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by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Roseanne Barr promises her comeback sitcom will offend everyone: 'The extras are going to be released on OnlyFans'

Eight years after the tweet that got her fired from ABC, Roseanne Barr is apparently ready for another round.At 73, Barr might have seemed destined to remain outside mainstream television. Instead, she quietly raised private money and shot an entire eight-episode sitcom in Austin, Texas — with a cast that includes Randy Quaid, Drea de Matteo, Omar Gooding, and Tony Hinchcliffe.'My daughters are super woke.''Meemaw' maxxingBarr has hardly disappeared in the meantime. She's made appearances on popular shows like "Kill Tony" and Bill Maher's "Club Random," while her own eponymous podcast has racked up more than 150 episodes.Now Meemaw is getting back into the sitcom business.Getting there wasn't easy. Barr initially developed a sitcom about an Alabama farmer dabbling in marijuana and magic mushrooms but couldn't find a buyer in Hollywood. Rather than abandon the idea, she scrapped the premise, brought in longtime Adam Sandler collaborator Allen Covert to help rewrite it, and raised enough money from private investors to shoot an eight-episode series with a fully union crew. She started filming in Austin last November and has since wrapped production.There's still one catch: No network or streaming service has signed on to distribute it.Like "Roseanne," which drew heavily from Barr's own life during its original nine-season run and 2018 revival, her new show is semi-autobiographical.Page Six reports that "Meemaw" follows a woman from a "very liberal East Coast Jewish family" who is disinherited and moves to Texas. There Barr plays the matriarch of a mixed-race family of preppers while attempting to "throw her granddaughter the most fantastic bat mitzvah Texas has ever seen.""It's every bit as revolutionary as 'The Roseanne Show,' if not more, and my work has improved with time," Barr told the outlet."I want everybody who disagrees in a family to sit in the same room and just laugh and go, 'Yeah, maybe I was an a**hole that time. Well, you were an a**hole this time. Oh, we're all a**holes. Let's get a beer.'"Barr says nobody gets spared."My daughters are super woke and of course I love them, so I put in jokes for them too, like I did on 'Roseanne,'" she said."I make fun of everybody because everybody deserves to be made fun of who's in power. So I've got some great jokes about Republicans that the lefties are going to love. I'm an equal opportunity destroyer."RELATED: Liberals conveniently forget how many people they've canceled in the last decade 1989. Photo by Steve Schapiro/Corbis/Getty Images Family frictionBarr's on-screen husband is played by controversial yet hilarious Randy Quaid ("Christmas Vacation," "Independence Day"), who Barr jokes she will have "romantic" and "passionate" love scenes with."The extras are going to be released on OnlyFans," Barr said, "I'm kidding."Drea de Matteo plays Barr's daughter, while Omar Gooding — brother of Cuba Gooding Jr. — plays her son-in-law.Then there's Tony Hinchcliffe, who reportedly appears as Satan.Barr seems to know exactly what people want to hear — and what some of them emphatically don't."I thought now would be a great time for people to actually hear from a Jew," she said.RELATED: Yakov Smirnoff makes surprise comeback appearance: 'What a country!' Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Netflix Hello, Elon?Barr revealed that Gooding was getting pressured over his decision to work on the show as her son-in-law but chose to take the approach "comedy is king.""It takes somebody who really has faith in their talent to go against the Hollywood gatekeepers, you know," Barr said.The Salt Lake City, Utah, grandmother also noted that she had reached out to Elon Musk to see if he would like to help fund the show, but Barr said, "He wouldn't call me back.""Can I get some assistance over here, man? I got fired for a text that was up for two hours that nobody saw."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

‘It poisons the soul’: Jason Whitlock blames 6-year-old shooting teacher on rap culture

A 6-year-old boy shot his teacher, and newly released bodycam footage captures him cursing at authorities — as if he were proud of what he’d done.BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock doesn’t just blame the parents but also the pedestal that rappers are placed on in American culture.He explains that figures like Snoop Dogg have become the “mascot for America.”The music that we’ve bathed ourselves in, it warps the soul. It poisons the soul. It reframes the mind. It makes a reprobate mind. But it’s not just rap music’s fault. Whitlock explains that we’re all responsible as “the parents of American culture.”

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

'Dead people don't collect disability benefits': Is pause on euthanizing the mentally ill in Canada just smoke and mirrors?

After announcing on Wednesday that it was pumping the brakes on making the mentally ill eligible for euthanasia in Canada, Carney's Liberal government killed Conservative legislation that would have made the pause permanent."If the government truly believed in preventing MAID for cases of mental illness, then they would have supported our bill," Conservative MP Tamara Jansen, the author of the defeated bill, said in a statement shared with Blaze News. "But when Canadians needed action, the Liberals chose politics."'The cost savings associated with [euthanizing] the mentally ill could reach up to CAD $63.076 billion.'Since Canada legalized euthanasia nationwide under ex-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016, the resultant Medical Assistance in Dying program has been grossly liberalized, becoming a leading cause of death in Canada and claiming the lives of ineligible victims.The Liberal government, now headed by globalist Prime Minister Mark Carney, expanded the program in February 2024 to enable euthanizing people suffering solely from mental illness.While the original plan was for the mentally ill to be eligible for extermination the following month, their eligibility date was pushed back to March 2027.Sean Fraser, Canada's attorney general, announced on Wednesday that the government would once again hold off on offering MAID to the mentally ill."Serious concerns remain regarding the safe and consistent evaluation of marketing authorization applications for mental illness," stated Fraser. "Canada will therefore not proceed with the planned expansion when mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition."RELATED: Canada kills 83-year-old Christian grandmother without consent, family claims — outrage ensues Canadian Attorney General Sean Fraser. Arlyn McAdorey/Bloomberg/Getty Images.Conservative MP Tamara Jansen had a bill ready to codify the government's rejection of MAID for the mentally ill and to affirm that "a mental disorder is not a grievous and irremediable medical condition" that alone would satisfy the eligibility criteria for MAID.The preamble of "The Right to Recover Act" stresses that "vulnerable Canadians should receive suicide prevention counseling rather than access to medical assistance in dying" and that "Canada’s medical assistance in dying regime risks normalizing assisted dying as a solution for those suffering from a mental disorder."The bill was, however, defeated in a 187-141 vote in parliament on Wednesday. All but two Liberal members of parliament voted in opposition.'They can still be killed by euthanasia in Canada if they have another medical condition.'Fraser cited the bill's use of the term "mental disorder" as opposed to "mental illness" as the primary reason for why the Liberals voted in opposition."Mental disorder," he suggested, could be interpreted to include some of the neurologically degenerative diseases that presently can be provided as cause for MAID."Disagreement over terminology was not a reason to kill this necessary bill," said Jansen. "Conservatives were prepared to work through those concerns at committee. But with less than six months remaining before the current exclusion expires, Parliament does not have time to let technical disagreements stand in the way of action."Nicole Scheidl, the executive director of Canadian Physicians for Life, also isn't buying the government's explanation for killing the bill.Scheidl indicated to Blaze News that it was a way for the Liberals to "shoehorn" advanced consent for MAID into the alternative, yet-to-be produced bill that Fraser suggested will be introduced later in the parliamentary session "so that there's very limited time to debate.""They want to shut down debate, and so they're going to hold that [mentally ill] population hostage to allow them to push through euthanasia for dementia," said Scheidl.Fraser, whose office did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment, admitted this week that the government ultimately wants to "allow adults diagnosed with a disease such as Alzheimer’s at an early stage to make an advance request for MAID."In the meantime, Canada can still kill the mentally ill, Alex Schadenberg, the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, told Blaze News."Right now under the law, someone who has a mental illness — even if that mental illness is driving them to suicidal ideation — they can still be killed by euthanasia in Canada if they have another medical condition," said Schadenberg. "So if someone, let's say, had a difficult condition of diabetes, it would be the diabetes they'd be approved for."Schadenberg cited the case of 26-year-old Kiano Vafaeian, who was euthanized on Dec. 30, 2025. His family told Global News that while diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and partial vision loss, Vafaeian's primary struggle was with mental health issues."He said everything the doctors needed to hear in order to approve him," said his mother, Margaret Marsilla. "Was he actually feeling that way? I strongly believe not.""A large number of Canadians have something that would qualify them for euthanasia," Scheidl told Blaze News. "So then if they're depressed on top of that, and they can't really think straight, and they're more inclined to choose that option, then there's nothing to protect them. There's nothing to stop it. The [MAID] assessments are not really effective at seeing if people are suicidal or depressed."The same government that has made it easy for vulnerable people like Vafaeian to check out has boasted of the savings associated with the program.Canada's Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer noted in an October 2020 report that 6,465 deaths under what was then a more restrictive MAID program would result in a total gross reduction in health care costs of $109.2 million in 2021."Their estimates were very, very low and their numbers were way off because they underestimated the number of deaths we would have," said Schadenberg.In a study published in February 2025, researchers at Western University explored the "potential economic savings from expanding medical assistance in dying in Canada, where it is currently a leading cause of death, to include vulnerable groups that cost the government more than they contribute in taxes," including Indians, the homeless, the retired elderly, drug addicts, and the mentally ill."The cost savings associated with the mentally ill could reach up to CAD $63.076 billion," said the researchers, "while for the retired elderly population, the savings could be CAD $54.2 billion in the voluntary scenario or as high as CAD $1.2 trillion in a nonvoluntary scenario.""Dead people don't cost money," Schadenberg told Blaze News. "Dead people don't collect pensions. Dead people don't collect disability benefits. And you've got a government, well, provincially and federally, that are running massive deficits. So a lot of incentive."While the Canadian government has not officially rolled out a nonvoluntary MAID program, Scheidl noted that there is already plenty of "coercion that is happening under the umbrella of this regime.""There are a lot of individuals who feel they have no choice," said Scheidl. "They are dealing with either caregivers who are completely burnt out and can't care for them [or] they have no other health care options. Hospice is denied to them. Palliative care is not available. Pain care is completely inadequate.""We're wholly inadequate in our care for those who are suffering or at the end of life. But we're very, very good and very, very fast at delivering euthanasia."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. 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by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

JD Vance headlines AmericaFest 2026 alongside BlazeTV’s Nick Freitas and John Doyle

AmericaFest is Turning Point USA’s flagship annual convention, and this December it returns for its sixth edition. Charlie Kirk launched it in 2021 as a place for patriots to gather and be encouraged and equipped through political speeches, activism training, music, and networking under one roof. Held at the Phoenix Convention Center, AmFest has grown into one of the largest and most influential gatherings on the political right.Last December was the first AmFest held without its beloved founder, a weekend set aside to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy and carry on the mission he started. His widow and TPUSA’s new CEO, Erika Kirk, has kept the event pointed at what her late husband cherished most: faith, freedom, and love of country. This year’s theme, “Restore the Culture,” carries that same charge.Last year’s convention drew a massive crowd of 30,000 people, and this year promises to be another knockout. Vice President JD Vance closed that first AmFest without Charlie by asking the crowd: “If you miss Charlie Kirk, do you promise to fight [for] what he died for?” He returns this December as a headliner, alongside Erika Kirk, Donald Trump Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and many of the biggest names in the conservative world.BlazeTV hosts Nick Freitas and John Doyle will be on the stage as well, bringing the same straight talk their audiences already know them for. Nick Freitas is a Green Beret combat veteran and former Virginia delegate who built his platform on clear, unapologetic arguments for faith, family, and liberty. On BlazeTV’s “Making the Argument,” he takes on today’s biggest fights surrounding culture, policy, and the ideas underneath them and walks his audience through why they matter and how to combat them.John Doyle hosts “The John Doyle Show,” a BlazeTV program designed to cut through the noise and speak the truth about where the country actually stands. Younger and blunter than a lot of the names on the AmFest program, he has made his name pushing back on sanitized history, soft official narratives, and leaders who talk about restoring America without meaning it.AmericaFest 2026 runs December 17-20. The weekend is built to carry forward what Charlie started, keep the mission he set in motion, and mark the country he spent his life defending. Tune in to join the fight and catch Nick Freitas and John Doyle live from the AmericaFest stage.

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Disgraced pastor releases new book — and Allie Beth Stuckey has serious questions

In September 2024, prominent Reformed preacher Steven J. Lawson was removed from Trinity Bible Church of Dallas and from roles within several different ministries after it was revealed that he had an inappropriate extramarital relationship with a woman in her 20s.While the exact nature of the relationship was never fully explicated, the scandal was enough to “rock the Reformed world,” says BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey, who covered the incident when it first happened.For a while, Lawson stayed out of the public eye, but he’s recently re-entered with a new book. “Mercy in the Wilderness: How I Fell & What I Found,” which dropped quietly in September, recounts the hidden sin and adulterous relationship that collapsed his ministry in 2024 and frames the aftermath as a story of repentance and God’s mercy rather than a detailed account of what happened.Several prominent pastors and elders have criticized the book, arguing that Lawson has no business profiting from a book made possible by the sin that disqualified him from pastorship.“I agree with some of these critics. It's just too soon,” says Allie, noting that she wants Lawson “to be focused on the things of the Lord, the things of the local church, and the things of [his] marriage.” But it’s also some of the contents in the book that bother her.While Allie gives Lawson credit for seeming “genuinely repentant” for the sinful relationship, she criticizes the part of the book where he apologizes for “[emphasizing] God's holiness much more than his mercy” in his past sermons.In the book, Lawson judges himself for being a “prophet of doom” instead of “a pastor of grace,” but Allie never thought he did anything but preach “straightforward” about biblical truth.“There is something about this that strikes me as odd. Like, who are you speaking to? Like, who are you trying to garner the sympathies of?” she asks.Speculating that Lawson is perhaps triggered by the idea of harsh preaching because he “didn't like that harshness” when it was his own sin being exposed, Allie says, “I don't know if the audit on his past sermons is coming from a genuine place or if it's even correct.”She also believes he tempered his admission of pride by “listing his credentials.”“To me it comes across like, ‘Look, I was also producing so much; I was doing so much and giving so much to the world,”’ says Allie, calling Lawson’s list of accomplishments “a little gratuitous.”She also disliked Lawson comparing his downfall to that of King David’s with Bathsheba.“That seems to me like something that you allow someone else to do and maybe not something that you do yourself because it does seem to elevate you to this special chosen appointed position like David that might not actually be applicable to you,” she says.But Allie’s biggest issue with Lawson’s book is that he “doesn’t address those that he has hurt.”“Now, he does talk about his wife, and he does admit the problems that he had in their marriage and take responsibility there, but other than that, he doesn't really have a specific address to those that he harmed,” she says.“If you're going to come out of silence after letting down a lot of people, those people seem to be like the primary audience that you're talking to, right? Like, not just not the people who need to be reminded that they, like David, can commit adultery and then be used by God.”To hear more of Allie’s critical breakdown of Lawson’s book, watch the episode above.Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Mike Ditka, iconic Chicago Bears coach, passes away at 86: 'Chicago won't be the same'

The only person who could defeat a hurricane, Coach Mike Ditka, has sadly passed on.Ditka was described by his family on Friday as their "heart," in words that will strike a chord with football families across the country.'He was always there.'Ditka passed away at 86 years old, with the news coming from Jarrett Payton — son of Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton — who delivered the tragic news on Chicago radio this morning.Walter Payton was the star running back on the 1985 Chicago Bears team that won Super Bowl XX with Ditka as the head coach."It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka," a statement from the family said, per Payton."While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever," the statement continued.The family's words concluded with "love and gratitude, The Ditka Family."RELATED: Why Chicago loves da popeWhile on 104.3 The Score in Chicago on Friday, Payton gave his thoughts on his father's coach."It saddens me to give this information to the city of Chicago," he painfully explained. "Everybody knows how much Coach means to me and to my family and to the city, to the Chicago Bears. He has been nothing but an amazing person for my entire family, but also somebody that always made sure that I was OK.""He was always there," Payton emotionally added.Ditka became a cultural mainstay in the city of Chicago following the Bears' domination in the 1980s, which turned into international stardom after the Super Bowl win attracted many fans and celebrities to the team.Actor Bill Murray was often seen with the Bears at the height of his career, while the "Saturday Night Live" sketch called "Bill Swerski's Superfans" told iconic fictional stories about "Hurricane Ditka" and how the Bears could win a NASCAR race if Ditka was driving their bus.RELATED: Fans accuse Chicago Bears player of performing Muslim prayer during national anthem: 'Is this respectful?' Super Bowl XX. 1985. Ed Wagner Jr./Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service/Getty Images "Da Bears" is in the common North American vernacular because of Ditka's team, a team he also played on for six seasons in the 1960s.Ditka spent 10 years coaching in Chicago before rounding out his career as head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.He won Super Bowl VI and went to five Pro Bowls as a player and was named to the NFL 100th and 75th anniversary All-Time Teams. He was two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year as well.His cause of death is unknown at the time of this writing.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

The 3 failed promises of gay 'marriage'

Many people supported gay marriage in good faith, based on promises its advocates made. Here are three assurances that are no longer so sure.LGBT people need marriage.Legalizing gay marriage will make LGBT people feel better.The kids will be all right.The children of cohabiting same-sex couples seem to fare better than the children of legally married same-sex couples.Failed promise #1: LGBT people need marriage. The reality: Evidently, LGBT people don’t agree that they need marriage.There has been no dramatic "rush to the altar" among same-sex couples. Recent Gallup data show that only 8% of Americans who identify as LGBTQ are married to a same-sex spouse, while 6.4% are living with a same-sex partner. By comparison, 11% of those who identify as LGBTQ are married to an opposite-sex spouse and another 11% are living with an opposite-sex partner.These figures suggest that much of the increase in marriages among LGBTQ-identified individuals has been driven by bisexual or nonbinary people in opposite-sex relationships. Presumably, many of these individuals could have married the person of their choice, even under pre-Obergefell law.Also please notice heterosexual people are marrying in much larger percentages than self-identified sexual minorities. Even after years of legally permitted same-sex marriage, same-sex-attracted persons are not drawn to married life “just like everyone else.” Redefining marriage did not radically transform the relationship behavior among same-sex-attracted individuals.Failed promise #2: LGBT people will feel better if we redefine marriage.The reality: The mental health numbers for sexual minorities have not improved. In fact, there is some evidence that their mental health has declined. Researchers have long observed that sexual minorities report higher rates of psychological distress than exclusively heterosexual populations. What remains contested is the explanation for those differences.We were told that stigma and discrimination were driving elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental-health challenges. Reduce the stigma, and the disparities would narrow. Yet after extraordinary gains in legal recognition and cultural acceptance, including gay marriage in the U.S., the worldwide evidence is difficult to reconcile with the so-called minority stress theory.A study using data from UCLA's Williams Institute compared different generations of sexual minorities, ranging from those shaped by the Stonewall era to those who came of age during the push for “marriage equality.” The expectation was that younger cohorts, who experienced significantly greater social acceptance, would demonstrate substantially better mental health outcomes.But the study found that the “equality generation” experienced higher rates of psychological distress and suicidal tendencies.The researchers acknowledged, and I quote, “Our findings are clearly inconsistent with the (minority stress) hypothesis” that declining social stigma would produce corresponding declines in mental health problems.A 2025 systematic review of 123 studies from 31 countries reached a similar conclusion. The review found substantially higher rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorders among LGBTQI+ individuals than among the general population. Nor were the disparities small: The rates of distress among LGBTQ individuals were between eight and 11 times greater than the general population.In fact, the combined studies found that 35.3% of LGBTQI+ individuals reported depressive disorders, compared with 3.8% of the general population, or nine times greater. None of this proves that discrimination plays no role in mental health outcomes. But surely, if “minority stress” or discrimination were the primary explanation for the high rates of psychological distress, we would have seen some positive movement in these numbers. That is exactly what we do not see.Failed promise #3: The kids will be all right.The reality: High-quality recent evidence shows that children of married same-sex partners are not “all right.”This topic is so important that it deserves its own article. For now, let me give you evidence that casts doubt on the very strong assurances the sexual revolutionaries gave us.A 2017 study showed that by the fifth year of elementary school, young children in same-sex parent families had significantly lower emotional well-being on three different standardized measures. The measures include:interpersonal skills,externalizing well-being (which includes things like aggression and acting out), andinternalizing well-being, which includes things like anxiety and depression. Compared with children living with their married biological parents, the children in alternative living arrangements have higher levels of psychological problems. The children of same-sex parents have as great or even greater problems than other children, even children in alternative family forms. The authors attribute those difficulties to higher instability, meaning that same-sex couples have more changes in relationships and living arrangements.The 'hold constant' fallacyBut this shouldn’t make us feel any better about these findings. More instability in the parents’ relationship is not a factor that we can legitimately “hold constant” or “factor out,” as if it were a completely independent factor. The well-documented increased instability in same-sex parents’ relationship means the kids experience more divorces, breakups, re-partnering, changing living arrangements, and so on. This instability is part of the package of having same-sex parents. This reminds me of researchers back in the day trying to say that single parenthood isn’t so bad, if you “hold constant” their income. But having a reduced income is part of the experience of having unmarried parents. This attempt to explain away an unwelcome finding in no more valid when applied to same-sex parents today than it was when applied to unmarried parents back in the 1990s.Another study examined a wide range of family structures, including married biological parents, single parents, cohabiting couples, stepparent families, legally married same-sex couples, and same-sex cohabiting parents.This study found that children with same-sex cohabiting parents were 3.3 times more likely than those with intact married biological parents to suffer serious emotional problems. Children with same-sex married parents were 5.4 times more likely to have serious emotional problems when compared with biological parents married to each other.These empirical results directly contradict the assurances we were given prior to the Obergefell ruling. With man/woman parents, marriage supported better emotional outcomes for children than with any arrangement of unmarried man-woman parents. But with same-sex parents, the opposite was true. The children of cohabiting same-sex couples seem to fare better than the children of legally married same-sex couples.And yes, these estimates were adjusted to eliminate the effect of demographic factors, such as the child’s race, sex, and age. We don’t really know what exactly accounts for these findings. But we can conclude this: The idea that “the kids will be fine” is no longer a slam-dunk, end-of-discussion statement.Full disclosure: The author of this 2021 paper is my colleague, Fr. Paul Sullins, Ph.D. a retired professor of sociology. If you are going to dismiss him because his clerical collar indicates a conflict of interest, you should probably also dismiss the findings of self-described gay or lesbian scholars. They certainly have an interest in some research outcomes rather than others.RELATED: Hello Fresh's unappetizing 'Pride' ad exposes the sordid truth about gay 'marriage' Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesGenderless marriageIn any case, I have shown enough to cast serious doubt of the assurances that advocates of genderless marriage gave us. Make no mistake, “genderless marriage” is a better description than “gay marriage.” The court removed the dual gender requirement for marriage. That was a tacit assertion that the sex of the body is irrelevant for marriage and by extension, irrelevant to parenthood.We were told that gay people needed to get married. Evidently, not too many of them got that memo.We were told that gay people would feel better. Evidently, and sadly, that is not the case.Finally, we were told that the kids would be fine. The evidence I’ve presented shows that this is not self-evidently true.People are making life-altering decisions based on the assurances of activists. The decision to have a child is not a decision that can easily be walked back if you figure out you had bad information.It’s time to reopen these important conversations.

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

J6 committee's star witness Cassidy Hutchinson may soon reap the whirlwind

The Jan. 6 Select Committee's star witness who milked her time in the limelight for a book deal may soon be visited by consequence for casting shade on President Donald Trump with seemingly tall tales.Cassidy Hutchinson, the former assistant to previous Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, was reportedly referred by House Republicans earlier this year to the Justice Department for criminal charges.'On information and belief, the Justice Department assigned its Civil Rights division to investigate Ms. Hutchinson for potential prosecution and has convened a grand jury.'Sources told Punchbowl News' Laura Weiss this week that the DOJ is now pursuing a federal criminal indictment against Hutchinson.Hutchinson, whom the president apparently suspected of being "a total phony and 'leaker,'" was accused in a December 2024 congressional report of committing "perjury when she lied under oath to the Select Committee" and of "secretly communicating" with the former vice chair of the J6 committee, ex-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.), with regard to her testimony.In 2022, Meadows' former staffer sat for six transcribed interviews and one publicized hearing with the J6 committee. Hutchinson evidently provided the committee with something in her fourth closed-door interview that they wanted to put on full blast.RELATED: DOJ report details Biden admin's apparent conspiracy against parents who dared to defend their kids Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post/Getty ImagesJust days later, Hutchinson was put on the stand to tell the sensational tale of how Trump got into a scuffle with a Secret Service agent and attempted to wrest control of the presidential limousine after his Jan. 6, 2021, speech at the Ellipse. She did not witness the alleged incident firsthand but claimed to have heard about it from Tony Ornato, Trump's former White House deputy chief of staff — a claim Ornato has denied.Not only did the J6 committee entertain what even former special counsel Jack Smith regarded as "secondhand hearsay." They had Hutchinson testify without bothering to first interview other witnesses who may have provided contradictory testimony, including the two Secret Service agents featured in her story who weren't interviewed until months later, according to a March 2024 report from the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight.The March 2024 report noted that the testimony of four White House employees that was redacted and suppressed "directly contradicts claims made by Cassidy Hutchinson and by the Select Committee in the Final Report."The December 2024 congressional report, prepared at the direction of Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), asserted that "Hutchinson’s willingness to testify under oath to these demonstrably false claims proves her unreliability as a witness."The Trump administration has not forgotten about Hutchinson.Hutchinson's attorneys noted in an August court filing, "Prosecution (and further persecution) for her past testimony is not merely speculative. It is a present looming threat. On information and belief, the Justice Department assigned its Civil Rights division to investigate Ms. Hutchinson for potential prosecution and has convened a grand jury targeting Ms. Hutchinson for criminal indictment."A federal grand jury was empaneled earlier this week to hear evidence about Hutchinson's testimony to Congress, sources familiar with the DOJ's probe told the New York Post. The White House referred Blaze News to the DOJ for comment. Neither the DOJ nor Hutchinson's legal representatives immediately responded to Blaze News' requests for comment.News of movement on a potential criminal indictment comes weeks after a federal judge dismissed the defamation lawsuit brought by former Hutchinson lawyer Stefan Passantino against a law professor who accused him of coaching Hutchinson "to lie" during her depositions before the J6 committee.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

El-Sayed basically confirms Jewish voters' worst fears about him during chippy debate

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed may have given Jewish voters even more pause about him during the Michigan senatorial debate Thursday night.El-Sayed has struggled on the campaign trail lately. Black and Jewish voters who traditionally vote Democrat have expressed skepticism about El-Sayed, prompting former President Barack Obama to pledge to stump for him in Detroit.'If they were undecided going into this debate, I think Jewish Democrats in Michigan just decided who they will vote for.'The debate against Republican Mike Rogers on Thursday night likely did El-Sayed no favors with Michigan Jews. For one thing, El-Sayed, who is Muslim, refused to say whether Israel or Iran poses a bigger threat to the United States. He attempted to pivot away from the question, calling it "a ridiculous hypothetical.""Our ostensible ally in Israel has lobbied us to go to war with Iran. We have watched as Iran has responded by bombing all kinds of countries in the Middle East and then choking off the world's energy supply. So this is a situation in which I don't think we should be a part. I don't want to be pushed into war by Israel, and I don't want to be in a war with Iran. I want our money spent here to buy schools and health care and child care here. I don't understand why that is so inconceivable," he explained.Moderator Rick Albin pressed him one more time to choose between Israel and Iran, but El-Sayed once again called it "a ridiculous hypothetical."Midway through the debate, Michael LaRosa, former spokesperson for Jill Biden and special assistant to President Joe Biden, wrote on X, "If they were undecided going into this debate, I think Jewish Democrats in Michigan just decided who they will vote for."RELATED: 'The panic is palpable': El-Sayed facing opposition from key Michigan Democrat groups weeks before election Throughout the debate, Rogers used his time to remind listeners about El-Sayed's troubling ties to Islamic terrorist groups. For instance, though she was never charged with any crime, El-Sayed's birth mother long worked for a group that was later designated a specially designated global terrorist organization and that may also have helped fund al-Qaeda.After Rogers brought up the terrorism issue and then mentioned his own mother, El-Sayed seemed to anticipate where Rogers was headed and immediately interrupted: "You goin' after my mom?"Rogers also accused El-Sayed of failing to condemn the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as the Hezbollah-inspired attack on Jewish schoolchildren in Michigan back in March. Rogers further claimed that El-Sayed has accepted money from groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood."I did condemn it, and you know it. Come on, my guy, like, don't make stuff up," the 41-year-old shot back.Rogers continued: "He can’t condemn Hamas. He can’t condemn the Muslim Brotherhood. He says his home is Egypt. This is all starting to make sense."In mentioning Egypt, Rogers was likely referring to a recently resurfaced video in which El-Sayed states that he carries "dual citizenship" and spent summers in a foreign country. The country was elsewhere identified as Egypt. According to the Washington Free Beacon, El-Sayed's campaign said that he "is not a dual citizen by any verifiable metric and never has been," but that his grandfather had previously "pursued Egyptian citizenship on his behalf, for which he was eligible due to his parents being born in Egypt."El-Sayed did respond to the attacks from Rogers, but usually by interrupting Rogers. When allotted response time, El-Sayed often looked into the camera and portrayed himself as the only candidate interested in "you," the people."He wanted to make this about him or me, but the question is about you. Can you afford your gas? Can you afford your groceries?" he said at one point.After the debate ended, a reporter asked El-Sayed why he did not defend himself against the terrorism-related accusations. He replied by insinuating that the accusations were racist or Islamophobic: "I don't dignify those kinds of claims because, at the end of the day, again, this is about trying to point to somebody whose name is different to make all kinds of hearsay accusations that are just not worth the dignity of a response."The Michigan GOP claimed Thursday night that Rogers had "dominate[d] the debate stage," while senior Michigan GOP communications adviser Greg Manz added: "Conman Abdul cares more about Palestine than Michigan, which should concern every Michigander, given that the same radical Islamists who fund him also fund the Muslim Brotherhood."The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.For now, El-Sayed maintains a slight lead over Rogers, according to Blaze News' Poll Watch. For the latest Michigan Senate seat updates — and to follow other important midterm races across the nation — check out Poll Watch, available to Blaze News, BlazeTV+, and Blaze Unlimited subscribers. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Iowa poll SHOCK: Pollster admits how it skewed key race results toward Democrats when GOP really leads

Skepticism is mounting about the narrative that a blue wave is set to crash in the midterms. There are, after all, signs that the pollsters may have once again greatly missed the mark.In a move sure to further shake Democrat confidence, one outfit has openly second-guessed its weighting processes and whether recent polls have properly captured Republican sentiment.'People want to see the predictive accuracy of the poll,' [but] 'polls can't really do that.'State Navigate, a nonpartisan organization that engages in election forecasting and public polling, noted on Tuesday that it conducted a poll last week in an Iowa state Senate district that President Donald Trump won by 21 points in 2024 but that flipped to a Democrat in a January 2025 special election.The polling outfit contacted over 400 likely voters in the district and initially found that Democrat state Sen. Mike Zimmer had a three-point lead over Republican challenger Joe Stutting and that in the Iowa governor's race, Democrat Rob Sand was five points ahead of Republican Zachary Lahn.These results left the pollsters suspicious."We noticed two problems in our survey: 1. There are more likely Trump voters who are lying about their 2024 vote for the president than anywhere else we’ve polled, and 2. Even accounting for this, rural Republicans in Iowa are difficult to reach," said the polling outfit.A similar miss resulted in humiliation and a career change in 2024 for J. Ann Selzer, whose November 2024 poll showed then-Vice President Kamala Harris with a three-point lead over Trump in Iowa. Trump ultimately ended up winning the state by over 13 points.RELATED: Vulnerable Ohio Democrat's last-minute flip-flop on trans insanity has LGBT activists crying Scott Olson/Getty ImagesThe pollster found that fewer respondents recalled having voted for Trump in 2024 than likely actually had voted for him and noted in an analysis that has since been reworded, "Donald Trump carried SD-35 by 21 points in 2024, but in our standard version of this poll, which isn't weighted to recalled vote, likely voters recall a Trump win of just 7 points."Because of the discrepancy, the pollster ran the results again. However, this time, pollsters weighted answers so that 2024 recall votes more closely resembled the actual heavily pro-Trump results from two years ago. Working on the apparent presumption that Democrats are poised to fare better this cycle, the pollsters then shifted every region roughly five points toward Democrats.Despite the blue shift, this change in weighting produced a red result — a red result that was partially hidden by an error in the pollster's analysis that also skewed toward the Democrat. The analysis said Zimmer was up by two points, when the weighted poll actually showed a two-point lead for Republican Joe Stutting.Chaz Nuttycombe, executive director of State Navigate, confirmed the analysis error to Blaze News.The weighted survey also found Lahn and Sand tied in the governor's race with 45% each."That still bodes well for Democrats given the Republican lean of this district, but a 5-point difference shows how weighting decisions can change the outcome," wrote the pollster in the analysis. "Our experience polling this competitive race raises concerns similar to Echelon Insight’s Patrick Ruffini’s: Republicans, particularly rural Republicans in Iowa, are very unresponsive to surveys, at least for now.""The real surprise here is someone actually admitted a mistake," BlazeTV host and Iowa native Steve Deace told Blaze News. "That’s rare these days.""Rural voters have always been the toughest to poll, but throw in how reticent Trump supporters justifiably are to respond to polls mostly from outlets who lie daily about them and Trump, and now you know why Trump has outperformed his Midwest polling every election cycle," continued Deace. "Assuming most of these public polls aren’t just Democrat ops, of course." Texas Senate polls 2026: Talarico vs. Paxtonpollwatch.theblaze.comThis is hardly the first splash of cold water to land on Democrats' hopes and dreams.CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten suggested last week that Republicans in Midwest races may once again be poised to outperform polls — and that if they do so, as they did in 2018 and 2024, then "there's a very, very strong chance that Republicans hold on to the United States Senate, even if Democrats win in places they don't historically win in, like Texas."Concerns, particularly on the left, that pollsters are missing the mark again have prompted Emerson College director of polling Spencer Kimball to go on defense.Kimball recently told the NH Journal podcast that the polling industry "has never been stronger. Our analysis has never been stronger."Kimball emphasized, however, that while "people want to see the predictive accuracy of the poll," "polls can't really do that.""Sometimes they’ll fall on the right side, and sometimes they come up a little light on that side," continued Kimball. "But generally speaking, they fall within that range about 90 percent of the time."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Laughing 'piece of s**t' thug caught on video punching victim in face as pair pass each other in Philly crosswalk

Philadelphia police said a suspect punched a victim in the face/neck, knocking the victim to the ground, as the pair passed each other in the intersection of 10th & Reed Streets around 8:30 a.m. Sunday.Police said "the suspect laughed and continued to walk northbound on 10th Street" after the punch was thrown.'What a piece of s**t.'Police did not say if the victim suffered any injuries, WTXF-TV reported, adding that the physical attack appeared to be unprovoked.Surveillance video of the attack appears to show the victim's head turned away from the suspect as the punch is thrown.Police said if you see this suspect, do not approach, but instead contact 911 immediately. Police said to submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS (8477); in addition, tipsters can use this electronic form to submit a tip anonymously. Police said all tips will be confidential.Police added that those with any information about this crime or this suspect also can contact the South Detective Division at 215-686-3013/3014.RELATED: Thug shoves 83-year-old man from behind onto NYC subway tracks in reportedly random attack Hundreds of commenters reacted to the WTXF-TV's Facebook post about the incident. The following are some of the highlights: "It’s Philly, head on a swivel!!!" one commenter wrote."Why isn't this being called a hate crime?" another user asked."Doesn't fit the Democratic narrative," another commenter answered."The victim had his head turned away from the perp. He never saw it coming," another user observed. "You must be aware of your surroundings at all times."More than a thousand comments poured into WPVI-TV's Facebook post about the incident, and the reactions were similar:"I wonder what the motive was," one commenter stated sarcastically."What a piece of s**t," another user declared bluntly."Always be vigilant," another commenter suggested."Of course what else is new," another user wrote.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Dear America: Please give cricket a chance

If I told you the guy at the crease picked the leggy’s googly and it sailed past silly mid-on for four, you’d probably — rightly — think I’d had a seizure. For those of you wondering, I am talking about cricket, arguably Western civilization’s greatest achievement since free speech, Michelangelo’s David, and whatever they have done to Madonna's face.The US national team also draws heavily on South Asian immigrants and famously beat Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup.I was inspired to write this after reading Andrew Chapados’ piece in Fearless lamenting Canadians’ loss of ice hockey as the CBC starts experimenting with broadcasting cricket.Don’t get me wrong. I love ice hockey. When I stayed in Nova Scotia, it didn’t take long to understand why these super-friendly people love the game. The speed, intensity, and aggression. I was hooked. The way the refs mostly let ’em fight it out, the mullets ... more fights. Some of my most memorable nights were spent watching a game on a big TV with a bunch of fishermen and giant cans of Colt 45.Sticky wicketBut I am going to try to use this article to defend cricket, though I don’t hold much hope.For starters, explaining the rules is like asking a crab to describe the chemical composition of water. The traditional version of the game, Test cricket, doesn’t help my case. While baseball lasts a few hours, Test cricket can occupy six hours a day for up to five days — and still end in a draw. It’s also possibly the only sport on Earth where the batsman is applauded for leaving the ball alone.That said, this is a game that requires skill and nerves. The fastest bowlers send the ball down at close to 100 mph, and a short delivery can come screaming toward your ribs, head, or worse.But my word, it can be boring.If golf is a good walk spoiled, Test cricket can best be described as a decent sleep disrupted by a light round of applause — followed by a collective groan when the ball hits someone’s nuts.Good luck selling that to Americans.America's pastimeI love the game for its history and heritage. The English were knocking the cherry around a field decades before the Pilgrims set foot in the New World. Test cricket is a glorious aristocratic vestige of the British Empire. Naturally, its imperial pedigree has also made it a target for the usual colonialism critiques. All the more reason to embrace the game.At its most traditional, this sport is steeped in British pomp and pageantry. Cricket players dress in pristine whites, stop for tea, and politely applaud opponents who reach a century. At Lord’s, members watch from a pavilion that looks like the setting for a royal garden party.A Test match can feel like a temporary reversion to Victorian Britain.Before anyone accuses cricket of being un-American, best check the history books.Long before Fenway Park was even a pile of bricks or Cooperstown immortalized its sluggers, America had a thriving cricket culture. New Yorkers were playing matches on North Meadow in Central Park in the 19th century. Benjamin Franklin reportedly brought home a copy of the 1744 laws of cricket from England — it takes 250 years just to learn the LBW rule — and there is anecdotal evidence that George Washington’s troops played a related game called “wicket” at Valley Forge.Abraham Lincoln is said to have watched cricket, and early baseball great Jim Creighton played both sports. Decades later, even Babe Ruth himself met Australian cricket legend Don Bradman to see what all the fuss was about.Twenty20 visionWhich brings me to my modest proposal.For 50 years America has led the way in exporting its culture around the world. It’s time for recolonization. You’ve given us Steven Seagal; it’s only right we give you cricket.Sure, the British Empire is not what it was — it currently consists of an elderly mailman on Tristan da Cunha and a heavily discounted Prince Andrew T-shirt kiosk in the Falklands — but a fair trade is a fair trade.Okay, “Under Siege” was good, but hundreds of straight-to-video slap-fests where Seagal’s biggest enemy is the stairway is enough. Seriously, he uses a body double to go upstairs. I have watched this man “fight” sitting in a swivel chair.Anyway, back to cricket.The version you are likely to watch — who am I kidding, you won’t watch it — is T20. Otherwise known as Twenty20, it is a much shorter, flashier variant. “Twenty” refers to the number of overs each side gets; an over is six legal deliveries, or pitches.Purists on this side of the Atlantic call it baseball in pajamas.The goal is to score as fast as possible. Hitting a “six” is the rough equivalent of a home run. When a new batsman comes to the crease — home plate, basically — he is sometimes introduced as if he were walking into the Octagon. There are fireworks, cheerleaders, and short bursts of Pitbull or some other awful hype music between the action. The fans are rowdy, and the beer flows like a waterfall.Like American football, it also stops every eight seconds to ask an attractive woman — sorry, a sideline reporter — standing six inches from a player’s face what’s happening.RELATED: My 1990 World Cup sticker book — and a glimpse of football's simpler past Staff/Mirrorpix/Getty ImagesThe empire strikes backBelieve it or not, this gaudy spectacle is taking root in the U.S.Driven in large part by a huge South Asian diaspora, America now has its own professional T20 competition, Major League Cricket, featuring six franchises and plenty of international stars. Several of the teams have direct ties to Indian Premier League clubs, including MI New York, the Los Angeles Knight Riders, and the Texas Super Kings.MLC features lots of international stars alongside a talented contingent of Indian- and Pakistani-born players. The U.S. national team also draws heavily on South Asian immigrants and famously beat Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Several of its players came to America to work in tech. These guys are really good, cricket is in their blood, and honestly, even their H-1B team would give Australia a run for its money.To give you a taste of the madness, during the 2024 T20 World Cup, a temporary 34,000-seat stadium was erected in Nassau County to host, among other matches, India versus Pakistan.This rivalry makes Packers-Bears look like a Disney movie. Geopolitics is played out with a bat and ball before one of the biggest audiences in world sport.America’s acquiescence truly arrives in 2028, when cricket returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1900 — in Los Angeles, of all places.So America, open your arms. You’ve conquered baseball, basketball, and football — but not soccer; your women’s team is hilarious. Now let a bunch of foreign blokes in neon pyjamas take over for a few weeks.Forget the British Empire striking back. This is the subcontinent striking back.To borrow a well-known phrase: Howzat!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

‘The stupidest political strategy’: John Doyle SLAMS conservatives vowing to sit out midterms

Many conservative Americans feel so discouraged by the Republican Party's slow progress and long record of disappointment that they’re vowing to withhold their vote in midterm elections in hopes of making a statement that ignites change.On a recent episode of “The John Doyle show,” the BlazeTV host called this “the dumbest political strategy ever.” First off, Doyle doesn’t hold the same hopeless sentiments about the Republican Party and its inability to correct course after the last “60 years of betrayal.”“We've got good guys in positions that matter. Things are starting to look a little bit better, if not perfect,” he says, “but still, you've got these bad-faith actors capitalizing on leftist social media incentives, trying to cloud any positive perception that patriots have of the Republican Party by pointing back to that 60-year history of betrayal that we are all intimately familiar with.”“Thinking that you're going to hold the historically controlled opposition party accountable by not voting, punishing them by withholding your vote? This is basically — and we've done the math on it — the stupidest political strategy in the history of both politics and strategy.”He denounces the idea that America needs more political parties to choose from. These third parties, he argues, “are spoilers, but they have no chance of winning.”“If you want to get something done in America, you've got two parties to choose from. … A winning third-party candidate would not even change that anyway,” he argues, “and even if you did change it, it's hardly like it would result in anything better or fix anything at all, and in fact, it would likely make things a lot worse.”“[A multi-party system] means you can't actually have nearly as much bipartisanship, and the establishment Republicans are far more forced to work with MAGA than they would be otherwise. It's actually to our strength and to our benefit that we have [a two-party system].”Doyle then turns his attention to another group of conservatives who believe “that the best way to get the Republican Party to listen to them is to not vote or go out and vote for Democrats.”“The basic argument goes: The Republican Party is not working in the interests of the right wing. It's not doing enough deportations; it's not doing enough to deal with leftists; it's not doing enough for young white men … so by not voting and punishing the Republican Party, the Republican Party would then realize they do actually need to do these things in order to win over these groups of people,” he explains.“What they'll often point to as evidence for this is that the Republican Party often tries very hard to win over minorities who don't vote for them. And still, the Republicans will give them concessions; they'll do leftism light to try to pander to these groups. So therefore, this obviously would work for the young white male patriot too,” he continues.But the same logic doesn’t apply, Doyle argues.For starters, young white males and young people in general are not seen as likely to turn out, he says, and he points to data showing about 50% of those eligible actually vote in a presidential year, dropping to just over 25% in midterms.Second, the GOP is not one room of "elites” you can punish by staying home. Rather it’s a stack of factions, and the MAGA one — “very often young white men themselves” who are “on our side” — is inside it and still gaining ground.“You don't really need to try to punish them by not turning out or voting blue. They kind of get what's going on, and you're just going to kneecap them if you do that,” Doyle warns.To hear his full analysis, watch the episode above.Want more from John Doyle?To enjoy more of the truth about America and join the fight to restore a country that has been betrayed by its own leaders, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Pete Hegseth says execution of Fort Hood terrorist will be PUBLIC — here's how

Critics of the Trump administration expressed their outrage after War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Fort Hood killer will be publicly executed.Major Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others during the 2009 attack at the Army base. He later said he wanted to prevent more deaths of Muslims in the Middle East. He was convicted in 2013.'We'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public, because people need to understand there's serious consequences for these types of things.'Hegseth said in an interview Thursday that the execution, conducted by the Army, will be public, as a throwback to previous times."No-brainer. Execution by firing squad. Army major betrays his country; radical Islamist kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course we're going to do it at Fort Hood," he said."And do it on a Thursday; we're going to do it at 1 o'clock, which is when he did it. And it's going to be soldiers with rifles, executing the firing squad," he added.Hegseth pointed out that there has been no such military execution since World War II."Well, I kind of like the mentality we had in World War II, which was win," he added. "Which was understand when the enemy attacks you, you need to stand your ground."He went on to criticize former President Barack Obama for calling the attack "workplace violence.""That's the worldview we're up against is workplace violence," he added."We know what it is: It was a radical Islamist attack in uniform inside the ranks. And so he's going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be," Hegseth said. "And we'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public, because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things."While many on the left objected to the announcement, even Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina expressed his displeasure with the plan. "Hasan should face the death penalty, but making his execution public and streaming it? Beyond disgusting," he wrote. "Public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do. It should not be happening in America." RELATED: VIDEO: CRAZED Democrat warns Hegseth could face EXECUTION over alleged war crimes Democrat Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state agreed. "We can seek justice in this country without glorifying violence and turning an execution into a grotesque public spectacle. What this criminal did was abhorrent and must be punished — but we as a country cannot condone livestreaming a man’s death for entertainment," she wrote. "We are long past the days of public hangings in the town square. Kids watch what our leaders do and say, is this kind of bloodshed really what we want them seeing?" she added. Hasan is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 3. His will be the first execution of an American military member since 1961.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Google is killing its popular Chromebook. Here's what's next — and how to prepare.

Google Chromebooks initially launched in Spring 2011. They’ve since become a mainstay of public education, thanks to their affordability, simple security, and ease of use. However, Google just announced a successor, and if Google has its way, it will be the thing to kill Chromebooks once and for all.The somewhat clumsily named Googlebook is a hybrid device built to bridge the gap between Chromebooks and more capable machines like Windows PCs and Macs. It’s powered by Googlebook OS, a version of Android tuned specifically for desktop. It also borrows some features from Chromebooks, helping the platform feel familiar to anyone already in Google’s ecosystem. Googlebooks aren’t quite as mature as their Chromebook siblings, but that isn’t stopping Google from officially killing the latter anyway.Just like a Windows or Mac computer, you can connect a mouse and keyboard, drag and drop files to your desktop, enjoy a full desktop browser experience, complete with extensions, and use apps to get work done.It has full access to the Google Play Store library, where some apps like the photo editor Luminar and the calendar app Fantastical already have desktop-class versions on the platform, in addition to the mobile Android counterparts.Googlebooks also have a Debian Linux command-line environment that can be accessed through the Terminal. According to Google, “You can install and run developer tools, code environments, and access other Linux applications.”One of the cooler features, though, is that Googlebooks offer better interoperability between the new laptop and some existing Android phones. With Continue On, you can start a task on your phone and easily pick up that same task in the same spot on your Googlebook. Your files from your phone also automatically show up in the files app in Googlebook. You can cast an app from your phone to your laptop for easy use. You can even sync your phone notifications to your laptop.Ultimately, Googlebooks are a huge upgrade from Chromebooks with premium materials, powerful chips, and a more capable operating system.RELATED: How the laptop revolution destroyed public education Blaze Media illustrationUnfortunately, there are also some clear drawbacks, at least at launch. Now that these machines are out in the wild, reviewers have found some serious flaws.For instance, some Progressive Web Apps, or apps that you can download from the web when a native app isn’t available, don’t work on Googlebooks like they did on Chromebooks. Broader support is coming soon, but for now, it’s limited.The interoperability features between Android and Googlebook require Android 17, which means many Android users will be left behind. These features also don’t work on Samsung devices yet, which account for most of the Android devices in the United States.There are five Googlebooks available from different OEMs at launch — two of them have an ARM-based chip, similar to the ones in virtually all smartphones today, and three of them have x86 chips, like those found in most Windows laptops. Android works on both architectures, but some Google Play apps aren’t compatible with x86, creating potential fragmentation.Needless to say, Googlebooks aren’t quite as mature as their Chromebook siblings, but that isn’t stopping Google from officially killing the latter anyway.When Googlebooks were first unveiled in May, Google made it clear that this new brand targeted the premium hardware market, while Chromebooks were meant to represent the affordable segment. Although Google didn’t divulge official details, there were rumors that both platforms would exist together, catering to different groups in their respective categories. After all, a $300 Chromebook is easier to give to a 3rd grader than a $999 Googlebook.Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Google confirmed that it will phase out support for ChromeOS — the operating system that runs on Chromebooks — by 2034. Existing Chromebooks will continue to receive updates until that time.On the bright side, Google said that, “Many newer commercial Chromebook models will be capable of upgrading to Googlebook OS. Details on migration paths and device eligibility will be shared at a later date.”So newer Chromebooks will get a new lease on life with Googlebook OS, while older models will no longer be supported. That doesn’t mean the devices will cease to operate, but they will no longer receive security patches, potentially leaving your data open to hackers if you continue to use a Chromebook past 2034.The long lead time is meant to give users and educators time to switch platforms over the coming decade, but the elephant in the room remains. Googlebooks are much more expensive than their Chromebook counterparts, and while Google is sure to iron out the bugs discussed above, the laptops that launched this month are more akin to test devices than full-fledged products. If you own a Chromebook, it might be best to hold onto it for now. For those on Windows or Mac who are thinking about switching, just know that there are still some early hiccups that must get sorted out.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Your iPhone has state-of-the-art security features. Law enforcement has a new way to disable them.

Apple’s iPhone offers plenty of tools to encrypt users’ data and keep it safe. If you’re law enforcement looking to investigate a crime, however, some of these tools can get in the way. That’s why they have Graykey, a device that disables some of iPhone’s safety features to make the data inside more accessible.Graykey has been around for years. But like most powerful tech, it keeps evolving. A new report reveals Graykey received a fresh enhancement last year that goes above and beyond anything seen before from the tool. Here's what it can and can't do. Graykey Preserve keeps the phone on and active to ensure prolonged AFU data access.When it comes to securing data, iPhones have two function states: Before First Unlock and After First Unlock.Before First Unlock is the state an iPhone defaults to when it loses power, either if the battery dies or if it’s turned off manually. In this state, all internal files are protected by hardware encryption via the Secure Enclave, and the only way to access the data inside is to input the passcode and unlock the phone. Most user data — including network information, files, and location — is very hard to extract in this instance.After First Unlock is an iPhone’s typical operating state enabled once the passcode has been entered and the user has reached the home screen. In this condition, the Secure Enclave permits access to data that was locked tight in BFU mode. While you may need a passcode to reach this information, law enforcement can use various tools to extract what they need, assuming your phone is in their possession.In AFU mode, law enforcement can access:iPhone model and iOS versionIdentifiers, like the serial number and UDIDPairing recordsNetwork configurations down to your Wi-Fi network and VPN statusConnected Bluetooth devicesInformation stored in KeychainFiles, photos, contacts, and moreLocation informationWith iOS 18, Apple added an extra safety measure to protect users if they’re separated from their devices. Inactivity Reboot checks to see how much time has passed since an iPhone was unlocked and used. If the passcode hasn’t been inputted for 72 hours, it automatically reboots, forcing the phone into BFU mode.This, of course, causes plenty of problems for police when they seize a device and put it into lockup. If they don’t access the files they need on the phone within the first three days, it will lock them out, and they’ll have a much harder time finding evidence.Until now.According to 404 Media, a company called Magnet Forensics makes a device for law enforcement dubbed Graykey Preserve, which virtually disables Inactivity Reboot.Instead of allowing an iPhone to shut down and default to BFU mode, Graykey Preserve keeps the phone on and active to ensure prolonged AFU data access. This extends the time that law enforcement can scan through files on a seized device to find what they’re looking for.The report noted that Graykey Preserve showed up in educational materials dating back to early 2025, so the device has been around for at least more than a year, if not longer.RELATED: New spyware targets iPhones. Are you at risk? rawat yapathanasap/Getty ImagesIt’s unclear exactly how Graykey Preserve keeps an iPhone in AFU mode, or if the hardware uses an unknown exploit within iPhone to get it done. Either way, it’s always a good idea to update the software on your phone regularly to ensure you have the best security and protection available. While Graykey can prevent a powered-on device from reaching BFU mode through Inactivity Reboot, so far, there are no indications that it can bypass BFU if the device is already powered down. That means if a user turns his iPhone off before it’s seized, there is less of a chance that law enforcement can brute force their way in. Graykey has been around for several years with reports of its AFU-data-scraping capabilities dating back to 2024. In addition to iPhone, Graykey hardware can extract data from many Android handsets in AFU mode as well, so no platform is particularly off-limits for the law.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Illegal alien arrested by ICE is allegedly the husband of a mayor in Texas, sources say

Armando Garza Lira was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly overstaying his visa, according to the Zavala County Sheriff's Office.Sources told NewsNation that Lira is the husband of Jose Angel Cerda, the mayor of Crystal City. Lira was 'unlawfully present in the United States in violation of state and federal law.'The sheriff's office said it received complaints that someone was living unlawfully in Crystal City. Deputies made contact with two people in a vehicle at about 7:46 p.m. and determined that one of the men was Lira. They were advised by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that Lira was "unlawfully present in the United States in violation of state and federal law."Lira was arrested and transported to the Zavala County Jail to await enforcement action from federal law officials. The sheriff's office identified the other man in the car as Jose Angel Cerda and said he was released without further incident. That name matches the name of the town's mayor. Images on social media purportedly show the two men together. A profile for Cerda on the official Texas directory indicates that he was first elected to office in May 2025 and that his term ends in 2028. A Blaze News request for comment from the mayor's office was not returned in time for publication. RELATED: College football player stabbed to death allegedly by illegal alien who was given deportation pass TWICE, sources say CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images "The Zavala County Sheriff's Office is committed to complying with Texas law regarding cooperation with federal immigration authorities," the office added. Crystal City is located about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio and calls itself the "Spinach Capital of the World," though Alma, Arkansas, contests that title. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

‘France doesn’t exist anymore’: Glenn Beck on the ‘two Frances’ battling for the soul of the nation

Two massive gatherings took place recently in France: an 800,000-strong Mass on September 26 hosted by Pope Leo XIV at Place de la Concorde and a nationwide student protest on October 6 over school funding that drew roughly 256,000 people across France and 56,000 in Paris.The latter gathering escalated to violence in some areas.“Schools set on fire. Teachers, principals attacked. Around 2,000 arrests in Marseille. Reports say the flags were in the streets. They were Algeria, Hamas’, Palestinian,” Glenn Beck says.“One crowd, almost a million people come out to kneel. The other crowd comes to burn the buildings where children learn to read. France is not having a bad week. France doesn’t exist anymore,” he declares. “I think there’s two Frances, and they’ve been fighting over the same house for more than 200 years,” Glenn continues.He recounts the way the nation split after King Louis XVI was executed in 1793 during the French Revolution.“Across the front of Notre Dame stands a row of 28 stone kings with crowns on their head. The revolution orders them down. ... So the workmen haul them off the cathedral with ropes and then smash their heads off in the square. ... But those kings were not kings of France. They were kings of Judah, the ancestors of Christ,” Glenn says.Meanwhile, the revolutionaries turned Notre Dame into a “Temple of Reason”; an opera singer was put on a constructed altar as the Goddess of Reason, standing in for the Christian worship they had just banned.“They’re having sex on the altar. It’s horrific what is happening there. ... After that falls apart, the cathedral is used as a storehouse. That’s one France,” Glenn says.The other France, he says, was “watching.”“Somebody gathered up those broken stone heads, the faces smashed, the noses gone, and they buried them under a courtyard across town. No speech, no protest. We don’t even know who did it,” Glenn recounts.Eight years after the Festival of Reason, Napoleon cut a deal with Pope Pius VII that allowed priests back into the churches and restored public Catholic worship.“The most powerful man in Europe looked at his country and conceded, ‘We need God.’ You can smash the statues, but you can’t smash what people bury to keep,” Glenn summarizes.“That’s what showed up last week [in France]. ... Every expert had declared Christianity and Catholicism in France dead. I’m not sure. I think it was buried underground, waiting.”But the statue-smashers are back with their guillotines, too, he warns.“Many of the kids in the street have no idea what they’re tearing down any more than the mob did in 1793,” he says. “They didn’t know whose faces they were breaking, but whoever is organizing them knows exactly whose faces those are.”For too long, France has kept its Christian roots quiet, he says. It’s why “Islam is so active over there.”“You cannot just leave a vacuum. ... It doesn’t stay empty. Whatever you refuse to pass down, somebody else will gladly pick it up. In Marseille last week, somebody did. And he was waving a different flag,” Glenn warns.To hear his take on how America is facing the same predicament, watch the video above.Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

States need to take election security into their own hands

Americans can’t afford to be complacent about our election security. The right to vote is one of the most indispensable civil rights in a constitutional republic, but it is not self-executing. Laws must protect that right, ensure its proper administration, and defend it against error, fraud, and foreign influence.Citizenship must be verified when voters register. States must maintain accurate voter rolls and give federal authorities the data to which they’re legally entitled. They must also have reliable proof-of-eligibility requirements and prosecute election-law violations.Americans have fought too long and sacrificed too much to surrender sovereignty to administrative negligence and foreign influence.This is ultimately not merely an election-administration issue — it is a matter of sovereignty.The proposition that only American citizens may vote in elections is a cornerstone of our republic. The citizenship requirement preserves self-government and ensures that those who decide our elections are members of the American political community. If these basic rules are treated as mere aspiration rather than an enforceable legal requirement, then American sovereignty is at risk.The vote — and the machinery that receives, records, verifies, counts, and reports it — is how the American people confer legitimate authority on public officials.The size of the illegal immigrant population in the country underscores the point. The Department of Homeland Security estimated that roughly 11 million unauthorized immigrants — or 3.3% of the U.S. population — resided in the country in January 2022. The Federation for American Immigration Reform’s March 2025 estimate puts this population at approximately 18.6 million at the beginning of 2025.Whatever the precise number, the practical consequence is the same: A large non-citizen population resides in communities served by state voter-registration systems.The cost of waiting to verify eligibility until after an election is too high, because even one unlawful vote dilutes a lawful citizen’s vote and undermines confidence in the electoral process.RELATED: 11 years later, Trump’s immigration promises still aren’t law Aaron Schwartz/Getty ImagesRecent reports only reinforce the need for scrutiny. DHS has found that preliminary reviews identified more than 250,000 potential non-citizens on voter rolls in four states and asked those states to work with the department on election security. Some state officials and election experts have disputed that claim. Fine. Then investigate it thoroughly, transparently, and promptly. The answer to a serious allegation is verification, not indifference.Though Congress began requiring states to offer voter registration when people apply for or renew driver’s licenses through the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, convenience is not the enemy of integrity. The NVRA did not relieve states of their duty to maintain accurate voter rolls. States must ensure that illegal aliens and other ineligible persons do not vote in elections.History supplies ample warning on this score. A review of Department of Motor Vehicles records revealed that Philadelphia mistakenly allowed non-citizens to register to vote around 2016. State officials later revised the system, but the episode demonstrates why citizenship verification cannot be left to bureaucratic happenstance.And the problem isn’t limited to administrative error.In the Eastern District of North Carolina, federal prosecutors charged 19 foreign nationals with voting in the 2016 election. In the Southern District of Florida, three non-citizens pleaded guilty to illegally voting in federal elections and committing related election offenses.These numbers may not be large in isolation, but that misses the point. Election crimes are crimes against public trust. They injure every lawful voter whose ballot is entitled to equal weight under law.RELATED: George Washington’s advice for the midterms Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesTo combat this, states and municipalities should require reliable proof of citizenship and verification before an ineligible registration can result in a ballot being cast. State election officials should coordinate with federal authorities to obtain accurate citizenship and immigration-status information, consistent with law. The Department of Justice should continue to prosecute those who breach the system.Encouragingly, some states have begun to act. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that four states enacted documentary-proof-of-citizenship requirements in 2026. Thirteen states now have such laws at some point in the registration process, though litigation and court decisions have prevented some provisions from taking effect.Other states have adopted bifurcated systems that allow voters who have not provided documentary proof of citizenship to vote in state elections, while still requiring verification for federal elections. These reforms reflect a necessary shift toward verifying citizenship rather than relying solely on a voter’s word.The reason is obvious. If election safeguards are weak enough to allow non-citizens to register, vote, or otherwise influence elections, public policy could be shaped by individuals who have not assumed the duties of American citizenship or pledged allegiance to the constitutional order. That is a clear breach of the social compact.The federal government already recognizes the critical nature of citizenship when public trust and national interest are at stake. For example, many national security positions require U.S. citizenship because they involve access to sensitive government information.Though voting is different from government employment, it is still an exercise of sovereign authority. Through the ballot, citizens choose who will make law, set policy, spend public money, appoint officials, and direct the machinery of government. Sovereignty is preserved not by slogans but by laws faithfully enforced, passed by representatives chosen by American citizens.State legislators must give election officials the tools to reinforce safeguards, confirm citizenship, maintain accurate voter rolls, and protect citizen self-government. Americans have fought too long and sacrificed too much to surrender sovereignty to administrative negligence and foreign influence.The rule is simple, just, and essential: American citizens — and only American citizens — must decide American elections.Editor’s note: This article was originally published at the American Mind.

by Blaze Media Oct 9, 2026

Man shot by ICE in the Bronx — Mamdani demands Trump end all operations in NYC

Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he called President Donald Trump and will demand the end of all immigration operations in his city after another reported shooting.Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement surrounded a car in the Bronx and fired into it, shooting a man, according to Mamdani's version of the incident.'Get ICE out of our hospitals. Get ICE off our streets. Get ICE away from our children. Abolish ICE.'The man was reportedly struck by gunfire, and a 5-year-old child in the car was unharmed. The mayor said the incident unfolded in a residential neighborhood of Marble Hill."This is an unconscionable and incredibly serious situation. I have called the President; when we speak I will demand that he ends all ICE enforcement actions in our city," he said in a statement on social media."I will not stand by while ICE agents terrorize our communities. Our thoughts are with the injured New Yorker and his family tonight. We are praying for his recovery," he added."Get ICE out of our neighborhoods," Mamdani concluded. "Get ICE out of our hospitals. Get ICE off our streets. Get ICE away from our children. Abolish ICE."A brief statement from the New York Police Dept. added that the incident occurred at about 4 p.m."The NYPD was not involved in the incident and was not on scene at the time of the shooting. The individual who was shot is at a nearby hospital and is currently conscious and receiving medical attention."Video shows anti-ICE protesters blocking federal vehicles after the shooting.CBS News reported that the injuries to the man were not life-threatening.RELATED: Mamdani cites the Quran and quotes Muhammed while announcing order to protect illegal aliens from ICE Sources told CBS that ICE was attempting to apprehend another person when the man intervened and was subsequently shot.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, also released a statement."I've been briefed on this afternoon's shooting involving federal law enforcement agents in the Bronx," she posted on social media. "We expect federal authorities to provide a full and transparent accounting of the circumstances surrounding this incident. New Yorkers deserve to know exactly what happened and why."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!