USA Fencing director compared parents who were worried about young girls' safety to the Ku Klux Klan



USA Fencing's board director Damien Lehfeldt had a contentious hearing with members of the Republican Party over whether men should be allowed to compete in women's fencing.

Lehfeldt, who has a detailed history of making derogatory remarks online about President Trump and those who believe sports should be separated by sex, faced a grilling alongside Fatima Goss Graves, CEO of the National Women's Law Center.

Congressman Brandon Gill (R-Texas) pointed to troubling online posts from the executive, who largely admitted to making crass remarks.

Gill presented a social media post where Lehfeldt responded to a parent who didn't want their daughter "being beaten up by men in sports."

Lehfeldt allegedly wrote, "I'm not gonna pull her from the sport and write a whiny email announcing my departure."

The board director did not deny he wrote the response and agreed it was "an inappropriate message" that he regretted posting.

Gill then asked about a post from parents who "don't want their daughters competing against men in sports" and how Lehfeldt allegedly compared those parents to the "Ku Klux Klan."

In response to the post, Lehfeldt reportedly wrote, "The only wizard that's going to dig you out of the myopic hole you put yourself, and your family in, is one of the grand-wizard variety," which is a reference to a rank in the KKK.

Lehfeldt said he apologized for that remark and called it "inappropriate" and pledged to "never making a message like that again."

Lehfeldt then admitted that another response to the post was "not real."

On his Facebook page, Lehfeldt was also exposed by Gill for writing, "Imagine being one of 71 million people dumb enough to vote re-election for a treasonous clown who is permanently banned from Twitter for inciting an insurrection, you mad MAGA bros."

The executive stated that this was not in his professional capacity and acknowledged that Trump had won re-election, to which Gill replied that it was written on a page called "The Fencing Coach."

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) took her turn hammering Lehfeldt with yes or no questions, including, "Do you think forcing a woman to change in front of a man, in a locker room, is abusive — yes or no?"

Before Lehfeldt answered, Greene continued, "Do you want your daughter to change in front of biological men in locker rooms?"

The director then replied, "My daughter isn't really something that should be part of this hearing, respectfully."

Lehfeldt's social media activity was proved to be very questionable during the hearing. However, Representative Greene did show a photo of Lehfeldt that had been cropped to make it seem as if he was holding up the middle finger; he was actually giving a piece sign.

Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

In another instance on Instagram, Lehfeldt responded to a question from a user that asked, "Are you okay with cis females being at a disadvantage?"

Lehfeldt responded to the question simply by saying, "Yeah."

Lehfeldt told the committee he exercised poor judgment in that instance and should not have said it.

Representative James Comer (R-Ky.) was another House member who offered up simple questions to the panel of guests, which also consisted of Stephanie Turner, a female fencer who refused to compete against a man, and Payton McNabb, a former female volleyball player who suffered brain damage at the hands of a male athlete in her league.

"Do you believe biological men should compete in women’s sports?" Comer asked the panel.

McNabb and Turner both quickly replied "no," but Mr. Lehfeldt was not as reasonable.

"If they comply with the requirements, sir," Lehfeldt replied. He then clarified that he did not mean by federal policy regarding men in women's sports, but by the "policy of USA Fencing."

Graves said she agreed with Lehfeldt and believed that "trans women" should be able to compete in fencing in accordance with their "gender identity."

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A Republican turncoat courts a Trump judgeship



At first glance, Erin Nealy Cox might seem like a safe bet for traditional Republicans. She calls herself a “Texas Republican” and served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas under President Donald Trump, confirmed in late 2017.

But like many Trump-era appointees, she quickly revealed herself as just another creature of the swamp. Republican voters shouldn’t trust her.

Cox, whose family roots run deep in Texas Republican politics, expects to glide into a federal judgeship without scrutiny.

Cox is now one of nearly two dozen candidates seeking a federal judgeship in North Texas. Her record deserves scrutiny.

In the aftermath of January 6, she issued a statement condemning the protesters — without acknowledging that every person who died that day supported Trump. “Forcibly storming a government building is a reprehensible betrayal of the rule of law,” she wrote. In a post amplifying her statement, she added, “Those who committed violence in Washington today are anarchists, not patriots. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Cox has never addressed the growing body of evidence that contradicts the official January 6 narrative.

She stepped down from her post just two days later, on Jan. 8, 2021. Although her resignation had been announced in December and wasn’t formally tied to the events at the Capitol, the timing still raises questions. She claimed she was making way for a Biden appointee — a routine move when the presidency changes hands. Even so, the context matters.

On Jan. 7, the day before she left office, Cox filed a controversial deferred prosecution agreement in the case involving Boeing’s 737 MAX crashes, which killed 346 people. The deal shielded Boeing executives from criminal charges and didn’t require a guilty plea. Columbia Law Professor John Coffee called it “one of the worst deferred prosecution agreements I have seen,” and “without precedent.”

Boeing’s criminal defense team included Mark Filip, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis.

Just months later, in June, Cox joined the same firm — now a partner herself. In plain terms: She let one of Kirkland’s clients off the hook, then took a job at the firm.

Kirkland hasn’t exactly been friendly to Trump or his policies. During his first term, the firm provided pro bono representation to asylum seekers, migrants, and others held in ICE detention. They actively opposed the administration’s “family separation” policy.

That section of their website has vanished. Only archived versions on the Wayback Machine remain, and even those appear to have been pulled sometime around March.

The firm also fought Trump’s efforts to end DACA, offering free legal services to recipients and filing lawsuits on their behalf. Like the rest, that work has disappeared from their website. The same goes for their involvement in lawsuits challenging Trump’s so-called “Muslim ban,” as reported by the legal blog "Above the Law."

In the end, Trump may have had the last laugh, but Cox’s career trajectory speaks volumes.

Kirkland would later cut a deal with the second Trump administration in April to provide $125 million worth of pro bono legal services to avoid punitive executive orders and resolve investigations by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission into the firm’s DEI practices.

Meanwhile, Cox’s husband, John “Trey” Cox, has donated extensively to Democrats over the past decade. Here are some lowlights:

These donations, some as recent as 2023, paint a clear picture: This is not a household aligned with Republican priorities. Yet Cox, whose family roots run deep in Texas Republican politics, expects to glide into a federal judgeship without scrutiny.

Republicans can’t afford that mistake.

Cox’s condemnation of January 6 protesters, her husband’s funding of judges who undermine conservative goals, and her post-resignation alignment with a firm hostile to Trump all signal the same thing: She’s not on our side.

She may be one of nearly two dozen candidates for the North Texas seat — but her record should take her out of the running.

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Conservatives Can’t Make America Great Again Until They Hold ‘Red State’ RINOs Accountable

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Is Jesus a liberal? Democrat senator weaponizes Christ — then condemns himself



Does the Democratic Party have a monopoly on Christ?

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), a pastor and progressive Democrat, recently implied as much. In fact, Warnock suggested that his political views are not only aligned with scripture, but they are synonymous with the teachings of Jesus Christ. And for anyone who disagrees with him, such as Republicans, he believes they're not only wrong — but they're abusing Jesus.

Warnock said on "The View":

I think Jesus is the biggest victim of identity theft in this country. I don’t know who this Jesus is they’re talking about. The Jesus I know was born in a barrio called Bethlehem, raised in a ghetto called Nazareth. He was an immigrant, smuggled into Egypt.

In another interview on MSNBC, Warnock spewed the same message. He said Jesus is a "victim of identity theft" — suggesting that Republicans are the perpetrator — and implied Republicans are acting in cruel, anti-Christian ways when they cut government funding.

Jesus, the progressive?

Warnock's message is dangerous. It is the theological equivalence of gerrymandering: He is redrawing moral and theological boundaries so that only his side can claim righteousness.

Even worse, Warnock is using his definition of righteousness to divide between the sheep and the goats, replacing Christ's teachings with progressive policies. In his telling, only progressive policies are truly Christlike, while conservative policies are anti-Christian.

Warnock wants to baptize progressive politics, call it righteousness, and condemn his opponents into outer darkness.

Warnock describes himself as a "Matthew 25 Christian," referring to Jesus' famous teaching that Democrats love to weaponize against conservative Christians, to emphasize the Democratic Party's supposed concern for the poor and marginalized. It sounds noble. But who is opposed to caring for the needs of the poor, victimized, and marginalized? Certainly not conservative Christians. It's what Christians have done for 2,000 years!

The truth is that conservative Christians disagree on the means. They do not believe a large, centralized, power-hungry government is the best way to achieve this goal. Yet, Warnock talks as if anyone who doesn't support his preferred legislation is abandoning Christ.

In recasting his policy preferences as the only legitimate Christian action, Warnock condemns himself with the exact kind of holier-than-thou spiritual arrogance that he accuses others of.

Especially troubling is the fact that Warnock, a pastor of a historic church, would frame his political opponents as morally and spiritually compromised — and opponents of Christ Himself — rather than acknowledging the legitimate policy disagreements among his fellow Christian brothers and sisters.

It should go without saying: If you oppose government "solutions," that does not mean you oppose Christ.

Jesus healed the sick, cared for the poor, and gave hope to the marginalized. He did that because He is God — not because He is a government bureaucrat.

Warnock, guilty as charged

Not only is Warnock engaging in a rhetorical game to shame Christians for policy disagreements, but he is reducing the Gospel to progressive social policy.

It's not prophetic boldness, though it resonates with his base. It's dishonest spiritual gatekeeping.

The irony is palpable: Warnock accuses his opponents of stealing Jesus' "identity" and weaponizing Christianity, while he does exactly that. He uses Christ as a partisan mascot to gain moral leverage over his political opponents.

This game isn't new for Warnock. Ever since he entered politics, he has leveraged his Christian faith to advance the Democratic Party's agenda.

Warnock is very concerned about the victim, poor, and marginalized. But what about unborn children? Warnock, of course, boasts about being a "pro-choice pastor," and he cannot name a single abortion restriction that he endorses. This example alone proves the hollowness of Warnock's browbeating. If he were truly concerned about every marginalized person — those who do not have "power" or a "voice" — certainly he would advocate for the protection of every unborn life, each of which is formed in God's image and has neither power nor a voice.

Now, Warnock is using his political leverage to oppose immigration policies that, despite critics, aren't unbiblical. Christ never said that America has a moral and spiritual obligation to welcome with open arms every migrant who desires to live here.

The Kingdom of God is not of this world. But Warnock wants to baptize progressive politics, call it righteousness, and condemn his opponents into outer darkness.

It isn't Christianity. It's pure political and spiritual manipulation.

Christians must reject Warnock's attempt to conflate his progressive gospel with the good news that Jesus preached. Christ seeks not political conformity but repentance and disciples.

The Son of God doesn't take marching orders from the Democratic Party. He is Lord, and He won't be used.

Trump reassigns Mike Waltz to a new post following Signal scandal



President Donald Trump announced that he will be nominating Mike Waltz, who currently serves as his national security adviser, to instead be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as the interim national security adviser until the president appoints a new candidate to permanently fill the role. The announcement to reassign Waltz came just hours after multiple reports began to surface about his rumored firing from the administration for his role in the now infamous Signal chat leaks.

Given his responsibility in 'SignalGate,' we can expect to see senators apply significant pressure on the nominee during his confirmation hearing.

"I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday. "From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation's interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role."

"In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department," Trump added. "Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN."

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York was originally set to serve as U.N. ambassador and even began to go through the Senate confirmation process. Her nomination was eventually rescinded after Speaker Mike Johnson brought up the House Republican's historically narrow majority.

Another vacancy in the House GOP would shrink their majority even further, making it nearly impossible to pass meaningful legislation, especially during the ongoing reconciliation fight.

Notably, Waltz was nominated to a role requiring Senate confirmation. Given his responsibility in "SignalGate," we can expect to see senators apply significant pressure on the nominee during his confirmation hearing.

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Leftist Gov. Pritzker says 'Republicans cannot know a moment of peace,' wants 'mass protests,' 'mobilization,' 'disruption'



Illinois Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared Sunday that "Republicans cannot know a moment of peace" and called for "mass protests," "mobilization," and "disruption" against the administration of President Donald Trump, the Hill reported.

During his keynote address at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Pritzker added that "they have to understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have. We must castigate them on the soapbox and then punish them at the ballot box."

'We will never join so many Republicans in the special place in hell reserved for quislings and cowards. We will relegate their portraits to the museum halls reserved for tyrants and traitors.'

Pritzker's words seemed eerily reminiscent of other prominent leftists during Trump's first term in office. Who can forget when far-left U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) encouraged her supporters during a June 2018 speech to harass members of Trump's administration?

"Let's make sure we show up wherever we have to show up, and if you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them, and you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere!" Waters hollered.

Indeed, harassment followed, and attacks on conservatives got physical too. Remember, also, that Hillary Clinton piled on, saying "you cannot be civil" with Republicans. Former Attorney General Eric Holder said, "When they go low, we kick them!" and far-left U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) urged activists in Washington, D.C., to "go to the Hill" and "get up in the face of some congresspeople."

More recently, Democrat House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said — in reference to the Trump agenda — his party is "going to fight it in the streets."

A WBBM-TV video report about Pritzker's speech said the New Hampshire 100 Club Dinner is "usually reserved for those about to run for president" and that Pritzker was "sounding like a 2028 presidential candidate."

The keynote speaker at the state's 100 Club Dinner last year was Minnesota Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, who ran with Kamala Harris on the 2024 Democrat presidential ticket, the Hill said.

Pritzker also criticized members of his own party, saying "do-nothing Democrats want to blame our losses on our defense of black people, of trans kids, of immigrants, instead of their own lack of guts and gumption," the outlet reported.

Although Pritzker conceded that while Democrats “may need to fix our messaging and strategy, our values are exactly where they should be," The Hill said.

The Illinois governor added, “We will never join so many Republicans in the special place in hell reserved for quislings and cowards. We will relegate their portraits to the museum halls reserved for tyrants and traitors," the Hill also said, according to multiple national outlets.

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