A judge sentenced a man to prison on Thursday for falsely claiming to have shot Charlie Kirk moments after the conservative activist was assassinated.
George Zinn, 71, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty on three counts: one third-degree felony charge of obstruction of justice and two second-degree felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/01/29/man-who-falsely-claimed-he-shot/">The Salt Lake Tribune</a>.
Zinn will serve his sentences for all charges concurrently, with the longest term for the sexual exploitation charges – one to 15 years. A parole board will ultimately decide how long Zinn will serve in prison.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during a college event in Utah on September 10. In the chaos immediately following the shot that killed Kirk, Zinn falsely claimed to have shot the conservative commentator. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office said Zinn began to yell, “I shot him, now shoot me,” according to <a href="https://www.abc4.com/news/charlie-kirk-shooting/george-zinn-charlie-kirk-assassination-pleads-guilty-obstruction-justice-sexual-exploitation/">ABC4</a>.
As Zinn continued to claim he shot Kirk, law enforcement asked Zinn for the murder weapon. Zinn responded: “I am not going to tell you where [the gun] is. I shot him, now shoot me.”
Zinn was immediately detained and searched. Law enforcement found child sexual abuse materials on his phone during the search.
The 71-year-old said in a statement before the court on Thursday that the material on his phone was from a “chatroom dialogue with photos that are public access.”
“I wish the court to know I am not and will never be a danger to children or their parents,” said Zinn.
Zinn’s outburst on September 10 distracted law enforcement in the critical moments after the shooting as they were attempting to track down the killer. Law enforcement later determined that Zinn was not the shooter and, late the next day, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial">arrested</a> Tyler Robinson. Robinson has been charged with seven counts related to Kirk’s murder and may face the death penalty if found guilty.
Robinson&#8217;s legal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial">process</a> is ongoing, and his defense team recently claimed that the Utah County Attorney’s Office has a conflict of interest in the case due to a Utah County prosecutor&#8217;s daughter being present at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place.
The prosecution says the family member saw nothing direct and a conflict of interest has not been established. They&#8217;ve also accused the defense of stall tactics.
Judge Tony Graf said that there&#8217;s not sufficient evidence yet to warrant the expulsion of the office, but has allowed Robinson&#8217;s team to begin examining witnesses in relation to the supposed conflict of interest.
Additionally, Judge Graf <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/accused-charlie-kirk-shooter-prosecution-removed/">blocked</a> a pool video camera from showing Robinson after his defense team complained that shots of the accused speaking with his legal team could potentially be seen by lip readers and unfairly impact the trial.
Amanda Prestigiacomo contributed to this story.

Charlie Kirk

Man Who Falsely Claimed To Have Killed Charlie Kirk Sentenced To Prison

Courts

Crime

U.S.

Utah

Greenland dominates discussions in Davos ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech, Erika Kirk files a motion to advance the trial of her husband’s alleged killer, and a look back at one year of Trump 2.0.
It’s Wednesday, January 21, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/greenland-dominates-wef-panels-robinson-trial-stalled/id1576594336?i=1000746019888" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Vs. Europe</h2>
President Trump is set to join global leaders at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, kicking off a series of high-stakes meetings on tariffs, Greenland, and more. Every year, the WEF holds its annual meeting in Davos, hosting thousands of Fortune 500 business leaders, diplomats, and heads of state. Leaders from across the European Union huddled on the sidelines of the conference to formulate a strategy that could spark an enormous economic war. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU “should not hesitate” to use its “Anti-Coercion Instrument,” known unofficially as the Trade Bazooka. That mechanism, which has never been used before, would include widespread bans on American investments in Europe and restrictions on the import and export of American products. They could also take a more subdued approach and simply withdraw from the previously agreed-upon U.S./EU trade deal.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Erika Kirk Files To Speed Up Trial Of Her Husband’s Alleged Killer</h2>
Erika Kirk has filed a motion to speed up the trial of her late husband Charlie Kirk’s killer, accusing the defense team of delay tactics. Kirk’s attorneys are using Utah’s victims’ rights laws, which are designed to prevent unnecessary delays in serious criminal cases. They argue that the case has remained stuck in this pretrial phase while the defense files multiple motions, and that those delays are compounding the trauma for the victim’s family. The filing specifically noted Charlie Kirk’s love for the U.S. Constitution, saying that while the Constitution “guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process.” Meanwhile, the suspect, Tyler Robinson, has still not entered a plea.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">One Year Of Trump</h2>
One year into his second term, President Trump says his agenda is delivering results, bringing the country into what he calls a new “golden age.” Trump has drastically reduced illegal immigration, effectively securing the southern border. Federal officers have surged into major cities to arrest illegal aliens. The United States experienced annual negative immigration for the first time in decades in large part because of Trump’s approach. On economic policy, the president cut numerous trade deals around the world while receiving pledges of investment worth trillions. It remains to be seen whether those pledges bear fruit. Trump has also ignited a series of trade wars, the latest being with Europe over his desire to acquire Greenland from Denmark. The aggressive posture could have consequences later as countries seek to diversify their trading partners. On foreign policy, the president has severely set back Iran’s nuclear program and toppled the Maduro dictatorship in Venezuela. He has also settled a number of open and near-conflicts, while the war in Ukraine continues to rage. Domestically, Trump has waded into prominent culture war topics such as DEI and transgenderism. He has pardoned several people prosecuted and imprisoned under his predecessor, including pro-life activists. He has battled universities to root out woke policies or risk losing federal funding.

MW_260121

Morning Brief: Greenland Tensions, Erika Kirk Seeks Faster Trial, & Trump’s First Year Back

Donald Trump

Emmanuel Macron

European Union

Morning Wire

Erika Kirk’s latest court filing seeks to stop defense delays in the assassination trial of her late husband Charlie Kirk &#8212; a case in which the defendant, Tyler Robinson, has yet to enter a plea.
Erika&#8217;s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, filed a court document asking the judge overseeing the trial to enforce Erika&#8217;s right to a speedy trial, arguing that there have been “undue delays” in the progress of the case.
&#8220;The Utah Code affords victims of a crime &#8216;the right to a speedy disposition of the charges free from unwarranted delay caused by or at the behest of the defendant,'&#8221; Neiman wrote in the filing, according to Fox News.
&#8220;This Court is tasked with the critically important function of ensuring the Defendant has a fair trial, but this Court must also do so while balancing Mrs. Kirk’s right to a speedy trial and therefore this Notice invokes Mrs. Kirk’s rights under applicable Utah Code,&#8221; the filing continued.
Neiman noted that Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder, &#8220;believed in the importance of the United States Constitution,&#8221; and while the Constitution &#8220;guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process.&#8221;
Robinson&#8217;s defense team claims the Utah County Attorney’s Office has a conflict of interest in the case due to a Utah County prosecutor’s daughter being present at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place. They are currently working to get the office booted from the case.
The prosecution says the family member saw nothing direct and a conflict of interest has not been established. They’ve also accused the defense of stall tactics.
At Robinson&#8217;s last court appearance, Judge Tony Graf said there wasn&#8217;t sufficient evidence yet to warrant the expulsion of the office, but has notably allowed Robinson’s team to begin examining witnesses in relation to the supposed conflict of interest.
Robinson has been charged with murdering Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. At the time he was shot, Kirk was taking questions from people in the crowd who disagreed with him on politics.
The state has made clear that they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tyler+Robinson+Had+Another+Day+In+Court.+Here’s+The+Latest+In+The+Charlie+Kirk+Assassination+Trial.">Tyler Robinson Had Another Day In Court. Here’s The Latest In The Charlie Kirk Assassination Trial.</a>

US-POLITICS-SHOOTING-KIRK

How Erika Kirk Is Trying To Stop Delays In Charlie’s Assassination Trial

Murder

(Reuters) &#8211; Two people were killed, and at least six others were injured in a shooting during an altercation outside a funeral at a church in the Utah capital of Salt Lake City, police said on Wednesday, as they launched a manhunt for suspects.
The situation was still fluid after Wednesday&#8217;s initial report of the incident in the parking lot outside a chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a police spokesperson said.
&#8220;Out in the parking lot, there was some sort of altercation and that&#8217;s when shots were fired,&#8221; Glen Mills told reporters, adding that a funeral service was being held in the church at the time.
Among at least eight adult victims, two died of their injuries, the police said, while three of the survivors were critical and the medical condition of the rest was not known.
Police said they launched a manhunt for the suspects and aimed to interview witnesses among the dozens of people who attended the funeral. The FBI said it was offering assistance.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,&#8221; a police officer told a later press conference on live television.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the Mormon church, follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and the 19th-century prophecies of Joseph Smith.
In a statement, it said it was cooperating with law enforcement after a serious incident outside a church meeting-house as a memorial service was being held in the chapel.
&#8220;We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,&#8221; it added.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Michelle Nichols and Clarence Fernandez)
&nbsp;

Violence Strikes Salt Lake City Church As Shooting Leaves Two Dead

Church

Mormonism

Salt Lake City

Transcripts and audio from the October 24 hearing for suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson will be made public after a Monday ruling from the Utah judge overseeing the murder case.
District Court Judge Tony Graf gave the court until the end of the day to release the transcript from a brief closed-door hearing that focused on whether Robinson, 22, could remain in civilian clothing and unshackled for the trial. The audio from the hearing must be released within two weeks. Graf added that 246 words, which amounts to one page of the 80-page transcript, would be redacted, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/transcript-audio-closed-door-hearing-alleged-charlie-kirk-shooter-case-rcna251368">reported</a>.
Robinson was present for Monday&#8217;s hearing virtually and did not appear on screen. He was heard saying, &#8220;Yes, your honor,” when the judge asked if he was present, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/29/us-news/charlie-kirk-suspect-tyler-robinsons-secret-hearings-to-be-made-public-after-judges-order/">reported</a>.
The ruling is another win for reporters in the pretrial arguments, as media outlets have pushed for full transparency in the case. Monday&#8217;s decision follows a separate ruling earlier this month from Graf to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cameras-allowed-in-court-for-trial-of-accused-charlie-kirk-assassin-judge-rules">allow cameras</a> in the courtroom during the trial. Kirk&#8217;s widow, Erika — along with members of the media — has pushed for the trial to be made as public as possible, while Robinson&#8217;s defense team has argued that wall-to-wall coverage could taint the jury pool.
&#8220;There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,&#8221; Erika Kirk said. &#8220;There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there. &#8230; Let everyone see what true evil is.&#8221;
Attorneys for local and national media outlets argued in a motion earlier this month that &#8220;every high-profile criminal prosecution has significant pretrial publicity, no matter where it occurs&#8221; and that the First Amendment guarantees the media access to the courts doing &#8220;the public&#8217;s business,&#8221; according to NBC News.
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In the October 24 closed-door hearing, Graf said that Robinson could wear civilian clothing for the trial, but added that the suspected assassin would have to be restrained in court. In his first virtual court appearance after his arrest, Robinson was in a suicide vest. He was also placed on &#8220;special watch&#8221; in jail after reportedly telling his parents that he would rather kill himself than turn himself over to law enforcement.
Robinson faces numerous charges, including seven felony charges of aggravated murder in the killing of Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. He&#8217;s accused of killing Kirk with a single shot from a bolt-action rifle while the conservative commentator spoke to a large group of students. Robinson <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/tyler-robinson-set-face-formal-charges-shooting-death/story?id=125614396">told</a> his parents that he killed Kirk because he believed Kirk &#8220;spread too much hate,&#8221; according to charging documents. The suspected assassin could face a firing squad if he&#8217;s convicted of the aggravated murder charge.
Robinson is due back in court on January 16 for a major hearing on a motion to disqualify the Utah County Attorney&#8217;s Office from prosecuting the case over an alleged conflict of interest. Robinson&#8217;s defense team argues that a family member of a Utah County prosecutor was present at Utah Valley University when Kirk was assassinated.

Judge Tony Graf

Judge Orders Transcripts, Audio To Be Made Public From Hearing For Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin

assassination

Court

A Utah state employee accused Republican Governor Spencer Cox of engaging in &#8220;reprehensible censorship” for ordering a review that included flagging content related to radical gender and racial ideology in state documents, according to emails viewed by The Daily Wire. 
An employee with the Utah Department of Health attacked Cox, accusing him of &#8220;dehumanizing&#8221; minorities and saying more should be done to “push back” against the review, emails obtained by Do No Harm show. The employee made the comment amid a sensitive content review that directed officials at Utah’s Department of Health to go through content and watch for words like “anti-racism,” “environmental justice,” “gender identity,” “LGBTQ(IA+),” “Racism,” “transgender,” “white privilege,” “white fragility,” abortion, and more. 
The call to &#8220;push back&#8221; was apparently made during a staff meeting and passed along by public information officer Charla Haley, whose job is to communicate with the public about what’s happening at the health department, to other employees in the Utah Department of Health in an email on January 10, 2024.
&#8220;Why isn&#8217;t more being done to push back against the Sensitive Content Assignment issued by the governor&#8217;s office?&#8221; the quote shared by Haley read. &#8220;This effort to remove references to health equity, race, gender identity, ethnicity, and sexual orientation is reprehensible censorship that invisibilizes communities who have already experienced disproportionate negative health outcomes from systemic oppression. It is dehumanizing and will further marginalize diverse people in Utah, including employees and Partners.&#8221; 
Utah Department of Health and Human Services Director Mike Grass said in an email to The Daily Wire that Haley passed the message along to other employees &#8220;who had some questions.&#8221; It was not clear what the questions were.
&#8220;With respect to the comment sent by Charla Haley, this was simply a direct quote written by an employee made during a staff meeting. She passed it along to three staff members who had some questions,&#8221; the Utah Department of Health told The Daily Wire. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1017301" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM.png" alt="" width="1428" height="270" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM.png 1428w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM-300x57.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM-1024x194.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM-768x145.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px" /></div>
Kurt Miceli, the medical Director of Do No Harm, said the comment showed that there were political ideologues embedded in Utah&#8217;s Department of Health and Human Services. 
 “What Do No Harm has uncovered makes it clear that there are political ideologues in Utah’s DHHS who are interested in pushing an agenda, not science,&#8221; he said. &#8220;These activists within Utah’s DHHS should stop pushing their political agenda and spend more time helping the people of their state.”
A few hours after passing along the quote attacking the governor, Haley sent an email to another health department employee telling them to pull &#8220;concerning&#8221; handouts &#8220;for the time being.&#8221; 
“So, you might want to go through some of your handouts that might be concerning and pull them for the time being. Your disease reports should be fine for now and we can review them and rebrand them after the 15th,” she wrote. 
Grass told The Daily Wire that the reference to rebranding had to do with a merger, and the department was not trying to hide DEI-focused materials.
&#8220;DHHS is compliant with the governor’s directive. DHHS materials were not rebranded to hide references to DEI activities; however, materials were revised to comply with the governor’s directive and the department’s internal policies,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Additionally, the department’s efforts to rebrand and the references to rebranding were necessary due to the merger between the Utah Department of Health and the Utah Department of Human Services in July 2022. After the merger, the department’s website continued to contain documents with old logos. The rebranding comments simply referred to making sure they all had the new logo.&#8221;
Grass said those conducting the review were &#8220;instructed to watch for certain words&#8221; and &#8220;the context in which those words were used during the review process.&#8221;
&#8220;The use of those words alone did not necessarily result in revisions to particular materials,&#8221; he said. 
In another email sent to a health department employee in February 2024, Haley shared a rant from someone named “Mikey” who she said was “definitely in touch with his emotions.” In the rant, “Mikey” said that parents should allow their kids to identify as transgender. 
“The LGBTQIA+ community does not want your children. They want to give a safe space for your child when you decide they are no longer your child because they came out as gay or trans. YOU, as a parent, are a failure if you feel that is the only acceptable response to your child telling you what has been plaguing their minds the most,” the person wrote. 
In another email from April 16, 2024, obtained by Do No Harm, a then-health department employee, Andrea Hood, discussed editing an LGBT-focused resource to get it through the content review process. 
“I was wondering if we want to edit this resource for parents and submit it through the DHHS ‘sensitive topics’ review process,” she wrote. “What are your thoughts? I created it to go with Inclusive Spaces training but I think it could be useful on its own. I&#8217;m open to making adjustments to it if there are pieces that might be particularly scrutinized we can brainstorm how to do that.”
The resource pushed parents to get involved in politics and embrace their kids&#8217; gender expression.
The resource said that using “chosen name &amp; pronouns,” supporting “gender expression,” encouraging “inclusive practices,” and being “active in the legislative process,” would “increase the likelihood of your LGBTQ+ child having a healthy and happy future.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1017305" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM.png" alt="" width="1359" height="965" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM.png 1359w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM-300x213.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM-811x576.png 811w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM-768x545.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1359px) 100vw, 1359px" /></div>
The resource also said to “speak up when you hear stereotypes about LGBTQ+ people,” and “talk with your religious leaders to help your congregation become more supportive of LGBTQ+ people.”
The inclusive practices the resource said to support included “including pronouns on enrollment forms,” “name and pronoun change procedures,” “LGBTQ+ professional development for staff,” “sports participation for transgender and gender non-binary youth,” “inclusive curricula,” and “affirming clubs (Gender &amp; Sexuality Alliances).”
The resource told parents to use their children&#8217;s chosen pronouns, not their biological ones, and to &#8220;correct&#8221; themselves when they &#8220;make a mistake.&#8221; 
“Listen to your child to understand what being transgender or gender nonbinary means to them, and what it feels like,” the resource said, adding, “Try to use their chosen name and pronouns, and correct yourself in the moment when you make a mistake.”
The resource also claimed that studies “found that youth who have parental and school support to transition socially have significantly better mental health outcomes than youth without that support.”
Cox&#8217;s office did not respond to requests for comment on the emails. 
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Utah’s Department of Health has<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/utah-lawmakers-are-getting-terribly-flawed-information-on-transgender-procedures-watchdog-warns?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Utah+Lawmakers+Are+Getting+%E2%80%98Terribly+Flawed%E2%80%99+Information+On+Transgender+Procedures%2C+Watchdog+Warns"> been criticized</a> for producing a “terribly flawed” report on the science behind transgender procedures for kids. The report, which was sent from the department to the Utah legislature, significantly misrepresents the scientific record and glosses over the danger of transgender procedures, Do No Harm said in a memo last week. 
The report also came alongside recommendations from the Utah Department of Health, which Miceli said silently supported undoing protections for kids from transgender procedures. 
The recommendations are all contingent on the moratorium being lifted, Miceli said. These included things like setting up a board to oversee the moratorium, creating specific standards of care, and limiting those who prescribe transgender procedures to “demonstrated experts.”
Utah’s Department of Health also <a href="https://dhhs.utah.gov/public-health-training-hub/self-paced-trainings/">maintains</a> a “self-paced” training page on the topics of “advancing health equity,” “an anti-racist imperative for public health data,” and “How to be Anti-Racist in the Everyday Practice of Public Health.”
“Each day, we have opportunities to fight racism and bias in our work in public health. From our hiring practices to microaggressions that occur in internal meetings to the data we collect to the policies we influence, enact, and enforce — racism and bias impact all facets of public health. Studies show that this ultimately causes a negative impact on health outcomes and hinders our efforts to reduce racial inequities in health,” the course description says. 
In January 2023, Cox signed legislation placing a moratorium on doctors giving kids cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers and banning transgender surgeries. That came after he previously vetoed a bill keeping males out of female sports.

Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Previews

Utah Health Employee Urged Others To ‘Push Back’ Against Review Of Trans Content

Utah Health Employee Called For 'Push Back' Against Trans Content Review, Email Shows

LGBT

Spencer Cox

Transgender

Erika Kirk

Why I Don’t Buy The Charlie Kirk Conspiracy Theories

Candace Owens

Conspiracy Theory

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Cameras will be allowed inside the courtroom during the trial of alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, Utah Judge Tony Graf, Jr. ruled on Thursday.
Robinson appeared in court in person for the first time since his arrest in September. The 22-year-old Utah man is facing a slew of charges related to Kirk’s murder, including aggravated murder, felony use of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
The judge said Thursday that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom during the trial, though located away from the table of Robinson and his legal team.
“I find that excluding … the cameras from the courtroom would be disproportionate for this hearing. I find that making it very clear, first, that the transmission cannot begin until court is in session and must end as the court ends the session, and cannot be filmed before or after,” the judge said.
He emphasized that the court may order the cameras on and off at the court’s discretion.
“I simply want to put all parties on notice–to the press, to all parties–that this court takes this very seriously. While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case,” he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The judge in Tyler Robinson’s case just ruled cameras will be allowed in the courtroom stating that doing otherwise would be &#8220;disproportionate for this hearing.&#8221; The people will get to see justice in action. <a href="https://t.co/hMhOWkLPkA">pic.twitter.com/hMhOWkLPkA</a>
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) <a href="https://twitter.com/WatchChad/status/1999252868076085621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Robinson’s attorneys <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/judge-to-decide-degree-of-media-access-in-charlie-kirk-killing-case/4027110/">argued</a> against broadcasting the proceedings, voicing concerns that the flood of media attention and access to the courtroom could jeopardize Robinson’s right to a fair trial.
Friends and family of Kirk have argued in favor of broadcasting the trial. Kirk’s widow, Erika, said on Fox News last month that cameras are a matter of transparency.“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered. There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UzqVlm8VXRI">said</a> Erika. “We deserve to have cameras in there. Why not be transparent?”

Tyler Robinson

Cameras Allowed In Court For Trial Of Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin, Judge Rules

Turning Point USA

The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trove-of-critical-minerals-uncovered-in-the-utah-desert-9bc509f9/">reports</a> that Ionic Mineral Technologies (Ionic MT) has recently uncovered what may be one of the most significant critical-mineral reserves in the United States while mining clay at Utah’s Silicon Ridge.
Originally leasing the land to produce nanosilicon for lithium-ion batteries, the company unexpectedly identified high-grade concentrations of 16 critical minerals, including lithium, alumina, germanium, rubidium, cesium, vanadium, niobium, and scandium. Independent testing confirmed the deposit is a halloysite-hosted ion-adsorption clay, similar to geological formations in China that supply a major share of global rare-earth output.
Because the deposit is shallow, accessible, and located on pre-permitted land with extensive infrastructure, Ionic MT says extraction could begin quickly. CEO Andre Zeitoun argues the find has far-reaching implications for national security, as these minerals are indispensable for advanced semiconductors, electric vehicles, fighter jets, and artificial-intelligence hardware.
The discovery comes amid heavy geopolitical tension over China’s control of critical mineral markets. China produces roughly 70% of the world’s rare earths and processes about 90%, giving it enormous leverage over global supply chains. Recent Chinese export restrictions have alarmed American industry and policymakers, though a temporary one-year delay won through recent trade negotiations offers a short window for the United States and allies to expand production and processing capacity.
It is this strategic vulnerability that has galvanized Marco Rubio’s leadership on the issue. In July 2024, in another move to counter Communist China, Rubio introduced the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4702">Critical Mineral Supply Chain Realignment Act of 2024</a>. imposing aggressive, escalating tariffs on Chinese-controlled electromagnets, permanent magnets, batteries, solar components, and other key technologies. Tariffs would reach 800% on Chinese goods, while non-allied nations would face 25% duties, all designed to push supply chains toward American and allied producers.
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Rubio argued that the United States must break China’s “critical mineral industrial monopoly,” warning that Beijing’s near-total control of end-to-end supply chains — mining, refining, and magnet production — posed economic and national-security dangers.
Rubio has also spearheaded bipartisan pressure — partnering with Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and others — <a href="https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/b/7/b77b564b-9f1b-47db-9d54-9d020d91ffc4/5FE33019DC7A2ED1E156EBA22FB39351.11.16.23-senate-critical-mineral-letter-to-amos-hochstein-final.pdf">urging</a> the White House and the Export-Import Bank to prioritize financing for domestic and allied processing, refining, and metallurgical capacity. Their joint letters emphasized that demand for critical minerals was soaring while the United States remained dangerously dependent on China, which often controls “nearly 100%” of the entire supply chains. They argued that only rapid investment, coordinated with allies such as Australia, could counter China’s dominance.
Utah’s newly revealed deposit — supported by the state’s already diverse critical-mineral portfolio — represents not just an industrial opportunity but a strategic asset. State leaders echo Rubio’s warnings: securing reliable domestic sources of these minerals is essential for U.S. energy independence, defense needs, and long-term technological competitiveness.

Robotic arm giving a CPU to another robot

Huge Utah Mineral Find Gives U.S. New Firepower Against China’s Supply-Chain Grip

Marco Rubio

rare earth minerals

Utah lawmakers will soon decide whether to keep laws in place protecting kids from transgender procedures. Their decision will be based in a large part on a report the Utah legislature commissioned — a report one watchdog says is &#8220;terribly flawed.&#8221;
Do No Harm on Tuesday released a memo highlighting the problems with a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/report-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> commissioned by the Utah legislature on transgender procedures on kids. The <a href="https://donoharmmedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Debunking-Utah-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a>, first shared with The Daily Wire, says that the report significantly misrepresents the scientific record and glosses over the danger of transgender procedures.
&#8220;Its shortcomings include failure to adhere to the fundamental standards of a systematic review, prioritizing the quantity of evidence over its quality, uncritically relying on guidelines from purported experts, overlooking significant life-altering adverse effects, and consulting advisors, some of whom support &#8216;gender-affirming care&#8217; for minors,&#8221; Do No Harm medical director Kurt Miceli and gender ideology program director Michelle Havrilla write.
The May 2025 report, titled &#8220;Gender-Affirming Medical Treatments for Pediatric Patients with Gender Dysphoria,&#8221; was conducted by the Drug Regimen Review Center at the University of Utah and led by Dr. Joanne LaFleur. It was commissioned after Utah Republicans passed legislation in 2023 to shield kids from transgender procedures by putting a moratorium on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
The purpose of the report is to guide the Utah Department of Health&#8217;s recommendations to the legislature about whether to keep the ban on hormonal procedures in place. After an in-depth review of the 1,000-page report, Do No Harm said that the legislature should ignore the Utah report, and instead rely on a Department of Health and Human Services review that found putting kids on puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones damaged their development and comes with serious health risks.
&#8220;The Utah Report asserts that puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are safe and effective amid a sea of weak evidence, data extraction by a single reviewer rather than at least two, and conclusions based primarily on narrative summaries rather than quantitative synthesis – all despite reaching conflicting findings from well-established systematic reviews available prior to the Utah Report’s submission,&#8221; Do No Harm writes in its memo.
This portrayal comes from a reliance on anecdotal stories and studies, and not a systematic review of all relevant studies. Miceli told The Daily Wire that the Utah Report was &#8220;terribly flawed&#8221; and &#8220;anything but&#8221; a systematic review, and did not conduct a critical evaluation of the studies cited.
&#8220;Unlike true systematic reviews, it does not assess the reliability of studies and whether the research can provide guidance for weighing the risks and benefits of medical intervention for children with gender dysphoria,&#8221; the memo said.
Miceli and Havrilla write that the Utah report relied on observational studies as opposed to randomized control studies. The authors also pointed more to quantity over quality, they said.
At one point, the Utah authors wrote that “the amount of evidence available for treating pediatric [gender dysphoria] patients with [gender-affirming hormonal therapy] far exceeds the quantity that supported the use of [spinal muscular atrophy] gene therapy upon FDA approval.&#8221;
The gene therapy approval was based on objective testing, while the transgender studies were based on subjective methods, Do No Harm warned.
The Utah authors also accepted the guidance of radical groups like the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the Endocrine Society. Both these groups downplay the risks of transgender procedures on kids and endorse things like cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers.
Miceli said that the Utah report treats the WPATH guidelines &#8220;as gospel&#8221; and offers &#8220;no critical evaluation.&#8221;
The Utah report takes &#8220;these guidelines at face value purely because they come from &#8216;organizations that are widely regarded as authorities in their given specialty&#8217; and state &#8216;a risk-of-bias assessment was not conducted on guidelines as part of the current work because [the authors] restricted inclusion to recognized medical authorities who published evidence-based guidelines,'&#8221; the memo noted.
Both WPATH and the Endocrine Society make the dubious suggestion that it&#8217;s possible to reverse the effects of puberty blockers. This contradicts evidence that puberty blockers stunt bone development and have unknown neurological impacts.
Other well-documented problems with transgender procedures on kids are also downplayed, Do No Harm notes. For example, the risk of sexual dysfunction from cross-sex hormones is not mentioned, and potential dangers to infertility are not included as an outcome of focus.
&#8220;They conclude that gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is effective in improving mental health and psychosocial outcomes, whereas concerns related to bone health, cardiovascular risk, and cancer are &#8216;minimal and manageable.&#8217; The Utah Report neglects significant adverse effects that are associated with GAHT, including the life-altering effects of infertility/sterility and sexual dysfunction.&#8221;
While the <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/report-3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommendations</a> added to the report claim that no position is being taken on whether to continue the moratorium on trans procedures, Miceli told The Daily Wire that it is a contradictory claim. The recommendations are all contingent on the moratorium being lifted, Miceli said. These included things like setting up a board to oversee the moratorium, creating specific standards of care, and limiting those who prescribe transgender procedures to &#8220;demonstrated experts.&#8221;
Do No Harm also flagged multiple doctors recommended by the Utah report&#8217;s amendments as advisors to lawmakers for potential conflicts of interest. This included Nikki Mihalopoulos and Brooks Keeshin.
Mihalopoulos <a href="https://www.academicpedsjnl.net/article/S1876-2859(20)30508-8/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authored</a> a 2021 article discussing how “pediatric health care providers can play a critical role in building solutions in policy and advocacy…to improve the health of transgender/gender diverse youth. Many government entities, especially at the state and local level, actively resist efforts promoting equal rights.”
Keeshin has <a href="https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(24)00521-5/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">written</a> a “Clinical Perspective” highlighting Utah’s “potential pathway forward” for “open access to [gender-affirming] care” for adolescents and said that the protections created a &#8220;significant challenge to adolescents who would benefit from gender-affirming care as well as their healthcare providers.&#8221;

A girl holds the Transgender Pride flag during the pride

Utah Lawmakers Are Getting ‘Terribly Flawed’ Information On Transgender Procedures, Watchdog Warns

medicine

Utah is expected to get a Democrat-favored congressional district following a court ruling earlier this week on redistricting maps, adding yet another complicated layer to the nationwide gerrymandering battle.
Utah Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson ruled on Monday in favor of a map that went against the map proposed by Republicans in the legislature, who are expected to appeal the ruling, which sides with the plaintiffs, Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) and the League of Women Voters, <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/51403648/utah-judge-selects-new-congressional-map-tossing-map-drawn-by-lawmakers">KSL</a> reported.
“In the coming hours and days, there will be many who will try to frame this victory through the lens of partisanship. Some will co-opt this as a win for their party, and others will see this as a loss and use it as a rallying cry for theirs. Let us be clear about what this case has always been about for MWEG: MWEG stands firmly opposed to gerrymandering, no matter which party initiates or benefits from it,” the Mormon Women for Ethical Government said in a statement.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said that he would back a legal appeal to the judge’s decision.
“The Utah Constitution clearly states that it is the responsibility of the Legislature to divide the state into congressional districts,” the governor posted to X on Tuesday. “While I respect the Court’s role in our system, no judge, and certainly no advocacy group, can usurp that constitutional authority. For this reason, I fully support the Legislature appealing the Court’s decision.”
In the meantime, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said that the process is kicking off to make sure candidates can file to run for the congressional seat properly early next year at the state level.
“There will likely be an emergency appeal, but the process of finalizing new boundary details will take weeks of meticulous work on the part of state and county officials,” Henderson posted Tuesday. “Barring an appellate court ruling, we must begin without delay to ensure that everything is in place for candidate filing in January. The people of Utah deserve an orderly and fair election and we will do everything in our power to administer one.”
Democrats in Utah are already chomping at the bit for a chance at the seat, as the Beehive State currently has four Republican representatives in the House, and the map the judge ruled on encompasses the Salt Lake City area.
“I’ve done it before, to stand up against Trump when it was hard, not just when it was expected,” former Rep. Ben McAdams said in a campaign launch video Thursday morning. McAdams was elected to Congress in 2018 by defeating late Rep. Mia Love, and then lost to Rep. Burgess Owens in 2020 – both of which were competitive races prior to the redrawing after the 2020 census. McAdams previously served as mayor of Salt Lake County.
In addition, Utah Democratic Sen. Kathleen Riebe also launched her bid for a seat this week.
The ongoing legal battle in the state is only one element of how the 2026 congressional maps across the country could end up looking very different in the coming weeks. Other states have taken major steps toward voluntary mid-decade redistricting, including in Texas and California, especially with the passage of Proposition 50 in the Golden State.
Red states and blue states are reworking their maps, which some say could benefit Republicans, whereas others caution it could just end up making the numbers look similar to where they are now, despite a potential party flip in the chamber. Republicans hold a narrow 219-214 majority in the House.
“The whole thing might come out to be a wash anyway,” Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-redistricting-battle-keeps-getting-messier">The Daily Wire</a> earlier this month.
“I am continuing to advocate for my legislation to stop this whole redistricting domino effect. I think it’s a really bad thing for the country. I think it is degrading democracy in every state where it happens. I think gerrymandering is wrong, and we need to just put an end to this,” Kiley added, explaining his proposal to create a federal law against mid-decade redistricting, as it&#8217;s typically only done each decade with new census data.

US President Joe Biden hosts governors and their spouses in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington

Utah Might Get A Democrat In Congress After Controversial Court Ruling

Congress

Politics

Redistricting

Republicans

Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, will be able to wear civilian clothes to court, a judge ruled on Monday.
Robinson will be allowed to ditch his prison garb when he appears in court, but he will have to stay shackled. Utah Judge Tony Graf ruled that the 22-year-old accused assassin must remain in chains for the safety of others in the courtroom, according to the <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/10/27/charlie-kirk-killing-judge-says/">Salt Lake Tribune</a>.
The defendant’s attorneys had asked the judge’s permission for Robinson to wear civilian clothing and appear unshackled in court, arguing that appearing like a prisoner would bias a jury’s perception. The defense team made special mention of the amount of attention the case has received.
The judge appeared swayed by the defense team’s argument, though Graf’s sympathy was limited. The judge said that the request to appear in civilian clothes would cause only “minimal inconvenience” to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office when compared to Robinson’s interest in a fair trial.
“The case has attracted extraordinary public and media attention,” <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/10/27/us-news/alleged-charlie-kirk-assassin-tyler-robinson-makes-same-court-request-as-luigi-mangione/">said</a> Graf, according to the New York Post. “Images of Mr. Robinson in jail clothing are likely to circulate widely and influence prospective jurors. Given the scale of that publicity, the risk of prejudice is significant.”
“Mr. Robinson’s right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the minimal inconvenience of permitting civilian attire and Mr. Robinson shall be dressed as one who is presumed innocent,” the judge added.
During Monday’s hearing, Graf was also asked to consider banning cameras from the courtroom. The judge put off the issue, but added that if prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed, they could file a joint request later to have cameras banned.
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Robinson is expected to appear in court again on January 16. His next court appearance had been scheduled for Thursday, but his legal team <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1982889447881421218">joined</a> prosecutors in requesting that the court date be “vacated.”
The request by Robinson’s attorneys over the presentation of their client echoes a request made by the attorneys of accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione. Over the summer, Mangione’s legal team asked the judge in his case to allow the suspect to appear in court without handcuffs or a bulletproof vest.
At his most recent court appearance, Mangione appeared in prison clothes and handcuffs, though he was not wearing a bulletproof vest, according to the Post.
Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a college event in Utah in September. The Turning Point USA founder was shot in the neck before being rushed to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Kirk the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on October 14, which would have been Kirk&#8217;s 32nd birthday.

Charlie Kirk’s Suspected Assassin Scores Shocking Win In First Court Appearance

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