Free Republic

The plea agreement calls for a stay-of-imposition on the felony sentence, meaning no prison time, and the conviction level will drop to a misdemeanor upon successful completion of five years' probation.... ...Spoolman’s case is being prosecuted by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office....

The Talk Shows Jan 4th, 2026 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:FACE THE NATION (CBS): Margaret Brennan anchors: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-El Salvador.); Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz; Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington. FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Anchor Shannon Bream: guest-anchored by Jillian Turner: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem; Sen. Bill Cassidy (R{Never Trump}-La.); Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.); Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter. Panel: Michael Allen, Guy Benson, Francesca Chambers and Richard Fowler.MEET THE dePRESS (NBC): Hosted by Kristen Welker: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY);...

Christmas week was rather a slow week, with the big news being the further unraveling of the corruption in Minnesota, Washington state, California, and other Democrat redoubts. But like George Washington crossing the Delaware to beat the Hessians as they rested on Christmas, the U.S. pulled off an incredible military operation capturing Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro in his pajamas and bringing him back here to answer to criminal charges. The Venezuelan military was largely on Christmas leave and Maduro’s international protectors --- the Chinese and Russian forces in Venezuela -- were caught flatfooted, diminishing their credibility in the Western Hemisphere. The...

These are the lifestyles of the rich and shameless. The Somali fraudsters convicted in the Feeding Our Future scandal flaunted government-funded lifestyles and robust real estate portfolios with the millions of dollars they bilked from the federal government. Brazen scammers stole hundreds of millions of dollars of federal COVID relief funds — spending their loot on tony condos, expensive cars, and real estate projects in Kenya — including a four-story apartment building and luxury resort, according to court documents. Minny insiders marveled this week to The Post at their sheer chutzpah. Liban Yasin Alishire, 43, who pleaded guilty in 2023...

After the capture and arrest of Venezuelan dictator and cartel leader Maduro, the untiring gentlemen of the Senate, led by Sen. Chuck Schumer, have vowed to pass a resolution blocking any action against Venezuela. Sen. Schumer, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Tim Kaine, Hillary’s former VP, and Sen. Rand Paul are teaming up on a resolution to try and turn back the clock. No word on whether it will ask for Maduro’s return. While Congress has a legitimate role in declaring war, this resolution is stupid and destructive to the point of being treasonous. President Trump has signaled that he’s not...

Cooking a steak dinner at home is not for the faint of heart. It can be difficult—requiring a good sear and the insides cooked to the perfect doneness. A lot can go wrong, and it’s easy to feel discouraged after many failed attempts. Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about steak: Pull the meat from the fridge ahead of time so that it comes to room temperature, create a dry brine with coarse salt, and allow the steak to rest after cooking to retain its juices. However, I still feel underprepared every time I make it. So,...

Bolton says he is pleased Maduro has been captured but stresses that Maduro alone does not represent the full regime. He says Trump’s team must remove other who control the weapons, the courts, and the Cartels. ...

As the U.S. military carried out a daring operation to capture Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, a second front opened up within minutes in the United States an information warfare, psychological and propaganda operation run by a hardened cell of self-described Marxist, socialist and communist leaders. For years, this cell has fomented anti-American hate in the U.S. under the cover of "anti-war" protests, rallying activists after the 9/11 attacks to condemn the U.S. response, appropriating "anti-racism" protests after the 2020 killing of George Floyd, marching with Antifa agitators, organizing antisemitic campus encampments after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas...

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday called for the release of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife from U.S. custody after President Donald Trump announced that they were captured during military strikes on the capital city of Caracas. “We firmly call on the U.S. leadership to reconsider this position and release the lawfully elected president of a sovereign country and his wife,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, stressing the need to resolve the dramatic confrontation through diplomacy. In a separate message, the ministry said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez...

The Houston Texans and Bud Light made history with the world's first‑ever beer poured in space – the Cosmic Pour. Learn all about it here: https://www.houstontexans.com/fans/space-city. The Texans and Bud Light teamed up with stratospheric‑launch specialists Sent Into Space Ltd. to attempt the historic pour and launched 1,000 Bud Light cans (also known as UFOs, Unidentified Fermented Objects) into open space. The result: science, spectacle, and a record‑setting stunt that proves just how far the Texans and Bud Light will go for fans. To celebrate the Cosmic Pour, the Texans and Bud Light have reserved these same cans for the...

Pablo Escobar was elected alternate representative to the Congress of the Republic of Colombia in 1982. Upon receiving the news of his victory, he told his wife: “Get ready to be the First Lady . . . the doors of the presidential palace will open for us.” The most notorious drug trafficker in history dreamed of becoming president of his country. To realize that dream, Escobar oversaw a reign of terror that included bombings, assassinations of judges, police, and presidential candidates, and mass kidnappings. The exact number of victims is unknown but estimated to be around 50,000. The Colombian drug...

His arrest isn’t just about Venezuela—it may be the start of something much bigger. As Iran’s protests intensify, one question is spreading fast: Is Iran next? And if the dominoes keep falling, what does that mean for China? This episode breaks down why Maduro’s capture changes the rules of global power—and why Beijing is watching Iran with growing anxiety.

A law going into effect at the beginning of 2026 will allow judges to restrict those convicted of ‘extreme DUI’ from purchasing alcohol, and ABC4 spoke to a family who lost a loved one to a drunk driver about the new law. Michelle Schmitt, communications director with Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS), said that the new law will require everyone to have their IDs checked, regardless of age or appearance, but more than that, it will restrict people convicted of “extreme DUI” from purchasing alcohol. “An extreme DUI is when someone is found to have a blood alcohol...

“God...has blessed us with every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3, emphasis added). As a Christian, you possess every spiritual resource you need to fulfill God’s will for your life. The story is told of a wealthy London businessman who searched many years for his runaway son. One afternoon he was preparing to board a train to London when he spotted a man in ragged, dirty clothing begging money from passengers along the station platform. His first impulse was to avoid the beggar but there was something strangely familiar about him. When the beggar approached and asked if he could spare a...

Doha says it is ready to contribute to international efforts for de-escalation and dialogue regarding VenezuelaQatar said Saturday it is ready to contribute to any international effort aimed at reaching an “immediate peaceful solution” in Venezuela, calling for restraint and de-escalation. In a statement, the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep concern over developments in Venezuela, following US attacks on the capital, Caracas, and the detention of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The ministry urged all parties to exercise restraint, reduce tensions and pursue dialogue to address outstanding issues. It reaffirmed Qatar’s position in support of the UN...

Security officials assess that alongside strengthening its military capabilities, Hamas is also tightening its control over the Gazan population.

'For visible Muslims in particular, the top deck of a bus or a half-empty train carriage can mean threatening behaviour, verbal abuse, or even violent attack simply because of their faith,' says head of Muslim groupRacial and religious hate crimes on public transport across the UK have increased in recent years, with police data showing more than 3,200 racially motivated offenses recorded in 2024–25, according to figures released Friday. Data from the British Transport Police shows racial hate crimes recorded across England, Wales, and Scotland rose from 2,827 cases in 2019–20 to 3,258 in 2024–25, reflecting a steady upward trend...

A grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson burned to death in a Gaza City displacement camp when their tent caught fire on Thursday night, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza. Amal Abu al-Khair was one of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians enduring cold winter weather in makeshift housing. Her son Muhammad was cooking dinner when a fire broke out in their nylon tent at the Yarmouk displacement camp. Strong winter winds fuelled the flames and made it impossible to control the blaze. "The tent served as both living and cooking space, with limited room and flammable materials like...

Well, Donald Trump has done it again! He stumped the chumps. The "chumps" in this case were the "blue-chip" academic and financial economists whose consensus forecast this time last year was of high inflation and low economic growth. Wrong on both counts. As you've probably heard, the GDP growth for Q3 came in at a red-hot 4.3%, following 3.5% for the second quarter. Some 90% of professional economists got it wrong -- all underestimating the strength of the Trump economy. QED: These weren't random errors. These were "hate Trump" errors. They also predicted inflation of above 3% for 2025. It's...

The leading political opposition voice to Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is speaking out in the wake of the U.S. capture of the illegitimate president, as RedState reported earlier on Saturday. In December 2025 in Oslo, Norway, while picking up the Nobel Peace Prize alongside the duly elected president of Venezuela, Edmundo González, for their part in leading the opposition to the now-captured Venezuelan dictator Maduro, Maria Corina Machado called for the strongman to be removed and as my colleague Ward Clark wrote at the time, "already giving the Trump administration props for the pressure on Maduro":María Corina Machado said she...