Free Republic

Senate Democrats are still clinging to tainted Jeffrey Epstein cash even while hectoring the Trump administration over releasing files about the notorious pedophile financier. Epstein shelled out a string of campaign contributions to prominent candidates when he was traveling in powerful social circles that included financial and political elites. Most were Democrats, and many recipients returned the cash or made equivalent donations to charity after his shocking arrest on federal sex-trafficking charges in 2019. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, now headed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), took a different tack – keeping the $59,000 in Epstein contributions it accumulated through...

Howard Dean has decried Ruth Bader Ginsberg as a right winger. John Kerry is demanding that the White House release Supreme Court nominee John Roberts’ records in total. And Teddy Kennedy, well, Teddy continues to talk out of both sides of his mouth. If it were possible to hear “eyes roll” the sound would have thundered across the country with each one of these statements. Whether it is their manipulation of our nation’s sitcom attention span or the elite media’s bent agenda is irrelevant. The Democratic “sideshow barkers” are getting away with it. Recently, at one of his many anger-fests...

A Republican-drafted proposal to set up health savings accounts for people who buy their health insurance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace failed to advance on a largely party-line vote Thursday, The legislation, which needed 60 votes to advance, failed by a vote of 51 to 48. Every Democrat voted against it. Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) was the only Republican to vote “no.” Paul argued in a post on social platform X that funneling ACA subsidies into HSAs instead of to insurance companies “may be a slight improvement.” “But it’s still a vote for ObamaCare — something conservatives would...

Last month, I wrote about how Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) introduced a non-binding resolution, asking the House of Representatives to condemn socialism in the wake of New York City electing Zohran Mamdani as its next mayor. It was more theater than anything, but it was also a chance for the House to show the people of the United States — well, most of us anyway — that they stand in solidarity with us in wanting to keep socialism out of our country. It was the opportunity to show that they still support the American dream and values. Advertisement Only...

A Dallas congresswoman opened her Senate campaign by telling voters that she “has gone toe to toe with Donald Trump.” Her Democratic primary opponent insisted that Americans are tired of “politics as a blood sport.” The divergent approach highlights how U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are navigating a race where Democrats hope to break a three-decade losing streak in Texas. It also reflects a broader divide within the party, with some candidates continuing to focus on Trump while others barely mention his name on the trail. Figuring out the best approach will be critical for Democrats...

Colin Allred is dropping out of the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Texas to instead run for the U.S. House, saying that staying in the Senate race would hurt the Democratic Party’s chances of winning against one of President Donald Trump’s “bootlickers.” “In the past few days, I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt,” Allred said Monday in a statement....

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is expected to shake up the Senate race with a Monday announcement that she plans to run for the seat that Republican John Cornyn holds. If she officially files, Crockett will face off in the March 3 Democratic primary against state Rep. James Talarico. Meanwhile, Colin Allred, who ran against Sen. Ted Cruz two years ago and had hinted at another Senate run, is exiting the race to return to the House. Whoever emerges from the Democratic primary, and polls suggest Crockett is likely to do so, will face the winner of the GOP primary between...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants the records in his divorce case to remain private. In a court filing earlier this week, Paxton’s lawyer argued that the case records should remain sealed because the media organizations arguing for their release want to “invade and publicize the most sensitive aspects of the Paxtons’ marital and private lives.” He added state law also does not require the records to be made public, calling the attempt to access them an “unprecedentedly broad and intrusive request.” Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, declined to comment for this story. Angela Paxton filed for divorce in...

Sen. Bennet temporarily blocks dozens of Trump nominees from being confirmed by: Jacob FactorDec 4, 2025 DENVER (KDVR) — A slate of more than 80 of President Donald Trump’s nominees is on hold after Colorado’s Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet called out a Senate rule that temporarily blocked them from being confirmed. A set of 88 nominees hit the Senate floor on Thursday, set to be considered “en bloc,” meaning all at the same time, after Senate Republicans in September changed the rules to allow mass confirmation of Trump’s nominees to escape Democratic blockades. That rule change, however, prohibited certain high-level...

Bangor Daily News Susan Collins says Maine should be ‘transparent’ with SNAP data amid Trump’s threat by Billy Kobin December 3, 2025 U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Maine should be “transparent” with data on food stamp recipients and their immigration status but expected a threat from President Donald Trump’s administration to withhold aid to states over the issue to be blocked in court. The president initially asked states earlier in the year to provide the data on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Most Republican-led states did so. Maine was among the 21 Democratic-led states that partnered on a lawsuit that...

Two activist judges with a track record of sabotaging President Trump’s America First agenda have just ghosted a critical Senate hearing aimed at exposing judicial overreach. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg and U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman have both turned down invitations to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week at the explosive hearing titled “Impeachment: Holding Rogue Judges Accountable. Their absence should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention. These are not neutral judges, they are political operatives wielding federal robes as weapons against the will of the American people. Judge Boasberg, a Barack Obama appointee, has...

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece The Two Towers, he wrote a scene in which the tree-giant Ent named Treebeard prepared to battle against the evil wizard Saruman for his part in the wanton destruction of Fangorn Forest.“Wizards ought to know better: they do know better. There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of Men bad enough for such treachery.” This quote came to mind as I reflected on the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C. For two weeks now, a growing number of congressional Democrats played the part of pawns in a well-funded, highly coordinated campaign...

Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) claimed the Trump administration’s first military strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean was a “war crime.” Host Dana Bash said, “I want to turn to new questions around the first U.S. military strike in September on a ship that the administration says was carrying drugs. Now, sources tell CNN, after the missile struck the boat, there were survivors and that a second strike was launched to kill anyone who was left. Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending the move, saying it is lawful under both U.S. and...

A new poll of likely Republican primary voters shows U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s support continuing to decline ahead of the 2026 Texas GOP primary, with Cornyn now falling into third place in a three-way matchup. The poll, conducted November 21–22 by Stratus Intelligence, surveyed 857 likely Republican primary voters in Texas. It found Attorney General Ken Paxton leading with 36 percent, followed by U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt at 26 percent, and Cornyn at 25 percent. Fourteen percent of voters remain undecided. Cornyn’s favorability rating has also declined. The survey shows him at 35 percent favorable and 51 percent unfavorable, with...

Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) said her polling indicated she can win the Texas U.S. Senate seat in the 2026 election. Host Jake Tapper said, “So you are, we’re told, weighing a decision on whether to jump into this Texas Senate race challenging Republican Senator John Cornyn for his seat, although it’s unclear that Cornyn will survive a Republican primary. You said you had a meeting this week with pollsters to discuss your chances. Did you have that meeting and if so, how did it go? Are you are you still thinking about running?”...

The House version of the Thomas Massie ‘pay attention to me bill’ telling the DOJ to release the information about Jeffrey Epstein, unless it contains material related to national security of investigations, has now passed the Senate by unanimous consent and will now head to President Trump’s desk for his signature.Trump will sign it, the Epstein ‘shiny thing’ law will go into effect, and the politicians will continue arguing about it and trying to attack the White House because they put the perpetual argument component into THE BILL:[SOURCE pdf]The bill is only six pages. I suggest you read it. As...

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Wednesday signaled an end to further Democrat shutdown shenanigans with a move to go back to what he called the "old-fashioned way" of funding the government. Speaking to members of the press, Thune said that the "path to a stronger, safer America" is getting funding bills passed through the traditional appropriations process "instead of continuing resolutions." The Schumer Shutdown, which brought chaos to American airports, cut funding to SNAP benefits, etc., ended after 43 days. 🚨NOW — Senator John Thune says government is going to operate the OLD—FASHIONED way!By passing appropriation bills instead...

The Senate approved a House-passed bill that would require the Justice Department to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, effectively sending it to President Trump's desk as soon as it's formally transmitted from the House to the Senate.

oday is November 11; thank a veteran. On the menu today: The progressive grassroots insist that they’re madder than ever about Chuck Schumer, but there’s no sign of any coalescing around an alternative leader for Democrats in the Senate. Meanwhile the Democrats continue to chant “no more kings,” although it’s not the hereditary transfer of government power part that really bothers them. Everybody Hates Chuck, Part Two The big story as the week continues is the progressive grassroots’ apoplectic rage at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over how the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history is coming to a...

The United States isn't supposed to be a place for political dynasties. Oh, I know, we've had a few; Roosevelts, Kennedys, Bushes, and so forth. But it's supposed to be something we, as a nation, eschew. Especially when the possible dynasty carries the name "Pelosi." Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is, as we reported here at RedState, finally retiring. Finally! She does have all that money she made with her amazing acumen for buying and selling stocks, after all, time for her to go enjoy the boodle. Now the question becomes, who will replace her?...