Category Archives: politics

government, legal, politics, security

John Bolton – Classified Criminal or Trump Victim? – Liberty Nation News

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Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, who served during the first Trump administration, was indicted this week in federal court in Maryland. The eighteen crimes the grand jury says he must stand trial for are all related to mishandling classified material in violation of the Espionage Act.

While many critics denounced the prosecution as payback from Trump for Bolton’s disloyalty, it was the Biden/Garland DOJ that started the investigation yielding the indictments.

Bolton once said, “Off with their heads!” referring to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who was charged with breaking the same law. “I hope he gets 176 years!” he added. The infamous war hawk also said Chelsea Manning should be put to death. Manning, who later changed their name and gender expression to Chelsea, gave WikiLeaks thousands of classified documents and was convicted of violating the Espionage Act.

Bolton’s indictment marks quite a reversal of fortune. He was at the very top of the United States’ security establishment for a year until Trump fired him. Then Bolton became a prominent administration critic and, from the MAGA perspective, a disloyal danger. This was established with the publication of *The Room Where It Happened*, a memoir Bolton penned.

The book is searingly critical of President Trump: “[H]e has no political philosophy, and does not have ‘policies’ as conventionally understood. Searching for policy coherence is fruitless, since he cares almost exclusively about his own interests, and refuses to take responsibility for decisions he makes that go awry.”

Trump revoked any security clearance Bolton may have held via an executive order issued in his second term. Because James Comey and Letitia James have also recently been charged by the Trump/Bondi DOJ, it’s been easy for critics to lump in Bolton and say it’s all Trump settling scores. After all, Trump did initiate an investigation into his former appointee over the tell-all book.

CNN, however, reports that multiple sources claim these investigations were separate.

### Breaches Aid Iran

If the indictment is accurate, Mr. Bolton created electronic files with classified information on them in violation of the law. Then those files were accessed by Iranian intelligence, who hacked Bolton’s personal email account. He’s also charged with compounding the damage by not reporting it.

After news of the indictment broke, President Trump commented: “He’s, you know, a bad person. I think he’s a bad guy.”

While the Trump administration may not have initiated the chain of events leading to this indictment, it has run with the ball to bring this prosecution forward.

### Is This a Political Prosecution?

Does that make it a political prosecution? We need to recognize all prosecutions as political. That’s why we elect District Attorneys, and why United States Attorney General nominees get such scrutiny.

We Americans live under thousands upon thousands of laws and regulations, creating near-perpetual criminal liability. Then all that matters is that your side wins, and you can put the other side in prison.

### Who Is John Galt?

Ayn Rand wrote a scene in *Atlas Shrugged* in which a not-so-petty tyrant explained the value of innumerable laws where full compliance is impossible:

> “The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone?”

Are we there yet in this country? Yes.

The phenomenon was laid out by a giant in civil rights litigation, Harvey Silverglate, who co-founded the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression:

> “The average professional in this country wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes home, eats dinner, and then goes to sleep, unaware that he or she has likely committed several federal crimes that day. Why? The answer lies in the very nature of modern federal criminal laws, which have exploded in number but also become impossibly broad and vague.”

Mr. Silverglate’s words were published in his 2011 book *Three Felonies A Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent*. Sadly, things have only gotten worse.

Mr. Bolton and Ms. James will suffer terribly expensive and invasive ordeals as they fight to retain their liberty — as have Mr. Trump, Mr. Bannon, General Flynn, and others. Perhaps, as the gander gets goosed, they can all flock together, embracing our founders’ vision of liberty.
https://www.libertynation.com/john-bolton-classified-criminal-or-trump-victim/

budget, government, politics, urban development

Philly’s City Council considering $194.5M package to start mayor’s ambitious housing initiative

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City Council members received a detailed resolution on October 1 outlining the first year of spending for Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy, also known as the H.O.M.E. Program. The Annual Program Statement and Budget contain plans to distribute the first year’s funding to build and repair housing across the city.

Some of these programs have expanded their area median income (AMI) eligibility to allow more residents to qualify for assistance with costly repairs or to become first-time homeowners.

Angela Brooks, the city’s Chief Housing and Urban Development Officer, spoke with *The Tribune* on Friday. She noted that much of her role involves community engagement. Residents have asked about the increased AMI thresholds on programs, and some have expressed confusion about the One Philly Mortgage, with some thinking the city is starting a bank.

While the H.O.M.E. Program features many elements and specific output goals are still in development, Brooks emphasized the scope and scale of the comprehensive housing strategy designed to address numerous challenges.

> “It will expand all city neighborhoods, income levels throughout the housing continuum,” she said.
> “This housing crisis will not just be solved by focusing on one component over the next, but that also makes it the most difficult because we are comprehensively trying to solve a housing crisis over all those things.

> “It’d certainly be way easier if we were only focusing on one, but the mayor has an ask,” Brooks added. “She’s set ambitious, achievable goals and we’re tasked to meet them, and I think this plan will do it.”

Brooks explained that part of the reason for few quantitative goals tied to this package is the fluidity of the numbers. City Council members have a 60-day window, starting October 1, to review the legislation before it is introduced, though they may engage with it before the window closes. As has happened in the past, program allocations and the overall budget are likely to change during negotiations.

The most current copy of the legislation obtained by *The Tribune* shows that the largest allocations will go to programs supporting existing properties.

### Major Program Investments

– **Affordable Housing Preservation Funds:** With the biggest investment of $37.5 million, this program provides financing to developers and property owners for improvements and for the acquisition of rental units at risk of being converted to market-rate units. Eligibility targets households earning 60% of AMI or less.

– **Basic Systems Repairs Program:** A popular option helping homeowners fix repairs involving wiring, plumbing, leaky roofs, or broken heaters, this program will receive nearly $34.8 million. Residents earning up to 100% AMI qualify for assistance.

Regarding the **One Philly Mortgage Program**, which partners with lending institutions to offer 30-year mortgages featuring lower down payments and interest rates, Brooks shared a ballpark figure. The program covers the need for private mortgage insurance and is available to residents earning up to 120% AMI. With an earmarked $25 million, the city hopes to enroll approximately 2,000 new participants.

### Councilmember Reactions

Councilmember and Committee on Housing Chair Jamie Gauthier praised the proposed budget:

> “I am encouraged that the Mayor’s proposed budget for the first year of her H.O.M.E. Initiative reflects several changes I championed this spring, especially around strengthening home repair programs,” Gauthier said.

She added that with the Council’s 60-day review period underway, she looks forward to working closely with Mayor Parker, Council President Johnson, colleagues, and the community to thoughtfully review and refine the proposal.

> “As I have emphasized from the start, addressing our city’s housing crisis means seizing this historic opportunity to support the 200,000 households earning under $30,000 a year — families who are just one maintenance emergency or rent hike away from homelessness,” Gauthier said.

### Support for Renters and Prevention Programs

The plan also includes significant investment in programs designed to help renters afford to stay in their homes:

– Approximately $15 million will fund **Eviction Diversion/Targeted Financial Assistance**, helping to resolve cases involving owed rent for residents earning 80% AMI or less.

– Initial funding allocates $3.8 million to **Homeless Prevention**, $2.85 million for **housing counseling and eviction prevention**, and $1.8 million to **PHLHousing+** for rental assistance.

### Legislative Process and Future Outlook

This will be the second consecutive fall that City Council takes on a major legislative task from the administration. While there are discussions about starting work soon, there is no specific deadline to pass this resolution. Introduction could happen as early as Council’s next scheduled meeting.

Brooks said that the administration aims to use this model to determine spending for future fiscal years and align with standard government budget calendars. The timing may influence whether the city borrows annually to meet Council-approved needs or adheres to the two $400 million issuances planned for this year and 2027. Requests for further comment on the planned borrowing were unanswered at the time of publication.

Brooks expressed gratitude toward council members for collaborating with her and the administration over the summer to craft the current version of the plan.

Though resolutions do not require hearings before passage under Council rules, the scale of this plan might prompt Council to invite public comment and expert testimony.

Council President Kenyatta Johnson emphasized the importance of careful review:

> “Council members are doing their important and necessary due diligence in reviewing the Mayor’s H.O.M.E. resolution before taking any final vote on the issue,” Johnson said.
> “That review will continue. This is a massive multi-billion-dollar plan to build and preserve 30,000 housing units over the next few years. Getting the H.O.M.E. Program Annual Statement and budget resolution right is more important than rushing it.”

Johnson underscored that the initiative is about making smart, responsible investments that will impact every neighborhood and resident of Philadelphia.

> “We owe it to the people we serve to take the time to get it right,” he said.
> “Council members are committed to supporting H.O.M.E.’s goals of taking bold and necessary steps toward addressing Philadelphia’s housing challenges. Council remains committed to working collaboratively with the Parker Administration, community partners, and residents to ensure the H.O.M.E. Plan is implemented effectively and equitably.”
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/phillys-city-council-considering-194-5m-package-to-start-mayors-ambitious-housing-initiative/article_203eb7fc-cf16-4443-ab09-8417f1666fe7.html

extremism, international relations, politics, social movements, violence

No Kings, no boundaries, no America

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Fourteen years after Occupy Wall Street and five years after the George Floyd riots, the Democratic Party has embraced the tactics of the mob. Anyone who hoped the party would retreat from extremism was wrong. The movement calling itself No Kings has returned, proving the point.

What began as a slogan of defiance now serves as the organizing banner for a political faction that thrives on confrontation, violence, and plausible deniability. The republic cannot survive a ruling class that excuses its own mobs.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk could have been a moment of national reflection—a chance for Democrats to reconsider their indulgence in rhetoric that blurs the line between protest and terrorism. Instead, the party apparatus has chosen escalation. When you tell unstable people that Trump is a “fascist,” that dissent is violence, and that opposition equals Nazism, don’t be shocked when someone acts on it.

### The Logic of the Left

To understand how this happened, you must understand how the modern left thinks. Progressives treat speech as violence and dissent as an existential threat. Anyone who refuses to affirm their ideology becomes, by definition, an oppressor. From that premise, violence becomes “self-defense.”

If Trump is Hitler, then violence against him or anyone aligned with his cause is not just justified but virtuous. The left’s revolutionaries no longer storm palaces. They dominate the streets.

On October 18, No Kings protests will erupt again across the country. What was once the fringe tactic of radicals has become the preferred strategy of the Democratic Party: organized street action modeled on unstable regimes abroad.

This backslide into mob politics raises tensions at a time when the nation needs prudence. Instead, Democrats seem eager to test how far their own movement will go.

### What Lies Beneath the No Kings Network

After the June 14 protests, our team at the Oversight Project traced the movement’s primary organizing partner, 50501. What we found confirmed the worst suspicions: demonstrable ties to the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Democratic Socialists of America, Antifa, and Students for Justice in Palestine.

These groups have openly supported violent action or defended authoritarian regimes, including China’s Communist Party. Mapping their social media connections revealed links to foreign influence networks tied to Chinese propaganda operations.

Antifa affiliates have also joined the effort, circulating merchandise celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death—shirts reading “Nazi Lives Don’t Matter” and “Normalize Political Violence” printed with a guillotine. This is the energy behind No Kings.

Its rhetoric echoes the Chinese Communist Party’s talking points on Tiananmen Square and defends regimes that crush dissent. Some of its alumni have even celebrated the murder of Israeli diplomats. Others maintain direct connections to Neville Singham and Chinese consulate officials.

For years, Democrats obsessed over alleged Russian meddling in U.S. politics. Yet now they embrace networks steeped in foreign influence to advance their own protest movements. As the Trump administration maps these organizations, many roads will lead overseas.

Beijing has long used this method—stoking domestic unrest to weaken rivals from within. The question isn’t whether the Democrats know this. It’s whether they care.

### How the Extremists Captured the Party

So how did a movement this toxic gain institutional cover from the Democratic establishment? Why do party leaders like Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) offer it full-throated support? And why do former Republicans like George Conway, Bill Kristol, and Joe Walsh lend their credibility to the cause?

Because the Democrats have surrendered to their radical base. They’ve stopped trying to lead it and started following it. Rather than condemn political extremism, they seek to normalize and rebrand it.

When Antifa militants show up at Democrat-aligned protests, party leaders feign surprise. When violence erupts, they retreat to the safety of “plausible deniability.” It’s a tired act, and the public no longer buys it.

**RELATED:** Trump names Antifa. The establishment still pretends it doesn’t exist.

Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 directs a whole-of-government response to domestic extremism. Through the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, federal agencies already possess the tools to investigate, expose, and dismantle these networks.

The real question is whether they will use them. A serious enforcement effort would strip away the Democrats’ mask of deniability and expose the institutional support behind the violence. It would show that what poses as activism is, in fact, the operational arm of a radicalized political movement.

### The Choice Ahead

Across the world, major parties have flirted with revolutionary tactics when democracy failed to deliver their goals. It’s the oldest temptation in politics. But America is now watching a mainstream party openly indulge in it.

Street action, foreign influence, and mob intimidation are not signs of progress—they are symptoms of decay. If Democrats continue down this path, they will drag the country with them.

The republic cannot survive a ruling class that excuses its own mobs.
https://www.conservativereview.com/no-kings-no-boundaries-no-america-2674207578.html

crime, law, military, politics, society

Chaos and Disorder Prohibited by National Guard

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The party of chaos and disorder is furious that the National Guard has been restoring peace to U.S. cities. Every metric has shown crime significantly plummeting in every area where the National Guard has been stationed.

American citizens are safe; the military is protecting those abiding by the law. Yet, figures like Obama continue to spin narratives that undermine these positive developments.
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/politics/chaos-and-disorder-prohibited-by-national-guard/

government, health, politics, society

Mitch McConnell Collapses Inside Senate Office Building While Facing Questions from Activists In Horrifying Footage

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**Geriatric Mitch McConnell Suffers Terrifying Fall in Senate Office Building**

*Published: Oct. 16, 2025, 7:06 p.m. ET*

Mitch McConnell, the 83-year-old Kentucky senator, suffered a terrifying fall while walking through the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, October 16. The horrifying moment was caught on video, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The incident renewed calls for term limits, with critics demanding that the ailing senator step down immediately rather than finish his current term in office.

—

### Scary Collapse

McConnell appeared uneasy on his feet as he walked through the basement level of the building. When a reporter approached him to question the senator about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, McConnell reached for his aide’s arm before suddenly falling forward, landing fully on the floor.

He experienced a total collapse, and both the aide and a Capitol police officer helped him up gingerly, as McConnell was unable to stand on his own. After the fall, the wide-eyed political veteran turned to the person filming, gave a nervous smile and wave, and was helped off down the hallway.

—

### “This Is Sad”

Critics, including some Republicans, quickly pointed out that McConnell’s fall was just the latest in a string of disturbing health incidents raising questions about his ability to serve.

One prominent right-wing poster wrote on X:
*“I take no joy in watching an old man fall down like Mitch McConnell just did. But, brother, it is time to step down and enjoy your retirement. Stop clinging to power and start clinging to your family.”*

MAGA podcaster Benny Johnson added:
*“He has fallen multiple times this year. We need term limits. This is sad.”*

Another commenter complained,
*“They are running an absolute nursing home over there to keep these men and women voting their way, and no matter what, it’s still elderly abuse.”*

A fourth user sneered,
*“Sad and pathetic. They should have an age limit and a term limit. This isn’t a lifetime position.”*

—

### Back to Work!

Despite his harrowing fall, McConnell returned to work amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital,
*“He’s all good – went on to vote and ready to vote again at 1:30 p.m… to see if Dems decide to fund our nation’s defense priorities or not.”*

The longest-serving Senate leader even shared a post on X emphasizing his urgency to keep working, though the message appeared to be crafted by someone on his digital team:
*“Two weeks ago, when Democrats chose to take the federal government hostage for partisan priorities, I warned that there would be nothing to gain from their shutdown. Today, our colleagues’ refusal even to begin considering the overwhelmingly bipartisan defense appropriations bill is a sobering reminder that there is, however, much to lose.”*

Notably, this post made no mention of his collapse just hours earlier.

—

### Calls to Retire

This is not McConnell’s first fall in recent years. In February, he tumbled down several stairs after casting a confirmation vote for President Donald Trump’s Housing and Urban Development secretary nominee, Scott Turner.

In March 2023, McConnell suffered a concussion from another fall. He has also experienced several bizarre on-camera moments where he froze mid-sentence, pausing for long stretches with a blank expression.

Though McConnell’s office insists there is “no evidence” he has a seizure disorder or has experienced a stroke, they have not provided a medical explanation for these episodes.

Former President Trump broke with many Republicans in 2023 by calling for the evidently declining senator to retire. In response, McConnell announced in February that he would not seek an eighth term and would not stand for re-election in 2026.

—

As McConnell’s health continues to be a concern, discussions around age and term limits for public officials have intensified, reflecting growing unease over his ability to fulfill his duties in the Senate.
https://radaronline.com/p/mitch-mcconnell-collapses-falls-inside-senate-office-building-video/

law, news, people, politics

Mitch McConnell, 83, Falls in Senate Office Hallway [WATCH]

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Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the Senate’s longest-serving party leader, fell in a hallway of a Senate office building on Thursday as he was heading to the Capitol for votes. The incident was captured on footage by a left-wing activist group, the Sunrise Movement, and reported by the New York Post.

The 83-year-old senator was seen reaching toward an aide moments before losing his balance and falling to the ground. The aide and a security guard immediately helped him back to his feet. McConnell appeared to wave to bystanders before continuing down the hallway with assistance. The video showed the fall taking place just outside his office.

McConnell has previously suffered multiple falls and health-related incidents over the past few years, which have drawn attention to his mobility issues. Earlier this year, he announced that he will not seek re-election in 2024. Since early 2023, he has dealt with a series of injuries and hospitalizations. He briefly used a wheelchair following several falls and has experienced public freezing episodes during press appearances.

A spokesperson for the senator said earlier this year that the effects of childhood polio have occasionally affected McConnell’s balance. “Senator McConnell is fine,” the spokesperson stated. “The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work.”

McConnell’s recent health incidents include a sprained wrist and facial cuts sustained in December 2024 after slipping during a Capitol lunch. Months earlier, in March 2023, he was hospitalized following a fall that resulted in a concussion and fractured rib. After that incident, he underwent rehabilitation before returning to his Senate duties.

Despite these challenges, McConnell has remained active in Senate proceedings, playing a key role in negotiating government funding measures and judicial confirmations.

The Kentucky senator was first elected in 1984. He has served seven terms and has been the Senate Republican leader since 2007, making him the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. He is set to step down from his leadership position at the end of his current term.

As of now, McConnell’s office has not commented on Thursday’s fall or indicated whether he required any medical evaluation following the incident.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/10/mitch-mcconnell-83-falls-in-senate-office-hallway-watch/

american politics, law enforcement, politics, race relations, social media

Graham Platner dismisses old Reddit posts as ‘stupid joke comments’

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U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is disavowing a series of now-deleted social media posts in which he criticized police and said that white rural Americans “actually are” racist and stupid.

Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer from Hancock County, is running to challenge Sen. Susan Collins. His Reddit posts from 2020 and 2021 were resurfaced this week by CNN, which reported that they were deleted prior to Platner’s campaign launch in August.

In an interview with the Press Herald Thursday, Platner said the posts came from a time when he was disillusioned and angry, and expressed those sentiments online. He said the comments don’t reflect who he is today.

“A lot of it isn’t even things I believed then,” Platner said. “A lot of them are just stupid joke comments. I look back now and I don’t mean to be flippant, but it was just dumb stuff on the internet and when I stopped being lonely and isolated I didn’t use that as an outlet anymore.”

In one since-removed post from 2020, Platner responded to a thread titled “White people aren’t as racist or stupid as Trump thinks” by writing, “Living in white rural America, I’m afraid to tell you they actually are.”

In another comment from 2021, Platner replied in a thread about a Black army lieutenant who was held at gunpoint and pepper-sprayed by police during a traffic stop. When one Reddit user wrote, “Bastards. Cops are bastards,” Platner responded, “All of them, in fact.”

Other posts addressed Platner’s political views and how his military service reshaped his perspective. Platner served three deployments to Iraq with the Marine Corps and was deployed to Afghanistan with the Army National Guard before settling in Sullivan, where he grew up.

In one reflection on his life after the military, he wrote, “I was a vegetable growing, psychedelics taking socialist these days. After the war, I’ve pretty much stopped believing in any of the patriotic nonsense that got me there in the first place, and am a firm believer that the best thing a person can do is help their neighbors and live a loving life.”

Platner is considered a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to challenge Collins. Gov. Janet Mills, who is finishing up her second term, announced Tuesday that she is also running.

This story will be updated.
https://www.sunjournal.com/2025/10/16/graham-platner-dismisses-old-reddit-posts-as-stupid-joke-comments/

culture, education, fundraising, lawsuit, politics

This Colorado school district was sued for removing library books. Now it’s fundraising for legal fees.

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The Elizabeth School District’s website greets visitors with an unusual pop-up: an invitation to help cover legal fees for a lawsuit related to library book removals.

Located southeast of Denver and serving about 2,700 students, the district is raising funds as part of a broader campaign supported by at least three conservative groups — including one led by former Republican gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl — to defend against the lawsuit.

### The Lawsuit Over Library Book Removals

In December, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado filed suit against the district. The lawsuit alleges that the Elizabeth school board’s decision to remove 19 books from school libraries violates both federal and state free speech protections.

These books, now back on shelves due to a court order, primarily feature authors or subjects related to LGBTQ people, people of color, or both.

### An Unusual Fundraising Approach

While school districts commonly fundraise for supplies or field trips, soliciting donations to pay legal fees is uncommon. The donation page — hosted by Ganahl’s group — features a heading that reads “Save Elizabeth School District,” with suggested donation amounts ranging from $250 to $10,000.

Publicly available school district financial records do not clarify how much the district has spent on this lawsuit. District officials declined to comment on the expenses.

### Who Is Involved in the Case?

Plaintiffs include two students from the district, a chapter of the NAACP, and the Authors Guild, a professional writers’ organization. Their attorneys argue that book removals violate free speech protections.

Among the removed titles were notable works such as *The Bluest Eye* by Toni Morrison, *The Kite Runner* by Khaled Hosseini, and *It’s Your World If You Don’t Like It, Change It* by Mikki Halpin.

District lawyers counter that the books were removed due to concerns about age-appropriateness, lack of educational value, and sensitive content including graphic violence, explicit sexual references, extreme substance use, and themes of self-harm.

### District Leadership Responds

Elizabeth Superintendent Dan Snowberger declined a phone interview but sent a text message emphasizing the district’s financial stability. He described the lawsuit’s origin as “unusual,” writing:

> “It’s unusual for a behemoth organization like the ACLU with a major financial war chest to come after a small rural district. We will not allow them to impact the educational opportunities for our children in the district, and will do everything necessary to mobilize outside forces to protect our children.”

The district has framed the legal battle against the ACLU as a David versus Goliath story. On social media and at board meetings, some community members have voiced support for both the book removals and the legal fight.

### Community Divisions Over the Issue

Supporters of the removals often cite graphic content—such as descriptions of sexual assault—as inappropriate for students.

However, other community members oppose both the book bans and the fundraising efforts. Jessica Capsel, an Elizabeth resident whose son previously attended district schools, criticized the time and money spent on the lawsuit.

“That pop-up [window] begging for money pops up every time you change a page,” Capsel said. She added that a previous lawsuit she won against the district related to open meeting violations was more straightforward, suggesting the current priorities are misplaced.

### The ACLU’s Position

Tim Macdonald, legal director of the ACLU of Colorado, said the organization did not “come after” Elizabeth. Rather, district students and families asked for compliance with the Constitution to stop banning books that contain viewpoints or content opposed by board members.

He stated:

> “Fighting for the constitutional rights of students in Colorado is how we protect children; violating their constitutional rights is not protecting children.”

### Financial Transparency Questioned

It remains unclear how much the Elizabeth School District has spent on its legal defense since the lawsuit’s filing 10 months ago.

District financial records suggest modest payments to the two main law firms involved. From January through June 2025, the district paid about $6,500 to First and Fourteenth (based in Colorado Springs), none to Mitchell Law (Austin, Texas), and approximately $57,000 to Miller, Farmer, Carlson Law. The latter firm usually handles routine district matters but is also involved in this case.

### Fundraising Details Remain Opaque

The amount raised through the legal defense fundraiser and how those funds are allocated is not publicly clear.

Heidi Ganahl’s conservative news outlet Rocky Mountain Voice operates the online donation page “Save Elizabeth School District” but did not respond to questions about fundraising totals or fund distribution. Ganahl provided a statement saying:

> “Our fundraising assistance supports the board in exercising its authority to curate age-appropriate library content, responding to parental concerns about sensitive themes like explicit content or divisive topics.”

Julian Ellis, one of the district’s lawyers from First and Fourteenth Law, did not respond to inquiries about donations collected. The district website lists Ellis as the recipient for paper checks made payable to the Article III Foundation, an Alexandria, Virginia-based group supporting the district’s legal expenses.

Similarly, Lori Gimelshteyn, executive director of the parents’ rights group Parents United America — another fundraiser host — did not provide information about funds raised or their destinations.

### Additional Fundraising Efforts

Citizens Defending Freedom, based in Mulberry, Florida, is a fourth partner in fundraising efforts for Elizabeth’s legal costs. Last Thursday, they held a “Protect Our Children” fundraiser at a Colorado Springs church, with ticket sales supporting Ganahl’s group.

Tickets ranged from $100 for a single entry to $2,000 for a “platinum” package that included 10 tickets, VIP seating, and a private reception with speakers.

When asked about fundraising totals, a spokesperson for Citizens Defending Freedom referred Chalkbeat to Bonnie Wallace, a legislative liaison for Recovering America — an organization promoting Biblical values — and one of the event speakers. Wallace did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

—

*This story was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. To receive newsletters, visit ckbe.at/newsletters.*

*For more Colorado news, sign up for The Denver Post’s Mile High Roundup email newsletter.*
https://www.denverpost.com/2025/10/16/elizabeth-school-district-book-ban-legal-fees/

american, culture, politics, speech, violence

John Fetterman Silences Kennedy Center Crowd with Rant Against Violent Rhetoric [WATCH]

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Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania spoke out this week against escalating political rhetoric, urging Americans to move away from language that fuels division or violence.

Fetterman, a Democrat representing a state with a strong conservative base, said his own background shaped his perspective. “I’m the only Democrat in my family. I grew up in a conservative part of Pennsylvania, and now I grew up and I knew, I know and I love people that voted for President Trump, but they are not fascists. They’re not Nazis. They’re not trying to destroy her. The Constitution, those things,” he said.

The senator criticized what he described as a growing tendency to label political opponents with extreme terms. “That’s part of another thing I refuse to call people Nazis or fascists or I would never compare anybody, anybody to Hitler,” Fetterman said, warning that such “extreme rhetoric is going to continue” and make the country “more likely in resulting in extreme kind of outcomes and political violence.”

Fetterman mentioned conservative activist Charlie Kirk while urging empathy in the aftermath of violence. “For me, all I could say is, is like, let people grieve, give people the space. I’m not going to use that terrible thing and that passive assassination to make my argument and try to put out my views,” he said.

The senator reflected on the personal cost of political violence, citing the recent tragedies that have shaken the country. “It’s like, my god, you know, he’s a father that had his neck blown out by a bullet, and now people have forgotten President Trump was in my state was shot in the head,” he said. “And if that would have, could you imagine where our nation would be if he was hit in the same way with Kirk?”

Calling for calm, Fetterman said the country must “really got to turn the temperature down.” He added, “We can agree to disagree on these kinds of things, but right now, shutting down the government. I just can’t take it that.”

Fetterman’s remarks come amid heightened concern over rising tensions and political violence nationwide, as both parties grapple with how to lower the tone of national discourse.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/10/john-fetterman-silences-kennedy-center-crowd-with-rant-against-violent-rhetoric-watch/

immigration, law enforcement, politics, protests

Tensions rise outside Broadview ICE facility

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Officials continue to clash with protesters outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois.

CBS News correspondent Ash-har Quraishi reports on the ongoing situation, highlighting the tensions between law enforcement and demonstrators.

Stay tuned for further updates as the events unfold.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/tensions-rise-outside-broadview-ice-facility/