Month: May 2026

Justice Department Launches Criminal Investigation Into Funding E. Jean Carroll Received by Billionaire Reid Hoffman For Lawsuits Against Trump

Posted on by patriotsheart

A woman with short blonde hair passionately discusses a topic on a television show, with graphs visible in the background.

A woman with short blonde hair passionately discusses a topic on a television show, with graphs visible in the background.

The Justice Department has launched an investigation into the funding E. Jean Carroll received by billionaire Reid Hoffman for lawsuits against President Trump.

In 2019, E. Jean Carroll alleged that Donald Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s but she could not name the date or even the year this allegedly took place.

Trump has denied the allegations and called E. Jean Carroll a “whack job” who’s “not my type.”

Carroll previously said ‘rape is sexy’ and a ‘fantasy’ – CNN’s Anderson Cooper was so disturbed he cut to a commercial break.

The jury sided with Carroll anyway, with no evidence.

WATCH:

On Wednesday, it was reported that the Justice Department was investigating whether Carroll perjured herself when she said under oath that no outside source was paying her legal fees.

E. Jean Carroll told then-Trump attorney Alina Habba under oath that no one was helping her pay her legal fees.

However, it was later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman was bankrolling Carroll’s legal fees.

On Thursday, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois said E. Jean Carroll is not the target of investigation in Chicago.

“In light of wide-spread reporting and intense media and public interest into the E. Jean Carroll matter in New York, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office can confirm that it has not opened—and has never opened—a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll. Any claim to the contrary is categorically false,” US Attorney Andrew Boutros said.

CBS News reported:

The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into a nonprofit run by billionaire Reid Hoffman that funded a portion of author E. Jean Carroll’s civil litigation against President Trump, several sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.

The investigation, which is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, is looking into possible crimes including money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction, the sources said.

CBS News could not immediately learn what prompted the investigation or determine the legal theory of the case. Hoffman could not be immediately reached for comment.

On Wednesday evening, a source familiar with the matter told CBS News that the investigation was focused on whether Carroll had committed perjury during a deposition in connection with her civil lawsuits against Mr. Trump in which she alleged he had sexually abused and defamed her.

On Thursday, however, that source followed up and said Carroll is not the target of the investigation, which is focused on funding that Hoffman’s nonprofit, American Future Republic, provided to help cover some of her legal team’s expenses.

E. Jean Carroll may be the target of a separate investigation.

Carroll previously said that during her deposition, she ‘forgot’ she received funding from Reid Hoffman.

WATCH:

The post Justice Department Launches Criminal Investigation Into Funding E. Jean Carroll Received by Billionaire Reid Hoffman For Lawsuits Against Trump appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A-List Hollywood Actor Explains Why He’s Backing Spencer Pratt for LA Mayor: ‘Just Look Around’

Posted on by patriotsheart

As the Los Angeles mayoral primary approaches, actor Dennis Quaid threw his support behind Republican candidate Spencer Pratt over incumbent Democrat Karen Bass, calling it an obvious choice.

Quaid, 72, is known for headlining a variety of popular films, including the 2024 biopic “Reagan.”

When asked why he was endorsing Pratt during an interview with Fox News Digital published on Wednesday, he replied, “Why? What are you talking about? Why? Just look around, man.”

This was likely a reference to the many issues facing the city, including homelessness, crime, budget shortfalls, and the local government’s handling of the 2025 LA wildfires.

The actor also reportedly said, “Go Spencer Pratt,” at the 2nd Annual Military & Veteran Entertainment Awards Gala Saturday.

Pratt, a former reality television star and businessman, has been highly critical of the political leadership in Los Angeles.

His campaign website states that “the devastating 2025 Palisades fires that destroyed his family home” caused Pratt to jump into the fray and run against Bass.

The site also includes a statement from Pratt, which reads: “I’m not a politician. I’m a husband and father who watched my home burn because the system failed us. We don’t need more government programs. We need common sense, accountability, and a Mayor that shows up for everyone.”

Quaid and Pratt have been highly critical of Mayor Bass, especially for leaving the country during the dangerous windstorms that preceded and intensified the wildfires.

In addition to Quaid, Pratt has gotten endorsements from other conservative and libertarian figures like Joe Rogan, James Woods, and Adam Carolla.

Bass, meanwhile, touted her own celebrity endorsement from actor Samuel L. Jackson with a post Thursday on her X account.

“Honored to have the endorsement of my dear friend, @SamuelLJackson,” she wrote. “Sam has always shown up for the people and causes he believes in – and I am grateful he is showing up for Los Angeles. We’re aligned on the change I’m working to bring to L.A.”

Bass added, “That means getting more people off the streets into housing and connected with comprehensive services. It means more affordable housing units being built. And it means continuing to lower crime down to historic lows.”

Jackson said Bass was someone who “will go in the streets and gather the people together, not someone who will divide them.”

President Donald Trump has frequently butted heads with Bass over immigration and other political issues. He expressed support for Pratt earlier this month.

“I’d like to see him do well, he’s a character,” Trump said, according to Los Angeles Magazine.

“I assume he probably supports me,” the president added. “I hear he does. I heard he’s a big MAGA person. He’s doing well.”

Pratt is a registered Republican, but will be running as an independent.

CNBC reported on Pratt’s recent surge in the polls, citing a UC Berkeley-Los Angeles Times survey that has him at 22 percent among likely voters. That puts him just behind Bass at 26 percent. City Councilmember Nithya Raman garnered 25 percent.

The poll also revealed that Pratt and Raman have gained eight percentage points since March, making the race a toss-up.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post A-List Hollywood Actor Explains Why He’s Backing Spencer Pratt for LA Mayor: ‘Just Look Around’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Texas Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Erika Kirk and Bomb the TPUSA Women’s Leadership Summit

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A serious conversation between two individuals, one with long blonde hair and the other with short hair, highlighting emotional expressions and contrasting backgrounds.

A serious conversation between two individuals, one with long blonde hair and the other with short hair, highlighting emotional expressions and contrasting backgrounds.

A 26-year-old man from San Antonio, Texas, has been arrested after he posted a threat that he intends to bomb an upcoming Turning Point USA event and assassinate Erika Kirk, the widow of the late conservative icon Charlie Kirk.

Jacob Wenske was taken into custody early Thursday morning by San Antonio Police Department officers.

Wenske faces two third-degree felony charges of making a terroristic threat that causes public fear of serious bodily injury or public disruption.

According to the arrest warrant and charging documents obtained by local station KSAT, the threats were made in April in response to publicity for Turning Point USA’s Women’s Leadership Summit, scheduled for June 5–7, at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk.

In a reply to a post promoting the summit, Wenske wrote, “I know exactly where to bomb.”

Wenske wrote in a follow-up post in the same thread, “I can’t wait to be the valet for her escort.”

An email sent from an account registered to Wenske read, “Death to Erika Kirk and every single speaker there!! America will live on without those scum on this earth. Every Christian nationalist shall perish in the bombing that will take place at every single Turning Point rally and event.”

WATCH:

Kirk, who took over as CEO of TPUSA in the wake of her husband’s murder, is scheduled to speak at the summit.

The event is expected to draw more than 2,500 attendees.

In a statement posted to X, TPUSA wrote:

Turning Point USA takes all threats seriously and we work closely with law enforcement at all levels to respond to and resolve any threats.

We are grateful to the San Antonio Police Department and the FBI for their rapid response and arrest of the individual making these threats.

The safety of our attendees, speakers, and staff is always our top priority. All TPUSA events include enhanced, multi-layered security measures that are enforced by both private security and local police.

We refuse to let threats silence us. We look forward to a successful and inspiring gathering June 5–7 in San Antonio for 2,500+ ladies attending the Women’s Leadership Summit!

Wenske’s bond has been set at $120,000.

The post Texas Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Erika Kirk and Bomb the TPUSA Women’s Leadership Summit appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Trump Administration Slams ‘False Reporting’ by EU Top Diplomat Kaja Kallas Claiming That US Diplomats Had Left Kiev Ahead of Expected Missile and Drone Strikes

Posted on by patriotsheart

Image of a serious confrontation between a woman and a man with blonde hair, set against a red background, highlighting tension and focus.

Image of a serious confrontation between a woman and a man with blonde hair, set against a red background, highlighting tension and focus.
EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas and US President Donald J. Trump – montage with photos by Wiki Commons

Many feel Kallas is not up to the job.

Of all the bloated bureaucracies installed in Brussels, the seemingly less effective official is the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.

In yet another of her faux-pas, she announced that the heroic European diplomats were still in Kiev, while the American would have fled after the Russian warnings of massive drone and missile attacks programmed for the next days and weeks.

But no one’s surprise, the information was incorrect, prompting US officials to criticize her statement, calling it a ‘false reporting’.

The Telegraph reported:

“Kaja Kallas, the EU’s most senior diplomat, claimed the US was the only country to evacuate its embassy in response to Russian threats against the Ukrainian capital over the weekend, while praising Europeans’ courage for remaining in place.

But in an unusual intervention highlighting the tensions between Washington and Brussels, the US embassy in Ukraine stated: ‘There are no changes to our operations, and reports otherwise are false’.”

Moscow has issued multiple warnings urging diplomats and foreigners living in Kiev to leave the city before its planned strikes on ‘decision-making centers’ in Kyiv.

“Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, also urged the US to evacuate its envoys in a personal phone call to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. In the days after their discussion, unsubstantiated images of what appeared to be diplomatic staff leaving the US embassy in Kyiv emerged.

[…] On Thursday, Ms. Kallas told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Cyprus: ‘What we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed, except one, so that also takes courage from those embassies, but yes, all the Europeans stayed, America left’.”

Not only the US, but also the Ukrainians denied Kallas’ statement, in a big embarrassment for the EU official.

Read more:

BREAKING: Pentagon Halts Some Weapons Shipments to Ukraine After It’s Revealed Joe Biden Depleted US Munitions Stockpiles

The post Trump Administration Slams ‘False Reporting’ by EU Top Diplomat Kaja Kallas Claiming That US Diplomats Had Left Kiev Ahead of Expected Missile and Drone Strikes appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Oklahoma Homeowner Charged with MANSLAUGHTER After Gunning Down Squatter Who Took Over One of His Houses

Posted on by patriotsheart

Close-up portraits of two men, one with a gray beard and the other with a mustache, showcasing distinct facial features and expressions.

Close-up portraits of two men, one with a gray beard and the other with a mustache, showcasing distinct facial features and expressions.
On the left: Homeowner Timothy Smith. On the right: Squatter Justin King. Credits: Oklahoma County Detention Center and Justin King Facebook

An Oklahoma homeowner earlier this month took deadly action against a lazy squatter and now faces a serious threat to his freedom.

As KOCO reported, 59-year-old Timothy Smith was arrested by police and charged with first-degree manslaughter after fatally shooting 42-year-old Justin King, who had taken over one of his homes in Oklahoma City.

KOCO revealed that Smith discovered King was living on the property and went to confront him on May 1. When Smith arrived, he stumbled upon the squatter having carnal relations with a female in one of the home’s bedrooms.

Smith claims he shot King in self-defense after the squatter took a step toward him.

The squatter died one week later.

From KOCO:

Smith, who was not living in the home at the time, said he entered with a gun and confronted King when he found him in the back bedroom with a woman.

When he ordered King to leave, Smith claimed that King stepped toward him, so he aimed at the area of the squatter and pulled the trigger, per court records cited by KOCO.

He hit King in the neck, and he was taken to the hospital. He died a week later on May 8.

Smith was initially arrested on charges of assault and battery with a deadly weapon. He was then charged with first-degree manslaughter after King died in the hospital.

Criminal defense attorney Ed Blau told KOCO that the self-defense claim in this case may not apply because Smith was not living in the home at the time of the shooting.

“There’s no death penalty for squatting in the state of Oklahoma. You can’t just take a gun in and shoot somebody,” Blau explained.

Blau added that while Oklahoma’s Castle Doctrine allows homeowners to defend their primary residence against intruders, the law is different for a vacant home.

“If a trespasser or a burglar breaks in or comes into the home that you live in and you’re there, you can pretty much shoot them or do whatever you want to with them,” Blau told KOCO. “And because of the Castle Doctrine here in Oklahoma, in a situation like this, an abandoned house, it’s much different.”

“You can’t go in, put yourself in a situation and say, ‘This is my house, so I felt I had the right to shoot him.’”

The post Oklahoma Homeowner Charged with MANSLAUGHTER After Gunning Down Squatter Who Took Over One of His Houses appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Louisiana House Approves New Congressional Map that Eliminates Racially Gerrymandered District

Posted on by patriotsheart

Map comparison of current and proposed congressional districts in Louisiana, highlighting changes with blue areas on a red background.

Map comparison of current and proposed congressional districts in Louisiana, highlighting changes with blue areas on a red background.

The Louisiana House on Thursday approved a new Congressional map that eliminates a racially gerrymandered district, sending the bill to the Senate.

Louisiana delayed its House primaries late last month after a blockbuster Supreme Court ruling on a key Voting Rights Act provision.

The Supreme Court recently declared Louisiana’s previous Congressional map an unconstitutional gerrymander.

The high court issued the ruling 6-3.

Liberal justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissented.

The case, State of Louisiana v. Phillip Callais (and the related Press Robinson v. Phillip Callais), stems from Louisiana’s woke lawmakers caving to left-wing judges and creating a second “majority-minority” congressional district.

The Louisiana House voted 66-35 to approve the new map.

WATCH:

WAFB reported:

Louisiana lawmakers are one step closer to approving a new congressional map after the state House passed Senate Bill 121 on Thursday.

The bill passed the House floor by a vote of 66-35. It now heads back to the Senate.

SB 121 would redraw Louisiana’s congressional districts as part of an ongoing redistricting fight. A House committee previously adopted an amendment to the bill after the Senate passed a different version of the map.

The proposal follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Louisiana’s current congressional map. The court found lawmakers relied too heavily on race when they drew the 6th Congressional District.

The Senate-passed version of SB 121 would reduce Louisiana’s number of majority-Black congressional districts from two to one. Supporters have said the map is meant to strengthen Republican representation, while opponents have criticized it as a political power grab that could dilute Black voting power.

The post Louisiana House Approves New Congressional Map that Eliminates Racially Gerrymandered District appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Scott Bessent Just Ended Gavin Newsom’s Entire Argument Over Proposed 100% Tax on Trump Anti-Weaponization Payouts in Five Words

Posted on by patriotsheart

Press briefing at the White House discussing oil prices dropping below pre-war levels, featuring a speaker from Fox News.

Press briefing at the White House discussing oil prices dropping below pre-war levels, featuring a speaker from Fox News.
Screenshot

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent absolutely humiliated California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday after the far-left governor floated an outrageous plan to impose a 100% tax on Californians who receive payouts from President Trump’s anti-weaponization compensation fund.

And Bessent needed just five words to destroy the entire argument.

During a press briefing, a reporter asked Bessent about Newsom’s latest meltdown after California Democrats erupted over Trump’s effort to compensate Americans targeted by politically motivated government abuse and weaponized prosecutions.

“Newsom says he wants a 100% tax on Californians that receive money from Trump’s anti-weaponization fund. Your response?” the reporter asked.

Bessent didn’t hesitate.

“There’s no cure for STUPID,” Bessent fired back before immediately walking out of the room.

The savage response instantly exploded online.

WATCH:

The exchange happened after Newsom — whose state is already a national punchline for sky-high taxes, homelessness, businesses fleeing in droves, and one of the worst-run governments in America — announced he would try to claw back every penny Californians might receive from the fund.

The Anti-Weaponization Fund (approximately $1.776 billion) was created as part of the settlement in President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the illegal leaking of his tax returns. It establishes a process for everyday Americans who were targeted by the weaponized deep state and lawfare machine under previous administrations to seek redress.

Newsom, in classic Democrat projection mode, immediately branded it a “slush fund” and vowed:

“Anyone from California that receives any of those funds, we want to tax 100% of those proceeds… It’s an action the state of California can take. It’s an action we look forward to taking.”

Bessent didn’t even bother with a long-winded policy lecture. He gave the only response the moment deserved.

The post Scott Bessent Just Ended Gavin Newsom’s Entire Argument Over Proposed 100% Tax on Trump Anti-Weaponization Payouts in Five Words appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Peptide Secret Big Pharma Has Been Sitting On – And Why You Finally Don’t Need a Needle to Get It

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Senior man jogging along a coastal trail at sunset, showcasing an active lifestyle and scenic outdoor exercise.

(Note: Thank you for supporting businesses like the one presenting a sponsored message below and working with them through the links below which benefits Gateway Pundit. We appreciate your support!)

Senior man jogging along a coastal trail at sunset, showcasing an active lifestyle and scenic outdoor exercise.

Right now, somewhere in a gleaming office park, a pharmaceutical executive is enjoying a very expensive meal – paid for, in part, by the money you spent on anti-inflammatories that don’t actually fix a single thing. They mask. They numb. They keep you coming back for refills like clockwork, because that’s not medicine – that’s a broken system.

Here’s what the establishment doesn’t want becoming common knowledge: your body already knows how to heal itself. The problem isn’t that your muscles, tendons, joints, and gut have forgotten how to repair – it’s that as you age, the molecular signals telling your cells to get to work go quiet. Scientists identified specific peptides – BPC-157, TB-500, KPV – that act like a bullhorn for your body’s own repair crews, and your biology already recognizes every one of them.

Until very recently, the only way to get these peptides into your system at a therapeutic level was with a syringe. Which meant most sensible, needle-averse people never got access to this technology at all. That just changed.

The Wellness Company – founded by principled, freedom-minded physicians who publicly stood against the medical establishment when it counted – has taken those three clinically researched peptides and put them into an oral liquid formula called REGENERATE, powered by their proprietary AQA™ delivery technology. No needles. No clinic visits. No prescription gatekeepers.

Just 30 drops in a small glass of cold water, first thing in the morning, and you’ve delivered injectable-grade peptides to a system that’s been waiting for exactly this signal.

This isn’t a workaround or a compromise. It’s a legitimate breakthrough available to you right now.

Let’s talk specifics, because you deserve them:

BPC-157 restores gut barrier integrity and dramatically accelerates the healing of muscles, tendons, and ligaments – working at the cellular level to repair actual tissue, not just quiet the pain signal.

TB-500 promotes cellular regeneration, builds flexibility, and encourages your body to grow new healthy tissue where damaged tissue has been sitting stagnant.

And KPV supports immune balance and helps your body mount a healthy inflammatory response instead of the chronic, low-grade inflammation that quietly destroys your quality of life year after year.

Maybe you’ve seen “miracle” supplements come and go – good, because healthy skepticism is a virtue. But peptides work fundamentally differently than the turmeric capsules and fish oil softgels gathering dust in your cabinet. They communicate directly with your cells, activating repair pathways that generic supplements can’t even reach – and The Wellness Company’s AQA™ delivery system is specifically engineered to protect these peptides from being degraded in your gut before they can do their job.

When did you last wake up without something hurting? When did you last finish a physical day without paying for it the next morning? If you’re like most people who’ve lived with any degree of grit, you’ve quietly accepted a version of your physical life that’s significantly diminished from what it once was.

The folks using REGENERATE are reporting something that sounds almost too good to be true – but isn’t. Shirley, a verified buyer, said her shoulder showed dramatic healing after just one week when nothing else had touched it. Bianka, who trains five days a week in bootcamps and endurance work, woke up on day five without the kinks and soreness she’d accepted as normal.

Don’t overlook the gut piece – especially if you’re 55 or older. BPC-157 specifically targets gut barrier integrity, and when your gut heals, a whole cascade of downstream problems starts resolving too: energy, mood, immune resilience, even joint inflammation. REGENERATE isn’t just a joint supplement wearing peptide clothing – it’s a whole-body recovery system that starts at the foundation.

You haven’t heard about this before because peptide therapy was historically the domain of elite athletes and well-connected biohackers with access to compounding pharmacies – not regular Americans. The physicians who built The Wellness Company stood publicly against a medical consensus they knew was wrong when the stakes were highest, and they built this company on the premise that you deserve access to real medicine without bureaucratic interference. REGENERATE is that philosophy in a bottle.

The formula is clean – allergen free, vegan friendly, with exactly 1mg of each peptide per serving. Go to The Wellness Company right now, take it every morning for 30 days, and find out what your body is actually capable of when you give it the right signals – because you’ve worked too hard and sacrificed too much to spend the second half of your life waiting for a system that’s already failed you to finally get it right.

Click here to get started today.

Note: The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or used as a substitute for professional healthcare guidance. It is your responsibility to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines regarding the purchase, possession, and use of prescription medications.

The post The Peptide Secret Big Pharma Has Been Sitting On – And Why You Finally Don’t Need a Needle to Get It appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

CBS News Chief Bari Weiss FIRES Far-Left ’60 Minutes’ Executive Producer and Anti-Trump Correspondents

Posted on by patriotsheart

Image featuring a documentary title "Inside CECOT," showcasing a host discussing the program alongside a background of inmates, highlighting prison life and rehabilitation.

Image featuring a documentary title "Inside CECOT," showcasing a host discussing the program alongside a background of inmates, highlighting prison life and rehabilitation.
Screenshot: 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi

CBS News Editor-in-Chief continues draining the woke swamp at the long-compromised Sunday news program, 60 Minutes.

The Gateway Pundit has documented for years how ’60 Minutes’ repeatedly targeted conservatives and President Trump with one-sided hit pieces while giving Democrats and their allies soft-glove treatment.

The show’s credibility collapsed further after the disastrous Kamala Harris interview that triggered a major lawsuit and exposed its activist bent.

Bari Weiss, who famously walked away from The New York Times over its radical leftward lurch and cancel culture, is now applying the same standards at CBS.

Under the new Skydance/Paramount ownership, Weiss was brought in with a mandate for “actual viewpoint diversity.”

Weiss announced Thursday that she is replacing veteran executive producer Tanya Simon — a 30-year fixture at the program and daughter of legendary correspondent Bob Simon — with Nick Bilton, a tech journalist, former New York Times columnist, and documentary filmmaker with zero experience in traditional broadcast news.

Bilton issued the following statement:

My responsibility is not just technological transformation. It is also our trust with the public.

On the very first episode of 60 Minutes Mike Wallace said: “If this broadcast does what we hope it will do it will report reality.” I can’t think of a better north star for 60 Minutes than that. Above all, that means a commitment to fairness—in story selection, in the edit room, and in the broadcast.

Now, what happens next? I’m here to lead this show, not preserve it under glass. That means honoring what works and being honest about what doesn’t. I have a notebook full of ideas. Some are about the show itself. Some are about the next generation of correspondents. Some are about the strange fact that we produce one extraordinary hour for one night a week in a world that consumes content around the clock. I’m excited to share them, and I’m confident you’ll be excited by them, too.

But not yet. The first thing I want to do is meet you. Hear what you’re working on. Hear what isn’t working.

Hear what you’ve been waiting to do and haven’t been able to. In about thirty days I’ll come back to all of you with where we go from here. It will be a conversation that we have together.

This is the best job in journalism. I can’t wait to introduce myself and meet each of you.

Correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega were also shown the door as part of the overhaul, along with other senior producers.

It can be recalled, according to The Guardian, “The veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi expressed concern about “the spread of corporate meddling and editorial fear” at CBS News and her uncertainty about whether she will keep her job after she pushed back on a directive to change her December segment on Venezuelans who were sent to the Cecot prison in El Salvador.”

The post CBS News Chief Bari Weiss FIRES Far-Left ’60 Minutes’ Executive Producer and Anti-Trump Correspondents appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Mamdani’s Housing Program Follows the Socialist Playbook: Create the Crisis, Seize the Property

Posted on by patriotsheart

Man in a black coat and gloves waves from a podium with a city seal during an outdoor event.

Man in a black coat and gloves waves from a podium with a city seal during an outdoor event.
New York City’s democratic-socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, plans to transfer ownership away from “bad landlords.” Photo courtesy of the New York City government.

“When necessary, we will take aggressive legal action to remove negligent owners and property managers. And for buildings that have suffered chronic neglect, we will work to transfer ownership to responsible stewards,” said New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, explaining how the city plans to seize private property and transfer it to “stewards that include community land trusts, non-profits, or even the tenants themselves.”

The good news is he will not be taking property from all landlords, only the ones he decides are bad. “Through our new citywide campaign, Fix the City, we will focus on the worst landlords in New York City.”

Mamdani does not seem troubled by the fact that his proposal appears to violate the Fifth Amendment, which states, “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

Even before being elected, he announced that he would be seizing private property. As a candidate, Mamdani declared: “We will use every single tool at our disposal, including seizing buildings from slumlords, to ensure that each and every New Yorker is given what is their right, a safe place to call their home.”

Now, as mayor, he is moving to act on it. On May 27, Mamdani unveiled his 112-page “Block by Block” housing plan in Gowanus. The enforcement mechanism involves the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development will launch a “Fix the City” initiative to conduct roof-to-cellar inspections in targeted buildings and aggressively use the 7A Program, through which the city can initiate legal action to remove negligent owners and property managers from day-to-day management.

The plan also has Housing Preservation and Development collaborating with other agencies and borough district attorneys to pursue criminal charges against property owners.

What Mamdani is proposing is a textbook Austrian economics interventionism cascade. Austrian economics, the discipline in which the author of this article is educated, holds that rather than solving problems and making life better for citizens, government intervention generally exacerbates problems, making them worse, more widespread, and increasingly difficult to resolve. Each resulting distortion is used to justify the next intervention, which in turn causes the problem to get worse, necessitating more government intervention, making things worse…until all properties fall under state control.

The landlord crisis Mamdani claims to be solving was created by the very rent control policies his administration is now doubling down on.

The methodology for creating a crisis that allows the state to seize property begins with artificial rent controls such as freezes and rent ceilings. Below-market rates destroy the landlord’s incentive to maintain and invest in property. When rents fall below a certain level, the landlord may not even be able to afford repairs and maintenance.

The rational economic response for a landlord who is forced to rent at rates below operating costs is to defer maintenance. The building deteriorates. The landlord becomes, by definition, a “bad landlord,” not from malice but from economic necessity created by the policy itself.

The city then uses the deterioration it caused as the legal and moral pretext to seize or transfer the property. The government manufactured the problem and now presents itself as the solution.

Once nonprofits or land trusts take control, the property exits the private market permanently. The impact on everyone else in the city is that fewer apartments remain on the market and the price of all non-rent-controlled apartments goes up.

The impact on the lucky few living in rent-controlled apartments is that, regardless of who owns the property, maintenance cost still exceeds the revenue generated by the rent. So even under city or non-profit stewardship, the situation remains the same. The building deteriorates and nothing gets fixed.

A primary example is the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the city’s own public housing system, which, according to Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, had over 600,000 unanswered work orders at the time Mamdani announced his crackdown on private landlords.

At the same time that rents are skyrocketing in other apartments and conditions are deteriorating in rent-controlled apartments, developers are hesitant to build new apartments for fear that they will eventually be co-opted by the city. Additionally, city regulations require developers to include a certain percentage of “affordable” units, which eat into profits and force them to rent to tenants they otherwise would have rejected.

The solution, of course, is to confiscate more properties and operate them at a loss while increasing taxes on those who work. New York has already experienced an exodus of high-earning residents along with a decline in overall construction activity. That pattern will continue, with fewer taxpayers supporting larger swaths of the population living in deteriorating slums. Mamdani may finally have figured out how to kill the city that never sleeps.

The post Mamdani’s Housing Program Follows the Socialist Playbook: Create the Crisis, Seize the Property appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.