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Ohio Redistricting Commission Congressional Maps Battle Heats Up

Springfield, Ohio (Photo by Luke Sharrett/Getty Images)

Just one day after a joint legislative committee missed its deadline to approve new bipartisan congressional maps, Ohio Democrats are demanding that Governor Mike DeWine immediately call the state’s Redistricting Commission back into session. So far, DeWine has declined to comment.

In a letter sent Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) pressed DeWine to act quickly, pointing to constitutional language that requires the commission to adopt a congressional district plan by October 31. “We are prepared to take exceptional steps to meet those requirements,” the Democrats wrote, offering to meet anywhere in the state with 24 hours’ notice.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission is controlled by Republicans, including the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, Senate president, and House speaker, alongside the two Democratic minority leaders. Like the joint legislative committee, it is tasked with producing maps that comply with Ohio’s anti-gerrymandering provisions.

The committee’s Tuesday deadline came and went without action. Democrats presented proposed maps, but Republicans did not bring forward their own plan or hold a vote. If the commission fails to reach agreement by the end of the month, the state legislature can approve new maps with a simple majority vote—allowing Republicans to move forward without Democratic support.

Ohio’s constitution, amended by voters to reduce gerrymandering, requires maps to reflect statewide voting patterns over the past decade. Those results show Ohioans voting roughly 54% Republican and 46% Democrat in federal elections, which would translate into a fair map splitting the state’s 15 U.S. House districts 8-7 in favor of the GOP. Currently, Republicans hold 10 seats.

Democrats argue that the rules demand a more balanced map, while Republicans maintain that geographic realities and voting patterns naturally favor their majority. With just weeks left until the deadline, the pressure on Governor DeWine to intervene continues to grow.

Gigi Sohn Undermines Trump Broadband Reforms

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Federal Communications Commission (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Gigi Sohn, the Biden-era FCC nominee rejected even by Senate Democrats for her radical record, is now attacking President Trump’s reforms to the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Despite being considered too extreme for a Democratic-controlled Senate, Sohn is working behind the scenes with state officials—including some Republicans—to undermine reforms designed to eliminate waste, cut DEI mandates, and allow satellite providers to compete fairly.

The BEAD program was originally pitched as a way to expand internet service to underserved rural areas, but under Biden it became a vehicle for progressive priorities. Funds were distributed with diversity, equity, and climate mandates that favored large, politically connected telecom companies while excluding satellite internet providers such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper.

President Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Assistant Secretary for Telecommunications Arielle Roth announced reforms in September to strip out ideological conditions and make the program technology-neutral. Lutnick made clear the administration’s goal was to deliver affordable internet efficiently, regardless of whether the service came from fiber, cable, or satellite. In rural areas, satellite internet often provides the most cost-effective solution, connecting households at a fraction of the price of fiber.

Sohn has openly opposed these reforms. On LinkedIn, she accused the Trump administration of hurting “rural and low-income households,” despite the fact that satellite access costs an average of $1,500 per home compared to nearly $10,000 for some fiber projects. In Missouri’s latest BEAD proposal, more than 80 percent of funds went to fiber companies while only 13 percent went to satellite, even though satellite covered far more homes for less taxpayer money. Sohn publicly praised Missouri’s broadband director for his proposal, confirming her involvement.

This is not the first time Sohn has tried to use her influence to reshape communications policy. She previously co-founded Public Knowledge, a far-left group that pressured networks to drop conservative outlets like One America News and Newsmax. She also advocated for investigations into Sinclair Broadcast Group for alleged conservative bias. These efforts to censor right-leaning media contributed to her failed FCC nomination, which collapsed when Senate Democrats withdrew support.

Sohn has attempted to reinvent herself as a defender of free speech while simultaneously attacking Trump’s FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. Yet her record shows a consistent pattern: silencing conservative voices, steering subsidies toward progressive allies, and pushing ideological mandates.

Republican officials cooperating with Sohn risk helping her undo Trump’s taxpayer-saving reforms and restore a politicized broadband program designed to favor entrenched telecom interests over rural families in need of affordable internet.

Trump Federal Worker Buyouts Trigger Historic 80-Year Cut

(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The Trump administration is overseeing the largest one-year cut to the federal workforce in nearly a century, with 154,000 federal employees officially leaving the payroll this week. Those departing had accepted buyouts offered under President Trump’s plan to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.

The resignations, which began Tuesday, are part of a deferred exit program that allowed employees to remain on the payroll through September before their positions were eliminated. The buyouts combined financial incentives with the possibility of dismissal for those who declined, signaling a major restructuring effort aimed at shrinking bureaucracy.

This marks the biggest drawdown of federal workers in 80 years. By the end of 2025, more than 300,000 federal employees are expected to depart through a combination of buyouts, job cuts, and attrition. That represents a 12.5 percent reduction of the federal workforce.

While mainstream outlets have sounded alarms over the buyouts—claiming losses of expertise in agencies like the National Weather Service, Food and Drug Administration, and NASA—supporters argue the cuts are long overdue. They point to decades of unchecked federal growth, ballooning costs, and public sector unions that wield outsized political influence.

Critics of the federal workforce also note that government jobs often come with retirement packages, healthcare coverage, and time-off benefits that far exceed those available to private sector employees. Taxpayer-funded public unions, they argue, funnel millions of dollars annually into Democrat-aligned campaigns, effectively turning the federal workforce into a political machine.

President Trump has long promised to “drain the swamp,” and this latest reduction underscores his determination to curb government power and cut taxpayer costs. While Democrats frame the cuts as harmful to federal operations, conservatives see them as an essential step toward limiting bureaucracy and restoring balance between government and the private sector.

OpenAI to Launch TikTok-Style App for Sora 2 AI Video Model

TikTok Website on Screen via American Faith

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is preparing to release a new standalone app powered by its latest video-generation model, Sora 2. The app, designed to resemble TikTok, will feature a vertical video feed of AI-generated clips that users can create, share, and remix. Unlike TikTok, however, all content will be AI-generated rather than filmed by users.

According to internal documents, the Sora 2 app will allow users to produce video clips up to 10 seconds long. It will include a “For You” page tailored by a recommendation algorithm, as well as engagement features such as likes, comments, and remix options. A unique element is identity verification: users can confirm their likeness and choose to allow others to incorporate it into AI-generated clips. Notifications will be sent whenever a verified likeness is used, even if a video remains in draft form.

OpenAI quietly launched the app internally last week, and early feedback from employees has been described as overwhelmingly positive. The app’s popularity during testing was reportedly so high that managers joked about its effect on workplace productivity.

The upcoming launch places OpenAI in direct competition with Meta and Google, both of which are pushing AI video platforms. Meta recently unveiled Vibes within its Meta AI app, while Google integrated its Veo 3 model into YouTube. TikTok, by contrast, has tightened its rules on AI, explicitly banning content that misleads on public issues or harms individuals.

OpenAI is building safeguards into Sora 2 to address copyright and safety concerns. The company is already facing lawsuits, including one from The New York Times, over alleged use of copyrighted material to train AI models. Critics have also raised concerns about child safety, pointing to the popularity of TikTok-like platforms among teens. OpenAI recently rolled out parental controls and an age-prediction tool for ChatGPT, though it remains unclear how similar protections will apply to Sora 2.

With AI video technology advancing rapidly, the release of Sora 2 signals OpenAI’s effort to stake its claim in short-form video entertainment—a space already shaping youth culture and global communication.

Netflix Ada Twist Scientist Gay Wedding Sparks Boycott

(Mike Cox/Unsplash)

Netflix has once again sparked outrage among parents after slipping a same-sex wedding and kiss into its children’s program Ada Twist, Scientist. In season four’s eleventh episode, titled Blue River Wedding, the animated show—targeted at preschool and elementary-aged children—features a gay couple exchanging vows, raising serious concerns about Hollywood’s growing effort to normalize adult sexual themes in programming meant for toddlers.

The series is produced by Higher Ground Productions, the entertainment company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama. Originally promoted as a lighthearted, science-focused program to inspire children’s curiosity, the show has now become part of Netflix’s broader trend of embedding LGBTQ+ messaging into content aimed at the youngest viewers. Parents who once trusted the program to be safe for kids now see it as another example of Hollywood eroding childhood innocence.

This is not an isolated incident. In recent years, Netflix has released multiple productions criticized for targeting children with inappropriate sexual and ideological content. In 2021, Dead End: Paranormal Park included transgender themes across two seasons. CoComelon Lane, aimed at toddlers as young as two, featured a boy dancing in a dress for his two male parents. And in 2020, the company faced massive backlash over Cuties, a film accused of exploiting children by sexualizing pre-teens on screen.

This latest move has triggered calls for a boycott. Led by high-profile figures like Elon Musk, thousands of Netflix subscribers are reportedly canceling their accounts, demanding the company stop inserting political and sexual agendas into children’s programming. Many parents believe entertainment corporations are bypassing parental authority to introduce children to adult lifestyles prematurely, with potentially harmful long-term effects on their development.

Critics argue this push is not about representation but indoctrination—shaping children into confused and dependent adults more easily influenced by political and cultural elites. They stress that parents, not media conglomerates, should decide when and how such topics are introduced.

The growing backlash against Netflix signals a broader cultural battle. As more parents speak out, the question remains whether Hollywood will continue doubling down on its agenda—or if boycotts will force change in what content is fed to America’s children.

Joseph Kabila Sentenced to Death as Congo Court Rules on Treason

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A military court in Kinshasa on Tuesday sentenced former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, convicting him on charges of treason, terrorism, and war crimes. The sweeping verdict against the 54-year-old ex-leader included allegations of murder, torture, sexual assault, and conspiracy to support the M23 rebel insurgency in eastern Congo.

Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 until 2018, rose to power after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. His presidency was marred by corruption accusations, delayed elections, and violent crackdowns on dissent. He ultimately stepped down in 2018 after widespread protests but retained influence as a “senator for life” until President Felix Tshisekedi stripped him of immunity in May 2025.

The court found Kabila guilty of directing or supporting M23 rebels, who have seized large portions of eastern Congo in recent years. Judges cited testimony from a captured rebel officer alleging that Kabila spoke regularly with M23 leader Corneille Nangaa about overthrowing Tshisekedi’s government. The tribunal also ordered Kabila to pay $33 billion in reparations for moral, ecological, and infrastructural damage linked to the insurgency.

Kabila has not been seen publicly since May, when he appeared in Goma for a meeting with religious leaders. His current whereabouts are unknown, though reports have placed him in South Africa or in rebel-controlled eastern Congo. He denies commanding M23 but has voiced support for the group and called on Kinshasa to negotiate with them.

The sentencing could destabilize the fragile political environment in Congo. Kabila’s party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy, condemned the ruling as a “political, unfair decision” aimed at sidelining him as a rival. Observers warn the verdict may inflame tensions among Kabila loyalists while complicating international peace efforts.

President Donald Trump, who brokered a peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda in June, is watching the fallout closely. The deal was meant to stabilize eastern Congo and open the door for American companies to invest in mining and infrastructure. Analysts fear that Kabila’s conviction could weaken the accord and fuel further clashes between Kinshasa and Rwanda.

Democrats Demand Healthcare for Illegals Amid Govt Shutdown

Congress
Capitol Building (Tim Graham/Getty Images)

The White House released a memo condemning the Democratic push for illegal immigrants to receive healthcare amid the government shutdown.

According to the memo, the Working Families Tax Cut Act (WFTCA), signed into law by President Trump, contains policies that “represent a comprehensive effort to address waste, fraud, and abuse to strengthen the healthcare system for the most vulnerable Americans, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are focused on American citizens and do not subsidize healthcare for illegal immigrants.”

“Democrats are demanding these reforms be repealed as a condition of keeping the government open for four weeks,” the memo read. “This would result in the federal government spending nearly $200 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants and non-citizens over the next decade — nearly enough to fund the entire Children’s Health Insurance Program over the same period— all while repealing reforms that strengthen care for the most vulnerable Americans.”

The memorandum declares that the Democrats’ funding proposal puts American patients last.

“Adding insult to injury, Democrats are also seeking to undo critical reforms that strengthen the healthcare system for American patients,” the document adds. “Their bill would repeal a historic $50 billion investment into transforming rural healthcare, take Health Savings Accounts away from 10 million Americans poised to gain access, and end common-sense Clinton-era work requirements for able-bodied, working-aged adults without young children.”

Vice President JD Vance shed light on the Democratic effort during an interview with Fox News, saying, “It’s not something that we made up. It’s not a talking point. It is in the text of the bill that they initially gave to us to reopen the government.”

“But look, let’s set that all to the side. Let’s open up the government Let’s negotiate on all these healthcare policy issues,” Vance said. “Obviously, we’re not going to support healthcare benefits for illegal aliens, but we will work with them to lower healthcare costs for American citizens if they’re willing to do so,” Vance said.

Philadelphia Raises Chinese Communist Flag

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Philadelphia raised the flag of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on September 30 in a commemoration of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) National Day.

The city is part of a sister-city partnership with the Chinese city of Tianjin. The arrangement, made in 1979, was “one of the earliest such ties between a U.S. and a Chinese city,” according to the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.

Ahead of the event, Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) sent a letter to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, urging the flag-raising ceremony to be canceled.

“The city where America declared independence and that all people have the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, should not raise the flag of an authoritarian regime represented by the Chinese Communist Party, which denies those freedoms to its own people,” Moolenaar wrote. “Raising the flag of the People’s Republic of China over Philadelphia is a disgrace to our nation’s founding values and flies in the face of all the courageous dissidents and human rights advocates who tirelessly work to bring freedom to the Chinese people.”

“Raising the national flag of a foreign adversary country sends the wrong message to our citizens and lawful residents, especially those oppressed by the CCP regime. The city government of Philadelphia should not allow itself to be exploited as a tool for CCP propaganda,” he added. “To cancel the PRC flag-raising ceremony will not only demonstrate that the local government in the United States stands for U.S. values and national interests, but that it stands in support for the people of China who face the regime’s ruthless oppression and transnational repression.”

Trump Admin Freezes $18 Billion for NYC Projects

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Times Square (Luca Bravo/Unsplash)

The Trump administration froze an estimated $18 billion in funding for two New York City infrastructure projects amid a concern over “unconstitutional DEI principles.”

“Roughly $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles,” Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced. “Specifically, the Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Ave Subway.”

The Department of Transportation released a statement on the development, saying it has issued an interim final rule banning “race- and sex-based contracting requirements from federal grants.”

“USDOT issued letters to New York to inform them that their two mega projects – the 2nd Avenue Subway and Hudson Tunnel – are under administrative review to determine whether any unconstitutional practices are occurring,” USDOT explained, noting these projects are in focus “because they are arguably the largest infrastructure initiatives in the Western Hemisphere, and the American people want to see them completed quickly and efficiently.”

“Until USDOT’s quick administrative review is complete, project reimbursements cannot be processed, including a $300 million disbursement for the 2nd Avenue Subway. The remaining federal funding for these projects totals nearly $18 billion,” the statement adds.

The interim final rule (IFR) “ensures that the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT or Department) operates its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Programs (collectively, Programs) in a nondiscriminatory fashion—in line with law and the U.S. Constitution.”

The IFR “removes race and sex-based presumptions of social and economic disadvantage that violate the U.S. Constitution.”

Greta Thunberg Flotilla Drama: Israel Says Hamas Secretly Owns Flotilla Ships Via Front Group

(Photo by Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images)

Greta Thunberg’s flotilla drama deepened Tuesday after Israel’s Foreign Ministry revealed newly discovered documents linking Hamas to the Global Sumud Flotilla, an activist campaign backed by the climate agitator. According to the ministry, “dozens of the ships participating in the ‘Sumud’ flotilla” are owned by Hamas through a Spanish front company, Cyber Neptune, run by operative Saif Abu Kashk. “Thus, these ships are secretly owned by Hamas,” the ministry confirmed.

The documents also included a 2021 letter from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre, urging unity with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA). Israel designated PCPA a terrorist group the same year, describing it as Hamas’s diplomatic arm abroad. The ministry noted, “The organization operates under the pretense of civilian cover and is responsible, on behalf of Hamas, for mobilizing actions against Israel, including violent demonstrations, marches against Israel, and demonstration and provocation flotillas.”

The revelations come after weeks of internal turmoil within Thunberg’s flotilla. Organizers clashed over the inclusion of a “queer activist,” Thunberg herself abruptly left the steering committee, and the group has already faced delays and even a fire.

Among the flotilla’s leaders is Zaher Birawi, a longtime Hamas-linked activist in Europe who Israel identified in 2013 as a Hamas operative. With the flotilla now 150 miles from Gaza, Israel vowed to block its entry, stressing it “will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade.”

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