Was a public school counselor in Oregon participating in hate speech when he displayed two kids&#8217; books about the gender binary? That&#8217;s what a federal appeals court ruled last month.
The court determined Roderick E. Theis II violated hate speech legislation by showcasing the books “He is He” and &#8220;She is She.” It also ruled that displaying these books, which affirm the gender binary, was not protected under the First Amendment.
In the wake of the unreasonable ruling, the books&#8217; coauthor, Ryan Bomberger, spoke to The Daily Wire about the case and the work conservative Christians must do to save the country. He didn&#8217;t hold back.
The gender binary isn&#8217;t evil
Bomberger said “He is He” and “She is She,” which he cowrote with his wife Bethany, are rooted in love.
“We wanted to take this insane pronoun issue and just make something that spoke truth about the human condition and celebrate what it means to be a boy, and celebrate what it means to be a girl,” he said. “It celebrates motherhood, fatherhood, the means by which all of us exist. So, what&#8217;s more inclusive than a book that speaks to the &#8230; heterosexual self-identity of more than 90% of Americans? How is that not inclusive?”
Bomberger rejects the idea that the books could be seen as harmful in any way. 
“The books are so beautifully illustrated. They are diverse. As someone myself, I&#8217;m mixed white, black, part Asian, part Native American. I&#8217;m a mixture of all things,” he said. “It&#8217;s laughable that the school sees these books as being hostile in any way, shape, or form.” 
The school district isn&#8217;t just being unreasonable here. It&#8217;s hypocritical. Bomberger pointed out that many of the teachers showcased BLM or LGBT propaganda, which he called “highly discriminatory against the nuclear family, against fatherhood, against black conservatives” and “anti-science,” respectively.
“What&#8217;s laughable to me is this is the same school district that pushes things like &#8216;How To Be An Anti-Racist,&#8217; which has an animus toward white people, [and says] in fact, the only way to deal with past discrimination is present discrimination,” Bomberger said. “So that book violates Oregon&#8217;s law.”
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Battling in court
The fact that a scuffle over his commonsense books made it to court, he says, was by design. Reports said Theis, who worked for the InterMountain Education Service District for over 15 years, was fired after a teacher recorded him showing the books to some eighth graders. Bomberger says that the whole situation was a setup.
“There was one complaint from a teacher who only saw the covers. This teacher never even read the books — only saw the covers and objected to the covers,” Bomberger explained. “That teacher is the one that set up the two 8th graders who came and insisted on reading the books. It was not genuine interest. It was set up. That was the teacher that actually recorded the whole interaction, where Rod allowed them because they kept pressing him to read the books.”
Bomberger expressed sorrow about the recent ruling, arguing that it will set a bad precedent in the West Coast.
“My hope is that Alliance Defending Freedom does appeal it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They have a very strong case.”
Though Theis’ appeal was rejected by the court, ADF lawyers have <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/fired-school-counselor-loses-again-after-free-speech-fight-over-gender-themed-books-his-office">promised</a> to “continue to defend Rod’s First Amendment freedom to express his views like other employees.”
Bomberger said the lower court misunderstood the case Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, in which the Supreme Court ruled that public schools could not stop a football coach from kneeling midfield to say a quiet prayer.
“They said that [Kennedy’s prayer] was a private, personal thing. It wasn&#8217;t private. It was very public,” Bomberger said. “It was during his duty and his role. So simply based upon that, I think they have a case and the fact that the First Amendment doesn&#8217;t get stripped from government employees when they walk onto taxpayer-funded property.”
When woke fights back
Bomberger also argued that the recent case shows that wokism is not dead, but simply has been rebranded, hiding in the shadows while it grows stronger.
“We need to be forever vigilant about where this stuff goes,” Bomberger said. “The public school system is so deeply rooted in ideologies that are anti-American, that are anti-science, and certainly in many cases that are anti-truth. So, we have to be aware that this is not something that&#8217;s going away anytime soon.”
The Left’s goal is to fake outrage, foster ignorance, and silence dissension, Bomberger said.
“Well, honestly, we hear the phrase all the time: &#8216;Ignorance is bliss,&#8217; and apparently, it&#8217;s a goal. It&#8217;s a virtue of the woke Left,” Bomberger said. “They want to pretend that they are in some sort of fascist society where they can&#8217;t get [their favorite] books.”
While Democrats hand-wring about book bans, they don&#8217;t seem to care when librarians make explicit material available to kids.
“They&#8217;re feigning outrage about fake book banning, but [they&#8217;re fine] when it comes to completely inappropriate content for children that is sexually explicit, that is violent and violent and gory, I mean the list goes on and on,” he said. “But it&#8217;s perfectly fine if it could be categorized as a diversity book — diversity being LGBTQ/DEI.”
Bomberger ended by calling on his fellow Christians to stand up and not be afraid to speak the truth.
“The most important thing, as a Christian, I see this first and foremost as a spiritual battle, not just this book battle, but the battle for objective truth,” Bomberger said. “First of all, don&#8217;t despair. There is always hope, but we have to be vigilant. We cannot leave the major influence of our children up to &#8230; the education establishment. We can&#8217;t leave it up to Hollywood, and we often do.”
“We&#8217;re called to love every human being, not every human doing,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So as Christians, we have to see the world differently, and we have to react differently.”
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How This Conservative Author Is Fighting A Real Book Ban

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A tiny Colorado town plagued by years of political infighting, failing infrastructure, and contaminated drinking water has officially been declared abandoned after its local government effectively ceased to exist. 
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold declared Hartman abandoned this week after the town&#8217;s last elected officials resigned in January, leaving the community without a functioning government or a way to address its deteriorating water system.
The declaration came in response to a resident&#8217;s petition seeking state intervention so county officials could take over Hartman&#8217;s struggling water infrastructure.
“The Town of Hartman had lacked chlorine in its water for over one month and the water was not potable and ‘smells horrible,’ the resident&#8217;s petition <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/31/us-news/colorado-town-hartman-abandoned-after-all-public-officials-resign-drinking-water-ruled-health-hazard/">stated</a>, according to the New York Post. Residents have remained under a boil-water advisory since February.
Although Hartman previously received roughly $1 million in grants to repair its water system, the money went unused because the town no longer had officials authorized to oversee the project.
“The town does not have a board of trustees or town clerk, is unable to hold an election, and owns and operates water infrastructure needed to treat and deliver water to residents,” the petition added.
After meeting with residents, Deputy Secretary of State Andrew Kline concluded that declaring Hartman abandoned was the only legal path forward.
“Abandonment is the only legal mechanism in Colorado statute that creates an avenue for residents of the area to receive clean water,” Kline said.
The collapse of Hartman&#8217;s government followed years of increasingly bitter political feuds among residents.
Former Mayor Catherine Ferenandez told the Denver Post that longstanding family rivalries had consumed the town.
“You had families fighting with each other because they thought this person was going to do the town evil, they thought that person wasn’t going to work well with the town, and it was a complete mess,” Fernandez <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2026/03/08/hartman-colorado-water-elections/">said</a>.
Disputes spilled into local newspapers, social media, lawsuits, and contentious trustee meetings that sometimes required a sheriff&#8217;s deputy to keep the peace.
Residents also accused town leaders of years of financial mismanagement and government dysfunction.
Barbara Crimond claimed in a letter to the editor that town officials engaged in misconduct ranging from failing to complete required audits to obstructing elections and neglecting critical infrastructure projects.
Tensions reached a breaking point in January when four women, most in their 60s and 70s, became involved in a physical altercation during a board meeting over the town&#8217;s future. Hartman&#8217;s remaining three trustees resigned the following day, leaving the town without a functioning government.
Hartman has roughly 30 residents, no businesses other than a post office and town hall, and, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, more than 93% of its residents live below the poverty line.
With the abandonment declaration now in place, the Prowers County Board of County Commissioners will assume responsibility for the town&#8217;s roads and water.
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Hartman, Colorado

Town Declared ‘Abandoned’ After Every Official Resigns Over Water Crisis, Fraud Scandal

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday launched an online cooking series aimed at helping Americans prepare healthy, budget-friendly meals as part of the Trump administration&#8217;s &#8220;Make America Healthy Again&#8221; initiative.
The new series, &#8220;The Real Food Show,&#8221; features Kennedy traveling across the country to meet with chefs and culinary experts who demonstrate recipes using minimally processed ingredients.
“Inspired by President Trump&#8217;s Make America Healthy Again agenda, Secretary Kennedy is bringing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to life and showing that cooking with real food can be practical, approachable, and affordable for every family,” the Department of Health and Human Services <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/real-food-show/index.html">said</a> in a statement.
“Every episode is packed with affordable, budget-friendly recipes and easy cooking techniques designed to save you time and money,” the department added.
In a promotional video announcing the series, Kennedy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWBP4REwZeY">said</a> the goal is to encourage Americans to embrace healthier eating habits through simple home cooking. 
“Thanks to President Trump, we flipped the food pyramid and put real food back to where it belongs — at the center of the American plate,&#8221; Kennedy said. &#8220;America, it&#8217;s time to eat real food. Let’s get cooking.” 
The new series premiered Thursday on the HHS website and YouTube. Celebrity chef Andrew Gruel joined Kennedy for the first episode, where they prepared crispy wild Alaskan salmon cakes served with an apple, white bean and greens salad.
&#8220;I&#8217;m excited to be part of the premiere episode because I believe the message is much bigger than a cooking show,&#8221; Gruel <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/rfk-jr-takes-maha-kitchen-hhs-cooking-series-promoting-healthy-meals-under-5">told</a> Fox News Digital.
&#8220;My hope is that this series helps demystify cooking and shows people that preparing crave-worthy, healthy meals doesn&#8217;t require professional training or expensive ingredients,&#8221; he added.

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Move Over, Food Network: RFK Jr. Has A Cooking Show

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A far-left activist group supporting accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione is urging supporters to pursue a controversial legal strategy ahead of his upcoming murder trial: jury nullification.
The December 4 Legal Committee, named after the day prosecutors say Mangione fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been <a href="https://x.com/d4legalcomm?lang=en">coordinating</a> fundraisers, raising roughly $1.5 million for Mangione&#8217;s legal defense while organizing protests and promoting jury nullification in the weeks leading up to trial. 
Jury nullification occurs when jurors vote to acquit a defendant despite believing the prosecution proved the defendant violated the law, because they believe a conviction would produce an unjust result. Although juries have the power to nullify, judges do not instruct jurors on the practice, and attorneys are generally prohibited from encouraging it in court. 
The tactic has surfaced at several points throughout American history, including in some cases involving slavery and prosecutions of Vietnam War draft dodgers.
The Fifth Amendment <a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-5/">prevents</a> criminals from being subjected to double jeopardy, or being convicted twice for the same crime. The Amendment enshrines jury nullification by preventing prosecutors from receiving a retrial
Jury nullification has been used in the antebellum Civil War North to free slaves that were trying to be taken back to the South, and also by juries in the 70s who decided to acquit young Americans from dodging the Vietnam draft.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/31/us-news/luigi-mangione-could-walk-free-and-a-radical-organization-is-pushing-for-it/">reported</a> that two activists were arrested after distributing jury nullification pamphlets outside a Denver courthouse, although the Colorado Supreme Court later ruled in their favor.
New York criminal defense attorney Kenneth Belkin warned that efforts to promote jury nullification risk politicizing the justice system. 
“You don’t want prosecutions based on politics. You don’t want juries acting based on politics. You want them pursuing the truth,” Belkin <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/luigi-mangione-not-guilty-acquit-c9rnsq9xw">told</a> The Times.
Belkin said finding an impartial jury in New York City could prove difficult given Mangione&#8217;s support among some left-wing activists. 
“You have a juror pool in New York City that is particularly politically inflamed. It’s a very partisan city, and I think Luigi Mangione has a lot of support in New York City, despite the fact that he’s accused of an egregious murder,” Belkin said.  
“I think that’s concerning because if you have a large amount of people that are supporting a [suspected] murderer’s political stance in committing a murder, that raises a real possibility that you could get some jurors on that jury that may not convict, no matter what the evidence says.”
Sonali Chakravarti, a professor of government at Wesleyan University, said jury nullification gives “a jury to have true freedom to render the outcome that they think is the most just under the circumstances.” 
But she cautioned that “taken to an extreme, nullification would completely cause a breakdown of the legal system.”
Mangione is charged with fatally shooting Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel in December 2024 in what prosecutors say was a politically motivated killing. The case has attracted an unusual following, with supporters portraying Mangione as a symbol of frustration with the U.S. healthcare system.
His trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.

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Left-Wing Activists Have A Plan To Free Luigi Mangione

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Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, a potential 2028 presidential contender, suggested he may have played a role in bringing LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers after personally lobbying the NBA superstar to join the team months before the blockbuster signing. 
In an interview with Politico Playbook, Shapiro said he first met James at the private club ZZ&#8217;s in New York City and used the opportunity to pitch Philadelphia.
“I don’t want to suggest that I’m the reason why LeBron chose the Sixers, but when I saw him at this dinner in New York, I figured I had to shoot my shot,” Shapiro <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2026/07/31/josh-shapiro-shoots-his-shot-01018938">said</a>.
According to an anonymous source close to the governor cited by Playbook, Shapiro “was relentless until he finally got word&#8221; last Friday that James was headed to Philadelphia.
Minutes after NBA insider Shams Charania broke the news of the signing online, Shapiro celebrated on social media by proclaiming it &#8220;LeBron James Day&#8221; in Pennsylvania.   
 
“LEBRON IS COMING TO PHILLY,” Shapiro <a href="https://x.com/GovernorShapiro/status/2080680553683046819?lang=en">posted</a>. “By the power vested in me as the Governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a die-hard Sixers fan&#8230; I hereby proclaim today to be LEBRON JAMES DAY. Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love, King James.”
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LEBRON IS COMING TO PHILLY.
By the power vested in me as the Governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a die-hard Sixers fan&#8230; I hereby proclaim today to be LEBRON JAMES DAY.
Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love, <a href="https://x.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a>. <a href="https://t.co/JHsNkCFyyN">pic.twitter.com/JHsNkCFyyN</a>
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) <a href="https://x.com/GovernorShapiro/status/2080680553683046819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Shapiro also said he believes James can make an impact beyond basketball.
“I expect he’s going to bring a championship mentality to our team, and if he’s doing that in a way that also allows him to be a good father and husband, I think that’s great,” Shapiro said. 
Shapiro added that he “thought that there was a lot of important philanthropic work he could do in Philly.” 
James recently posted on social media about his new deal, saying he had briefly considered retirement before deciding to continue his career. 
“I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn&#8217;t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game,” James <a href="https://x.com/KingJames/status/2080677086386430018">said</a>. “I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide [sic] if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” James added.
James <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/sports-gaming/5988495-lebron-james-nba-sixers-shapiro/">joins</a> Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey on a Sixers team hoping to bring Philadelphia its first NBA championship since 1983.

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Dem Presidential Hopeful May Have Had Hand In Getting LeBron James To Philadelphia

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A growing number of drivers are pushing back against increasingly tech-heavy vehicles, saying they prefer the simplicity of analog controls over touchscreens and software-driven features.
The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted what it described as a &#8220;vocal minority&#8221; of consumers seeking out older vehicles or newer models with fewer digital features, arguing that modern automotive technology has become more frustrating than helpful.
Brett Doyle, a computer scientist from St. Louis, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/cars/driver-assistance-technology-dashboard-ead96bd2">told</a> the Journal that he and his sons continue repairing their four vehicles from the 2010s rather than buying newer models packed with digital features.
“If I get hot in my car and want some air conditioning, I just want to turn a knob and have cold air come out,” Doyle said. “There’s this fatigue of having to learn one more new thing.”
Others like Doyle have created online communities dedicated to finding older, more analog vehicles.  
Sports writer Brandon Marcus <a href="https://www.inkl.com/glance/news/the-no-tech-car-trend-drivers-are-rejecting-screens-and-sensors?first_login=true&amp;section=personalized">said</a> the movement is about reclaiming control behind the wheel, not simply reliving the past. 
“The &#8216;no-tech car&#8217; trend doesn’t just whisper nostalgia. It shouts intention. People want control back in their hands, not buried in menus or hidden behind software updates,” Marcus said. “This movement isn’t about rejecting progress. It’s about reclaiming the driving experience and deciding what actually matters behind the wheel.” 
Supporters have pointed out that basic functions like adjusting the temperature or changing the radio station have become unnecessarily complicated as automakers increasingly rely on touchscreen interfaces, which they say can also be more distracting. 
Even some industry leaders have questioned how new technology is being introduced.
Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa recently suggested the industry’s approach may be backward because its most technology-packed vehicles are often marketed to older buyers, while younger customers tend to purchase entry-level models. 
“Sometimes, actually, your entry cars should start adopting these technologies because that’s where the younger customers are trying to go,” Espinosa said.
For some consumers, concerns extend beyond convenience to privacy and security.
Gordon Chang, author of “Plan Red: China’s Project to Destroy America,” <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/on-balance-with-leland-vittert/chinese-driverless-cars-in-us-danger/">told</a> NewsNation that vehicles with Chinese autonomous driving technology could be used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to present national security risks via “rolling spy machines.”
“Conceivably, they could use these as a weapon of mass destruction — crash into oncoming traffic, drive over a cliff, be disabled. Who knows what the Chinese will be able to do with these?” Chang said.
Some automakers are already betting there is a demand for simpler vehicles.
Startup automaker Slate <a href="https://www.slate.auto/en?utm_medium=paidsearch&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_campaign=slategtm&amp;utm_term=nonbrand&amp;utm_content=search&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22508070611&amp;gbraid=0AAAAA_B-XWOzeMYK2D4oy31f_qtVt39B2&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwj7HTBhBiEiwA8s35OkG-go3PHMAJ91L1dfJGLcunqM8zeGNhELrz73Iv8xdozQYKqVbtHhoCDGgQAvD_BwE">markets</a> what it calls “the most affordable truck in America.” Its base model, the “Blank Slate,” features hand-crank windows, physical climate-control knobs, and a smartphone mount instead of an extensive built-in infotainment system, leaving additional customization up to buyers. 
Other affordable models have also retained more traditional controls. Edmunds <a href="https://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/how-to-buy-a-low-tech-car.html">notes</a> that the 2026 Hyundai Venue keeps its technology relatively simple despite offering digital features, while the 2026 Mazda CX-50 relies on physical knobs for many functions rather than a touchscreen-heavy interface.

1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 Sport Coupe

Why A ‘Vocal Minority’ Is Pushing Back On New Car Tech

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Wall Street Journal

A pharmaceutical executive who spent more than two decades building a successful career under an assumed identity was arrested earlier this month after authorities identified him as a fugitive convicted of rape who disappeared during his 2005 trial.
Dr. Richard Graydon, who was serving as chief medical officer at the Los Angeles biotech company Immix Biopharma, was arrested after investigators determined he was actually Ronald Fischer, an “America’s Most Wanted” fugitive who had been evading authorities for more than 20 years.
Immix shares fell roughly 10% after news of Fischer&#8217;s arrest, prompting investors to <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/21/3330886/0/en/immix-biopharma-investigated-by-the-portnoy-law-firm.html">investigate</a> whether the company failed to properly vet the executive before hiring him.
According to prosecutors, Fischer raped a woman aboard his yacht, the Lion King, while it was docked in a Rhode Island marina in 2003. He stood trial in 2005 but disappeared before the proceedings concluded. A jury later convicted him of first-degree sexual assault in his absence.
An affidavit <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/captured-americas-most-wanted-fugitive-ronald-fischer-abandons-alias-after-20-years-run">obtained</a> by Fox News Digital claims that before fleeing, Fischer gave his vehicles to his daughters, told them to clear their belongings out of his home, and disposed of a Jaguar.
The affidavit also says that Fischer emailed his attorney, Robert Mann, saying he did not wish to risk conviction but hoped to build “a good, safe, secure and comfortable life” either in the United States or abroad. 
He then vanished.
Using the alias Richard Graydon, he spent the next two decades working at several pharmaceutical companies before eventually becoming an executive at Immix, according to investigators. 
His time on the run came to an end after authorities received a credible tip about his identity and used FBI intelligence analysis to pinpoint his location. Deputy U.S. marshals and U.S. Coast Guard personnel arrested him aboard his 56-foot yacht,  The Silver Lining, off the coast of New Jersey.
Fischer was arraigned before a Rhode Island judge, who set bail at $20,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 17. 
In addition to his first-degree sexual assault conviction, Fischer now faces a felony bail-jumping charge and a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
“This arrest demonstrates that time does not erase accountability,” Wing Chau, U.S. Marshal for the District of Rhode Island, <a href="https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/press-release/one-of-rhode-islands-longest-wanted-fugitive-captured-after-more-20-years-run">said</a>. “Thanks to outstanding investigative work, exceptional intelligence analysis, and seamless coordination between agencies, Fischer is finally in custody. We hope today&#8217;s arrest brings a measure of justice and long-awaited closure to the victim and everyone impacted by these crimes.”

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‘America’s Most Wanted’ Fugitive Arrested After Two Decades Under New Identity

Crime

Most Wanted

Pharmaceuticals

Rape

Rhode Island

Live cockroaches and spiders. A preserved fetal pig. A bloody Halloween mask. A funeral wreath. A book about surviving the death of one’s spouse.
These items were all sent to the home of journalists David and Ina Steiner by executives of one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms. The packages were an attempt to scare them into silence and to stop reporting on the e-commerce company’s business practices.
The Steiners sued, and after over a decade in the courts, they have won their case.
On Tuesday, eBay agreed to pay the Massachusetts couple nearly $50 million after former employees terrorized the bloggers in a 2019 harassment campaign.
Since 2012, Ina Steiner, with her husband David’s help, has hosted the newsletter eCommerce Bytes, unveiling to readers important updates about services such as Amazon and eBay.
She has been critical of many of eBay’s corporate decisions, <a href="https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/4/1554870735.html">reporting</a> in 2019 on issues such as former eBay CEO Devin Wenig earning 152 times more than normal employees.
In response, eBay employees reportedly became angered by the Steiners’ reporting and conspired to &#8220;intimidate, threaten to kill, torture, terrorize, stalk and silence them,&#8221; Fox News <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/ebay-pay-nearly-50m-after-ex-employees-allegedly-terrorized-couple-cockroach-fetal-pig-packages">reports</a>.
Some employees named in the lawsuit were former CEO Devin Wenig, former Chief Communications Officer Steve Wymer, and former Senior Vice President Wendy Jones.
Along with sending anonymous packages with disturbing contents, employees sent pornographic magazines addressed to David Steiner to a neighbor&#8217;s home in an attempt to smear the image of the couple in their community.
The Steiners also received a host of threatening direct messages online. The lawsuit even alleged that eBay employees tried to plant a GPS tracking device on the couple’s vehicle.
In the settlement, the Steiners are slated to receive $48.7 million in compensation. This comprises $46.15 million from eBay itself, $2 million from Wenig, $500,000 from Jones, and $50,000 from Wymer.
The company will finance $6 million in donations to various nonprofits, and Wenig will pay $1 million to a charity committed to protecting First Amendment rights on Ina Steiner’s behalf.
eBay has posted a statement disavowing the actions of its former executives and employees.
“What the Steiners were subjected to by former eBay employees in 2019 was wrong, reprehensible, and should never have happened,” eBay <a href="https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-statement-regarding-agreement-with-ina-and-david-steiner/">said</a> in a statement. “We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the employees who perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner. We also acknowledge the unprofessional tone in internal communications demonstrated, to different degrees and number, by Mr. Wenig, Mr. Wymer, and Ms. Jones.”
“We continue to extend our deepest apologies to the Steiners,” eBay added. “This agreement is consistent with our commitment to fairly compensate the Steiners and fulfills our efforts to make things right.”
The couple <a href="https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2026/7/1785201549.html">posted</a> about their win on their eCommerce Bytes website and shared the testimony of their lawyer Chris Murphy.
&#8220;This case was always about more than obtaining financial recovery,” Murphy said in the statement. “From the beginning, our clients wanted to uncover the truth, protect journalists and publishers, hold those responsible accountable, deter future corporate misconduct, and help ensure others would never have to endure what they experienced.”
“We believe this resolution sends a clear message that corporations and their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences,&#8221; Murphy added.
Devin Wenig has reached out to the Daily Wire and denied any knowledge of the harassment campaign.
“The harassment was deliberately done in secret and without my knowledge, as established by an independent law firm review, a federal probe, and the sworn testimony of the security employee convicted as the ‘ringleader.’” Wenig said in a statement. “This behavior is antithetical to everything I sand for and believe in.”
The Steiners are <a href="https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0JIXX8JL25WD8603EEB8JLNRDI">featured</a> in the documentary &#8220;Whatever It Takes: Inside the eBay Scandal,&#8221; where they share their experiences being victims of the harassment campaign.

Photo Illustrations – GameStop Hostile Takeover Bid For EBay

Inside eBay’s Twisted Plot To Terrorize A Couple With Live Spiders And Cockroaches

eBay

Harassment

Journalism

Lawsuit

Massachusetts

stalking

A routine baggage screening at an Alabama airport turned into an unexpected Civil War mystery after TSA officers discovered five stolen cannonballs hidden inside a passenger&#8217;s luggage. 
Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree spotted a large opaque object while reviewing X-ray images at Gulf Shores International Airport on July 18. At first, he thought it looked like a medicine ball. Instead, he found five cannonballs wrapped in paper towels, with the largest being the size of a grapefruit.  
“My first thought was, ‘I couldn’t see a fuse and need to get some help quick,’” Dupree <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/about/employee-stories/cannonball-run-indiana-jones-esque-discovery-tsa-alabama-airport">said</a>. “I couldn’t see the entire item but was scared I might have been holding a live explosive.”
“I had never seen anything quite this unique,” he added. “I’ve seen inert grenades and training munitions but never an Indiana Jones-esque stolen artifact-type situation.”
Dupree alerted a supervisor, who contacted the TSA&#8217;s regional explosives specialist. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office also responded to determine whether a bomb squad would be needed.
Authorities determined the roughly 150-year-old cannonballs were inert, meaning they posed no explosive threat. Even so, artillery ammunition is prohibited in luggage. 
Investigators identified the cannonballs as artifacts stolen from nearby Fort Morgan after recognizing paint markings the historic Civil War site uses to catalog its collection. 
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/travel/tsa-officer-sees-alarming-shapes-x-ray-before-stolen-civil-war-mystery-unravels">told</a> Fox News that a juvenile stole them from the fort’s storage area and put them in his grandmother’s luggage. Fort Morgan&#8217;s director declined to press charges, and the artifacts have since been returned. 
“I am very proud of the great catch and teamwork by Officers Dupree and Cash and TSA Alabama along with our tremendous partnership with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and Gulf Shores Police Department,” TSA Alabama Federal Security Director Tara Corse said. 
“Even if inert and not active, travelers should avoid bringing weapons of any kind, including replicas, to the airport. They can cause security alerts, flight delays and safety concerns.”

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A Routine TSA Bag Check Turned Into An ‘Indiana Jones’ Mystery

Air and Space

airport

Airports

Alabama

Civil War

Indiana Jones

Transportation

U.S.

A Washington mother is removing her children from an elementary school that forced her daughter through a secret, explicit LGBT Pride-themed lesson.
The lesson reportedly occurred during a fourth-grade music class at Martha Lake Elementary in the Edmonds School District on June 15. Parents were not given any notice to opt out or any information about the lesson itself before their children were exposed to the curriculum, according to Maria Varchetto. 
 
“My daughter came home just so drastically upset the last week of school telling me that the music teacher decided to teach a whole curriculum about Pride history and Pride Month,” Varchetto <a href="https://www.kvi.com/2026/07/23/washington-mom-pulls-kids-from-elementary-school-after-pride-lesson-taught-in-music-class-without-parental-notice-or-opt-out/">told</a> Talk Radio 570 KVI, a conservative Washington radio station.
“I assumed I had probably missed an email asking for consent, but there was nothing,” Varchetto <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-mother-pulls-children-school-pride-lesson-shown-music-class-without-notice">said</a> in communications with school administrators that she shared with Fox News. “No advanced notice, no opportunity to review the lesson, no information letting parents know this topic would be discussed. No option to request that our kids be allowed to opt out and participate in an alternative activity. There was nothing.”
According to Varchetto, her daughter was forced to watch a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBZqmZAgoxo">video</a> called “Why is PRIDE in JUNE?” from the channel Queer Kid Stuff that discussed the history of the gay movement and so-called bathroom rights for trans-identifying people. Her daughter said the class also watched videos of performances by LGBT singers such as Freddie Mercury of Queen and Lil Nas X, as well as Billy Porter dancing in a ball gown on “Sesame Street.”
Varchetto’s daughter said that students were also told they could identify as gay, lesbian, asexual, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.
“No handouts were sent home (which is typical for music class),” Varchetto told Fox News. The mother emailed administrators for a copy of the lesson materials, but she was told they could only be reviewed in person, not electronically.
“I need parents to be informed of this,” Varchetto said. “Parents have the right to know what was taught to their kids. Whether or not you agree with it or disagree is irrelevant. You don’t get to teach and go rogue on subjects that are this controversial without providing parents a notice to opt out.”
The principal explained to Varchetto in a meeting that the Pride lesson was not district-approved curriculum and that teachers are allowed to make their own lessons. The principal said that the music teacher tied a lesson to a month’s theme, such as &#8220;Black History Month&#8221; for February or &#8220;Hispanic Heritage Month&#8221; for September. 
Varchetto said she told the principal, “Okay, that makes sense. Those are cultures. Those are not gender identities. Big difference there.”
The principal gave Varchetto a list of the subjects covered in the music class, and Varchetto reviewed the end-of-year summary that the music teacher sent to parents. Neither document mentioned the &#8220;Pride Month&#8221; lesson.
The principal reportedly explained that the school was apprehensive about telling parents about the lesson because it “would just isolate the LGBTQ community, making them feel like people can opt out of their content.”
Unsatisfied with how the school handled the situation, Varchetto said she gave the school several weeks to notify parents before making her concerns public. When no notice was posted, she sent an email to district administrators requesting that her children be transferred from the school.  
Varchetto ultimately decided to put her kids through hybrid homeschooling. 
“We are 100% removing our kids from this school as I have no trust in the leadership,” Varchetto said.
“I feel mad they did this, mad they hid it,” Varchetto added. “I feel insulted, offended, angry, and sad that my kids are now being taken out of a lifestyle they&#8217;ve grown to love, away from the friendships they&#8217;ve built, all because this one teacher didn&#8217;t care to ask permission and a principal lied and hid it.”

Screenshot 2026-07-30 at 11.34.13 AM

Family Erupts Over Fourth Grade Trans Lesson

Elementary Schools

LGBTQ

Pride Month

Public Schools

Washington

Scholars have discovered two previously unknown sermons by St. Augustine of Hippo while translating an 11th-century manuscript from a German monastery, shedding new light on one of Christianity&#8217;s most influential theologians.
University of Würzburg Latin scholar Christian Tornau discovered the sermons while translating a manuscript originally from Bad Doberan Abbey in Germany. The manuscript contained copies of six sermons attributed to Augustine.
&#8220;Two of the six sermons are previously undiscovered writings by Augustine,&#8221; Professor Tornau <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/news-and-events/einblick/single/news/two-new-sermons-augustine-discovered/">said</a>.
Because forged works attributed to Augustine are common, Tornau and his colleagues initially suspected the sermons were inauthentic,  The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/29/science/saints-lost-sermons-reveal-secrets-of-the-witch-of-endor/">reported</a>. 
After identifying Augustine’s trademark humor, references to his North African Christian tradition, and a distinctive style of prayer, however, Tornau and a panel of 20 Latin scholars concluded: “they are indeed authentic.” 
Augustine, who was born in what is now Algeria, is regarded as one of Christianity&#8217;s most influential theologians. His writings, including Confessions and The City of God, helped shape medieval philosophy and Western thought. 
The newly discovered sermons focus on the biblical account of King Saul and the Witch of Endor from the First Book of Samuel. In the story, Saul seeks guidance from God before a battle but instead turns to the Witch of Endor, asking her to summon the prophet Samuel, who foretells Saul&#8217;s death.  

Tornau <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/travel/lost-sermons-christianitys-greatest-saints-discovered-after-1600-years">told</a> Fox News Digital that Augustine’s interpretation of Saul&#8217;s repentance was the &#8220;most remarkable element” of the sermons.
While many Christian scholars throughout history viewed Saul as an unrepentant villain, Augustine interpreted the story as suggesting Saul made peace with God before his death.  
&#8220;In any event, it is indicative of Augustine’s [independence] of mind and his willingness to think everyone, even those who appear most evil, [is] capable of salvation through the grace of God,&#8221; Tornau said.
&#8220;This combines intellectual honesty and episcopal humility in a remarkable and very Augustinian way.&#8221;
The sermons also revisit one of the Bible&#8217;s longstanding theological questions.
“The story [also] raises a theological question: ‘Why can a necromancer summon the spirit of a prophet?’” Tornau said. “This in turn opens up the theodicy problem: ‘how can an omnipotent God allow this or is he not really omnipotent?’” 
According to Tornau, Augustine explored whether the encounter was merely an illusion or whether God permitted it, using the account to examine the relationship between divine providence and evil. 
Tornau is working with the publisher Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum (CSEL) to bring Augustine’s sermons to the public.

Screenshot 2026-07-29 at 2.20.30 PM

Lost Sermons From One Of Christianity’s Greatest Saints Finally Come To Light

Catholic Church

Christianity

Church

Germany

Western Civilization

PragerU CEO Marissa Streit has warned of the rise in “adultism” training that teaches children that their parents are the oppressors.
Streit has stated that teachers are being instructed to teach about “adultism,” a Left-wing philosophy that teaches parents enforcing boundaries on their kids against underage sex, life-changing medical decisions, and opposite-gender clothing is a form of tyrannical “fascism.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Streit <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/controversial-teacher-training-targets-parental-authority-oppression-education-expert-warns">warned</a> that concepts such as adultism, along with DEI and Critical Race Theory, are all being repackaged as “ethnic studies curriculum.” She said at least 22 states are continuing to promote woke ideologies through this new label.
&#8220;[Ethnic studies] teaches the teacher to tell the student that the term adultism is a negative thing,&#8221; Streit said. &#8220;When an adult is behaving like an adult by telling their child that the child should not dress a certain way or have sex at an early age or even request sex or gender changes &#8230; the parent is engaging in adultism.&#8221;
Streit showcased the book &#8220;Lessons In Liberation: An Abolitionist Toolkit for Educators,&#8221; <a href="https://www.akpress.org/">published</a> by the worker-owned anarchist publishing company AK Press. The book’s <a href="https://www.akpress.org/lessonsinliberation.html">information</a> page mentions that it covers student organizing, radical sex education ideology, and anti-ICE immigration policies.
Streit read a passage from the manual, which allegedly stated, &#8220;Adultism teaches us that adults have the power and the right to decide what young people&#8217;s boundaries should be.&#8221;
Streit said that the controversies of teachers hiding medical procedures and pronouns from children are due to this rise in “adultism” teaching. She cited <a href="https://www.aft.org/resolution/supporting-lgbtqia-community">a recent resolution</a> passed by the American Federation of Teachers stating that it will protect students from &#8220;forced outing&#8221; of a child’s gender ideology to parents as evidence for this.
Streit then linked adultism to the Democratic Socialists of America’s plan to dismantle major U.S. institutions.
&#8220;The ultimate goal is the DSA platform, and that is to radically transform America,&#8221; Streit said. She pointed to the DSA’s plan to abolish the Senate, the Electoral College, the Supreme Court, and other American institutions.
&#8220;They have to break the bond between a child and the parent. They have to break the bond between a parent and the community,&#8221; Streit said. &#8220;By creating an entire chaotic environment, you create an environment of collective grievance where the individual feels helpless and hopeless &#8230; then a new form of government comes out and says, &#8216;Well, you can&#8217;t trust anybody else, so therefore put your trust in us.&#8217; And that is always what socialists have done.&#8221;
Workshops promoting adultism have reached the public&#8217;s attention and caused controversy in the past.
John O&#8217;Connell High School in partnership with Teachers 4 Social Justice reportedly hosted a conference on &#8220;adult supremacy&#8221; during an &#8220;Ethnic Studies Everywhere&#8221; conference, the California Post <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/san-francisco-school-adultism-workshop-005946062.html">reports.</a>
&#8220;Due to systemic power dynamics, inherently, the relationship between students and educators is an oppressive one. Oppressor (educator) &amp; oppressed (student),&#8221; a presentation slide leaked to the internet declared.

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Blake Schaper