Erika Kirk’s latest court filing seeks to stop defense delays in the assassination trial of her late husband Charlie Kirk &#8212; a case in which the defendant, Tyler Robinson, has yet to enter a plea.
Erika&#8217;s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, filed a court document asking the judge overseeing the trial to enforce Erika&#8217;s right to a speedy trial, arguing that there have been “undue delays” in the progress of the case.
&#8220;The Utah Code affords victims of a crime &#8216;the right to a speedy disposition of the charges free from unwarranted delay caused by or at the behest of the defendant,'&#8221; Neiman wrote in the filing, according to Fox News.
&#8220;This Court is tasked with the critically important function of ensuring the Defendant has a fair trial, but this Court must also do so while balancing Mrs. Kirk’s right to a speedy trial and therefore this Notice invokes Mrs. Kirk’s rights under applicable Utah Code,&#8221; the filing continued.
Neiman noted that Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder, &#8220;believed in the importance of the United States Constitution,&#8221; and while the Constitution &#8220;guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process.&#8221;
Robinson&#8217;s defense team claims the Utah County Attorney’s Office has a conflict of interest in the case due to a Utah County prosecutor’s daughter being present at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place. They are currently working to get the office booted from the case.
The prosecution says the family member saw nothing direct and a conflict of interest has not been established. They’ve also accused the defense of stall tactics.
At Robinson&#8217;s last court appearance, Judge Tony Graf said there wasn&#8217;t sufficient evidence yet to warrant the expulsion of the office, but has notably allowed Robinson’s team to begin examining witnesses in relation to the supposed conflict of interest.
Robinson has been charged with murdering Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. At the time he was shot, Kirk was taking questions from people in the crowd who disagreed with him on politics.
The state has made clear that they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tyler+Robinson+Had+Another+Day+In+Court.+Here’s+The+Latest+In+The+Charlie+Kirk+Assassination+Trial.">Tyler Robinson Had Another Day In Court. Here’s The Latest In The Charlie Kirk Assassination Trial.</a>

US-POLITICS-SHOOTING-KIRK

How Erika Kirk Is Trying To Stop Delays In Charlie’s Assassination Trial

Charlie Kirk

Courts

Crime

Murder

U.S.

Utah

The Utah judge overseeing the assassination case of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has yet to rule on the defense&#8217;s motion to disqualify the Utah County Attorney’s Office from prosecuting the case over an alleged conflict of interest.
The defense team for Tyler Robinson &#8212; who&#8217;s been charged with the murder of Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University &#8212; says the office has a conflict of interest in the case due to a Utah County prosecutor&#8217;s daughter being present at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place.
The prosecution says the family member saw nothing direct and a conflict of interest has not been established. They&#8217;ve also accused the defense of stall tactics.
Judge Tony Graf said on Friday that there&#8217;s not sufficient evidence yet to warrant the expulsion of the office, but has allowed Robinson&#8217;s team to begin examining witnesses in relation to the supposed conflict of interest.
Additionally, Judge Graf <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/accused-charlie-kirk-shooter-prosecution-removed/">blocked</a> a pool video camera from showing Robinson after his defense team complained that shots of the accused speaking with his legal team could potentially be seen by lip readers and unfairly impact the trial.
A court “decorum” order prohibits visual recordings of conversations at the defense table &#8212; even if they&#8217;re inaudible &#8212; that could potentially be deciphered by lip readers. It also bars close-ups of written communications. The defense argued that the video feed photographer violated such a provision twice on Friday, NewsNation reported.
The sanction of the pool video camera pertained to Friday&#8217;s hearing specifically, and is not permanent.
The next hearing is scheduled for February 3, and will focus on the defense&#8217;s requests to boot the Utah County Attorney’s Office from the case and limit video footage in the trial.
Separately, new reporting on Lance Twiggs, Robinson&#8217;s roommate and alleged lover, indicates that Twiggs is no longer being protected by federal agents.
Twiggs, who lived with Robinson at the time of Kirk&#8217;s murder, has been linked to text messages about the assassination. Relatives of Twiggs say the 22-year-old identified as transgender and was &#8220;transitioning&#8221; to female.
Twiggs had an FBI security detail due to threats before he moved out of state, according to media reports. He has not been charged with any crime in connection to the assassination.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-orders-transcripts-audio-to-be-made-public-from-hearing-for-accused-charlie-kirk-assassin?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Judge+Orders+Transcripts%2C+Audio+To+Be+Made+Public+From+Hearing+For+Accused+Charlie+Kirk+Assassin">Judge Orders Transcripts, Audio To Be Made Public From Hearing For Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin</a>

Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Attends Court Hearing

Tyler Robinson Had Another Day In Court. Here’s The Latest In The Charlie Kirk Assassination Trial.

A federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden is tying the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis as rioting continues to escalate in the liberal city.
Agents are now barred from detaining or using tear gas or other measures against peaceful protesters who aren&#8217;t obstructing operations, according to an <a href="https://www.aclu-mn.org/app/uploads/2025/12/ECF-85-Order-1.16.25.pdf.pdf">order</a> issued by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez on Friday night.
Complicating the already heated operations and riots in the Minneapolis area, Menendez says officers would have to show probable cause or reasonable suspicion that someone has committed a crime or is obstructing law enforcement operations to act. Additionally, the judge specifically noted that following officers &#8220;at an appropriate distance&#8221; is not reason for an officer to take any action.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reacted to the order by stressing that &#8220;rioting&#8221; is not protected by the First Amendment and said DHS will continue to uphold the rule of law and protect their officers and the public.
&#8220;We remind the public that rioting is dangerous—obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony,&#8221; McLaughlin said in a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/federal-judge-restricts-ice-agents-amid-ongoing-minneapolis-area-protests-over-fatal-shooting">statement</a>. &#8220;Rioters and terrorists have assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their vehicles, and vandalized federal property. Others have chosen to ignore commands and have attempted to impede law enforcement operations and used their vehicles as weapons against our officers.&#8221;
&#8220;Despite these grave threats and dangerous situations, our law enforcement has followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property,&#8221; she added.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+DOJ+To+Investigate+Walz%2C+Minneapolis+Mayor%2C+For+Impeding+ICE+Agents">The Daily Wire</a>, ICE operations in the liberal city have become subject to heated rioting. Fox News National Correspondent Alexis McAdams, for example, said she&#8217;s observed rioters behaving more like trained operators than spontaneous protesters.
&#8220;This isn’t a protest — it’s an operation. Anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis rapidly track, doxx, and harass anyone they believe is tied to ICE,&#8221; she said, adding, &#8220;They take pics of you, your license plate, &amp; upload to their &#8216;data base.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
This isn’t a protest — it’s an operation. Anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis rapidly track, doxx, and harass anyone they believe is tied to ICE.
They take pics of you, your license plate, &amp; upload to their “data base”.
Follow you, harass you, &amp; try to stop active… <a href="https://t.co/s9m54zSIrW">pic.twitter.com/s9m54zSIrW</a>
— Alexis McAdams (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexisMcAdamsTV/status/2012283463441785271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
Earlier this month, an ICE agent fatally shot a protester named Renee Good after she hit him with her vehicle during operations. DHS says the officer suffered internal bleeding from the incident and acted in self-defense, likely saving other agents, too.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+DOJ+To+Investigate+Walz%2C+Minneapolis+Mayor%2C+For+Impeding+ICE+Agents">LIVE UPDATES: DOJ To Investigate Walz, Minneapolis Mayor, For Impeding ICE Agents</a>

TOPSHOT-US-IMMIGRATION-ICE-SHOOTING

Biden Judge Ties ICE’s Hands In Minneapolis As Rioting Escalates

Biden Administration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Rioters

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court appears poised to allow states to keep men out of women’s sports after the majority of justices seemed favorable towards laws from West Virginia and Idaho that make participation in women’s sports contingent on sex.
After three and a half hours of arguments on Tuesday, the justices seemed skeptical of claims from transgender-identifying athletes that laws keeping them off women’s sports teams violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and Title IX. The outcome of the cases could have far-reaching implications for protecting women’s privacy in bathrooms, locker rooms, and other sensitive spaces.
The justices heard the cases of West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox. Both cases revolve around laws in West Virginia and Idaho that prohibit men from competing on women’s sports teams.
The strongest pushback against the arguments made against the laws came from Justice Samuel Alito, who pressed lawyer Kathleen Hartnett, an attorney representing a transgender-identifying male athlete from Idaho, about what her definition of sex was.
“Is it not necessary for there to be, for Equal Protection purposes, if that is challenged under the Equal Protection Clause, an understanding of what it means to be a boy or a girl or a man or a woman?” he asked.
“We do not have a definition for the court, and we don&#8217;t take issue with the … we&#8217;re not disputing the definition here. What we&#8217;re saying is that the way it applies in practice is to exclude birth sex males categorically from women&#8217;s teams, and that there&#8217;s a subset of those birth sex males where it doesn&#8217;t make sense to do so, according to the state&#8217;s own interest,” Hartnett replied.
“How can a court determine whether there&#8217;s discrimination on the basis of sex without knowing what sex means for Equal Protection purposes?” Alito followed up. He also asked Hartnett if she thought female athletes worried about fair competition were bigots.
In a different section of arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts joined in Alito’s skepticism about ACLU lawyer Joshua Block’s reluctance to provide a definition of sex for the court.
&#8220;Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. It&#8217;s a statutory term, it must mean something,&#8221; Roberts said. &#8220;You&#8217;re arguing here there is discrimination on the basis of sex, and how can we decide that question without knowing what sex means in Title IX?&#8221;
Justice Brett Kavanaugh appeared inclined to let the debate play out at the state level, noting that 27 states have protected women’s sports while the other 23 allow males who identify as females to compete in the women’s division.
“Why would we, at this point, just the role of this court, jump in and try to constitutionalize the rule for the whole country while [there&#8217;s] still, as you say, uncertainty, debate — while there are still strong interests on the other side?” he said.
Kavanaugh also noted that sports are often a “zero-sum game” and that even one transgender-identifying athlete allowed on a women’s team could have an outsized impact.
At a press conference after the case, Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer John Bursch told The Daily Wire that he believes the issue should be national and that women in California and Massachusetts should not have their right to fair competition taken away.
During arguments, demonstrators on both sides held competing rallies. One woman from North Carolina who was holding a sign in favor of protecting women&#8217;s sports told The Daily Wire that she got on a bus at 3:00 a.m. to travel up to Washington, D.C., for the demonstration.

Trans Athletes Supreme Court Case

SCOTUS Leans Toward Protecting Women’s Sports While ACLU Can’t Define ‘Woman’

Samuel Alito

Social Issues

Supreme Court

Transgender

Transgender Athletes

Common sense is on the line at the Supreme Court, a group of female athletes and Republican officials warned Monday.
The Republican Attorneys General Conference and prominent female athletes like Riley Gaines held a press conference on Monday ahead of oral arguments in two cases that revolve around the rights of states to pass laws that keep men off of women’s sports teams. They said that the case will have far-reaching consequences for women’s privacy and safety.
“The reason that we are here is because Idaho and West Virginia passed common sense laws that delineate the athletic playing fields in our states between the sexes,” said West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey. “West Virginia&#8217;s law makes sure that every single woman and girl in West Virginia has a safe and fair playing field in order for them to earn and learn all of the amazing skills that come from competitive team athletics.”
The justices will hear two different sets of oral arguments on Tuesday, in the cases of West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox. The result of the cases will determine whether 27 states can keep laws in place that prevent men from entering women’s sports, and could impact laws protecting women’s privacy in bathrooms and other spaces.
“Women&#8217;s rights are under attack by the radical Left. As Republican Attorneys General, we are committed to doing everything we can to protect them. Women and girls should feel safe in the locker rooms and have the opportunity to participate in fair competitions,” said Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen.
Gaines, the University of Kentucky swimmer who rose to national prominence for speaking out after being forced to compete against male University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, said she was “pissed” off that the country had reached the point where it was even a debate whether women can have their own sports teams.
“I&#8217;m pissed off that we&#8217;ve reached a point where we seemingly have an entire political party who has diminished and erased our rights as women. That&#8217;s exactly what this is. Don&#8217;t let them frame it any other way,” Gaines said.
As Gaines noted, the case will not determine whether states must keep sports teams separate by sex, but whether states are allowed to do so.
“We are fighting for the bare minimum here,” she said. “Can we allow ourselves to be vulnerable in an intimate area of undressing such as a locker room without having to fear a man walking into that space? Can we do those things?”
Oral arguments in the case will start at 10 a.m. and are expected to last several hours.

Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Rally In Bozeman, Montana

‘Fighting For The Bare Minimum’: Riley Gaines Speaks Out Before SCOTUS Trans Case

Idaho

West Virginia

Women's sports

Harvey Weinstein was back in a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday morning to assess where he stands in his legal battles as another trial looms on charges of third-degree rape.
The charge stems from an allegation made by Jessica Mann, a former aspiring actress, who claimed Weinstein raped her at a New York hotel in March 2013. Weinstein has denied that claim.
Weinstein&#8217;s lawyer Arthur Aidala told Judge Curtis Farber that the 73-year-old is considering pleading guilty to that rape charge to avoid another trial, reports <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/harvey-weinstein-considering-guilty-plea-ahead-third-sex-assault-trial-rcna253040">NBC News</a>. The trial would begin on March 3 if Weinstein can&#8217;t reach a plea deal, and Mann would likely testify against the disgraced Hollywood mogul again.
“I understand that your client wants additional time to think about it,” Farber told Weinstein’s lawyer in the courtroom Thursday.
At the end of the hearing, Weinstein, who appeared frail in a wheelchair, spoke directly to the judge, admitting no wrongdoing. “I admit my moral failings, I was unfaithful and acted wrongly,&#8221; Weinstein said. &#8220;But I have never assaulted anyone.&#8221;
Weinstein was found guilty of third-degree rape of Mann in early 2020, but that ruling was overturned in 2024 by a New York state appeals court. Weinstein was then retried on the same case last year, but the jury failed to reach a verdict.
However, the jury did find Weinstein guilty of a first-degree criminal sexual act based on the claims made by a production assistant on the Weinstein-produced &#8220;Project Runway.&#8221; Miriam Haley said Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006.
The mogul was acquitted of criminal sexual assault against former model Kaja Sokola.
Judge Farber threw out Weinstein&#8217;s request for a new trial in the Haley case after the defense claimed two jurors said they were pressured to convict Weinstein. The judge said, &#8220;The Court&#8217;s response to the jurors&#8217; complaints appropriately balanced the competing interests of investigating the allegations while avoiding any unnecessary taint of the deliberating jury,&#8221; per <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/harvey-weinstein-critical-hearing-grant-new-trial/story?id=129014006">ABC News</a>.
Thursday&#8217;s appearance addressed Weinstein&#8217;s web of cases. Now, he will remain in custody at Rikers Island in New York City as he weighs his options regarding entering a guilty plea to the rape charges involving Mann.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deadlocked-jury-throws-harvey-weinstein-retrial-into-chaos-after-partial-verdict?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Deadlocked+Jury+Throws+Harvey+Weinstein+Retrial+Into+Chaos+After+Partial+Verdict">Deadlocked Jury Throws Harvey Weinstein Retrial Into Chaos After Partial Verdict</a>

Credit: Steven Hirsch-Pool via Getty Images

New Trial Denied As Harvey Weinstein Considers Guilty Plea In Separate Rape Case

Celebrities

Harvey Weinstein

Hollywood

Movies

The <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/dl">indictment</a> brought by the United States against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro Moros has been released.
It outlines a decades-long racketeering and narco-terrorism conspiracy led by Maduro and high-ranking members of the Venezuelan government. The United States alleges that these individuals transformed the Venezuelan state into a criminal enterprise, known as the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), to traffic thousands of tons of cocaine into America.
“For over 25 years, leaders of Venezuela have abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States,” the indictment states. “Nicolas Maduro Moros, the defendant, is at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States.”
“Since his early days in Venezuelan government, Maduro Moros has tarnished every public office he has held,” the indictment continues. “As a member of Venezuela&#8217;s National Assembly, Maduro Moros moved loads of cocaine under the protection of Venezuelan law enforcement. As Venezuela&#8217;s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maduro Moros provided Venezuelan diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and facilitated diplomatic cover for planes used by money launderers to repatriate drug proceeds from Mexico to Venezuela. As Venezuela&#8217;s President and now-de facto ruler, Maduro Moros allows cocaine-fueled corruption to flourish for his own benefit, for the benefit of members of his ruling regime, and for the benefit of his family members.”
The indictment centers on Maduro, whom the U.S. describes as the de facto but illegitimate leader of Venezuela. It details how he and his inner circle used their official positions to protect drug shipments rather than serve the public. Key co-conspirators include:
<blockquote>
Diosdado Cabello Rondón: Minister of the Interior and a powerful military figure.
Ramón Rodríguez Chacín: Former Minister of the Interior and Justice.
Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro: Maduro’s wife and &#8220;first lady,&#8221; accused of brokering bribes for drug traffickers.
Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra (&#8220;Nicolasito&#8221;): Maduro’s son, accused of using state-owned aircraft to transport cocaine.
Héctor Guerrero Flores (&#8220;Niño Guerrero&#8221;): Leader of the violent Tren de Aragua (TdA) criminal organization.</blockquote>
The Venezuelan regime allegedly provided a &#8220;safe haven&#8221; for various designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and international cartels. These groups operated with impunity on Venezuelan soil in exchange for sharing profits with the regime.
<ul>
<li>FARC &amp; ELN (Colombia): Guerrilla groups that produced the cocaine in Colombia and moved it into Venezuela under military protection.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="8,1,0">Sinaloa Cartel &amp; Los Zetas (Mexico): Acting as the primary distributors, these groups received Venezuelan shipments in Mexico and Central America to move them across the U.S. border.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="8,2,0">Tren de Aragua (TdA): Provided logistics and armed escorts within Venezuela, specifically controlling the coastlines to facilitate maritime shipments.</li>
</ul>
The indictment lists specific instances of high-level corruption spanning from 1999 to 2025:
<ul>
<li data-path-to-node="12,0,0">Diplomatic Cover: As Foreign Minister, Maduro allegedly sold diplomatic passports to traffickers and used diplomatic flights to repatriate drug proceeds from Mexico without law enforcement scrutiny.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="12,1,0">The &#8220;Presidential Hangar&#8221;: Thousands of kilograms of cocaine were allegedly loaded onto planes at the Simon Bolivar International Airport, often utilizing the hangar reserved for the Venezuelan leader.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="12,2,0">Bribery and Violence: The defendants are accused of accepting millions in bribes to protect traffickers, ordering the murder of rival drug bosses, and using state-sponsored gangs (colectivos) to enforce their criminal interests.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="12,3,0">Weapons for Drugs: The regime reportedly supplied FARC and ELN rebels with military-grade weaponry, including machine guns and grenades, to protect the production and transport of cocaine.</li>
</ul>
The grand jury has brought four primary counts against the defendants:
<ol>
<li data-path-to-node="16,0,0">Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy: Knowing and intending to provide pecuniary value to terrorist organizations through drug distribution.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="16,1,0">Cocaine Importation Conspiracy: Planning the manufacture and distribution of over five kilograms of cocaine with the intent to import it into the United States.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="16,2,0">Possession of Machine Guns and Destructive Devices: Carrying and using military-grade weaponry in furtherance of drug trafficking.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="16,3,0">Conspiracy to Possess Machine Guns: Agreeing to provide and use such weapons to protect the enterprise.</li>
</ol>
The United States government seeks the forfeiture of all property and proceeds derived from these crimes.

Nicolas Maduro

The United States V. Nicolás Maduro: The ‘Cartel Of The Suns’ Indictment

Indictment

Venezuela

World

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that a California ban on openly carrying firearms violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, giving gun owners a major win in the deep blue state.
In a 2-1 <a href="https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/01/02/24-565.pdf">ruling</a>, the appeals court partially sided with a California gun owner Mark Baird, who sued over California&#8217;s ban on openly carrying a firearm in counties with more than 200,000 residents. The law, which went into effect as an &#8220;urban open-carry ban,&#8221; effectively prohibited around 95% of California&#8217;s population from carrying a gun in public.
U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said in the ruling that &#8220;historical record makes unmistakably plain that open carry is part of this Nation’s history and tradition.&#8221;
&#8220;It was clearly protected at the time of the Founding and at the time of the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment. There is no record of any law restricting open carry at the Founding, let alone a distinctly similar historical regulation,&#8221; the judge stated. &#8220;California’s failure to satisfy its burden to present evidence of a relevant historical tradition of firearm regulation is dispositive with respect to California’s urban open-carry ban.&#8221;
The open-carry ban was <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-defends-commonsense-gun-law-prevents-illegal-gun">defended</a> by California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has pushed for gun control at the state and federal levels.
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In the ruling, VanDyke also said that California&#8217;s open-carry ban could not stand under the Supreme Court&#8217;s landmark decision in 2022 in New York State Rifle &amp; Pistol Association v Bruen, which found that Americans have the right to carry firearms in public. The judge also noted how most U.S. states generally allow for open carry, a list that included California until the state enacted its urban open carry ban in 2012.
&#8220;In doing so, California joined a tiny minority of states to have adopted such severe restrictions on open carry. In fact, California is the only state in the Ninth Circuit that has entirely banned open carry for the overwhelming majority of its citizens,&#8221; VanDyke wrote.
VanDyke was joined by Kenneth Lee, another Trump-appointed judge, in ruling against the California law. The three-judge panel ruled against Baird&#8217;s challenge of licensing requirements in counties with fewer than 200,000 residents.
Friday&#8217;s ruling comes after a 2023 decision from a district court judge who rejected a legal challenge to California&#8217;s open carry ban. Senior U.S. Circuit Judge N. Randy Smith, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, dissented in part, arguing that the appeals court &#8220;should have affirmed the district court.&#8221;

Shooting club

SECOND AMENDMENT WINS: Appeals Court Shoots Down ‘Unconstitutional’ California Open-Carry Ban

2nd Amendment

9th Circuit

California

Guns

The 30-year-old man suspected of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot will remain in jail as his case moves forward, a federal judge ruled on Friday.
Brian Cole Jr. was arrested last month and charged with two federal counts related to transporting and attempting to detonate explosive devices. Cole&#8217;s lawyers argued for the federal government to put him under house arrest as he awaits his trial, revealing that he has been diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder and arguing that he poses no threat to society, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/30/us-news/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-brian-cole-jr-is-autistic-and-has-ocd-lawyers-reveal-in-bid-against-pre-trial-detention/">reported</a>.
Prosecutors said that releasing Cole would &#8220;return him to precisely the same circumstances … [as] in the fall of 2020 … when the defendant was planning his crimes and learning about the historical use of pipe bombs.&#8221; U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Sharbaugh sided with the prosecution and ordered Cole to be held without bail, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-orders-man-accused-planting-pipe-bombs-washington-remain-custody-2026-01-02/">Reuters</a>.
&#8220;Although home incarceration and a GPS monitor would provide some check against Mr. Cole’s ability to carry out any menacing or dangerous conduct in the community, the Court is simply not satisfied these conditions rise to the necessary level for the reasons explained,&#8221; Sharbaugh <a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-will-remain-locked-up-ahead-of-trial-brian-cole-prosecution-defense-january-six-donald-trump-detained-jail">wrote</a> in his ruling. &#8220;This is particularly true based on the severity of the potential danger Mr. Cole is alleged to pose, given his alleged persistent acquisition and retention of so-called &#8216;bombmaking parts,&#8217; and given his reported penchant and capacity to create explosive devices and deploy them in public settings.&#8221;
The Department of Justice said that Cole wiped his cellphone 943 times after allegedly planting the bombs until just before his arrest. Cole&#8217;s lawyers, however, argued that he often wiped his phone because of his OCD, not to hide any incriminating evidence, the Post reported. His defense team added that Cole has no history of violence.
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Cole, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was tracked down by federal authorities nearly five years after the pipe bombs were discovered. Investigators combed through thousands of purchases, cellphone data, and license plates before tying Cole to the crime. Federal investigators said that Cole <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/d-c-pipe-bomb-suspect-shed-light-on-his-motive-in-interviews-with-investigators-doj-says">confessed</a> to planting the bombs and expressed support for President Donald Trump. Cole allegedly told authorities in a videotaped confession that he wanted someone to “speak up” about the 2020 election being stolen, adding that people felt “that their votes are like just being thrown away.&#8221;
However, questions remain around the timing of Cole&#8217;s alleged plot to plant the pipe bombs in response to the 2020 election, as charging documents state that Cole purchased the materials for the bombs as early as May 2019, long before the controversy over the 2020 election erupted.
Cole allegedly set the bombs to detonate one hour after he set them, but they never went off. Cole said that he was “pretty relieved” when he learned that the bombs did not detonate, according to the Justice Department.
“Indeed, the defendant admitted that he set both devices to detonate 60 minutes after he placed them,” the DOJ stated. “His failure to accomplish his objectives does not mitigate the profoundly dangerous nature of his crimes.”
FBI Director Kash Patel has pointed to Cole&#8217;s arrest as an example of the bureau&#8217;s failures under the Biden administration, arguing that the pipe bomb case went unsolved for nearly five years due to &#8220;either sheer incompetence or complete intentional negligence.&#8221;
Cole faces up to 30 years in prison.

Brian Cole Jr.

Federal Judge Orders Suspect In Jan 6 Pipe Bomb Case To Stay Behind Bars

January 6

Judge

Washington D.C.

CBS News legal analyst Jan Crawford insisted that despite recent history suggesting otherwise, 2026 would be a year of losses for President Donald Trump, particularly in the Supreme Court.
Crawford joined the discussion on Sunday morning&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;Face the Nation,&#8221; and although she conceded that the Trump administration had seen &#8220;tremendous success&#8221; with regard to the Supreme Court, she was absolutely certain that pattern would not hold.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Trump administration will “absolutely not” win its case before the Supreme Court on the legality of President Trump&#8217;s executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship, says <a href="https://twitter.com/JanCBS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JanCBS</a>.
The Court’s next term in 2026 is “highly consequential” as it also rules on tariffs,… <a href="https://t.co/mGLeSqyJDd">pic.twitter.com/mGLeSqyJDd</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2005327712215273751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Despite the fact that the Supreme Court has given President Trump a lot of wins in the form of emergency rulings — which pause lower court rulings and allow his policies to take effect while the related litigation plays out — Crawford predicted that Trump&#8217;s luck in the high court was likely to dead end in the case on birthright citizenship.
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&#8220;Those are temporary, interim orders,&#8221; Crawford said of the emergency rulings. &#8220;And the administration has been very strategic and only appealing adverse ruling from courts below that it thinks it can win.&#8221;
&#8220;Again, these are just interim orders. Once we do get to the merits, I don&#8217;t think Trump&#8217;s going to win all of these cases,&#8221; Crawford continued. &#8220;And I certainly don&#8217;t think he&#8217;s going to win the birthright citizenship case.&#8221;
&#8220;You don&#8217;t?&#8221; host Margaret Brennan pressed.
&#8220;No, absolutely not,&#8221; she replied. &#8220;And he may not win the tariffs case. Right now it&#8217;s looking great for Trump in the Supreme Court, but it may look very different come June when we&#8217;ve kind of gotten through some of these big landmark rulings.&#8221;
Crawford went on to say that a number of other major issues would be a part of the &#8220;highly consequential&#8221; slate facing the Supreme Court in the coming months, from gun rights cases to trans identifying men in women&#8217;s sports.

Donald Trump

CBS Legal Analyst Predicts Trump Will Face Major SCOTUS Losses In 2026, Despite Recent Wins

birthright citizenship

Illegal Immigration

Politics

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration can&#8217;t send National Guard troops to quell violence in the streets of Chicago amid federal immigration raids.
The Trump administration asked the high court to give the federal government the authority to send troops while facing pushback from Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
“I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois. State, county, and local law enforcement have been working together and coordinating to ensure public safety around the Broadview ICE facility, and to protect people’s ability to peacefully exercise their constitutional rights. I will not call up our National Guard to further Trump’s acts of aggression against our people,&#8221; Pritzker said in October of Trump&#8217;s announcement to federalize 300 National Guard soldiers for the deployment.
The 6-3 decision largely hinged on whether the circumstances on the ground in Chicago can be controlled by &#8220;regular forces.&#8221;
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch dissented, according to reports.
“At this preliminary stage, the government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois,” the court said in its unsigned order, according to CNN.
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A lower court previously struck down the Trump administration&#8217;s deployment attempt, sparking the president&#8217;s request for the high court to weigh in on the issue.
The federal government commenced &#8220;Operation Midway Blitz&#8221; in September, deploying federal immigration agents to Illinois, where they&#8217;ve since faced violence and had hefty bounties placed on their heads from Mexican cartels.
Protests were also occurring outside the Broadview ICE facility on an almost weekly basis during the height of the operation.
Still, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol have made roughly 1,500 arrests as part of the crackdown, according to reports.

SCOTUS Rules Trump Can’t Deploy National Guard Troops To Chicago

Chicago

National Guard

The former doctor who pleaded guilty to one charge in connection with the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry has been sentenced to home detention, per multiple reports.
Mark Chavez pleaded guilty in 2024 to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine to the “Friends” star. Chavez was sentenced to 8 months of home detention and 3 years of supervised release on Tuesday. He will also be required to complete 300 hours of community service, per <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/2nd-doctor-sentenced-connection-matthew-perrys-ketamine-death/story?id=128425192">ABC News</a>. The sentence could have been up to 10 years in prison.
Chavez’s attorney Zach Brooks described his client’s actions as “a lapse in judgment during a narrow and isolated time.”
“[W]hat occurred in this case was a profound departure from the life he had lived up to that point. The consequences have been severe and permanent. Mr. Chavez has lost his career, his livelihood, and professional identity that he has worked for decades to develop.”
“Looking forward, Mr. Chavez understands that accountability does not end with this sentence. He’s committed to using the rest of his life to contribute positively, to support others and to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again,” Brooks added. “While he cannot undo what occurred, he can choose how he lives his life from this moment.”
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Perry was found face down in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, at his home in Pacific Palisades, California. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office determined he had drowned, but attributed his death to ketamine, which Perry had been taking as part of a therapy. The levels of ketamine found in his system were so high that they were close to the range that would be used for general anesthesia during surgery.
Chavez, formerly a licensed physician in San Diego operating a ketamine clinic, was one of five people charged in connection with Perry’s death. Prosecutors alleged that he provided Perry the drugs secondhand by way of another doctor, Salvador Plasencia, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison earlier this month.
In the weeks after the “Friends” star died, it was revealed that Plasencia allegedly texted Chavez, saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” Plasencia supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine, equal to 2,000 mg of the drug, along with ketamine lozenges and syringes in the month before his death, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ketamine-queen-will-plead-guilty-in-matthew-perry-overdose-case">reported</a>.

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