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Threats Targeted Dozens of Lawmakers as Capitol Police Report Surge
A new report found that violent threats have reached at least 70 of the nation’s 100 senators and 185 members of the House of Representatives, nearly half the chamber. Capitol Police investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed at members, their families, staff, and the Capitol complex in 2025. That figure marked a sharp rise from 9,474 cases the prior year and the third consecutive annual increase. Chief Michael Sullivan has sought expanded funding and mutual aid agreements with local agencies in every state to protect lawmakers away from Washington. High-profile incidents over the past 18 months have included the assassination of Charlie Kirk, shootings of Minnesota state lawmakers and an arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence. Officials note that online anonymity and heated rhetoric continue to drive the volume of investigations, even as the department works with federal prosecutors on specialized threat cases.
🏛️ News & Politics
New York Sanctuary Policies Leave Nearly 15,000 ICE Detainers Unhonored
New York City failed to honor 14,916 ICE detainers between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 14, 2026, due to sanctuary policies, according to the Department of Homeland Security. These ignored requests are linked to 47,750 criminal charges and convictions, including homicides, sexual assaults, kidnappings, drug offenses, weapons violations, and assaults. The figures emerged after ICE officers shot Oscar Bengal, a Dominican Republic national and alleged Trinitarios gang member, during an attempted arrest in the Bronx on Oct. 8. Bengal had prior convictions for grand larceny and arrests for drug possession, assault, weapons charges and robbery, and was previously released by local authorities. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, “Sanctuary politicians create an environment for criminal activity to thrive, not for American citizens to be safe. When you have sanctuary cities and politicians, you endanger the safety of the public.” Gov. Kathy Hochul has criticized enforcement efforts and backed legislation limiting local police cooperation with ICE.
Justice Department Probes Major TV Networks Over Trump Pool Coverage Halt
The Justice Department is investigating whether ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News violated antitrust law by suspending their White House press pool coverage of President Trump last month. Officials sought communications after the networks halted coverage in solidarity following the Sept. 18 revocation of credentials for CNN, MSNOW and Politico over Iran reporting. The halt affected footage of Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which Trump called a moment “made for Television” that the “Fake News” avoided. Justice Department spokesperson Emily Covington said, “Members of the television press pool have boycotted covering White House events. Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act.” The networks stated that no administration should reject a news organization because it objects to its reporting.
Editor’s Note: As stated before, press access to the White House is a privilege, not a constitutional right covered under the First Amendment.
Border Patrol Ends Far-Left Autonomous Zone Blocking Arizona Border Wall
U.S. Border Patrol agents shut down a 71-day autonomous zone near Lochiel, Arizona, where dozens of far-left activists blocked double-layer border wall construction by camping on private property around a century-old cottonwood tree they called “grandmother.” After contractors cut three trees, the group raised nearly $75,000, developed a mutual aid network and invited outsiders to relocate with open-ended plans. Monday’s raid produced multiple arrests and the tree’s removal as activists wailed and rushed authorities. They assaulted a Frontlines reporter, wore masks, slashed tires and damaged property. Five more arrests followed Tuesday, with tents and an “All Walls Fall” banner remaining Wednesday. The Arizona Sheriffs’ Association issued an open letter criticizing Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway for directing deputies not to respond to related calls except for violence, despite reports of threats, assaults, and property damage by masked participants from outside Arizona. “The duty to preserve the peace and protect the public cannot be set aside simply because an incident involves federal operations or politically contentious circumstances,” the association stated.
Justice Department Accuses Minnesota Judges of Misconduct Over Immigration Remarks
The Department of Justice filed a judicial misconduct complaint in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals against seven federal judges in Minnesota for speaking to The New York Times about last winter’s ICE Operation Metro Surge. The complaint alleges the judges, including Patrick Schiltz, appointed by President George W. Bush, and John Tunheim, a Clinton appointee, provided biased remarks on ongoing criminal and civil cases involving ICE and DHS to advance political agendas. Schiltz claimed the administration’s actions “created a grave threat to the rule of law” and accused the DOJ of “complete disregard for court orders.” Tunheim said ICE was not arresting “dangerous criminals on the street,” despite DHS reports of thousands of criminal foreign nationals apprehended. Attorney General Todd Blanche asked the judges to recuse themselves from all DHS cases because of “obvious bias,” saying their conduct “undermined public confidence in an impartial judiciary.” Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter accused them of using their office “to pander to the press.”
Pro-Cuba Group Linked to Sanctioned Agency Lobbies Congress Against Embargo
Cuban Americans for Cuba, founded by Florida native Danny Valdes, has made multiple Capitol Hill trips since April to urge lawmakers against U.S. economic sanctions on the island. Valdes drew inspiration from a 2023 Democratic Socialists of America delegation tour arranged by the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples, a state agency the State Department sanctioned this summer for intelligence ties and propaganda efforts. The trip included a meeting with President Miguel Diaz-Canel and other regime figures. The group, which secured tax-exempt status in August, reported friendlier receptions from Progressive Caucus members, including a briefing hosted by Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), while South Florida offices declined meetings. Valdes said the organization “opposes U.S. sanctions on Cuba, full stop,” arguing they harm ordinary Cubans. A Cuban-born former intelligence officer said such groups do not represent the exile community and that the regime works to influence U.S. policy through sympathetic activists.
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📢 The Fifth Column Watch
Report Claims James Talarico Received Treatment at Ohio Mental Health Facility During Campaign Absence
Texas State Rep. James Talarico (D), the Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate, vanished from the campaign trail for nearly two weeks after a Sept. 28 fundraiser in New York. His campaign blamed the flu following a Sept. 30 virtual appearance where he said he had been diagnosed at urgent care in Dallas. He resurfaced Oct. 9 at the Austin City Limits festival. Independent journalists Nick Sortor and Rhein Amacher released audio of a call to the Lindner Center of Hope in Mason, Ohio. An employee said, “It looks like he was just discharged this evening.” The center provides residential psychiatric care. Flight data showed a private plane flew from Austin to Hamilton, Ohio, near the facility, and returned Friday morning. The campaign has not responded. President Trump earlier called the flu claim false and cited “bad rumors.”
Colorado Democrat Claims Credit for Voter-Backed Police Fund He Did Not Endorse
Colorado Democrat congressional candidate Manny Rutinel, running against US Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) in the competitive Eighth District, stated in his public safety plan that he “joined a bipartisan push backed by Colorado’s County Sheriffs to create a $350 million fund to recruit, train and retain police.” The funding originated with Proposition 130, a 2024 ballot measure advanced by conservative group Advance Colorado and approved by voters by six points. A 2025 bill merely implemented the voter mandate. Advance Colorado executive vice president Kristi Burton Brown said, “Manny never once reached out to support the campaign for Prop 130, which was a ballot measure passed by voters, not legislators,” and noted he never endorsed it. Rutinel’s claims accompany efforts to moderate his image after removing language about confronting systemic racism. As a state lawmaker, he cosponsored legislation further restricting local cooperation with ICE amid gang-related violence in Aurora.
South Carolina Democrat Lawmaker Arrested on Firearm Charge After Polling Place Dispute
South Carolina state Rep. Michael Rivers, a Democrat from St. Helena Island, was arrested Friday on a felony charge of pointing and presenting a firearm. It stems from a June 9 incident at the Green Pond Community Center polling place in Colleton County during the primary. A State Law Enforcement Division affidavit states that after a brief verbal altercation over his House District 121 campaign, Rivers retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and pointed it at the other person. Video and witnesses support the charge. The pastor and Air Force veteran lost his primary bid. He was booked into the Colleton County Detention Center and released on personal recognizance. Rivers said, “I’m innocent, and feel this accusation levied by my political opponent represents politics at its worst.”
Editor’s Note: Leftist Democrat = violence as conflict resolution.
Incarcerated Democrat Draws Super PAC Ads From Party Allies In Alaska House Race
Eric Hafner, 35, is the only Democrat candidate for Alaska’s at-large House seat while serving a 20-year sentence at Otisville, New York, for threats. U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said he “further victimized these public officials, private citizens, and the public generally by calling in numerous false bomb threats to a courthouse, a police department, law firms, businesses, and an elected official’s office.” Hafner received 3.8 percent of the primary vote. Independent Bill Hill, backed by the Democrat-funded Wheel Dog Super PAC, runs against Rep. Nicholas Begich (R-AK). The PAC ad says, “The D by his name? Yeah, it stands for Doing Time.” Hill has not said if he would caucus with Democrats. Ranked-choice voting could allow Hafner’s votes to decide the race between Begich and Hill.
764 Network Leader Pleads Guilty in Child Exploitation Case
Prasan Nepal, 21, of High Point, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sexually exploit children as a core leader of the 764 violent extremist network, the Department of Justice said. Nepal, known online as “Trippy,” and co-defendant Leonidas Varagiannis, held in a Greek prison, directed the group’s efforts from roughly 2021 through 2025. They used encrypted platforms to coordinate the exploitation of at least eight minors, some as young as 13, by instructing members, enforcing rules, and overseeing the production of child sexual abuse material and gore. Defendants allegedly caused victims to self-mutilate, harm animals, sexually exploit siblings, engage in sexual acts, and attempt murder or suicide. “Prasan Nepal, a leader of 764, pleaded guilty for his role in exploiting juveniles—not only breaking the law himself but recruiting others to participate in the heinous conduct targeting kids online through sexual assault, pornography, animal crushing, and more,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. Nepal faces up to 30 years in prison, with sentencing set for March 2027.
ON THIS DAY IN 1968:
NASA launched Apollo 7 from Cape Kennedy, carrying astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham. It was the first crewed Apollo mission, testing the command module in Earth orbit and paving the way for the eventual moon landing.
🌐 International
Houthi Missile Attack Kills 12 Including American at Riyadh Airport as Trump Weighs Strikes
Iran-backed Houthi terrorists killed 12 people, including an American, and wounded 309 others Saturday in a missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The strike on Terminals 3 and 4 was the third this week and the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade. The dead included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Palestine. President Trump said of joining Saudi strikes, “We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks that showed blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. The Saudi-led coalition called it a full-fledged war crime.
Britain’s Online Safety Act Triggers Arrests Over Online Speech
Britain’s 2023 Online Safety Act, promoted as protection for children, has led to thousands of arrests for online posts that authorities deem harmful. After the 2024 Southport stabbings by the British-born son of Rwandan immigrants that killed three girls, police arrested Jamie Michael for a Facebook video urging a community meeting on school safety, alleging racial hatred and terrorist intentions. Officials allegedly altered his transcript while he was jailed. Businesswoman Bernie Spofforth was held for 36 hours for sharing a circulating but false suspect name, which she later deleted. House of Lords member Claire Fox said the law’s definition of psychological harm is “an elastic term that’s become inflated beyond any recognition.” Police in England and Wales arrested more than 12,000 people in 2023 alone under communications laws covering private messages that cause annoyance or anxiety. Michael was acquitted in 17 minutes; Spofforth is suing. The government is advancing “respect orders” that allow speech charges without a jury.
Italy’s School Decree Bars Face Coverings and Limits Foreign-Born Pupils
Italy’s government issued a Schools Decree last month that bans students from covering their faces in classrooms, caps foreign-born pupils at 30 percent per class, and fines parents up to roughly $1,120 for skipping mandatory Italian language lessons. The measures, which take effect next summer, are presented as tools for integration rather than exclusion. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described them on social media as “Tools of common sense that do not divide, but truly help to integrate, avoiding ghetto classes and giving all students the same opportunities.” Nile Gardiner of the Heritage Foundation called mass migration and Islamification “the single biggest issue of our time in Europe” and warned that similar cultural shifts “can easily happen in the U.S.” Experts noted that requiring visible faces and language proficiency are reasonable expectations for schools built on communication. Comparable rules have appeared in Denmark, France and other European countries amid concerns over parallel societies.
Slovak MEP Says Rejection of Migration Policies Spared Slovakia and Poland From Western Unrest
Slovak MEP Milan Mazurek of the Europe of Sovereign Nations group told progressive liberals during an Oct. 7 debate on Islamist entryism that they destroyed Western Europe. “Look at the state of Western European cities. They are in flames,” he said. “Why? Because they are controlled by violent criminals, rapists, murderers, and radical Islamists like the Muslim Brotherhood.” Mazurek asked why Slovakia and Poland lack such problems and answered, “We did not follow your insane migration policies.” He warned Brussels seeks to force the same approach on Central and Eastern Europe and called for mass deportations. The next day the European Parliament adopted a resolution by 381 votes to 167 urging scrutiny of Muslim Brotherhood networks, tighter funding controls and possible terrorist listing for related entities.
Hurricane Simon Nears Mexico Coast as Category 4 Storm With Flooding Risks
Hurricane Simon’s eye was just off Mexico’s Pacific coast early Sunday as the Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, just below Category 5, prepared to move inland. It moved north-northwest at 6 mph, 60 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo. It could bring 10 to 20 inches of rain over southwestern Mexico, with up to 30 inches in Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco. “This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” the National Hurricane Center warned. Jalisco suspended classes in 22 coastal municipalities, evacuated residents, and asked Puerto Vallarta tourism to shelter workers and visitors. Businesses boarded windows in preparation for expected storm surge and destructive waves. “Let’s hope it doesn’t hit us, right? That it doesn’t affect us,” Jesús Gómez said.
