As Todd Blanche stood before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA., didn’t flinch when The Gateway Pundit asked him about the crook at the center of one of the most explosive government spying scandals in modern American history.

“I don’t know Mr. Smith. I never met him,” Kennedy said. “I’ve just watched him operate. I think he is a political zealot. I think he’s an ideologue. I think he hates Republicans. He exercises power emotionally and immaturely…And I think he ought to have his head in a bag.”

Kennedy delivered those words, and more, to The Gateway Pundit and the assembled press gaggle on Wednesday.

WATCH:

The Louisiana senator’s blunt verdict hit like a hammer as fresh documents confirmed what many feared: Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team secretly obtained and reviewed the actual contents of text messages from 44 members of Congress during the Biden administration’s “Artic Frost” investigation.

And that was only the latest chapter in a scandal that keeps getting darker.

This is the police state Joe Biden and Kamala Harris built, one that treated political opposition as domestic enemies, spied on sitting lawmakers and locked up dissenters while Democrats held unchecked power.

A Runaway Train With No Brakes

What began as an FBI probe codenamed Artic Frost in April 2022 exploded into a sprawling, unconstitutional dragnet once handed to Smith. Investigators bypassed mandatory filter teams designed to protect privileged material.

They pulled White House text messages spanning October 2020 to January 20, 2021 — overwhelmingly targeting Republicans.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, one of the 44 targeted, released the records alongside Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

“Jack Smith’s criminal investigation of President Trump was a runaway train that had no brakes,” Grassley declared. Biden DOJ and FBI officials “ignored their own routine investigative protocols” to rifle through lawmaker’ messages, even internal warnings about constitutional violations.

This went far beyond metadata. In a clear disregard for constitutional protections, including the Speech or Debate Clause and Fourth Amendment safeguards against unreasonable searches, the Biden FBI secretly obtained tolling data — call logs, numbers, durations, and local information — on at least eight Republican senators and one House member for the critical January 4-7, 2021 window.

Court-ordered nondisclosure, gag orders prevented the lawmakers from even knowing they were targets. Among those spied on: Sens. Chuck Grassely, Ron Johnson, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, Mike Lee and others. 

The dragnet operation ballooned to 197 subpoenas targeting more than 400 Republican individuals and entities — conservative organizations, donors, and media outlets, you name it.

WHO IS JACK SMITH? 

A career prosecutor with a history of aggressive, high-profile cases, Smith led the Biden DOJ’s election-related probes, including the massive January 6 investigations that resulted in hundreds of prosecutions of Trump supporters. Now, new evidence confirms his team spied on Congress, then lied about it.

In a December 2025 closed-door deposition, Smith was asked whether his team had reviewed the content of text messages involving members of Congress. He answered, “No.”

This is Jack Smith

He spied on me and several other senators

Then he lied about it

Not cool pic.twitter.com/BvhB5zvTNU

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) July 15, 2026

The records say otherwise.

Republicans are refusing to let this scandal die in the shadows.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., among those targeted, called the revelations a “blatant abuse of power— exactly what our Founders warned about.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., whose own records were swept up in the probe, denounced the operation as “Biden’s Stasi” and “an abuse of power beyond Watergate.” He has repeatedly called for Jack Smith’s prosecution, accusing the special counsel of lying to Congress under oath and conducting “a flagrant violation of the Constitution.”

On the Senate floor and in interviews this week, he demanded full hearings, a special prosecutor and criminal charges for every official involved.

Jack Smith lied to Congress UNDER OATH about Joe Biden’s DOJ illegally obtaining Senators’ text messages – including mine

He also tracked my location and metadata – a flagrant violation of the Constitution.

Jack Smith ought to be prosecuted pic.twitter.com/rMCmN3s3Cq

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 16, 2026

Grassley and Johnson keep dropping whistleblower documents and pressing for Smith to testify under oath. Senate subcommittees led by Sens. Cruz, Blackburn, Hawley and Schmitt have grilled telecom executives and exposed internal emails in which Smith’s team discussed evading Speech or Debate Clause protections.

Kennedy himself endorsed summoning Smith to testify: “Fine with me. I think that’s a swell idea.”

Kennedy on Blanche: A Potential Firewall

On the same day, as he weighed Todd Blanche’s confirmation as Attorney General — a potential guardrail against future weaponization — Kennedy struck a more optimistic tone.

“My guess? Yeah,” Kennedy said when asked if Blanche would be confirmed. “I don’t think any fair-minded person can look at his resume and not conclude that he is qualified…My Democratic colleagues don’t have anything against him personally. They just don’t like him because he was appointed by President Trump.”

Kennedy dismissed the corporate press’ concerns over an anti-weaponization fund: It never came into existence, and related settlements have already been struck down in court.

WATCH: 

The Lingering Dread

No top architect of Artic Frost has faced real consequences. Phone records. Text contents. Gag orders. A partisan fishing expedition that treated the Constitution like an inconvenience, all hidden until whistleblowers and Republican lawmakers dragged it daylight.

Americans saw what four more years of Biden-Harris would have looked like: a full-blown police state where thought crimes against the regime meant surveillance, SWAT teams, indictments, and prison. One more Democratic term and the republic we know could have been gone forever.

Will those who ran this spying machine face justice?

Or will the GOP once again play by rules the other side laughs at?

The post ‘And, I Think He Ought to Have His Head in a Bag’: Sen. Kennedy Torches Jack Smith as New Docs Expose Spying on 44 Members of Congress — GOP Senators DEMAND Prosecutions appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Food and Drug Administration just walked back its own finding in the massive Cyclospora outbreak that has left thousands of Americans suffering from relentless, explosive diarrhea.

On Sunday, the FDA announced that laboratory experts re-checked a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico that had previously tested “positive” for the parasite. The agency now says the result was a false positive. The

The FDA wrote on its website:

“FDA is providing an update regarding the sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico which was reported positive on July 18, 2026. Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive.

“Information about the sample has been removed from the July 18, 2026, update. FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market. FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples. As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.”

The source of the outbreak remains completely unknown.

This comes after days of chaos in which Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico that had been shipped to 27 states.

The company had been squarely in the crosshairs after federal investigators traced illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Taylor Farms has now released a statement following the new development:

“Today, FDA apologized to us.

Yesterday, FDA intormed Taylor Fresh Foods that one of its iceberg lettuce products from central Mexico had a “confirmed positive” test for cyclospora.

Today, we were informed that FDA made a mistake, and this was a false positive. To be clear, at this moment, FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora.

Acting on initial information provided by health officials, in an abundance of caution, we completed a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. Recalled product was limited to iceberg lettuce grown and processed in central Mexico.

All other Taylor Farms products, including all Taylor Farms brand products, are not involved in the recall.

Our thoughts remain with everyone who has fallen ill in this outbreak. We are committed to working with public health authorities as the ongoing outbreak investigation continues.”

An Update for You pic.twitter.com/n1g2Ck84i8

— Taylor Farms (@YourTaylorFarms) July 20, 2026

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, more than 1,600 Americans have been confirmed infected with the parasite, with dozens hospitalized.

The symptoms are brutal: frequent, watery diarrhea that can last weeks, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, extreme fatigue, and in some cases fever and body aches. For the immunocompromised, it can turn far more serious.

Taco Bell scrambled to yank all iceberg lettuce from its nationwide supply chain. Walmart pulled bagged products. Sysco stopped distribution.

The post FDA Announces Testing That Linked Taylor Farms From Mexico to Nationwide Cyclospora Outbreak Was a FALSE POSITIVE — Source of Explosive Diarrhea Parasite STILL UNKNOWN appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

What the FDA Knew—and When: The Case for a Black Box Warning on SSRIs for PSSD

Republished with permission from AbleChild.

A recent article in the DailyMail focused on what many who take antidepressants are reporting as sexual dysfunction. Apparently, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI), antidepressants not only cause people to feel nothing – not good, not bad -they also are unable to experience sexual pleasure…and it could be permanent.

The problem, of course, is more than sexual dysfunction. The bigger problem is that there is a risk of the psycho/pharma industry making the reported sexual dysfunction a mental illness, rather than call it what it is: an adverse effect of the SSRI drugs taken as “treatment” for depression. After all that’s what the psycho/pharmaceutical industry does…finds ways to profit from people’s feelings, even when those feelings are caused by that industry.

In fact, it is of interest that the DailyMail article refers to sexual dysfunction as a “condition,” writing the “American Psychiatric Association (APA) to help psychiatrists diagnose conditions states ‘in some cases, SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction may persist after agent (SSRI antidepressant) is discontinued.’” AbleChild cannot stress enough that the reported sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressant “treatment” is an adverse effect of the drug…not a mental disorder and certainly not something that needs to be “treated” with another mind-altering, mind-numbing drug.

Unfortunately, the inability to experience sexual pleasure is referred to as Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) and these adverse antidepressant side effects are not new. An increasing number of people are reporting experiencing PSSD, with symptoms that include genital dysfunction, loss of libido, difficulty or inability to reach orgasm and feeling muted or no sexual pleasure.

Some refer to PSSD as “emotional blunting,” but AbleChild would argue that antidepressants have long been reported to leave people feeling nothing. The overall feeling that comes with the antidepressant “treatment” is emotional blunting. It would appear that the answer from the psycho/pharma industry is that if someone is depressed, that can be “treated” by providing mind-altering drugs that make a person feel nothing. The patient won’t be depressed. The patient will feel nothing.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been aware of the emotional blunting, including sexual dysfunction associated with SSRIs for years but, unlike its counterparts in Europe, has failed to warn the public. But this is typical of the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry’s control over it. Recall that it took decades for the federal drug approval agency to approve the Black Box Warning for suicidality caused by antidepressant use. One can only wonder how many died because of the FDA’s lack of action on that front.

Now, however, one also must wonder how many will take their lives due to the sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressants? Daniel Demers, a Board Member of the PSSD Network, a 20,000 strong support group for PSSD sufferers, explains what happens in real life to those who are suffering with this drug adverse side effect. “At a bare minimum,” explains Demers, “the FDA must add a boxed warning for Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD).” “The agency’s failure,” says Demers, “to take a proactive approach to drug safety monitoring and labeling has contributed to untold preventable harm—including suicides that would certainly have been avoided if the FDA never approved these antidepressant drugs in the first place.”

Demers explains what happened to a PSSD sufferer. “Mary Amelia Koback was born in 1998 in Montgomery County, Maryland, just miles from FDA headquarters. By then, Prozac—the first SSRI—had been on the market for over a decade, and the agency had already received reports of persistent sexual dysfunction linked to the drug. In 2011, pharmaceutical giant, Eli Lilly, informed the FDA of such cases from its clinical trials. Yet Mary, like millions of other Americans, was never warned of this risk.”

Demers says that “on October 25, 2018, she submitted the following public comment to the FDA: PSSD is the worst thing that can happen to a person. After taking Zoloft, my genitals felt completely numb and my emotions completely disappeared. I went from being a sexual, outgoing, cheerful person to having 0 emotions and 0 sexuality. In addition to all of the terrible withdrawal symptoms I experienced (and am still experiencing at over 2 years off Zoloft), PSSD has ruined every aspect of my life. Thanks for listening!”

Despite Koback’s public comments and call for help, Demers reveals that “exactly one year later, Mary took her own life. She had only just turned 21.  If she hadn’t taken that fateful decision over 6 years ago, Mary would be 27 years old today, only to realize that the FDA still hasn’t bothered to listen.”

So, the FDA’s failure to address what is clearly an adverse event associated with one class of the agency’s approved drugs is standard operating procedure. It’s a kind of laissez-faire attitude in line with “oh, well, what’s a few deaths compared to all the help the drugs are providing.”

Along with that same government agency mentality, one must wonder how many people have reported the emotional and sexual blunting associated with antidepressants to the FDA’s MedWatch system? It’s difficult to know what the FDA is aware of given that the federal agency does virtually nothing to make the public aware of a publicly available system for reporting adverse drug reactions.

The question really is how many people will be harmed while the FDA does nothing? How many people will take their lives over this very serious sexual blunting while the FDA does nothing? Ironically, the deep thinkers at the FDA took only four years to approve the first SSRI antidepressant Prozac.

AbleChild is a 501(3) C nonprofit organization that has recently co-written landmark legislation in Tennessee, setting a national precedent for transparency and accountability in the intersection of mental health, pharmaceutical practices, and public safety.

What you can do.  Sign the Petition calling for federal hearings!

Donate! Every dollar you give is a powerful statement, a resounding declaration that the struggles of these families will no longer be ignored. Your generosity today will echo through generations, ensuring that the rights and well-being of children are fiercely guarded. Don’t let another family navigate this journey alone. Donate now and join us in creating a world where every child’s mind is nurtured, respected, and given the opportunity to thrive.  As a 501(c)3 organization, your donation to AbleChild is not only an investment in the well-being of vulnerable children but also a tax-deductible contribution to a cause that transcends individual lives.

The post What the FDA Knew—and When: The Case for a Black Box Warning on SSRIs for PSSD appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Families in Ladera Ranch, California, have experienced a nightmare that they believe could involve toxic chemicals from pesticides.

Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wants the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the matter and determine whether environmental factors explain why so many children in that community have developed rare forms of cancer.

“There has been an unusual cluster of pediatric cancers in the Ladera Ranch community,” Essayli wrote Thursday on the social media platform X.

Essayli asked that the EPA “conduct an appropriate investigation into whether there are any environmental causes, and whether any federal environmental laws are implicated.”

A letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin accompanied the post.

“My office has been made aware of recent reports of multiple pediatric Ewing sarcoma cases within the Ladera Ranch community,” Essayli wrote.

“Residents are raising concerns about a potential cancer cluster and whether environmental factors may warrant further evaluation. At least six children have been diagnosed with this rare bone and soft-tissue cancer, with one 17-year-old, Brody Matteson, dying after complications during treatment.”

There has been an unusual cluster of pediatric cancers in the Ladera Ranch community. I am requesting that @EPA conduct an appropriate investigation into whether there are any environmental causes, and whether any federal environmental laws are implicated. pic.twitter.com/DkRKlZUQ6L

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) July 17, 2026

Indeed, according to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, the rare cancer cases, as of Wednesday, had reached roughly a dozen.

That has made parents like Jessica Keetch desperate for answers.

“I think people need to listen and wake up and realize something is happening to our children,” Keetch said. “This is not random.”

Keetch’s 18-year-old daughter, Haven, developed a rare cancer called synovial sarcoma. As a result, the teenager had her right foot amputated.

“I’ll always remember the day,” Keetch said. “I’ll cry thinking about it because it’s the worst day for a parent you can ever have.”

Megan Matteson, mother of Brody, who passed away in March, recalled the community’s reaction to her son’s cancer diagnosis.

“To have three families that just contacted me right away after Brody was diagnosed was helpful but scary at the same time,” she said.

Of course, no one knows for certain whether environmental factors caused these rare cancers.

The parents, however, have their suspicions.

“These are our children. These are our babies,” Keetch said. “I raised my children in Ladera, thinking it’s safe. Maybe there’s no safe community, but if we can do better, we need to do better.”

No matter the cause, the Ladera Ranch pediatric cancer cluster appears statistically unfathomable.

According to KNBC-TV, which cited the American Cancer Society, each year only about 200 to 240 children and teens nationwide develop Ewing sarcoma.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post ‘Unusual Cluster’ of Rare Child Cancer Cases Triggers Calls for Investigation appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The New York Times is at it again, pushing anonymous-sourced garbage designed to smear the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and protect those who attack federal officers.

According to the Times, federal agents around the country were supposedly told in recent days that the FBI would no longer investigate confrontations with immigration agents, cases that “sometimes yield evidence that could be used to prosecute DHS agents implicated in violent encounters.”

According to the news outlet:

If enacted, such a change would sharply limit law enforcement scrutiny of immigration agents, as the Trump administration draws mounting criticism over killings at the hands of federal officers. In the last two weeks, two fatal shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Texas and Maine have thrust the government’s tactics back into the spotlight.

F.B.I. managers around the country received a written notice informing them of the change on Thursday, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal communications. The same day, some ICE agents around the country were notified by their F.B.I. counterparts.

The guidance shared with them said that the bureau would stop investigating claims of assaults against Department of Homeland Security agents, the people said. Even though such investigations are intended to determine whether the officers were in fact attacked, they can provide a crucial means of gathering evidence implicating the agents themselves.

[…]

An investigation by The New York Times found that the Trump administration had filed charges against more than 550 people for assaulting federal officers. Of the more than 400 cases that had been resolved, nearly half had unraveled, with charges being thrown out or withdrawn, or the defendants being acquitted.

DHS wasted no time shutting it down.

In a direct response on Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security stated:

“This is FALSE. The relationship between DHS and @TheJusticeDept in investigating assault on federal officer cases has NOT changed, and @FBI will continue to investigate in accordance with agency policy. This administration has been clear, anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

This is FALSE. The relationship between DHS and @TheJusticeDept in investigating assault on federal officer cases has NOT changed, and @FBI will continue to investigate in accordance with agency policy. This administration has been clear, anyone who assaults law enforcement will… https://t.co/Z0qBJTCTW8

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 19, 2026

The joint denial from DHS and the Justice Department is crystal clear. No change. The FBI will continue doing its job under agency policy. Anyone who lays hands on a federal officer will face the full force of the law.

The post DHS BLASTS New York Times FAKE NEWS Report Claiming FBI Will Stop Investigating Assaults on ICE Agents – “This is FALSE” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.