“Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl responded to leftist criticism after attending a charity event at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last weekend.
The 47-year-old actress was quick to defend her appearance at the Wine, Women &amp; Shoes annual fundraiser benefitting the no-kill animal shelter Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Heigl said her attendance was about &#8220;animal advocacy&#8221; and had nothing to do with politics.
It was Heigl’s first public appearance since 2024.
“Animals don’t vote,&#8221; Heigl said in a <a href="https://www.justjared.com/2026/03/11/katherine-heigl-is-directly-replying-to-many-instagram-comments-slamming-her-appearance-at-dog-rescue-event-at-mar-a-lago/">statement</a> to JustJared. &#8220;The only room they don’t like is the euthanasia room at a shelter. They are completely at the mercy of us, and they have no voice of their own.&#8221;
&#8220;This event was about animal advocacy — something that has always been deeply personal to me,&#8221; the actress continued. &#8220;Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions. My mother, Nancy, and I have spent years advocating for animals through the Jason Heigl Foundation. As a society, we should all come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent. This should not be a polarizing issue.&#8221;
Heigl also directly responded to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVwdl3Dkbbw/?hl=en">Instagram comments</a> from people who couldn’t believe she’d dare to visit a Trump property for any reason.
After she posted &#8220;animals don&#8217;t vote,&#8221; one commenter complained, &#8220;No, but if they did they would have better judgement than you!&#8221;
Heigl responded, &#8220;Just curious…what do you do that really matters…do you think comments on an instagram post matter to animals who have had humans pour gasoline on them and set them on fire? Who have had humans vote conservative or liberal but have been left to starve and suffer? Seriously…I’m very curious what you truly think matters to the voiceless and innocent…actions or just instagram posturing?&#8221;
The commenter went on: &#8220;There are so many amazing rescues to align yourself with that aren’t hosting events there — and so many ways to get involved that aren’t putting on a dress and drinking cocktails masquerading as helping.&#8221; 
&#8220;How are you so sure about that…have you been to any?&#8221; Heigl replied. &#8220;Have you donated a significant part of your income to anything? Anything you claim to care so much about? Have you done anything more than comment on what someone else is doing or not doing to your standard? Just curious…&#8221;
Other celebrities attending included famed dog trainer Cesar Millan, Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host who now serves as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and the charity&#8217;s co-founder, Lara Trump, per <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2026/03/11/lara-trump-katherine-heigl-jeanine-pirro-big-dog-ranch-rescue-mar-a-lago/89098185007/">USA Today</a>.
Heigl has not been openly political in the past. When asked about the presidential election in 2008, she said, “I don’t do politics. It’s not my forum, man, you know? I get annoyed.”

Katherine Heigl

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Katherine Heigl Defends Herself For Attending Mar-a-Lago Charity Event

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Entertainment

Florida

Hollywood

Lara Trump

Mar-a-Lago

U.S.

An illegal immigrant accused of killing his three-year-old nephew in Florida was released into the United States by the Biden administration despite having previously been deported, The Daily Wire has learned.
He later went on to receive a deportation order after his release, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire.
Honduran illegal immigrant Samuel Antonio Maldonado-Erazo, 28, allegedly took the toddler to work on March 4 and ignored severe signs of distress his nephew appeared to be experiencing, <a href="https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/03/07/this-case-is-horrific-illegal-immigrant-accused-causing-death-his-3-year-old-nephew/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox10.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said the child had several broken ribs, one of which was detached from the backbone, a broken collarbone, and a transected pancreas from blunt trauma, the local news outlet reported. The child also appeared to show signs of possible sexual abuse.
When first responders came upon the toddler, they found he was suffering from cardiac arrest, according to Fox10.
“Life-saving measures were attempted but unfortunately, he passed,” Simmons said. “We learned this young boy suffered extensive bruising about his body, to include 17 strikes to the head alone. Additionally, there were several burn marks consistent with heating a lighter and then pressing that lighter against the skin. These injuries and the neglect associated with them contributed to his death.”
“The injuries to the child are hard to talk about, and even harder to imagine having to endure,” Simmons said. “The only solace I can think of is he suffers no more.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a detainer with local authorities on March 5, asking for a heads-up before releasing Maldonado-Erazo, DHS said.
Maldonado-Erazo illegally entered the United States in August 2021 and &#8220;was immediately removed,&#8221; DHS said.
He then reentered the country illegally in November 2021 and was released &#8220;under the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policies,&#8221; the agency added.
He was ordered deported in May 2023, according to DHS.
Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary Lauren Bis called the situation &#8220;absolutely sickening,&#8221; saying &#8220;This heinous crime underscores the importance of local authorities working with ICE to remove dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities.&#8221;
“The Biden administration should have never RELEASED this monster into our communities,&#8221; Bis added.
The three-year-old was left with Maldonado-Erazo after his mother and aunt were deported, Simmons said.
Maldonado-Erazo had other children living with him who have since been taken into the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, the sheriff said.
Erazo was originally charged with negligent manslaughter, but his charges have since been upgraded to felony murder, according to the sheriff&#8217;s office.

Untitled design – 2026-03-10T142605.964

Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Killing 3-Year-Old Nephew Was Released By Biden After Prior Deportation

Deportations

illegal immigrant

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Joe Biden

Tampa International Airport announced a total ban on pajamas in an X post on Thursday, saying that they had &#8220;seen enough&#8221; and calling on travelers who came through the western Florida hub to dress like it was daytime.
Citing a previous successful ban on Crocs, the statement said that it was finally time to tackle the &#8220;much larger crisis&#8221; of travelers who move through the airport dressed like they were headed to the refrigerator for a late-night snack.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/mjHyM5KZkG">pic.twitter.com/mjHyM5KZkG</a>
— Tampa International Airport ✈️ (@FlyTPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlyTPA/status/2027037182091731286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We&#8217;ve seen enough. We&#8217;ve had enough,&#8221; the announcement read. &#8220;It&#8217;s time to ban pajamas at Tampa International Airport. After successfully banning Crocs and giving everyone the amazing opportunity to experience the world&#8217;s first Crocs-free airport, it&#8217;s time to take on a much larger crisis. Pajamas. At. The Airport. In the middle of the day.&#8221;
&#8220;We know this decision could be disruptive to someone in your life. It&#8217;s time to have a difficult conversation with them. You can do this. We (and Phoebe) believe in you,&#8221; the statement continued, referencing the airport&#8217;s giant pink flamingo statue named Phoebe. &#8220;The madness stops today. The movement starts now. Help Tampa International Airport become the world&#8217;s first Crocs-free AND pajama-free airport. DO YOUR PART. SAY NO TO PAJAMAS AT TPA.&#8221;
The announcement certainly made a splash on X, but was it real? The @FLYTPA account has a reputation for posts that lean into the silly and fun.
On December 26, for example, a post read, &#8220;Happy National Pretend to Work Day™ to all who celebrate!!!&#8221;
On January 5, another read, &#8220;Did you know??? The Tampa Airport gets its name from Tampa, Florida, the city where the airport is located.&#8221;
&#8220;Good afternoon to everyone except the person who left their freezer open,&#8221; a post read as frigid winter weather stretched across the southern United States in late January.
&#8220;GOOD MORNING FROM ANTARCTICA,&#8221; was the follow-up post a few days later.
Social media manager C.J. Johnson said the silliness was <a href="https://people.com/did-the-tampa-airport-really-ban-pajamas-11915218">all part of his strategy</a> during a speech at the University of South Florida: &#8220;If I got on every day at Tampa International Airport and tweeted we have flights today, who would care? No one. If we do funny silly stuff like this with targeted messages that grow your audience and then I say, ‘Hey guys, by the way, we are closing the airport due to a hurricane,’ then people lean in and listen.&#8221;

Measures taken in Florida for Hurricane Elsa

Florida Airport Slaps Blanket Ban On Traveling Staple: ‘The Madness Stops Today!’

Florida Airport Slaps Blanket Ban On Traveler Staple: 'The Madness Stops Today!'

Air Travel

airport

Sean Duffy

President Donald Trump’s deadline for a deal with Iran draws near, Secret Service takes down a Mar-a-Lago intruder, and Team USA reignites the American spirit with thrilling victories on the ice.
It’s Monday, February 23, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/iran-negotiations-intensify-mar-a-lago-intruder/id1576594336?i=1000750986850" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The U.S.-Iran Showdown</h2>
American and Iranian diplomats meet again to work <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">towards</a> a nuclear deal, as President Trump continues to threaten military action. 
Now that Trump’s military buildup in the Middle East is nearly complete, he has a range of options at his disposal, and the world is waiting to see which way he’ll go. White House officials say he could launch limited strikes on nuclear sites in the coming days, with the message: capitulate, or we’ll go harder. He could also specifically target the supreme leader and his son, widely viewed as the successor. Or he could simply keep the forces in place and allow negotiations to continue, albeit with a very different dynamic than before. 
Iranian officials on social media and in speeches have struck a defiant tone, taunting the United States, vowing to send American carriers to the bottom of the ocean.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Gunman Killed At Mar-a-Lago</h2>
Authorities shot and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/armed-intruder-with-shotgun-sparks-deadly-secret-service-response-at-mar-a-lago">killed</a> an armed man who walked through one of the main gates of Mar-a-Lago early Sunday morning. 
According to authorities, a young man entered the inner perimeter around 1:30 in the morning. He was carrying a gas can and a shotgun, and he walked through one of the club’s main gates as a vehicle was exiting. Law enforcement who were assigned to Mar-a-Lago responded. Two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy fatally shot the man after he disregarded orders to drop the shotgun. 
The dead man has been <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article314795124.html">identified</a> as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin. He is originally from North Carolina, where his family reported him missing about the same time he was killed. Early on Sunday morning, a family member told a sheriff’s deputy from North Carolina’s Moore County that Martin had been unreachable since about 8 p.m. on Saturday. Later that morning, Martin’s mother posted about her son on Facebook, asking for help finding him.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Olympic Wrap Up</h2>
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have drawn to a close, but not before delivering one of the most emotionally charged finishes in decades.
 From the United States men’s hockey golds to breakout stars like Alysa Liu, the games have reignited a renewed American spirit. After a rocky start due to anti-ICE statements, Team USA athletes didn’t just score medals; they delivered iconic moments that deeply connected with the public. 
The U.S. men <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/revenge-served-cold-team-usa-takes-gold-over-canada-in-olympic-sudden-death-overtime?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Revenge+Served+Cold%3A+Team+USA+Takes+Gold+Over+Canada+In+Olympic+Sudden-Death+Overtime">defeating</a> Canada in overtime for Olympic gold marked the country’s first men’s hockey gold since 1980, the &#8220;Miracle on Ice.&#8221; Jack Hughes’ winning goal sent the U.S. bench into chaos and reignited memories of American hockey’s defining moments. 
Elsewhere on the ice, figure skater Alysa Liu has become bigger than medals. The young athlete <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-figure-skaters-father-narrowly-escaped-china-she-just-won-olympic-gold?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Alysa+Liu%E2%80%99s+Father+Escaped+China.+She+Just+Won+Olympic+Gold+For+The+United+States.">carried</a> herself with humility, joy, and visible love for her country. Liu’s success was particularly poignant when contrasted with that of skier Eileen Gu, who, though American, agreed to compete for Communist China. Her performances were emotional, technically strong, and original. When she finished her program, the reaction wasn’t just applause; it was affection.

MRN_260223_V2

Morning Brief: Iran Talks Heat Up, Mar-A-Lago Intruder, & Team USA On Fire

Iran

Morning Wire

Olympics

United States

The Biden administration waved in an illegal immigrant and shielded him from deportation before he allegedly attempted to kill a woman by drowning her at a Florida beach, The Daily Wire has exclusively learned.
Venezuelan illegal immigrant Said Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, 26, allegedly preyed upon the woman, who was walking as she talked on the phone with her sister on Tiger Shores Beach in Stuart at about 11 p.m. last Thursday, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said during a Monday press conference.
The Biden administration paroled Hernandez Gonzalez into the United States in 2023 before granting him temporary protected status, preventing federal authorities from deporting him, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire Thursday.
“Said Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez — a product of the Biden administration’s open-border policies brutally attacked a woman on the beach and attempted to drown and kill her,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire.
“She bravely fought back and survived this wicked attack. ICE has lodged an immigration detainer with the Martin County Sheriff’s office, and because of Florida’s cooperation with ICE, this sicko will never walk American streets again. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.,&#8221; she added.
<div id="attachment_1046727" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1046727" class="wp-image-1046727 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-19T130824.587-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-19T130824.587-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-19T130824.587-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-19T130824.587-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-19T130824.587.jpg 1080w" sizes=" (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" />Credit: Martin County Sheriff&#8217;s Office</div>
Hernandez Gonzalez allegedly grabbed the woman by the throat as he pushed her into the ocean and tried to drown her during a 3-5 minute struggle before the woman lost consciousness, according to the sheriff.
&#8220;During that struggle, she punched him, she grabbed his groin area trying to get him to release her,&#8221; Budensiek said.
&#8220;He said he just held her down until she went limp,&#8221; he added.
The Venezuelan national then fled the scene, believing that he murdered her, according to the sheriff. She miraculously later awoke on the beach and located an officer nearby to report the attack.
Sheriff&#8217;s deputies searched the area for two days with no success.
But on Sunday night, a woman called the Port St. Lucie police department to report that her boyfriend was &#8220;suicidal,&#8221; Budensiek said. When police responded to the report, they encountered Hernandez Gonzalez, who claimed that he murdered a woman on a nearby beach.
Detectives with the Martin County sheriff&#8217;s office interviewed Hernandez Gonzalez, determining that he was the suspect in the drowning attack, according to Budensiek.
Hernandez Gonzalez told authorities he was at the beach, where he had been smoking marijuana and drinking &#8220;some vodka,&#8221; when he encountered the woman and began attacking her, the sheriff said.
He allegedly told investigators that &#8220;she made him angry, so he attacked her and drowned her&#8221; and that he only &#8220;stopped when he believed she was dead.&#8221;
Before he fled the scene, Hernandez Gonzalez &#8220;grabbed her cell phone and threw it into the ocean,&#8221; according to the sheriff&#8217;s office.
He then returned to his car, where he consumed more marijuana and vodka before leaving the area, authorities said.
&#8220;When asked if he was remorseful, Hernandez Gonzalez stated he felt nothing,&#8221; the sheriff&#8217;s office said.
Hernandez Gonzalez is charged with attempted murder.

Untitled design – 2026-02-19T122858.617

Biden Shielded Him From Deportation. He Was Just Arrested For Trying To Drown A Woman.

Illegal Immigrant Shielded From Deportation By Biden Attempted To Drown Florida Woman

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

An illegal immigrant is accused of violently sexually assaulting an Uber driver in Miami, causing her to collide with another vehicle and slam into a concrete wall, The Daily Wire has learned.
Oscar Ernesto Sanchez-Aguire, who hails from El Salvador, snuck across <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-alien-trucker-let-in-by-bidens-cbp-one-app-kills-four-people-in-indiana-crash?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Illegal+Alien+Trucker+Let+In+By+Biden%E2%80%99s+CBP+One+App+Kills+Four+People+In+Indiana+Crash">the border</a> undetected, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. Last month, authorities finally learned about him after he allegedly violently groped the ride-share driver.
The unidentified victim said Sanchez-Aguire, 26, told her to turn down a dark street before he covered her mouth and began attacking her, <a href="https://www.local10.com/news/local/2026/02/02/i-panicked-uber-driver-describes-being-groped-by-passenger-causing-little-havana-crash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Local 10.
The woman was left with bruising to her chest, scratches to her neck and scrapes to her mouth, according to the local news outlet.
“In that moment, I panicked and lost control of the car and crashed,” she said.
The woman crashed into another car, causing it to hit the wall of a church. Her vehicle then hit the concrete wall of a storage facility.
Sanchez-Aguire then allegedly jumped out of the car and began running, but was later nabbed.
A witness, Candela Navarro, reported seeing the Uber driver &#8220;trapped inside the car,&#8221; which &#8220;was completely destroyed,&#8221; <a href="https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/uber-passenger-accused-of-groping-driver-during-ride-leading-to-crash-in-little-havana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to 7News.
“She was, like, stuck inside of the car and in a state of shock that you can’t even imagine, so I immediately – the deal was to get close to the car and, like, tell her I’m going to help her. Like, I don’t care if the car maybe can explode or whatever, because the car was a mess,&#8221; Navarro said.
“What she immediately [said] was, ‘He tried to rape me, he tried to rape me, he tried to touch me, abuse me,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, my God,'&#8221; the witness said.
“This is yet another example of how years of open border policies have resulted in a heartbreaking number of preventable attacks. This monster should never have been in our country in the first place and had the opportunity to prey on this innocent woman,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Friday.
“Every day, we’re working to get illegal aliens out of our country before more innocent Americans are victimized,&#8221; McLaughlin said.
Sanchez-Aguire faces charges of battery and culpable negligence, according to Local 10. His bond was set at $1,450.
ICE recently lodged a detainer with local authorities in Florida &#8220;to prevent his release back into American communities,&#8221; DHS said.

Untitled design – 2026-02-06T115220.608

Illegal Immigrant Violently Gropes Uber Driver, Causes Her To Crash

Crime

Uber

Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in 2024, was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, handed down the sentence in a Florida courtroom. It marks a win for the Justice Department, which had argued for Routh to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Routh was convicted last year of the attempted assassination after he hid out in the bushes with a rifle near Trump&#8217;s West Palm Beach golf course as the then-presidential candidate was golfing on September 15, 2024. Routh&#8217;s assassination attempt was thwarted by Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano, who spotted Routh near the sixth hole and fired at him. Routh fled the scene in a vehicle he had parked nearby, but he was eventually caught by officers with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office as he was driving north on Interstate 95.
Routh represented himself during the trial after firing his lawyers and argued that &#8220;merely&#8221; having a weapon &#8220;in the presence of another is not intent.&#8221;
A jury deliberated for two hours following a two-week trial before it found Routh guilty on all five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assault of a federal officer. After the verdict was handed down, Routh grabbed a pen in the courtroom and tried to stab himself in the neck, and law enforcement officers quickly restrained and shackled him.
Evidence used by prosecutors during the trial included some of Routh&#8217;s writings, where he discussed his displeasure with Trump and wrote that Iran is &#8220;free to assassinate Trump as well as me.&#8221;
The FBI also obtained a letter from Routh that was delivered to a civilian witness.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” Routh wrote in the letter. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
The letter also mentioned Iran and criticized Trump for ending &#8220;relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled.&#8221;
Officers who arrested Routh on the day of the attempted assassination also found cellphones and a list of flights out of the country when they searched his vehicle. The cell phone records showed that the phones had pinged near Trump&#8217;s golf course and Mar-a-Lago home multiple times between August 18 and September 15, 2024.
Routh had a fascination with Ukraine and was once <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/25/world/europe/volunteers-us-ukraine-lies.html">quoted</a> in The New York Times about his efforts to recruit fighters for the country. The Times reported that Routh had traveled to Ukraine for several months in 2022.
According to a Justice Department filing, Routh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-would-be-assassin-tried-to-buy-a-rocket-propelled-grenade-from-ukraine-doj-filing?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Would-Be+Assassin+Tried+To+Buy+A+Rocket-Propelled+Grenade+From+Ukraine%3A+DOJ+Filing">communicated</a> with a person he believed to be a Ukrainian and requested a rocket-propelled grenade while lamenting that Trump “is not good for Ukraine.”
In a message to his contact, Routh wrote, &#8220;I need equipment so that Trump cannot get elected,&#8221; according to the DOJ filing.
Routh&#8217;s attempt to kill Trump came just two months after Thomas Crooks fired eight shots at Trump and struck him in the ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. Two months after Routh tried to assassinate Trump, the Republican nominee won the 2024 presidential election.
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Police shares footage of suspect in apparent assassination attempt on Trump caught in Florida

Man Who Attempted To Assassinate Trump At Golf Course Sentenced To Life In Prison

assassination attempt

Courts

Department of Justice

Executive

<div>
The long-running effort by a “back-bench” state representative to criminalize the DeSantis administration’s signature charitable initiative has officially <a href="https://floridianpress.com/2026/02/trumps-doj-dismisses-complaint-against-casey-desantis-hope-florida-and-james-uthmeier/">hit a dead end</a>. According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) source with direct knowledge of the matter, federal officials have declined to move forward with a case against the Hope Florida Foundation and Attorney General James Uthmeier, concluding there is “no predicate” for an investigation.
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<div>
The allegations, spearheaded by Republican State Representative Alex Andrade, centered on a $10 million Medicaid settlement involving Centene Corporation. Andrade claimed the funds were illegally funneled through Casey DeSantis’ charity to anti-marijuana political committees. However, the DOJ’s decision to pass on the case marks a total collapse of the narrative. “No further action is anticipated,” the source confirmed, putting an end to what administration officials have termed a “sideshow.”
The dismissal has triggered a fresh escalation in the feud between Uthmeier and Andrade. On Monday, Uthmeier <a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/uthmeier-calls-gop-lawmakers-ouster-house-leadership-position">called for Andrade’s ouster</a> as Chair of the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, citing a massive conflict of interest: Andrade’s law firm currently represents Planned Parenthood in a $357 million lawsuit brought by the state.
“Somebody that’s aligned with Planned Parenthood, endangering women and children, should not be chairing a subcommittee focused on the health of our citizens,” Uthmeier stated. Deputy Chief of Staff Jeremy Redfern was even more blunt, stating, “As we’ve said since the beginning, a back-bench state representative started a hoax investigation into Hope Florida for political reasons. We appreciate the Department of Justice putting this sideshow to bed once and for all. Ever since Amendment 3 &amp; 4 failed, Rep. Andrade has filed legislation on behalf of Big Marijuana Corporations, and his law firm is now defending Planned Parenthood against the people of Florida. Nobody should take this guy seriously.”
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<div>
The record of GOP Governor Ron DeSantis and Uthmeier stands as one of the most consequential in Florida history. Under DeSantis, Florida has paid down <a href="https://www.nasbo.org/mainsite/resources/proposed-enacted-budgets/florida-budget">over $5.3 billion</a> in state debt and maintained record surpluses, all while keeping taxes at historic lows. He <a href="https://www.federationforchildren.org/governor-ron-desantis-signs-largest-school-choice-expansion-in-u-s-history/">signed</a> the largest school-choice expansion in U.S. history and <a href="https://stateline.org/2022/03/29/florida-governor-signs-bill-critics-dubbed-dont-say-gay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">championed</a> the Parental Rights in Education Act, which ensures classroom transparency. He <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/3ff71c0">secured</a> more than $800 million annually for Everglades restoration, the highest level of funding in state history.
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Since taking office, Uthmeier has <a href="https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/florida-ag-announces-122-children-rescued-in-operation-home-for-the-holidays/">overseen the arrest</a> of more than 1,200 child predators and the rescue of 300 missing children. His Retail Theft Task Force has <a href="https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-highlights-successful-year-delivering-floridians">secured</a> over 130 years of combined prison sentences for organized crime rings. He spearheaded “Alligator Alcatraz,” an enforcement facility in the Everglades designed to detain and process illegal aliens, while <a href="https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-highlights-successful-year-delivering-floridians">successfully</a> challenging federal overreach in court.
</div>

Casey DeSantis

DOJ Torpedoes Attack On DeSantis Charity As Case Against Administration Implodes

The man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course during the 2024 presidential campaign may never step outside of a federal prison after Wednesday.
Ryan Routh, 59, will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for plotting to shoot Trump while he golfed at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024. Routh was convicted in September 2025 of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
The Justice Department has requested that Routh be sentenced to life in prison.
“Routh’s crimes undeniably warrant a life sentence—he took steps over the course of months to assassinate a major Presidential candidate, demonstrated the will to kill anybody in the way, and has since expressed neither regret nor remorse to his victims,” the department wrote in a January sentencing memo. “The Constitution affords citizens many peaceful avenues to oppose or express strong dissent about a Presidential candidate—murder is not one of them.”
The attempted assassination <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jury-convicts-man-attempted-assassination-president-donald-j-trump-and-assault-federal-law">took place</a> on September 15, 2024, after weeks of planning when Routh was spotted by Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano embedded in a hedge near the sixth hole of the golf course with a rifle. Fercano opened fire on Routh, who fled the scene, leaving behind an SKS-style rifle with scope, an extra magazine with 19 rounds of ammo, steel armor plates, and a camera.
<div id="attachment_1038387" style="width: 1583px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038387" class="size-full wp-image-1038387" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM.png" alt="" width="1573" height="1050" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM.png 1573w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM-300x200.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM-863x576.png 863w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM-768x513.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM-1536x1025.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-4.16.04-PM-1200x800.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1573px) 100vw, 1573px" />Justice Department.</div>
Routh fled the scene in a black Nissan Xterra before he was arrested by officers with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, heading north on Interstate-95. Inside the vehicle, officers found multiple cell phones and a list of flights out of the country. A search of cell phone records found that they had pinged near the golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home multiple times from August 18 to September 15, 2024. Investigators also <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25171975/routh-detention-memo.pdf">said</a> that one of the phones had searched how to drive from Palm Beach County to Mexico.
Another list contained dates and venues where Trump was set to appear and a notebook that contained ramblings about how to fight on behalf of Ukraine. Routh was also the apparent author of a book called “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War: The Fatal Flaw of Democracy, World Abandonment and the Global Citizen-Taiwan, Afghanistan, North Korea, WWIII and the End of Humanity.”
Routh wrote in the book that he “must take part of the blame for the [person] that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless, but I am man enough to say that I misjudged and made a terrible mistake and Iran I apologize. You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of the deal. No one here in the US seems to have the balls to put natural selection to work or even unnatural selection.”
According to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-would-be-assassin-tried-to-buy-a-rocket-propelled-grenade-from-ukraine-doj-filing?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Would-Be+Assassin+Tried+To+Buy+A+Rocket-Propelled+Grenade+From+Ukraine%3A+DOJ+Filing">another filing</a> from the Justice Department, Routh communicated with a person he believed to be a Ukrainian with access to military-grade weapons and requested a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), lamenting that then-presidential nominee Donald Trump &#8220;is not good for Ukraine.&#8221;
Over a year before the assassination attempt, Routh <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/25/world/europe/volunteers-us-ukraine-lies.html">was quoted</a> in The New York Times talking about recruiting foreigners to fight for Ukraine.
<div id="attachment_1038391" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038391" class="size-full wp-image-1038391" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2171706745.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="654" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2171706745.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2171706745-300x192.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2171706745-902x576.jpg 902w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2171706745-768x491.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Routh detained in Florida: Photo by Martin County Sheriff&#8217;s Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images.</div>
The FBI also <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25171975/routh-detention-memo.pdf">obtained</a> a letter from Routh that was delivered in a box to a civilian witness.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” Routh wrote. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
The letter also attacked Trump for ending “relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled.”
The would-be assassin was also convicted in September of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Routh had previous convictions in 2002 for possession of a weapon of mass destruction and in 2010 for multiple counts of possession of stolen goods.
As the verdict was delivered, Routh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/attempted-trump-assassin-tries-to-stab-himself-in-neck-after-guilty-verdict">attempted</a> to stab himself in the neck with a pen, prompting law enforcement to restrain and shackle him. Routh has argued that his charges should not be enhanced with federal terrorism classifications. The Justice Department says he is a threat to American society.
“Routh is also a threat to the public collectively,” the Justice Department said in its sentencing memo. “He attempted to prevent the American people from exercising their right to elect the President of their choosing, by killing one of the two major candidates in the 2024 Presidential election. His conduct jeopardized the democratic process as well as multiple human lives.”
Cannon, the judge who will sentence Routh, was appointed by Trump. She previously dismissed the classified documents case against Trump, saying that special counsel Jack Smith was appointed unconstitutionally to oversee the case.

TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-TRUMP-GUN-SUSPECT

Attempted Trump Assassin Ryan Routh To Be Sentenced. Here’s What You Need To Know.

Law enforcement successfully rescued two young sisters reported missing over the weekend and arrested a 19-year-old man accused of grooming and abducting them from their Florida home after contacting the girls through the popular online game Roblox.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Hser Mu Lah Say from Omaha, Nebraska, saying he allegedly drove nearly 24 hours nonstop to pick up the 12- and 14-year-old girls from their home in Indiantown, Florida.
Georgia Highway Patrol located the vehicle several hours after the girls were reported missing and found all three individuals inside.
“This was a sobering case for us here at the county sheriff’s office, but we’re thankful with how it ended,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek <a href="https://people.com/2-young-girls-abducted-after-being-groomed-by-man-they-chatted-with-on-roblox-police-say-11898085">said</a>.
“They learned through their investigation that the same day, about 9 in the morning, these same two girls had gone to a local park there in Indiantown, had been found by a family member, brought back to their home [and] punished,” he added, noting that this included having their phones taken away. They later contacted the suspect using another device.
Authorities say Lah Say had been chatting with the girls for months on Snapchat and Roblox, and allegedly sent them gifts. 
“The communication initially started, we believe, and keep in mind we’re going through devices, in the summer of 2025, on a gaming app called Roblox. And from that gaming app, these girls were then moved from Roblox over to Snapchat,” Budensiek said. 
The sheriff noted how the family noticed “weird” things in the time leading up to the abduction, such as food being delivered to the house. Law enforcement now believes this was part of the grooming process. The family alerted officers about the existence of the suspect, who was said to have kept &#8220;a constant thread of communication&#8221; with the girls.
Lah Say was charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interference with child custody. 
&#8220;We talk regularly about the importance of parents and family members being vigilant about grooming and social media platforms and the impact it has on kids,&#8221; Budensiek said, per <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/amp/GMA/News/siblings-rescued-after-alleged-kidnapping-19-year-met/story?id=129794514">ABC News</a>. “In this case, I think we prevented something disastrous.&#8221; 
&#8220;There is no application online that&#8217;s safe,&#8221; he added. &#8220;If you can communicate with somebody away from your house in the quiet of your own room, it can be a problem. So parents have to be vigilant.&#8221;

Roblox

Two Sisters Were Abducted By A Man Who Groomed Them On Roblox

Florida Man Accused Of Kidnapping 2 Sisters He Allegedly Groomed On Roblox

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Following high-profile accidents at the hands of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. from &#8220;sanctuary&#8221; states, Florida is taking action to restrict driver&#8217;s license tests to only English and bar any translation support.
On Friday, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) announced the new measure, which is clearly being implemented as another safeguard for Florida residents.
Starting February 6, all tests statewide &#8220;will be administered exclusively in English,&#8221; the department said in a press release. &#8220;This change applies to all driver license classifications, including exams administered orally.&#8221;
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Previously, exams for most non-commercial driver&#8217;s license classifications were offered in multiple languages, and Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) and Commercial Driver&#8217;s License (CDL) knowledge exams were available in English and Spanish.
&#8220;FLHSMV has updated its driver license testing system statewide,&#8221; the department added. &#8220;Language translation services will no longer be permitted for knowledge or skills examinations, and any printed exams in languages other than English will be removed for use.&#8221;
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The change follows a devastating crash in Florida that occurred over the summer. Harjinder Singh, an illegal who entered the U.S. through California, was charged with three counts of homicide after he <a href="https://www.flhsmv.gov/2025/08/16/illegal-u-turn-truck-driver-arrested-for-vehicular-homicide/">recklessly</a> attempted to execute an illegal U-turn on the Florida turnpike, resulting in the deaths of three Americans.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Singh entered the U.S. illegally into California, a sanctuary state, back in 2018. He was quickly arrested and processed for expedited removal, but after claiming he feared returning to India, he was released on bond. Then, Singh somehow obtained a Commercial Driver’s License in California.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Illegal alien issued CDL by California. Doesn’t even speak English. Sanctuary policies are deadly.
Must hold the illegal alien accountable but also the other actors involved including the company. <a href="https://t.co/GRCOkGJLI3">https://t.co/GRCOkGJLI3</a>
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1957434978016387420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Commercial Driver&#8217;s Licenses for illegals or people with improper status have been the target of scrutiny for months, due to devastating crashes &#8212; like the one involving Singh &#8212; that have killed Americans. 
The Daily Wire’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-california-license-accused-of-killing-newlyweds-in-tragic-collision?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Trucker+With+California+License+Accused+Of+Killing+Newlyweds+In+Tragic+Collision">Jennie Taer</a> reported in December, for example, that a newlywed couple was tragically killed in a collision allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver with a California license.
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&#8220;FLHSMV remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior,&#8221; the department said. 
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Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-bill-takes-aim-at-democrat-states-giving-truck-licenses-to-illegal-aliens">Republican Bill Takes Aim At Democrat States Giving Truck Licenses To Illegal Aliens</a>

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, holds a press conference to speak

Florida Takes Action On Foreign Drivers: ‘English Only’

Drivers Licenses

English

A Florida couple has filed a lawsuit against a fertility clinic in Orlando after they realized the baby they&#8217;ve been raising wasn&#8217;t their own. Tiffany Score was allegedly implanted with another woman&#8217;s embryo last year during the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process.
According to <a href="https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-couple-ifv-error-lawsuit-search-daughter-biological-parents-moral-obligation">Fox 35</a> in Orlando, the couple welcomed the baby girl in December, but became concerned after noticing that she appeared to be a different ethnicity than either parent. The couple wants to raise the baby, but their lawyer told The Daily Wire the main priority is finding her biological parents.
&#8220;We love our little girl, and if possible, we would hope to be able to continue to raise her ourselves with confidence that she won’t be taken away from us,&#8221; Steven Mills and Tiffany Score said in a statement. &#8220;At the same time, we are aware that we have a moral obligation to find and notify her biological parents as it is in her best interest that her genetic parents are provided the option to raise her as their own.&#8221;
Mills and Score are suing the Fertility Center of Orlando, as well as a physician, alleging the doctor implanted the wrong embryo, resulting in Score giving birth to a baby who is not genetically hers or her husband&#8217;s.
The mother underwent an embryo transfer in April of 2025 before giving birth in December. The lawsuit alleges the Fertility Center of Orlando implanted the wrong embryo five years after the couple had the mother&#8217;s embryos frozen.
The lawsuit states that the parents have formed an &#8220;intensely strong emotional bond&#8221; with the baby after Score carried and delivered the child, which the couple named Shea.
&#8220;Despite the certain knowledge that Shea is not their genetically matched child, the emotional bond grows stronger every minute of every day that Shea remains in their care,&#8221; the lawsuit said. &#8220;They would willingly keep her in their care; however, for the sake of both Shea and her genetic parents, they recognize that Shea should legally and morally be united with her genetic parents so long as they are fit, able and willing to take her.&#8221;
The couple&#8217;s attorneys are now seeking an emergency injunction, requiring the clinic to preserve records, notify other potentially affected patients, and begin immediate genetic testing for the clinic&#8217;s clients. The lawsuit, obtained by Fox News, states that Mills and Score are asking the clinic to pay for the genetic testing of every child born whose parents had embryos implanted at the clinic during the last five years.
&#8220;Of equal concern to the Plaintiffs is the obvious possibility that someone else was implanted with one or more of their embryos and is pregnant with or has been pregnant with and is presently parenting one or more of their children,&#8221; the lawsuit stated.
The fertility clinic released a statement to Fox 35, claiming officials are looking into this &#8220;error.&#8221;
&#8220;We are actively cooperating with an investigation to support one of our patients in determining the source of an error that resulted in the birth of a child who is not genetically related to them. Multiple entities are involved in this process, and all parties are working diligently to help identify when and where the error may have occurred. Our priority remains transparency and the well-being of the patient and child involved. We will continue to assist in any way that we can, regardless of the outcome of the investigation.&#8221;
Fox 35 spoke to legal experts who said that a child&#8217;s legal parents are typically the genetic mother and father, not the birth mother.

Credit: Searcy Law

Florida Couple Sues Fertility Clinic Over Embryo Mix-Up: ‘Moral Obligation’ To Find ‘Genetic Parents’

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