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14-Year-Old Kid Runs for Governor of Vermont and Will Appear on the General Election Ballot

A 14-year-old kid has now qualified to appear on the general election ballot for Governor of Vermont this November.

Dean Roy, a freshman at Stowe High School who also works part-time at his parents’ pizza shop and served as a legislative page at the Vermont Statehouse last year, has become the first teenager under 18 to qualify for the state’s general election ballot for governor.

He did it by founding his own third-party outfit called the Freedom and Unity Party.

“I know it sounds crazy, a 14-year-old running for governor,” Roy said in a video posted to Instagram. “But honestly, look at the people in charge right now. They’ve been doing this forever and things still aren’t working.”

During an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend this morning, Roy laid out a no-nonsense platform.

“Yeah, so the platform that I’m running on mainly focuses on housing, energy, healthcare, and education.

For housing, it mainly revolves around deregulating with regard to Act 250 and increasing taxes on short-term rentals, which are a very prominent problem in Vermont.

For energy, it’s nuclear power. If we were to reopen a nuclear power plant, we would secure energy independence.

And for education and healthcare, it’s auditing those systems, which are very inefficient in Vermont, and making sure that we get them to be efficient once again—and that they’re at a standard where Vermonters can both afford them and lower their tax bill.”

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Strikes on alleged drug boats kill 5 in eastern Pacific, U.S. military says

The U.S. military said Sunday that it blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of five people and leaving one survivor, as the Trump administration pursues its campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America while preparing a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The attacks on Saturday bring the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 168 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.

As with most of the military’s statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. Videos posted on X showed small boats moving across the water before they each were engulfed in a bright explosion.

U.S. Southern Command stated on X that it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the search-and-rescue system for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search and said updates would be provided when available.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

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WHAT’S IN CALIFORNIA’S WATER? Katie Porter, Another California Democrat Governor Candidate, Is Haunted by Serious Abuse Allegations

The race for the next California governor has been thrown into turmoil after Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign effectively collapsed under the weight of mounting sexual assault allegations and a complete loss of party support.

With every major Democrat endorsement now withdrawn, the race has rapidly shifted focus to the remaining candidates. At the top of that list for Democrats is former Representative Katie Porter—but her own record is now facing renewed scrutiny.

As previously reported by TGP, Swalwell’s political standing deteriorated almost overnight, leaving a sudden vacuum in a race he once led. That shift has elevated Porter into a leading position among Democrat contenders. However, unlike the narrative being pushed by much of the media, Porter’s background is not without controversy.

Porter has faced longstanding allegations stemming from a contentious divorce with her ex-husband, Matt Hoffman. According to court documents and reporting, both Porter and Hoffman filed domestic violence restraining orders against each other following a 2013 altercation.

Hoffman made serious accusations at the time, alleging that Porter engaged in physical and verbal abuse. His claims included allegations that Porter struck him, caused injury during domestic disputes, and engaged in degrading behavior.

Among the most widely cited claims were that Porter allegedly dumped a boiling pot of potatoes on him during an argument and shattered household items in a way that caused injury.

People make allegations against each other after messy divorces quite often, but if Hoffman, Porter’s ex-husband, was lying, it would not add up. Specific stories, like a boiling pot of potatoes, are much harder to fabricate and consistently maintain than general claims. At the same time, they would still be difficult to definitively prove.

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Orbán concedes defeat to Magyar in Hungary election

Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party faced off against Péter Magyar’s centre-right opposition Tisza party on Sunday in the Hungary election.

The Fidesz party has been in power for 16 years in Hungary, according to Reuters.

The Tisza party was leading in most polls heading into Election Day. 

Reuters reported a record turnout at the polls.

Orbán has conceded defeat. 

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“Muthaf***in’ Robot Dog In The Muthaf***in’ Hood”

Residents in Atlanta are staring down robot dogs patrolling their own apartment parking lots — with live foreign operators apparently calling the shots through the machines.

Another viral video posted to X captures the raw street-level reaction as locals confront one of the mechanical units.

The operator responds in real time, and the accent leaves little doubt about the location of the person on the other end of the feed.

The post continues… “There are plenty of videos of these dogs calling the police on people, so that means someone sitting in India is patrolling our streets and calling the police on Americans. These robotic dogs are equipped with 360° cameras, thermal imaging, headlights, sirens, speakers, and sensors. Despite this they are not fully autonomous, they typically have a live human operator monitoring the feed remotely”

Another of these droids was seen recently giving commands to Americans in Atlanta. Even when citizens complied peacefully, the bot issued orders and summon real police — all while the eyes and ears behind the machines sit overseas.

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Swalwell Drops Out of California Governor’s Race Amid Allegations of Sexual Assault

Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell on Sunday evening dropped out of the California Governor’s race amid allegations of sexual assault.

Swalwell apologized to his family, staffers, and supporters and vowed to fight the “false allegations” against him.

Statement from Swalwell:

I am suspending my campaign for Governor.

To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.

I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.

Meanwhile, the Manhattan District Attorney has launched an investigation into Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell over serious allegations of sexual assault.

The San Francisco Chronicle on Friday published a story about a woman who claimed that Democrat Eric Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice.

The woman, who worked as a staffer in Swalwell’s office for two years, told The San Francisco Chronicle that Swalwell began pursuing her just weeks after she was hired at the age of 21 in 2019.

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Trump Declares US Blockade on Strait of Hormuz After No Deal Reached With Iran

President Trump declared on Sunday that he was ordering the US Navy to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US military announced it would begin blocking all ships leaving or traveling to Iranian ports starting at 10:00 am Eastern Time on Monday morning.

Trump’s declaration came after US and Iranian officials held about 20 hours of talks in Pakistan that didn’t result in a deal. He said that the US and Iran were at an impasse on the nuclear issue, as Washington is still demanding that Tehran commit to zero nuclear enrichment. Another major sticking point is the fact that Israel has refused to enact a ceasefire in Lebanon and has continued major airstrikes on the country that have massacred hundreds of civilians since the US-Iran truce started.

“So, there you have it, the meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not. Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, ‘There may be a mine out there somewhere,’ that nobody knows about but them. THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted,” he added.

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The Fight for Election Day Is Now at the Supreme Court

Recently the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in one of the most consequential election integrity cases in years – Watson v. Republican National Committee. The core question: Does federal law require that mail-in ballots be received by Election Day, or can states extend that deadline by days – or longer – after the election has concluded?

This is a case the ACLJ has been fighting. As we reported earlier this year, we filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court on behalf of 29 Members of Congress – urging the Court to hold that Election Day means exactly what it says: one day. The arguments we put before the Court echoed throughout the chamber.

Mississippi passed a law allowing absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received up to five business days after the election. Mississippi is one of 14 states with such a grace period. The Republican National Committee sued, arguing the practice is preempted by the federal statutes that Congress enacted in 1845 and 1872 establishing a single, uniform Election Day for federal elections.

Take action with the ACLJ. Add your name to our petition: Defend Election Integrity.

The ACLJ’s Arguments Took Center Stage

Election Day means a single day. The central pillar of our brief was that Congress exercised its explicit constitutional authority to establish Election Day as one specific day – not a window, not a period. Justice Alito made this exact argument from the bench, noting that Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day are all particular days, not extended periods – and Election Day should be no different. That is the ACLJ’s argument, made on behalf of 29 Members of Congress, now voiced by Justice Alito.

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NYC Communist Mayor Zohran Mamdani Hosts Self-Congratulatory Party as Agenda Unravels

New York City Communist Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing growing backlash after throwing an elaborate, self-congratulatory celebration marking his first 100 days in office, while many of his biggest campaign promises have already unraveled.

The event, held at a large venue in Queens, was framed as a celebration of “progress.” In reality, it raised serious questions about priorities inside City Hall.

Mamdani not only delivered a speech praising his own leadership but also leaned heavily on the same socialist rhetoric that defined his campaign, doubling down rather than addressing mounting concerns about performance.

“I was elected as a Democratic socialist, and I will govern as a Democratic socialist,” Mamdani declared, reiterating a message that continues to divide voters across the city.

The optics only grew more questionable from there. The event featured what attendees described as a “100 days museum,” complete with staged displays celebrating minor accomplishments—such as pothole repairs and symbolic policy announcements.

At one point, even a fast-food wrapper from a public appearance was reportedly included in the exhibit.

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Sick Behavior From Financial Psychopaths

I’ve been saying this for months: despite “experts” just sounding the alarm moments ago: the private credit unwind that started months ago and has now spiraled into a very real liability for the economy wasn’t some unknowable tail risk lurking in the shadows.

It couldn’t have been clearer if it was a fucking neon sign blinking THIS ENDS BADLY hanging outside of the 4 train station on Wall Street so industry workers were forced to see it on their way into work every morning.

Not only did I call the private credit collapse, I also argued that it would experience a sharp downturn before the Fed stepped in to bail it out or provide a backstop, despite, once again, the widespread misconduct of mismarking positions and carrying opaque, low-quality assets on the books of the companies managing these funds.

And here we are, right on schedule, watching that script unfold with all the subtlety of Eric Swalwell on a date after 9 whiskey cocktails.

In the last two days alone, Bloomberg reports that the Federal Reserve has gone from politely observing to actively interrogating. Not in a press-release, “we’re monitoring conditions” sort of way, but boots-on-the-ground examiners asking major banks to cough up details about their exposure to private credit.

Translation: they’re not trying to understand the industry, they’re trying to figure out how bad the damage could get and who’s going to be holding the bag when it does.

And what are they likely finding? Exactly what anyone paying attention already knew. Private credit funds didn’t just lend money, they borrowed it, too. Because in good times, leverage makes returns look smooth and irresistible. It turns middling loans into “high-yield opportunities.” It creates the illusion of stability. But in bad times? That same leverage becomes a transmission mechanism, turning localized stress into systemic risk. It’s not a bug, it’s the design.

Meanwhile, the Treasury is now poking around insurers, because of course this nuclear dogshit being peddled as a financial opportunity didn’t stay neatly contained in some alternative-assets sandbox. It likely spread. Into insurance portfolios, retirement products, retail funds…basically anywhere someone was desperate enough for yield to believe the pitch. The industry ballooned to roughly $1.8 trillion (and depending on how you count it, more), all built on the comforting fiction that because it wasn’t traditional banking, it somehow wasn’t subject to traditional banking problems.

Just like we’re seeing with “magically” successful subprime lenders like Carvana, of course they’re still subject to reality. The better question is how they can avoid the assumption they have to face reality at some point. I think we know how Carvana has been doing it: f*cking with the numbers. And private credit is doing the same. Just with worse transparency.

And now suddenly regulators are “assessing spillover risk,” which is the bureaucratic equivalent of checking where the fire exits are while the building is already filling with smoke.

Let’s not pretend we don’t know where this goes. When the Fed starts mapping exposures like this, it’s not because they’re writing a research paper. It’s because they’re quietly preparing the intervention. Maybe it’s a backstop. Maybe it’s liquidity support. Maybe it’s some creatively named facility that sounds temporary but lingers for years (something like the “Assessment of Systemic Stress by Head Office Liquidity & Economic Support” plan, or A.S.S.H.O.L.E.S. for short).

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