An Ohio surgeon has been accused of allegedly forcing a patient he got pregnant to take an illegally obtained abortion pill that ended the life of her unborn child.
Dr. Hassan-James Abbas was charged last week after investigators said he ordered an abortion pill using his estranged wife’s information and then made his girlfriend swallow the pill against her will. Abbas, whose medical license was <a href="https://elicense.ohio.gov/oh_verifylicensedetails?pid=a0Rt0000002Wpe3EAC">suspended</a> last month, was indicted on December 4 in Lucas County over the incident. 
Abbas, who is set to make a court appearance on December 19, was <a href="https://portal-ohlucas.tylertech.cloud/Portal/DocumentViewer/Index/1A27DE5ADA90791B563DF9AABAE7BB26A8C457B0E146AA636FBE055D3AC08455D17770955D9DFFB76E1BF3C5799EBC6988AF599976280647B5DD924DBC6652BC1B9D797F90A2F9E2CEC2B8E38A145CD5?caseNum=CR2025-01611&amp;docType=Filings&amp;docName=Indictment%20for%20H%20Abbas&amp;eventName=Open%20-%20Indictment%20Filed&amp;docTypeId=28&amp;isVersionId=False">charged</a> with abduction, tampering with evidence, disrupting public services, unlawful distribution of an abortion-inducing drug, identity fraud, and deception to obtain a dangerous drug. 
The indictment comes amid a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-stands-by-fdas-makary-after-accusations-he-slow-walked-vital-review-of-abortion-drugs?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Stands+By+FDA’s+Makary+After+Accusations+He+Slow-Walked+Vital+Review+Of+Abortion+Drugs">growing campaign</a> from pro-life activists to push the Trump administration to reverse Biden-era regulations that relaxed the requirements on the mailing of abortion pills. In recent years, medication abortions have become the most common type of abortion, and abortion pills have flowed into states where they are technically illegal. 
An investigation from the State Medical Board of Ohio <a href="https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/med.ohio.gov/formala/57249399.pdf">found</a> that Abbas separated from his wife in October 2024 and began having a sexual relationship with a patient. That patient then told Abbas on December 7 that she was pregnant. 
“You told her that you wanted her to get an abortion, but she stated that she did not want an abortion,” the medical board wrote in a letter to Abbas.
On December 8, Abbas ordered mifepristone and misoprostol from an “out-of-state telemedical abortion provider,” according to state officials. After a pregnant woman takes mifepristone, the unborn child is cut off from the nutrients it needs to survive and is effectively starved to death. Misoprostol is then taken to induce labor and expel the deceased baby from the mother. 
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
According to the medical board, Abbas used his estranged wife’s name, date of birth, and driver’s license number to have the pills shipped to his home. Ten days later, Abbas allegedly tried to force her to take the pills.
“On Dec. 18, Patient 1 woke up at 4:00 a.m. and saw that you were awake. She fell back asleep and then awoke to you physically on top of her. She thought it was a hug but then, holding her down, you took your fingers and forced a crushed powder inside her bottom lip, beside her gums. You continued to hold Patient 1 down. She fought to get away and ran to the kitchen where she called 911. You took her phone and hung up the 911 call,” officials found. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-leftist-networks-flood-red-states-with-risky-abortion-pills-with-no-consequences">READ MORE: How A Leftist Network Of Websites Floods Red States With Abortion Pills With No Consequences</a>
The victim then drove to the hospital, where she reported the incident, and her diagnosis was reported as “vaginal bleeding.” Her baby did not survive. 
Abbas later admitted to ordering the pills during an interview with state officials, but claimed that the woman had agreed to take them, according to the State Medical Board of Ohio. As a result of the suspension, Abbas was placed on administrative leave at the University of Toledo, where he was a surgical resident. 
Pro-life advocates have long warned about the easy availability of the abortion pill and the dangers of the lax mail-order regulations. A Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-leftist-networks-flood-red-states-with-risky-abortion-pills-with-no-consequences">investigation</a> found that the pills were being shipped by shady online activist groups into states like Tennessee with no age verification or prescription requirements in the face of state law banning medication abortion.
Some groups, like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, have called for Food and Drug Administration Marty Makary to be fired over reports that he is slow-walking a review of the safety of mifepristone. The White House stood by Makary on Tuesday, saying that medical reviews take time.
Pro-life groups and lawmakers were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-lifers-demand-answers-from-trump-admin-after-shocking-abortion-pill-approval">shocked</a> in October when the FDA quietly approved a new generic mifepristone drug made by Evita Solutions.

Appeals Court Keeps Abortion Pill Mifepristone Available, But With Restrictions

Ohio Surgeon Accused Of Forcing Abortion Pill On Sleeping Girlfriend

Ohio Surgeon Accused Of Forcing Pregnant Girlfriend To Take Abortion Pill

Abortion

Abortion Drug

Ohio

Pro-Life Movement

At Kent State University in Ohio, an a cappella group that claims to oppose discrimination reportedly enforced a policy that barred white students from even auditioning for certain solos — then moved to discipline a member who dared question it.
Emails obtained by <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article/exclusive-kent-state-cappella-group-bans-white-students-solo-auditions/29047">Campus Reform</a> showed that Vocal Intensity A Cappella limited solos in one song strictly to “people of color,” arguing that allowing white students to audition would amount to “cultural appropriation.” The rule didn’t sit well with Mark Phillips, a three-year member and the group’s beatboxer, who asked the group’s executive board how that policy squared with Kent State’s own ban on racial discrimination. Phillips wrote that while he respected concerns about authenticity, “Art, music, and culture are meant to be shared and celebrated, not gatekept,” and that the strongest performance should win.
For raising that question, the board accused Phillips of violating the university’s anti-discrimination policy — the very policy meant to prevent the kind of race-based exclusion he was objecting to. The board placed him on probation and ordered him to appear before the entire group in a disciplinary hearing where he would “plead his case” and potentially face permanent removal.
The board doubled down in follow-up correspondence, reiterating that the solos would remain restricted to black students unless reversed by a vote. The planned hearing involved closed-door proceedings, time-limited speeches, and even guidelines for immediate expulsion should the group choose removal. If kept, Phillips would have been placed on months-long probation.
50% off DailyWire+ annual memberships will not return for another year, so don’t miss this deal! Join now at <a href="http://dailywire.com/cyberweek" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/cyberweek</a>.
That structure stands in stark contrast to Kent State’s written rules, which explicitly forbid racial discrimination and retaliation against students who challenge it. The university’s policy <a href="https://www.kent.edu/policyreg/university-policy-regarding-unlawful-discrimination-and-harassment">states</a>, “This policy prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, age, and protected military or veteran status. Retaliation for reporting or participating in the complaint process is also prohibited.”
It also clashes with Ohio’s recently enacted Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, which bars race-based advantages in public universities.
Phillips ultimately resigned and called the disciplinary process a “performative ambush” aimed at punishing him for opposing discrimination. In his resignation letter, he wrote, “Denying opportunities based on skin color is discrimination by definition.”
Speaking to Campus Reform, Phillips said, “What I really want is for people to bring common sense back and stop pretending that people of color are oppressed in this country. I want people to realize that we are meant to celebrate what we have in common instead of dividing and fighting over our differences.”
The Daily Wire reached out to Kent State for comment.

Kent State

Kent State Singing Group Bans White Students From Solos, Disciplines Member Who Objected

Racism

Whiteness

The Ohio state House of Representatives passed a bill along party lines last week that would allow public schools to teach on the &#8220;positive influence of religion,&#8221; particularly Christianity, in history courses.
House Bill 486, titled the &#8220;<a href="https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb486">Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act</a>,&#8221; would codify teachers&#8217; rights under the state constitution to instruct their students on how Christianity positively shaped U.S. history, according to one of the bill&#8217;s sponsors, state Rep. Gary Click, NBC Columbus affiliate WCMH <a href="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/politics/charlie-kirk-bill-to-teach-positively-about-christianity-passes-ohio-house/">reported</a>.
&#8220;The teaching of the historical, positive impact of religion on American history is consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. An accurate and historical account of the influence of Judeo-Christian values on the freedom and liberties ingrained in our culture is imperative to reducing ignorance of American history, hate, and violence within our society,&#8221; the bill states. &#8220;Accurate historical instruction regarding verifiable, historical impacts of religion on American history is factual and is not proselytization or a violation of the First Amendment.&#8221;
The text of House Bill 486 provides examples of how public school teachers can teach on the positive influence of Christianity, such as the faith of the pilgrims, the clear presence of Christianity in the Mayflower Compact, the appeal to divine power in the Declaration of Independence, and Christianity&#8217;s influence on the U.S. Constitution. The bill is named after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a devout and outspoken Christian, who was assassinated while speaking on the Utah Valley University campus on September 10.
“Charlie was a committed Christian, whose life and work will serve as a testament to the power of conservative ideals combined with a legacy of faith for generations to come,” Click said.
Right now, DailyWire+ annual memberships are fifty percent off during our Black Friday sale. Join now at <a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="http://dailywire.com/blackfriday" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://dailywire.com/blackfriday" data-sk="tooltip_parent">dailywire.com/blackfriday</a>.
All 62 Republicans in the Ohio House voted in favor of the legislation, while all 27 Democrats opposed it. It now heads to the state Senate, where Republicans hold a 24-9 majority.
“It’s essential that we highlight the positive influence religion has had throughout our history – uniting communities, enriching our shared values, and safeguarding our First Amendment rights as Americans to speak and worship freely,” said Republican state Rep. Michael Dovilla.
The bill was criticized by education and civil liberties groups and advocates for the separation of church and state. The Ohio American Civil Liberties Union <a href="https://www.acluohio.org/news/house-bill-486-opponent-testimony/">argued</a> that the bill &#8220;is obviously designed to paint Christianity in the most positive light while deliberately avoiding the negative.&#8221;
&#8220;The ACLU of Ohio submits HB 486 is, at a minimum, unneeded,&#8221; the organization added. &#8220;Politicians leaning on schools and universities to teach their version of Christianity and religion is an idea rejected centuries ago, and for good reasons.&#8221;
Gabe Guidarini, chairman of the Ohio College Republican Federation, pushed back on the criticism, arguing, “This bill does not impose a belief system, it simply allows teachers and professors to include historical truths that have too often been neglected — how faith shaped the resolve of the pilgrims, guided our Founders’ convictions, inspired movements that provided us the liberties we enjoy today and informed the moral fabric that has bound our republic together since its birth.&#8221;

Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk-Inspired Bill Allowing Schools To Teach Christianity’s ‘Positive Influence’ Nears Law

Christianity

Education

History

Religion

U.S.

Students in one of Ohio’s largest school districts cannot be forced to use the preferred pronouns or acknowledge the gender identity of their trans-identifying classmates, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday.
The <a href="https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/25a0307p-06.pdf">112-page ruling</a> smacks down a policy put into place by the Olentangy Local School District that punished students for discrimination by referring to trans-identifying classmates by their “biological pronouns” or “using gendered language they know is contrary to the other student’s identity.” The district encompasses a suburban area just north of Columbus and is Ohio’s fourth-largest.
The court ruled that the policy raises “serious free-speech concerns.” The case was brought by the advocacy group Parents Defending Education — which now goes by Defending Education. The conservative group argued that the policy was unconstitutional and forced students to adopt speech that went against their religious beliefs. Numerous other conservative and religious groups, including Alliance Defending Freedom and the Manhattan Institute, signed an amicus brief opposing the school district’s policy.
In its ruling, the appeals court said that the school district “introduced no evidence that the use of biological pronouns would disrupt school functions or qualify as harassment under Ohio law.”
“Our society continues to debate whether biological pronouns are appropriate or offensive — just as it continues to debate many other issues surrounding transgender rights. The school district may not skew this debate by forcing one side to change the way it conveys its message or by compelling it to express a different view,” the court added in its ruling.
Defending Education argued that a rule requiring students “to affirm the idea that gender is fluid” would force them to go against their firmly held religious beliefs that “biological sex is immutable and that individuals cannot transition from one sex to another.” It further argued that Olentangy Local School District’s policy on pronouns sought to control students’ speech outside of classroom hours.
After the policy went into effect, a concerned parent of a “devoutly Christian child” emailed the district in 2023, asking about the rule on pronoun use. The school district told the parent, “A student purposefully referring to another student by using gendered language they know is contrary to the other student’s identity would be an example of discrimination under Board Policy.” That email exchange led to the lawsuit filed by Defending Education. The parent who sent the email is part of the conservative organization.
The court was divided in its ruling, with Circuit Judge Jane Stranch arguing that students could completely avoid using third-person pronouns if their faith doesn’t allow them to affirm a gender identity. Stranch wrote in her dissent, “First, while it may be a new phenomenon for many to use new pronouns or to avoid using pronouns, it is certainly possible.” To prove her point, the judge wrote her entire dissent without using “gendered third person pronouns” other than in quotations.
“Second, while there may be a learning curve for young students who, on occasion, might forget and use non-preferred pronouns, the District’s Policies prohibit only the intentional use of non-preferred pronouns,” Stranch added.
The U.S. appeals court decision came on the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court issued a separate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/historical-fact-scotus-allows-trump-admin-to-require-passport-holders-to-mark-biological-sex">ruling</a> on gender and allowed the Trump administration to move forward with plans to require Americans to mark their biological sex on passports. In a 6-3 unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court froze a lower court’s order that stopped the Trump administration from removing the “X” gender option on passports.
“Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth — in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment,” the court wrote. “And on this record, respondents have failed to establish that the Government’s choice to display biological sex ‘lack[s] any purpose other than a bare … desire to harm a politically unpopular group.&#8217;”

Pronouns

School District Can’t Force Students To Use Preferred Pronouns Of Trans Classmates, Court Rules

Courts

Gender Pronouns

Public Schools

Transgender

General Motors is set to lay off more than 2,000 workers in Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, the company announced on Wednesday, citing &#8220;slower&#8221; EV sales.
GM&#8217;s Detroit-area electric vehicle plant was hit the hardest, with roughly 1,200 employees being informed that they were no longer needed, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2025/10/29/gm-cutting-hundreds-of-jobs-at-detroit-tennessee-ohio-ev-sites/86962834007/">reported</a>. The all-electric Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center will shut down completely from November 24 until January 5, after which it will operate on a single shift. Around 2,000 employees will stay employed at the plant, and cuts will be based on seniority.
Another 550 employees will be cut at GM&#8217;s Ultium Cells battery plant near Youngstown, Ohio, with 850 more workers expected to be laid off temporarily. At another GM Ultium Cells battery plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, 700 workers will be temporarily laid off as well, according to The Detroit News.
&#8220;In response to slower near-term EV adoption and an evolving regulatory environment, General Motors is realigning EV capacity,&#8221; the Michigan-based automaker said. &#8220;Despite these changes, GM remains committed to our U.S. manufacturing footprint, and we believe our investments and dedication to flexible operations will make GM more resilient and capable of leading through change. Impacted employees may be eligible for SUB pay and benefits in accordance with the National GM-UAW Agreement.&#8221;
Last week, GM said it would lay off around 200 salaried employees at its global tech campus in metro Detroit as part of a restructuring effort for its &#8220;design engineering teams,&#8221; CNBC reported.
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
After President Donald Trump eliminated the Biden administration&#8217;s $7,500 EV tax credit and cut back on regulations for gas-powered vehicles, GM said that it would lose around $1.6 billion related to changes the company would have to make to its EV rollout, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/electric-vehicle-ev-slowdown-rcna237652">reported</a>.
“Following recent U.S. government policy changes, including the termination of certain consumer tax incentives for EV purchases and the reduction in the stringency of emissions regulations, we expect the adoption rate of EVs to slow,” GM said last month.
During the third quarter of this year, the automaker reported huge sales of EVs, doubling the numbers reported in the same quarter last year. The Q3 bump in EV sales, however, came before the tax credit was terminated on September 30, as part of Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill.&#8221;
The elimination of the EV tax credit and regulatory changes have also affected major EV companies, such as Tesla and Rivian, and other auto giants that have focused on producing more electric vehicles. Tesla sales dropped this year, and GM and Ford have <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-ceo-jim-farley-predicts-033138695.html">pumped the brakes</a> on EV production. Due to the Trump administration&#8217;s recent actions, Ford CEO Jim Farley predicted that &#8220;EV adoption will now only be about 5% of the U.S. market.&#8221;

GM’s EV Struggles Trigger Mass Layoffs In Three States

Auto Companies

Auto workers

Economy

electric vehicles

Michigan

Tennessee

An Ohio man who was convicted in the high-profile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/verdict-delivered-in-death-of-ethan-liming-teen-beaten-to-death-outside-i-promise-school">beating death of 17-year-old Ethan Liming</a> has been released from prison, and was arrested and charged this past week in a different murder.
Deshawn Stafford, 24, has been charged with murdering Timothy Hutchinson, a 25-year-old Ohio man who was working as an engineer in his hometown. Hutchinson was reportedly struck unintentionally during an exchange of gunfire allegedly between Stafford and another individual.
In addition to the murder charge, Stafford is facing charges of felonious assault, discharging a firearm on a public roadway, having a weapon while under disability, drug trafficking, and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, the Akron Beacon Journal <a href="https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/crime/2025/10/23/deshawn-stafford-24-arrested-in-connection-to-akron-shooting-death/86854916007/">reports</a>.
A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/timothy-eugene-hutchinson">GoFundMe</a> for Hutchinson set up by the victim&#8217;s sister says Hutchinson graduated from the mechanical engineering program of University of Akron less than a year ago.
&#8220;To my brother, his family and friends meant everything,&#8221; Rachel Hutchinson wrote. &#8220;He was stolen from us due to senseless violence.&#8221;
Rachel said her brother &#8220;was an individual who truly never meant another human harm,&#8221; adding that &#8220;[o]ne of his final moments was him bending over asking, &#8216;Can I pet dat dawg?'&#8221;
<div id="attachment_991257" style="width: 658px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-991257" class="wp-image-991257 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-25-at-10.58.27-AM.png" alt="" width="648" height="546" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-25-at-10.58.27-AM.png 648w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-25-at-10.58.27-AM-300x253.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px" />GoFundMe</div>
Just two years ago, Stafford was found guilty of aggravated assault and assault in the brutal beating death of Liming, who was 17 years old. He was sentenced to just 18 months behind bars.
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
Stafford was initially hit with murder charges, but the charges were eventually reduced. Additionally, Stafford&#8217;s short sentence, along with the leniency shown to the others charged in the case put a spotlight on the incident and the criminal justice system. Liming is white and the three charged in the brutal killing are black.
<div id="attachment_394984" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-394984" class="wp-image-394984 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-9.25.40-AM-1024x570.png" alt="" width="1024" height="570" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-9.25.40-AM-1024x570.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-9.25.40-AM-300x167.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-9.25.40-AM-768x427.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-9.25.40-AM.png 1402w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Akron Public Schools, U.S. Marshals</div>
Daily Wire host Matt Walsh, who drew attention to the Liming case in 2023, posted on Friday about Stafford&#8217;s latest alleged murder.
&#8220;Two year[s] ago this piece of garbage, Deshawn Stafford, assaulted and killed a white kid named Ethan Liming,&#8221; Walsh posted. &#8220;He was sentenced to just 18 months in prison. Now he has killed another person, 25-year-old Timothy Hutchinson.&#8221;
&#8220;When will we have had enough of this?&#8221; he added. &#8220;How long will our communities be held hostage by these barbarians?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Two year ago this piece of garbage, Deshawn Stafford, assaulted and killed a white kid named Ethan Liming. He was sentenced to just 18 months in prison. Now he has killed another person, 25-year-old Timothy Hutchinson. When will we have had enough of this? How long will our… <a href="https://t.co/b4UvU8AdoF">pic.twitter.com/b4UvU8AdoF</a>
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1981759927824658623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/verdict-delivered-in-death-of-ethan-liming-teen-beaten-to-death-outside-i-promise-school">Verdict Delivered In Death Of Ethan Liming, Teen Beaten To Death Outside I PROMISE School</a>

Screenshot 2025-10-25 at 11.00.15 AM

Man Convicted In Death Of Ohio Teen Already Out Of Prison And Charged With Another Murder

Man Convicted In Ethan Liming Death Already Out Of Prison And Charged With Another Murder

Assault

Crime

Murder

An aide to Ohio Congressman Dave Taylor had an American flag with a swastika on it behind him during a video conference, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/15/capitol-police-investigating-swastika-in-gop-congressional-office-00609704">Politico</a> reported Wednesday. The aide, Angelo &#8220;A.J.&#8221; Elia, was a Democrat activist until recently, and ironically served as a leader of his county&#8217;s Young Democrats group just a few years ago.
A May 2022 <a href="https://www.vindy.com/news/local-news/2022/05/key-backers-tab-anderson-as-next-county-dem-chair/">news article</a> listed Elia as &#8220;Mahoning County Young Democrats and Youngstown State University College Democrats president.&#8221; In 2020, Elia was a member of the Mahoning County Young Democrats.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A friend in DC had a Zoom call with Congressman Dave Taylor’s office today…
Taylor’s legislative correspondent, Angelo Elia, had what can only be described as an American swastika flag prominently displayed in his background. <a href="https://t.co/zFn3QowS0c">pic.twitter.com/zFn3QowS0c</a>
— The Rooster (@rooster_ohio) <a href="https://twitter.com/rooster_ohio/status/1978517287654068611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In 2017, the Mahoning County Young Democrats posted a picture depicting a false flag operation that with rally goers holding a sign that said &#8220;Insecure, Small Penised, White Guys for Trump!&#8221;
This week, the Mahoning County Young Democrats posted a message from the national group that &#8220;calls for the immediate resignation of the Young Republican leaders&#8221; involved in the Politico story about offensive messages in a group chat. &#8220;At Young Democrats of America, we hold our leaders and members to a higher standard,&#8221; it said.
According to his <a href="https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/530632/Angelo_Joseph_Elia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn,</a> which lists his pronouns, Elia worked for Blue Phoenix Strategies until December 2023. During that time period, the firm was working against &#8220;voter restrictions&#8230;enacted by the republicans in Ohio&#8217;s government&#8221; that could hurt &#8220;POC throughout the state.&#8221; On November 8, 2023, it posted on Facebook: &#8220;We did it, Ohio!&#8221; celebrating the passage of ballot initiatives for &#8220;abortion rights&#8221; and to &#8220;legalize marijuana.&#8221;
Another Facebook post by the firm shows Elia holding a sticker for candidate Chris Colon, a social worker who founded an NGO and was running for <a href="https://www.wfmj.com/story/49259628/nonprofit-cofounder-running-for-liberty-township-trustee?clienttype=mobile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liberty Township trustee</a>. In a 2024 <a href="https://www.wfmj.com/story/51451229/group-aims-to-welcome-immigrants-refugees-others-to-the-mahoning-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WFMJ article</a>, Colon said his goal was to bring immigrants to Ohio to take jobs. &#8220;We&#8217;re trying to bring people into our workforce specifically,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We know that there are jobs here in the Mahoning Valley and we know that immigrants and refugees can be a small piece to filling those workforce needs here in the Valley.&#8221;
Elia&#8217;s bio on the firm&#8217;s website said &#8220;Growing up in a working-class family A.J. understands the effect politics has on working people.&#8221; It listed him as &#8220;Associate Consultant&#8221; and said he was a senior at Youngstown State University.
Taylor called the flag &#8220;office vandalism,&#8221; saying in a <a href="https://taylor.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-taylor-issues-statement-office-vandalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>: “I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office. The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms. Upon learning of this matter, I immediately directed a thorough investigation alongside Capitol Police.”
Taylor hired Elia in January 2025. Taylor&#8217;s spokeswoman did not return a request for comment, nor did Elia. The staffer&#8217;s background was first flagged by Sean Kennedy of Virginians for Safe Communities.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE &amp; Weird&#8230; the Swastika Flag GOP Hill staffer Angela &#8220;AJ&#8221; Elia was president of College Democrats at Youngstown State University, treasurer of Mahoning County Young Dems, &amp; political consultant to progressive pro-amnesty candidate&#8230; as of 2023. 
[Links below] <a href="https://t.co/YyOP2M2LQ3">pic.twitter.com/YyOP2M2LQ3</a>
— Virginians 4 Safe Communities (@VA4SafeComm) <a href="https://twitter.com/VA4SafeComm/status/1978862136710373664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fox News&#8217;s Chad Pergram reported this week that several sources told him the flag might have been an “optical illusion” and “easy to miss.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Swastika” Flag In Office of Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) May Be An “optical illusion” and “easy to miss”
The weird story about an aide to Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) having a flag in his Capitol Hill office with a swastika on it, has just gotten weirder.
Multiple sources tell Fox –…
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadPergram/status/1978862972891222211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
&#8220;Multiple sources tell Fox — including those investigating the issue – the flag in question is an American flag — but with a swastika embedded into the ink or weaving,&#8221; Pergram wrote on X. &#8220;And here’s the strange part: the swastika is not obvious to the naked eye. But is more visible when captured on video or by a still photo.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-dems-say-candidate-who-fantasized-about-murdering-gop-leader-is-better-than-republicans?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Virginia+Dems+Say+‘Our+Democracy’+Depends+On+Voting+For+Candidate+Who+Fantasized+About+Assassination">Virginia Dems Say ‘Our Democracy’ Depends On Voting For Candidate Who Fantasized About Assassination</a>

Democrat Suit

Congressional Aide Pictured With Swastika Flag Was A Longtime Democrat

The Justice Department announced Wednesday a “first-of-its-kind” indictment against 22 Chinese nationals and three Americans for allegedly engaging in an international drug trafficking scheme targeting the United States. 
An indictment handed down Wednesday from a federal grand jury in Ohio takes aim at dozens of defendants and four Chinese companies for a plot to ship drug-cutting agents, used to dilute the product and increase its volume to boost profits, from China into America. All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally.
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. 
Prosecutors say that the companies used a number of Chinese nationals “located overseas” to negotiate for payments for illegal cutting agents to drug traffickers in Ohio. Cutting agents are often added to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, and meth. 
The Chinese companies targeted include Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Company, Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Company, and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Company. 
The Americans charged in the operation include 39-year-old Eric Michael Payne of Ohio and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Auriyon Tresan Rayford. Ciandrea Bryne Davis of Atlanta was also charged for her alleged role in using cryptocurrency to pay Chinese nationals associated with companies for the drug-cutting agents. 
Payne is accused of purchasing several kilogram shipments of cutting agents from Chinese companies posing as legitimate pharmacies. He and the other Americans allegedly purchased at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl agents since 2022 that could be used in up to 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture sold on the streets. 
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
The Chinese defendants were listed as Lihui Zhao, [name unknown], Shanhong Jiang, Yan Yang, Fengdi Zhang, Dehui Xia, Xing Wu Chen, Qing Lin Wang, Xiaojun Huang, Meixiang Yao, Zhanpeng Huang, Yuqing Feng, Dongjing Sun, Chengqi Nong, Tiduo Wei, Zhisong Nie, Jichao Zhu, Zhengzhe Yin, Changgen Du, Hongfei Wang, Huatao Yao, and Xuening Gao.

Press conference at White House

22 Chinese Nationals Charged In International Drug Trafficking Scheme

China

Department of Justice

Drugs

Fentanyl

kash patel

A man charged over a July 26 mob attack in Cincinnati now faces up to 15 years in prison after being hit by the feds with a gun charge. 
The Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/cincinnati-man-allegedly-involved-downtown-brawl-charged-federal-gun-crime">announced</a> Wednesday that 34-year-old Montanez Merriweather had been indicted for illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Merriweather had previously been arrested over the beating of a man and a woman that was caught in a viral video. 
“There is no place for violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick Gerace II. “Those who commit violent acts can expect to be scrutinized and they will be held accountable for violations of federal criminal law.”
Merriweather faces local assault, felonious assault, and aggravated riot charges. He faces almost 30 years in prison on those charges. 
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">End of Summer Sale &#8211; Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“Violence, in any form and under any circumstance, has no place in a civilized society. When warranted, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, will employ the full extent of our legal authority and resources to identify, apprehend, and remove violent offenders from our communities,” said ATF special agent Thomas Greco. 
Video of the attack shows a white man being thrown to the ground and kicked and punched by a group of black people outside of a music festival. After the beaten man got up, a white woman was punched in the face and appeared to be knocked unconscious. The video quickly circulated online, prompting condemnations from state and national leaders.
In response, the FBI launched an investigation into the incident at Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction. That came after Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-calls-for-man-caught-in-viral-video-punching-woman-to-be-jailed-for-a-very-long-time">condemned</a> the attack and urged the perpetrators to be thrown in prison. 
“What I saw, and I haven’t seen the full context, but what I saw is a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person, and it’s disgusting,” Vance said. “And I hope every single one of those people who engaged in violence is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And they will be. They will be so long as law enforcement in the state of Ohio takes their job seriously.”
Some local Cincinnati officials have accused the victims of instigating the beating. For example, City Council President Pro Tem Victoria Parks wrote a Facebook comment <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/cincinnati-downtown-fight-video-victoria-parks-ohio/65557368">saying</a> the victims “begged for that beat down! I am grateful for the whole story.”

Trump To Lay Out His Plan For Reducing Crime In Nation’s Capital

Cincinnati Beating Suspect Faces Years In Prison After New Charge From DOJ

Cincinnati

Violent Crime

Former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is ready to run for office again after losing his Senate seat to Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) in the 2024 election amid reported controversies.
Brown will challenge Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) in the 2026 election, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer first <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/08/sherrod-brown-to-run-for-us-senate-in-2026-challenging-jon-husted.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Tuesday, citing Ohio labor leaders. As of press time, Brown had not formally announced his campaign, but other news outlets have confirmed his plans.
In a story published last month, Brown told <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/07/03/2025/former-ohio-sen-sherrod-brown-weighs-next-political-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Semafor</a> that &#8220;everything&#8217;s on the table&#8221; while &#8220;talking to family and friends&#8221; and deciding whether he “want[s] to get back in and do this.&#8221; He also said, &#8220;I’m concerned about the direction of my state; I’m concerned about the direction of my country. So I don’t know.&#8221;
Brown, a former Ohio secretary of state and congressman, first <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/politics-july-dec06-oh_sen_11-07" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won election</a> to the Senate in 2006 against incumbent Mike DeWine, who went on to become governor. During his three terms in the Senate, Brown served as chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
The Daily Wire covered Brown a number of times while he was in the Senate, including reports on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-democrat-senator-took-thousands-of-dollars-in-donations-from-pharma-companies-at-center-of-opioid-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donations</a> from drug companies at the center of the opioid crisis and how he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/east-palestine-is-still-suffering-but-ohios-democrat-senator-took-time-for-a-hollywood-fundraiser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attended</a> a ritzy Hollywood fundraiser while constituents worried about the water quality at their home after the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine.
In the 2024 election, Brown ran for a fourth term against Moreno, a businessman who was endorsed by now-President Donald Trump. Estimates show roughly <a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-senate-ohio-brown-moreno-74c4b91e5866215d4201377fefcadad0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$500 million</a> was spent on that Senate contest, which POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/11/05/2024-election-results-live-coverage-updates-analysis/bernie-moreno-wins-ohio-senate-00185143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dubbed</a> the most expensive non-presidential election in U.S. history.
Moreno <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/05/us/elections/results-ohio-us-senate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> Brown 50.1%-46.5%. Trump&#8217;s margin of victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in Ohio was much larger, with the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/05/us/elections/results-ohio.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final </a>results coming in at 55.2%-43.9%.
Brown will now face off against Husted, who was selected by Governor DeWine to temporarily replace JD Vance after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vice-president-elect-jd-vance-submits-resignation-from-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> from his seat in the Senate in order to become vice president. The winner will serve out the remainder of the term that ends in 2029.
Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/28/schumer-sherrod-brown-ohio-senate-meeting-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had been urging Brown to get back in the ring, a push that comes as Democrats hope to retake control of the upper chamber. But Husted&#8217;s team shrugged off the pending challenge.
&#8220;Should Brown enter the race as Schumer&#8217;s handpicked candidate he will be starting in the biggest hole of his political career,&#8221; Husted campaign spokesman Tyson Shepard <a href="https://x.com/jpelzer/status/1955287609938190756" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement posted to X by Jeremy Pelzer, the reporter who broke the story.
&#8220;He has never faced a candidate like Jon Husted,&#8221; Pelzer continued. &#8220;Brown&#8217;s slogans will ring hollow as his coalition walks away, tired of the radical policies he&#8217;s forced to support to appease his coastal bosses in California and New York.&#8221;

Sherrod Brown

Ohio Dem Sherrod Brown Plots Senate Comeback

Bernie Moreno

Congress

Election

JD Vance

Politics

U.S. Senate

A pre-born life frozen since 1994 has finally been welcomed into the world, in what is believed to be the oldest embryo ever brought to birth.
Tim and Lindsey Pierce utilized embryo adoption to grow their family, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-embryo-30-year-birth-ohio-129926d4456dcba4781f155898aca7d8">Associated Press</a>. The Ohio-based couple is part of a small movement of people who focus on frozen embryos currently suspended in time.
For many Christians who believe life begins at conception, it is unthinkable to “dispose of” these fully unique human persons even at their very early stages of development. But embryo adoption remains an underutilized option, especially considering estimates that more than 1.5 million frozen embryos are currently being stored in the United States today.
The Pierces adopted the frozen embryo from Linda Archerd, 62. 
She said she had four frozen embryos after undergoing an IVF procedure more than 30 years ago and gave birth to one daughter. But then she and her husband divorced, stalling her plans to expand her family further. Still, Archerd thought about her embryos and believed they deserved a chance at life, too.
“I felt all along that these three little hopes, these little embryos, deserved to live just like my daughter did,” Archerd told AP.
She found the Pierces through an embryo adoption agency. One embryo did not survive the thaw, Archerd told the outlet. Two embryos were transferred, but only one implanted, resulting in the live birth of one little boy on Saturday.
The biological mother of the donated embryos said she looks forward to meeting her son, named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, which was one of the stipulations she put forth for the adoption.
Archerd said she already sees the family resemblance. “The first thing that I noticed when Lindsey sent me his pictures is how much he looks like my daughter when she was a baby,” Archerd said. “I pulled out my baby book and compared them side by side and there is no doubt that they are siblings.”
“I’d love to meet them some day,” she said. “That would be a dream come true to meet — meet them and the baby.”
Lindsey Pierce told <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/07/29/1120769/exclusive-record-breaking-baby-born-embryo-over-30-years-old/#:~:text=The%20embryos%20were%20created%20in,Christian%20%E2%80%9Cembryo%20adoption%E2%80%9D%20agency.&amp;text=A%20baby%20boy%20born%20over,for%20the%20%E2%80%9Coldest%20baby.%E2%80%9D">MIT Technology Review</a> that she and her family are doing fine. “We had a rough birth but we are both doing well now,” the new mom told the outlet. “He is so chill. We are in awe that we have this precious baby!”
“The baby has a 30-year-old sister,” she said. The outlet also noted that she and her husband, Tim, who are 34 and 35 respectively, were only toddlers when their future son was conceived.
“We thought it was wild,” Lindsey said. “We didn’t know they froze embryos that long ago.”
“We didn’t go into it thinking we would break any records. We just wanted to have a baby,” she added, noting how her family thinks the whole thing is “like something from a sci-fi movie.”

Three Decades Later, Life Begins: Ohio Baby Boy Born From 1994 Frozen Embryo

Ohio Baby Conceived, Frozen In 1994 Becomes 'Oldest' Embryo Ever Born

Adoption

babies

Health

Medical Research

Science

Ken Kober, the president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), slammed elected city leaders over allegations many have made against the victims of a mob attack on July 26.
After several people were beaten by a mob of largely black people in Cincinnati, city officials, including the vice mayor of the city, have accused the victims of the attack of instigating the violence.
“I speak to our investigators probably every 12 hours, and there has been absolutely zero evidence so far that has suggested that these victims caused this,” Kober told The Daily Wire on Friday. “I mean, they&#8217;ve looked at video evidence, they&#8217;ve done interviews, and nothing suggests that these victims were the ones that started this mob attack.”
After videos of the mob attack began circulating online, Cincinnati city council President Pro Tem Victoria Parks wrote a Facebook comment <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/cincinnati-downtown-fight-video-victoria-parks-ohio/65557368">saying</a> the victims “begged for that beat down! I am grateful for the whole story.”
While Parks, who has said she is not running for reelection, received condemnation for the statement, some officials appeared to agree at least partly with Parks that the victims may have instigated the beating.
“Let us be clear. We do not condone violence. We condemn the violent actions of the instigator(s) of the fight as well as the violent actions of those who responded to the provocation,” Vice Mayor Jan Michele Kearney said in a statement. “Opportunists are trying to use this incident as a way to divide us – racially and politically – and cast our great City in a false and negative light. Every city has challenges, and we confront our challenges head on.”
Kober attributed the public attacks on the victims to election-year pandering.
“I think a lot of it is pandering to their constituents, and they do it in the face of what the investigation says. These investigators have met with city officials, explained to them, ‘Here&#8217;s the evidence that we have.’ And they just snub their nose at that,” Kober said. “Quite honestly, it&#8217;s pretty disgusting.”
While some city officials have taken to blaming the “instigators” for the mob attack, the city has suffered in recent years under worsening crime rates while the city’s police force has operated understaffed by roughly 20%. GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio ripped into Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval last week over the mayor’s response to the attack while ignoring the systemic issues plaguing the city.
“No apology, no atonement, no atonement for the fact that under the mayor&#8217;s leadership, we&#8217;re down anywhere between 110 to 300 police officers. There&#8217;s no atonement for the fact that when police do arrest criminals, the judges and prosecutors basically give them a slap on the wrist and send them on their way,” Moreno said on <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/fourth-arrest-announced-investigation-violent-cincinnati-brawl-continues">Fox News</a>. “The police are doing the best they can in Cincinnati. They&#8217;re the heroes every day. But nice words don&#8217;t mean anything unless you have actual actions. This is way too little response.”
Progressive judges in the city have allowed criminals to walk free on small bonds in recent years, according to Kober. One of the men <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2025/07/29/prosecutor-2-arrested-in-downtown-cincinnati-fight/85431629007/">arrested</a> in connection with the Cincinnati mob attack had been out of custody for just weeks after posting $400 for bond in a case in which he was arrested on felony weapons and stolen property charges.
“These judges, some of them, and it&#8217;s probably half, are horrible,” Kober said.
Despite the comments from city officials, Kober heaped praise on the officers investigating the mob attack.
“Despite what council members are saying, despite what the mayor is or is not saying, despite what the [police] chief&#8217;s saying, [the police investigators] have done an absolutely phenomenal job, and it&#8217;s a testament to the men and women that work in this police department, because without the boots on the ground and those guys doing the work that they do and the girls that do the work that they do, this place would be a disaster,” Kober said.

Aftab Pureval

‘It’s Pretty Disgusting’: Cincinnati Police Union Head Bashes ‘Victim Shaming’ After Mob Attack

Law Enforcement

Menu