The Patriot Post® · Tuesday Executive News Summary
FBI disrupts UFC 250 drone attack
Early reports indicate the FBI disrupted a planned attack on the UFC 250 event at the White House on Flag Day. The FBI obtained Signal chats in which 23 people discussed pre-operation activity relating to the attack. The plan involved explosive drones, which were intended to drive evacuation to pre-staged snipers. A second wave was intended to breach the White House gate. “Capitalist elites,” “billionaires,” and politicians who have accepted donations from AIPAC were the chief targets. Twelve FBI field offices participated in the investigation, which has led to the arrest of five people. Director Kash Patel said that stopping such plots “cold” is “nothing out of the ordinary” for his FBI team. Vice President JD Vance urged Democrats to do some soul-searching on why so much political violence is coming from their “side of the spectrum.”
Unknown Iran deal
While President Donald Trump is touting a forthcoming peace deal with Iran that would open the Strait of Hormuz, the actual text of the deal hasn’t been released. Trump is promoting the deal while critics are lining up to throw cold water on its apparent limited scope — specifically that it lacks a demonstrable agreement that ends Iran’s nuclear program, the whole premise for the operation against Iran. The deal is said to open the Strait while also giving a 60-day timeframe for continued negotiations regarding the regime’s nuclear material and enrichment program. For Tehran, the deal offers a desperately needed economic lifeline. Trump is eyeing the midterms and sees sinking poll numbers, due in large part to the economic hit Americans are feeling from his Iran campaign. He’s motivated to get a deal done.
B-52 crashes, eight dead
Eight crew members are believed dead after a B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff yesterday at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Stratofortress bomber was running a test sortie related to the B-52’s radar modernization program at the time. B-52s typically run with a crew of five; the extra crew was likely related to tests of new equipment. Military personnel, government civilians, and government contractors were on board, including two Boeing employees. Col. James Hayes, deputy commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, reviewed footage of the crash and said no one could have survived. Shortly after the event, Rep. Vince Fong called for prayer for the Edwards community, which is in his district. The names of the crew members are being withheld until notification can be given to their families.
SCOTUS won’t revive Carter Page lawsuit
President Trump’s foreign policy adviser for his 2016 campaign, Carter Page, sought to hold James Comey and other specific government officials accountable for unlawful surveillance. However, the Supreme Court concurred with the lower courts and dismissed the case, saying that Page did not sue the officials who carried out the surveillance. Page claimed that Comey and others violated his constitutional rights by using flawed applications to obtain approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to spy on him as part of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Page was never charged with a crime and has already won a $1.25 million settlement in his case against the federal government. The FBI has implemented many changes to the surveillance application process to improve accuracy and completeness in response to watchdog findings.
SPLC boss had a neo-Nazi lover, funneled $1.2 million
Details from the Department of Justice’s indictment of the SPLC are revealing just how incestuous the relationship between the hate groups and the “anti-hate” group was. In at least one case, hate and anti-hate seem to have shared a bed. SPLC “Employee-2,” as she is described in the indictment, is believed to have been the lover of and financier of National Alliance informant “F-9.” F-9 remains unidentified to the public, but “Employee-2” appears to be Heidi Beirich, a “fascism expert” who served as the SPLC director of intelligence from 2012-2019. During her tenure, Beirich appears to have paid her lover $140,000 as an informant, which was deposited into their shared bank account and represented two-thirds of all money ever deposited into that account. F-9 was paid approximately $1.2 million by the SPLC over 20 years.
SCOTUS accepts case regarding detention of felonious immigrants
The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear Genalo v. Black, a case that will determine whether the federal government can hold criminal immigrants indefinitely pending deportation. The specific question is whether two criminal immigrants detained for seven and 21 months, respectively, were due a bond hearing. The Second Circuit Court ruled that a hearing is required since detention can become “unreasonably prolonged.” The same court ruled that the burden is on the Justice Department to provide “clear and convincing” evidence of the necessity of detaining one immigrant, Carol Williams Black. The solicitor general argues that the 2018 case Jennings v. Rodriguez actually prohibits the release of such criminal immigrants on bond, vacating the need for a bond hearing.
SCOTUS rejects taking up NY’s gun liability law
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a gun industry challenge to a New York law that allows firearm manufacturers to be held liable for third-party harm caused by misuse of firearms. The group of gun manufacturers led by the National Shooting Sports Foundation argued that New York’s 2021 law effectively renders the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act moot. NSSF spokesman Mark Oliva reasoned, “Holding the firearm industry responsible for the criminal misuse of a firearm is akin to holding Anheuser-Busch and Ford Motor Company responsible for damages from drunk-driving crimes.” Four justices would have needed to vote in favor of hearing the challenge.
GOP lawmakers reject tying SAVE Act to FISA renewal
With the election-integrity legislation known as the SAVE America Act floundering in Congress, President Trump has urged Republicans to tie it to other bills to pass it. Yet GOP leadership has refused Trump’s recent demand to link the SAVE Act with the renewal of FISA. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called it unrealistic because the two bills were entirely unrelated. In response to Trump’s threat not to sign a clean FISA renewal bill, Thune stated, “I certainly would hope that if we can get FISA off the floor that he would sign it.” House Speaker Mike Johnson also noted that the FISA renewal requires a 60-vote threshold to pass the Senate, which Democrats are certain to block if it is linked with the SAVE Act. However, Johnson plans to include some elements of the SAVE Act in a new reconciliation bill.
Woke FIFA may remove assistant ref over “OK” symbol
In an effort to crack down on racism and discrimination during the World Cup, FIFA has partnered with the discrimination monitoring group known as Fare. Recently, Fare alerted FIFA to an assistant referee who made an “OK” gesture below his waist during the broadcast of the Germany vs. Curaçao game. FIFA said that it was looking into the matter, explaining, “Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside-down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a ‘white power’ symbol in global far-right circles.” Fare argues that this official should be removed, claiming the gesture is “neo-Nazi.” Yet this gesture has been associated with the juvenile “circle game” long before 2019, when the leftist Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism declared it to be a racist gesture. FIFA has yet to issue a decision.
Headlines
Major League Baseball warns Giants players for writing Bible verses on “Pride Night” hats (OutKick)
America 250 announces U.S. artifacts to be included in time capsule (Washington Examiner)
Ukrainian drones hit Moscow’s largest oil refinery located just miles from the Kremlin (Washington Examiner)
The Executive News Summary is compiled daily by Jordan Candler, Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, and Sophie Starkova. For the archive, click here.