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Wisconsin Elections Commission Bars Clerks From Using Federal SAVE Database
The Wisconsin Elections Commission ruled Friday that the state’s 1,800 municipal clerks are barred from using the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements database, which is intended to flag noncitizen voters. The bipartisan commission voted unanimously that accessing the database would be “impossible” because state law bars clerks from sharing voters’ personal information. Members said that law supersedes a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last month that allowed the Trump administration to create the database. The guidance comes 18 days before Wisconsin voters choose between Republican Tom Tiffany and Democrat David Crowley in the gubernatorial election. Commission chair Don Millis had told legislative leaders they would need to change state law before clerks or staff could check citizenship status. US Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) said the action “sounds like Wisconsin really wants to facilitate election fraud.”
🏛️ News & Politics
X Suspends More Than 13,000 Accounts in Suspected Foreign Influence Operations
Social media platform X has suspended more than 13,000 accounts involved in three suspected foreign influence operations linked to China, Russia, and Iran that targeted American political discussions ahead of the November midterm elections. In an Oct. 14 announcement, X said the networks used fake accounts to publish and amplify political content targeting U.S. candidates and public figures across the political spectrum. The company identified the accounts through proactive monitoring and investigations by its Safety team. X did not disclose how many accounts were associated with each country or publicly release evidence linking the networks to specific foreign government agencies. The suspensions come less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 elections. A Justice Department spokesperson said the department “remains committed to keeping America’s elections in the hands of Americans and without foreign influence, and will use every available tool to deter, disrupt, and hold accountable those who violate federal law.”
Georgia Sets New Early Voting Record as Turnout Strong in Key Battleground States
Georgia voters set a new record for the first day of early voting in a midterm election, casting more than 188,600 ballots in-person as control of Congress hangs in the balance. According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, 188,667 Georgians voted in person on October 13, about 40% more than the 134,962 voters who cast early in-person ballots on the first day of the 2022 midterm elections. In 2018, the comparable figure was 70,849. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the record-breaking turnout proves that “voters have confidence in the integrity of our elections.” Ohio reported 228,470 early votes as of October 13. Michigan saw 440,677 mail ballots returned. North Carolina began in-person early voting on October 15. Several races are considered dead heats, and the impact of high early voter turnout remains to be seen.
Biden Administration Gave Nonprofit $23.6 Million Despite Repeated Accounting Problems
The National Council of Urban Indian Health received $23.6 million in federal funds in four years even as an auditor flagged accounting problems in three of those years. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit had a material weakness, the most serious category of internal-control deficiencies, in both 2022 and 2023. Its faulty accounting coincided with a doubling of its federal funding during the pandemic. In 2022, the Council received $200,000 in federal funds before it had eligible expenses to justify the payment, according to Sikich, the accounting firm that audited the nonprofit. The following year, it counted too much of a promised contribution as revenue before meeting the conditions. After both audits, the Council attributed the material weaknesses to staff turnover in its financial functions. “The organization changed drastically in size and scope, thereby going through a substantial adjustment period,” the Council wrote. Last year, Sikich flagged a less serious accounting deficiency.
Radical Groups Sue DHS Over Compilation of Voter Data From Nearly Every State
Three organizations filed a lawsuit Oct. 15 claiming the Department of Homeland Security’s effort to obtain and compile voter registration data from nearly every state as part of a voter fraud probe is illegal. The League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the League of United Latin American Citizens said the compilation violates the Privacy Act, which limits agencies to information relevant and necessary for authorized purposes. “Congress created DHS to prevent terrorism, secure the border, and address other specified threats — not to conduct a voter-fraud dragnet,” the plaintiffs said. DHS has obtained some version of voter lists from at least 47 states, and the Justice Department has shared lists it obtained. The groups ask the court to declare the policy illegal, enjoin officials from carrying it out and order deletion of collected information. DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
Santa Ana Winds Drive Fast-Moving Fire That Burns Homes in Orange County
A fast-moving wildfire set multiple homes ablaze Friday in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, prompting power outages and evacuations. The Norte fire started in coastal San Clemente before dry, warm Santa Ana wind gusts drove it into residential areas, where flames leaped from the roofs of two-story suburban homes. Authorities said at least six homes had been set on fire. The blaze burned at least 465 acres and remained at zero percent containment, and the cause is under investigation. Nine schools in San Juan Capistrano closed, and thousands of residents were asked to evacuate parts of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. Firefighters also battled two other Southern California fires that began Thursday.
Editor’s Note: Here’s hoping the fire hydrants have water this time.
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📢 The Fifth Column Watch
Ocasio-Cortez Transfers $1 Million to Boost El-Sayed’s Michigan Senate Bid
US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) announced Friday she is transferring $1 million from her New York campaign to Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s effort as Democrats try to hold the seat. She made the announcement after campaigning with him Thursday, telling a crowd in Pontiac, “The cavalry is coming.” The funds go to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund, a joint account with the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Michigan Democrat State Central Committee. Ocasio-Cortez entered October with nearly $17.4 million on hand. Republicans see an opening in former US Rep. Mike Rogers's (R-MI) opposition to El-Sayed’s progressive views, including El-Sayed’s past campaign with Hasan Piker, whose comments have drawn criticism. She also said at an earlier fundraiser that if El-Sayed can win in Michigan, anybody can win anywhere.
Netflix Replaces Longtime Content Chief Bela Bajaria With Peter Rice
Netflix said Thursday that Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria exited after 10 years in the high-profile role as the streaming giant lays off staff amid declining viewership. As part of the shake-up, the company also axed film vice president Doug Belgrad and film director Sheroum Kim. Peter Rice, a former executive at 21st Century Fox and Disney, will take over as the next chief content officer. Bajaria oversaw a massive $20 billion budget and iconic shows such as “Squid Game” and “Wednesday,” but the company has struggled to produce the next must-watch hit and axed 1,000 staffers, or 6 percent of its workforce, on Wednesday. “I want to thank Bela for a decade of dedication, innovation, creativity and leadership,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos said.
Editor’s Note: It probably didn’t help that every original production had to include a radically woke storyline element. People hate that.
Fewer High Schoolers Identify as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual After Years of Increases
The percentage of American high school students who say they are homosexual or bisexual has plummeted after years on the rise, according to psychologist Jean Twenge’s analysis of CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. Girls identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual dropped 5 percentage points to 22 percent last year. Among boys, the share fell 2 points to 7 percent. The sharper declines appeared among younger students, with ninth graders calling themselves lesbian, gay or bisexual dropping from 17 to 11 percent. Twenge wrote that the trends are striking, especially compared with a decade ago, when the numbers ballooned. She noted the reasons are not readily apparent and that further examination is needed to determine whether the drop marks the start of a trend. A separate Minnesota study found students identifying as straight climbed from 76 to 83 percent between 2022 and 2025.
Editor’s Note: Imagine that. The government stopped pushing the alternative lifestyle narrative and the fad waned.
Pennsylvania DSA Candidate Rabb Calls for Locking Up ‘Lawless MAGA Thugs’
Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb (D-PA), a Democratic Socialists of America member running for Congress, said this week he opposes mass incarceration as morally wrong and bad policy but wants an exception for “lawless MAGA thugs.” “I’m a decarceration person,” Rabb told podcaster Wajahat Ali. “I believe the country that represents 5% of the world population but 25% of the people put in cages is morally wrong. It’s also bad policy, but I will make an exception for all of those fuckers who are lawless MAGA thugs, who have destroyed lives and communities. Lock all of those fuckers up.” He doubled down, saying “right is right” and that Jared Kushner should face jail time if mothers are locked up for changing school districts. Rabb also called for Congress to impeach and subpoena people “who are destroying what’s left of our fragile democracy.”
LA Prosecutors Review Case Against Former Rep. Eric Swalwell After Sheriff Investigation
Los Angeles County prosecutors reviewed a case involving former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) to decide whether to bring criminal charges after a sheriff’s department investigation. The county district attorney’s sex crimes unit received the case on Sept. 21 after an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Prosecutors have not announced whether they would file charges. Swalwell resigned from Congress in April and withdrew from the state’s gubernatorial race following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. He has denied the allegations. Swalwell's attorney said he is “innocent,” adding that “these allegations are false, and the facts will bear that out.” “The reported referral to the Los Angeles County District Attorney is a standard procedural step. It is not a charging decision. It is not a finding of wrongdoing,” attorney Sara Azari said.
ON THIS DAY IN 1989:
A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area just before Game 3 of the World Series. The tremor caused widespread destruction, collapsed major highway structures, and killed over 60 people.
🌐 International
Hundreds Arrested as Violence Erupts Across France in Threat to Government Stability
Violence erupted in cities across France on Saturday as hundreds of thousands protested rising living costs and fuel prices. The Interior Ministry reported 400 arrests and 60 officers injured after hooded individuals attacked police, looted shops and set fires in Paris, Marseille and elsewhere. Officials condemned targeted acts of violence and noted strong far-left mobilization. President Emmanuel Macron urged calm, saying legitimate concerns were being exploited for political purposes and turned into urban violence. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu accused allies of the far-left populist France Unbowed party of instrumentalizing the student movement. Yellow Vest protesters, the anti-establishment populist movement that emerged over fuel taxes, joined students—from predominantly immigrant and refugee areas—and unions as police used tear gas and water cannons.
CentCom Reports Most Iranian Attacks on Hormuz Shipping Unsuccessful
Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said the vast majority of Iran’s attempted attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz are unsuccessful. The waterway remains open for transit. About 97 percent of ships seeking to transit have done so without being hit by an Iranian projectile. Hawkins called the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps actions unjustified and unsuccessful in closing the strait. Adm. Brad Cooper reported more than 20 civilian mariners killed by Iran’s attacks since February, per the International Maritime Organization. About 400 merchant ships sailed through in the last seven days as U.S. forces helped ship over 100 million barrels of crude oil.
Editor’s Note: This escalation is specifically meant to affect the U.S. midterm elections.
UK Home Secretary Threatens Complete Visa Ban on Eritreans Over Refusal of Migrant Returns
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stripped Eritrean VIPs and officials of fast-track visa access and threatened a complete ban on visas for Eritrean citizens. Eritrea withdrew co-operation on returns earlier this year. Eritreans were the top nationality among small-boat arrivals through June 2026. Mahmood said Eritrea has had every chance to accept returns of criminals and those with no right to remain and has refused, unlike other countries. “My message to the Eritrean government is simple: take back your nationals or face a complete ban on your citizens entering the UK,” she said. Diplomats need permission to travel more than 37 miles outside London.
Iran Aids Houthis With Targeting Help While Group Seeks Chinese Missile Parts
Iranian support is helping the Houthis mount their most potent attacks yet on Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies, including assistance targeting drone and missile strikes, training, intelligence and tactical guidance, people briefed on Saudi and anti-Houthi intelligence said. The aid has fueled rapid territorial gains, with the group controlling coastline along the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and launching strikes on Saudi oil tankers, energy facilities and airports, including one that killed at least 13 in Riyadh. Separately, a report found the Houthis are attempting to build a medium-range ballistic missile using components from a Chinese supplier that would mirror Iran’s Kheibar Shekan, with a range of about 1,200 miles capable of reaching all of Saudi Arabia and Israel. Revolutionary Guard officers have been on the front lines directing attacks.
Iran-Backed Groups Sending Funds to IRGC Under U.S. Economic Pressure
Iran-backed militia groups in the Middle East have been sending funds to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to help Tehran deal with economic pressure after months of war with the United States, U.S. Central Command Commander Brad Cooper said Friday. Cooper said American forces have prevented Iran from exporting around $25 billion in crude oil that would have financed proxy militias, criminal networks and attacks against Americans. The United States has frozen around $350 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets. As a result, groups including Hezbollah, Hamas and those in Iraq have had to give money back to Iran after being funded by Tehran for years. “The financial strain on Iran’s military has become so significant that there are reports about Iran-aligned militia groups across the region withholding payments for their soldiers in order to funnel money back to the IRGC, which also isn’t paying its troops,” he said. Iranian officials have also withheld salaries, benefits, and pensions from government workers and IRGC security forces.
