Tag: taxes

Taxing Lawnmowers, Gym Passes, And DoorDash Proves Dems Actually Hate ‘Affordability’

“Affordability” was the word of the year in Virginia politics in 2025.

“Affordability takes center stage in New Jersey, Virginia governor races,” ABC News‘ Benjamin Siegel wrote on November 2, 2025.

“Spanberger turns Virginia governor’s race into a test of Trump’s economy,” Politico’s Erin Doherty and Brakkton Booker wrote on October 29, 2025. “Spangberger has stuck to a message on the economy, specifically the cost of life for Virginians.”

“It’s not about inflation or the economy — the election instead delivered a ‘wake-up call’ on affordability politics, top pollster says,” Fortune’s Jason Ma wrote on November 8, 2025.

And Democrats won on this message.

Abigail Spanberger beat incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears while Democrats picked up seats in the state legislature. A post-election poll conducted by CBS News found that “‘economy’ voters voted for Abigail Spanberger over Winsome Earle-Sears by more than 20 points.”

Affordability carried the day — until Democrats actually got into office. Within weeks of Election Day, Virginia Democrats have made clear that “affordability” was never more than a campaign slogan.

House Bill 978 would dramatically expand Virginia’s sales and use tax to cover a ton of everyday services. Under the bill, taxes would be applied to gym memberships and fitness classes, dry cleaning, laundry services, pet care, home repairs and cleaning services, car repairs, delivery and shipping services, digital services and event planning.

In other words, the things that normal Virginians pay for to live their lives may soon cost more.

The revenue, meanwhile, is earmarked for transit authorities while another portion would be distributed on the “basis of the high-need student population in the locality.” The formula for “high-need student” includes students in social programs, special education, or English language learners.

Then comes Democrats’ anti-lawn crusade.

House Bill 881 would “Provide[s] that any locality with a population density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile may by ordinance prohibit or regulate the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.”

Yet at the same time, House Bill 557 would establish “a separate classification of tangible personal property for electric-powered landscaping equipment in a trade or business and used to maintain commercial, public, or private gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs, or other plants, including lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws.”

In other words, Virginia Democrats are trying to ban gas-powered leaf blowers while raising the tax on electric landscaping equipment.

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Biden’s FBI paid anti-Trump ‘Sedition Hunters’ as informants in J6, Arctic Frost probes, memos show

he Biden-era FBI made more than $100,000 in payments to informants who were members of an anonymous group of tech sleuths known as the “Sedition Hunters” to gather and analyze video evidence in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and Arctic Frost probes despite the group’s significant anti-Trump fervor and known ties to foreigners, according to memos reviewed by Just the News.

The payments are due to be disclosed by FBI Director Kash Patel to Congress along with acknowledged concerns that the Christopher Wray-run bureau’s approval of certain members of the Sedition Hunters as confidential human sources may have violated bureau policies in the Domestic Investigation and Operations Guide (DIOG) concerning informant bias, informant secrecy, foreign influence, and contracting transparency, officials said.

Government officials said group members were first engaged in January 2021, just days after the Capitol riot, to assist making arrests in the January 6 case by identifying potential defendants using facial recognition software. The group members received at least $150,000 in payments for that work and other work related to the Arctic Frost probe into whether Trump supporters violated the law by promoting alternate electors to be considered for the certification of the 2020 election.

Biden-era FBI knew paid foreigners were using spyware to identify J6 arrestees

One of the earliest emails from the FBI’s Washington field office that oversaw that work showed the FBI was clearly aware the group had foreign connections and may actually be using software from overseas to identify American citizens for arrest, according to a copy of the email reviewed by Just the News.

The late January 2021 email from the FBI’s Washington field office stated that “we have a sedition hunter from the United Kingdom running facial recognition software” with the tipster telling the bureau that this UK-based so-called sedition hunter “just found this possible match” to an alleged January 6 suspect a few minutes prior, sharing the picture with the FBI.

FBI Director Kash Patel told Just the News on Tuesday night he is concerned that the paid informant relationship with Sedition Hunters members was inappropriate, and he was committed to working with Congress to develop rules to avoid such entanglements in the future.

“The American people deserve the truth about how the FBI was weaponized against them. Paying openly anti-Trump activists to identify Americans using questionable technology is a stunning abuse of bureau authorities and a clear violation of longstanding informant rules,” Patel said in a statement to Just the News.

“Under my leadership, the FBI will fully disclose these actions to Congress and ensure the bureau never again serves partisan or political ends instead of the Constitution,” he added.

Officials said the FBI believes it has fired all supervisors who were involved in the informant relationship, but is doing an audit to make sure he didn’t overlook any players.

Officials said a Sedition Hunter member also was engaged as an FBI confidential human source in summer 2023, receiving $20,000 in payments in the Arctic Frost probe. The source was specifically tasked with looking for video evidence tying Trump supporters who attended the president’s Jan. 6, 2021 speech on the Ellipse to the subsequent riot at the Capitol.

That footage was being sought as the FBI and prosecutors sought to tie Trump in a criminal conspiracy to the violence that happened at the Capitol even though the president never went there himself, officials said.

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BUSTED: California Ordered to Return $1+ BILLION After Dr. Oz–Led Audit Exposes Federal Healthcare Funds Spent on Illegal Immigrants

The Trump administration has dropped the hammer on California and a coalition of deep-blue states after a sweeping federal audit uncovered more than $1.3 billion in misused federal healthcare funds spent on non-emergency medical care for illegal immigrants, a clear violation of federal law.

According to a bombshell report highlighted on Fox News, the administration’s aggressive audits, led by Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz, found that seven states and Washington, D.C., improperly billed the federal government for healthcare services that go far beyond what is legally permitted.

Under federal law, states may only use federal Medicaid funds to cover emergency medical services for illegal immigrants. Routine care, elective procedures, and non-emergency treatments must be paid for by the states themselves.

That did not happen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli wrote on X, “California must return more than $1 billion to the federal government after an audit by Dr. Oz and his team uncovered federal dollars being spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants. We are teaming up to combat healthcare fraud so the money can be used for American citizens who need it!”

Federal auditors identified nearly $1.4 billion owed back to U.S. taxpayers, with California alone accounting for the overwhelming majority:

  • California: ~$1.3 billion
  • New York: ~$30.7 million
  • Illinois: ~$29.8 million
  • Minnesota: ~$12.7 million
  • Oregon: ~$5.4 million
  • Washington: ~$2.3 million
  • Washington, D.C.: ~$2.1 million
  • Colorado: ~$1.5 million
  • TOTAL: ~$1.394 billion

These funds were billed to the federal government for routine medical care, not emergencies, an explicit violation of Medicaid rules.

California officials predictably denied wrongdoing, claiming the state “routinely reimburses” the federal government. But the audit findings directly contradict those claims—and the financial damage is already done.

Governor Gavin Newsom has long championed “universal healthcare regardless of immigration status,” proudly expanding taxpayer-funded care to the state’s entire undocumented population.

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OC School District Official Accused of $14M Embezzlement

Jorge Armando Contreras, 52, of Yorba Linda allegedly siphoned more than $14 million from the district over a seven-year period and used it to buy luxury items, a $1 million Yorba Linda residence and cosmetic treatments from a dermatologist.

“I was most surprised by the amount he is alleged to have stolen,” said Debbie Peterson, former mayor of Grover Beach in San Luis Obispo. “In the last few months of his tenure at the district, he was averaging almost $370,000 a month in addition to his substantial salary.”

Peterson is the author of The Happiest Corruption: Sleaze, Lies, & Suicide in a California Beach Town and CITY COUNCIL 101 – Insider’s Guide for New Councilmembers.

“The bad news is at the local government level, we simply do not have the checks and balances that we do at the federal level where the legislative, executive, and judicial branches balance power and accountability,” she said.

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Ohio Physician Gets 5 Years in Prison for Role in $14.5M Medicare Fraud

An Ohio doctor has been sentenced to prison for his role in a healthcare billing conspiracy scheme that was intended to fraudulently bill Medicare for more than $14.5 million.

Timothy Sutton, 44, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, was sentenced 5 years and 4 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz, after he pleaded guilty in April 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, false statements related to health care matters, and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay nearly $6 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Judge Ruiz imposed the sentence on Jan. 12.

According to court documents, Sutton used his position as a licensed medical doctor in the state of Ohio to cause submission of claims on behalf of patients who did not need the medical treatment. He was employed by two telemedicine companies based in Florida which provided him with pre-completed orders for durable medical equipment (DME), such as braces, and/or cancer genetic testing (CGX) for him to approve and digitally sign. 

“Mr. Sutton deliberately lied about performing patient examinations and then used his role as a trusted medical professional to line his pockets at the expense of taxpayers. We will not tolerate those who utilize their positions of authority to defraud Medicare, or any government agency,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “Thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Cleveland FBI’s thorough investigations, we have put a stop to this rampant fraud and abuse of power.”

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US Ends Aid to Somalia After Locals Torch and Loot Warehouse Filled with 76 Tons of US-Donated Food

Such a grateful country!
They really appreciate all of the US taxpayer donated food sent their way.

The United States ended taxpayer-funded food aid to Somalia after local officials torched and looted the stockpiles of food stored in a local warehouse.

There is even video of the mass looting!

The US State Department released a statement after the warehouse was destroyed.

This is the same country that is shipped suitcases of US dollars each week.

It appears the Somalians in Africa are not very appreciated for the US assistance.

It’s about time the US focused their foreign aid in a different direction.

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Tim Walz ‘Is Complicit in the Theft of Over $9B’ by the Same People Attacking ICE: Minnesota Senator

Minnesota State Senator Steve Drazkowski accused Gov. Tim Walz of advancing a biased political agenda, losing credibility with voters, and manipulating state investigations to protect what he described as a far-left narrative, while also criticizing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and local media outlets.

Drazkowski made the remarks while discussing the political climate in Minnesota and ongoing controversies surrounding state leadership.

He alleged that Walz is facing growing backlash from Minnesotans and claimed that calls for accountability are intensifying ahead of the next legislative session.

“They have an agenda,” Drazkowski said.

“Tim Walz is losing oil pressure rapidly. A large and growing number of Minnesotans would really like to see him in jail, and we will see articles of impeachment introduced in the Minnesota House when the legislature convenes on the 17th of next month.”

Drazkowski alleged that Walz bears responsibility for significant financial losses in the state and tied those allegations to recent unrest involving federal law enforcement officers.

“He is complicit in the theft of over $9 billion by many of the same people that have been attacking Federal officers for the past two weeks,” Drazkowski said.

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Texas Reports Over $1 Billion in Hospital Costs Related to Illegal Aliens for 2025 Fiscal Year

Illegal aliens have cost states a lot of money.

It is evident from what the state of Texas has reported in regard to hospital-related costs.

Hospitals in Texas have accrued over $1 billion in healthcare costs for illegal aliens for fiscal year 2025. This was the first year that Texas tracked the statistics.

The information was gathered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Texas Scorecard had access to the data, which revealed that hospitals recorded over 300,000 visits that were related to illegal aliens. Total costs were about $1.05 billion at the end of fiscal year 2025.

Their state’s fiscal year goes from September 1st to August 31st. The hospitals started reporting later, in November, which means the costs are potentially higher.

Fox News Reported:

Texas hospitals accumulated more than $1 billion in healthcare costs for illegal immigrants during fiscal year 2025, the first year the state began tracking the figures.

The data, compiled by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and obtained by Texas Scorecard, shows hospitals logged 313,742 visits linked to individuals not legally present, with total costs reaching $1.05 billion by the end of the fiscal year.

Texas’ fiscal year runs from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, but hospitals were only required to begin reporting in November. Based on the reported data, costs averaged about $105 million per month, meaning the true annual total could be significantly higher.

“To put the figures into perspective, the reported hospital costs approach about 1% of the state’s tax-funded resources.” Fox News Reported.

The information was obtained as a result of Governor Greg Abbott signing an executive order back in 2024, requiring the agency to track illegals who were accessing public hospitals in Texas.

During the open border under the Biden regime, Texas had a record number of illegal crossings. As a result, it put a strain on their healthcare system.

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State Department expected to end aid to Somalia: report

The U.S. State Department has announced a decision to cut off government-to-government assistance to Somalia following a dispute over the fate of American-donated food supplies, according to diplomatic communications cited in a news report.

Earlier this month, Somali authorities at the Mogadishu port demolished a key World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse—a facility built with international support to store emergency food aid. U.S. officials say the action, ordered by Somalia’s president and carried out without notifying donor nations, likely destroyed roughly 76 metric tons of U.S. food aid meant for vulnerable people. Additional shipments totaling over 1,600 metric tons were also affected and had to be relocated.

In response, Washington paused all current U.S. assistance programs that directly benefited the Somali federal government. 

The State Department has tied the reopening of aid commitments to Somalia’s acceptance of responsibility and compensation for the missing food supplies. 

The State Department said Jan. 7 that it had suspended all U.S. assistance programs that support Somalia’s federal government, warning that funding would not resume unless Somali officials accept responsibility for what Washington called unacceptable conduct. An administration official, who spoke on background with The Daily Wire, said the pause is expected to become permanent, with all remaining aid formally terminated by May.

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Articles of impeachment announced against Gov. Tim Walz

Amid fraud allegations and a continuing ICE presence in the North Star State, articles of impeachment have been announced against two-term DFL Governor Tim Walz.

The articles, introduced by Rep. Mike Wiener (R-Long Prairie), outline four separate charges against Walz:

  1. Article one alleges Walz violated his oath of office “by knowingly concealing or permitting the concealment of widespread fraud within Minnesota​ state administered programs, despite repeated warnings, audits, reports, and public indicators of​ systematic abuse.”
  2. Article two alleges Walz violated his oath of office by “actions and omissions that interfered with lawful oversight, investigation, or corrective​ action related to fraud in Minnesota state agencies.”
  3. Article three alleges Walz violated his oath of office by “placing political consideration above lawful administration, thereby breaching the​ public trust.”
  4. Article four alleges Walz violated his oath of office by “failing in his constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws of the State of Minnesota, particular laws governing stewardship of public funds.”

“We are stewards of the public dollar,” said Wiener. “They put their faith in us to take that money and spend it wisely. And when we see this massive amount of fraud that’s been taken place, and we’ve known this for years, it’s not anything new. It’s been going on for quite some time. I take that very seriously.”

Wiener said he has been working on these articles of impeachment for two months. He was going through the state constitution when he “kind of stumbled” across the process.

“When I looked at the articles of impeachment, I thought this is a way that the legislators can, through the process, through our state constitution, hold the governor accountable for the massive amounts of fraud that have taken place in the state,” said Wiener.

While he said the articles are broad, Wiener believed they cover the broadest aspects of what was going occurring in Minnesota.

According to the Article VIII of the Minnesota State Constitution, only certain state officers can be subject to impeachment “for corrupt conduct in office or for crimes and misdemeanors.” Those offices include:

  • Governor of Minnesota
  • Secretary of State
  • State Auditor
  • State Attorney General
  • Judges of the Minnesota Supreme Court
  • Judges of the Minnesota Court of Appeals
  • Judges of Minnesota District Courts

Similar to the U.S. Congress, the Minnesota House of Representatives has the power to impeach an elected official through a simple majority vote. If passed, the process then moves to the state Senate, where it takes a two-thirds majority to convict.

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