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Tuesday, April 21, 2026

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2 hours ago
Religion
War

Israel Jails Soldiers Who Smashed Jesus Statue.

Two Israeli soldiers have been sentenced to military detention after destroying a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Two Israeli soldiers have been sentenced to 30 days of military detention after smashing a statue of Jesus Christ in Debel, a Christian village in southern Lebanon. One hit the statue with a sledgehammer while the other photographed the act. The image circulated widely on social media over the weekend, drawing sharp criticism from Christians worldwide, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announcing the punishments on Tuesday.
📺 DETAIL: On Sunday, a photo went viral of an IDF soldier smashing a statue of Jesus in the Christian village of Debel in southern Lebanon. Notably, Lebanon was a Christian-majority country until the late 20th century, and Joseph Aoun, the current President of Lebanon, is a Maronite Catholic. The IDF, which claims it is in Lebanon to fight Iran’s Hezbollah allies—who have been outlawed by Lebanon’s official government—expressed regret over the anti-Christian attack, insisting that it does not reflect the values of the IDF.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The inquiry determined that the soldiers’ conduct completely deviated from IDF orders and values. The IDF expresses deep regret over the incident and emphasizes that its operations in Lebanon are directed solely against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and other terrorist groups, and not against Lebanese civilians.” – IDF statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
🎯 IMPACT: The IDF has launched a review to prevent similar acts of desecration. Beyond the two soldiers sentenced to military detention, six others present at the scene face disciplinary action for failing to intervene or report the incident. Israel is attempting to seize a portion of southern Lebanon in order to establish a security buffer zone.

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By Popular Demand.
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22 minutes ago
Lawfare
News

Docs Show Biden FBI Pursued GOP Members ‘With No Evidence of Wrongdoing.’

New documents show the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the former Biden government pursued investigations into Republican lawmakers based on allegations prosecutors dismissed internally as “embarrassing” and lacking credibility.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has revealed documents showing that the FBI investigated Republican lawmakers following allegations made by former Democrat lawmaker Mikie Sherrill—now Governor of New Jersey—despite prosecutors internally acknowledging that the allegations lacked credibility.
📺 DETAIL: The probe, known as “Rampart Twelve,” began in January 2021 and was based largely on allegations from Mikie Sherrill that GOP lawmakers led would-be insurrectionists on “reconnaissance” tours of the Capitol prior to January 6. Targets of Rampart Twelve reportedly included Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Mo Brooks (R-AL), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Andy Biggs (R-AZ). Investigators obtained phone records for some lawmakers as part of the inquiry. However, text messages between prosecutors show skepticism, with one calling the allegations embarrassing and lacking credibility. Grassley and other Republicans argue that the investigation being launched despite no credible evidence of wrongdoing proves political targeting and misuse of federal law enforcement powers under the former Biden government.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “These bombshell documents reveal that bad actors at the highest levels of our government and intelligence agencies targeted broad swaths of the American Right and sitting members of Congress with no evidence of wrongdoing.” – Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
🎯 IMPACT: The revelations raise serious concerns about political bias within federal agencies under the former Biden government. They follow other revelations of misconduct at the FBI and other agencies targeting President Donald J. Trump and Republican members of Congress, such as the seizure of GOP lawmakers’ phone records via questionable subpoenas in the Arctic Frost investigation.

Image by Dave Newman.

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New documents show the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the former Biden government pursued investigations into Republican lawmakers based on allegations prosecutors dismissed internally as "embarrassing" and lacking credibility.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
News
War

UN Inspectors Say Iran Has Enough Uranium for 10-11 Atomic Bombs.

United Nations inspectors assess that Iran has accumulated almost 1,000 pounds of near-weapons-grade uranium.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Iran is reportedly hoarding nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium enriched to 60 percent, which is close to weapons-grade level, according to a report by 60 Minutes, per the Wake Up Right newsletter. This stockpile could potentially fuel 10 or 11 nuclear bombs if further enriched, a process which would take a matter of weeks.
📰 DETAIL: United Nations inspectors have assessed that Iran’s uranium stockpile is just a technical step away from reaching the 90 percent enrichment needed for a nuclear weapon. Despite U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June, Iran has continued to advance its nuclear capabilities.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The stockpile is enough for ‘ten to eleven nuclear bombs’ with just a little more enrichment,” said Harvard nuclear analyst Matthew Bunn. Scott Roeker, a former top National Nuclear Security Administration official. He added: “I don’t think that there is a lasting, durable solution to Iran’s nuclear program through military means.”
‼️ NOTEWORTHY: Bunn says Iran has been consistently dishonest about its nuclear weapons efforts for over 20 years, lying to international inspectors, but also implied skepticism that Trump’s strategy, given the lack of trust on both sides, will succeed.

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United Nations inspectors assess that Iran has accumulated almost 1,000 pounds of near-weapons-grade uranium.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
News

A Democrat Just Resigned From Congress Because She Didn’t Want to Face an Ethics Probe.

Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) is stepping down from Congress following allegations of ethics violations and federal charges involving COVID-19 relief funds.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) resigned from Congress “effective immediately” amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into 25 alleged violations, including campaign finance misconduct. She also faces federal charges for allegedly misusing $5 million in COVID-19 relief funds to purchase luxury items and fund her campaign.
📺 DETAIL: The allegations stem from Cherfilus-McCormick’s family healthcare business receiving $5 million in overpaid COVID-19 relief funds, which she is accused of funneling into her 2022 campaign. She denies both the federal charges and the alleged ethics violations. The Ethics Committee’s investigation involved 59 subpoenas, 28 witness interviews, and over 33,000 pages of documents. She cited an “unfair” process and lack of preparation time as reasons for stepping down, shortly before a congressional hearing was due to be held to consider her punishment.
🎯 IMPACT: Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation avoids a potential expulsion vote in the House, where Republicans had pushed for her removal. The vacancy leaves her southeastern Florida district temporarily unrepresented.
📺 FLASHBACK: This resignation comes shortly after other lawmakers, including Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales, stepped down amid serious scandals.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away.” – Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

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Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) is stepping down from Congress following allegations of ethics violations and federal charges involving COVID-19 relief funds.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
War

Democrat Senator Cheers Fake Iranian Naval Success.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D) sparked outrage after tweeting “awesome” in response to a false report claiming Iranian vessels had bypassed a U.S. blockade.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) faced backlash after tweeting “awesome” in response to a report claiming 26 Iranian ships bypassed a U.S. blockade. Later debunked as Iranian propaganda, the report falsely suggested a U.S. failure in enforcing its military strategy. Murphy faces accusations of rooting for a foreign adversary.
📺 DETAIL: On Monday, it was reported that 26 Iranian ships had managed to evade a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In response to the report, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) tweeted “awesome”. However, the report was later exposed as baseless, with no reliable evidence of vessels leaving Iranian ports or passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Following online backlash, Murphy followed up on his initial post, claiming it was just a sarcastic comment on President Donald J. Trump’s handling of the Iran war.
🎯 IMPACT: Murphy’s comments have invited criticism that he is using his position to undermine U.S. interests and align with foreign adversaries. The Democrat has a history of taking divisive foreign policy stances, holding a meeting with Iranian officials in Germany in 2020, and extensively criticizing U.S. foreign policy. Following this meeting, he was accused of collusion.
📺 FLASHBACK: Murphy’s comment comes as the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is due to expire on Wednesday. Accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire on “numerous” occasions, President Trump announced on Tuesday that he expects U.S. military action to resume.

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Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D) sparked outrage after tweeting "awesome" in response to a false report claiming Iranian vessels had bypassed a U.S. blockade.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News
Politics

Top MAGA Lawyer Hands Trump a Killer Response to Virginia’s Gerrymandering.

President Donald J. Trump’s former lawyer, Chad R. Mizelle, has suggested a novel way Republicans can push back against Democrat gerrymandering in Virginia, which could turn the tide of the November midterms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Former counsel for President Donald J. Trump, Chad R. Mizelle, has suggested he should counteract Virginia‘s Democrat-initiated congressional gerrymandering efforts by issuing an executive order putting parts of Virginia back under federal control for the first time since 1847.
📰 DETAIL: Mizelle explains in an April 21 article that both Arlington and the city of Alexandria were given to the District of Columbia in 1790, along with a piece of Maryland, to form Washington, D.C., but were given back to Virginia in 1847 when D.C. abolished slavery, while the Old Dominion did not. According to Mizelle, President Trump could declare that act unconstitutional through an executive order, as it was used to protect slavery. This move would then prevent Virginia Democrats from enacting a congressional redistricting scheme, which Virginians are voting on in a referendum today, though the issue would likely go to the Supreme Court first.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “It will not only neutralize the president’s political opponents’ move to stack Congress against him—thus protecting him from another likely sham impeachment – but, most importantly, it will save a great number of red Virginians from having their votes canceled out by deep blue D.C.-adjacent liberals.” – Chad Mizelle.
🎯 IMPACT: If President Trump restores Alexandria and Arlington to D.C., it will remove a major section of blue voters from Virginia and provide more balance to the midterm elections. Without this, the redistricting scheme in Virginia could see the Democrats claim around 90 percent of the state’s congressional seats with only around half of the popular vote.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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President Donald J. Trump's former lawyer, Chad R. Mizelle, has suggested a novel way Republicans can push back against Democrat gerrymandering in Virginia, which could turn the tide of the November midterms.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
Immigration

‘F**k Right Off’ – Leftist, Muslim Minister Blasts ‘White Liberals’ Who Attacked Her for Talking Tough on Immigration.

Britain’s Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended her tough rhetoric on immigration during a podcast recording in London, saying that “white liberals” attempting to guilt-trip her for talking tough on immigration could “f**k right off.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Pakistani-heritage British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood—roughly equivalent to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary—faced hecklers during a podcast recording in London, England, on Monday, where she was accused of adopting the immigration policies of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party. Mahmood reacted furiously, telling the hecklers to “f**k right off” and blasting “white liberals” trying to “put me in a box.”
📺 DETAIL: During the recording of Matt Forde’s Political Party podcast at London’s Duchess Theatre, Mahmood, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s far-left Labour Party, was accused of “out-Reforming Reform,” as her party pays lip service to immigration control by advancing new restrictions on migrants’ rights to claim indefinite leave to remain (ILR). She claimed to recognize public concerns over immigration as “perfectly valid,” adding, “I do think there is that element of it which is: ‘How dare you, a brown woman, say a thing that we white liberals think you’re not allowed to say?’ Well, I’m saying it.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I’m not going to let a tin-pot racist or some random heckler or anybody else claw away at the foundations of who I am as a person. I’m a proud Englishwoman. I’m a proud Brit, I’m a hugely proud Muslim. That is the absolute core of my life… [T]his [heckler] can just f**k right off, because I know I belong in my own country. You’re not going to be able to do that to me.” – Shabana Mahmood
🎯 IMPACT: Net immigration has reduced since Labour regained office after 14 years of Conservative Party rule in mid-2024. However, this is largely a function of numbers dropping since the aberrant post-pandemic “Boriswave” years under former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as well as a sharp increase in emigration. Gross immigration remains near historic highs, and illegal immigration via small boats crossing the English Channel has reached record-breaking levels.

Image via UK Home Office.

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Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended her tough rhetoric on immigration during a podcast recording in London, saying that "white liberals" attempting to guilt-trip her for talking tough on immigration could "f**k right off."

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Health
War

Hegseth Dumps Another Military Vaccine Mandate.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has officially terminated the Pentagon’s flu vaccine mandate, arguing that “an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation” should also be entrusted to decide for themselves whether to receive the annual shot.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the end of the Pentagon’s mandatory flu vaccine policy for military personnel, effective immediately. The decision allows service members to decide for themselves whether to receive the annual flu shot, framing the move as a restoration of personal freedom and religious liberty.
📺 DETAIL: In a social media video announcing the new policy on Tuesday, Hegseth recalled how the Pentagon had “waged an unrelenting war on our warriors on many fronts, including when it came to denying them simple medical autonomy, and the freedom to express their religious convictions” under the “disastrous” former Biden government. “No more, that era of betrayal is over,” he pledged, promising that “absurd, overreaching mandates” would be discarded. Notably, interim U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates for the effectiveness of the 2025–26 seasonal influenza vaccine stand at just 22–34 percent against adult outpatient visits.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Our new policy is simple: If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it; you should.” But we will not force you.” – Pete Hegseth
🎯 IMPACT: The reform comes as part of a broader rollback of medical mandates under the Trump administration. Hegseth tied the reform to ongoing efforts to rebuild trust with service members and veterans following contentious COVID-19 vaccine mandates, which forced thousands out of the military, encouraging discharged veterans to return to service. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has rescinded guidance pushing hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns whose mothers have tested negative for the virus, among other changes to the vaccination schedule.

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has officially terminated the Pentagon's flu vaccine mandate, arguing that "an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation" should also be entrusted to decide for themselves whether to receive the annual shot.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
UK

Farage’s Reform Party Opens Up Whopping 10-Point Lead Ahead of Crunch Elections.

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has established a double-digit polling lead ahead of English local elections and regional elections in Scotland and Wales.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has opened up a ten-point lead over their nearest rivals, the formerly fringe, far-left Green Party, and the notionally “center-right” Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to mid-2024, ahead of crunch elections across England, Scotland, and Wales in May. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s ruling Labour Party has fallen to fourth place.
📰 DETAIL: YouGov’s latest Westminster (House of Commons) voting intention survey, conducted from April 19 to April 20, puts Reform at 27 percent support, a three-point increase from the previous week. The Greens and the Conservatives are tied at 17 percent, being down by one and two points since last week, respectively. Labour, down one point, trails at 16 percent, with the center-left Liberal Democrats up one point to 14 percent. Restore Britain, founded by Member of Parliament (MP) Rupert Lowe after he was ejected from Reform, is polling at just three percent.
🎯 IMPACT: While the Labour Party is currently unlikely to call fresh national elections before the legal deadline in August 2029, the poll results have implications for local and regional elections in England, Scotland, and Wales next month. A swathe of English local councils are holding municipal elections on May 7, while Scotland and Wales are holding elections for their devolved parliaments—roughly equivalent to state legislatures in the U.S. Heavy losses to Reform could prompt Labour MPs to oust the increasingly unpopular Keir Starmer as party leader and, by extension, Prime Minister, particularly as he is currently embroiled in a scandal over the appointment of the Jeffrey Epstein-linked Peter Mandelson as his ambassador to the U.S. Farage is capitalizing on Starmer’s unpopularity ahead of the May elections, framing them as a de facto referendum on his premiership.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Vote Reform. Get Starmer Out.” – Nigel Farage

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Nigel Farage's Reform Party has established a double-digit polling lead ahead of English local elections and regional elections in Scotland and Wales.

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By Popular Demand.
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8 hours ago
War

‘I Expect to Be Bombing’ – Trump Accuses Iran of ‘Numerous’ Violations as Ceasefire Expiry Looms.

With the Iran war ceasefire set to expire, Iranian officials are reportedly refusing to meet U.S. officials, and President Donald J. Trump is warning the U.S. military is “raring to go.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump accused Iran of violating its ceasefire agreement with the U.S. and Israel “numerous times” on Tuesday, just one day before it is set to expire. Iranian officials are reportedly refusing to meet U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in Pakistan for peace talks, with Tehran threatening to “reveal new cards on the battlefield” if the war resumes.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET; Vice President Vance is expected to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, before the deadline.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go,” Trump told CNBC on Tuesday morning.
📺 DETAIL: While Pakistani mediators claim both sides will attend talks in Islamabad, Iran is signaling it will not meet with U.S. negotiators “under threat.” Nevertheless, President Trump has stated the Islamic Republic will ultimately have “no choice but to send” representatives, adding, “I think is that we’re going to end up with a great deal.” However, he has also said he does not want to extend the current ceasefire if a deal is not reached before the deadline, saying, he “expect[s] to be bombing” and that “the military is raring to go.”  
🎯 IMPACT: The Iran war has caused oil and gas prices to surge, precipitating a jet fuel crisis as well as increasing prices at the pumps. It has also impacted fertilizer supplies. Iran and the U.S. are dueling over the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s energy and fertilizer supplies flow, with uncertainty over whether Iran is truly lifting its blockade of the strait and the U.S. blockading Iranian ships in turn. U.S. forces boarded an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight, with the Pentagon warning on Tuesday morning that it “will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran—anywhere they operate.”

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With the Iran war ceasefire set to expire, Iranian officials are reportedly refusing to meet U.S. officials, and President Donald J. Trump is warning the U.S. military is "raring to go."

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By Popular Demand.
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8 hours ago
News
SCOTUS

Is the GOP Planning This SCOTUS Move as an ‘October Surprise?’

Speculation that Justice Samuel Alito may retire from the Supreme Court has Republican senators and strategists eyeing a potential confirmation battle to energize conservative voters ahead of the midterm elections in November.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: On Monday, rumors began to spread that Justice Samuel Alito, 76, may retire from the United States Supreme Court, potentially triggering a confirmation battle for his replacement before the 2026 midterm elections. Republican leaders and strategists believe this could galvanize conservative voters. President Donald J. Trump recently signaled he is prepared to appoint multiple new justices.
📺 DETAIL: Rumors are circulating that Samuel Alito, known for his staunchly conservative voting record, may retire from his post, over 20 years after his appointment in January 2006. GOP insiders describe the potential resignation as an “October surprise” that could energize GOP voters ahead of the midterm elections in November, to ensure the Supreme Court keeps its 6-3 conservative majority. Speculation grew further when President Donald J. Trump told Fox News he was ready to nominate up to three new justices last week.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “In theory, it’s two—you just read the statistics—it could be two, could be three, could be one. I don’t know. I’m prepared to do it. But when you mention Alito, he is a great justice.” – President Trump
🎯 IMPACT: A Supreme Court confirmation battle could impact the 2026 midterms. The confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh became a pivotal issue in the 2018 midterms, as Democrats sought to obstruct Kavanaugh’s appointment. The dispute encouraged GOP voters to turn out on polling day, resulting in losses for Democrat incumbents and narrower margins in otherwise comfortable races. However, Fox News claims a source close to Alito has said he is “not stepping down this term and is in the process of hiring the rest of his clerks for the next term.”
📺 FLASHBACK: Rumors of Alito’s potential retirement follow revelations earlier this month that the justice had fallen ill after a Federalist Society dinner in March.

Image by Marielam1.

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Speculation that Justice Samuel Alito may retire from the Supreme Court has Republican senators and strategists eyeing a potential confirmation battle to energize conservative voters ahead of the midterm elections in November.

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
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