For most of its existence, Wikipedia has been hailed as a marvel of the digital age: a sprawling, collaborative encyclopedia written by anyone and corrected by everyone. An open marketplace of knowledge. A monument to the democratization of information.
But democracies — political or epistemic — rarely collapse in an instant. They erode from within. And what my team at the Media Research Center (MRC) has uncovered about how Wikipedia operates, and how carefully it conceals that machinery, should alarm anyone who believes a self-governing society depends on an open, honest information sphere.
<a href="https://mrcfreespeechamerica.org/blogs/free-speech/luis-cornelio/2025/11/17/how-wikipedia-infiltrated-colleges-train-next-generation">Our recent investigation</a> shows that Wikipedia and its educational partner, Wiki Education, have developed a vast, little-known system for shaping, and increasingly weaponizing, the content millions of Americans rely on every day. What we found is not simply concerning; it reveals the quiet architecture of an ideological project. It is also possible that, in attempting to hide its operations, Wikipedia has crossed legal lines that could carry serious consequences.
Wikipedia’s co-founder, Larry Sanger, has said openly that the platform no longer reflects its original mission of neutrality. It has become a curator of political narrative, amplifying the messaging of the left rather than serving as an impartial arbiter of knowledge.
<h2>The Blacklist(s)</h2>
Wikipedia is transparent about one thing: it blacklists right-leaning news outlets and conservative non-profits. But even this admission obscures more than it reveals. In reality, <a href="https://mrcfreespeechamerica.org/blogs/free-speech/luis-cornelio/2025/02/03/exclusive-wikipedia-effectively-blacklists-all-right">Wikipedia maintains three tiers of blacklists</a> — Blacklisted, Deprecated, and Generally Unreliable — each designed to exclude certain publishers from the encyclopedia’s information ecosystem.
The “Blacklisted” category is the most severe. Sources here are blocked entirely; links cannot even be submitted for review. This is Wikipedia’s “do not pass go” list. It includes outlets such as the Heritage Foundation, Breitbart News, and the Washington Examiner. Content from these organizations is not debated or fact-checked, it is simply turned away at the gate.
The second level, “Deprecated,” involves sources that are “generally prohibited.” Users attempting to cite to these sources receive warnings, before Wikipedia’s editors almost always reject the suggestions. LifeSiteNews, Newsmax, The Daily Caller, and Blaze Media fall here. The effect is the same as the first list, exclusion, just with a thin procedural layer.
The third category, “Generally Unreliable,” is essentially a blacklist with a tiny escape hatch. Wikipedia discourages use of these sources and directs contributors to “more reliable” outlets. The Daily Wire is stuck in this purgatory: technically citable, but heavily disfavored.
The disparities this system produces are staggering. The Daily Wire has been cited only 445 times across Wikipedia. The New York Times, by contrast, appears in more than 1.6 million citations — meaning Wikipedia cites the Times nearly 4,000 times for every single Daily Wire reference. Similar gaps exist with Newsweek, Politico, and The Washington Post, which are cited hundreds of times more frequently than their far more reliable conservative counterparts.
More broadly, <a href="https://mrcfreespeechamerica.org/blogs/free-speech/luis-cornelio/2025/02/03/exclusive-wikipedia-effectively-blacklists-all-right">MRC research shows</a> that Wikipedia cites to left-leaning outlets almost 20 times more often than to right-leaning outlets. <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/695762/trust-media-new-low.aspx">Trust in the media is at an all-time low</a>, specifically because of the bias injected into news stories. Wikipedia intentionally magnifies that bias, resulting in gross distortions of reality. We have documented Wikipedia’s smears against many political figures, including President Donald Trump, Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Charlie Kirk. 
When gatekeepers designate half the country’s media ecosystem — representing tens of millions of readers — as inherently “unreliable,” the result is not a pursuit of truth. It is a systematic silencing of outlets disfavored by the ideological left. The encyclopedia built on openness now thrives on exclusion.
<div id="attachment_1011409" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1011409" class="size-large wp-image-1011409" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-864x576.jpg" alt="skynesher. Getty Images. Male teacher giving a lecture from desktop PC during a class at computer lab." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1079587192-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />skynesher. Getty Images.</div>
<h2>The Student Army</h2>
Yet the core of the MRC’s latest findings lies not in the blacklist itself, but in the machinery feeding content into Wikipedia: Wiki Education, a California nonprofit created as a spin-off of the Wikimedia Foundation, operating with its funding, personnel, and blessing.
Wiki Education recruits college professors to assign Wikipedia editing as coursework. Since 2010, more than 145,000 students have participated, generating over 120 million words of content. On the surface, this could be a civic success story — young people helping build a shared public resource.
But the reality, based on the courses Wiki Education recruits and supports, is far more ideological. Classes such as Queering Religion, Critical Race Feminisms, Queer of Color Critique, Gender and Identity in STEM, and similarly activist-oriented seminars are not fringe exceptions; they are typical of the curriculum Wiki Education promotes.
These disciplines are not merely academic; they are frameworks for political activism. And the content they generate — guided by ideology rather than neutrality — flows directly into Wikipedia. The encyclopedia becomes the final destination for arguments crafted within contemporary left-wing academic theory.
<h2>The Taxpayer Foots The Bill</h2>
Even more astonishing is that this ideological pipeline is largely underwritten by taxpayers. Because Wiki Education embeds itself in public universities, it leverages state-funded faculty, classrooms, and infrastructure to funnel student labor into Wikipedia. Students believe they are learning digital literacy; in practice, many are producing politicized content for a global platform.
The pattern extends to Wiki Education’s leadership. Every traceable political donation from its senior staff and board flows to Democratic candidates, progressive PACs, and left-aligned advocacy groups. While not illegal, it reveals the institutional alignment shaping the organization’s priorities.
<h2>A Potential Legal Problem</h2>
This coordinated system — Wikipedia funding Wiki Education, Wiki Education training student editors, students supplying content that reinforces Wikipedia’s ideological filters — creates not only an informational problem but potentially a legal one.
When Wikipedia spun off Wiki Education in 2013, the structural ties between the two organizations remained unusually close. Yet Wikipedia has insisted in court filings, sworn under penalty of perjury, that it is merely an “interactive computer service,” not a “publisher.” It did so to seek the liability protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
If Wikipedia effectively controls Wiki Education as an alter ego — training, directing, and financing its editorial labor — then it may have misrepresented its true operations under oath. Filing false statements in court is a crime under state and federal law. Attorneys general in jurisdictions where Wikipedia has invoked Section 230, like the state of Florida, may have ample reason to investigate those claims. And while the U.S. Department of Justice has its hands full unwinding the malfeasance committed during the Biden administration, Attorney General Pam Bondi might be interested in this, too.
<h2>Why It Matters</h2>
Wikipedia is not just a reference site. It is infrastructure. It consistently dominates Google search results — Google itself being a company that aggressively manipulates search results to push its own ideology. And modern AI systems, including chatbots, draw heavily from Wikipedia’s content pipelines. When Wikipedia’s entries tilt, so does the entire information ecosystem.
Its blacklist system also has downstream economic effects. Being labeled “unreliable” reduces an outlet’s visibility, decreases traffic, and predictably harms ad revenue. The encyclopedia’s judgments ripple outward into media markets and public perception.
Given these stakes, Congress should investigate. So should the Federal Trade Commission. And attorneys general, especially in cases where Wikipedia has defended its corporate structure under oath, should scrutinize whether the organization misrepresented how it operates.
Wikipedia has every right to express ideological preferences. But it does not have the right to cloak them behind false claims of neutrality to donors, to engage in deceptive or anticompetitive practices, or to misrepresent its structure in legal proceedings.
Transparency requires accountability. And it is long past time for the public to understand what Wikipedia has become.
* * *
Dan Schneider is Vice President for Free Speech at the Media Research Center.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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From Open Encyclopedia To Ideological Weapon: Wikipedia’s Hidden War On Truth

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WASHINGTON—Daily Wire investigative journalist Luke Rosiak was awarded the prestigious Dao Prize on Wednesday night for his work covering extraordinary government waste. 
Rosiak is the winner in the Best Reporting on Government Waste category, a special category at this year’s awards that was created due to the exceptional reporting done around Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. His prize-winning <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fmcs-slush-fund-abolished-by-trump">investigation</a>, “Inside The Now-Shuttered Federal Agency Where Employees Lived ‘Like Reigning Kings,’” detailed the unchecked spending that went on for decades at an agency that most Americans never knew existed.
“I want to issue a hearty congratulations to an amazing reporter who shuttered an agency that I’ve never heard of,” said conservative radio host Vince Coglianese, who presented the award at the event sponsored by the Young America Foundation’s National Journalism Center. “And boy were these people wasting your money like it was their job.”
Rosiak’s story took readers inside the little-known Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which occupied some of the priciest real estate in Washington, D.C., but did little to nothing of value for taxpayers. Employees spent taxpayer money on exotic vacations, portraits of themselves, and even to boost their own side-projects. 
It was just one of Rosiak’s eye-opening investigations this year on the topic of government waste, which became his main focus after Donald Trump announced that he would give DOGE the power to do something about the sort of waste that Rosiak has been exposing for more than a decade.
Other investigations by Rosiak this year uncovered massive abuse of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-can-food-stamps-buy-junk-food-how-doge-could-save-billions-and-maha">federal food stamp system</a>, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-foreign-aid-agency-locked-its-doors-to-keep-doge-out-now-we-know-why">three-part series on mismanagement of the USAID-linked African Development Foundation</a>, and the origin story of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-doge-origin-story-how-barack-obama-laid-the-groundwork-for-elon-musk">how a woke White House office created by Barack Obama was transformed into DOGE</a>.
The Dao Prize was established in 2023 to “recognize excellence in investigative journalism,” and set out to put a spotlight on “courageous journalists” who for years have been ignored by the legacy media. This was the first year it recognized reporters in the field of government waste. 
“Luke is one of the most tenacious reporters in the business, and he’s ultimately motivated by shining a light where few other reporters are looking,” said Brent Scher, The Daily Wire’s Editor-in-Chief. “When he set out last year to put his full focus on government waste, we all knew it would have an impact. It’s great to see it recognized with this prestigious award.”
Rosiak’s work was regularly spotlighted by Musk as he drove DOGE, and in some cases, provided the investigative backbone for its work cutting government spending. 
“Investigative reporters never write happy stories, and at times our work can be emotionally draining,” Rosiak said. “It’s easy to feel outnumbered. But nights like tonight remind all of us here that we’re not alone.”
He said he hopes his reporting inspires other journalists to stick to their instincts, even when it feels like nobody’s paying attention.
“We don’t always see the impact of our work right away. Do the right thing for the right reasons, trust yourself, and keep persevering, and the reward will come eventually.”

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Daily Wire’s Luke Rosiak Wins Investigative Journalism Award For Best ‘DOGE’ Reporting

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The FBI is looking into at least seven social media accounts and seeking to determine if anyone knew of a plot to assassinate Charlie Kirk before he was shot and killed last week, The Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/politics/exclusive-fbi-investigating-social-media-accounts-that-appeared-to-indicate-foreknowledge-of-kirk-assassination/">reported</a> on Monday, citing three sources familiar with the investigation.
The Free Beacon also published archived screenshots of some of the posts the FBI is investigating. One post mentions Kirk getting assassinated one week before the influential conservative commentator was gunned down. The X account @TallyHallAlbum wrote on September 3, “itd be funny if someone like charlie kirk got shot on september 10th LMAO.”
Another X account, @NajraGalvz, posted a day before the assassination, “Charlie kirk is coming to my college tomorrow i rlly hope someone evaporates him literally.” In a follow-up post, the X user added, “Lets just say something big will happen tomorrow.” In the X bio for @NajraGalvz, the account says it identifies as “nonbinary.” Hours after Kirk was assassinated, @NajraGalvz posted, CHARLIE KIRK GOT SHOT BRO I PROMISE I DIDNT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.”
One social media account that celebrated Kirk’s assassination uses an X handle that is nearly identical to a TikTok profile that follows the assassin’s trans-identifying roommate, Lance Twiggs, The Free Beacon reported. The X account churbum75m (SAW TYLER JUNE 30) posted after Kirk was pronounced dead, “WE F***ING DID IT.” Churbum75m is also on TikTok, following Twiggs, who has 839 followers.
The Free Beacon reported that in a video posted on TikTok, another social media account said that “charles james kirk … does not know what’s coming tomorrow. be ready … this isn&#8217;t a threat it&#8217;s a promise.”
The posts and some of the accounts that the FBI is looking into were all deleted within days of Kirk’s assassination. The Feds are also investigating whether any pro-transgender groups online knew about plans to kill Kirk in advance, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/14/us-news/charlie-kirk-assassination-investigation-widens-to-probe-pro-trans-online-groups/">reported</a>. The FBI probe is reportedly looking into groups on the online gaming platform, Steam, along with leftist groups in Utah.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday that DNA found on the towel that was wrapped around the suspected assassin’s rifle matches the DNA of Tyler Robinson, who was arrested on Friday. DNA found on a screwdriver on the roof of a campus building also matches Robinson’s DNA, according to Patel.
The suspected assassin’s roommate, who appears to be in a romantic relationship with Robinson, is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspected-charlie-kirk-killer-reportedly-lived-with-trans-identifying-partner?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=12&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Suspected+Charlie+Kirk+Killer+Reportedly+Lived+With+Trans-Identifying+Partner">fully cooperating</a> with the FBI as investigators continue to probe the assassination, Fox News reported over the weekend. According to authorities, Robinson expressed his dislike of Kirk at a family dinner and also mentioned that Kirk was scheduled to speak at Utah Valley University before the conservative was assassinated.
Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox told The Wall Street Journal that it’s become “very clear” to investigators that Robinson was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”

Charlie Kirk

FBI Investigating Online Posts For Possible Foreknowledge Of Kirk Assassination

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Federal and state officials in Utah revealed on Friday morning that they closed in on Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man suspected of assassinating Charlie Kirk, after a family friend reached out to law enforcement.
FBI Director Kash Patel said that authorities “made historic progress for Charlie” after capturing the suspected assassin in just 33 hours. Patel then provided a timeline of the FBI’s response immediately after Kirk was gunned down and how the search for the alleged assassin came to a close.
<h2>Wednesday, September 10</h2>
<h3>11:52 a.m. MT — Suspect Arrives Near Campus</h3>
Authorities said video showed the suspected assassin driving near campus in a gray Dodge Challenger. One of Robinson’s family members reportedly told investigators that Robinson drove a gray Dodge Challenger. The suspect then walked onto campus and climbed up the stairwells to a roof adjacent to the courtyard where Kirk was speaking, according to authorities.
<h3>12:23 p.m. — Charlie Kirk Shot</h3>
Authorities believe that a single shot was fired from the roof of a building around 200 yards from where Kirk was debating students during one of his signature question and answer sessions.
<h3>12:39 p.m. — The First FBI Agents Arrive, Secure Scene</h3>
Shortly after the FBI took over the investigation, the agency immediately began utilizing assets to transport “personnel, specialty technicians, [and] hostage rescue teams,” Patel said, adding that forensic evidence was taken to FBI laboratories at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia and other laboratories.
<h3>2:40 p.m. — President Trump Announces That Kirk Has Died</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his… <a href="https://t.co/aM8Pz3TKml">pic.twitter.com/aM8Pz3TKml</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1965880535659470994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h3>5:20 p.m. — Person Of Interest Questioned</h3>
Patel said a person of interest was questioned at 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday. He posted at 5:21 p.m. that the “subject for the horrific shooting” was in custody, but less than two hours later, the FBI director posted an update, saying, “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement.” Two subjects were questioned by authorities on Wednesday in connection with the assassination before they were both released.
<h2>Thursday, September 11</h2>
<h3>10:00 a.m. — FBI Releases First Photos Of Suspected Assassin</h3>
<h3>10:45 a.m. — FBI Offers $100,000 Reward For Info Leading To Arrest Of Suspect</h3>
<h3>5:30 p.m. — Patel And Deputy Director Dan Bongino Arrive In Utah</h3>
Patel said that he was able to evaluate &#8220;the large crime scene” at Utah Valley University with investigators, where he walked &#8220;through the steps that the suspect took to learn more about what was needed … to create a full picture for the FBI and leadership back in Washington. The FBI director added that investigators are continuing to look at forensic evidence “as we collect it.”
The public also flooded the FBI with around 7,000 leads on Thursday.
<h3>8:00 p.m. — FBI Releases More Images, Video Of Suspected Assassin Fleeing Scene</h3>
The video showed the suspect jumping off the roof from where the single shot that killed Kirk was fired. Images released by the FBI showed a man in an American flag shirt, a hat, and sunglasses walking up a stairwell.
<h3>10:00 p.m. — Tyler Robinson Arrested In Southern Utah</h3>
Officials said that Robinson was turned in after a family member reached out to a friend about the 22-year-old, who allegedly confessed or implied that he had assassinated Kirk. The New York Post and The Daily Mail reported that the suspect admitted to the assassination to his father. Robinson reportedly told his father that he wanted to kill himself when his father urged him to turn himself over to the authorities.
Robinson’s father convinced his son to talk to their youth minister, who is also a U.S. Marshal, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/12/us-news/tyler-robinson-full-of-hate-before-charlie-kirk-shooting-says-family-friends/">reported</a>. The youth minister then called the FBI, and shortly after, agents took Robinson into custody.

FBI director Kash Patel / Mugshot: Tyler Robinson

TIMELINE: How Authorities Circled In On Suspected Assassin Tyler Robinson

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The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating Wikipedia over alleged pro-Kremlin, anti-Western, and anti-Israel bias, raising serious concerns given that AI chatbots heavily rely on the site’s information.
“Profound, a company helping brands monitor and influence their presence in AI search engines, has analyzed 30 million citations across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity from August 2024 to June 2025,” CyberNews <a href="https://cybernews.com/news/chatgpt-wikipedia-google-reddit/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reported</a> in June. “OpenAI’s ChatGPT shows a clear preference for Wikipedia, which accounts for nearly half (47.9%) of its top citations within its top 10 most-cited sources.”
“Multiple studies and reports have highlighted efforts to manipulate information on the Wikipedia platform for propaganda aimed at Western audiences,” The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wrote in a <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/082725-letter-to-Wikimedia.pdf">letter</a> to Maryana Iskander, the CEO of the Wikipedia Foundation.  “One recent report raised troubling questions about potentially systematic efforts to advance antisemitic and anti-Israel information in Wikipedia articles related to conflicts with the State of Israel. A second investigation detailed actions by hostile nation-state actors to expose Western audiences to pro-Kremlin and anti-Western messaging by manipulating Wikipedia articles and other news outlets relied on for training AI chatbots.”
A comprehensive October 2024 <a href="https://www.piratewires.com/p/how-wikipedia-s-pro-hamas-editors-hijacked-the-israel-palestine-narrative">report</a> delineated how pro-Hamas editors at Wikipedia were promoting pro-Palestinian propaganda, erasing vital information about Hamas, and biasing the narrative against Israel. An April 2025 <a href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/exposing-pravda-how-pro-kremlin-forces-are-poisoning-ai-models-and-rewriting-wikipedia/">report</a> titled, “Exposing Pravda: How pro-Kremlin forces are poisoning AI models and rewriting Wikipedia,” showed how pro-Kremlin, anti-Western propaganda was being pushed on the site.
Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, <a href="https://jewishwebsite.com/featured/house-panel-probing-organized-efforts-to-distort-wikipedia-including-entries-on-israel/107583/">expressed his gratitude</a> that the Committee was launching an investigation, saying, “I am glad that Congress is investigating the use of foreign and U.S. government funds to pay for biased editing on Wikipedia. &#8230; There is clearly massive support for this sort of investigation.”
Sanger said Wikipedia “makes broad editorial decisions about what constitutes reliable sources, which must be respected by large numbers of participants. &#8230; The Wikipedia Foundation could address the situation but does not.”  He noted that the Wikipedia Foundation also “refuses to reveal the identity of its most powerful editors or to override decisions by editors.”

In this photo illustration a Wikipedia logo seen displayed

Trump Goes To War With Wikipedia Over Political Slant

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NASHVILLE — Banana Taffy, Dragon Drink, Hawaiian Fruit Punch. Those aren’t smoothies or soft drinks. Those are a sampling of the variety of vapes that continue to enter the United States illegally from China in 2025.
Cases of the brightly-colored devices lined the booths at this year’s Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. Some vape devices featured LED screens. Some were stackable, allowing up to three flavors, enabling the user to concoct their own mixture of candy-like vape flavors. Other vapes were stylized as designer purses. One wholesaler employee pitched a pastel vape device that doubled as a fidget toy.
And as of 2020, all of them were illegal.
<div id="attachment_966933" style="width: 453px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966933" class="wp-image-966933 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg" alt="" width="443" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg 443w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-231x300.jpg 231w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-768x999.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-1181x1536.jpg 1181w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6.jpg 1516w" sizes=" (max-width: 443px) 100vw, 443px" />A promotional flyer for the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee.</div>
While American manufacturers like JUUL only sell vapes in menthol and tobacco flavors — the only legal flavors in the United States — wholesalers skirt Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations by importing vape products from China. These unregulated Chinese vapes are flooding the United States, despite warning letters and threats of seizure by the FDA. At the Alternative Products Expo, wholesalers promoted their illegal, Chinese vape products completely out in the open.
The Chinese company <a href="https://www.kangvapecig.com/">Kangvape</a> prominently displayed its TC8000 vape. The booth stocked the flavors Cool Mint, Miami Mint, Pineapple Coconut, Vintage, Virginia Tobacco, and Watermelon Ice. A flyer advertised an additional 23 flavors, including Rainbow Paradise.
Kangvape also sold its Speedy Beast vape in 20 flavors — none of which included tobacco or menthol. Instead, the Speedy Beast boasted the exotic-sounding Blue Laffi Taffi, Ruby Delight, and Tropical Starburst.
These are being openly hawked with no concern for past threats of action. The FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nfv-llc-dba-nfdvapes-and-nic-fix-doctor-673307-12122023">cited</a> the Rainbow Paradise flavor of the TC8000 in a warning letter from December 2023. Another FDA warning letter from April 2024 <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/highfi-vape-682420-04302024">noted</a> the illegal Kangvape Onee Stick. 
<div id="attachment_966947" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966947" class="wp-image-966947 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg" alt="" width="419" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg 419w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-218x300.jpg 218w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-768x1055.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1118x1536.jpg 1118w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1490x2048.jpg 1490w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4.jpg 1496w" sizes=" (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" />ZColors by ZLAB is another Chinese vape company that sells its products in the United States.</div>
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said cracking down on illegal vapes is a “top priority” for the agency, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-priority-fda-to-crack-down-on-illegal-chinese-vapes">reported</a>.
“Eighty-five percent of the vaping products sold in the vape stores are illegal according to the FDA’s list,” Makary said. “We don’t even know what’s in some of these vaping products.”
There are only 39 vape products that have been authorized by the FDA.
An FDA spokesman says a federal task force is facilitating actions against illegal products.
“FDA has taken numerous actions against unauthorized new tobacco products from international firms, including e-cigarettes that are most popular with youth,” the spokesman told The Daily Wire.
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The FDA reports that it has seized millions of dollars’ worth of illegal products. In January, the agency seized $7 million worth of vape products, including the brand Geek Bar, which an FDA press release <a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/more-7-million-worth-illegal-e-cigarettes-seized-federal-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> “may appeal to youth.”
The seizures haven’t scared Kangvape. The company sold dozens of boxes of Geek Bar vapes at the Expo, featuring flavors ranging from Banana Taffy Freeze to Blue Razz Ice.
Federal action appears to have had little impact on Chinese vapes in general. The Expo featured wholesalers that have received FDA warning letters and seemingly ignored them.
One such wholesaler, Safa Goods, was a sponsor of the Expo. Its name appeared on Expo nametags, as did advertisements for two other illegal vape brands, Beri Crush and Raz LTX.
The warning letter to Safa, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/safa-goods-llc-665079-10052023">sent</a> in October 2023, cited the illegal vape product EB Design BC5000 Blue Razz Ice. Safa’s booth didn’t advertise the EB vapes. But it did sell the illegal vape Raz LTX 25K, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/vapejuicecom-709722-05302025">cited</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
The Raz LTX 25K is a <a href="https://mipod.com/blogs/mipodblog/what-happened-to-raz-dc25000-vapes?srsltid=AfmBOor8Y9qvgdp0D6RivbJ6vGd7lvXcRpp2AeXAOV_R7DvF28cbEUfl">rebrand</a> of the Raz DC25000, which has also been cited in multiple FDA warning letters. Safa’s Expo booth sold the flavor Mango Loco, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/thesmokeplugcom-709720-05302025">named</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
<div id="attachment_967009" style="width: 452px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-967009" class="wp-image-967009 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg" alt="" width="442" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg 442w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-230x300.jpg 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-768x1000.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1179x1536.jpg 1179w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1572x2048.jpg 1572w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7.jpg 1612w" sizes=" (max-width: 442px) 100vw, 442px" />Safa Goods, a U.S. company that distributes Chinese vape products, was a sponsor of the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville.</div>
Safa also sold dozens of flavors aside from menthol and tobacco in additional brands.
The company is the subject of a New York lawsuit <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-sues-nations-largest-vape-distributors-fueling-youth">suing</a> multiple vape distributors “for illegally distributing, marketing, and selling flavored disposable vapes.”
A primary concern with these vapes, with flavors more fit for a candy store than a tobacco shop, is that they appeal to children. Illegal e-cigarettes often attract children and teens through bright colors and fruit- and candy-based flavors, according to Makary.
The FDA spokesman said the agency works with “federal partners to combat these attempted illegal imports and enhance enforcement activities,” especially against vape products “that may be appealing to youth.”
An FDA seizure in 2023 included the illegal brand Lost Mary. Expo wholesaler Strictly E-Cig’s 2025 product catalog advertised 30 flavors of Lost Mary vapes, with names such as Dragon Drink, Rocket Popsicle, and Scary Berry. The Lost Mary products are available for purchase online.
Another wholesaler, Sol Trading, leaned into pastel colors and “cutie, fruity flavors” to market its UT Bar vape, which one employee pitched as both a vape and a fidget toy.
The UT Bar combines two flavors into one vape. The flavor combinations included B-Pop and Watermelon, Citrus Ice and Sour Fab, Cool Mint and Icy Mint, and Raspberry and White Peach.
Multiple sellers advertised flavor combinations at the Expo. Chinese-based company Ziip Lab sold its Z-Land vape, which allows the user to stack up to three vape pods for more than 125,000 flavor combinations, according to a handout from the booth.
The flyer advertised stacking flavors such as Berry Mix and Guava, as well as Blueberry, Green Apple, and Orange. Z-Land comes in a total of 51 flavors, including Milk, Rainbow Rain, and Skittle Ice Fruits.
Another wholesaler, Unishow, sold GeakNexx vapes at the Expo. Unishow <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/128992/download?attachment">received</a> an FDA warning letter in 2019 for selling illegal products. The GeakNexx vapes came in about a dozen illicit flavors, including Blue Oat Donut, Frozen Fcuking Fab, and Strawberry Banana.
The Alternative Products Expo, Kangvape, Safa Goods, Strictly E-Cig, Unishow, and Ziip Lab did not respond to requests for comment.
The illegal vapes didn’t stop with the wholesalers. The Alternative Products Expo itself advertised a giveaway of $50,000 worth of illegal vape products, including the disposable Geek Bar Pulse and the Raz DC25000, and the Raz TN9000. The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/denverelectroniccigarettescom-708988-05162025">Geek Bar Pulse</a>, Raz DC25000, and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nepa-wholesale-inc-710957-06262025">Raz TN9000</a> have been cited in FDA warning letters.
The Expo promoted the illegal vapes giveaway with a large sign and a locked case of vapes just inside the entrance to the convention center. It also marketed the giveaway online and in the official show book.
The advertised flavors included Blue Razz Ice, Fire and Ice, and Miami Mint. An additional flavor, Strawberry Burst, did not contain nicotine.
The Expo was not only for vapes, but also “the full spectrum of alternative products,” including CBD-based products, mushrooms, and Kratom, another drug that’s become dangerously popular with America’s teenagers.
Many of these vapes are smuggled into the United States. A previous Daily Wire investigation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-flooding-america-with-illegal-vapes-and-more-than-90-fly-under-the-radar">found</a> that over 90% of imported Chinese vape products in 2024 were not included in U.S. import data. The companies often disguise their products by labeling them as battery chargers and flashlights.
“[What] we have been doing is laughable,” Makary said. “We’re going to start confiscating and seizing. We’re going to take this seriously.”

IMG_6982

From Banana Taffy To Dragon Drink: The Illegal Chinese Vapes Flooding The U.S. Market

Drugs

Nashville

News

Vape

Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation Wednesday into a group led by Democrat Beto O’Rourke that is bankrolling dozens of Democrats who fled the Lone Star State to block a vote on new congressional maps.
Paxton said that O’Rourke’s group, Powered by People, might have violated laws on bribery, campaign finance, and abuse of office. Powered by People is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourkes-pac-bankrolls-texas-democrats-escape-from-redistricting-standoff?author=Sam+Korkus&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Beto+O%E2%80%99Rourke%E2%80%99s+PAC+Bankrolls+Texas+Democrats%E2%80%99+Escape+from+Redistricting+Standoff">funding</a> a group of 50 state Democrats who are each facing a $500 daily fine after fleeing to Illinois, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourkes-pac-bankrolls-texas-democrats-escape-from-redistricting-standoff?author=Sam+Korkus&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Beto+O%E2%80%99Rourke%E2%80%99s+PAC+Bankrolls+Texas+Democrats%E2%80%99+Escape+from+Redistricting+Standoff">reported</a>.
“Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,” Paxton said. “Texas cannot be bought. I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all of the documents and communications obtained throughout this investigation. These jet-setting runaways have already lost public trust by abandoning our state, and Texans deserve to know if they received illegal bribes to do it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: I just launched an investigation into Beto O&#8217;Rourke&#8217;s radical group for unlawfully funding runaway Democrats.
Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable. <a href="https://t.co/PV2IdwNOBd">pic.twitter.com/PV2IdwNOBd</a>
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1953188955807273440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
O’Rourke — who ran failed presidential, senatorial, and gubernatorial campaigns — shot back at Paxton’s investigation, <a href="https://x.com/BetoORourke/status/1953228139271995756">writing</a> on X, “The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats.”
Paxton was impeached by the Texas state House in 2023 on bribery charges, but he was later acquitted by the state Senate. The Texas attorney general is now challenging incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in the 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Powered by People <a href="https://poweredxpeople.org/what-we-do/">focuses</a> on organizing volunteers to help Democrats win elections in “competitive Texas battleground districts.” The leftist group says it is also “focused on creating long-term changes to the Texas electorate that will outlast any one candidate or campaign cycle.”
Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows set a Friday deadline for the Democrats to return to the legislature, but the 50 representatives are hoping to keep their stunt going and are pleading for donations as they remain in Illinois, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-democrats-walkout-trump-payments-59966a83df7cbaa43ee7e410eed2fc08">reported</a>. The House Democratic Caucus set up a website for donations of up to $2,500.
“We’re getting a lot of small-dollar donations, and that’s going to be used to help keep this thing going,” said Democrat House Caucus Chair Gene Wu.
“We’ve already been inundated with donations from across the state of Texas, from across the country, just regular people donating $5, $10, $15,” Democratic state Rep. James Talarico said. “And that’s appropriate, because this fight is for the people and it should be funded by the people. We don’t have billionaires who are funding this operation.”
Earlier this week, Paxton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-ag-asks-judge-to-officially-remove-awol-dems-from-seats">said</a> he would seek judicial orders to remove the AWOL Democrats from office over their “refusal to perform legislative duties.” Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has also pushed to remove Wu from office over the state representative’s refusal to show up for the redistricting vote and reach quorum.
Sen. Cornyn has also asked the FBI to help round up the Democrats and bring them back to the state. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that the bureau “may have to” get involved.

Beto O’Rourke

Beto O’Rourke-Led Group Under Investigation Over Potential Bribes To Help Runaway Texas Dems

Beto O'Rourke

General

Greg Abbott

Illinois

Ken Paxton

Texas

Elon Musk announced on Monday that he would not cooperate with French authorities in their “politically motivated criminal investigations&#8221; against his social media platform, X.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office opened a <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/france-opens-probe-into-musks-x-over-algorithm/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">probe</a> against X in June in response to allegations by politician Eric Bothorel that the platform was performing “fraudulent data extraction” for “foreign interference purposes.”
A separate complaint said that X &#8220;now offers an enormous amount of hateful, racist, anti-LGBT+ and homophobic political content, which aims to skew the democratic debate in France.&#8221;
Musk has <a href="https://x.com/GlobalAffairs/status/1947213316331282504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> the allegations as “completely false” and says the probe “egregiously undermines X’s fundamental right to due process and threatens our users’ rights to privacy and free speech.”
“For these reasons, X has not acceded to the French authorities’ demands, as we have a legal right to do.”
“French authorities have requested access to X’s recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts on the platform in order for several ‘experts’ to analyze the data and purportedly &#8216;uncover the truth&#8217; about the operation of the X platform,” Musk wrote.
He claimed that two of the proposed experts are openly hostile towards X. One, David Chalaverias, leads a campaign called <a href="https://www.escape-x.org/Why-quit-X-Launch-of-Escape-X-campaign.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EscapeX</a>, which calls for a mass exodus from the platform, citing a biased algorithm and “Elon Musk&#8217;s influence in European democracies.”
“The involvement of these individuals raises serious concerns about the impartiality, fairness, and political motivations of the investigation, to put it charitably,” Musk wrote.
He also noted that while X is “in the dark” about the exact nature of the allegations, French authorities have labeled the company as an “organized gang.” This designation, which is usually reserved for drug cartels or mafia groups, gives police greater investigative power, including the authorization to conduct searches, wiretaps, and surveillance against Musk and his employees. Noncompliance could result in an <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/paris-prosecutor-contacts-police-probe-into-social-media-platform-x-advances-2025-07-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrest</a> warrant.
“Based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech,” he concluded.
This comes amidst a broader European <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-meta-apple-x-fines-digital-antitrust-rules-digital-services-act-elon-musk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">movement</a> to crack down on tech companies in the wake of the European Union’s 2022 Digital Services Act, and increasing <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/does-europe-have-free-speech-problem-2034349" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disagreement</a> between the United States and Europe on the limits of free speech.
The European Commission has already fined Apple and Meta millions of euros. It is in the middle of a drawn-out investigation into X, and has already found that X violated the Digital Services Act on three accounts, including “the transparency of its advertising; data access for researchers; and the use of blue check marks that connote trust but can be bought — which could constitute deceptive design.”
Musk <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1811783320839008381?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the EU tried to pressure X into censoring its users: “The European Commission offered X an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us.”
“The other platforms accepted that deal. X did not.”

Elon Musk

Elon Won’t Cooperate With France’s ‘Politically Motivated’ Investigations Into X

France

Twitter

President Donald Trump&#8217;s Education Department opened an <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-opens-foreign-funding-investigation-university-of-michigan">investigation</a> into the University of Michigan&#8217;s foreign funding on Tuesday, weeks after two Chinese nationals with ties to the university were charged by the Department of Justice for smuggling biohazards into the United States.
Michigan has a &#8220;history of downplaying its vulnerabilities to malign foreign influence&#8221; and &#8220;recent reports reveal that UM’s research laboratories remain vulnerable to sabotage,&#8221; according to the Education Department&#8217;s Office of General Counsel (OGC) Chief Investigative Counsel Paul Moore. The Department of Education said that it will look into whether UM is in compliance with federal law after &#8220;a review of the university’s foreign reports revealed inaccurate and incomplete disclosures.&#8221;
&#8220;Unfortunately, tens of millions of dollars in foreign funding in UM’s disclosure reports have been reported in an untimely manner and appear to erroneously identify some of UM’s foreign funders as ‘nongovernmental entities,’ even though the foreign funders seem to be directly affiliated with foreign governments,&#8221; Moore said. &#8220;OGC will vigorously investigate this matter to ensure that the American people know the true scope of foreign funding and influence on our campuses.”
The Education Department is demanding that UM hand over tax records, documents, and lists of all gifts detailing any agreement with foreign governments within 30 days. The Trump administration also wants the names and contact information &#8220;of all university research personnel and contract personnel, undergraduate and graduate, involved in bilateral or multilateral research collaborations with non-U.S. research institutions.&#8221;
&#8220;Today’s investigation into UM reflects the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to hold colleges and universities accountable for failing to comply with federal disclosure laws on foreign funding, consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities,&#8221; the department stated.
Last month, two Chinese scholars at the university were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alarming-pattern-another-chinese-national-arrested-for-smuggling-biological-materials-into-u-s">arrested</a> and charged by the DOJ for attempting to smuggle “biological materials” that could potentially wipe out crops into a laboratory at Michigan. The DOJ said the arrests are &#8220;part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security.&#8221; Michigan, which <a href="https://research.umich.edu/news-and-issues/research-annual-reports/fy24-research-annual-report/fy24-news-release/">boasts</a> of being one of the top public research schools in the world, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-policies-under-review-after-chinese-researchers-charged-with-smuggling-biohazards?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=University+Policies+Under+Review+After+Chinese+Researchers+Charged+With+Smuggling+Biohazards">said</a> last month that it was “actively reviewing all relevant policies” after the arrests of the Chinese nationals.
FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-arrest-chinese-scholar-for-attempting-to-smuggle-pathogen-used-for-agroterrorism-into-u-s">called</a> the arrests &#8220;a sobering reminder that the CCP is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences… putting American lives and our economy at serious risk.&#8221;
Earlier this year, UM ended its partnership with the Chinese Shanghai Jiao Tong University over national security concerns after the FBI <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/02/us/5-chinese-nationals-charged-with-covering-up-midnight-visit-to-michigan-military-site">said</a> that five Chinese UM students attempted to mislead investigators about a suspicious late-night trip they took to a Michigan military base in 2023.

Michigan

Trump Admin Probes University’s Foreign Funding After Chinese Biohazard Smuggling Arrests

Communist China

Department of Education

Education

University of Michigan

The preliminary investigation into the Air India <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/plane-with-242-people-on-board-crashes-after-takeoff-many-killed?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Plane+With+242+People+On+Board+Crashes+After+Takeoff%2C+%E2%80%98Many+Killed%E2%80%99">plane crash</a> that killed 241 people on board and 19 people on the ground in Ahmedabad, India, last month raised more questions than it answered.
Just before the India Air Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical school hostel on June 12, the plane&#8217;s fuel-control switches were flipped to the &#8220;cut-off&#8221; position, a move that stops fuel from going to the engines and is typically only done after landing, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2gy78gpnqo">reported</a>. Cockpit voice recordings stored in the plane&#8217;s &#8220;black box&#8221; revealed that one of the pilots asked the other pilot why he &#8220;did the cut-off,&#8221; but according to the preliminary report, &#8220;The other pilot responded that he did not do so.&#8221;
Just seconds after takeoff, the switches to both engines were moved from &#8220;run&#8221; to &#8220;cut-off,&#8221; causing the engines to lose power, Reuters reported. It remains unknown which pilot asked why the cut-off switch had been flipped.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING:
A London-bound Air India Flight 171 has crashed into a residential area minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, India.
The Boeing 787-8 was carrying 242 passengers and crew <a href="https://t.co/3BEOCmXLXd">pic.twitter.com/3BEOCmXLXd</a>
&mdash; Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) <a href="https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1933096124208013786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Aviation experts say that the &#8220;cut-off&#8221; switch can&#8217;t be flipped accidentally. Ira Astrachan, a retired Delta Air Lines captain and aerospace engineer, told The Daily Wire that the only way a fuel switch can be moved to &#8220;cut-off&#8221; is by &#8220;manually activating the switch, which generally requires two fingers plus your thumb. There is no physical way to move the switches from one position to the other by simply pushing them up or down like a typical household light switch.&#8221;
Asked if any type of mechanical issue affecting the plane immediately after takeoff would cause the pilots to flip the switch, the retired captain said &#8220;absolutely not,&#8221; adding that in the United States, pilots &#8220;are trained and practice in the simulator engine failure scenarios during takeoff. Procedures dictate that we safely fly the airplane to a minimum altitude (usually 1,000 feet above the ground) before leveling off and dealing with an actual emergency such as an engine failure.&#8221;
According to the report, the co-pilot was flying the plane at takeoff while the captain was monitoring. The captain, 56-year-old Sumeet Sabharwal, had <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/india-finds-engine-switch-movement-fatal-air-india-crash-no-immediate-action-2025-07-11/">15,638 hours</a> of flying experience, according to the Indian government. The co-pilot, 32-year-old Clive Kunder, had 3,403 hours of flying experience. Investigators found that the pilots attempted to restart the engines after they were flipped to the &#8220;cut-off&#8221; position, with one engine in the restart phase. It remains unknown if the engine in the restart phase fully recovered before the crash.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson wrote a memo to staff at the end of last week, telling them that the investigation is &#8220;far from over&#8221; and urging them to refrain from jumping to conclusions on the cause of the crash, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/air-india-chief-says-preliminary-crash-report-raises-fresh-questions-cdce3ec0?mod=hp_lead_pos3">reported</a>. The preliminary report ruled out any mechanical or maintenance issues, turning people&#8217;s attention to the pilots.
&#8220;Over the past 30 days, we’ve seen an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines, many of which have later been disproven,&#8221; Wilson wrote.
Only one man who was on board <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-saw-bodies-ripped-apart-sole-survivor-of-air-india-flight-details-harrowing-crash">survived</a> the Air India crash, 40-year-old Viswash Kumar Ramesh, who miraculously walked away from the burning plane after it slammed into residential buildings.
“As soon as the flight took off, within 30 seconds it crashed. There was no warning from the pilot or the crew members about the crash. When I found myself alive after the crash, I saw bodies ripped apart,” Ramesh told the Hindustan Times. “My leg was injured but I ran as fast as I could.”

Air India Boeing 787 Headed to London Crashes After Takeoff

Air India Report Reveals Chilling Info On Plane Crash That Killed 260 People

India

Pilots

Plane Crash

World

The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albany, New York, have reportedly begun a formal criminal investigation into the real estate and mortgage transactions of New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James.
Last month, William J. Pulte, director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi alleging that James might have “falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms.” He said James had “potentially included … falsifying residence status for a Norfolk, Virginia-based home in order to secure a lower mortgage rate and … misrepresenting property descriptions to meet stringent requirements for government backed loans and government assistance.” He pointed out, “Primary residence mortgages receive more favorable loan terms, including lower interest rates, than secondary residence mortgages.”
Two weeks ago, James’ attorney, Abbe Lowell, wrote a <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25913822-nyag-james-letter-to-ag-bondi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Bondi, stating, “I write to address the latest act of improper political retribution—this time directed at Ms. James—publicly instigated and endorsed by President Trump&#8230;. This so-called ‘Criminal Referral,’ which recycles long-disproven allegations and is ‘[b]ased on media reports’ lacks any credible foundation.”
“Mr. Trump has singled out Attorney General James dating back to her campaign in 2018, and ever more so during and after the trial and verdict in New York in which Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization were found liable for financial fraud and assessed a $454 million judgment,” Lowell claimed.
Lowell referred to what he called “baseless allegations,” saying:
<blockquote>
Director Pulte cherry-picked an August 17, 2023 power of attorney that mistakenly stated the property to be Ms. James’ principal residence and at the same time absolutely ignored her very clear and all caps statement two weeks earlier to the mortgage loan broker that “[t]his property WILL NOT be my primary residence[.] It will be Shamice’s primary residence.”  
</blockquote>
In 1983, James, then a recent college graduate, bought a Queens residence with her father, with some documents listing her as his “wife.’
“He asked his daughter (then a few years out of school) to help by allowing him to add her name to the mortgage application,” Lowell argued. “Mr. James filled out the mortgage material (wherein he described their relationship as being ‘spouses’) and purchased the home without his daughter’s involvement.”
“However, James, then 24 and a college graduate, signed the notarized mortgage, along with her father, on one of the document’s three pages that listed her as his ‘wife,’” the Times-Union <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/fbi-opens-formal-investigation-ny-attorney-20316868.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “One of those references to her being her father’s ‘wife’ was just below her signature. Lending experts consulted by the Times Union said that by listing themselves as husband and wife, the pair may have qualified for a loan — or received better borrowing terms — than had they not been considered a couple due to income requirements.”
James led a prosecutorial effort to investigate Trump’s business dealings, which ended with a judge ordering him, his two sons, and a Trump company official to pay more than $360 million.

NY Attorney Gen. James Holds News Conference Before Hearing On Case To Protect Citizens From Musk’s DOGE Accessing Private Data

FBI Officially Launches Probe Into New York’s Letitia James

Fraud

Letitia James

New York

Real estate

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Thursday morning that his office will charge Ryan Routh, who allegedly attempted to assassinate then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump on September 15, 2024, at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, with attempted murder and terrorism.
Uthmeier also asserted that the Biden administration had stonewalled the investigation into the matter, and that former President Joe Biden and former Attorney General Merrick Garland had “sought to frustrate our efforts and block our investigation.”
Trump was playing a round of golf on September 15 when Routh allegedly hid in a bush on the outside of the golf course with a semi-automatic rifle. The suspect was spotted by a Secret Service agent as Trump neared the would-be assassin’s hideout.
“On September 15, 2024, Ryan Routh attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach,” Uthmeier declared. “Shortly after the assassination attempt, Governor DeSantis signed an executive order directing the Office of Attorney General to work with our law enforcement partners and investigate Mr. Routh.”
“After 206 days of stonewalling by the federal government that stemmed from days of the Biden administration, I’m able to now announce that my office is charging Mr. Routh for the attempted first-degree murder of President Trump as well as a charge for terrorism,” he stated. “My office, as well as our law-enforcement partners, were met with major roadblocks in prosecuting this case during Biden‘s term. Biden and his attorney general sought to frustrate our efforts and block our investigation into the man who crossed into this state and attempted to commit political violence against a Florida resident.”
“Thank God he was unsuccessful, and thank God we have Donald Trump as president again,” he stated, continuing, “The leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel was instrumental in preserving Florida’s sovereign authority to do what is right and bring justice where it is due. We now have a federal government willing to work together to pursue justice.”
“Attempting to take the life of a former president and a leading presidential candidate isn’t just an attack on one man,” he said. “This was a political attack against our republican form of government and our shared American values. We cannot allow justice to be delayed or denied, and thanks to the president, our U.S. Attorney General, and the FBI director, we are moving forward in our pursuit.”
“Our state-wide prosecutors will work to hold this evil man accountable and keep Florida safe, strong, and free,” he concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, my office is officially charging Ryan Routh for attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump.
Thanks to the leadership of <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIDirectorKash</a>, we now have a federal government willing to work with the states to pursue justice. <a href="https://t.co/HFuI2W4tdx">pic.twitter.com/HFuI2W4tdx</a>
&mdash; Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1910305585658024207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Zach Jewell contributed to this article.

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Florida AG Charging Ryan Routh With Attempted Murder Of Trump, Says Biden, Garland Blocked Probe

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