Free Republic

The D.C. establishment is showing its true colors in their latest swampy move. Senate Republicans are considering adding eligibility restrictions to the new “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of the ongoing reconciliation bill process. As part of the settlement agreement in “President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the formation of “The Anti-Weaponization Fund,” funding it with approximately $1.776 billion from the federal Judgment Fund. This agreement was formed in place of Trump or his family receiving any of the $10 billion in restitution they sought through the original lawsuit. FLASH: DOJ expands...

James Grant @JamesGrantJ6Regarding January 6th from a J6er:You kept us all - from all across the country - in ultra liberal DC… Because you knew we’d get crucified there.. The DC guards spit in our food and didn’t let us outside for recreation, as we watched every other unit go outside. They cooked us in 95° heat when every other floor was comfortable temperature. They left us in jails where sewage flooded the unit and it was so bad, the Marshalls canceled their contracts with themAt the start of it all: 2 feds on either side of me who pushed...

After Trump's Thursday announcement praising her border security work, including what Noem called the 'most secure border in American history' and $13 billion in taxpayer savings, online conservatives urged her to primary Thune in South Dakota's 2028 race. Critics label Thune disloyal with a 51% Liberty Score and past bipartisan moves, while figures like radio host Jeff Kuhner predict Noem would crush him thanks to her MAGA ties and home-state popularity. Noem has stayed silent on any Senate bid, and with Thune's $20 million war chest and strong approvals, the talk remains early speculation amid GOP tensions. This story is...

We haven't heard much about former Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) over the last couple of weeks, presumably because the investigations are continuing into the disturbing allegations of sexual assault that were made against him earlier this month, claims which resulted in his exit from the California gubernatorial race and his resignation from Congress. Someone else who we haven't heard much from beyond canned social media posts is Swalwell's (now-former?) bestie, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), whose well-documented bromance was the stuff of legends in Capitol Hill Democrat political circles. At one point, they were roommates in D.C. and going on...

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Wednesday to investigate unspecified allegations against an unnamed senator. “It seems like the Senate has its own trash to take out. @LeaderJohnThune, you need to look into the allegations against one of your senators; it’s very disturbing,” Luna wrote on X. “My chief [of staff] will be contacting your chief [or staff].” The Florida Republican did not specify the nature of the allegations or which senator she was referencing. Luna has consistently called for the expulsion of lawmakers from Congress who have engaged in sexual misconduct. “I’m...

While the SAVE America Act continues to languish in the Senate under the supervision of Republican Leader John Thune, leaders and voters in several states have taken it upon themselves to secure their own elections from noncitizen voting. ...***FloridaGov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s own version of the SAVE Act into law last week. The law, which requires citizenship verification against REAL ID data when registering to vote, will go into effect in January of next year.***MississippiMississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also signed election integrity legislation into law last week. Named the Safeguard Honesty Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act,...

The Pentagon has asked for $200 billion in funding for the war in Iran... The request has been sent to the White House, the military official said, which will review it before any request for funds is formally submitted to Congress. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the proposal. The request was reported earlier by The Washington Post. “Obviously, it takes money to kill bad guys,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said when asked about the request during a news conference on Thursday, adding: “As far as the $200 billion, I think that number could move.” On Capitol...

President Trump’s allies are planning to take over the Senate floor this week in a bid to pass the SAVE America Act, setting up a major test for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) who is under pressure from Trump and the MAGA base to extend the debate over voting reform for as long as possible. GOP senators are playing their cards close to the vest ahead of this week’s marathon debate over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require people registering to vote to show documented proof of citizenship. But they’re bracing for long hours...

The husband of former Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is under investigation over a campaign ad that heavily featured Secretary Kristi Noem. Days before President Donald Trump’s decision to relieve her of her duties, Noem testified before Congress to discuss her department’s funding. During this hearing, multiple members of Congress grilled Noem on the $220 million that went to subcontractors to fund an ad campaign. The ads, starring Noem, largely focused on the department’s deportation efforts. Her alleged ties to the recipients of the contracts led to questions about potential conflicts of interest. In a letter published Tuesday, Senators Peter...

Washington — Senate Majority Leader John Thune made clear Tuesday that an elections bill known as the SAVE America Act faces an unlikely path to passage, reiterating his skepticism about the bill's chances as President Trump threatens a legislative blockade until Congress approves the measure."There are no easy ways to do this," Thune told reporters Tuesday. "Believe me, we've examined all the options."The legislation, which the House passed last month, would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, along with photo ID to cast a ballot. But Mr. Trump has demanded that the legislation go farther and ban all...

Conservative icon and Hollywood legend James Woods has announced he’s ditching the Republican Party. Woods, a fierce patriot and vocal supporter of President Trump, blasted the “uniparty traitors” in a fiery post on X, declaring, “I am done with the Republican Party.” Woods’ decision comes amid growing frustration with Senate Republican leadership, particularly cowardly Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who has continuously stalled the crucial SAVE Act, a bill designed to safeguard American elections by requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Without this measure, Woods warns, the floodgates will remain open for election fraud, illegal aliens pouring in,...

A fire station in Rapid City, South Dakota, has opened the state’s first Safe Haven Baby Box. Communities in South Dakota have discussed bringing baby boxes to the state for years — a push that increased after the body of baby Gabriel was found at a Sioux Falls recycling center in 2024, KELO reported. “That same week after baby Gabriel was found there was another phone call that came into Safe Haven looking for a box in South Dakota. So, there was a second baby where the mother was looking to surrender the baby and there was no box for...

“The SAVE Act can pass today under existing procedure. The obstacle is not the filibuster. It is the habit of surrendering to a myth." Alex Muse on X. [Susan Rice video at source link] Lunacy proceeds from crime. In case you wonder why half the country has gone crazy, seek no further than Susan Rice’s stark warning to the other half of the country that is not crazy. Ms. Rice was Barack Obama’s National Security Advisor and then “Joe Biden’s” Domestic Policy Advisor. She did a podcast last week with Preet Bharaha, former US Attorney in the SDNY, now a...

Today, Governor Larry Rhoden urged Attorney General Marty Jackley to investigate a new abortion ad campaign, which appears to conflict with South Dakota’s proud pro-life stance. He made this request in a letter, which you can find here. The Attorney General quickly agreed to pursue the investigation. “South Dakota has the most pro-life laws in the nation – I am proud of that fact,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden. “This advertising campaign threatens the lives of children yet to be born in our state, and it also threatens the health of South Dakota mothers, as chemical abortions are four times 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...

A man waited more than 50 years to carry out his vengeance after being bullied at school. South Dakota man Carl Ericsson never forgot how his bully Norman Johnson pulled a jockstrap over his head in a high school locker room when he was younger. Retired Madison High School teacher and track coach Norman Johnson had answered his front door only to get shot twice in the face.

After several school districts and universities across the nation fired or suspended faculty for their controversial social media posts about the murder of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, some of these educators are now taking legal action, claiming their free speech rights were violated. On Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the University of South Dakota to temporarily reinstate professor Michael Hook, after the board of regents recommended his termination over his social media post responding to Kirk’s killing. Hook, a tenured fine arts professor, wrote on his personal Facebook account that he didn’t give a "flying f---" about Kirk,...

The Maude family has maintained a grazing allotment with the U.S. Forest Service Buffalo Gap National Grasslands since the inception of the agency. Charles and Heather Maude have carried on the practices implemented by generations before them, including irrigating the river bottom to grow a feed crop. After the USFS alerted them that a small segment of land might be fenced incorrectly for ownership, they were indicted for theft of federal property. Those charges have been dropped, but a solution to the original issue has not yet been determined. ... Charles and Heather Maude no longer face the threat of...

Nothing will ever be easy with congressional Republicans. The reconciliation package aged all of us 35 years, as Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had to whip votes, hold the line, and make some phone calls. President Trump was also working the phones heavily when final passage was at stake in the House. Republican leadership held the line, but with Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) retiring after the reconciliation vote, delivering what’s left of the Trump agenda before the 2026 midterms is about to get even tougher. The House did its job and passed the rescission package, but...

Without intervention, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brandon Budge will be separated from the Army on September 1 for his objection to the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 shot in 2021, which was determined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to be “unlawful as implemented.” In March, with the hope of restoring his career, the Black Hawk helicopter pilot was advised by Gen. Randy George, the Army’s Chief of Staff, to submit his request for relief to the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR). And at the time, the general promised he would “get it fixed,” CW3 told The Gateway...