Trump Fired a U.S. Attorney Who Insisted on Following a Court Order … For 15 years, Michele Beckwith oversaw some of the toughest federal prosecutions in California.  She went after transnational terrorists, sex traffickers and the Aryan brotherhood.  —  She became the acting U.S. attorney …

New details emerge on Hegseth's unusual mass gathering of top brass  —  The defense secretary is expected to lecture about the “warrior ethos” for less than an hour, according to multiple people familiar with the event.  But top generals are bracing for possible firings or demotions.  —  just now

Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts arrested by ICE  —  Samantha Hernandez William MorrisDes Moines Register  —  Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts has been arrested by U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement and held at the Pottawattamie County Jail, according to federal and local officials.

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Slash Foreign Aid  —  The court's conservative majority allowed the president to cut the funding in part because it said his flexibility to engage in foreign affairs outweighed “the potential harm” faced by aid recipients.  —  The Supreme Court on Friday allowed …

Sinclair Ends ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’  Boycott, Says Its ABC Stations Will Resume Airing Show Immediately  —  TV station group says about the reversal that ‘it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content’

Trump asks Supreme Court to decide whether he can end birthright citizenship  —  The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to review the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, pushing the issue back before the justices for the second time this year.

ICE agents point guns at bystanders during violent arrest in Maryland  —  If you want to support The Handbasket's 100% independent journalism, subscribe now.  You can also become a premium subscriber or leave a tip.  —  Video  —  For about nine minutes Wednesday morning …

Musk, Bannon and Thiel named in new Epstein estate documents … These new files are notable in that they suggest all three powerful men had a relationship with Epstein after his controversial plea deal that forced him to register as a sex offender.  Many people have argued …

Daily Caller Opinion Column ‘Explicitly’ Calls for Violence  —  The column, by editor at large Geoffrey Ingersoll, calls for “blood in the streets” in response to violence against conservatives.  —  The Daily Caller, a prominent conservative online publication, published an opinion column …

Shutdown hostage taking  —  Nice government you've got there.  Shame if anything were to happen to it.  Maybe some more federal employees disappear.  I don't want to do it.  You are forcing my hand.  But you know I've done it before.  —  This, in a nutshell, is the White House negotiation strategy over the government shutdown.

FBI fires agents photographed kneeling during 2020 racial justice protest, AP sources say  —  The FBI has fired agents who were photographed kneeling during a racial justice protest in Washington that followed the 2020 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, three people familiar with the matter said Friday.

Money manager Howard Rubin detained in sex trafficking case after feds cite hitman threat … Famed money manager Howard Rubin and his former personal assistant were arrested Friday morning on charges of sex trafficking and transporting women across state lines for commercial sex acts over the course of a decade.

MyPillow founder Mike Lindell defamed Smartmatic, federal judge rules  —  MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, an ally of President Trump, defamed the election technology company Smartmatic with false statements that its voting machines helped rig the 2020 presidential election, a federal judge in Minnesota ruled Friday.

Trump orders release of records related to Amelia Earhart  —  U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he ordered his administration to declassify and release all government records related to Amelia Earhart, who vanished while attempting a round-the-world flight in 1937.

Cracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers Say  —  Doesn't that make more sense than lots of people caring about Cracker Barrel?  —  READING TIME 2 MINUTES  —  Read Later Read Later  —  Did something feel...off about the whole Cracker Barrel debacle to you?

Cory Mills denies ‘anything salacious’ as he seeks to fend off restraining order … The push for the restraining order against Mills comes amid a swirl of controversies this year for second-term Republican, including a since-withdrawn allegation of assault and an ethics investigation …