Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) forced a witness for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) into an uncomfortable corner during a Tuesday hearing, pressing him on Maine&#8217;s Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner and the Nazi-inspired tattoo about which he&#8217;d claimed ignorance.
Gill pressed Bryan Fair, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the SPLC, on Platner&#8217;s tattoo and whether the organization would condemn it.
WATCH:
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Credit: x: @RepBrandonGill
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&#8220;Do you have an opinion on this tattoo?&#8221; Gill began, holding up a photo of Platner&#8217;s chest with the Totenkopf clearly visible.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not an expert on tattoos, no I don&#8217;t,&#8221; Fair replied.
Gill offered some &#8220;background&#8221; information on the displayed image, saying, &#8220;This is a tattoo on Maine Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner&#8217;s chest — that&#8217;s the Nazi SS death head tattoo. Do you have any opinions on that?&#8221;
&#8220;If it&#8217;s what you say, if it&#8217;s a Nazi symbol, we oppose Nazis,&#8221; Fair replied.
&#8220;I agree, we do oppose Nazis,&#8221; Gill said. &#8220;Do you think that if somebody got a Nazi tattoo on their chest that&#8217;s indicative that they might be a Nazi?&#8221;
Fair attempted to evade the question, suggesting that Gill should ask Platner why he&#8217;d gotten the tattoo. Platner has claimed that he did not know the tattoo had Nazi connections until recently, but several people who have been close to him have said that he was well aware of the connections and referred to the ink as &#8220;my Totenkopf.&#8221;
&#8220;You don’t think that that&#8217;s indicative that perhaps he holds Nazi sentiment?&#8221; Gill tried a different tack.
Fair acknowledged, &#8220;It may well be.&#8221;
&#8220;Do people that aren’t Nazis normally get Nazi tattoos on their chest?&#8221; Gill asked one more question.
&#8220;I assume they don’t,&#8221; was Fair&#8217;s reply.
&#8220;Do you think that somebody that has a Nazi tattoo on their chest should service in the United States Senate?&#8221;
&#8220;I wouldn’t vote for that person,&#8221; Fair conceded.
Gill pressed again: &#8220;Do you think that this should disqualify him from serving politically in the Senate?&#8221;
&#8220;I’m not sure where the lines of questions are going,&#8221; Fair protested, repeating that the SPLC as an organization would not support Nazis.
Platner is likely to become Maine&#8217;s official Democrat nominee for Senate after Tuesday&#8217;s primary — especially since Governor Janet Mills (D-ME) suspended her campaign more than five weeks earlier due to a lack of funding — despite a series of damning reports detailing his troubling behavior in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-platner-staffer-calls-bs-on-dems-excuse-for-nazi-tattoo-troubling-behavior">past relationships</a> and social media posts attacking a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/didnt-deserve-to-live-leftist-candidate-appears-to-mock-wounded-soldier-in-resurfaced-post">Purple Heart</a> recipient, among other things.

Former US Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies Before House Judiciary Committee

Brandon Gill Corners SPLC Witness Over Platner’s Nazi Tattoo

Brandon Gill

graham platner

nazi tattoo

Politics

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has brought in a veteran crisis communicator to handle public scrutiny over his ties to disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and any future dealings with the Senate Ethics Committee.
The communicator in question is Andrew Bates, who most recently handled crisis communications for former President Joe Biden as he weathered the final days of his ill-fated 2024 re-election campaign and the end of his term in the White House.
According to a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/09/democrats-ruben-gallego-eric-swalwell-biden-andrew-bates?utm_campaign=mrf-utm_campaign=editorial&amp;utm_source=x&amp;utm_medium=owned_social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;mrfcid=202606096a1d03c13e6f3e29b07150c1">report</a> published Tuesday by Axios, some in Gallego&#8217;s camp feel they&#8217;re being sidelined to make room for the Biden alum.
&#8220;Senator Gallego has been clear that he plans to help Democrats take the majority in 2026 and is weighing all options for his political future. He has brought on Andrew to help navigate those processes,&#8221; a spokesperson for Gallego told the outlet.
What Gallego&#8217;s team did not say was that the senator has been under increased scrutiny since several women came forward with accusations of sexual misconduct and even rape against Swalwell. Gallego has repeatedly claimed that he had no knowledge of Swalwell&#8217;s alleged behavior — despite the fact that the former California congressman was a longtime close friend and former roommate.
An experienced crisis communicator may be necessary if Gallego is to survive the fallout — and Bates&#8217; work for the Biden White House certainly speaks to that.
When even the Democratic leaders in Congress — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), among others — were approaching the White House and calling for Biden to bow out of the 2024 race, Bates was telling reporters that it wasn&#8217;t going to happen.
&#8220;The president told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100-days agenda to help working families,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/us/politics/biden-election-drop-out.html">Bates said</a>, just a few days before Biden announced that he would not continue his presidential re-election campaign.
On July 18, Bates posted an ABC News article citing an unnamed White House official who declared Biden&#8217;s plan to remain in the race.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Flatly denied reports that the president is now more open to the idea of ending his campaign.
‘Anyone who has talked to Joe Biden in the last 24 hours can tell you that is not true,’ [said] the senior White House official, who has spoken to Biden today”<a href="https://t.co/oCbBCvfciW">https://t.co/oCbBCvfciW</a>
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewBatesNC/status/1814028972809683025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Keep the faith,&#8221; Bates posted on July 20 — along with an article about Biden&#8217;s plans to hit the campaign trail in the coming days.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Keep the faith.
“1 big thing: Biden digs in”
“Biden officials are telling Democratic critics that President Biden is eager to prove them wrong — and plans to hit the campaign trail once he recovers from COVID” <a href="https://t.co/fIrxXSsrXv">https://t.co/fIrxXSsrXv</a>
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewBatesNC/status/1814663860525097305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Just over 24 hours later, Biden would exit the race.
And by late February of 2025, Bates — who had defended Biden to the final hours of both his campaign and his presidency — was on MS NOW claiming that President Donald Trump might not have the &#8220;energy&#8221; to do the job well.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://x.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a>: &#8220;Former Biden spokesperson suggests Trump might not have the &#8216;energy&#8217; to do the job, &#8216;desperate to show that he&#8217;s in charge'&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/ML0U5uB91v">https://t.co/ML0U5uB91v</a>
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewBatesNC/status/1893730118528278608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act

Swalwell’s BFF Brings Back Infamous Biden Lackey To Manage Crisis Response

Swalwell's BFF Brings Back Infamous Biden Lackey To Manage Crisis Response

Eric Swalwell

Joe Biden

Media

Daily Wire host Michael Knowles had to explain what &#8220;Two-Spirit&#8221; meant to a gay commentator during a live television broadcast.
Knowles, during an appearance on &#8220;Piers Morgan Uncensored,&#8221; debated gay commentator James Barr over LGBTQ Pride Month — and the conversation came to a screeching halt when Morgan discovered that Barr didn&#8217;t even fully understand all the letters in the latest iteration of the acronym: LGBTQIA2SL+.
WATCH:
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&nbsp;
&#8220;It’s LGBTQ+,&#8221; Barr said, but Morgan quickly pushed back.
&#8220;No, it’s LGBTQIA2SL+,&#8221; the host pointed out.
&#8220;Right, sure,&#8221; Barr agreed.
&#8220;What does any of that mean?&#8221; Morgan asked.
&#8220;Are you now going to test me on what that is?&#8221; Barr asked.
&#8220;Because I have no idea,&#8221; Morgan admitted.
Knowles interjected then, explaining, &#8220;You know, 2[S] means two-spirit.&#8221;
&#8220;Two-spirit. What’s that?&#8221; Morgan asked.
Barr, clearly unsure of his answer, guessed, &#8220;I think that is a[n] American-Canadian …&#8221;
&#8220;You have no idea, do you?&#8221; Knowles interjected.
&#8220;Brilliant! You have no idea!&#8221; Morgan exclaimed. &#8220;We’re celebrating something. You have no idea what you’re celebrating!&#8221;
At that point, Knowles jumped in to explain further: &#8220;In the interest of Pride, I&#8217;ll tell you what it is: They say that Two Spirit was this ancient Native American sexual identity, but it&#8217;s not actually. It was invented in 1990 —&#8221;
&#8220;How does Michael Knowles know this and you don’t?!&#8221; Morgan asked, equally incredulous and amused by the direction the conversation had taken. He went on to take Barr apart over his blind support for a community described by an acronym that he clearly did not understand.
&#8220;We&#8217;re spending a month celebrating stuff that you can&#8217;t even explain what we&#8217;re celebrating!&#8221; Morgan concluded.

Michael Knowles

Michael Knowles Has To Explain ‘Two-Spirit’ To Gay Commentator On Live Television

Michael Knowles Has To Explain 'Two-Spirit' To Gay Commentator On Live Television

LGBTQ

Pride Month

Comedian and HBO host Bill Maher said that people often got the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk all wrong — and did so intentionally in an effort to score points.
Maher, who interviewed Kirk before his assassination in September of 2025, raised the topic during a recent episode of his &#8220;Club Random&#8221; podcast with guest and fellow comedian Jeff Dunham — and he argued that Kirk&#8217;s statements were often cut off and presented without context so that the Christian activist could be portrayed as a &#8220;monster.&#8221;
WATCH:
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💥NEW: Bill Maher on Charlie Kirk: “I liked him as a person. I’m glad I talked to him. I do not think he was a monster.” <a href="https://t.co/jDymW06WrK">pic.twitter.com/jDymW06WrK</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://x.com/JasonJournoDC/status/2063987830750093746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The Charlie Kirk interview with you and him was really interesting,&#8221; Dunham said.
&#8220;Me, with him here?&#8221; Maher asked for clarification.
&#8220;Yes.&#8221;
&#8220;I loved it,&#8221; Maher agreed, adding that he&#8217;d since been asked to participate in a documentary about Kirk, and that he&#8217;d quickly agreed to do so.
&#8220;I&#8217;m giving them five minutes after my taping Friday night, because — and I told them, don&#8217;t expect me to be just saying, you know, hagiography about Charlie,&#8221; Maher continued. &#8220;I liked him as a person, I&#8217;m glad I talked to him. I do not think he was a monster, and if you look — if you look at — uh-oh, heart attack?&#8221;
&#8220;Yeah,&#8221; Dunham laughed.
&#8220;If you look at his statements, I&#8217;ve read the full statements. Of course, because everybody is only interested in getting points for their team they mischaracterize them,&#8221; Maher added. &#8220;But even when I read the full statement, which were accurately characterized, I still disagreed with him. But it wasn&#8217;t what they present — it wasn&#8217;t what they presented.&#8221;
&#8220;Again, it&#8217;s always in the middle — it wasn&#8217;t as bad as they said, but I still disagree,&#8221; he said.
Dunham said that&#8217;s what he&#8217;d enjoyed about Maher&#8217;s interview with Kirk — that he had allowed him to fully lay out his points and had considered them rather than simply pushing back and calling him names.
&#8220;My little motto here is everybody&#8217;s a monster until you talk to them,&#8221; Maher concluded.

Charlie Kirk

WATCH: Bill Maher Says People Got Charlie Kirk All Wrong — On Purpose

Bill Maher

President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration is pulling no punches in the war on Cochliomyia hominivorax — the New World Screwworm.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Monday released a fact sheet detailing a number of steps that are being taken to target and eradicate the parasitic insect — which primarily infests livestock and pets, but can infect humans as well.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 WAR ON SCREWWORM 
Inspect • Report • Protect
We have been in full combat mode against this invasive threat since Day One.
• Millions of sterile flies deployed weekly in the infected 20km zone alone — 4 million by air + 4 million on the ground, plus an additional 90… <a href="https://t.co/ALip0RLUMk">pic.twitter.com/ALip0RLUMk</a>
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) <a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/2064028107837739336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We have been in full combat mode against this invasive threat since Day One,&#8221; Rollins declared in her X post.
She then went on to list the steps being taken by the Department of Agriculture to prevent any further spread of the dangerous insect: &#8220;Millions of sterile flies deployed weekly in the infected 20km zone alone — 4 million by air + 4 million on the ground, plus an additional 90 million across the broader response area; New Texas production facility being fast-tracked at unprecedented speed; Production facility coming online in Mexico in the next month; Aggressive eradication efforts across the frontline.&#8221;
&#8220;This Administration is working hand-in-hand with our Texas partners delivering an unprecedented response: hitting harder, faster, and smarter than ever before,&#8221; Rollins added. &#8220;Thanks to our proactive preparation and rapid response, American agriculture will not be disrupted. We will eradicate this threat.&#8221;
The first confirmed case of a New World <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flesh-eating-screwworm-reaches-u-s-livestock">Screwworm</a> infestation in American livestock had come just days prior, when a young calf in Texas tested positive for the parasite. The screwworm typically enters an animal through an open wound, where it then proceeds to feed on living tissue. Screwworms can wreak havoc on livestock and can be deadly if they are not caught early enough.

Governor Greg Abbott Holds A Press Conference On New World Screwworm In Texas

Trump Admin Declares ‘War On Screwworm’ To Contain Flesh-Eating Parasite

Trump Admin Declares 'War On Screwworm' To Contain Flesh-Eating Parasite

Agriculture

Donald Trump

Screwworm

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was clearly uncomfortable when Fox News host Jacqui Heinrich pressed him on the accusations against Leftist Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.
Heinrich, on the latest broadcast of &#8220;The Sunday Briefing,&#8221; pulled no punches when she asked Jeffries about claims that Platner had exhibited troubling behavior with women he&#8217;d dated in the past — and challenged him with the Democratic Party&#8217;s #MeToo mantra: &#8220;Believe all women.&#8221;
WATCH: <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/1R5aTgsooyHUP01v86rI5ssagIA7Wtk006?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=04e2cd90-637d-4591-904c-c87c8abafcd7&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=WATCH%3A%20Top%20Dem%20sprints%20away%20from%20'believe%20all%20women'%20when%20as&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fa6fd4d29-fbc0-4d43-9fcf-440ae37c52e3.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&#8220;What happened to believe all women?&#8221; Heinrich asked.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t followed these allegations closely,&#8221; Jeffries began. &#8220;What I have said is that violence against women, in any way, shape, or form, is unacceptable. It&#8217;s a red line and nobody should cross that. And any accuser who comes forward has to be treated with dignity and respect.&#8221;
Jeffries went on to defend his ignorance regarding the furor surrounding a high-profile Democratic candidate by saying that he was only concerned with winning back control of the House of Representatives.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t talked to [Rep.] Ro Khanna (D-CA) about this particular race, and in fact, I haven&#8217;t gotten involved in this particular race because we’re focused on taking control of the House of Representatives,&#8221; he added.
Khanna attempted to walk the line on Platner, saying that he believed the women who had come forward alleging that the Maine Democrat&#8217;s behavior was troubling. But Khanna stopped short of withdrawing his support for Platner — and even campaigned with him over the weekend — saying that he would certainly withdraw support if and when he saw evidence that the troubling behavior had ever escalated to violence.
Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-lied-to-everybody-fetterman-says-graham-platner-saga-isnt-over">John Fetterman</a> (D-PA) is one of the few Democrats who have spoken out against Platner, often referring to the candidate by his Reddit screen name — P Hustle — and suggesting that there probably are more skeletons in his closet that have not yet surfaced.

Maine Democratic Candidate For Senate Graham Platner Campaigns Across The State

SEE IT: Top Dem Sprints Away From ‘Believe All Women’ When Asked About Platner

WATCH: Top Dem Sprints Away From 'Believe All Women' When Asked About Platner

Hakeem Jeffries

Recently ousted &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; anchor Scott Pelley registered record-low self awareness level — and gave the impression that he&#8217;d never before encountered a normal human being — during a New York Times interview over the weekend.
Pelley, who was fired &#8220;for cause&#8221; by &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; executive producer Nick Bilton after raging at the network&#8217;s new leadership, expressed his complete bewilderment that new top exec Bari Weiss would ask his former colleagues at CBS News about bias in their coverage.
WATCH:
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&nbsp;
&#8220;She, I am told, said something to the effect of, &#8216;Why do you think the country thinks you&#8217;re biased?'&#8221; Pelley explained, adding, &#8220;But she didn&#8217;t offer any kind of a metric.&#8221;
Pelley went on to suggest that there was no reason for Weiss to even ask such a question, saying, &#8220;Why do you think so? Do you have a poll? Is there market research? What are you talking about?&#8221;
AllSides.com, a media watchdog organization, rates CBS News reporting tends to &#8220;<a href="https://www.allsides.com/news-source/cbs-news-online-media-bias">lean left</a>,&#8221; and Pew Research data shows that, accordingly, more Democrats than Republicans view CBS News as a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2025/06/10/the-political-gap-in-americans-news-sources/">trustworthy source</a> of information.
While it&#8217;s certainly possible that Pelley never saw the AllSides assessment or the Pew Research data, it&#8217;s unlikely that he was unaware of the lawsuit, filed by President Donald Trump against &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; over edits made to a pre-election interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
CBS News parent company Paramount paid out $16 million over the Harris interview, which Trump and numerous others alleged had been deceptively edited to clean up several of her &#8220;word-salad&#8221; answers. The interview aired in early October 2024, just weeks prior to the election — and Paramount, without issuing an apology, agreed to the $16 million settlement in July 2025.
Pelley&#8217;s first post-ouster interview raised a number of questions, particularly after he also claimed that he&#8217;d &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scott-pelley-takes-military-cosplay-to-new-level-in-deluded-nyt-interview">been in combat</a>&#8221; for the United States and claimed that watching people he&#8217;d worked closely with lose their jobs at CBS News was like personally witnessing the &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scott-pelley-compares-cbs-ouster-to-family-being-murdered-in-over-the-top-interview">murders</a>&#8221; of close friends and family members.

60 Minutes

Scott Pelley Reveals He’s Never Met A Normal Person In His Life

Scott Pelley Reveals He's Never Met A Normal Person In His Life

Bari Weiss

CBS News

Media Bias

Scott Pelley

Ousted &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; anchor Scott Pelley teared up when he claimed during a recent interview that he had &#8220;been in combat for this country.&#8221;
Pelley was terminated &#8220;for cause&#8221; just days earlier by executive producer Nick Bilton, after blowing up at the network&#8217;s new leadership under Bari Weiss — and he got emotional when he responded to some of the comments President Donald Trump had made about him.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fired 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley on the verge of tears:
&#8220;I’ve been in combat for this country. In Afghanistan and Iraq, Kuwait. Been shot at. Spent nights in fox holes filling up with water in the desert.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/me6BJ9Eetg">pic.twitter.com/me6BJ9Eetg</a>
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://x.com/SteveGuest/status/2063678370521432108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;He also said you were part go this gang of stupid crooked people that don&#8217;t care about your country,&#8221; interviewer Lulu Garcia-Navarro prompted Pelley.
&#8220;Stupid, I can take that. Stiff? Yeah, probably,&#8221; Pelley conceded, and then clearly struggled to get control of his emotions as he continued. &#8220;Don&#8217;t care about the country? I&#8217;ve never worn the uniform, but I’ve been in combat for this country. In Afghanistan and Iraq, Kuwait. Been shot at. Spent nights in fox holes filling up with water in the desert.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m not aware that the President of the United States has ever done any of those things for his country,&#8221; Pelley continued, still choked up a bit as he added, &#8220;Please correct me if I&#8217;m wrong.&#8221;
He went on to argue that people became journalists because they &#8220;love the First Amendment&#8221; and because they truly love the United States.
&#8220;While all the other descriptions that the president used about me might be applicable, not that one,&#8221; he said, his voice breaking.
During the same interview, Pelley claimed that the firings at CBS News — his and several others — were like the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scott-pelley-compares-cbs-ouster-to-family-being-murdered-in-over-the-top-interview">murders</a> of close friends and family members.

CBS Fall Schedule Celebration – Arrivals

Scott Pelley Takes Military Cosplay To New Level In Deluded NYT Interview

Military

Comedian and HBO host Bill Maher ripped into artists who have abandoned plans to perform for America&#8217;s 250th birthday celebrations, arguing that they&#8217;ve played into President Donald Trump&#8217;s hands.
Maher, during his show on Friday, said that when musicians declared that they would not take part in the festivities, they were making it look as though they did not love the United States — which is exactly the position Trump and others have accused them of taking.
WATCH:
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Bill Maher SLAPS AROUND the artist that PULLED out of the Freedom 250 Concert: “They all pulled out. This is a question of what looks best for the Democrats because I don’t think that looks good. It looks like you are just what people say about you: you don’t really love America.… <a href="https://t.co/DJP35wbT1P">pic.twitter.com/DJP35wbT1P</a>
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) <a href="https://x.com/RedWavePress/status/2063344878566662324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I think these people — they all pulled out,&#8221; Maher said. &#8220;They all pulled out. This is a question of what looks best for the Democrats because I don’t think that looks good. It looks like you are just what people say about you: you don’t really love America. It looks like you think that Trump is more important than the country itself.”
“Now it’s just a big MAGA rally, this whole thing, because they all pulled out,&#8221; Maher complained. &#8220;So now it&#8217;s just Trump and Lee Greenwood.&#8221;
&#8220;Wouldn’t it have been better to play this gig?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;It&#8217;s a month-long gig, lots of people, like — just celebrating America. Can’t we all just celebrate America itself and leave Trump out of it?&#8221;
Nineties rap icon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vanilla-ice-blows-up-the-america-250-boycott-narrative">Vanilla Ice</a> — who has not withdrawn from the America 250 celebrations — made a similar case earlier in the week.
&#8220;All we’re doing is celebrating the birthday of our country, what’s the big deal here? And as far as entertainers, I don’t think it’s fair to put any of us on a pedestal like that as far as politics goes because, you know, it shouldn’t matter: we’re just here to play,&#8221; he said.

Bill Maher Rips Artists For Pulling Out OF America 250 Concerts

America 250

Music

Vanilla Ice

Ousted &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; anchor Scott Pelley wasted no time in getting in front of a camera to trash his former employer, likening the firings at CBS News to &#8220;murders&#8221; of close friends and family.
Pelley, 68, conceded during a New York Times interview that it may have been a stretch to claim that new boss Bari Weiss had &#8220;murdered&#8221; his show — but he then went on to argue that the mass terminations were like the &#8220;murders&#8221; of family members.
&#8220;No one saw the Black Thursday massacre coming,&#8221; Pelley said, arguing that even after he blew up at network execs, it never occurred to him that he might be fired for doing so: &#8220;Some reporter I turned out to be. I just didn’t connect the dots.&#8221;
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Scott Pelley is asked if he expected to be fired after his confrontation with new CBS leadership:
Pelley: &#8220;Oh, gosh. Furthest thing from my mind. It hadn&#8217;t occurred to me….Some reporter I turned out to be. I just didn&#8217;t connect the dots.&#8221;
Amazing. <a href="https://t.co/bHSJ4yN1qn">https://t.co/bHSJ4yN1qn</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vc53xrkzfq">pic.twitter.com/Vc53xrkzfq</a>
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://x.com/WesternLensman/status/2063616786113642832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The night before, Tanya and I were at the Emmy Awards, and we won two Emmys. Within hours, all of those people have been wiped out, and one-third of our correspondents have been fired,” Pelley continued. 
“My colleagues and I have worked together 10, 20, 30 years. We travel together. We dine together. We go into literal combat together.&#8221;
&#8220;So, these bonds are pretty tight, and when somebody wipes out, murders, a large number of your family members, people are desperate for some explanation, and as you and I sit here today, there still has been none,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It’s like your spouse being murdered.&#8221;
Near tears, he added, &#8220;I am not emotional about this because I have lost this job. I’ve done it for a long time. I’ve had the greatest experiences. But the people I leave behind, treated in this way? That breaks my heart, and it’s going to take me a long time to get over it.&#8221;
Pelley was also mocked for saying he&#8217;d gone &#8220;into literal combat&#8221; with his CBS colleagues, as people referred to him on X as a &#8220;low-rent Brian Williams.&#8221; Another joked, &#8220;Old Blood ‘n Guts Pelley we used to call him in the trenches.&#8221;
New &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; executive producer Nick Bilton was the one who fired Pelley &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/longtime-60-minutes-reporter-fired-after-attacks-on-new-leadership">for cause</a>,&#8221; citing insubordination, but Weiss made it clear during a following staff meeting that she supported the move.

CBS News journalist and author Scott Pelley speaks before an

Scott Pelley Compares CBS Ouster To Family Being ‘Murdered’ In Over-The-Top Interview

Scott Pelley Compares CBS Ouster To Family Being 'Murdered' In Over-The-Top Interview

President Donald Trump reportedly walked out of a weekend interview with NBC News anchor Kristen Welker — some of which aired during Sunday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;Meet the Press.&#8221;
The interview was recorded in Wisconsin on Friday, and NBC News anchor Gabe Gutierrez revealed during a broadcast on Saturday that Trump abruptly ended the interview — after giving Welker nearly an hour of his time — as the two clashed over her questions about election integrity.
WATCH:
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𝐍𝐁𝐂 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘
The legacy media spent years insisting Donald Trump hides from tough questions. So it was telling when NBC sat him… <a href="https://t.co/f5qs40mRPC">pic.twitter.com/f5qs40mRPC</a>
— M.A. Rothman (@MichaelARothman) <a href="https://x.com/MichaelARothman/status/2063201812598096031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;As for that interview, Kristen and the &#8216;Meet the Press&#8217; team conducted it here in Wisconsin inside a barn at the request of the White House,&#8221; Gutierrez explained. &#8220;There were multiple interruptions when rain repeatedly was hitting the metal roof of the barn. Following those challenges as well as a back and forth about election integrity where the president disagreed with the questions, President Trump ended the interview about 50 minutes after it began.&#8221;
Mediaite shared a <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/ive-had-enough-trump-storms-out-of-meet-the-press-interview-in-wild-fashion-explodes-on-nbcs-kristen-welker-after-she-hits-him-with-fact-checks/">transcript</a> of the exchange, giving some insight into what ultimately led to Trump&#8217;s exit — and how it played out on Friday.
Welker began by pressing Trump on the &#8220;anti-weaponization&#8221; fund and whether that might be used to give taxpayer money to people who were involved in the riot on Capitol Hill on January 6th.
&#8220;Do you think anyone who attacked police officers on January 6th should get taxpayer money?” Welker asked.
“I wouldn’t be inclined to say so, but I have to see it,” Trump said, then pivoted: “I can tell you this: 97% of those people, you look at them, the FBI or whoever it was, cause you had a lot of crooked cops, you had dirty cops. Comey was a dirty cop. A guy like Bolton was a dirty cop.”
“But there is no evidence that people who—” Welker protested.
“Wait a minute. You think Comey was a straight cop?&#8221; Trump asked.
The conversation continued in that vein until Trump drew a comparison to the election in California — where votes are still being counted from June 2 primary elections — and argued that it was &#8220;rigged.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a dirty election. And it’s happening again right now in California,&#8221; he said.
“Do you have evidence to support that?” Welker asked.
Trump: &#8220;All I have to do is look.&#8221;
“But that’s not evidence,” Welker pushed back.
Complaining about the fact that the state was still counting votes nearly a week later, Trump asserted, &#8220;They’re crooked just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And &#8216;Meet the Press&#8217; is crooked.&#8221;
Welker insisted that she was not crooked, prompting Trump to respond, &#8220;Really? Well, you play right into their hands then. You’re either crooked or you’re stupid.&#8221;
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🚨 HOLY SMOKES. President Trump just went berserk on the ELECTION FRAUD in California to Kristen Welker&#8217;s face, and she melted down
&#8220;They&#8217;re CROOKED just like YOU&#8217;RE CROOKED! You&#8217;re either CROOKED or you&#8217;re STUPID. You KNOW these elections are rigged.&#8221; 🔥
&#8220;They&#8217;re dropping fast… <a href="https://t.co/zufWPjjviA">pic.twitter.com/zufWPjjviA</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2063633787343282240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The two continued to spar over that until Trump decided he&#8217;d had enough.
&#8220;You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;Mr. President, let’s – please, I traveled all the way to Wisconsin —&#8221; Welker protested.
&#8220;I’ve sat in the rain with you —&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;I traveled all – I know. I traveled all the way —&#8221; Welker tried again.
&#8220;I sat in the rain with you for an hour &#8230; on and off in the rain, and I’ve given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what?&#8221;
&#8220;Mr. President —&#8221; Welker kept trying.
&#8220;A country can never be great with a dishonest press,&#8221; Trump declared, ending the interview.
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🚨 OMG. President Trump CUTS OFF and WALKS OUT of a Kristen Welker interview
He looks her in the eyes and tells her SHE&#8217;S A LIAR, then storms off!
&#8220;The elections are like a 3rd world country. YOU&#8217;RE CROOKED&#8230;let&#8217;s call it QUITS. I&#8217;ve HAD ENOUGH.&#8221;
WELKER: Please, I traveled… <a href="https://t.co/dO37B7WPRS">pic.twitter.com/dO37B7WPRS</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2063634419106115887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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US-POLITICS-ECONOMY-TRUMP

Trump Walks Out On NBC’s Welker: ‘You’re Either Crooked Or You’re Stupid’

Trump Walks Out On NBC's Welker: 'You're Either Crooked Or You're Stupid'

Kristen Welker

Meet the Press

At least 12 people were shot at an Ohio music festival on Saturday — and two suspects, according to local police, have not yet been apprehended.
The Old West End Festival, billed as a family-friendly event, came to a screeching halt when two suspects — believed to be shooting at each other — opened fire and sent bystanders fleeing in all directions. According to several reports, around sixteen shots were fired around 5:4o pm local time — and at least 12 people were shot.
Ohio State Rep. Josh Williams (R) shared video that showed the chaos unfolding on the scene.
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What should have been a day to celebrate our community and enjoy family activities in Toledo’s Old West End was once again marred by senseless gun violence. Enough is enough. We need tougher penalties for violent offenders, which is exactly why Ohio must pass HB5. <a href="https://t.co/k1msAtir5M">pic.twitter.com/k1msAtir5M</a>
— Rep. Josh Williams (@JoshWilliamsOH) <a href="https://x.com/JoshWilliamsOH/status/2063489839115244009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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According to a CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/06/us/old-west-end-festival-toledo-ohio-shooting?Date=20260607&amp;Profile=CNN&amp;utm_content=1780796424&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">report</a>, Toledo Police Deputy Chief Joe Heffernan said Saturday that authorities believe the shooting began as a dispute between the two suspects who were &#8220;probably shooting at each other,&#8221; neither of whom have yet been apprehended.
Police Lt. Dan Gerken spoke at a news conference on Saturday evening, saying that he&#8217;d spoken to the victims — who range in age from 14 to 61 — and that he believes the suspects can be found with some help from the local residents.
&#8220;If we get help from the community, it’ll be hopefully sooner than later. There’s kids out there that probably know more than all of us standing here,&#8221; he said.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told reporters that all of the victims in Saturday&#8217;s shooting were expected to survive, although two remain critical according to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/06/us-news/multiple-people-rushed-to-hospital-after-shots-fired-at-family-friendly-ohio-festival/">report</a> from The New York Post.
Festival organizers responded to the tragic turn of events in a Facebook post, ultimately announcing that the remainder of the festivities scheduled for Sunday, June 7, would be canceled.
&#8220;Too often we turn on the news and learn of a celebration somewhere that turns into a tragedy. Now, that news comes from our own neighborhood. We are heartbroken about those that were injured at the Old West End Festival. Many people want to know how we proceed from such a dark place,&#8221; the post read. &#8220;After discussion with festival organizers, law enforcement and the City of Toledo, we feel that it would not be compassionate, responsible or possible to continue festival. Therefore, all festival events for Sunday June 7th are cancelled.&#8221;
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Virginia Kruta