Free Republic

The homeless man accused of a shooting spree in Santa Monica has been charged with three counts of attempted murder amid a wave of violence from transients that has Los Angeles residents on edge. David John Hairston II, 31, allegedly ambushed and shot a police officer at a pedestrian mall in the seaside enclave on Wednesday, just days after allegedly shooting two teens who were riding a self-driving taxi, according to prosecutors. Hairston was arrested after a citywide manhunt; he faces various weapons charges on top of the attempted murders, with a maximum sentence of 104 years to life in...

While Los Angeles burned—as rocks and bottles rained down on federal officers and National Guard troops deployed by presidential order—California Governor Gavin Newsom was sipping wine in Napa Valley, at an estate where the flagship Cabernet sells for $360 a bottle. On June 7, as rioters assaulted police, torched cars, and smashed windows across downtown Los Angeles, Newsom attended a wine tasting dubbed “Vineyard Vibes” at the Odette Estate Winery, an elite property he co-founded in 2011. According to Christopher Rufo and Ryan Thorpe at City Journal, the event served up live jazz, wood-fired smash burgers, and promotional copy so...

Rosie O’Donnell took to social media on Monday to promote a “recount” of President Donald Trump’s landslide victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. The comedian shared a post to her Instagram Story from social media influencer Joe Braxton, who claimed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk “hacked and stole” the 2024 presidential election in his demand for a “recount.” “We Demand A Recount!” the online influencer exclaimed in the caption of his Instagram post, which was shared by O’Donnell. Braxton went on to bizarrely alleged that “Elon hacked and stole the election, then created a department...

On Sunday, June 22, The Hill reported that failed 2020 and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris is “leaning toward entering the [2026] California gubernatorial race, per sources familiar with the former vice president’s thinking.” “While the sources caution that Harris hasn’t made a final decision yet and is still considering all her options, they say she has made it clear that she is not done with public service and is giving the race strong consideration. Those who have spoken to Harris about the possibility of entering the race say it has given her a renewed sense of excitement and, as...

Harris has not made a final decision, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill. One source said that the possibility of entering the race has put “a glimmer in her eyes.” “She has a lot of people in her ear telling her that it makes the most sense and she can do the most good,” said one source who spoke to Harris about a potential run. Another source reportedly “pushed back” on the notion that Harris would enter the race, they told The Hill: Either way, the sources say Harris is sticking to a self-imposed end-of-summer deadline...

As riots engulfed Los Angeles and mobs vandalized public buildings, incinerated vehicles, and assaulted law enforcement officers, California governor Gavin Newsom was enjoying a swanky wine-tasting party in Napa Valley. The wine-tasting was held on the afternoon of June 7, 2025, at the Odette Estate Winery, which Newsom co-founded in 2011. Dubbed “Vineyard Vibes,” the event was a fundraiser for the PlumpJack Foundation, founded by Newsom’s sister, and featured “contemporary yet sophisticated” wines, live jazz music, and locally made pizza and smash burgers. ... A source who photographed Newsom at the event expressed shock that the governor was in attendance,...

$100M Brinks Heist Duo to Appear in Court Tuesday Two Southern California residents are expected to appear in court Tuesday on federal charges alleging they broke into a Brinks truck and stole nearly $100 million worth of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and luxury watches in what officials consider the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history. The indictment, returned in Los Angeles federal court last week, charges seven defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate and foreign shipment and theft from interstate and foreign shipment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Due for their initial court appearances...

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass compared the impact of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids to the coronavirus lockdowns that her party imposed on California, in that both kept people at home. Bass made the comparison over the weekend in visits to small businesses in a neighborhood that, the Los Angeles Times, depended on the “immigrant” economy (the Times never used the word “illegal). The Times reported: Bass visited a number of small businesses in Boyle Heights with Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles), including Casa Fina, Distrito Catorce, Yeya’s and Birrieria De Don Boni, as well as the Estrada...

On Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The Weeknight,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass responded to a question on whether the LAPD should tip off neighborhood leaders if they know ICE enforcement is coming by saying that “the problem is, is that they don’t. They don’t have any idea. And so, they cannot be helpful in that way. They are excluded. They’re just as in the dark as we are.” Co-host Alicia Menendez asked, “Mayor Bass, to your point about L.A. being an experiment, you had the president today saying that he wants to step up deportation efforts in many Democrat-run cities....

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Oakland was once again turned into a dystopian Mad Max-style hellscape as cars and fireworks exploded during multiple street takeovers in the Democrat-run city.At least one person was left critically injured as several major intersections were shut down by street 'sideshows' in the early hours of Sunday morning. Numerous cars were set ablaze, fireworks were thrown and businesses were vandalized as at least three unsanctioned car shows took over the California city.Hundreds of feral onlookers cheered and screamed as the city descended into lawlessness in scenes reminiscent of the post-apocalyptic movies starring Mel Gibson. 'It's crazy,' Oakland resident Santana Beltran...

A large mob was seen looting an AutoZone store in South Los Angeles early Monday morning, and the incident was likely connected to a street takeover that took place nearby.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and “Real Time” host Bill Maher agreed on Friday that the optics of Democrats defending the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles will be “good for Trump” as scenes of chaos from the riots continue to go viral on social media. Maher noted that some on the left condemned Fetterman after he denounced the violence happening in the streets of Los Angeles and agreed that “it doesn’t do the Democratic Party any good to defend” the violent protests. Fetterman issued a strong message on X Monday evening denouncing the riots in L.A. and included a now-infamous photo...

New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom said Friday that former President Barack Obama will not be coming to Democrats' collective rescue as the party struggles to find national leadership in the wake of their stinging defeat in 2024. Cottom argued that Democrats desperate for Obama to save the party are "undignified" and weak, asserting that change will not come from above, but rather from "the streets." "We must start asking how we can save ourselves. We are seeing the start of that in places like Los Angeles, San Antonio and Raleigh, N.C.," she wrote, referencing the anti-ICE protests occurring...

NBC’s Seth Meyers continued his lamentations on President Trump’s response to the Los Angeles riots on Wednesday’s edition of Late Night. As Meyers tells it, Congressional Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, are “collaborating” with Trump to “turn America into a military-style autocracy” and would’ve ratted out the original Tea Party to the British in 1773. Meyers was agreeing with California Gov. Gavin Newsom that the Founders would be ashamed of Trump’s actions when he went on one of his Meyers-esque digressions about what the proper term for “pants” was in the 18th century and then declared, “Now, if you’re...

A federal judge late Thursday ruled that the federalization of parts of California’s National Guard by President Donald Trump was “illegal,” and ordered Trump to return control of the Guard to state Gov. Gavin Newsom “forthwith.” But Judge Charles Breyer stayed his temporary restraining order from taking effect until 3 p.m. ET on Friday to allow the Trump administration to appeal his decision. The administration promptly did just that, asking the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to block Breyer’s ruling from taking effect. Trump, over the past week, had federalized 4,000 members of the California National Guard, and mobilized...

A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump acted illegally when he seized control of California’s National Guard during ICE-related riots in Los Angeles. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer issued the decision Thursday, siding with Governor Gavin Newsom and ordering Trump to return control of the Guard to the state "forthwith." "His actions were illegal—both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution," Breyer wrote. "He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith." "Federalism is not optional," the...

The dad of a young union worker and socialist activist arrested by the FBI for handing out face shields to dozens of LA rioters said his son isn’t a criminal — but slammed him for supplying the anti-ICE riots, and leading the feds to bust down the door of their family home. Francisco Orellana’s reaction to seeing his son Alejandro “Alex” Orellana driving a truck loaded with supplies for protesters was: “What the f--- are you doing?” The elder Orellana, a US citizen who moved to the US in the 1970s, told The Post the feds handcuffed the whole family...

While Los Angeles erupts in chaos, California leaders like Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass seem more interested in defending violent protesters than upholding federal immigration law. Despite relentless media attacks on Donald Trump—especially on the economy—polls show a 17-point edge for Trump over Democrats when it comes to economic leadership. Why? Because Americans aren't buying the Left’s hysteria.

ARRESTED: Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested this morning by @FBILosAngeles on an allegation of Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders (18 USC 371) for distributing face shields to suspected rioters on Tuesday. We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles. ... Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders under 18 USC 371 is a felony, as it carries a maximum penalty of up to five years imprisonment. The potential sentence could be up to five years, but the actual time served depends on factors like the defendant's criminal history and judicial discretion....