Home Blog Page 257

Staff Turns on RFK Jr. Over Health Moves

(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

More than 1,000 current and former employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signed a letter demanding that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign.

“We swore an oath to support and defend the United States Constitution and to serve the American people. Our oath requires us to speak out when the Constitution is violated and the American people are put at risk,” the letter says. “Thus, we warn the President, Congress, and the Public that Secretary Kennedy’s actions are compromising the health of this nation, and we demand Secretary Kennedy’s resignation.”

“Should he decline to resign, we call upon the President and U.S. Congress to appoint a new Secretary of Health and Human Services, one whose qualifications and experience ensure that health policy is informed by independent and unbiased peer-reviewed science,” it adds. “We expect those in leadership to act when the health of Americans is at stake.”

According to the letter’s signatories, Kennedy has “endangered” Americans by removing former CDC Director Susan Monarez, calling for other CDC officials to resign, appointing “political ideologues” to panels, rescinding the FDA’s emergency use authorizations for the COVID-19 vaccines, and engaging in “verbal attacks” against HHS workers.

HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon told The Hill that Kennedy “has been clear” that the CDC has been “broken” for years.

“Restoring it as the world’s most trusted guardian of public health will take sustained reform and more personnel changes. From his first day in office, he pledged to check his assumptions at the door—and he asked every HHS colleague to do the same,” Nixon said. “That commitment to evidence-based science is why, in just seven months, he and the HHS team have accomplished more than any health secretary in history in the fight to end the chronic disease epidemic and Make America Healthy Again.”

GOP Moves to Censure Tlaib After Pro-Palestine Conference

Rashida Tlaib
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced a measure to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) following her comments at a pro-Palestine conference in Detroit.

“Her conduct is beneath that of a civilized person, let alone a member of Congress,” Carter told Fox News. “I am calling on the House of Representatives to censure her remarks and put Democrats on notice for enabling and cheering on antisemitism in their own party.”

His resolution states: “Representative Rashida Tlaib has repeatedly displayed conduct entirely unbecoming of a member of the House of Representatives by calling for the destruction of the state of Israel and by dangerously promoting terrorism and extremism, while Israeli and American hostages remain in terrorist captivity.”

Speaking at the People’s Conference for Palestine, Tlaib said, “Outside of the decaying halls of the empire in Washington, D.C., we are winning. They are scared.”

“They are scared. They send me videos and messages of people protesting in front of their district offices, people showing up at their town halls, and I was like, we’re not all related. Those are fellow Americans,” Tlaib said. “Maybe you should meet with them and listen.”

In 2023, the House of Representatives voted 234-188 to censure Tlaib. The move followed Tlaib’s comments surrounding the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas.

Tlaib received criticism from both Republicans and Democrats after she posted a video on Twitter calling for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. In a subsequent post, Tlaib wrote, “From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate. My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity.”

Conservative Outlet Sues Fox News

Fox News website on computer screen via American Faith Media

Newsmax Broadcasting has filed a lawsuit against Fox Corporation and Fox News Network, alleging that it has blocked competition through “unlawful monopolization.” The company seeks damages under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, the Florida Antitrust Act, and the Florida Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act.

“Newsmax would have achieved greater pay TV distribution, seen its audience and ratings grow sooner, gained earlier ‘critical mass’ for major advertisers and become, overall, a more valuable media property,” the lawsuit states. “Fox’s campaign to stunt Newsmax’s business has delayed, for almost a decade, Newsmax’s growth in pay TV distribution, especially in the critical virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor (‘vMVPD’) arena, and has resulted in significant damages to Newsmax, including in the form of lost business, missed advertising and marketing revenues, and lower cable license fees, all while increasing overall company costs. Newsmax is far from the only victim.”

“Fox has sought to protect and expand its monopoly power in the Right-leaning Pay TV News Market by engaging in a suite of anticompetitive behaviors,” the filing reads. “In particular, Fox uses the leverage created by its control of ‘must have’ conservative news content on Fox News to coerce distributors into unfair terms that either prevent those distributors from carrying competitors of Fox News, including Newsmax, or impose financial penalties on them for doing so, ultimately increasing prices for consumers.”

“In or about June 2025, during renewal negotiations with vMVPD Fubo, Newsmax was informed that Fubo’s new Sports/Entertainment Package, which Fubo plans to heavily market, would not include Newsmax. On information and belief, Fox used its leverage to (i) secure inclusion of Fox News and Fox Business in that Sports/Entertainment Package, and (ii) impose terms that deter Fubo from adding additional news channels, including Newsmax, without incurring penalties,” the lawsuit adds, explaining that similar actions occurred with Sling TV and Hulu+.

Newsmax’s lead counsel in the case, Michael Guzman, said Fox’s behavior is “textbook abuse of monopoly power.”

“The law is clear: competition, not coercion, should decide what news channels Americans can watch. By leveraging its must-have status, Fox has blocked new voices, suppressed consumer choice, and extracted excess profits,” Guzman noted.

CEO of Newsmax, Christopher Ruddy, explained that “Fox may have profited from exclusionary contracts and intimidation tactics for years, but those days are over.” He explained that the lawsuit “is about restoring fairness to the market and ensuring that Americans have real choice in the news they watch. If we prevail, Fox’s damages could be tripled under federal law – an outcome that would send a powerful message to any company that thinks it can monopolize public discourse.”

Florida to End All Vaccine Mandates

americans
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced that the state will move to eliminate all vaccine mandates.

“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law,” Ladapo said during a press conference. “All of them.”

“Every last one is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” he declared. “Who am I, as a government, or anyone else, or who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in their body?”

Ladapo asserted that he does not have the right to dictate what one puts into their body. “I don’t have that right,” he said. “Your body is a gift from God. What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God.”

“Government does not have that right,” he stated.

Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced the creation of a state MAHA Commission, which will focus on “promoting clean, safe and nutritious food, improving transparency and accountability in healthcare, working on the causes of chronic diseases to identify and prevent future occurrences, and restoring trust in the medical profession and in public health.” The commission will be chaired by Florida’s First Lady, Casey DeSantis.

“The Florida MAHA Commission will prioritize reforms that empower Floridians, reduce regulatory burdens and hold actors accountable for their conduct, while fostering incentives for healthy living and innovation,” DeSantis said.

Honduran Drug Dealer Busted in Seattle After 4 Deportations

Fentanyl written on a bottle with label (designer491/Getty/Canva Pro)

A violent Honduran national, previously deported four times, is back in custody after Seattle police arrested him with nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine, and a loaded firearm—just steps from an elementary school. The arrest has renewed concerns over sanctuary policies that shield repeat offenders from federal immigration enforcement.

According to court records, 31-year-old Orbin Dane Hernandez-Velazquez has a criminal record spanning Washington, California, and Utah. He previously served a 15-month federal sentence for illegal entry and has been removed from the U.S. multiple times. Despite that, he returned and continued trafficking drugs across state lines.

After a months-long investigation, Seattle police arrested Hernandez-Velazquez on August 26 outside his apartment in White Center, directly across from Mount View Elementary School. Police seized 868.5 grams of fentanyl—enough to potentially kill hundreds of thousands—alongside 1,990.5 grams of methamphetamine, 20.8 grams of cocaine, more than $32,000 in cash, and multiple firearms.

Prosecutors emphasized the scale of the threat, stating Hernandez-Velazquez has shown he will continue profiting from addiction and violence unless behind bars. His record includes drug trafficking, weapons charges, DUI, and obstruction across three states, with most recent convictions in Washington in 2024 for felony drug charges.

Despite his criminal history and repeated deportations, Washington state’s sanctuary policies prevented coordination with federal immigration officials. Local law enforcement is barred from sharing information or detaining suspects for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even in cases involving known felons and drug traffickers.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion praised police and prosecutors, highlighting the removal of dangerous narcotics from Seattle’s streets. Her office has filed over 200 drug trafficking cases this year alone, many involving fentanyl and meth.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office is seeking $350,000 bail, citing Hernandez-Velazquez’s extensive criminal history, repeated illegal entries, and high flight risk.

The case underscores growing frustration among law enforcement and conservative lawmakers over policies that prevent cooperation with federal immigration agencies. With violent repeat offenders like Hernandez-Velazquez operating freely, critics argue that sanctuary laws endanger public safety and allow cartel-linked trafficking networks to flourish in American cities.

Trump Admin Revives Offshore Drilling With Massive Lease Sales

Trump gaza
President Donald Trump (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

The Trump administration is charging forward with a major expansion of offshore oil and gas leasing, reversing Biden-era restrictions and signaling a renewed push for American energy dominance. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a detailed lease sale schedule covering the Gulf of America and Alaska’s Cook Inlet.

The schedule stems from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and multiple energy-focused executive orders. It outlines at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf of America starting December 10 and at least six lease sales in Cook Inlet beginning in March 2026.

In the Gulf of America, BOEM manages nearly 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf—larger than the total land mass of the U.S. The region produced 667.5 million barrels of oil in FY 2024, accounting for 14% of total U.S. production. It’s estimated to hold 48 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 141 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Lease Sale 262, set for December, will offer roughly 80 million acres across the Gulf’s planning areas. Blocks range from shallow 9-foot depths to over 11,100 feet deep. This marks the first of three sales under the 2024–2029 leasing program, with at least 30 total sales scheduled through 2040.

To incentivize participation, BOEM is proposing a 16⅔% royalty rate—the lowest for deepwater leases since 2007. The Interior Department says this approach offers industry stability and supports deepwater infrastructure critical to U.S. energy resilience, job creation, and GDP growth.

In Alaska, Cook Inlet lease sales will begin in March 2026 and continue through 2032. The area, located near Anchorage, is strategically positioned as a gateway to the Arctic and a key component of American energy security. The administration says the sales will support local economies, create jobs, and attract long-term investment.

These actions align with Trump’s executive orders, including Unleashing American Energy, Declaring a National Energy Emergency, and Addressing the National Energy Emergency. They prioritize reduced foreign dependence and economic growth through energy production.

BOEM also published a new environmental impact statement to support leasing in the Gulf. The agency says this reflects a commitment to transparency, legal compliance, and reduced permitting delays for energy producers.

Bowser Orders Cooperation With Trump’s Federal Law Enforcement

Vlad Tchompalov/Unsplash

Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) issued an order directing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to continue cooperating with federal law enforcement officials.

“During and after the Presidential emergency, the SBEOC will manage the District’s response, coordinate centralized communications, and ensure coordination with federal law enforcement to the maximum extent allowable by law within the District,” a press release from Bowser’s office says.

According to the release, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services will also “continue leading efforts around homelessness, encampments, and moving people into shelter and housing.”

The order supports the work of the Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center (SBEOC) in managing DC’s response to the Trump-established Safe and Beautiful Task Force. “The SBEOC will coordinate centralized communications; formulate post-emergency planning; formulate post-emergency operations; and ensure coordination with federal law enforcement to the maximum extent allowable by law within the District,” the order says.

“Emergency planning will include coordination of any continued enhanced federal law enforcement efforts and shared resources with the United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Park Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Capitol Police, and the United States Secret Service,” the order explains. The Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice will lead the efforts to “address requests for services from federal partners and to coordinate activities with the Task Force.”

Following President Trump’s decision to place DC under federal control, Bowser admitted that there was an “extreme reduction” in violent crime.

Texas HB 8 Kills STAAR Test, Adds Even More Exams

Texas Flag
Texas flag (Pete Alexopoulos/Unsplash)

Texas lawmakers have voted to abolish the STAAR test, long criticized as an ineffective burden on students and teachers. But the replacement plan may leave students with more tests—not fewer. House Bill 8, sponsored by Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado), has passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature and awaits final concurrence before heading to Governor Greg Abbott for signature.

Instead of one statewide test, HB 8 mandates three standardized tests each school year—one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end. These new assessments, designed to support instruction and measure growth, will go into effect in the 2027–2028 school year. They will cover math, science, and social studies, along with federal requirements and revised end-of-course exams for high school students.

The bill also overhauls Texas’ public school accountability system, shifts authority from the elected State Board of Education to the unelected Texas Education Agency (TEA), and introduces a grant program to support local district accountability plans. The TEA, whose officials receive taxpayer-funded salaries in the hundreds of thousands, will gain expansive new powers under the bill.

While Republican leaders praised the bill as a victory over the STAAR test, some conservatives remain unconvinced. Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) opposed HB 8, arguing that it increases the frequency of mandatory tests and expands government spending. “It must be replaced with something that is better than STAAR,” he said, criticizing the bill’s nearly $60 million price tag and loss of local control.

Democrats also pushed back, warning that the bill will result in more time spent testing. Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) said the bill adds testing hours, and Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) voiced concern that AI would be used to grade student work. The TEA confirmed the tests will use a hybrid model, combining automated scoring with human graders for at least 25% of responses.

Education watchdogs raised additional concerns. Republican policy advisor Alice Linahan warned that the new tests enable continuous access by outside vendors pushing equity-focused data collection. She cited testimony from The Education Trust, which advocated using the tests to track “achievement gaps” as a “civil rights tool.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick backed the reform effort, calling the STAAR test a “cumbersome one-size-fits-all assessment” that failed to measure real student learning. He said replacing it with a system that tracks student growth represents a win for students and parents.

Despite bipartisan criticism, the bill passed largely along party lines: 82–56 in the House and 21–5 in the Senate. If the House agrees to the Senate’s amendments, the bill will head to Governor Abbott’s desk, likely clearing the way for the biggest overhaul of Texas student testing in decades.

Sen. Tom Cotton Demands FBI Probe of Palestinian Youth Movement Over F-35 Threats

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) is calling on the FBI to launch an immediate investigation into the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), citing what he describes as “dangerous” and “almost certainly illegal” activities by the organization and its leadership. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel dated September 3, Cotton warned that the PYM poses a direct threat to U.S. national security.

The senator’s concerns stem from remarks made by PYM leader Aisha Nizar at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Michigan, where she reportedly encouraged attendees to “disrupt the U.S. F-35 supply chain.” According to Cotton, Nizar described this sabotage as a strategy to “damage U.S. military support to Israel” in its war against Hamas. He quoted her saying, “If one specific node of the F-35 supply chain is intervened in, it has a huge impact,” and urged followers to “be surgical” and “strategic” in targeting what she described as “supply chains of death.”

Cotton argued that these statements amount to incitement against U.S. military personnel and infrastructure, calling it a “direct incitement of violence against U.S. national security interests.” He emphasized the seriousness of the threat, noting the strategic importance of the F-35 program to America’s defense posture.

The letter also referenced Nizar’s past arrest and charges stemming from her participation in disruptive 2024 Gaza war protests that shut down the Golden Gate Bridge. Cotton warned that her latest statements mark an escalation in her anti-American rhetoric and actions.

This is not the first time Cotton has raised the alarm about the PYM. He has previously cited the group’s “antisemitic activities” and questioned the legality of its tax-exempt donations. Cotton urged the FBI to investigate the group thoroughly and take appropriate steps to safeguard national defense assets.

Adding to the controversy, the PYM has maintained ties with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who has met with members of the group despite its inflammatory rhetoric and connections to anti-Israel activism. Cotton’s letter implicitly highlights the political divide over how extremist activism related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is addressed domestically.

Disney to Pay Millions After Collecting Children’s Data

Disney World (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Disney has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a complaint alleging that the company collected children’s personal data, violating the law.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Disney “allowed personal data to be collected from children who viewed kid-directed videos on YouTube without notifying parents or obtaining their consent as required by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule).” Under the proposed order, Disney must change how it designates videos considered “Made for Kids” and encourage age-appropriate technology on YouTube.

The complaint, filed by the Department of Justice, argued that Disney violated the COPPA Rule by failing to properly label videos. The mislabeling allowed the company to collect data from children under the age of 13 and use the data for advertising.

“Disney’s failure to accurately designate child-directed videos as [Made for Kids] results in YouTube collecting personal information and placing targeted advertisements on child-directed videos on Disney’s behalf,” the complaint stated, noting that “at least twelve different ad campaigns with over 350,000 ad impressions ran on these MFK channels.”

Disney had been asked to change its designations for videos in 2020.

“This case underscores the FTC’s commitment to enforcing COPPA, which was enacted by Congress to ensure that parents, not companies like Disney, make decisions about the collection and use of their children’s personal information online,” FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a statement. “Our order penalizes Disney’s abuse of parents’ trust, and, through a mandated video-review program, makes room for the future of protecting kids online—age assurance technology.”

1...256257258...3,844Page 257 of 3,844
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 American Faith Media Network. All rights reserved.