Free Republic

The United States announced Sunday another strike against what it called a drug-running boat, this time attacking an alleged Colombian leftist rebel vessel in an apparent expansion of a US military operation off the coasts of South America. Word of the attack from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth came as President Donald Trump said the United States is halting financial aid to Colombia, accusing its president of condoning the production of drugs. This took embattled relations between two longstanding allies to a new low. The United States has had warships deployed in the Caribbean off Venezuela since August and attacked...

The head of the U.S. military's Southern Command will retire later this year, a high-profile departure that comes as the Trump administration strikes alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean and puts pressure on the Venezuelan government. Adm. Alvin Holsey announced his retirement from the U.S. Navy in a statement posted to social media on Thursday. He said he is retiring after 37 years in the Navy in mid-December — just over a year after he was first promoted to lead Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM. "I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation...

A key ally of Donald Trump filed a complaint Tuesday against a district judge out of Washington, DC, who appeared on CNN last week and took jabs at the former president. US District Judge Reggie Walton went on the cable news network to discuss Trump’s attacks on the judge overseeing his “hush money” case out of Manhattan and was openly critical of the 45th president. Mike Davis, the founder of the Article III Project, an advocacy group that pushes for the nominations of conservative judges, ripped Walton’s CNN appearance as “judicial misconduct.” “We are seeing a dangerous pattern in which...

In a move that will surprise no one, Democrats have announced they are putting a bull's-eye on President Trump in their "investigation" of the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6. The Guardian reports U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who was appointed chair of a House select committee on the events of that day, pledged to "investigate Donald Trump." The Guardian said it interviewed Thompson, asking him if he's prepared to depose members of Congress and the Trump administration. "Absolutely," Thompson promised. "Nothing is off limits."

Sullivan should not embark on any contempt proceeding against Michael Flynn. Doing so would be a misuse of his contempt power. Stunning developments in the criminal case of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn exploded onto the national scene the past two weeks. First, the government moved to dismiss the case, a one-count plea for allegedly making false statements to the FBI.Then the trial judge, Emmet Sullivan, issued an order permitting people and groups claiming to have an interest in the matter to file briefs about whether he should grant the governmentÂ’s motion. Further, Sullivan appointed a retired federal judge, John Gleeson,...

President Obama's first selection of a Supreme Court justice is being managed by a small group of senior advisers, and the process will last at least into next week before producing a candidate who the administration hopes will inject real-world experience into the nation's highest court.... The advisers are gathering recommendations from congressional leaders and determining what criteria will count most in narrowing the field of candidates to replace Justice David H. Souter...(Obama) has indicated that he wants a candidate who has a less traditional résumé, in order to bring diversity to a high court now filled entirely by former...