DOJ Pushes to Disqualify Comey’s Lead Lawyer

October 20, 2025

Federal prosecutors are moving to remove former FBI Director James Comey’s lawyer. The lead attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, may have a conflict of interest in the case.

“Based on publicly disclosed information, the defendant used current lead defense counsel to improperly disclose classified information,” prosecutors Tyler Lemons and Gabriel Diaz wrote in the filing, as reported by Politico. “This fact raises a question of conflict and disqualification for current lead defense counsel.”

“Some of the communications in the potentially protected material are from the same time as the focus of the DOJ OIG report,” the prosecutors noted, referencing a 2019 report from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General, which criticized Comey for sharing information about his conversations with Trump to his lawyers. “Before litigating any issue of conflict or disqualification, the parties should have access to all relevant and non-privileged information. The sooner that the potentially protected information is reviewed and filtered, the sooner the parties can make any appropriate filings with the Court.”

Some of the information shared was later considered to be classified.

Fitzgerald subsequently argued that the government’s claim “is provably false and in any event provides no basis to grant the motion to expedite.”

“In short, there is no good faith basis for attributing criminal conduct to either Mr. Comey or his lead defense counsel,” the filing adds. “Similarly, there is no good faith basis to claim a ‘conflict’ between Mr. Comey and his counsel, much less a basis to move to disqualify lead defense counsel.”

Comey pleaded not guilty last week to two federal charges, making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

Cuomo Comeback: Poll Shows Tight Race if Sliwa Exits NYC Mayoral Bid

October 20, 2025

A new New York City polling survey suggests a surprising Cuomo comeback could reshape the NYC mayoral race — if Republican Curtis Sliwa steps aside. The poll, conducted with AARP New York, found former Gov. Andrew Cuomo nearly neck-and-neck with left-wing front-runner Zohran Mamdani in a two-way contest.

According to the data, 44.6% of voters said they would back Mamdani if Sliwa dropped out, while 40.7% would support Cuomo — a result within the 4-point margin of error. With all three candidates in the race, Mamdani leads with 43.2%, compared to 28.9% for Cuomo and 19.4% for Sliwa.

“The decisive factor in this race may be the older voters who haven’t yet made up their minds,” said Stephen Graves, president of Gotham Polling & Analytics. Seventy-eight percent of undecided voters are age 50 or older — a group that could tip the balance in Cuomo’s favor.

Cuomo, 67, has leaned into his experience and attacked Mamdani’s “lack of experience,” calling Sliwa a “spoiler” who could split the anti-socialist vote. “A vote for Curtis Sliwa is really a vote for Mamdani,” Cuomo warned.

Meanwhile, Sliwa fired back during the recent debate, arguing that Cuomo, not he, should exit the race.

The Gotham poll highlights the city’s deep ideological divide: nearly 43% of respondents identified as liberal, compared to just 23% who identified as conservative. But with cost of living (63.6%) and public safety (48.6%) ranking as top voter concerns, analysts say older, moderate New Yorkers may deliver a Cuomo comeback no one saw coming.

Second Amendment on Trial at Supreme Court

October 20, 2025

The Supreme Court is considering whether those who use illegal drugs can own firearms.

The case comes as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that laws prohibiting anyone who is “an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” from having firearms violate the Second Amendment.

“By disqualifying only habitual users of illegal drugs from possessing firearms, the statute imposes a limited, inherently temporary restriction—one which the individual can remove at any time simply by ceasing his unlawful drug use,” Solicitor General John Sauer wrote in the petition. “This restriction provides a modest, modern analogue of much harsher founding-era restrictions on habitual drunkards, and so it stands solidly within our Nation’s history and tradition of regulation.”

“The Fifth Circuit erred in holding that the Second Amendment precludes Congress from restricting the possession of firearms by habitual users of illegal drugs,” the petition adds. “The court’s decision invalidates an important federal statute in the vast majority of its applications and exacerbates a multi-sided circuit conflict. This Court should grant the petition for a writ of certiorari and reverse.”

The case surrounds Ali Danial Hemani, a dual citizen of the United States and Pakistan, who is described as a “drug dealer who uses illegal drugs.” The petition explains that Hemani was “poised to commit fraud at the
direction of suspected affiliates of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization.” His mother was also shown on video expressing a desire that her two sons, one of whom is Hemani, would become martyrs.

AOC Illegal Immigrant Healthcare Comments Ignite New Shutdown Clash

October 20, 2025

AOC — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (AOC) latest remarks on illegal immigrant healthcare are stirring fresh controversy amid a heated budget standoff in Washington. During a CNN town hall last week, the New York Democrat was asked if illegal migrants should have access to federally funded health care.

“I believe, personally, that health care is a human right,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I believe that every person should be able to go to the doctor.” She added that U.S. citizens and those who “pay into our programs deserve to be covered by these programs,” but still called the existing federal law that bans taxpayer-funded care for illegal migrants “appropriate.”

Pressed on whether she supports changing that law, Ocasio-Cortez doubled down: “I believe in a single-payer health care system, where if you go in and need a doctor, you can get the medical attention that you need.”

Her comments come as Democrats face mounting criticism for allegedly pushing to expand health coverage to illegal migrants amid the government shutdown fight. Republicans accuse Democrats of holding up funding to secure Medicaid reimbursements that would pay for emergency treatments for those in the country illegally.

Ocasio-Cortez earlier insisted it’s “totally false” that Democrats are risking a shutdown over benefits for illegal immigrants, but Republican leaders say otherwise, pointing to language in Democratic budget proposals expanding federal subsidies.

The exchange underscores a widening partisan divide on immigration and healthcare — one that could shape the outcome of both the shutdown battle and the 2026 elections.

Massie’s IPAC Controversy: DSA-Aligned PAC With Anti-ICE Ties Backs ‘Most Conservative Congressman’

October 20, 2025

A curious coalition is raising eyebrows among conservatives after Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) was photographed meeting with the Integrity Political Action Committee (IPAC) — an organization that recently formed a “new coalition” with the Democratic Socialists of America to oppose ICE’s “crackdown on immigration violations.”

A photo posted online shows Massie smiling beside IPAC chairman Rafed Aljoboury in a Pennsylvania home. One week earlier, Aljoboury donated $500 to Massie’s campaign, according to finance records. Aljoboury, who compared ICE agents to Nazis — saying, “They are honestly acting more like Gestapo” — has publicly praised Massie, calling his reelection a priority for the group.

While IPAC describes itself as “dedicated to influencing political causes that promote the common good,” its social media tells a different story. The group’s X account amplifies anti-Semitic and pro-terror content, including posts by self-described communist Jackson Hinkle and conspiracy theorist Stew Peters, who claimed, “President John F. Kennedy was assassinated… by Jews and by their shabbos goys.”

Massie told the Washington Free Beacon he is “not familiar with the Integrity Political Action Committee” or its stance on immigration, emphasizing that he “feel[s] strongly that we should stop illegal immigration.”

The meeting comes as President Donald Trump’s team works to unseat Massie in a 2026 primary, criticizing the Kentucky lawmaker as the “worst Republican Congressman” for his frequent opposition to administration-backed bills.

Despite labeling himself “Kentucky’s most conservative congressman,” Massie’s growing ties to IPAC donors — many of whom have Democratic or socialist backgrounds — are fueling questions about his political alliances.

Trump Looks to Argentina to Lower Meat Costs

October 20, 2025

President Trump announced that the nation may purchase beef from Argentina in an effort to lower meat prices in the United States.

“We would buy some beef from Argentina. If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “The one thing that’s kept up is beef. And if we buy some beef, no I’m not talking that much from Argentina, it would help Argentina, which we consider a very good country, a very good ally.”

The comments follow the United States entering a $20 billion currency deal with Argentina.

“The United States stands with Argentina. Yesterday, Treasury bought pesos in the ‘Blue Chip Swap’ and spot markets. Treasury remains in close communication with Argentina’s economic team as they work to Make Argentina Great Again,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement last week. “Treasury is monitoring all markets, and we have the capacity to act with flexibility and with force to stabilize Argentina.”

The Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA) confirmed the deal, explaining that the agreement’s objective is to “contribute to the macroeconomic stability of Argentina, with special emphasis on preserving price stability and promoting sustainable economic growth.”

Argentine President Javier Milei told CNBC that the swap does not increase the debt of either country.

“On the other hand, it is normal practice for central banks to buy currencies to build up reserves from other countries and even to buy government securities,” Milei explained. “Therefore, it is nothing that is not within the logic of what a central bank does. And if you see that some assets are very cheap, such as the Argentine peso or Argentine government bond positions, I say, well, it’s a good opportunity and that’s what Treasury Secretary Bessent said.”

Soros, Pritzker Donations Helped Fuel Jay Jones’s Scandal-Plagued Campaign

October 20, 2025

Democratic megadonors Soros and Pritzker are under scrutiny after funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to Virginia Democrat Jay Jones, who is facing widespread outrage over text messages where he fantasized about shooting a Republican lawmaker and wishing death on his colleague’s children.

George Soros’s Democracy PAC donated $250,000 to Jones’s campaign on Sept. 30, while Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker added $20,000 the same day, according to campaign finance records. The donations came just before National Review revealed that Jones told a colleague in 2022 he wanted to put “two bullets” in then–House Speaker Todd Gilbert’s head and called Gilbert’s children “little fascists.”

The scandal has shaken Virginia’s attorney general race, where Jones is running against Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, and is threatening to drag down other Democratic candidates including Abigail Spanberger and Ghazala Hashmi. Despite the controversy, neither Soros nor Pritzker has commented.

Pritzker, who has pushed strict gun control laws, recently blamed Republicans for “ratcheting up” political violence, saying, “I think the president’s rhetoric often foments it.” Ironically, the governor’s donation to Jones came the same day he condemned Trump for saying violent gangs should be “taken out.”

Soros’s Open Society Foundations and Democracy PAC have long bankrolled progressive prosecutors and anti-gun groups like Everytown for Gun Safety, which quietly scrubbed its endorsement of Jones after the scandal broke.

According to a Trafalgar Group poll, 60 percent of voters said Jones’s violent texts were impacting their decision, with Jones now trailing Miyares by six points.

Houthi Chief of Staff Killed in Israeli Strike, Confirmed Dead

October 20, 2025

Houthi chief Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, the Iran-backed terror group’s chief of staff, was confirmed dead Thursday following an Israeli strike that targeted him in August. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that “another chief-of-staff in the line of terror chiefs who aimed to harm us was eliminated.”

The Houthis said al-Ghamari died “while fulfilling his duties” and vowed that Israel will “receive its deterrent punishment for the crimes it has committed,” according to Reuters. The strike that killed al-Ghamari also eliminated the Houthi prime minister, foreign minister, and at least 10 senior officials in Sanaa, the group’s stronghold in Yemen.

Al-Ghamari had been sanctioned by both the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.N. Security Council for destabilizing Yemen and supporting Iran’s regional terror network. Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said the slain commander “joined his thwarted comrades of the evil axis in the depths of hell.”

Since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the Houthis have launched dozens of missiles and drones at Israeli territory in what they claim is solidarity with Hamas. The State Department earlier this year re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization following their repeated assaults on Israeli, American, and international vessels in the Red Sea—more than 100 attacks between November 2023 and December 2024, according to Reuters.

Israel’s latest operation underscores its continued campaign to dismantle Iran’s terror proxies and protect its borders from ongoing regional threats.

Trump Takes on Colombia

October 20, 2025

president trump — (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump reiterated his criticism of Colombia, pledging to end funding to the country over its cocaine production.

In a Sunday Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “President Gustavo Petro, of Colombia, is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Colombia.” He noted the activities have become “the biggest business in Colombia, by far, and Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.”

“AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,” Trump declared. “The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc.” He warned that Petro, “better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”

President Trump later told reporters on Air Force One: “They make drugs, they refine drugs, they make cocaine, they have cocaine factories. They have no fight against drugs, and I’m stopping all payments to Colombia because they don’t have anything to do with their fight against drugs.”

In September, the Trump administration revoked Petro’s visa following his participation in a Palestinian protest.

“Earlier today, [Petro] stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence,” the State Department said at the time. “We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”

Colorado Bank Robberies on the Rise Despite National Decline

October 20, 2025

Colorado bank robberies are climbing again, even as the rest of the nation sees a decline, according to new FBI data and warnings from state banking leaders. Colorado recorded 104 bank robberies in 2023, ranking third in the nation behind California and Illinois.

“Colorado, unfortunately, has always been high in robbery,” said Jenifer Waller, CEO of the Colorado Bankers Association. “We compete with California and a few other states for the number one position on bank robberies.” She said robberies dipped after 2021, when the state saw 191 incidents, but noted, “We saw what I would consider a drastic increase a little over a year ago.”

The recent spike comes as law enforcement reports more organized criminal activity and old-fashioned heists. In one September incident, a man pulled a gun on a teller at a BMO Bank branch in Aurora, fleeing with $1,000 before being arrested days later.

Waller pointed to economic pressure and Colorado’s easy highway access as possible factors but stressed that “banks are very proactive. Our number one priority is ensuring the safety of our customers and employees.”

Most robberies remain nonviolent, often involving a note rather than a weapon, but the emotional toll is real. “Bank robbery isn’t a victimless crime,” Waller said.

Colorado banks are also facing new threats like “jugging,” where criminals follow customers leaving banks and rob them of cash withdrawals.

“Customer and employee safety is our number one priority,” Waller emphasized, urging customers to comply with robbers and report details afterward.