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ABC News Targets Trump Family, But Has to Immediately Delete False Story - Was Off by Billions of Dollars

Brooklynn Robinson — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 20:06:28 -0700

ABC News published a story tying Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump to billions in defense work, but shortly thereafter removed the story completely from its site. Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said the network had the investment wrong by billions and the contract total wrong, as well. The story, by Nathan Lee, went up around Tuesday’s announcement of a $6.6 billion Anduril project tied to submarine work in Baltimore County. An archived copy quoted by RedState said the Navy would support $2.9 billion of that cost for a plant to make parts for Virginia-class submarines, and that Anduril would invest $3.7 billion in a yard Trump called Arsenal-2. The piece then turned to 1789 Capital, a firm that lists Donald Trump Jr. as one of six partners. Lee, who identifies himself on LinkedIn as a journalism student at the University of Missouri working in ABC's Washington, D.C. bureau, wrote that the firm “claimed a major stake in Anduril in June 2025 from a $2.5 billion investment into the company.” It said Anduril had since received about $1.8 billion on 135 other government agreements, and that an ABC analysis found defense companies “backed by the president’s sons,” including Anduril, had “raked in more than $6 billion” in active or promised contracts since those investments. The story noted a May letter from Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, and Rep. Robert Garcia asked the Pentagon inspector general to investigate. The live URL to the ABC story now returns an error message saying the page is "unavailable." RedState said a search of ABC’s sites turned up no correction or retraction. Luckey answered before the page came down. He quoted the “major stake” sentence and wrote, “This is not true. You are lying. Please correct your lies.” In a follow-up, he said Anduril had given Lee the figures: 1789 Capital had invested $50 million in Anduril, “about 1/1000th of the company,” not a major stake taken out of a $2.5 billion round. The gap between those two numbers is $2.45 billion. Nathan Lee has deleted his post and has not commented.

"1789 Capital -- a venture capital firm that lists Donald Trump Jr. as one of six partners along with three founders -- claimed a major stake in Anduril in June 2025 from a $2.5 billion investment into the company."
This is not true. You are lying. Please correct your lies. — Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) October 7, 2026

He also rejected the contract claim. “The claim of $6B+ in ‘active or promised government contracts’ is also a lie,” he wrote. Most of that sum, he said, was "hypothetical contract ceilings, which are (by design) larger than the government or the contractor expect to transact." He said ABC was refusing to correct the story because people, including the governor, had acted on it, and that admitting the error would make a judgment against the network easy.

@ABC is refusing to correct this lie. @ByNathanLee's "analysis" is totally bogus, and he knows it, because Anduril provided him with the actual numbers - 1789 Capital has only invested a total of $50M in Anduril, and this so-called "major stake" is about 1/1000th of the company.
The claim of $6B+ in "active or promised government contracts" is also a lie. Most of that amount is in hypothetical contract ceilings, which are (by design) larger than the government or the contractor expect to transact. The problem for Nathan and ABC, which they also know, is that a bunch of people, including the Governor, assumed they were telling the truth and acted on it. Admitting they got this wrong would make a legal judgement against them trivially easy. And so they lie. — Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) October 7, 2026

Alexa Henning, a spokeswoman for 1789 Capital, made the same distinction. "This post shows you have literally zero financial literacy," she said in a remark directed at the ABC reporter. “1789 Capital does not have a ‘major stake’ in Anduril,” Henning wrote in a post on X. “It’s false to say Vulcan, Firehawk, and PsiQuantum are ‘backed by Don Jr and Eric Trump.’” "Here's a small lesson, that I also explained to ABC, Henning continued in her post. "The 'reporter' who is a complete idiot conflated raising funds with investment by 1789. Those are two separate actions. Meaning the 'investments' mentioned were actually the total number raised for a funding round, that MANY companies contribute to." She also said many of the companies had won contracts under former President Joe Biden as well as Trump. Anduril’s own awards, ABC’s story noted, go back to 2019. This is not ABC’s first expensive miss on Trump. In December 2024, the network agreed to pay $15 million to a presidential foundation and museum, plus $1 million in legal fees, to settle his defamation suit against the network and commentator George Stephanopoulos, who asserted that Trump had been found “liable for rape.” A New York jury in the E. Jean Carroll case found him liable for sexual abuse, a different claim under that state’s law.

California Medical Breakthroughs Bring In Hundreds of Millions While the Very Same Industry Suffers Substantial Job Loss

Adelle Nazarian — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:48:57 -0700

A medical breakthrough can begin in a California laboratory. Whether the manufacturing plant, skilled jobs, and next round of investment stay nearby is another question. California's leaders should have to answer it. For Americans who want this country to build more of what it invents, life sciences should be a priority. Developing treatments is an extraordinary achievement. Turning those discoveries into lasting productive capacity is how that achievement strengthens the country. California has a considerable head start. According to Biocom’s 2026 economic impact report, the state's life sciences industry generated $394 billion in economic output in 2025, directly employed more than 406,000 workers, and attracted $73.1 billion in private investment. Those numbers describe a sector with impacts far beyond Silicon Valley or the state’s borders. But investment alone does not guarantee expanding opportunity. A separate 2026 report from California Life Sciences found that employment in the sector had declined 1.8 percent. That should temper the celebrations. A state can remain a magnet for capital while workers face a less promising picture. Policymakers should care about both. California's advantages are substantial: research universities, experienced entrepreneurs, scientific talent, and investors willing to finance difficult work. The challenge is to make building and expanding a business in the state as compelling as starting one there. Palo Alto-based BridgeBio illustrates why that matters. Its Attruby treats adults with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, also known as ATTR-CM, a serious disease in which abnormal protein deposits damage the heart. Attruby’s approval in 2024 gave patients another treatment option for a condition that can lead to heart failure, and has quickly become a blockbuster drug, generating over $400 million in revenue for the company in the first half of 2026 alone. BridgeBio's progress is a case in point for the economic question California must answer: How can the state turn scientific and commercial success into more opportunities for its workers? Companies developing new treatments need an environment that supports their next stage of growth, including access to skilled employees and a predictable path to expanding their operations. For policymakers, the goal should be making California a place where companies have compelling reasons to deepen their investment. The state’s role in developing a treatment should be the beginning of a longer economic story. Other companies demonstrate the breadth of that opportunity. Pleasanton-based 10x Genomics supplies tools that help make future discoveries possible. Its Atera platform allows researchers to examine gene activity across tissue at large scale, helping them investigate the biology underlying disease. [firefly_poll] On Sept. 3, Carlsbad-based Ionis Pharmaceuticals announced FDA approval of Zanvastro, the first disease-modifying treatment for Alexander disease. This rare, progressive, and often fatal neurological disorder can deprive children and adults of the ability to move independently or swallow. In August, Redwood City-based Revolution Medicines announced FDA approval of Rasonque for certain adults with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The company reported that in a Phase 3 trial involving previously treated patients, the medicine reduced the risk of death by 60 percent compared with chemotherapy. For families confronting these diseases, progress is measured in treatment options and time together. That human purpose should remain at the center of the debate. Delivering those treatments requires skilled people, specialized facilities, and dependable production. California should be working to capture more of that opportunity, and Washington should recognize its importance to American industrial strength. Local governments should establish clear permitting requirements and firm timelines for research and manufacturing facilities. Companies need to know what approval requires and when a decision will come. Predictability and rigorous safety standards can coexist. Colleges and employers should develop training together, with courses tied to actual hiring needs. Paid apprenticeships and technical programs could help more Californians qualify for laboratory, production, and equipment maintenance work. The economic promise of medical innovation should reach people pursuing practical credentials alongside those pursuing advanced degrees. Taxpayers also deserve accountability. Any public incentive should include measurable investment and hiring commitments, public reporting, and consequences when recipients fail to deliver. And federal policymakers have responsibilities, too. Research funding should be predictable, awarded on scientific merit, and subject to meaningful oversight. Private investors take risks to develop commercial products. Public research can help establish the scientific foundations on which those products depend. Both deserve policies that reward useful work and responsible stewardship. California cannot assume its reputation will secure its future. Entrepreneurs and investors have choices. State leaders should give them concrete reasons to build, manufacture, and hire in the Golden State. BridgeBio's success and the advances emerging across California demonstrate what American medical innovation can deliver. The next challenge is to create the conditions for that progress to support a stronger domestic workforce and manufacturing base. America should remain capable of discovering new medicines and producing them. California has helped show what American science can accomplish. Its next test is whether more American workers can build a future around that success.

Evil Among Us: Watch as Satanic Prayer Opens City Council Meeting, But One Brave Man on Camera Refuses to Go Along

Randy DeSoto — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:28:38 -0700

One Iowa pastor must be lauded for taking a stand after a Satanist offered a "prayer" to open a town council meeting Tuesday. The Ottumwa Courier reported that resident and former council member Matt Dalbey, dressed in black, read a satanic prayer to start the Ottumwa City Council meeting, saying, "Dear Dark Father, let us stand now, unbowed and unfettered by arcane doctrines born of fearful minds and darkened times. Let us embrace the Luciferian impulse to eat of the tree of knowledge and dissipate our blissful and comforting delusions of old." "Let us demand that individuals be judged for their concrete actions, not their fealty to arbitrary social norms and illusory categorizations," he continued. He concluded, "It is done. Hail Satan." Presumably, the "It is done" pronouncement was intended to mock Jesus' last words spoken from the cross, "It is finished." In other words, Christ announced that his substitutionary death paid for the sins of mankind, and therefore death, hell, and the devil had been defeated.

A city council meeting takes an unexpected turn after a Satanic prayer prompted another man to stand up and call for the curse on the city to be reversed. https://t.co/H2vs1eIH9Q
— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) October 8, 2026

Interestingly, the next item on the council members' agenda was placing their hands on their hearts and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, which ends, "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." As I explained in my book, "We Hold These Truths: The Two Beliefs That Still Hold the Power to Transform the Nation and the World," the phrase "under God" was added to the pledge in 1954 after then-President Dwight Eisenhower heard a sermon at the Washington, D.C., church Abraham Lincoln attended during the Civil War.

During his remarks, the Presbyterian minister emphasized the importance of the two words, "under God," in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, particularly as the nation faced down godless communism in the 1950s.

After the sermon, Eisenhower told the preacher, "I agree entirely." Soon thereafter, "under God" was added to the pledge, and the president observed after he signed the bill into law that millions of schoolchildren would daily proclaim "the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty" and be reminded of our country’s “true meaning,” and "in this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource, in peace or in war."

Three locations, three General Dwight Eisenhower statues: his presidential museum in Abilene, Kansas; West Point, New York; and the Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Eisenhower, as president, supported adding "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, observing that millions of schoolchildren would from then on be reminded of our country’s “true meaning,” reaffirming “the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future” and thereby “strengthen[ing] those spiritual weapons which will forever be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace or in war.” Learn more and read a sample of my book "We Hold These Truths" here: https://t.co/YIYukdoUNn — Randy DeSoto (@RandyDeSoto) October 4, 2026

After the Ottumwa Council recited the Pledge of Allegiance Tuesday, resident Rick Bick, pastor of New Life Center, rose to address the council members and the town mayor. "Let's just reverse that curse that was just put on our city, that ending with 'Hail [Satan]' and hail dark god. That's not welcome here," Bick said. Council member Cara Galloway objected, saying that Bick was speaking out of order, because the resident comments normally come at the end of the meeting. "It needs to be done now," Bick fired back. "I appreciate what Ms. Galloway is saying, but that was a curse put on the city... Most of you know that, and we need to just stop and reverse it." Mayor Benjamin Foote declared a 30-second moment of silence would be appropriate "to reflect on whatever it is we need to reflect on at this time," but again, Galloway objected, saying, "It was time to move forward." The mayor overruled her, and a moment of silence was observed. City administrator Philip Rath addressed the controversy on KBIZ's "Dialogue" show Wednesday morning, saying Ottumwa, located 85 miles southeast of Des Moines, had adopted a new policy in January, which opened the invocation up to participants from other faiths besides Christianity, according to the Ottumwa Courier. "I don't know what's on Mr. Dalbey's heart, but that's part of what happens when you have an open policy like this," Rath said. "You have to be open to allow people to express their different beliefs." The policy could be revisited, he added, but doing so might open the city up to lawsuits. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 2014 case Town of Greece v. Galloway that the town council did not violate the First Amendment "by opening its meetings with prayer that comports with our tradition and does not coerce participation by nonadherents.” Our tradition is rooted in Christianity, not Satanism, so Ottumwa should go ahead and update its policy by pulling language directly from the Supreme Court's ruling and no longer allow Dalbey to offer his "prayers."

Mike Johnson Snags Record-Breaking Fundraising Haul to Power Republicans Into Midterm Homestretch

Michael Schwarz — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:52:08 -0700

Congressional Republicans have plenty of cash available to help spread their message before the midterm elections next month. History shows that they will need it. According to Axios, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has secured a funding haul of $156 million this election cycle. Prior to Johnson, no Republican speaker or leader had raised that much money at this point in an election season. "We are focused on getting unprecedented resources to the Districts that will decide the majority," Johnson said in a statement to Axios. "With this continued momentum," he added, "we are in place to defy history and defend the House to save America from the far left!" Republican success in the upcoming midterm elections would indeed "defy history." For perspective, the United States has held 20 midterm contests since World War II. The 21st will take place in less than a month. In that time, only Presidents Bill Clinton (1998) and George W. Bush (2002) saw their party gain seats in the House. Moreover, in those two anomalous midterm elections, the sitting presidents had unusually high approval ratings. Clinton, amid an impeachment scandal, had surged to 65 percent approval in the final pre-election Gallup poll. Bush, meanwhile, enjoyed 67 percent approval in the final pre-election Gallup poll after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and before the 2003 Iraq War. By contrast, in the other 18 midterm elections, the president's party lost an average of 29 House seats. Furthermore, even a popular president could not always save his own party. In 1986, for instance, Ronald Reagan's 64 percent approval rating nonetheless translated into five lost House seats for Republicans. Other presidents with final Gallup approval ratings north of 50 percent included Dwight Eisenhower in 1954 and 1958, John F. Kennedy in 1962, Richard Nixon in 1970 and 1974, and George W. Bush in 1990. In each case, the president's party still lost House seats. On the other hand, deeply unpopular presidents such as Barack Obama in 2014 (41 percent approval; only 13 seats lost) and Joe Biden in 2022 (40 percent approval; only nine seats lost) have sometimes staved off total disaster. However, unpopular presidents -- defined as presidents with approval ratings lower than 50 percent -- have always lost House seats. Including Obama and Biden, those presidents have a record of 100 percent failure in midterm elections. They have lost, on average, more than 35 seats, "led" by Obama in 2010 (63 seats lost) and Clinton in 1994 (54 seats lost). Gallup's most recent poll, conducted in late August, gave President Donald Trump an approval rating of 33 percent. The latest RealClearPolling aggregate of polls, on the other hand, shows Trump closer to 38 percent approval. Either way, it appears that Trump will join George W. Bush in 2006 (37 percent) and Harry Truman in 1946 (27 percent) as the only presidents to enter a midterm election with approval ratings lower than 40 percent. Thus, according to Axios, Johnson has already distributed $91 million to various GOP candidates and entities this cycle. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has received $46 million of that $91 million. Should Johnson continue at that pace, he will set a record for the largest-ever transfer of funds by a Republican speaker or leader to the NRCC. As a result, by the end of August the NRCC had a record $13 million cash advantage over its counterpart, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Johnson and the GOP will need every penny if they hope to "defy history."

Watch: Mamdani Doubles Down on His Anti-Israel Oct. 7 Statement When Confronted by Reporter

Brooklynn Robinson — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:30:32 -0700

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined Thursday to amend his controversial Oct. 7 statement, and he repeated the claim that Israel has used the Hamas attacks as justification for what he called a genocide. Reporters put the question to him at a New York City event carried by Fox News. “Is there a line that you would add to your statement? Is there one you would take out?” He did not answer either. He described the anniversary as a day of mourning for both sides of the conflict.

NOW: Reporters confront NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani with questions about October 7 and his anti-Israel statement about the horrific Hamas attack.
"Is there a line that you would add to your statement? Is there one you would take out?" Mamdani refuses to answer either question, instead describing the anniversary as a day of mourning for both sides of the conflict. He then accuses Israel's government of using the Hamas attacks to justify what he describes as an ongoing genocide: "We know that it brings up the most horrific memories for so many in the city, and also, for others, it is a day that is continuing, and it's in the Israeli government's use of it as a justification for a genocide." — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 8, 2026

“I believe that there must be room to mourn every single life,” he said, according to Fox News. “There must be room to mourn the lives of the more than 1,100 that Hamas killed three years ago; there must be room to mourn the 74,000 Palestinians that the Israeli government has killed since.” He then tied the date to the war that followed. “We know that it brings up the most horrific memories for so many in the city, and also, for others, it is a day that is continuing, and it’s in the Israeli government’s use of it as a justification for a genocide," he added. The statement he was defending was published on Wednesday, the third anniversary of the attacks. The Western Journal reported on the statement that day. In the post, Mamdani wrote that the day marked three years since “the horrific war crimes of October 7,” that Hamas killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 others, and that the city grieved with neighbors who still carried that loss. [firefly_poll] But the next sentences turned to Israel. “The suffering did not begin nor end that day,” he wrote. “It instead continued through the Israeli government’s devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza, in which it has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, including more than 21,000 children.” Mamdani said that more than 1,400 Palestinians had been killed since what he called a “so-called ceasefire,” and that New Yorkers’ tax dollars funded “these war crimes.” He closed by saying occupation and apartheid could not be accepted, and that the federal government was complicit with every arms shipment. CNN reported that he was booed on arrival at an Oct. 7 vigil in Union Square on Wednesday night. His public schedule listed a meeting with Palestinian New Yorkers after the vigil. Israel has rejected the genocide charge and said its military targets Hamas and other terrorist groups while trying to limit civilian casualties.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani defended his attendance at an Oct. 7 vigil in Union Square on Wednesday after being booed, heckled and called a traitor by some attendees.
Mamdani said he was proud to attend the event and hear from families of victims, adding that facing criticism comes with his role as mayor. “This is what I signed up for,” he said. — CBS News (@CBSNews) October 8, 2026

"Opportunist piece of s***!"
Anti-Israel protesters unleash on NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani at an Oct. 7 vigil, heckling him over the alleged sale of "stolen" Palestinian land. "Shame on you!" demonstrators shout as they demand the mayor take action on the international issue. The confrontation doesn't stop at the insults. See what else protesters demanded from the mayor. Read the full story: https://t.co/jUIHDljtdo — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 8, 2026

Thursday’s answers did not revise Wednesday’s post. Mamdani kept the death toll he had used, kept the word genocide, and would not say which sentence he would change, if any.

Letitia James Hit with 52-Count 'Indictment' from Her Republican Opponent

Jack Davis — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:10:51 -0700

With less than a month to go before Election Day, the Republican candidate hoping to unseat New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued her own “indictment” of James. Republican Saritha Komatireddy said James has been so fixated on ballooning her image on the national political stage as a Democrat ready to rumble with the Trump administration that she has neglected the people of New York. The “indictment” from “the exasperated people of New York” said James “has been derelict in the office of Attorney General of the State of New York.” “The People do not allege that the defendant has been idle. They allege that she has been busy with the wrong things. While the defendant built a national reputation, much of the work of the office went undone,” the document said.

https://t.co/c2g1ORGrlJ
— Saritha Komatireddy (@sarithaforny) October 8, 2026

The document noted that James “asked for the job of chief law enforcement officer of the State. She asked twice. The question in every count below is not whether she was the only official who could have acted. It is whether she, holding the most powerful law office in New York, acted at all.” “Reported hate crimes rose sharply on the defendant’s watch, and Jewish New Yorkers are the targets of most of them. She has criminal and civil authority over hate crimes and a unit to use it,” the document said. However, it added, James did not use that authority in multiple cases listed in the document. At the end of the document, it said, “Plaintiffs demand a trial by jury on every count. The jury is the electorate of the State of New York. It returns its verdict on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.” A representative of James’s campaign mocked the “indictment” as a stunt. "Attorney General Letitia James files real lawsuits in real courts every day to protect New Yorkers’ rights and their wallets," a James campaign representative said, according to Fox News. "While Saritha Komatireddy spent today writing this press release, the attorney general announced the arrest and indictment of a Queens pharmacy owner for defrauding Medicaid to the tune of $31 million,” the representative said. A representative for Komatireddy said James has a long history of political stunts that seek to obscure her lack of performance.

https://t.co/PQAtzLOHOn
— Saritha Komatireddy (@sarithaforny) October 8, 2026

"Tish James is one to talk about campaign stunts! Her entire tenure as attorney general has been one long political campaign stunt," Nicole Kiprilov said. "While Letitia was busy chasing her next political headline, crime rose 26 percent, homelessness rose 38 percent, and New York became the laughingstock of the nation in prosecuting Medicaid fraud -- dead last. Those are the real consequences of an Attorney General more interested in political theater than public safety,” she said. A Siena University poll last month showed James with 52 percent support against 39 percent for Komatireddy in the deep-blue state, a drop of five points from August for the incumbent, according to the New York Post. James, 67, is seeking her third term. Komatireddy, 42, has been a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn’s Eastern District of New York.

Bombshell: New Text from Cornell Rape Accuser Contains 4 Case-Killing Words - 'Our Body Our Choice' - Media Omits Them All

Randy DeSoto — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:56:10 -0700

Major media outlets apparently left out what seem to be the four most exculpatory words -- "our body our choice" -- that a former Cornell University student texted to one of her alleged rapists days after the incident. The New York Times reported last week that a criminal investigation is being reopened after a woman filed a lawsuit alleging multiple men from Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity raped her on Oct. 19, 2024, after she was supplied with alcohol and drugs. The Times, ABC News, and CBS News all reported on texts sent at the time, focusing on one of the fraternity brothers who expressed remorse for what happened to the accuser. “I just wanted to apologize for how things went down the other night,” he texted. To which Jane Doe responded, “At the end of the day non [sic] of the sexual stuff was illegal and honestly I really liked being with u,” according to ABC News. Legal analyst Phil Holloway observed, “This text message alone, from Jane Doe to one of the Cornell 7, [sent] just 2 days after the alleged SA [sexual assault] renders any prosecution inviable.” But TMZ reported there are other exonerating texts. [firefly_poll] On the evening of Oct. 21, 2024 (two days after the alleged rape), Jonathan, one of the fraternity brothers, also texted Jane, "You're an amazing person and I genuinely hope ur not catching as much heat from this as we r. We've been shutting down any stories we've heard but again I'm so so sorry." Jane responded, "aw jonathan i really appreciate this text. my memories super clouded too..." She added that everyone was "drunk and high." She added, "i really liked being w u and matt. so anything anyone has to say about the gamgbang [sic] is out of their jurisdiction." Jane concluded texting, "i don't think we should feel any shame for the part. our body our choice ..." So the issue both seemed to be concerned about at that point was their reputations taking a hit for aberrant sexual behavior. Independent journalist Michael Tracey posted on X in response to the TMZ story, "It's not exactly a 'new text.' Major media outlets (ABC, CBS, NYT) have had these texts for over a week now, and chose only to publish EXCERPTS that EXCLUDED her saying it was 'our body our choice' to have what SHE calls a 'gang bang' (as opposed to 'gang rape.') Assuming that these outlets had the texts TMZ did, Tracey makes a solid point. Regardless, it does not appear they have put out new stories with the "our body our choice" language. About two weeks after the alleged rape, Jane Doe’s view of what happened that night appears to have changed. She texted one of the fraternity brothers, “Let’s be clear that 90% of what happened that night was not consensual,” adding, “All i remember after that was you giving me ket[amine].” Days later, she went to Cornell campus police. The facts of what happened at this point are unclear. We’ve seen in the past that a rush to judgment based on allegations alone can lead to the wrong conclusions. The completely debunked Duke Lacrosse rape allegations in 2006 immediately come to mind. The woman at the center of that criminal investigation later admitted that she had fabricated the whole thing. So it's best to withhold judgment until all the relevant facts surface, and the media should be doing its part to communicate all of them to the public.

CNN Fact-Checker Doubles Down on Defending President Trump Against Liberal Attacks

Nick Givas — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:27:55 -0700

CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale pushed back on attacks against President Donald Trump for the second time this week after comments the commander in chief made about Iran were taken out of context. It began Tuesday when Dale pointed out that a clip of Trump -- which was shared by an account linked to Kamala Harris -- was not a direct quote from the president and was highly misleading, Mediate reported. The X account "@HQNewsNow" posted a clip of the president from a Monday rally in Nebraska with the caption: "Trump on Iran: Let 'em take out Los Angeles and San Diego, it's a small price to pay." Despite criticizing Trump's delivery style, Dale pointed out that "this isn’t a direct quote from Trump, and I very much don’t think it’s a correct paraphrase." "Trump has repeatedly argued that the consequences of the war, like higher gas prices, are a small price to pay compared to what an unchecked Iran could allegedly do," he added.

This isn’t a direct quote from Trump, and I very much don’t think it’s a correct paraphrase. Trump has repeatedly argued that the consequences of the war, like higher gas prices, are a small price to pay compared to what an unchecked Iran could allegedly do. Last night, in especially rambling and incomplete fashion, he 1) claimed high prices are temporary and suggested they’re “artificial”; 2) contrasted that to the damage of Iran supposedly taking out a city; 3) and then, in especially confusing style, repeated his old point that “this,” as in the consequences of the war, is a small price to pay to avoid something like a a city being wiped out.
It’s Trump’s fault you kinda have to be steeped in TrumpRallySpeak to know what he was saying last night, and of course you can say it’s inappropriate regardless for the president to casually float the possibility of a city being wiped out, but the context exists and is important. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 6, 2026

The president was saying that increased fuel prices are a "small price to pay," considering a nuclear-armed Iran could take out an American city. He was not encouraging destruction against America in any way. When Trump echoed the same sentiment during a rally for U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton on Wednesday in San Antonio, Texas, liberal writer Aaron Rupar tried posting the clip as evidence that the president wasn't taken out of context, prompting Dale to speak out once more. "I see some people treating this post as evidence Trump wasn't taken out of context in the previous speech," Dale declared. "In fact, this post even *more* obviously takes him out of context. This time, Trump said right after this comment, 'We're not gonna let that happen. We protect our cities, we protect our country.' (Rupar's post includes that comment, but the caption doesn't). "And right before this comment, Trump was talking about how oil prices are not as high as people thought the war would send them," he continued. "In other words, he was, as he has on previous occasions, contrasting the big damage Iran could (supposedly) do to cities with a nuclear weapon with the (supposedly) minimal harm of the war." The CNN fact-checker then included the full remarks from Trump so viewers could have a total picture.

I see some people treating this post as evidence Trump wasn't taken out of context in the previous speech. In fact, this post even *more* obviously takes him out of context.
This time, Trump said right after this comment, "We're not gonna let that happen. We protect our cities, we protect our country." (Rupar's post includes that comment, but the caption doesn't). And right before this comment, Trump was talking about how oil prices are not as high as people thought the war would send them. In other words, he was, as he has on previous occasions, contrasting the big damage Iran could (supposedly) do to cities with a nuclear weapon with the (supposedly) minimal harm of the war. Here are the full relevant remarks. (Critics are free to call them inappropriate, but people should see the entire monologue.) "And just as I promised, I am ensuring that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon...Never. They know that. They know that. And we'll be out of there soon. And you watch those oil prices come down like a rock, and watch everything; everything else is coming down. Oil is coming down. You know, we pay less than oil, and we did that whole thing with - because that was a big operation that should have been done by past presidents for many years. It should have been done, but nobody wanted to take it on. We had no choice. Because we can't let them have a nuclear weapon. And I'll tell you what. Oil: a little more, maybe more than a little, but a lot of people thought it'd be 3, 4, 5 times that. When I went in, I thought it could be much higher than that. But we are paying less than under the Biden administration; he didn't do anything. He gave you the highest inflation in history. He didn't do anything. But you want to see trauma? You want to see problems? And I said it the other day: Let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles. On the way - let them hit - you want to see a horror show? You want to see problems? Let them hit San Diego. Let them hit Los Angeles. And you want to see some bad things happen, you want to see a country that would be in freefall. We're not going to let that happen. We protect our cities, we protect our country. We're not letting that happen. And they'd use it too. They'd use it. They would use it." https://t.co/UVHAmtNh0j — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 8, 2026

"And I'll tell you what. Oil: a little more, maybe more than a little, a lot of people thought it'd be three, four, five times that," Trump stated. "When I went in, I thought it could be much higher than that. But we are paying less than under the Biden administration; he didn't do anything. He gave you the highest inflation in history. He didn't do anything. But you want to see trauma? You want to see problems? And I said it the other day: Let [Iran] hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles, on the way." "You want to see a horror show? You want to see problems? Let them hit San Diego. Let them hit Los Angeles," the president added. "And you want to see some bad things happen, you want to see a country that would be in freefall. We're not going to let that happen. We protect our cities, we protect our country. We're not letting that happen. And they'd use it too. They'd use it. They would use it." Additionally, Dale pointed out that another high-profile media clipper, who posted the moment with additional context, didn't get as many views as Rupar. "Another prominent clipper of Trump's remarks, @Acyn, included the 'we're not letting that happen' quote in his caption," Dale noted. "Coincidentally or not, his post has 74,000 views to the 415,000 views on the Rupar post that doesn't include that quote in the caption."

NFL Legend Tony Dungy Says His Christian Faith Played a Role in His Firing from NBC: 'They Knew Who I Was'

Michael Schwarz — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:27:59 -0700

Authentic Christianity has always made powerful people uncomfortable. Ask NFL Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, and outspoken Christian Tony Dungy. In a short preview of an interview with sports journalist and former ESPN anchor Sage Steele -- a preview posted Wednesday to the social media platform X -- Dungy indicated that he "kinda knew" NBC would not bring him back for another season as an analyst on the network's "Sunday Night Football" studio show, in part because of his Christian views. "There were things that they didn't want me to talk about," Dungy said in a tone of resignation, adding that "they knew who I was when I got hired" and "it is what it is." Steele then noted that it seemed from the outside that NBC parted ways with Dungy over his pro-life principles. The legendary former player and coach responded with a chuckle. "There are some things that, I guess, on TV, especially, they want you to be careful because they want to attract everybody. They wanna have an audience of everyone. They don't always appreciate you speaking about your faith." [firefly_poll] In other words, Dungy effectively confirmed Steele's suspicion without saying it directly. He also indicated that he regretted nothing. "But for me, I'm always gonna do that," he said of honestly discussing his Christian beliefs, "and I'm gonna try to do it in a respectful way, but people are gonna know that I'm a Christian, so, that part is never gonna leave." The Hall of Famer also stated clearly what his public comments and social media posts have made clear for years. "I am pro-life," he said, "and I'm not gonna be ashamed to say that." The full interview will appear on "The Sage Steele Show" Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Hall-of-fame coach Tony Dungy opens up about getting fired by NBC and the role his Christian faith and pro-life views may have played. FACT: he only discussed his personal beliefs during his personal off time - never once on the air during his 17 years at NBC.
Catch the full conversation next Wednesday 10/14 on The Sage Steele Show. @TonyDungy — Sage Steele (@sagesteele) October 7, 2026

For the current season of NBC's "Sunday Night Football," former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has joined the program's studio crew. Ironically, Dungy spent part of his brief playing career with the Steelers. He even forced a game-clinching fumble in Pittsburgh's 1978-79 Super Bowl victory over the Dallas Cowboys. In 1996, Dungy took over as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Six seasons and four playoff berths later, he moved on to the Indianapolis Colts, where he made the playoffs every year, including a 2006-2007 Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears, in which he earned a notable distinction as the first black head coach ever to win a Super Bowl. Notable, that is, to everyone but Dungy. Prior to that game -- now nearly 20 years ago -- the sports media made a big fuss over the fact that whoever won the game, either Dungy or Bears head coach Lovie Smith, would earn that distinction. "More than anything, I've said it before, Lovie Smith and I, not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches, showing that you can win doing it the Lord's way," Dungy said after winning the championship, according to Bleacher Report. "And we're more proud of that." At the time, Sarah Braunstein of Bleacher Report was outraged. She insisted that Dungy "compartmentalized his identity: He separated his race from his religion -- and he privileged the wrong one." Braunstein's harangue continued. Instead of citing his black predecessors, she added, "Dungy tried to circumvent race and claim that it was more important that he'd won the Super Bowl as a Christian, thus giving credit and power to a group that has no lack of it." In other words, Dungy is no stranger to venomous reactions from sports-media figures who were woke even before wokeness was a thing. After all, his outspoken Christianity has always riled up the wicked. Fortunately, Dungy has never changed. In fact, his X feed remains as Christian as ever.

Dr. Sean McDowell gave the message again this week at Grace Family Church. He addressed the question “If God is real and God is good, then why do bad things happen?” Many people can’t believe in God because of the suffering they see in the world. How does a Christian answer that question?
His point: Evil is what comes when good gets corrupted. So where does “good” come from? Who decides what’s right and what’s wrong? That standard has to come from God. God is powerful enough to stop evil and He will—at the end of the world. But God can’t force us to do good and not do anything evil because He has given us free will. Why would a good God allow pain and suffering? Because we do have free will and sometimes pain can be God’s megaphone to a deaf world. — Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) September 20, 2026

Pastor Daryl gave the message at Grace Family Church this morning. Finishing the series on evidence and belief in the scripture he asked the question, “What will you do with Jesus?” Jesus made claims to be the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God. Do I believe that?
As Christians we are supposed to represent Jesus. We don’t always do that well but that doesn’t change who Jesus is or what He said We have to believe Jesus is perfect in spite of the fact that people who believe in Him aren’t perfect. 🙏🏽 — Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) September 27, 2026

In short, NBC's "Sunday Night Football" executives might not exactly qualify as the modern equivalent of bloodthirsty Roman emperors, but if those executives did indeed part ways with Dungy on account of his faith, then they have countenanced a milder-yet-still-reprehensible form of persecution.

Roseanne Barr Roars Back from Cancellation by Secretly Filming Star-Studded Sitcom

Brooklynn Robinson — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:05:55 -0700

Roseanne Barr has finished an eight-episode family comedy she shot without a network, eight years after Disney fired her from the “Roseanne” revival over a tweet. The series is called “Meemaw.” Page Six reported Thursday that production wrapped in Austin, Texas, after a quiet start in November 2025. Barr raised the money from private investors and shot it as a union production. No premiere date or buyer has been announced as of yet.

Roseanne Barr shoots secret comedy series with star-studded cast in huge comeback 8 years after controversial cancellation https://t.co/s0giEVrT0X https://t.co/vgSMFm1HIh
— New York Post (@nypost) October 8, 2026

Randy Quaid plays her husband, Drea de Matteo plays her daughter, Omar Gooding, Doug Jones, and tween Instagram performer Indy Bugg are also in the cast. Jon Lovitz, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Kim Congdon appear as guests. [firefly_poll] TV Insider reported the same lineup and added that the plot includes an attempt to “take down a criminal empire” while planning a family party. Barr plays the head of what she called a “mixed-race family of preppers in Texas,” trying to give her granddaughter “the most fantastic bat mitzvah Texas has ever seen.” She told Page Six she thought “now would be a great time for people to actually hear from a Jew.” The 2018 firing is the reason the shoot was independent. ABC and Disney dropped Barr after she posted a tweet on social media platform Twitter -- now known as X -- comparing Michelle Obama's aide, Valerie Jarrett, to the offspring of the “Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes.” Disney called the post "abhorrent" and "inconsistent" with its values and dumped her from her own show. Barr apologized to Jarrett, deleted the account, and later said she had not known Jarrett was black. Her talent agency, ICM, dropped her as well. Page Six asked Barr whether Elon Musk -- whose companies are based in Austin and who has said he would back people fired over free speech -- had invested in the production. Barr said he never returned her call. “Can I get some assistance over here, man? I got fired for a text that was up for two hours that nobody saw,” she said. Barr described "Memaw" as a “semi-autobiographical series about a woman who hails from a very liberal East Coast Jewish family " who finds herself disinherited and "must live the lower-class dream in Texas." Barr told Page Six the series is meant for families who do not agree. She said her TV daughters are “super woke,” and that she wrote jokes for them the way she did on “Roseanne.”

Roseanne Barr just wrapped a new sitcom called Meemaw, and Hollywood didn’t give it to her. She made it herself. That’s resilience, and a comeback worth celebrating. Barr is a legend for her comedic fortitude and for her refusal to go down quietly. This proves it.
Disney fired Barr in 2018 over a post and pulled the revival of Roseanne while it was the top scripted show on television. Eight years later she raised the money, hired a union crew, and shot eight episodes of her new show in Austin. In Meemaw, she plays a prepper grandmother in Texas trying to throw her granddaughter a bat mitzvah. Randy Quaid plays her husband. Drea de Matteo plays her daughter. She says the jokes go both ways politically. She wrote some for her woke daughters, and some about Republicans that the left will like. Good. That’s the formula people actually watched her for. The family on the show doesn’t only criticize outward. It laughs at itself too. Cancel culture took the network show from Barr. It didn’t take her audience. Meemaw is the proof, and its success will show what audiences actually care about. The comeback is also proof of what the country still rewards. You can get fired for a post and still make a new show yourself. — Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) October 8, 2026

“I make fun of everybody ’cause everybody deserves to be made fun of who’s in power,” she said. “So, I’ve got some great jokes about Republicans that the lefties are gonna love. I’m an equal opportunity destroyer.” She also said the work had improved with time and that “Meemaw” was “every bit as revolutionary as ‘The Roseanne Show,’ if not more.”