Home Blog Page 271

Foreign National Charged After Voting in U.S. Elections

election integrity
Voting Booths (Photo by adamkaz/Getty Images)

A Canadian citizen illegally living in the United States for decades registered to vote and participated in federal elections, the Department of Justice announced.

Denis Bouchard, 69, falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen to vote in federal elections in 2022 and 2024, the DOJ explained. While he has resided in the country since the 1960s, Bouchard never became a U.S. citizen. He has been charged with two counts of making false citizenship claims and two counts of casting fraudulent votes, violating 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f) and 52 U.S.C. § 20511(2)(B). If convicted, Bouchard faces up to five years imprisonment for each of his counts.

“Every single time a noncitizen casts an illegal vote in North Carolina, it steals and nullifies the vote of an actual citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “If the records are correct, this Canadian citizen appears to have voted in New Hanover and Pender County elections over the past 20 years. We intend to prove his illegal conduct in court and put an end to it.”

In July, New Hampshire authorities charged a non-U.S. citizen with voting in three separate elections, a direct violation of both state and federal election laws. According to prosecutors, Naseef Bryan illegally voted in the Manchester City Election on November 7, 2023, the New Hampshire Presidential Primary on January 23, 2024, and the General Election on November 5, 2024. Bryan was not a U.S. citizen during any of those activities, the charges allege.

Similarly, Akeel Abdul Jamiel, a 45-year-old man in New York, voted in the November 2020 election in Saratoga County despite not being a U.S. citizen. The charge against Jamiel involves a maximum of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

Federal Trade Commission Targets Google’s ‘Partisan’ Email Filters

google
Google App (Brett Jordan/Unsplash)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a letter to Alphabet, Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai over Gmail’s alleged partisan use of its email filter.

Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson wrote in the letter that “Gmail’s spam filters routinely block messages from reaching consumers when those messages come from Republican senders but fail to block similar messages sent by Democrats.” According to commenters on the FTC’s request for information page, “Google is using a partisan approach in administering its spam filters.”

Describing how such activity is considered an unfair act or practice, Ferguson said Alphabet’s “alleged partisan treatment of comparable messages or messengers in Gmail to achieve political objectives may violate both of these prohibitions under the FTC Act. And the partisan treatment may cause harm to consumers.”

“If Gmail’s filters keep Americans from receiving speech they expect, or donating as they see fit, the filters may harm American consumers and may violate the FTC Act’s prohibition of unfair or deceptive trade practices,” he warned.

 Jenn Crider, a Google spokesperson, told Axios that Gmail’s spam filters “look at a variety of objective signals – like whether people mark a particular email as spam, or if a particular ad agency is sending a high volume of emails that are often marked by people as spam.”

“This applies equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology,” Crider said. “We will review this letter and look forward to engaging constructively.”

Ferguson’s letter follows Republican strategy firm Targeted Victory, which works with top GOP leaders and committees, releasing data showing a stark difference in how Gmail treats Republican and Democratic solicitations.

Trump Uses ‘Pocket Rescission’ to Kill Woke Spending

(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the cancellation of nearly $5 billion in foreign aid funding.

“Last night, President Trump CANCELLED $4.9 billion in America Last foreign aid using a pocket rescission,” the OMB wrote on X, adding that Trump will “always put AMERICA FIRST!”

According to a White House statement, President Trump is using his authority under the Impoundment Control Act to deploy a pocket rescission, an action taken for the first time in 50 years.

The rescinded funds contributed to a Development Assistance account for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a Democracy Fund for USAID and the Department of State, contributions to international organizations (CIO), contributions for international peacekeeping activities, and separate peacekeeping aid.

“The Trump Administration is committed to getting America’s fiscal house in order by cutting government spending that is woke, weaponized, and wasteful,” the White House said, adding that the now-rescinded accounts violated the President’s “America First priorities.”

A pocket rescission is considered illegal by the Government Accountability Office’s “Watchblog.”

“Congress holds the power of the purse—approving a budget and appropriating funds. Presidents and executive branch agencies are responsible for administering those funds,” the blog post reads. “A pocket rescission could allow a president to avoid spending the money regardless of whether Congress approves the rescission request. This would cede Congress’s power of the purse by allowing a president to, in effect, change the law by shortening the period of availability for fixed-period funds.”

Mark Paoletta, general counsel for the OMB, said the GAO is “wrong on pocket rescissions (the Impoundment Control Act text specifically allows for them) AND GAO previously agreed with this view for 43 years – until 2018 (during Trump 45 Administration) when it abruptly reversed its position.”

“GAO reversed its position of 43 years simply out of a desire to thwart President Trump’s agenda,” he said. “It’s driven by Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Abbott Signs ‘One Big Beautiful Map’

(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed a bill allowing the state to have a new congressional map, creating five Republican-leaning districts.

“Today, I signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law,” Abbott said in a statement. “This map ensures fairer representation in Congress. Texas will be more RED in Congress.”

Abbott shared his support for the bill after the Texas Senate passed the legislation. “The One Big Beautiful Map has passed the Senate and is on its way to my desk, where it will be swiftly signed into law,” he said. “I promised we would get this done, and delivered on that promise. I thank Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick for leading the passage in the Senate of a bill that ensures our maps reflect Texans’ voting preferences.”

President Donald Trump celebrated the bill last week, writing on Truth Social that Lieutenant General Dan Patrick’s leadership was “pivotal in the passage of the new, fair, and much improved, Congressional Map, that will give the wonderful people of Texas the tremendous opportunity to elect 5 new MAGA Republicans in the 2026 Midterm Elections — A HUGE VICTORY for our America First Agenda.”

The legislation, House Bill 4, “supersedes all previous enactments or orders adopting congressional districts for the State of Texas.”

“All previous acts of the legislature adopting congressional districts for the State of Texas are repealed,” it reads.

Texas officials previously sought civil arrest warrants after House Democrats broke quorum and fled the state. Speaker Dustin Burrows signed the warrants in early August, granting the sergeant-at-arms and Texas Department of Public Safety authority to locate and arrest missing members still within state lines.

Farage Slams Starmer Over Migrant Hotel Ruling

London (Sabrina Mazzeo/Unsplash)

The British Court of Appeal ruled Friday that the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, can continue housing illegal migrants despite not having proper planning approval — sparking outrage among locals and political leaders.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s appeal overturned a previous injunction that had ordered the closure of the hotel. Judges harshly criticized the lower court’s ruling, calling it “seriously flawed” and warning that allowing closures could “incentivize” more protests against migrant hotels nationwide.

The Bell Hotel became a flashpoint this summer after multiple arrests of migrant residents, including alleged sexual assaults. Protests by residents quickly spread across towns and cities as the government, despite election promises, continues to keep migrants housed in hotels.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage blasted the ruling, accusing Labour of putting migrants above British citizens. “The government has used ECHR against the people of Epping. Illegal migrants have more rights than the British people under Starmer,” Farage said.

The European Court of Human Rights loomed large in the case, highlighting Britain’s failure to exit the court’s jurisdiction when it left the EU — a long-standing demand of Brexit campaigners.

Conservative figure Robert Jenrick called the decision “extremely disappointing,” condemning the government’s lawyers for arguing that migrants’ rights override those of locals. “The British Government should always put the interests of the British people first,” he said. “Starmer’s Government has shown itself to be on the side of illegal migrants who have broken into our country.”

Epping Council vowed to continue its legal fight ahead of a full court case in October. Protest groups also pledged to intensify demonstrations outside the Bell Hotel this weekend.

Dem Dark Money Influencers Paid $8K Monthly

Republican, Democrat (Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash)

A secretive dark money network tied to the Democratic Party is quietly funding online influencers to push left-wing messaging, according to a new report.

The “Chorus Creator Incubator Program” is backed by the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a nonprofit that has poured hundreds of millions into Democratic causes. WIRED magazine revealed that the program pays select influencers up to $8,000 per month while requiring them to keep the arrangement secret. Contracts reviewed by WIRED reportedly barred participants from disclosing who funds them, or even admitting they were being paid.

Among those tied to the program are Gen Z activist Olivia Julianna, YouTube host David Pakman, and “Politics Girl” Leigh McGowan. Others include Loren Piretra, a former Playboy executive turned Occupy Democrats personality, and Arielle Fodor, a TikTok teacher with over a million followers. Together, Chorus boasted of a collective reach of more than 40 million followers and 100 million weekly views.

Watchdog groups warn the secrecy is deliberate and dangerous. “For democracy to thrive, we need transparency around who is paying for political messages,” said Elizabeth Dubois, a University of Ottawa professor who studies digital politics.

Some influencers pushed back. TikTok star V Spehar said Chorus used their image in fundraising decks without permission. Progressive YouTuber Kat Abughazaleh, now running for Congress, accused the group of doing the same. Others defended the program as a way to sustain online content creation.

The Sixteen Thirty Fund has long been described as the left’s version of the Koch network. It funneled $400 million into the 2020 election cycle alone and nearly $200 million into ballot measures in 2022. Just four donors reportedly provided two-thirds of its most recent revenue.

Critics say the influencer payments are another way Democrats obscure the true source of their funding while shaping political discourse online.

Abrego Garcia Pushes Gag Orders for Trump Officials

(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have requested that a federal judge in Tennessee place gag orders on Trump officials.

The motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, “respectfully renews [Abrego Garcia’s] earlier requests that the Court order that all DOJ and DHS officials involved in this case, and all officials in their supervisory chain,” including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, “refrain from making extrajudicial comments that pose a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing this proceeding.”

The 15-page filing also criticizes DHS for posting a “litany of inflammatory statements on its official X account.”

“The government’s ongoing barrage of prejudicial statements severely threaten—and perhaps have already irrevocably impaired—the ability to try this case at all—in any venue,” the motion adds. “If the government is allowed to continue in this way, it will taint any conceivable jury pool by exposing the entire country to irrelevant, prejudicial, and false claims about Mr. Abrego.”

A DHS official told The Hill that if Abrego Garcia “did not want to be mentioned by the Secretary of Homeland Security, then he should have not entered our country illegally and committed heinous crimes.”

“Once again, the media is falling all over themselves to defend this criminal illegal MS-13 gang member who is an alleged human trafficker, domestic abuser, and child predator,” the official explained. “The media’s sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal alien has completely fallen apart, yet they continue to peddle his sob story.”

The Salvadorian national may be deported to Uganda, although U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis stated that the Trump administration is “forbidden” from deporting Abrego Garcia until a hearing is held.

Carville Slams DNC Land Acknowledgment as Risk

Image via Canva

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville blasted the Democratic National Committee (DNC) this week for opening its summer meeting with a land acknowledgment, saying the gesture was political self-sabotage.

On the Politics War Room podcast Thursday, Carville reacted to remarks by Lindy Sowmick, treasurer of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, who began the meeting by lamenting the treatment of Native Americans.

“Lady you’re right, what we did to the Native Americans has really been well documented. It is a sad part of our nation’s history,” Carville said. “Why are you bringing this up in an election? This is an election, and the DNC is not the place to discuss this. Understand this, the DNC does not exist to right wrongs. It doesn’t exist to acknowledge the more unpleasant parts of history. It doesn’t exist to make people feel good. It exists… to win elections.”

Carville, known for his blunt style, argued that such symbolic gestures only provide ammunition to political opponents. “Do you think that is going to help us win elections, say, like we did in Iowa, which I think is close to Minnesota, by talking about land theft from the Dakotas? We’re not,” he said, urging Democrats to stay focused on electoral victories.

He also called out Ken Martin, chair of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, for allowing the land acknowledgment to take place. “You don’t have but one job, kid. It’s to win,” Carville said.

Carville acknowledged that Sowmick was likely “a perfectly nice person” but emphasized that personal qualities were not the issue. “You’re supposed to try to win elections,” he said, warning that media outlets like Fox News would seize on such symbolic politics to attack Democrats.

His comments reflect growing frustration within some Democratic circles that cultural signaling and progressive rituals are costing the party votes in battleground states, where working-class and independent voters often see such gestures as out of touch.

Newsom Mocks Prayer After Minneapolis School Shooting

California Governor Gavin Newsom (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) drew sharp criticism this week after mocking the power of prayer in response to the tragic mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, where two children were killed and 17 others wounded during morning Mass.

When White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted that “prayer works,” Newsom fired back on X, “There children were literally praying as they got shot at,” implying prayer had no effect. His comments reflect a longstanding Democratic talking point dismissing “thoughts and prayers” as insufficient in the wake of mass shootings, with many Democrats arguing instead for more gun control measures.

Critics note, however, that Minnesota already has strict laws on the books, including “red flag” provisions designed to remove guns from dangerous individuals. Calls for additional restrictions, they argue, ignore the failures of existing measures.

The attack in Minneapolis has been officially classified as an anti-Catholic hate crime after the trans-identifying shooter targeted students and staff while mocking their faith in his writings and video manifesto.

Liberal-turned-Trump supporter Batya Ungar-Sargon said Democrats were effectively blaming the victims for being in church: “They’re citing the fact that the children were at morning mass as proof that prayers do not work.”

Newsom’s record on religious liberty has come under fire before. During the coronavirus pandemic, he imposed some of the harshest restrictions in the country on religious gatherings, including banning prayer meetings in private homes — a policy struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. He has also gained notoriety for advertising California as an abortion haven, even subsidizing out-of-state travel for women seeking abortions.

Newsom’s remarks are being widely condemned by religious leaders and conservatives who see them as another attack on faith in America.

Trump Order Beautifies Federal Buildings

Federal building
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 08: The Harry S. Truman Federal Building, headquarters of the U.S. Department of State, is pictured on October 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Harry S Truman Federal Building was built in 1941 and has housed the office of the Secretary of State since 1947. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to beautify federal architecture.

According to Trump’s order, the Founding Fathers “wanted America’s public buildings to inspire the American people and encourage civic virtue,” leading them to use “classical architecture to visually connect our contemporary Republic with the antecedents of democracy in classical antiquity, reminding citizens not only of their rights but also their responsibilities in maintaining and perpetuating its institutions.”

In the 1990s, the General Services Administration (GSA) created the Design Excellence Program, which led to “undistinguished” and “unappealing” buildings.

“It is time to update the policies guiding Federal architecture to address these problems and ensure that architects designing Federal buildings serve their clients, the American people,” the order declares, going on to explain that federal buildings are to “uplift and beautify public spaces, inspire the human spirit, ennoble the United States, and command respect from the general public.”

While the order honors “classical architecture,” described as that which is formed by Green and Roman antiquity and expanded upon through Renaissance and Enlightenment influences, it adds that the “preference does not exclude the possibility of alternative styles in appropriate circumstances.”

Trump’s order addressing federal buildings follows his order establishing the country’s first national design studio for federal websites. The order creates the “American by Design” initiative to “improve experiences for Americans, starting by breathing new life into the design of sites where people interface with their Government.”

The National Design Studio will “advise agencies on how to reduce duplicative design costs, use standardized design to enhance the public’s trust in high-impact service providers, and dramatically improve the quality of experiences offered to the American public,” the order declares.

1...270271272...3,845Page 271 of 3,845
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 American Faith Media Network. All rights reserved.