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Michigan Democrat Candidate Urges Public to Stop Thanking Troops for Sacrifices
Shelby Campbell is a Democrat primary candidate for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. She posted a video in mid-May 2026 telling voters to quit thanking troops for sacrificing their lives. Campbell argued that many service members join the military due to limited options, such as a lack of education, resources, or family support. She claimed the government should fight its own wars instead. The candidate deleted the clip after it spread online, but faced swift criticism ahead of Memorial Day. Her campaign features other provocative content, including twerking videos. She is challenging incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in the August 4 primary.
🏛️ Politics & Government
DOJ Demands Maryland Preserve Records Amid Mail-In Ballot Fiasco in Democrat-Run State
The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division under Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent a formal notice to Maryland’s State Board of Elections requiring officials to preserve all records related to a major mail-in ballot error during the state’s primary. A vendor mix-up resulted in roughly 500,000 ballots being sent to the wrong voters, including mismatched party ballots and ones sent to unaffiliated individuals. Maryland election officials admitted the problem and arranged for replacement ballots with tracking features to void the originals. President Trump and state conservative groups had called for federal scrutiny of the incident, citing risks to voter confidence and election processes in a heavily Democratic state. The DOJ action enforces federal voting record-keeping requirements and signals ongoing oversight of Maryland’s election administration.
Maine Democrat Platner Accuses American Sniper Chris Kyle of Targeting Civilians
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner suggested in a 2024 podcast interview that Navy SEAL Chris Kyle shot innocent civilians in Iraq to inflate his kill count. Platner, a former Marine who served in Ramadi in 2006, disputed portrayals of Kyle and Task Unit Bruiser as heroes. He claimed their actions matched behavior he witnessed and described getting high numbers as relatively easy with less discriminating fire than a more professional unit. Kyle, known as the Devil of Ramadi, was the most lethal sniper in the Iraq war, with dozens of confirmed insurgent kills. He later wrote the bestselling autobiography American Sniper, which became a major film, before his 2013 murder at a Texas ranch while helping a veteran with PTSD. Platner said he did not know of Kyle or the unit during his deployment and found the hero narrative at odds with his experience.
Senate Ally Urges Stefanik for Intelligence Chief Role Following Gabbard Departure
Sen. Jim Banks recommended Rep. Elise Stefanik as a strong choice to replace Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Gabbard announced her resignation on May 22, 2026, to care for her husband, who was diagnosed with bone cancer, and will depart in about a month. Banks, a key Trump supporter in the Senate, posted on X that Stefanik would make a capable replacement and should win easy confirmation. Stefanik serves on the House Intelligence Committee and previously saw her nomination for U.N. ambassador withdrawn due to concerns over the slim Republican House majority. Aaron Lukas, Gabbard’s deputy, will serve as acting director in the meantime.
Paxton Takes Commanding Lead Over Cornyn in Texas Senate Runoff Poll
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton holds a substantial advantage over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate. A new survey of 700 likely voters conducted by SoCal Strategies on May 20-21 shows Paxton leading 57 percent to 35 percent. The poll came shortly after President Trump endorsed Paxton on May 19. Early voting started on May 19 for the May 26 runoff. Cornyn has responded with negative advertising focused on Paxton’s past scandals and personal matters. Paxton has scaled back his attacks and shifted toward the general election against Democrat James Talarico.
New York Congressional Candidate Brad Lander Visits Queens Mosque Tied to Holocaust Denial
Democratic House candidate Brad Lander visited the Al-Khoei Islamic Center in Queens on May 15. He described himself as a proud Jewish New Yorker. Lander recited a Quran verse in Arabic. He pledged not to support further U.S. military aid to Israel. He accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and suggested its actions in Lebanon could head toward genocide. Lander said he hoped to partner in Congress with members of the Squad, such as Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, as well as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The mosque’s longtime imam has a record of questioning the scale of the Holocaust and praising Hamas activities. Video of the event circulated after MEMRI released a clip showing the proceedings, including a standard Shia prayer that followed.
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📢 The American Fifth Column
Democrats Show Little Mercy Toward Tulsi Gabbard Amid Husband’s Cancer Battle
Tulsi Gabbard resigned as Director of National Intelligence effective June 30, 2026, to care for her husband, Abraham Williams, after his diagnosis with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. She submitted her resignation letter to President Trump on May 22, 2026, and stressed the importance of supporting him through his health challenges. Republicans offered messages of support and prayers for the family. In contrast, several prominent Democrats issued statements that downplayed the personal crisis or seized the moment to sharply criticize her past performance in the role with minimal empathy for the family situation. The reactions laid bare persistent partisan divides over Gabbard’s service.
Seattle’s Repeat Offender Policies Enable Homeless Career Criminal’s Alleged Rape of Teen Girl
A 36-year-old homeless man with 28 prior arrests and 13 convictions over 19 years allegedly targeted a 15-year-old girl at a Northgate bus stop in Seattle on May 4. Joshua V. Kowalczewski approached her on a bicycle, asked her age and personal questions, then forced her into nearby woods where he raped her until construction workers heard her screams and intervened. He fled but was arrested later that day based on descriptions and surveillance. Despite nine active warrants and a history that includes assault, theft, drug possession, and protection order violations, he remained free in a city known for lenient handling of repeat offenders. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping and set bail at $1 million. The case has spotlighted how Seattle’s approach to prolific criminals often leaves dangerous individuals on the streets.
Cook County Electronic Monitoring Program Sees Hundreds of Offenders Go Missing
Cook County’s electronic monitoring program for pretrial defendants has seen roughly 8 percent of its participants become unaccountable. Chief Judge Charles Beach II reported that 243 individuals out of more than 3,000 enrolled are missing as of early May 2026. These include people charged with serious offenses such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated criminal sexual assault. Authorities have issued warrants, and the chief judge has launched a public dashboard to increase transparency about the program’s operations and participant charges. State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke described the figures as alarming and highlighted shortcomings in safeguards for high-risk cases.
Disney Claims ‘The View’ Qualifies as Bona Fide News to Dodge FCC Equal Time Obligations
Disney, parent company of ABC, filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission asserting that “The View” meets the criteria for a bona fide news interview program. This would exempt the daytime talk show from equal time rules that require broadcasters to offer comparable airtime to opposing political candidates. The filing follows an FCC probe triggered by the show’s interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr opened the matter for public comment and questioned whether the program’s partisan leanings align with news exemptions under longstanding Communications Act provisions.
CPJ Credibility Takes Hit Over Quiet Edits to Gaza Journalist List
The Committee to Protect Journalists quietly removed six names from its list of slain Palestinian journalists in the weeks before a New York Times opinion piece on alleged sexual abuse in Israeli custody. HonestReporting identified those individuals as terror combatants affiliated with groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. This move adds to ongoing questions about the CPJ’s methodology in tallying casualties during the Gaza conflict. The Times piece by Nicholas Kristof relied on CPJ data, claiming sexual violence against detained Palestinian journalists. One named source in the column, Sami al-Sai, has ties to Hamas, according to critics. The CPJ has previously adjusted its records after similar revelations, but often without prominent notice.
🌐 International
Pentagon Readies Potential New Strikes on Iran Amid Fragile Ceasefire Talks
The Trump administration prepared for possible renewed military strikes against Iran this weekend. Pentagon and intelligence officials updated recall rosters and canceled Memorial Day plans for some personnel in anticipation of action. No final decision on strikes had been reached as of Friday afternoon. Mediators reported some progress toward extending the US-Iran ceasefire by 60 days. This would include steps on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program. President Trump described the odds of a diplomatic deal as roughly even. He indicated that failure could lead to stronger measures. Iran stated it would wait several days for developments while insisting on certain conditions in any agreement.
Kremlin Rules Out Talks With Ukraine After Student Dormitory Strike
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations stated that negotiations with Ukraine are now impossible following a Ukrainian drone strike on a college dormitory in the occupied town of Starobilsk in Luhansk. The overnight attack on May 21-22 targeted the Starobelsk Professional College where students aged 14 to 18 were sleeping. Russian officials reported at least 18 deaths and dozens injured with rescue efforts continuing. President Putin labeled the incident a terrorist attack by the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev and ordered the military to prepare retaliation options. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as a monstrous crime against an educational facility full of young people. Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council that the strike using Western-provided weapons showed Kiev’s treachery and deliberate sabotage of peace efforts. Ukraine has denied intentionally targeting civilians.
Morocco Intensifies Deportations Of Sub-Saharan Migrants To Stem Flow Toward Europe
Morocco has carried out large-scale deportation operations against sub-Saharan African migrants since April 14. Authorities arrested over 100 individuals per day in raids targeting forest camps near northern border areas such as Fnideq and Belyounech. Around 800 people faced detention in initial actions before operations shifted toward Tangier. Detainees from countries including Sudan, Chad, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Guinea underwent transfers, with some bused toward the Algerian border and others flown out from Casablanca. The actions align with Morocco’s role in the European Union’s strategy of externalizing border controls through funding and cooperation agreements aimed at reducing irregular crossings into Spanish enclaves like Ceuta and Melilla.
Spanish Protesters Swarm Madrid Streets Calling for Socialist Prime Minister to Step Down
Tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid on May 23, 2026. They demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez amid multiple corruption scandals touching his family and political allies. At least seven police officers suffered injuries during clashes with a small group of protesters who tried to breach barriers near Sánchez’s residence at Moncloa Palace. The rest of the March for Dignity event stayed largely peaceful. Demonstrators waved Spanish flags and held signs reading “Resignation of the socialist mafia” along with other slogans. The Spanish Civil Society association organized the rally.
Seven Afghan Migrants Charged in UK Child Grooming Gang Investigation
Seven Afghan migrants have been charged with a total of 40 offenses, including multiple counts of rape, child sexual abuse, human trafficking, and related conspiracy charges in Norwich, England. The men, aged 20 to 23, allegedly targeted two girls who were in their early to mid-teens between August 2023 and May 2025. All seven entered the UK illegally, with five arriving by small boat, one concealed in a lorry, and another attempting entry via the Portsmouth ferry port. They appeared in Norwich Magistrates’ Court on May 22, 2026, and were remanded in custody until a plea hearing at Norwich Crown Court on June 19. Police conducted raids on seven properties and noted an eighth suspect arrested in Ireland. None lived in Norfolk asylum hotels, and no offenses occurred in such accommodations.