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December 18, 2025
News

Plane Crashes in Fireball on Runway, NASCAR Legend Feared Dead.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, with reports of fatalities.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Local authorities, including the Iredell County Sheriff and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are investigating.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crash occurred at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina at approximately 10:15 AM local time.

🎯IMPACT: An investigation is underway, and reports of fatalities have been confirmed by local news outlets. The aircraft is owned by NASCAR legend Greg Biffle.

IN FULL

A private plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport outside Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier today, resulting in reports of fatalities. The incident occurred at approximately 10:15 AM local time, according to airport officials.

The Iredell County Sheriff confirmed the crash to local news outlet WBTV. While the exact number of people aboard the aircraft is not yet known, images from the scene depict a significant fireball erupting at the crash site. However, flight tracking data suggests the plane was a 1981 Cessna Citation II with the tail number “N257BW.” This aircraft is owned by semi-retired NASCAR legend Greg “The Biff” Biffle, and unconfirmed local reports suggest he was on board with his wife and children.

Notably, Biffle flew volunteer search and rescue missions and delivered aid using his private helicopter in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. He was also known to engage in similar life-saving efforts in the wake of local flooding and other natural disasters in the region.

A video shared on social media shows smoke visible for miles following the crash. Additionally, the Statesville Regional Airport has confirmed the crash and stated that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will lead the investigation into the incident.

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23 minutes ago
Economy

Trump Economy Revives as Jobs Numbers Beat Expectations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. labor market showed stronger-than-expected performance in January 2026, with unemployment ticking down and job creation exceeding Wall Street expectations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), President Donald J. Trump’s administration, and various employment sectors.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 2026, with the report released on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The jobs numbers provide a much-needed boost to the Trump administration’s economic messaging as the 2026 midterm elections loom.

IN FULL

The U.S. economy in January was far more robust than originally expected, with unemployment falling and the number of jobs added beating Wall Street expectations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. added 130,000 jobs over the month, far exceeding consensus forecasts of 70,000 jobs.

This marks a significant improvement compared to December’s 48,000 jobs and November’s 41,000, which were revised down by 17,000. January’s job growth is also higher than the 111,000 jobs added in January 2025, making it the strongest start to a year since 2023, when payrolls increased by 444,000 amid the pandemic recovery.

The unemployment rate dipped from 4.4 percent in December to 4.3 percent in January. The Trump administration had faced concerns over a potential economic slowdown, but these numbers suggest that the storm may have already been weathered.

The BLS attributed the job gains to growth in sectors such as health care, social assistance, and construction. Health care added 82,000 jobs, well above last year’s monthly average of 33,000. Social assistance and construction also saw significant increases, adding 42,000 and 33,000 jobs, respectively. Federal government employment decreased by 34,000 due to deferred resignations, and the financial activities sector lost 22,000 jobs, continuing its decline since May.

Image by Tony Webster.

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2 hours ago
Crime
Immigration
UK

Afghan Convicted for Kidnap and Repeated Rape of 12-Year-Old.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan asylum seeker was found guilty of abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl in a targeted attack in Nuneaton, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Afghan national Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was convicted of multiple offences. His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, was acquitted of all charges.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred last summer in Nuneaton. The trial took place at Warwick Crown Court.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” – Judge Kristina Montgomery KC

🎯IMPACT: The case sparked protests and calls for more transparency from public figures regarding the immigration status of offenders.

IN FULL

Ahmad Mulakhil, a 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, has been convicted of multiple serious offences following a targeted attack on a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, England, last summer. A jury at Warwick Crown Court found him guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, child abduction, and taking an indecent video of the child. He had also admitted to an additional rape charge before the trial began.

Mulakhil arrived in Britain around four months before the attack after submitting an immigration application that referred to unspecified “problems” in Afghanistan. Although the jury was not told how he entered the country, it later emerged that he had arrived illegally on a small boat.

His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan asylum seeker, was cleared of all charges, including intentional strangulation, attempted child abduction, and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence. Kabir denied any wrongdoing, telling the court that he “never touched the victim and had no sexual intentions toward her.” He claimed to be 22, while court records listed his age as 24.

Remanding Mulakhil in custody ahead of sentencing, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said, “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” This does not mean he definitely will be deported, however, with many foreign sex offenders in Britain able to use human rights laws to stay in the country.

The convictions drew sharp reactions from senior political figures. Reform Paarty leader Nigel Farage and Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch accused authorities of a “cover-up” over how details of the case were handled publicly. Farage renewed calls for police to routinely disclose the immigration status of criminal suspects, something that is not standard practice despite being permitted under current guidance “if deemed necessary for legitimate policing purposes.”

The case has added to wider debate following other recent reports involving Afghan nationals in the United Kingdom and the United States, including prosecutions for serious sexual offences, fatal stabbings, and alleged terror threats.

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14 hours ago
Health
News

Now Canadian Doctors Want to Euthanize Infants.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Physicians in Quebec, Canada, have suggested extending the country’s euthanasia program to include infants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Quebec College of Physicians, Canadian lawmakers, and euthanasia prevention advocates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Canada, ongoing discussions in 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Medical assistance in dying may be an appropriate treatment for babies suffering from extreme pain.” – Quebec College of Physicians

🎯IMPACT: The proposal has reignited the debate over euthanasia laws in Canada becoming a “slippery slope.”

IN FULL

Canada’s so-called medical assistance in dying (MAID) euthanasia program is facing renewed scrutiny after the Quebec College of Physicians suggested it could be extended to infants, supposedly in cases of “extreme” suffering. The organization said, “Medical assistance in dying may be an appropriate treatment for babies suffering from extreme pain,” and proposed that parents be given the option to request the procedure for their child.

The comments have reopened a debate many believed was settled years ago. MAID was legalized in Canada in 2016 and initially restricted to adults with terminal illnesses whose deaths were reasonably foreseeable. Over time, eligibility has expanded to include non-terminal conditions, and the number of assisted deaths has risen steadily. Federal data shows 16,499 MAID deaths were reported in 2024 alone, bringing the cumulative total to 76,475 since legalization. By early 2026, at least 94,000 deaths had occurred under the program, according to Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The idea of extending MAID to infants is not new. In 2022, Dr. Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians testified before Parliament’s Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying that the program could apply to “babies from birth to one year of age” with severe deformities or disabilities.

The issue resurfaced last fall after attracting international attention. A feature in The Atlantic titled “Canada is Killing Itself” compared aspects of Canada’s euthanasia policies to historical practices in Nazi Germany, prompting backlash from euthanasia advocates and intensifying public debate.

MAID has also drawn controversy beyond the infanticide proposal. Reports have highlighted cases involving organ donation following euthanasia and allegations that safeguards have failed vulnerable individuals. In one recent case, the mother of a 26-year-old man claimed her son, who was physically healthy but suffered from depression, was euthanized under MAID, despite federal plans to delay eligibility for mental illness alone.

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16 hours 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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16 hours ago
Health
News

Trump Admin Unveils Plan to Cut Healthcare Costs Even More.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed new regulations for 2027 aimed at cutting health care costs, expanding consumer options, and cracking down on fraud.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: CMS, insurers, agents, brokers, and U.S. taxpayers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Proposed regulations for 2027, with public comments open until March 11, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are cracking down on improper and misleading practices while giving states and health plans more room to innovate and compete.” – Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator

🎯IMPACT: Potentially lower health care costs, expanded plan options, and stricter fraud prevention measures.

IN FULL

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed regulations for 2027 to further reduce health care costs while giving consumers more choices. The plan also focuses on safeguarding taxpayer dollars by strengthening efforts to combat fraud, reduce improper enrollments, tighten verification procedures, and ensure that subsidies are provided only to those who qualify.

One major element of the proposal would give insurers greater flexibility in designing health plans. CMS is considering allowing catastrophic plans to extend for as long as 10 years, removing standardized plan requirements to encourage innovation, and broadening hardship exemptions so more individuals can qualify for catastrophic coverage.

CMS also proposes allowing some plans that rely on non-network providers to count as Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), provided enrollees still have adequate access to providers. At the same time, the agency would impose tougher standards on agents and brokers to address misleading marketing and unauthorized changes to consumer coverage.

Additional provisions would strengthen income and eligibility verification for subsidies, align subsidy eligibility with federal immigration law by excluding certain lawfully present immigrants, and reinstate state oversight of provider networks and access to Essential Community Providers (ECPs).

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz highlighted the balance the agency is aiming to strike, saying, “We are cracking down on improper and misleading practices while giving states and health plans more room to innovate and compete.” CMS will accept public comments on the proposed rules through March 11, 2026, before finalizing regulations for implementation in 2027.

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16 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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17 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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18 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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18 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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19 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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