New Poll Shows Winners, Frustrations Of Record Government Shutdown Fight
Disapproval ratings tell a harsh story.
Trump admin drops hammer on SNAP scammers after finding 186K dead people collecting benefits
The Trump administration has plans to root out fraud in the country's food stamp program.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides benefits to approximately 42 million Americans, costing about $100 billion in the fiscal year 2024.
'Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends.'
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Thursday that the administration will require Americans receiving food stamps through SNAP to reapply.
Rollins told Newsmax that this effort would "make sure that everyone that's taking a taxpayer-funded benefit … that they literally are vulnerable and they can't survive without it."
Rollins explained that she sent letters to every state, requesting data on SNAP benefits. She noted that 29 states, primarily those led by Republicans, responded to the request.
She stated that "186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check."
RELATED: Supreme Court rules in favor of Trump administration to extend pause in SNAP funding
"That is what we're really going to start clamping down on. Half a million are getting two [payments]," Rollins said, noting that this included data from only 29 states.
"Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue-state data what we're gonna find?" she added.
"It's going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program," Rollins continued.
The secretary described one instance in which an individual used the same Social Security number to obtain EBT cards in six states.
She noted that President Donald Trump has made cracking down on SNAP fraud a priority, adding that 120 arrests have already been made.
It is not yet clear when beneficiaries will be required to reapply for the benefits.
"Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends," a USDA spokesperson told The Hill. "Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of State data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with States."
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Democratic lawmaker texted Epstein during hearing — appeared to use his tips to grill Trump’s ex-lawyer
A Democratic lawmaker admitted to texting with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing, seeking his advice on how to question President Donald Trump's so-called "fixer," Michael Cohen.
Cohen has claimed that Trump tried to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels to hide an alleged extramarital affair. Trump has denied these claims, stating that the funds were sent directly to Cohen, his then-personal attorney, for legal expenses. Cohen testified against the president in the case led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), in which Trump was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump has filed an appeal seeking to reverse the criminal conviction.
'During the hearing, Congresswoman Plaskett received texts from staff, constituents and the public at large offering advice, support and in some cases partisan vitriol, including from Epstein.'
Documents released Wednesday by the House Oversight Committee revealed that a member of Congress, whose name was redacted, had been exchanging text messages with Epstein during a February 2019 hearing where lawmakers heard testimony from Cohen.
Epstein's messages to the lawmaker appeared to indicate that he was watching the hearing live. Although the name of the congressperson was redacted from the committee's documents, the timing of the messages indicated that the convicted sex predator was texting Democratic Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Washington Post reported.
Plaskett's office released a statement on Friday, admitting that she had been texting with Epstein.
Plaskett reportedly sent a message to Epstein before the hearing. When the hearing began and the live feed started, Epstein complimented the delegate's outfit.
RELATED: Trump felony conviction in doubt? President files appeal to clear his name
"Are you chewing," read Epstein's message to the lawmaker moments after the camera cut to Plaskett, who was seen moving her mouth in a chewing motion.
"Not any more," Plaskett responded, according to the documents. "Chewing interior of my mouth. Bad habit from middle school."
"Cohen brought up RONA - keeper of the secrets," Epstein wrote at 11:24 a.m. His message seemed to reference Rhona Graff, Trump's former executive assistant and former vice president of the Trump Organization, although Plaskett did not immediately grasp the reference.
"RONA??" the lawmaker replied.
"Quick I'm up next is that an acronym," Plaskett asked, appearing to indicate that it would soon be her turn to question Cohen.
RELATED: Sorry, liberals — the Epstein emails don’t nail Trump
At 12:25 p.m., Epstein suggested the lawmaker ask Cohen about other individuals close to Trump.
"Hes (sic) opened the door to questions re who are the other henchmen at trump org," he wrote.
When it was Plaskett's turn to question Cohen, she inquired about Trump's associates, as Epstein had recommended.
"During the hearing, Congresswoman Plaskett received texts from staff, constituents and the public at large offering advice, support and in some cases partisan vitriol, including from Epstein," the statement from Plaskett's office read. "As a former prosecutor she welcomes information that helps her get at the truth and took on the GOP that was trying to bury the truth. The congresswoman has previously made clear her long record combating sexual assault and human trafficking, her disgust over Epstein's deviant behavior and her support for his victims."
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Democrat ex-lawmaker who heckled Trump convicted in COVID fraud scheme
A leftist former lawmaker was sentenced last month after being convicted of fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 relief loan.
Ibraheem Samirah, a former Democratic Virginia state delegate, made headlines in 2019 for interrupting President Donald Trump’s Jamestown speech, holding up a sign that read, “Deport hate” and “reunite my family.”
'The defendant was stealing federal tax dollars at the same time he was deciding how to spend Virginia tax dollars.'
Samirah, 34, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $88,000 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, according to a Tuesday report from the Washington Post.
Prosecutors argued that the former lawmaker received an $83,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan in May 2020 for his dental practice in Fairfax County. He applied in August 2021 to have the loan forgiven, which would require the PPP funds to have been used for payroll, rent, or mortgage payments.
Samirah claimed that the loan would be used to pay four workers at his practice. However, court documents revealed that his business had no payroll employees. Additionally, it had no active financial account to disburse payroll funds until a few days before applying for the loan.
Samirah allegedly fabricated payroll and tax records to secure the loan. The funds were distributed through bank accounts belonging to the supposed employees and then transferred into Samirah’s own account, according to prosecutors.
“The defendant was stealing federal tax dollars at the same time he was deciding how to spend Virginia tax dollars,” prosecutors wrote.
Samirah told the Post that he had a “mistaken understanding of the PPP loan process,” which he claimed was “weaponized by Donald Trump’s Justice Department.”
He told the news outlet that he intended to use the cash to hire workers to market his business; however, on the loan application, he claimed that the funds would go to existing employees. He explained that he changed his mind about hiring new workers after realizing the pandemic would be prolonged. Instead, he spent the money on dental equipment and office furnishings, which were not authorized uses of the funds.
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'Felony-level trolling': Supporters outraged after Navy veteran allegedly jailed for ‘satirical meme'
A Texas sheriff’s office allegedly arrested a local veteran for a satirical social media post.
The Hood County Sheriff’s Office claimed that he was jailed for felony “online impersonation-name/persona create page” in the third degree. However, the defense attorney contends that his client was arrested for merely posting a political meme.
'Tech-illiterate Boomer Sheriff Deputies in Hood County, Texas arrested my friend for felony-level trolling.'
On November 5, authorities reportedly arrested Kolton Krottinger, a Navy veteran who operates the Blue Branch Historic Ranch, a veterans’ mental health center in Granbury.
It is believed that Krottinger was detained over an October 2 Facebook post of a fake screenshot designed to look like a real post from a rival local activist. The hoax image featured the activist’s profile photo and name above a message expressing support for then-Granbury ISD school board candidate Monica Brown.
“The Victim states that she does not support Monica Brown for this election and stated that the public is being misled by the post as to what the Victim’s actual beliefs are concerning this particular election race,” the complaint read.
Rob Christian, Krottinger’s attorney, referred to the post as “a meme.”
“After 25 years of experience as a district attorney and criminal defense attorney, I have never seen anyone get arrested for engaging in political speech,” Christian told the Dallas Express.
RELATED: Threads is now bigger than X, and that’s terrible for free speech
Hood County Constable John Shirley explained to the news outlet that the allegedly impersonated activist “very openly, loudly, and publicly hates” Brown.
“It’s a picture of a political sign that anybody who knows the person whose account this was pasted onto would know that it’s fake and a joke,” Shirley said.
“I’m outspoken about the First Amendment. I believe in the Constitution, I believe in the Bill of Rights,” Shirley continued. “This kind of stuff really smells of authoritarianism.”
State law prohibits using “the name or persona of another person” to “harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten any person.”
While Sheriff Roger Deeds told Blaze News that “this case is still under investigation so I cannot comment further on it,” the sheriff’s office still appeared to reference the case in a November 10 Facebook post.
“The Hood County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of numerous social media posts with regards to bullying, harassment, threats and similar, directed towards citizens in our community,” a bulletin from the office read. “While certain online posts may seem offensive, cruel, threatening or inappropriate to some, much of what is posted online is protected by the 1st amendment. However, these acts may sometimes constitute a criminal offense, such as the example below, from a recent and notable case.”
The example cited in the office’s announcement referenced Texas Penal Code § 33.07, online impersonation. The sheriff’s office concluded the bulletin by encouraging any additional potential victims to file an offense report.
RELATED: Tommy Robinson has the last laugh after politically motivated terrorism arrest: 'Free speech won!'
The arrest of Krottinger prompted Nate Criswell, former chair of the Hood County Republican Party, to start an online petition to urge the district attorney to drop the charges.
“Tech-illiterate Boomer Sheriff Deputies in Hood County, Texas arrested my friend for felony-level trolling,” Criswell wrote on social media.
Texas attorney general candidate Aaron Reitz also spoke out about the charges.
“From what I can tell, Kolton Krottinger created an obviously satirical meme. Moreover, his conduct doesn’t appear to meet the 'intent' requirement under Texas Penal Code § 33.07 (Online Impersonation). On its face, this case seems far outside the scope of the statute’s text, purpose, and precedent,” Reitz said.
Reitz speculated that the charges would ultimately be dropped.
“But that provides little immediate relief and doesn’t undo the current or past injustices that have led to this point,” he continued. “Kolton may also have recourse under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 if the County has deprived him of his First Amendment rights, which I strongly suspect it has done. The longer this situation continues, the greater the potential liability for Hood County.”
On Wednesday, Brown, the former school board candidate, filed a complaint with the sheriff’s office concerning Krottinger’s arrest and treatment.
“Mr. Krottinger shared a harmless political satire meme related to a local school board election. He was arrested, handcuffed, placed in solitary confinement, classified as ‘high-profile,’ had his phone confiscated, and denied access to social media, which is his livelihood,” Brown wrote.
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