The Eaton fire, which has caused devastation around Pasadena and Altadena, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a>, this week is threatening important radio communication towers on the peak of Mt. Wilson.
CBS News L.A. affiliate KCAL televised live footage from a camera on Mt. Wilson that showed the blaze getting close to communication towers used by law enforcement, fire departments, television stations, and radio stations.
&#8220;So we know that the Eaton fire is approaching the Mt. Wilson peak, and it has been a major television and radio transmission spot for about the last 80 to 90 years,&#8221; a KCAL reporter stated, adding, &#8220;So it is really important for radio transmissions in Southern California because it is very high and it gives an exceptional viewpoint for the entire Southern California area.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
URGENT: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EatonFire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EatonFire</a> closing in on radio &amp; transmission towers that service nearly all local media outlets in Southern California, radio and television <a href="https://t.co/tQkOewRWWQ">pic.twitter.com/tQkOewRWWQ</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1877449293579059461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A reporter for KTLA <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/local-news/eaton-fire-la-broadcast-towers-tv-channels-at-risk-1236105639/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commented</a> on the live footage of the fire approaching Mt. Wilson and its communications infrastructure, saying, “These are repeater towers. So these are towers that not only news stations, radio stations, use here in Southern California, but in emergency events, this is very important, it’s [the] way the police, the fire, this is the way that they communicate as well, and that’s why you’ve been seeing some of our live shots. They’ve been going in and out these repeater stations. So the signals come off of the transponders down in the lower elevations, they hit these towers, and they’re able to communicate with areas that are miles and miles away.”
ABC 7 Eyewitness News said on Thursday that it also uses the antennas and transmitters housed atop Mt. Wilson, <a href="https://abc7.com/videoClip/15783532/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telling</a> readers and viewers, &#8220;If the fire compromises the site, which houses antennas and transmitters, that could affect your ability to watch the Eyewitness News broadcast.&#8221;
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Mt. Wilson, located in the Angeles National Forest, is also home to the historic Mount Wilson Observatory, which once was home to the world&#8217;s largest telescope, SF Gate <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/eaton-fire-mount-wilson-observatory-20025396.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;As you may have seen on the news, the Eaton fire is approaching Mount Wilson. There are firefighters on the grounds but the power is out at the Observatory so communication is limited,&#8221; the observatory <a href="https://x.com/MtWilsonObs/status/1877441085326123107" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on X on Thursday. &#8220;We are monitoring the situation and will update here as we can. Thank you for your concern.&#8221;
The Eaton fire has consumed over 10,000 acres and is responsible for the destruction of around 1,000 homes and the deaths of at least five people, according to authorities. The fire, which broke out on Tuesday, is still at <a href="https://www.fire.ca.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">0% containment</a>. Four other fires are also raging in the Los Angeles area, including the Palisades fire, which has destroyed around 1,000 homes in Pacific Palisades.

Powerful Winds Fuel Multiple Fires Across Los Angeles Area

California Fire Approaches Major Communication Towers Used By Emergency Services, Local Media

California

Fire

Los Angeles

Natural Disaster

U.S.

Wildfires

Aerial footage of Pacific Palisades, an affluent neighborhood in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern California</a>, shows that homes and businesses have been reduced to rubble after a wildfire burned through the community this week.
After clouds and smoke cleared on Thursday, ABC 7 Eyewitness News captured aerial footage showing rows upon rows of homes that were completely taken out by the flames. Officials estimate that around 1,000 houses were destroyed in the Palisades fire along with another 1,000 houses in the Eaton fire, which is near Pasadena — east of Pacific Palisades, The Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-09/even-after-a-two-day-nightmare-l-a-girds-for-more-days-of-fire-weather" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;The Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,&#8221; said Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley.
An ABC 7 reporter describing the aerial footage said Pacific Palisades &#8220;looks like a war zone.&#8221;
&#8220;The clouds just cleared, and I can tell you it&#8217;s the most devastating event that I&#8217;ve seen. I&#8217;ve seen the earthquakes, all the fires here for the last 30 or 40 years, and we&#8217;ve never seen anything like this,&#8221; the reporter said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;I&#8217;ve never seen such destruction.&#8221; AIR7 got aerial views of the wildfire devastation in Pacific Palisades. 💔
Watch live fire coverage here: <a href="https://t.co/gx8OUSXIS6">https://t.co/gx8OUSXIS6</a> <a href="https://t.co/yt27uIEH5x">pic.twitter.com/yt27uIEH5x</a>
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC7/status/1877412635617943872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
&#8220;As you can see, row after row after row, every single home burned right down to the foundation,&#8221; he added.
At least five people have died in the Eaton fire, while no deaths have yet been reported from any other fire around Los Angeles. Five fires have burned for three days as firefighters struggle to contain them. The fires are fueled by dry conditions and stoked by the powerful Santa Ana winds.
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While the Eaton fire has 0% containment, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a press conference on Thursday morning that the fire&#8217;s growth has “significantly stopped,” according to the L.A. Times. The Palisades fire, which has burned 17,234 acres, also has 0% containment, but officials are hopeful that the calmer winds on Thursday will help firefighters contain more of the fire.
Evacuation orders were lifted for residents in Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills Thursday morning after firefighters contained the Sunset fire, which burned 42 acres on Wednesday. A firefighter told the L.A. Times, “It’s a miracle that no homes burned&#8221; in Hollywood.

Pacific Palisades

‘It Looks Like A War Zone’: Aerial View Shows Devastation Caused By Fire In Pacific Palisades

'It Looks Like A War Zone': Aerial View Shows Devastation Caused By Fire In Pacific Palisades

There’s a new sheriff in town in Washtenaw County, Michigan, who is pushing for major changes to how the sheriff’s department enforces laws and policies that she says are important to protecting the environment. 
Sheriff Alyshia Dyer, a former deputy who became a social worker, is <a href="https://www.dyer2024.com/priorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">focused</a> on protecting the community “from the negative environmental and human health impacts of pollution and climate change.” Dyer, a Democrat, was sworn in earlier this month, becoming Washtenaw County’s first female sheriff after she pulled out an upset victory in the Democratic Party primary in August and ran unopposed in the general election. 
In a phone interview with The Daily Wire, the new sheriff emphasized that under her leadership, the sheriff’s department will drastically change its outlook on environmental issues and said that she wants to implement an “Environmental Crimes Unit” in her first term, which would focus on looking into “air pollution, water contamination, and hazardous waste management.” 
“The sheriff’s office historically hasn’t been necessarily a strong champion in this work, but there’s no reason we can’t be,” Dyer said. 
Washtenaw County — which encompasses Ann Arbor, where the University of Michigan is located — had the <a href="https://witl.com/michigan-counties-with-the-most-crimes-committed/">10th highest</a> crime rate among Michigan counties in 2021, and in each of the following years, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office <a href="https://www.washtenaw.org/3915/Sheriff-Data-Information-Dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> over 1,000 assault offenses, over 900 larceny/theft offenses, and more than 100 sex offenses. 
Dyer told The Daily Wire that bringing down violent crime in Washtenaw County is “connected” to fighting for environmental justice and prioritizing officers’ “mental health and wellness.&#8221; 
“It’s all connected. Looking at, number one, I talked a lot about officer mental health and wellness. Officers can’t effectively do their jobs if they’re not taking care of themselves. Looking at the environment, looking at corporate polluters, looking at the quality of life for residents, it has a really big impact on wellbeing.”
Dyer argued that it’s important for the sheriff’s department to focus on “creating better environments for the community.” 
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Instituting environmental policies in the sheriff’s department would begin with reducing vehicle emissions from the department’s patrol car fleet, according to the new sheriff. To accomplish this, Dyer suggested placing new systems in patrol cars that cut back on gas or potentially moving to electric vehicles. 
“We have the largest fleet in the county,” Dyer said. “So we’re thinking about moving toward reducing vehicle emissions. There’s another sheriff’s office, I believe it was in Santa Barbara, California, and they put idling reduction systems in their cars, saved 260 gallons of gasoline. Also adding remote starters so deputies aren’t leaving their vehicles running all day, so it’s easy to turn them on and off — things like that.” 
Dyer said she plans to cut back on the number of patrol vehicles on the road and put two deputies in a patrol car instead of one, a move the sheriff said will help cut back on emissions. The main reason for pairing up deputies, according to Dyer, however, is to “help reduce vehicle crashes” and “lower stress” on officers who are currently working 16-hour shifts. 
“The last thing I want is officers out here sleep-deprived with a gun, angry, driving around. No one wants that,” Dyer added.  
Asked if the sheriff’s department has any plan to hire more deputies, Dyer replied, “We do need to fill some spots because we are probably the shortest in road patrol that we have been in a very long time, which has created a lot of forced overtime, which has hurt morale, hurt staff, and in turn, has hurt the community.”
“We’re trying to get hiring up. It has been harder to hire in law enforcement because everyone is hiring,” the sheriff continued. “So that is something we’re definitely focused on.”  
Dyer <a href="https://www.dyer2024.com/priorities">wrote</a> on her campaign website that she will prioritize “diversity” and “inclusivity” in the hiring process. She lamented that “the Sheriff’s Office is predominantly male, white, and not representative of our LGBTQ+ population” and vowed to ensure “that hiring practices are inclusive.” 
The new sheriff will partner with a leftist prosecutor, Eli Savit, who was just re-elected after running unopposed, according to a <a href="https://boltsmag.org/a-michigan-sheriff-and-prosecutor-join-forces-to-implement-progressive-policy-washtenaw-county/">report</a> from Bolts. Savit was first elected to office in 2020 amid the protests and riots that spread across the country after George Floyd’s death in police custody. The leftist prosecutor has taken a soft-on-crime approach to criminal justice and has also <a href="https://www.washtenaw.org/3284/Prosecutor-Eli-Savit">pushed</a> “environmental initiatives in Michigan and across the country.” 
Dyer also said she’s looking forward to partnering with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office to go after corporate crimes, such as “wage theft” and “tip theft.” 
“Hand-in-hand with the environmental crimes is also the corporate crimes,” she said.

Alyshia Dyer

New Sheriff In Major Michigan County Wants To Fight Violent Crime Through ‘Environmental Justice’

Environmentalists

Michigan

Sheriff

President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s request to delay the January 10 sentencing hearing in his hush-money trial was denied by a New York appeals court judge on Tuesday.
Trump&#8217;s legal team filed a 502-page lawsuit with a New York appeals court to delay the sentencing hearing in his hush-money trial, which is scheduled for this Friday, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/07/us-news/trump-files-appeal-in-effort-to-stop-sentencing-in-manhattan-hush-money-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Hours later, Judge Ellen Gesmer, who serves on New York&#8217;s midlevel appeals court, rejected Trump&#8217;s petition. The appeals court decision comes after Judge Juan Merchan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-merchan-denies-trumps-request-to-delay-hush-money-sentencing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denied</a> Trump&#8217;s request to delay the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled to take place just 10 days before Trump is sworn into office.
In their legal filing, Trump&#8217;s team argued that the jury&#8217;s verdict in the hush-money trial was &#8220;erroneous&#8221; because they were presented with evidence related to Trump&#8217;s official acts as president. Trump&#8217;s lawyers also argued that his &#8220;undisputed absolute immunity&#8221; extends to his time as president-elect, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-files-500-page-lawsuit-judge-manhattan-da/story?id=117418143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Gesmer questioned Trump&#8217;s lawyers about whether presidential immunity extends to a president-elect. Trump&#8217;s lawyer, Todd Blanche, replied that there isn&#8217;t support for the presidential immunity extending to presidents-elect, adding, &#8220;There has never been a case like this before.&#8221;
Steven Wu of the Manhattan District Attorney&#8217;s Office argued, &#8220;There is a compelling public interest in seeing this process come to an end.&#8221;
&#8220;If sentencing is to happen at all, now is the best time for it to happen,&#8221; Wu said.
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Trump can still take his request to delay the sentencing before the court&#8217;s full panel as he appeals his conviction, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5071977-appeals-court-trump-sentencing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump has requested a sentencing hearing date of January 27, a week after he is sworn into office. By then, the case is expected to be frozen since Trump will be the sitting president.
In their petition to the appeals court, Trump&#8217;s lawyers wrote, “Justice Merchan is without authority under the law to proceed to sentencing while President Trump exercises his federal constitutional right to challenge these rulings.”
Judge Merchan has signaled that he will issue a sentence of an “unconditional discharge,” meaning Trump would not face any punishment.
Trump was found guilty on all charges in the hush money case last May. He was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide payments that were allegedly sent to porn actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence on an alleged extramarital affair. Trump has denied the charges and said that the trial was politically motivated.

Donald Trump

Appeals Court Judge Denies Trump’s Request To Delay Jan. 10 Sentencing Hearing

Appeals Court Judge Denies Trump's Request To Stop Jan. 10 Sentencing Hearing

Courts

Inauguration

Juan Merchan

New York

Politics

Two dead bodies were discovered inside a JetBlue plane&#8217;s landing gear after it flew from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida on Monday night.
The bodies were found during a routine post-flight maintenance inspection when Flight 1801 landed in South Florida after 11:00 p.m., The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/07/us-news/2-found-dead-in-jetblue-planes-landing-gear-after-nyc-flight/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Authorities have not identified the two people found dead as they continue to investigate the incident.
&#8220;The circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,&#8221; JetBlue said, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/two-people-found-dead-in-jetblue-plane-landing-gear-at-fort-lauderdale-hollywood-international-airport/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=707314746" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>. &#8220;This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred.&#8221;
The JetBlue Airbus A320 departed New York City at 8:20 p.m. and arrived in Fort Lauderdale less than three hours later, CBS News reported. The plane began its day in Jamaica before flying to JFK in New York, then flew to Salt Lake City, and then back to JFK before its flight to South Florida. Broward County, Florida, Sheriff homicide detectives are seeking to determine how the two people accessed the landing gear compartment before the flight took off.
The JetBlue incident is similar to when a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/body-found-in-wheel-well-of-plane-after-9-hour-flight-to-hawaii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">body was discovered</a> in the wheel well of a United Airlines flight that landed in Maui after taking off from Chicago on Christmas Eve. Authorities are still investigating how the person got onto the tarmac and then accessed the wheel well of the plane in Chicago.
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In the past, people attempting to hitch a ride on an airplane have been crushed in the wheel well when the landing gear retracts, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/25/us/united-airlines-plane-body-found-hawaii/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The wheel well is a compartment under an aircraft that stores the landing gear and is usually a tight space — often smaller than the trunk of a car.
Dozens of stowaways have attempted to hitch illegal rides on airplanes by climbing into the wheel well, but multiple factors make it nearly impossible for a stowaway to survive a ride in that space. As a plane reaches higher altitudes, oxygen levels drop, and stowaways lose consciousness. Temperatures can also drop to 75 degrees below zero. Nearly 80% of the roughly 130 people who have attempted to catch a ride on the outside of an airplane since 1947 have died, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/06/us/airplane-stowaways/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Federal Aviation Administration.

JetBlue Airbus

2 People Found Dead In Plane’s Landing Gear After Flight From NYC To Florida

2 People Found Dead In Plane's Landing Gear After Flight From NYC To Florida

Air and Space

Florida

JetBlue

President-elect Donald Trump is continuing his push for Greenland to become part of the U.S., writing in a Truth Social post on Monday evening that Greenland &#8220;will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation.&#8221;
Trump shared a video of a man in Greenland putting on a MAGA hat and urging the president-elect to &#8220;buy Greenland&#8221; because it no longer wants to be controlled by the Danish government.
&#8220;We are the richest nation in the world and we don&#8217;t get to use it,&#8221; the man said.
Trump wrote alongside the video, &#8220;I am hearing that the people of Greenland are &#8216;MAGA.&#8217; My son, Don Jr, and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights. Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed truthsocial-video" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113783930691285775/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script> 
Trump&#8217;s son, Donald Trump Jr., arrived in Nuuk, Greenland&#8217;s capital city, on Tuesday for a private visit that lasted between four and five hours, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-jr-plans-greenland-visit-fathers-interest-resurfaces-2025-01-06/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump Jr. said on a podcast on Monday before his visit, &#8220;No, I am not buying Greenland. Funny enough, I&#8217;m actually going on a very long personal day trip to Greenland.&#8221;
Trump has repeatedly signaled that control of Greenland would be a priority for his administration, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-u-s-ownership-and-control-of-greenland-is-an-absolute-necessity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> last month, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
After Trump&#8217;s comments last month, the territory&#8217;s prime minister said Greenland wants full independence from Denmark.
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“The Greenlandic people’s opportunity for independence has been adopted through the provisions of the Self-Government Act, thereby creating a legal basis for how independence can be achieved,” Prime Minister Múte Egede said in a speech on New Year’s Day.
“A draft constitution for our country has also been prepared,” he added. “Work has already begun with regard to creating the framework for Greenland as an independent state within the possibilities and provisions of the Self-Government Act.”
Greenland contains potential oil and mineral wealth, and the island is strategically located between the U.S. and Russia. In 2021, Greenland&#8217;s Left-wing government suspended a 50-year push to become an oil-producing country, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/greenland-suspends-oil-exploration-because-of-climate-change#:~:text=The%20decision%20was%20made%20June,of%20the%20Arctic%20island's%20economy." target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowing</a> instead to &#8220;take the climate crisis seriously.&#8221;
Along with signaling interest in Greenland, Trump has also suggested that Canada should become the 51st state. On Monday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113782682597333035" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, &#8220;If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!&#8221;

Trump/Greenland

Trump: Greenland ‘Will Benefit Tremendously If, And When, It Becomes Part Of Our Nation’

Trump: Greenland 'Will Benefit Tremendously If, And When, It Becomes Part Of Our Nation'

Donald Trump Jr.

Executive

Greenland

Trump Administration

President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s request to delay sentencing in his hush money trial was denied by Judge Juan Merchan on Monday, and Trump is still set to appear for his sentencing hearing on Friday — just 10 days before the inauguration.
Trump&#8217;s lawyers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-lawyers-ask-court-to-delay-sentencing-in-hush-money-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed a motion</a> earlier on Monday to delay the sentencing. In response to the filing, Merchan wrote, &#8220;Defendant&#8217;s motion for a stay of these proceedings, including the sentencing hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025, is hereby DENIED,&#8221; Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-merchan-denies-trumps-request-delay-sentencing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The president-elect&#8217;s legal team also asked a New York appeals court to reverse Merchan&#8217;s ruling. Trump can also still ask an appeals court to delay the sentencing, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-e20933f9418bd378925e5f9e75f28485" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>.
Steven Cheung, the incoming White House communications director, said earlier on Monday that the sentencing is &#8220;unlawful,&#8221; adding, &#8220;The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the state constitution of New York, and other established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed.&#8221;
Last week, Merchan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-judge-orders-that-trump-be-sentenced-in-hush-money-case-before-inauguration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denied</a> Trump&#8217;s motion to vacate the guilty verdict in the hush money case against him and ordered Trump to appear for his sentencing. Trump&#8217;s lawyers said that if the sentencing goes forward, the president-elect will appear virtually. Merchan suggested that he would issue a sentence of an &#8220;unconditional discharge,&#8221; meaning Trump would not face any punishment, according to Fox News.
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Trump was found guilty on all charges in the hush money case last May. He was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide payments that were allegedly sent to porn actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence on an alleged extramarital affair. Trump denied the charges and said that the trial was politically motivated.
On Saturday, Trump ripped Judge Merchan, writing on Truth Social, “I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME! He created a case where there was none. Keeps a ‘gag order’ on me so that I can’t talk about how crooked he is. The Fake News knows all about it, but they refuse to talk.”

Judge Merchan Denies Trump’s Request To Delay Hush Money Sentencing

Judge Merchan Denies Trump's Request To Delay Hush Money Sentencing

Court

Around three million retired public workers will receive increased Social Security benefits after President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act on Sunday.
The bill paves the way for retired police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses, and others who collect pension income to receive increases in their Social Security payments, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/05/biden-signs-social-security-bill-to-increase-benefits-for-millions-of-public-workers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The Social Security Fairness Act repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which — for more than 40 years — reduced Social Security benefits for public sector workers and their spouses who receive a pension or disability benefits from a job where Social Security payroll taxes were not withheld.
“By signing this bill, we’re extending Social Security benefits for millions of teachers, nurses, and other public employees and their spouses and survivors,” Biden said. “That means an estimated average of $360 per month increase.”
The president added that around 2.5 million Americans will receive a lump-sum payment to make up for a shortfall in benefits they should have received last year. The Social Security Administration (SSA) said in a <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/social-security-fairness-act.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Monday that it is &#8220;evaluating how to implement&#8221; the bill signed by Biden and &#8220;will provide more information as soon as available.&#8221;
The bill will add $196 billion to the federal deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office, Fox Business <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/millions-get-higher-social-security-payments-under-new-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Critics of the bill, which was passed by Congress with bipartisan support, argue that it will only cause more issues for Social Security in the future. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/01/06/benefits-social-security-fairness-act/77483465007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the Social Security Fairness Act unfairly benefits some workers while creating more of a burden that others will have to pick up.
&#8220;Let’s be crystal clear: this bill would increase unfairness in how Social Security benefits are calculated,&#8221; Grassley said on the Senate floor last month.
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The WEP reduced Social Security benefits for workers with a public pension if they also held a job in the private sector. The WEP was crafted to prevent public sector workers from &#8220;double-dipping&#8221; from a government pension and Social Security, according to Fox Business. The GPO, meanwhile, reduced Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who have their own government pensions.
Those who called for the repeal of the WEP and GPO argue that public sector employees who had their Social Security benefits reduced were not receiving &#8220;the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned.&#8221;
Biden acknowledged that the Social Security system needs more work and argued that the &#8220;wealthiest Americans [must] begin to pay their fair share so it&#8217;s able to be maintained and so much more.&#8221;
More changes to Social Security could be coming shortly as Congress&#8217; timeline to implement major Social Security reform continues to shrink. According to the SSA, the program&#8217;s trust fund reserves will be depleted by 2035, meaning if Congress doesn&#8217;t act, retirees will only <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/will-social-security-run-out-heres-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=The%20financial%20future%20of%20the,the%20Social%20Security%20payroll%20tax." target="_blank" rel="noopener">receive</a> 83% of their full benefits after 2035.

Joe Biden

Biden Signs Bill Giving Millions Of People Higher Social Security Payments. Here’s Who Gets Them.

Biden Signs Bill Giving Millions Of People Higher Social Security Payments. Here's Who Gets Them.

Congress

Federal Government

Social Security

The 42-year-old man behind the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year&#8217;s Day visited the city at least twice in recent months and used Meta smart glasses to film Bourbon Street — where he drove a truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 14 people.
FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil said on Sunday that Shamsud-Din Jabbar of Houston stayed at a rental home for a few days beginning on October 30 and then revisited the city on November 10, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/05/us/new-orleans-attack/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. During his trip to New Orleans in late October, Jabbar rode a bike on Bourbon Street and used Meta smart glasses to record and plan his attack, according to the FBI.
On Sunday, the FBI also revealed new footage of the terrorist placing two IEDs on Bourbon Steet just over an hour before his attack. Jabbar hid the IEDs in coolers. One of the coolers was dragged a block by “someone on Bourbon Street, who we have no reason to believe was involved,&#8221; according to Myrthil. The FBI reiterated that it believes Jabbar acted alone.
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WATCH: FBI releases video of NOLA terrorist wearing Meta glasses and placing coolers with IEDs throughout the French Quarter <a href="https://t.co/UQFm3Aox2R">pic.twitter.com/UQFm3Aox2R</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1875976555182387497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After driving his rented Ford pickup truck through Bourbon Street, Jabbar got into a shootout with police officers and was killed. The terrorist, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, was wearing the Meta smart glasses when he died, and officers found a transmitter to detonate the IEDs in the truck. Jabbar reportedly did not activate the smart glasses during his attack. <a href="https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meta smart glasses</a> can record videos, make calls, send texts, and answer questions through Meta AI. The smart glasses typically cost between $300 and $400.
Before carrying out his attack, Jabbar set fire to his rental home, a move authorities believe was meant to &#8220;hide evidence of his crimes&#8221; and potentially distract first responders before he drove through the crowd gathered on Bourbon Street. The FBI is looking into multiple trips Jabbar took in recent years, including a trip to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 3, 2023, and a trip to Ontario, Canada, from July 10 to July 13, 2023.
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“Our agents are getting answers as to where he went, who he met with, and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here in our city of New Orleans,” Myrthil <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/05/new-orleans-attack-smart-glasses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, recently became radicalized. In a video he recorded in the rented pickup truck on his way to carry out the attack, Jabbar said, “I wanted to record this message for my family. I wanted you to know that I joined ISIS earlier this year,” according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/04/us/new-orleans-attack-shamsud-din-jabbar-isis.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. In the video, Jabbar added that he considered killing his family members so they could “witness the killing of the apostates.”

New Orleans terror attack

New Orleans Terrorist Visited City Twice Before Attack, Filmed Bourbon Street With Meta Glasses

ISIS

Louisiana

New Orleans

Terrorism

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> called out Democrats on Friday, saying that they are &#8220;giddy&#8221; about the American flag being flown at half-staff on Inauguration Day due to President Jimmy Carter&#8217;s death.
A proclamation signed in 1954 calls for flags to be flown at half-mast for 30 days after the death of a sitting or former president. Carter died at his home in Georgia on December 29, meaning flags won&#8217;t be raised to full-staff until sunset on January 28, more than a week after Trump is sworn into office.
&#8220;The Democrats are all &#8216;giddy&#8217; about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at &#8216;half mast&#8217; during my Inauguration,&#8221; Trump wrote on Truth Social. &#8220;They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves. Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years &#8211; It’s a total mess!
&#8220;In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,&#8221; he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113765847370756395" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. &#8220;Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
Some leftists have rejoiced over the fact that flags will be flying at half-staff when Trump is sworn into office. Jon Cooper, former Long Island, New York, campaign chair for President Barack Obama <a href="https://x.com/joncoopertweets/status/1873771921965494664" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, &#8220;Jimmy Carter left one last parting gift for Trump after his death. Since the American flag flies at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings after the death of a former president, on Trump’s inauguration on January 20 all flags will be at half-staff in Carter&#8217;s honor.&#8221;
The highly-followed leftist X account &#8220;BrooklynDadDefiant&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/mmpadellan/status/1873723211969429818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, &#8220;Good morning and Happy Monday to everyone who is saddened by the loss of the great President Jimmy Carter, but glad to know that flags must now be flown at half staff during Felon 47&#8217;s unholy inauguration. Carter is a hero, even on his way out.&#8221;
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Friday&#8217;s press briefing that the White House is not considering raising the flags to full mast for Inauguration Day. The flag code is not enforced by federal law, so Trump could order the American flag to be raised to full-staff after he is sworn in on January 20.
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When asked if President Biden will consider reversing or reevaluating the order to have flags flying at half-staff for President Carter on Inauguration Day.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;No.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/UAI4LWnLxM">pic.twitter.com/UAI4LWnLxM</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1875260038488436984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Carter&#8217;s funeral will be held at Washington National Cathedral on January 9 where President Biden will deliver a eulogy and Trump will be in attendance. Shortly after Carter&#8217;s death, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113738366140404718" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, &#8220;The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.&#8221;
&#8220;Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.&#8221;

Trump Says Dems Are ‘Giddy’ About American Flag Being Flown At Half-Staff During Inauguration

Trump Says Dems Are 'Giddy' About American Flag Being Flown At Half-Staff During Inauguration

Democrats

Jimmy Carter

President Joe Biden was blasted by incoming Trump Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday after Bloomberg reported that the president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-expected-to-block-more-offshore-oil-drilling-impeding-trumps-energy-production-plans?topStoryPosition=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans to ban</a> new offshore oil and gas developments in some areas of the U.S. coast &#8220;within days.&#8221;
Biden&#8217;s expected move comes after he has faced pressure from Democrats and left-wing environmentalists to block offshore drilling before President-elect Donald Trump takes over on January 20. Trump has promised to increase American energy production and make it easier for oil and gas companies to drill in U.S. waters and on American land. Leavitt vowed that Biden&#8217;s effort to block oil drilling would &#8220;fail&#8221; after Trump takes office.
“Joe Biden clearly wants high gas prices to be his legacy. This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices,&#8221; Leavitt said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire. &#8220;Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill.&#8221;
Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-02/biden-to-block-more-offshore-oil-drilling-before-trump-arrives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Biden&#8217;s executive order would be based on a 1953 law that gives the president the power to permanently stop offshore oil drilling in U.S. waters without explicitly giving presidents the power to revoke oil drilling bans enacted by their predecessors. The law, titled the &#8220;<a href="https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/ocs-lands-act-history#:~:text=The%20Outer%20Continental%20Shelf%20Lands,gas%20exploration%20and%20development%20program." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act</a>,&#8221; gives the federal government jurisdiction over the outer continental shelf and puts the Department of the Interior (DOI) in charge of leasing sections of the submerged land for oil and gas development.
In his first term, Trump signed an executive order to rescind former President Barack Obama&#8217;s orders to withdraw hundreds of millions of acres of submerged land on the outer continental shelf. Obama&#8217;s move to block offshore drilling was also based on the 1953 law. Legal experts are <a href="https://www.nyuelj.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Leske-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">divided</a> on whether the 70-year-old law allows presidents to rescind a predecessor&#8217;s decision to withdraw land on the outer continental shelf.
In 2023, Biden severely cut back on how many spots the government leases to oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico, allowing “a maximum of three potential oil and gas lease sales – the fewest oil and gas lease sales in history – in the Gulf of Mexico Program Area scheduled in 2025, 2027 and 2029,” according to the DOI. Earlier this week, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-moves-to-lock-up-miles-of-nevada-land-under-environmental-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a slate of environmental rules for Nevada’s Ruby Mountains, including banning energy development along a large portion of the range for the next 20 years.
Trump has promised to revamp American energy production and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-addressing-economic-woes-begins-with-one-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on the campaign trail that he would seek to cut Americans’ energy costs by 50%, arguing that lowering energy bills is the key to tackling economic hardships.

‘Disgraceful Decision’: Trump Press Secretary Blasts Biden’s Move To Block More Offshore Drilling

'Disgraceful Decision': Trump Press Secretary Blasts Biden's Move To Block More Offshore Drilling

Karoline Leavitt

Oil and Gas

In the final days of his term, President Joe Biden is set to ban new offshore oil and gas developments in some areas of the U.S. coast, a move that would hinder President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s push for more energy production.
Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-02/biden-to-block-more-offshore-oil-drilling-before-trump-arrives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Thursday that Biden is expected to issue an executive order &#8220;within days&#8221; that would prevent the sale of drilling rights in certain areas of the outer continental shelf. Biden&#8217;s move to further ban offshore drilling would be based on a <a href="https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/ocs-lands-act-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1953 law</a> that gives the president the power to permanently stop offshore oil drilling in U.S. waters without explicitly giving presidents the power to revoke oil drilling bans enacted by their predecessors, according to Bloomberg.
Biden has been pressured by Democrats and left-wing environmentalists to ban more offshore drilling before he leaves office and Trump takes over on January 20. In 2023, Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-slammed-after-admin-cuts-new-offshore-oil-leases-to-lowest-levels-ever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">severely cut back</a> on how many spots the government leases to oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico, allowing “a maximum of three potential oil and gas lease sales – the fewest oil and gas lease sales in history – in the Gulf of Mexico Program Area scheduled in 2025, 2027 and 2029,” according to the Department of the Interior (DOI).
Biden and his administration officials reportedly intensified efforts to ban more oil and gas drilling after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in November. Earlier this week, the DOI <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-moves-to-lock-up-miles-of-nevada-land-under-environmental-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a slate of environmental rules for Nevada’s Ruby Mountains, including banning energy development along a large portion of the range for the next 20 years. The Biden administration also purchased a 640-acre, equivalent to a square mile, parcel of land from Wyoming within the Grand Teton National Park. The purchase also came with permanent environmental bans over the piece of land.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump promised to revamp American energy production, repeatedly saying that under his administration, the U.S. would &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/WatcherGuru/status/1824240746964365682" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drill, baby, drill</a>.&#8221; In September, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-addressing-economic-woes-begins-with-one-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> supporters in Flint, Michigan, that he would seek to cut Americans&#8217; energy costs by 50%, arguing that lowering energy bills is the key to tackling economic hardships.
“We have to start always with energy,” Trump said. “I don’t want to be boring about it, but there’s no bigger subject that covers everything. If you make donuts, if you make cars, whatever you make, energy is a big deal.”
“And it’s my ambition to get your energy bill within 12 months down 50%,” he added. “If I can do that, we’ve done a hell of a job … [and] interest rates are going to follow.”
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

Biden Expected To Block More Offshore Oil Drilling, Impeding Trump’s Energy Production Plans

Biden Expected To Block More Offshore Oil Drilling, Impeding Trump's Energy Production Plans

Department of the Interior

Energy

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Zach Jewell