Free Republic

More massive fraud has been uncovered in California. Only a day after the state’s Attorney-General Rob Bonta dismissed as ”baseless” claims of widespread fraud raging across the state, the Small Business Administration announced they’ve uncovered $8.6 billion in dodgy COVID-era loans. SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler announced Friday the agency has suspended more than 111,000 California borrowers suspected of committing fraud during the pandemic. They are accused of collecting money under the paycheck protection and economic injury disaster loans from the federal government that were supposed to ease the economic burden from COVID. “Once again, the Trump SBA is taking decisive...

A beloved business owner and mother was murdered 'execution style' in her bar after her cold-hearted killer demanded cash, according to police. Courtney Drysdale, 30, was shot dead on Monday at around 11 am while she was alone in her bar, The Line, in Momence, Illinois. Investigators say she was opening for the day when her suspected killer, Julius E Burkes Jr, 47, allegedly stormed inside and demanded money from the register. The terrified victim complied with his demands - but that did not stop him from fatally shooting her twice before fleeing the scene, Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey...

The nasty and expensive three-way contest between Cornyn and his two challengers — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt — is widely expected to go to a runoff election between the top two finishers, scheduled for late May. Cornyn, in his most difficult reelection fight since his first election to the Senate in 2002, could get shut out of the two-man brawl after the first round of voting in early March. (RELATED: Texas Democrat Accused Of Calling Ex-Opponent ‘Mediocre Black Man’) A J.L. Partners survey released Thursday found 27% of likely GOP primary voters support Paxton with...

Eight emperors are shown on the coins. However, three of the coins featured an unexpected ruler -- Eugenius, who only ruled the Western Roman Empire from 392 to 394 CE. Eugenius came to power partially due to the support of a powerful general Arbogast. Arbogast was a Frank -- the Germanic-speaking peoples who invaded the Western Roman Empire during the Fifth Century.When Christianity was becoming increasingly dominant in the Roman Empire, Eugenius attempted to restore pagan practices and traditions. His brief reign was marked by conflict and political instability. Eugenius primary opponent -- Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius I -- eventually...

In one sense, Saddam Azlan Salim is a classic immigrant success story. Born in Bangladesh, he grew up in northern Virginia and quickly demonstrated an aptitude for the political rough-and-tumble of his adoptive land. Now he is 36 years old, a Virginia state senator, and a rising star in that state’s now-dominant Democrat Party establishment. In another sense, however, Saddam Azlan Salim clearly retains at least some of the sensibilities of the land of his birth, and he wants to bring them to his new land: He has just introduced a bill to criminalize “Islamophobia” in Virginia. In Bangladesh, criticizing...

The reason the DOJ and FBI are failing is that key participants in the illicit Russia Collusion, Jan 6, and Arctic Frost Operations are still in power, while individuals like Ed Martin, who try to bring some justice to the Justice Department, are fired. Deep State FBI Directors Here is what we shared about five current FBI leaders still working at the FBI, as reported by the Oversight Project.......

(NewsNation) — It’s never been easier to tap a button and have dinner show up at your door, but the line between convenience and cost is drawing new attention. A recent New York Times story explored the rise of America’s food-delivery culture, prompting fresh scrutiny of how much people are spending on apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub. The Times spoke to a 34-year-old woman in San Diego with a $50,000 annual salary who said she spends at least $200 to $300 a week on food delivery — a pattern she said has eaten away at her savings. Another...

An armed Florida homeowner fired shots in self-defense amid a burglary attempt Wednesday night, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said.Deputies responded just before 8 p.m. Wednesday after a homeowner reported two suspects attempted to break into a house on Clearwater Road, officials said.The homeowner fired a gun and struck a juvenile male suspect, who was later transported to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition, officials said. (snip) "Anyone who breaks into someone's home should expect to get shot," Sheriff Bill Leeper said. "This is a serious crime with real consequences."

New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie suggested Vice President JD Vance's mother was right to have attempted to sell him for drugs in a Bluesky post on Wednesday. In a series of comments on the left-wing platform, Bouie criticized Vance for a recent interview with the Daily Mail where he declined to apologize to Minnesota shooting victim Alex Pretti's family after accusing him of showing up with "ill intent" at an immigration enforcement protest. "[T]his is a wicked man who knows he is being wicked and does it anyway," Bouie wrote. He added, "like, do you see that smirk? that...

The White House is dismissing backlash over a meme video the president posted on Truth Social late Thursday depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as gorillas. “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from ‘The Lion King,'” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.” *** The roughly one-minute video was mostly focused on claims of vote rigging in the 2020 election but showed AI-generated...

The Russian invasion force is in disarray following the deactivation of its Starlink satellite communications. Meanwhile Ukrainians are rushing to get their terminals whitelisted to maintain the service. Both sides have made extensive use of the commercial Starlink service, which provides long-range, jam-resistant communication. Now the service operated by SpaceX is being denied to the Russians, and only terminals officially registered in Ukraine will work. “The Starlink terminals added to the ‘whitelist’ are working. The Russians’ terminals have already been blocked,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a statement on Thursday, The effect on the Russians has been catastrophic,...

William Palmer was found dead just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning after allegedly being shot by a woman he picked up on the side of the road during the cold of night. KMOV reported that Palmer was found near N 9th and Olive in downtown and pronounced dead. He had given 36-year-old Brittany Rivoire a ride and, at some point, she allegedly shot him. ...

President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies are not the only reason for the decline, but they are a big contributing factor. Enforcing immigration law and allowing more homes to be built are doing more for renters than slogans and rent control ever did. I

Donald Trump has posted a video on Truth Social depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The clip, which he shared late last night, focuses on his accusations of fraud during the 2020 election. An AI video shows the faces of the former president and first lady imposed on the bodies of apes, followed by The Tokens' song The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The clip belongs to a pro-Trump account on X but was reposted by the President on his Truth Social platform. Trump's latest swipe at the Obama family sparked widespread condemnation across the political divide. 'Disgusting behavior by the...

The U.S. has arrested Zubayr Al-Bakoush, alleged to be one of the leaders of the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the arrest on Friday. Bondi said that Al-Bakoush was charged with charges of murder, terror and arson, all related to the 2012 attack. "Zubayr Al-Bakoush will now face American justice on American soil. We will prosecute this alleged terrorist to the fullest extent of the law," Bondi said on Friday. "Let this case serve as a reminder: If you commit a crime against...

In the aftermath of heavy federal immigration enforcement nationwide, Mayor Michelle Wu signed an executive order Thursday to protect against unconstitutional and violent federal enforcement. The order asserts that local police are obligated to protect residents, and says the city refuses to assist federal commandeering of local resources. “We will not allow the birthplace of American democracy to be knocked off our path by those who have turned their backs on our founding principles,” Mayor Wu said during a press conference on Thursday at City Hall. “An Executive Order To Protect Bostonians From Unconstitutional and Violent Federal Operations” also bans...

Observers from the New York Attorney General's office will monitor and document federal immigration enforcement actions across the state, Letitia James announced Tuesday. The legal observers, drawn from volunteers in the attorney general's office, will not interfere with enforcement actions, and wear easily identifiable vests as they document Immigration Customs and Enforcement activity, she said. "We have seen in Minnesota how quickly and tragically federal operations can escalate in the absence of transparency and accountability," James said in a statement. "My office is launching the Legal Observation Project to examine federal enforcement activity in New York and whether it remains...

Iran and ICE Proverbs 21:21 (King James Version) He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. Where is Haaavad, Yale, Columbia, and Stanford on the massacres in Iran? After years of supporting Hamas in Gaza against the Jews as they claimed 60,000 babies murdered by Israel with zero documentation, they know Iran is murdering young Iranians in the streets and not a single sign. Guess they are proving beyond a shadow of a doubt how much they cared about those children in Gaza, it was simply Virtue Grandstanding for the cameras. Some of the biggest fools...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, MartyrsKing Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; That is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” Mark 6:14–16When a person sins seriously and refuses to repent, the damaging effects of that sin deepen over time,...

FReepers have a finely-honed enthusiasm for reporting on, and then bludgeoning, the never-ending series of our political leaders’ failures and frauds. It’s why dear Jim created this site, and it’s what we do. But perhaps our relentless jaundiced-eye could benefit from a dose of prophetic context.Those present during the coming millennium will behold an altogether new kind of leader, one who never succumbs, not even once, to the pressures and temptations to which our current politicians so readily surrender. For a thousand years, the King of Kings will be the ideal leader. I think it’s worth taking a moment to...