Oath Keepers Lawyer Pleads Guilty for J6, Never Entered Capitol

Headline USA Editor
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Oath Keepers Lawyer Pleads Guilty for J6, Never Entered Capitol

(Headline USA) An attorney who represented the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill uprising.

Kellye SoRelle, who was general counsel for the antigovernment group and a close associate of its founder, is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 17 by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C.

SoRelle, 45, of Granbury, Texas, answered routine questions by the judge as she pleaded guilty to two charges: a felony count of obstructing justice and a misdemeanor count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. The felony carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, but her estimated sentencing guidelines recommend a maximum of 16 months behind bars.

SoRelle was arrested in Junction, Texas, in September 2022. Her case remained suspended for months amid questions about her mental health.

More than a year ago, medical experts concluded that SoRelle was mentally incompetent to stand trial. In November 2023, she reported to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility for treatment. Last month, Mehta ruled that SoRelle had recovered to an extent that she could understand the nature of her charges and could assist in her defense.

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes is serving a 18-year prison sentence for his role in Jan. 6. After Rhodes’ arrest, SoRelle told media outlets she was acting as the president of the Oath Keepers in his absence.

SoRelle, a former Texas prosecutor, was photographed with Rhodes outside the Capitol on Jan. 6. As violence erupted, she posted a chat message for other Oath Keepers that said, “We are acting like the founding fathers — can’t stand down. Per Stewart, and I concur.”

“Although SoRelle did not personally enter the Capitol Building on January 6, she understood the role those inside and outside the building, like herself, played in delaying the certification proceeding that had been taking place inside the Capitol,” said a court filing accompanying her guilty plea.

The night before, she joined Rhodes in meeting with other extremist group members in an underground garage in Washington, D.C. The meeting also included former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio, who is serving a 22-year prison sentence for his role in Jan. 6.

Rhodes, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, founded the Oath Keepers in 2009. The group recruits current and former military, police and first responders and pledges to “fulfill the oath all military and police take to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

During the trial for Rhodes and other Oath Keepers charged with seditious conspiracy, jurors heard testimony that SoRelle had a romantic relationship with Rhodes.

SoRelle pleaded guilty to obstructing justice for encouraging others to destroy electronic evidence of their participation in the plot. Two days after the riot, Rhodes and SoRelle both sent messages from her cellphone encouraging Oath Keepers to delete any incriminating evidence.

She was indicted on other charges, including conspiring with Rhodes and other Oath Keepers to obstruct Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote. But she did not plead guilty to the conspiracy charge.

Also on Wednesday, a judge set a Feb. 3 trial date for an Illinois man charged with firing a gun during the riot. John Banuelos climbed scaffolding outside the Capitol, took out his revolver and fired two shots into the air, according to prosecutors.

Banuelos, of Summit, Illinois, was arrested in March. U.S. District Judge Judge Tanya Chutkan refused on Wednesday to free Banuelos from pretrial custody. She ruled that he poses a flight risk and a danger to the public.

“It could have been much more tragic,” the judge said of the gunshots.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Report: RFK Jr. May Drop Presidential Bid, Endorse Trump on Friday

Jacob Bruns
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Report: RFK Jr. May Drop Presidential Bid, Endorse Trump on Friday

(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was expected to announce on Friday that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Donald Trump, according to a bombshell report from ABC News on Wednesday.

“Sources cautioned the decision is not yet finalized and could still change, with one source adding that Kennedy’s hope is, in part, to finalize things quickly in order to try to blunt momentum from the Democratic National Convention,” ABC reported, citing unnamed sources.

“One possible scenario being discussed is for Kennedy to appear on stage with Trump at an event in Phoenix on Friday, though the sources cautioned that Kennedy’s thinking could always change and sources close to Trump say no plan for Friday is finalized,” ABC reported.

“Kennedy’s campaign manager, Amaryllis Fox, emailed senior staff on Wednesday morning thanking them for their hard work—but indicated a decision on the way forward had not been made.”

ABC’s bombshell report followed recent comments from RFK Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan,  running mate, who reportedly said that the Kennedy campaign is considering dropping out and endorsing Trump.

Shanahan, a 38-year-old Silicon Valley lawyer, recently appeared on an Impact Theory podcast, telling the host that, though Kennedy wants to win, the preservation of free and fair elections is more important for America.

“We are taking a very serious look at making sure that the people that have corrupted our fair and free democracy do not end up in office in November,” she said, laying out two potential paths forward.

The first is “staying in” but running the risk of a Harris and Walz victory. The second is, “we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump and we explain to our base why we are making this decision.”

Shanahan concluded by noting that difficult decisions lie ahead.

“It’s not an easy calculation,” she added. “We want what’s best for this country first and foremost.”

Currently, Kennedy is polling at around 3%, after the campaign had some early momentum.

According to Shanahan, who has described herself as a “disillusioned Democrat,” the difficulty they have faced is that the Democrats denied them “a fair shot at this election,” lamenting that “that is not where we are today” thanks to the DNC.

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk chimed in on Twitter, suggesting that “RFK endorsing Trump is the natural move” because they are both “sworn enemies of the CIA, FBI, and the military machine.”

Kennedy has been an outspoken critic of the deep state, even floating the possibility that the CIA may have been behind the high-profile assassinations of his father, RFK Sr., and uncle, President John F. Kennedy.

“It doesn’t matter if they disagree on some issues,” he added, “they agree on the big stuff, the civilizational defining issues.”

Several others—including Donald Trump Jr.—supported the idea of appointing Kennedy as CIA chief after the news broke that he was communicating with Trump’s campaign.

Another possibility would be to appoint Kennedy—a prominent vaccine skeptic and critic of ex-COVID czar Anthony Fauci—to oversee the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, over which Fauci lorded for several decades prior to his 2022 retirement.

The move would be likely to roil Democrats to the extreme, although it may be poetic justice considering their own track record of controversial appointments during the Biden administration.

Ken Silva contributed to this report.

Pro-War Democrats Want DOJ to Charge Trump for Allegedly Pushing Gaza Ceasefire

Ken Silva
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Pro-War Democrats Want DOJ to Charge Trump for Allegedly Pushing Gaza Ceasefire

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Donald Trump is allegedly working behind the scenes to encourage Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a cease-fire deal in Gaza—and Democrats are smearing and pushing to criminally charge him for his efforts.

Axios first reported Trump’s apparent peacemaking efforts last week, writing that Trump called Netanyahu on August 14 to discuss the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

“One source said Trump’s call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the deal, but stressed he didn’t know if this is indeed what the former president told Netanyahu,” Axios reported.

At first, the Axios story didn’t receive much publicity—perhaps because the allegation focused on Trump seeking peace, which would make it difficult for Democrats to attack him for.

But on Monday night, PBS reporter Judy Woodruff injected new life in the story by making an unfounded allegation that Trump discouraged the ceasefire. Woodruff alleged—with absolutely no evidence—that Trump wants the war to continue because it would hurt Kamala Harris.

“The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the Prime Minister of Israel, urging him not to cut a deal right now, because it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign,” said PBS’s Woodruff Monday night—getting the original reporting completely backwards.

Thanks to Woodruff’s disinformation, Democrats are now alleging that Trump’s call violated the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorized private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments on behalf of the U.S.  Democratic National Committee member David Atkins said Trump’s call with Netanyahu would be a “massive crime” if it indeed happened, according to Newsweek.

Netanyahu’s office has denied that any phone call took place or that ceasefire discussions took place. Woodruff apologized for reporting unconfirmed information on Wednesday—though she neglected to mention that she botched the original reporting.

While a phone call between Trump and Netanyahu may not have taken place, Trump said in an interview with Fox News last month that Israel needs to end the war in Gaza as soon as possible and bring back the hostages.

Trump reportedly told Fox News the war should end fast “because they are getting decimated with this publicity, and you know Israel is not very good at public relations.”

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Gold Hits Historic Milestones as Inflation Drives Precious-Metals Surge

Money Metals News Service
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Gold Hits Historic Milestones as Inflation Drives Precious-Metals Surge

(Money Metals News Service) In the latest episode of the Money Metals Midweek Memo podcast, host Mike Maharrey dove into the ongoing impacts of inflation, Federal Reserve policies, and the latest developments in the gold and silver markets.

Maharrey opened the discussion with an analogy comparing the Federal Reserve’s denial of responsibility for inflation to a guilty child refusing to admit wrongdoing. He emphasized that, despite attempts to blame external factors like “Putin” or “greedy corporations,” the Fed’s policies have undeniably contributed to rising inflation.

Inflation and Interest Rate Cuts

Maharrey addressed a common misconception: that inflation has been “fixed.” He pointed out that many believe rate cuts are on the horizon, with some speculating a half-percent cut could occur as early as September. This expectation has fueled surges in gold prices, as investors anticipate a return to easier monetary policies. Maharrey underscored that this optimism about rate cuts has contributed to gold setting new records.

On Friday of the previous week, gold prices hit a significant milestone when a 400-ounce bar of gold surpassed $1 million for the first time ever. The price of gold reached $2,500 per ounce, and by Tuesday, it climbed even higher to $2,531 per ounce, before retreating slightly. Overall, gold prices have risen by over 22% this year, reflecting the weakening U.S. dollar and growing investor interest.

Dollar Weakness and Gold’s Rise

dollar weakness and gold's rise

Maharrey explained that the surge in gold prices is not just about the metal becoming more expensive but also a result of the weakening dollar. The U.S. dollar hit a seven-month low recently, driven by expectations of a pivot to easier monetary policy by the Fed. As the Fed potentially increases the money supply, each dollar loses value, making gold more expensive in dollar terms. Maharrey emphasized that this is a direct consequence of inflationary monetary policies.

Federal Reserve’s Quiet Moves and Balance Sheet Concerns

The podcast also touched on the Federal Reserve’s recent actions to quietly taper its balance sheet reduction, a move that started back in June. Maharrey pointed out that the Fed has only wound down about $1.6 to $1.7 trillion of the $4.5 trillion added to its balance sheet during the pandemic, leaving most of the inflationary impact still circulating in the economy.

Global Gold Demand and Central Bank Actions

Maharrey highlighted the role of global demand in driving gold prices, particularly from China and India, the world’s largest gold consumers. The People’s Bank of China recently increased gold import quotas for commercial banks, signaling a potential resurgence in demand despite high prices. Similarly, Indian gold demand has surged following a reduction in import taxes in late July. These trends further support the bullish outlook for gold.

Silver’s Undervalued Position

Silver also saw a significant increase, rising about 16% since the previous Wednesday, nearing the $30 per ounce level. Despite this gain, the gold-to-silver ratio remains at around 85:1, indicating that silver is still historically undervalued compared to gold. Maharrey pointed out that silver often outperforms gold during bull markets and that the metal’s industrial demand, particularly in the solar energy sector, continues to grow. With three consecutive years of market deficits, silver’s supply constraints further bolster its bullish outlook.

Misconceptions About Inflation

Maharrey emphasized that, despite recent cooling in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), inflation remains an ongoing issue. He debunked the myth that inflation is “over” or that prices are decreasing, explaining that inflation merely refers to the rate of price increases slowing down, not prices themselves dropping. Even if inflation rates cool, prices are still rising, albeit more slowly.

Maharrey also criticized the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target, calling it an arbitrary figure with no real scientific basis. He highlighted how this policy effectively devalues the dollar over time, leading to a loss of purchasing power.

The Need for Real Money

the need for real money

Concluding the episode, Maharrey urged listeners to protect their wealth by converting devaluing dollars into real money—gold and silver. With inflation likely to persist as a matter of policy, he recommended that investors consider adding precious metals to their portfolios to safeguard against the ongoing erosion of the dollar’s value.

For those interested in exploring their options, Maharrey suggested reaching out to Money Metals Exchange for guidance on which products might best suit their investment goals.

Key Takeaways:

  • Gold prices hit historic highs, with a 400-ounce bar surpassing $1 million as gold tops $2,531 per ounce.
  • The weakening U.S. dollar, driven by expectations of easier monetary policy, has fueled surges in gold prices.
  • Silver remains historically undervalued, with rising industrial demand and supply constraints supporting a bullish outlook.
  • Despite perceptions that inflation has been “fixed,” prices continue to rise, albeit at a slower pace.
  • Investors are encouraged to protect their wealth by converting dollars into precious metals as inflationary policies persist.

For more insights and updates, listeners are invited to tune in to the Money Metals Market Wrap podcast with Mike Gleason every Friday.

‘Shocking’ Jobs Number Revision Brings Questions about Biden-Harris Economy

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‘Shocking’ Jobs Number Revision Brings Questions about Biden-Harris Economy

(Casey Harper, The Center Square) New federal economic data showed that previous data significantly overestimated the health of the U.S. economy.

The Department of Labor released revised jobs data that showed they overestimated the number of jobs created in the U.S. economy by 818,000, a whopping revision that set off alarm bells Wednesday.

“That equates to 68,000 fewer jobs per month than initially touted—and includes 115,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, 104,000 fewer trade, transportation, and utility jobs, and 45,000 fewer construction jobs,” noted Jake Schneider, rapid response director for the Republican National Committee, in a press release.

Economic numbers during the Biden administration have often been revised downward following the release of the projected figures, but the size of this change was large enough to raise eyebrows. It marked the largest downward adjustment since early in the Obama administration, at the peak of the Great Recession triggered by a 2008 banking collapse.

Left-wing analysts nonetheless sought to spin it in a favorable light to avoid dispelling the narrative of a so-called soft landing from the Federal Reserve’s efforts to stave off spiraling inflation.

“Even this number is shocking, job growth is still positive,” claimed Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group in Richmond, Va., in a statement.

Cox hinted that the higher unemployment further made the case for a rate cut before the November election, which Democrats hope will put money back into consumers’ pockets and generate goodwill for the incumbent administration at the ballot box—despite three and a half years of enduring the worse economic conditions in four decades.

“If you are in the rate cut in September camp, these data all but seal the deal on what Fed needed to cut rates,” said Cox, who has made at least one prior donation of $2,800 to leftist Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger.

The new job creation numbers were nearly a third lower than the previous figure. The numbers come amid scrutiny of the economic record of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential pick, whose administration oversaw a massive spike in inflation that began less than two months after assuming office.

To address inflation, the Fed hiked interest rates, and those rates have increased significantly in recent years. However the Fed relies on federal jobs data to make those decisions.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, used its open-border polices and federal spending to artificially bolster the job totals—as well, apparently, as outright falsehoods.

“Illegal aliens, meanwhile, are still thriving, with 1.2 million native-born Americans losing employment over the last year as 1.3 million foreign-born workers found jobs,” wrote Schneider in the RNC response.

With higher unemployment needed to spur the Fed’s rate cuts, Democrat officials recently cut the flow of illegal immigrants drastically.

However, economists are concerned that the unreliable data from the Labor Department could be so far off that it will impede the Fed’s ability to make an informed decision.

“THE DATA DEPENDENT FED IS FLYING BLIND — UNRELIABLE DATA,” Steve Hanke, a Johns Hopkins University professor of applied economics, posted on X.

The revision drew widespread outrage. The Washington Post called it a “big fix” to the jobs data, and the Wall Street Journal reported that the job market was weaker than previously reported.

“It’s troubling to see the Dept. of Labor issue an unusually large correction to last year’s jobs report,” Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., wrote on X. “As unemployment rises, American workers need pro-growth action, not the stale policies of the Biden-Harris admin.”

Former President Donald Trump blasted the Biden administration, calling it a “massive scandal.”

“The Harris-Biden Administration has been caught fraudulently manipulating Job Statistics to hide the true extent of the Economic Ruin they have inflicted upon America,” Trump said in a statement.

“New Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the Administration PADDED THE NUMBERS with an extra 818,000 Jobs that DO NOT EXIST, AND NEVER DID,” he continued. “The real Numbers are much worse than that and, if Comrade Kamala gets another four years, millions more Jobs will VANISH overnight, and Inflation will completely destroy our Country.”

Headline USA’s Ben Sellers contributed to this report.

DOJ Lawyer Involved in Drunk Hit-and-Run

Ken Silva
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DOJ Lawyer Involved in Drunk Hit-and-Run

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) A Justice Department attorney was caught trying to use his credentials to avoid charges stemming from a hit-and-run car crash while the lawyer was under the influence of alcohol.

The DOJ Inspector General issued a report on the matter Wednesday, finding that the unnamed Assistant United States Attorney abused his or her power.

According to the DOJ-IG, the DOJ lawyer, who was a then supervisory criminal Assistant United States Attorney, caused property damage in a drunk driving accident, and then fled the scene. When police tracked down the lawyer, “the AUSA, unsolicited, provided local law enforcement officers with the AUSA’s DOJ credentials and business card during their investigation into the AUSA’s conduct, in violation of federal ethics regulations,” the DOJ-IG said.

“The OIG investigation also found that the AUSA engaged in conduct prejudicial to the government when the AUSA drove the AUSA’s personally owned vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, hit another vehicle, and then left the scene of the crash before any law enforcement could arrive, in violation of federal ethics regulations,” the DOJ-IG added.

The matter has been referred to the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the DOJ’s Professional Misconduct Review Unit for “appropriate action.”

The DOJ-IG’s findings followed a similar investigation completed in December, when the inspector general announced that another AUSA had abused his or her power to avoid an assault charge.

“A then-Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) was arrested for assault and attempted to misuse the AUSA’s position as an AUSA by making reference to being a federal prosecutor during the AUSA’s interaction with local police officers. The charge against the AUSA was subsequently dismissed,” stated the DOJ-OIG’s one-page Dec. 5 report.

“The OIG investigation substantiated the allegation that the then-AUSA attempted to misuse the AUSA’s official position in a manner that was intended to induce local police officers to provide the AUSA a benefit, in violation of federal regulation.”

The report added that the AUSA retired before the DOJ-OIG could compel him or her for an interview. When later contacted for a voluntary interview, the AUSA declined, the report said.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Michelle Obama Backstabs Biden AGAIN During DNC Speech

Ben Sellers
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Michelle Obama Backstabs Biden AGAIN During DNC Speech

(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) By now, most conservatives know that when it comes to Michelle and Barack Obama, not everything is always as it seems.

What may appear at face value to mean one thing is likely to have some hidden subtext tucked away underneath.

So it was with the former first lady’s speech Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention, amid longstanding rumors of bad blood between her and the Bidens that dates back to their mistreatment of Hunter Biden’s ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle.

“You know, we’re feeling it here in this arena, but it’s spreading across this country we love—a familiar feeling that has been buried too deep for far too long,” Michelle Obama said to begin her roughly 20-minute remarks.

“You know what I’m talking about,” she continued. “It’s the contagious power of hope.”

The comment may not have registered with Democratic audiences that have been groomed and conditioned to lack any shred of self-awareness, but suggesting that “hope” had “been buried” across America was more than just a hamfisted attempt to hearken back to her husband’s 2008 slogan.

Indeed, it was another knife in President Joe Biden’s back following his curtain call in the wee hours of the night on Monday.

“The anticipation, the energy, the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day. The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division and hate that have consumed us,” Michelle elaborated in her critique of the Biden–Harris administration, which has held the reins for the past three years and seven months.

“… [T]o be honest, I am realizing that, until recently, I have mourned the dimming of that hope,” she said. “And maybe you’ve experienced the same feelings—that deep pit in my stomach, a palpable sense of dread about the future.”

The Democrats’ typical facade of backslapping camaraderie was further undermined by recent reports that Biden’s endorsement of Kamala Harris to replace him on the presidential ticket may have derailed the Obamas’ political plans.

Many on both sides of the aisle wondered how to interpret top Democrat leaders’ apparent reluctance, initially, to endorse Biden’s second-in-command.

Yet, the “dread” that Michelle Obama referenced during her speech echoed her remarks in a January podcast, during which she explained that the outcome of the November election had been keeping her up at night.

“What’s gonna happen in this next election?” she asked.

“I am terrified about what could possibly happen because our leaders matter, who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit,” she added. “It affects us in ways that I think sometimes people take for granted.”

That interview triggered a wave of speculation that Obama herself was gearing up for a possible primary challenge against Biden. But as it failed to materialize, some began to wonder if the inevitable Biden coup would take the form of a floor vote at the DNC convention in Chicago.

That is, until jittery Democrat donors and powerbrokers finally had their fill last month, following Biden’s catastrophic debate performance against Trump in Atlanta.

It was Barack Obama who reportedly delivered the final ultimatum to the convalescent commander-in-chief after Harris signaled her openness to invoking the 25th Amendment to declare Biden unfit for office.

Nonetheless, Biden’s decision shortly thereafter to endorse his ex-running mate may have thrown a wrench in the Obamas’ plans.

Reportedly, they had hoped to rally behind Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, considered—despite his far-left record—to be a more moderate alternative. In all likelihood, though, the Obamas were hoping for a “draft Michelle” movement, allowing her to coast into the nomination with no competition, given her well-documented aversion to campaigning.

The astroturf campaign waged by big donors and the media to buoy Harris undoubtedly would have been amplified several times over by a Michelle Obama candidacy—and without the same air of inauthenticity—ushering the power couple back into the White House with minimal effort or expense.

Following her opening digs at the current administration on Tuesday, Obama swiftly segued into a tribute to her late mother, and then to praising Harris’s candidacy—with a hearty dose of race and gender identity politics infused into her endorsement to compensate for the Democrat nominee’s lack of accomplishments, along with more backhanded snipes at Biden.

“My girl, Kamala Harris, is more than ready for this moment,” Obama said. “She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency—and she is one of the most dignified.”

Although her vague attack, ostensibly, was on GOP nominee Donald Trump, it was hard to picture anything but Biden’s high-profile Depends moments—including one during a solemn D-Day commemoration in France earlier this year.

Obama’s speech drew headlines as well for her race-baiting attack on Trump that “the job he is currently seeking might just be one of those ‘black jobs’?”

It hearkened back to the former Republican president’s hostile interview with an ABC News correspondent during a recent black journalists summit, also in Chicago. Trump noted at the time that a “black job” was any job held by a black person that was at risk of being supplanted by the Biden administration’s open-border policies.

Many black voters have, in turn, indicated that they shared Trump’s concern and saw nothing wrong with the characterization, which Democrats themselves have frequently used to stereotype blacks in the workforce.

Obama’s speech was further slammed by critics for demonstrating her own lack of self awareness on several occasions—including her failure to acknowledge her wealth and luxurious lifestyle while attacking Trump for his.

Her parents “did not aspire to be wealthy,” she claimed.

“In fact, they were suspicious of folks who took more than they needed,” she added. “They understood that it wasn’t enough for their kids to thrive if everyone else around us was drowning.”

In another moment that seemed particularly tone-deaf in the wake of the Democrat elites’ coup against their own nominee, she claimed that other people did not get second chances the way Trump did.

“If things don’t go our way, we don’t have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead,” Obama said. “No, we don’t get to change the rules so we always win.”

Following Michelle Obama’s speech, her husband took the stage and delivered a roughly 35-minute oratory that was most notable for his commentary on Trump’s penis.

Ben Sellers is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/realbensellers.

No Medication Found in Maine Mass Shooter’s System

Ken Silva
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No Medication Found in Maine Mass Shooter’s System

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The final report on mass shooter Robert Card was released Tuesday by a special commission created to investigate his attacks, which killed 18 people, marking the deadliest shootings in Maine history.

The 215-page document made similar findings as the United States Army Reserve Command. The special commission said both the Army Reserve and police missed opportunities to intervene in a gunman’s psychiatric crisis and initiate steps to seize weapons from the spiraling reservist. The commission also faulted the Army Reserve for failing to do more to ensure Card’s health and deal with his weapons.

However, the special commission report—formed by Maine Gov. Janet Mills—did release new public information about Card’s drug history.

According to the report, Card’s autopsy found no evidence of this or any other medication in his system.

That might have been the problem. The report detailed how Card’s mental health improved when he was prescribed Olanzapine, a drug for schizophrenia. But then, Card eventually stopped taking the medication within just a few days, the report said.

“After the Lewiston shootings, the Maine State Police obtained a search warrant for Card’s home. They found a prescription for Olanzapine for 60 pills that was filled on August 3, 2023,” the report said.

“The instructions were to take one pill in the morning and one at night. They found 53 pills left in the container. A postmortem examination and autopsy found no evidence of this or any other medication in Card’s system.”

The commission’s report didn’t mention that Card had a bizarre “egg-sized lump on his head from an unknown origin” that one of his colleagues apparently noticed in June 2023.

The commission began its work a month after the mass shootings by Card, who killed his victims at a bowling alley and a bar and then took his own life. Over nine months, there has been emotional testimony from family members and survivors of the shooting, law enforcement officials, U.S. Army Reserve personnel and others.

The commission praised the swift response by police to the shootings but also noted what a former chief justice of Maine’s highest court described Tuesday as “utter chaos” as hundreds of law enforcement officers arrived to search for the gunman. The only recommendation issued by the commission was for state police to conduct an after-action review.

Family members and fellow reservists said Card had exhibited delusional and paranoid behavior months before the shootings. He was hospitalized by the Army during training in July 2023 in New York, where his unit was training West Point cadets, but Army Reserve officials acknowledged that no one made sure Card was taking his medication or complying with his follow-up care at home in Bowdoin, Maine.

The starkest warning came in September text from a fellow reservist: “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.”

The commission report contained new details of Card’s time at a private psychiatric hospital — Four Winds in Katonah, New York — where Card acknowledged having a “hit list” and officials planned to ask a judge to extend Card’s hospitalization. But the court hearing never happened, and his psychiatrist felt the hospital’s request would have been unsuccessful, given Card’s stabilization and progress and his agreement to continue medications and participate in therapy. The psychiatrist thought he was safe to discharge after 19 days.

The report also took up New York’s red flag law but didn’t reach a conclusion on whether it should have been used to remove Card’s weapons while he was in New York. An Army health care worker testified he didn’t think he could initiate action to remove guns from someone who was not a New York resident. The report, however, noted that petitions were successfully initiated under New York’s extreme risk protection law against nonresidents, though it was unclear if the law could have been enforced at the time in Maine.

Army officials conducted their own investigation after the shootings that Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, then the chief of the Army Reserve, said found “a series of failures by unit leadership.” Three Army Reserve leaders were disciplined for dereliction of duty, but details of the disciplinary actions are being kept secret.

The commission report noted that the last call to Card’s cellphone was from the Army Reserve Psychological Health Program the day before the shooting. He hung up when the caller identified herself. That same day, he also received the last of five emails from the Army Reserve Medical Management Center; he didn’t respond to any of them, the report said.

After the shootings, Maine’s Legislature passed new gun laws for the state, which has a tradition of hunting and firearms ownership, after the shootings. A three-day waiting period for gun purchases went into effect this month.

The seven-member commission included two former federal prosecutors; two additional former judges, including a former member Maine’s highest court; the state’s former chief forensic psychologist; and a private psychiatrist who is an executive at a psychiatric hospital.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Tax-Grabbing Nebraska Politicians Taught a Lesson by Gold & Silver Investors

Money Metals News Service
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Tax-Grabbing Nebraska Politicians Taught a Lesson by Gold & Silver Investors

(Jp Cortez, Sound Money Defense League) In a powerful display of grassroots pressure, Nebraska politicians beat a hasty retreat this week after attempting a brazen tax grab that would have reimposed sales taxes on purchases of gold and silver in the Cornhusker State.

The Sound Money Defense League and Money Metals Exchange, alongside a coalition of concerned citizens, in-state dealers, and pro- sound money State Senator Ben Hansen, successfully thwarted this misguided effort, proving that Nebraskans will not stand for attacks on their financial freedoms—especially during a time of rampant inflation. 

Legislative Bill 1 (LB 1) had sought to eliminate a longstanding sales tax exemption on precious metals and thereby align Nebraska with fringe pro-tax states like Vermont and Hawaii.

The overwhelming trend nationwide has been to eliminate this tax, with only five states still fully taxing gold and silver purchases.

If passed, these provisions within LB 1 would also have reversed the Nebraska’s recent progress in promoting sound money principles.  That’s because Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed LB 1317 only four months ago, removing capital gains taxes on gold and silver.

Just as exchanging a dollar for four quarters is a non-taxable event, so too should the exchange of Federal Reserve Notes for the only forms of money explicitly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution—gold and silver—be free from taxation.

Purchases of precious metals are not being consumed — they are held for resale as investments. Precious metals are held as protection against inflation, financial turmoil, and the devaluation of fiat currency.

Sen. Hansen said, “Nebraskans should not be taxed on purchases of constitutional money. This misguided effort to increase the tax base would harm residents of our state looking to protect their wealth with money that has preserved its value for thousands of years.”

The notion of sales taxes on these transactions is not only inappropriate but also discriminatory, as other financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and real estate are not subject to this sort of tax.

Moreover, the abortive sales tax grab would have placed Nebraska businesses at a severe disadvantage. With every single neighboring state—South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming—exempting gold and silver from sales taxes, many Nebraskans would have simply taken their business elsewhere, depriving the state of actual taxable economic activity and, ironically, the tax revenue the bill sought to generate.

Nebraska’s attempt to reimpose this tax mirrors past mistakes made by other states—mistakes they were quick to correct. In 2021, Ohio repealed its sales tax exemption on precious metals, only to face immediate backlash.

The Ohio repeal hurt in-state businesses, reduced tourism dollars, and harmed Ohio investors who sought to protect their wealth against inflation. Recognizing this damage, the Ohio legislature passed legislation to reinstate the exemption the following year.

Louisiana faced a similar situation in 2016 when it briefly imposed sales taxes on precious metals. The result was a rapid decline in business activity, with coin conventions and other events leaving the state, leading to a decrease in state revenue until Louisiana lawmakers quickly reversed course.

“As the precious metals industry leader in promoting and defending sound money, Money Metals will remain vigilant for any other attempts to gut or repeal any of the other sales tax exemptions we have worked so hard to secure,” said Stefan Gleason, Money Metals’ CEO.

Alabama, Utah, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Kentucky have already passed legislation in 2024 ending sales and capital gains taxes on precious metals, declaring that Central Bank Digital Currencies are not valid money in their state, reaffirming the metals as legal tender, or empowering state treasurers to invest state funds in gold and silver.

Jp Cortez is a graduate of Auburn University and a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the Executive Director of the Sound Money Defense League, an organization working to remonetize gold and silver through nationwide legislative efforts. Follow him on X (Twitter) @JpCortez27.

EXCLUSIVE: Election-Integrity Watchdog Sees Real Possibility of New York Flipping Red

Dmytro "Henry" Aleksandrov
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EXCLUSIVE: Election-Integrity Watchdog Sees Real Possibility of New York Flipping Red

(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Kim Hermance, the president of Project Civica—a pro-voting, pro-constitutional and anti-vote fraud organization—recently talked about how rational New Yorkers could win their state this year.

Hermance stated that Project Civica wants to ensure that “the results of [New York’s] elections reflect the values of [its] residents, not just the fringe [leftists].”

“The purpose of Project Civica, Inc., is to educate, lead and motivate citizens to meet their civic responsibilities in overseeing our local communities and state government and to be more actively involved with the political process, especially the voting process,” she responded to Headline USA in an email.

Hermance then stated they plan to achieve that by pursuing initiatives to expand voters’ choices, encouraging candidates to run and serve and increasing voter registration and participation.

She added that Project Civica is working to improve the integrity of the state’s elections by training poll watchers, encouraging citizens to be poll workers, challenging possible fraudulent entries in the voter rolls and questioning the validity of machine counting while promoting hand counting.

“Our volunteer teams literally audit those numbers, track down dead voters and voters who have moved out of state, search for illegal voter addresses (like empty lots, commercial buildings and UPS stores) and ‘challenge’ those registrations at the county level,” she wrote.

According to her, all of the organization’s initiatives are conceived and led by volunteers. People who wish to help the organization must complete the application on Project Civica’s website.

Some people would say New York is a lost cause because the state and New York City have been “voting blue no matter who” for decades. However, even though Hermance admits that election procedures in the state are not “clean” and local politicians don’t care about regular people, she points out that people could still save the state.

According to Hermance, 54% of registered voters didn’t vote in the 2022 election, which could’ve resulted in Lee Zeldin becoming the state’s governor, for example.

“This is a tremendous problem, but it is also an opportunity. If we can motivate these folks, we can change the direction of the state and perhaps the country. Our initiatives are designed to address these challenges and give citizens a reason to participate in the political process,” she wrote.

On May 23, a Trump rally in the Bronx, one of the boroughs of New York City, proved that there are a lot of Republicans who live there, which resulted in leftists all around the country panicking about the potential loss of one of the deep blue states.

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