SAN ANTONIO—City officials found a way to flaunt state and federal prohibitions on “pride crosswalks,” and it could come at a high price for taxpayers.
These rainbow-painted stretches of road became a common sight during the Biden years. That has changed since President Donald Trump returned to office, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-governors-roads-are-safety-not-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warning</a> governors that “roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is one of several red state leaders who expressly prohibited pride crosswalks, <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-greg-abbott-today-directed-the-texas-department-of-transportation-txdot-to-ensure-counties-and-cities-are-in-compliance-with-federal-and-state-guidelines-regarding-roadway-safety-tex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> in October that “Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways,” and warning that “any city that refuses to comply with the federal road standards will face consequences including the withholding or denial of state and federal road funding.”
Rather than comply, the City of San Antonio devised a clever workaround to Abbott’s prohibition: it will start painting sidewalks instead.
Construction crews began power-washing a block of sidewalk in the city’s “Pride Cultural Heritage District,” or “gay strip,” as it is locally known, earlier this month. This follows about three months of planning by the city council and “LGBTQ+ Advisory Board,” and is projected to cost taxpayers $170,000.
Several Texas cities initially sought exemptions to Abbott’s ban on political road artwork, requests the governor’s office denied. San Antonio’s decision to plow ahead with its pride sidewalk comes as several Florida towns have done the same in violation of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/08/18/florida-rainbow-crosswalk-removal-key-west" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prohibition</a> on these installations.
Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, told The Daily Wire that the governor “expects all Texas municipalities to fully comply with his directive on roadway safety and U.S. Department of Transportation guidance and regulations.”
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and the San Antonio City Council did not respond to requests for comment.
It is unclear how Abbott or the Transportation Department will penalize San Antonio. But the pride sidewalk already faces steep local opposition from an unlikely coalition.
Pride San Antonio, a nonprofit that organizes pride events, funded most of San Antonio’s original rainbow crosswalk, sued to block the pride sidewalk alongside the San Antonio chapter of the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum.
While the parties to this improbable joint lawsuit have radically different end goals — Pride San Antonio wants to bring back the rainbow crosswalks, while the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum wants to nix all public pride paintings — both groups argue that it is a misappropriation of funds to do so, <a href="https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2026-01-08/san-antonio-pauses-rainbow-sidewalks-due-to-joint-lawsuit-by-pride-sa-and-texas-conservative-liberty-forum?_amp=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to attorney Justin Nichols.
Pride San Antonio, in particular, objects to the astronomical cost of painting the sidewalk, noting in the lawsuit that it spent $4,690 in 2023 on maintenance for the pride crosswalk, and noted elsewhere that most of the $19,000 that originally went into painting the crosswalk was fundraised, rather than provided by the city.
Texas Conservative Liberty Forum president Joe Garza said both parties “hope the city will hold a public debate and vote on the proposed rainbow sidewalk.” And while he acknowledges that debate will pit his group against Pride San Antonio, he remains committed to the joint lawsuit.
“We believe cities have to make the choice that’s best for them,” he said, “but that elected officials should make those choices, not bureaucrats.”
One such elected official is San Antonio City Councilwoman Misty Spears.
“I believe the elimination of the rainbow crosswalks was an important roadway safety decision made by the state of Texas and not intended to target San Antonio or the LGBTQ community,” the Republican wrote in a statement. “Tax dollars should not fund individual viewpoints.”
Whether or not this lawsuit succeeds, it seems that other Texas cities are hellbent on flouting Abbott’s ban. Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas decided to paint its steps rainbow in response to the city agreeing to repaint the pride-themed crosswalk.
And Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert told the mayor and city council that she would continue to look for ways to “allow neighborhoods to express their unique community identity,” according to a December 12 memo.
Neither Tolbert nor the mayors of Austin or Dallas responded to requests for comment.
Sam Korkus is a student at the University of Dallas and a contributor to The College Fix.

Untitled design (99)

This Texas City Is Fighting To Paint Illegal “Pride Sidewalks” On The Taxpayer’s Dime

Greg Abbot

Pride Flag

San Antonio

Sean Duffy

Texas

The Trump administration announced Thursday that it will be pulling more than $12 million from California over &#8220;gender ideology&#8221; in its sexual education programs.
The Health and Human Services&#8217; (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) put out a <a href="https://acf.gov/media/press/2025/hhs-defunds-californias-attempt-indoctrinate-children-gender-ideology">press release</a> announcing this move to stop California&#8217;s Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) from receiving a massive amount of federal funding over the next few years.
Acting Assistant Secretary of the ACF Andrew Gradison wrote in the press release, &#8220;California&#8217;s refusal to comply with federal law and remove egregious gender ideology from federally funded sex-ed materials is unacceptable.&#8221;
&#8220;Accountability is coming for every state that uses federal funds to teach children delusional gender ideology,&#8221; Gradison said.
According to the <a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CFH/DMCAH/CA-PREP/Pages/default.aspx">California Department of Public Health</a> (CDPH), the program aims at changing behavior, including delaying sexual activity, increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth, and reducing the number of sexual partners for youth ages 10-19.
The program receives all of its funding from the Health and Human Services&#8217; ACF and Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).
Gradison appeared on <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6377188148112">&#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221;</a> on Thursday to explain the process that went into this decision.
Gradison pointed to materials that promoted the belief that &#8220;boys could be girls and girls could be boys and that the solution, oftentimes, was mutilating their genitals.&#8221;
&#8220;The American people elected President Trump to restore sanity and common sense in this country,&#8221; Gradison said. &#8220;Part of that is removing gender ideology from state sex-ed curriculum.&#8221;
President Trump also threatened federal funding from any state that chooses to disobey the guidance from HHS in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-ultimatum-california-schools-must-follow-transgender-policies-or-face-consequences">post</a> to Truth Social on Thursday.
&#8220;Any California school district that doesn&#8217;t adhere to our Transgender policies, will not be funded,&#8221; Trump wrote on Truth Social. &#8220;Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
This decision to pull all federal funding from California&#8217;s PREP is the product of months of back and forth between the Trump administration and California health officials. The ACF originally requested PREP documents from California in March. In June, it demanded that the state revise its program within 60 days.
California state health officials failed to respond until one day before the deadline, when they denied any medical inaccuracies on the part of the program and said it would not take the recommended corrective measures.
&#8220;In a disturbing and egregious abuse of federal funds, California has been using taxpayer money to teach curricula that could encourage kids to contemplate mutilating their genitals, &#8216;altering their body … through hormone therapy,&#8217; &#8216;adding or removing breast tissue,&#8217; and &#8216;changing their name.&#8217; It instructed teachers to &#8216;remind students that some men are born with female anatomy,'&#8221; HHS said in a Thursday press release of the teachings, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kennedys-hhs-terminates-california-sex-ed-grant-after-refuses-drop-radical-gender-lessons">according</a> to Fox News.
Previous grant <a href="https://acf.gov/fysb/grant-funding/state-personal-responsibility-education-program-prep-grantees">funding</a> shows California&#8217;s PREP program received just under $6 million from the federal government in fiscal year 2022.
This is the most recent step that the Trump administration is taking against what the president has called woke programs that affect students and young people. The president recently signed an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-olympic-committee-bans-men-in-womens-sports">executive order</a> to keep men out of women&#8217;s sports.
Trump is also currently in a litigation battle against California for continuing to allow transgender-identifying males to compete in female sports. The suit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-president-means-business-trump-admin-sues-california-over-transgender-athlete-policy">argued</a> that California was depriving young girls of athletic opportunities.

Diverse people holding transgender flags

HHS Pulls Funding From California Over Failure To Remove ‘Gender Ideology’ In Sex-Ed Program

California

Department of Health and Human Services

Education

gender ideology

Politics

Social Issues

Two teenagers from Stone Bridge High School (SBHS) in Loudoun County, Virginia, have been punished after the district’s Title IX office determined they had discriminated against a transgender-identifying female by expressing discomfort at her presence in the boys’ locker room.
The Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) suspended the boys, who are both rising juniors, for 10 days based on their statements in a video recorded earlier this year, ABC’s 7News <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/loudoun-county-schools-suspend-boys-students-stone-bridge-high-school-sexual-harassment-female-school-locker-room-discrimination-bathroom-title-ix-investigation-gender-identity-policy-8040-education">reported</a>.
In the <a href="https://youtu.be/H2IPezipUHM?feature=shared">video</a>, which was shot by the trans-identifying female in the boys’ locker room, the two boys can reportedly be heard saying, “There’s a girl in here? … Why is there a girl? … I’m so uncomfortable around a girl. … Female – bruh – get out of here.”
Following a complaint from the trans-identifying student, the LCPS’s Title IX office concluded that the two boys committed sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination, according to their attorney, Josh Hetzler.
Hetzler said the school district notified the boys and their families on Friday.
On top of the 10-day suspensions, the teens are being punished with a no-contact order prohibiting them from communicating with or approaching the transgender-identifying girl. The boys are also required to meet with school administrators to determine a corrective action plan, according to Hetzler.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Although the boys, one of whom has since changed schools, are facing this punishment, the girl, who violated school policy by filming in the locker room, has not faced any repercussions.
A parent of one of the suspended boys told 7News, “[We’re] absolutely floored that they came back and branded my son responsible for sexual harassment and sex based discrimination with no solid evidence whatsoever,” going on to express concern about how these accusations would impact their son’s future.
“We’re talking about scarring him for life by a biased process that’s supposed to protect fairness, but it’s shocking. It’s wrong, and it should terrify every single parent.”
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon discussed the situation on Fox News’s <a href="https://youtu.be/GQbBH6usExM?feature=shared">“The Falkner Focus.”</a> 
“This is kind of the opposite of what we’ve been hearing the most about, which is mainly boys in girls’ locker rooms,” McMahon said. “And that just shows that kids are uncomfortable. This is just common sense. Boys should not be in girls’ sports and vice versa– and in their private places.”
McMahon added that school districts violating the law, which she suggested was the case with LCPS, run the risk of losing federal funding through the Department of Education.
Loudoun County Public Schools has long faced scrutiny over its far-left and occasionally illegal practices to the point that the district <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-asks-feds-to-censor-local-outlet-for-bullying-it-by-reporting-on-its-corruption?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Loudoun+Asks+Feds+To+Censor+Local+Outlet+For+%E2%80%98Bullying%E2%80%99+It+By+Reporting+On+Its+Corruption">attempted</a> to file a gag order on 7News journalist Nick Minock, who has reported on many of the controversies.
The school system is currently facing backlash over its controversial <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/loudoun-county-bathroom-locker-room-policy-school-board-meeting-transgender-nonbinary-education-title-ix-policy-trump-lcps-virginia-education-violation-parents-public-comment-concerns">Policy 8040</a>, which many parents– including those of the recently suspended boys – have criticized as favoring transgender-identifying students’ rights over the privacy of individuals.
The LCPS’s Policy 8040 provides <a href="https://files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4461/Doss/e285948e-f0f4-46b7-8488-124c4027c202/Policy_8040_Frequently_Asked_Questions.pdf?disposition=inline">guidelines</a> to ensure that, among other things, “Students will be allowed to use the [restroom] facility that corresponds to their consistently asserted gender identity.”
The Trump administration’s Department of Education is currently <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-places-five-northern-virginia-school-districts-high-risk-status-and-reimbursement-payment-status-violating-title-ix">threatening</a> to pull federal funding from LCPS after its school board voted to ignore the order to revise its bathroom policies.
“The only trans policy you don’t promote is transparency,” one parent said at a recent school board meeting.

Transgender Symbol and Pencils With The Color of Lgbt Flag

Students Punished For Objecting To Trans-Identifying Girl In Boys’ Locker Room

WASHINGTON—Hundreds of protestors convened in DuPont Circle Saturday to denounce what they called President Donald Trump’s fascist takeover of Washington, D.C.
“What we see happening in front of us with a Trump fascist takeover of D.C. is launching to a whole other league of a Trump fascist takeover of society,” Sam Goldman, one of the event’s organizers, said at the opening rally.
These protestors are seething over Trump’s federalization of the metropolitan police and activation of the National Guard to quell the crime that the president has called “totally out of control.”
One of the rallying cries was against Trump’s use of law enforcement to remove homeless people from encampments in the streets, which the protest organizers have called a “Nazi Cleansing of The Homeless!”
When asked whether Trump had any reason to federalize the city’s police, one middle-aged man at the protest replied, “Abso-fu***ing-lutely not. Not a f***ing reason. The hypocrisy of it all.”
As the protest went on, an older gentleman sitting on a bench said a group that provides free meals to homeless people in DuPont Circle was forced to relocate across the street to accommodate the hundreds of demonstrators in the park. About a dozen homeless men and women gathered to receive meals there across the street from the protestors.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-962315" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250816_150337_012_saved-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_150337_012_saved-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_150337_012_saved-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_150337_012_saved-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_150337_012_saved.jpg 1968w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div>
In the park, an elderly black woman rocked back and forth on a bench near the rally organizer’s stage. A group of young men sat as far from the noisy rally as they could, smoking joints or cigarettes.
DuPont Circle sits squarely on Connecticut Avenue, which runs right into the White House and falls on what is considered to be the “good side” of the nation’s capital. But it’s also where a well-known DOGE employee was recently beaten bloody by about 10 teenagers who wanted the staffer’s vehicle.
Despite events of that nature, the protestors who gathered over the weekend denied that D.C. had a crime problem.
As they gathered and began chanting, D.C. police officers assembled at the outskirts of the park on bicycles and in cruisers. Once the hundreds of protestors began filing down Connecticut Avenue towards the White House, the police ensured that none of the  First Amendment fighters were mowed down by the city’s notoriously bad drivers.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-962323" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250816_162158_017_saved-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_162158_017_saved-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_162158_017_saved-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_162158_017_saved-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_162158_017_saved.jpg 1968w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div>
One of the protestors shouted in the fray that she hated the police, a consistent rallying cry heard throughout the day. Another rally goer humorously commented, “But these ones” — the police escorting the demonstrators towards the White House — “are alright: they’re protesting with us.”
Days before the protest, the D.C. Police Union, which represents roughly 90% of the capital’s officers, endorsed Trump’s move to crack down on crime in the city. The union said it agrees “that crime is spiraling out of control, and immediate action is necessary to restore public safety.”
As the protestors marched down the city streets with the police escorting them and protecting their First Amendment, one man commented that “The rule of law is gone at this point because anything Trump does is against the law and he doesn’t care.”
The protesters themselves did not always match the seriousness of their rhetoric. One protester brandished a baguette, while another held a poster of Princess Leia holding a sub sandwich instead of a gun.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-962317" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250816_160148_006_saved-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_160148_006_saved-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_160148_006_saved-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_160148_006_saved-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_160148_006_saved.jpg 1968w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div>
Both of these rally goers had apparently adopted the weapon of 37-year-old Sean Charles Dunn, a former Justice Department employee who slapped a federal agent across the chest with a sub sandwich while calling them “fascists” and yelling, “F*** you!”
In response to the video of the incident,  Jeanine Pirro, who oversees the federal court for the D.C. area, said, “We’re going to back the police to the hilt, so there, stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else.”
The protestors took a route in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the Washington Monument, where a National Guard convoy was parked. The bicycle police had to restrain the protestors from accosting the guardsmen.
One woman, who lives in Warrenton, Virginia, and came into the city for the protest, said there was no crime problem in D.C. at all.
“I don’t live in D.C. — I live outside — but when I come in, I have never been frightened.
“There’s no emergency here,” the woman, who lives an hour outside D.C., told The Daily Wire. “It’s made up.”
Upon arriving at the White House fence, the protesters continued to shout and blow their whistles.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-962319" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250816_161825_001_saved-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_161825_001_saved-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_161825_001_saved-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_161825_001_saved-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_161825_001_saved.jpg 1968w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div>
After the protest began to disband, this reporter went to find some water and had to step around a homeless man sleeping in front of a Peet’s Coffee across the street from the White House.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-962321" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250816_165855_002_saved-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_165855_002_saved-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_165855_002_saved-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_165855_002_saved-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/20250816_165855_002_saved.jpg 1968w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div>

D.C. Protest

The People Protesting Trump’s D.C. Takeover Don’t Seem To Know What’s Going On

Crime

Donald Trump

Homelessness

Protest

Washington D.C.

The Texas Democrat representatives who fled the Lone Star State to stop a mid-decade redistricting are returning, according to an announcement by the caucus. This will allow the state to conclude its drawn-out attempt to reshape the 2026 congressional map.
&#8220;We killed the corrupt special session, withstood unprecedented surveillance and intimidation, and rallied Democrats nationwide to join this existential fight for fair representation– reshaping the entire 2026 landscape,&#8221; said state Representative Gene Wu, who leads Democrats in the Texas House, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/18/politics/texas-california-redistricting-fight">CNN</a>.
&#8220;We&#8217;re returning to Texas more dangerous to Republicans&#8217; plans than when we left,&#8221; Wu continued. &#8220;Our return allows us to build the legal record necessary to defeat this racist map in court, take our message to communities across the state and country, and inspire legislators across the country how to fight these undemocratic redistricting schemes in their own statehouses.&#8221;
The Texas Democratic legislators chose to leave the state rather than voting in the special session that was called for the redistricting vote, which expired Friday. After it expired, Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) promptly called a second special session to finish the redistricting effort.
In a <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1956382209876869610">statement</a> on X announcing the second special session, Abbott said, &#8220;There is critical work that is left undone. Texas will not back down from this fight. That&#8217;s why I am calling them back today to finish the job.&#8221;
The Texas House of Representatives convened at 12 p.m. CT Monday, which enabled the legislature to continue with the special session. The new congressional map could made official by as soon as the end of the week.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
The Texas lawmakers who fled the state have been hiding out in notoriously-gerrymandered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-dems-cant-win-redistricting-fight-so-they-bravely-turn-tail-and-flee-the-state">Illinois</a> since August 4 while facing threats of fines and arrest for neglecting their duties from the Texas governor.
Abbott threatened to arrest the lawmakers at the start of the quorum break. &#8220;Once they step back into the state, they will be arrested and brought back to the Capitol and we will be conducting business,&#8221; Abbott told Fox News host Laura Ingraham at the time.
Soon after that, Abbott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-to-awol-texas-democrats-respect-voters-or-be-removed?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Abbott+To+AWOL+Texas+Democrats%3A+Respect+Voters+Or+Be+Removed">revealed</a> plans to remove the representatives from office. Abbott said that the actions of the Democrats amounted to &#8220;an abandonment or forfeiture of an elected state office&#8221; and that Texas law empowered him to fill the vacancies.
On top of these threats by the state&#8217;s Republican governor, the AWOL Democrats were being slapped with a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ken-paxton-seeks-to-put-democrat-beto-orourke-behind-bars-over-fundraising-for-awol-dems?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Ken+Paxton+Seeks+To+Put+Democrat+Beto+O%E2%80%99Rourke+%E2%80%98Behind+Bars%E2%80%99+Over+Fundraising+For+AWOL+Dems">$500-per-day fine</a> while they missed the special session, which also aimed at lowering property taxes, addressing state education benchmarks, and resolving issues that arose after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-tours-texas-flood-zone-as-death-toll-reaches-121?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Tours+Texas+Flood+Zone+As+Death+Toll+Reaches+121">July 4 floods</a> that rocked the state.
It is unclear what steps Governor Abbott will take against the representatives who fled the state as they return for the second special session.
The redistricting battle in Texas has since spilled over into blue states like New York and California, with Democratic state governors threatening to gerrymander their congressional districts to combat Texas&#8217; move.
California Governor Gavin Newsom notably responded to the controversy of Texas lawmakers fleeing the state by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-threatens-retaliation-says-texas-redistricting-will-trigger-new-california-election-maps">saying</a>, &#8220;[The Republicans] triggered this response and we&#8217;re not going to roll over and we&#8217;re going to fight fire with fire, but we&#8217;re going to do so not just punching with the weight of the fourth largest economy, the most populous state in our union.&#8221;
&#8220;We also will punch above our weight in terms of the impact of what we&#8217;re doing, and I think that should be absorbed by those in the Texas delegation,&#8221; Newsom continued. &#8220;Whatever they are doing will be neutered here in the state of California, and they will pay that price.&#8221;

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 3

Texas Dems Submit To Redistricting Vote After Two Weeks AWOL

Democrats

Elections

Greg Abbott

Minnesota Representative and Democratic Senate candidate Angie Craig condemned President Donald Trump&#8217;s crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C., although she once swore to put a man who assaulted her in her D.C. apartment behind bars.
Referring to Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-hell-push-for-long-term-extensions-of-d-c-federal-takeover?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+He%E2%80%99ll+Push+For+%E2%80%98Long-Term+Extensions%E2%80%99+Of+D.C.+Federal+Takeover" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deployment</a> of the National Guard to the nation&#8217;s capital, Craig <a href="https://x.com/RepAngieCraig/status/1955428012289065257" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X Tuesday that &#8220;President Trump&#8217;s actions are totally unjustified and a waste of taxpayer dollars.&#8221;
But Craig was not opposed to cleaning up the city streets when she was assaulted in an elevator of her own apartment complex by a homeless man who was reportedly acting like he was on drugs.
In February 2023, Craig reported seeing a man, who was later identified as 26-year-old Kendrick Hamlin, in the lobby area of her apartment building &#8220;acting erratic,&#8221; as if he was under the influence of an unknown substance, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-release-photo-of-suspect-in-assault-of-house-democrat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The congresswoman told police that after she told Hamlin &#8220;good morning,&#8221; he followed her into the elevator and &#8220;began to randomly do push ups.&#8221; Craig told police that he then punched her on the chin area of her face, and later grabbed her neck.
After defending herself, Craig escaped with no major injuries and called for the man to be brought to justice.
Hamlin was soon arrested, although he <a href="https://x.com/CBSMornings/status/1625484488695328769" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assaulted</a> the two officers who apprehended him. It then came out that Craig was Hamlin&#8217;s &#8220;assault number 13&#8221; on the repeat offender&#8217;s record, which made Craig promise &#8220;to do everything in my power to make sure there is not a 14, a 15, a 20.&#8221;
Hamlin is serving a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/district-man-sentenced-prison-assaulting-member-congress-and-two-police-officers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">27-month sentence</a> on assault charges.
According to Craig, what bothered her was that Hamlin had previously attacked 12 people and had never served more than 30 days in jail.
While announcing her Senate bid for the 2026 election year, Craig said in an <a href="https://www.audacy.com/podcast/the-morning-news-with-vineeta-sawkar-2e837/episodes/angie-craig-on-the-biggest-factor-for-voters-to-support-her-us-senate-run-i-dont-hesitate-to-talk-to-anyone-i-can-sit-down-and-talk-to-family-farmers-or-any-worker-a8440?action=AUTOPLAY_FULL&amp;actionContentId=201-91d55cea-ecaa-4019-ad02-ef5a851fa7f7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that her harrowing experience just two years prior was &#8220;a pivotal moment in my life&#8221; and that &#8220;it took about six months to build up the mental health strength … to be able to evaluate whether I was going to move forward or not.&#8221;
Craig continued by saying that &#8220;Understanding that the man who assaulted me was homeless and was an addict and that we failed him as a country — all of those things can be true at the same time– in addition to [the fact that] I was his thirteenth count of assault.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s hypocritical and shameful for Congresswoman Craig, a DC crime victim who experienced a traumatic assault, to oppose efforts to ensure what happened to her doesn&#8217;t happen to anyone else,&#8221; National Republican Senate Committee Press Secretary Nick Puglia said in a statement to The Daily Wire. &#8220;All Americans deserve to be safe, regardless of their job title, but Craig claims efforts to make the nation&#8217;s capital safe are &#8216;unjustified.'&#8221;
Although many Democrats have criticized Trump&#8217;s move to crack down on crime in the nation&#8217;s capital, the president is swiftly moving forward with plans to extend his takeover of the city by calling on Congress to pass a resolution enabling him to do so.
&#8220;We think the Democrats will not do anything to stop crime, but we think the Republicans will do it almost unanimously,&#8221; Trump said.

Nancy Pelosi Speaks On Legislation To Protect Access To Contraception

This Congresswoman Called Trump’s Crime Crackdown ‘Unjustified.’ She’s Been Assaulted In DC.

Assault

President Trump

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced new facilities to support Alligator Alcatraz, called the Deportation Depot.
&#8220;We&#8217;re taking yet another step in supporting the important mission that President Trump was elected to implement of securing the border, enforcing immigration laws, and removing illegal aliens who are in our society now and sending them back to their home country,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1955981567320580574" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at a press conference.
The new facility will be based in the Baker Correctional Institution in Baker County, a men&#8217;s state prison located 45 miles west of Jacksonville. The Deportation Depot is projected to be able to house between 1,300 and 2,000 individuals.
DeSantis claimed in the press conference that the Department of Homeland Security would be reimbursing the state for the cost of operating the facility.
The Florida governor touted the new facility&#8217;s infrastructure, saying that a large part of the prison was not in use &#8220;for any correctional purposes&#8221; and could be easily converted to house those facing deportation.
DeSantis also noted that a nearby airport would enable Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to speedily deport illegal aliens from the Deportation Depot, although it was not as convenient as the runway directly on the property of Alligator Alcatraz in South Florida.
Alligator Alcatraz, which has been in operation since mid-June, has seen both controversy and success in its time in operation. Although it faces protests by environmental activists and anti-ICE demonstrators, the facility is deporting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hundreds-of-illegal-aliens-deported-in-first-flights-from-alligator-alcatraz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds of illegal aliens</a>, according to DeSantis.
&#8220;This is a priority for the people of our state. It&#8217;s a priority for the people of this country and I don&#8217;t want to see any more Angel Moms,&#8221; DeSantis said, referring in particular to mothers whose children are killed by illegal aliens.
The Deportation Depot is the third facility of its kind, joining Alligator Alcatraz and the Speedway Slammer, which the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alligator-alcatraz-has-some-new-competition-the-speedway-slammer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> will be operated in a partnership with the state of Indiana.
DeSantis&#8217;s announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to rack up wins against sanctuary cities and human traffickers.
On Wednesday, two immigrants from Mexico were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/couple-convicted-for-harboring-illegal-aliens-at-texas-bakery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> by a Texas jury of harboring illegal aliens at their bakery near the southern border, which a federal investigator said &#8220;not only [violated] federal immigration laws but also [exploits] vulnerable individuals for profit.&#8221;
The Trump administration also filed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-guns-for-nyc-in-lawsuit-over-sanctuary-city-status" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuits</a> over the past few months against New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago in an effort to legally force the cities to collaborate with federal officials to apprehend, detain, and deport illegal aliens. A federal court has since dropped the Department of Justice’s case against Chicago due to a lack of standing on the federal government’s part.
President Trump&#8217;s legal action is still having some effect. Some cities, such as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-effect-d-c-police-break-from-sanctuary-city-policies-will-cooperate-with-ice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C</a>., and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blue-city-abandons-sanctuary-city-policy-after-warning-from-trump-administration?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Blue+City+Abandons+%E2%80%98Sanctuary+City%E2%80%99+Policy+After+Warning+From+Trump+Administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisville</a>, Kentucky, have abandoned &#8211; or are taking steps to move away from &#8211; city policies that favor illegal immigrants over federal law enforcement personnel.

Governor DeSantis Hold News Conference On Border Security

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ 3.0: Florida Announces New Deportation Facility

Alligator

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Ron DeSantis

The Trump Administration announced opposition to a United Nations (UN) proposal to institute a tax on shipping industries to reduce carbon emissions. The announcement also included a threat to countries that support the proposal.
In a joint <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/08/joint-statement-on-protecting-american-consumers-and-shipping-industries-by-defeating-the-international-maritime-organizations-net-zero-framework-aka-global-carbon-tax/">statement</a> by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the administration condemned the &#8220;Net-Zero Framework&#8221; <a href="https://www.imo.org/en/mediacentre/pressbriefings/pages/imo-approves-netzero-regulations.aspx">approved</a> by a committee of the UN&#8217;s International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April.
The proposed amendment aims at setting a new standard of carbon emissions for ships as well as instituting a &#8220;global pricing mechanism&#8221; for all emissions. It will officially be voted on in October and, if passed, will go into effect in 2027.
The proposed framework will enforce the IMO&#8217;s new standards by applying a punitive fee on ships emitting above thresholds while financially rewarding those whose emissions fall within the standards. 
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-7394">End of Summer Sale &#8211; Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
The statement released by the Trump administration condemned this proposed amendment, arguing that it will &#8220;directly [drive] up costs for American consumers.&#8221;
&#8220;Whatever its stated goals, the proposed framework is effectively a global carbon tax on Americans levied by an unaccountable UN organization,&#8221; the statement released by the Trump administration reads. &#8220;Under this framework, ships will have to pay fees for failing to meet unattainable fuel standards and emissions targets. These fees will drive up energy and transportation and leisure cruise costs.&#8221;
&#8220;The Trump Administration unequivocally rejects this proposal before the IMO and will not tolerate any action that increases costs for our citizens, energy providers, shipping companies and their customers, or tourists,&#8221; the statement says.
The secretaries concluded by stating that the U.S. expects the other IMO members to agree to oppose the amendment, or the U.S. will &#8220;not hesitate to retaliate or explore remedies for our citizens should this endeavor fail.&#8221;
In a <a href="https://x.com/howardlutnick/status/1955417944634052631">post</a> rebuking the proposed international carbon tax, Secretary of Commerce Lutnick said, &#8220;America is setting the terms on how our products are going to market. We have every right to refuse their &#8216;net-zero framework,&#8217; which would be a tax on every shipment of American goods.&#8221;
&#8220;International bureaucrats can take their [woke] climate nonsense elsewhere,&#8221; Lutnick concluded. 
This move to lessen the United Nations&#8217; involvement in U.S. energy production and regulation comes as part of a larger push by the Trump administration to &#8220;unleash American energy&#8221; by purging the energy sector of foreign influence and beginning massive deregulation attempts.
Notably, on his first day in office, President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-numerous-executive-orders-undoing-biden-era-policies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrew</a> the United States from the Paris Climate Accords, which he said would save the country over a trillion dollars. The Paris Climate Accords set an increasing standard for member countries to reach and encouraged developed nations like the United States to pay for less developed nations to adopt more climate-sensitive measures.
Domestically, Trump&#8217;s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/epa-announces-plan-to-throw-out-obama-era-climate-restrictions?author=Sam+Korkus&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EPA+Announces+Plan+To+Throw+Out+Obama-Era+Climate+Restrictions">moving</a> to undo Obama-era climate restrictions to deregulate the automotive and other manufacturing industries. If this deregulation goes into effect, it would remove an estimated $1 trillion of hidden taxes on American businesses and families, according to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

UN Flag

Trump Administration Rejects UN Global Carbon Tax, Threatens Retaliation

An illegal alien in South Dakota was arrested while allegedly transporting roughly $12 million in methamphetamine, which is the largest single seizure of the illicit drug in the state&#8217;s history, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/11/us-news/south-dakota-cops-seize-12m-of-crystal-meth-from-illegal-migrant/">reported</a>.
South Dakota Republican Governor Larry Rhoden announced the seizure in a press release Monday, which he said was part of the state&#8217;s Operation: Prairie Thunder – an expansive <a href="https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&amp;sys_id=0705be0d478b2250237fbd51026d43eb">campaign</a> announced late July aimed at interdicting drugs, investigating gang activity, holding parole absconders accountable, and deterring lawlessness.
The unidentified foreign national, 42, was pulled over by South Dakota Highway Patrol Officers during a traffic stop when a service dog alerted the officers to possible narcotics. His vehicle was searched by officers before he was subsequently arrested and charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor related to the manufacturing, possession, and distribution of narcotics and drug paraphernalia. 
Governor Rhoden issued a <a href="https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&amp;sys_id=7d6b772d1bdfa2106cbca93be54bcb05">statement</a> about the massive drug bust, which totaled roughly 207 pounds of crystal meth. Rhoden boasted about the performance of his administration and of state law enforcement officers.
&#8220;We are taking action to protect the people of South Dakota from criminals and drug traffickers. Our Highway Patrol showed incredible professionalism in achieving this record drug bust,&#8221; Rhoden said. &#8220;I promised that my administration would keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free – and we will continue to deliver on that promise through Operation: Prairie Thunder.&#8221;
Operation: Prairie Thunder is particularly focused on apprehending illegal aliens in compliance with federal law enforcement officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is in direct opposition to sanctuary city policies prevalent in blue cities.
Governor Rhoden said at the launch of the operation that &#8220;Our work alongside ICE boils down to this: Highway Patrol will support ICE with arrests. The National Guard will support ICE with processing and administrative functions. And [the Department of Corrections] will support ICE with transportation, identifying illegal immigrants in our prisons, and getting them paroled to ICE custody.&#8221;
The illegal immigrant, whose nationality is unidentified, is &#8220;now in immigration proceedings,&#8221; according to the press release. 
This comes on the heels of President Donald Trump&#8217;s push for more accountability for the trafficking of dangerous narcotics into the country by declaring a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/">national emergency</a> at the northern border and continuing to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/border-wall-supplies-sold-off-by-biden-to-be-returned-to-trump-admin?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Border+Wall+Supplies+Sold+Off+By+Biden+To+Be+Returned+To+Trump+Admin">build and reinforce</a> the southern border wall.
At the same time as the Trump administration pushes for more accountability for drug traffickers, it is also focusing its energy on combating sanctuary city policies in blue cities across the country.
Unlike South Dakota&#8217;s Operation: Prairie Thunder, which complies with federal officials, New York City&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-guns-for-nyc-in-lawsuit-over-sanctuary-city-status?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+Guns+For+NYC+In+Lawsuit+Over+Sanctuary+City+Status">sanctuary city</a> policies are facing a challenge from the Justice Department.
In a lawsuit filed late last month, the DOJ alleges that parts of New York&#8217;s law &#8220;impair federal detention of removable aliens, including dangerous criminals, contrary to federal law,&#8221; which is contrary to the supremacy clause of the Constitution.
New York City is the latest in a string of major American cities that have been hit with lawsuits over sanctuary city policies. After the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-mayor-declares-victory-as-troops-move-out-but-pete-hegseth-has-last-word?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=L.A.+Mayor+Declares+Victory+As+Troops+Move+Out%2C+But+Pete+Hegseth+Has+Last+Word">destructive riots</a> in Los Angeles, the Trump administration sued the city. In February, the administration filed a lawsuit against Chicago, which has since been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-chicago-sanctuary-law-trump-administration-6a2bef0fad3a50f045adc8be11f222e1">dismissed</a> on the basis of lack of standing by the federal government.

MEXICO-DRUGS-CLANDESTINE-LABORATORY

Illegal Immigrant Nabbed in $12M Meth Bust, Largest In South Dakota History

Illegal Alien Caught With $12M Of Crystal Meth, Largest Bust In South Dakota History

A group of ex-national security officials is protesting the Trump administration&#8217;s recent removal of high-level intelligence officers as &#8220;a purge.&#8221;
In an <a href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-170534145">open letter</a> published Saturday, the group, which calls itself &#8220;The Steady State,&#8221; condemned the Trump administration&#8217;s decision to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-former-acting-fbi-director-who-stonewalled-admin-over-j6">fire three FBI officials</a>: former Acting Director Brian Driscoll and Special Agents Walter Giardina and Michael Feinberg. The signatories said the removal of these agents appeared &#8220;part of a broader campaign to dismantle the FBI&#8217;s long-standing independence and recast it as a tool of political loyalty.&#8221;
The letter continued by denouncing the move as &#8220;a purge&#8221; of officials whose views expressed &#8220;perceived personal disloyalty to former President Donald Trump.&#8221;
<a href="https://thesteadystate.org/about-us/">The Steady State</a> is a group of hundreds of former intelligence, defense policy, diplomacy, law enforcement, and Congressional workers that claims to be nonpartisan, although recent statements by the group&#8217;s Executive Director, Steven Cash, show an anti-Trump lean.
Speaking about the recent revelations about the Trump-Russia collusion allegations, Cash said in an <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/former-prosecutor-questions-legitimacy-of-bondis-russia-probe">interview</a> that, &#8220;A lot of documents have been released, but it doesn&#8217;t appear to be anything there that makes sense.&#8221; Cash continued by calling the renewal of the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to uncover the truth about the Russiagate conspiracy evidence of  &#8220;a democracy sliding into an autocracy.&#8221;
Critics have called the removal of Driscoll, Giardina, and Feinberg politically motivated. Although no official reason has been released, analysts have pointed out that these officials may have acted against the commands of the Commander in Chief, among other things.
According to MSNBC&#8217;s Ken Dilanian, Driscoll&#8217;s ouster was directly related to his <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/2/brian-driscoll-acting-fbi-director-thin-ice-refusi/">refusal to carry out an order</a> from then Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove to compile a list of all agents involved in investigating cases related to January 6th.
Similarly, analysts have connected Giardina&#8217;s firing to his involvement in the investigation of former Trump trade official Peter Navarro, who Trump often <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-china-hawk-peter-navarro-as-senior-counselor-for-trade-manufacturing?author=Ryan+Saavedra&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Taps+China+Hawk+Peter+Navarro+As+Senior+Counselor+For+Trade%2C+Manufacturing">said</a> was &#8220;treated horribly by the Deep State.&#8221;
Feinberg retired, he <a href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawfare-daily--michael-feinberg-on-leaving-the-fbi">claimed</a>, at the threat of the Trump administration, which was probing his relationship with Peter Strzok, the lead FBI agent who investigated President Trump&#8217;s connection with Russia before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/theres-nothing-to-this-but-we-have-to-run-it-to-the-ground-anti-trump-fbi-agent-strzok-said-durham">revelations</a> of extreme anti-Trump rhetoric with subordinates.
The current director of the FBI, Kash Patel, wrote a letter to Giardina explaining his firing.
&#8220;This document provides official notice that you are being summarily dismissed from your position at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and removed from the federal service, under my authority as the FBI Director, effective immediately,&#8221; Patel <a href="https://www-foxnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-government-officials-pen-letter-blasting-kash-patels-fbi-purge.amp?amp_gsa=1&amp;amp_js_v=a9&amp;usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&amp;aoh=17548793731452&amp;csi=0&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp;ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fex-government-officials-pen-letter-blasting-kash-patels-fbi-purge">wrote</a>. &#8220;You have exercised poor judgment and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of the government.&#8221;
The Steady State&#8217;s letter also singled out Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, who they claim are &#8220;unqualified political loyalists.&#8221;
Referring to Bongino and Patel&#8217;s appointments, The Steady State said, &#8220;The aim, it seems, is to transform the FBI from a respected, constitutionally grounded investigative service into a personal enforcement arm of a political figure.&#8221;

Kash Patel

Ex-National Security Officials Take Aim At Patel, Bongino Over Removal Of Former Acting FBI Director

Snubbed Ex-National Security Group Pens Letter Decrying Removal Of Former Acting FBI Director

Two groups, one linked to former Democrat Texas State Representative Robert &#8220;Beto&#8221; O&#8217;Rourke and another funded by George Soros, are supporting the truant Democratic lawmakers as Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and other GOP members <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-moves-to-oust-democrat-who-led-texas-walkout-stunt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">redouble</a> their efforts to push through a new congressional map.
The more than 50 Texas House Democrats who fled the state Sunday are facing a mounting fine of $500 for every day they miss the special session, on top of the cost of travel on a private CommuteAir plane, food, and lodging in Democratic strongholds like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-bad-look-even-chuck-todd-gets-irony-of-texas-dems-fleeing-to-illinois-to-protest-redistricting">Illinois</a>.
For many of the absent Democrats, their $7,200 salary is not enough to cover the penalty and expenses. As a result, O&#8217;Rourke&#8217;s PAC &#8220;Powered by People&#8221; is footing many of those bills, The Texas Tribune <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/05/texas-democrats-quorum-break-beto-orourke-illinois-funding/">reported</a>. 
O&#8217;Rourke&#8217;s PAC, which is worth roughly $3.5 million, began setting aside cash from the moment that it came out that Texas Republicans were meeting to discuss a possible mid-decade redistricting effort. Currently, 100% of the donations to O&#8217;Rourke&#8217;s PAC go toward paying off those bills.
The failed Democratic presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial candidate <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article311582235.html">travelled</a> to a few other states in recent months, hoping to build up support for an anti-Trump movement and gather donations for his PAC. 
At a rally in Kansas City, O&#8217;Rourke said, &#8220;In the last six months, since he was sworn into office, the current president of the United States … has sought at every turn to dismantle this democracy.&#8221; O&#8217;Rourke continued by warning that the MAGA movement &#8220;[would] go on steroids after the 2026 election if we fail to stop them now.&#8221;
O&#8217;Rourke&#8217;s group is not the only local Democratic committee hoping to maintain the decamping lawmakers. Texas Majority PAC, a group heavily funded by Democratic megadonor George Soros, is coordinating a national fundraising campaign to fund the cause, two people with knowledge of the internal dynamics told The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Majority PAC recently launched a new initiative called &#8220;Blue Texas,&#8221; which aims to transfer seats from Texas GOP members to Democratic candidates through volunteer efforts and fresh, new candidates, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dems-backed-by-soros-launch-huge-new-initiative-to-turn-texas-blue?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dems+Backed+By+Soros+Launch+Huge+New+Initiative+To+Turn+Texas+Blue">reported</a>. Funding the absconding of these Democratic lawmakers appears to be in line with that mission. 
These efforts by Soros and O&#8217;Rourke come as Abbott and other GOP members continue to issue threats against the absent lawmakers, trying to get a few to return to meet the quorum requirements of 100 representatives. Since more than 50 of the state&#8217;s 150 representatives are absent, the vote cannot continue.
In a lawsuit aimed at forcing the representatives to return to the vote, or face possible arrest, Abbott wrote, &#8220;What is at stake here? Nothing less than the future of Texas. If a small fraction of recalcitrant lawmakers choose to run out the clock today, they can do so for any, and every, Regular or Special Session, potentially bankrupting the State in an attempt to get their way.&#8221;
The suit added that, &#8220;If representatives are free not to show up whenever they choose, then Texans simply do not have a representative government. In fact, they don&#8217;t have a functioning government at all. This Court should make clear that a legislator who does not wish to perform his duties will be stripped of them.&#8221;
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) also asked for the FBI&#8217;s assistance in locating &#8220;the out-of-state Texas legislators who are potentially acting in violation of the law&#8221; in a Tuesday letter, citing potential bribery charges, the outlet reported.
President Trump weighed in on Tuesday, saying that Republicans &#8220;are entitled to five more seats.&#8221; 
​​&#8221;We have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas,&#8221; Trump told CNBC. &#8220;I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats.&#8221;

Beto O’Rourke Speaks At The Cambridge Union

Beto O’Rourke’s PAC Bankrolls Texas Democrats’ Escape from Redistricting Standoff

Soros, O'Rourke Groups Are Paying For Texas Democrats' Flight From Redistricting Vote

President Donald Trump clarified details about the new trade deals with the European Union (EU) and China in an interview on Tuesday, including floating the possibility of 35% tariffs on EU goods and stating that he intends to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Goods from the EU <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-art-of-the-trade-deal-here-are-the-countries-that-have-reached-agreements-with-america">initially</a> faced 30% tariffs under Trump&#8217;s Liberation Day tariff plan, but – after reaching an agreement in late July – an agreement was made for 15% on exports such as vehicles and medicine, among other products.
Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1952733095259472349">explained</a> on CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk Box&#8221; that EU exports would be slapped with 35% tariffs if the Union did not follow through with the terms of the agreement. Critics have objected to the trade deal, which they say lacked the &#8220;teeth&#8221; to enforce the agreement.
Included in the trade agreement, the European Union committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy from the United States and investing an additional $600 billion in the U.S. economy. Trump added that &#8220;They gave me $600 billion and that&#8217;s a gift. … They gave us $600 billion that we can invest in anything we want.&#8221;
Trump also floated plans to re-shore <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/05/trump-says-pharma-tariffs-could-eventually-reach-up-to-250percent.html">pharmaceutical</a> manufacturing from countries like China and Ireland to the United States by increasing tariff rates to 250% over a few years, which is one of the most dramatic moves to address the lack of domestic production of necessary medicines. 
Trump&#8217;s deal with the EU is still in the final stages of completion. On Tuesday, the EU announced that it would be suspending its retaliatory tariffs in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/e-u-to-suspend-retaliatory-tariff-on-u-s-for-six-months-as-massive-trade-deal-is-finalized?author=Reuters&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=E.U.+To+Suspend+Retaliatory+Tariff+On+U.S.+For+Six+Months+As+Massive+Trade+Deal+Is+Finalized">statement</a>.
A spokesperson said, &#8220;The EU continues to work with the U.S. to finalize a Joint Statement, as agreed on 27 July. … With these objectives in mind, the Commission will take the necessary steps to suspend by 6 months the EU&#8217;s countermeasures against the U.S., which were due to enter into force on 7 August.&#8221;
The president also clarified his plans to meet with Chinese President Xi. He said he intends to meet with Xi only after China and the US agree on the terms of a trade deal.
&#8220;I&#8217;ll end up having a meeting before the end of the year, most likely, if we make a deal,&#8221; Trump said in the interview. &#8220;But we&#8217;re getting very close to a deal. We&#8217;re getting along with China very well.&#8221;
Many questions arose about Trump&#8217;s plans to finalize the deal with China after multiple news outlets <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-xi-aides-discussed-autumn-us-china-leaders-meeting-sources-say-2025-07-20/">reported</a> that Trump was pushing for a meeting with Xi. Trump insisted on TruthSocial and in interviews that he had no plans to reach out to Xi for a meeting because, as he said, &#8220;China is very reliant on the United States.&#8221;
Although Trump continues to move around the deadlines for other countries to reach a trade deal, consumer sentiment continues to increase, according to a report by the University of Michigan, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/consumer-confidence-climbs-as-trump-pushes-ahead-with-tariffs?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Consumer+Confidence+Climbs+As+Trump+Pushes+Ahead+With+Tariffs">reported</a>.
&#8220;Perceptions of this month&#8217;s economic developments were similar across the political spectrum; Republicans, Independents, and Democrats all saw some minor increases in sentiment this month,&#8221; the University of Michigan stated.
Trump&#8217;s tariff rollout, which lays a baseline of 10% on all countries with a trade deficit with the U.S. and a varying percentage on others that have struck a deal, will go into effect on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-drops-new-tariff-plan-on-eve-of-trumps-trade-deadline?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Drops+New+Tariff+Plan+On+Eve+Of+Trump%E2%80%99s+Trade+Deadline">August 7</a>.

Menu

Sam Korkus