A dark web identity theft service is allegedly selling digital scans of more than 153 million American and Canadian drivers&#8217; licenses, prompting the FBI to launch an investigation into what could be one of the largest exposures of government-issued identification documents ever reported.
Independent cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/09/fbi-probes-service-selling-153m-drivers-licenses/">discovered</a> the trove after a newly launched service called Nexus was advertised on a Russian cybercrime forum. The service claimed to possess more than 170 million identity documents, including more than 153 million drivers&#8217; licenses, 10 million identification cards, more than three million travel documents, and hundreds of thousands of medical cards.
Krebs was initially alerted to the operation because the service was offering his own Virginia driver’s license as a free sample. He subsequently located the licenses of numerous other people and was able to verify that several of the records corresponded to real-world instances in which the individuals had presented their identification.
Among the records available through Nexus was a scan of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s driver’s license, according to Krebs. The database also contained identification belonging to other high-profile individuals, including even more government officials.
The database reportedly contained detailed images of identification documents rather than merely names or license numbers, potentially giving criminals access to photographs, addresses, dates of birth, document numbers, and other identifying information. 
The FBI confirmed Wednesday that it was investigating the incident. “The FBI is aware of this report and is looking into the incident,” the bureau said in a statement, declining to provide additional details because of the “ongoing nature of the investigation,” according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi-says-it-is-investigating-report-that-millions-us-drivers-licenses-exposed-2026-09-02/">Reuters</a>.
Krebs found evidence suggesting the database may be connected to a Louisiana-based identity verification company called IDScan.net, although neither the company nor the FBI has publicly confirmed that it was the source of the stolen information.
The evidence came partly from timestamps embedded in some of the stolen images. Krebs found his own license in the database, along with his mother’s, with timestamps only seconds apart. The two had handed their licenses to a Hertz representative during a car rental.
Another security researcher, Zach Edwards, found his own license in the database and said its timestamp corresponded with a trip to Las Vegas. Edwards had presented his identification at several locations during the trip, but said the only place that definitively scanned his ID was a Planet 13 marijuana dispensary.
Planet 13 announced in 2022 that it had entered into an identity-verification agreement with IDScan.net. The company says its technology is used by businesses to scan and authenticate government-issued identification documents.
IDScan.net’s website says its technology processes more than 21 million identity verifications each month at more than 20,000 locations. Its listed customers and partners have included major companies such as Hertz, FedEx, and others.
The stolen records also contained infrared and ultraviolet images of some licenses, in addition to ordinary scans of the front and back of the documents. Those details further suggested that the information came from commercial identity-verification systems capable of capturing more sophisticated images of identification documents.
The apparent breach seems to be ongoing. When Krebs first examined Nexus, the service claimed to have more than 153 million drivers&#8217; licenses. The number increased by nearly 400,000 records over approximately 24 hours, suggesting that the database was allegedly being continually fed with newly stolen information rather than being a one-time dump of old records.
Cybersecurity researcher Edwards called the scale of the incident unprecedented. “There’s never been a breach of drivers&#8217; licenses at this scale,” Edwards said.
The database disappeared from the dark web shortly after Krebs published his investigation. Its login page was replaced with a message stating, “This service is no longer available.”
It remains unclear how many people were actually affected or whether all of the records originated from the same source. The 153 million figure is the number claimed by the operators of Nexus, rather than a figure independently confirmed by the FBI.
IDScan.net told Krebs that it was investigating the matter but did not provide a substantive public explanation of whether its systems had been compromised or how many individuals may have been affected.
The FBI’s investigation remains ongoing.

Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth Among Millions Caught Up In Massive Dark Web Scheme

dark web

data breach

identity theft

pete hegseth

A new video shows FBI agents confronting disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) at the airport as part of a criminal probe into allegations of sexual misconduct against the former congressman. 
The video <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/31/us-news/eric-swalwell-seen-surrounded-by-fbi-agents-at-sfo-in-new-video/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">obtained</a> by The California Post shows several FBI agents stopping a discreetly dressed Swalwell on August 15 just minutes after his plane touched down in San Francisco. In the video, federal agents are seen talking to Swalwell before escorting him to a private part of the airport. 
Sources familiar with the law enforcement action <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-surprises-eric-swalwell-at-airport-seizes-key-evidence">confirmed</a> to The Daily Wire that federal agents seized Swalwell’s phone and laptop during the interaction. The devices were seized without incident. 
Swalwell wore sneakers, black sweatpants, a black baseball cap, and had a hoodie pulled up over his head as FBI agents approached him. One day after he was confronted at the airport, federal investigators also executed search warrants at his Washington, D.C., home. 
The search stemmed from allegations of sexual misconduct Swalwell faced shortly before he was set to appear on the ballot in the California gubernatorial election. One former staffer accused him of raping her on two separate occasions when she was drunk. 
While Swalwell denied all wrongdoing, the accusations did lead him to drop out of the California governor’s race and resign from Congress.
&#8220;I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,&#8221; he said in April 2026. &#8220;But it&#8217;s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.&#8221;
He has claimed the allegations were politically motivated and designed to get him out of the highly competitive Democratic gubernatorial primary. The ex-lawmaker has floated suing the individuals who accused him of sexual misconduct for defamation. 
Last month, newly declassified FBI files <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-fbi-files-blow-open-swalwells-long-running-fang-fang-mystery?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+FBI+Files+Blow+Open+Swalwell’s+Long+Running+Fang+Fang+Mystery">revealed</a> that Swalwell admitted to investigators that he had a sexual relationship with Christine Fang (“Fang Fang”), a Chinese spy who helped fundraise for his congressional campaign. 
Swalwell told federal investigators that he had “physical relations” with Fang “on a handful of occasions” after meeting her in 2012. Swalwell also told investigators that he did not know about the Chinese influence operation being conducted by Fang. He was not accused of any crimes related to his relationship with her.

Hands Off! National Day of Action

See Eric Swalwell’s Incognito Airport Look Before FBI Confrontation

california gubernatorial election

christine fang

eric swalwell

politics

sexual misconduct allegation

FBI agents surprised disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) when he arrived at the San Francisco airport on Saturday, slapping him with a search warrant.
Sources familiar with the law enforcement action confirmed to The Daily Wire that Swalwell&#8217;s phone and other electronic devices were seized by agents at the airport.
Federal law enforcement officials also <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/20/us-news/fbi-confronts-eric-swalwell-at-airport-seizes-electronics-in-sexual-misconduct-probe-report/">served and executed</a> search warrants on Swalwell&#8217;s residence in Washington, D.C., where additional electronic devices were seized. Several sources confirmed that the seizure was related to an ongoing criminal probe into the 45-year-old former California lawmaker stemming from a number of accusations of sexual misconduct and even rape.
The FBI seizure report comes just days after newly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-fbi-files-blow-open-swalwells-long-running-fang-fang-mystery">declassified</a> documents shed light on Swalwell&#8217;s repeated dalliances with Chinese spy Christine Fang (&#8220;Fang Fang&#8221;). He has not responded to the new document dump.
Swalwell, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16066819/Eric-Swalwell-FBI-San-Francisco-seize-electronics-sexual-misconduct.html">reports</a> first published by The Daily Mail, cooperated with federal agents when they greeted him at the airport on Saturday, and neither he nor his wife or children were present at the D.C. residence when agents entered the premises.
The former gubernatorial candidate faced a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-accusers-the-fbi-yacht-girls-things-go-from-bad-to-worse-for-swalwell">slew of accusations</a> from several women who accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior — and one former staffer who claimed that he raped her twice when she was too inebriated to have given her consent — and ultimately dropped out of the race in California before the primary election. He resigned from Congress days later.
Swalwell has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-wont-drop-out-despite-his-metoo-era-kavanaugh-demand">maintained his innocence</a> throughout, consistently claiming that the accusations against him were politically motivated. Before the women went public, he was leading the field in the gubernatorial primary – but because California uses a &#8220;jungle primary&#8221; system that advances only the top two candidates overall, Swalwell claimed he was targeted in order to keep him from splintering the Democratic vote. His exit, he maintained, was strategically designed to prevent a general election matchup that locked out the Democratic Party entirely.
The Department of Justice opened an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-under-federal-investigation-for-alleged-sexual-assault">official investigation</a> into Swalwell in April, and he&#8217;s stayed relatively quiet in the weeks since.

Eric Swalwell

FBI Surprises Eric Swalwell At Airport, Seizes Key Evidence

FBI Surprised Disgraced Rep. Swalwell At Airport, Seized Electronics

sexual misconduct allegations

Newly released FBI files reveal that former Rep. Eric Swalwell had a sexual relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine Fang, known as “Fang Fang,” settling years of public uncertainty over the nature of their relationship.
According to the May 2015 FBI files, released by the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/election-integrity/">White House</a> and reviewed by The Daily Wire, Swalwell told federal investigators that he had “physical relations” with Fang “on a handful of occasions” after meeting her in 2012.
Swalwell told investigators that the relationship was casual and that the two never dated or had a romantic relationship, but said he believed Fang was interested in pursuing a closer romantic relationship with him. Swalwell said that March of 2015 was the last time he had physical relations with Fang.
The revelation is significant because the precise nature of Swalwell’s relationship with Fang had remained disputed since her ties to the California Democrat were first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alleged-chinese-spy-got-close-to-democrat-eric-swalwell-fbi-had-to-intervene">publicly exposed in 2020</a>.
At the time, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2020/12/08/china-spy-california-politicians">Axios reported</a> that Fang had cultivated extensive relationships with American politicians as part of what U.S. intelligence officials believed was a Chinese political intelligence operation. Fang participated in fundraising for Swalwell’s congressional campaign and helped place at least one intern in his congressional office.
Axios reported that Fang had sexual or romantic relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors but did not report that she had a sexual relationship with Swalwell.
Swalwell declined to answer questions about the nature of his relationship with Fang when the Axios story broke, instead saying that he had provided information about her to the FBI and would not discuss information that might be classified.
The newly released interview shows that federal investigators were aware of the sexual relationship by 2015 and that Swalwell himself had disclosed it during the FBI investigation.
The interview also provides additional details about Swalwell’s communications with Fang. He told investigators that the pair primarily communicated through text messages, but also spoke by phone and exchanged emails. Swalwell said he had used his personal Gmail account to communicate with Fang and had reviewed the account before his FBI interview, finding approximately five email exchanges that he offered to provide to investigators.
Swalwell also told investigators that he did not know the source of Fang’s money. He said he assumed Fang or her family was independently wealthy and had never discussed the sources of her income with her.
The files also contain secondhand accounts from people in Swalwell’s orbit describing Fang’s efforts to maintain access to him. One source told investigators that Swalwell’s then-chief of staff had said Fang appeared at Swalwell’s home unannounced on at least one occasion. The source also reportedly heard that Fang had appeared at Swalwell’s door and made it clear to him that she was not wearing underwear.
The FBI documents are dated May 2015, meaning the disclosures came while Swalwell’s relationship with Fang was either ongoing or had only recently ended. Swalwell told investigators that March 2015 was the last occasion on which he had physical relations with Fang.
That timing is particularly notable because federal investigators were becoming increasingly concerned about Fang’s activities around the same period. U.S. intelligence officials later provided Swalwell with a defensive briefing warning him about Fang, after which he said he cut ties with her. Fang left the United States in 2015 amid the investigation.
Fang had cultivated relationships with numerous rising politicians in California and elsewhere between roughly 2011 and 2015. U.S. intelligence officials believed she was operating on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security and gathering political intelligence by developing access to ambitious politicians.
Among her most important targets was Swalwell, who had been elected to Congress in 2012 and joined the House Intelligence Committee in 2015.
Fang’s access to Swalwell extended beyond their personal relationship. According to the FBI files and previous reporting, she was involved in fundraising for his 2014 reelection campaign and helped place an intern in his congressional office. Intelligence officials believed Fang was cultivating relationships with politicians who could eventually rise to positions of national importance.
Swalwell has never been charged with a crime in connection with Fang, and investigators did not accuse him of knowingly participating in a Chinese intelligence operation. The House Ethics Committee also <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4018047-house-ethics-concludes-swalwell-probe-into-link-to-chinese-spy-taking-no-action/">closed an investigation</a> into his ties to Fang without taking action.
In March, as Swalwell mounted his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-suspends-campaign-amid-sexual-assault-allegations">now-defunct campaign</a> for governor of California, his attorneys sent FBI Director Kash Patel a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/eric-swalwell-cease-desist-letter-fbi-kash-patel-suspected-chinese-spy-rcna266005">cease-and-desist letter</a> demanding that the bureau agree not to release investigative files concerning Fang. His lawyers argued that releasing the files would improperly damage Swalwell’s campaign and maintained that he had never been accused of wrongdoing.

Fang Fang

New FBI Files Blow Open Swalwell’s Long Running Fang Fang Mystery

china

house intelligence committee

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and FBI have joined forces to prevent athletes from being sexually exploited online.
In a press release from the FBI, the organization announced its partnership with the NCAA to “inform student-athletes of some of the cyber-enabled tactics sexual exploitation actors use to obtain and sell their private images.”
While the NCAA and FBI will not work together as a joint investigative unit, they plan to raise awareness, provide education, and improve victim support to collegiate athletes. 
“The FBI has determined that student-athletes are frequently targeted due to their public profiles, which are often expanded through Name, Image, and Likeness activity, and their visible standing within their schools and communities,” the FBI announced in a <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-and-partners-warn-student-athletes-of-sexual-exploitation-schemes">statement</a>. “This visibility increases both their exposure to targeting and the leverage offenders believe they hold when threatening exposure.”
“The FBI and NCAA are asking coaches, compliance staff, and athletic department leadership to be part of closing this gap, since they may be the first trusted adults an athlete would turn to. Having these resources available to an athlete before they ever need them is one of the most direct ways an athletic program can protect its own.”
In the public service announcement published Monday, the FBI explained the three most common tactics used by these criminals. Password and PIN targeting, social media customer service impersonations, and phishing are used to gain access to sexually explicit content from the victims, where it is later posted or sold to criminal marketplaces where offenders can blackmail athletes.
Although the FBI does not have specifics regarding the number of NCAA members affected by explicit content being spread, an estimated $44 million was spent preventing the crime in 2025, and over 75,000 submissions of “sexploitation” were reported.
Student-athletes are just as likely to be victims of these crimes as anyone else. In 2022, two male competitors at Penn State were victims of sexual extortion by a woman they both met on a dating app, who was responsible for the same crime across multiple states. Jordan Demay’s story was published on ESPN last year, after he died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound after online scammers threatened to post explicit photos of him they obtained online if he didn’t pay them over $1,000.
“We hope to break down barrier[s] so law enforcement can help prevent further abuse and connect college athletes who may be targeted with the right support,” NCAA Vice President of Enforcement Jon Duncan said in the statement. 
“If we can play even a small role in preventing these crimes or getting justice or appropriate support for the people impacted by them, we will do everything to help.”

NCAA

NCAA, FBI Team Up To Prevent Athlete ‘Sexploitation’

college sports

name image and likeness

ncaa

sextortion

At least three people are dead and two are injured after a gunman opened fire at an Idaho In-N-Out Burger, and authorities say the total number of fatalities is &#8220;expected to be higher.&#8221;
A gunman opened fire in the parking lot of a Twin Falls shopping center around 2:30 p.m. local time Saturday, officials say. Social media video shows the assailant firing on vehicles and, in one instance, opening the doors of a parked car to discharge his weapon, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twin-falls-idaho-in-n-out-shooting/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=988587224">reports</a>.
Twin Falls spokesman Joshua Palmer said that at least three were killed and two were wounded. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed fatalities in a Saturday evening press conference, but did not specify a number. Hicks also confirmed that the gunman was killed. It is not clear if the gunman is among the three fatalities Palmer referenced.
&#8220;The suspected shooter in this incident is deceased,&#8221; Hicks said. &#8220;He was nearby on the scene there, and we are working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations behind that.&#8221;
Palmer said that the total number of fatalities is &#8220;expected to be higher.&#8221;
“We have literally hundreds of people that were in some way, shape or form in the area of this restaurant at the time,” Hicks said, calling the shooting “an exceptionally chaotic scene.&#8221;
Police shut down nearby roads and bridges after the shooting, and urged residents to avoid the area. The FBI is reportedly on site to investigate the incident, CBS reports.
“We are heartbroken,” In-N-Out Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said in a statement. “Our prayers go out to our customers, our associates, and all of their families. We are working with the Twin Falls Police Department to assist in the ongoing investigation.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

IMG_5597

Multiple People Dead After Shooting At Idaho In-N-Out Burger

idaho

in-n-out burger

shooting

twin falls

Authorities investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie on Friday released the full text of two previously undisclosed <a href="https://x.com/PimaSheriff/status/2083266827707363582?s=20">ransom notes</a>, hoping the public can identify the author by analyzing the writing style nearly six months after the 84-year-old grandmother vanished.
The Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said the newly released notes contain &#8220;distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology&#8221; that could help identify the person responsible for Guthrie&#8217;s kidnapping.
The first note, sent to KOLD on February 2 and addressed to NBC &#8220;Today&#8221; host Savannah Guthrie, described details inside Nancy Guthrie&#8217;s home, including a damaged flood light and a white Apple Watch near her bed. It demanded $4 million, then $6 million, for the 84-year-old&#8217;s safe return by a February 9 deadline.
&#8220;She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed,&#8221; the note addressed to the Today Show host read. &#8220;If payment is not received by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5 p.m., she will be killed.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Nancy Guthrie Investigation Update: Video &amp; Ransom Note Details 1/3 <a href="https://t.co/O0HDb8asMX">pic.twitter.com/O0HDb8asMX</a>
— Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Department (@PimaSheriff) <a href="https://x.com/PimaSheriff/status/2083266827707363582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
The full note also included additional threats that investigators had not previously made public.
&#8220;Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you.&#8221;
A second note, sent on February 6 and addressed to the &#8220;Guthrie Family,&#8221; claimed Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after being abducted.
&#8220;We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related,&#8221; the note said.
&#8220;She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry.&#8221;
Savannah Guthrie said during a March <a href="https://www.today.com/news/watch-full-savannah-guthrie-interview-rcna265446" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Hoda Kotb that she believed the two ransom notes were authentic. While several other letters have surfaced during the investigation, the family has publicly acknowledged only the two released Friday by the sheriff&#8217;s office.
Investigators said they are releasing the full notes because they believe someone who has interacted with the author may recognize the writing style.
&#8220;These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer&#8217;s unique linguistic style,&#8221; the sheriff&#8217;s office said in a press release.
As the six-month anniversary of Nancy Guthrie&#8217;s disappearance approaches, investigators are also asking the public to revisit the FBI images showing a masked man outside her home before she vanished. Authorities believe the individual may have surveilled the property on more than one day before abducting Guthrie during the early morning hours of February 1.
Investigators urged anyone who noticed unusual changes in someone&#8217;s behavior around that time, including sudden travel, unexplained injuries, vehicle cleaning or repairs, or an unusual interest in the investigation, to contact law enforcement.
Earlier this week, Savannah Guthrie shared an emotional Instagram video describing the family&#8217;s ordeal as &#8220;a nightmare that will not end&#8221; and begged for her mom’s abductor to &#8220;do the right thing now.&#8221;
&#8220;Help us bring this situation to an end. For all of us, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, I believe there is always a way home,&#8221; Savannah said. &#8220;Please make the right choice.&#8221;
The FBI continues to offer a reward of more than $1 million for information leading to Nancy Guthrie&#8217;s recovery. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Credit: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images

A Chilling Piece Of The Nancy Guthrie Mystery Has Just Been Made Public

arizona

kidnapping

Nancy Guthrie

News

Savannah Guthrie

That's So Criminal

The Trump administration will pay seven-figures to a Christian father whose home was raided nearly four years ago by heavily armed FBI agents as part of former President Joe Biden’s crackdown on peaceful pro-life protesters. 
The settlement between pro-life advocate Paul Vaughn and the Justice Department is a remarkable reversal after the father of 11 once faced over a decade in prison due to the charges brought by Biden&#8217;s DOJ. The settlement was announced Tuesday by the Thomas More Society, a religious liberty law firm that represented Vaughn throughout his battle with the federal government. 
Vaughn’s Centerville, Tennessee, home was raided by gun-toting FBI agents in October 2022 over his involvement in a March 2021 protest that included praying and hymn singing at a local abortion facility. As several FBI agents corralled his children getting ready for school, other agents took Vaughn into custody in a dramatic show of force. 
“From the very moment that I was handcuffed and put in the back of the car, they showed me on their screen that it was a FACE Act violation, I knew from that moment on that it was political. But I knew something more than that,” Vaughn told The Daily Wire in an interview. “I knew that it was God telling a story, and that it wasn&#8217;t my story, and therefore, the responsibility wasn&#8217;t me. And so I trusted in Him.”
The FACE Act is a Clinton-era law used overwhelmingly against pro-life protesters if they are seen as impeding access to an abortion facility. Under Biden, prosecutors paired it with the hefty conspiracy against civil rights charge that could bring a prison term of more than 10 years. 
Pardoned alongside nearly two dozen other pro-life advocates by President Donald Trump in January 2025, Vaughn sued the government for its heavy-handed prosecution of him. The settlement includes the DOJ admitting it abused its power and concludes the suit. 
Documents <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-lifer-imprisoned-by-biden-responds-to-doj-shakeup-i-want-to-come-to-some-firing-parties?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pro-Lifer+Imprisoned+By+Biden+Responds+To+DOJ+Shakeup%3A+%E2%80%98I+Want+To+Come+To+Some+Firing+Parties%E2%80%99">recently released</a> by the DOJ showed officials discussing the optics of arresting the defendants rather than allowing self-surrender. In one email, Biden official Sanjay Patel wrote that the “unspoken reason” the FBI was going to stage dramatic arrests rather than allow self-surrender was because “the FBI really likes to make arrests.”
Vaughn, who ended up being sentenced to six months of house arrest, said the ordeal strengthened his faith and Christian convictions. 
“The important thing that we have is we have a duty to walk humbly, to love justice, and to seek mercy,” he told The Daily Wire. “Regardless of whether there&#8217;s people trying to write injustices or whether people that are trying to persecute and cause more injustice are Christian responsibilities the same.”
Steve Crampton, a lawyer with the Thomas More Society who defended Vaughn, praised the Trump administration&#8217;s handling of Biden’s pro-life prosecutions. He noted that it would not surprise him if other settlements between pro-lifers and the Justice Department were announced in the coming months. 
He told The Daily Wire that the DOJ under Trump was “genuinely interested in trying to right the wrongs of previous administrations” and “trying to do what they can to restore some respect for the rule of law.”
The DOJ <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-biden-partnered-with-abortion-activists-to-track-and-imprison-pro-lifers?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=BREAKING%3A+How+Biden+Partnered+With+Abortion+Activists+To+Track+And+Imprison+Pro-Lifers">released emails</a> earlier this year showing how closely Biden officials worked with abortion activists to snoop on and prosecute pro-life advocates. Pro-abortion organizations provided dossiers to the Biden DOJ with personal information and pictures of pro-life activists who were not yet charged with any crimes, but were later arrested by the FBI.
&#8220;I think there&#8217;s no question that this was a politicized prosecution of Paul and the others,” Crampton added. “This was a vindictive set of prosecutions meant purely to punish and deter pro-lifers from ever going back out again.”
Crampton said that Congress needed to act to repeal the FACE Act. The House Judiciary Committee approved a repeal of the FACE Act last year, but the legislation has stalled out. 
“That is an abhorrent law, it is without constitutional support for its passage in the first place,” he said. “And it is a horrific weapon that can and probably will be used again to cudgel pro-lifers in the future if we don&#8217;t take care of it now.”
While noting that the settlement was a big win, Crampton said the Biden prosecutions reminded Americans of their need to stay vigilant about government overreach. 
“We can never go to sleep,” he said. “If we don&#8217;t watch the ones that are watching us effectively, our federal overseers, then we have no one to blame but ourselves.”

MixCollage-30-Jul-2026-06-19-AM-4498

Christian Father Who Faced Armed FBI Raid Gets Big Payout From Trump Admin

abortion

department of justice

FACE Act

joe biden

Pro-Life Movement

Religious Liberty

trump administration

WASHINGTON — Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte touted a new round of heavy cuts to the agency on Tuesday just hours before the Senate votes to confirm his replacement as President Donald Trump&#8217;s spy czar.
&#8220;Good News,&#8221; Pulte <a href="https://x.com/DNIPulte/status/2082069735118967004">wrote</a> on X on Tuesday. &#8220;In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago.&#8221;
&#8220;The Intelligence Community must protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class,&#8221; he added.
ODNI did not immediately respond to a request for comment clarifying how many of Tuesday&#8217;s cuts involved staff firings or staff returned to their home agencies.
The Senate is expected to vote on Pulte&#8217;s replacement, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-outmaneuvers-schumer-on-pick-for-top-federal-prosecutor">Jay Clayton</a>, at 6:30 pm ET on Tuesday evening, meaning that Pulte will likely no longer serve in the role by the end of the day.
Pulte, who came into ODNI with a mandate from President Donald Trump to “execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office,&#8221; has focused heavily on reducing the size of the agency in recent months. His entrance came shortly after former DNI Tulsi Gabbard announced she would be leaving the agency to help her husband deal with a cancer diagnosis.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1145675" style="width: 791px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hours-ahead-of-his-replacement-as-spy-czar-pulte-touts-more-dni-cuts/senate-holds-confirmation-hearing-for-jay-clayton-to-be-director-of-national-intelligence" rel="attachment wp-att-1145675"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1145675" class="wp-image-1145675 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226941-781x576.jpg" alt="(Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)" width="781" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226941-781x576.jpg 781w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226941-300x221.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226941-768x566.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226941.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 781px) 100vw, 781px" /></a>Jay Clayton appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee during his nomination hearing on Capitol Hill July 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)</div>
Critics argue Pulte <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-pultes-odni-purge-triggers-intel-community-civil-war">forced</a> Gabbard out sooner than expected and say his aggressive cuts will leave ODNI too weak to effectively rein in rogue agencies like the FBI and CIA. Before Pulte arrived, Gabbard had already cut 40% of staff, which left the agency with fewer than 1,400 employees, compared to the estimated 38,000 at the FBI and 20,000 at the CIA.
The Daily Wire previously reported that Pulte was working closely with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), both of whom have argued that ODNI has become an unnecessary layer of oversight over agencies such as the CIA and FBI.
Both Ratcliffe and Cotton are supporters of Clayton, and have publicly praised his nomination.
Ahead of Tuesday&#8217;s vote, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) accused Democrats of delaying Clayton&#8217;s confirmation despite their earlier criticism of Pulte&#8217;s appointment.
“Now Democrats have the opportunity to replace that acting official,&#8221; Thune <a href="https://www.thune.senate.gov/news/press-releases/thune-on-jay-claytons-nomination/">said</a> in a statement. “But they’re in no apparent rush to confirm a permanent director of national intelligence. They’ve opposed his nomination in committee. They’ve delayed things here on the floor. And I don’t expect we’ll see a lot of Democrat support for him in the final roll call.&#8221;

Fannie, Freddie IPOs Can Still ‘Very Much’ Happen, Pulte Says

Hours Ahead Of His Replacement as Spy Czar, Pulte Touts More DNI Cuts

Bill Pulte

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A man believed to be an anti-ICE activist armed with two airsoft rifles deployed an incendiary device outside 26 Federal Plaza in New York City on Monday morning, prompting a swift response from federal and local law enforcement.
At least two people were injured in the incident after the suspect &#8220;menaced&#8221; bystanders with the airsoft rifles, MS NOW <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/20/new-york-nyc-fbi-incendiary-device.html">reported</a>. Five law enforcement sources told MS NOW that the suspect appeared to be an anti-ICE radical.
Video <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2079203258724471267?s=20">footage</a> showed a plume of smoke rising near the building&#8217;s entrance as law enforcement officers, including ICE agents and FBI personnel, rushed out with guns drawn. Federal Protective Service officers apprehended the suspect on scene. The sidewalk was shut down, and the building was evacuated as authorities responded.
According to the FBI, the incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. ET, Fox News <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2079203258724471267?s=20">reported</a>.
&#8220;This morning an individual deployed an incendiary device outside of 26 Federal Plaza. The individual has been taken into custody and the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident,&#8221; the FBI said.
FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2079219684717596752">added</a> that &#8220;two minor injuries reported thus far.&#8221;
Sources told MS NOW that the incendiary device was fireworks that were placed in a shopping cart and then doused in accelerant and lit on fire.
The New York Police Department told Fox News that a firearm was found in relation to the event, though officials could not confirm whether it was recovered from the suspect. It&#8217;s unclear if the firearm found by authorities is different from the airsoft rifles the suspect reportedly had on him.
The building at <a href="https://www.ice.gov/field-office/new-york-city-field-office">26 Federal Plaza</a> houses the ICE New York City Field Office on the 9th Floor as well as a federal immigration court. The ICE office oversees Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations across the five boroughs of New York City and several surrounding counties, including Dutchess, Nassau, Putnam, Suffolk, Sullivan, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester.
This incident comes amid a broader trend of heightened concerns regarding threats to ICE operations. The Department of Homeland Security has previously reported a significant rise in vehicle attacks against ICE officers, noting a <a href="https://dallasexpress.com/national/dhs-warns-sanctuary-rhetoric-linked-to-surge-in-ice-vehicle-attacks/">3,300% increase</a> in such incidents during a recent period compared to the prior year.
Authorities have not released additional details about the suspect or possible motives as the investigation continues. The Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes partners from the NYPD and other agencies, is handling the case.
The building, a federal facility in lower Manhattan, serves multiple government functions and is a known hub for immigration enforcement activities in the region.

Fox News/NYC fire

Armed Man Triggers Terrorism Investigation Outside ICE Office

Fire

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

new york city

terrorism

At least one shooter opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Phoenix Tuesday, the FBI said Thursday.
Several rounds struck the building&#8217;s exterior &#8220;on various parts of the structure,&#8221; the FBI said, adding that &#8220;one or more unidentified people&#8221; fired the shots.
No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting. It is not yet clear whether anyone is in custody.
One video of the building appeared to show some of the damage to windows riddled with bullet holes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FBI Phoenix Investigates Shooting Incident at Federal ERO Building
Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area of North Central Avenue on Tuesday, July 14, in the afternoon, or who has information regarding this shooting, is urged to contact the FBI: 
•Call the FBI… <a href="https://t.co/NBLoy0hHxF">pic.twitter.com/NBLoy0hHxF</a>
— FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://x.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2077808050040099233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Federal investigators have asked members of the public to report any &#8220;suspicious activity in the area of North Central Avenue on Tuesday, July 14, in the afternoon.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
⁦<a href="https://x.com/FBIPhoenix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIPhoenix</a>⁩ looking into several shots fired into ⁦<a href="https://x.com/HSIArizona?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HSIArizona</a>⁩ facility near Central &amp; McDowell from July 14th , authorities say the investigation is ongoing and no injuries reported <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/fox10phoenix?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fox10phoenix</a> <a href="https://t.co/yVGiuK69mN">pic.twitter.com/yVGiuK69mN</a>
— Rick Davis (@rdavisfox10) <a href="https://x.com/rdavisfox10/status/2077821155378151837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The latest shooting comes amid rising tensions across the country following two recent shootings by ICE officers in Houston last week and Maine on Monday that have resulted in the deaths of two migrant men.
Anti-ICE demonstrators have taken to the streets to express outrage with the agency and lawmakers supporting it.
ICE has faced a massive surge in attacks since the Trump administration commenced its mass deportation effort.
In one case, a group of Antifa members lured officers out of a North Texas ICE facility with fireworks on July 4, 2025, before opening fire. One local police officer was shot in the neck but survived.
The Trump administration brought its first terrorism case against Antifa as a result of the attack. More than a dozen Antifa militants received hefty charges for their roles in carrying out the ambush.
The ringleader, former Marine Corps Reservist Benjamin Hanil Song, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/antifa-terror-cell-leader-in-anti-ice-ambush-gets-hefty-prison-sentence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the maximum sentence of 100 years for his crimes during a sentencing hearing last month.
Last September, anti-ICE shooter Joshua Jahn attempted to shoot ICE officers from a rooftop adjacent to the agency&#8217;s facility in Dallas. Jahn killed two ICE detainees and turned the gun on himself.
Jahn left bullet casings at the scene that were engraved with the phrase “ANTI-ICE.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-IMMIGRATION-ICE

Shots Fired Into Arizona ICE Office

The Justice Department unleashed a barrage of grand jury subpoenas, sending federal agents to the doorsteps of four New York Times reporters who wrote a story that the FBI warned would compromise highly classified national security secrets and give America&#8217;s enemies a roadmap to the commander-in-chief&#8217;s vulnerabilities.
The Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/business/media/new-york-times-trump-subpoenas.html">admitted</a> on Saturday that according to federal law enforcement sources, a top FBI official contacted “a reporter and a senior editor,” asking them to kill a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/us/politics/trump-air-force-one-security.html">story</a> citing unnamed sources about President Donald Trump departing Turkey on the old Air Force One instead of the new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/questions-swirl-around-security-lapses-for-new-qatari-air-force-one">Qatari-gifted jet</a>.
The Times ignored the FBI’s urgent request, slammed the &#8220;publish&#8221; button, and refused to unmask who leaked the classified information in the first place.
Now, the Justice Department is bringing down the hammer. New York Times scribes Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt have been ordered to appear before a Manhattan grand jury to answer for the breach.
“Reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are,” a DOJ spokesman stated.
The administration made it clear it isn&#8217;t playing games when it comes to the nation&#8217;s secrets.
“We are not going to ignore the law and stop investigating the people who work in the administration and think it’s okay to leak classified information impacting national security,&#8221; the spokesman added.
The drama started after the Times published details of the security protocols of Trump’s new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, claiming it lacked antimissile defenses. The paper suggested that the classified leaks explained why the Secret Service briefly put Trump on the older aircraft during a high-stakes NATO summit in Turkey while tensions flared with Iran.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung blasted the reporting, confirming that the new jet is a &#8220;state-of-the-art aircraft&#8221; packed with high-level security protocols.
&#8220;There are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats,&#8221; Cheung said.
The Times immediately started crying foul, with their top newsroom lawyer David McCraw complaining that the home-visit subpoenas were a &#8220;brazen act&#8221; and meant to &#8220;shock the conscience.&#8221;
&#8220;This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country,&#8221; McCraw said.

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