POLITICO Reporter’s X Post Predicting ‘Stand Your Ground’ Clash With Somali Fraud Investigators Sparks Backlash

Debra Heine

   “If sanctuary cities would change their policies and turn these violent criminal aliens over to us—into our custody—instead of releasing them into the public, we would not have to come out into the communities,” Lyons told reporters during a press briefing."

"Politico senior legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein sparked a major backlash Tuesday over an X post viewed by critics as dog whistle for violence against federal agents and investigative journalists like Nick Shirley.

"Late Monday night,  Gerstein wrote, “At some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand-your-ground laws.” The statement was interpreted by many as a veiled threat or suggestion that investigators could or should be shot.

"Shirley has been on the ground in Minneapolis, Minnesota investigating alleged fraud at Somali-run daycare centers in the state. The journalist posted a viral video on December 26 showing his visits to multiple childcare facilities, which appeared to have no children present, despite receiving substantial taxpayer funds.

"The video, which has been viewed over 127 million times, has sparked action from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which deployed agents to Minneapolis this week to investigate the suspected Somali fraud sites.

"US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been in the Twin Cities since December 1, targeting violent criminals in the country illegally as part of Operation Metro Surge. The feds have been active in the state amidst a backdrop of persistent Democrat resistance and protests.

"ICE responded to Gerstein’s post on X, saying: “You would think a “Senior Legal Affairs Reporter” for POLITICO would know better than to tweet something inciting violence against federal agents.”

"The White House Rapid Response team also responded to the post on X Tuesday: “This sicko must’ve been educated at Quality Learing Center.”

"The post drew widespread criticism from journalists and commentators as well, including the Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway, who pointed out that Minnesota is not a “stand your ground” state, but has a “duty to retreat” law, making Gerstein’s claim legally inaccurate. She also emphasized that door-knocking for journalistic purposes does not justify lethal force under any interpretation of self-defense laws." . . .  More...

Washington State AG Warns Citizen Journalists to Stop Investigating Somali Daycares or Face Potential Hate Crime Charges  

"Shirley produced a 42-minute video, which has been viewed over 131 million times on X since it was posted on December 26,  alleging that Minnesota governor Tim Walz (D.) “knew about the fraud but never reported it.” Inspired by Shirley’s bombshell report, citizen journalists in multiple states with large Somali populations have launched their own investigations in recent days." 

https://spectator.org/

Jihad on Times Square

Kim Ezra Shienbaum  

"When religious history is reshaped to serve contemporary political narratives, something more than dialogue is at stake. What is being erased is not merely nuance, but truth -- truth about Christianity’s origins, about Jewish history, and about the real nature of Christian life under Islamic rule."

"There are few places on earth more symbolically American -- or more globally recognizable -- than New York City’s Times Square. It is a commercial crossroads, a cultural billboard, and increasingly, a battleground for ideological messaging.

"That’s why many New Yorkers and visitors were understandably bewildered -- if not outright angered -- by a massive green digital display dominating Times Square just before Christmas proclaiming: JESUS WAS PALESTINIAN. The color choice was no accident. Green is the traditional color of Islam, and the message itself was plainly political. Online reactions quickly labeled the display “divisive,” “inflammatory,” and “inappropriate.”

"Yet the response was not universally negative. Some commentators praised the message as “thought-provoking,” a “bridge-building effort,” or even the beginning of a “national conversation” meant to emphasize that “Jesus is for everyone.”

"The billboard’s sponsor, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), explained that its intent was to highlight supposed deep historical ties between Christianity and Islam. But intentions do not nullify consequences. Nor do slogans override history.

"In light of the recent National Security Strategy’s warning about “civilizational erasure” in Europe, Americans would be wise to ask whether similar revisionism is now being imported -- quite literally -- into the heart of our most iconic public spaces. Are we witnessing the quiet imposition of a new religious and historical narrative, one that fundamentally alters Christianity’s foundational claims?

"Two assertions embedded in the Times Square message demand direct rebuttal, because both distort history and theology in ways that are anything but benign. No, Jesus was not Palestinian. And no, the Christian-Muslim historical relationship has not been one of mutual partnership, but of subjugation, even conquest.

Jesus Was Not Palestinian

"Using Scripture as our primary guide -- as Christians have done for two millennia -- the claim collapses immediately. Jesus’ birth and death occurred long before the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–135 A.D.), after which the Roman Emperor Hadrian renamed Judea Syria Palaestina as an act of punishment against the Jewish population. The term “Palestinian” did not exist in Jesus’ lifetime. It was later resurrected by the British during the Mandate period following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. To retroactively assign a modern political identity to a first-century Jew is not merely anachronistic -- it is historically dishonest." . . .

The Democrats Decide to Lose

The American Spectator  

"The left is returning to its anti-Semitic roots. Because no one teaches history in our public school system or institutions of “higher education,” few Americans recognize this reality."

"At the end of October, the center-left group WelcomePAC published Deciding to Win, a comprehensive exploration of why Democrats lost the 2024 election and what they must do to start winning again. It drew on surveys of more than 500,000 voters conducted over a six-month period and found that 70 percent of voters think the Democratic Party is “out of touch” and only 39 percent say the party has the “right priorities.” It recommended that the party moderate its most unpopular positions, avoid ideological purity tests, and offer genuine solutions to issues the voters actually care about. This is good advice based on a serious analysis of concrete data and it is being ignored by the Democrats.

"Instead, the party is devoting its energy to an internecine struggle between its progressive and establishment factions. Inspired by Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City, the progressives believe the time has come to remake the party in their own image. Backed by a variety of donors and leftwing activist groups such as Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement they are mobilizing to purge longtime Democrat incumbents by recruiting “ideologically pure” candidates to challenge them in primaries prior to next year’s midterms. This is taking place from coast to coast. Moreover, their targets are by no means limited to “moderate” members of the party."

"In New York, for example, incumbent Rep. Daniel Goldman is being challenged in the 10th District by outgoing NYC comptroller Brad Lander. According to a report in the New York Times, the rationale for Lander’s run is that Goldman is an “oligarch” and too cozy with the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. Lander has the endorsement of Mayor-elect Mamdani. Another New York Democrat who faces multiple primary opponents pursuant to his support for Israel is Rep. Ritchie Torres, who represents the 15th District. His most prominent challenger is Michael Blake, a former state lawmaker who denounces Torres in his campaign launch video for caring “more about Bibi than the Bronx.” . . .More...

Why Trump Wants to Ban the Muslim Brotherhood – And Why America Should Care

Kim Ezra Shienbaum, Jamal Hasan  

"Trump is right to demand that the Muslim Brotherhood be treated for what it is: a terrorist organization. If our leaders fail to act, this Trojan horse will continue to advance."

"When Americans consider “charity” they picture their contributions providing clothing for the poor or food for the hungry. When they hear the word “missionary" they picture Christians going abroad to save souls. However, these terms mean very different things to the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that President Trump has twice attempted to label as terrorist. In radical Islamist teaching, zakat (charity) is not simply about helping the poor; it is about advancing Islam. The aim is to expand the ummah -- the worldwide Muslim community -- through dawah (proselytizing).

"Americans are right to be deeply concerned about what is happening in our own country. Radical Islam is now embedded here at home, cloaked in citizenship and political power.

"In Dearborn, Michigan, the city’s Muslim mayor publicly berated a Christian pastor -- one of his own constituents -- labeling him “Islamophobic” and declaring him unwelcome in Dearborn. The pastor’s supposed offense? A respectful protest at a City Council meeting against renaming a major road after an open supporter of terrorism.

"In Washington, D.C., one of President Trump’s rare outings to a local restaurant was disrupted by protesters waving “Free Palestine” placards in the streets. Months earlier two civilians were gunned down at a public event by yet another pro-Palestinian agitator repeating the same slogan.

"And who can forget October 8, 2023 -- the day after Hamas terrorists butchered Israeli families in their homes? Before Israel could even count its dead, or bury its bodies, America’s elite universities -- including Columbia -- erupted in demonstrations supporting Hamas.

"This is the America we are living in: where radical sympathizers are not just chanting in the streets but are increasingly wielding power in city halls, disrupting civic life, and excusing terror on our campuses. The threat is no longer “out there.” It’s here." . . . More...

"In many cases, charity monies flow through layers of seemingly respectable institutions before arriving in the hands of militants. This is not accidental -- it’s their business model. The Brotherhood understands that Western societies instinctively respect religious charities. They exploit that instinct, counting on Americans’ good faith to bankroll causes that undermine our own security."

The authors are co-editors and contributors to BEYOND JIHAD: Critical voices from inside Islam (Academica Press).

Rosie O’Donnell’s call for 25th Amendment ‘laughable’ after Biden

 Sarah Bedford  

"Washington Examiner investigations editor Sarah Bedford largely dismissed comedian Rosie O’Donnell’s concerns about President Donald Trump, citing how this strongly contrasts with the lack of concern the last president received."

"Rosie O’Donnell may have traded the United States for Ireland, but her preoccupation with President Donald Trump has followed her every step of the way — and, by her own admission, shows no signs of loosening its grip.

"According to Fox News, the 63-year-old comedian has spoken openly about her decision to relocate after Trump’s re-election last November. Friends, family, and O’Donnell herself described the move in a recent interview with The Washington Post, and one theme emerged repeatedly: she can’t stop talking about him.

"The report states that O’Donnell made a holiday-week promise to her therapist that she would avoid posting about Trump for two days. The pledge collapsed almost immediately.

"Jennifer Kopetic, a longtime friend, didn’t hide her frustration. “Roseann, you’ve got to detach. You’ve got to disconnect,” she told O’Donnell during a visit, calling her fixation draining.

"O’Donnell tried again — this time publicly — telling her 1.2 million Instagram followers she was “gonna try again to not give him a minute of me.” The streak didn’t last.

"Her political anxiety dates back to Trump’s first election. “I felt on the verge of crying … when he got elected,” she told an Irish TV audience earlier this year. The fear intensified over time, she said, fueled by concerns about LGBTQ protections and federal support programs. 

"O’Donnell, a lesbian mother of five, has spoken particularly about worrying for her youngest child, Clay, who is 12, identifies as nonbinary, and has been diagnosed with autism.

"During Trump’s first term, O’Donnell poured her anger into hundreds of digital portraits, each one skewering him with labels like “Moron,” “Loser,” and “Liar.” She later concluded that the emotional toll of the political climate — and her response to it — left her with one option: leave." . . .

Rosie O’Donnell’s Struggle With Trump Obsession Follows Her Across the Atlantic – IJR

Protests Erupt Across Iran As Angry People Flood Streets

 RedState

"The mullahs have ruled in Iran since 1979. 

"That's a long time. 

"But there are still people who remember what it was like in the country before. They remember what it was like to have more freedom then. There have been resistance movements ever since, inside and outside Iran, trying to bring change. 

"They've had moments in the past where things seemed to come close, such as with the Green Movement that started in 2009, and had hundreds of thousands in the streets. But Barack Obama was in office in 2009, so their hopes of any support were dashed. Then, too, in 2016, he secretly flew $400 million to Iran.

The money was owed as part of a failed arms deal prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but payment coincided with the release of four Americans held in Tehran. Hari Sreenivasan speaks with Jay Solomon, the Wall Street Journal reporter who broke the story.

"So you had millions that went to helping to prop up the terrorist state. 

"But the Iranians are a persistent people, it would appear, especially when you hurt them in their wallets and make it challenging to survive. We're at another one of those moments in history where hope has sparked again in the country, and people are in the streets, calling for change.

Nationwide strikes and protests by merchants continued across Iran, with shops shuttered in major commercial hubs including Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, Lalehzar Street, Naser Khosrow and Istanbul Square. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans calling for the downfall of the ruling clerics and demanding the leadership step aside.

Video circulating online showed protesters inside a major shopping complex in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar chanting, "Have no fear, we are all together," while hurling insults at security forces and calling them shameless.

Additional footage from Tehran’s bazaar districts showed crowds chanting "Death to the dictator," calling on merchants to shut down their shops and demanding President Masoud Pezeshkian step aside, as voices in the video said businesses had closed in protest. . . .  More...

The World Must Stop Ignoring What Iranians Already Know: The Regime Is on the Brink

 

What Nick Shirley’s Minnesota Fraud Story Says About Legacy Media

What Nick Shirley’s Minnesota Fraud Story Says About Legacy Media "The Minnesota Star Tribune, Bevan points out, had nothing on this expose after it aired. But it did manage to run a front-page story – one that could have been written by Tim Walz’s PR shop – about how the governor was tapping “influencers to spread political messages.”

This form of journalist malpractice isn’t limited to Minnesota. It’s rampant. And it’s the direct result of the legacy media’s decision to put the interests of the Democratic Party ahead of the public. . . .

Issues & Insights  "Nick Shirley’s 42-minute YouTube video on daycare fraud in Minnesota is shocking not just because of the scale of abuse he uncovered in a day. It’s shocking because it took a young kid to expose this years-long scheme. Where was the mainstream media all this time?

"In the must-see video, Shirley teams up with a citizen investigator and goes door-to-door visiting various “daycare” facilities in Minneapolis that pocketed millions in taxpayer money through a Child Care Assistance Program.

"Another was the “Quality Learing Center” – which misspelled “learning” in its sign. Like the others, it was closed, but outside of it was a woman who kept shouting “don’t open up!” and “go away!” and “shame on you!” and “ICE!”

"None of the places the pair visited showed any signs of having any children under its care. They went to an autism center with the same result, and two buildings that supposedly housed dozens of health care companies, all of which looked like obvious fronts.

"Yet somehow, these blatantly fraudulent businesses were able to collect more than $100 million in a few short years." . . .

Owler Reports - CNN: CNN and MS NOW Ignore $9 Billion 'Industrial-Scale' Minnesota Fraud Claims   . . . "Federal prosecutors claim a wide-ranging Minnesota fraud scheme ripped off more than $9 billion in taxpayer dough - but loyal MS NOW and CNN viewers haven't heard a thing about it. A review of MS NOW and CNN's broadcasts since December 18 - when prosecutors claimed the fraud operation was much larger than previously reported - shows it has not been mentioned a single time by either outlet. Both outlets do not have stories on the fraud scheme on their respective websites, either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For comparison, Fox News has covered the topic dozens of times since then, and NewsNation also covered it a handful of times. But there is an argument to be made that this is the biggest domestic story of the past month - and MS NOW and CNN have failed their viewers by ignoring it." . . .

Room for parody in all this? Babylon Bee: Walz Announces $8 Billion Grant To Somali Company To Investigate Fraud

. . . "To date, approximately $18 billion has been lost to fraud in Minnesota through fake social service programs run by Somalis, some of whom may be in the country illegally. Walz hopes to get to the bottom of the scandal with a lucrative grant to the newly formed Osman Farah Private Eye Detective Agency for Finding Welfare Fraud

" 'Look at me. Look at me. I am the detective now," said Detective Osman Farah.

"Democrats praised Walz for rising above politics to get to the bottom of the fraud case. "Well, I'm convinced," said Minnesota Congressional Representative Ilhan Omar. "Nothing to see here. As usual, America is the real villain."

"Previously, Republicans questioned Walz's leadership throughout the Somali daycare fraud scandal, even going so far as to suggest he's involved. Now, however, they're certain he's just mentally handicapped and unable to run an elaborate money laundering scheme himself." . . .

Somali Tim Walz voters: follow the money

 "Another was the “Quality Learing Center” – which misspelled “learning” in its sign. Like the others, it was closed, but outside of it was a woman who kept shouting “don’t open up!” and “go away!” and “shame on you!” and “ICE!' ”

Rich Terrell

What Nick Shirley’s Minnesota Fraud Story Says About Legacy Media   "Nick Shirley’s 42-minute YouTube video on daycare fraud in Minnesota is shocking not just because of the scale of abuse he uncovered in a day. It’s shocking because it took a young kid to expose this years-long scheme. Where was the mainstream media all this time?

"In the must-see video, Shirley teams up with a citizen investigator and goes door-to-door visiting various “daycare” facilities in Minneapolis that pocketed millions in taxpayer money through a Child Care Assistance Program." . . .  

If someone made a movie of the Walz-Somali fraud, young Mr. Shirley could be played by someone like this child actor, Jeremy Maguire:: (Right)

The dominoes are beginning to fall in the Democratic-run stronghold of Minneapolis, where federal investigators were on the ground earlier today as part of expanded investigations into childcare centers and other widespread alleged fraud schemes by Somali-linked operators.

"By evening, Nick Shirley, the citizen journalist who brought the "empty" childcare companies into the national spotlight with a video that has received 121 million views in just three days, revealed that one of the Somali-linked childcare centers had been shut down by the Minnesota Department of Children." . . .

"Tim Waltz calls fraud investigation” white supremacy' ” "When Elon made a hand gesture in passion, they wrote hundreds of articles calling him racist When Somalis steal billions of dollars, they call the people who are upset racist It appears that the best way to loot the country is to call everyone racist." . . .

. . . "We assess that as the dominant narrative of the widening Somali-linked fraud scandal in Minneapolis continues to go viral on X through "America First"-linked accounts, Democrats and their PR machine will move to advance a counter-narrative, given how optically damaging these revelations are ahead of the midterm cycle.

"The days of Democrats defaulting to labeling opponents as "racists" or "fascists" appear to be over. They will likely need to develop new pejoratives to target those investigating allegations of welfare fraud on a scale larger than Somalia's GDP."

Uh-Oh: Perhaps a paperwork error of some kind is involved. Perhaps our children is learing after all.   

However, Lou reports that his team paid a visit to QLC on Monday and found it open for business with children being dropped off. A New York Post story is to the same effect. The Post story reports: “Ibrahim Ali, the son of the owner who said he was the manager, claimed to The Post on Monday that Shirley’s visit came before they opened for the day.”

The Reaction to the Nick Shirley Video is Telling Us a Bunch of Things  

"First, as predictably as the sunrise, Nick Shirley is literally invading Poland. He’s a TERRIFYING WHITE SUPREMACIST and an EVIL ZIONIST NAZI who is ATTACKING INNOCENT MUSLIMS with his cleverly concocted lies."

Douglas Murray: Zohran Mamdani appointing radical transition team has NYC in for a rude awakening

Douglas Murray  

"Well, New York — we’re going to be in for quite a ride.

"But then, I suppose many voters knew that when they voted in Zohran Mamdani as mayor last month.

"Even so, the number of radicals he has already appointed should still make New Yorkers gulp.The Post this week revealed the inept, badly spelled list of appointees to Zo’s transition team." . . .

. . . "But personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mamdani headquarters deliberately got the names of their appointees wrong." . . .

"And that side is the wrong one.

"Traditionally, experts in criminal justice, policing and safety are people who are opposed to criminals.

"Not people whose experience is of supporting criminals or actually being criminals.

"Take the appointment of Lumumba Bandele to serve on the soon-to-be mayor’s “Committee on Community Organizing.”

" 'As well as being a black nationalist, Bandele has spent his career supporting people who have killed cops in New York and New Jersey.

"That’s nice news for all the NYPD officers who put their lives on the line every day in this city.

Advocates for bad guys

"Then there’s the appointment of Sarita Daftary from a group called “Freedom Agenda.”

"This group describes itself as being “dedicated to organizing people and communities directly impacted by incarceration to achieve decarceration and system transformation.”" . . .

Wrong predictions? Never mind

Cal Thomas  

"The line Democrats and the media are now promoting is that people aren't "feeling" the improved economy. When they start to feel it, likely by next spring, what will their line be then?" 

  "End of the year predictions about the future have been around at least since the days of Nostradamus, but what about past predictions? There were plenty of predictions that electing Donald Trump the first time and then reelecting him, would cause economic Armageddon.                "Democrats and their media mouthpieces have consistently predicted monetary collapse from President Trump's policies. This year alone, editorials in The New York Times, The Washington Post and most "reporting" by mainstream networks have claimed with absolute certainty that the president's tariffs would tank the economy. 

    "Now comes a column in The Washington Post by author and investor Zachary Karabell, who writes "The Edgy Optimistic" on Substack. He says that after Trump's tariff announcement last April 2, "Most observers predicted sharply higher inflation, domestic and global economic contraction, and widespread spikes in unemployment. None of that happened." In fact, inflation is way down from what it was during the Biden administration, the stock market is setting new records, gas prices have dropped way below what they were during the Biden years, and prices for groceries are starting to fall, though less quickly. Karabell writes: "2025 ends on a positive note for the economy, in terms of the numbers and relative to expectations in April. That should be celebrated."

"When confronted by Chevy Chase that her editorial response was wrong, she responded "never mind." Being a liberal means never having to say you were wrong, much less apologize. Consider what New York Times economics columnist Paul Krugman wrote after Donald Trump was first elected president in 2016:"Now comes the mother of all adverse effects — and what it brings with it is a regime that will be ignorant of economic policy and hostile to any effort to make it work. So we are very probably looking at a global recession, with no end in sight." Krugman doubled down on his prediction of economic disaster if Trump was re-elected in 2024. Wrong again. Never mind." . . . More...

Cal Thomas, America's most-syndicated columnist, is the author of 10 books.

In-N-Out President Makes Host Go Silent with the Real Reason They’re Leaving California

The Rubin Report 

"Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" shares a DM clip of In-N-Out Burger President Lynsi Snyder telling "Relatable's" Allie Beth Stuckey why she's joining the California exodus and moving In-N-Out's HQ to Tennessee." WATCH Dave Rubin's DIRECT MESSAGE:

Comments to the video:

"Gavin Newsom is the worst governor in the history of California." ~Victor Davis Hanson, 2025

"As a soon to be ex-California resident, I can tell you that she is speaking the truth. My wife and I have been here some thirty years, but we're done. The place has become a complete cesspool of the undesirable; expensive, dangerous, and a terrible place to raise your kids. Our kids are all older, three that are twenty to thirty-four years of age, so we were fortunate enough to raise them during the good years. But CA with Gov Nuisance to guide the state, has become one of the worst places to live in America, second only to NY. Goodbye and good luck to those still living here."

Jimmy Kimmel continues to lie, pretends he's the victim — fire him!

 Andrea Peyser  

In reality, Kimmel’s six-day suspension stemmed from him wrongly declaring that the revered Turning Point founder’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, was a MAGA Republican rather than what he truly was: an amped-up leftist who lived with a transgender lover and was sexually obsessed with furries.

"Jimmy Kimmel should be fired — for real, this time.

"The sparsely watched late-night talk show host was suspended briefly this year by his bosses at ABC, not because he took on President Donald Trump, as he whined. It was because he made sick jokes about the assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, raising the national temperature in an age of gross political violence.

"At a delicate time in this nation’s history, Kimmel’s remarks not only could be construed as an incitement to murder, his words were stupid, petulant and incredibly inaccurate.

"And he was unapologetic, even after he was able to keep his job!

"His latest musings, rambled on Christmas Day, were grandiose, self-serving and traitorous, striking a new low, even for him.

"Kimmel leaped across the pond to England where he again cranked up the leftist political volume, slamming the president and throwing in a claim that he is a victim of “facism.”  More...