Mitch McConnell’s Wife Elaine Chao Allegedly Held Multiple Appointments From CCP-Linked Organizations — Some Overlapped With Her Service in Two U.S. Cabinets

Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao reportedly received multiple appointments from Chinese government entities and organizations connected to the Chinese Communist Party’s global influence apparatus, including positions that overlapped with her service at the highest levels of the United States government.

The explosive findings were revealed in a new investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation, which reviewed Chinese government announcements, state-run media reports and archived records.

Chao, the wife of longtime Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, served as Labor secretary throughout the George W. Bush administration and later as President Donald Trump’s Transportation secretary from January 2017 until January 2021.

According to the DCNF investigation, Chinese records identify Chao as having received at least four appointments since 2008 from a municipal government or organizations connected to the CCP’s United Front Work Department.

The United Front is not some harmless cultural exchange program.

U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission report describes the United Front Work Department as the CCP agency responsible for coordinating influence operations intended to co-opt individuals, shape foreign opinion and advance Beijing’s political interests overseas.

In other words, the CCP allegedly was handing titles to the wife of one of the most powerful Republicans in Washington, and, for portions of that time, a sitting member of the United States Cabinet.

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Missouri Rep. Burlison TEARS INTO The Surveillance State – Should Flock Cameras Be Abolished? Is China Spying On Us Through Our Cell Phones?

Rep. Eric Burlison, R-MO, blasted the Surveillance State that exists within our federal government, an ongoing debate that has existed for decades.

Following the devastating 9/11 attacks just 25 years ago, the U.S. government has ramped up efforts to spy on it’s own citizens, with most common argument in favor of this is being  that it keeps the American People safe and prevents something like 9/11 from ever happening again.

In 2026 new debates surrounding the use of flock cameras and their expansion have raised concerns that this violates our 4th amendment rights to privacy, while supporters continue to argue that it ensures public safety.

Flock camera across the country are being sabotaged in response to their expansion.

Burlison and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY, introduced a bill known as the “Flock-Off Act,” which would cut off federal funding for flock camera expansion and address the growing concerns in the American public over their usage.

The bill has six additional cosponsors.

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Ohio’s Republican Senators Want Ban on Illegals Obtaining Driver’s Licenses: ‘This Insanity Has to Stop’

Ohio’s Republican senators, Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, are calling for a crackdown on policies allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, a practice that has resulted in citizens being killed on roadways across the United States.

Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding the issue that has created danger for Americans, NBC4i.com reported Saturday.

The senators “are calling for an end to drive-only initiatives that allow for immigrants without legal status to obtain driver’s licenses. The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles requires verification of someone’s legal presence in the U.S. before issuing any documents, but 19 states and Washington D.C. allow for drive-only issuances,” the outlet said.

Husted and Moreno’s calls to end the policies came after a man named Washington G. Naula-Ochoa allegedly failed to yield to a Fulton County stop sign in August and struck another vehicle. Two people were hospitalized and one person, 29-year-old Austin Grimes, was killed in the crash.

In his letter to Duffy and Mullin, Husted said the suspect was an illegal immigrant who obtained a “drive-only” license in Connecticut.

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WHAT A SHAME: City of Dallas Revokes Permits for Leftists Groups Planning to Disrupt the Republican Midterm Convention

A whole bunch of far left groups are planning to ‘protest’ (disrupt) the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas on September 10th. Based on recent history, everyone knows that this means. The term ‘fiery but mostly peaceful’ rings a bell.

Unfortunately for these groups, the city has revoked their permits. That doesn’t mean much to the left. They’ll probably show up anyway, but without permits, we imagine that the police will have cause to remove them.

The planned protest was supposed to be just one hour long. Does anyone believe these groups would stick to that schedule? Not a chance.

Townhall reports:

Officials from the city of Dallas have canceled planned protest permits for the upcoming Republican Midterm Convention after requests from the Dallas Police Department, according to a local outlet.

The one-hour long protest planned for September 10 had its special permitting revoked. Dallas Police claim that the recommendation for revocation came because they would have preferred to work directly with protest organizers “for a quicker process.”

Event organizers claim that Dallas Police have repeatedly set meetings with organizers only to cancel moments before the meeting or to not show up altogether. Some organizers with the Dallas Against the Trump Agenda Coalition, the protest organizers, claim that the failure to communicate amounts to obstruction.

“They did try to get us in meetings with DPD, and constantly DPD didn’t show up,” Xavi Velasquez said. “DPD didn’t show up, and then whenever DPD reached out to us directly and set up a meeting, they canceled it right before the meeting. So, keeping that in mind, and with DPD running us off of City Hall property, we just have little faith in them respecting our rights.”

The keynote speakers for the convention have just been announced.

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This Red State Is Betting It Can Abolish Its Income Tax

The data center debate isn’t going so well for the builders, as Americans far and wide seriously oppose the construction of new data centers near where they live. One state, however, thinks it can incentivize residents. 

Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) has unveiled seven principles aligned with 2025 legislation to reduce and eventually eliminate state income tax. Under the plan, West Virginia would set aside 50% of its revenue from approved hyperscale data center projects towards the elimination of the state personal income tax – though let’s be clear: the poor, rural residents they’ll be building the DCs next to don’t pay income tax – so no benefit to them. Middle class voters (and up), however, will have all sorts of reasons to support the move. 

“Today, as the world stands on the cusp of a new digital and economic frontier, West Virginia is stepping forward once again to lead, not by repeating the mistakes of other states, but by implementing a proactive, 20-year development strategy on our terms,” Morrisey said in a statement obtained by Fox News

The second listed “principle” in Morrisey’s plan says all West Virginians should benefit from data center projects approved through Charleston’s “High Impact Data Center Designation (HIDC)” process and the revenue they generate. The process was established under a separate 2025 state law.

Morrisey’s plan includes “direct tax relief for citizens,” with none of the HIDC revenue entering the state general fund.

“By law, 50 percent of project revenue is dedicated directly to reducing and ultimately eliminating the State Personal Income Tax,” reads the plan. 

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Disgraced New England mayor drags heels repaying $240,000 taxpayer cash

A former Connecticut mayor has repeatedly blown past deadlines to repay the $240,000 in taxpayer money that she allegedly misused while in office. 

Erin Stewart, 39, suspended her gubernatorial campaign in May after an investigation exposed alleged misuse of a New Britain credit card to ‘benefit herself, members of her family and her political campaigns,’ the city said.

The city alleged that Stewart improperly boosted her income in the 12 years she ran city hall.

After missing the first two deadlines, New Britain said that Stewart owes a total of $241,558 in attorneys’ fees, taxpayer funds and tuition reimbursement.

‘I take the allegations that have been made against me very seriously,’ the former mayor said in a public statement. ‘And for that reason, I am suspending my gubernatorial campaign effective immediately so that I can focus on addressing those claims.’

Stewart and her charity, the Mayor’s Trophy Charity Fund, were investigated by the Crumbie Law Group who were hired by Mayor Bobby Sanchez, Stewart’s successor, the CT Mirror reported. 

The Republican allegedly used more than $30,000 of the city funds to pay for her master’s degree program in public administration at the University of New Haven, News 8 reported. 

Another $22,000 of city money was allegedly spent on deliveries to her home including clothes, makeup, an ice maker, diapers and baby formula, documents obtained by the outlet showed. 

The card also funded nearly $20,000 in membership fees as well as food and drink at a private social club, the Hartford Club, the Mirror reported. 

According to a letter addressed to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on June 5, New Britain also accused Stewart of buying items with the city-issued card between 2016 and 2025 and selling them in a ‘moving-out tag sale.’

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Missouri State Representative Candidate Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine to Frame Opponent

A Missouri state representative candidate has been charged by criminal complaint for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance to plant on his political opponent. 

Thomas Christopher Ross, 37, of Joplin, Mo., was charged in a one-count complaint for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance. Ross is currently running for the state seat in House District 161 and won the Republican primary last month.

As alleged in the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, on Thursday, July 30, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was contacted by the Joplin Police Department (JPD) regarding a “public corruption” matter in Joplin, Mo. According to the initial information provided by JPD, the former campaign manager for Ross (C.S.), was asked by Ross to plant drugs on his opponent (L.S.). C.S. provided law enforcement with a black nylon glove that he claimed was given to him by Ross. A small, plastic bag was inside the glove. Inside of the bag was a small amount of white powder. A Nartec Inc. Cocaine Test Kit was used on the powder, which indicated a positive match for cocaine. 

Additionally, inside of the glove was a pink and white capsule. The capsule was identified as Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine 20 mg extended release, also known as Adderall, a Schedule II controlled substance. C.S. told investigators that he and Ross exchanged text messages, in which Ross requested for C.S. to place the bag of drugs inside of the purse or vehicle of L.S. while Ross was out of state on vacation.

“The American people deserve confidence in an electoral process that has served our nation for generations,” said R. Matthew Price, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. “Candidates are expected to conduct their campaigns with integrity, honesty, and respect for their opponents, allowing voters to make informed decisions without fear of misinformation or undue influence. The Western District of Missouri will continue to uphold fairness, transparency, and integrity in elections and will pursue violations of public trust when warranted”.

“The conduct alleged in these charges are substantial and serious,” said Chris Ormerod, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kansas City Field Office. “Our citizens deserve to know that the election process is done with transparency and fairness. As this case moves through the judicial process, it’s important that it proceeds fairly, impartially and in accordance with the rule of law.”

The charges contained in the complaint are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. 

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Wyoming GOP Gov. Mark Gordon Whines About ‘Aggressive, Unexpected’ DOJ Election Monitors – Orders Investigation

Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gordon is complaining about federal election monitors sent to observe last week’s primary elections.

Gordon is also ordering an investigation after Justice Department officials attempted to examine voting procedures in the state.

Two DOJ monitors arrived at a polling location in Cheyenne last Tuesday as part of a federal effort to ensure elections comply with voting and civil-rights laws.

According to Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee, the monitors asked questions about election procedures, sought to speak with voters and requested access to voting equipment.

Local officials refused some of those requests, and Gordon was less than pleased.

“It was aggressive, unexpected, disruptive and certainly didn’t seem to show respect for the state,” Gordon moaned.

“We’re going to get to the bottom of it as best we can.”

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Hope Florida grand jury finds Medicaid money ‘misused for political purposes’

A state grand jury investigating the Hope Florida scandal found that key members of the DeSantis administration wrongly engaged in a “sophisticated scheme” to divert $10 million of a Medicaid settlement into political activities and the Republican Party of Florida, according to a copy of the grand jury’s report obtained by CBS News Miami.

The report concluded the $10 million in taxpayer money was “plainly used for political purposes” but also said the grand jury could not find enough evidence to charge anyone with a crime because no one would “take responsibility” for deciding to divert the money to Hope Florida “or had any memory” of who made the decision.

It noted that most of those involved were lawyers who “acted on the advice of other lawyers” making it hard to determine who was to blame.

“We recognize that this would be an impediment to criminal prosecution,” the report said. “While we can’t prove who is responsible, we can plainly see that taxpayer money was misused for political purposes and we would like to see changes made to prevent this from happening again.”

Despite a lack of criminal charges, the report pointed fingers at key DeSantis officials who had been at the center of a scandal that centered on Hope Florida, a charity championed by First Lady Casey DeSantis. It became embroiled in controversy last year, once it became public that the charity had served as conduit for the $10 million that landed in political committees but should have paid for medical expenses for needy Floridians.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who was then Gov. Ron DeSantis’ chief of staff, was “in a position of authority” and at the heart of a scheme that sent money to political committees fighting passage of an amendment to legalize marijuana in 2024, the grand jury found.

“Testimony identified (Uthmeier) as having involvement in directing the money after it went to Hope Florida,” the report said. “Testimony also revealed that Mr. Uthmeier’s Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee, was the prime recipient of the majority of the $10 million taxpayer funds.”

The report also found that U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, who was attorney general at the time, knew of the scheme and authorized her chief deputy at the time, John Guard, to sign the settlement agreement, CBS News reported. Guard signed the settlement, despite his reservations, and “without conducting his due diligence to ensure the proper appropriation of taxpayer funds,” the report said.

Both Uthmeier and Moody were appointed by DeSantis to their current positions and are running for election to those offices in November. Their Democratic opponents called for their resignation after CBS posted its story.

DeSantis appointed Guard to serve as a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeal in January.

The $10 million was part of a $67 million settlement with the Centene Corporation, a Medicaid provider that overcharged the state. The $10 million was peeled off to Hope Florida, then within a matter of days transferred to two nonprofit political organizations that in quick succession gave the money to a political committee chaired by Uthmeier and set up to defeat the marijuana amendment.

The grand jury was convened in October 2025 by Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell to investigate the circumstances surrounding the distribution of the $10 million, part of a larger $67 million settlement with the Centene Corporation, a Medicaid vendor that had overcharged the state for prescription medicines.

The investigation followed months of news reports about the scheme, after Rep. Alex Andrade held committee hearings questioning state officials and Hope Florida board members about the transfer. The grand jury concluded its work in January, and its report was sealed.

Neither DeSantis, Uthmeier or Moody were called to testify before the grand jury.

Uthmeier has defended his actions in public, and his office told CBS News on Wednesday said the only crime was releasing the grand jury report. Moody has ducked reporters’ questions about her involvement in the Hope Florida scandal.

DeSantis has characterized the Hope Florida scandal as a “hoax.” During a news conference Wednesday, CBS News reported, he said he wasn’t involved in the settlement agreement, “but was very happy with how everything was done.”

The grand jury report concludes with two recommendations — that the Legislature should pass a law to prevent something like this from occurring again, and pass “clear laws setting requirements” for how nonprofits like the Hope Florida Foundation can use taxapyer funds, making sure those funds are monitored and providing penalties for violating any new laws.

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Ramaswamy torches Dem rival over ‘outrageous’ COVID-19 claim: ‘Spewing lies’

Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, is facing backlash from Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy after claiming COVID-19 mortality rates had been as high as 50% in the early days of the 2020 pandemic.

Acton highlighted the figure as evidence of her effective leadership as director of the Ohio Department of Health on a podcast appearance in September.

“In those early days, the mortality rate was 50%. I started with that in March. By June, when we reopened, it was because we took swift, decisive action. The mortality rate had gone down to 5%. We learned how to save lives,” Acton said.

Acton’s retelling of the pandemic’s lethality comes as she defends her record as health director and amid an uphill bid to become the next governor of the Buckeye State.

COVID-19’s mortality rate was well below the 50% Acton described, resulting in 275,000 deaths nationwide in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Of patients who contracted the virus, the death rate was just 15.9% when adjusted for age. And when filtered further for when COVID was the cause of death, that figure fell further to 11.3%.

When asked about the figure, Acton’s office said she had been referring to death rates in hospitals.

She also bashed Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, the founder of Roivant Sciences, a biotech pharmaceutical company that helped produce COVID treatments.

“While Dr. Acton was working hand in hand with Governor DeWine to keep Ohioans safe, Vivek Ramaswamy was calling for mandatory COVID-19 testing, making more than $2 billion off of the COVID vaccine and recommending segregating Ohioans based on biomarker status,” Addie Bullock, a spokesperson for Acton’s campaign, said.

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