The Justice Department’s inspector general found that his agency spied on two House members and congressional staffers in a leak investigation. They never informed the courts. They obtained phone records from two members of Congress and 43 staff members, including President Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel. They spied on him when he […] The post DOJ IG Finds Justice Dept. Spied on 2 Congressmen & 43 Staffers appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” did a bit that mentioned Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro in a segment about a college student whose parents overreacted to him getting an earring. The bit was part of the latest episode that aired this past Saturday, December 7. In it, a mother and father welcome their college-aged son (Paul Mescal) home for the holidays but react in horror when they realize he has gotten his ear pierced. When his parents express their disdain for the earring, the son asks, “What’s the big deal?” “What’s the big deal? Let me answer that question with another question,” the mother replies. “What’s the big deal if I came home one day with skeleton hands tattooed around my neck?” “Yeah, what’s the big deal?” the father adds. “Maybe I’ll show up to work tomorrow naked? Tell my boss, no it’s OK. My son has an earring. We’re all free, man.” After the son says the earring is “cool,” the parents continue throwing out ridiculous suggestions that they equate to getting an earring, such as peeing on the floor and shooting a goat. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Next, the son suggests that his parents might be upset because they think he’s gay, which he denies, then calls them “extremely homophobic.” The parents get even more upset, and the father says, “Poli sci major got us good. Oh, college student owns Ben Shapiro.” “You think we’re homophobic? Your father has been gay for 15 years,” the mother retorts. The bit continues with the parents becoming more and more upset, going as far as throwing grandma out the window and resorting to self-harm until the bit ends with their second son arriving home from college. The joke is that he’s dressed in all black and has facial piercings, but the father says, “Oh well that’s different, I mean, he looks good.” The same episode of “SNL” was slammed for making jokes about the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson during the “Weekend Update” segment.  The episode mocked the NYPD for not having a suspect in custody at the time. Segment host Colin Jost also said, “It really says something about America that a guy was murdered in cold blood and the two main reactions were, ‘Yeah, well, healthcare stinks!’ And also, ‘Girl, that shooter hot.’”

A Guatemalan illegal alien smuggler arrested in connection to a “mass casualty event” purchased multiple properties in Colony Ridge, a Texas land development that Daily Wire investigations revealed is a magnet for illegal aliens. The Guatemalan national, Jorge Agapito Ventura, was arrested yesterday at his Colony Ridge residence just north of Houston in a joint operation by the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Liberty County Constable. “The defendants conspired with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of migrants from Guatemala [through] Mexico with the intended destination of the United States,” the Department of Justice wrote in a press release detailing the arrest of Ventura and four others. “The defendants allegedly recruited Guatemalan migrants, collected payment, and arranged for travel to the United States,” it goes on to read, adding that the defendants trafficked unaccompanied minors whom they provided with scripts to recite if they were apprehended by authorities. “Migrants destined for the United States were loaded into a tractor trailer that later crashed near Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, killing more than 50 people and causing serious bodily injuries to numerous others,” the unsealed indictment from the Department of Justice reads. The trailer was believed to have as many as 160 migrants in it at the time of the crash. Ventura and the other alleged smugglers were charged with conspiracy to bring undocumented aliens to the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injuries, and resulting in death. Documents indicate that the Guatemalan human smuggler owned four properties in the Colony Ridge development, which The Daily Wire has reported is a “magnet for illegal immigrants.” The sprawling development, which plans to grow to a population of 250,000, markets to illegal aliens with advertisements that encourage buyers to “own land in the United States” and uses Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers to process sales, which have heralded as a “powerful tool” for illegal immigrants who lack Social Security numbers. Ventura bought one Colony Ridge property on September 30th of this year for $49,640, according to a warranty deed. The document is signed by Colony Ridge President John Harris. But Ventura’s history with Colony Ridge extends back farther. Data from the Liberty County Clerk’s office indicates that the Guatemalan national has owned at least two other properties in the controversial development, including one that he acquired in 2019. The Guatemalan illegal alien smuggler’s properties were located in the Santa Fe section of Colony Ridge, the largest of the development’s six subdivisions. Four other Guatemalan nationals believed to be involved in the deadly illegal alien smuggling operation were also arrested by Guatemalan authorities, the Department of Justice explained. The indictment also indicates that a sixth individual is wanted in connection with the mass casualty smuggling event, though the person’s name has not been released. Ventura is not the only criminal living in Colony Ridge who has recently been apprehended by authorities. Two illegal alien murder suspects were arrested earlier this year. One of the men, described by authorities as a “fugitive murder suspect wanted by Interpol,” had already been deported from the United States twice before establishing a residence in Colony Ridge. Those two arrests came after a teen was allegedly abducted at gunpoint inside the development and was shot at as he fled his captors. Colony Ridge is under legal scrutiny and faces a joint lawsuit from the Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The suits allege that the development engaged in predatory lending practices, with the Department of Justice arguing that Colony Ridge engaged in “reverse redlining,” a method by which it specifically sought out Hispanic immigrants as customers, advertising them in Spanish while preparing loan documentation in English. Paxton told The Daily Wire that “literally every sale” made by Colony Ridge could be in violation of consumer protection law.

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville is calling on the National Institutes of Health to explain why one of its researchers intentionally withheld data on the negative effects of puberty blockers on American children. Last month, Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy revealed to The New York Times that she purposefully stopped the publication of a $10 million taxpayer-funded study into puberty blockers and their effects on American children. Olson-Kennedy had hoped the study would show that puberty blockers improve children’s mental health, and her study found no evidence that this was the case. “I do not want our work to be weaponized,” said Olson-Kennedy, who was sued just last week by a teenage detransitioner. “It has to be exactly on point, clear and concise. And that takes time.” Tuberville, along with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), called on the NIH to explain Olson-Kennedy’s actions, since she was funded by the agency. “We remain concerned that minors lack the ability to fully understand the lifelong outcomes of the interventions studied in this project and provide their consent,” the senators wrote. “Further, taxpayers have the right to know the outcomes of the research they fund, particularly when the intervention studied has life-altering impacts.” In a phone interview with The Daily Wire this week, Tuberville slammed the NIH for “withholding all the data from the American public about puberty blockers.” “At the end of the day, they don’t improve mental health of children and they’re trying to prove that it did,” he said. “It’s just another insane idea that the Left has had … they want to create a war over gender and we’re not going to fall for it right now.” (Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images) The Alabama Republican argued that Americans deserve to know where every one of their taxpayer dollars goes, warning that gender activists are “trying to hide everything that they’re doing when it comes to gender.” President Donald Trump has suggested he will be open to protecting children from these irreversible transgender procedures, and Tuberville emphasized to The Daily Wire that Trump has made it very clear to the public that he is against gender ideology and its impacts on children. Tuberville specifically pointed to Trump’s statements supporting the fight to keep men out of women’s sports. “Totally against it,” Tuberville said of Trump. “He’s gonna have to find some kind of avenue in which to put a stop to all this madness because we’re losing women’s sports, right and left. We’re losing scholarships for women. We’re gonna have young women not getting into the sports at all.” “It’s just on and on nonsense that continues to be brought to life by the Left,” he remarked, commenting on how the Trump campaign “hammered” gender ideology so effectively in the last few months of the campaign. “I think it had a big difference with a lot of people’s late decision on the election.” “I’d be 100% for, for banning anything with minors,” the Alabama senator said. “There’s no reason for any parent to have the right to have their kids gender transitioned, before they reach the age of 18 or 19 years old. You’re starting to see a lot of young people that are, whether it’s a lawsuit or whatever, saying, ‘Why did I do this to myself? Why did my parents allow this to happen?'” Asked if he thinks a bill banning transgender procedures for children could make it through the Senate, Tuberville replied, “Oh, I don’t think it would get 60 votes.” “I had two votes my first year here on the floor about men and women’s sports and I didn’t get all the Republicans votes. Joe Manchin voted with me, but I didn’t get all the Republican votes. It was heartbreaking to me, just to watch anybody that would vote against that. But again, you know, it was a big part of the Democrat agenda.” The NIH did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An Olympic gold medalist in women’s wrestling spoke out about the transgender debate in women’s sports, saying she would only compete against a man during practice, not during an actual competition. Tamyra Mensah-Stock won gold in women’s freestyle wrestling at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. “No, thank goodness. But I know a few people that have,” Mensah-Stock told Fox News when asked whether she had ever competed against a man. “Would I get on the mat with somebody who is a biological male? Well, I’ll just say this. I’ve wrestled plenty of guys in practice, and I will only wrestle them in practice,” she said ahead of the FOX Nation Patriot Awards Sunday night in Brookville, New York. “Cause wrestling men is very, very difficult even when they’re 20 pounds smaller than me,” Mensah-Stock added. “So if like they’re the same weight as me — I just keep it in practice.” This is Tamyra Mensah-Stock Team USA Wrestling Gold Medalist And this answer she gave is probably why you’re not hearing about her accomplishment. pic.twitter.com/isSPCRzMUg — John Cardillo (@johncardillo) August 3, 2021 Moments after becoming an Olympic champion in Tokyo, Mensah-Stock draped herself in an American flag and joyfully expressed her patriotism. “I love representing the U.S.,” she said, hugging the flag around herself. “I freaking love living there, I love it, and I’m so happy I get to represent USA! I love it!” Mensah-Stock now has a contract with Word Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The issue of trans-identifying men in women’s sports has ignited backlash internationally in recent years. Female athletes in high school, college, and professional divisions have spoken out against women playing with and competing against men, citing safety concerns as well as fairness in competition. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE During the Paris Games this past summer, two boxers who tested XY on chromosome tests were fiercely criticized for fighting and beating two biologically female boxers. Last month, a high school girls’ volleyball team forfeited a California state playoff game — and their season — over a trans-identifying male player on the opposing team, the girls’ school calling the decision “heartbreaking.” Two-thirds of Americans now say trans-identifying male athletes should “never” or only “in rare cases” be allowed to compete on girls’ sports teams, according to a Los Angeles Times survey from earlier this year. The momentum against trans-identifying men in women’s sports has caused some organizations to ban biological males from participating. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which governs sports at more than 240 small colleges, announced a new policy in April banning trans-identifying male athletes from playing on women’s teams. The backlash to biological men in girls’ sports was also a driving force during the presidential election cycle this year, with President-elect Donald Trump frequently mentioning the issue at his campaign rallies.

Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man charged in the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had to be restrained by multiple law enforcement officers as he tried to speak to reporters on his way to his extradition hearing on Tuesday. As Mangione was being escorted into the building for his extradition hearing at Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania, Mangione shouted, “It’s completely [inaudible] and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.” NewsNation Senior National Correspondent Brian Entin reported that Mangiono said, “It’s completely an injustice,” but it’s difficult to decipher the exact quote. WATCH: Luigi Mangione going into his extradition hearing — yells out — sounds like: “”It’s completely an injustice and and insult to the intelligence of the American people.” pic.twitter.com/G4hDmMgPnE — Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) December 10, 2024 BREAKING: Alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO killer has outburst while being led to extradition hearing “This is completely unjust and is an insult to the intelligence of the American people and their lived experience!” pic.twitter.com/7QQEHhDxsK — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 10, 2024 Mangione was charged with second-degree murder after being nabbed at a McDonald’s by police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday. The suspect is set to be extradited to New York pending his hearing. He faces the second-degree murder charge, along with charges of possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a forged instrument, and criminal possession of a weapon. A law enforcement source told CNN that the suspect was found with a manifesto in which he raged against healthcare companies and specifically called out “United. ” A senior law enforcement official told The New York Times that Mangione accuses UnitedHealthcare of prioritizing profit over patients. The suspect attended the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school where he received a degree in computer science. After college, Mangione spent a short time as a head counselor at a pre-college program at Stanford University and then moved to Hawaii in 2022. In Hawaii, he worked remotely and lived at a co-working and co-living space in Honolulu, his former roommate R.J. Martin told CNN. According to Martin, Mangione had a surfing accident which put him “in bed for about a week.” Martin added that Mangione said he had a misaligned spine. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE The suspected killer communicated frequently with family and friends until around six months ago when people close to him stopped hearing from him, The New York Times reported. It appears that none of Mangione’s relatives knew of his whereabouts until he was arrested in Pennsylvania on Monday and charged with murder.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing a petition to ban red dye No. 3, a common additive in beverages, snacks, cereals, and candies. Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, said it’s time to reevaluate the department’s determination that the artificial coloring is safe for human consumption as more than a decade has passed since that decision was made. “With red 3, we have a petition in front of us to revoke the authorization board, and we’re hopeful that in the next few weeks, we’ll be acting on that petition,” Jones told a health committee last Thursday, per USA Today. House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) said he supported a ban on red dye No. 3. The dye is made from petroleum and is used to give food and drinks a bright red hue. One argument against its use is that it is solely used for marketing purposes and provides no nutritional value.  “With the holiday season in full swing where sweet treats are abundant, it is frightening that this chemical remains hidden in these foods that we and our children are eating,” Pallone wrote in a letter. “While food companies must ensure that the food they market is safe, they are also only required to ensure that their products meet FDA’s standards. This means that thousands of products that contain this chemical can remain on the market.”  The outlet noted that red dye No. 3 has been linked to hyperactivity in children and has been found to cause cancer in animals. To date, no study has made a connection between consumption of the artificial dye and cancer in humans.  Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for health secretary, has stated his belief that food dyes cause cancer, but has not voiced his opinion on the current petition or laid out a plan for banning specific dyes.   “There are some departments such as the nutrition departments in the FDA that have to go, that are not doing their job, they are not protecting our kids,” RFK Jr. told NBC News last month. “Why do we have Fruit Loops in this country that have 18 or 19 ingredients and you go to Canada and it’s got two or three?” he said. Red dye No. 3 has been banned from cosmetics in the U.S. since 1990. The additive is already banned in the European Union, and beginning in January 2027, it will also be prohibited in foods sold or manufactured in California.

Members of Congress are speaking out on “unknown drones” that have been spotted by residents zipping around in the skies of New Jersey and New York over the past few weeks. These sightings have prompted investigations, Federal Aviation Administration flight restrictions, and demands for more transparency about what is happening. Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram posted to X on Tuesday about an exchange he had with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) about the situation ahead of a drone-focused hearing: Pergram: It seems as though Members from both sides are not getting answers about these drones or whatever they’re seeing in New Jersey and Staten Island. There’s a hearing focusing on this today. What is the level of concern? Do you think the government is being straight? And Members can’t even get answers on this. Johnson: We’re working on that. We need straight answers of course. We are concerned about drones and all of these new technologies and what it might mean for national security and the safety of the American citizen. I’m looking forward to the outcome of that hearing. And if we don’t get the necessary answers there, we’ll dig deeper and go to the classified level. Pergram: Any thought that these might be “dark” programs? Johnson: I hope not. I do not believe so. But there’s a lot of investigation going on. So we’ll find out. Other lawmakers, including members of both parties and chambers of Congress, have also sounded off on the sightings. “Last December, a fleet of drones swarmed Langley Air Force Base next to my district, and now, more drones are swarming sites along the East Coast,” Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), vice chairman of the Armed Services Committee, posted to X on Tuesday. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE “This is a serious threat to public safety and national security — we’ve got to invest in our nation’s counter-drone programs if we want to deter adversaries from gathering information on Americans,” he added. “Repeated incidents involving unknown drones over American airspace must be addressed. That is why I am leading a charge to update DOD’s authorities to detect and stop these drones when they are over military facilities,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said in a post to X. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said in a post to X, “My office has been in communication with Governor Murphy’s office and our federal agency partners. While the drones currently pose no known threat to the public, my team and I will continue to monitor the situation closely.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, similarly emphasized to reporters on Monday that officials did not see anything that would warrant public safety concerns, but he also said authorities were taking the sightings “deadly seriously” and he participated in discussions with the White House and Homeland Security leaders “pretty much all day” on Sunday. Dozens of sightings have been called in since November. Some activity has been reported around President-elect Donald Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, where “car-sized” drones have reportedly been spotted. What people are seeing are “apparently very, as I understand it, very sophisticated. The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark,” Murphy said. “We’re obviously most concerned about sensitive targets, and sensitive critical infrastructure. So we’ve got military assets, we’ve got utility assets, we’ve got the president-elect — one of his homes here.” The FBI released a statement last week stating that investigators were seeking any information from the public on “the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed wing aircraft” along the Raritan River in New Jersey. Suspected drones have also been spotted in New York’s Staten Island and Brooklyn. Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ), whose district is where many of the sightings in the Garden State have been reported, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of answers in a post to X on Monday. “I join thousands of New Jersey residents in deep frustration regarding the growing concerns over drones operating in our skies. The safety and privacy of our residents must be a top priority, and right now, both are being put at risk,” Kean said. He added, “I am calling for the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other appropriate federal agencies to deploy greater resources to investigate and address this escalating issue. Additionally, an in-depth public briefing from authorities should take place immediately.” “The people of New Jersey deserve answers, and I will continue to demand accountability to ensure their rights and security are fully protected,” Kean concluded.