Lauren Chen is no longer with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/blazetv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blaze</a> Media after the Department of Justice (DOJ) <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-employees-indicted-covertly-funding-and-directing-us-company-published-thousands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> her of misleading other conservative influencers about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> money her company had been paying them.
Semafor <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/09/05/2024/blaze-fires-contributor-linked-to-russian-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Thursday that Chen had been fired by Blaze Media, where she had contributed videos to Blaze TV, a day after she was referenced in a federal indictment against two Russia Today (RT) employees.
“Lauren Chen was an independent contractor, whose contract has been terminated,” Blaze Media CEO Tyler Cardon said in an email. Semafor also noted Chen did not return a request for comment.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724361346607000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZhyOQfEkxcMH_D1Ago3CQ">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
The RT employees, a pair of Russian nationals, were charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOJ</a> announced on Wednesday.
Attorney General Merrick Garland <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-employees-indicted-covertly-funding-and-directing-us-company-published-thousands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the defendants were implicated in a &#8220;$10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.&#8221;
Chen, a Canadian-born YouTuber and <a href="https://x.com/AGHamilton29/status/1831433336293880183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former RT employee</a>, and her husband, Liam Donovan, are not named but referenced in the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1366266/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indictment</a> as founders of a company identified as Tenet Media.
The Russian defendants allegedly worked with Chen and Donovan to &#8220;mask&#8221; the &#8220;true source of funding&#8221; for the company, which the indictment revealed to be RT — a Russian state broadcaster.
Chen and Donovan were accused of &#8220;falsely portraying&#8221; to commentators that their company was sponsored by a private investor named &#8220;Eduard Grigoriann&#8221; — a persona that turned out to be fake.
Tenet was also not named, but as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/04/justice-department-election-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted by The Washington Post</a>, a quote from its YouTube Channel is identical to one that appears in the indictment. The company&#8217;s Tennessee roots are also a match.
<a href="http://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2xQ8bdTcpfdrPBAzczIuck">WATCH THE TRAILER FOR ‘AM I RACIST?’ — A MATT WALSH COMEDY ON DEI</a>
Similar extrapolations have been made to identify conservative influencers who may be referenced in the indictment as potential victims of deceit, some of whom have since released statements.
&#8220;These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period,&#8221; Dave Rubin <a href="https://x.com/RubinReport/status/1831478093661245681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X.
Podcast host Tim Pool also <a href="https://x.com/Timcast/status/1831473189173731589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to X about the indictment, declaring, &#8220;Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims.&#8221;

Justice Department Headquarters Building

Blaze Media Cuts Ties With Lauren Chen After DOJ Connects Her To Russian Scheme

BlazeTV

Department of Justice

Media

Politics

Russia

The FBI arrested a Blaze Media journalist who frequently reports on the January 6 Capitol riot, putting the investigative journalist on full display for a &#8220;perp walk&#8221; even after he turned himself in to authorities.
The arrest, captured on video and posted by TheBlaze founder Glenn Beck, shows a handcuffed and jacket-less Steve Baker being escorted by FBI agents from a building to a car.
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The FBI HANDCUFFED Blaze Media investigative journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/TPC4USA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TPC4USA</a> and made him take a PERP WALK for his reporting on January 6th. This is unbelievable. <a href="https://t.co/yA2PILM9yk">pic.twitter.com/yA2PILM9yk</a>
&mdash; Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) <a href="https://twitter.com/glennbeck/status/1763593019654021560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Baker was <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/blaze-news-investigative-writer-steve-baker-whos-been-reporting-on-january-6-handcuffed-charged" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with four misdemeanors related to his reporting at the U.S. Capitol back on January 6, 2021.
The four charges are knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.
Earlier this week, the FBI ordered Baker to surrender himself on Friday morning. Baker said the FBI told him to arrive at the field office in &#8220;shorts and sandals,&#8221; but he arrived in a suit and tie instead.
Baker <a class="rm-stats-tracked" href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/blaze-media-investigative-journalist-steve-baker-says-justice-department-will-be-charging-him-for-his-jan-6-reporting" target="_self" rel="noopener">announced</a> back in December that he expected the Justice Department to charge him over his reporting on January 6. On Tuesday, he spoke out about his upcoming arrest, stating that he was required to turn himself in at 7 a.m. and that he would be transported to the Dallas courthouse for a 10 a.m. hearing before the magistrate.
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🚨BREAKING🧵- This time, it’s really happening.
Unlike the two previous threats my attorneys received from <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thejusticedept</a> (Nov. 21 and Dec. 23), my self-surrender for alleged J6 crimes is set for this Friday morning in Dallas, TX. There is now a signed arrest warrant.⬇️
&mdash; Steve Baker &#8211; TPC (@TPC4USA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPC4USA/status/1762652438727627133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;My attorneys have also been assured by the gov. that this will be an ‘in and out’ affair and that they have &#8216;no intention&#8217; of detaining me,&#8221; Baker said. &#8220;But, rather than issuing a simple order to appear, they seem to feel the need to give me a dose of the personal humiliation treatment.&#8221;
Beck, who is also the co-founder of Blaze Media, expressed his support for Baker on Friday.
&#8220;When the United States government can come after individuals, that&#8217;s when you know our republic is crumbling. I&#8217;ve always said that if they can go after Donald Trump, they will go after people like you and me. And now they are. But Steve Baker is not deterred, and neither are we,&#8221; Beck <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/free-press-under-fire-steve-bakers-battle-and-ours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in an op-ed.
The federal investigation into Baker began before he joined The Blaze when he was an independent journalist.
The charging documents against Baker reference a YouTube video in which he allegedly said he followed rioters into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi&#8217;s office on January 6.
In that video, Baker said the &#8220;only thing I regret&#8221; is that he did not steal computers because &#8220;God knows what I could&#8217;ve found,&#8221; according to the documents.
&#8220;They got Pelosi&#8217;s office and it couldn&#8217;t happen to a more deserving b****,&#8221; Baker said in the video, according to the documents.
In another video that Baker allegedly recorded outside the Capitol, he said, &#8220;Look out your windows b****es, look what&#8217;s coming,&#8221; the documents note.
Later in a local news interview, Baker said he was &#8220;quite excited to see this going on,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Do I approve of what happened today? I approve 100%.&#8221;
Baker <a href="https://www.glennbeck.com/radio/jan-6-journalist-fbi-arrest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an interview this week that it is &#8220;common&#8221; for law enforcement to allow the press to cross a police line to document events of public interest.
He accused the government of &#8220;selective prosecution,&#8221; saying that dozens of other reporters entered the Capitol on January 6.
Since January 6, Baker&#8217;s reporting on January 6 <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/columns/analysis/harry-dunns-account-of-january-6-does-not-add-up-at-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> whether a Capitol Police officer perjured himself in the trial of the Oath Keepers. He has also written an article questioning another Capitol Police officer&#8217;s account of January 6.

An FBI agent uses a gun in action

WATCH: FBI Arrests Blaze Reporter Over January 6 Reporting

FBI Arrests Blaze Reporter Over January 6 Reporting

Biden Administration

January 6

Big tech streaming platform <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/apple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple</a> removed Blaze Media founder Glenn Beck&#8217;s nationally syndicated American culture and politics program from its iTunes platform on Wednesday for an unknown issue.
Beck, who is one of the first conservatives to venture out and create alternative media from the mainstream, announced in a <a href="https://twitter.com/glennbeck/status/1691872607820251600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> posted on X that he received an email from the Apple Podcasts Team that &#8220;The Glenn Beck Program&#8221; had been removed after they had &#8220;found an issue with [his show] &#8230; which must be resolved before it&#8217;s available on Apple Podcasts.&#8221;
&#8220;I have a feeling these &#8216;issues&#8217; with @Apple and others will keep happening the more we&#8217;re over the target,&#8221; Beck <a href="https://twitter.com/glennbeck/status/1691873812571177405" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on his X account.
The email reportedly directed Beck to follow a link for additional details, but only repeated that Apple Podcasts removed his program.
&#8220;Well, we got that one, dummy,&#8221; Beck said. &#8220;I mean — I cannot imagine what they are — what they&#8217;re basing this one on. I mean, have we even had strikes? Nothing, right? This is crazy. Crazy.&#8221;
Beck had been preparing for another episode of his program on Wednesday when his team found out they potentially became another example of big tech companies censoring conservative programs and personalities.
&#8220;This is absolutely freedom of speech,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There&#8217;s nothing that we have said that would warrant any removal.&#8221;
According to his media company, the podcast host&#8217;s next episode is titled &#8220;Trump vs. Biden: Which is the Crime Family?&#8221; The summary describes Beck&#8217;s deep dive reviewing former President Donald Trump’s fourth indictment and the implications it could have on freedom of speech while comparing it to alleged evidence revealed regarding Hunter Biden and President Joe Biden.
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&#8220;Maybe that&#8217;s what it is &#8230; maybe they&#8217;re just smoked because, you know, I&#8217;m pointing out the real crime family tonight,&#8221; he said.
Although Apple has not issued a formal response, Beck appeared to give the company the benefit of the doubt by calling it a potential &#8220;glitch.&#8221;
&#8220;But it&#8217;s amazing how we have to have a whole bunch of people point out the glitch before the glitch is found, and it&#8217;s put back,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Man, this is — this is huge.&#8221;
&#8220;I think the closer and closer we get to this election, the more and more glitches are going to happen,&#8221; he added.
Blaze Media did not return requests for comment.
BlazeTV host Steve Deace <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDeaceShow/status/1691885877100716065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on social media, &#8220;Oh my. Even if it is a glitch, these &#8216;glitches&#8217; only seem to go one way.&#8221;
Daily Wire Co-Founder Jeremy Boreing <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyDBoreing/status/1691892131072262552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, &#8220;This must be a mistake. Glenn is one of the best men in the business and perhaps the greatest living broadcaster. Make this right.&#8221;
“The Glenn Beck Program” podcast remains available on his BlazeTV service, as well as other streaming platforms Spotify, YouTube, and Stitcher.
Six hours after Beck&#8217;s show was removed from the platform, the podcast host said Apple restored over 3000 episodes to iTunes but did not provide &#8220;clear answers&#8221; for the unknown issue.
&#8220;I want to thank everyone (on the left, right and everyone in between) who spoke up today,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/glennbeck/status/1691943416542675201" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. &#8220;I wish I had better answers from Apple on what happened, but you gave me hope that the issue of censorship is still bigger than politics.&#8221;

Key Speakers At Conservative Political Action Conference

Blaze Media Founder Glenn Beck Says Apple Removed His Podcast From iTunes Without Warning

 Apple Removes Blaze Media Founder Glenn Beck's Podcast From iTunes Without Explanation 

Apple

Big Tech

Censorship

Conservative Media

Glenn Beck

U.S.

Blaze Media announced this week that former Fox News host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tucker-carlson">Tucker Carlson</a> will host the first Republican presidential forum of the 2024 primary race this week and there was one name noticeably absent from the list.
&#8220;Blaze Media is teaming up with THE FAMiLY LEADER to bring you the first presidential forum of the 2024 Republican Primary season, hosted by Tucker Carlson,&#8221; the media company <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/carlson-presidential-candidate-forum-blaze?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;We’ll be live streaming this event all day Friday, July 14th on BlazeTV and the BlazeTV YouTube channel.&#8221;
The Friday event will feature numerous current and former elected leaders who are running for president — including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) — as well as some other candidates who are lower in the polls.
Bob Vander Plaats — who is an influential evangelical leader in the state of Iowa and the CEO of The FAMiLY Leader, the organization hosting the event — <a href="https://twitter.com/bobvanderplaats/status/1678747720620621827">said</a> in a tweet: &#8220;I learned last night that @realDonaldTrump will NOT attend our Leadership Summit this Friday.&#8221;
A spokesperson for Trump said the former president would not be attending because of a &#8220;scheduling conflict&#8221; involving a speech Trump is supposed to give at the Turning Point Action conference, which is near Mar-a-Lago, on Saturday or Sunday.
The news comes after Trump attacked popular Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on social media this week, a key Republican figure who could have a significant impact on who ends up winning the state in January.
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“I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, &amp; when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, &amp; she won,” Trump claimed in a post. “Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events!”
Trump visited Iowa last Friday; Reynolds did not attend, and an aide to Reynolds <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/us/politics/trump-desantis-iowa-governor.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly said</a> she was not invited. Although Reynolds has publicly praised DeSantis, Trump’s chief rival for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, she has not yet endorsed any candidate.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lashes-out-at-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds">noted</a> in a report this week that &#8220;there is no politician in Iowa with greater sway than Ms. Reynolds, 63, who has overseen her party’s swelling state legislative majorities with an approval rating among Republicans near 90 percent.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-arrives-in-des-moines-for-unplanned-stop-to-meet-conservatives-after-trump-cancels-rally-over-weather">DeSantis Arrives In Des Moines For Unplanned Stop To Meet Conservatives After Trump Cancels Rally Over Weather</a>

GOLF: JUL 31 LIV Golf Invitational Series Bedminster

Tucker Carlson To Host First GOP Presidential Forum, 1 Candidate Noticeably Absent

2024 Election

2024 Primaries

Elections

Tucker Carlson

Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey was suspended, then reinstated on Twitter on Monday night, for a tweet critical of a Fox News segment on transgender children.
Stuckey, who hosts the Blaze Media podcast “Relatable” and is a prominent conservative Christian presence on the social media platform, tweeted her reaction to the cable network&#8217;s coverage.
“I’m stunned that Fox News ran a segment celebrating a girl whose parents ‘transitioned’ her into a boy when she was five because she apparently told them she was a boy ‘before [she] could talk.’ Absolutely maddening &amp; heartbreaking,” Stuckey tweeted on Friday.
Twitter responded by locking her account for violating the platform&#8217;s &#8220;rules against hateful conduct.&#8221;
“You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease,” read a message from Twitter.
Stuckey appealed Twitter&#8217;s decision, and other prominent conservatives expressed their support for her.
&#8220;Just got word from @conservmillen that she’s been locked out for hateful conduct. It seems they’ll keep this up until everyone remaining on the platform either agrees with them or censors themselves,&#8221; <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/sethdillon/status/1536489995648880641?s=21&amp;t=i_CWmtrf-4H25P6F0KjbTQ">tweeted</a> Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon.
Eventually, Twitter apologized, saying the social media giant had made an &#8220;error.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve determined there was no violation and have restored your account to full functionality,&#8221; Twitter notified Stuckey.
&#8220;We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate you taking the time to submit your appeal request to us,&#8221; Twitter added.
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I’m stunned that Fox News ran a segment celebrating a girl whose parents “transitioned” her into a boy when she was 5 because she apparently told them she was a boy “before [she] could talk.” Absolutely maddening &amp; heartbreaking. <a href="https://t.co/T8k1QQS6uH">https://t.co/T8k1QQS6uH</a> <a href="https://t.co/kCvacbtY3X">pic.twitter.com/kCvacbtY3X</a>
&mdash; Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) <a href="https://twitter.com/conservmillen/status/1535288443928031232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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For those who didn’t know. Got kicked out of Twitter for this. 😬 I appealed it <a href="https://t.co/T7xucaGHRA">pic.twitter.com/T7xucaGHRA</a>
&mdash; Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) <a href="https://twitter.com/conservmillen/status/1536520507922817024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Fox News shocked viewers on Friday when it ran a glowing <a href="https://video.foxnews.com/v/6307583800112#sp=show-clips">segment</a> about the family of transgender teen Ryland Whittington, who, despite being a biological female, was socially transitioned as a male at the tender age of five.
The network described the fourteen-year-old, whose voice sounds like that of a pubescent boy, as a &#8220;typical Southern California teenager.&#8221;
&#8220;Before Ryland could speak he managed to tell his parents that he is a boy,&#8221; the segment stated. Ryland&#8217;s mother said it was &#8220;painful&#8221; for Ryland to wear girls&#8217; clothes even before the age of five. The network even cited Ryland&#8217;s mom&#8217;s &#8220;conservative faith&#8221; as a factor in their decision to support their daughter&#8217;s transition.
Ryland first went viral in a family YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAHCqnux2fk">video</a> in 2014, and Ryland&#8217;s mother has written a book titled &#8220;Raising Ryland.&#8221;
&#8220;What extraordinary courage displayed by Ryland, his sister Brinley, father Jeff, and mom Hillary. I want to thank the Whittington family for speaking to us. It&#8217;s not easy, particularly at a time when transgender issues have been politicized. People are afraid of what they do not understand, Dana. This family hopes their story will lead to more understanding, more acceptance, and ultimately more love,&#8221; correspondent Bryan Llenas remarked to anchor Dana Perino.
The segment also promoted the transgender activist talking point that children and young people whose new gender identities aren&#8217;t affirmed are vulnerable to suicide. &#8220;I&#8217;d rather have a living son than a dead daughter,&#8221; Ryland&#8217;s mom said in the segment.
However, many have criticized the studies that have served as the basis for such claims. For example, at least one <a href="https://www.heritage.org/gender/report/puberty-blockers-cross-sex-hormones-and-youth-suicide">study</a> even shows that suicide rates among children have increased in states where children have easy access to puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones without parental consent. Other studies, such as a recent Stanford <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0261039">study</a> and a <a href="https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(21)00568-1/fulltext">study</a> by the Trevor Project, omit important variables such as the relationship the child had with their parents and the pre-existing mental state of the child, <a href="https://www.heritage.org/gender/report/puberty-blockers-cross-sex-hormones-and-youth-suicide">numerous</a> <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/03/06/transgender-activism-pharmaceutical-studies-children/">reports</a> have pointed out.

“Candace” Hosted By Candace Owens

Allie Beth Stuckey Suspended From Twitter After Challenging Fox News Segment That Went Viral

Allie Beth Stuckey Suspended From Twitter After Challenging Viral Fox News Segment

Fox News

Transgender

Twitter

Blaze Media&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourke-staffer-gets-physical-with-blaze-medias-sara-gonzales-police-officer-manhandles-her-at-event">Sara Gonzales</a> said this weekend that the Dallas Police Department told her they do not have bodycam footage during the moments Gonzales was allegedly assaulted by a staffer for Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke and a female officer with the DPD.
&#8220;Update: [Dallas PD] has responded that there is no bodycam footage,&#8221; Gonzales said via Twitter on Saturday. &#8220;Convenient.&#8221;
&#8220;[Beto O&#8217;Rourke’s] team did not respond to a request for comment,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Footage will be released this week and all legal options will be pursued.&#8221;
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Update:<a href="https://twitter.com/DallasPD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DallasPD</a> has responded that there is no bodycam footage. Convenient.<a href="https://twitter.com/BetoORourke?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BetoORourke</a>’s team did not respond to a request for comment.
Footage will be released this week and all legal options will be pursued. <a href="https://t.co/NJsLThxged">https://t.co/NJsLThxged</a>
&mdash; Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaraGonzalesTX/status/1502744084829638660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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When Gonzales pressed about the lack of body camera footage, DPD&#8217;s Brian Martinez cited the department&#8217;s General Order for Body Worn Cameras.
&#8220;However, due to the incident being under investigation we will not be able to disclose any further information,&#8221; Martinez told Gonzales.
The Daily Wire contacted the department for clarification on the matter, specifically about why the officer involved did not turn on her body camera, and if she&#8217;s currently being investigated for any of her actions related to the incident. We also asked for an update on the staffer who allegedly assaulted Gonzales.
&#8220;I cannot confirm nor release any names because no official charges have filed,&#8221; Michael Dennis told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Due to the incident being under investigation we will not be able to disclose any further information.&#8221;
Gonzales <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourke-staffer-gets-physical-with-blaze-medias-sara-gonzales-police-officer-manhandles-her-at-event">confirmed</a> to The Daily Wire last week that she has filed complaints with the department against the officer and Beto staffer.
<div id="attachment_354611" style="width: 595px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-354611" class="wp-image-354611 size-full" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9-tRpr7r.jpg-medium.jpeg" alt="" width="585" height="773" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/9-tRpr7r.jpg-medium.jpeg 585w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/9-tRpr7r.jpg-medium-227x300.jpeg 227w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/9-tRpr7r.jpg-medium-436x576.jpeg 436w" sizes=" (max-width: 585px) 100vw, 585px" />Dallas Police Department</div>
Gonzales said last weekend that a female O’Rourke staffer tried to rip her phone from her hands while Gonzales was at a public event for the candidate in Dallas. Gonzales was then “manhandled” by a female officer with the DPD and almost fell down nearby stairs.
Not once was Gonzales directed not to record anything by anyone at the event, the conservative told The Daily Wire, adding that others had their phones out to record, too.
“Earlier today, I attended a Beto O’Rourke townhall,” Gonzales shared on social media at the time. “I started to record an interaction between Beto &amp; a constituent while he was taking pictures. His staffer grabbed my phone &amp; tried to pry it out of my hands, then a DPD officer manhandled me unprovoked. Beto is NOT for TX.”
“I will be consulting my attorney and requesting bodycam footage from DPD,” she continued. “There were people recording on their phones all afternoon. The police gave me no directive before manhandling me and almost pushing me down the stairs. Imagine what this man would allow if elected.”
Gonzales told The Daily Wire the staffer &#8220;attacked&#8221; her for filming O&#8217;Rourke.
“I started recording at this public forum, as I had seen many others do, and was immediately attacked by Beto’s staffer, who blocked me and grabbed my phone, trying to pull it out of my hands,” she recalled. “As I was attempting to maintain the grip on my phone while it was being pulled from me, a black female Dallas Police officer blindsided me and forcefully grabbed my arms, pushing me away where I nearly tripped down some steps.”
“She had given no directive, no instruction, no warning before forcefully putting her hands on me,” Gonzales said.
“I am not a criminal and had not broken any laws. I’ve never been in an incident like this with law enforcement, and have always been extremely supportive and respectful of them, but this incident affected me very viscerally. The fact that I had to wrestle my private property away from a stranger attempting to take it from me only to be manhandled by the police as if I were a criminal is deeply upsetting,” she added. “I feel violated.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourke-staffer-gets-physical-with-blaze-medias-sara-gonzales-police-officer-manhandles-her-at-event">Beto O’Rourke Staffer Gets Physical With Blaze Media’s Sara Gonzales, Police Officer ‘Manhandles’ Her At Event</a>

Beto O’Rourke, Sara Gonzales

Media Figure Says It’s ‘Convenient’ Police Don’t Have Bodycam Footage Of Moments Beto Staffer, Officer Allegedly Assaulted Her

Beto O'Rourke

Blaze Media&#8217;s Sara Gonzales said Sunday that a staffer for Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke tried to rip her phone from her hands while she was at a public event for the candidate in Dallas, Texas. Gonzales was then &#8220;manhandled&#8221; by a female officer with the Dallas Police Department and almost fell down nearby stairs, she said.
Not once was Gonzales directed not to record anything by anyone at the event, the conservative told The Daily Wire, adding that others had their phones out to record, too.
Gonzales provided a photo to The Daily Wire that is posted on O’Rourke&#8217;s own social media from the event. In the crowd, some attendees have their phones out, seemingly recording or taking photos of the Democrat, the picture shows.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Thanks to everyone who joined us for today’s education town hall!
Together, we’ll guarantee that this state finally has world-class schools where we fully fund our classrooms and fully support Texas teachers, students, and parents. <a href="https://t.co/FtZP7StMog">pic.twitter.com/FtZP7StMog</a>
&mdash; Beto O&#39;Rourke (@BetoORourke) <a href="https://twitter.com/BetoORourke/status/1500635450368798724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Earlier today, I attended a Beto O’Rourke townhall,&#8221; Gonzales shared on social media over the weekend. &#8220;I started to record an interaction between Beto &amp; a constituent while he was taking pictures. His staffer grabbed my phone &amp; tried to pry it out of my hands, then a DPD officer manhandled me unprovoked. Beto is NOT for TX.&#8221;
&#8220;I will be consulting my attorney and requesting bodycam footage from DPD,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;There were people recording on their phones all afternoon. The police gave me no directive before manhandling me and almost pushing me down the stairs. Imagine what this man would allow if elected.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I will be consulting my attorney and requesting bodycam footage from DPD. There were people recording on their phones all afternoon. The police gave me no directive before manhandling me and almost pushing me down the stairs.
Imagine what this man would allow if elected.
&mdash; Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaraGonzalesTX/status/1500652614689697795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Step 1 is done (formal request for bodycam footage),&#8221; she added, captioning a screenshot of the request. &#8220;Filing the police report against the staffer for the battery she committed comes tomorrow as it must be done in person. I have identified her by name.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Step 1 is done (formal request for bodycam footage). 
Filing the police report against the staffer for the battery she committed comes tomorrow as it must be done in person. 
I have identified her by name. <a href="https://t.co/6EDBxDWH1o">pic.twitter.com/6EDBxDWH1o</a>
&mdash; Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaraGonzalesTX/status/1500997568855257090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;After his townhall, Beto was taking pictures and chatting with attendees of the event, many of whom had their phones out for the sole purpose of taking pictures and/or video,&#8221; Gonzales told The Daily Wire on Tuesday. &#8220;This was a public event. There were never any instructions not to film, nor were there signs. In fact, a photo posted on Twitter by Beto&#8217;s team shows numerous audience members with their phones up, and video cameras in the back. They also live-streamed the event. This was clearly not an event that prohibited video recording.&#8221;
&#8220;I started recording at this public forum, as I had seen many others do, and was immediately attacked by Beto’s staffer, who blocked me and grabbed my phone, trying to pull it out of my hands,&#8221; she recalled. &#8220;As I was attempting to maintain the grip on my phone while it was being pulled from me, a black female Dallas Police officer blindsided me and forcefully grabbed my arms, pushing me away where I nearly tripped down some steps.&#8221;
&#8220;She had given no directive, no instruction, no warning before forcefully putting her hands on me,&#8221; Gonzales continued.
&#8220;I am not a criminal and had not broken any laws. I&#8217;ve never been in an incident like this with law enforcement, and have always been extremely supportive and respectful of them, but this incident affected me very viscerally. The fact that I had to wrestle my private property away from a stranger attempting to take it from me only to be manhandled by the police as if I were a criminal is deeply upsetting,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I feel violated.&#8221;
Gonzales noted that the crowd of O’Rourke supporters did not say or do anything in reaction to the incident.
&#8220;Even worse was seeing the crowd of people — presumably the same people who insisted police should stand down and allow criminals to loot stores and burn down buildings &#8211; watching this abuse of power happen in total silence,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Honestly, it felt like I was in the twilight zone.&#8221;
Gonzales has already formally requested related body camera footage from the police department.
&#8220;I am also filing a complaint against the officer, as well as a police report for the battery that was committed against me by the campaign staffer,&#8221; Gonzales said.
Hours later on Tuesday, the conservative confirmed to The Daily Wire that she has filed a complaint against the officer via email and is awaiting confirmation from internal affairs.
At around the same time, the department told The Daily Wire they have yet to receive the complaint. &#8220;This abuse of power should not happen to anyone,&#8221; Gonzales told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Law enforcement is supposed to enforce laws, not work as the mafia muscle for their preferred political candidate. If the Beto campaign is perfectly fine using the police to punish law abiding citizens, imagine what he’d do once in office.&#8221;
UPDATE: Gonzales has provided photo evidence of a confirmation email she received from internal affairs accepting her filed complaint.

Beto O’Rourke Staffer Gets Physical With Blaze Media’s Sara Gonzales, Police Officer ‘Manhandles’ Her At Event

Texas

Last week, BlazeTV released a new sketch from comedian Victor Dweck.
In the sketch, called “Icepick and the Murderers for Bernie,” Martha Hyde-White, a parody of Barbara Walters, interviews inmate Jerry John Davis, nicknamed “Icepick,” who is “serving a 180 year sentence for setting his local Equinox gym on fire after exiting the shower and finding no fresh towels.”
With a fire-scorched voice, Icepick sits across from Hyde-White and tells her that he is a staunch supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for president.
“With help from the Sanders camp, Icepick has been allowed to spend his one hour a day out of solitary confinement canvassing for Bernie,” Hyde-White states while we see Icepick holding a “Murderers for Bernie” sign and chanting, among other things, “My body. My choice.” He is accompanied by a security guard, who chants with him.
In a particularly funny man-on-the-street interview, a local “woman” says that she supports Icepick’s efforts for Bernie Sanders because she hates President Trump’s “draconian health care system.”
At the end of the segment, Hyde-White notes that since the interview, Icepick has had more years added to his prison sentence because he murdered her cameraman.
The sketch parodies a real-life moment. During a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bernie-sanders-let-terrorists-sex-predators-ryan-saavedra">town hall in April</a>, Sanders was asked: Would [you] support enfranchising people like the Boston Marathon bomber, a convicted terrorist and murderer?”
The senator replied:
<blockquote>If somebody commits a serious crime – sexual assault, murder – they’re going to be punished. They may be in jail 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, their whole lives. That’s what happens when you commit a serious crime. But I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy. Yes, even for terrible people, because once you start chipping away … you’re running down a slippery slope … I do believe that even if they are in jail, they’re paying their price to society, that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.</blockquote>
Host Chris Cuomo followed up by telling Sanders that he was essentially “writing an opposition ad against” himself – but Sanders doubled down.
When The Daily Wire spoke with Dweck about the creative process behind this particular sketch, he said:
<blockquote>Well, we knew that we wanted to do something with prison, and we were talking about hot button issues like prison reform, being locked up, police brutality, and we remembered Bernie’s policy about giving voting rights to people on death row, such as the Boston Bomber. Without being mean about it or taking sides, we thought, “Well, what might a best case scenario look like?” Icepick, although having burned 89 people to death, as you know, is a big supporter of the fight against climate change. So, we decided to have fun with it.
Also, our goal is to bring people together with non-polarizing comedy around socio-political issues, and neither have us has ever met someone who actually supports this policy of giving voting rights to serial killers, so we figured it’d be a good policy that everyone can laugh about in a sketch.
One of the things I love about this piece is that although Icepick is a ruthless, serial-killing psychopath, the radical Bernie supporters love him simply because the two share a love of Bernie Sanders. It really speaks to how far radicals – on both sides – will go to stand by anything having to do with their politicians of choice.
I also love how the reporter talks to Icepick as if he chose Bernie over the other candidates for his policies. Icepick obviously likes Bernie. He has no other option! This is a nod to how tone-deaf reporters can be. The whole thing is ridiculous, and ridiculously truthful.</blockquote>
Check out the sketch here [Warning: Some Strong Language]:
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Dweck.

WATCH: Comedy Sketch Brilliantly Skewers Bernie Sanders’ Stance On Felon Voters

Bernie Sanders

Comedy

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