DOJ & FBI Probe Seditious Six Democrats for Urging Military to Defy Orders
The Department of Justice and FBI have initiated an investigation into six Democratic lawmakers—dubbed the “Seditious Six” by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth—following their November 18th video release that explicitly urged active-duty military personnel and intelligence officers to refuse what the group described as illegal orders from the Trump administration, emphasizing oaths to the Constitution over chain-of-command obedience and warning of domestic threats to American freedoms. The lawmakers involved include Senators Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, along with Representatives Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Jason Crow of Colorado, all with prior military or intelligence backgrounds, who in the footage repeated calls to “refuse illegal orders” three times without specifying any such directives, a move Hegseth characterized as a “politically-motivated influence operation” designed to sow ambiguity, erode trust in leadership, and undermine good order and discipline within the armed forces. President Trump labeled the actions “seditious behavior” punishable under federal law, later clarifying the remark highlighted legal consequences rather than personal threats, while the Department of War announced a separate Uniform Code of Military Justice review targeting Kelly, a retired Navy captain still subject to its provisions, potentially leading to recall for court-martial or administrative action based on misconduct allegations. In response, the lawmakers issued a joint statement on November 20th accusing the administration of weaponizing federal agencies for intimidation, though Slotkin conceded during an ABC News interview that no specific illegal orders from Trump could be identified, underscoring the probe’s focus on potential violations of laws against seditious conspiracy, which carries up to 20 years in prison for civilians.
Sources: The Daily Wire, American Greatness
Gas Prices Plunge to Four-Year Low, Easing Thanksgiving Travel Burdens for American Families
As families across the nation gear up for Thanksgiving gatherings, gasoline prices have fallen to their lowest levels in four years, providing a tangible boost to household budgets amid ongoing economic pressures. According to recent data from the American Automobile Association and GasBuddy, the national average now hovers below $3 per gallon in more than 28 states, with Oklahoma leading at $2.50 per gallon and isolated stations in Texas and the Sooner State offering fuel as low as $1.99 per gallon for the first time since 2021. This decline, driven by a 17 percent drop in crude oil prices since June and the completion of seasonal refinery maintenance boosting supply, contrasts sharply with the highs of recent years influenced by global disruptions, ensuring that the projected 82 million travelers—up slightly from last year—face reduced costs at the pump compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2020. While California remains an outlier at $4.60 per gallon due to state-specific regulations, the broader trend underscores stable domestic energy production contributing to lower costs for everyday Americans preparing to hit the road.
Sources: ABC News, The Epoch Times
US Jobless Claims Drop to Seven-Month Low Signaling Labor Market Resilience
Initial jobless claims in the United States fell unexpectedly by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 216,000 for the week ending November 22nd, marking the lowest level since mid-April and the third consecutive weekly decline, as reported by the Department of Labor on November 26. This figure came in below economist forecasts of 225,000, reflecting subdued layoffs amid ongoing economic uncertainty, while continuing claims held steady above 1.9 million for the sixth straight month, indicating persistent challenges in re-employment for some workers. The data underscores a labor market that remains relatively stable, with employers continuing to retain staff despite broader pressures on hiring and inflation concerns influencing Federal Reserve policy decisions.
Republicans Advance Second Reconciliation Push to Deliver on Core Agenda Promises
Following the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, which advanced President Trump’s policy priorities through budget reconciliation and bypassed Senate filibuster requirements with a simple majority vote, Republican lawmakers in both chambers are actively pursuing a second reconciliation package to address pressing issues including health care affordability, housing costs, energy policy, defense enhancements, and border security measures before the 2026 midterm elections. Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, have outlined plans for two targeted bills in 2025, with the initial focus on energy, defense, and border priorities in the early months of the administration, while House Speaker Mike Johnson has directed committee chairs to compile proposals for a fall package that revives provisions sidelined by Senate budget rules in the first bill, such as deeper spending reductions and tax adjustments. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana emphasized the urgency in a recent floor speech, stating that delaying action amounts to “legislative malpractice” given the procedural advantages, as the GOP holds narrow majorities of 53-47 in the Senate and 221-214 in the House, necessitating unified party support amid internal debates over fiscal offsets and policy scope. The Republican Study Committee has formed a Reconciliation 2.0 Working Group to develop a conservative framework, aiming to lower living costs for American families without Democratic input, though some GOP members express caution over repeating the contentious negotiations that nearly derailed the prior package.
Sources: FOX News, The Epoch Times
Johnson Blocks White House Push to Prop Up Obamacare Subsidies
House Speaker Mike Johnson has firmly cautioned the Trump administration against pursuing a two-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, set to expire at year’s end, underscoring that House Republicans demand substantial reforms such as income eligibility caps and anti-fraud measures before considering any continuation of the 2021 pandemic-era provisions that now benefit over 20 million enrollees amid persistent inflation pressures. Johnson’s direct communication with senior White House officials halted a draft proposal that lacked President Trump’s final approval, as GOP lawmakers view the current structure—lacking income limits and enabling coverage for plans that include abortions—as fiscally irresponsible and contrary to core principles, potentially driving up costs for families without targeted fixes like health savings accounts, which the president has endorsed. This stance follows a recent government shutdown resolution where Senate Republicans pledged a December vote, yet Johnson refused a similar House commitment, prioritizing fiscal restraint over bipartisan extensions that polls show enjoy broad public support, including from half of Republicans, while Democrats like Sen. Jeanne Shaheen express openness to reforms for passage.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Wall Street Journal
Chicago Mayor’s Assault on Law Enforcement, Law & Order Endangers Citizens
In a recent press conference alongside Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson asserted that incarceration fails to curb violence, declaring it an outdated approach that has saddled the United States with the world’s largest prison population without addressing crime’s root causes, and labeling the practice as racist, immoral, and unholy. This stance emerged amid escalating urban disorder, including a horrific attack last week where Lawrence Reed, a suspect with 72 prior arrests and multiple curfew violations while on electronic monitoring, allegedly set a 26-year-old woman ablaze on a transit train, inflicting burns over 60 percent of her body; meanwhile, a weekend “teen takeover” in the Loop left seven juveniles shot and another incident claimed a teenager’s life alongside injuries to an adult. Johnson advocated instead for expanded policing with 700 additional officers, robust public education, mentoring initiatives, and heightened adult oversight to foster accountability and opportunity, rejecting what he termed an “addiction” to jails in favor of community investments, even as federal efforts under President Trump to enforce deportations and bolster security face local resistance through measures like “ICE-free zones.”
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Gateway Pundit
National Guard Members Targeted in Washington Shooting Near White House
Two uniformed National Guard soldiers were shot Wednesday afternoon in downtown Washington, mere blocks from the White House, according to reports from law enforcement officials and eyewitness accounts, with a suspect taken into custody at the scene near 17th and I Streets NW by responding Metropolitan Police and U.S. Secret Service agents. The incident unfolded amid ongoing National Guard deployments in the capital as part of enhanced security measures following recent urban unrest, and while the soldiers’ conditions remain undisclosed, dozens of emergency vehicles and responders cordoned off the area adjacent to Farragut Square Park, prompting a White House briefing to President Trump on the unfolding events. Initial accounts, citing Secret Service communications, confirmed the targeted nature of the attack on the Guardsmen, underscoring persistent challenges to public safety in the nation’s capital despite federal reinforcements.
Sources: ZeroHedge, NBC News Washington, DC
Georgia Election Case Dismissed Ending Baseless Prosecution of Trump
On November 26th, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dismissed the entire 2020 election interference indictment against former President Trump and 18 co-defendants, granting a motion filed by Peter Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, who assumed the role after the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis due to her improper relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade—a scandal that led to Willis’s removal by the Georgia Court of Appeals in June 2024, upheld by the state Supreme Court in September 2025. Skandalakis, unable to secure another prosecutor, detailed in a 23-page filing that the case, originating from an August 2023 grand jury charging racketeering and related offenses over efforts to challenge Georgia’s election results, had become unproductive, citing resource limitations, a projected decade-long delay amid Trump’s presidency until 2029, and the federal government’s more appropriate jurisdiction as evidenced by Special Counsel Jack Smith’s prior dismissal of parallel charges post-Trump’s 2024 victory under Department of Justice policy. He emphasized that overt acts like phone calls and public statements lacked sufficient grounding for a viable RICO prosecution, and severing Trump’s case from allies including Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and John Eastman would undermine fairness, while four co-defendants—Kenneth Chesebro, Jenna Ellis, Scott Hall, and Sidney Powell—had already pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Trump’s attorney Steve Sadow hailed the ruling as the conclusion of a politically driven pursuit that never should have advanced, leaving Trump with no active criminal cases beyond his ongoing Manhattan appeal.
Sources: The New York Post, FOX News
Democrat Congresswoman Indicted for Stealing $5 Million in FEMA Funds Faces Federal Court After Surrender
U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat from Florida’s 20th District, surrendered to federal authorities on November 25, 2025, in Miami and appeared before Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett, acknowledging charges stemming from a federal grand jury indictment unsealed the previous week that accuses her of conspiring to steal $5 million in overpaid Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief funds allocated for COVID-19 vaccination staffing through her family-owned Trinity Health Care Services. Prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice allege that Cherfilus-McCormick, the former CEO of the company, along with her brother Edwin Cherfilus, chief of staff Nadege Leblanc, and tax preparer David Spencer, laundered the illicit proceeds through multiple accounts, funneled approximately $1.14 million into straw donor contributions for her 2021 congressional campaign, and diverted funds for personal luxuries including a 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring, with the scheme originating from a clerical error in a state payment that deposited the excess into an account where she and her brother held signing authority. The 15-count indictment includes charges of theft of government funds, money laundering, wire fraud, false tax filings, and campaign finance violations, potentially carrying sentences exceeding 50 years in prison and fines over $2 million if convicted; Cherfilus-McCormick posted a $60,000 bond—comprising a $25,000 personal surety and $35,000 cash equivalent with a $1,750 down payment—surrendered her personal passport while retaining her congressional one, and faces travel restrictions limited to Florida, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and the Eastern District of Virginia, as her co-defendants had already appeared in court the prior Friday.
Sources: The Miami Herald, CBS News
Mamdani Appoints Police Abolition Advocate to NYC Transition Team Amid Concerns Over Public Safety
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has named Alex Vitale, a Brooklyn College sociology professor and author of the 2017 book “The End of Policing,” to his transition team focused on community safety issues, a move that echoes past calls to replace traditional law enforcement with decriminalization efforts and non-police alternatives. Vitale, whose work argues that policing itself perpetuates inequality and labels officers as “violence workers” in certain contexts, announced the appointment on X, stating excitement for a “New Era for NYC” as part of the Democratic Socialists’ broader transition committee that includes around 400 members. This selection comes after Mamdani, during his campaign, publicly apologized to NYPD officers for earlier anti-police remarks and pledged not to defund the department, though Vitale’s inclusion—alongside his criticisms of police training exchanges with Israel and advocacy for ending prosecutions related to prostitution, drug use, and homelessness—has drawn scrutiny from law enforcement supporters who warn of potential officer attrition similar to experiences in San Francisco under progressive policies. The appointment highlights ongoing debates in urban governance over balancing reform with maintaining effective policing amid rising concerns about crime and public order in major cities.
Sources: The Post Millennial, The Daily Wire
Minnesota Judge Overturns Jury Conviction in $7.2 Million Medicaid Fraud Case
In a decision that has drawn sharp scrutiny from state prosecutors and jurors alike, Hennepin County District Judge Sarah West, appointed by former Democrat Governor Mark Dayton, issued a judgment of acquittal last week overturning a unanimous jury verdict convicting Somali immigrant Abdifatah Yusuf of masterminding a $7.2 million Medicaid fraud scheme through his home-healthcare company, which billed taxpayers for nonexistent services while diverting funds to luxury vehicles, designer clothing, and personal expenses. The August trial resulted in Yusuf’s guilty finding on six counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle after just four hours of deliberation, with jury foreperson Ben Walfoort affirming the evidence established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and other panel members voicing astonishment at the reversal, describing the proof as overwhelmingly clear. Citing insufficient direct evidence of Yusuf’s personal culpability and reliance on circumstantial elements, West freed the defendant despite the prosecution’s detailed presentation of financial records and witness accounts, prompting Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office to file an immediate appeal on Monday, underscoring the rare opportunity to challenge such a post-verdict acquittal and highlighting ongoing concerns over accountability in public fund stewardship.
Sources: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, KARE11 Minneapolis
Oregon Governor Declares Fuel Emergency Amid Pipeline Leak and Imminent Gas Price Surge
Governor Tina Kotek has invoked a state of emergency to safeguard Oregon’s fuel supply after a leak forced the shutdown of the Olympic Pipeline, the critical artery delivering over 90 percent of the state’s gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from Washington refineries to Portland terminals, with BP repair crews excavating 200 feet of the 400-mile line near Everett amid round-the-clock efforts to pinpoint the breach first detected on November 11th and halting operations since November 17th. This marks the second major disruption in three months for the pipeline, following a September outage that spiked prices 16 cents per gallon in a week, and comes as Thanksgiving travel intensifies, though officials report no immediate shortages at Portland International Airport and expect alternative trucking and shipping deliveries to maintain adequacy after waiving commercial driver hour limits. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson issued a parallel emergency declaration on November 19th, where the incident has already prompted flight delays for Alaska Airlines and Delta at Seattle-Tacoma International, underscoring vulnerabilities in regional energy infrastructure; while average Oregon gas prices have risen only three cents since the shutdown to $3.815 per gallon per AAA data, the shift to costlier transport modes signals forthcoming increases at the pump for families and businesses reliant on reliable, affordable domestic energy sources.
Sources: Oregon Live, The Oregon Capital Chronicle
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Why Socialism Betrays the Heart of Christianity
“A recent survey reveals that one-third of regular churchgoers favor socialism over capitalism. Specifically, among 1,003 American adults attending Christian services at least monthly, 32% prefer socialism, 46% support capitalism, and 22% remain undecided—figures unchanged since 2023…the poll highlights stronger socialist sympathies among younger attendees, higher-income households, African Americans, and those without a biblical worldview…”
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Royal Navy Vigilantly Shadows Russian Warships Through English Channel Amid Rising Moscow Threat
In a display of steadfast resolve to safeguard British sovereignty and NATO commitments, the Royal Navy’s HMS Severn patrol vessel intercepted and shadowed two Russian vessels—a corvette named RFN Stoikiy and a support tanker Yelnya—as they transited westward through the Dover Strait and English Channel over the past two weeks, handing off monitoring duties to a NATO ally off Brittany while maintaining distant observation, according to the Ministry of Defence. This operation underscores a documented 30 percent surge in Russian naval incursions near UK waters over the last two years, including the recent detection of the spy ship Yantar off Scotland, where its crew directed lasers at RAF pilots conducting surveillance, prompting Defence Secretary John Healey to update engagement rules for closer tracking and deliver a firm warning to Vladimir Putin: “We see you. We know what you’re doing. And we are ready.” The Russian embassy dismissed these concerns, asserting no threat to UK interests, even as similar shadowing occurred in May when HMS Hurworth and the “flying tigers” squadron escorted the Stoikiy back to the Baltic Sea after its Mediterranean deployment. Such vigilance by the Royal Navy, in coordination with allies, ensures the protection of critical undersea infrastructure and international waterways against escalating aggression from the Kremlin.
Sources: LBC.com, The Daily Mail
Ukraine Agrees to US-Brokered Peace Framework to End Russia Conflict
A Ukrainian delegation has reached an agreement with the United States on the core terms of a revised peace proposal to conclude the ongoing war with Russia, following intensive discussions in Geneva that refined an initial 28-point framework into a more concise 19-point plan, as confirmed by U.S. officials and Ukraine’s National Security Secretary Rustem Umerov on November 25th. Umerov stated that the parties achieved a common understanding on essential elements, expressing anticipation for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s forthcoming visit to Washington to resolve remaining minor details and seal the accord with President Trump, while underscoring the need for European allies’ backing in subsequent phases. U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll advanced these efforts through subsequent confidential meetings with Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi, where progress was noted on aligning the proposal with prior Trump-Putin summit commitments from August, though Moscow has yet to formally endorse the updates and awaits a formal presentation. The White House characterized the developments as substantial strides toward resolution, emphasizing that only a handful of technical aspects require finalization among Washington, Kyiv, and the Kremlin to implement an immediate ceasefire and broader non-aggression measures. This diplomatic momentum arrives amid continued hostilities, including recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, highlighting the urgency of the outlined pathway to de-escalation and reconstruction support.
Taiwan Commits $40 Billion to Build Iron Dome-Inspired Shield Against Chinese Aggression
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has allocated a $40 billion supplementary defense budget to develop the Taiwan Dome, a multi-layered air defense system modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome, designed to detect incoming missiles via radar, project their trajectories, and intercept them with ground-based projectiles to safeguard the island’s democracy and critical infrastructure amid escalating threats from mainland China, including frequent military intrusions, maritime gray-zone tactics, and disinformation campaigns that have unsettled the Indo-Pacific region. As a pivotal element of the first island chain, Taiwan is stepping up its self-defense responsibilities, drawing lessons from asymmetric warfare in Ukraine and Israel to counter China’s superior forces, with the People’s Liberation Army preparing for a potential takeover by 2027 despite assurances from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to President Donald Trump against invasion during his term. The U.S. State Department has endorsed the initiative as vital for Taiwan’s defense capabilities matching the threat level, while Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker praised it as evidence of Taiwan’s resolve to share the burden of regional deterrence, urging swift bipartisan approval in Taiwan’s parliament. This move follows heightened Sino-Japanese tensions, sparked by Tokyo’s warning of existential risks from a Chinese invasion, prompting Beijing’s sharp rebukes and United Nations complaints.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, The Asia Times
EU Advances Chat Control Surveillance Amid Privacy Backlash
The European Union stands poised to approve a revised “Chat Control 2.0” mandate through its ambassadors on Wednesday, effectively enabling the scanning of all private messages—including those protected by end-to-end encryption—across platforms such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram, under the banner of safeguarding children from online exploitation. This development follows the initial proposal’s rejection last month by a coalition of MEPs, legal scholars, and privacy advocates who decried it as a direct assault on fundamental rights enshrined in the EU Charter, including the presumption of innocence and data protection standards. Despite the apparent concession to “voluntary” compliance by tech firms, embedded clauses in the draft legislation preserve pathways for mandatory implementation, drawing sharp rebukes from figures like former MEP Patrick Breyer, who labeled it a “surveillance monster in friendlier clothing,” and Belgian researcher Tijl De Bie, who warned of its betrayal of voter trust in personal freedoms. Proponents from France and Denmark champion the measure as essential for curbing child abuse material, yet opposition from Germany and Poland underscores deepening fractures within the bloc, as the push risks normalizing mass digital oversight that critics argue serves broader control agendas over individual liberties.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Breitbart
US Aid Success in Gaza Defies Hamas Looting and UN Ineptitude
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) concluded its four-and-a-half-month emergency mission on November 24th, after delivering over 187 million free meals and 1.1 million supplementary food packs to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, ensuring not a single aid truck was looted by Hamas terrorists despite repeated threats and armed attempts to divert supplies, as confirmed by GHF Executive Director John Acree in a statement praising the model’s adoption by the new U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center under President Trump’s ceasefire framework. Launched on May 26th amid Israel’s blockade to counter Hamas’s systematic theft of UN aid for funding its operations, GHF’s American-led teams, including former service members and partners like Samaritan’s Purse, coordinated with the IDF to reach desperate families, stabilizing food security by early July and fostering community trust at distribution sites where women and children gathered safely, while a whistleblower revealed that UN agencies like WFP and OCHA hindered deliveries by refusing IDF coordination, contrasting sharply with UNRWA’s commissioner-general’s baseless July accusation that GHF brought “nothing but starvation and gunfire” to Gaza, amid broader UN corruption allegations and bristling at GHF’s effectiveness in bypassing Hamas profiteering during the ongoing conflict sparked by the group’s October 7th, 2023, invasion that killed over 1,200 Israelis including 40 Americans and kidnapped 251 hostages, three of whom remain dead in Hamas custody.
Brain’s Adolescent Phase Extends to Age 32, Cambridge Study Reveals
A groundbreaking University of Cambridge study, published in Nature Communications and analyzing brain scans from nearly 4,000 individuals aged from infancy to 90, has pinpointed five distinct epochs in human brain development marked by four key turning points at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83, with the adolescent phase—characterized by the brain’s most significant rewiring and increasing neural efficiency—stretching from age 9 until 32, challenging earlier assumptions that full maturation occurs around 25 and highlighting how this prolonged period of structural flux aligns with traditional markers of responsibility like marriage and parenthood in stable family structures. The research, led by neuroscientists including Alexa Mousley, underscores that while the brain stabilizes into adulthood from 32 to 66 with minimal shifts, these findings from objective MRI data emphasize the biological underpinnings of cognitive peaks in the early thirties, offering factual insights into lifelong neural trajectories without altering established societal norms of maturity.
Sources: The Telegraph, The Scientific American