on January 24, 2023. Clancy then attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window after cutting both her wrists. All three children died, and Clancy was left paralyzed from the waist down.The mother never denied killing her three children but pleaded not guilty, resting on what’s commonly referred to as the insanity defense. Clancy’s team argued that she was a loving mother but suffered from postpartum psychosis and was given “lousy” medical care. The defense argued that when she killed the children, she was suffering from psychosis and therefore not criminally responsible for the murders. Under Massachusetts law, a person can be found not criminally responsible if a mental disease or defect left them without the substantial capacity to understand the wrongfulness of their conduct or to conform their conduct to the law.The state argued that Clancy methodically planned the killings and was criminally responsible for her actions, rejecting the defense’s claim that she was in a psychotic state that left her unable to understand the wrongfulness of what she was doing. The state said in closing arguments that Clancy gave up on trying to get better and decided to kill herself and also decided she was going to take her children with her. They said Clancy made a number of decisions leading up to the murders that show this was planned, like sending her husband Patrick out for two errands and looking up the time it would take for him to retrieve the takeout order.  Clancy wasn’t suffering psychosis and was aware of her actions and knew right and wrong, the state argued.The case became a lightening rod across the country, with some women online rallying to support Clancy due to the defense’s injections of postpartum mental issues. A fundraiser set up for Clancy’s family brought in more than $1 million.The trial also sparked debate about a culture that consumes tragedy and crime as entertainment. Notably, a healthy number of people online, mostly women, spun up conspiracies completely exonerating Clancy from the crimes, something Clancy never did herself. One conspiracy even claimed Patrick murdered the children and then somehow framed Clancy so well that she believed she had done it.

Trump Claims Michael Cohen Walks Back Key Case Testimony

President Donald Trump declared on Friday that his former “fixer” and the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen, has completely recanted the testimony that drove the historic civil and criminal cases against the 47th President.Trump didn’t hold back in a Truth Social post, framing the reversal as a total collapse of the politically charged prosecutions spearheaded by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York Attorney General Letitia James.“I am pleased to report that Michael Cohen, the Prosecution’s Star Witness and, in actuality, only Witness in the New York State Attorney General and Manhattan DA Witch Hunt Cases brought against me, has just fully RECANTED his testimony,” Trump posted. “He was ‘pressured’ and ‘coerced’ to say things that were not true.”The President went on to praise his once-loyal attorney for finding the “Wisdom and Courage to step forward and do the right thing,” calling the move an “Act of Bravery” and demanding an instant end to the legal warfare. “Now we are asking that any remnant of those Politically Weaponized Cases against me be immediately terminated and dismissed,” Trump added, accusing Bragg and James of breaking the law to block his presidential comeback.Source: @realDonaldTrump/Truth SocialThe explosive declaration marks the latest twist in a long saga. Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, served prison time following 2018 guilty pleas for campaign finance violations, tax evasion, and lying to Congress. He subsequently rebranded himself as Trump’s primary antagonist, taking center stage in three major legal crusades.In the 2019 Congressional hearings, Cohen slammed Trump before the House Oversight Committee, calling him a “con man” and alleging payments to buy the silence of adult film actress Stormy Daniels.In the 2023 civil fraud trial, Cohen took the stand in AG Letitia James’ fraud suit, which resulted in a massive judgment against Trump that an appellate panel later rejected in late 2025 as an unconstitutional, excessive fine.In the 2024 Manhattan “hush money” trial, Cohen served as Bragg’s star witness, claiming Trump personally directed a scheme to conceal a $130,000 payment to Daniels under the guise of legal fees.That 2024 criminal trial concluded with a Manhattan jury convicting Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Judge Juan Merchan later sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge with no jail time.Trump’s defense team hammered Cohen’s credibility throughout those proceedings, highlighting his past convictions, admitted lies, secret audio recordings, and his profitable media campaign bashing Trump.Trump’s legal team has continuously fought to wipe his slate clean through appeals. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice launched a grand jury investigation into James’ office in August 2025 over potential political retaliation.With Trump now claiming Cohen was coerced into fabricating the entire narrative, the battle lines are redrawn.

Former Labor Secretary Made Agent Tip Stripper, Pressured Staff To Drink, IG Says

Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer oversaw a “toxic, intimidating, and humiliating” workplace where employees were pressured to drink on the job and ordered to perform personal errands, according to a new report from the Department of Labor’s inspector general.The report, released Thursday, details the findings of a months-long investigation into Chavez-DeRemer and several of her senior aides. Investigators interviewed 53 current and former Labor Department employees and reviewed more than 500 documents, photographs, and videos.The investigation found that Chavez-DeRemer’s conduct was inconsistent with applicable policies and ethical standards in multiple areas. Those findings included an “inappropriately close and unprofessional relationship” with a senior member of her security detail, improper travel, unauthorized possession and consumption of alcohol on federal property, misuse of government resources, and failure to properly report gifts.  One particularly bizarre episode occurred during a personal trip to Oregon, when Chavez-DeRemer asked to stop at a strip club with members of her security detail. According to the report, Chavez-DeRemer gave a security agent serving as her driver money from her purse and instructed him to give it to a female performer. When he hesitated, a senior security official told him to comply. Chavez-DeRemer then handed the driver additional cash and instructed him to drop the bills one at a time onto the woman.The inspector general did not find direct evidence that Chavez-DeRemer and the security official had a romantic or sexual relationship. Investigators nevertheless documented an extensive series of interactions between the two, including personal outings, physical contact, and overnight stays in the same hotels.Hotel door-lock records from two Las Vegas trips appeared to indicate that Chavez-DeRemer and the security official spent portions of nights in each other’s rooms. Key-fob records and surveillance footage also documented the security official visiting Chavez-DeRemer’s home. The report said the relationship appeared to continue even after the agent had been placed on administrative leave and suspended from his official duties. Chavez-DeRemer and the security official both declined to be interviewed by investigators. The report also found that alcohol was repeatedly consumed and stored on federal property without authorization. Witnesses told investigators that Chavez-DeRemer and members of her senior staff drank during the workday and pressured other employees to drink as well, including ridiculing employees who declined.The alleged misuse of employees’ time extended beyond drinking. At one point, Chavez-DeRemer directed her personal aide and executive assistant to drive to her home in a Labor Department vehicle during working hours to organize her bedroom closet. The employees were instructed to hang clothing and dry cleaning and arrange her shoes, purses, and other belongings. They were then asked to provide a video documenting the completed work. The inspector general included an image of the organized closet in its report. Other employees were allegedly sent to retrieve Chavez-DeRemer’s personal packages, make personal purchases, and handle other errands unrelated to their government duties.The report also found that Chavez-DeRemer combined personal and official travel, including trips involving family, personal residences, and Las Vegas. Investigators identified gifts that were not properly reported, including rodeo tickets, cowboy hats, and an alligator-hide wallet.The broader workplace described by investigators was similarly troubling. Employees said senior officials routinely engaged in “threatening, demeaning, and abusive verbal and written communication.” Witnesses described employees being berated in front of colleagues, performance issues being discussed publicly, and staff members being threatened with termination.Investigators also heard allegations that staffing decisions were influenced by physical appearance rather than qualifications. In one instance, a senior official allegedly wanted an employee’s desk moved because they did not want a “fat person” visible in the front office.Chavez-DeRemer resigned from the Cabinet in April, becoming the third Trump Cabinet official to leave office during the administration. The White House said she was departing for a private-sector position, while her attorney said she wanted to prevent the allegations from distracting from the Labor Department’s work. Her resignation came one day before she was scheduled to sit for an interview with the inspector general. Her attorney later declined to make her available.Her attorney, Nick Oberheiden, disputed the significance of the report, telling the Washington Post that it “confirms that Secretary Chavez-DeRemer did not violate any laws.” Chavez-DeRemer previously characterized the allegations as attacks and distractions.The Department of Labor is now led by Keith Sonderling, whom President Donald Trump has nominated to permanently head the agency.

Trump Drops Blunt Take After Lindsay Clancy Jury Deadlocks

President Donald Trump on Friday weighed in on the mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy murder case, calling the deaths of her three young children a “horrible tragedy” and predicting that she would face another trial.“It’s a shame. It’s a horrible tragedy,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Look, she did a horrible, horrible thing. Can’t be worse.”Trump said the case, which has captivated the nation, had been difficult to avoid because it received so much television coverage. He said Clancy would face consequences and could end up confined in a psychiatric institution or prison.“There’ll be a price,” Trump said, adding that he believes prosecutors would bring the case to trial again and called that scenario “too bad.”Massachusetts Superior Court Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday after the nine-woman, three-man jury said they remained unable to reach a unanimous verdict following seven days of deliberations.Clancy, 36, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the January 2023 deaths of her children: Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months, inside the family’s home in Duxbury. She pleaded not guilty.Clancy acknowledged strangling the children with exercise bands, but her attorneys argued that severe postpartum mental illness left her unable to understand that what she was doing was wrong. Prosecutors say the killings were deliberate and that Clancy was criminally responsible.The jury’s final note said members could not reach a unanimous decision.“With a heavy heart we report we cannot come to a unanimous decision,” the jurors wrote.Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said he believed the jury stood 11-1 in favor of finding Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury’s actual vote remains unknown.Reddington unsuccessfully sought to remove the alleged holdout, arguing that jury notes indicated the juror was refusing to follow the law. He argued the juror was “biased” against those with “debilitating mental illness.” Sullivan rejected that request and gave the defense one hour to seek emergency intervention from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court before declaring a mistrial. The state’s highest court declined to intervene.Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has not announced whether prosecutors plan to retry the case. Clancy will remain at a state psychiatric hospital, according to the Associated Press.

Mamdani’s Attorney Seemingly Admits To Illegal Propaganda Op — Possibly Funded By Taxpayers

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration ran a secret, potentially illegal propaganda pipeline to its online influencer army — a violation the city’s top lawyer seemed to acknowledge Friday, according to the New York Post.Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem said City Hall took “corrective actions” after learning the encrypted Signal chat was set to auto-delete messages — but only after a reporter flagged the issue, not because anyone at City Hall caught it first. Kassem said Signal use requires prior approval, and for that app specifically, staff must disable the disappearing-messages feature to stay compliant with records rules.The chat, called “NYC Creators Announcements,” traces back to Creators4Zohran, a volunteer network that boosted Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral campaign online. The group now includes more than 200 creators, according to a Columbia Journalism Review/Tow Center study, ranging from micro-influencers with 5,000 followers to accounts with millions. It is steered by Emilia Rowland, the mayor’s director of new media and cultural communications, who sends daily updates, video clips and talking points that creators can repost. The New York Times reported that at least one channel Rowland ran was configured to erase her own messages after they were sent, a setting City Hall changed only after the paper began asking questions.The city does not pay creators to belong to the group or to post about City Hall, according to the outlet. But some have collected $5,000 to $20,000 per campaign from private marketing an advertising firms holding city contracts — a subcontracting arrangement that keeps their names off the procurement notices available to the public.Critics say the setup runs afoul of New York’s Freedom of Information Law, which requires officials to preserve records of public business. Criminal attorney Cory Morris, who litigates public-records cases, called the arrangement “not innocuous,” arguing that Signal’s disappearing-message feature suggests staff wanted to keep communications out of public view. City Councilman Phil Wong is now drafting legislation to regulate how city government engages influencers, telling the Post the episode is “one of the biggest scandals” to hit Mamdani’s administration — and that officials calling it a “faux scandal” only compounds the problem.Mamdani defended the outreach campaign Wednesday, saying his administration “will always strive to fully comply with all legal requirements, including those that relate to the preservation of city records,” and that any slip-up would be corrected immediately.John Kaehny, who runs the good-government group Reinvent Albany, told the Post he saw sloppiness rather than anything sinister, faulting City Hall for a lack of professionalism, standards and training. He added a warning: if the administration keeps using Signal and similar apps, the story stops being about inexperience — and “it’s not going to be an excuse that ‘we’re new’ for very much longer.”

Lindsay Clancy’s Ex-Husband Patrick Breaks Silence After Mistrial

Patrick Clancy is breaking his silence after a Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial in the triple-murder case against his ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, who admitted to strangling their three children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan.In a statement through an attorney, Patrick described the idea of going through another trial as “extraordinarily painful.”“Patrick Clancy is grateful to the Court and to the jurors for their hard work, their commitment, and their perseverance,” David Meier, an attorney for Clancy, said. “The loss of Patrick’s children is something from which he will never recover and from which there will never be closure. The prospect of reliving this tragedy through another trial is extraordinarily painful — for Patrick, for his family, and for all of us.” On Friday, Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial after the nine-woman, three-man jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict following 38 hours of deliberations. The jury — visibly drained after 38 hours of deliberations over seven days, according to courtroom reporters — returned a somber note to the judge, reading: “With a heavy heart we report we cannot come to a unanimous decision.”Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, then made a Hail Mary attempt to prevent the mistrial, appealing to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court after Sullivan prepared to dismiss the jury. Sullivan gave Reddington one hour to file an emergency stay before formally declaring a mistrial.In the filing, Reddington argued that a lone holdout juror should be removed, alleging he was “biased” against people with “debilitating mental illness.” The state’s highest court rejected the emergency appeal. Then, Sullivan declared a mistrial and discharged the deadlocked jury. It was an inevitable but dramatic end to the six-week trial that captivated and divided the country – igniting a fierce debate over the role mental illness — particularly postpartum psychosis — should play in determining criminal responsibility.Earlier Friday morning, tensions flared in the courtroom after Sullivan rejected Reddington’s request to bounce the holdout juror. The juror was first singled out Thursday after the foreperson sent Sullivan a note alleging that one member of the panel was refusing to follow the judge’s instructions on reasonable doubt. The surprise note sent the courtroom into a scramble and sparked a heated sidebar involving Sullivan, the defense and prosecution. Reporters inside the courthouse described Reddington as visibly angry and frustrated.The most serious charges Clancy faced were three counts of first-degree murder, each carrying a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. She is expected to remain at Tewksbury State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, for now. Prosecutors must decide whether to retry her before a new jury, pursue a plea agreement, or decline to prosecute the case again.Clancy killed the couple’s three young children by strangling them with exercise bands inside the family’s Duxbury, Massachusetts, home on Jan. 24, 2023, after sending Patrick out to pick up takeout food and medication. She then attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window after cutting both of her wrists. All three children died, and Clancy was left paralyzed from the waist down.Patrick Clancy was the first person to discover the horrific scene at the family’s Duxbury home and the first witness to testify in his ex-wife’s murder trial.“The house was really quiet,” Patrick said, describing the moment he returned home after running errands. “I saw Cora. She had a band around her neck.” He removed it, then found 8-month-old Callan nearby in the same condition. He then searched the basement bathroom and the area around a couch before finding 3-year-old Dawson lifeless in a home office.“I knew he was gone,” Patrick testified.

Mike Pence: Why Supporting Ukraine Is An Investment In Freedom, Not Charity

During a recent visit to Ukraine, I had the privilege of addressing the National Prayer Breakfast and events commemorating the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the former Soviet Union, and I was deeply moved by the faith and resolve of their people.Traveling by plane and a dead-of-night train ride from Poland, one might have expected to find a nation weary after more than four years of Putin’s brutal and bloody war and the daily pummeling of their capital city by the Russian war machine in the days before we arrived.Instead, on my third visit since the outset of the war in 2022, I found a Ukrainian people hardened and even more determined to win a victory for freedom no matter the odds.While some Americans have grown callous to grim headlines describing an unmoving and grinding stalemate, President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have only become more resolved. With many of the loudest and least informed voices in our country on the Left and the Right arguing that Ukraine’s cause is hopeless or that the time has come to negotiate away its future, nothing I saw in Kyiv last week supports that conclusion.By every measure that truly matters, Ukraine is winning this war. Ukraine remains free. Its government stands. Its soldiers have taken the fight directly into the heart of Russia with unprecedented drone warfare. Its people are unbowed and refuse to surrender. And the blue and yellow flag still flies defiantly over Kyiv.The Ukrainian people are not asking the free world to fight their war. They are fighting it themselves, through extraordinary courage and sacrifice. They only ask of the free world: that America and our allies continue providing the support they need to repel Putin’s unprovoked invasion and return his aspirations for a new Russian empire to the ash heap of history.Thirty-five years ago, the Soviet Union collapsed beneath the weight of Communism and its own corruption. The Iron Curtain fell, and captive nations like Ukraine reclaimed their freedom and embraced the Free World, unshackled from the chains of Communism.Today, Vladimir Putin is trying to reverse history’s verdict. His invasion is not merely another territorial dispute between neighboring states. It is an attempt to resurrect an empire that deserved to die. Like the Soviet despots before him, Putin believes he can erase a distinct nation, language, culture, and people through fear and violence.He cannot.Vladimir Putin set out to conquer Ukraine in days, topple its democratically elected government, install a puppet regime, extinguish Ukrainian independence, and break the proud Ukrainian people. More than four years later, he has accomplished none of those objectives.Russia has paid an enormous price in blood, treasure, and international isolation simply to gain small pieces of territory it cannot hold without constant reinforcement. That is not what victory looks like.Unable to break Ukraine’s determination on the battlefield, the Kremlin has increasingly turned to terror from the skies, targeting innocent children and civilians. In recent days, Russia has unleashed wave after desperate wave of long-range drones and missiles against Kyiv and other civilian population centers. More than 1,500 attack drones were launched over just four days, as the Kremlin struggles in vain to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people.The price of stopping dictators always rises when free nations hesitate. Putin will either be stopped in Ukraine or further west. The choice is ours, not his.Ronald Reagan understood this when he warned, “No Western nation, including the United States, can hope to win its own battle for freedom and survival by sacrificing brave comrades to the politics of international expediency.”For America and her allies, supporting Ukraine is not an act of charity. Giving Ukraine the means to defeat and repel the Russian war machine serves the vital national interests of the United States of America.Every dollar invested in helping Ukrainians defeat Russian aggression today reduces the likelihood that American servicemen and women will one day have to confront that aggression themselves under our NATO commitments. This investment also rebuilds our own industrial base, providing jobs and ensuring our own security as the world becomes an increasingly dangerous place.And more must be done right now.Congress should act without delay to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act. Every additional sanction further isolates the Kremlin, weakens Putin’s ability to finance his war machine, and brings Ukraine one step closer to justice, peace, and victory.Congress must also ensure that Ukraine continues to receive the military resources it needs to defend its people, protect its skies, and finish this fight.Thirty-five years ago, Ukrainians reclaimed their freedom from one empire. Today they are ensuring that the dead empire is never resurrected.Every generation will be tasked to defend freedom. This generation of Ukrainians has done so with extraordinary courage. They deserve more than our admiration. With the steadfast support of every free nation on earth and the arsenal of democracy, Ukraine can win a victory for freedom, for their people, and for freedom-loving people around the world.***Mike Pence served as the 48th Vice President of the United States. He is founder of Advancing American Freedom and author of “What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience.”

Mom Obsessed With Lindsay Clancy Trial Kills Son, Calls Him ‘The Anti-Christ’

An Illinois mother who became obsessed with Lindsay Clancy’s high-profile murder trial told police she killed her 2-year-old son because she believed he was the “devil” and the “anti-Christ,” according to court documents.Police said Corie A. Walsh has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the death of her toddler, Barrett Walsh. The three charges are based on different legal theories of first-degree murder, according to FOX 32. Prosecutors use this method to increase odds of a conviction at trial.  She remains in custody but is being held for medical treatment after police said she attempted to harm herself following the killing that shocked a relatively safe and quiet suburb south of Chicago.Officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday to a home in Frankfort, Illinois, for a report of an unresponsive child. A neighbor was performing CPR when police arrived, and the boy was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, The Daily Wire previously reported. New court documents reveal dark new details on the reported killing that carries loud echoes to the Lindsey Clancy case. Walsh told law enforcement she hung her son in the basement because she believed the toddler was the “devil” and the “anti-Christ,” local media reported. Walsh also told police that “Bear” – a family nickname for the boy – was in the basement, according to court documents cited by WGN9. Preliminary results from an autopsy suggest the boy died from asphyxia caused by “ligature compression of the neck,” local media reported. The accused killer was home alone at the time of the homicide while her husband was out of town. He flew back later that evening, according to local media. Three other children inside the home were unharmed. An infant was inside the home, while two school-aged children returned home around the time of the horrific killing, FOX32 reported. As police hunt for a motive, witnesses in the neighborhood reportedly told authorities that Walsh had “recently become very invested in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial,” NBC Chicago reported. Her fascination with the case went beyond simply watching it on television, as Walsh “had been actively discussing the case via group text message with her friends” just hours before her toddler was killed, the outlet reported.Inside the upscale, two-story home, officers were “directed to an upstairs bathroom located in the master bedroom,” where Walsh was found “fully dressed, surrounded by bloody water,” according to court documents. Police found Walsh with non-life-threatening and self-inflicted cuts to her thighs and wrists.With details still rolling in, the reported murder has striking similarities to Lindsey Clancy’s triple strangulation death of her three children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan.“This is just absolutely devastating that this could be another Lindsay Clancy situation in our neighborhood, in our community. You never think it’s going to hit so close to home,” neighbor Carolyn Pappas said to NBC. “Just more people I think are struggling than we realize, and so we just need to be there for one another.”On Friday, Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial after the nine-woman, three-man jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict following 38 hours of deliberations. Like the rest of the nation, a divided and frustrated jury returned a somber note to the judge, which read: “It is with a heavy heart that we report we are unable to come to a unanimous decision and will not be able to.”It was an inevitable but dramatic end to the six-week trial that captivated and divided the country – igniting a fierce debate over the role mental illness — particularly postpartum psychosis — should play in determining criminal responsibility.Clancy killed the couple’s three young children by strangling them with exercise bands inside the family’s Duxbury, Massachusetts, home on January 24, 2023, after sending her husband, Patrick, to pick up takeout food and medication. She then attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window after cutting both of her wrists. All three children died, and Clancy was left paralyzed from the waist down.She is expected to remain at Tewksbury State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, for now. Prosecutors must decide whether to retry her before a new jury, pursue a plea agreement, or decline to prosecute the case again.

U.S. Military Makes Its Move Against Iran After Weeks Of Quiet

Trump Opens Massive War Chest To Rescue Ken Paxton Campaign

The financial cavalry is finally arriving for Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his closely watched Senate fight against Democrat James Talarico.New FEC documents show MAGA Inc., President Donald Trump’s super PAC, has opened its war chest for the first time in a competitive general election race, committing $10 million to television and digital ads supporting Paxton and opposing Talarico in the Texas Senate race. The PAC had more than $400 million on hand as of July 31, and Trump has vowed to spend as much as $500 million in outside money before Election Day.“High Tax Talarico wants to take money out of Texans’ pockets. MAGA Inc. is going to ensure Texas knows about Talarico’s radical policies and elects Ken Paxton to the U.S. Senate.” Alex Pfeiffer, a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., told the Daily Wire.The first advertisement features Paxton’s affordability agenda, including his pledge to double the child tax credit, tax breaks for medical expenses, and a $50,000 deduction for first-time homebuyers. “While James Talarico has a record of raising taxes on working families, my Protecting the Texas Promise Agenda cuts costs and makes life more affordable. Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump, for your support. Together we will win for Texas and America,” Paxton said in reaction to the news.James Talarico means higher taxes for Texas. pic.twitter.com/EombE1nr5U— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) September 5, 2026On Wednesday, tech billionaire Elon Musk also threw more than $800,000 behind Republicans in House and Senate races, with nearly $250,000 of that spending going toward Paxton’s Senate bid.FEC filings show Musk’s America PAC, the political group that spent hundreds of millions helping elect President Donald Trump in 2024, reported more than $800,000 in independent expenditures last month, marking the opening burst of what is expected to become a $100 million to $200 million midterm spending operation by the world’s richest person.“The cavalry arrives for Ken Paxton. #TXSen. Elon Musk’s AMERICA PAC also poured money into Texas. Talarico is gonna have his hands full,” journalist Eric Michael Garcia posted on X.Musk plans to use his revived operation to prioritize door-knocking, digital advertising, and direct mail to energize conservative voters who typically skip midterms, The Daily Wire previously reported. Texas is expected to be a major focus of that drive. Polls and one prediction market show a dead heat, with Talarico holding a slight edge over Paxton.The first burst of money is significant for Paxton, who has struggled to raise cash following his bruising primary battle with ousted Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).“I’m going to be making contributions to various campaigns of people that I think are good, Republicans that I think are good, people that I think are going to win and can win or are close to winning,” Trump said in the Oval Office Friday. “And this is money from MAGA Inc. This is my money, that I control.”“I’m going to spend whatever amount of money necessary to try and help us,” Trump added.With control of both the House and Senate up for grabs, Republicans face a competitive environment heading into Election Day, including elevated gas prices, the lingering conflict in Iran, and Trump’s sagging approval ratings. The latest RealClearPolitics polling average gives Democrats a roughly 5.7-percentage-point advantage on the generic congressional ballot.For months, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has urged Trump to get involved while warning that Republican Senate campaign committees cannot afford to spend heavily in Texas’ costly media markets.“I worry about that, for sure,” Thune told a local CBS affiliate about losing the Senate Republican majority in November. “I’m a realist, and I just think you — I don’t ever try and sugarcoat things. I think it’s a competitive environment right now.”

Fox Business Star ‘Permanently Disfigured’ After Vicious Dog Attack — You’ll Never Guess The Breed

Fox Business anchor Jackie DeAngelis says she was left permanently disfigured after a pit bull mauled her inside a Manhattan Whole Foods — and now she’s suing the grocery chain for allegedly allowing the beast into the store.DeAngelis, 46, co-host of The Big Money Show, was bitten on the left hand by a black pit bull while shopping at the Whole Foods location at 10 Columbus Circle in September 2023, according to a lawsuit filed August 20 in Manhattan Supreme Court.The dog and its owner had already left the store by the time officers arrived on the scene, according to police accounts relayed to the New York Post.Whole Foods maintains a company-wide policy banning pets in its stores, with an exception for service animals recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act. DeAngelis’ suit argues the dog involved was not a legitimate service animal, and that store employees failed to catch its presence or remove it before the attack occurred.“[Whole Foods] failed to reasonably enforce its own policies, practices and/or procedures concerning animals entering and remaining within the subject store,” the complaint states, further accusing the grocery chain of failing to “exercise reasonable care in controlling and regulating the presence of unauthorized animals within its premises.”The suit says DeAngelis required surgery on her hand following the attack and has been left with significant scarring, reduced mobility, and an inability to perform certain tasks — damage her attorneys describe as “permanent and continuing.” She is seeking unspecified damages to cover her medical costs and emotional distress.Pit bulls are a perennial flashpoint in the debate over dangerous dog breeds. DogsBite.org, which tracks fatal maulings, found the breed accounted for roughly 66% of U.S. dog bite deaths between 2005 and 2024 despite making up an estimated 6% to 20% of the overall dog population. And separate trauma-center studies have found pit bull attacks produce disproportionately severe injuries compared to bites from other breeds.Pit bulls are banned or tightly restricted in more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway, where ownership is generally illegal absent narrow exemptions.

A Lindsay Clancy ‘Not Responsible’ Verdict Would Have Sent Women Back 100 Years

“Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent,” Scottish philosopher and economist Adam Smith said — and if modern history were to test that theory, the Lindsay Clancy murder trial would be, for lack of a better term, Exhibit A.The courtroom drama ended Friday in a mistrial, and the jury appears to have narrowly avoided the miscarriage of justice — and the “cruelty to the innocent” — that would have resulted had they returned with a verdict declaring her “not criminally responsible” for her actions.

Trump Admin Wants To Make Stay-At-Home Parents Raising Their Own Kids A Priority

Trump administration officials are drafting a rule that would let married couples with a stay-at-home parent tap into a federal child care fund currently reserved for working families, people familiar with the plan told The New York Times.The proposal would rework the Child Care and Development Fund, a roughly $12 billion Health and Human Services program dating to the Clinton era that helps low- and moderate-income parents pay for care so they can work, attend school, or complete job training. Under the draft rule, a married couple could still collect aid — worth about $9,000 per child annually — if one spouse stays home to raise the child while the other works at least 35 hours a week. No such federal benefit currently exists.The change would not require congressional approval, though it still needs sign-off from the White House and a public comment period before taking effect, potentially as early as next year, the Times reported.Vice President JD Vance, who for years has argued that young children fare better with a parent at home than in day care, is said to be the driving force behind the effort. The draft also draws on child care legislation Secretary of State Marco Rubio authored while in the Senate, and echoes a proposal in Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for a second Trump term. Heritage’s Roger Severino, who authored that blueprint’s child care section, told the Times the change would put stay-at-home caregiving on equal footing with paid day care and would likely survive legal scrutiny, including for married same-sex couples under existing Supreme Court precedent.The plan would not extend to unmarried couples or non-working single parents. Critics warn that without new funding, opening eligibility to a wider pool of families would squeeze the roughly 870,000 households — 80% led by single working parents, mostly mothers — that currently rely on the subsidy, along with the child care providers that depend on those payments, according to the Times. Some administration lawyers have reportedly flagged legal risk in conditioning benefits on marital status, as well as fraud tied to sending money directly to individuals rather than licensed providers — a concern that has drawn administration scrutiny before. Vance announced a Justice Department task force in January after a child care fraud scandal in Minnesota involving shell organizations posing as day care providers.

Mamdani Marks 9/11 With Slap In The Face Move Tied To Al-Qaeda Terrorist

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an order on Friday marking the city’s official recognition of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 Islamic terror attacks — and then handed the symbolic pen to a city official linked to the terrorists who carried them out.The self-described Democratic socialist signed two companion orders in that session — one marking September 11 as an official Day of Remembrance and another regarding security protocols in the case of future terrorist actions — and then quietly passed the pen.Handing it first to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, he asked, “Can you pass this?”Tisch dutifully passed the pen to Mamdani’s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, before exiting the room.Critics argued that Mamdani’s move was not an accident.“It was calculated,” retired detective and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice Michael Alcazar told The New York Post.“It happened during a ceremony meant to be about the victims, and no one else. 9/11 families didn’t come to City Hall to watch Mamdani spotlight someone whose work intersects with the very ideology that took their loved ones. Commissioner Jessica Tisch was reduced to a prop rather than acknowledging her role as the leader of the NYPD,” he added.Council Member Joann Ariola (R-Queens) said Mamdani’s choice had been “breathtakingly tone-deaf and disrespectful,” adding, “It shows exactly where his loyalties truly lie … The families who lost loved ones on 9/11 have every right to be outraged. On the 25th anniversary, City Hall should be honoring their sacrifice with dignity, not forcing those families to endure yet another insult.”“This is despicable. @NYCMayor is a disgrace to those who lost loved ones on 9/11. His actions are beyond “tone deaf”, they’re morally bankrupt,” Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) posted.The overall assessment was simple: Mamdani’s choice wasn’t “tone deaf,” it was “intentional.”Mamdani raised eyebrows when he first appointed Kassem to serve in his administration, largely because of the attorney’s links to several Islamic terrorists.Kassem represented Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani, who allegedly attempted to assist in the 9/11 hijacking and was held in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for two decades. Teaching law at City University of New York at the time, he had been working with students over the course of a decade to get him returned to Saudi Arabia. They succeeded in doing so in 2022.He also represented al Qaeda terrorist Ahmed al-Darbi in court. Al-Darbi pleaded guilty in 2014 in connection with a plot to bomb the French oil tanker MV Limburg off the coast of Yemen.He pleaded guilty in 2014 in connection with a plot to bomb the French oil tanker MV Limburg off the coast of Yemen, and was sentenced in 2017. In 2018, President Donald Trump’s administration transferred him to the custody of Saudi Arabia.