'Naked man and a woman doing something'

First Set Of Court Documents Listing Jeffrey Epstein Associates Unsealed

'Complicity in the death'

Simon Wright’s journey toward heavy metal immortality began as a teen playing in Manchester and London bands A II Z and Tytan. At 20‚ Wright landed the gig with AC/DC‚ replacing Phil Rudd. Wright quickly learned that behind the kit for AC/DC seemed simple‚ but it required hours of dedication to nail properly. After joining AC/DC for the Flick of The Switch tour‚ Wright lent a hand to 1985’s Fly on The Wall‚ 1986’s Who Made Who (1986)‚ and 1988’s Blow Up Your Video before splitting the scene for Dio in 1989‚ giving way to Chris Slade. As the ’90s dawned‚ Wright replaced Vinny Appice for The post Simon Wright‚ Formerly of AC/DC‚ Dio &; UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

The post PortraitFlip Pet Portrait Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion by Sara Seitz appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Our Final Verdict We give PortraitFlip Pet Portrait a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Quality: 5/5 Options: 5/5 Value: 4.75/5 Check Price on PortraitFlip Today‚ most people have hundreds (if not thousands) of photos of their pets. It’s not hard to get those photos turned into prints to decorate your home. But what if you could get those pictures turned into hand-painted pieces of art‚ instead? That’s the idea behind PortraitFlip. This company takes photos and transforms them into real paintings done by real people. You can choose from seven different mediums and even combine pictures to get all your pets in one beautiful scene. And because these pieces are created by real people with real paint brushes‚ you can customize them any way you want. I had the opportunity to get a PortraitFlip painting done of my cat‚ Makoa. I chose the acrylic medium because I loved how much the examples looked like real works of art. While I had an idea that this was a product I would enjoy‚ I had no idea just how much I would love it! Find out what sets PortraitFlip apart from other photo-to-painting companies and why I’m so happy with my awesome piece of pet art by reading my full Pet Portrait review‚ below. About ProtraitFlip PortraitFlip got its start in 2018. Back then‚ the company was just a few market executives‚ customer care associates‚ and a handful of artists. Today‚ the company has bloomed to over 250 artists and a team of professionals responsible for ensuring every customer gets exactly what they order. The company is based out of Newark‚ Delaware‚ but its team comprises hundreds of talented artists from across the globe. What Products Can You Get From PortraitFlip? PortraitFlip offers a long list of photo-to-painting options. They specialize in recreating pictures with an artistic bend‚ especially portraits of people and pets. The paintings can be direct recreations of single photos or compilations that bring together individuals from multiple photos into a single piece of art. You can choose up to 15 pets (or 15 people) to include in a single painting. These paintings are available in a number of different mediums‚ including: Oil Pencil Charcoal Watercolor Colored pencil Acrylic Pastel I chose the acrylic option for Makoa’s painting because I liked how much the example pieces actually looked like paintings rather than a simple recreation of the photo. Some options look more painting-like while others are more realistic looking with very fine details. All these options make it easy to find exactly what you want. For each medium‚ you can choose from nine size options for the final painting‚ running from 12” by 12” to ” 48” by 72”. What Pets Does PortraitFlip Paint? As far as I can tell‚ there are no limits to what kinds of pets PortraitFlip will turn into gorgeous paintings. As long as you have a photo‚ they can transform it into art. For me‚ I chose a photo of my cat from when he was an adorable little kitten because I wanted a way to remember those days. This service is great for making memories last and is a wonderful option for memorializing pets that have passed on. Of course‚ it is also great for celebrating pets that are still with us. And‚ because you can combine multiple pets from multiple pictures‚ it is the perfect way to get that furry family photo without having to train all your pets to sit next to each other. Overview Check Price on PortraitFlip Here is an overview of what to expect when getting a custom piece of art done through PortraitFlip. We’ll look at how the process works‚ how long it takes to receive your order‚ and their customer satisfaction guarantee. How It Works To get started with PortraitFlip‚ you first need to decide what medium you want and how big you want the portrait to be. Next‚ you’ll upload your photo (or photos) of your pet (or pets) and add any notes you want the artist to incorporate. After you’ve ordered your painting‚ you’ll receive an email with the digital customization proof attached. This proof will be cropped to the correct size and adjusted digitally based on your notes. Basically‚ this acts as the reference for the artist so they know what to paint. Once you’ve approved the proof‚ your artist will get to work on the actual painting. After this is complete‚ you’ll receive another email with a photo of the completed project. Once approved‚ your painting will ship. PortraitFlip gives you multiple opportunities to make adjustments to your painting so you can be sure it is exactly what you expect when it finally arrives. Processing Times For standard pictures‚ it can take up to 15 days for the artist to complete the painting. Once approved‚ shipping takes up to an additional eight days. If you’re in a hurry‚ you can opt for expedited processing. With this more expensive option‚ the painting will be completed within 10 days and express shipped to arrive within four days. I opted for the standard processing time and received my painting within 18 days of ordering it. This was pretty impressive since I placed my order the week after Black Friday. Guarantee Pet Portrait has a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t love your portrait when it arrives or if there are any issues with the product‚ you can return it for a 100% refund within 7 days of receipt. The company goes out of its way to ensure this doesn’t happen by giving you multiple opportunities to review the photo proof and final painting before shipping. In Summary Pros True hand-painted pieces Highly customizable Can combine photos Multiple mediums and sizes 100% satisfaction guarantee Cons Expensive Quality can vary by artist Not a quick turnaround Key Features Check Price on PortraitFlip Truly Hand-Painted There are a lot of companies out there that turn your photos into “works of art.” But most of these rely on digital filters to make your picture look like it has been painted or drawn. But a real artist never actually touches the print. That is not the case with PortraitFlip. Each of their products is completely recreated from scratch using paint brushes‚ pencils‚ or charcoal wielded by a real-life person. The result is a true piece of art‚ not a print‚ that you will want to show off to all your houseguests. So Many Options PortraitFlip has 7 different medium options to choose from so you can pick the right one to match your decor and preferences. Each medium has something a little different to offer and each has a different feel to match your pet’s personality. You also get to choose from 9 different size options to ensure the painting fits your house perfectly. Satisfaction Guaranteed From the moment you start the process with PortraitFlip‚ you have many opportunities to make sure you get exactly what you want. To start‚ you can add notes to your order that go straight to the artist. Once the digital proof is done‚ you have a chance to make changes to how the photo is cropped as well as what is left in and out of the scene. Because these are real artists‚ you can even give more specific directions about how to complete the painting. Once the portrait is complete‚ you’ll receive a final proof. If there is anything you don’t like about the painting‚ you can ask the painter to fix it before the product is shipped. Are PortraitFlip Pet Portraits a Good Value? If you look at the prices of PortraitFlip paintings and compare them to other photo-to-painting sites‚ you might think their prices are high. But remember‚ most of these other companies do not actually deliver real paintings. Rather‚ they create digital prints that have been put through artistic filters to make them look like paintings. If you were to commission a portrait from an artist in a one-to-one exchange‚ you would likely be paying a minimum of a thousand dollars and potentially up to tens of thousands of dollars. Hand-painted portraits on PortraitFlip start at just $89‚ which is impressively cheap when you think about what you’re actually getting. Check Price on PortraitFlip FAQ Who are PortraitFlip’s artists? PortraitFlip employs over 250 artists from around the globe. They hail from the US‚ Canada‚ India‚ China‚ and Indonesia. Each is a master in at least one painting medium. You can’t choose your artist‚ which means there is some variation in quality between different paintings you might receive. But you can feel confident that the company’s hiring policies and quality assurance practices will provide products you’ll love. What material are the paintings painted on? This will depend on the medium you choose. Oil and acrylic are painted on high-quality canvas‚ while pencil‚ charcoal‚ watercolor‚ and others are painted on paper. How do I know my product was hand-painted and not printed? You can tell! My acrylic painting not only smelled like paint when I unwrapped it‚ but I could see the paint texture clearly. And‚ while it looks very much like my proof photo‚ it is not an exact copy. Our Experience With PortraitFlip I have ordered pet portraits from a few other photo-to-print sites before‚ but never from one that claims to hand paint the portraits. So‚ I was really excited to get this product and see if that fact made a difference. I chose a picture of my rescue cat‚ Makoa‚ from when he was just a kitten. He is only six months old now‚ but he already looks full-grown. I was excited to have his cute little kitten stage memorialized in a piece of art. One of the first things I noticed as I unwrapped my new portrait‚ was that the box did not smell like printer ink. My previous pet portraits all had a subtle yet distinct ink smell since they were prints. This one smelled‚ without a doubt‚ like paint! As soon as I unwrapped it from its protective coat of bubble wrap‚ shrink wrap‚ and corner protectors‚ I could immediately see the difference. Each brush stroke was evident. And the paint had a texture to it that you just don’t get from prints. The painting is absolutely gorgeous. It looks just like the photo but with some key differences that really elevate it and transform it from picture to art. For one‚ it has more highlights‚ which really makes Makoa pop off the canvas. And the background was given a little more character and texture which makes the whole piece look more interesting. I was also happy to see that the artist captured Makoa’s damaged eye without drawing too much attention to it. He wouldn’t be “Makoa-Jack pirate cat” without that eye. But that doesn’t mean I want it to be the focal point of his portrait. Overall‚ I am extremely happy with this painting. It now hangs in my daughter’s bathroom (because Makoa is her true love) and looks absolutely stunning. I get comments on it every time we have a guest over. Check Price on PortraitFlip Conclusion If you want to turn your pet into a work of art‚ don’t settle for print shops that use filters to digitize photos. Instead‚ I highly recommend looking at PortraitFlip. You will pay more for their services‚ but you just can’t beat the value or beauty of a hand-painted piece of art. My acrylic painting of Makoa has truly brightened my house and brings a smile to my face every time I see it. Whether you’re looking to memorialize a lost pet or celebrate a furry family member‚ you won’t regret paying a little extra to get their likeness in a true masterpiece. The post PortraitFlip Pet Portrait Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion by Sara Seitz appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

With the latest Prince of Persia The Lost Crown arriving‚ you’re probably fiending for a list of all the Prince of Persia games in chronological order. There are quite a few games in the series‚ some that you may not even have access to playing. But if you can‚ here is the timeline order of all the Prince of Persia games. Prince of Persia: All games in timeline order Although we have a pretty definitive timeline of all the old Prince of Persia games‚ we don’t know just yet when The Lost Crown takes place. It’s a standalone game in the series with an entirely new premise and main protagonist‚ Sargon. Otherwise‚ here’s the full chronological order of all the Prince of Persia games. Screenshot: Ubisoft 1. Prince of Persia (2008) Although it wasn’t the very first Prince of Persia game created‚ it’s technically the first in the timeline. This installment takes place 1‚000 years before The Sands of Time from 2003...

Most Exotics in Destiny can be obtained with some good old-fashioned grinding‚ but some remain exceptionally rare. One such weapon is the Navigator‚ but you’ll need lady luck by your side if you want your own. Here’s how to get the Navigator in Destiny 2. Related: All Destiny 2 Dungeons ranked easiest to hardest Where to find the Navigator in Destiny 2 The Navigator is a coveted Exotic Strand Trace Rifle and is only available from the Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon. To make matters worse‚ The Navigator only drops from the final boss fight against Simmumah Ur-Nokru and has a miserable drop rate. It’s theorized that the base drop rate is only 5%‚ so you’ll likely have to run Ghosts of the Deep multiple times. Unfortunately‚ you can only go for the Exotic reward once per week per character. Can I increase the odds of the Navigator dropping in Destiny 2? Unfortunately‚ the Navigator is an uncommon drop‚ no matter what you do. Yo...

In a fiery exchange last month‚ CNN anchorwoman Abby Phillip told GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that there was “no evidence” to support his claim that federal agents abetted protesters at the Capitol on Jan. 6‚ 2021. Ramaswamy shot back that the FBI conspicuously has never denied that law enforcement agents were on duty in the crowd. He argued that federal officials repeatedly “lied” to the American people‚ not only about that investigation but one that has gotten much less attention: the alleged failed plot in 2020 to kidnap and kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‚ a Democrat. “It was entrapment‚” Ramaswamy told CNN’s Phillip. “FBI agents putting them up to a kidnapping plot that we were told was true but wasn’t.” His zeroing in on the Michigan case highlighted an uncharacteristic development in contemporary politics‚ where progressives vigorously defend law enforcement power while conservatives view it with deep suspicion. Further‚ Ramaswamy’s linking of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the Whitmer plot resonated with many on the right who want similarities between the two episodes exposed to the general public‚ especially the FBI’s reliance on informants and other paid operatives. On Oct. 8‚ 2020‚ Whitmer announced the shocking arrests of several men accused of planning to kidnap and possibly assassinate her. The case produced alarming headlines just weeks before Election Day; Democrats‚ including Whitmer‚ used news of the plot to blame Donald Trump for inciting violence. Joe Biden‚ the Democratic nominee for president‚ commended the FBI for thwarting the abduction plan and‚ in a written statement issued the same day‚ claimed that “there is a through line from President Trump’s dog whistles and tolerance of hate‚ vengeance‚ and lawlessness to plots such as this one.” Biden continued that line of attack during campaign speeches in Michigan‚ a swing state that voted for Trump in 2016 and one Biden needed to capture to win the presidency. In the years since the 2020 election‚ the national press has given little attention to the Whitmer case since the initial arrests‚ even though court documents have recast the episode as something more sinister. Instead of a heroic effort by the FBI to safeguard the country from domestic terrorists‚ it now appears to have been a broad conspiracy by law enforcement to entrap American citizens who held unpopular political views. The FBI’s tactics were exposed first by BuzzFeed in July 2021‚ when reporters Ken Bensinger and Jessica Garrison disclosed startling details based on court filings as the matter headed to trial. They found that the number of FBI confidential human sources involved in the scheme was equal to the number of defendants. Bensinger and Garrison wrote: An examination of the case by BuzzFeed News also reveals that some of those informants‚ acting under the direction of the FBI‚ played a far larger role than has previously been reported. Working in secret‚ they did more than just passively observe and report on the actions of the suspects. Instead‚ they had a hand in nearly every aspect of the alleged plot‚ starting with its inception. The extent of their involvement raises questions as to whether there would have even been a conspiracy without them. Six men ranging in age from 22 to 44—Adam Fox‚ Barry Croft Jr.‚ Brandon Caserta‚ Daniel Harris‚ Ty Garbin‚ and Kaleb Franks—faced federal charges of conspiring to kidnap and use a weapon of mass destruction. Eight others faced state charges. BuzzFeed recreated many of the defendants’ movements between March and October 2020‚ including attendance at “field training” exercises and surveillance of Whitmer’s properties. While BuzzFeed offered the first account of the entrapment operation‚ further reporting by RealClearInvestigations‚ along with details revealed in court filings and trial proceedings‚ make the operation sound like something out of a Hollywood script. It features secretive cash payouts; drug- and booze-fueled parties; a convicted wife-beating FBI investigator; a career felon revealed as a longtime FBI asset and later accused of acting as a “double agent”; and a dramatic takedown scene at the end. Public defenders representing the accused have identified at least 12 FBI informants and three undercover FBI agents managed by FBI officials in numerous field offices responsible for framing the men. “In this case‚ the undisputed evidence … establishes that government agents and informants concocted‚ hatched‚ and pushed this ‘kidnapping plan’ from the beginning‚ doing so against defendants who explicitly repudiated the plan‚” defense lawyers wrote in a Dec. 25‚ 2021‚ motion. “When the government was faced with evidence showing that the defendants had no interest in a kidnapping plot‚ it refused to accept failure and continued to push its plan.” At the center of the action was the FBI’s ringleader‚ Dan Chappel‚ 34 at the time‚ an Iraq war veteran and contract truck driver for the U.S. Postal Service. Chappel‚ the official story goes‚ joined a group called the Wolverine Watchmen in early 2020 to burnish his firearms skills. Members generally interacted on social media. The government claimed that Chappel became alarmed at alleged online chatter about killing police and took his concerns to a friend in law enforcement in March 2020. A week later‚ the FBI hired Chappel as an informant. Over the course of the next seven months‚ Chappel “ingratiated” himself with the men‚ as one defense attorney described his method‚ with an eye particularly on Fox‚ 37‚ the reported mastermind of the plot. While the media portrayed Fox as a military leader prepping an army of “white supremacists” to overthrow state governments across the country‚ he was‚ in reality‚ a homeless man living in the dilapidated basement of a vacuum repair shop without running water or a toilet in a Grand Rapids strip mall. One co-defendant referred to him as “Captain Autism.” Fox’s lawyer‚ Christopher Gibbons‚ said Chappel took on a “father figure” role to his fatherless and destitute client. Fox and Chappel exchanged thousands of texts. Chappel drove Fox‚ who did not own a car‚ to various meetups and staged events while recording every moment to preserve as evidence against him. On at least three occasions‚ according to testimony offered at trial‚ Chappel offered Fox a prepaid credit card authorized by the FBI with a $5‚000 limit to help him buy guns and ammunition; Fox‚ despite being broke‚ declined each time. Chappel‚ known as “Big Dan” to the group‚ created encrypted chats and gave real-time access to his FBI handlers working out of the Detroit FBI field office as the farfetched plan unfolded. Informants and targets mulled over how to blow up a bridge outside Whitmer’s summer cottage; kill her security detail; take her to a nearby boat launch; and either abandon her in the middle of Lake Michigan or bring her across the lake to Wisconsin to stand a “citizen’s trial” over her COVID-19 lockdown policies. One discussion involved the implausible use of a military helicopter. From appearances‚ a demonstration at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on April 30‚ 2020‚ might well have been a law enforcement dress rehearsal for Jan. 6. Chappel traveled to the event in Lansing with three members of the Watchmen later held on state charges. Some protesters were clad in military gear and carried firearms‚ but could not enter the building. When Chappel told his FBI handler what was happening‚ the FBI ordered the Michigan State Police to stand down and allow protesters inside. News photographers captured the moment when protesters “stormed” the State Capitol and called out for Whitmer‚ resulting in the same sort of optics produced at the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The incident took on greater significance when it was revealed that Steven D’Antuono‚ head of the Detroit FBI field office during the Whitmer caper‚ was promoted to head up the FBI field office in Washington‚ D.C.‚ three months before Jan. 6. In exchange for his work‚ the FBI paid Chappel at least $54‚000 in cash. Part of that haul included an envelope‚ handed over by his primary FBI handler in December 2020‚ filled with $23‚000 in cash as payment for a mission accomplished. (Department of Justice policy requires informants to be paid in cash.) The FBI also supplied Chappel with other personal items‚ such as a laptop computer and tires for his car. Chappel used a rented SUV‚ again funded by the FBI‚ to drive his targets to various locations as part of the trap. Other informants were involved‚ too. A longtime FBI source named Steve Robeson‚ from Wisconsin‚ organized a “militia” meeting in Ohio in June 2020 and pressured the government’s targets‚ including Fox and Croft‚ to attend while he wore a wire to record what was said during the event. Robeson arranged other events throughout the summer‚ including at his remote property in Cambria‚ Wisconsin. He constructed a so-called “kill house” for the men to practice shooting. At one point‚ Robeson suggested that the exercises could be used to “storm” a state Capitol building or governor’s residence. Robeson is a convicted felon several times over‚ including on charges of sex with a minor; his rap sheet spans at least nine states. He was paid roughly $20‚000 for his involvement in the Whitmer caper. Prosecutors later accused him of acting as a “double agent” for allegedly tipping off one defendant that his arrest was imminent. At least two other informants were tasked with managing Croft‚ who had been under FBI surveillance since 2019 for his “extremist” views‚ according to documents. It was revealed later that the informants‚ including Chappel‚ violated FBI protocol by getting drunk and high on drugs with their targets numerous times‚ sleeping in the same hotel‚ and suggesting ways to advance the kidnapping plan. At one point‚ Chappel took an oath to join a separate group called the Three Percent Patriot Militia—one fabricated by the FBI—then convinced Fox to become the head of the Michigan chapter‚ all in an effort have the men believe that Chappel was part of a nonexistent “militia” movement. Defense lawyer Gibbons described the ruse during the April 2022 trial as “free money‚ free bombs‚ daily contact for months‚ fake militia‚ build up vulnerable adult with a fake militia and a title of commanding officer‚ send him a federal agent to join his militia.” More behind-the-scenes machinations were disclosed when the defense uncovered hundreds of communications between the agents and informants that showed how they guided the plot every step of the way. One text suggests that the FBI and Chappel attempted to lure a disabled Vietnam War veteran named “Frank” into initiating a similar plan against then-Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam‚ also a Democrat. “Mission is to kill the governor specifically‚” Chappel’s FBI handler texted him in August 2020. Despite the FBI’s best efforts‚ the group of so-called kidnappers started to disband by August 2020. Chappel asked his handlers how to “put more pressure” on the individuals so no one would break off. To rally the increasingly uninterested group that month‚ Chappel proposed firing live rounds into Whitmer’s cottage and the residences of other governors‚ then sending the shell casings to news reporters. “Look at you bringing people together‚” one of Chappel’s FBI handlers texted to him after he successfully kept the group intact. Even that wasn’t enough to solidify a kidnapping scheme‚ so‚ according to numerous exchanges between the FBI assets and trial testimony from one cooperating witness‚ the FBI ran another undercover agent into the plot in September 2020 to tempt the men into trying to purchase bomb-making material. During a get-together in mid-September‚ an FBI undercover agent known as “Red” showed the group a video of a Chevy Tahoe being blown up as a way to demonstrate his credentials. The video had been produced by the FBI. At the same get-together‚ several FBI informants and “Red” took their targets on a reconnaissance mission to stake out Whitmer’s vacation cottage‚ the scene of the alleged prospective crime. It was the second time Chappel drove Fox to the property. (The governor and her staff were in communication with authorities for months as the entrapment scheme was under way; the FBI installed pole cameras and 3D devices around her property to record any activity to be used as evidence.) Chappel also drove the men to the location of the FBI arrest point in Ypsilanti‚ Michigan‚ on Oct. 7‚ 2020‚ under a ruse to meet “Red‚” who promised to sell them military-style garb‚ not explosive materials. Members of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team‚ whose missions include “high-risk arrests‚” were there waiting. But things went downhill for the government after that. Richard Trask‚ one of the main FBI investigators on the case‚ who signed the complaint against the federal defendants‚ was criminally charged in July 2021 for brutally assaulting his wife after a swingers’ party in Kalamazoo. Police body cam video showed a partly clothed‚ bloody‚ and apparently intoxicated Trask talking with police during his arrest. Reporters also found profane anti-Trump posts on Trask’s social media account. The FBI removed Trask from the case and fired him in September 2021. Prosecutors removed Chappel’s two primary FBI handlers‚ Henrik Impola and Jayson Chambers‚ from the government’s witness list after defense attorneys accused Impola of committing perjury in a previous case and discovered that Chambers was moonlighting as head of a security firm on the side and posting inside information about the pending arrests on social media as a way to attract business. Robeson and his wife‚ Kimberly‚ were charged with fraud in December 2021 for convincing a couple to purchase a used SUV and donate it to the Robesons’ nonexistent charity‚ a crime committed while Robeson was working the Whitmer plot. Robeson also was charged separately with illegally purchasing a firearm as a felon; he threatened to plead his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination‚ so he also was not called as a witness. By the time the federal case went to trial in western Michigan in March 2022‚ defendants Garbin and Franks had accepted plea offers and planned to testify against their remaining four co-defendants: Fox‚ Croft‚ Harris‚ and Caserta. Judge Robert Jonker allowed the defense to raise the entrapment issue‚ but only after the government presented its case. That plan‚ however‚ didn’t last beyond the first day as defense attorneys struggled during opening remarks to explain their clients’ behavior without mentioning the key role of FBI informants and agents. Jonker suspended his own order‚ at which point the FBI essentially went on trial. The trial lasted four weeks. Prosecutors insisted the defendants were solely responsible for conceiving the plan‚ but the defense argued that the group’s activities amounted to little more than “crazy‚ stoned talk.” Chappel took the stand for the prosecution‚ but his testimony appeared to backfire as his central role in the plot came into view. He also admitted he became an informant to pad his resume in hopes of pursuing a job in law enforcement. During closing arguments‚ the four defense attorneys emphasized the FBI’s misconduct while asking the jury for not-guilty verdicts. “[This] is unacceptable in America‚” Gibbons said during closing arguments April 1. “That’s not how it works. They don’t make terrorists so we can arrest them.” On April 8‚ 2022‚ after nearly four days of deliberation‚ the jury found Caserta and Harris not guilty on all charges; after 18 months behind bars‚ both men went free. The jury‚ however‚ could not reach a unanimous verdict for Fox and Croft‚ resulting in a mistrial. It was a shocking blow to the government. In what the Justice Department considered its biggest domestic terror case over the past few decades (until Jan. 6)‚ prosecutors did not yet have a single conviction—an outcome practically unheard of for a department with a conviction rate of more than 90%. “It felt so good‚ I was so happy. We did it‚ we beat them‚” Caserta told me in a post-trial interview in 2022. “We got justice.” Prosecutors immediately announced they would retry Fox and Croft. A different version of Jonker appeared on the bench in August 2022; the trial was marked by open hostilities between the judge and defense attorneys. At one point‚ Jonker took the rare step of setting a time limit for cross-examination of a key government witness. He also refused to allow defense attorneys to interview a juror suspected of bias against the defendants based on comments he had made to co-workers during jury selection and his affiliation with Black Lives Matter. Jonker repeatedly admonished both lawyers in front of the jury‚ accusing counsel of causing jurors to “tune out” and rushing them through important lines of questioning. Over objections by the defense‚ Jonker kept the man on the jury. He became the foreman. Croft and Fox were convicted Aug. 23‚ 2022‚ of conspiring to kidnap and use a weapon of mass destruction. They are serving out multiyear sentences in supermax prisons reserved for the country’s worst criminals. Croft and Fox are appealing their convictions. In an August 2023 brief‚ Croft’s new appellate attorney‚ Timothy Sweeney‚ wrote: It is staggering the extent to which the FBI and its agents/informants used excessive pressure‚ exploited the anger from COVID lockdowns and destructive summer riots‚ and manipulated emotional issues among vulnerable and excitable citizens. This included: nearly constant real-time monitoring of FBI’s communications with Fox‚ plus thousands of government-initiated texts/chats; the deployment of multiple paid agents/informants who sought to elicit and encourage extremist and violent behavior; and the FBI’s instigating‚ planning‚ promoting‚ and conducting of nearly all key events. In response‚ the government wrote in a December 2023 motion that “there was no evidence that government agents or informants suggested the plot or offered more than opportunity and facilities.” Sweeney and Fox’s new appellate attorney‚ Steven Nolder‚ further accused the judge‚ Jonker‚ of severely hamstringing the defense by refusing to admit into evidence the hundreds of messages that showed extensive communication between FBI agents and informants as they advanced the plot. Jonker‚ in both trials‚ denied defense motions to allow the jury to see the communications. “These communications constituted relevant evidence of the shocking degree to which Chambers‚ Chappel‚ and the other FBI agents/informants orchestrated this scam and generally engaged in incessant and oppressive inducement‚” Sweeney wrote. A recent verdict for the final three defendants charged in the Michigan state case may add weight to the appeal. In September‚ an Antrim County jury found Willam Null‚ his brother Michael Null‚ and co-defendant Eric Molitor not guilty of providing material support to an act of terror and illegally possessing firearms. The acquittals represented another blow to the overall case and a poor showing for the government; of the 10 defendants who went to trial‚ five were found not guilty and two were convicted after a second trial. Four others pleaded guilty—outcomes that represent a poor showing for both the Justice Department and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel‚ a Democrat. Nessel was so infuriated by the acquittals for the Null brothers and Molitor that she publicly criticized jurors as coming from “a very‚ very right-leaning county seemingly not so concerned about the kidnapping and assassination of the governor.” Fox and Croft and the Justice Department have asked for oral arguments. An appellate court in western Michigan could render a decision by mid-2024. “When I look at what happened in this case‚” Croft’s public defender‚ Joshua Blanchard‚ said during closing arguments in the April 2022 trial‚ “I am ashamed of the behavior of the leading law enforcement agency in the United States. This investigation was an embarrassment‚ and we have to tell them this isn’t how our country operates. This isn’t how our justice system is supposed to work.” This article‚ originally published by RealClearInvestigations‚ was distributed via RealClearWire Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post The FBI-Tainted Whitmer ‘Kidnap Plot’ You’ve Heard Next to Nothing About appeared first on The Daily Signal.

GOP lawmakers are aiming to send a clear message at the start of 2024: The southern border is a leading priority for Republicans.  On Wednesday‚ the House Homeland Security Committee announced it will formally move forward with impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The committee will hold a hearing on the matter Jan. 10.  “For almost three years‚ the American people have demanded an end to the unprecedented crisis at the Southwest border‚ and they have also rightly called for Congress to hold accountable those responsible‚” the committee’s chairman‚ Rep. Mark Green‚ said in a statement Wednesday.  Last June‚ Green‚ R-Tenn.‚ announced a five-part investigation into Mayorkas‚ in part to determine whether the House should launch impeachment proceedings against the DHS chief.  “Our investigation made clear that this crisis finds its foundation in Secretary Mayorkas’ decision-making and refusal to enforce the laws passed by Congress‚ and that his failure to fulfill his oath of office demands accountability‚” the Tennessee lawmaker said.  The House held a bipartisan vote in November to refer articles of impeachment to the Homeland Security Committee following a failed effort by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‚ R-Ga.‚ to force a vote on the House floor to impeach Mayorkas.  Punchbowl News was first to break the news of the impeachment proceeding against Mayorkas and reports that House leadership has yet to announce a date for a formal impeachment vote. As of now‚ Mayorkas is not expected to testify before the committee.  The DHS secretary responded to the news of the impeachment proceedings during an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday morning.  Mayorkas said he is committed to working on “a legislative solution to a broken immigration system‚” adding that he and the Biden administration are focused on “solutions to problems.”  The DHS secretary says he will cooperate with the hearings and investigation‚ and will “continue to do my work as well.”  The House Homeland Security Committee is moving ahead with impeachment proceedings against DHS Secretary Mayorkas. Watch Mayorkas respond: pic.twitter.com/T8Dou6xttI— Virginia Allen (@Virginia_Allen5) January 3‚ 2024 A number of House GOP lawmakers have been calling for Mayorkas’ impeachment for years.  Rep. Andy Biggs‚ R-Ariz.‚ introduced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas in August 2021 and again in February 2023‚ saying that Mayorkas “is the chief architect of the migration and drug invasion at our southern border.”    Last June‚ Rep. Clay Higgins‚ R-La.‚ introduced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.    On Wednesday‚ the same day the GOP-led House Homeland Security Committee announced the impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas‚ a group of about 60 Republicans lawmakers‚ led by House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ visited the southern border.  Upon arriving in Eagle Pass‚ Texas‚ Johnson posted a photo of the central crossing point at the border‚ noting the difference in the scene this week versus mid-December.  “The Biden Administration decided to divert the flood of illegal immigrants to another location in order to keep them out of the camera shots during [the House GOP’s] visit to Eagle Pass‚” Johnson wrote on X. “Don’t be fooled‚ they are still being released into our country.” “Under President [Joe] Biden‚ our Southern border is a disaster‚” he added.  Here is Eagle Pass just weeks ago vs. yesterday.The Biden Administration decided to divert the flood of illegal immigrants to another location in order to keep them out of the camera shots during @HouseGOP’s visit to Eagle Pass. Don’t be fooled‚ they are still being released… pic.twitter.com/XzjPVq5xxB— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 2‚ 2024 “Under President Biden‚ America has laid out a welcome mat to illegal immigrants‚ smugglers‚ and cartels‚” Johnson said during a press conference at the border Wednesday. “He is responsible for the grave threat to our national security and our nation’s sovereignty that these policies have created.” Speaker Mike Johnson: "Under President Biden‚ America has laid out a welcome mat to illegal immigrants‚ smugglers‚ and cartels. He is responsible for the grave threat to our national security and our nation's sovereignty…" pic.twitter.com/Q19Ecuwdqz— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 3‚ 2024 Rep. Juan Ciscomani‚ R-Ariz.‚ joined the trip to Eagle Pass and wrote on X that “With 80k migrants crossing last month alone in the Tucson Sector‚ the Biden admin continues to worsen the crisis of their own creation.”  I'm in Eagle Pass today with @SpeakerJohnson‚ @RepTonyGonzales &; 60+ of my @HouseGOP colleagues to witness another section of our border crisis. With 80k migrants crossing last month alone in the Tucson Sector‚ the Biden admin continues to worsen the crisis of their own creation.— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) January 3‚ 2024 Over 302‚000 illegal aliens were encountered at the southern border in December alone‚ according to Customs and Border Protection sources.  Rep. Chip Roy‚ R-Texas‚ did not participate in the delegation to Eagle Pass‚ citing a need for action over more “meetings‚ speeches‚ and press conferences.” “I commend Speaker Johnson’s efforts to take a group of House Republicans to the Texas border [Wednesday] so that any members unaware of the depths of the threat to our citizenry may become fully informed. However‚ I will not be attending‚” Roy wrote in a letter to his colleagues that Fox News Digital exclusively reported.  “Our people—law enforcement‚ ranchers‚ local leaders—are tired of meetings‚ speeches‚ and press conferences‚” the Texas lawmaker said. “So‚ for those of us who have already witnessed this crisis dozens of times‚ it’s past that time. It’s time to act with urgency.” In a video shared on X‚ Roy called on GOP lawmakers to refuse to fund the government until the border is secure. This week‚ after speaking with ranchers and local law enforcement and leaders in border communities‚ Roy said‚ “They all told me the same thing: ‘Shut down the border or shut down the government.’”  Rep Roy on the Border crisis: "If you fund it‚ you own it.""We have to choose whether or not we're going to fight for the people that we came to Washington to fight for"#NoSecurityNoFunding #HR2 pic.twitter.com/Mgqe8dEhEF— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) January 3‚ 2024 It is the responsibility of Congress to “use the power of the purse to stop funding” the crisis at the southern border‚ Roy said. “If you fund it‚ you own it. We have to choose whether or not we’re going to fight for the people we came to Washington to fight for. We’ve gotta choose whether we’re going to use all of this as an excuse and then campaign on the issue‚ rather than doing what we can do right now if we choose to.” On this week’s edition of the “Problematic Women” podcast‚ we discuss the GOP prioritization of the border in 2024 and why the Senate needs to take up and pass the border security bill known as HR 2‚ which the House passed last May. If passed in the Senate and signed into law‚ the bill would restart border wall construction and end the mass parole of illegal aliens into the interior of the U.S.  Also on today’s show‚ we debunk some of the myths about climate change. Plus‚ Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a bill intended to protect children from transgender treatments and protect female sports. We explain why the Republican chief executive likely nixed the bill and what happens next.  Catch the show on your favorite podcast platform Thursday morning.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post With Trip to Border and Looming Impeachment of Mayorkas‚ House GOP Prioritizing Illegal Immigration Crisis in New Year appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A group of illegal aliens attempting to cross the southern border into Texas on Wednesday could be seen just feet away from congressional Republicans discussing the border crisis. House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ and 60 other House Republicans visited Eagle Pass‚ Texas‚ to discuss the worsening border and illegal immigration crisis. During one leg of the visit‚ the lawmakers watched in real time as groups of migrants tried to cross into the United States from Mexico via the Rio Grande. Johnson and Texas Public Safety Director Steve McCraw talked on the U.S. side of the river while illegal aliens waded through the stream in their direction‚ as seen in footage captured by Fox News. Some migrants yelled and waved at the congressional Republicans while crossing. Migrants cross the border illegally just now and are greeted by more than 60 Republican members of Congress pic.twitter.com/Q5sczT629q— Jennie Taer ???? (@JennieSTaer) January 3‚ 2024 House Republicans visited Eagle Pass‚ a highly trafficked corridor for migrants looking to enter the U.S.‚ to address their concerns that the Biden administration has failed to secure the southern border against a surge of illegal immigration. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded over 2 million migrant encounters during fiscal year 2023‚ which ended Sept. 30; some 300‚000 encounters were tracked in December alone‚ the highest monthly number ever recorded. Congress is mulling a border security deal while the Biden administration continues to push for a new funding package for Ukraine and Israel. House Republicans warned the Biden administration that they would not sign off on further funding for Ukraine unless some sort of border package was included. The White House has blamed House Republicans for the border crisis‚ claiming that President Joe Biden has offered “record-breaking” border security funding tied to Ukraine‚ Israel‚ and Gaza aid in a $106 billion supplemental package. Biden has scolded Republicans for taking time off over the holidays during a “crisis‚” despite the fact that the president himself just returned from a weeklong holiday. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. This report originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post GOP Lawmakers Watch as Illegal Aliens Try to Cross Southern Border appeared first on The Daily Signal.