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Wednesday, February 11, 2026

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2 hours ago
Corruption
Immigration

Colony Ridge Migrant Haven Settles With Paxton for $68 Million.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Colony Ridge, a Texas neighborhood marketed primarily to illegal immigrants, agreed to pay $68 million in penalties as part of a settlement with the Trump administration and the State of Texas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Colony Ridge developers, and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The settlement was filed in federal court on February 10, 2026. Located just north of Houston, the settlement follows investigations into Colony Ridge’s practices, which were first exposed in 2023.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Colony Ridge endangered American citizens by allowing illegal aliens to run rampant on its streets, in its schools, and in its community. Now, it’s time for those responsible to pay a steep cost for their unlawful actions,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

🎯IMPACT: The settlement includes measures to prevent loans to illegal immigrants, boost deportations, and address safety and infrastructure issues in the community.

IN FULL

The infamous Colony Ridge development in Texas has reached a preliminary settlement agreement with the State of Texas an the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of corrupt business practices, including accusations that the developers marketed explicitly to illegal immigrants. According to the settlement, filed in a federal court in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the Colony Ridge developers have agreed to pay $68 million, halt new land sales for three years, adhere to strict buy identification and verification requirements, and submit to stricter lending, foreclosure, and advertising rules.

“Colony Ridge endangered American citizens by allowing illegal aliens to run rampant on its streets, in its schools, and in its community. Now, it’s time for those responsible to pay a steep cost for their unlawful actions,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said of the settlement, adding, “My office will continue to bring the full force of the law against anyone who threatens the safety of our state or creates a safe harbor for illegals.”

Most importantly, the proposed settlement—which still requires court clearance but is likely to be approved—will require purchasers to possess a valid Texas-issued identification card or valid immigration documents. This means that Colony Ridge properties can no longer be sold to illegal immigrants, which is how developers previously sought to rapidly expand property sales.

Notably, state and federal prosecutors detailed how Colony Ridge properties were advertised almost exclusively through Spanish-language media, with a strong focus on foreign nationals. This allowed strategy resulted in Colony Ridge becoming the “fastest growing development” in the United States, though the properties were not being sold to U.S. citizens.

In addition, the developers behind Colony Ridge have agreed to pay $68 million as part of the settlement. This includes $48 million earmarked for road, drainage, and flood control maintenance. Another $20 million will be set aside to cover law enforcement costs, including immigration operations. Notably, the Colony Ridge development has been plagued with incidents of crime—often attributed to its large illegal immigrant population.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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1 hour ago
News

Only 4% of Calls to Help Homeless Answered During Deadly Storm in Mamdani’s NYC.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A shocking 96 percent of pleas for assistance to help homeless New Yorkers during a recent cold snap went unanswered.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: City Council members, outgoing Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park, Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The events unfolded following a January 24 winter storm in New York City, with hearings held Tuesday to address the crisis.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These deaths are not inevitable. They are the result of gaps and outreach, shelter capacity, mental health services and follow-up.” – Julie Menin, City Council Speaker

🎯IMPACT: At least 15 of 18 deaths during the deep freeze were directly linked to hypothermia, raising concerns over the city’s response to the homeless crisis.

IN FULL

New York City officials are facing mounting scrutiny after a deadly winter cold snap exposed major failures in the city’s response to homeless residents in crisis. Data from the city’s 311 system showed that 96 percent of calls requesting homeless assistance during the freeze went unresolved. The city’s medical examiner later confirmed that 15 of the 18 deaths recorded during the cold spell were caused by hypothermia.

At a City Council hearing, outgoing Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park and Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said the extreme weather made it difficult to locate people living outdoors. Council leaders rejected that explanation. Council Speaker Julie Menin said the deaths were avoidable. “These deaths are not inevitable. They are the result of gaps and outreach, shelter capacity, mental health services, and follow-up,” she said.

Council member Phil Wong highlighted delays in handling emergency calls, noting that overnight reports of homeless individuals in distress were initially routed through the non-emergency 311 system rather than 911. He said the lag in upgrading the response during the freeze likely cost lives.

After January 31, the city shifted overnight homeless assistance calls to 911 under an enhanced “Code Blue” alert, which is triggered when temperatures fall below freezing. Critics said the move came too late and argued that Code Blue alerts alone are ineffective without rapid, proactive outreach. Medical professionals echoed those concerns.

The crisis has unfolded amid broader criticism of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. Following the major winter storm, critics accused the city of failing to promptly clear garbage and slush from streets, while the mayor’s Gracie Mansion residence was kept “pristine.”

The immigrant mayor has also drawn controversy for appointing Cea Weaver as executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, despite the fact she has previously said she wants to “impoverish the white middle class.”

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2 hours ago
William Upton
World

Colombia’s Anti-Trump Leftist President Claims He Survived an Assassination Attempt on Monday.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Colombia’s left-wing President Gustavo Petro claimed on Tuesday that he survived an attempted assassination late Monday night as he traveled by helicopter.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gustavo Petro, ex-FARC leader Ivan Mordisco, and Colombian drug cartels.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attempted assassination was claimed by Petro on Tuesday, with it allegedly taking place the day before, on Monday, February 9, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We headed out to open sea for four hours and I arrived somewhere we weren’t supposed to go, escaping from being killed.” — Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

🎯IMPACT: In recent weeks, Colombia has seen an explosion of political violence—something not entirely unusual in the country during an election cycle. Notably, Petro made a similar assassination claim in 2024.

IN FULL

Colombia’s left-wing President Gustavo Petro, who publicly referenced “getting rid of” U.S. President Donald J. Trump last year, claimed on Tuesday that he survived an attempted assassination late Monday night as he traveled by helicopter. According to Petro, the helicopter was unable to land at its destination along Colombia’s Caribbean coast over fears that drug traffickers “were going to shoot” at it or the president as it attempted to touch down.

“We headed out to open sea for four hours and I arrived somewhere we weren’t supposed to go, escaping from being killed,” Petro claimed during a televised meeting of his cabinet on Tuesday. The claim comes as Colombia enters its presidential election cycle, where Petro’s leftist Colombia Humana party is expected to lose power. Notably, Petro himself is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

In recent weeks, Colombia has seen an explosion of political violence—something not entirely unusual in the country during an election cycle. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald J. Trump has accused the Colombian leader of colluding with violent drug cartels to facilitate the trafficking of illegal narcotics through neighboring Venezuela and then onwards to Mexico, the United States, and Europe.

Petro has denied these allegations, going so far as to claim that the cartels have been targeting him since 2022, when he took office as Colombia’s president. He claims that ex-FARC leader Ivan Mordisco specifically wants to see him dead over Petro’s—a former member of FARC—role in brokering an agreement which saw FARC disarm in 2016.

Notably, Petro made a similar assassination claim in 2024.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Health

MAHA: The FDA is Reviewing This Food Additive Over Cancer Risk.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun steps to review and potentially ban BHA, a food additive used in processed foods, citing concerns over its potential link to cancer.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the food industry.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, with the review process set to begin immediately across the U.S.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This reassessment marks the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🎯IMPACT: The review could lead to changes in the use of BHA in processed foods and aligns with broader efforts to remove harmful chemicals from the food supply.

IN FULL

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Tuesday that it is initiating a safety review of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a food additive commonly used in processed foods such as frozen meals, bread, and breakfast cereals. BHA has been in use for decades, having been approved as a food additive in 1961 to prevent fats and oils from spoiling. However, concerns over its potential carcinogenic effects have prompted the agency to take a closer look.

The FDA’s decision follows earlier findings from the 1990s by the National Toxicology Program, which identified BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies. California has also listed BHA as a known carcinogen under Proposition 65. While there is limited research on its effects in humans, studies from the 1980s and 1990s have linked BHA to cancer in animals. The FDA is now requesting public and industry input on the use of BHA and its safety profile.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. welcomed the move, stating, “This reassessment marks the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety.” Kennedy has been vocal about reducing harmful chemicals in the food supply as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. Last year, he proposed phasing out artificial dyes in foods, citing their potential link to behavioral problems in children. The FDA has since approved natural alternatives such as beetroot red and spirulina extract for use as color additives.

The move is also receiving praise from prominent figures in the field of nutrition. Marion Nestle, a professor emerita of nutrition at New York University, notes that BHA has been on the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s “avoid” list for years. “It’s about time the FDA got to it,” she said. Nestle added that while toxicology studies on animals have provided some insights, human studies on BHA would be difficult to conduct due to ethical and logistical challenges. She expressed interest in seeing how the FDA evaluates the additive’s safety.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Election Integrity

Court Unseals FBI Affidavit for Fulton County Election Raid, Here’s What It Says:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal court in Georgia unsealed records tied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seizure of 2020 election materials from Fulton County.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Fulton County election officials, U.S. District Court Judge J.P. Boulee, and the FBI.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Documents pertaining to the Fulton County raid were ordered unsealed on February 10, 2026, with the raid having occurred on January 29, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The unsealing provides greater clarity into what materials the FBI was searching for during the late January raid.

IN FULL

A federal court in Georgia has unsealed crucial records related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) seizure of 2020 election materials from Fulton County. The development comes after an emergency lawsuit filed by Fulton County officials last week seeking the return of over 650 boxes of election-related files.

According to the unsealed affidavit, the FBI—as approved by a magistrate judge—was authorized to seize “All physical ballots from the 2020 General Election in Fulton County… All tabulator tapes for every voting machine used in Fulton County… All ballot images produced during the original ballot count beginning on November 3, 2020… All voter rolls from the 2020 General Election in Fulton County from absentee, early voting, in person, and any other voter roll that indicates voters…” Additionally, the document states that “there is probable cause to believe that violations of Title 52, United States Code, Sections 20701 (Retention and Preservation of Records of Elections); and 20511 (Deprivation of a Fair Election) have been committed by unknown persons.”

Importantly, the warrant document confirms a number of allegations regarding the Fulton County vote tabulation in the 2020 election, including that the county “admitted that it does not have scanned images of all the 528,777 ballots counted during the Original Count or the 527,925 ballots counted during the Recount.” In addition, the affidavit notes, “Fulton County has confirmed that during the Recount of votes, some ballots were scanned multiple times.”

The warrant also states, “Auditors assisting in the Risk Limiting Audit reported counting purported absentee ballots that had never been creased or folded, as would be required for the ballot to be mailed to the voter and for the ballot to be returned in the sealed envelope requiring the voter’s signature for authentication,” and that, “On the day of the deadline to report the Recount results, Fulton County reported a recount totaling 511,343 ballots, 17,434 ballots fewer than original counted. The following day, Fulton County then reported a total of 527,925 ballots counted.”

The FBI executed a search warrant on January 29, 2026, at a Fulton County elections office. The warrant authorized the seizure of ballots, vote-tabulating machine tapes, ballot images, and voter rolls as part of an ongoing investigation into potential violations of federal election laws.

Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge J.P. Boulee ordered the unsealing of case documents, including the county’s motions to return the materials and to unseal the law enforcement affidavit that justified the raid. The county has requested the return of all original materials and has asked the government not to review any copies until the matter is resolved.

The unsealing order follows the announcement earlier on Tuesday that the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, Thomas Albus, would take over the case. Albus has been heading up investigations into election violence for the Trump administration.

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4 hours ago
Election Integrity

RINO Senator Breaks With GOP to Oppose Voter ID Law.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced her opposition to two GOP-backed voter ID and election integrity bills, signaling significant challenges for the legislation in the Senate.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Murkowski, Congressional Republicans, President Donald J. Trump, and Senate Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Murkowski made her announcement on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, as the bills progress through Congress.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Once again, I do not support these efforts. Not only does the U.S. Constitution clearly provide states the authority to regulate the ‘times, places, and manner’ of holding federal elections, but one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington, D.C., seldom work in places like Alaska.” — Sen. Murkowski

🎯IMPACT: Murkowski’s opposition, combined with the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold, likely dooms the voter ID bills without significant bipartisan support—unless Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) moves to end the legislative filibuster.

IN FULL

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has emerged as one of the key hurdles preventing the passage of two Republican voter ID and election integrity bills in Congress. With the House of Representatives set to take up a revised version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act as early as Tuesday, the Alaska senator took to social media to announce her intention to oppose the measures—significantly reducing the likelihood that Senate Republicans can overcome a Democrat-led filibuster.

“When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed. Now, I’m seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act and MEGA that would effectively do just that,” Sen. Murkowski wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. She added, “Once again, I do not support these efforts. Not only does the U.S. Constitution clearly provide states the authority to regulate the ‘times, places, and manner’ of holding federal elections, but one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington, D.C., seldom work in places like Alaska.”

The passage of the SAVE Act—which would federally mandate voter ID—has become a priority for supporters of President Donald J. Trump and voters at large. Data from Gallup shows 84 percent of voters, including a large majority of Democrat and ethnic minority voters, back voter ID laws, while other polling shows 74 percent back the election integrity measure.

Still, setting aside Murkowski’s opposition, both the SAVE Act and the MEGA Act face an uphill battle in the Senate, where Democrat lawmakers are expected to filibuster the bills. This has led to increasing calls from Trump supporters for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to move forward with the so-called “nuclear option,” amending the chamber’s rules to abolish the legislative filibuster.

Attempts to pass the SAVE Act through both chambers of Congress in 2024 proved unfruitful, though the bill was adopted by the House of Representatives.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Crime
News
UK

Counter-Terror Cops Investigate School Stabbing.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A double stabbing at Kingsbury High School in north London is under investigation, with counter-terrorism officers involved.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Two boys, aged 12 and 13, were stabbed, and a 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred at Kingsbury High School on Bacon Lane, Brent, at around 12.40 PM.

💬KEY QUOTE: “At this very early stage, we’re keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this attack.” – Det Ch Supt Luke Williams

🎯IMPACT: The school community is in shock, and the investigation is ongoing with a focus on the circumstances surrounding the attack.

IN FULL

Counter-terrorism officers are now leading the investigation into a double stabbing at Kingsbury High School in Brent, north-west London, where two boys aged 12 and 13 were seriously injured.

The attack occurred around 12:40 PM on Tuesday, February 10, when police were called to the school following reports that a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed. Officers discovered a second victim, a 12-year-old boy, who had also been stabbed. Both were rushed to the hospital, with one transported as a priority to a major trauma center. Their conditions are described as serious.

A 13-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder shortly afterward. Police recovered what they believe to be the weapon used in the attack and have stated they are not currently searching for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who oversees policing in north-west London, said, “At this very early stage, we’re keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this attack.”

“However, due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from Counter-Terrorism Policing London,” he continued, adding: “This has not currently been declared a terrorist incident and the investigation team will now be working at pace to gather any evidence and to establish the full circumstances of what has happened as quickly as possible.”

Image by Kidfly182.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
NatSec
Religion

Paxton Just Opened a Second Investigation Into Planned ‘Sharia City.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) launched an investigation into a development project linked to a Dubai-based company, feared to be an attempt to establish a “Sharia City.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, SEE Holdings, Kaufman Solar, EPIC City, and local residents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was revealed on Monday, February 9, 2026, and focuses on Kaufman, Texas, located 34 miles southeast of Dallas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There will be no ‘Sharia City’ in Texas under my watch. While you’re on American soil, you will obey America’s laws.” – Ken Paxton

🎯IMPACT: Concerns about foreign influence in American communities have sparked investigations and calls for transparency in the development process.

IN FULL

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is launching a second investigation into a “Sharia City,” following an initial probe launched last March into the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) project, dubbed “EPIC City.” Paxton announced the second investigation into SEE Holdings, a Dubai-based company, which has purchased thousands of acres of land in Kaufman, Texas, near Dallas.

“There will be no ‘Sharia City’ in Texas under my watch,” Paxton stated, adding, “While you’re on American soil, you will obey America’s laws. I have launched this investigation to determine the nature of this development in Kaufman County and will be thoroughly investigating this matter for any unlawful actions.”

According to Paxton, Kaufman Solar—a Delaware-based subsidiary of SEE Holdings—made the land purchase, sparking concerns among local residents that the properties could be used to build an Islamic-centered housing development similar to EPIC City. Some locals contend that the size of the land purchase suggests that upwards of 20,000 foreign nationals could be relocated to the area.

The Texas Attorney General says he has initiated information requests to SEE Holdings and Kaufman Solar. Among the details Paxton is seeking are communications with government officials, the corporate relationship between SEE Holdings and Kaufman Solar, and the intended use and development plans for the land purchased.

Notably, the heightened scrutiny of the SEE Holdings and Kaufman Solar land purchase comes on the heels of Texas government action against the EPIC City development. The National Pulse reported last October that Paxton had revealed that entities linked to the East Plano Islamic Center land development project had breached federal and state securities laws.

In December last year, EPIC City rebranded as “The Meadow.” However, the development remains a target of state scrutiny despite the name change.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
News

Another Mamdani Aide Found Trashing ‘White Civility,’ ‘White Politeness,’ and ‘White Women Behavior’ Online.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An aide to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a series of since-deleted tweets expressing disdain for “white woman behavior.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Drashti Brahmbhatt, an advisor to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and an unnamed older woman on a Metro-North Railroad train.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred in November 2021 on a Metro-North Railroad train. Brahmbhatt’s tweets were recently unearthed by a reporter.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I don’t need to follow white standards of ‘politeness’.” – Drashti Brahmbhatt

🎯IMPACT: Brahmbhatt’s comments have drawn attention to her political affiliations and past controversial statements, though Mayor Mamdani has yet to comment on the matter.

IN FULL

An aide to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing renewed scrutiny after deleted social media posts resurfaced disparaging what she called “white woman behavior” during a confrontation on public transit. The tweets, posted in November 2021 by Drashti Brahmbhatt, described a supposed incident on a Metro-North Railroad train in which Brahmbhatt claimed that an “older white woman” repeatedly gave her “death glares” for being on a phone call that lasted about 40 minutes.

Brahmbhatt insisted that she was speaking “as softly as humanely [sic] possible” when the woman looked at her multiple times. According to her tweets, Brahmbhatt confronted the woman, saying, “Excuse me, there’s no need to give me death glares for quietly speaking on the phone. This is public transportation and you’re allowed to quietly talk.” When the woman allegedly said her behavior was “annoying,” Brahmbhatt responded, “It’s 2021 and we can stop practicing white civility.” She added that the woman looked “dumbfounded” when she said, “I don’t need to follow white standards of ‘politeness’.”

In the same thread, Brahmbhatt acknowledged that some accused her of exaggerating “how terrible white women are,” but said she hoped others could relate. “[T]his is obvi [obviously] a very small problem and instance of ‘white woman’ behavior but it still sucks!” she added. The tweets were later deleted.

At the time of the posts, Brahmbhatt worked for the NYC Civic Engagement Commission. She later joined Mamdani’s administration as an advisor after serving on his transition team and inaugural committee. Her past online activity includes support for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), of which Mamdani is a member, calls to “defund and abolish the police,” and criticism of politicians who support Israel.

Mamdani has not publicly commented on Brahmbhatt’s tweets. However, in a previous controversy, he defended another aide after their posts calling to “Impoverish the *white* middle class” resurfaced. His election platform included proposals to impose punitive taxes on “whiter neighborhoods.” 

Separately, questions have been raised about senior Mamdani aide Ali Najmi, who has been linked to a law firm accused in court filings of major fraud, and the appointment of a former Rikers Island inmate to lead the city’s Department of Corrections.

Image via LinkedIn.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Lawfare

Jack Smith Accused of Circumventing Constitutional Safeguards to Secretly Obtain Senators’ Phone Records.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Phone records of sitting members of Congress were secretly obtained under subpoenas, accompanied by gag orders that prevented lawmakers from being notified, according to Senator Chuck Grassley.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), former special counsel Jack Smith, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Allegations were made at a hearing on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, on Capitol Hill.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Smith’s deceitful conduct was a substantial intrusion into the core constitutional activity of constitutional officers.” – Sen. Chuck Grassley

🎯IMPACT: Sen. Grassley alleges that Smith and his team appear to have purposefully circumvented constitutional safeguards to obtain the phone records of senators.

IN FULL

Republican senators are seeking explanations from several major phone carriers at a Senate hearing on Tuesday as to their internal decisions to comply with subpoenas issued by former Biden government special counsel Jack Smith as part of the Arctic Frost investigation. In his opening remarks, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) revealed that Smith and his team appear to have purposefully circumvented constitutional safeguards to obtain the phone records.

Notably, several statutes require senators to be notified of subpoenas seeking certain records—including phone data—and these notifications can be waived only if the senator is the specific target of an investigation. In the case of Arctic Frost, the 20 Republican lawmakers whose phone toll records were subpoenaed by Smith were not specific investigatory targets, which Grassley says should have meant the lawmakers were to have been notified of the subpoenas.

“Smith and his team irresponsibly steamrolled ahead while intentionally hiding their activity from Members of Congress,” Sen. Grassley said at the start of the hearing, adding, “Smith’s deceitful conduct was a substantial intrusion into the core constitutional activity of constitutional officers.”

Instead of following the legal avenues and notification requirements, Grassley stated that Smith and his team instead sought gag orders from federal judges—mainly U.S. District Court Judges James Boasberg and Beryl Howell—to prevent the lawmakers from being appropriately notified. The Tuesday hearing seeks to understand the internal procedures used by Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile to handle subpoena requests—especially since, in the case of Verizon, the company was under a separate agreement that required it to notify the Senate Sergeant at Arms of subpoena requests pertaining to senators.

The National Pulse has previously reported that the sprawling Arctic Frost scandal saw Smith abuse the powers of the special counsel’s office in an apparent attempt to interfere in the 2024 presidential election, targeting hundreds of figures in the Republican party—some appearing entirely unconnected to the January 6 Capitol riots.

Importantly, Smith was warned by the Biden Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Public Integrity Section that the subpoenas could open the agency and investigation to litigation on constitutional grounds. Still, the Biden DOJ approved Smith’s subpoenas.

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8 hours ago
William Upton
Economy
NatSec

‘Where’s Our Help?’ – Ohio Workers Bemoan Chinese Factory Killing Jobs.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nearly a year after a federal raid and investigation over illegal labor practices, Fuyao Glass America—a Chinese-owned auto glass factory—continues to operate in Ohio, undercutting prices and threatening to destroy the state’s native glass industry.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Fuyao Glass America, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Vitro Automotive Glass, Ohio government officials, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fuyao Glass America was raided by federal authorities in 2024, and $126 million in civil forfeiture was seized in 2025 for illegal employment practices. Still, Fuyao Glass America continues to operate, and a number of Ohio glass companies may now be forced to close in 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They say they want to make America great again—where’s our help?” Chandra Jarvis, a Vitro glassworker in Crestline, Ohio.

🎯IMPACT: The Trump administration is believed to be exploring a number of actions to crack down on foreign companies like Fuyao Glass America; however, these efforts could be derailed if President Donald J. Trump strikes a trade agreement with Beijing.

IN FULL

Outsourcing is no longer the only threat facing American workers, as the ongoing struggles of the Ohio domestic glass industry illustrate in the face of China’s Fuyao Glass America, which set up shop in the state over a decade ago. The glass industry has long been a cornerstone of the Ohio economy—with glass factories operating from Dayton to Cambridge—but the Fuyao situation has seen a foreign company backed by the former President Barack Obama, while receiving Chinese state subsidies and engaging in unlawful labor practices, devastate that industry, leaving Ohio workers asking, “Where’s our help?“

A key supplier to GM, Ford, and Stellantis, Fuyao Glass America, critics allege, threatens U.S. supply chains and has used illegal employment practices to undermine its competitors. Long-standing Ohio glass companies contend that Fuyao Glass America receives generous subsidies from Beijing, allowing the Chinese company to undercut the prices of its native competitors. The lack of federal action against Fuyao has frustrated Ohioans, with a number of the state’s long-standing glass companies facing closure.

“They say they want to make America great again—where’s our help?” Chandra Jarvis, a Vitro glassworker in Crestline, Ohio, said in a recent interview. Notably, the Trump administration is believed to be considering several steps—primarily on national security grounds—to curb the Chinese manufacturing presence in the United States. However, Ohio workers and, more broadly, national security critics of China worry that any federal action could be derailed if President Donald J. Trump strikes a trade deal with Beijing. Notably, Fuyao and other Chinese manufacturers have continued to operate despite federal scrutiny and widespread evidence of illegal activity.

The National Pulse reported in April 2025 that Fuyao Glass America was part of a broader federal investigation into a group of Chinese-owned manufacturers operating in a complex near Dayton, Ohio, accused of illegally importing workers from China. A total of $126 million in assets were seized by federal investigators, who allege the foreign workers, primarily of Chinese and Hispanic origin, were housed in accommodation owned by their employers and transported to work by them. According to authorities, roughly 40 entities were established to facilitate the employment of these people, who entered and stayed in the United States unlawfully or worked without necessary permits.

Image by Adam Fagen.

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