ABC, CBS, NBC Evening Newscasts Bury Massive Minnesota Fraud Scandal Under Walz
While federal prosecutors have now convicted 59 defendants and charged 78 in connection with three overlapping fraud schemes that siphoned more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds from Minnesota child-nutrition and social-services programs during the COVID years, the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC have collectively devoted zero minutes to the escalating scandal that unfolded on Governor Tim Walz’s watch since 2019. Despite the theft exceeding the state’s entire annual corrections budget, whistleblowers from the Minnesota Department of Human Services publicly declaring Walz “100 percent responsible” for ignoring warnings and retaliating against employees, House Republicans demanding accountability, and a new Treasury probe into possible terrorist financing links, the Big Three broadcast networks have maintained total silence on their flagship evening programs. Walz has defended his administration’s response by citing ongoing prosecutions and new anti-fraud measures, yet viewers relying solely on ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, or NBC Nightly News remain completely unaware of one of the largest public fraud cases in American history occurring in a state led by the 2024 Democrat vice-presidential nominee.
Sources: FOX News, NewsBusters
Republicans Retain Key Tennessee Seat in Special Election Win Against “AOC of the Tennessee”
In a resounding endorsement of Republican values and leadership, combat veteran Matt Van Epps secured victory in the December 2, special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Democrat state Rep. Aftyn Behn by nine percentage points and maintaining the GOP’s slim House majority in a ruby-red district that stretches from Kentucky to Alabama, including parts of Nashville, and was carried by President Donald Trump by 22 points in 2024. The seat, vacated by former Rep. Mark Green after his June 2025 resignation for a private sector role, stayed in Republican control as Van Epps, a former Tennessee Department of General Services commissioner endorsed by Trump, emphasized alignment with the president’s agenda to drive down costs and deliver for families, while Behn, labeled the “AOC of Tennessee” for her progressive stances, focused on affordability and healthcare but faced criticism for past comments disparaging country music and calling Tennessee racist. Backed by heavy ad spending from national parties and outside groups, the race drew top surrogates including House Speaker Mike Johnson, RNC Chair Joe Gruters, Gov. Bill Lee, Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for Van Epps, and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pramila Jayapal, and former Vice President Al Gore for Behn, with Trump rallying support and posting congratulations for the “great night for the Republican Party.” Van Epps hailed the win as a movement powered by Tennesseans ready for change and a rejection of radical agendas, pledging to bolster the GOP majority into 2026, while Democrats claimed moral victory in the closer-than-expected result amid attacks on Behn’s alignment with district values.
Sources: The Tennessean, FOX News
Trump Again Endorses Eliminating Federal Income Tax Through Tariff Revenue
In a White House Cabinet meeting on December 2, President Trump delivered his clearest endorsement to date for abolishing the federal income tax, telling reporters that “at some point in the not too distant future you won’t even have income tax to pay” as tariff revenues surge under his administration’s trade policies. This statement, made amid discussions on economic priorities, underscores Trump’s vision of replacing burdensome income taxes with duties on imports to fund government operations, echoing historical American prosperity before the 16th Amendment’s ratification in 1913 and aligning with his broader agenda to reduce fiscal pressures on working families. The proposal builds on prior tariff implementations projected by the Congressional Budget Office to shrink the federal deficit by $2.8 trillion over the next decade, offering a pathway to substantial tax relief without increasing deficits.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Washington Examiner
USDA Cracks Down on SNAP Fraud by Withholding Funds from Noncompliant Blue States
In a decisive move to safeguard taxpayer dollars and eliminate rampant fraud within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced during a White House Cabinet meeting that the Department of Agriculture will commence halting federal administrative funding to 21 Democrat-leaning states next week unless they promptly furnish requested recipient data, including names and immigration statuses, to facilitate integrity checks. Rollins emphasized that 29 Republican-leaning states, along with Guam, have fully cooperated by submitting the necessary information, enabling the USDA’s newly formed SNAP integrity team to identify and address abuses such as benefits disbursed to deceased individuals and duplicate claims, while the holdout states—encompassing California, New York, and Minnesota—persist in defiance despite repeated federal requests, prompting the administration to enforce compliance through funding pauses to protect American resources from waste and unauthorized payouts.
Sources: The Epoch Times, CNBC
DHS Targets Illegal Somali Nationals in Twin Cities Enforcement Surge
The Department of Homeland Security is launching a major immigration enforcement operation this week in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, zeroing in on Somali nationals with final deportation orders who remain in the country unlawfully, as part of President Trump’s renewed push to remove millions of illegal aliens following reports of widespread fraud by Somali residents bilking American taxpayers. Drawing from federal strike teams of about 100 ICE officers deployed nationwide, the action builds on prior raids in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, including a June incident near downtown Minneapolis that sparked scuffles with protesters and two November sweeps in St. Paul yielding 14 arrests amid renewed local tensions over sanctuary policies limiting cooperation with federal authorities. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that targets are selected based solely on illegal status, not race or ethnicity, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted the community’s role in defrauding public funds, and the effort aligns with Trump’s directive to terminate decades-old temporary protected status for certain Somalis from the war-torn nation, where Minnesota hosts the world’s largest diaspora that began arriving en masse during the 1990s civil conflict—though advocates note most local Somali-descent residents are citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Sources: The Daily Freeman, NewsMax
Trump Administration Prepares Bridge Payments to Sustain American Farmers Amid Trade Challenges
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced during a White House Cabinet meeting on December 2, that the Trump administration will reveal details next week on a bridge payment program to deliver short-term financial relief to American farmers grappling with low crop prices, elevated input costs, and lingering export losses from trade disputes, particularly the billions in foregone soybean sales to China. Rollins emphasized President Trump’s efforts in reopening overseas markets through deals with nations including Japan and Pakistan, aiming to foster long-term independence from federal aid, while underscoring the immediate necessity of this support as the U.S. Department of Agriculture calculates impacts and prepares disbursements expected within weeks or by early 2026; the program builds on over $23 billion in prior trade-related assistance during Trump’s first term and contributes to a projected $40 billion in total 2025 farmer payments, the highest since 1933, amid advocacy from farm groups and Republican lawmakers like Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman. This initiative reflects the administration’s commitment to bolstering rural economies that have steadfastly backed Trump, ensuring family farms endure until comprehensive trade resolutions and the next Farm Bill take effect in October 2026.
Sources: Agri-Pulse.com, Investing.com
DHS Targets New Orleans Criminal Illegal Aliens in Operation Catahoula Crunch
The Department of Homeland Security announced on December 3, that New Orleans will serve as the latest site for a focused immigration enforcement operation dubbed Operation Catahoula Crunch, building on prior sweeps in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte to apprehend illegal immigrants with criminal records and restore order to American communities undermined by sanctuary policies. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that such policies have released dangerous individuals back onto the streets, compelling federal agents to pursue violent offenders who should have remained detained, including those arrested for home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto, and rape. Under President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem, the initiative prioritizes public safety by targeting a list of 10 wanted illegal migrants from nations such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jordan, Mexico, and Vietnam, charged with offenses ranging from aggravated assault and burglary to child endangerment and sexual battery. This effort underscores the administration’s commitment to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting citizens from repeat criminal activity enabled by prior leniency.
Sources: The New York Post, The Washington Times
Trump Pardons Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar in Response to Alleged Weaponization of Justice
President Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon on December 3, to Democrat U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife Imelda, who faced federal charges of bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy stemming from an indictment in May 2024 over alleged $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan oil company and a Mexican bank between 2014 and 2021. In announcing the pardon via social media, Trump condemned the Biden administration’s Justice Department for weaponizing the legal system against political opponents, highlighting Cuellar’s vocal opposition to open borders policies as a key factor in the targeting, and framing the action as a restoration of fair justice amid what he described as a partisan witch hunt. Cuellar, a conservative Democrat representing a South Texas border district that shifted Republican in the 2024 election, has maintained his and his wife’s innocence throughout the proceedings, with their trial originally set for post-election 2024 but delayed to 2025 before the pardon rendered it moot; the congressman issued a statement expressing gratitude for the clemency, reaffirming his commitment to serving his constituents on issues like border security and economic opportunity. This pardon aligns with Trump’s broader pattern of clemency for those he views as victims of politicized prosecutions, underscoring ongoing tensions over the impartiality of federal law enforcement under prior leadership.
Trump Administration Asserts Authority Over Inefficient Immigration Judiciary
The Trump administration has removed eight immigration judges from their positions at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City, contributing to a broader initiative that has seen approximately 200 judges either resign or face dismissal nationwide as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s mandate to eliminate waste and restore operational rigor to federal operations. This action follows the abrupt termination of former Ohio judge Tania Nemer during her probationary period, despite her record of exemplary performance evaluations, prompting her lawsuit against the Department of Justice on grounds of alleged discrimination tied to gender, Lebanese dual citizenship, and a prior Democratic local candidacy—claims the DOJ has countered as a legitimate exercise of executive authority to streamline personnel. According to the National Association of Immigration Judges, around 100 of these separations involve direct firings, underscoring the administration’s commitment to purging bureaucratic inertia from the immigration court system amid a mounting caseload exceeding 3.8 million pending matters, as reported by federal records.
Sources: The New York Post, The Washington Examiner
Republicans Face Uphill Battle to Extend ACA Subsidies Amid Abortion Funding Disputes
Senate Republicans are voicing deep skepticism about securing a bipartisan agreement to prolong the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies before their scheduled expiration at month’s end, underscoring persistent divisions within the GOP over the program’s future. As conversations persist between the parties, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated that progress remains insufficient, stating that by the upcoming vote, bipartisan discussions may not have advanced far enough, though active talks on potential solutions continue amid notable obstacles. The core contention revolves around Republican calls to strengthen Hyde Amendment provisions—longstanding federal policy barring taxpayer dollars from funding abortions—by applying them more rigorously to ACA marketplace operations, a measure Democrats maintain is already covered under existing statutes that preclude such expenditures. While a committed cadre of GOP legislators backs the extension to safeguard consumer premiums from sharp increases, a broader contingent deems the ACA fundamentally flawed and resists any perpetuation, with Senate Whip John Barrasso emphasizing Democrat reluctance to embrace proposed terms. This standoff highlights the intricate balance Republicans must navigate to fulfill campaign pledges of healthcare reform without alienating key constituencies, as the subsidies’ lapse could impact millions reliant on marketplace coverage.
DON’T MISS OUR FEATURED COMMENTARY:
Local Election Results Demand Conservatives Take
The Reins From The Impotent GOP Apparatuses
“…the real indictment falls on the Republican and conservative establishments that have failed us spectacularly. These country-club consultants and beltway hacks—think McConnell’s whisper network or RNC’s fossilized strategists—have squandered Trump’s 2024 mandate with infighting and half-measures. They botched school board defenses, letting Pipeline Fund liberals pour dark money into flipping two dozen Pennsylvania seats. Complacent doesn’t cover it; it’s betrayal…”
Read and listen to more of this article at UndergroundUSA.com
Kremlin Welcomes Partial US-Ukraine Proposals in Bid for Enduring Peace
In a constructive step toward resolving the protracted Ukraine conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in extended discussions with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on December 2, accepting select elements of America’s proposed framework while deeming others untenable, as affirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who emphasized that this initial exchange marks a standard negotiation process aimed at forging compromises without undue publicity that could hinder progress. The Kremlin expressed appreciation for President Trump’s diplomatic initiatives and underscored Russia’s commitment to ongoing meetings with U.S. representatives until a viable agreement emerges, highlighting the talks’ substantive nature despite no immediate consensus on the 27-point plan and supplementary documents reviewed. This development follows European and Ukrainian amendments to the original U.S. draft, which Putin critiqued as unacceptable, yet signals a pathway for de-escalation rooted in direct bilateral dialogue to safeguard stability and avert broader confrontations.
Sources: The Epoch Times, Reuters
EU Bureaucracy Faces Scrutiny in Belgian Raids on Diplomatic Service, Elite College Over Fraud Allegations
On December 2, Belgian federal police, acting on instructions from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and with support from the European Anti-Fraud Office, executed searches at the European External Action Service headquarters in Brussels, multiple facilities of the College of Europe in Bruges, and residences of three detained suspects—including former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, now rector of the College, and senior European Commission official Stefano Sannino—as part of an inquiry into potential procurement fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest, and breaches of professional secrecy tied to the 2021-2022 awarding of an EU-funded nine-month training program for junior diplomats to the College of Europe. Authorities suspect that selection criteria were leaked in advance and the tender process was rigged to favor the institution before its official publication, violating fair competition rules under EU financial regulations, with immunities lifted to enable the operation. The European Commission confirmed the searches at EEAS premises. Still, it offered no further details on the probe into activities predating the current leadership. At the same time, the College of Europe affirmed its commitment to integrity and cooperation with investigators, emphasizing the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in Belgian courts.
Sources: The Brussels Times, EuroNews
Labour’s Assault on Jury Trials Undermines Centuries of English Justice
In a move that strikes at the heart of Britain’s longstanding tradition of trial by one’s peers, Justice Secretary David Lammy has announced the elimination of jury trials in England and Wales for offenses likely to result in sentences of three years or less, affecting “either-way” cases such as burglary, fraud, and assault while preserving juries for grave crimes like murder, rape, and grievous bodily harm. This reform, drawn from retired judge Sir Brian Leveson’s July review, introduces “swift courts” within the Crown Court system where a single judge will deliver verdicts, aiming to slash the 78,000-case backlog that has delayed some trials until 2030 and restore public confidence in a justice system strained by years of underfunding. Magistrates’ sentencing powers will expand from 12 to 18 months, with potential extension to two years, as the Ministry of Justice projects these judge-alone proceedings could resolve cases 20 percent faster than juries, which currently handle about 10 percent of the 1.3 million annual prosecutions. Critics, including the Criminal Bar Association, decry the changes as a “wrecking ball” to a bias-free institution rooted in the Magna Carta, with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick charging Lammy with hypocrisy for dismantling a safeguard he once praised, amid fears that even Labour MPs and peers view this as a massive erosion of democratic accountability in the courts.
Sources: The Journal, The Independent
EU Secures Phase-Out of Russian Gas and Oil Imports by 2027 Amid Sanctions Push
The European Union has secured a provisional agreement to permanently halt all imports of Russian natural gas by late 2027, marking a decisive step to sever the bloc’s longstanding energy ties with Moscow following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, while also advancing plans to phase out remaining Russian oil imports by the end of that year. Under the deal struck between EU ministers and the European Parliament on December 2, liquefied natural gas shipments from Russia will cease by December 31, 2026, with pipeline gas imports ending no later than September 30, 2027, or November 1 in cases where storage targets necessitate a brief extension; member states must submit national diversification strategies for energy supplies by March 1, 2026, and disclose any existing Russian contracts or bans. The European Commission, committed to presenting legislation for the oil phase-out early next year, emphasized this as a measure to curb Moscow’s war funding, though opposition from landlocked nations like Hungary and Slovakia highlights potential legal hurdles and elevated energy costs for consumers. This roadmap builds on prior sanctions that reduced Russian gas’s share in EU imports from 45 percent in 2021 to 19 percent in 2024, redirecting reliance toward U.S. and other non-Russian sources.
Sources: The Epoch Times, Reuters
Venezuela Backs Down on Deportation Flights Amid Trump’s Firm Airspace Stance
Venezuelan authorities, under President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, have approved the resumption of U.S. deportation flights carrying illegal migrants back to Caracas on December 2, just days after halting operations in response to President Trump’s declaration that Venezuelan airspace should be regarded as closed in its entirety to airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers. The Aeronautic Authority of Venezuela confirmed receipt of a formal request from the Trump administration to restart these twice-weekly repatriations, which had been suspended following Trump’s November 29 warning amid escalating U.S. military pressures and sanctions against Maduro’s socialist government, including the designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. This development marks a rare point of cooperation between Washington and Caracas, reversing a Venezuelan foreign ministry statement that blamed unilateral U.S. actions for the prior pause, as the flights form a key mechanism under the Plan Vuelta a la Patria to return Venezuelans who violated U.S. immigration laws.
Sources: NewsMax, The Epoch Times
Germany’s Industrial Engine in Free Fall from Ideological Energy Mandates
Germany’s storied manufacturing sector, the envy of Europe for decades, now teeters on the brink of irreversible decline as production contracts for a fourth straight year—the longest slump in the nation’s postwar history—driven by self-inflicted wounds from Berlin’s globalist energy policies that severed access to affordable Russian gas without viable replacements, according to a stark report in Die Welt and echoed by Peter Leibinger, head of the Federation of German Industries, who warns the industrial engine is in “free fall” while policymakers cling to denial. Chemical plants operate at utilization rates unseen in generations, mechanical engineering and steel sectors grapple with ballooning costs and eroding margins amid fierce foreign competition, and the automotive powerhouse faces export slumps from Asia as high domestic energy bills—exacerbated by the shutdown of the last nuclear facilities in a move decried as ideological folly—price German goods out of global markets, with business leaders decrying overregulation, bureaucratic strangulation of innovation, and diverted resources toward climate edicts, unchecked migration expenses, and foreign entanglements like Ukraine aid that starve the core economy. As entrepreneurs sound the alarm that investment has fled and jobs evaporate, the erstwhile pro-business coalition offers tepid promises of delayed reforms and minor growth from defense outlays, but industry voices demand an urgent policy reset to rebuild competitiveness, lest the fatherland’s prosperity model—forged on reliable energy and disciplined governance—crumble into a cautionary tale of ideological overreach.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Bloomberg
Brussels Nativity Controversy Erupts Over Faceless Figures and Stolen Christ Child
In Brussels’ historic Grand Place, a €65,000 faceless nativity scene crafted from multicolored recycled fabrics by Catholic designer Victoria-Maria Geyer has ignited sharp divisions among residents and leaders, with critics decrying the featureless silhouettes of Mary, Joseph, the Magi, and others as a dehumanizing departure from cherished Christian traditions that strips away the emotional depth of the Holy Family’s depiction. Approved by city officials and the archdiocese to replace a 25-year-old wooden set, the installation aimed to foster universal identification but drew immediate backlash, including from Reformist Movement president George-Louis Bouchez, who likened the figures to “zombie-like” vagrants and launched a petition for its removal, while MR deputy Michel De Maegd labeled the ensuing rhetoric “nauseating” for fueling identity politics, though he too questioned its insensitivity. Tensions escalated over the weekend when the baby Jesus figurine was decapitated and its head stolen—marking the latest in a string of desecrations, following the full 2017 theft, a 2014 activist protest removal, and 2015 vandalism—prompting heightened security and calls from MR Brussels head David Weytsman to restore the traditional display next year, as Mayor Philippe Close urged restraint amid ongoing dialogues with church authorities.
Sources: Breitbart, The Independent