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Tuesday, September 23, 2025

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2 hours ago
William Upton
1A

Google to Reinstate YouTube Accounts Banned for Political Speech.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Google said YouTube will allow permanently banned accounts, including those censored for political speech, to seek reinstatement, acknowledging prior pressure from the Biden government to suspend the accounts over COVID-19 pandemic content.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Google/Alphabet, YouTube, the House Judiciary Committee, Dan Bongino, Sebastian Gorka, Stephen K. Bannon, and the former Biden government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Tuesday in a document provided to the House Judiciary Committee; applies platform-wide on YouTube.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Reflecting the Company’s commitment to free expression, YouTube will provide an opportunity for all creators to rejoin the platform if the company terminated their channels for repeated violations of COVID-19 and elections integrity policies that are no longer in effect,” Google wrote to the House Judiciary Committee.

🎯IMPACT: Potential return of high-profile conservative creators; broader shift away from pandemic-era moderation; renewed scrutiny of alleged government jawboning undermining the First Amendment.

IN FULL

Google announced on Tuesday that it will reinstate YouTube accounts that had previously been permanently banned over political speech under pressure from the former Biden government. A number of YouTube creators received bans or suspensions for refusing to remove COVID-19 pandemic content that Biden officials claimed to be disinformation.

The announcement by the Big Tech giant—also known as Alphabet—was contained in a legal document detailing the company’s new policy, which was sent to the House Judiciary Committee. The change impacts potentially thousands of users, including prominent supporters of President Donald J. Trump like Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States Sebastian Gorka, and WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon.

“Reflecting the Company’s commitment to free expression, YouTube will provide an opportunity for all creators to rejoin the platform if the company terminated their channels for repeated violations of COVID-19 and elections integrity policies that are no longer in effect,” Google wrote to the House Judiciary Committee.

In 2022, Google permanently banned Bongino from YouTube, resulting in the now-Deputy FBI Director taking his political talk radio program to YouTube competitor Rumble. Bongino ended his radio show earlier this year after his appointment by President Trump to the FBI.

According to Google, it “values conservative voices on its [YouTube] platform” and stated that conservative content creators “have extensive reach and play an important role in civic discourse.” In addition, the company detailed how it was pressured by Biden White House staffers to censor conservative content, especially relating to what they claimed was disinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The document states that while Google did remove some content independent of requests by the former Biden government, it has now ended those policies as well.

“Senior Biden Administration officials, including White House officials, conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the Company regarding certain user-generated content related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies,” Google acknowledged, adding that the Biden White House “created a political atmosphere that sought to influence the actions of platforms based on their concerns regarding misinformation.”

Image by Ed6767.

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15 minutes ago
Election 2024

Kamala Blames Everyone But Herself for Landslide 2024 Election Loss.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former Vice President Kamala Harris is blaming nearly every top Democrat leader—except herself—for her disastrous 2024 presidential campaign in a new memoir, 107 Days.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kamala Harris, former President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Pete Buttigieg, and others in the Democratic Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The memoir, released Tuesday, September 23, 2025, recounts the 107 days leading up to her landslide electoral defeat at the hands of President Donald J. Trump, along with flashbacks to key moments in her political career.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They hide you away for four years, give you impossible, s**t jobs… and still they have to ask if we’re loyal?” – Doug Emhoff, Harris’s husband.

🎯IMPACT: The book serves as both a defense of Harris’s campaign and a potential prelude to future political aspirations.

IN FULL

Kamala Harris’s new memoir, 107 Days, released on Tuesday, lays the blame for the former Democratic vice president’s landslide 2024 presidential campaign defeat on nearly every top Democratic Party leader—other than herself. The book, structured around the 107 days between Harris being selected to replace former President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket to her landslide electoral loss to President Donald J. Trump, acts less as a mea culpa than an attempt at revisionist history, portraying Harris as a victim of circumstance and Democrat infighting.

Harris does not shy away from placing blame on others, including Biden, whom she claims severely hindered her chances. According to Harris, Biden’s late decision not to run and his comments about Trump supporters being “garbage” were detrimental. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, echoed her frustrations, stating, “They hide you away for four years, give you impossible, s**t jobs… never fight back when you’re attacked, never praise your accomplishments… and still they have to ask if we’re loyal?”

Prominent figures like Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) are not spared Harris’s wrath, either. “I supported Joe because he was the strongest voice for the working class. Please focus on the working class, not just on abortion,” Sanders advised Harris—a point she ignored, insisting “reproductive rights” was a key wedge issue for Democrats. Meanwhile, Harris slams the lack of support from other powerful Democrats like Governor Newsom. “Hiking. Will call back,” Harris recalls Newsom responding in a text when she reached out asking for his help.

Harris goes on to lament the lack of talent among those considered to be her running mate, claiming Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) was overly ambitious and interacted poorly with her staff. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), according to Harris, was too anti-union to make the cut, while Pete Buttigieg was too gay. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) was eventually picked since he posed the least political threat to Harris in the long term.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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54 minutes ago
Media

Nexstar Joins Sinclair in Keeping Kimmel Off Air.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nexstar Media Group said it would not air the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, choosing to preempt the show despite ABC’s reinstatement.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nexstar Media Group; Sinclair; ABC parent Disney; Jimmy Kimmel; viewers in affected broadcast markets.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday across Nexstar television markets nationwide, following ABC’s decision to bring the show back.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.” – Nexstar Media Group

🎯IMPACT: Kimmel will be replaced with other programming on Nexstar and Sinclair stations while remaining available on Disney-owned streaming.

IN FULL

Nexstar Media Group announced on September 23 that it will join Sinclair Broadcast Group in refusing to air the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC affiliate stations. The late-night show is scheduled to resume on Tuesday after being paused last week by parent company Disney. The pause followed false statements by host Jimmy Kimmel linking the alleged assassin of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk to President Donald J. Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, despite his radical left beliefs.

Nexstar, which operates nearly 200 Television stations nationwide, noted that it decided to preempt the show last week and has no plans to reverse it. “We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse,” the company said in a statement Tuesday. “We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”

Nexstar added that while Kimmel’s show will remain available on Disney-owned streaming platforms, its local stations will focus on news and other market-specific programming.

Sinclair, which owns or operates more than 100 local stations, announced a similar move on Monday. “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming,” the company said in a statement. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”

Disney has not issued a new public statement regarding the affiliate decisions so far, but previously paused the show for several days, referring to Kimmel’s comments as poorly timed. Jimmy Kimmel Live! has aired on ABC since 2003.

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2 hours ago
News

WATCH: Charlie Kirk’s Best Friend Andrew Kolvet Opens Up on Assassination Theories, Israel, and More…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Andrew Kolvet appeared on Alex Clark’s Culture Apothecary show to discuss various topics related to Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Andrew Kolvet and Alex Clark.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The discussion took place on the Culture Apothecary show, recently.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We need to open every door, pursue every lead, and be open to being surprised.” – Andrew Kolvet

🎯IMPACT: Kolvet expressed confidence in the investigation and discussed the narrative surrounding Kirk’s assassination.

IN FULL

Andrew Kolvet, a close associate of Charlie Kirk, recently appeared on Alex Clark’s Culture Apothecary show. During the interview, Kolvet addressed several pressing issues related to Kirk’s recent activities and the official narrative surrounding his assassination.

Kolvet expressed his trust in the ongoing investigation, stating he has “every confidence [in] Kash and Dan at the FBI, and the whole DOJ.” He emphasized the importance of thoroughness in the investigation, saying, “we need to open every door, pursue every lead, and be open to being surprised.”

Despite the confidence in the authorities, Kolvet maintained a “high level of confidence” that “they got the guy,” suggesting a belief that the investigation is on the right track.

The conversation also touched upon Kirk’s relationship with donors, his views on Israel, his successors, and insights into the internal workings of Turning Point USA.

Kolvet’s remarks come at a time of heightened interest in the circumstances surrounding Kirk and the future direction of his influential organization.

WATCH:

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3 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Immigration
News

Trump Warns World Leaders: ‘Your Countries Are Going to Hell,’ United Nations ‘Funding an Assault on Western Countries and Their Borders.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump told delegates at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York that “your countries are going to hell” due to uncontrolled immigration.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump; UN member-state representatives; El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele; European leaders, officials from China, India, Russia, Iran, and U.S. allies recognizing a Palestinian state.

📍WHEN & WHERE: United Nations Headquarters, New York, September 23, 2025, during the 80th UN General Assembly.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The remarks will intensify debate over migration, sovereignty, and multilateralism, with many European and other Western governments adopting a far weaker stance on immigration than the Trump administration.

IN FULL

In a fiery address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Donald J. Trump declared to representatives from around the world that “your countries are going to hell” because of unchecked mass migration. In his first major address to the UN since 2020, he warned, “The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.”

The MAGA kingpin specifically targeted European nations, lamenting immigration’s impact on Britain and taking a pointed jab at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, of the far-left Labour Party. However, he praised El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for detaining U.S. deportees in CECOT, a high-security prison originally designed for terrorists, stressing, “In the United States, we reject the idea that mass numbers of people from foreign lands can be permitted to travel halfway around the world, trample our borders, violate our sovereignty, cause unmitigated crime and deplete our social safety net.”

Beyond immigration, Trump announced a U.S.-led push to enforce the Biological Weapons Convention and called for “a cessation of the development of nuclear weapons.” On Ukraine, he blamed former President Joe Biden and singled out China and India, as well as Europe, as funding Russia’s war on the country through energy purchases. He threatened tariffs on Russia—eschewing traditional sanctions—but only if Europe halts remaining oil and gas purchases from the Kremlin.

The address also touched on the Middle East and Iran. Trump demanded that Hamas “release the hostages now” and criticized U.S. allies recognizing a Palestinian state as rewarding the terror group. On Iran, he boasted that U.S. bombings “completely obliterated” the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites, but also touted his role in resolving conflicts such as Cambodia–Thailand and Armenia–Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, he dismissed the UN as largely ineffective in brokering peace, demanding, “What is the purpose of the United Nations?”

 

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4 hours ago
Media
News

Sinclair Is Keeping Jimmy Kimmel Off the Airwaves.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Sinclair is preempting ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and will not return the show in key markets, despite ABC reinstating it after an earlier suspension over Kimmel’s false statements about assassinated Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sinclair Broadcast Group; ABC/Disney; Jimmy Kimmel; Turning Point USA (TPUSA) and spokesman Andrew Kolvet; Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Beginning Tuesday across Sinclair’s ABC affiliates, including Seattle (KOMO) and Portland, with a broader impact across 18 states.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.” – Sinclair Broadcast Group

🎯IMPACT: Millions of viewers in Sinclair markets won’t see Kimmel; ABC’s reinstatement faces affiliate resistance.

IN FULL

Jimmy Kimmel‘s late-night show will not return to screens in Seattle, Portland, and other major markets after Sinclair Broadcast Group announced it will continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! across its ABC affiliate stations. This comes despite ABC’s decision to reinstate Kimmel following a suspension over distasteful and false remarks about the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.

Sinclair, which owns 38 ABC affiliates in 18 states, said it is replacing the program with news coverage, stating, “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”

The company is demanding Kimmel issue a “direct apology to the Kirk family” and make a “meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA,” the conservative youth organization Kirk founded.

Kimmel was suspended after a monologue in which he claimed “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” and accused conservatives of “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” The backlash was immediate, considering the ample evidence that alleged assassin Tyler Robinson is a radical leftist, with affiliate owners and political commentators calling for action.

Disney executives suspended Kimmel just before he was scheduled to deliver a second, even more aggressive monologue, with one insider saying, “If Jimmy went on the air, there would have been no way back from that monologue for Jimmy.”

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner Brendan Carr also criticized Kimmel’s comments, but later denied threatening ABC’s licenses, saying, “Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation he’s in because of his ratings. Not because of anything that’s happened at the federal government level.”

The fallout has reached beyond Sinclair. New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani canceled a scheduled appearance on an ABC affiliate in protest, citing Kimmel’s suspension.

In a separate incident, a man was arrested after allegedly opening fire on ABC10’s building in Sacramento, California. The suspect, reportedly an active leftist, was released by local authorities before being taken into federal custody. No injuries were reported.

Disney released a statement over the weekend saying, “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.” Nexstar, another large ABC affiliate owner, has not yet commented on whether it will resume airing Kimmel’s program.

“Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make. Nexstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice,” Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for Turning Point USA, said.

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4 hours ago
NatSec

Secret Service Uncovers Plot to Take Out Cell Towers Near UN HQ.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) dismantled a covert telecom network in New York that could have disrupted cell connectivity and 911 calls during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Secret Service officials, including Matt McCool, head of the New York field office, and agency director Sean Curran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: September 2025, in New York, within 35 miles of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Manhattan.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It can’t be understated what this system is capable of doing… It can take down cell towers. You can’t text message, you can’t use your cell phone. And if you coupled that with some sort of other event associated with UNGA … it could be catastrophic to the city.” – Matt McCool

🎯IMPACT: The bust prevented potential chaos during a high-security event, but similar networks may still pose threats elsewhere.

IN FULL

U.S. Secret Service (USSS) officials announced the dismantling of a sprawling, covert telecom network in New York that investigators warned could have plunged the city into chaos during the 80th UN General Assembly, as foreign leaders gathered in Manhattan.

On Tuesday, officials revealed they had seized over 300 SIM servers containing more than 100,000 SIM cards across sites within 35 miles of the United Nations headquarters. The network was capable of jamming 911 calls, collapsing cell connectivity, and flooding networks during one of the city’s most security-sensitive weeks, according to agents.

“It can’t be understated what this system is capable of doing… It can take down cell towers. You can’t text message, you can’t use your cell phone,” Matt McCool, head of the New York field office, said, adding: “And if you coupled that with some sort of other event associated with UNGA … it could be catastrophic to the city.”

While no specific plot targeting the General Assembly was uncovered, forensic analysis suggests the network may have been used to mask communications with cartels and terror groups. However, additional speculation has tied the devices to China—suggesting they could have been intended for disrupting anti-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) activists or for an unknown espionage purpose.

“The U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission is all about prevention,” said agency director Sean Curran, who cautioned that similar networks may still be operating elsewhere.

UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

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17 hours ago
Education
News

Education Sec Calls for More Sanctions Against Faculty Who Celebrated Charlie Kirk’s Assassination.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Secretary of Education Linda McMahon called for more accountability for faculty members celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Linda McMahon, Charlie Kirk, alleged assassin Tyler Robinson, and various university faculty and students.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments made at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education in Washington, following Kirk’s murder on September 10 at Utah Valley University.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’ve seen some of those college presidents who have fired or suspended teachers or other faculty members that have spoken out really incredibly poorly and celebrated Charlie’s death; I would like to see more of that, quite frankly.” – Linda McMahon.

🎯IMPACT: Kirk’s death has sparked calls for greater accountability and a renewed focus on civil discourse and free speech on campuses.

IN FULL

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is calling for greater accountability from colleges and universities after several faculty members and administrators were found publicly celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk. Speaking at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education in Washington, McMahon expressed support for institutions that have taken disciplinary action and encouraged others to follow suit.

“I’ve seen some of those college presidents who have fired or suspended teachers or other faculty members that have spoken out really incredibly poorly and celebrated Charlie’s death; I would like to see more of that, quite frankly,” McMahon said.

Her comments come amid a wave of backlash following Kirk’s assassination on September 10 at Utah Valley University during a stop on his American Comeback Tour. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with aggravated murder.

In the days after Kirk’s murder, several celebrations by students and teachers drew national attention. McMahon criticized such actions, stating, “That is really, in and of itself, is a crime of personal integrity, when those kinds of things happen.”

McMahon said she hoped Kirk’s death would serve as a catalyst for improving civil discourse and upholding the principle of free speech. “Charlie was a very forthright speaker about his faith, about his beliefs, about his principles. He didn’t shy away from challenging people who had different beliefs… but in a way to ask them to share why they believe what they believed,” she said.

Additional disciplinary actions have been reported across the country. In Texas, over 100 teachers are facing suspension or certification reviews after allegedly celebrating or justifying Kirk’s assassination on social media. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) stated that the educators could lose their licenses for promoting or glorifying violence.

A U.S. Secret Service agent, Anthony Pough, was placed on leave and had his security clearance revoked after posting remarks applauding Kirk’s death. Meanwhile, The Washington Post fired columnist Karen Attiah over Bluesky posts that the publication said constituted gross misconduct.

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18 hours ago
Crime
News

Mangione Seeks Dismissal of Federal Death Penalty Case, Citing Bondi.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Lawyers for Luigi Mangione have filed a motion seeking to block the Justice Department’s attempt to pursue the death penalty in the case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination, citing comments by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Luigi Mangione and his lawyers, and Attorney General Bondi.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Bondi made her comments in April on Fox News.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If there was ever a death case, this is one.” – Attorney General Pam Bondi

🎯IMPACT: The defense has accused the Justice Department of constitutional violations and political motivations, as Mangione faces charges in multiple jurisdictions.

IN FULL

Attorneys for Luigi Mangione have filed a motion urging a federal judge to prevent the Justice Department from seeking the death penalty in the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The defense argues that the government’s pursuit of capital punishment is politically motivated and unconstitutional, citing public statements made by top officials that they say could prejudice a potential jury.

Mangione, 27, is accused of tracking Thompson to New York City, where prosecutors allege he shot and killed the health executive on a Manhattan sidewalk near a hotel where Thompson had planned to meet investors. The slaying took place on December 4, 2024. Mangione was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where authorities say he was found with a firearm, fake identification, and a notebook containing anti-health insurance industry writings.

In a motion filed Saturday, Mangione’s legal team described the Justice Department’s decision to seek the death penalty as “arbitrary and capricious,” arguing it violates the Fifth and Eighth Amendments. They specifically pointed to a comment made by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Fox News earlier this year, where she stated, “If there was ever a death case, this is one.” The defense says this statement, along with others made by officials, could unfairly sway public opinion and taint the legal process.

The attorneys also criticized New York state prosecutors for initially charging Mangione with terrorism-related offenses and then allegedly leaking details of the investigation, including references to a “manifesto” and messages opposing the health insurance industry that were reportedly etched onto bullet casings.

On September 16, 2025, a New York judge dismissed the terrorism charges, ruling that prosecutors had not provided sufficient evidence to show that Mangione acted with the intent to intimidate a civilian population.

Despite the dismissal of those charges, Mangione still faces a second-degree murder charge in New York state court and several federal charges, including stalking and firearm-related offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Federal prosecutors argue that the defense has no authority to dictate how evidence is presented to a grand jury or how charging decisions are made.

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19 hours ago
Sports

Federal Court: Christian School Was Wrongly Banned for Refusing to Compete Against Trans Athletes.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court ruled that a Vermont Christian school can rejoin the state’s sports league, overturning a ban imposed after the school forfeited a game against a team with a transgender athlete.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mid Vermont Christian School, the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA), Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its ruling in September 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the VPA’s expulsion of Mid Vermont was not neutral because it displayed hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs.” — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

🎯IMPACT: The ruling challenges the Vermont Principals’ Association’s policies and signals an increasing legal shift against allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports.

IN FULL

A federal appeals court has ruled that Mid Vermont Christian School can participate in the state’s sports league, overturning a ban imposed after the school forfeited a high school girls’ basketball game against a team with a biologically male transgender athlete. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted the school a preliminary injunction on September 9, 2025, allowing it to rejoin the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) while legal proceedings continue.

The federal appellate court stated, “We conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the VPA’s expulsion of Mid Vermont was not neutral because it displayed hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs.” The case stems from the school’s decision in 2023 to forfeit a game, citing concerns over fairness and player safety due to the presence of a transgender athlete on the opposing team.

Following the forfeit, the VPA ruled that the school violated policies on race, gender, and disability awareness, barring it from participating in all state-sponsored events, including sports, debate tournaments, and science fairs. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), representing the school, students, and parents, argued that the state violated the school’s First Amendment rights. The organization stated that the school acted to avoid compromising its religious beliefs.

The appellate court criticized the VPA for its actions, describing the ban as “unprecedented, overbroad, and procedurally irregular.” It also pointed to comments made by VPA Executive Director Jay Nichols, who testified in favor of banning public funds for religious schools. Nichols reportedly stated, “Thank goodness the student in question didn’t attend that religious school,” which the court viewed as evidence of hostility toward the school’s religious stance.

The Trump administration supported state efforts to block transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports, and at least 26 states have enacted laws restricting such participation. Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken legal action against several states, including Maine, that have attempted to circumvent federal rules. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to address the constitutionality of these bans in its upcoming term.

Image by Oriel Frankie Ashcroft.

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19 hours ago
News
Politics

Turning Point USA ‘American Comeback Tour’ to Honor Charlie Kirk.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Turning Point USA will honor its slain founder, Charlie Kirk, with a tribute in Minnesota as the “American Comeback Tour” continues following his assassination.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Catholic conservative commentator Michael Knowles, Turning Point USA, and Charlie Kirk’s supporters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday evening, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I will appear tonight. There will be an empty chair on stage. I will give a tribute to Charlie and then we will open up the floor to an open conversation.” – Michael Knowles

🎯IMPACT: The tour continues as a defiant response to those who sought to silence Kirk and his movement.

IN FULL

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) will pay tribute to its late founder, Charlie Kirk, on Monday at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities as part of the ongoing “American Comeback Tour.” The event follows Kirk’s assassination on September 10, when he was fatally shot during an American Comeback Tour stop at Utah Valley University.

Catholic conservative commentator Michael Knowles, who is scheduled to headline the event, confirmed that a chair will be left empty on stage in Kirk’s honor. “I will appear tonight. There will be an empty chair on stage. I will give a tribute to Charlie and then we will open up the floor to an open conversation,” Knowles said.

He emphasized that Kirk’s commitment to free speech and open dialogue would continue. “Charlie’s enemies will not have stopped that. People who disagree can, like at all of his events, cut to the front of the line and we will continue to have a healthy debate,” he added.

Despite the shock of Kirk’s assassination, the organization has pledged to move forward with the tour. “I think that Charlie’s enemies thought that they could not only silence him, but in fact silence his whole movement. That will not happen,” Knowles said. “In fact, they will not even silence his speaking tour.”

Following Kirk’s death, his widow Erika Kirk was appointed CEO and Chairwoman of Turning Point USA in a unanimous vote by the organization’s board. The decision reportedly fulfilled Kirk’s personal wishes, as he had privately indicated to staff that Erika should lead the organization if anything happened to him. Erika Kirk stated her intention to continue her husband’s mission to promote conservative values, freedom of speech, and Christian principles among young Americans.

TPUSA has faced heightened security concerns in the days following Kirk’s murder. On September 17, a bomb squad was called to TPUSA’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, after a suspicious bag was discovered outside the building. Authorities later determined the bag was not a threat, and no injuries were reported. The incident occurred as staff and mourners gathered at the site in remembrance of Kirk.

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