Luigi Mangione, who faces federal murder charges after the December shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday.
Mangione appeared in Manhattan federal court in a prison jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and ankles, entering not guilty pleas to charges of murder, two counts of stalking, and a firearms offense.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the DOJ intends to pursue the death penalty in the case, causing Mangione&#8217;s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, to request that the court prioritize starting his federal trial before his state cases in New York and Pennsylvania, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/us/luigi-mangione-federal-charges/index.html">reported</a>.
According to authorities, Mangione “<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">murdered</a>” Thompson, a father of two young children, in a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination” as an act of “political violence.”
Thompson was gunned down in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione&#8217;s arrest in Pennsylvania, more than 270 miles from the shooting scene.
At the time of his arrest, Mangione possessed “fake ID used by the suspect, the gun they believe was used in the shooting and a handwritten ‘claim of responsibility,’ authorities have said,” according to CNN.
Mangione&#8217;s targeting of Thompson appears meticulously planned, according to the DOJ, and three 9mm shell casings recovered from the crime scene had the words &#8220;delay,&#8221; &#8220;deny,&#8221; and &#8220;depose&#8221; written on them, an apparent reference to a 2010 book criticizing insurance industry tactics, according to the NYPD.
The case has sparked considerable public attention, with supporters of Mangione gathering outside the courthouse Friday, some wearing green, referencing Nintendo&#8217;s &#8220;Luigi&#8221; character, and holding banners with messages like &#8220;Luigi Before Fascists&#8221; and &#8220;Stop the Violence: End the Death Penalty Now.&#8221;
Chelsea Manning, the former Army soldier convicted of violating the Espionage Act after leaking documents to WikiLeaks, has appeared at multiple hearings in support of Mangione.
Many people, according to CNN, seem to be channeling their frustration with the health care system through Mangione, with some going as far as calling him a vigilante.
A legal defense fund in Mangione&#8217;s name has raised more than $950,000 from supporters.
Mainstream politicians have condemned Mangione&#8217;s alleged actions. &#8220;In America, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint,&#8221; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the day Mangione was arrested, adding, &#8220;He is no hero.&#8221;
Judge Margaret Garnett scheduled Mangione&#8217;s next federal hearing for December 5, when a trial date will be set. She indicated she expects the trial to begin in 2026.

Insurance CEO Murder Suspect Luigi Mangione Is Extradicted To New York

Luigi Mangione Pleads Not Guilty As DOJ Seeks Death Penalty

Crime

Death Penalty

Department of Justice

Luigi Mangione

New York Police Department (NYPD)

Pam Bondi

U.S.

The Justice Department this week slashed millions of dollars in grant funding for leftist organizations studying things like &#8220;toxic masculinity&#8221; and &#8220;systematic racism&#8221; as Attorney General Pam Bondi pushes to cut government waste, The Daily Wire has learned.
Before the cuts, which were described as &#8220;wave one,&#8221; millions of taxpayer dollars were going toward initiatives like filming black police officers in the name of racial equity, looking for ways to &#8220;resolve&#8221; drug crimes outside of the judicial system, and addressing so-called &#8220;toxic masculinity,&#8221; according to a list of several cut programs viewed by The Daily Wire. Teasing the cuts on Wednesday, Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1915184169069818356" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that there would be &#8220;more to come.&#8221;
The first wave included cuts to over 360 programs and grants that were determined not to be in line with President Donald Trump&#8217;s law and order agenda. According to the Justice Department, organizations whose funding was cut will have 30 days to win back their funding if they can prove it &#8220;actually helps victims of crime as opposed to being a nebulous slush fund for vague liberal causes.&#8221;
The Justice Department said programs that do things like provide housing to domestic violence victims and provide opioid treatment will not be cut.
One specific grant sent $1.5 million toward a training program that included the creation of a “powerful 17-minute film documenting the journey of three Black police leaders” to “promote racial equity in police practice.” Another $1.5 million was going to an organization for “culturally and linguistically specific, trauma-informed, and accessible services” for “former justice-involved individuals,&#8221; a euphemism used by leftists for criminals.
Another $1 million had been allocated to “bridge socio-ecological contexts” by working with “culturally specific community-based organizations,&#8221; while a whopping $5 million was going to an organization that promotes &#8220;racial equity in victim services&#8221; and hosts &#8220;listening sessions in targeted communities.&#8221;
Several of the cut programs dealt with drug crimes, including one that appeared oriented toward letting drug offenders off the hook. One million dollar grant went toward an organization that pushed &#8220;an innovative approach to resolving&#8221; drug crimes “away from the court system.”  Another sent $1 million to an organization looking at “how universal service delivery could mitigate the impact of systemic racism” on drug diversion programs.
Yet another grant on the chopping block was $2 million given to a &#8220;feminist, culturally specific nonprofit organization&#8221; to address “structural racism and toxic masculinities.”
These programs were flagged with the help of the Department of Government Efficiency, which is scouring the federal government for partisan programs and wasteful spending.
“Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring its resources are spent on arresting criminals, getting drugs off the streets, and crucial litigation,&#8221; Justice Department spokesman Gates McGavick told The Daily Wire. &#8220;We will always protect victims of crime and legitimate law enforcement initiatives, but we will no longer spend millions on ‘listening sessions’ and  ‘bridging socio-ecological contexts.’”

AG Bondi, FBI Director Patel Hold Press Conference In Florida After Drug Seizure

Bondi Ending Taxpayer Funded ‘Slush Fund’ Studying ‘Toxic Masculinity’ And ‘Structural Racism’

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Wokeness

A former intelligence officer with the U.S. Army was sentenced on Wednesday to seven years in prison for selling critical military documents to an individual believed to be tied to the Chinese government.
Korbein Schultz, 25, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/army-intelligence-officer-pleads-guilty-to-selling-defense-information-to-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pled guilty</a> last year to conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information, unlawfully exporting controlled information to China, and accepting bribes in exchange for sensitive government information. The sale of the documents, which included information on American military technology, took place over a three-year period from May 2022 to March 2024, according to the Justice Department. 
“This defendant swore an oath to defend the United States — instead, he betrayed it for a payout and put America’s military and service members at risk,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-us-army-intelligence-analyst-sentenced-selling-sensitive-military-information">said</a> Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Justice Department remains vigilant against China’s efforts to target our military and will ensure that those who leak military secrets spend years behind bars.”
He could have faced 65 years in prison if given the maximum on all counts.
Schultz was paid $42,000 for sending the information to an unidentified foreign national living in Hong Kong believed to be connected to the Chinese government.
The information that he provided included his unit&#8217;s operational order before it was deployed to Eastern Europe, information applying lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war to Taiwan, technical manuals for the Army&#8217;s HH-60 helicopter and F-22A fighter aircraft, manuals on Intercontinental Ballistic Missile systems, American intelligence on the Chinese military and the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, details on American military exercises in South Korea and the Philippines, and documents on American military satellites and missile defense systems.
Schultz was first contacted to sell the secrets over a freelance web-based work platform by an individual pretending to work for a geopolitical consulting firm, according to the Justice Department. The department added that Schultz attempted to recruit a friend who worked for the Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Command to take part in the scheme as well.
The FBI&#8217;s Nashville office led the investigation, with assistance from the Department of Defense and the Army Counterintelligence Command.
“This sentencing is a stark warning to those who betray our country: you will pay a steep price for it,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The People’s Republic of China is relentless in its efforts to steal our national defense information, and service members are a prime target. The FBI and our partners will continue to root out espionage and hold those accountable who abandon their obligation to safeguard defense information from hostile foreign governments.”

ASIAD-2025-CHN-OPENING

Former Army Intel Officer Sentenced After Selling U.S. Military Secrets To China

China

Communist China

Hong Kong

kash patel

Politics

Spying

U.S. Army

Attorney General Pam Bondi opened up the first meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias on Tuesday by hearing stories about how the Justice Department was weaponized by the Biden administration to go after Christians.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eradicating-anti-christian-bias-trump-signs-executive-action-ending-targeting-of-christians" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed an executive order</a> in February directing Bondi to convene a task force composed of top Trump admin officials with the goal of securing religious liberty. During the inaugural meeting, those in attendance shared examples of how the Biden administration &#8220;weaponized&#8221; government to go after Christian colleges and federal employees who refused the COVID vaccine for religious reasons.
“As shown by our victims’ stories today, Biden’s Department of Justice abused and targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses,” Bondi said. “Thanks to President Trump, we have ended those abuses, and we will continue to work closely with every member of this Task Force to protect every American’s right to speak and worship freely.”
In her opening remarks, Bondi added that protecting the First Amendment would be a high priority for the administration.
“The First Amendment isn&#8217;t just a line in the Constitution, it&#8217;s the cornerstone of our American liberty. It guarantees every citizen the right to speak freely, worship freely, and live according to their conscience without government interference,” she said. “Protecting Christians from bias is not favoritism, it&#8217;s upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the constitutional promise.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 BREAKING: First Meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. <a href="https://t.co/PRlqJO48MD">pic.twitter.com/PRlqJO48MD</a>
&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1914748203552932185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
Other admin officials who attended the meeting included FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During the meeting, the task force heard from lawyer Michael Farris, who is represented the Cornerstone Church as it was under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for an alleged Johnson Amendment violation. The Johnson Amendment is a decades old provision in federal law that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-north-carolina-republican-leads-effort-to-restore-free-speech-for-pastors-churches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allows pastors</a> to be prosecuted for making political statements from the pulpit.
The panel also heard from Phil Mendes, a Navy Seal who was relieved of duty by the Department of Defense after it denied his request for a religious exemption to the COVID vaccine.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to reverse many of the actions taken by the Biden administration, including the aggressive prosecutions of peaceful Christian pro-life protesters outside of abortion facilities. Multiple pro-lifers were sent to federal prison for their participation in peaceful protests after trials that were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-89-year-old-woman-convicted-faces-over-a-decade-in-prison-for-peaceful-pro-life-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covered extensively</a> by The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Those convicted included a Catholic priest and 75-year-old grandmother, as well as an 87-year-old woman and a father of 11 children who were arrested 18 months after praying and singing hymns outside an abortion facility in Tennessee as a part of a politically motivated prosecution campaign by the Biden Administration,&#8221; Trump wrote in his executive order creating the task force earlier this month.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-should-not-have-been-prosecuted-trump-pardons-23-pro-lifers-targeted-by-biden-doj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pardoned those pro-lifers</a> his first week in office, calling it a &#8220;great honor&#8221; to sign the pardons.

US-POLITICS-LAW-RELIGION-BONDI

Top Trump Officials Expose ‘Anti-Christian Bias’ Of Biden Admin

Biden Administration

Christianity

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

Trump Administration

The Justice Department announced Friday that a 19-year-old male college student had been arrested for allegedly setting on fire two Cybertrucks using two homemade Molotov cocktails at a Tesla Center in Kansas City.
The suspect, Owen McIntire, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of malicious damage by fire of any property used in interstate commerce. Using surveillance footage and cell phone data, the FBI identified McIntire, who attends college in Boston, as the man who committed the arson.
“Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it.”
On March 17, a police officer <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1397151/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">observed</a> smoke near the KC Tesla Showroom and found smoke coming from a Cybertruck. The officer put out the fire outside of the vehicle, but was unable to stop the burning of the Cybertruck, which also spread to another vehicle. Both vehicles were worth over $100,000.
Surveillance footage from nearby residences showed a suspect near the scene of the crime &#8220;wearing dark flowy clothing and a large, white-colored hat&#8221; believed by investigators to be McIntire, according to an affidavit provided to show probable cause. The FBI eventually matched the car seen near the scene, surveillance footage, and witness testimony to McIntire.
McIntrire is alleged to have carried out the attack while home on spring break from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Tesla facilities and vehicles across the country have been targeted with vandalism and arson as part of backlash to Elon Musk&#8217;s involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency. The Justice Department is treating the attacks as instances of domestic terrorism.
“This is the second arrest this week of a suspect charged with targeting Tesla, more proof that the FBI will not stand for these destructive acts,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These actions are dangerous, they are illegal, and we are going to arrest those responsible.&#8221;
On Monday, the DOJ <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/domestic-terrorism-fbi-arrests-man-for-firebombing-new-mexico-tesla-showroom-gop-headquarters?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘Domestic+Terrorism’%3A+FBI+Arrests+Man+For+Firebombing+New+Mexico+Tesla+Showroom%2C+GOP+Headquarters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the arrest of 40-year-old Jamison Wagner over arson attacks that targeted the headquarters of the Republican Party and a Tesla showroom in New Mexico. Wagner could face 40 years in prison if convicted.
The attack Wagner is accused of orchestrating did significant damage to the GOP headquarters in Albuquerque and burned out two Teslas.

MixCollage-18-Apr-2025-03-48-PM-2757

‘You Will Spend Decades Behind Bars’: FBI Arrests College Student Over Tesla Arson Attack

domestic terrorism

Elon Musk

Kansas City

Tesla

WASHINGTON—Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a civil lawsuit against the state of Maine on Wednesday for officials&#8217; refusal to protect girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s spaces and sports per Title IX rules.
A fiery Bondi announced the lawsuit and scolded Maine leaders, noting that the Trump administration tried its best to get Maine to comply before it filed suit.
&#8220;We have no other choice, we are taking them to court,&#8221; Bondi said.
The AG was joined at the presser by Maine state lawmaker Rep. Laurel Libby (R), female fencer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/female-fencer-speaks-out-after-shes-expelled-for-protesting-male-opponent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie Turner</a>, female rights advocate Riley Gaines, numerous female athletes from Maine, and others.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a> announces a civil lawsuit against Maine for refusing to protect women and women’s sports and spaces. <a href="https://t.co/6q0jtXkJwO">pic.twitter.com/6q0jtXkJwO</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912483114351317390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
A copy of the lawsuit, which was obtained by Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan, says the United States is suing Maine over its Department of Education &#8220;openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designed exclusively for girls.&#8221;
The suit is seeking to get Maine to stop its noncompliance with federal law and also seeks to grant females who were passed over by males their appropriate awards.
Bondi also said the department is looking at possibly retroactively pulling funding the state of Maine received for not complying in the past.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
a case of FAFO: <a href="https://t.co/fYRF6El4Kg">pic.twitter.com/fYRF6El4Kg</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912484747726512273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
During the presser, Bondi cited a male athlete taking first place in a state final for girls&#8217; pole vaulting, which was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-wins-girls-pole-vault-championship-in-maine-days-after-state-pledged-to-defy-trump-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported by The Daily Wire</a>. &#8220;He beat every female by a significant margin, qualifying him for regional championships. That took a spot away from a young woman,&#8221; Bondi said.
Last year, another male athlete competed in female ski and cross-country races in Maine and finished first in the women&#8217;s 5k. His time would have placed him 43rd if he were competing with fellow males, a DOJ press release said.
Gaines, who spoke at the presser, thanked President Donald Trump for protecting girls and said, &#8220;Accountability is back in the White House.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a>, speaking at DOJ, details all the ways women have been harmed by men in their spaces — and censored for speaking out.
These abuses aren’t happening in Afghanistan or the UK, she says. They’re happening in the USA.
“Accountability is back in the White House.” <a href="https://t.co/CAAlYUj4gc">pic.twitter.com/CAAlYUj4gc</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912487694397059358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
In February, Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills got into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public spat with President Trump</a> when she refused to comply with the president’s order barring males from girls’ sports, <a href="https://x.com/TheMaineWire/status/1904334942999363625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arguing</a> that she was following state law.
Subsequently, numerous Maine officials and organizations followed Mills&#8217; lead and refused to comply with Title IX, sparking numerous investigations and rule violation findings.
Notably, it was found that the state also placed a convicted male murderer who identifies as female into a female correctional facility.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-trans-athletes-womens-sports-maine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXCLUSIVE POLL: Maine Voters Side With Trump On Keeping Men Out Of Women’s Sports</a>

Pam Bondi, Janet Mills

Bondi Unleashes On Maine, Announces New Lawsuit Against State For Violating Title IX

Courts

Maine

Riley Gaines

Title IX

Transgender

Transgender Athletes

A 40-year-old New Mexico man has been charged over arson attacks that targeted the headquarters of the Republican Party and a Tesla showroom in Albuquerque, the Justice Department announced.
The DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/albuquerque-man-charged-connection-arson-attacks-tesla-dealership-and-republican-party-new">said</a> Monday that 40-year-old Jamison Wagner had been arrested by the FBI over the attacks, which burned out two Teslas and left significant damage to the GOP headquarters in Albuquerque. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the DOJ would be seeking 40 years in prison for Wagner if he is convicted.
Wagner was charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosive.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” Bondi said. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
The DOJ said that it had identified Wagner through evidence left at the scene of the attacks and surveillance footage.
The first attack took place on February 9 when two Tesla vehicles outside the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom were targeted with a homemade incendiary device. Inside one of the vehicles was found a glass container with napalm material. Other vehicles and the outside of the showroom were spray-painted with swastikas and the words “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
<div id="attachment_907537" style="width: 1400px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907537" class="size-full wp-image-907537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM.png" alt="" width="1390" height="751" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM.png 1390w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-300x162.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-1024x553.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-768x415.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1390px) 100vw, 1390px" />Credit: DOJ.</div>
The next attack took place on March 30, when the headquarters for the New Mexico GOP were firebombed, leaving significant damage. The phrase “ICE = KKK” was spray-painted on the building as well.
<div id="attachment_907539" style="width: 1409px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907539" class="size-full wp-image-907539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM.png" alt="" width="1399" height="965" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM.png 1399w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-300x207.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-835x576.png 835w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-768x530.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1399px) 100vw, 1399px" />GOP headquarters: DOJ.</div>
Investigators said they linked Wagner to the attacks by matching his Hyundai Accent to one leaving the scene of the GOP headquarters after the bombing and matching his physical appearance to surveillance footage of the suspect.
The FBI also said it found materials for making incendiary devices at his home, spray paint matching the vandalism at both crime scenes, an “ICE=KKK” stencil matching what was spray-painted at the GOP headquarters, and at least eight suspected incendiary devices.
“This arrest is part of the FBI’s aggressive efforts to investigate and hold accountable those who have targeted Tesla facilities in various states across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to locate and arrest those responsible for these acts of domestic terrorism, and the FBI will work with partners at the Department of Justice to ensure such lawbreakers face justice.”

MixCollage-14-Apr-2025-02-54-PM-4419

‘Domestic Terrorism’: FBI Arrests Man For Firebombing New Mexico Tesla Showroom, GOP Headquarters

Albuquerque

Arson

New Mexico

Republican Party

The Justice Department has pulled all nonessential federal funding from Maine&#8217;s Department of Corrections over a trans-identifying man who is being housed in a women&#8217;s prison, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday.
Andrew Balcer, 26, a trans-identifying <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2018-12-04/winthrop-teen-who-killed-parents-dog-to-be-sentenced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> double murderer is currently <a href="https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/correctionssearch/detail.pl?mdoc_number1=156589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">housed</a> in a women&#8217;s prison in Maine.
&#8220;We pulled all nonessential funding from the Department of Corrections in Maine because they were allowing a man in a women&#8217;s prison,&#8221; Bondi said Tuesday. &#8220;A giant, 6-foot-1, 245-pound guy, who committed a double murder with a knife, stabbed his parents to death and the family dog, and he identified as a woman, so they were letting him be housed in a female prison.&#8221;
&#8220;No longer,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We will pull your funding. We will protect women in prison.&#8221;
Maine&#8217;s Department of Corrections is slated to lose more than $1 million in federal grants.
In February, Bondi sent a letter to Maine officials warning them to stop allowing trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports or face legal action. She sent similar letters to California and Minnesota.
“We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports,” Bondi <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-urges-states-comply-federal-law-keeping-men-out-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time.
Bondi&#8217;s letter came just after President Donald Trump had a tense back and forth with Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, at a White House dinner. Trump warned Mills that her state would lose federal funding if it refused to comply with his executive order protecting women&#8217;s sports.
&#8220;You better do it because you&#8217;re not gonna get any federal funding,&#8221; Trump told Mills. &#8220;Your population doesn&#8217;t want men playing in women&#8217;s sports.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Stunning moment Trump goes back and forth with Maine governor on women&#39;s sports
TRUMP: &quot;You better do it because you&#39;re not gonna get any federal funding &#8230; your population doesn&#39;t want men playing in women&#39;s sports.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/UrqDl65nLx">pic.twitter.com/UrqDl65nLx</a>
&mdash; Mairead Elordi (@JohnsonHildy) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnsonHildy/status/1893026795491864862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Since then, Maine is facing federal action on other fronts over gender ideology as well.
The federal Department of Agriculture froze Maine&#8217;s funds over the state continuing to allow trans-identifying males to play in women&#8217;s sports. Maine&#8217;s attorney general responded by suing the Department of Agriculture over the funding freeze.
Meanwhile, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have <a href="https://mainemorningstar.com/briefs/u-s-justice-department-cuts-maine-corrections-grants-allegedly-over-transgender-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Maine&#8217;s transgender sports policies violate Title IX.
The Education Department has given Maine until April 11 to submit a solution before the situation is referred to the Justice Department.
Also last week, the Education Department launched a new task force targeting the &#8220;staggering&#8221; number of Title IX complaints the administration is receiving. Investigators and Justice Department attorneys will look into potential violations.
Trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s prisons have become increasingly common. One trans-identifying male prisoner in New Jersey who was convicted of manslaughter was only <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nj-trans-prisoner-impregnated-2-inmates-transferred-mens-facility-rcna38947" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transferred</a> out of a women&#8217;s prison after he impregnated two female inmates.

Janet Mills and Donald Trump

Trump Yanks Funding From Maine’s Corrections Department For Putting Man In Women’s Prison

Gender

Prison

Social Issues

Top Trump administration officials promised Monday to continue deporting suspected gang members after the Supreme Court ruled against a federal judge blocking the deportations from taking place under the Alien Enemies Act. 
 In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned a block on carrying out the deportations imposed on the Trump administration by D.C. District Court Judge James Boasberg. After the ruling, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that the Trump administration has designated as a terrorist organization, should leave the country now or face deportation.
“Following tonight’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, the American people can rest assured that [Noem], [Border czar Tom Homan] and I will direct our assets to scour the country for any remnants of Tren De Aragua and DEPORT THEM,” Bondi posted on X.
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Following tonight’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, the American people can rest assured that <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RealTomHoman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealTomHoman</a> and I will direct our assets to scour the country for any remnants of Tren De Aragua and DEPORT THEM.
&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1909389172680335671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Those comments were echoed by Noem, who has toured the El Salvadorian prison where the administration sent around 250 suspected members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua last month. 
“President Trump was proven RIGHT once again! SCOTUS confirms our Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump has the power to stop the invasion of our country by terrorists using war time powers. LEAVE NOW or we will arrest you, lock you up and deport you,” Noem said. 
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President Trump was proven RIGHT once again! SCOTUS confirms our Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump has the power to stop the invasion of our country by terrorists using war time powers. LEAVE NOW or we will arrest you, lock you up and deport you. <a href="https://t.co/irLTSEo0GF">pic.twitter.com/irLTSEo0GF</a>
&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1909384333263298865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In its <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a931_2c83.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruling</a>, the Supreme Court said that while potential deportees must get due process, the cases should not be litigated in the District of Columbia but in Texas, where the suspected gang members were in custody. 
“The detainees seek equitable relief against the implementation of the Proclamation and against their removal under the AEA. They challenge the Government’s interpretation of the Act and assert that they do not fall within the category of removable alien enemies. But we do not reach those arguments,” the majority wrote. “The detainees are confined in Texas, so venue is improper in the District of Columbia.”
Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the court’s three liberal justices dissented. 
President Donald Trump celebrated the decision, saying it would allow him to protect the border. 
“The Supreme Court has upheld the Rule of Law in our Nation by allowing a President, whoever that may be, to be able to secure our Borders, and protect our families and our Country, itself,” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114299368234840539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social. “A GREAT DAY FOR JUSTICE IN AMERICA!”

US deports over 250 alleged gang members to El Salvador’s mega-prison

‘LEAVE NOW’: Trump Admin Vows To Keep Deporting Suspected Gang Members After SCOTUS Win

Department of Homeland Security

El Salvador

Kristi Noem

SCOTUS

Supreme Court

Tren De Aragua

On Sunday, Attorney General Pam Bondi rejected claims that President Donald Trump is causing a constitutional crisis with his second-term executive actions, which are facing numerous legal challenges.
&#8220;The president is going to comply with the law,&#8221; Bondi <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6371135377112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream, who asked if there was any &#8220;scenario&#8221; in which Trump would not comply with an order or final judgment from the Supreme Court.
&#8220;Since January 20th, we&#8217;ve had over 170 lawsuits filed against us. That should be the constitutional crisis right there,&#8221; Bondi stated. &#8220;Fifty injunctions, they&#8217;re popping up every single day, trying to control his executive power, trying to control where he believes our tax dollars should be allocated.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a>: The real constitutional crisis is the 50 injunctions filed against President Trump by individual, low-level leftist judges who are trying to dictate President Trump&#39;s executive powers. <a href="https://t.co/EqHMhjzg7K">pic.twitter.com/EqHMhjzg7K</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1908885035815448728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The interview began with a clip of Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, suggesting that a president clashing with the Supreme Court could trigger a constitutional crisis. Bream pointed out that some critics frequently use that phrase amid the surge of lawsuits against the Trump administration.
Bondi highlighted Trump’s 2024 election victory and his efforts to fulfill promises made on the campaign trail.
&#8220;He&#8217;s implementing that agenda at a rapid speed. None of us can keep up with him every single day,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And so it&#8217;s just we&#8217;re going after all of these lawsuits. We&#8217;re defending them all. We just got a great win. And we&#8217;ll continue to fight every day.&#8221;
Bondi was alluding to a recent Supreme Court <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/us/supreme-court-trump-teacher-grants.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decision</a> that, by a 5-4 vote, permitted Trump to temporarily suspend about $65 million in teacher training grants linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
&#8220;You did. Friday night, 5-4 at the Supreme Court. You got a win with respect to cuts at the Department of Education,&#8221; Bream responded.
&#8220;But the court did go against you on issues of foreign aid being paid out,&#8221; she added, referring to a different <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-upholds-judges-order-that-trump-promptly-pay-foreign-aid-groups-2025-03-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case</a>. &#8220;How do you think these issues of executive power, when they get to the court, ultimately on the merits, will go? Because you know the court has told executives no when it comes to things like student loans or recess appointments.&#8221;
Bondi expressed optimism, stating, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to be very successful on all of these,&#8221; despite the relentless legal battles.
&#8220;To give you an example of a case, Department of Defense. So we had its military readiness. And that&#8217;s one of the president&#8217;s top agendas as is [Defense Secretary] Pete Hegseth,&#8221; she said. &#8220;So in the district court, a district court in D.C. ruled against us on military readiness, meaning gender dysphoria, ruled against us. We appealed that to the circuit court and we won. The second we won, within minutes, Shannon, in California, they filed an identical lawsuit and we lost. So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re up against.&#8221;
Bondi continued: &#8220;It&#8217;s basically a game of whack-a-mole with these district court judges around the country who have a tremendous amount of power. They believe they do. But that&#8217;s why we&#8217;re appealing all of these cases, of course, up to the Supreme Court.&#8221;

US Attorney General Pam Bondi

Bondi Says The Real ‘Constitutional Crisis’ Is Judicial Lawfare, Not Trump Exec Actions

Judges

The Justice Department announced Wednesday night that another “high level” MS-13 gang member wanted in connection to multiple murders had been arrested in New York. 
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Joel Vargas-Escobar, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, had been arrested on Tuesday and charged with a racketeering conspiracy involving 11 murders. Vargas-Escobar, who was previously deported in 2018, is suspected of being part of the command and control structure of MS-13 in Las Vegas and California. 
Vargas-Escobar was charged with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder-in-aid of racketeering, and multiple gun charges. He was detained by law enforcement on Long Island. 
“The American people are safer following the arrest of yet another MS-13 leader thanks to the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Joint Task Force Vulcan,” Bondi said. “This terrorist entered our country illegally and is accused of orchestrating 11 murders — under President Trump’s leadership, we will not rest until this terrorist organization is completely dismantled and its members are behind bars.”
Vargas-Escobar is accused of operating MS-13’s “Parkview” clique in Las Vegas and personally ordering two murders and orchestrating nine more, according to the DOJ. The murder victims were taken to remote mountain or desert locations and tortured before being killed.  
“The arrest of yet another violent and dangerous MS-13 leader is a major win for our FBI agents, law enforcement partners, and safer American streets,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our agents and analysts are continuously coordinating across multiple field offices and investigating with our valued partners to keep this work going — and we will not stop until that work is done.”
The alleged gang leader first appeared in court Wednesday morning in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York – Central Islip. He will be sent to Nevada for his trial, where he could face life in prison if convicted. 
This arrest follows an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-arrests-top-ms-13-leader-just-outside-d-c-america-is-safer-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement last week</a> the FBI had arrested 24-year-old Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, who the DOJ said was the top leader of MS-13 for the East Coast. He was arrested and charged with immigration and gun crimes last week during a predawn operation in Virginia.

EL SALVADOR-PRISON-GANGS-INMATES

FBI Arrests ‘High Ranking’ MS-13 Member Accused Of ‘Orchestrating’ 11 Murders

Illegal Immigation

Las Vegas

MS-13 Gang

Nevada

New York

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors on Tuesday to pursue the death penalty in the case against Luigi Mangione, who is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">alleged</a> that Mangione murdered Thompson in &#8220;an act of political violence.&#8221; The 26-year-old suspect was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in December — five days after Thompson was gunned down from behind outside of the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
&#8220;Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,&#8221; Bondi said. &#8220;After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.&#8221;
Mangione faces both state and federal murder and terrorism charges. He has pleaded not guilty to the state charges but has not yet entered a plea for the federal charges, which make him eligible for the death penalty. According to prosecutors, state and federal cases are expected to proceed on parallel tracks. Since New York doesn&#8217;t have the death penalty, the heaviest sentence Mangione could face in the state is life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The DOJ argues that the alleged assassination of Thompson &#8220;involved substantial planning and premeditation,&#8221; adding that &#8220;because the murder took place in public with bystanders nearby, [it] may have posed grave risk of death to additional persons.&#8221;
Video footage of the killing showed the masked assassin approach Thompson from behind and shoot him in the back before firing at him again after the healthcare CEO fell to the ground. One bystander, who appeared to be a female, was also seen on camera when the assassination unfolded, but no one else was wounded.
The suspect allegedly fled the scene on a bicycle that he rode into Central Park and then made his way to a bus station, where he took a Greyhound out of the city. Mangione was arrested after patrons in an Altoona McDonald&#8217;s recognized him from flyers posted by the NYPD. The flyers showed photos of the alleged assassin smiling in the lobby of a Manhattan hostel, where he stayed just days before Thomspon was killed.
Upon his arrest, law enforcement officers allegedly found Mangione&#8217;s backpack, where inside he was storing a 9mm homemade handgun, a manifesto, and the same fake New Jersey ID that was used by the person of interest at a Manhattan hostel before Thompson was gunned down on the street. Authorities also allegedly found a notebook on Mangione where written inside were mentions of taking out “the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention.”
Mangione has gained a following among some on the Left who have called for the suspected assassin to be freed. Mangione has received letters, photos, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations for his legal defense.

AG Directs Federal Prosecutors To Seek Death Penalty For Luigi Mangione

assassination

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