Democrats Scramble to Replace One Embarrassing Candidate With Guy Who Had Kids With His Second Cousin

[COUSIN] BANGOR, ME — The Democratic Party, ever the champions of normalcy and family values, has once again demonstrated its unmatched talent for candidate selection. 

After Graham "HH" Platner withdrew from the Maine Senate race amid a rape allegation (which he called "categorically false"), party leaders tapped Troy Jackson as their shiny new replacement. A Maine Wire report soon revealed that Jackson and his high school sweetheart share the same great-grandparents, and the couple has two adult sons together. 

But at least they aren't siblings like Ilhan Omar.

Jackson, a former state senator and failed gubernatorial candidate, was formally nominated at the Maine Democratic Party's U.S. Senate Nominating Convention earlier this month. The report noted that such relationships are not uncommon in northern rural Maine and remain perfectly legal, a detail that only heightened the internet's reaction.  

Conservatives wasted no time celebrating the party's latest personnel decision."Can’t wait for Democrats to defend cousin marriage!," Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), posted on X.

"If you thought Platner was a freak - meet Troy Jackson," former White House press secretary Sean Spicer posted on X.

"WTF?! Maine’s new Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson is in a ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP with his COUSIN, and has TWO CHILDREN with her. THIS is the guy the Democrat Party swapped Graham Platner out for," conservative influencer Nick Sortor posted on X.

I have no idea WTF stands for but it sounds bad.

"The Democrats are having a REALLY tough time finding candidates who aren’t total freaks," Sortor added.

"Troy Jackson's 'partner' is his second cousin, according to genealogical records found in Maine. Which means his kids are also his third cousins. Who said Democrats were anti-family?" Drew Berkemeyer, a writer for the Daily Wire, posted on X.

In a post on X, Independent Women's Forum Senior Policy Analyst Inez Stepman wrote, "Second cousins seem like relevant information here. But it is funny that Dems keep selecting candidates who fit the vicious stereotypes they hold about rural or working-class people: beats women, hooks up with cousin, etc."

"It's truly hysterical how Democrats can't seem to find one normal dude to run for office," conservative commentator Greg Price posted on X. The Republican account on X also posted, "Wellness check on Maine Democrats." 

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The Jackson campaign responded by changing the subject, telling Fox News Digital: "Susan Collins will do anything to distract from the fact that she votes with Trump 96% of the time and has sold out working people in Maine. Personal attacks on Troy's family are shameful and desperate."

Jackson will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins on Nov. 3 as Republicans work to protect their 53-47 Senate majority. In the meantime, Maine Democrats continue their proud tradition of proving that when it comes to finding candidates free of personal baggage, they remain the gold standard of political incompetence.

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Wisconsin brewery that dangled free beer for Trump's death just got its alcohol permit yanked, and the owner is sobbing into his progressive pint glass

Leftist owner of the Minocqua Brewing Co., Kirk Bangstad vows to fight 'tooth and nail' after the Department of Revenue ordered the establishment's license pulled by Aug 4. 

In a development that will shock absolutely no one who has watched left-wing activism turn businesses into political therapy sessions, a Wisconsin brewery famous for its anti-Trump social media tantrums has finally had its permit to operate revoked by state officials who apparently decided enough was enough. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday that liberal activist and brewery owner Kirk Bangstad is "vowing to fight ‘tooth and nail’ [and he might even pull hair] after receiving a letter from the state's Department of Revenue revoking Minocqua Brewing Co.'s permit to operate in Wisconsin, according to a July 26 newsletter sent to his supporters."

"As you can imagine, I’m not taking this lying down," Bangstad wrote in a Substack post on Sunday. "We’re going to fight the state of Wisconsin tooth and nail, and once again, they’ll have to pry me out of my taprooms before I stop selling beer to thirsty progressives who come to visit us."

Not surprisingly, he asked readers to donate to his legal defense fund, writing, "As usual, fighting to keep my business alive means I have to pay lawyers, and that’s never cheap. Every time this [happens], I rack up $100K in legal bills before we even see a judge. If you can help chip in to the Minocqua Company’s legal defense fund, I’d really appreciate it."

The revocation of the beer license goes into effect on Aug. 4, the Sentinel reported. The business has locations in Madison and Minocqua, where one assumes the clientele consists mainly of people who order "resistance IPAs" and then lecture the bartender about systemic injustice. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue said, "The Wisconsin Division of Alcohol Beverages is dedicated to the fair and consistent enforcement of alcohol beverages regulations in Wisconsin. The division is required to follow and implement state law, including ensuring permit holders and licensees follow all applicable laws and regulations. The division takes appropriate actions when these laws are not followed." The spokesperson added, "We can confirm that the Department of Revenue has issued notice of a Brewer's permit revocation for two Minocqua Brewing Company locations and notice of an Alcohol Beverage Warehouse permit revocation for one location. The business has until August 4th to appeal and can operate during the appeal process. Should the business decide to appeal, the next step would be to appeal to the Secretary of the Department of Revenue, who will assign the appeal to a Department of Revenue hearing examiner for their recommendations as to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law."

The Sentinel reported that state regulators pursued revoking Bangstad's alcohol license after authorities seized canned beer from his company in June, alleging it had been transported from Illinois without the required permits and taxes. The newspaper also reported that Bangstad criticized the proposed action as an excessive response, arguing the alleged tax violations did not warrant shutting down his business. How dare the state expect a self-styled resistance warrior to bother with boring things like following tax laws when there are orange men to rage against? 

Of course, the real flavor of this operation has never been about hops. 

On Jan. 22, the Minocqua Brewing Company appeared to suggest it would give free beer to patrons if Trump was killed, and while not explicitly using his name, posted on Facebook, "Free beer, all day long the day he dies." 

The post continued, "Show us this post when it happens in a few months and we’ll make good on that promise." The post was updated to say, "we meant the Madison Taproom because that’s open all year, if he dies in the summer, then it’s gonna be the Minocqua Taproom."

In reply to comment on the post, the company also did not refer to Trump by name but said that the post hinted at a high-profile figure when asked whether the timeline for the deal could be moved up earlier. "Well that's up to you and your ability to act like a cia [sic] agent," the company wrote. 

Following the April shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner where Trump was present, the company wrote on Facebook, "Well, we almost got #freebeerday." That should tell us something about Bangstad's intentions.

"Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle," the post added. "We’ll never know. Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens."

Bangstad owns the brewery and is also the founder of the Minocqua Brewing Company SuperPAC, which "aims to remove Republican federal and state elected officials who perpetuated the election lies that caused the Insurrection of January 6, 2021, and whose downplaying of the seriousness of COVID-19 caused so many unnecessary deaths in our country," according to the brewery’s website. 

In other words, a SuperPAC that exists to punish people for noticing that 2020 was messy and that lockdowns were not the unalloyed triumph progressives claimed. Bangstad declined to comment directly but made jokes about the deaths of Trump and Mitch McConnell and made disparaging remarks about Fox. 

He's a real classy douchbagel, especially when it comes to asking for other people's money for his crusade against sanity. 

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Bombshell Memo Shows Biden Planned To Leave Trump With Even More Massive Immigration Crisis

In a shocking development that will stun only those who still believe the previous administration ever cared about borders or the word temporary, Sen. Eric Schmitt obtained a document showing the Biden White House planned protections for Guatemalans, Ecuadorians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans in a final desperate bid to hand President Trump an even bigger immigration clusterfrack.

The Supreme Court delivered a significant victory to President Trump's immigration policies ruling 6 to 3 that the administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian migrants. Fox News Legal Editor Kerri Urbahn highlights the majority opinion.

A newly uncovered Biden White House memo from the administration's final days revealed plans that could have expanded Temporary Protected Status to more than 3 million illegal aliens while acknowledging that previous court challenges had blocked many of President Donald Trump's efforts to end the protections.

TPS is meant for foreign populations experiencing crises like political unrest or natural disasters and while Trump has tried to end the temporary provisions for Haitians, Nepalese, Salvadorans, and Sudanese people lawsuits from pro migrant advocates have halted most attempts.

"My investigation uncovered that the Lame Duck Biden White House tried to keep millions of illegal aliens in our country by abusing the 'Temporary' Protected Status program," Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) who acquired the memo told Fox News Digital on Friday. "After the American people voted for President Trump’s promise to end the TPS scam, the Biden administration tried to subvert the will of the American people. This was mass amnesty-by-decree. America is for Americans, and it is our home—it is not a permanent refugee camp," he said.

The memo argued that "granting TPS will potentially protect many vulnerable people from President-elect Trump's planned mass deportations... They argue that these protections are likely to hold in court, and they are prepared to litigate efforts to terminate or slow down the implementation of TPS for specified nations by the Trump Administration."

In other words the outgoing team decided the best parting gift for the nation that just rejected them was to load up the country with millions more people and then dare the new president to try cleaning it up through years of activist court battles.

"[P]rior federal litigation brought by advocates during the first Trump administration was successful in halting [its] efforts to terminate TPS, though that was due in large part to [its] failure to produce a factual record in support of termination, which is something that could be rectified," the memo went on. Schmitt said he obtained the memo from Archivist of the United States Edward Forst through his authority as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution.

"Biden tried to turn TPS into a 3.1-million-person deportation shield, protect Tren de Aragua members, and trap President Trump in years of litigation," he said, adding the move directly betrayed the will of the people who ousted liberal Democrats from power the prior election."

The most disturbing part, Biden's ‘Senior Advisors’ recommended "he create 2.1 million NEW TPS designees in the last few weeks of his presidency, despite admitting TPS applications take 6 months," Schmitt added. "Luckily, that never happened and we have been deporting Ecuadorians and Guatemalans."

Schmitt noted that one week after the January 2025 memo which he said was erroneously dated 2024, Biden extended TPS protections for nearly 1 million noncitizens meaning its transmission still led to a concrete mass migration action. Because when the American people demand an end to the scam, if you're on the left, you simply ignore them and stamp another million temporary forever statuses just for good measure.

The memo reminded Biden he gave TPS protections to Afghans, Cameroonians ,Ethiopians, people from Burma, Lebanese, Ukrainians, and Venezuelan, nationals and repeatedly extended protections for Haitians. Apparently temporary means until the next Democrat is ready to extend it again.

"The previous Administration unsuccessfully attempted to terminate TPS designations for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, El Salvador, Nepal, and Honduras. Courts issued preliminary injunctions blocking the Trump Administration's actions," it read. "Your administration took actions to resolve this litigation by either re-designating Haiti or rescinding the terminations."

The memo noted that Trump had said during the 2024 campaign he intended to revoke TPS protections for Haitians and predicted his incoming administration would likely seek to rescind additional TPS designations. How dare Trump try to enforce the temporary part of Temporary Protected Status.

A chart in the memo estimated potential new TPS eligibility for roughly 1.5 million Guatemalans 600,000 Ecuadorians 464,000 Nicaraguans 455,000 Venezuelans and smaller populations from Ukraine Sudan and Afghanistan figures Schmitt said totaled more than 3.1 million people. Just a modest little expansion of the permanent temporary refugee program.

The memo said Biden’s senior team had also received requests for varying types of new TPS related actions before Trump would take office from Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard "Dick" Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Alex Padilla (D CA).

"In addition, some stakeholders are requesting that your Administration designate nationals from new countries, most notably Ecuador and Guatemala, for TPS," it stated. While the proposals outlined in the memo were never fully implemented the document offers a rare glimpse into the immigration options Biden advisers presented as Trump prepared to return to the White House promising mass deportations. 

In classic fashion the outgoing team nearly succeeded in turning America into an even larger permanent refugee camp and then dared anyone to notice that temporary somehow always means forever. a shocking development that will stun only those who still believe the previous administration ever cared about borders or the word temporary.

Sen. Eric Schmitt obtained a document showing the Biden White House planned protections for Guatemalans, Ecuadorians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans in a final desperate bid to hand President Trump an even bigger immigration mess.

The Supreme Court delivered a significant victory to President Trump's immigration policies ruling 6 to 3 that the administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian migrants. A newly uncovered Biden White House memo from the administration's final days revealed plans that could have expanded Temporary Protected Status to more than 3 million noncitizens while acknowledging that previous court challenges had blocked many of President Donald Trump's efforts to end the protections.

TPS is meant for foreign populations experiencing crises like political unrest or natural disasters and while Trump has tried to end the temporary provisions for Haitians, Nepalese, Salvadorans, and Sudanese people lawsuits from pro migrant advocates have halted most attempts. Because nothing says temporary quite like inviting the entire third world to move in forever and then suing anyone who notices.

Corruption much?

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Obama Center Finally Delivers on Promise of Transformative Change by Bankrupting Local Plumber and Firing His Union Crew

In a stunning display of hope and change that somehow skipped over the people who actually built the thing, a Chicago plumbing subcontractor has suspended operations and laid off 25 union workers after getting stiffed for nearly $4 million on the Obama Presidential Center.

Adamson Plumbing owner Mike Owen says his company suspended operations, laid off 25 union workers amid a nearly $4 million payment dispute tied to the Obama Presidential Center.

Weeks after the Obama Presidential Center’s star-studded opening in Chicago, a subcontractor who previously claimed his company was stiffed for nearly $4 million has shut down operations and laid off 25 union workers. Mike Owen, the owner of Chicago-based Adamson Plumbing Contractors, told Fox News Digital that the financial fallout forced the company to abandon about half a dozen other construction jobs and left it on the verge of collapse.

Owen described the shutdown as a painful decision he believed was necessary to save the company from bankruptcy. "Laying off close to 30 people is something that no owner in our industry wants to do," he said. "It’s a hard thing to do, especially when you know you can finish them and the company can still make money. But we were put in a pretty bad corner."

Adamson, which performed its work on the center under the name Marsh-Adamson, has since filed a $1.72 million mechanic’s lien against the property, escalating the payment dispute into a legal fight.The company is one of several subcontractors to report financial trouble after working on the center, which was promoted as a transformative economic opportunity for small and minority-owned businesses.

A previous investigation by Fox News Digital identified several subcontractors including Black-owned firms the project was specifically intended to support that said they were owed money or had absorbed losses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions. The largest dispute involves the Concrete Collective, which is seeking more than $40 million in additional payment.

Before the center opened, Owen said the project had left his company with $3.9 million in losses tied to delays, rework, labor overruns and changing project demands. He said he spent months negotiating with Lakeside Alliance, the project’s construction manager, before going public after failing to reach a resolution. Against the backdrop of that larger dispute, Owen said the breaking point came around the time of the Obama Presidential Center’s opening celebration.

Owen said Adamson and Lakeside Alliance reached an agreement under which Adamson would provide two journeyman plumbers to perform last-minute "housekeeping" work on campus at premium nighttime rates. In return, Owen said, Adamson was supposed to receive part of its outstanding payment days before the center opened on June 19.

An email shows a Lakeside representative telling Owen that $100,000 would be released through Adamson’s May payment application. Adamson completed the requested work, but the payment did not arrive on time, according to Owen, who said it was the company's breaking point and left him with no choice but to suspend operations on June 25.

"We negotiated it in good faith," he said. "Against my better judgment, I agreed [to do the work]. Not getting that large sum of money just kind of pulled the brakes on the train. It was just the final death blow to the company," he added.

"Rather than try to stretch it out and go bankrupt, I just decided the responsible thing was to shut it down. We’ll regroup, and we’ll see where we’re at come September." Owen said that the promised $100,000 retainage payment and around $35,000 for change orders payments have since arrived from Lakeside Alliance more than two weeks after he suspended operations and laid off 25 workers. Owen said the money helped reduce the company’s debt to one supplier but did not reverse the shutdown."It’s almost like too little, too late."

"It probably would have just prolonged the inevitable at this point," he said. "We’re still deep in the hole of what they owe us." Owen said Adamson has now moved out of its building and that he is working from home while turning the dispute over to his attorneys and determining whether the company has a future.

Owen has escalated his nearly $4 million payment fight.Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show that Marsh-Adamson filed a $1.72 million mechanic’s lien against the Obama Presidential Center property, alleging it remains owed money for plumbing work performed on campus.

A mechanic’s lien is a legal claim filed against a property by a contractor or supplier alleging that it has not been fully paid for completed work. The lien is considerably lower than the approximately $3.9 million Owen says Adamson lost over the course of the project. Owen said the lien covers the amounts he believes are most readily documented, including unpaid fees, logged change orders and labor overruns supported by company records. "It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to pursue the $3.9 million in change that we lost overall," Owen said. "I’m still working with my legal team on that $3.9 million figure because I feel that it’s only right that we still hold ownership at the presidential center accountable."

Owen said he had initially avoided filing a lawsuit or lien while attempting to negotiate a resolution."I’m not a litigious person, but at the same time, our legal system is there to protect the small guy," he said. "I’m just going to have to fight this out legally from here on out, and these aren’t cheap costs."

Last week’s payment will be deducted from the $1.72 million, he said. Lakeside Alliance, a joint venture led by Turner Construction and four Black-owned Chicago construction firms, served as the project’s construction manager. The other firms are UJAMAA Construction, Powers & Sons Construction, Brown & Momen and Safeway Construction.In a previous statement, Lakeside said approximately 475 contractors worked on the center.

In its latest response, the alliance pointed to the project’s scale and said "contractual closeout continues long after the doors have opened" on major projects of such complexity." Lakeside Alliance remains committed to working through all outstanding matters to successfully close out the project," a spokesperson said.

Lakeside Alliance did not directly address Owen’s allegations, the layoffs or the $1.72 million lien. The Obama Foundation, former President Barack Obama’s private nonprofit organization that oversees the construction, said Lakeside was responsible for managing and paying subcontractors and that the foundation had no outstanding disputed charges with the alliance.

While it did not directly address Adamson’s allegations, the foundation said its financial support for firms working on the project exceeded industry standards. "Our commitment began with a 15-day payment cycle, which is largely unheard of in major construction projects," the foundation said in a statement, adding that it sometimes accelerated payment timelines or advanced payments months before work was completed.

The center has also faced scrutiny over its soaring price tag and promised taxpayer protections. Construction costs, initially projected at approximately $350 million, had climbed to $830 million by 2021 and have since reportedly surpassed $1 billion.Meanwhile, just $1 million has been deposited into a promised $470 million reserve intended to protect Chicago taxpayers if the center encounters financial trouble.

Those questions have drawn added scrutiny because the Obama Foundation secured the 19.3-acre Jackson Park site through a 99-year lease requiring a one-time $10 payment. Owen said the ordeal has left him financially and emotionally drained and uncertain whether he will ever restart Adamson Plumbing.

"This entire process really drained me out financially and emotionally," Owen said. "So that’s where I’m at — just kind of in a holding pattern." Owen said the opening ceremony which featured performances by Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, John Legend and U2’s Bono and The Edge, among others only sharpened his anger. Against that celebratory backdrop, he said, the struggles of the workers who built the center went largely unrecognized.

Owen argued that Chicago’s proud protest culture had been conspicuously absent and that the reaction would have been markedly different if the project were associated with figures such as Elon Musk or Ken Griffin, the Chicago billionaire whose name adorns the neighboring Griffin Museum of Science and Industry."There would be holy hell to pay," Owen said. "They would be picketing. They would be storming the castle."

Owen also singled out Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, questioning why the pro-union governor had not addressed the layoffs or payment disputes. "But he hasn’t said anything publicly about the union companies at the presidential center getting stiffed," Owen said. "And it bothers me."

Owen said he was not accusing former President Barack Obama of personal responsibility but believes the foundation should publicly acknowledge the subcontractors’ complaints and help seek a resolution. "It’s become perfectly obvious to me that the ownership group there — they truthfully just don’t care," he said. "I don’t know any other way to say it." Owen said contractors had held out hope that their disputes would be resolved once construction ended. "But I think a lot of us out there, the main subcontractors, all still had this feeling that it was going to be worked out in the end — until it wasn’t," he said.

Now, with Adamson’s future uncertain, Owen said the project has left him facing a personal turn he never saw coming."I mean, the only leverage I have now is just to continue speaking out and see where it goes," he said. "But my career, it’s funny, I’m going to have to go find a job, which is fine. It’s just that I did not anticipate the completion of this project would take this turn."

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Another Democrat Meltdown: Sexual Assault Allegation Explodes in Platner’s Campaign Right Before the Deadline, Because of Course It Does

Throws Up In His Mouth After Smelling His Own Breath

Oh, how shocking. Another glowing progressive champion finds himself wrapped up in the kind of scandal that would end a Republican’s career in about five minutes flat. 

Democratic Senate candidate Graham "HH" Platner is now embroiled in controversy over his past behavior, including allegations of abuse from ex-girlfriends and that charming Nazi-linked tattoo he used to sport. Speculation is swirling on social media about the future of this scandal-plagued Nazi-loving far-left Democratic nominee after several of his events were mysteriously canceled over the Fourth of July weekend. Then, naturally, Politico dropped an explosive report on Monday afternoon accusing him of sexual assault, timed perfectly ahead of a key deadline. 

How convenient for the party that always lectures us about believing all women, until the woman in question becomes politically inconvenient. Just ask Hillary Clinton about that factoid.

Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Herr Platner denied in the story. Additionally, the report says that a man Racicot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist. 

"I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot told the outlet, which allegedly took place while Platner was 'almost blackout drunk.' "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, 'This is no longer my choice.'"

Platner and his wife with whom he was unfaithful

Racicot said in the report that "one of the reasons" she didn't come forward until now was the "huge moral conflict" she had between her support of Platner's politics and not supporting him "as a person." In other words, she was torn between being a Democrat puppet or a victim of a Democrat.

"I just want the truth out there," Racicot said. "I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person."

In a statement to Politico, the Nazi tattoo-wearing Platner said, "These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue." 

The Platner campaign posted a video on X shortly after the Politico story published where Platner again called the allegations "false" and that he was going to "reflect" on the best path forward. The idea that he is capable of reflecting is questionable since vampires cast no reflection.

"So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," Platner says in the video. "Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today."

Translation from conservative ears: The political reality of voters finding out who you really are is proving rather inconvenient for your communist cosplay tour. As for this writer, I am ashamed that you were a US Marine.

Over the last few days, multiple Platner events over the 4th of July holiday weekend and Monday were mysteriously canceled. There was no official explanation or comment from the campaign, Bangor Daily News reported on Monday, other than one event organizer saying that an event in Gorman was canceled due to Platner "not feeling well." 

Sure, comrade; must be that sudden case of "the voters might actually hear what I stand for" flu.

The news of the canceled events led conservative outlets and pundits to speculate throughout the day on Monday, before the Politico report was published, about whether there was an underlying reason for the cancellations. Turns out their instincts were spot on, as usual.

"Graham Platner cancels MULTIPLE scheduled town hall events as progressive allies tease another scandal is about to hit his campaign," the Maine Wire news outlet posted on X. "Augusta town hall for last night - CANCELED Gorham town hall tonight - CANCELED Sanford town hall tonight - CANCELED. There are no other upcoming events listed on his FB page, or on Mobilize."

"Graham Platner no-showed Fourth of July celebrations across Maine," the National Republican Senatorial Committee posted on X in response to the Maine Wire post. "Now, he's canceling everything else. We wouldn't want to be seen in public either… "

"A well-placed source told us that Graham Platner is dropping out of the Maine Senate race this week," the Washington Reporter posted on X. "Note that Platner has yet to release his Q2 fundraising totals, a sign he may have underperformed expectations." It seems as if Maine voters are hesitant to vote Nazi/Communist this year, but give them time because, hey, you never know.

Susan Collins with her 'banky' and a new lease on Senate?

In addition to the online rumors circulating on Monday, bets on the online prediction market Polymarket surged over the weekend, with users betting that Platner would drop out before the midterms. Even the betting markets know a sinking ship when they see one and soon the rats will also depart, I suspect.

Platner has been at the center of multiple controversies since launching his campaign, including infidelity, alleged physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend, a Nazi-linked tattoo, disparaging comments about the military, referring to himself as a "communist", scrutiny over his working-class bonafides, and a variety of inflammatory posts on a deleted Reddit account. But sure, he’s definitely the man Maine needs in the Senate. What could possibly go wrong that isn't already going wrong in places like New York City?

Despite the controversies, many polls in recent weeks showed that Platner had a lead on Collins. However, a Fox News poll published last week showed Collins with a small advantage, along with more than half of respondents saying that Platner lacks the judgment to serve as a U.S. senator. 

That level of bad judgment deserves its own participation trophy . . .  and a therapist.

Now that Platner has won the Democratic primary, the next key date is 5 p.m. on Monday, July 13. Under Maine law, if Platner formally withdraws as the Democratic nominee by that deadline, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.

"These allegations are very serious and Graham vigorously denies them," a Platner campaign mouthpiece told Fox News Digital. "They are also coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives. For a year, opponents of this campaign have thrown everything they can at Graham – calling him a Nazi, a war criminal, and a communist. None of it has been true and this is no different." 

"It is not a coincidence that this story comes a week before the ballot deadline, just as the previous false allegations came a week before the primary. Graham began this campaign to fight for a Maine where everyone is treated with dignity and where Mainers are put first, and no amount of desperate smears will stop this movement from seeing that vision through."Of course it’s all a vast right-wing conspiracy. It always is, until the next scandal drops.

In fact, the Democratic Party has perfected the art of dropping last minute bombs on GOP candidates and nominees, if memory serves. [See Brett Kavanaugh.]

Meanwhile, Susan Collins continues doing her job while the Democrats tear their latest “working class hero” to shreds. Business as usual in the party of decency, decorum, and implying that Republicans are a danger to the nation and must be dealt with . . . use your imagination, Antifa et al.

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Cuban Operative From Hasan Piker And Code Pink's Luxury Communist Vacation Planning Committee Arrested After Rubio Ruins The Fun

In a shocking development that has leftist activists clutching their Che Guevara T-shirts, the Department of State announced on Wednesday that three Cuban nationals were taken into federal custody after Secretary Marco Rubio had the audacity to terminate their legal status in the US. One of those arrested was a man the department said has "spent more than a decade working as a foreign subversive for the Communist Cuban regime’s premier influence and intelligence front group in the United States."

Carlos Antonio Lloga Dominguez, along with his wife and son, was taken into custody by federal agents. Lloga Dominguez was employed by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People (ICAP) for over a decade, the department said, and has continued to maintain ties to the network during his time in the US.

Rubio designated ICAP for sanctions in early June. The group "is the central node in a sprawling Cuban intelligence and influence operation, claiming to span more than 2,000 organizations across more than 150 countries," the department said. The current head of ICAP, Fernando González Llort, previously served 15 years in US prison for his role in the Wasp Network, a Cuban spy ring discovered in Florida in the late 90s.

The department said, "Working in close coordination with the Cuban communist regime, ICAP maintains an outsized footprint across the United States, trafficking in vile anti-American propaganda, cultivating pro-Havana regime activists and politicians, and lobbying federal, state and local politicians on behalf of the Cuban dictatorship. The organization facilitates close working relationships between Havana and radical U.S. groups, using America’s far left milieu as a vehicle to export Cuba’s Communist revolution to the United States."

Che got woke

How dare they. Everyone knows the real threat to democracy is mean tweets and insufficient pronoun usage, not actual foreign agents embedded in America's compassion industrial complex.

An investigation by Fox News Digital found that ICAP officials have been closely coordinating with American nonprofits over the last decade to support Cuba’s Communist Party. The nonprofits include People’s Forum, Breakthrough News, Tricontinental, CodePink, the ANSWER Coalition, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, many of which are funded by far-left businessman Neville Roy Singham. Because nothing says "organic grassroots movement" like a trust fund socialist wiring cash from overseas.

In May, the Trump administration's Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control subpoenaed socialist political YouTuber Hasan Piker, as well as CodePink’s Susan Medea Benjamin, over a trip taken to Cuba. One such trip took place in March, with activists being seen partying while much of the island faced a blackout. ICAP worked with US nonprofits to organize this trip. Nothing builds solidarity with the starving proletariat quite like doing the Macarena while grandma sits in the dark.

The March trip was under the banner of the "Nuestra America Convoy," with organizers claiming the trip aimed to deliver humanitarian aid and protest US sanctions. They also painted murals. Of course they did. Revolutionary change begins with tasteful public art.

The federal inquiry is over whether activists who went on the March trip violated US sanctions laws through the financing, coordination or delivery of goods to Cuba, including potential contacts with Cuban government personnel or entities on the island.

Amid news of the subpoena, it was revealed that Piker had admitted in 2025 that the Cuban government had reached out to a contact of his in an attempt to get him to come to the country. "The Cuban government actually hit my contact from the embassy and told them that if the only thing stopping Hasan from coming to Cuba was the consistent internet access, we can make it happen," he said.

Truly, the Cuban regime's willingness to provide reliable Wi-Fi for content creators is the kind of humanitarian outreach that makes America look bad. Thank goodness patriotic federal agents are finally treating these brave truth-tellers like the foreign influence agents they keep proving themselves to be. The revolution will not be subsidized.

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Florida Student Leader Discovers That Home Depot Is a Terrible Place for a Career Networking Event

One of the recurring problems in modern America is that far too many people seem to believe that the internet is some magical realm where consequences don't exist. Fortunately, there are still a few citizens willing to dedicate their time to reminding these aspiring degenerates that reality eventually shows up.

[Sources: Fox News Digital, FAU University Press.]

In South Florida, that reality arrived in the form of MMA fighter Dustin Lampros.

Lampros, founder of 561 Predator Catchers, has built a reputation for exposing people who allegedly use social media and dating apps to pursue minors. While most people spend their free time doomscrolling or arguing about politics online, Lampros spends his tracking down individuals who think arranging sexual encounters with children is a good life choice.

His latest catch was Christian Walden, a Florida Atlantic University student government official whose promising campus leadership career apparently took a sharp detour into spectacularly bad decision-making.

According to court records, Walden allegedly believed he was chatting online with a 13-year-old boy named "Justin." The conversation reportedly began on Grindr before moving to text messages. Eventually, a meeting was arranged at a Home Depot in Delray Beach.

Because nothing says "normal life choices" quite like scheduling an illicit rendezvous between the potted ferns and the palletized landscaping materials.

When Walden arrived on May 26 expecting to meet "Justin," he instead found Lampros waiting for him.

Lampros identified himself as someone working with "an organization that monitors online activity between minors and adults."

What followed was less of a conversation and more of an extended public audit of Walden's judgment.

"How old is he?" Lampros asked after Walden admitted he was there to meet someone he had encountered online.

"I think, 14," Walden replied.

As questioning continued, Walden acknowledged that the supposed teenager had revealed he was 13.

Likes young boys . . . a lot

The exchange became even more uncomfortable as Walden allegedly described sexual acts he planned to perform with "Justin" while an associate of Lampros recorded the entire interaction.

Outside the store, Delray Beach police officers were waiting.

According to court records, Walden later told investigators that he and "Justin" had arranged to meet for sexual activity. He also reportedly admitted multiple times that he knew he had made "a mistake."

That may qualify as the understatement of the year.

Walden was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act, a second-degree felony carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years and fines reaching $10,000.

He also faces a charge of using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison, probation, and additional fines.

At the time of his arrest, Walden was serving in Florida Atlantic University's student government.

His fellow student leaders wasted little time distancing themselves from the controversy. Within days, they convened an emergency meeting and voted to impeach and remove him from office.

Before his arrest, Walden had built an impressive collection of campus credentials. According to a LinkedIn profile identified as his, he studied public management, worked part-time for FAU, participated in student journalism, served on the executive board of the FAU College Democrats, and held leadership positions in multiple campus organizations.

The profile also noted that he was "minoring in Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies" and was "driven by a passion for LGBTQ+ rights."

It further described him as a co-founder of a nonprofit promoting "inclusive, sex-positive education."

Days before his arrest, he had celebrated his confirmation as chair of the Ways and Means Committee of FAU's Student Government Boca Raton House of Representatives. He had also recently been elected treasurer of the school's Lavender Alliance, where he was expected to help create "a safe, welcoming, and affirming space for the LGBTQIA+ community at FAU."

Instead, he now finds himself creating work for criminal defense attorneys.

Former Palm Beach County prosecutor Mark Astor explained that civilian predator-catching operations are legal in Florida, provided they do not coordinate with law enforcement beforehand or improperly induce criminal conduct.

"Getting somebody to potentially commit a crime who wouldn't otherwise have committed that crime, but you lured them into doing it," would be entrapment, Astor said.

He added that "from a defense perspective, these are very difficult cases" because investigators often possess extensive evidence before charges are filed.

That tends to happen when someone voluntarily leaves a digital trail, drives to the meeting location, and then calmly explains the entire plan on camera.

As for Lampros, known in MMA circles as "Scrappy," he'll be returning to the cage July 25 at Combat Night in Hallandale Beach.

For one alleged predator, however, the toughest fight is probably not going to happen in an octagon.

Florida Atlantic University student government leaders moved to impeach Boca Raton House Rep. Walden during an emergency House meeting with a 20 - 0 vote. The final vote was June 5th and Walden is gone.

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Tim Walz Falls Behind Trump in Minnesota, Begins Losing Popularity Contest to Parking Meters and Unattended Snowbanks

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has achieved what many political analysts once considered impossible: becoming less popular in Minnesota than Donald Trump.

According to a new poll, Walz's approval rating has cratered to 39%, the lowest level of his six-year tenure, prompting state Democrats to launch an emergency investigation into whether reality itself has become a right-wing conspiracy.

The collapse comes as Minnesotans continue to grapple with the fallout from a massive fraud scandal that allegedly flourished under Walz's watch. Residents who once worried about potholes, taxes, and brutal winters now have the added burden of discovering that hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars apparently wandered off unsupervised.

The poll found that voters trust Republicans more than Democrats to address the fraud issue, a result that reportedly caused several MSNBC producers to faint dramatically onto antique fainting couches.

Conservatives were quick to note the political significance.

"Tim Walz has a lower approval rating than President Trump in deep blue Minnesota right now," Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. "That’s how toxic the fraud has become for Democrats."

The Trump administration has spent the past year treating Minnesota like a crime scene, dispatching fraud investigators, conducting raids, and uncovering enough questionable activity to keep congressional committees employed for the next decade.

As if the fraud scandal weren't enough, Walz is also taking heat for the state's redesigned flag, which many Minnesotans reportedly regard with the same enthusiasm normally reserved for root canals and airline baggage fees.

The new banner, approved by a commission assembled by the Democratic legislature, has become a lightning rod for criticism. Opponents argue that the flag looks less like a proud symbol of Minnesota and more like a graphic that was accidentally approved after being generated three minutes before a deadline.

"Two issues that unite a majority of Minnesotans are the rejection of Tim Walz and his failed policies and our hatred for the Minnesota Somali state flag," Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told Fox News Digital. "The flag is an embarrassment and good on the cities who are actively removing it from their city halls and communities."

Emmer continued to pour salt directly into the governor's political wounds.

"President Trump is more popular than Tim Walz in his home state because Minnesotans are sick and tired of Walz siding with illegal aliens and Somali fraudsters over his hardworking, taxpaying constituents."

He added, "The legacy of Tim Walz will be the fires that destroyed Minneapolis, the fraud that he allowed to be stolen under his watch, and his failures that have harmed our great state."

The polling numbers suggest fraud has become the defining issue of Walz's final months in office. His support has dropped ten points in a year, while approval among Republicans has fallen to a statistically remarkable 1%, a figure usually associated with telemarketers calling during dinner.

Republican State Senator Michael Holmstrom had perhaps the most optimistic outlook for the departing governor.

"America rejected Tim Walz in 2024," Holmstrom told Fox News Digital. "Now Minnesotans are following suit. The good news for Tim is that, now that his record is on full display, he could soon be the most popular guy in the jailhouse."

Meanwhile, Republican State Senator Mark Koran argued that Walz's troubles are entirely self-inflicted.

"He let his fraud crisis blow up and didn’t do anything to fix it while he was busy shoving all this radical stuff into state government," Koran said. "After years of extreme far-left ideology and policies that don’t help normal people, Minnesotans have had enough. His legacy is going to be the fraud crisis and desecrating the state flag. Minnesota is just tired of it."

At press time, Walz's staff was reportedly encouraged by one promising development: the governor still maintains a slight polling advantage over mosquitoes, though analysts warn that race remains within the margin of error

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Alleged UFC White House Terror Plot Exposes Yet Another Security Nightmare

Just when you thought the threat environment surrounding President Trump couldn't get any crazier, federal investigators say they disrupted an alleged terror plot targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House that involved explosive-laden drones, sniper teams, and plans to storm the White House gates.

And here's the detail that's sure to reignite an already heated immigration debate: the alleged ringleader was reportedly an illegal immigrant who had received protection under the Obama-era DACA program.

According to Homeland Security information first obtained by Fox News Digital, Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, allegedly orchestrated a plan to carry out a mass casualty attack during the June 14 UFC event held on White House grounds. Alvarez reportedly entered the United States as a child and remained in the country after his B2 visa expired in 2001. In 2014, he was granted deportation relief through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals after failing to leave the country.

Federal authorities say Alvarez wasn't acting alone. Five co-conspirators have already been arrested, and investigators have identified a total of 23 individuals connected to the alleged planning network.

According to court documents and DOJ filings, the plot called for drones equipped with explosives to force an evacuation of the event. As crowds scrambled to escape, a sniper team allegedly planned to open fire. Authorities say Alvarez, who allegedly used the alias "Shepherd" in group communications, was "responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the planned attack."

When discussing weaponized drones in the group chat, Alvarez allegedly responded, "As many and as deadly as we can get." Investigators also claim he boasted of possessing a functioning drone capable of carrying out the attack.

The allegations don't stop there.

Federal authorities say the conspirators planned a "second wave" operation after the initial assault, allegedly intending to rush the White House gates amid the confusion. Prosecutors say the group hoped the violence would trigger a broader political uprising, citing grievances that ranged from government corruption and the Epstein files to data center water consumption and perceived Israeli influence over American politics.

ICE has lodged a detainer against Alvarez following his arrest by the FBI in Omaha, Nebraska, on the day of the event.

"This illegal alien from Mexico should never have been allowed in our country," DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. "He was the ringleader of a failed terror attack targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House."

"He will face justice and swiftly be removed from our country," she added.

One question remains difficult to ignore: if investigators identified 23 individuals connected to the alleged plot, why was the event allowed to proceed while many of those suspects apparently remained unaccounted for?

Neither the White House nor the FBI offered additional details when Fox News Digital asked about the whereabouts of other participants allegedly involved in the planning.

Vice President JD Vance sought to reassure the public, arguing that the conspiracy never progressed very far.

"The FBI, our law enforcement partners and our U.S. Attorneys did what they do every day to make America Safe through quick response and vigilance in investigating, disrupting and dismantling this alleged plan before it could be carried out," Acting Attorney General Todd said in a DOJ statement. "We will take immediate and aggressive action to identify and prosecute those who incite and plan acts of violence."

Vance likewise noted that the alleged plans were "not that advanced" and said none of the suspects "weren’t in town" during the event itself.

Still, the case highlights the reality that Trump's public appearances continue to attract dangerous actors.

UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged as much, saying multiple threats had been directed at the event.

"These are the kind of events that bring the nuts out, this is normal stuff," White said.

Normal or not, that's a remarkable statement when discussing an event held on White House grounds.

The alleged conspiracy is merely the latest entry on a growing list of threats directed at Trump since he survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024. Since then, authorities have investigated a second assassination attempt at his Florida golf club, an alleged Iran-linked murder-for-hire scheme, an armed man who rushed the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and countless threats made online and through other channels.

The good news is that this alleged plot was stopped before anyone was harmed. The bad news is that it serves as yet another reminder that the people tasked with protecting America's leaders are confronting an increasingly relentless threat landscape.

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Radical Arrested For Bomb Threat Against Erika Kirk

A 26-year-old Texas man has been charged with making a terroristic threat after authorities say he threatened to kill Erika Kirk and bomb an upcoming Turning Point USA event where the widow is scheduled to speak.

The probe began after a local newspaper shared a Facebook post promoting TPUSA’s Women’s Leadership Summit, scheduled for June 5-7 at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk, according to KSAT-TV.

“I know exactly where to bomb,” the suspect, identified as Jacob Wenske, replied to the post, according to law enforcement.

Authorities say Wenske also wrote in the same thread, “I can’t wait to be the valet for her escort.”

In a subsequent email, Wenske escalated the threats, writing: “Death to Erika Kirk and every single speaker there!! America will live on without those scum on this earth. Every Christian nationalist shall perish in the bombing that will take place at every single Turning Point rally and event,” according to the arrest warrant.

Wenske was charged with a third-degree felony count of making a terroristic threat involving fear of serious bodily injury and public disruption.

Court records show Wenske’s bond was set at a combined $120,000, KSAT-TV reported. In a statement to Fox News Digital, TPUSA spokesman Matt Shupe said the organization is treating the threats seriously.

“The safety of our attendees, speakers, and staff is always our top priority. All TPUSA events include enhanced, multi-layered security measures enforced by both private security and local police,” Shupe said. “We refuse to let threats silence us. We look forward to a successful and inspiring gathering June 5-7 in San Antonio for more than 2,500 women attending the Women’s Leadership Summit.”

Kirk has recently drawn attention to what she describes as a broader media and cultural climate fueling political violence, arguing it contributed to the circumstances surrounding the public assassination of her husband Charlie Kirk in September.

“Seems to me that nothing will ever be enough for the evil in this world. Our country has become unrecognizable,” Kirk said following the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “These people have perverted the truth to the point that they motivated the murder of my husband.”

Another day, another unhinged leftist proving that the tolerance crowd's idea of debate is threats, bombs, and wishing death on anyone who dares to be conservative. Jacob Wenske, 26, decided to go full domestic terror enthusiast on social media and email, targeting Erika Kirk and a Turning Point USA women's event. 

The guy didn't stop at vague venting. He got very specific: knowing exactly where to bomb, offering to play valet for her "escort" in the most psychotic way possible, and then dropping a manifesto-level email promising death to every Christian nationalist at every TPUSA event. 

This is the kind of deranged rhetoric that used to get people locked up faster, but in 2026 America it takes a little extra paperwork.

TPUSA is handling it like pros, ramping up security and refusing to back down. Good for them. The left's climate of hate didn't die with Charlie Kirk. It just keeps churning out the next Jacob Wenske, convinced that violence is justified because orange man bad, or whatever the current media fever dream is.

Erika Kirk is right. The country is unrecognizable, and these people have poisoned the well so thoroughly that murder and bombing threats feel like just another Tuesday for them. The rest of us are left wondering when the adults are going to show up and restore some sanity.

Thank you for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to simply check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

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