Republicans Are Twice As Likely As Democrats To See Marijuana Use As Morally Wrong, Poll Shows

Americans across every demographic—age, gender, religion and political affiliation—all agree that using marijuana is not morally wrong, according to a new polling report from the Pew Research Center. However, Republicans are still twice as likely as Democrats to say consuming cannabis is a moral no-no, the survey results show.

The analysis was based on a recent poll that asked Americans about their views on the morality of a variety of behaviors and policies. Overall, 76 percent of U.S. adults said using marijuana is either morally acceptable or not a moral issue at all, compared to 23 percent who said the activity is immoral.

That puts marijuana use in roughly the same moral standing as getting a divorce and spanking children, at least from the average American perspective.

More Americans believe using marijuana is not morally wrong than those who feel the same about gambling, watching pornography, having an abortion, being gay, the death penalty and more.

Cannabis is considered decidedly less moral than alcohol, however, with only 16 percent of respondents calling it morally wrong to drink.

That said, a closer look at the demographic data on the marijuana question shows that, by and large, the prevailing opinion is that smoking marijuana doesn’t make someone a bad person.

The age breakdown for those who said cannabis use isn’t morally wrong shows little deviation among younger and older adults: 18-29 (79 percent), 30-49 (76 percent), 50-64 (77 percent) and 65+ (73 percent).

There’s also general uniformity in the belief that cannabis use is not morally wrong among people who subscribe to different religious denominations: Christian (72 percent), Protestant (73 percent), Catholic (74 percent), Jewish (85 percent). Atheists and agnostics were even less likely to regard marijuana use as immoral, with 98 percent and 94 percent percent describing the activity as morally acceptable or not a moral issue, respectively.

Men and women were equally likely to say using cannabis isn’t immoral, at 76 percent.

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9th Circuit Court of Appeals allows feds to use crowd-control munitions on Portland anti-ICE protesters

The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked an order prohibiting federal agents from using crowd control munitions on protesters at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon.

The 2-1 panel decision, issued on Wednesday, intervenes in two separate federal cases, with two Trump-appointed judges, Kenneth Lee and Eric Tung, granting the Trump administration administrative stays. Judge Ana De Alba dissented.

An administrative stay is intended to “minimize harm while an appellate court deliberates” and lasts “no longer than necessary to make an intelligent decision on the motion for stay pending appeal,” as stated in the order.

The decision comes just days before the nationwide “No Kings” protests, a coordinated left-wing event that led to the siege of the ICE facility twice last year: in June and again in October. Riots were declared at both of those events.

On March 9, US District Court Judge Michael Simon issued a preliminary injunction barring federal law enforcement officers from deploying less-lethal rounds on protesters, unless there is an “imminent threat” to officer safety. This includes chemical or projectile munitions, such as tear gas, pepper balls, flash-bang grenades, rubber bullets, pepper or oleoresin capsicum spray, and other less-lethal weapons. The ruling followed a three-day evidentiary hearing, in which Judge Simon sided with a group of Antifa-affiliated protesters in Dickinson v Trump.

The plaintiffs, led by Jack Dickinson, also known as the “Portland Chicken,” claimed that federal officers were violating their First Amendment rights through the “unlawful” use of crowd control measures, which were meant to have a “chilling” effect on demonstrators to discourage them from returning to the ICE facility to protest, thus violating their rights through “retaliatory animus.”

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Youth centre did not report 16-year-old girl’s rape to authorities because ‘Muslim boys are already under enough police scrutiny’, German media claims

A report in the German media has claimed that a youth centre did not report a girl’s alleged rape to authorities due to concerns that ‘Muslim boys are already under enough police scrutiny.’

The claims emerged regarding the handling of serious allegations at the Wutzkyallee youth centre in Neukölln, Berlin.

German outlet Bild reported that a sworn affidavit from employees at the neighboring facility, MaDonna, confirmed suspicions that authorities failed to report alleged rapists due to concerns over scrutiny of Muslim boys. The claims have been denied.

The affidavit is said to detail the case of a 16-year-old Turkish-Kurdish schoolgirl who was allegedly raped by an Arab boy and subsequently sexually assaulted by eight others in a secluded area of the youth centre.

The document has been submitted to both the Senate and district politicians.

It indicates that the alleged perpetrators filmed the assaults and used the footage to blackmail the victim.

Additionally, the group reportedly attempted to persuade the victim’s younger sister to meet with them.

In the affidavit, it was stated: ‘In this context, we informed the social services coordinator that a report must be filed. The social services coordinator refrained from doing so, as she feared it would marginalize the perpetrators.

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BlackRock CEO does U-turn on Iran war optimism

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has warned of an impending global recession if the US-Israeli war on Iran drags on and oil prices remain above $100 a barrel. The stark prediction comes just weeks after Fink framed the conflict as a good long-term investment opportunity.

In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC this week, Fink said oil prices could stay above $100 per barrel for years if Iran “remains a threat,” potentially hitting $150 and sparking “a probably stark and steep recession.”

He described two scenarios for the conflict – one in which Iran is “accepted again by the international community,” allowing oil to fall below pre-war levels, and another in which tensions persist, leading to sustained high energy costs with “profound implications” for the global economy.

However, earlier this month, Fink, whose company holds significant stakes in major US defense contractors, struck a markedly different tone. During an appearance on Fox News, he dismissed the notion of a prolonged war, predicting that oil would “revert back to where it was and maybe even lower” once the conflict ends.

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Trans-Identified Attorney Goes Berserk in Oklahoma Courtroom, Screams “I Can’t Breathe,” and Demands a Female Officer While Resisting Arrest After Playing the “Trans” Victim Card 

A transgender Oklahoma attorney representing a mother in a bitter child custody battle was arrested after repeatedly clashing with the judge, triggering a chaotic scene that ended with contempt charges, resistance, and a dramatic removal from the courtroom.

According to The Oklahoma Post, attorney Rob Hopkins, who was representing Julie Ann Kramer in an ongoing custody dispute, was taken into custody by order of Judge Laurie Jackson after repeatedly interrupting proceedings and refusing to comply with courtroom decorum.

The viral footage shows Hopkins repeatedly interrupting the judge, smirking at the bench, and eventually throwing a phone in a fit of rage.

The courtroom video began when Hopkins repeatedly spoke over Judge Laurie Jackson, refusing to yield the floor despite multiple warnings.

Judge Laurie Jackson: “Stop, you interrupt me one more time and you are being held in direct contempt of court and you can wipe that smirk off your face.”

Rather than de-escalate, Hopkins continued to argue, insisting the judge was refusing to hear the case properly and challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

At one point, the situation escalated further when Hopkins appeared to knock a phone off the bench, prompting the judge to warn about courtroom conduct as tensions rose.

The situation took an even more bizarre turn when Hopkins suddenly injected identity politics into the confrontation. Instead of acting like a professional, Hopkins attempted to hide behind her identity, suggesting the judge was only being harsh because she is a “transgender attorney.”

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U.S. Postal Service seeks 8% fuel surcharge for package deliveries as Iran war raises oil prices

The U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday said it is seeking to impose a temporary 8% fuel surcharge for package and express mail deliveries to deal with rising transportation costs, which include higher oil prices as a result of the Iran war.

If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the surcharge would take effect April 26 and remain in place until Jan. 17, 2027, the Postal Service said in a notice on its website.

The 8% surcharge would apply to postage on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select products. First-class stamps and other mail services would not be affected.

Oil prices have jumped more than 40% since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran.

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Judge Rules Parents Have Less Say In Pediatric Vaccine Schedule

A powerful medical organization and its backers won a legal victory last week in an ongoing struggle against federal efforts to alter vaccine recommendations and return decision-making to parents.

On March 16 U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy issued a ruling that effectively halted the government’s lead vaccine recommendation group from meeting and stayed vaccine recommendations published under U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other left-wing medical groups sued Kennedy in July in response to his removal of pregnant women and healthy children from the Covid-19 vaccine recommended list. The group then amended its suit, filing multiple complaints challenging  Kennedy’s reconstituted immunization advisory panel and its votes. The AAP also challenged the revised pediatric schedule that the CDC published in January, which aligned the U.S. schedule with most developed nations by removing six vaccinations from the current schedule.

The American Academy of Pediatrics requested a ban on Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meetings; Murphy acquiesced in part, granting a stay on the ACIP appointment rather than an injunction, the same day the Supreme Court stayed another of his decisions. The March meeting of ACIP, at which the committee was poised to address Covid-19 vaccine injuries and recommendation processes, is now indefinitely postponed.

“The same day he is stayed for repeatedly refusing to follow the law, he issues another activist decision,” wrote Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on X. “We will keep appealing these lawless decisions, and we will keep winning.”

In his 45-page ruling, Murphy wrote that the government has “undermined the integrity of its actions” by sidestepping ACIP in the vaccine schedule revision process and replacing members without the use of “rigorous screening.” The newly appointed members, Murphy wrote, represent a “procedural failure … that … fails to comport with governing law.” Violation of the Administrative Procedure Act will likely be proven, he concluded.

Responding to Murphy’s decision, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said that the department “looks forward to this judge’s decision being overturned” in a statement to The Defender.

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SNAP Fraud Cleanup in Progress: 3.3 Million Less Dependents on Taxpayers’ Dime

New data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dropped to approximately 39.5 million people in December 2025, marking the first time enrollment has fallen below 40 million since September 2024.

Maria Bartiromo highlighted the figures during a televised interview, stating, “The US, Department of Agriculture tracking the latest on SNAP enrollment numbers, December data shows roughly 39 and a half million participants.”

She noted the significance of the decline, adding, “First time it’s been under 40 million since September of 24.”

Bartiromo also raised questions about a reported case involving a wealthy individual qualifying for benefits. “In Minnesota, one millionaire says he discovered a loophole which allowed him to qualify for food stamps,” she said.

Describing the situation further, she said, “Millionaire, he described the process to Fox News digital as fraud by design.”

Bartiromo explained how eligibility rules played a role, stating, “He qualified for the program based on income, not assets, and with low retirement income, he was accepted.”

She added that the individual later gave away the benefits, saying, “He ended up donating all of the money and the benefits to charity.”

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Politicians Think More Zoning Laws Will Fix Housing Prices, But The Data Says Otherwise 

he U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan bill, titled “The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” aiming to make housing more affordable. However, similar to other misleading pieces of legislation — such as the infamous Inflation Reduction Act, which is actually a massive climate-change bill that worsened inflation — this new housing bill may have the opposite effect on housing affordability than what its title suggests.

The newly introduced bill is co-led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Tim Scott, R-S.C. A key assumption of the bill is that restrictive single-family zoning is a primary cause of limited housing supply and high housing costs. The legislation includes key policy proposals that Warren has previously championed, such as offering grants to state and local governments that reform exclusionary zoning rules and permit more high-density housing in areas previously designated for single-family homes.

However, the bill’s sponsors overlook empirical evidence from left-wing cities and states, such as MinneapolisOregon, and California, where Democrat legislatures have already effectively eliminated exclusive single-family zoning in favor of higher-density housing — the kind of reform for which Warren advocates.

A 2023 study found that upzoning resulted in an insignificant housing supply increase of less than one percent within three to nine years, offering no real improvements for low- to moderate-income renters. 

Research about Minneapolis’ zoning reform shows upzoning fueled speculation, driving single-family home prices 3-5 percent higher than in comparable border areas. Similarly, post-single-family home zoning ban analyses show median home values in Oregon continued rising sharply, reaching $509,539 in May 2022, representing an increase of 19.7 percent from a year prior.

Upzoning reforms for which Warren and other Democrats advocate have clearly proven to be ineffective in achieving their goals. Instead of making housing more affordable, these policies have centralized zoning authority, eroding local control and undermining property rights.

Yet despite upzoning reform’s track record, Democrats persist in implementing these same misguided strategies across the nation. In Colorado, the Democrat legislature and Gov. Jared Polis pushed through significant new laws in 2024 aimed at increasing high-density housing and overriding local zoning decisions. HB 24-1313 forces minimum housing densities near transit in select communities, while HB 24-1304 eliminates parking requirements for multifamily developments in urban areas. Additionally, an executive order ties discretionary grants to adherence to these state housing mandates, further diminishing local autonomy.

These new state laws sparked immediate backlash. Cities including Greenwood Village, Aurora, Arvada, Westminster, Glendale, and Lafayette sued, arguing the laws violate home-rule protections in the Colorado Constitution.

In other Colorado municipalities such as Littleton, Telluride, Estes Park, and Greeley, voters overwhelmingly rejected their leftist city councils’ attempt to revise their zoning codes to permit more “middle housing” options — such as duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes — within previously single-family zones. Similarly, in California, residents of San Francisco ousted a local politician from office in a 2025 recall election for his support of upzoning reform.

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REPORT TO CONGRESS: GANGSTALKING Who watches the watchers?

A small but legally significant segment of the American telecommunications market consists of privately owned carriers that operate and maintain their own physical infrastructure — including switching equipment, fiber runs, tower assets, and routing hardware. While these providers collectively represent a minority share of total subscribers, their independent control over physical network infrastructure creates structural conditions that, absent adequate federal oversight, enable systematic and illegal surveillance of private citizens without judicial authorization, law enforcement nexus, or public accountability.

This report has been expanded beyond its original scope to address a phenomenon that intersects telecommunications abuse with organized criminal exploitation of individuals: the practice commonly referred to as “gangstalking,” its documented connections to corrupt law enforcement networks, and the use of illegally obtained surveillance data to facilitate human trafficking, coerced criminality, blackmail, and the systematic destruction of targeted individuals’ lives. This report is written in part for the benefit of members, staff, and constituents who may not be familiar with these practices and who may be skeptical of their existence. The evidence base for each section is grounded in documented federal cases, congressional testimony, and peer-reviewed research.

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