Sen. Cruz Blames Democrats for Prolonging Government Shutdown for Electoral Gain

November 5, 2025

Senator Ted Cruz predicted that Democrats are deliberately prolonging the government shutdown to energize far-left voters before the November 4 Election Day. The Texas Republican said Tuesday that Democrats “will say later today, ‘keep the government shut,’” arguing the party wants to “turn out their radicals” rather than resolve the standoff. The government shutdown, now in its 35th day, has disrupted air travel and left millions of Americans with reduced food assistance benefits.

During an interview on Fox & Friends, Cruz accused Senate Democrats of prioritizing politics over public service. “They want to demonstrate to their radical left-wing base that they hate Donald Trump as much as the radicals do,” Cruz said. He argued that the Democratic strategy centers on fueling anti-Trump sentiment and protecting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from potential primary challenges from progressive leaders such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The standoff stems from Democratic opposition to Republican spending proposals that exclude extensions of federal healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, set to expire in 2025. Democrats have blocked more than a dozen GOP attempts to reopen the government, demanding the subsidy extensions be included in any deal.

Cruz said he expects the shutdown to end shortly after the election, predicting Democrats will relent once the political benefits expire. “My hope is they lose those elections anyway, and then they come back Wednesday or Thursday or Friday and say, ‘all right, enough is enough, let’s reopen the government,’” he said. The senator added that Republicans plan to vote again to reopen federal agencies, though he anticipates Democrats will block the measure for a 14th time.

Pfizer Sales Take a Nosedive

November 5, 2025

covid lawsuit — (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Pfizer’s revenues are down 6% for the third quarter of 2025, according to an earnings statement. The percentage is the equivalent of $1 billion.

“Third-quarter 2025 revenues totaled $16.7 billion, a decrease of $1.0 billion, or 6%, compared to the prior-year quarter, reflecting an operational decrease of $1.3 billion, or 7%, and a favorable impact of foreign exchange of $203 million,” the report states. “The operational decrease was primarily driven by a year-over-year decline in COVID-19 product revenues largely due to lower infection rates impacting Paxlovid demand as well as a narrower vaccine recommendation for COVID-19 in the U.S. that reduced the eligible population for Comirnaty.”

The Comirnaty vaccine, down 20% operationally, reflects a “a narrower recommendation for vaccination in the U.S. as well as delayed approval of the new variant vaccine; partially offset by a lower returns provision and higher market share in the U.S., as well as higher contractual deliveries in certain international markets,” Pfizer added.

Similarly, sales of Paxlovid, a treatment for COVID-19, is down 55% due to “lower COVID-19 infections across U.S. and international markets and lower international government purchases.”

In October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its vaccine guidance to allow for individual decision-making and informed consent.

Acting Director of the CDC and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said at the time that the agency’s “2022 blanket recommendation for perpetual COVID-19 boosters deterred health care providers from talking about the risks and benefits of vaccination for the individual patient or parent.”

ISIS-Inspired Halloween Plot Foiled After Pulse Shooting Copycat Plan Exposed

November 5, 2025

Federal investigators say an ISIS-inspired Halloween plot in suburban Detroit was thwarted after suspects allegedly planned to mimic the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida. Court documents reveal that three individuals — Mohmed Ali, Majed Mahmoud, and a juvenile known as “Athari” — plotted to attack clubs in Ferndale, Michigan, a city known for its LGBT nightlife. The FBI says the group’s ISIS-inspired Halloween plot aimed to replicate high-casualty terror attacks like Pulse and the 2015 Paris attacks.

The men allegedly scouted potential targets in September, raising suspicions since none were old enough to enter nightclubs legally. According to the FBI affidavit, the suspects referred to their targets as “pumpkin” and exchanged messages about doing “the same thing as France.” Agents monitoring the group executed search warrants Friday on homes and a shared storage unit, seizing semiautomatic rifles, a shotgun, handguns, tactical gear, and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition.

Authorities also obtained video evidence showing the suspects practicing at a Michigan gun range. Investigators believe the men sought spiritual approval from a local extremist cleric before finalizing the plot. The FBI says the group’s online communications referenced ISIS propaganda and discussions about timing the attack to inspire future radicals.

Ali and Mahmoud remain in federal custody without bail and are scheduled for detention hearings in Detroit next Monday. The juvenile suspect is being held separately under federal juvenile statutes. FBI officials emphasized that swift action and community vigilance prevented another mass casualty event.

The 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, which left 49 dead and 53 wounded, remains one of the deadliest terror attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11.

Rome Tower Collapse: 11-Hour Rescue Ends in Tragedy

November 5, 2025

A devastating Rome tower collapse during renovation work on the 13th-century Torre dei Conti left one man dead after an 11-hour rescue mission, Italian authorities confirmed Monday. Firefighters worked through the night to free Octav Stroici, who was trapped beneath heavy rubble following the structural failure. Despite rescue crews’ tireless efforts, Stroici succumbed to his injuries shortly after being recovered, according to the Associated Press.

The Rome tower collapse occurred as workers restored the historic structure, which once housed Pope Innocent III and his family. Rescue teams initially attempted to reach the victim through a first-floor window but were forced to retreat amid falling debris and fears of another collapse. Efforts using ladders, drones, and cranes continued through the day, with rescuers carefully clearing rubble before reaching Stroici.

Rome Prefect Lamberto Giannini told reporters, “The operation lasted a long time because every time a part of the body was freed, there was additional rubble that covered it.” Three workers were rescued without injuries, while another remains hospitalized in critical condition. No firefighters were harmed during the complex operation.

The Torre dei Conti, closed since 2007, was undergoing an $8 million restoration to convert it into a museum. The tower has endured centuries of damage, including a major earthquake in 1349 and a collapse in the 17th century.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences, saying, “We are close to his family and colleagues at this time of unspeakable suffering.” Rome officials have launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse as restoration efforts are suspended pending safety reviews.

FBI Sounds Alarm Over Fake ICE Officers

November 5, 2025

ICE — (Photo by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images)

The FBI is calling for partner agencies to “adequately identify themselves” amid an increase in incidents in which people impersonate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

“Due to the recent increase in ICE enforcement actions across the country, criminal actors are using ICE’s enhanced public profile and media coverage to their advantage to target vulnerable communities and commit criminal activity. This not only [affects] the victims and communities but also has broader negative consequences on law enforcement agencies,” the FBI wrote in a bulletin, as reported by The Hill. “These criminal impersonations make it difficult for the community to distinguish between legitimate officers conducting lawful law enforcement action and imposters engaging in criminal activity, which damages trust between the local community and law enforcement officers.”

The bulletin, dated October 17, and obtained by the group Property of the People, comes amid ICE raids and attacks on officers.

Similarly, Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) introduced legislation in June to clearly display identification.

As the FBI encourages ICE identification, some leaders have taken actions to ban the federal agents from wearing masks. In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills blocking federal immigration agents from wearing masks.

According to SB 627, the bill unmasking ICE agents, the “routine use of facial coverings by law enforcement officers has significant implications for public perception, officer-community interactions, and accountability.” Facial coverings may cause members of the public to “experience fear or intimidation when approached by officers whose faces are obscured” and “may lead to misinterpretation of tone or intent.”

Iranian Hackers Mock John Bolton as ‘Mr. Mustache’ in Shocking Leak Scandal

November 5, 2025

Federal investigators revealed disturbing new details about an Iranian hacking operation that targeted former National Security Advisor John Bolton, taunting him as “Mr. Mustache” while threatening to leak allegedly classified material stolen from his personal email. The Iranian hackers reportedly contacted Bolton’s assistant in July 2021, claiming to possess sensitive information and warning that the contents “could be the biggest scandal since Hillary’s emails were leaked.”

According to an unsealed affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital, Bolton’s assistant alerted the FBI after receiving a series of emails tied to the hack. One message read, “OK John… as you want (apparently), we’ll disseminate the expurgated sections of your book by reference to your leaked email. Good luck Mr. Mustache!” The threats followed the compromise of Bolton’s AOL account, which investigators believe was orchestrated by a foreign entity linked to Iran.

Court documents also detail Bolton’s handling of classified material during and after his tenure in the Trump administration. Federal agents found that a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) had been built inside his home in 2018 and later decertified in 2019. Despite losing his security clearance, Bolton allegedly sought to reinstall the SCIF and retained classified documents, according to prosecutors.

Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty in October to 18 federal counts, including transmission and retention of national defense information. The indictment claims Bolton shared more than a thousand pages of top-secret material with unauthorized individuals. FBI Director Kash Patel stated, “The FBI’s investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top-secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law.”

Effort to Impeach Boasberg Intensifies

November 5, 2025

Brandon Gill impeachment — Rep. Brandon Gill (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) has introduced articles of impeachment against Judge James Boasberg for his role in the Arctic Frost investigation.

“Ignoring his responsibility to wield the power of his office in a constitutional manner, Chief Judge Boasberg granted Special Counsel John L. Smith authorization to issue frivolous nondisclosure orders in furtherance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation project codenamed ARCTIC FROST,” the resolution said. “These nondisclosure orders covered Members of Congress who were acting in accord with their legislative duties and privileges guaranteed by Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution.”

The document goes on to list Boasberg’s authorization of “frivolous nondisclosure orders” against Republican senators. “These illegitimate and frivolous nondisclosure orders and subpoenas threaten Members of Congress by imposing undue legal scrutiny for fulfilling their constitutional duties.”

In a statement on social media, Gill declared that Boasberg “abused his power by weaponizing the judiciary against critics of the Biden Administration.”

“As part of the Arctic Frost Investigation, Judge Boasberg signed off on frivolous nondisclosure orders to conceal the fact that sitting US Senators were being surveilled,” he said. “Not only was this action egregiously improper; it was a gross violation of the separation of powers.”

I just filed Articles of Impeachment against radical activist Judge James Boasberg.

Judge Boasberg abused his power by weaponizing the judiciary against critics of the Biden Administration. As part of the Arctic Frost Investigation, Judge Boasberg signed off on frivolous… pic.twitter.com/2d3Wxd37wk
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) November 4, 2025

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) declared during a press conference last week that Boasberg must be impeached.

“I am right now calling on the House of Representatives to impeach Judge Boasberg. Judge Boasberg put his robe down, stood up, and said, ‘Sign me up to be part of the partisan vendetta against 20% of the Republicans in the Senate,’” Cruz stated. “That is a dereliction of duty and a violation of the judicial oath.”

Jasmine Crockett Faces Ethics Complaint in Stock Ties

November 5, 2025

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is facing an ethics complaint over hiding her ownership of stock in dozens of companies.

“While it is conceivable that Rep. Crockett’s stock shares in these 25 corporations could fall under a value of $1,000 each, the publicly known facts suggest otherwise,” the nonpartisan watchdog group Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) wrote in a letter to the Office of Congressional Conduct.

“The financial disclosure law is extremely important and it must be strictly enforced because it is the only method to determine whether candidates or Members have conflicts of interest,” the letter says. “When a Member owns stock in companies that are affected by legislative action or conflict with a Member’s publicly taken political positions and they fail to disclose the ownership, it is damaging to the public’s trust in elected officials as a whole.”

“In this case, Crockett’s ‘stock holdings include stakes in several corporations that [reportedly] stood to benefit from actions she’s taken as a lawmaker and legislation she’s introduced in Congress, and others that stand in opposition to the image she’s cultivated as a champion of green energy,'” the letter continues. “Given the known facts in this case, an investigation is necessary to determine whether Rep. Crockett failed to comply with the financial disclosure laws — and the OCC is the only entity in the position to do so and maintain the public’s trust.”

Crockett’s ethics scandal deepens as reports indicate she attempted to launch a marijuana business while serving as a public official. She also served as legal counsel for a man accused of murder in a drug-related case involving marijuana.

Historic Retain: Mikie Sherrill Wins New Jersey Governor Race

November 5, 2025

Democrat Mikie Sherrill has won the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election, defeating Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli in a competitive race. Her victory ensures a third consecutive Democratic administration in the Garden State, a political milestone not achieved since the early 1960s.

Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and U.S. Congresswoman, ran on a platform focused on affordability, education, infrastructure repair, and restoring public trust in government. She positioned herself as a moderate voice aiming to bring pragmatic solutions to everyday challenges. Her campaign found strong support in suburban counties, especially among independent and female voters.

Voter turnout surpassed expectations in several swing districts, driven by heightened attention on economic issues and education policy. Analysts noted that Sherrill’s campaign benefited from a well-organized ground game and strong messaging discipline in the final weeks of the race.

Ciattarelli, who previously ran in 2021 and came close to unseating Gov. Phil Murphy, returned with a message centered on high property taxes, energy costs, and local control over education policy. Backed by former President Donald Trump, his campaign energized the GOP base but ultimately fell short in broadening support among swing voters statewide.

The race narrowed significantly in its final weeks, prompting heavy investment from both national parties. Sherrill’s ability to maintain a centrist message and emphasize competence over ideology appears to have played a key role in her success. Her win is being viewed as a potential bellwether for Democrats heading into the 2026 midterms.

As governor-elect, Sherrill will face several pressing issues: high living costs, state pension liabilities, and aging infrastructure. Whether she can govern effectively while balancing pressure from both progressives and fiscal moderates will define her administration’s trajectory in the years ahead.

Historic Shift in Richmond: Abigail Spanberger Seals Virginia Win

November 5, 2025

Virginia flag — (Photo by Manuel Augusto Moreno/Getty Images)

Democrat Abigail Spanberger secured a significant victory in the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle‑Sears and ending the era of outgoing GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Spanberger will become Virginia’s first female governor, a milestone that adds a historic dimension to the win.

Spanberger is a former CIA case officer and three‑term U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 7th District. Her campaign emphasized economic issues such as affordability, education, and healthcare reform — while also promising a pragmatic style of leadership. In her victory speech, she asserted that Virginians “chose pragmatism over partisanship,” and pledged to focus on reducing costs and strengthening communities.

The result carries broader implications. Virginia had been under Republican executive control during Youngkin’s term, and Spanberger’s win represents a return of the governorship to the Democrats. Analysts see the outcome as a bellwether ahead of the 2026 midterms, showcasing how swing‑state dynamics are shifting.

Despite the hashtag of ‘historic’, practical challenges loom. Spanberger must now navigate a state government with budget constraints, rising housing costs, and partisan fractures — especially in the General Assembly, where majorities will matter for her agenda. Her background as both a former intelligence officer and legislator gives her credibility, but translating campaign promises into legislative victories will test her leadership from day one.

For policymakers and observers, the Virginia result underscores the importance of middle‑ground appeal and voter fatigue with ideological extremes. The electorate’s focus on cost of living, public safety and economic stability offers clues about what issues may dominate in upcoming elections.