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Luigi Mangione’s lawyers want death penalty off the table in UnitedHealthcare CEO murder case
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Luigi Mangione’s lawyers urged a judge on Saturday to bar federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arguing that authorities prejudiced his case by turning his arrest into a “Marvel movie” spectacle and by publicly declaring their desire to see him executed.
Fresh from a legal victory that eliminated terrorism charges in Mangione’s state murder case, his lawyers are now fighting to have his federal case dismissed, seizing on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s declaration prior to his April indictment that capital punishment is warranted for a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”
Bondi’s statements and other official actions — including a highly choreographed perp walk that saw Mangione led up a Manhattan pier by armed officers, and the Trump administration’s flouting of established death penalty procedures — “have violated Mr. Mangione’s constitutional and statutory rights and have fatally prejudiced this death penalty case,” his lawyers argued in a court filing.
Mangione’s defense team, led by former Manhattan prosecutor Karen Friedman Agnifilo, implored U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, an appointee of President Joe Biden, “to correct the errors made by the government and prevent this case from proceeding as a death penalty prosecution.”
Bondi announced in April that she was directing Manhattan federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione. It was the first time the Justice Department said it was bringing a capital case after President Donald Trump returned to office Jan. 20 with a pledge to revive federal executions, which his predecessor Biden had put on hold.
Mangione’s lawyers argue that Bondi’s announcement — which she followed with Instagram posts and a TV appearance — showed the decision was “based on politics, not merit” and, they said, her remarks tainted the grand jury process that resulted in his indictment a few weeks later.
Trump, who oversaw an unprecedented run of 13 executions at the end of his first term, offered his own opinions about Mangione on Thursday — despite court rules that prohibit any pretrial publicity that could interfere with a defendant’s right to a fair trial.
“Think about Mangione. He shot someone in the back, as clear as you’re looking at me or I’m looking at you. He shot — he looked like a pure assassin,” Trump told Fox News.
“There is a high bar to dismissing an indictment due to pretrial publicity,” Mangione’s lawyers wrote in their 114-page filing. “However, there has never been a situation remotely like this one where prejudice has been so great against a death-eligible defendant.”
Federal prosecutors have until Oct. 31 to respond. Mangione is due back in court in the federal case Dec. 5, days after the start of pretrial hearings in his state case. No trial date has been set for either case.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges.
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, 50, from behind on Dec. 4, 2024, as he arrived to a Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan. Authorities say he had a 9 mm handgun and a notebook describing his intent to “wack” an insurance executive.
Mangione’s lawyers contend the simultaneous prosecutions amount to double jeopardy.
In the federal case, Mangione is charged with murder through use of a firearm, which carries the possibility of the death penalty, as well as stalking and gun offenses.
On Tuesday, the judge in his state case threw out terrorism charges that carried the possibility of a mandatory life sentence without parole. But Judge Gregory Carro rejected the defense’s request to dismiss the state prosecution entirely, saying the double jeopardy argument is premature because neither case has gone to trial or resulted in a guilty plea.
The state case will proceed with other charges, including an intentional murder count that carries a potential punishment of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Unlike the federal system, New York does not have the death penalty.
Mangione has attracted a cult following as a stand-in for frustrations with the health insurance industry.
A few dozen supporters — mostly women — packed three rows in the rear of the courtroom gallery at his hearing Tuesday in state court. Some wore green, the color of the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi, and one woman sported a “FREE LUIGI” T-shirt.
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Schumer accuses Trump of exploiting Charlie Kirk’s death to launch political ‘witch hunt’
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused President Donald Trump of exploiting the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in order to go after critics.
Schumer’s charge came as Senate Democrats teed up legislation called the “No Political Enemies Act,” which would prohibit Trump and his administration from weaponizing government agencies. It comes in the wake of late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel’s sidelining by ABC over comments he made related to Kirk.
The top Senate Democrat said freedom of speech is “one of the great hallmarks of our country” but that the Trump administration “is trying to snuff it out.”
HOUSE DEM WARNS BOTH SIDES ON ‘ROAD TO RUIN’ AS POLITICAL DIVIDE DEEPENS OVER KIRK ASSASSINATION
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused President Donald Trump of exploiting the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Those who break the law, of course, resort to any source of violence ought to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Schumer said. “But using the tragic death of Charlie Kirk as an excuse to supercharge the political witch hunt against critics is abhorrent, obnoxious and as un-American as it gets.”
“To attack civil society, whether it’s Jimmy Kimmel, civil society organizations or the Trump administration’s perceived political enemies, its crusade is unending,” he continued. “And this is one of the saddest parts of all, because of congressional Republicans’ obeisance to Trump, it’s unchecked because they are scared to stand up to Trump.”
BONDI ‘HATE SPEECH’ REMARKS SPARK TORRENT OF CRITICISM FROM CONSERVATIVES
Charlie Kirk speaks at CPAC in Oxon Hill, Maryland. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
Democrats’ legislation would prevent the administration from using agencies like the Justice Department, FBI and the IRS from going after people for criticizing the government, according to a one-page description of the bill.
It would also hold officials accountable for using their office to go after critics, ensure courts quickly dismiss “abusive actions,” and provide due process for U.S. nonprofits that the government tries to “label as criminal or terrorist organizations.”
President Donald Trump walks to Air Force One at Morristown Airport on Sept. 14, 2025, in Morristown, New Jersey. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Their legislative push also comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier this week that the administration would “go after you if you are targeting anyone with hate speech.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called her comments “bone chilling.”
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“The shooting of Charlie Kirk was a national tragedy,” he said. “It should have been a line in the sand, an opportunity for President Trump to bring this country together to do whatever is necessary to stamp out political violence that’s targeted both Republicans and Democrats, political violence that emanates from both right-wing and left-wing radicalization.”
“But Trump and his lieutenants are choosing a different path,” he continued. “They are choosing to exploit this tragedy, to weaponize the federal government to destroy Donald Trump’s political opposition.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Justice Department for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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Trump says he’s designating Antifa as a terrorist organization
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(CNN) — President Donald Trump said he is designating the far-left anti-fascism movement Antifa as a terrorist organization, announcing the move on his Truth Social platform in the early hours of Thursday morning UK time.
It wasn’t immediately clear what mechanism Trump would use to make the designation, and Antifa lacks centralized structure or defined leadership, making it unclear who or what precisely would be targeted.
“I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” Trump wrote. “I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
A White House official told CNN, “This is just one of many actions the president will take to address left wing organizations that fuel political violence.”
Trump — who’s overseas for a formal state visit — signaled the move earlier this week in remarks from the Oval Office following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
A host of administration officials have signaled in the wake of Kirk’s assassination that they’ll be targeting what they claim is a coordinated left-wing effort to incite violence. The moves have drawn protests from some Democrats, who allege Trump is creating a pretext to crack down on dissent or opposing viewpoints.
It was also not immediately clear what practical effect, if any, the asserted designation would have. In his first term, Trump vowed to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization, and his then-attorney general, William Barr, said its activities constituted “domestic terrorism.”
But Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is not a structured group, but rather, a more nebulous social movement. And while it is illegal to provide “material support” to groups designated by the government as foreign terrorist organizations, there is not an analogous law for domestic groups.
The term Antifa is used to define a broad group of people whose political beliefs lean toward the left – often the far left – but do not conform with the Democratic Party platform, CNN previously reported. The group doesn’t have an official leader or headquarters, although groups in certain states hold regular meetings.
Aside from designating certain left-wing groups as terror organizations, Trump earlier this week also raised the possibility of revoking tax-exempt status for liberal non-profit organizations, and his attorney general has raised the prospect of bringing criminal charges against groups or individuals who are allegedly targeting conservatives.
“Antifa is terrible. There are other groups,” Trump said Monday in the Oval Office. “We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder,” he added without citing any evidence or elaborating.
Trump also said he’d been discussing with Attorney General Pam Bondi the prospect of bringing racketeering charges against left-wing groups that he claimed were funding left-wing agitators.
“I’ve asked Pam to look into that in terms of RICO, bringing RICO cases,” he said, adding: “They should be put in jail, what they’re doing to this country is really subversive.”
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
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Donald Judd, Kevin Liptak, Alayna Treene and CNN
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Sonia Sotomayor says Americans may not know difference between presidents and kings
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The most senior liberal justice on the US supreme court has questioned whether American citizens know the difference between presidents and kings.
During a conference on civics education in New York on Tuesday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the poor quality of civics education means Americans may not be entirely clear on what makes a president different to a monarch.
“Do we understand what the difference is between a king and a president?” Sotomayor asked at the forum hosted by New York Law School. “And I think if people understood these things from the beginning, they would be more informed as to what would be important in a democracy.”
Sotomayor, 71, identified a lack of education around issues as the rule of law, saying not enough people have a basic understanding of the power of the US president and the limits imposed on executive branch authority by the US constitution.
Sotomayor has been a dissenting opinion in many recent supreme court rulings, including the reduction of federal agencies and the termination of officials that are theoretically protected from political influence by Congress.
Sotomayor also issued a dissenting opinion when the court ruled last year that Trump had immunity from prosecution for his part in attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
“In every use of official power, the president is now a king above the law,” Sotomayor wrote in opposition to the ruling.
In her comments on Tuesday, Sotomayor did not address the contentious political moment that is playing out, critics say, with the executive branch exerting power over a Republican-led Congress.
Recent reports suggest that classroom civics education has become a minefield of educators.
Trump issued two executive orders in January – one titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K–12 Schooling”, aimed to restrict certain teachings, and “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families” focused on school choice.
NBC News reported Sotomayor’s comments stressing that school children to be educated about government, and she referenced polling suggesting that few young people support democracy.
Without that, “what’s left?” she asked.
Surveys have found that some teachers say they now avoid certain controversial topics but are conversely doing more to do more on civics instruction, according to a tracker maintained by CivxNow, the advocacy arm of iCivics, an organization that aims to advance civic learning.
Since 2021, 24 states have passed legislation that would add civics course to high school graduation requirements or devoted additional funding to the subject.
Sotomayor also weighed in on the vivid free US speech debate and the roots of political violence on the same day that US attorney general Pam Bondi clarified remarks made on a podcast that hate speech could be prosecuted under the law as incitement to violence.
“There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society,” Bondi said in a episode of The Katie Miller podcast, referring to the killing of rightwinger Charlie Kirk.
In a post on lengthy post on X Tuesday, Bondi clarified her thing, writing: “Hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence is NOT protected by the First Amendment. It’s a crime.”
But Sotomayor countered: “Every time I listen to a lawyer-trained representative saying we should criminalize free speech in some way, I think to myself that law school failed.”
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WATCH: Trump ‘100%’ Supports Designating Antifa A Domestic Terror Organization
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President Donald Trump is “100%” on board with designating Antifa a domestic terror organization following a rise in left-wing violence.
The Center Square asked the president Monday afternoon in the Oval Office if he would designate the organization a domestic terror organization following a spate of political violence, including the assassination last week of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“I would do that 100% and others also, by the way, but Antifa, is terrible,” the president responded to The Center Square during an Oval Office event.
The president didn’t stop with Antifa; he said that he’d consider designating other groups, but wouldn’t indicate others by name. He said he’s talked with Attorney General Pam Bondi about bringing federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charges against some of these organizations and their donors.
“There are other groups, yeah, there are other groups. We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder. And also, I’ve been speaking to the Attorney General about bringing RICO against some of the people that you’ve been reading about that have been putting up millions and millions of dollars for agitation,” Trump said. “These are protests. These are crimes. What they’re doing, where they’re throwing bricks at cars of the of ICE and border patrol.”
Trump made the announcement during an event to announce a crime emergency in Memphis, Tennessee. Several members of his administration, including Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and FBI Director Kash Patel, were present.
The president briefly asked the group, specifically the attorney general, for approval of the proposal, to which she nodded in agreement.
Antifa is a left-wing political group, short for “anti-fascist,” that has taken root across the country, especially in the Pacific Northwest. It has been blamed for several violent protests, in some cases involving government buildings.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
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Sarah Roderick-Fitch – The Center Square
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FBI Director Kash Patel reveals details about alleged Kirk assassin’s texts
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FBI Director Kash Patel shared new details Monday night about the prosecution of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10.
Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared on “Hannity” with the FBI director first outlining evidence investigators are piecing together.
“We are going to be interviewing scores of people, on not just these chats on Discord, but any communications that this individual had,” Patel told Sean Hannity.
Patel confirmed that investigators had confiscated electronics from the suspect’s Utah home and that of his alleged partner.
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk arrives to speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at Thomas & Mack Center, Oct. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
“We’ve seized multiple electronic devices from the home of the suspect and his romantic partner. We’ve got computers, we’ve got laptops, gaming systems, cell phones,” Patel explained.
“The evidence and information will come out. I won’t stylize the evidence, but I will say what was found in terms of information was a text message exchange where he, the suspect, specifically stated that he had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and he was going to do that.”
When pressed on the suspect’s motive, Patel noted words attributed to him: “And when he was asked why, he said some hatred cannot be negotiated with.”
Bondi also weighed in on the pursuit of justice against the suspect accused of murdering Kirk.
Bondi explained that state prosecutors in Utah have jurisdiction over the suspect.
“They will indict most likely tomorrow or this week, and they will indict him for first-degree murder,” Bondi said, suggesting that formal charges could be imminent.
Bondi also addressed speculation over whether the suspect could face the death penalty, a possibility under Utah law.
“It’s too soon right now, legally to say, but I think the governor has said that they want to seek the death penalty, which is very real in Utah, and they still have the firing squad in Utah,” she told Hannity.
Law enforcement tapes off an area after Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
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Bondi further emphasized that federal prosecutors are reviewing the case for potential charges at the national level. “And then we, as federal prosecutors, we’ll look to see if we have federal charges as well,” she explained.
“And of course, if we do, we will also indict and work hand in hand with the state to ensure that this horrible human being faces the maximum extent of the law.”
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Pam Bondi says death penalty a possibility for Iryna Zarutska killer
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Following President Donald Trump’s call for swift action, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi shared that the Justice Department may seek the death penalty for Iryna Zarutska’s killer.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Bondi shared that Zarutska’s alleged murderer, Decarlos Brown Jr., has been arrested and that he is being charged federally.
“We have arrested him. We are charging him federally because it was a murder on mass transit,” said Bondi.
“This young woman died a horrific, horrific death, as we all saw, captured on video,” she went on, adding, “It was horrible.”
AG PAM BONDI: WE WON’T LET A PROGRESSIVE DA GET THIS CASE
Decarlos Brown Jr. (left) is being charged with fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska (center). U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (right) said the death penalty is “on the table.” (Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and Reuters and Evgeniya Rush/GoFundMe)
“The steps are, we charge, then we indict. Then, legally, we make the decision whether or not to seek the death penalty. That is certainly on the table once he is indicted for this horrific crime,” explained Bondi.
Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee from Ukraine, was stabbed to death while riding a light rail train in Charlotte. The stabbing, captured on video, took place on Aug. 22 at around 10:30 p.m. as Zarutska was on her way home from work at a pizza restaurant. Still in her uniform, Zarutska sat down in front of a man, later identified as Brown, wearing a red hoodie. Moments later, the man pulled out a knife and stabbed her to death, with several bystanders looking on.
Brown, 34, was arrested shortly after the incident and hospitalized before being charged with first-degree murder. Police confirmed that Brown and Zarutska did not know one another.
WHO IS IRYNA ZARUTSKA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE KILLED IN CHARLOTTE TRAIN ATTACK?
Iryna Zarutska cowers as her attacker towers over her. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System)
Court records, previously reported by Fox News Digital, show Brown has a history of arrests dating back to 2011, including charges of felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. Most charges were later dropped.
On Tuesday, Trump called for the government to respond to the spate of killings in the U.S. with decisive action, saying, “We have to be vicious just like they are.”
He blamed Democratic leaders in major American cities for adopting “catch and release” policies “for thugs and killers.”
“In Charlotte, North Carolina, we saw the results of these policies when a 23-year-old woman who came here from Ukraine met her bloody end on a public train,” said the president. “She was slaughtered by a deranged monster who was roaming free after 14 prior arrests.”
TRUMP ADDRESSES DEADLY CHARLOTTE STABBING: ‘IT’S TIME TO STOP THIS MADNESS’
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks about the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska, aboard a North Carolina train during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., Sept. 9, 2025. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
“We cannot allow a depraved criminal element of violent repeat offenders to continue spreading destruction and death throughout our country. We have to respond with force and strength,” said Trump.
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In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY. There can be no other option!”
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
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Trump promises to protect prayer in public schools
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President Donald Trump announced Monday the Department of Education would be issuing upcoming guidance that protects prayer in public schools.
Trump made the announcement at the White House’s Religious Liberty Commission hearing, held at the Museum of the Bible.
“I’m pleased to announce this morning that the Department of Education will soon issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in our public schools,” he said, to audience applause.
The commission’s hearing on Monday was intended to look at the “historic landscape of religious liberty in the educational setting,” the Department of Justice said.
“As president, I will always defend our nation’s glorious heritage, and we will protect the Judeo Christian principles of our founding, and we will protect them with vigor,” Trump said. “We have to bring back religion in America, bring it back stronger than ever before.”
Trump said the commission was gathered Monday to discuss the “grave threats to religious liberty in American schools.”
“I will tell you, a lot of progress has been made in the last eight months, tremendous progress, more than I thought we could make in so many ways,” he said.
Trump said that over the course of the country’s history, the Bible was found in “every classroom in the nation.” On Monday, however, he said students are “indoctrinated with anti-religious propaganda and some are even punished for their religious beliefs.”
The right to pray in school is protected under the First Amendment’s religious freedom guarantees.
It was the commission’s second public meeting. In June, Attorney General Pam Bondi addressed members of the commission and said they will ensure Americans can live out their faith freely and “without fear.”
President Donald Trump speaks to the White House Religious Liberty Commission during an event at the Museum of the Bible, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Washington. | Evan Vucci
Bondi expressed gratitude for Trump’s efforts to expand religious liberty and the establishment of the presidential commission.
Trump signed an executive order on May 1, which is National Day of Prayer, to create the commission. Its panel members include TV talk-show host Phil McGraw, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and former U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson, among others.
The commission plans to host several hearings over the next several months.
While Trump, Bondi and the commission’s members are celebrating the expanded efforts, some groups are concerned that the actions are only focused on promoting Christian beliefs. Trump’s order doesn’t specifically cite Christianity, but a fact sheet says the task force has been designed to “eradicate anti-Christian bias.”
Department of Education Press Secretary Savannah Newhouse said in a statement to The Deseret News that free exercise of religion is a “founding principle” that is protected by the Constitution.
“The Department of Education looks forward to supporting President Trump’s vision to promote religious liberty in our schools across the country,” Newhouse said.
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Bondi says human smuggling is ‘getting people killed’ across US as she announces crackdown
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Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced the expansion of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), an initiative to thwart transnational criminal organizations and cartels that fuel human trafficking and smuggling.
At a press conference in Tampa, Florida Thursday, Bondi warned that “the cost of human smuggling is huge” and that the deadly networks “are getting people killed.”
She went on to describe JTFA as a key weapon in the war against organized smuggling networks, often led by cartels and “coyotes” who profit from migrants trying to cross U.S. borders.
“We are investigating and prosecuting their crimes more aggressively than ever. And Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” she added.
US ACCUSES VENEZUELAN REGIME OF NARCO-TERRORISM OVER ALLIANCES WITH TREN DE ARAGUA, SINALOA CARTEL
Pam Bondi announces expansion of Joint Task Force Alpha to combat human trafficking and smuggling by cartels at U.S. borders. (AP)
“These operations are getting people killed,” Bondi said. “The cost of human smuggling is huge. So many families are dying.”
The Attorney General also detailed how one smuggling ring coached their clients, including children who came to airports alone and were put on planes for connecting flights.
“They charged up to $40,000 per victim,” she said. “They used Zelle to transfer over $7 million over the course of this scheme, and I believe they had cash profit of over 18 million.”
Bondi told reporters that since President Donald Trump took office, JTFA had already charged 56 defendants tied to smuggling conspiracies.
She highlighted one case involving what she called a “monster” who tried to transport migrants across the U.S.-Canada border, resulting in deaths from exposure.
AMERICANS IN VACATION HOT SPOT MAY SEE MORE MILITARY THAN MARGARITAS THIS SUMMER
Soldiers patrol the streets of Aguililla, Michoacan state, Mexico, on March 11, 2022 after violent cartel activity. (Getty Images)
Other Texas officials at the press event outlined specific cases underscoring the cruelty of smuggling operations.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons, Western District of Texas said children as young as three had suffered THC poisoning after traffickers gave them drug-laced gummies to keep them calm and “compliant throughout the process.”
“The cartels see kids like cocaine,” he said, describing how children are treated as expendable in the billion-dollar illicit trade.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, Southern District of Texas added the cartels “do not care if you or your children have access to food, water, or even air to breathe. They do not care if you live or die.”
Launched in June 2021 under then Attorney General Merrick Garland, JTFA was created to target the most prolific human-smuggling and trafficking networks in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
The task force has since expanded to cover operations in Panama, Colombia, and now northern and maritime U.S. borders.
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JTFA has been credited with over 300 arrests, over 240 convictions, and more than 170 sentencing outcomes, while seizing millions in illicit profits, vehicles, weapons, and property from smuggling organizations.
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Anonymous researcher exposes politicians’ hidden Spotify playlists, including Vance, Leavitt and Bondi
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Vice President JD Vance is a big fan of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gets pumped up with Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls).” And former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi? She cranks Nelly’s “Hot In Herre.”
That’s all according to Panama Playlists, a website that quietly went live recently and claims to reveal the hidden music tastes of politicians, tech leaders and journalists.
“I found the real Spotify accounts of celebrities, politicians and journalists. Many use their real names,” the anonymous site creator wrote. “With a little sleuthing, I could say with near-certainty: yep, this is them.”
The anonymous researcher, who says they’ve been scraping accounts since summer 2024, insists they only used publicly available information. “I’ve been scraping their playlists for over a year. Some individuals even have a setting enabled that displays their last played song. I scraped this continuously, so I know what songs they played, how many times and when.” They also noted there is no affiliation with Spotify. The site itself frames the project as more playful than sinister.
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Vice President JD Vance’s playlist revealed “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys and Justin Bieber’s “One Time.” (Panama Playlists)
Why leaked playlists matter
At first, this all feels like lighthearted gossip, but it points to a bigger issue: how much of our personal information is publicly available by default? A playlist can reveal mood, personality and even political leanings. When pieced together with other open-source data, these details help paint a surprisingly detailed portrait. The lesson? Privacy leaks don’t always involve hackers. Sometimes, it’s the platforms themselves leaving doors wide open.
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What the Panama Playlists reveal
The playlists range from ironic to eyebrow-raising, with some choices feeling almost too on the nose. Here are some of the highlights:
JD Vance
The vice president’s “Making Dinner” playlist includes “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys and Justin Bieber’s “One Time.” His “Gold On The Ceiling” playlist adds eclectic picks like “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction, “You are a Tourist” by Death Cab for Cutie and “San Francisco” by The Mowgli’s.
Karoline Leavitt
The White House press secretary’s “Baby Shower” playlist featured Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” The timing matched her actual baby shower, further confirming the account.
Sam Altman
The OpenAI CEO’s “My Shazam Tracks” suggests he’s searched for “Get Ur Freak On” by Missy Elliott, George Ezra’s “Blame It on Me,” and David Guetta and OneRepublic’s “I Don’t Wanna Wait.”
Pam Bondi
The U.S. attorney general’s playlist “Pam” includes “Hot In Herre” by Nelly, “Hands to Myself” by Selena Gomez and “Cold As Ice” by Foreigner.
Playlists show Karoline Leavitt listening to Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls),” Sam Altman to Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On” and Pam Bondi to Nelly’s “Hot In Herre.” (Panama Playlists)
Ron DeSantis
The Florida governor keeps it classic. His playlist includes “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash, Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and “Life Is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts.
Mike Johnson
The House speaker has a Pandora account with Jerry Goldsmith’s “The Parachutes,” Enya’s “May It Be” and Bryan Adams’ “One Night Love Affair.”
Adam Mosseri
The Instagram CEO’s playlist, “Hang,” shows a reflective and soulful side. It features “July” by Noah Cyrus and Leon Bridges, “River” by Leon Bridges, “Strangers” by The Kinks and Leonard Cohen’s “Famous Blue Raincoat.” He rounds it out with Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and Bobby Vinton’s “Mr. Lonely.”
Ron DeSantis, Mike Johnson and Adam Mosseri’s playlists revealed. (Panama Playlists)
9 ONLINE PRIVACY RISKS YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT
What Panama Playlists teaches us
- Panama Playlists demonstrate how a person’s music can clash with their public image, revealing hidden interests that shake expectations.
- Your tunes might be more visible than you think.
- Spotify’s default settings put playlists in public mode unless you switch them to private.
This is less about guilty pleasures and more about digital exposure. The music you thought was just for your earbuds might already be telling a story about you to strangers.
Tips to stay safe and protect your playlist
If you use Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube Music, take a moment to review your privacy settings. Here’s how to protect yourself:
1) Make playlists private
Turn off public defaults. Only share playlists you intentionally want others to see.
Spotify
- Disable public visibility: Stop new playlists from being automatically public.
- Tap your profile picture in the upper left.
- Tap Settings and privacy
- Click Privacy and Social
- Toggle off Public playlists.
Users can adjust their Spotify settings to make their playlists private. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Apple Music
- Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your profile icon or picture in the upper right of the screen.
- Tap “View Profile.”
- On your profile page, tap “Edit.”
- Find the toggle for “Listening To” or “Allow Others to See What You’re Listening To” and turn it off to stop sharing your Apple Music listening activity.
Steps on how to stop sharing your Apple Music listening activity. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
YouTube Music
- Open the YouTube Music app and sign in.
- Tap your profile picture to go to your Library.
- Find the playlist you want to edit. Long-press on the playlist or open it and tap the three dots (…).
- Choose Edit playlist.
- Under Privacy, select the option you want:Private: Only you can view the playlist.Unlisted: Anyone with the link can view, but it’s not publicly searchable.Public: Anyone can find and view your playlist.
- Private: Only you can view the playlist.
- Unlisted: Anyone with the link can view, but it’s not publicly searchable.
- Public: Anyone can find and view your playlist.
- Tap Done or Save to confirm your choice.
Note: There is no global setting to make all playlists private at once; you must adjust privacy for each playlist individually. The privacy setting is available when creating a new playlist or editing an existing one. For brand-new playlists, you’ll see a privacy selection box during playlist creation.
2) Review connected apps
Streaming platforms often link to third-party apps. Revoke access for those you no longer use.
3) Limit what you share
Playlist names, listening history and even likes reveal more than you think.
4) Use personal data removal services
What looks like harmless fun, like a playlist name or your “last played” track, can actually become part of a bigger puzzle. A determined bad actor could stitch together your music history with other open-source data, such as your social posts, tagged photos or even public records. Over time, those small details paint a surprisingly complete picture of your habits, locations or private interests.
That’s why reducing your overall digital footprint matters. Personal data removal services work to wipe your information from data broker sites, making it harder for anyone to cross-reference your listening habits with your identity. The less data floating around, the harder it is for someone to connect the dots in ways you never intended.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com/Delete.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com/FreeScan.
5) Keep your software updated
Privacy settings change often. Check regularly to ensure your preferences haven’t been reset and keep your software updated.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
The playlist leak may feel like a punchline, but it serves as a real reminder. Our digital lives are stitched together from tiny details we often overlook. Even something as simple as your favorite workout jams can end up on display if you don’t take control. Privacy isn’t about hiding your personality. It’s about choosing what you share, and with whom.
Would you be comfortable if your own playlists, every guilty pleasure and repeat listens were suddenly made public? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM/NEWSLETTER.Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
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DOJ staffer fired after flipping off, cursing National Guard in Washington, DC: report
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Attorney General Pam Bondi fired another Department of Justice paralegal on Friday, this time for flipping off a member of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., on her way to work earlier this month.
Elizabeth Baxter of the department’s environmental division arrived for work just after 8:20 a.m. on Aug. 18 at the DOJ’s “4CON” building in the NoMa district, where she bragged to a security guard that she had just made the gesture at Metro Center Metro Stop and told the guardsman, “F–k the National Guard,” Bondi said, according to the New York Post.
“Today, I took action to terminate a DOJ employee for inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members in DC,” Bondi told the outlet.
FORMER DOJ WORKER WHO HURLED SANDWICH AT FEDERAL OFFICER CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR
Attorney General Pam Bondi fired another Department of Justice paralegal. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images, left, and MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images, right.)
“This DOJ remains committed to defending President Trump’s agenda and fighting to make America safe again,” she continued. “If you oppose our mission and disrespect law enforcement — you will NO LONGER work at DOJ.”
Later that day, Baxter was seen on DOJ security footage sticking up her middle finger at the National Guard and exclaiming, “F–k you!” the outlet reported. She was also allegedly seen demonstrating to a department security guard how she held up her middle finger.
On Aug. 25, she allegedly arrived at work and again boasted to the security guard that she hated the National Guard and that she told them to “F–k off!”
BONDI ANNOUNCES NEARLY 200 ARRESTS ‘AND COUNTING’ AS FEDERAL AGENTS SWARM NATION’S CAPITAL
Elizabeth Baxter was terminated for flipping off a member of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., on her way to work. (Getty Images/Tasos Katopodis)
“You are removed from your position of Paralegal Specialist, GS-0950-11, Environmental Defense Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and from the federal service, effective immediately,” Bondi wrote in a termination letter to Baxter on Friday following an investigation into her conduct, according to the outlet.
The Trump administration moved in recent weeks to boost the presence of federal law enforcement in D.C. in an attempt to reduce crime. Hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops have been deployed to the city’s streets as part of the federal takeover of the district.
Hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops have been deployed to D.C.’s streets. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
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Baxter’s termination comes after Sean Charles Dunn, another DOJ paralegal, was fired after he was accused of throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent earlier this month in Washington, D.C.
Dunn, who worked in the criminal division’s international affairs section in the 4CON building, was initially charged with a felony, but a grand jury declined to hand down an indictment. He was subsequently charged with a misdemeanor, which could result in up to one year in jail.
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Bondi to meet with NYPD, as Trump threatens ‘cashless bail’ cities
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NEW YORK — New York City Police Department officials will meet with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday afternoon as Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is making the case to President Donald Trump that the nation’s largest city does not want or need federal troops on its streets.
The meeting — which Adams is not planning to attend — comes at a particularly tense time, with the White House escalating tensions with Democratic–led jurisdictions. Trump signed an executive order Monday morning threatening to revoke federal funding for states like New York that have laws limiting when judges can seek cash bail for people accused of crimes. The New York Post first reported on the order.
While the order doesn’t name New York, it’s clear the state and the city are in Trump’s sights. A White House press release Monday touted Trump’s “aggressive crackdown to end the failed experiment known as ‘cashless bail’” and cited four news stories about people released without bail in New York City and later accused of committing other crimes.
Spokespeople for the NYPD and City Hall confirmed plans for the meeting, which is expected to be held at police headquarters in Lower Manhattan. The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment.
Bondi also plans to appear in Brooklyn federal court to mark the guilty plea of Mexican drug trafficker Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. While in the city, her team requested the NYPD meeting. Bondi has not yet met NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who has earned acclaim for her leadership of the department across the political spectrum since Adams appointed her in November.
Trump has sent National Guard troops into Los Angeles and Washington. Adams, who has cultivated a friendly relationship with Trump for a Democrat, has made clear he doesn’t want federal intervention.
“Our crime rate has dropped. Our subways are the safest they have been, except for the first two years during Covid-19 when no one was on them,” Adams said on “TMZ Live” last week. “We got this. We know how to keep this city safe. I knew it when I was a police officer. What we had to do, we did it then, and we’re doing it again.”
But Adams was hesitant to criticize the executive order, even if it might cost the city federal funding.
“I’ve always made it clear that our revolving door system of violent offenders must be addressed,” Adams said at an unrelated campaign rally Monday, when asked to respond to Trump’s order. “We’ll read this executive order, and I’ll be able to tell you more.”
The Democratic-led state Legislature and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed laws in 2019 intended to keep more people out of jail while they awaited trial. The legislature rolled back the measures in subsequent years in response to political pushback from those who blamed them for a heightened crime rate, including Adams.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the executive order.
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Trump signs executive orders to end cashless bail in D.C. and ban flag burning
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Washington — President Trump on Monday signed an executive order to push Washington, D.C., and other localities to end cashless bail for arrested suspects, threatening to withhold federal funding from cities that fail to end the program. It’s the latest move in the president’s federal crackdown on crime.
Mr. Trump also signed an order directing the Justice Department to investigate instances of flag burning, although the Supreme Court in 1989 ruled that the First Amendment protected symbolic speech, including flag burning.
The executive order on cashless bail charges Attorney General Pam Bondi with identifying jurisdictions in the U.S. that have cashless bail policies, and withholds or revokes federal grants to those jurisdictions.
“We’re ending it,” Mr. Trump said of cashless bail before he signed the executive order in the Oval Office. “But we’re starting by ending it in D.C., and that we have the right to do through federalization.”
The move comes as the National Guard and federal law enforcement are dispersed throughout the district, patrolling the streets. In the last 11 days, the White House says no murders have taken place in the district.
D.C. introduced cashless bail in the 1990s over civil rights concerns, becoming one of the first cities in the country to do so.
“That was when the big crime in this country started,” Mr. Trump said Monday, speaking of cashless bail. “They kill people and they get out. Cashless bail, they thought it was discriminatory to make people put up money because they just killed three people lying on the street.”
The president also signed an executive order Monday stating it’s the government’s objective to hold as many suspects captured in D.C. in federal custody as possible, and to charge them with federal crimes. The president also signed an executive order encouraging federal law enforcement agencies to hire additional personnel so they can surge law enforcement to D.C.
Trump on federal government intervention in Chicago: “We’re ready to go anywhere”
One of the president’s executive orders also directs the defense secretary to ensure that each state’s National Guard is resourced, trained, organized and available to help in “quelling civil disturbances,” and directs the defense secretary to designate a number of each state’s National Guard to be available for such purposes. Mr. Trump has said Chicago could be the next city where the federal government imposes a crime crackdown.
“We’re ready to go anywhere,” the president said when asked about Chicago. “We can go anywhere on less than 24 hours’ notice.”
Cracking down on flag burning
The executive order the president signed pushes Bondi to investigate instances of flag desecration. The administration has been critical of pro-Palestinian protests and anti-immigration crackdown demonstrations that have featured flag burning.
“And then where there’s evidence of criminal activity, where prosecution wouldn’t fall afoul of the First Amendment, it instructs the Department of Justice to prosecute those who were engaged in these instances of flag burning,” said Trump staff secretary Will Scharf.
Mr. Trump said he wants the penalty for flag burning to be at least one year in person.
“And what the penalty is going to be, if you burn a flag, you get one year in jail, no early exits, no nothing,” the president said of what he hopes punishment for flag burning will be.
Rainbow crosswalks in Florida painted over
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore calls Trump D.C. National Guard deployment “unconstitutional”
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FBI Raids The Home Of John Bolton
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The Maryland home of former UN Ambassador John Bolton has been raided by the FBI, according to multiple reports.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted a cryptic message early Friday morning, possibly pointing to the raid.
“NO ONE is above the law…@FBI agents on mission,” Patel wrote.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reposted shortly after with her own message.
“America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always,” Bondi posted on X.
During the president’s first term, Bolton served as President Donald Trump’s national security advisor between 2018 and 2019. He also served as the U.S. ambassador to the UN during George W. Bush’s administration between 2005 and 2006.
There are unconfirmed reports that the raid is part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents.
Bolton fell out of favor with Trump, authoring a book, “The Room Where It Happened,” critical of the president’s first administration.
Bolton has not commented on the reported raid; however, he posted a message as the raid was ongoing, renewing his criticism of the president’s handling of Russia.
“Russia has not changed its goal: drag Ukraine into a new Russian Empire. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede territory it already holds and the remainder of Donetsk, which it has been unable to conquer. Zelensky will never do so. Meanwhile, meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t see these talks making any progress,” Bolton posted on X.
This is a developing story.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
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Sarah Roderick-Fitch – The Center Square
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Kehoe appoints Hanaway as next attorney general
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By Marie Moyer
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) — With Attorney General Andrew Bailey set to head to Washington, D.C., this September to work for the FBI after being tapped by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, Gov. Mike Kehoe has appointed a new attorney general.
Kehoe said Tuesday that Catherine Hanaway will take over Sept. 8. She will be the first female attorney general.
Hanaway was a Republican House Speaker from 2003-2005, the first and only woman to hold the post.
Bailey, a Republican, previously challenged COVID-19 masking in schools as well as gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers. Bailey also created the anti-human trafficking task force and was a strong supporter of pro-law enforcement legislation.
Bailey also has a record as a state official loyal to President Donald Trump, supporting administration policies with dozens of legal filings since he took office in January 2023. Former Gov. Mike Parson appointed Bailey in 2022, and he was elected to AG in 2024.
Democratic House Minority Leader Rep. Ashley Aune said in a statement Monday that the House Minority Caucus hopes Kehoe will appoint a competent attorney general.”
“Bailey’s departure gives the governor an opportunity to appoint a competent and
professional attorney general who will defend the rights of all Missourians instead of wasting
taxpayer money on frivolous culture war lawsuits that regularly get laughed out of court, Aune said.
Hanaway works for the law firm Husch Blackwell, representing white collar clients in areas such as lobbying law, fraud and money laundering. One of her clients is the Grain Belt Express, a renewable energy project that Bailey staunchly opposed.
Kehoe, in making the announcement, said Hanaway was a champion for conservative Missouri values.
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FBI Gets New Deputy Director, Though Bongino Hasn’t Quit
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Photo: Greg Nash/AFP/Getty Images
We’ve come a long way from Donald Trump routinely notifying administration officials of their termination via tweet. But working in the second Trump White House still sounds pretty unnerving. The administration just announced that Missouri attorney general Andrew Bailey has been tapped to be deputy director of the FBI — which is pretty weird since Dan Bongino is already serving in that role.
Fox News Digital broke the news on Monday that Bailey will serve as co–deputy director alongside Bongino. The report included statements praising Bailey from both FBI director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as co–deputy director of the FBI,” Bondi said. “He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. His leadership and commitment to the country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump’s mission.”
The report did not clarify how the two deputy directors will divide their duties, nor did it allude to the conflict between Patel, Bondi, and Bongino over the administration’s botched release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Or that day Bongino didn’t show up to work in June, amid multiple reports that he was planning to quit because he was furious about the Epstein situation. All of which seems like it may be relevant?
Or not, if you trust Bongino’s one-word, no-exclamation-point response to this news:
The New York Times reported that Bailey’s mysterious appointment has “bewildered many current and former F.B.I. agents, who said they had never heard of a co–deputy director.”
This strange move isn’t necessarily a dig at Bongino. It could be part of Trump’s maximum-chaos approach to governing. As the Times noted, “Mr. Trump has a tendency to appoint one person to multiple high-level positions, as well as task multiple people with the same role.”
And back in May, Bongino told Fox News that the job was taking a toll on him. So maybe the FBI put another person in the exact same role to help Bongino with his work-life balance?
Hey, it’s possible! Though considering that Trump officials once let it be known that a colleague was on the toilet when he learned he was getting canned, humiliating Bongino does seem like the likeliest explanation.
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Margaret Hartmann
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