The Atlanta Dream issued a statement on Monday, effectively blaming &#8220;WNBA Security&#8221; for a confrontation at Sunday&#8217;s game that led to a mother and daughter being forced to cover up their pro-woman attire.
&#8220;The Atlanta Dream believes in creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone,&#8221; the statement read. &#8220;Unfortunately, at last night&#8217;s game, WNBA security took actions that fell short of that standard. At no point was Dream personnel involved in the decisions made by WNBA security.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/NBILzMBYXS">pic.twitter.com/NBILzMBYXS</a>
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) <a href="https://x.com/AtlantaDream/status/2089481993163591795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The league issued this statement earlier today,&#8221; the Dream added. &#8220;&#8216;The WNBA is aware of interactions at last night&#8217;s game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts. This should not have happened.'&#8221;
At the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-sophie-cunningham-fans-targeted-again">game in question</a>, which featured the Indiana Fever playing the Dream at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Kasey Thomason and her daughter Annie said that after shelling out thousands for good seats, they were approached by arena security and told to cover their XX-XY Athletics shirts or leave. As The Daily Wire previously reported, Kasey’s shirt featured the XX-XY logo in red, white, and blue; Annie’s shirt, with an XX on the front, came from the Riley Gaines collection and read, “For the Girls,” across the back.
They had gone to the game to show their support for Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham — who recently drew fire from the far-Left when she defended sex-based rights for women and girls in athletics — and with just two minutes left in overtime, they were told to cover up their shirts because someone had determined that they were &#8220;offensive.&#8221;
“Biology and science is offensive?” Kasey asked. But Kasey and Annie ultimately put on the offered Atlanta Dream “Wellness &amp; Health Night” shirts so that they could see the end of the game — which the Fever won, 95-91.
Kasey and Annie said they believe another fan — who had come to the game wearing a shirt that read &#8220;Trans Kids Belong In Sports&#8221; — had tipped off security to come and get them. That same woman, they said, commented on their newly acquired &#8220;Wellness &amp; Health Night&#8221; shirts in mocking tones after they were forced to put them on.

WNBA: AUG 16 Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream

Team Blames ‘WNBA Security’ For Targeting Sophie Cunningham Fans

Atlanta Dream Blames ‘WNBA Security’ For Targeting Sophie Cunningham Fans

Atlanta

Indiana Fever

Sophie Cunningham

Transgender

WNBA

Women's Basketball

A drug dealer let off the hook by President Joe Biden was arrested with a large stash of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Walter Lee Muhammad, granted clemency in the final months of the Biden presidency, faces drug trafficking charges after police say he was arrested with 25 kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of heroin, and four kilograms of fentanyl. Biden cut the Atlanta-based Muhammad’s 10-year prison sentence six years short in December 2024 when he issued clemency to over a thousand drug offenders. 
“Muhammad is a serial drug trafficker who — despite receiving the extraordinary gift of presidential clemency — continued to deal lethal fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the community is safer with this repeat offender off the street and back behind bars.” 
Muhammad now faces federal and state drug trafficking charges after a lengthy investigation.
DEA agent Michael DeWald said in the complaint against Muhammad that he and other suspected drug traffickers had been under investigation since July 2025. Officials suspect that Muhammad had several Atlanta properties that he used to store and distribute the drugs. 
On August 5, 2026, DEA agents observed multiple bags being shuffled out of a property used by Muhammad. Those bags were transferred to a BMW which left late that evening for North Carolina. The BMW was stopped by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, which deployed dogs that detected drugs, according to investigators. 
“The Adidas bag contained MUHAMMAD’s clothing that was wrapped around four kilograms of fentanyl. Deputies found 25 kilograms of cocaine in the cardboard box. Guilford County Sheriff deputies field-tested the seized substances, and both tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl, respectively,” DeWald wrote in the complaint. 
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1159009" style="width: 1026px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1159009" class="size-full wp-image-1159009" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM.png" alt="" width="1016" height="787" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM.png 1016w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM-300x232.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM-744x576.png 744w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM-768x595.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px" />Seized drugs: DOJ.</div>
The next day, agents searched Muhammad’s property and found more heroin and fentanyl, along with three firearms, including a stolen Glock handgun. 
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1159007" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1159007" class="size-full wp-image-1159007" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Muhammed: Guilford County Sheriff; Guns: DOJ.</div>
“Despite receiving a second chance, this defendant returned to trafficking fentanyl and putting lives at risk,” said DEA special agent Jae Chung. “The seizure of this significant amount of fentanyl is a reminder that we will continue to hold those who profit from this deadly poison accountable.”
Prior to Biden’s clemency, Muhammad had been convicted for drug trafficking three other times. In August 1999, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Just over ten years later, in November 2010, he was convicted of conspiring to distribute marijuana, and in February 2020 he was sentenced for intending to traffic fentanyl. 
Biden issued a wave of pardons to drug dealers in his final months in office, claiming he was taking steps to give mercy to people given &#8220;disproportionately long sentences.&#8221; On January 17, 2025, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commutes-sentences-of-another-2500-drug-offenders">commuted</a> the sentences of 2,500 drug offenders, in addition to the nearly 1,500 he granted clemency to in December 2024.
“With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history,&#8221; Biden boasted at the time.

Former Presidents Gather For The Obama Presidential Center Dedication Ceremony

‘Back Behind Bars’: Career Drug Dealer Freed By Joe Biden Arrested Again

Clemency

Department of Justice

drug

drug trafficking

Georgia

Joe Biden

North Carolina

A Georgia mother&#8217;s routine Instacart delivery turned into a nightmare after a man allegedly stole her vehicle with her two-year-old daughter still strapped into the back seat, leading to a dramatic rescue that later took a disturbing turn.
Newly released 911 audio and police body camera footage show the frantic moments after the theft — and the swift rescue that ended with officers arresting the suspect and safely recovering the child less than 15 minutes later.
&#8220;Someone just stole my car and it has my 2-year-old daughter in it,&#8221; the distraught mother told an Atlanta 911 dispatcher. When the dispatcher asked if the child was still inside the vehicle, the mother responded through tears, &#8220;Yes, my 2-year-old daughter was in the backseat. I was dropping off an Instacart order and I came back outside and my car is gone. My daughter was inside.&#8221;
According to the Atlanta Police Department, the incident unfolded around 4:30 p.m. on July 30 after the mother left her vehicle running while delivering an Instacart order. Investigators said she estimated she was away from the vehicle for less than four minutes before discovering it had been stolen.
Officers with the department&#8217;s Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit immediately began searching for the vehicle, using the city&#8217;s network of license plate readers to quickly locate it at a nearby Publix shopping center.
Body camera footage shows officers surrounding the stolen vehicle with weapons drawn before ordering the suspect to surrender.
&#8220;Hands up! Hands up!&#8221; an officer shouted. &#8220;What you&#8217;re gonna do is you&#8217;re going to get out and face away from me,&#8221; the officer instructed. &#8220;Get out the car, slow. Put your hands behind your back.&#8221; The suspect complied and was taken into custody without further incident as the toddler cried from inside the vehicle.
&#8220;It&#8217;s okay, baby,&#8221; another officer can be heard saying as she comforted the screaming and crying toddler.
Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Saleem Martin. He has been charged with kidnapping, theft by taking, simple battery, entering an automobile, cruelty to children, and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
While police initially said the toddler appeared unharmed, court documents obtained by <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/warrant-allegations-kidnapping-case-man-took-car-with-2-year-old-girl-inside/85-5379dfd1-ee97-4935-87f1-7923f0751382">local reporters</a> revealed disturbing new allegations. According to an arrest warrant, the child&#8217;s mother noticed the bottom of her daughter&#8217;s dress had been unbuttoned after they were reunited. When asked what happened, the two-year-old allegedly told her mother, &#8220;the man did it,&#8221; referring to Martin, according to the warrant.
The warrant further alleges officers found Martin with both hands on the child&#8217;s torso as he attempted to duck down and hide between the seats when police surrounded the vehicle. Atlanta police said its Special Victims Unit has joined the investigation. Martin told investigators he had only been touching the child because he was trying to calm her down after she began crying.
He also reportedly claimed he stole the running vehicle because he was trying to &#8220;get back to New Jersey&#8221; and did not realize the toddler was inside until after he had driven away. Investigators further claim Martin admitted he discarded an iPad found inside the vehicle because he believed it would be used to track his location.
Police credited the city&#8217;s license plate reader system with helping officers locate the stolen vehicle, arrest the suspect, and safely rescue the toddler before she could be taken farther away.

saleem-martin-atlanta-kidnapping-suspect-mugshot

WATCH: Toddler Rescued After Car Theft Takes Disturbing Turn

Car Theft

carjacking

Crime

kidnapping

Police

Urban

President Donald Trump advocated for a 35-year Atlanta Braves tradition during a rally in Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon.
While introducing former Braves manager Brian Snitker and current president and CEO Mike Plant at the event, fans immediately began to do the “tomahawk chop” — a move that has been criticized as culturally insensitive — but Trump quickly voiced his support for the gesture, and the crowd continued, even louder than before.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald Trump in Georgia, introducing former Braves Manger Brian Snitker and the tomahawk chop chant breaks out&#8230;
&#8220;Ohhh listen&#8230; they say you are not allowed to do that.. do it&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/EzSDdKOOOF">pic.twitter.com/EzSDdKOOOF</a>
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) <a href="https://x.com/ZachKleinWSB/status/2080032996896178428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
After thanking the president, Snitker expressed his gratitude for how passionate “Braves country” truly is and how there was a “room full of Braves country right here.” Snitker ended his speech telling the rally about gifts President Trump received, as well as possibly receiving in a few months.
“Mike and I presented President Trump with one of our 4th of July 250th anniversary jerseys the team wore over the weekend,” Snitker said. “I just wanted to tell President Trump we are going to be back in Washington a year from now and we are going to give him another world championship jersey.&#8221;
For years, the chant has received pushback from the Left with claims saying the chant is “racist” and “offensive.” Petitions were drawn up calling for a ban on the chant in stadiums across the country. The chop originated at Florida State University — and is still a common occurrence at that school. The Native American tribe reflected in the Seminoles logo has not expressed pushback over the chant.
The “tomahawk chop” is one of the most notorious chants across sports, but it only came to Atlanta 35 years ago. The Braves started chopping in 1991 when former Florida State University defensive back turned outfielder Deion Sanders joined the roster, bringing the tradition from college to MLB.

President Trump Delivers Remarks At A Georgia High School

WATCH: Trump Gives Braves Fans Permission To Infuriate The Woke Left

Baseball

Donald Trump

President Trump

Sports

In less than a week, visitors from around the world will descend on Atlanta for the FIFA World Cup 2026, but many residents worry that the city&#8217;s transit system, known as MARTA, isn&#8217;t ready after three attacks in the past two weeks, including one killing.
&#8220;I&#8217;m nervous that it won&#8217;t be ready by next week for the world coming here,&#8221; one passenger told The Daily Wire.
At MARTA&#8217;s North Avenue Station, riders described a system they believe has become increasingly unsafe, citing violent crime, fare evasion, and a lack of visible security. The Daily Wire interviewed several passengers at the station, many of whom said they no longer feel safe while riding.
&#8220;When I say it&#8217;s not safe, there is no security,&#8221; one passenger said, pointing to multiple people walking through fare gates without paying. MARTA officials say fare evasion costs the transit system <a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2025/06/25/how-can-you-be-confident-riders-officials-question-atlanta-transit-readiness-ahead">$7 million</a> per year. 
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;">  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/eudbjNrI01h3RFP01XidH5I019ENoMSU1cG?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=9fb20955-a416-41eb-b613-b07fcd8655e7&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title='Absolutely%20not'%3A%20Riders%20deliver%20a%20damning%20verdict%20on%20a%20Dem-&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fb412ab3f-14f8-441d-9cdc-a33d26554ca0.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
Other riders said they have witnessed fights on trains. One passenger described an incident in which another rider struck a young girl without provocation. &#8220;There was a little Hispanic girl that got hit on the train,&#8221; the passenger said. &#8220;She was crying. It was really sad to see.&#8221;
Passengers also said weapons are not an uncommon sight. &#8220;Somebody dropped something. It was a gun,&#8221; one rider said. Another passenger recalled watching someone pull out a knife inside a crowded train car. &#8220;I&#8217;ve heard everything from death to rape to murder,&#8221; another rider said.
Several passengers said the trains get worse at night. 
&#8220;Absolutely not,&#8221; one rider said when asked if they felt safe riding MARTA at night.
&#8220;Nighttime is when I like to call them the nightcrawlers — the people you wouldn&#8217;t see in the daytime. The train is their home,&#8221; said another person. 
The riders&#8217; fears are reflected in the numbers and data. 
MARTA openly subsidizes fares for homeless riders while paying riders say they are left to deal with the consequences, such as drug use, outbursts, and mental disorders that can accompany those taking shelter on the train.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1113457" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM.png" alt="" width="1110" height="848" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM.png 1110w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-300x229.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-754x576.png 754w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-768x587.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></div>
Violent incidents on MARTA&#8217;s rail lines occur at nearly four times the national average for public transit systems, according to federal officials. 
Those concerns have drawn the attention of Washington. The Trump administration launched a federal investigation into MARTA following a series of violent attacks on the transit system.
&#8220;Every American should be disturbed by the horrific crimes we have seen on MARTA in the last month,&#8221; U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.
&#8220;No one should be forced to fear for their safety simply because they choose to ride public transit,&#8221; Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/soccer/world-cup/kemp-offers-help-to-marta-all-they-gotta-do-is-call-and-ask-us/85-1b493562-a5b2-4c9e-8859-809741d9f59b?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook_11Alive">told</a> Atlanta Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens. “All they gotta do is call and ask us.” 
And while riders raise questions, Dickens projects confidence in the city’s transit system for the World Cup. “MARTA is going to step up big,” he <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/soccer/world-cup/atlanta-mayor-andre-dickens-city-officials-world-cup-pep-rally/85-87e12a83-601e-43cc-9030-3e77d59d94aa?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>. 
While MARTA operates independently of City Hall, Dickens is not entirely removed from the transit system&#8217;s leadership. The mayor appoints three members to MARTA&#8217;s board of directors, giving him significant influence over the authority&#8217;s direction and oversight. As Atlanta prepares to welcome visitors from around the globe, that relationship is likely to intensify scrutiny of the mayor&#8217;s handling of transit safety.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Venues – Atlanta Stadium

‘It’s Not Safe’: MARTA Riders Sound Alarm As Atlanta Prepares For World Cup

Soccer

Transportation

World Cup

A 25-year-old Georgia man could face execution after being charged with a horrific crime aboard an Atlanta transit train.
The suspect allegedly slashed a beloved great-grandmother’s throat and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/atlanta-train-stabbing-suspect-faces-new-charge-feds-weigh-death-penalty-great-grandmothers-killing?lid=f15sdfgqfnhu">stabbed her up to 20 times</a> in a completely unprovoked transit nightmare.
John Elijah Matthews, a 25-year-old vagrant with no address and no phone, is now facing heavy-duty federal charges that could put him on federal death row for the alleged gruesome, broad-daylight execution of 66-year-old Margaret Swan, prosecutors announced.
The bloodbath unfolded on May 30 around 11:25 a.m. aboard a northbound MARTA train. Surveillance footage captured the chilling countdown as the horror unfolded. Swan, described by authorities as a &#8220;phenomenal mom&#8221; and the &#8220;rock&#8221; of her family, boarded Train Car 134 and sat completely alone, minding her own business, according to the Fulton County arrest warrant affidavit.
Minutes later, Matthews stepped into the train car wearing glasses, an orange T-shirt, and black slides. He didn&#8217;t say a word. He didn’t know her, and she didn&#8217;t know him.
But video shows Matthews stalking over to the innocent senior, standing just inches away. At 11:25:26 a.m., he reached into his pocket, pulled out a folding knife, and flicked it open.
Six seconds later, total horror.
Matthews grabbed Swan by the head and cut her throat with his right hand, according to the chilling arrest affidavit. The terrified great-grandmother screamed, desperately trying to fight her way out of the seat. But the attacker held her down by the arm, raining down a flurry of 18 to 20 savage stabs into her chest and neck as she frantically tried to defend herself.
As other passengers fled the car in a panic, the affidavit describes Matthews throwing Swan’s mangled body to the floor. He stood over her bleeding body for nearly two agonizing minutes until the train finally screeched into the Oakland City Station.
Matthews allegedly stepped off the train with the bloody knife still in his hand. But his escape was cut short when a transit cop, alerted by terrified, screaming commuters pointing at Matthews, cornered him on the platform. After a brief standoff, cops detained Matthews and placed him in cuffs.
Emergency workers rushed to save Swan, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, the feds are stepping in. U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg slammed the killing as an &#8220;unprovoked act of senseless violence,&#8221; and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will personally decide if the government will seek the death penalty.
Meanwhile, Swan’s devastated family is <a href="https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/06/01/family-woman-killed-marta-train-calls-death-preventable-demands-more-police">furious</a>, tearing into the &#8220;weak, pathetic coward&#8221; who stole their matriarch and demanding to know why transit cops aren&#8217;t doing more to protect women on the increasingly dangerous, crime-ridden train system. The incident was the second homicide around the Oakland City station in the last two months.
“You took away our rock; you took away a gem,” Swan’s heartbroken daughter, Shanae Sams, said.
“She was a phenomenal mom. Just for him to do that, it’s unforgivable. I don’t forgive him, I will never forgive him ever,” another daughter, Tiara, said.

Atlanta_Train2

The Chilling Six Seconds Before A Great-Grandmother Was Butchered On A Train

THROAT SLASHED: Monster Guts Great-Grandma On Atlanta Subway In Broad Daylight — Now Faces Death

Grandmother

Murder

Subway

A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama has been identified as the official caught having sex in her chambers with a high-ranking law enforcement officer during business hours.
Citing a person familiar with the investigation, Bloomberg Law <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/eleanor-ross-of-atlanta-is-judge-reprimanded-for-sex-in-chambers-94">reported</a> Thursday that U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-gets-slap-on-wrist-after-chambers-sex-scandal-with-police-officer?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Gets+Slap+On+Wrist+After+Chambers+Sex+Scandal+With+Police+Officer">received</a> a “private reprimand” from the court’s disciplinary panel for engaging “in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking law enforcement officer.” 
The panel said the judge had “sexual intercourse in the judge’s chambers during business hours within hearing distance of staff,” but did not identify Ross by name. 
Ross was <a href="https://x.com/MarcoPolo501c3/status/2060041718410416290">first identified</a> as the judge involved by Marco Polo, a watchdog organization known for publishing material related to Hunter Biden&#8217;s laptop. 
The Atlanta-based judge did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire. 
An investigation into Ross began in September 2025 after a court clerk reported hearing “kissing sounds and other noises consistent with intimate activity” and “sounds of moaning” coming from judicial chambers. 
That investigation found that Ross maintained a sexual relationship with the law enforcement officer for two years, placing herself in jeopardy of extortion and blackmail. Ross was also found to have lied about the relationship and attended a partisan political event in violation of court guidelines. 
The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability, which reviews complaints against judges, later affirmed the findings. 
Ross received a private reprimand along with an order to write apology letters to former clerks. She was also barred from becoming chief judge or serving on Judicial Conference committees. 
Obama appointed Ross to the federal bench in 2014. She was <a href="https://www.congress.gov/nomination/113th-congress/1231">confirmed</a> after advancing through the Senate with bipartisan support. 
During her confirmation hearing, Ross <a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/eleanor-louise-ross/75256/">called</a> her husband her “rock and source of inspiration in all of my professional and personal endeavors.” In her judicial questionnaire, she <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Ross%20Responses.pdf">wrote</a> that “the most important attribute of a judge is integrity.”
As a judge, Ross has overseen several high-profile election-integrity cases and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reality-stars-todd-and-julie-chrisley-sentenced-to-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced</a> reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley to 12 and 7 years in prison, respectively. They were later pardoned by President Donald Trump. 
Todd Chrisley <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0ud-IlrMp/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">called</a> for Ross to be impeached, writing on Instagram that “this corrupt judge who couldn’t focus on our case because she was to (sic) busy clapping dem cheeks in her chambers per the articles that are surfacing in the last few hours, she needs to be impeached and we will work with Congress and our legal team to see that this happens.”
During the 2020 election, Ross <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-f7ef69c7f79ddc036a14f76a00a4870d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended</a> the deadline for receiving absentee ballots to three days after Election Day. That ruling was later blocked by a higher court.

MixCollage-28-May-2026-12-31-PM-3045

Obama-Appointed Judge Caught Fornicating In Chambers Within Earshot Of Clerks

Courts

A federal judge received only a “private reprimand” after admitting to having sex with a high-ranking law enforcement officer within judicial chambers and within “hearing distance” of court staff. 
The body that oversees disciplinary complaints against federal judges <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/c.c.d.-no.-26-01-may-22-2026.pdf">affirmed</a> a lower panel <a href="https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/judicial_complaints/11-25-90212%20Judicial%20Council%20Order_0.pdf">finding</a> that a federal judge in the Atlanta-based Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals engaged “in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking law enforcement officer” and had “sexual intercourse in the judge’s chambers during business hours within hearing distance of staff.”
The decision from the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability found that the judge also lied about the relationship to investigators and attended a partisan political event in violation of court guidelines. Investigators did not reveal the name of the sanctioned judge, who only received a slap on the wrist for the actions. 
After a clerk reported hearing “kissing sounds and other noises consistent with intimate activity” and “sounds of moaning” coming from judicial chambers, an investigation was launched in September 2025. That investigation involved a forensic test on “one of the cushions on a sofa in the Subject Judge’s chambers” because it “was stained in a manner that was consistent with being caused by semen.” The test later came back negative.
Both the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability and the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit substantiated the findings that over the course of two years, the judge had sex with the officer in violation of judicial rules of conduct. They also found that the judge lied about the relationship when first confronted by investigators and attended a blatantly political event for a person running for district attorney. These actions made the judge vulnerable to extortion and blackmail, the Judicial Council said. 
Investigators also said that the judge did not oversee any cases directly involving the law enforcement officer.
The only disciplinary actions the judge received were a private reprimand, an order to write apology letters to former clerks, plus a ban on becoming chief judge and serving on any Judicial Conference committee. 
The Judicial Council said it did not recommend a more “severe sanction” because the judge “corrected the false statements” and was “candid” after being caught lying, the relationship with the officer had ended, the judge promised to attend no more partisan political events, and the judge had otherwise rendered exemplary service to the court.”
That decision not to give a more severe punishment was affirmed by the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability, with the panel saying the punishment was “appropriate and proportional.&#8221; 
The investigation into the judge entailed numerous interviews, reviewing security footage, checking over visitor sign-in logs, and reviewing court documents.

A bronze statuette of Lady Justice, depicted with a blindfold and holding the scales of justice in her outstretched hand. The figure is sharply focused against a bright, blurred background, highlighting its symbolic details.

Federal Judge Gets Slap On Wrist After Chambers Sex Scandal With Police Officer

Federal Judge Gets Slap On The Wrist After Having Sex In Chamber With Police Officer

A pair of giant pandas will make their way to America as part of a ten-year agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, according to a statement from China on Friday. The male, Ping Ping, and the female, Fu Shuang, will relocate to Zoo Atlanta, becoming the third zoo in the United States to currently house the animals.
The announcement comes just weeks before President Donald Trump is set to visit Beijing, where he will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Specific departure dates have not yet been given, but the zoo is currently working on facility upgrades and preparation work for the pandas&#8217; arrival, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-pandas-zoo-atlanta-743549119313ddeea6b1d838f76fe8b3">statement</a>.
Zoo Atlanta <a href="https://zooatlanta.org/two-new-giant-pandas-are-expected-to-arrive-at-zoo-atlanta/">said</a> Thursday that it was delighted and honored to be trusted to take care of the pandas. “We can’t wait to meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and to welcome our members, guests, city, and community back to the wonder and joy of giant pandas,” said the zoo’s president, Raymond B. King. 
The zoo cited a previous panda agreement with the association from 1999 to 2024, which &#8220;resulted in a highly productive 25 years of partnership,&#8221; where pandas Lun Lun and Yang Yang gave birth to seven cubs. They returned to China once the partnership concluded.
America was briefly &#8220;panda-less&#8221; in 2024 when several agreements ended, marking the first time without pandas in fifty years since the first pair arrived in 1972.
Pandas have long been a broader symbol of China&#8217;s ties to foreign nations, where the country loans them to strengthen its relationships; the animals are typically sent back when the agreement ends. &#8220;Panda diplomacy,&#8221; as it&#8217;s commonly called, has been a practice since the People&#8217;s Republic of China&#8217;s founding in 1949 and can conversely be used to show the nation&#8217;s negative feelings toward another country.
In 2010, China <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/what-is-chinas-panda-diplomacy-how-does-it-work-2024-06-18/#:~:text=Former%20Chinese%20leader%20Mao%20Zedong,opens%20new%20tab%20Read%20more">recalled</a> two pandas from Zoo Atlanta after warnings from the nation of a meeting between then-President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama. Though there was no formal statement on the matter, some speculated the timing reflected Beijing&#8217;s displeasure with Washington.
The San Diego Zoo and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are the other two locations in the U.S. with pandas.

A Chinese Panda on a Tree

‘Panda Diplomacy’ Is Back And An American Zoo Just Hit The Jackpot

Animals

China

Communist China

General

Panda

U.S.

Some travelers spent as many as nine hours waiting in line at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, according to <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/long-lines-out-door-atlanta-airport-ice-agents-arrive-assist-tsa/SIDSKEKZXJGHHNBXBYESLHHYVI/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSB-TV</a>.
On Monday, the report noted that wait times ranged from four hours down to less than an hour depending on the time of day, as Americans continue to grow frustrated with the high number of TSA callouts. Essential DHS workers, like TSA agents, are forced to work without a paycheck due to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
“Due to TSA staffing constraints, ATL is continuing to see longer than normal wait times at security checkpoints,” the airport posted to X on Monday morning.
“Travelers are encouraged to arrive at least 4 hours early. We appreciate your patience and thank our federal and airport partners for their continued dedication,” the post continued.
According to Reuters, the Atlanta airport had a 41.5% callout rate for TSA agents, with other major airports having callout rates ranging from 20-40%. Hundreds of agents have quit their jobs entirely since the shutdown began in mid-February.
“As the Democrats’ DHS shutdown continues, many TSA officers are facing extraordinary financial hardship—forcing them to call out of work and take on side jobs to support their families,” the Department of Homeland Security posted to X on Monday regarding the <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2036121763701002738?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">callout numbers</a>. “Democrats are hurting Americans—and they don&#8217;t care.”
Videos on social media also showed ICE agents deployed to assist TSA agents at the airport, along with other airports around the country, on Monday morning in hopes of speeding up the lines. Atlanta is considered the busiest airport in the entire country, as it is a hub for Delta Air Lines and is considered a major connection for travelers.
Trump noted on Monday morning that ICE agents will not be wearing masks at the airport, as it’s become commonplace for the agents to do so during immigration operations, as proponents argue that it prevents doxing.
“I am a BIG proponent of ICE wearing masks as they search for, and are forced to deal with, hardened criminals, many of whom were let into our Country by Sleepy Joe Biden and his wonderful ‘Border Czar,’ Kamala (she never even went to the Border!), through their absolutely INSANE Open Border Policy,” he posted to Truth Social.
“I would greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS, when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports, etc. Thank you!” he added.
It’s unclear when the shutdown will end, as Congress has yet to reach a deal to end the closure, which started because of disagreements over federal immigration enforcement policies.

Long lines form outside Atlanta International Airport

Travelers Spent Nine Hours In TSA Line As Major Hub Becomes DHS Shutdown Flashpoint

Airports

Congress

Department of Homeland Security

Absences among transportation security workers this weekend reached their highest since a partial government shutdown began five weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday, as immigration enforcement agents prepared to fill in for them at some of the busiest U.S. airports.
Nationwide, about 11.5% of Transportation Security Administration staff were absent on Saturday, DHS said, but that figure soared to 42.4% at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, 33.4% at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and 33.6% at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Overall, more than 9% of TSA employees have been absent from work over the past seven days, leading to lengthy lines for passengers trying to get to their gates, according to DHS.
To help fill the staffing gaps, hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will deploy to airports starting on Monday, officials have said.
DHS said on Sunday it would not publicly share details about the ICE deployment, in order to preserve operational security. Sources briefed on the matter said the current plan calls for deploying ICE agents to 14 locations, although that figure may change.
Tens of thousands of airport security personnel have been working without pay for weeks while congressional Democrats and Republicans argue over a budget for DHS.
&#8220;Many TSA officers cannot pay their rent, buy food, or afford to put gas in their cars — forcing them to call out sick from work,&#8221; a DHS spokesperson said on Sunday.
Trump announced on Saturday that ICE agents would be sent to airports unless Democratic lawmakers agree to fund DHS. Democrats have criticized the department&#8217;s immigration operations and are demanding a change in rules.
For now, ICE agents will not be deployed in areas behind security checkpoints because they lack the specific clearance needed, the sources said.
Border czar Tom Homan said on Sunday that sending out immigration agents to bolster short-staffed TSA teams will speed up airport lines, but the union for TSA workers said that does not solve what they see as the underlying problem of pay.
In appearances on Sunday news shows, Homan and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy argued that ICE personnel can help with airport security screening, starting on Monday, even though they have not been specifically trained for it.
&#8220;When we deploy tomorrow, we&#8217;ll have a well thought-out plan to execute,&#8221; Homan said on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; program.
Hundreds of TSA agents have simply resigned, according to their labor union and TSA.
&#8220;ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!&#8221; Trump wrote in a Sunday morning social media post.
Details of how ICE agents would help with the lines were scant, although Homan told CNN a plan would be in place by the end of the day &#8220;to move those lines along.&#8221;
Homan and Duffy, in separate interviews, had different ideas about how the ICE agents might be deployed. Homan said he doubted ICE agents would operate X-ray baggage and passenger screening machines because they did not have experience. Duffy, in contrast, said ICE agents &#8220;know how to pat people down, they know how to run the X-ray machines.&#8221;
The labor union representing TSA workers criticized Trump&#8217;s decision, saying their members spend months in training learning to detect explosives and weapons.
&#8220;Our members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe,&#8221; Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, said in a statement. &#8220;They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.&#8221;
Unlike TSA employees, ICE agents have continued to get paid by the government through a separate funding provision while lawmakers debate whether ICE funding should be tied to new rules and procedures.
Democrats have said new rules are needed after masked ICE agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in the streets of Minneapolis earlier this year. The two had come out to protest or observe Trump&#8217;s deportation surge in Minnesota.
Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat and the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, told CNN that his caucus is open to a separate funding agreement for TSA employees while lawmakers debate measures to &#8220;get ICE under control.&#8221; But there has been little movement on an actual deal so far, especially in the Senate.
&#8220;We have an obligation to not fund an agency that is acting this lawlessly,&#8221; Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press&#8221; program.
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York, David Shepardson in Washington and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Additional writing by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Aurora Ellis, Sergio Non and Edmund Klamann)

Why ICE Agents In Airports May Be Arriving Just In Time

Air Travel

Houston

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A Southwest Airlines flight traveling from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale diverted to Atlanta on Friday night after a possible security concern.
Footage from the incident shows passengers inside the plane seated with their heads down and hands up as Atlanta Police travel to the back of the plane. A man is then removed from his seat and placed into handcuffs.
The pilot and flight attendants can be heard repeatedly saying &#8220;heads down, hands up&#8221; as passengers comply.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
✈️ Shocking video: plane in the U.S. makes emergency landing over security threat on board
Atlanta — A Southwest Airlines flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was forced to divert and land in Atlanta late Friday night due to a reported security threat, authorities said.… <a href="https://t.co/PJDCbRfQBi">pic.twitter.com/PJDCbRfQBi</a>
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) <a href="https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/2030306044446900587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Flight tracking software from FlightAware shows the plane landed safely at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at about 9 p.m. WSB-TV 2 reports the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined there was no credible threat.
Southwest told 11Alive, &#8220;Southwest Airlines Flight 2094 landed safely at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Friday evening after diverting to respond to a possible security matter. We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and apologize to our Customers for the delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees.&#8221;
The Daily Wire has reached out to the Atlanta Police Department and the FBI for comment.
The incident comes as the United States is on high alert following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, Ndiaga Diagne, a Senegalese man wearing an Iranian flag shirt underneath a hoodie with the phrase “Property of Allah” emblazoned on it, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-shooters-iran-linked-attire-becomes-central-focus-in-terror-probe">opened fire</a> in Austin, Texas, killing three and injuring 14.
Authorities have not yet definitively linked the terror attack to the Iran strikes.
Jake Braun, a former senior counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, recently <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-agencies-us-cities-alert-potential-retaliatory-attacks-amid-israel-iran-war-conflict-no-specific-threats-il/18669574/">spoke</a> with ABC7, a Chicago affiliate, about the risk of homeland attacks, both cyber and physical, noting that multiple targets are potentially vulnerable.
An Iranian ayatollah called on Thursday for President Trump&#8217;s blood to be shed during a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iranian-ayatollah-calls-for-the-shedding-trumps-blood">message</a> on Iranian state TV.
“We are now on the verge of a great test and we must be careful to fully preserve this unity, to fully preserve this alliance,” said Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli in the message, <a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-lebanon-march-05-2026#0000019c-bcd4-d21d-a1dc-fefd3c7e0000">going on</a> to call for “the shedding of Zionist blood, the shedding of Trump’s blood.”
Invoking the &#8220;Imam of the time,&#8221; Amoli said, &#8220;Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders.”
In a separate development on Thursday, another Iranian official <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2029435610922996100?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> the United States following the sinking of an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka by a U.S. naval torpedo strike.
&#8220;The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran&#8217;s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India&#8217;s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,&#8221; said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Leif Le Mahiew contributed to this report.

Southwest

Stunning Video Shows Police Raiding Southwest Flight After Security Threat

Southwest Airlines

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