Members of the corporate media covering former President Donald J. Trump‘s Manhattan-based hush money trial engaged in some fairly disgusting habits in an effort to work around security and typical court restrictions.
Reporters would use the periodic breaks in the trial to rush to the courthouse bathrooms, where they’d eat sandwiches, do their business, and charge their phones and laptops. While some used the facilities for their intended purposes, other journalists — according to POLITICO — “shoved granola bars and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into their faces before racing back to business.” Public bathrooms are known to harbor a plethora of harmful bacteria, including norovirus, salmonella, and even hepatitis A. Additionally, the act of flushing a toilet can disperse feces and urine microbes over five feet into the air, forming a plume of microscopic human waste that will eventually settle on the surrounding surfaces.
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Many of the trial attendees, including several attorneys with the defense and prosecution, wore winter coats while sitting at their respective tables during the proceedings, as the chamber was frigidly cold. Former President Trump himself complained publicly about the freezing temperatures on several occasions, calling the courtroom an “icebox.”
Adding to the unhealthy environment created by a cold court and filthy journalists is the fact that the courthouse is undergoing significant remodels and reconstruction, which has led to asbestos abatements, a mess of scaffolding, and potentially toxic dust.
By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Interior Department issued a new order targeting large-scale wind and solar projects, citing inefficiency, environmental impact, and grid instability.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Secretary Doug Burgum, President Donald Trump, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The order was revealed Tuesday, August 5, 2025, and impacts federal land management across the United States.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Gargantuan, unreliable, intermittent energy projects hold America back from achieving U.S. energy dominance while weighing heavily on the American taxpayer and environment,” said Doug Burgum.
🎯IMPACT: The order could limit the expansion of wind and solar projects, focusing instead on energy sources with higher efficiency and reliability.
IN FULL
The Interior Department has taken new steps to evaluate energy projects on federal lands based on their efficiency and environmental impact. Secretary Doug Burgum issued an order using a “capacity density” formula to measure the space and reliability of energy installations, with a particular focus on wind and solar projects.
“Gargantuan, unreliable, intermittent energy projects hold America back from achieving U.S. energy dominance while weighing heavily on the American taxpayer and environment,” Burgum said, announcing the new initiative. The order aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s energy goals, emphasizing the optimization of land use and the minimization of environmental impacts.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that advanced nuclear plants produce significantly more energy per acre compared to wind farms, with nuclear energy being 5,500 times more efficient. Burgum’s order highlights the displacement of reliable energy sources by “artificially stimulated” wind and solar projects, which he says have destabilized the electric grid.
President Trump has long criticized wind energy for its environmental toll, including the killing of birds. “If you love birds, you’d never want to walk under a windmill because it’s a very sad, sad sight. It’s like a cemetery,” Trump remarked during a past speech.
The order also touches on national security concerns, noting the importance of a stable domestic energy production framework. Burgum emphasized the need for commonsense policies that strengthen the nation while keeping the public informed.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: In a post on Truth Social, President Donald J. Trump said he will move to federalize the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., unless the city government, led by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), reins in violent crime.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington, D.C. city officials, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), criminals, and victims of violent crime.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made Tuesday, August 5, 2025, in a post on Truth Social.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local “youths” and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released.” — President Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: Trump and Congress could move to revoke home rule for the capital and re-exert federal control entirely over the city.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump announced on Tuesday that he will move to federalize the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., unless the city government, led by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), reins in violent crime. In a post on Truth Social, Trump lambasted the lack of action by city officials to handle a recent wave of violent and deadly assaults and muggings.
“Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local “youths” and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released,” President Trump wrote. He added: “They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now! The Law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these “minors” as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14. The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs.”
Trump insists that the capital “must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans,” and if Mayor Bowser does not act, “we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore.” Significantly, the President added: ” If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City.”
Washington, D.C. has been plagued with waves of violent crime—especially during the summer months—in recent years. Recently, Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old college student interning for Representative Ron Estes (R-KS), died after being struck by a stray bullet in a drive-by shooting in the downtown area of the capital. Over a month earlier, far-left pro-Palestinian activist Elias Rodriguez murdered two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum.
Already, the Trump administration has ramped up nuisance arrests for public drinking and drug use in public parks under federal control. This effort stems from a presidential directive issued in March aimed at clearing D.C.’s homeless encampments and open-air drug markets, which have fueled—in part—the crime wave.
The National Pulse reported last month that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) confirmed Michael Pulliam, a Washington, D.C. police commander, is under investigation for allegedly doctoring crime statistics. The investigation began after the Fraternal Order of Police complained that the department was deliberately falsifying crime data. The police union claims that supervisors are manipulating data to show a significant decrease in violent crime compared to the previous year.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Holly Paz, a former deputy to Lois Lerner during the Obama-era IRS targeting scandal, was placed on leave following concerns raised by lawmakers over the politicization of a new IRS sub-department she was leading.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Holly Paz, former IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Joni Ernst, Rep. Lloyd Smucker, and current IRS Commissioner Billy Long.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Paz was placed on leave last week, following months of scrutiny and letters to the Treasury Department from lawmakers. The events span multiple years, including the former Obama and Biden governments.
🎯IMPACT: Lawmakers have raised concerns about the IRS’s impartiality, the potential misuse of taxpayer funds, and the targeting of conservative businesses, echoing previous IRS scandals.
IN FULL
Holly Paz, a former deputy to Lois Lerner during the Obama-era IRS targeting scandal, has been placed on leave after lawmakers raised concerns about a new IRS sub-department she was leading. Paz had been assigned to oversee a unit aimed at auditing pass-through businesses, a move announced by Biden-era IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. At the time, Werfel described the unit as a step toward holding the nation’s wealthiest filers accountable.
Lawmakers, however, have criticized the new unit as being ideologically driven. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) warned in May that the unit was targeting Main Street businesses, including family-owned ventures and professional services firms. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) also raised concerns about the unit’s impartiality, citing political comments made by Paz’s team and their use of templates with names referencing political rhetoric.
Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) expressed alarm over a Biden-era rule extending the scope of enforcement, which he argued burdens small businesses. “American taxpayers and businesses deserve clear and consistent tax rules that allow them to confidently comply with the law,” Smucker wrote in a letter to the newly appointed IRS Commissioner Billy Long, calling for a reconsideration of the rule.
Blackburn and Ernst have both noted that the new unit duplicates existing IRS processes, potentially wasting taxpayer money. Blackburn further highlighted that the unit’s focus on increasing audits rather than improving compliance suggests an agenda-driven approach to enforcement.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: British anti-grooming gang activist Tommy Robinson was arrested by police after a physical altercation at a train station in London.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tommy Robinson, British police, unidentified injured man.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The altercation took place on July 28, while Robinson’s arrest occurred several days later.
💬KEY QUOTE: “RELEASE THE FOOTAGE.” – Tommy Robinson on social media.
🎯IMPACT: The arrest could lead to potential charges and yet another possible prison sentence for Robsinson, who has been hounded by UK authorities for years.
IN FULL
British anti-grooming gang activist Tommy Robinson was arrested on the night of August 4 on suspicion of assaulting a man at St. Pancras train station in London. The 42-year-old was detained by police at Luton Airport, just outside London, as he returned from Portugal.
Although police generally do not confirm the identities of individuals who haven’t been formally charged, the British Transport Police said in a statement that a 42-year-old Bedfordshire man had been arrested in connection with a July 28 assault at St. Pancras. The police later confirmed the man had been released on bail until September 2.
Footage published by British media showed police officers meeting Robinson as he exited the plane and escorting him into a waiting van.
Authorities had sought Robinson since July 28, when a man was discovered unconscious at the central London train station. A video circulated widely on social media shows Robinson walking nearby, but it does not reveal how the man was injured. In the clip, Robinson is heard telling someone off-camera, “He come at me, bruv.”
On Tuesday morning, a post on Robinson’s X account (formerly Twitter) read, “RELEASE THE FOOTAGE,” and tagged London’s Metropolitan Police Service.
Following the incident, British Transport Police issued a statement saying a man had suffered serious injuries in an assault at the station and was taken to the hospital. They also said the suspect had boarded a flight to Tenerife in the early hours of July 29, and urged witnesses to come forward with any information.
The case comes just months after Robinson was released from prison after serving time behind bars for contempt of court relating to a case involving a young Syrian asylum seeker. Robinson received an 18-month sentence for releasing a documentary that defended his own allegations against the Syrian migrant, which were previously ruled as libelous by a British court.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal team opposed the unsealing of grand jury transcripts in her criminal case.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ghislaine Maxwell, her defense attorneys, and the Trump Department of Justice.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Court proceedings on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Jeffrey Epstein is dead. Ghislaine Maxwell is not,” her attorney wrote.
🎯IMPACT: Maxwell’s appeal to the Supreme Court could be affected, and concerns over grand jury secrecy remain central.
IN FULL
Ghislaine Maxwell‘s defense team has voiced opposition to a judge’s potential decision to unseal grand jury transcripts in her criminal case. This move comes after the Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) sought to make the documents public.
In court filings, Maxwell’s attorneys argued that unsealing the transcripts could jeopardize her appeal to the Supreme Court. They also emphasized that their client is unable to take an “informed position” on the matter since the court has not allowed her legal team to review the transcripts in advance.
“Jeffrey Epstein is dead. Ghislaine Maxwell is not,” her attorney wrote in the filings. “Whatever interest the public may have in Epstein, that interest cannot justify a broad intrusion into grand jury secrecy in a case where the defendant is alive, her legal options are viable, and her due process rights remain.”
While the implications of this decision could have a significant impact on her appeal, the ruling could potentially set precedent for the broader handling of grand jury materials in similar cases.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal investigation has revealed that organ procurement teams have sometimes initiated procedures before death was fully established.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), organ procurement organizations (OPOs), and medical professionals across multiple states.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Findings were released in July 2025, with cases spanning across 19 states, including Kentucky and Alabama.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Hospitals allowed the organ procurement process to begin when patients showed signs of life, and this is horrifying.” – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
🎯IMPACT: Public trust in organ donation is at risk, with lawsuits and ethical concerns rising as donation after circulatory death (DCD) becomes more prevalent.
IN FULL
New evidence has emerged raising concerns about organ transplants, revealing that procurement teams have sometimes begun procedures before death was fully established. This practice, which has drawn sharp criticism, was confirmed in a July 2025 federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. stated, “Hospitals allowed the organ procurement process to begin when patients showed signs of life, and this is horrifying.” The investigation uncovered at least 28 cases where patients may not have been dead when organ removal began. This has occurred under a protocol known as donation after circulatory death (DCD), which differs from donation after brain death. Unlike brain death, where all brain function has irreversibly ceased, DCD involves patients who are near death but not biologically confirmed as deceased.
The urgency to expand organ availability has led to significant growth in DCD procedures, which now account for a substantial share of transplants. However, the federal report highlighted disturbing cases, including 73 patients in Kentucky who exhibited neurological signs incompatible with organ donation but were still prepared for harvesting. In Alabama, a patient declared dead was found to have a beating heart and gasping respirations during surgery.
The ethical and philosophical implications of these practices have sparked broader concerns. Critics argue that the line between life and death is being treated as a flexible variable, driven by institutional performance metrics. Charles Camosy, a bioethicist, noted that many medical professionals lack the philosophical and theological training to navigate such profound decisions, leading to what he described as “moral anthropology made up on the fly.”
Public trust in the organ donation system is eroding. In Arkansas, advocates are suing to block a law requiring family authorization even when someone is a registered donor. Without transparency and accountability, the organ donation process’s legitimacy and individuals’ willingness to participate may collapse. As one surgical technician, who quit after witnessing a troubling case, said, “I felt like I was part of killing someone.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors accused Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate of bribing Venezuela’s top election official with a luxury residence in exchange for political favors.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Roger Piñate, election chief Tibisay Lucena Ramírez, and unnamed co-conspirators.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Allegedly between April and July 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have always operated lawfully, ethically, and transparently. We stand by our two-decade track record of integrity.” – Smartmatic statement
🎯IMPACT: The allegations raise further scrutiny of Smartmatic’s business practices globally and its involvement in elections.
IN FULL
Federal prosecutors have charged Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate with multiple counts of bribery and money laundering. They allege he provided a luxury residence in Caracas to Tibisay Lucena Ramírez, Venezuela’s top election official at the time, in exchange for political favors.
Prosecutors claim the property was transferred to Lucena Ramírez through a foreign shell company between April and July 2019, allegedly facilitated by an unnamed co-conspirator. This transfer reportedly occurred despite Smartmatic’s public claim that all business activities in Venezuela had ceased in 2017.
Smartmatic had pulled out of Venezuela after accusing the Maduro regime of committing electoral fraud during the 2017 National Constituent Assembly election. The company said it terminated operations in the country following that incident.
Prosecutors included these Venezuela-related allegations in a separate court filing connected to a $1 million bribery scheme involving Philippine election official Juan Andrés Donato Bautista. In that case, Piñate is accused of inflating the prices of voting machines and diverting the surplus into secret accounts used for bribes.
The U.S. government submitted the Venezuelan allegations to illustrate what they describe as a “pattern of alleged criminal behavior” by Piñate.
Smartmatic has strongly denied the claims. In a statement, the company said: “As an example, the government’s citation of an alleged bribe in Venezuela in 2019 is untethered from reality. Smartmatic ceased all operations in Venezuela in August 2017 after blowing the whistle on the government and has never sought to secure business there again.” The company added, “We have always operated lawfully, ethically, and transparently. We stand by our two-decade track record of integrity.”
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: New photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan home were revealed, including a note from filmmaker Woody Allen and other personal items.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jeffrey Epstein, Woody Allen, Donald Trump, Ehud Barak, Noam Chomsky, and others.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Photos from Epstein’s seven-story Manhattan home were published on Tuesday by The New York Times.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I say well-served—often it’s by some professional houseman and just as often by several young women, reminding one of Castle Dracula where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place.” – Woody Allen
🎯IMPACT: The revelations add further scrutiny to Epstein’s associations with high-profile figures and his controversial lifestyle.
IN FULL
On Tuesday, new images from the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein‘s residence in Manhattan were released, exposing new celebrity correspondence with the deceased billionaire. Among the photographs is a handwritten message from the contentious director Woody Allen, whose current wife, Soon-Yi Previn, is also his adopted daughter with ex-wife Mia Farrow.
Epstein, who passed away in 2019 amid accusations of sex trafficking, was notorious for organizing gatherings frequented by prominent individuals. Allen’s note likened these events to “Castle Dracula,” alluding to the young females who acted as servers. “I say well-served—often it’s by some professional houseman and just as often by several young women, reminding one of Castle Dracula, where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place,” Allen wrote.
Other items discovered within Epstein’s expansive seven-floor property were a rare first-edition copy of Vladimir Nabokov’s provocative book Lolita, an Israeli map, and a security camera positioned in what was reportedly his bedroom. Additionally, the residence included a massage area decorated with artwork depicting nude females.
The publication also drew attention to congratulatory notes sent to Epstein on his birthday from notable personalities. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, President Donald J. Trump purportedly drew an image of a nude woman and penned a birthday greeting to Epstein back in 2003. However, Trump refutes the claim and is pursuing legal action against the outlet. This alleged note is not among the new images, and The Wall Street Journal has yet to produce the actual letter or drawing.
Further correspondences include letters from Noam Chomsky, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Barak’s spouse, who referred to Epstein as a “collector of people.” In his message, Barak remarked, “There is no limit to your curiosity. You are like a closed book to many of them, but you know everything about everyone.”
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A U.S. Coast Guard report has concluded that a “toxic workplace culture” and negligence contributed to the implosion of the Titan submersible, which resulted in the deaths of five people.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The victims included Titan operator Stockton Rush, Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, British adventurer Hamish Harding, and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on June 18, 2023, during a dive to the Titanic wreck, with the wreckage found five days later about 500 meters from the sunken ship.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The loss of five lives was preventable,” stated the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation in its report.
🎯IMPACT: The report identified eight primary causal factors, including negligence, regulatory failures, and a lack of proper oversight, raising concerns about future submersible operations.
IN FULL
A damning report by the U.S. Coast Guard has revealed that a “toxic workplace culture” and negligence at OceanGate contributed to the implosion of the Titan submersible on June 18, 2023. The tragedy claimed the lives of five individuals during a mission to explore the wreck of the Titanic.
The victims included Stockton Rush, the founder of OceanGate and operator of the Titan, along with Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son Suleman, British adventurer Hamish Harding, and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet. The submersible’s wreckage was discovered five days after it went missing, approximately 500 meters from the Titanic.
The 335-page report from the Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) concluded that “the loss of five lives was preventable” and identified eight primary causal factors behind the incident. These included OceanGate’s flawed design and testing processes, a lack of proper inspections, and the continued use of the Titan despite prior incidents compromising its structural integrity.
In addition, the report also highlighted OceanGate’s “toxic workplace culture,” insufficient regulatory frameworks for novel submersible designs, and an ineffective whistleblower process. Investigators noted that Stockton Rush “exhibited negligence that contributed to the deaths of four individuals” and may have been subject to potential criminal liability. The National Pulse previously reported that Rush prioritized diversity over experience when putting together crews. “When I started business… other sub operators [were] out there but they typically [had] gentlemen who are ex-military submariners… a whole bunch of 50-year-old white guys,” he said during a 2020 interview.
Lead investigator Thomas Whalen and marine board chairman Jason Neubauer wrote, “By strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges, OceanGate was ultimately able to operate Titan completely outside of the established deep-sea protocols.” The absence of third-party oversight and experienced staff during the 2023 operations was cited as a critical factor leading to the catastrophic event.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court upheld a Texas law requiring voters using mail-in ballots to include a state ID number or partial Social Security number.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge James Ho, and the state of Texas.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued Monday, impacting Texas election laws.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Mail-in ballots are not secure.” – Judge James Ho
🎯IMPACT: The decision reinforces Texas’s voter ID requirements and aligns with prior rulings emphasizing election integrity.
IN FULL
On Monday, Texas saw a significant election integrity win as a federal appeals court affirmed a state statute mandating that voters submitting mail-in ballots must provide a state ID number or a portion of their Social Security number. A panel of three judges unanimously overturned a lower court’s ruling, determining that the provision does not infringe upon the Civil Rights Act of 1964, since it is relevant to verifying voter eligibility.
In the unanimous decision penned by Judge James Ho, he declared, “Mail-in ballots are not secure,” citing insights from Veasey v. Perry, which evolved into Veasey v. Abbott. The litigation emphasized that “mail-in ballot fraud is a significant threat,” an issue previously affirmed by the Fifth Circuit in earlier decisions.
Ho elaborated in the opinion that the ID number mandate is “obviously designed to confirm that each mail-in ballot voter is precisely who he claims he is.” He further noted that this stipulation is clearly pertinent to assessing voter eligibility according to state regulations. The court also followed the Third Circuit’s established ruling, which holds that materiality clauses are limited to evaluations of voter qualifications.
Although the plaintiffs contended that there was a lack of substantial proof demonstrating that the ID number rule would substantially curb voter fraud, Texas countered this view. “Our precedents compel us to side with Texas. We have made clear that states have a legitimate interest in combating voter fraud, and thus enjoy ‘considerable discretion in deciding what is an adequate level of effectiveness to serve [their] important interests in voter integrity,’” Ho stated.
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