A North Carolina woman is accused of hitting a police officer with her car — but she was released on a $3,000 bail just hours after her arrest.
Tanaezah Michelle Austin, 25, is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon against a government official in connection with a street takeover early Sunday morning in northwest Charlotte, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/driver-accused-attempting-mow-down-cop-during-street-takeover-strolls-free-hours-later-3k-bond">reported</a>.
Officers responded to reports of cars doing donuts in a commercial parking lot at 3:25 a.m. on March 1, according to the outlet. One officer approached a black Kia Optima that was trying to leave. The driver stopped at first, but “began to accelerate rapidly” and struck the officer, who rolled over the hood.
The officer was in full uniform, giving verbal commands to stop and standing where the driver could clearly see him, Fox News said. He was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Video of the incident posted to X shows the officer in front of the car before it accelerates toward him and drives away. The X post incorrectly identifies the driver as a man.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Horrifying video footage has emerged from Charlotte NC of a man attempting to RUN OVER A POLICE OFFICER WITH HIS GUN DRAWN, trying to avoid arrest.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CHARLOTTE?!!!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/MQFt9gKKJQ">pic.twitter.com/MQFt9gKKJQ</a>
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattvanswol/status/2028602510425075753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Austin was arrested March 2 and released early on March 3, with a probable cause hearing scheduled for March 24.
“These are among the worst of the worst incidents that we have to deal with in Charlotte,” Dan Redford, president of the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/charlotte-raleigh-piedmont">Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police</a>, told Fox News. “To see a $3,000 bond for an offender, regardless of whether she has a criminal history or not, when the intent to flee was clearly there, is pathetic.”
The $3,000 bond means Austin may have needed to pay just $300 to be released, Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant, told the outlet. Sutton founded The Wounded Blue, a nonprofit that supports injured and disabled law enforcement officers.
“When I hear about someone being released on a $3,000 bond for running over a police officer on video, it boggles my mind,” Sutton said. “She ran over a cop, and she walked out.”
Sutton said the incident wasn’t an accident.
“She saw him, he was communicating with her, and then she just gunned the car toward him,” Sutton said. “This could have been a fatal encounter.”
Austin faced misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia charges in 2025, but they were later dropped, Fox News reported.
U.S. Rep. Mark Harris criticized the bond decision.
“Running over a police officer is of the highest level of evil,” Harris said in a statement, according to Fox News. “It’s also a complete slap in the face for our brave law enforcement to see these kinds of criminals allowed right back on the streets. When is Charlotte going to end the crime cycle? When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars? Enough is enough!”
The case comes as cities across the U.S. are seeing a rise in violent criminals being released with low or no bond.
Charlotte made headlines last year with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whose alleged killer had been arrested and released 14 times, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-is-the-outrage-trump-rails-against-media-dem-crime-policies-after-brutal-train-murder?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Where+Is+The+Outrage%3F%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Rails+Against+Media%2C+Dem+Crime+Policies+After+Brutal+Train+Murder">reported</a> at the time.
In Chicago, Illinois, a 50-year-old man, who had been arrested 72 times since he was 18, allegedly set a woman on fire in the subway in November. He had most recently been arrested three months earlier, when he was charged with aggravated battery, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-set-ablaze-chicago-transit-train-identified-rcna245669">reported</a>.
In a more recent incident in Brooklyn, a man was arrested after allegedly stalking and attacking an Orthodox Jewish family. He was freed on supervised release, despite being charged with assault and multiple counts of harassment as a hate crime and the district attorney’s request for a $50,000 cash bail, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-frees-accused-antisemitic-assailant-who-threatened-to-kill-brooklyn-family">reported</a> at the time.

Tanaezah Michelle Austin

‘Enough Is Enough’: Suspect Accused Of Hitting Cop With Car Walks Free On $3K Bond

Charlotte

Crime

Law Enforcement

North Carolina

U.S.

With 99% of the vote reporting, North Carolina’s Republican primary for State Senate District 26 has come down to just two votes, setting up what is almost certain to be a recount.
According to <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2029053123436654838">Decision Desk HQ</a>, the latest tally stands at:
Sam Page 13,077 
Phil Berger 13,075
The two-vote margin, out of more than 26,000 ballots cast, falls well within North Carolina’s 1% recount threshold.
The race pits Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page against longtime Senate leader Phil Berger, who has served as President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate since 2011 and has been one of the most influential Republicans in state politics for over a decade.
<a href="https://www.sampagenc.com/">Page</a>, who has served as sheriff since 1998 and spent more than four decades in law enforcement, ran as an outsider taking on what he repeatedly called the “Raleigh establishment.” A vocal supporter of Donald Trump, Page led “Sheriffs for Trump” in 2016 and served as the president’s North Carolina campaign chair in 2020.
On the campaign trail, Page focused heavily on law-and-order themes, calling for stronger penalties for violent offenders and pushing to restart North Carolina’s death penalty. He also proposed raising starting teacher pay to $50,000, expanding school choice with what he described as “commonsense guardrails,” and eliminating state taxes on overtime pay and tipped wages in line with Trump’s proposals at the federal level. Page further called for repealing a legislative public records exemption backed by Berger and supported term limits for legislative leadership.
<a href="https://philberger.org/about-phil/">Berger</a>, first elected to the Senate in 2000, rose to Minority Leader in 2004 and helped engineer Republicans’ return to majority control in 2010, the first time the GOP had controlled the chamber in more than a century. Since becoming Senate President Pro Tempore, he has led efforts to cut income taxes, reduce regulations, expand school choice, enact voter ID, and pass a range of conservative social policies, including legislation affecting transgender participation in sports and restrictions on gender transition procedures for minors.
Berger has closely aligned himself with Trump’s national agenda, highlighting cooperation on immigration enforcement, tax cuts, energy production, and cultural issues. He also points to North Carolina’s economic growth, manufacturing recruitment, and tax reductions during his tenure as evidence of conservative governance delivering results.
Despite securing Trump’s endorsement, Berger found himself locked in a dead heat with Page. In a February <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116083538418810885">Truth Social post</a>, Trump praised Berger as a “Highly Respected Leader” while also describing Page as “GREAT,” underscoring the delicate balancing act in a race where both candidates emphasized their loyalty to the former president.
The winner of the primary will face Democratic nominee Steve Luking, a physician. Berger previously defeated Luking in 2024 by nearly 15 percentage points. The 26th district has been a safe Republican seat since 1981 and will likely go to the winner of the GOP primary.
The outcome now hinges on a recount and any outstanding provisional ballots. If the margin holds, it would mark a stunning upset of one of the state’s most powerful lawmakers by a local sheriff running on an anti-establishment message by a margin so slim it would be difficult to believe. For now, the contest stands as a reminder of just how narrow the margins can be, even for entrenched political leadership.

Latino voters in the swing state of North Carolina

26,000 Ballots Cast — And A GOP Senate Race Is Separated By A Razor-Thin Margin

Decision Desk

Phil Berger

Republican Primary

Sam Page

Charlotte hearing

Dumbest Democrat Ever Delivers Cringe Worthy Performance In Front Of State Assembly

Criminal Justice

Iryna Zarutska

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Sheriff

Stabbing

He snuck across the border illegally and went undetected. Then, he went on to allegedly rape three young children in Asheville, North Carolina, authorities said.
Now, federal immigration authorities are begging sanctuary officials to hand Mexican illegal immigrant Juan Ramon Juarez-Talamantes, 29, over to ICE before he has the opportunity to continue on with his violent rampage, The Daily Wire has learned.
“This depraved sicko is charged with raping three children. This criminal illegal alien has no place in American communities,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire on Tuesday.
“We are calling on Asheville sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this pedophile back into our communities to prey on more innocent children. If politicians allow state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE, we can get criminals like this out of our country,&#8221; McLaughlin said.
Juarez-Talamantes was charged in November with two counts of statutory rape involving a child at least 13, 14, or 15 years of age, the Buncombe County Sheriff&#8217;s Office <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064864381225/search/?q=Talamantes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a recent press release. He was charged again last month for an incident involving a third victim.
Detectives first learned of Juarez-Talamantes&#8217; alleged crimes in July 2024 after receiving a report of a rape involving a child lured by a man named &#8220;Juan&#8221; on Snapchat, <a href="https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/crime/2026/01/27/asheville-man-arrested-child-rape-charges-ice-detainer/88359420007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Asheville Citizen Times.
The child and their friend met up with the man in his car before going to his house, according to the local report.
The child told detectives that the man kissed the child. When he attempted to &#8220;take it further,&#8221; the child told him &#8220;no.&#8221;
&#8220;He slapped (the child) on the face and proceeded to rape (the child),&#8221; according to the report.
The Asheville Police Department also received a similar report in September 2025.
The two agencies collaborated to confirm that Juarez-Talamantes was allegedly tied to both cases. Authorities later connected him to the third incident.
“We are very thankful for the partnership with the Asheville Police Department during this case and the tedious work and collaboration of the investigators to reach this result. These cases demonstrate the power community partnerships play in resolving problems for citizens of Buncombe County,&#8221; Buncombe County Sheriff&#8217;s Office District 2 Captain Chris Stockton said in a recent statement.
&#8220;Our hearts go out to those whose lives have been forever changed by these events and hope that the effort of these passionate investigators opens a door to healing,&#8221; Stockton said.
In May, the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/sanctuary-policies-mecklenburg-and-buncombe-county-sheriffs-are-reckless-and-pose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">classified</a> Buncombe County as a sanctuary jurisdiction for refusing to honor ICE detainers. The county was later taken off the list after Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller called the label &#8220;inaccurate,&#8221; according to ABC13.
Miller asserted that his office adheres to a state law that forces police to honor ICE detainers, known as House Bill 10. However, the law only mandates sheriffs to honor detainers in instances where they have a judicial warrant, which isn&#8217;t the standard in federal immigration cases, <a href="https://www.wunc.org/race-class-communities/2024-11-25/immigration-enforcement-house-bill-10-north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WUNC.
Before the legislation passed, Miller refused to honor ICE detainers and previously ended his office&#8217;s participation in the federal 287(g) program, where local officers help with immigration enforcement.
&#8220;Since the passage of House Bill 10, we&#8217;ve had 15 detainees that we&#8217;ve contacted ICE about, one of which is still in our custody, and we&#8217;ve just released one to ICE,&#8221; Miller said in a June 4 video.
&#8220;Before House Bill 10 became law, I did not honor ICE detainers. The reason I didn&#8217;t honor detainers at that time was because they were not signed by a judge and therefore not a valid court document to hold a detainee who otherwise would be eligible for release,&#8221; he said.
Last year, Miller said: &#8220;I have repeatedly spoken out against cooperation with ICE, saying federal immigration law is not the responsibility of local officers and damages law enforcement’s trust within the immigrant community.&#8221;
A spokesperson for the sheriff&#8217;s office didn&#8217;t immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they would honor the ICE detainer.

Untitled design – 2026-02-10T142632.187

Feds Implore Sanctuary Authorities To Hand Over Illegal Charged With The Rape Of Three Kids

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Sanctuary Cities

President Trump touted his record on the economy and unveiled a massive investment by John Deere in the United States during a speech in Iowa on Tuesday afternoon.
Trump traveled to the city of Clive outside of Des Moines and spoke in front of hundreds of supporters crowded into the Horizon Events Center. The president largely focused on the economy as he attempts to sell Republican success on the key issue to voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Early in his speech, Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016280565935231054">announced</a> that agriculture equipment manufacturer John Deere plans to build an excavator factory in North Carolina, relocating some of its production from Japan to the United States. The company said in a Tuesday announcement that it also plans to build a distribution center in Indiana to spur its manufacturing in the United States.
Trump also touted a number of agriculture-related actions his administration has taken in a speech aimed at appealing to Iowa’s farm-heavy industry. The president noted he had cut &#8220;ridiculous water restrictions” at the Environmental Protection Agency. He also brought up <a href="https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/2025/08/12/epa-zeldin-def/">reforms</a> that the agency made to Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) standards to prevent severe slowdowns to vehicles due to DEF system failures.
“I terminated the so-called Diesel Exhaust Fluid requirement, saving family farmers more than $1 billion a year,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016281218023571808">said</a> Trump.
The president also pushed the administration’s move to cut the electric vehicle mandate, which would have forced automakers to make over half the vehicles they sell electric by 2032, and support ethanol subsidies.
In the middle of the speech, the president brought on stage two workers in the service industry to <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016286390359646491">tout</a> his tax legislation, in particular Trump’s campaign promise to end taxes on tips.
&#8220;Thanks to our tax cuts, millions of Americans will soon receive record-setting tax refunds—an average of more than $1,000. Think of that. $1,000 compared to last year.&#8221;
Trump also touched on a number of other issues, including foreign policy and health care. He also mentioned his deportation efforts, which have been under the microscope after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot anti-ICE activist Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“They have to show that they can love our country, not hate our country. They have to show that they’re not going to blow up our shopping centers,” said Trump, talking about immigration into the country while his deportation agenda suffers complications over the tensions in Minnesota.
The president also <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016289770956062865">threw</a> a barb at Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota: “They have to show that they can love our country. They have to be proud — not like Ilhan Omar.&#8221;

Donald Trump

Trump In Iowa Says John Deere Will Move Manufacturing From Japan To America

Elections

Executive

Iowa

Politics

At least 14 states have declared a state of emergency as they brace for snow, record cold, and potentially crippling ice from a winter storm that will stretch from New Mexico to Maine.
Around 172 million people are in the storm&#8217;s path this weekend, with the ice being the biggest threat. Up to an inch of ice is possible in some spots in the Southeast, which is enough to down trees and power lines, potentially knocking out power for days. Some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., could see up to a foot or more of snow, while Minneapolis and Chicago face extreme cold. A polar vortex is expected to bring in frigid Arctic air to around 35 states following the major storm.
States that have declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also preparing to respond to the storm, setting up staging areas in multiple locations, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/winter-storm-live-updates-tracking-dangerous-ice-snow/?id=129469173">reported</a>. In Louisiana, FEMA is preparing 250,000 meals, 400,000 liters of water, and 30 generators at Camp Minden near Shreveport.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders <a href="https://x.com/arkansasguard/status/2014734071088206232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2014734071088206232%7Ctwgr%5E8379399732f31524804ffc98aa29501a8f40a1f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FvDYMbArB%3F_showcaption%3Dfalseapp%3D1">ordered</a> 168 National Guard troops to active duty on Friday to support state police &#8220;until weather conditions improve.&#8221;
&#8220;Winter weather is headed our way as early as this evening. Stock up on essentials now, stay inside, and follow local and state guidance,&#8221; Sanders said on Friday morning.
In the South, where ice remains the biggest risk, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency <a href="https://x.com/TennesseeEMA/status/2014660446154821724">urged</a> residents to finalize their plans &#8220;and get home or to a safe place&#8221; by Friday night. In Texas, officials have warned residents to prepare for a &#8220;long-duration freeze&#8221; that will likely affect the state Saturday night through Monday night. Public buses and light rail trains will be completely shut down on Saturday afternoon in Austin, where the city&#8217;s mayor urged residents to stay indoors.
&#8220;Travel will become difficult, especially on bridges, overpasses, and untreated roadways,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/winter-storm-snow-ice-weather-cold-live-updates-rcna255524/rcrd97174?canonicalCard=true">said</a> National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Runyon.
The storm will <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/winter-storm-snow-ice-weather-cold-live-updates-rcna255524/rcrd97153?canonicalCard=true">move</a> across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on Friday night before ice and snow are expected to reach the Carolinas and Virginia by Saturday and into Sunday. The National Weather Service warned that heavy snow can also &#8220;bring multi-day Power Outages, block emergency routes, and cause Communication Loss from downed lines.&#8221; Cold temperatures are expected to persist throughout the first half of next week, potentially prolonging power outages and travel difficulties in many states that are ill-equipped to clear roads.

Winter Storm

Over A Dozen States Declare Emergencies As Americans Brace For Massive Winter Storm

Over A Dozen States Declare Emergencies As Americans Brace For Massive Winter Storm, Frigid Temps

Arkansas

New York

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Winter storm

Former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema is being sued under North Carolina’s “Homewrecker Law” over alleged interference in the marriage between a former member of her “security detail” and his now ex-wife.
North Carolina is only one of the handful of states that allows individuals to sue for “alienation of affection,” and the lawsuit accuses Sinema of “intentional and malicious interference” in a “good and loving marriage” between Heather and Matthew Ammel, who separated in November 2024, according to the <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ncmd.103845/gov.uscourts.ncmd.103845.2.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaint</a> filed in September 2025 that has recently resurfaced.
Ammel joined Sinema’s security team in 2022, and the lawsuit claims that Sinema&#8217;s head of security left her job in fall 2023 over concern that the senator was &#8220;having sexual relations with other security members.&#8221; Ammel decided to stick around &#8220;due to the financial security of the job,&#8221; despite receiving encouragement from the head of security to also quit, the lawsuit says. Sinema allegedly hired Ammel as a Defense and National Security Fellow for her official Senate office while also working as her &#8220;personal security guard.&#8221;
The lawsuit alleges that Sinema had “numerous lengthy conversations with Mr. Ammel” through multiple platforms, including in-person and over text, that were “emotionally romantic or sexual in nature.&#8221; The lawsuit also alleges that Sinema met with Ammel regularly outside of professional settings, including meetings that were “emotionally or physically romantic or sexual in nature,” and that Sinema was &#8220;encouraging&#8221; Ammel to leave his wife. It says in the spring or early summer of 2024 that Ammel &#8220;stopped wearing his wedding ring,&#8221; and the lawsuit says it is because Ammel said it was to avoid negative &#8220;public optics&#8221; when the then-senator was &#8220;putting her hands on a married man when they were out at concerts and various other public events.&#8221;
Other allegations in the lawsuit detail messages where Sinema was “wrapped in a towel” and suggested that Ammel “bring MDMA drugs on a work trip so that she could guide him through a psychedelic experience,” as Sinema offered assistance with his “mental health challenges.”
The lawsuit said that Ammel was on numerous trips with Sinema, and that starting in 2024, the plaintiff noticed frequent messaging on Signal between the two, alleging that it “exceeded the bounds of a normal working relationship.” One of the messages exchanged included Sinema saying she was not attending the State of the Union address because &#8220;she didn&#8217;t need to listen to some old man, President Biden, talk about the legislation that she wrote.&#8221;
Another message exchange said that Ammel wanted to start a &#8220;F*ck the troops&#8221; chant at a baseball game he attended alone, to which Sinema allegedly replied that &#8220;she would &#8216;f*ck the hot ones.'&#8221;
It also outlines that the duo went to numerous concerts together, including U2 and the Extra Innings Festival. The plaintiff claims that Ammel said that Sinema was &#8220;handsy with him at this event.&#8221; She is asking for damages “in excess of” $25,000 for the allegations outlined in the case.
The lawsuit said that Ammel is an Army veteran with PTSD, and the <a href="https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/why-arizona-sinema-is-pushing-for-psychedelic-drug-research-21386425/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoenix New Times</a> reported in March about Sinema’s post-Senate advocacy for more psychedelic research, noting Ammel’s experience with it.
“I saw the difference it was making in his life, his thinking, and his behavior,” Sinema said to the Phoenix New Times in the interview.
The Daily Wire reached out to the former senator, who is now an attorney at Hogan Lovells, for comment. The Daily Wire attempted to reach Matthew Ammel through a publicly available email that appeared to belong to him. A man by the same name appeared to have been arrested in Moore County, North Carolina, for assault charges in November, but The Daily Wire is unable to confirm whether it is the same individual.

Kyrsten Sinema At State Of The Union Address

Kyrsten Sinema Sued By Ex-Wife Of Security Guard, Alleging Affair

Congress

kysten sinema

Senate

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro pleads “not guilty” in New York City, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz abruptly ends his re-election bid amid numerous fraud scandals, and new details regarding a foiled New Year&#8217;s Eve terror attack come to light.
It’s Tuesday, January 6, 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/maduro-pleads-not-guilty-tim-walz-withdraws-1-6-26/id1576594336?i=1000743947459" 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;">U.S. v. Nicolás Maduro Begins</h2>
Captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro made his first appearance in an American courtroom Monday, as the Trump administration pushes ahead with its aggressive foreign policy. Barely 72 hours ago, Maduro was living lavishly in the country he ruled with an iron fist. But now he is wearing a prison jumpsuit and ankle shackles, preparing to face the U.S. justice system. His initial court hearing lasted just 30 minutes, during which the ousted strongman was defiant, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-united-states-strikes-venezuela-captures-president-maduro">telling</a> a judge through a translator: “I am innocent. I’m not guilty. I’m a decent man. I’m still the president of my country.” As he was led from the courtroom, a man stood up and yelled in Spanish that he would pay for his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-united-states-v-nicolas-maduro-the-cartel-of-the-suns-indictment">crimes</a>, to which Maduro replied that he would win his freedom, calling himself a “prisoner of war.” The next hearing is set for March 17.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Walz Bows Out Of Re-Election After Fraud Fracas</h2>
Political shockwaves <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-walz-drops-out-of-minnesota-governors-race-amid-fraud-concerns">ran</a> through Minnesota and the nation on Monday morning as Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek re-election amid the state’s numerous fraud scandals. Walz made the announcement in a statement bemoaning the “sour note” on which 2025 ended for his state on account of allegations of rampant fraud, especially within Minnesota’s Somali community. Walz ultimately accused President Donald Trump and his allies of wanting to make Minnesota “a colder, meaner place” with political attacks because of the reports of fraud. Increasingly, reports about fraud flooding Minnesota have suggested that Walz and his administration may have played a role through feigned ignorance or corruption.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">FBI Foils ISIS-Inspired Attack In North Carolina</h2>
The FBI says it has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-thwart-isis-inspired-terrorist-attack-planned-in-north-carolina">foiled</a> an ISIS-inspired attack in North Carolina. Authorities arrested a Charlotte-area man they say planned to launch a terror attack on New Year&#8217;s Eve. A federal court <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2026/01/02/fbi-disrupts-alleged-new-years-even-attack-man-charged-attempting">unsealed</a> the criminal complaint against 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant on Friday. U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said authorities closed in on Sturdivant after he contacted two law enforcement officials, believing them to be members of ISIS. Sturdivant allegedly detailed plans to the undercover officers to attack a crowded mall and fast food restaurant on New Year&#8217;s Eve. Sturdivant allegedly planned to wear a Kevlar vest and wield a knife and hammer to kill as many people as possible. Federal prosecutors have charged Sturdivant with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

MRN_260106_V1

Morning Brief: Maduro In Shackles, Walz Bows Out, & FBI Stops Terror Attack

Morning Brief: Maduro In Court, Walz Bows Out, And FBI Foils NC Terror Plot

Minnesota

Morning Wire

New York City

Nicolas Maduro

Tim Walz

Venezuela

Federal authorities said Friday that they thwarted an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack that was planned for New Year&#8217;s Eve at a grocery store and fast food restaurant in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
United States citizen Christian Sturdivant, 18, allegedly planned to massacre Americans using &#8220;knives and hammers&#8221; in the Charlotte suburb after he became radicalized online, federal authorities revealed during a press conference Friday. He planned to become a &#8220;martyr&#8221; in the attack.
&#8220;He was preparing for Jihad and innocent people were going to die,&#8221; Russ Ferguson, the United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, opened Friday&#8217;s presser.
&#8220;He was targeting Jews, Christians and LGBTQ individuals,&#8221; Ferguson said.
Sturdivant, who worked at a local Burger King, was previously on law enforcement&#8217;s radar in January 2022, when he was just 14-years-old and communicating on social media with an overseas ISIS member who instructed him to dress in all black, knock on people&#8217;s doors and attack them with a hammer, James Barnacle, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Charlotte, said Friday. He was stopped from carrying out the attack by his own family, Barnacle added. Sturdivant then underwent psychological care and did not face charges.
At the time, the FBI was told that Sturdivant &#8220;no longer had access to social media,&#8221; which they learned &#8220;wasn&#8217;t true&#8221; on Dec. 18, according to Barnacle.
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Sturdivant began reading ISIS websites, making TikToks before he reached out to an individual he believed was a member of the terrorist organization who turned out to be an undercover agent with the NYPD, with whom he &#8220;pledged his allegiance to ISIS&#8221; and &#8220;disclosed his plans to &#8216;do jihad soon,'&#8221; authorities said.
He later communicated with an undercover FBI agent, whom he believed was an ISIS operative, and shared &#8220;very specific&#8221; plans about where he planned to commit the attack and how he planned to do so.
He also asked the person for help obtaining firearms to execute his plans.
The FBI then executed a search warrant at the suspect&#8217;s residence, where they found hammers and knives that were hidden under his bed and notes showing his plans. His family previously hid knives from him in the home.
The alleged terrorist was arrested on New Year&#8217;s Eve as he was being released from a medical facility. He is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
&#8220;Without the swift action of the FBI, joint terrorism, task force, New York City, police department, the Mint Hill Police Department and our partners at the United States attorney&#8217;s office for the western district North Carolina, we could be announcing national tragedy. Instead, a terrorist attack was thwarted,&#8221; Barnacle said.
The planned attack comes just one year after Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed through a crowd celebrating the new year on New Orleans&#8217; Bourbon Street while displaying an ISIS flag on his vehicle. He killed 14 people and injured 57 others before local police took him out.
Din-Jabbar also placed bombs in the area, which failed to detonate.

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Feds Thwart ISIS-Inspired Terrorist Attack Planned In North Carolina

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Longtime NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were among those killed in a plane crash on Thursday morning in Statesville, North Carolina, about 45 miles outside of Charlotte.
Representative Richard Hudson confirmed the news.
&#8220;I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,&#8221; Rep. Hudson said.
Biffle&#8217;s close friend, Garrett Mitchell <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AMbpQWYR7/">said</a> the Biffles were flying to visit him when the plane crashed.
&#8220;Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane &#8230; because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I&#8217;m so sorry to share this,&#8221; Mitchell said.
Biffle&#8217;s daughter was a teenager, and their son had just turned five.
A source with knowledge of the situation told The Daily Wire there were a total of six passengers on board.
According to airport officials, the Cessna C550 airplane crashed while landing at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DkbX45b4h/">Statesville Regional Airport</a> around 10:15 a.m. <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/2001696669822284016?s=20">Video</a> from witnesses showed the aircraft engulfed in flames near the runway. The crash caused a multi-agency response.
Flight tracking records showed a Cessna C550, registered to GB Aviation Leasing LLC, that took off from Statesville Regional Airport at 10:06 a.m. before turning around shortly after takeoff to head back to the airport. GB Aviation Leasing LLC is a private company linked to Biffle.
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Biffle was a longtime NASCAR driver, becoming one of only three drivers to win the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. He was a nominee for the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Biffle was known for more than just his skills on the track. He was a humanitarian who helped out greatly when North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Biffle used his personal helicopter to take generators, chainsaws, water, and essential supplies needed to those in the impossible-to-reach regions devastated by the storm. He even helped raise more than $60,000 from t-shirt sales for western North Carolina relief efforts.
&#8220;They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others,&#8221; Rep. Hudson said. &#8220;He was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.
Biffle said he loved anything with gas and wheels — it was evident in his love for aviation.
The private pilot flew out of the Statesville airport often. According to the city of Statesville’s website, the airport is city-owned and provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams.
Airport officials said in a press conference Thursday that the airport is shut down while debris is cleaned up. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash. At this time, there is no official cause of the crash.

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NASCAR Driver, Family Dead After Plane Crashes Near Charlotte

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It’s not even 2026 yet, but President Donald Trump is already headed to the swing state of North Carolina on Friday in the next stop in his affordability tour, where he is expected to tout his economic record and work to boost Republicans ahead of next year’s midterms.
The Tar Heel State faces a critical Senate race next year that will likely feature former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley and former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. North Carolina’s Senate race blew wide open when GOP Sen. Thom Tillis announced he would not seek re-election amid major disagreements with Trump.
“We are extremely excited to welcome President Trump back to North Carolina tomorrow,” Whatley told The Daily Wire on Thursday morning. “Under Joe Biden and Democrats like my opponent, Roy Cooper, inflation skyrocketed in our state and across the country. President Trump has been working tirelessly every single day to bring prices down, rein in out-of-control government spending, and undo the damage caused by Democrats’ reckless economic policies.”
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The Cook Political Report ranks the contest as a “toss-up” along with Senate races in Maine, Michigan, and Georgia.
In a recent interview with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-crime-could-tip-the-scales-in-north-carolinas-crucial-senate-race?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Crime+Could+Tip+The+Scales+In+North+Carolina%E2%80%99s+Crucial+Senate+Race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, Whatley said that voters’ wallets will be one of the most significant issues in the midterms.
“We need the economy to be clicking. I think ultimately the economy is the most important factor when people vote, right? We need to create jobs, we need to raise wages, we need to lower costs,” he said earlier this month. “And the American people need to feel like we have a very strong economy. All signs right now are pointing towards us having a very strong, robust economy.”
Cooper’s campaign told The Daily Wire that he “has spent his career fighting for North Carolina families by lowering health care costs and keeping their communities safe,” while accusing Whatley of spending “decades at the beck and call of DC politicians delivering for billionaires and special interests at the expense of the middle class.”
As for the president, the first part of his tour was in Pennsylvania last week, and he also addressed the nation from the White House on Wednesday night with a focus on the economy. Most notably, he announced a $1,776 payout to qualifying American service members.

Trump Targets Battleground North Carolina To Spotlight His Economic Record

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Doctors who perform transgender procedures on children across the globe may soon be unwelcome in the United States thanks to new legislation proposed by a North Carolina Republican.
Rep. Addison McDowell introduced a bill Thursday that would block the entry of foreign doctors who have put American children on cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers or performed transgender surgeries on them. The proposal, first shared with The Daily Wire, would also bar the entry of foreign doctors who are members of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), a radical organization that has promoted transgender procedures for kids. 
“There is no reason Washington should look the other way while American kids are harmed overseas,” McDowell told The Daily Wire. “This bill draws a clear line – if you participate in the mutilation of American children, you are not welcome in this country.”
The push comes as there have been <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/families-say-leaving-us-anti-transgender-climate-rcna206560">reports</a> of parents leaving the United States with their children to pursue such procedures because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on radical transgender ideology. 
“This is about protecting kids, plain and simple,” McDowell added. “If a procedure is so extreme that it’s restricted in states here at home, we shouldn’t allow foreign actors to profit from it and then come back to the United States like nothing happened. American children deserve protection, not loopholes.”
Republican Reps. Tim Moore (NC), Josh Brecheen (OK), Randy Weber (TX), David Taylor (OH), and Marlin Stutzman (IN) are co-sponsoring the legislation, titled the “Protecting Children From Foreign Mutilation Act.”
&#8220;Foreigners who perform irreversible gender transition procedures on our children are not welcome here. Congress must continue our work to shield our children and families from falling victim to the Left&#8217;s gender ideology, and I&#8217;m proud to support the Protecting Children from Foreign Mutilation Act,” Taylor said.
The legislation would also bar entry into the United States from those who operated a clinic, hospital, or pharmacy that facilitated “chemical or surgical mutilations” of American citizens. It would also allow for revocations of current visas granted to pro-trans doctors and WPATH members. 
WPATH has long <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leading-transgender-health-association-releases-new-guidelines">faced criticism</a> over its Standards of Care policies, which have no minimum age recommendations for minors to obtain puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries like removing the breasts of girls who identify as boys. The standards also suggest that males under the age of 18 can have vaginoplasties, a procedure where a fake vagina is made using genital tissue.
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The bill would also create a reporting mechanism that allows people to report doctors or others who have facilitated these treatments, to aid the State Department in carrying out the ban. An exemption from visa restrictions would exist for whistleblowers who have spoken out against transgender procedures. 
If the bill becomes law, Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be required to produce a report detailing the actions being taken to enforce it and the number of doctors barred from entry under the act.
The legislation is backed by the American Principles Project, a conservative organization that fights for traditional American values. 
“Voters gave Republicans a mandate to fix the Democrats’ immigration mess and root out evil from our health care system,” American Principles Project President Terry Schilling told The Daily Wire. “The Protecting Children from Foreign Mutilation Act does both,” Schilling said. “American families deserve the very best care delivered by ethical doctors, not glorified butchers bearing dubious diplomas.”
The Department of Health and Human Services <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-to-cut-funding-from-all-hospitals-that-perform-trans-procedures-on-kids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Admin+To+Strip+All+Federal+Funding+From+Hospitals+That+Perform+Trans+Procedures+On+Kids">moved</a> Thursday to cut off all funding from hospitals that do transgender procedures on kids. That came after the Republican-controlled House of Representatives <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-passes-nationwide-ban-on-trans-procedures-for-gender-confused-children?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=House+Passes+Nationwide+Ban+On+Trans+Procedures+For+Gender-Confused+Children">voted</a> Wednesday to ban transgender procedures on minors and punish doctors who perform the procedures.

Rep. Addison McDowell

‘Not Welcome’: Pro-Trans Foreign Doctors Could Soon Be Banned From The United States

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