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Thursday, July 31, 2025
7 hours ago
Politics

Identified: Over $160 Billion in Cost Overruns on Federal Boondoggles.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has released a report identifying over a dozen federal projects that are significantly over-budget or delayed by years, including the renovation of Jerome Powell’s Federal Reserve.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Joni Ernst, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, and Vice President J.D. Vance.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Report released Wednesday, covering projects nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to bail out gravy trains and bridges to nowhere because bureaucrats continue to get bamboozled.” – Joni Ernst

🎯IMPACT: Ernst’s report highlights $162.9 billion in cost overruns, calling for greater accountability in federal spending.

IN FULL

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Wednesday outlined federal infrastructure projects that have faced significant delays or cost overruns. The report, assembled after a letter from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to Vice President J.D. Vance, identified 14 projects that are either $1 billion over budget or more than five years behind schedule.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to bail out gravy trains and bridges to nowhere because bureaucrats continue to get bamboozled,” Ernst said regarding her report’s findings. She added, “I will not allow taxpayers to continue to be taken for a billion-dollar ride. It is time to bring these boondoggles to a squealing halt.”

The report highlights $162.9 billion in cost overruns, with California’s high-speed rail project alone accounting for $95 billion. Other projects include the Columbus Crossroads corridor, which is 19 years behind schedule, and the Honolulu Rail Transit Project, which has seen a $4.8 billion overrun with its completion date pushed back to 2031.

In addition to transportation projects, Ernst’s report addresses overruns in defense spending and federal agency programs, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs’ electronic records system, which is nearly $34 billion over budget. Ernst noted that flaws in the system may have caused harm or even death to veterans.

Already, the Republican-led Congress has passed one rescission request made by the Trump White House, clawing back $9 billion in spending. Sen. Ernst’s report will likely serve as the basis for additional rescission requests in the future. President Donald J. Trump has signalled he will soon send a second rescission package to Capitol Hill.

Ernst has proposed a Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act to ensure “that all government projects $1 billion over budget or five years behind schedule will automatically be publicized.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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8 hours ago
Crime
News

Trump Moves to Shut Down New York’s City-Sanctioned Drug Dens.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order targeting city-approved “safe” drug injection sites, potentially forcing their closure.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), OnPointNYC, Mayor Eric Adams, and the New York City Health Department.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The executive order was issued on July 24, 2023; the injection sites are located in East Harlem and Washington Heights, NYC.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I urge the Department of Justice to take immediate action and shut down these centers and put to an end once and for all their operations.” – Rep. Nicole Malliotakis

🎯IMPACT: The order could end federal funding for injection sites, expand civil commitment procedures, and prioritize grants for jurisdictions enforcing drug-use prohibitions.

IN FULL

Two allegedly “safe” drug injection sites in New York City may be forced to shut down following a new executive order issued by President Donald J. Trump. Signed on July 24 and titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” the order restricts federal funding to “evidence-based programs,” explicitly excluding support for “so-called harm reduction or safe consumption efforts” that it claims “only facilitate illegal drug use and its attendant harm.”

The directive has drawn support from Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who is urging federal authorities to take swift action. “I urge the Department of Justice to take immediate action and shut down these centers and put to an end once and for all their operations,” Malliotakis said.

The two sites at the center of the controversy, located in East Harlem and Washington Heights, were opened in November 2021 during the Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) administration in collaboration with the New York City Health Department, and have continued to operate under Mayor Eric Adams. The facilities, managed by OnPointNYC, have remained open despite warnings from then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams that such programs violate federal law.

Malliotakis, a longtime critic of the sites, contends they do more harm than good. “Since 2021, New York City has allowed two illegal drug injection sites to remain open, and it’s time to shut down these illegal facilities to protect public safety and the quality of life for all New Yorkers,” she stated.

Malliotakis recently reintroduced her Defund Heroin Injection Centers Act of 2025, which seeks to permanently cut off federal funding to such facilities by codifying Trump’s executive order into law. In February, she also asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to intervene and close the OnPointNYC-operated sites.

In addition to targeting supervised drug-use sites, Trump’s executive order broadens civil commitment options for individuals with severe mental illness and prioritizes federal funding for jurisdictions that ban open drug use. The order also eliminates federal backing for “housing first” programs that do not include mandatory treatment or recovery services.

Image by Nicola Sap De Mitri.

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8 hours ago
News
SCOTUS

Supreme Court Sets Date for Ghislaine Maxwell Appeal Review.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Supreme Court announced it will review a petition filed by Ghislaine Maxwell regarding her 2021 sex trafficking conviction.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ghislaine Maxwell, deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the U.S. Supreme Court, Department of Justice (DOJ) Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Maxwell’s attorney David Markus.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The petition will be examined on September 29, with Maxwell currently serving her sentence in Florida.

🎯IMPACT: If the petition is denied, Maxwell will have no further avenues for appeal. The case could influence ongoing investigations and testimonies related to Epstein.

IN FULL

The U.S. Supreme Court says it will review a petition filed by Ghislaine Maxwell regarding her 2021 sex trafficking conviction in connection with the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Court announced on Wednesday that it will consider the petition on September 29. This will mark the first time Maxwell’s case is considered by the justices, with a decision on whether to hear the appeal expected shortly thereafter.

Maxwell, a former associate and girlfriend of Epstein, was convicted in New York on five counts related to sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence. Her appeal argues that the conviction should be overturned due to a 2007 plea deal Epstein made with federal prosecutors, which she claims granted her immunity. Her attorneys also claim that the statute of limitations for the charges had expired.

The case has drawn renewed attention following a review of the Epstein investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Federal officials stated they found no further evidence to justify new charges or release additional documents related to individuals connected to Epstein. However, criticism has been directed at the Trump administration and especially Attorney General Pam Bondi, who previously claimed an Epstein “client list” was “on [her] desk,” for failing to provide greater transparency regarding the case.

The high court’s consideration of Maxwell’s appeal comes shortly after DOJ Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Maxwell for two days at her Florida prison. Her attorney, David Markus, described the meeting as the “first opportunity she’s ever been given to answer questions about what happened,” adding that Maxwell responded to questions about “maybe about a hundred different people, and she didn’t hold anything back.”

Maxwell is also expected to be the subject of a House Oversight Committee subpoena as part of an ongoing Congressional investigation into Epstein. Her legal team has stated she would require full immunity to cooperate and will wait until after the Supreme Court rules on her petition.

Image by Joe Ravi.

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9 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Anti-ICE Activists Help Detainee Escape Facility.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Anti-ICE protestors are being accused of helping an illegal immigrant escape from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE agents, anti-ICE protestors, and an illegal immigrant with British citizenship.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The escape occurred on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is getting out of control,” one ICE official said.

🎯IMPACT: Federal immigration officials have faced increasingly violent attacks in the wake of June’s violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. Anti-ICE activists continue to maintain a significant presence near the Los Angeles detention facility, with the aim of disrupting its operation.

IN FULL

An illegal immigrant escaped from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday with the assistance of far-left anti-ICE protestors. The migrant, who has British citizenship, was being transferred to the ICE facility when his escape was enabled by the anti-ICE activists, who subsequently absconded with the detainee in a waiting van.

Federal immigration agents have launched a manhunt to locate and recapture the illegal, who is said to have a criminal record. “This is getting out of control,” one ICE official said, describing the dangerous environment created by the far-left activists who have dominated the immediate area around the Los Angeles detention facility since June’s anti-ICE riots.

Over the last month, federal immigration officials have faced increasingly violent attacks in the wake of the June riots. The National Pulse reported last week that Elpidio Reyna, accused of hurling concrete blocks at law enforcement during immigration enforcement actions in Paramount, California, on June 7, was apprehended at the U.S. southern border. Meanwhile, earlier this month, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents captured Benjamin Song, a suspect accused of shooting at ICE officers during a riot at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4. The ambush resulted in a local police officer being shot in the neck.

The Democratic Party has been intensifying its rhetoric against law enforcement involved in deportations, in particular, since President Donald J. Trump’s reelection, with 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz going so far as to describe ICE agents as the “Gestapo.” A number of Democratic lawmakers and candidates have been arrested for attempting to interfere with federal immigration enforcement actions, with Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) being indicted on charges of forcibly impeding federal officers.

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10 hours ago
Crime
News

Man Douses Politician in Gasoline and Sets Him on Fire.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Virginia councilman was doused with gasoline and set on fire outside his workplace on Wednesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Councilman Lee Vogler, 38, and suspect Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning in Danville, Virginia, outside the offices of Showcase Magazine on Main Street.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. Lee is a brother to me. He is one of the kindest, most genuine people I know.” – Showcase Magazine co-owner Andrew Brooks

🎯IMPACT: Vogler was airlifted to a burn center and is reportedly awake and speaking; the suspect was arrested shortly after the attack.

IN FULL

A local Virginia official, Councilman Lee Vogler, was set on fire outside his workplace in a shocking attack on Wednesday. The incident occurred outside the offices of Showcase Magazine on Main Street in Danville.

According to the Danville Police Department, 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes entered the building with a large bucket of gasoline, poured it on Vogler, and set him on fire as he tried to flee. Witnesses reported seeing Vogler run outside while on fire.

“An individual forced his way into our office carrying a five-gallon bucket of gasoline and poured it on Lee,” said Andrew Brooks, who co-owns Showcase Magazine with Vogler, in a Facebook video, continuing: “Lee attempted to flee, ran to the front of the building—the individual followed him and set him on fire.”

Brooks added, “This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. Lee is a brother to me. He is one of the kindest, most genuine people I know.”

Vogler, a four-term Republican councilman who has served Danville for over 12 years, was treated at the scene before being airlifted to a burn center. Brooks confirmed that Vogler was “awake, speaking, and en route to the center in Lynchburg” and that he was able to identify his attacker.

Police apprehended Hayes, who fled the scene in a vehicle, shortly after the attack. Authorities confirmed that the incident was not politically motivated but rather stemmed from a personal matter between the two men.

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10 hours ago
Religion
UK

Woke Church Names Married Lesbian as New Archbishop.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Cherry Vann has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Wales, becoming the first married lesbian woman to hold the position.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cherry Vann, Andrew John, the Church in Wales, and the Anglican Communion.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Vann’s appointment follows Andrew John’s retirement last month, after serving three-and-a-half years as Archbishop.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The first thing I shall need to do is to ensure that the issues which have been raised in the last six months are properly addressed and that I work to bring healing and reconciliation, and to build a really good level of trust across the Church and the communities the Church serves.” – Cherry Vann

🎯IMPACT: Vann’s appointment follows a critical safeguarding review, and underlines official Anglicanism’s increasing estrangement from traditional Christianity.

IN FULL

The Anglican Church of Wales has named married lesbian priestess Cherry Vann the 15th Archbishop of Wales, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Originally from Leicester, England, Vann has served as the Bishop of Monmouth for five years and succeeds Andrew John, who retired last month after three and a half years in the role.

John’s departure followed the publication of a safeguarding review at Bangor Cathedral, which highlighted issues such as “a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred” and “promiscuity was acceptable.” The report also noted inappropriate language, rude jokes, and innuendos within the choir, which left some members feeling unsafe or humiliated.

Vann was ordained as a deacon in 1989 and was among the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994. She later served as Archdeacon of Rochdale in the Diocese of Manchester for 11 years before her appointment as Bishop of Monmouth.

In a statement, Vann acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying: “The first thing I shall need to do is to ensure that the issues which have been raised in the last six months are properly addressed and that I work to bring healing and reconciliation, and to build a really good level of trust across the Church and the communities the Church serves.”

Other Protestant European churches are also appointing homosexual women bishops, such as in Sweden, where lesbian Eva Brunne became the Lutheran Bishop of Stockholm in 2009. Brunne was the first ever openly lesbian bishop of a mainline denomination in the world.

Anglican churches are struggling to attract regular parishioners in the United Kingdom, with far more young people in England attending Roman Catholic Mass. If current projections hold, there will soon be more practicing Roman Catholics than Anglicans in England for the first time since the Protestant Reformation.

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11 hours ago
News
World

Trump Sanctions Brazilian Judge for Pushing Censorship.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Alexandre de Moraes, a justice of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court, for using judicial authority to target dissent, stifle opposition, and censor speech.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alexandre de Moraes, U.S. Treasury, and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The sanctions were announced recently by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and apply under U.S. jurisdiction.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Alexandre de Moraes has taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against U.S. and Brazilian citizens and companies.” – Scott Bessent

🎯IMPACT: Americans and U.S. entities are now barred from engaging with de Moraes, with legal consequences for violations of the sanctions.

IN FULL

The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on Alexandre de Moraes, a justice of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court, for exploiting his judicial authority to target dissent, stifle political opposition, and censor speech. The announcement, made by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), highlights behavior that U.S. officials say violates fundamental rights and extends beyond Brazil’s borders.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “Alexandre de Moraes has taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against US and Brazilian citizens and companies.” He further noted that de Moraes is responsible for “an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions—including against former President Jair Bolsonaro.”

The sanctions fall under Executive Order 13818, which expands the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to target foreign individuals involved in serious rights abuses or corruption. De Moraes has been formally identified as engaging in conduct threatening democracy and U.S. interests. Earlier this month, the State Department revoked visas held by de Moraes and his immediate family, citing their connection to unlawful censorship efforts directed even at American citizens.

De Moraes, appointed to Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court in 2017, has become a key figure in the nation’s crackdown on dissent. His influence over investigations has enabled him to order arrests, freeze assets, and direct law enforcement against critics of him or the government. Targets include journalists, political opponents, media organizations, U.S.-based tech platforms, and social media users, including Americans. In one case, he ordered a journalist’s detention for over a year without formal charges, seemingly as retaliation.

OFAC accuses de Moraes of using judicial power for politically motivated repression. His actions reportedly include banning individuals from social platforms, freezing assets, canceling passports, and authorizing raids. Under the sanctions, any property or financial assets linked to de Moraes within U.S. jurisdiction are now frozen, and U.S. individuals and entities are prohibited from engaging with him. Violations of these sanctions could lead to severe legal penalties.

Image by Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil.

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11 hours ago
News
UK

Mass Migration Drives Population Surge in England.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The population of England and Wales increased by over 700,000 in the year to June 2024, the second largest rise in more than 75 years—primarily driven by mass migration.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Office for National Statistics (ONS), Labour and Conservative Party politicians, and Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: England and Wales, in the 12 months to June 2024.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It puts impossible pressures on public services and further divides our communities.” – Nigel Farage

🎯IMPACT: The rise in population, driven by mass migration, has increased pressure on housing, public services, and social cohesion.

IN FULL

The population of England and Wales grew by 706,881 in the year to June 2024, bringing the total to 61.8 million, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This marks the second-largest annual increase since 1949, with mass migration accounting for the vast majority of the rise.

Net migration for the period stood at 690,147, a decrease from 833,696 the previous year. The decline is attributed to fewer foreign nationals from outside the European Union (EU) arriving on work and study visas, combined with an increase in students leaving at the end of their courses. Changes in migration rules under the previous government, including restrictions on foreign students bringing family members and banning overseas care workers from bringing dependents, contributed to the reduction.

Natural population change, with 596,012 births and 566,030 deaths, added a modest 29,982 to the total. The ONS noted that only four regions, London, south-east England, the West Midlands, and eastern England, saw population growth from natural change, while others experienced a decline due to lower fertility rates and an aging population.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, described the figures as “disastrous” for public services and community cohesion.

The ONS also highlighted a long-term decline in fertility rates, with women in England and Wales having an average of 1.44 children between 2022 and 2023, the lowest on record.

Previous ONS reports have claimed that the British population could grow as much as five million in the next decade, almost entirely due to mass migration.

Image via DFID.

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12 hours ago
Breaking

BREAKING: Kamala Won’t Run for California Governor.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former Vice President Kamala Harris (D) announced she will not run for California governor in the upcoming election.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kamala Harris, her husband Doug Emhoff, and the Democratic Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Harris made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon in a public statement. She and her husband are residing in California.

💬KEY QUOTE: “After deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.” – Kamala Harris

🎯IMPACT: Harris’s decision opens the possibility of a future presidential run in 2028 and leaves the Democratic Party speculating about her next political move.

IN FULL

Former Vice President Kamala Harris (D) announced Wednesday that she will not run for California governor in the upcoming November election. In her statement, Harris—who was defeated in a landslide by President Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential race—reflected on her career and her decision to step back from seeking elected office for the time being.

“In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their governor,” Harris said. “I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for governor in this election.”

Harris, who served as a prosecutor, California Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and Vice President, said that her leadership would not be in elected office for now. She added, “We must recognize that our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis.”

Harris’s decision comes after her disastrous 2024 presidential run, which followed former President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race. The Democratic Party has been closely watching her next moves, with earlier reports suggesting she was weighing a gubernatorial bid, a third presidential run, or stepping back from elected politics entirely.

Harris and her controversial husband, Doug Emhoff, have returned to California, where Emhoff has resumed private law practice and teaches at the University of Southern California.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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13 hours ago
William Upton
Crime

Black Cincinnati City Council Prez: White Assault Victims ‘Begged for That Beatdown!’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Cincinnati City Council member is drawing backlash for claiming on social media that a group of white people who were attacked by numerous black assailants in the city last weekend “begged for that beatdown!”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cincinnati City Council president pro tem Victoria Parks (D), mayoral candidate Cory Bowman, Cincinnati Police, and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Parks’s Facebook post was revealed by Bowman on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They begged for that beatdown!” — Cincinnati City Council president pro tem Victoria Parks

🎯IMPACT: The comments highlight the apparent reluctance of local Democrats to acknowledge incidents in which white victims are targeted by ethnic minority criminals.

IN FULL

Cincinnati City Council president pro tem, Victoria Parks (D), has further inflamed racial tensions in Ohio’s third-largest city after declaring on social media that a group of white people who were attacked by numerous black assailants last weekend “begged for that beatdown!” Parks, a black woman elected to the city council in January 2022, made the remark in a post on Facebook, insinuating that additional evidence suggests one of the white male victims instigated a fight. Regardless, several other individuals—who appeared to intervene to stop the conflict—were also brutally attacked.

“They begged for that beatdown!” Parks wrote in the Facebook post, adding: “I am grateful for the whole story.” Several Facebook users responded, noting that a white female victim who intervened to stop the attack and was knocked to the ground unconscious “didn’t ask for this.” Parks’s post was brought to light by Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President J.D. Vance and a candidate for Cincinnati mayor in November.

Following the weekend attack, which occurred as crowds mingled in downtown Cincinnati following the conclusion of a Reds baseball game and the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paycor Stadium, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it is monitoring local law enforcement’s handling of the attacks, which may amount to federal hate crimes.

Videos of the incident have circulated widely on social media, showing a white man being shoved to the ground and beaten by multiple black attackers, and a white woman receiving a severe concussion. Other white people can be seen being attacked in the background.

The videos depict many in the crowd, including women, joining in the attacks, with one man being stomped on and beaten for nearly a minute. A woman is also shown being punched in the face and knocked unconscious after her head hits the pavement.

At least three individuals have so far been arrested for their involvement in the attacks.

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