April 16, 2026

02b U.S. Politics – Left

Former official: Noem "likely to become the warden of the police state"– boingboing.net

pgnewser September 23, 2025 0

Former official: Noem “likely to become the warden of the police state”– boingboing.net
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Excerpt:

Under Secretary Kristi Noem and her advisor Corey Lewandowski have transformed DHS into President Trump’s most powerful enforcement arm, according to Ben Terris in New York Magazine. Though Noem officially leads the department, Lewandowski reportedly exercises significant unofficial influence through his special government employee status, raising questions about their relationship. — Read the rest

The post Former official: Noem “likely to become the warden of the police state” appeared first on Boing Boing.

Trump taps former acting ICE director as his new 'border czar ...

Trump border czar Tom Homan reportedly accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents– www.yahoo.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Trump taps former acting ICE director as his new 'border czar ...

Trump border czar Tom Homan reportedly accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents– www.yahoo.com
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The FBI reportedly recorded Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover agents who were posing as business contractors last year.

A new report from MSNBC on Saturday reveals that the agents recorded Homan, six weeks before the 2024 election, allegedly promising to assist in securing government contracts across the border security industry during Trump’s second term.

Six sources familiar with the matter told MSNBC that the FBI and justice department – then run by Joe Biden’s administration – had intended to hold off and assess whether Homan would follow through on his alleged promises after he was appointed as Trump’s border czar. However, the investigation stalled after Trump took office, and in recent weeks, officials appointed by Trump decided to close the case, according to MSNBC.

According to the sources, a justice department official who was appointed by Trump called the case a “deep state” investigation.

In a separate statement to MSNBC, the FBI director, Kash Patel, and the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, said: “This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review by FBI agents and justice department prosecutors. They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.”

They added: “The Department’s resources must remain focused on real threats to the American people, not baseless investigations. As a result, the investigation has been closed.”

Judge decides Chicago lawsuit against gunmaker can advance– www.chicagotribune.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Judge decides Chicago lawsuit against gunmaker can advance– www.chicagotribune.com
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A Cook County judge on Thursday denied motions to dismiss a lawsuit brought last year by the city of Chicago against gun manufacturer Glock and a pair of suburban gun stores.

In a 17-page order, Judge Allen P. Walker wrote, in part, that “a reasonable jury could determine that the design and manufacture of a Glock pistol by Glock Inc., its subsequent sale by Eagle Sports Range and Midwest Sporting Goods, materially contribute to a condition in the City of Chicago that endangers the safety and health of the public.”

The next hearing in the lawsuit, brought by the city last year, is scheduled for next month.

“This ruling is a major step towards holding Glock accountable for endangering the residents of our city,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement.

The city has alleged that Glock willfully ignored design flaws in its handguns that allow for them to be easily turned to fire automatic rounds.

The spike in the use of “auto sears” or “switches” — quarter-size devices affixed to Glock pistols that allow for multiple bullets to be fired with one trigger pull — has  exacerbated the city’s entrenched violence problems, city attorneys allege.

Texas A&M president to step down after turmoil over gender identity lesson– thehill.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Texas A&M president to step down after turmoil over gender identity lesson– thehill.com
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Excerpt:

 

Texas A&M University’s president Mark Welsh will step down on Friday after turmoil ignited over a gender identity lesson, the Texas A&M University System said on Thursday.

Welsh, a former Air Force pilot and Joint Chiefs of Staff member, has received blowback from Republican lawmakers in recent days over a viral video where a student challenged a professor, Melissa McCoul, regarding gender content in a children’s literature course.

State Rep. Brian Harrison (R) shared the Sept. 8 video after it blew up online and caught the attention of other Texas legislators. McCoul was fired days later. Two more administrators were removed, but the changes did not satisfy some lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who argued Welsh did not properly handle the situation.

“President Welsh is a man of honor who has led Texas A&M with selfless dedication,” said Chancellor Glenn Hegar said in a statement on Thursday. “We are grateful for his service and contributions. At the same time, we agree that now is the right moment to make a change and to position Texas A&M for continued excellence in the years ahead.”

The school’s Board of Regent spearhead a national search for a permanent president and appoints an interim president to “ensure a seamless transition.”

Trump presses Bondi to take legal action against his foes– thehill.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Trump presses Bondi to take legal action against his foes– thehill.com
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Excerpt:

 

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Saturday demanded that Attorney General Pam Bondi take action against his foes, saying there could be no delay.

In the post, Trump listed Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former FBI Director James Comey while complaining that “nothing is being done.”

“They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done,” Trump wrote.

He concluded the post by saying that “we can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility” and complaining that “they impeached me twice” and indicted me five times.

Asked about the post a shot time later as he left the White House for an event, Trump added “they have to act. We want to act fast.”

“You know, they were ruthless and vicious,” he added, again mentioning the two impeachment and multiple indictments.

“If they are guilty or if they should be judged, they should be judged and we have to do it now,” he said.

Trump’s remarks pressuring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to take legal actions against those he sees as his political foes is a sharp shift from traditional boundaries meant to prevent DOJ from becoming a legal, political arm of the president.

The comments underscore Trump’s frustrations in his second term with his long-time critics, and comes as the administration has signaled it has an interest in silencing voices with which it disagrees.

ABC indefinitely suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel days ago after pressure from the chair of the Federal Communications Commission ,and the Trump administration has signaled a crackdown on liberal groups with which it disagrees.

Jasmine Crockett Refuses To Apologize For Speaking The Truth About Trump– www.politicususa.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Jasmine Crockett Refuses To Apologize For Speaking The Truth About Trump– www.politicususa.com
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Excerpt:

The mainstream media has been bending the knee to Trump since before he returned to the White House, so they seem surprised when brave voices continue to stand their ground and tell the truth about Donald Trump.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) showed that the president’s censorship campaign will not silence her.

CNN’s Dana Bash asked Rep. Crockett, “Do you have a responsibility as an elected official not to raise the temperature, but rather lower the temperature, particularly when there are people out there who listen to elected officials all over the place who are not well who use that as a way to instigate the political violence that you are calling out?”

The Texas Democrat replied:

I think that my responsibility is to be transparent and to be honest.

And the reality is that we are living in a time in which this administration and this regime is not interested in making sure that people understand history. We need to understand why they are so problematic. And so I am using that language because it is accurate language when we see the consolidation of power, when we see them trying to chill speech of jokesters, when we’re seeing all of this.

That is a playbook out of Hitler. And I won’t deny it. Like, these are the facts. But one of the things that I have never done that the president has done consistently is called specifically for violence. He has said, oh, beat that one up. He has said those types of things.

Undeniable Evidence That MAGA Has Entered Its Death Spiral– www.politicususa.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Undeniable Evidence That MAGA Has Entered Its Death Spiral– www.politicususa.com
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Excerpt:

 

The reality of American politics is that all political movements have a life cycle. It is debatable whether MAGA is a political movement or a Trump political brand extension that is centered heavily around the cult of personality that Donald Trump has cultivated.

PoliticusUSA is not beholden to any party, billionaire, or special interest. Our only concern is you, the reader. Please support our work by becoming a subscriber.

The latest AP Poll contains some jarring data about how large parts of the Republican Party now believe that the country is going in the wrong direction under Trump.

The AP found that nearly 75% of respondents feel that the country is going in the wrong direction, including 50% of Republicans.

Via: the AP:

Among Republicans younger than 45, the decline is particularly glaring: 61% say the country is headed in the wrong direction, a spike of 30 percentage points since June, the last time the question was asked.

…

Why conservatives hate free speech– www.dailykos.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Why conservatives hate free speech– www.dailykos.com
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The conservative movement has spent the days following the shocking murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk attacking a bedrock American value: free speech.

In the most high-profile incident, the Federal Communications Commission pressured ABC parent The Walt Disney Company to sideline talk show host Jimmy Kimmel after he made a joke mocking President Donald Trump’s response to Kirk’s death. This followed CBS canceling “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” shortly after the network paid a $16 million settlement to President Donald Trump over how “60 Minutes” edited an interview with Kamala Harris.

Vice President JD Vance and senior White House aide Stephen Miller have argued that a crackdown on left-of-center groups is necessary to stop people from telling the truth about what a bigot and conspiracy theorist Kirk was.

And Fox News, the Republican Party’s de facto media arm, has joined the anti-First Amendment crusade as well.

“For all the concern about the ‘the First Amendment, the First Amendment,’ what about all the amendments that Charlie Kirk lost? Because Charlie Kirk has no amendments right now. None,” said Fox pundit and former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, exhibiting her lack of knowledge of the U.S. Constitution that has served her so well for years.

TikTok’s Algorithm Will Soon Be “Controlled By America” – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

TikTok’s Algorithm Will Soon Be “Controlled By America” – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com
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After years of bipartisan warnings about TikTok’s potential national security risks, users may soon confront a different kind of threat, perhaps even worse: an algorithm “controlled by America.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the detail on Saturday, a key aspect of the emerging agreement announced by the Trump administration last week between the United States and China. The deal could finally settle TikTok’s fate in the US following months of uncertainty with a brief ban, reversal by the Trump administration, and shifting, self-imposed deadlines for an agreement.

“There will be seven seats on the board that controls the app in the US, and six of those seats will be Americans,” Leavitt told Fox News. “The data and privacy will be led by one of America’s greatest tech companies, Oracle, and the algorithm will also be controlled by America.”

It’s unclear what exactly a US-controlled algorithm will involve. Right-wing conspiracy theories? Charlie Kirk memorials? Coupons for MAGA swag? Nor did Leavitt specify which American individuals would be involved in determining an algorithm. We also have little details on how Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, a Trump loyalist, intends to approach the responsibility for managing TikTok’s data and security while the Trump administration weaponizes everything from voting data to confidential Social Security records.

Pentagon official denies report of Charlie Kirk military recruitment drive | Gun Violence News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Pentagon official denies report of Charlie Kirk military recruitment drive | Gun Violence News– www.aljazeera.com
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Excerpt:

An NBC news report said the military planned to invoke the activist’s memory to recruit a ‘generation of warriors’.

US network NBC first reported the news on Thursday, citing two officials familiar with the matter, but a Pentagon spokesperson quickly dispelled the report to Fox News.

NBC said the Pentagon was debating slogans such as “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors” as part of its campaign drive, although Kirk himself was not a military veteran.

The military also hoped to work with Kirk’s political organisation, Turning Point USA, as part of its recruitment drive, the story said.

Turning Point was credited with helping US President Donald Trump win at the polls in 2024 through its work with young voters on high school and university campuses.

“This is not happening,” Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told Fox News later on Thursday.

Wilson blasted NBC for using anonymous sources to publish “false claims” that were “100 percent wrong”, according to the Fox News report.

The two unnamed Pentagon officials in the NBC report said the recruitment plan had been met with resistance from “some Pentagon leaders” who feared they would be seen as capitalising on Kirk’s murder.

Together For Palestine: ‘How can we live with ourselves and stand by and do nothing?’– www.glamourmagazine.co.uk

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Together For Palestine: ‘How can we live with ourselves and stand by and do nothing?’– www.glamourmagazine.co.uk
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Excerpt:

It was exactly 11 years ago that I first joined a protest in support of Palestine. In 2014, tens of thousands of ordinary people took to the streets of London to protest the Gaza War – a 50-day conflict during which 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians and 551 children, as well as 66 Israeli soldiers and five civilians, including one child, were killed (per the UN).

Where many might not remember the 2014 conflict, few can escape the current horror in Gaza. Since the Hamas attack on Israel, on October 7th 2023, the Israeli military response has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians (per the Palestinian Ministry of Health), although real figures could be much higher. Many human rights organisations, charities and genocide scholars have described the situation as a genocide.

But while there were politicians such as Diane Abbott speaking out at that first rally I attended back in 2014, many celebrities stayed silent. Those who did show support, such as Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Selena Gomez and Rihanna, were lambasted or ordered to backtrack by industry peers. Speaking out against the injustices in Palestine has always come at a price, but finally, more and more artists are stepping away from silence.

Are GMOs Safe? A Molecular Geneticist Speaks Out– www.truthdig.com

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Are GMOs Safe? A Molecular Geneticist Speaks Out– www.truthdig.com
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Excerpt:

 

Are genetically engineered foods safe? In an interview with a leading molecular genetics expert, we discuss the scientific evidence behind health concerns tied to genetically modified corn and pesticides, how genetically modified organisms are changing in ways that increase health risks and how regulatory systems have failed to keep pace with modern genetics.

Professor Michael Antoniou, head of the Gene Expression and Therapy Group at King’s College London, has studied for more than 35 years how genes function and how they are disrupted. His decades of rigorous independent research into the risks of GM foods and glyphosate-based herbicides have raised serious concerns about the safety of these technologies.

In a report he prepared for the Mexican government, as the country attempted to restrict GMO corn imports for health reasons, Antoniou cited “a large body of evidence from well-controlled laboratory animal toxicity studies that show evidence of harm to multiple physiological systems” from toxic agents found in GM corn.

GOP’s new Jan. 6 panel sends letters to DOJ, University of Virginia and others– www.politico.com

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

GOP’s new Jan. 6 panel sends letters to DOJ, University of Virginia and others– www.politico.com
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Excerpt:

The new GOP-led committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack is asking Attorney General Pam Bondi, the University of Virginia and other businesses for information from the previous Democratic-led panel that investigated the Capitol attack.

The Republican leaders claim the information they’re pursuing was never disclosed by the previous panel.

“This is an important first step in unraveling the predetermined narrative the former January 6th Select Committee crafted to hurt President Donald J. Trump,” Chair Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) said in a statement. “Why else would their committee delete or fail to properly archive more than a terabyte of data?”

Many materials in the previous panel’s possession ultimately became public. But some were never released, including footage of witness interviews.

Loudermilk and other Republicans have maintained that the previous panel’s probe was politically motivated. In creating the new GOP investigation, Loudermilk intends to rewrite the record of the Capitol attack.

Post-Kimmel, Dems could change the cancel culture narrative– www.politico.com

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Post-Kimmel, Dems could change the cancel culture narrative– www.politico.com
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Democrats opened investigations, filed motions to subpoena and demanded the resignation of the Federal Communications Commission chair Thursday — a response to the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel that represented unusually swift pushback from a party struggling to find its footing.

But it’s not clear how Democrats will translate this relatively united front into an electoral strategy, as the party remains divided over how and how much to talk about threats to democracy ahead of next year’s pivotal midterm elections.

That tension began playing out in their descriptions of Kimmel’s suspension, as some Democrats urged their party to retool its messaging.

At a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce legislation to protect free speech, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) attacked President Donald Trump for “trying to destroy our democracy” and acting like “many would-be despots.” Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) cautioned “fascism is not on the way, it is here.” But Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who is running for the U.S. Senate in a high-profile primary, warned that language may be “too abstract for people” and urged Democrats to “distill it down to something people get in their everyday life.”

“This is what we saw in 2024: When you talk about ‘fascism’ and ‘democracy’ and ‘oligarchy,’ it’s too big a concept,” McMorrow said. “People are so overwhelmed and when it’s too big, people just wonder, ‘well, what can I possibly do about it?’”

Jimmy Kimmel - Wikipedia

Jimmy Kimmel pulled off the air. This is the monologue that sparked it.– mashable.com

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

Jimmy Kimmel - Wikipedia

Kimmel Suspended, The Fallout has only begun – Freedomist
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Jimmy Kimmel was suspended indefinitely after claiming before a studio audience that the murderer of Charlie Kirk was a MAGA person. The claim is a violation of FCC rules that prohibit licensed broadcasters like ABC from publishing known lies (for it was known by then the killer was NOT MAGA) about news event that could incite violence.

The Dangerous Bullying of Ilhan Omar | The New Yorker

Dems Looks to Get Revenge on GOP Failed Attempt to Censure Ilhan Omar over Charlie Kirk Comments

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

The Dangerous Bullying of Ilhan Omar | The New Yorker

DOJ impeachments could continue Democratic retaliation against Ilhan Omar censure push – Politico– news.google.com
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A Texas Democrat is planning to file impeachment articles against President Donald Trump’s top law enforcement officials as a partisan slap flight plays out on the House floor this week.

Dueling censure resolutions are currently awaiting floor votes that could come as soon as Wednesday afternoon after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) took aim at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) for comments made after the killing last week of activist Charlie Kirk. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) immediately countered with a measure targeting Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) who is subject to an ethics investigation and a restraining-order proceeding.

National bill on voting standards pushed anew by Democrats in ...

Dems Caught a Government Shutdown and don’t know what to do with it

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

National bill on voting standards pushed anew by Democrats in ...

Capitol agenda: Dems dig in against the GOP CR– www.politico.com
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Excerpt:

Democrats say they won’t accept the stopgap funding bill Republicans unveiled Tuesday, further increasing the chances of a government shutdown Oct. 1.

“The House Republican-only spending bill fails to meet the needs of the American people and does nothing to stop the looming healthcare crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement, pledging to propose their own continuing resolution, or CR, that ties in an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies.

But in order to keep their leverage to force Republicans back to the negotiating table, Democratic leaders need to minimize defections — and purple-district lawmakers could take political heat if they vote against a government funding patch.

Frontline Democrats are set to huddle Wednesday morning with Jeffries to discuss their options, according to two people granted anonymity to share details about a private meeting. Reps. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.) are expected to press Democratic leaders during the meeting to push for any CR to include funding for local law enforcement efforts, as outlined in a letter shared first with Inside Congress.

New Yorkers have been betrayed': can Zohran Mamdani become the ...

Mayor to Mayor: A Conversation Between Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani– www.thenation.com

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

New Yorkers have been betrayed': can Zohran Mamdani become the ...

Mayor to Mayor: A Conversation Between Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani– www.thenation.com
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Excerpt:

US Senator Bernie Sanders started his career in electoral office in 1981, as the democratic socialist mayor of Burlington, Vermont. His surprise election victory attracted national attention and considerable skepticism among political insiders during what was the first year of Republican Ronald Reagan’s presidency. But Sanders proved to be a highly successful municipal leader, winning three reelection bids before his eventual election to the US House.

Now, 44 years after Sanders won his first mayoral term, Zohran Mamdani seeks to become the democratic socialist mayor of New York City. As the Democratic nominee in an overwhelmingly Democratic town, Mamdani leads in the polls and was just endorsed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

Sanders endorsed Mamdani before New York City’s June Democratic primary and has been an enthusiastic supporter ever since. When the senator from Vermont came to New York in early September to campaign with Mamdani, they had a few spare minutes to talk. A conversation about municipal politics and governance ensued, as the 33-year-old mayoral candidate quizzed the 84-year-old former mayor about campaigning in very different cities in very different times—and about the challenges, and the possibilities, that go with leading an American city in an era when the White House is anything but friendly. Mamdani and Sanders shared their conversation with The Nation, and we present it here.

Democrats unveil funding alternative to counter GOP in shutdown brawl– www.politico.com

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

Democrats unveil funding alternative to counter GOP in shutdown brawl– www.politico.com
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Congressional Democrats released bill text Wednesday night for their own stopgap spending proposal as they dig in against a House Republican-backed measure that would fund the government until late November.

The new Democratic proposal links funding the government through Oct. 31 to two of the party’s other priorities: health care assistance and placing limits on President Donald Trump’s ability to unilaterally roll back funds previously approved by Congress.

The Democratic stopgap bill has virtually no chance of passing the Senate — much less getting to Trump’s desk before the end-of-the-month deadline to avert a shutdown. But it allows Democrats to rally behind a plan that will win a broad swath of support among their members in the House and Senate.

“We invite Republican leadership to finally join Democratic leadership at the negotiating table, which they have refused for weeks to do, to prevent a shutdown and begin bipartisan negotiations to keep the government funded,” Congress’ top Democratic appropriators, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, said in a joint statement.

The Democrats’ bill would extend boosted Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies that will otherwise expire on Dec. 31. It also would reverse cuts to Medicaid and other health programs that Republicans enacted as part of their party-line megabill this summer.

ABC Disgracefully Caves To Trump And Suspends Jimmy Kimmel– www.politicususa.com

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

ABC Disgracefully Caves To Trump And Suspends Jimmy Kimmel– www.politicususa.com
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Excerpt:

First, Stephen Colbert, and now Jimmy Kimmel. There is a clear pattern at work here.

ABC has announced that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has been suspended, and his show has been taken off the air indefinitely, all because Kimmel made a remark during his program on Monday.

Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

FCC Chair Brendon Carr went on a right-wing podcast and threatened ABC by saying:

This appears to be an action by Jimmy Kimmel to play into the narrative that this was somehow a MAGA or Republican-motivated person. What people don’t understand is that the broadcasters … have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest. When we see stuff like this, look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.

ABC affiliates announced that they would be replacing Kimmel’s show after the Carr threat, and the network responded by announcing that Kimmel was indefinitely suspended.”