New court records show that the mother of Democratic Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed worked for an American-based Islamic charity later designated by the federal government as a terrorism supporter, after the organization was accused of financially supporting Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, and Hamas.
Fatten Fathy Elkomy, El-Sayed’s birth mother, worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency (IARA), also known as the Islamic African Relief Agency, from 1999 through at least 2004, according to records first reported by the <a href="https://www.themidwesterner.news/2026/08/docs-abdul-el-sayeds-mother-worked-for-designated-terror-group-iara-that-provided-direct-financial-support-to-osama-bin-laden-taliban-hamas">Midwesterner</a>. The Treasury Department designated IARA a global terrorist organization in October 2004.
The Treasury Department <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/js2026">accused</a> IARA’s international offices of providing “direct financial support” to bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations. 
The Treasury designation said IARA had been affiliated with Maktab al-Khidamat, an organization co-founded and financed by bin Laden that was a precursor to al-Qaeda. According to the department, IARA and bin Laden’s network had commingled funds and cooperated in fundraising and spending. An IARA program also worked with an institute controlled by bin Laden that provided assistance to Taliban fighters, Treasury said.
The department further said that information available to the U.S. government showed that overseas IARA branches provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to bin Laden in 1999. 
IARA&#8217;s American operation was later separately prosecuted by the Justice Department over illegal transfers to Iraq. In 2016, IARA-USA <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/iara-pleads-guilty-transferring-nearly-14-million-iraq-violation-sanctions?">pleaded guilty</a> to conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions and other offenses after secretly transferring $1.375 million to Iraq. 
Federal prosecutors said the organization had used its tax-exempt status to solicit donations while concealing prohibited transfers. The organization was subsequently dissolved. 
Several IARA officials and employees were also prosecuted. Executive Director Mubarak Hamed received nearly five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to illegally transfer more than $1 million to Iraq, obstructing tax laws, and lying to federal agents. Another top IARA fundraiser pleaded guilty to conspiring to lobby for the organization’s removal from a government list of charities suspected of terrorist ties. 
Elkomy was not charged in the federal case or named as a co-conspirator, and the court records cited here do not establish that she knowingly supported terrorism.
In a 2004 interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Elkomy defended her work for IARA, saying she was helping orphans and children who had lost a parent. 
“I’ve been working there serving orphans and children with at least one deceased parent, and it breaks my heart they’re not going to get any help,” Elkomy said at the time.
Court records from the subsequent IARA prosecution nevertheless reference Elkomy multiple times. According to the Midwesterner’s review of the government&#8217;s proposed exhibit list, her name appears in 14 exhibits, including records involving eight wire transfers and five recorded telephone calls between 1999 and 2002. 
One document concerned an IARA-USA request to transfer $24,607.34 to its Iraq office.
The revelation comes as El-Sayed, who narrowly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abdul-el-sayed-secures-far-lefts-biggest-victory-yet-over-dem-establishment">won the Democratic nomination</a> for Michigan’s open Senate seat earlier this month, campaigns to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He will face Republican Mike Rogers in November.
The newly uncovered records add to previously reported connections between El-Sayed’s family and organizations with documented ties to Islamist networks. His father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/abdul-el-sayeds-father-in-law-a-top-donor-to-an-el-sayed-super-pac-is-among-top-leaders-of-muslim-brotherhood-organization-linked-to-terror-funding/">has served</a> on the founding committee of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) since at least 2007 and previously served as president of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Jukaku has also contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Fighting for Michigan PAC, a super PAC supporting El-Sayed. 
Both ISNA and CAIR were identified as unindicted co-conspirators in the federal Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing case. Federal prosecutors claimed that the Holy Land Foundation funneled more than $12 million to Hamas, while a federal judge later found that the government had presented ample evidence connecting ISNA and CAIR to Hamas. 
The family connections come as El-Sayed has faced scrutiny over his own <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abdul-el-sayed-dedicated-his-life-to-sharia-law">past statements </a>concerning Islam and Sharia law. As a 24-year-old medical student in 2009, El-Sayed told The New York Times that he had chosen a Sharia-compliant mortgage because he did not want to reach the end of his life having failed to follow Islamic law.
“Ultimately, the question is, when I die and I stand before God and go through everything I did in my life, I don’t want to say I did it the easy way instead of the Sharia-compliant way,” El-Sayed said at the time.
The Daily Wire reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

Abdul El-Sayed/Dearborn

Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Terror Group That Funded Bin Laden And Taliban

2026 Midterms

Abdul El-Sayed

CAIR

Democrat

Democratic Party

Democrats

Department of Justice

Department of the Treasury

Hamas

Islamic Extremism

Islamists

Michigan

Osama bin Laden

Politics

Radical Islam

Radical Islamic Terror

Senate Democrats

Taliban

Terror Funding

Terrorism

Treasury

Treasury Department

U.S.

The Trump administration is working to revive charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia as it continues to fight for his deportation.
The Justice Department filed an appeal on Monday, asking a federal court to reinstate human smuggling charges against the alleged MS-13 gang member. In May, a federal judge in Tennessee dismissed the charges against Abrego Garcia, ruling that federal prosecutors&#8217; motivation in the case was “vindictive.”
In a statement on Monday, the Justice Department argued that the charges were justified and that the case must resume.
&#8220;The decision to seek an indictment against Abrego Garcia for human smuggling was made by career prosecutors based on the evidence, the law, and their firm belief that there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Abrego Garcia had committed the offenses charged,&#8221; the Justice Department said. &#8220;The indictment and prosecution of Abrego Garcia in the Middle District of Tennessee was not vindictive and the evidence before the district court established that it was not.&#8221;
&#8220;Instead, the evidence in the district court proved that charges were brought against Abrego Garcia because, in the view of career prosecutors, the evidence conclusively established that he had committed a serious crime, and not for any vindictive motive,&#8221; the DOJ added.
Abrego Garcia&#8217;s legal team <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doj-asks-court-reinstate-charges-kilmar-abrego-garcia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CBS News that the Justice Department&#8217;s statement was &#8220;flat wrong,&#8221; arguing that &#8220;the indictment and prosecution of Abrego Garcia was, in fact, vindictive; the evidence before the district court established just that; and the proof was clear notwithstanding the DOJ&#8217;s refusal to call the actual decision makers, including AG [Todd] Blanche, to testify under oath.&#8221;
&#8220;This case was initiated vindictively and on instructions from the White House after our client successfully won his Supreme Court case,&#8221; his defense team said.
The Trump administration deported Abrego Garcia to his native country of El Salvador in March 2025, which officials later said was done out of an “administrative error.”
Federal authorities eventually brought him back to the United States that June on human smuggling charges stemming from a November 2022 Tennessee traffic stop, where state troopers observed him transporting eight individuals from Texas to Maryland.
Officers grew suspicious because the group had no luggage in the car despite being on the road for days. Law enforcement noted that the situation had the appearance of “a human trafficking incident.”
At the time, the officers let Abrego Garcia go with a citation for driving with an expired license.
Following his deportation, the Salvadoran national became the darling of many Democratic lawmakers opposing the Trump administration&#8217;s mass deportation campaign.
In a show of support for the alleged gang member, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) traveled to El Salvador to meet Abrego Garcia before he was ultimately returned to the United States.
The federal government is also pushing for Abrego Garcia&#8217;s second deportation in a separate case. The Trump administration initially sought to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia, but the effort was blocked by a federal judge.
In June, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin indicated his willingness to deport Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica, which has indicated a willingness to accept him. Abrego Garcia has also agreed to go to Costa Rica.
Abrego Garcia entered the United States illegally in 2011 and was later identified by authorities in Maryland as an MS-13 member.
His wife, who has since become one of his fiercest advocates, accused him of beating her in two separate court filings.
Abrego Garcia previously pleaded not guilty to the now-dismissed charges.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen Meets With Wrongly Imprisoned Man Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in El Salvador

Trump Admin Makes New Legal Move Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

deportation

Immigration

Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump Administration

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

Atlanta

Clemency

drug

drug trafficking

Georgia

Joe Biden

North Carolina

A foreign-born Massachusetts mayor was arrested Friday for stealing COVID relief funds to fund his campaign and pay off personal debt. 
The FBI arrested Lawrence Democratic Mayor Brian DePena, 61, for allegedly funneling $1.5 million in COVID funds to fund his campaign, pay taxes, and pay down $880,000 on various property mortgages. DePena, who went <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/massachusetts-mayor-cant-understand-english-needs-translator-in-court">viral</a> last year for struggling to speak English, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. 
“Mayor DePena was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence. He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s arrest is just another example of our determination to root out fraud by anyone, even public officials and holding elected officials accountable.”
DePena, born in the Dominican Republic, was first elected mayor of Lawrence, a city about 25 miles north of Boston, in 2021, running on a <a href="https://www.briandepenamayor.com/agenda">platform</a> of “integrity” and “citizen-centered” government. He was re-elected in 2025. 
Court documents say that DePena used Economic Injury Disaster Loans offered by the government and obtained by his business, Tenares Tire Services, as a fund for personal monetary benefit. 
From one round of $350,000 in loans deposited into his business account, DePena used $85,000 to pay off personal tax debts and moved $120,000 into a personal account, investigators say. DePena then wrote a number of checks totaling $90,000 to “The Committee to Elect Brian DePena,” according to court documents. Before the influx of cash, the account sat at just over $20. 
Another round of loans was approved by the Small Business Administration in October 2021, and $1,154,188 was placed in the Tenares Tire Services account. Those dollars were transferred into DePena’s personal bank account, which held only $1,401, the same day they were received, the Justice Department said. 
Of the new funds, another $42,000 went to his mayoral campaign, and $883,293 was used to pay off debts on properties owned in Lawrence, prosecutors alleged. 
If convicted, DePena could be sentenced to over 20 years in prison and subject to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. 
Despite living in the United States for decades and being elected to public office, DePena <a href="https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2022-03-21/lawrence-mayor-brian-depena-on-his-plans-to-turn-around-the-citys-schools">told</a> one local outlet in March 2022 that he was still learning English. 
“I practice my English because it’s very important in America,” he said. “For many years, another administration speaks perfect English and [didn’t provide] opportunity for better education, for businessmen, for kids, safety [in the] community.”
In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnxviuiMbBY">videos</a> posted by the city, DePena often speaks Spanish. The population of the city is about 83% Hispanic. 
During an unrelated court appearance last year, DePena made headlines after requesting a translator. That appearance revolved around the mayor’s efforts to shield the acting chief of police during an investigation. 
DePena does not yet have a lawyer, and The Daily Wire reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.

MixCollage-14-Aug-2026-12-44-PM-5593

Foreign-Born Massachusetts Mayor Who Can’t Speak English Arrested For COVID Fraud

Boston

COVID

Dominican Republic

Fraud

mass immigration

Massachusetts

The Washington D.C. Council’s pathetic, politically charged attempts to kick the National Guard out of the nation’s capital have hit a brick wall, with the Department of Justice firing back.
In a scathing letter that pulls no punches, Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald shredded the council’s efforts to pressure state governors into recalling their troops, labeling the move &#8220;impotent theatrics&#8221; that aren&#8217;t worth the paper they&#8217;re written on.
“I am not surprised that your recent letter to state governors regarding the National Guard feigns ignorance of the historic public safety strides made in our Nation&#8217;s capital since August 11, 2025,” McDonald wrote, effectively telling the local politicians to wake up and look at the safe streets they are currently presiding over.
The council, apparently nostalgic for the days of out-of-control chaos, has tried to frame the presence of the Guard as an unwelcome occupation. McDonald wasn&#8217;t having it. He laid out the cold, hard reality: since President Trump declared a crime emergency on August 11, 2025, the city has undergone a miraculous transformation.
The DOJ official didn&#8217;t hesitate to call out the council’s own hypocrisy. He unearthed a quote from D.C. Councilmember Trayon White, who signed the letter demanding the Guard leave, describing D.C. as a &#8220;war zone” in 2023. At the time, White begged for the very resources the council is now trying to banish, complaining that the community lacked officers and resources. Now that the &#8220;war&#8221; is actually being won, the council has developed a convenient case of amnesia.
The results, however, are impossible to ignore. Thanks to the Task Force and the National Guard, D.C. has experienced the largest reduction in violent crime in its entire history. While the council whines about &#8220;outside forces,&#8221; the Guard is out there doing the work: taking illegal guns off the streets, conducting thousands of arrests, protecting critical infrastructure, and literally saving lives by intervening in assaults and administering life-saving Narcan to citizens in peril.
McDonald lauded these troops as &#8220;true American heroes,&#8221; noting they are serving selflessly to restore order while local officials prioritize political grandstanding over public safety.
On November 26, 2025, two members of the West Virginia National Guard deployed to Washington, D.C., were shot in an ambush-style attack outside the Farragut West Metro station, two blocks from the White House. U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured in the attack but survived. Authorities arrested Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who had entered the U.S. in 2021. He was charged with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and firearm offenses. He pleaded not guilty.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
PSA: The D.C. City Council sent letters to 10 governors whose National Guard members are serving in D.C., demanding that these brave men and women be removed from our nation&#39;s capital.
This Department of Justice will not stand for these politically motivated demands. We will… <a href="https://t.co/tgCMTDLB1G">pic.twitter.com/tgCMTDLB1G</a>
&mdash; U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) <a href="https://x.com/TheJusticeDept/status/2087644337274331313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The message from the DOJ to the council was simple and brutal: You have zero power to kick them out, so stop the noise. Instead of slandering the men and women in uniform, the council should focus on their actual jobs: fixing the city&#8217;s broken laws to ensure real criminals are finally punished.
&#8220;My office is available to assist you in this regard,&#8221; McDonald concluded with a sting.
As for the Guard? They’re staying.

President Trump Claims Credit After DC Crime Plummets

‘Impotent Theatrics’: DOJ Blasts D.C. Council For Trying To Boot National Guard

National Guard

Washington D.C.

The Department of Justice charged 11 people in a massive immigration fraud scheme that authorities say facilitated roughly 1,000 sham marriages, mainly between Chinese nationals and American citizens seeking to help them obtain legal immigration status.
Ten out of the 11 defendants in the case were arrested Wednesday morning for their roles in orchestrating the fraudulent marriages between 2016 and July 2026, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/11-defendants-charged-dismantling-decade-long-nationwide-marriage-fraud-scheme">said</a>. According to prosecutors, the group created a multimillion-dollar network that operated in New York City, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and China.
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case Wednesday as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history, saying it exposes &#8220;how far these people will go to cheat our immigration system.&#8221;
&#8220;Gaining American citizenship and legal status to reside in this great nation is a sacred privilege, and we will ensure it is always done in accordance with the law protecting our communities and national security,&#8221; he said. &#8220;These schemes have real costs. They rob our country of its ability to know who should be and should not be allowed in America.&#8221;
Prosecutors say the defendants built a network involving attorneys, tax preparers, and wedding officiants to help foreign nationals obtain green cards before later assisting the couples with divorces.
The scheme charged foreign nationals as much as $100,000 for its services while paying U.S. citizens as much as $30,000 to marry them, according to the Justice Department. Recruiters allegedly used social media posts advertising immigration services to lure clients while tracking down Americans willing to participate in the marriages.
After arranging the ceremonies, the accused staged family photos &#8220;to create the appearance of a legitimate wedding,&#8221; Blanche said.
The photos, along with joint accounts the group helped the couples open, were used in their green card applications.
The operation extended overseas, including to China, where an office tied to the scheme assisted with U.S. immigration paperwork and prenuptial agreements. In one instance, a prenuptial agreement stated that the couple lived separately &#8220;and must not interfere with each other,&#8221; Blanche said.
The Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to prioritize denaturalization cases against naturalized citizens who obtained their citizenship through fraud, Blanche said. More than 120 such complaints have been filed since President Donald Trump&#8217;s return to the White House.
&#8220;Not only are we protecting our physical borders from unlawful crossings, but we&#8217;re also preventing immigration fraud schemes that are just another way to skirt the immigration laws of the United States,&#8221; Blanche said.
&#8220;Our efforts to protect our immigration system and our country&#8217;s borders are aggressive and exhaustive. No matter how complicated the scam, we will do everything in our power to stop it,&#8221; he said.
Federal authorities charged Amy Cheng, 72, of Brooklyn, New York, Xiao Mei Chan, 64, of Queens, New York, Christine Lu, 52, of Queens, New York, Jing Yan Ye, 43, of Staten Island, New York, Xiao Yan Chen, 48, of Brooklyn, New York, Gang Zheng, 61, of Queens, New York, Anthony Cheng, 47, of Staten Island, New York, Michelle Duenas, 35, of Staten Island, New York, Angela Duenas, 26, of Staten Island, New York, Sigrid Cetino, 32, of Peekskill, New York, and Erika Johnson, 43, of Ossining, New York.
Each defendant faces one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud, which could lead to a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, and one count of conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Untitled design – 2026-08-12T122917.554

Fraudsters Facilitated Hundreds Of Green Card Marriages For Chinese Nationals

China

Todd Blanche

Podcaster Chuck Todd melted down over the Senate’s confirmation of Todd Blanche as U.S. attorney general, claiming — without providing evidence — that Republicans who voted for him have inflicted damage on America that will take “decades” to fix.
“I do not think he understands the distinction between being the lawyer for Donald John Trump and the lawyer for the people,” Todd said of Blanche. “This is damage that&#8217;s going to take decades to get out of, and this confirmation has just made the project of fixing America a lot harder and a lot longer.&#8221;
Todd, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nbc-host-says-hell-never-enter-a-room-with-trump-in-it-again">longtime Trump critic</a> and former host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” argued that Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and John Cornyn (R-TX) had caved to pressure from people to whom he referred as “Trump’s goons.”
“I know the reality that they live in. I have empathy personally. These people are terrible. The Trump goons come after anybody that stands in their way, and goons is the way to call them. I understand the incoming that they&#8217;re receiving, and they just want to go into retirement, and they&#8217;re in their 60s and 70s, and they don&#8217;t want to do this. It&#8217;s exhausting, and then after they leave, they will tell us how terrible it is,” he lamented on his podcast.
Over the weekend, the U.S. Senate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-in-razor-thin-late-night-vote">confirmed</a> Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the nation’s attorney general following a drawn-out process marked by political bargaining and divisions within the Republican Party.
The chamber voted 50-49, with two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) — joining Democrats in opposing Blanche’s nomination. Collins said her vote stemmed from her belief that the Justice Department “has become increasingly political.”
“Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation,” she said in a <a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-nomination-of-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general">statement</a> earlier this week.
Cornyn, working with Tillis, exacted a major concession from the Trump administration in exchange for their votes: kill the proposed $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senator-scorned-by-trump-threatens-to-hold-ag-nominee-hostage-over-weaponization-fund">“anti-weaponization” fund</a> that drew bipartisan backlash and never materialized.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who had also voiced strong concerns about Blanche, ultimately fell in line, providing the pivotal vote.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-gets-guarantee-from-key-senator-on-confirmation-vote">said</a>. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
That rationale angered Chuck Todd, who argued Senate Republicans have repeatedly appeased Trump on issues ranging from January 6th, public health, and the rule of law.
“But at the end of the day, they didn&#8217;t have the guts to do this when it mattered. Look, they have to sleep at night. I don&#8217;t know if they will be able to,” Todd said. “What&#8217;s the point of advice and consent? All you&#8217;re going to do is consent. And consent. I guess we should call it advice and capitulate, because that&#8217;s what this feels like–a capitulation.”

Meet the Press – Season 76

Chuck Todd Melts Down Over Blanche, Says GOP Senators Fear Trump’s ‘Goons’

bill Cassidy

Chuck Todd

John Cornyn

News

Republicans

Thom Tillis

U.S. Senate

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was narrowly confirmed by the Senate on Saturday to officially serve in the role, clearing a vote that divided the Republican Party. 
The Senate voted 50 to 49, with two Republicans — Sen. Susan Collins (ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) — siding with Democrats to oppose to Blanche’s nomination. Collins said her opposition stemmed from a Justice Department she believes &#8220;has become increasingly political.&#8221; 
&#8220;Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department&#8217;s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation,&#8221; she said in a <a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-nomination-of-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general">statement</a> earlier this week.
Collins argued against Blanche&#8217;s approval of an IRS order to &#8220;shield[ed]&#8221; the Trump family and its businesses from audits, along with the creation of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Murkowski <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">echoed</a> those concerns and separately criticized the department&#8217;s handling of the Epstein files release.
The Senate voted to confirm Blanche in a late-night session that ended at 4:00 a.m. After his confirmation, the attorney general <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2086015509821038750">said</a> he was &#8220;deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice.&#8221;
 On Friday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who had previously opposed Blanche&#8217;s nomination, announced he would vote to confirm Blanche in what would become the deciding vote in the 50-49 outcome.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-gets-guarantee-from-key-senator-on-confirmation-vote">said</a>. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy voiced some concern but said he believed that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist political pressure than someone serving only in an acting capacity. Blanche thanked the Senate for staying late to complete the vote and thanked President Donald Trump. 
“I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General,” he said. 
Blanche&#8217;s path to the job began outside government entirely; he served as Trump&#8217;s personal defense lawyer before nominating him as deputy attorney general upon returning to office. He was appointed to acting attorney general by the president after former Attorney General Pam Bondi was ousted from the department in April.

Senate Confirms Todd Blanche As Attorney General In Razor Thin, Late-Night Vote

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Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced Friday that he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, likely securing President Donald Trump’s nominee enough Republican support to take over the Justice Department permanently.
Cassidy’s decision came after Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">announced</a> they would oppose Blanche’s nomination, raising questions about whether the former Trump defense attorney could secure enough votes in the narrowly divided Senate.
In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy said he had spent days reviewing Blanche’s record, speaking with the nominee, fellow senators, current and former Justice Department officials, and former Attorney General William Barr before reaching his conclusion.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy said. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy said his decision was not an endorsement of Trump’s broader approach to the Justice Department, but rather a judgment about whether Blanche would be able to effectively lead the agency and provide legal counsel to the president. “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said. “It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances.”
The Louisiana senator acknowledged several concerns surrounding Blanche’s nomination, including his involvement in a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created as part of a settlement involving President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, as well as an agreement that initially provided broad protections from tax audits for Trump and his businesses.
Cassidy said Blanche’s role in approving those measures reflected “poor judgment,” but argued the nominee had taken steps to address the concerns, including rescinding the proposed fund and clarifying the scope of the tax agreement. “No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” Cassidy said.
The senator also raised broader concerns about what he described as “apparent lawfare,” warning that the Justice Department’s use of prosecutions against political opponents has damaged public trust. “Both parties, presidents of both parties, have been guilty of this,” Cassidy said. “It must stop. It should stop now.”
However, Cassidy said he ultimately concluded that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist inappropriate political pressure than an acting official. 
“I am told that Senate confirmation is important in interactions with the President, with others in the Cabinet, and is important to DOJ employees in general,” Cassidy said. “Being Senate confirmed gives them greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed forward.”
Cassidy pointed to Blanche’s previous work as a federal prosecutor, his management of Justice Department priorities, and his support among U.S. attorneys as evidence that he could lead the agency effectively.
He specifically cited conversations with two Louisiana U.S. attorneys, who Cassidy said praised Blanche’s focus on violent crime, drug trafficking, fraud enforcement, and providing resources to federal prosecutors.
The announcement came after Murkowski and Collins broke with the Republican majority to oppose Blanche’s confirmation. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Collins expressed similar concerns, citing Blanche’s involvement in the IRS settlement, the proposed anti-weaponization fund, and what she viewed as threats to Justice Department independence. With Cassidy’s support, Blanche appears positioned to overcome the opposition from Murkowski and Collins and become the second confirmed attorney general of Trump’s second administration.
Cassidy, who lost his 2026 Republican primary after Trump endorsed his challenger, acknowledged that his vote would draw criticism. “I’ll be criticized for this vote,” Cassidy said, briefly becoming emotional during his remarks. “What’s new?”
“I have a history with Mr. Trump,” Cassidy said. “But that history does not matter one bit.”

Bill Cassidy

Todd Blanche Gets Guarantee From Key Senator On Confirmation Vote

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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s path to becoming permanent head of the Justice Department became more difficult on Friday after Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she would not vote to confirm him. 
Murkowski joins Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in her opposition to Blanche, claiming he would further the politicization of the Justice Department. The Alaska Republican also cited pro-life commitments made by Blanche and now-rescinded plans to create a fund for the victims of government weaponization as reasons to oppose his nomination.
While she said that Blanche comes across as “decent and capable,” and had “numerous constructive meetings” with him, Murkowski said she would “oppose his nomination.” 
“The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said. “I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.”
Murkowski added that she was still skeptical that the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund Blanche <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-makes-move-to-secure-votes-from-two-gop-holdouts?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Todd+Blanche+Makes+Move+To+Secure+Votes+From+Two+GOP+Holdouts">rescinded</a> on Sunday would stay dead. While that was enough for Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to vote for his nomination to advance from the Senate Judiciary Committee, both Murkowski and Collins said they were not convinced. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” she said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
With Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) long absence from the Senate amid health issues, Blanche cannot afford to lose any more Republicans. Outgoing Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has met with Blanche this week and is reportedly one of the key votes yet to be decided. It is unknown when a full Senate vote could occur. 
Last weekend, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117020029291674756">said</a> that if Blanche was not confirmed, he would continue to “push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration.”

DOJ Announces Charges Against Top Members Of Mexico Cartel CJNG

Second GOP Senator Comes Out Against Blanche Confirmation

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Lisa Murkowski

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Susan Collins

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle in his bid to become the nation&#8217;s permanent attorney general after senators voted along party lines, 12-10, to send his nomination to the full Senate.
The committee vote came after weeks of scrutiny over Blanche&#8217;s tenure as acting attorney general and his previous role as President Donald Trump&#8217;s personal defense attorney. Senate Republicans are now expected to move toward a confirmation vote before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess. 
A Senate Republican source told The Daily Wire that leadership&#8217;s goal is to hold a confirmation vote before senators depart Washington later this week.
The nomination drew heightened attention in recent weeks as several Republican senators sought additional assurances from Blanche on issues ranging from the Justice Department&#8217;s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation to the administration&#8217;s abandoned &#8220;Anti-Weaponization Fund.&#8221;
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX), who had previously withheld their support while negotiating with the Justice Department over the fund, ultimately voted to advance Blanche after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/key-gop-holdouts-agree-to-back-todd-blanche-for-attorney-general">receiving written commitments</a> that the department would formally rescind the Anti-Weaponization Fund. Tillis had also pressed Blanche to meet personally with victims connected to Jeffrey Epstein and work with lawmakers to ensure the controversial fund could not be revived.
Cornyn said the agreement provided the assurances he had been seeking. 
&#8220;They&#8217;ve been consistent about their assertion on behalf of the United States of America that the weaponization fund is dead, and of course I expect them to live up to that in any future litigation,&#8221; Cornyn said. &#8220;Given this agreement with Mr. Blanche, I expect the department to live up to this in future litigation, and I will vote to advance him out of the committee today.&#8221; Cornyn also argued that confirming a permanent attorney general would provide stability for the Justice Department.
Democrats remained unanimously opposed to Blanche&#8217;s nomination, arguing he would be unwilling to act independently from President Donald Trump. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said Blanche had failed to demonstrate he would be willing to stand up to the president when necessary. 
&#8220;Throughout the decades since the Watergate crisis, both parties have consistently recognized the importance of an attorney general who can and will stand up to the president and say no, and serve as an attorney general in defense of the Constitution, not just the agenda of any one president,&#8221; Coons said. &#8220;Will acting Attorney General Blanche meet that standard? We have clear evidence he will not.&#8221;
Coons also argued that Blanche&#8217;s agreement to eliminate the Anti-Weaponization Fund was insufficient, saying nothing would prevent him from reinstating it after confirmation.
The committee&#8217;s top Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), focused much of his criticism on the Justice Department&#8217;s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Durbin accused Blanche of overseeing efforts to review the files for references to Trump and criticized the department&#8217;s release of documents containing identifying information about Epstein survivors while, he argued, shielding powerful associates. 
&#8220;Mr. Blanche refused to tell me who gave this order, but former Attorney General Bondi made it clear, saying Blanche was in charge of the Epstein files,&#8221; Durbin said. Durbin also criticized Blanche&#8217;s recent meeting with Epstein survivors, calling it a &#8220;box-checking exercise&#8221; and accusing him of refusing to pursue investigative leads suggested by the victims.
Blanche has consistently defended the department&#8217;s handling of the Epstein investigation, arguing the Justice Department has been transparent and remains committed to prosecuting anyone found to have committed crimes connected to Epstein.
Earlier in the confirmation process, Blanche told lawmakers: &#8220;We have been extraordinarily transparent. There are no closed investigations. If we learn today, if we learn next week, if we learn next month that there&#8217;s an individual who we can investigate, indict, and prosecute out of the Epstein files, you better believe that we will.&#8221;
Republicans also questioned Blanche during his confirmation process on issues including mail-order abortion litigation and the Justice Department&#8217;s review of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-republican-senators-make-big-demand-of-todd-blanche-ahead-of-confirmation-vote">D.C. Five case</a> involving five aborted babies recovered from a Washington abortion clinic in 2022.
Earlier this month, more than 50 Republican lawmakers urged Blanche to investigate whether the babies were victims of illegal partial-birth abortions or infanticide. The Justice Department has since said it is reviewing the matter and will investigate any credible allegations of criminal conduct.
President Trump strongly backed Blanche&#8217;s nomination throughout the confirmation process, praising his performance as acting attorney general. &#8220;Todd has done a PHENOMENAL job,&#8221; Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116919780125305335">Truth Social.</a> &#8220;He is tough, brilliant, and 100% LOYAL to our Constitution, and the American People.&#8221;

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Todd Blanche Advances To Full Senate Confirmation Vote After Heated Hearing

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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche officially rescinded a proposed $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate the targets of government weaponization opposed by some Republican senators. 
Blanche <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2084114427813437897/photo/2">issued</a> a document on Sunday stipulating that the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created in May 2026 is “rescinded and shall have no force or effect.” The decision could pave the way for his confirmation as permanent head of the Justice Department after multiple Republican senators said they would not support his nomination until the fund was discontinued.
“My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” Blanche said. “We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement. The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress.”
Outgoing Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) have stood in the way of Blanche’s confirmation, saying they will not vote to advance him until the fund is “dead.” Blanche previously told the senators there was no plan to move forward with the fund. 
Both Cornyn and Tillis increasingly feuded with President Donald Trump after the president signaled that he did want them back in the Senate for another term. Tillis decided not to run for re-election after Trump declined to endorse him, and the president endorsed Ken Paxton in the Texas GOP primary. The pair sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is set to vote on Blanche’s nomination on Tuesday.
&#8220;Todd Blanche is a very, very good man, and he shouldn&#8217;t be in the middle of this. He should get approved because you will never get anybody like him,&#8221; Trump said last week. &#8220;And to make him a pawn in this whole thing &#8230; this is being done by a senator [Cornyn], and I don&#8217;t really blame him to be honest with you. &#8230; The man that lost, the man that I didn&#8217;t endorse has become very angry, and that&#8217;s okay.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-pull-blanche-nomination-until-problematic-gop-senators-depart?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Threatens+To+Pull+Blanche+Nomination+Until+Problematic+GOP+Senators+Depart">floated</a> the idea last week of yanking Blanche’s nomination until Cornyn and Tillis are out of office. 
“Remember, both Cornyn and Tillis voted for Merrick Garland, and others, too numerous to mention,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.” 
Over the weekend, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117020029291674756">said</a> that if Blanche was not confirmed, he would continue to “push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration.”
Responding to Trump’s post, Tillis <a href="https://x.com/SenThomTillis/status/2083528424199537032">said</a> that the president “clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against.”
Tillis said he considered Blanche “qualified for the job” but would not vote to move him forward over the weaponization fund.

Attorney General Nominee Todd Blanche Meets With Senators On Capitol Hill

Todd Blanche Makes Move To Secure Votes From Two GOP Holdouts

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