Free Republic

Federal and state officials are racing to address an assault on the nation’s water supply that they believe is the work of Iranian hackers.In 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration proposed creating stronger cybersecurity guidelines to better safeguard the nation’s water supply from hackers.The steps were modest, but necessary, officials said at the time: Many municipalities lacked even basic protections, and the computers that monitor and adjust water quality, including chemical-treatment levels, were easy-to-find targets for a would-be intruder.The E.P.A. rescinded the order, however, after Republican-led states and industry groups sued to block its enforcement. They argued...

The Walt Disney Company has dramatically escalated its showdown with the Federal Communications Commission, accusing the agency of carrying out a politically motivated campaign on behalf of President Donald Trump that could strip broadcast licenses from some of Disney-owned network ABC’s biggest television stations. In a 109-page filing, Disney argued the federal agency’s actions amount to retaliation over the entertainment company’s programming, including criticism of the president by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and scrutiny surrounding Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. “The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country: accommodate the Administration’s view of...

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, declined to apologize Monday night for his "ogre on a pike" metaphor after critics from both parties condemned the leaked remark as violent and, in some cases, sexist."Ideally, you put one ogre on a pike, and then everyone else gets the message," El-Sayed said, according to audio obtained by Politico. While El-Sayed did not name Stevens in the recording, some Democrats interpreted the remark as referring to her. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., who has endorsed Stevens, called the remark a "violent, vulgar" threat and said candidates should be working to lower the...

President Donald Trump insisted Russia and China are “not participating” in the Iran war. The president made the declaration Friday in a Truth Social post. The post included Trump claimed he is doing “very big favors” for Chinese President Xi Jingping: "President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — And that statement included Chinese Companies. Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also. Likewise, President [Vladimir] Putin, despite...

A Philadelphia community activist is accused of stabbing another woman with a box cutter during a fight on a SEPTA train. Rosalind "Roz" Pichardo, 48, is charged with aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, and disorderly conduct. --SNIP-- She (victim) ultimately received 40 stitches on the left side of her face, 30 stiches on the right side of her face, three stitches on her upper lip and three stitches to the upper right side of her chest, according to investigators. The woman’s muscles on the left side of her...

Congress on Thursday split on advancing a pair of war powers resolutions aimed at forcing President Donald Trump to abandon his war with Iran, as the conflict escalates into a deadly new phase and oil tops $100 a barrel. The moves were the first vote since Trump informed Congress that he restarted the war with Iran following the breakdown of peace negotiations. The conflict’s revival after weeks of a shaky ceasefire comes just months before the U.S. midterm elections. It threatens to scramble the majority Republicans’ plan to maintain their razor-thin majorities. The Senate on Thursday voted 47-49 to kill...

In his latest appearance on Fox News, Sen. John Fetterman called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a “clown” for saying he might have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if he comes to the city. Fetterman, a staunch Israel supporter who appeared on “Hannity” Wednesday night, mocked Mamdani for threatening to order Netanyahu’s arrest on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court but then backtracking earlier this week while admitting the city would not have the authority to do so. “So, sit down. You know you’re a clown,” Fetterman said, directing his comments to Mamdani. “You’re just going...

On Wednesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s (D) threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was just playing to the fringe and said to Mamdani, “I know you’re angry at Netanyahu because he killed a lot of people you admire, whether, like, it’s Sinwar or Nasrallah or [Khamenei] in Iran.” Fetterman said, [relevant remarks begin around 2:10] “Mamdani or some of the other freak shows that are winning some of these primaries are now hostile and intensely anti-Israel, really just raging antisemitism in a lot...

WASHINGTON — What’s in a name? “Squad” Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) mixed up two Jewish Democrats named “Josh” Tuesday while attempting to dunk on Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) after he warned about the rise of socialism in the party. “What about Dems who sign bombs and vote to drop them?” Lee chided Gottheimer after the Garden Stater blasted the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) as “not Democrats” but “socialists, who want to hijack the Democratic Party” and declared “there’s no room for anti-American bomb-throwers who oppose our ideas, values, & leaders.” After Gottheimer told Lee she was thinking of “the...

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday that Republicans would “welcome” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) into their conference if he decides to leave the Democratic Party over growing hostility to Isreal among progressive Democrats. “Yes, we would welcome him,” Thune said when asked whether Republicans would roll out the red carpet for Fetterman if he ever decides to leave the Democratic Party. Thune said he’s had “conversations” with the maverick Democratic senator — as have several other GOP colleagues – about a potential party switch. “I have had conversations with him in the past as have many of my...

A coalition of progressive prosecutors promising to target federal immigration agents has amassed a war chest funded by secret donors with the help of left-wing networks. Legal experts said the arrangement is "terribly corrupt" and blurs the lines between legitimate law enforcement and politically motivated prosecutions. The Project for the Fight Against Federal Overreach—or FAFO, an acronym that also stands for "f*ck around and find out" in internet lingo—was formed by two George Soros-funded prosecutors, Philadelphia's Larry Krasner and Mary Moriarty of Hennepin County, Minn., after federal officials shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti as they interfered with...

Shades of those X videos of instant karma for the would-be bully! On Friday’s CNN This Morning, Group Chat member Luke Thomas, an MMA analyst with an imposing presence who doubles as a left-wing pundit, initially sounded ready for battle. After more than a hundred House Democrats voted to block billions in military aid to Israel, Sen. John Fetterman drew his red line, saying that he would leave the Democratic Party if it went officially anti-Israel. Thomas’s tough-guy response? “Good riddance. I’ll help him pack his bags.” Macho stuff, Luke! But Thomas's bravado didn’t last. Fellow panelist Elliot Williams, a...

The backgrounds of the two defendants add an unusual wrinkle to the case. Langley was identified as an Essence magazine curvy model and Allen as a missionary and actress who starred in Netflix’s “Concrete Cowboy,” an unlikely pairing for a federal health care fraud conviction. Candice Langley, a former Essence model and Cynthia Allen, an actress who starred in Netflix’s “Concrete Cowboy,” pleaded guilty to health care fraud charges. Two women who traveled from Philadelphia to Minnesota with the explicit aim of exploiting a taxpayer-funded program now stand as convicted felons. According to KARE 11, Candice Langley and Cynthia Allen...

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said he'd leave the Democratic Party if it becomes the "anti-Israel party," though he signaled he had no plans to imminently depart the caucus. Why it matters: Republicans currently hold a narrow Senate majority, but with midterm elections looming, Fetterman's comments could be a blow to Democrats should they flip four seats in November and regain control. Fetterman acknowledged the Democrats' difficult Senate math when speaking Wednesday at The Hill Nation Summit: "And if we flip those four seats, then I would be 51, and ... watch what I do." He continued, "I'm the guy that...

A 14-year-old has been arrested and charged in the murder of a pizza delivery driver in Philadelphia in what police say was an attempted robbery. Sincere Camps, 14, is facing 10 charges, including murder, robbery and carrying a firearm without a license, according to the Philadelphia Police Department and court records. He is being charged as an adult. On June 5, officers responded to a report of a person with a gun to find an unresponsive man lying on the highway, according to police. Philadelphia Police Department - PHOTO: Sincere Camps, 14, has been arrested in the murder of a...

HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — Senate Democrats, seething over the Trump administration’s revived war with Iran, blocked a traditionally bipartisan defense funding bill on Tuesday. The Defense Department is seeking more than $1 trillion through a broad package that includes program funding, pay raises and policy directives as the ceasefire with Tehran ends. The administration’s hopes for the historically high request were suppressed on Capitol Hill, where a mostly party-line vote delayed passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which usually succeeds with ease. Forty-five Democrats voted against the legislation, preventing Republicans from overcoming the 60-vote barrier set for most...

Editor's note: This is one of six stories being published this week that are part of an investigation into the Pennsylvania Legislature's spending. After one of the biggest corruption scandals in Pennsylvania broke out in the late 2000s, a grand jury interviewed more than 100 Capitol staffers and lawmakers. Then it released a scathing report. The most damning observation? The Pennsylvania General Assembly will "meddle with, obfuscate, ignore or kill every recommendation," and if the Legislature were "left to its own devices, is utterly incapable of reforming itself."

The Graham Platner scandal in Maine goes beyond the Nazi tattoo, the rape fantasies, the allegations of domestic abuse, and Jenny Racicot’s rape claim, which ended his campaign. Now, the Democratic Socialists of America are urging their candidates to never work with Morris Katz, Platner’s top aide, or his firm in future elections. Katz isn’t a DSA member, but the drama surrounding Graham Platner's inevitable downfall won’t end when he files his paperwork to quit before the July 13 deadline, something Katz says he will do despite delays on the matter (via The Intercept). Members of the Democratic Socialists of...

During the heated exchange, Behar insisted she was simply focused on “winning” in what she called an “emergency” situation under President Donald Trump. There is something hilarious about women who spent years demonizing white men suddenly treating them as saviors and their only path to victory. Behar began by floating a list of white male candidates she believes could actually win, naming Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. She framed the suggestion as cold political reality, telling her co-hosts they needed to face facts after watching the country...

Is Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman preparing for a political divorce from the Democratic Party - or is he simply becoming Washington’s most unpredictable Democrat? The speculation exploded after Fetterman and Republican Senator Dave McCormick joined forces on a rare bipartisan fundraising operation that has stunned political insiders. The unusual partnership allows the two Pennsylvania senators — one Democrat and one Republican — to work together on fundraising efforts and promote areas where they have found common ground, including bipartisan initiatives focused on Pennsylvania issues. Their cooperation has included public appearances supporting youth mentorship efforts, discussions about economic issues affecting the...