The Connecticut special-education teacher who threatened people who voted for President-elect Donald Trump in a viral video has resigned — and she tried to explain herself in a tearful on-camera interview.
Annie Dunleavy of Chapman Elementary School in Cheshire spoke in person with WTNH-TV, tearfully at times trying to explain herself. Her interview demeanor certainly was a stark contrast to what was seen in her viral video in which she threatened Trump voters.
'The message I was trying to get across, and it came off very wrong was ... if this is going to give people the almost permission in their minds to enact violence against women or anybody, I wanted to basically just say, like, I’m not going to go down without a fight.'
In that video, she claims that "people of color and poor people and gay people and all the people that I care about aren't gonna be safe in America — neither the f*** are you guys. Just because you won doesn't mean we don't remember who the f*** you voted for. You're not in the clear."
She added, "Please don't test your gangster on me because you will end on a stretcher. Gone. Forever. So serious. Nobody f***in' talk to me unless you wanna swing. If you wanna fight, text me, call me, whatever. Anybody else stay the f*** outta my face."
The threatening clip ends with her saying, "And if you voted for Trump, literally please delete me, block me, get rid of everything of me — or step to me, so that I know what’s up, and I can handle you how I see fit. Please, just come forward, we f***in' know. Just tell me. Or leave."
In her interview with WTNH, however — which included the interviewer reading some of her threatening words aloud to her — Dunleavy acknowledged, "It sounds very extreme, and again, I was in a moment of high emotions, and I shouldn’t have ever posted the video. But ... the message I was trying to get across, and it came off very wrong was ... if this is going to give people the almost permission in their minds to enact violence against women or anybody, I wanted to basically just say, like, I’m not going to go down without a fight."
The station said Dunleavy also declared that "I will fight for myself, and if someone was to try to hurt me, I would protect myself.”
Another clip of the interview shows Dunleavy in tears: "I mean, you know, it's my life's dream to be a teacher. I consider those kids my kids because I don't have any of my own. And they fill that for me, and it's so fulfilling, it's so rewarding. ... I know that what people see right now, I don't look like that person, but I truly would do anything to help any child and any family in need."
WTNH added that Dunleavy said she's been getting threats and has moved out of her home. She added to the station that Cheshire police — which had launched an investigation into her viral video — told her Wednesday she won't face any charges.
You can view the interview snippet with Dunleavy here. WTNH prefaced the snippet by indicating she "apologized to her students," and the station noted in its story that Dunleavy "is sorry" — but there is no apology from her in the station's video snippet. Perhaps an apology will be part of the full interview with Dunleavy, which WTNH said will air 10 a.m. Sunday.
'I can't unsee the video ... and I can't walk into that school. ... I’m literally shaking, I can't walk into that school and hand my kid off to that person.'
Samantha Rosenberg, chair of the Cheshire Board of Education, said in a written statement that the board recognizes “the intense emotions this situation has stirred," the station reported.
“The Board of Education is united in finding the teacher’s behavior reprehensible and unacceptable, and we are horrified and deeply offended by statements made in the video,” the statement reads in part, WTNH reported.
Prior to Dunleavy resigning, Cheshire Public Schools' Superintendent Jeff Solan said she was placed on leave until the outcome of an investigation, WFSB-TV reported. Solan added that once the video went viral, the district received a large number of calls — mostly from people outside the Cheshire community — and that business couldn't be conducted as usual with the teacher on campus.
WTIC-TV reported that the Cheshire Town Council held a meeting Tuesday night, and some parents said they weren't happy with what was expressed in the video.
WTIC reported that Amy Bourdon — a Cheshire mom whose son with special needs attends school in the district — said, "I saw a woman in crisis, and then when I replayed it a couple of times, I got up from my table and went and locked my front door."
Bourdon — who is a Republican, WTIC said — added that "we are the targets. Our lives have been targeted by an individual that cashes a paycheck from the town of Cheshire every week."
Lorie Barnes told WTIC that “I'm tired of being a Trump supporter and whispering."
Barnes, who's lived in Cheshire all her life, added to WTIC that her grandson will be moving from England and entering the Cheshire school district — and now that terrifies her.
"I can't unsee the video ... and I can't walk into that school. ... I’m literally shaking, I can't walk into that school and hand my kid off to that person," Barnes told WTIC.
You can view a news station video report here about the controversy.
As Blaze News has previously reported this week, a Southern California high school teacher on the day after the election lashed out in a classroom at a student who was wearing a Trump hat.
Blaze News this week also noted that a teacher at a different Southern California public high school went on a profane rant in his Advanced Placement world history class against Trump the day after the election and was placed on administrative leave.
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Last night, President Biden gave a speech from the Oval Office. It’s the first time he’s spoken since he announced his declination of the Democratic nomination in the 2024 election.
In his address confirming that he would “pass the torch,” Biden reiterated that “democracy is at stake” and that he would be “focused on doing [his] job as president” until the end of his term. He also chronicled all of his “accomplishments” over the course of his leadership — many of which were blatant lies (i.e., “securing our border”) — and promised to continue working hard to lower costs, protect our freedom, and fight extremism, among other endeavors. He then endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and said, “The choice is up to you — the American people.”
If you’re reading this and scoffing, you’re not alone. Glenn Beck was appalled, although not necessarily surprised, by Biden’s speech.
"He is NOT Fit to Rule!" | Glenn Beck STRONG Reaction to Biden Speechwww.youtube.com
As for the president’s promises to “continue to lower costs for hardworking families,” “grow our economy,” “[defend] our personal freedoms and our civil rights — from the right to vote to the right to choose,” “[call] out hate and extremism,” “protect our kids from gun violence and our planet from climate crisis,” and “call for Supreme Court reform,” Glenn is most concerned about the last one — reforming the Supreme Court.
“This is anti-republic and anti-democratic,” he says, adding that “the Supreme Court is actually shrinking the size of the federal government and returning the power closer to you at the state level.”
“[Democrats] don't like that, and quite honestly, it's because they do believe that they know better than the average American,” he explains.
Biden also stated that “the great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule; the people do,” making his intentions to reform the Supreme court “pretty ironic” — not to mention the fact that Kamala Harris has already been all but coronated by the Democratic party.
But perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Biden’s speech was his feigned contentedness at dropping out of the race.
On July 20, while in supposedly isolated quarantine, Biden posted the following tweet:
“Less than 24 hours later, not even a full day, Joe Biden steps down, and he does it again by a tweet,” says Glenn, noting that the letter lacked an “official presidential letterhead” and featured “a signature uncommon from the way he usually signs.”
What happened?
“It was a coup. It was a threat,” says Glenn.
To hear more of his thoughts on how such an internal debacle came to pass, watch the clip above.
To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has finally resigned, 10 days after the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump.
It was not only the actions not taken on July 13 that cinched her resignation, but her testimony to the House Oversight Committee, as it was nothing short of disastrous.
“Can you answer why the Secret Service didn’t place a single agent on the roof?” Cheatle was asked by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) during the testimony.
“We are still looking into the advanced process and the decisions that were made,” she responded, to groans from those present at the hearing. As the questions continued, Cheatle continued to dodge them — not giving one good answer as to why there were no agents on the sloped rooftop.
While Americans across the country are relieved that Cheatle resigned, Glenn Beck believes “that should not close this case by any stretch of the imagination.”
“When the assassination [attempt] first happened, I looked her up, and I’m like, where did she come from? And I saw that she was head of security for Pepsi, and I’m like, you’ve got to be kidding me,” he adds.
Glenn has some questions for the former Pepsi employee turned Secret Service director that he believes need to be answered before her lack of action is memory-holed.
“What’s on her devices? Why was she using Signal when talking to the White House from her own personal phone? That’s against the law. Did the White House know that was happening? What were they talking about? That’s really important to find out,” he says.
“I think everybody on that Secret Service detail should be brought in front of Congress and have to answer themselves. You know, it’s one thing to be told ‘Shut up, sit down, shut up, don’t say anything.’ It’s another when you’re going to be blamed for it on national television,” he adds.
To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Bob Menendez, the Democrat senior senator from New Jersey who was convicted of more than a dozen federal charges related to bribery and corruption last week, has finally tendered his resignation — effective a month from now.
On Tuesday, Sen. Menendez submitted a letter to Democrat New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, announcing his resignation and declaring that it will go into effect "on the close of business on August 20, 2024," more than a month after he was convicted of conspiracy, bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt while the senator was a chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, among other charges.
He hinted in his letter that he is resigning in part because his position as a senator could compromise his chances of a 'successful appeal.' 'Factual matters before the ethics committee are not privileged.'
In the letter, Menendez offered an explanation for the delay: "This will give time for my staff to transition to other possibilities, transfer constituent files that are pending, allow for an orderly process to choose an interim replacement, and for me to close out my Senate affairs."
The New York Post took a more cynical view, noting that resigning on Augusts 20 allows the senator, who apparently accepted bribes of cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and even gold bars, to collect two more paychecks from the American taxpayer on his way out the door.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29.
Menendez, 70, cut his teeth in the tough world of Union City, New Jersey, politics by testifying against his mentor, Union City Mayor William Musto, for alleged corruption in the early 1980s but eventually involved himself in the same corrupt political machine, apparently.
From the time Menendez was appointed to the Senate seat in 2006 by Democrat Gov. Jon Corzine, who vacated the seat after winning the state gubernatorial race, Menendez has been dogged by local and federal prosecutors, fending off accusations of funneling public funds to individuals and nonprofits in exchange for favors.
Menendez likewise maintains his innocence in the recent case against him, despite the conviction, which he intends to appeal. In fact, he hinted in his letter that he is resigning in part because his position as a senator could compromise his chances of a "successful appeal." "Factual matters before the ethics committee are not privileged," he remarked. "This is evidenced by the Committee's Staff Director and Chief Counsel being called to testify at my trial."
Menendez is up for re-election this November, and though he vowed not to run again as a Democrat, he is a declared independent candidate. Democrat nominee Rep. Andy Kim is expected to win the race handily, though, and Menendez has until August 16 to withdraw.
Once Menendez leaves the Senate, Gov. Murphy will be allowed to appoint an interim replacement until the winner of the election takes office in January. Murphy is not expected to name Kim, in order to avoid the appearance of attempting to sway the election.
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One of the original founders of La Leche League resigned from the organization due to the inclusion of men in the organization’s mission.
Secret Service Director Cheatle said she will not resign from her role after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Democratic National Committee rules and state laws create a simple path to oust Biden before, during, and after the convention.
Georgia State Election Board member Ed Lindsey's Friday resignation comes months after The Federalist uncovered his history of voting on cases involving clients he lobbied for.
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