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NC election official resigns after police say they caught him drugging teenagers' ice cream
The head of the Surry County Board of Elections in North Carolina resigned after police say he was caught on camera drugging his step-granddaughter and her friend.
On August 3, Republican election official James Yokeley Jr. allegedly flagged down police officers at a gas station near a Dairy Queen in New Hanover County, North Carolina.
According to a report from local outlet NC Newsline, Yokeley claimed that the two teens had found hard objects inside their Dairy Queen Blizzards, a whipped ice cream treat. Police alleged that was not the case, however, after they saw surveillance footage from inside the restaurant.
'I remain prayerfully confident that I will be exonerated of all accusations levied against me.'
"He can be seen placing something on the counter, and it's pretty apparent that when the employees make the drinks, he's trying to observe if anybody's observing him," Wilmington Police Lt. Greg Willett said in a press conference on Friday.
Willett said officers went to the Dairy Queen and asked for the in-store video, which Willett claimed "clearly shows Mr. Yokeley placing the pills in the ice cream."
What was actually in the pills was perhaps more disturbing; police field tests showed that the small blue pills contained cocaine and MDMA. The girls did not ingest the drugs, though, police stated.
In a letter, Yokeley not only issued his resignation, but he also denied the allegations that have been levied against him.
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"I am writing to formally resign from my position as Board Chair," Yokeley wrote in the letter.
He concluded that it was in the "best interest" of the state and local board but described the case as his "own falsely accused circumstances."
"Based on the truth and facts, I remain prayerfully confident that I will be exonerated of all accusations levied against me."
Sarah Whisenant, owner of the Dairy Queen in question, told WECT-TV that she did not recognize Yokeley or the two teenagers, but emphasized that her staff would never do such a thing.
"Thank goodness we had video," Whisenant said.
Four employees were working at the Dairy Queen at the time.
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Photographer: Noah Berger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The North Carolina State Board of Elections and Surry County Board of Elections said they are both "aware of the charges against Mr. Yokeley" and will "continue to collect information about the situation and will provide support to the Surry County board, as needed."
Yokeley was appointed as the head of the Surry elections board in June 2025. He has been charged with two counts of felony contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance, felony child abuse, and felony possession of Schedule I narcotics.
In court, the 66-year-old reportedly waived his right for a court-appointed attorney and was told he was not allowed to have contact with the teenagers. According to a report from NBC10 Boston, he posted $100,000 bond.
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Gallup poll captures damning snapshot of the extremity of Democrat resentment
The Trump administration — and the country by extension — has enjoyed tremendous success over the past seven months.
The administration has, for instance, secured the border; reformed the foreign aid establishment; fired thousands of bureaucrats across the government; exposed elements of the deep state; routed racist DEI initiatives in the federal government; turned international trade on its head in America's favor; brokered historic peace deals between warring nations across the globe; taken meaningful steps to make America healthy again; driven down the foreign-born population and rounded up multitudes of dangerous criminal noncitizens; and set about the demolition of the child sex-change regime.
Rather than join their countrymen in enjoying the fruits of the administration's efforts, Democrats have apparently grown more bitter and resentful.
Polling data published on Wednesday by Gallup revealed that whereas 93% of Republicans approve of President Donald Trump's overall job performance, only 1% of Democrats signaled approval — a 92-point gap.
The polling outfit noted that this chasmic difference ties the record for the largest partisan divide in Gallup's presidential approval trends, which was set in June.
When polled this month, 35% of independents signaled approval for the job done by the president.
RELATED: The numbers hold terrible news for the Democrats’ future
Photographer: Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Trump's record disapproval among Democrats is not entirely surprising. After all, a poll revealed late last year that nearly one in three Democrats would have preferred to see the president murdered in cold blood.
What is surprising, however, is that Democrats are similarly dissatisfied with the state of the country at large.
'Partisan perceptual biases that lead Democrats to see things as worse than they are and Republicans better than they are.'
Overall, 31% of Americans say that they are satisfied with the direction the country is going — up from 26% in October and the average 22% throughout Joe Biden's presidency.
Whereas 76% of Republicans say that they are satisfied with the direction of the country, less than 1% of Democrats said the same — a 76-point gap, the highest Gallup has ever recorded on this measure.
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Although in July 2024, only 1% of Republicans said that they were satisfied with the direction the country was heading, the partisan divide on the question was far less dramatic because 62% of Democrats were dissatisfied with the state of play.
Robert Shapiro, a professor of government at Columbia University, told Newsweek, "Two things are at work. One is genuine Democratic dislike of what is happening in the economy regarding prices, tariffs, etc. and then all the opposition to what Trump has been doing."
"Second is partisan perceptual biases that lead Democrats to see things as worse than they are and Republicans better than they are," continued Shapiro. "It is only good news for the Democrats if this mobilizes voters in 2026. The voters are not so happy with the Democratic Party and its leaders."
That is a major understatement.
A CNBC poll revealed earlier this month that favorability toward the Democratic Party among registered voters was 56% negative and 24% positive. The poll indicated that Trump had a 46% approval rate. Gallup indicated in late July that only 73% of Democrats had a positive opinion of their own party.
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Devastating Exposé Of Dems’ Electoral Collapse Shows Media Lied About Trump’s 2024 Win
Is Elon Musk ditching his America Party dream for a GOP power play?
Elon Musk may be reconsidering his aspirations for a third political party after concerns from conservatives that it could divert votes from the Republican Party.
A Tuesday report from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Musk is "quietly pumping the brakes" on the formation of the America Party and may instead support another Republican politician.
'Nothing @WSJ says should ever be thought of as true.'
In late June, amid Musk's falling-out with President Donald Trump over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Tesla CEO called for "an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE."
"If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day," Musk declared.
Several Republican politicians, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, warned Musk that a third party would likely act as a spoiler, ultimately benefiting the Democratic Party.
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Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
According to the WSJ's report citing anonymous sources, it appears that Musk is considering that advice. Musk has reportedly told his allies that he plans to concentrate on his businesses and does not want to alienate Republicans, particularly Vice President JD Vance, by forming a third party.
The news outlet reported that Musk and Vance have been in touch in recent weeks. Musk has allegedly stated to close allies that he would back Vance should he decide to run for president in 2028.
"Musk's allies said he hasn't formally ruled out creating a new party and could change his mind as the midterm elections near," the WSJ stated.
However, Musk reportedly canceled a July call with a group that specializes in organizing third-party campaigns, and he has not recently engaged with individuals who have expressed interest in the America Party.
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Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Charlie Kirk responded to the WSJ's report in a post on social media.
"Elon Musk is reportedly reconsidering his bid to launch a third party and instead put his support behind Vice President JD Vance should he decide to run, per a new report from the WSJ. Will have to wait for confirmation from Elon, but this would be very positive news for the country if true," Kirk wrote.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Vance directed the WSJ to the vice president's recent interview with the Gateway Pundit, during which he stated he hopes Musk will "come back into the fold" during the midterm elections.
While Musk did not respond to a request for comment from the WSJ, he dismissed the outlet's reporting in a post on X.
"Nothing @WSJ says should ever be thought of as true," he wrote without elaborating further.
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'Texas has plenty of bullets to shoot': Abbott tells Glenn Beck new maps will pass, laughs off Newsom's threat
Texas House Democrats appear desperate to spin their imminent return to the Lone Star State as a victory march. It's clear, however, that their weeks-long effort to thwart the will of the people and to prevent Republicans from passing new congressional lines was in vain.
Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) stressed to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on Wednesday that Republicans will ultimately prevail.
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Quick background
Texas Democrats fled to Illinois and other blue states earlier this month to block the passage of a redistricting plan that would help the GOP gain five more congressional pickup opportunities ahead of the midterm elections.
Following the Democrat lawmakers' departure, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) signed arrest warrants for the absentee legislators, Abbott ordered their arrests by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the FBI agreed to collaborate on the hunt.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton opened investigations into a George Soros-funded political action committee and a group organized by failed gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, which are both suspected of helping fund the Democrats' abrupt exit.
Paxton also readied a court request to remove the absentee legislators from office.
In the face of significant heat from Texas and the prospect of a chilly winter in exile, the absentee legislators have reportedly decided to return.
Trying to save face, Texas House Democrats said in a release that they have "killed this corrupt special session on behalf of Texas families — exactly what we said we'd do when we left the state."
Gov. Abbott announced on Tuesday, however, that he will immediately call another special session to get the matter resolved — much simpler after the Texas Senate voted 19-2 on Tuesday to pass the new congressional lines.
'They're going to pass'
Abbott suggested to Beck that Democrats realized after his Tuesday announcement of another special session that "they were going to have to take up permanent residency in Illinois or California or wherever."
'There's so many things wrong with that.'
"So the word on the street and the word in the news is that they are coming back, and they will be part of the special session that begins either on Friday of this week or Saturday of this week," said the governor. "But again, we'll see when and if they show up."
Abbott noted that regardless of whether the Democratic legislators show up to work, "these congressional district maps — they're going to pass as well as the other items on the agenda. They are going to pass."
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Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images
When asked about whether Republicans have enough votes in the state House to pass the maps, the governor noted that all that is needed is a majority, and the GOP controls nearly two-thirds of the chamber.
Newsom finger-waves at a gunfight
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) indirectly threatened Abbott in a Monday letter to President Donald Trump, noting that if Texas Republicans do not surrender on this issue, he "will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states."
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When asked to respond to Newsom, Abbott said, "Oh, my God," then broke out into laughter.
RELATED: Democrats ‘defend democracy’ by ditching it
Photo (left): Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; Photo (right): Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
"There's so many things wrong with that," said the governor. "In Texas, for us to redraw congressional lines and make sure that people in Texas are going to have the ability to vote for the Republican candidate of their choice in these congressional seats, all it requires is for the governor to call a special session on it and for a majority of the Texas House and Senate to vote on it."
Abbott noted that for redistricting California, Democrats must alternatively "go through this complex constitutional process."
In addition to suggesting Newsom's threat is easier said than done, Abbott noted it's virtually meaningless given how gerrymandered California — like Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts — is in the first place.
"[Newsom] is kind of like someone who shows up to a gunfight but forgot to bring the bullets because he doesn't have any bullets to shoot in this fight," said Abbott. "Whereas Texas has plenty of bullets to shoot — to make sure that we will maintain a congressional district in Texas that's going to be more Republican, more representative of the values and votes in our state."
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It Won’t End Well For Texas Dems Fleeing Their Duties. Just Ask Wisconsin Liberals
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