Conservative Blogger
Monday, February 23, 2026
Man Killed at Mar-a-Lago Obsessed With Epstein Case
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Austin Tucker Martin of Cameron, North Carolina, was confronted by
U.S. Secret Service agents and Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies near
the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago complex early Sunday. Authorities say
he was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel canister.
Officers ordered Martin to drop the items. He reportedly put down the canister but raised the shotgun into what law enforcement described as a "shooting position," and he was shot and killed.
Investigators believe Martin drove from North Carolina to Florida on Saturday, based on social media posts from family members and information released by the sheriff's office in his home county.
According to TMZ, Martin sent a text message to a co-worker on Feb. 15 referencing the Epstein files. The message read, "I don't know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable."
He continued: "The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have. Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing about it. Raise awareness."
Following the latest release of Justice Department documents related to Epstein, Martin reportedly expressed the belief that a government cover-up was underway and that people were "getting away with it."
Martin graduated from Union Pines High School in Cameron in 2023, according to a social media post from his mother. State voting records list him as a registered voter unaffiliated with any political party.
His cousin Braeden Fields told The Associated Press that Martin came from a family of "big Trump supporters."
Fields also said Martin worked at a local golf course and donated part of his paycheck to charity.
Last June, Martin registered a business called Fresh Sky Illustrations, The New York Times reported.
The company's website describes it as an artwork business focused on "bringing to life the hopeful feeling of being on a golf course by illustrating golf course scenes and providing framed copies of handmade works in various golf course gift shops." It also offered personal commissions.
Fields described his cousin as "very quiet" and said he had little experience with firearms.
"He doesn't even know how to use a gun. He's never used a gun," Fields told Durham's WTVD. "I'm a big hunter, and I've had him around guns all the time, and he's never used one. He won't, he don't like them. He don't like it; it hurts his ears."
DC Police Sweep Labor Secretary's Office Over Allegations Against Her Husband
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Amid the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) investigation into the alleged misconduct of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, it appears that these issues have extended to her husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer.
On Friday, this hit from the New York Post was almost immediately swept out of the news cycle by everything tariffs. The DeRemers can thank SCOTUS for the save, at least for now. Federal authorities have declined to
charge the husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer with crimes
related to the alleged sexual assault of two female staffers at the
department’s headquarters in Washington, DC, officials and sources told
The Post.
D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro apparently failed to find a prosecutable crime. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement that it does not have prosecutorial authority in the matter. So, the OIG is back to holding the bag for this investigation in addition to the allegations against the Labor Secretary.
It's About Time: U.S. Department of Labor Strike Team Descends on CA, Newsom to Investigate UI Fraud POLITICO reported that earlier in February, the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department ushered out all staff from the DOL offices and did a full search.
DC Metro also declined to comment. Everyone seems to be clammed up, save for the lawyer representing the DeRemers. He, of course, is crying foul.
Chavez-DeRemer was a fractured and unpopular pick for Labor Secretary. So, Bell's assessment may not be off the mark. DOL has a long history of deep statists, and the long knives would be out for anyone in a Republican administration. Despite Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's statement that Chavez-DeRemer had President Trump's backing, she may well be the first sacrificial lamb of the Trump administration. On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that DC Metro had closed the probe into Shawn DeRemer.
The OIG investigation into the allegations against Chavez-DeRemer is ongoing. However, it has been reported that Dr. Shawn DeRemer was barred permanently from the Department of Labor building. The plot thickens. |
Pete Hegseth Comes Under Fire for Meeting the Standards He Demands of Others. Yes, You Read That Right
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The left is engaged in an all-out attack on the policies of the Trump presidency. However, most of those attacks are not aimed at policies, per se; they are aimed at specific people and agencies. For instance, the nation remains in favor of getting rid of illegals, but, thanks to lies perpetrated by the left and their stenographers in the media, they are becoming dissatisfied with how Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are operating. Krisit Noem and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., are the targets of personal attacks. JD Vance has had his faith, his wife, and his marriage attacked. In fact, it seems that the more successful an administration official is, the more unhinged and deranged the attacks. Few members of President Trump's cabinet have had a greater impact, and undergone more scurrilous attacks, than Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. When Hegseth was nominated to his current position, the U.S. military
was swirling in the toilet bowl. The services were controlled by those
who, in the words of the author of Genesis, had sold their birthright
for a "mess of pottage." They had traded away warfighting skills,
military honor and tradition, and loyal service to the naiton in favor
of mindlessly serving whatever fad was hitting academia (by the way, I
think staunching this idiocy will be a great result of the Pentagon's
recent policy on which schools are open to officers seeking advanced
degrees; see 'We Train Warriors, Not Wokesters' – Hegseth Tells Prestigious University to Take a Hike – RedState). Hegseth's changes began early with his famous "all hands" meeting that required attendance by all serving Flag or General Officers; see Pete Hegseth Makes a Much-Needed 'My Way or the Highway' Offer to Assembled Generals and Admirals – RedState. Part of that speech was a call to physical fitness. Under the previous administration, the standards were corrupted to ensure that every variant of sexual perversion would be able to pass even the most demanding schools in the military. I would contend that the behind the scenes changes made in the military have directly contributed to the stellar recruiting numbers achieved by the Department of War and the flawless execution of four separate combat operations: the air campaign directed at Iran's nuclear weapons facilities; the interdiction of narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean and Easter Pacific; embargoing "dark fleet" tankers from running bootleg oil to Cuba and China; and the capture of Venezuelan jefe Nicolas Maduro. There are no analogs for either the Iran or Venezuelan operations in American military history.Those changes, particularly as they regard his campaign against "wokeness" in the military, have made him particularly hated by the left. The fact that he obviously has a strong team in the Pentagon and an equally strong bond with the men and women in the Armed Forces makes him doubly hated. One of Hegseth's trademarks is physical fitness. Not only is he in great shape himself, but when he visits units, he makes a point of participating in physical fitness training sessions with the troops. Friday, Hegseth was at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While there, he reconnected with the unit he served with in Afghanistan. While an officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard, he served as an infantry platoon leader in 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, aka The Rakkasans, the Japanese words for "falling umbrellas" or parachutes. There, he earned a reputation as a tough, capable, and canny combat leader. Predictably, Hegseth did PT with the Rakkasans and, just as predictably, he was excoriated for it. Most of the abuse was on social media by people who'd never done anything more strenuous than getting off the sofa; for instance, Pentagon Pete Hegseth Hits Up Old Platoon With U.S. on Brink of War With Iran. The insinuation that the Secretary of War should be bunkered down is ludicrous. Any operation planned in Iran is under the purview of U.S. Central Command. If the Secretary of War is tied up in operational planning, he needs to fire some people. Moreover, you can't allow the movements of a single individual to serve as a warning to our enemies when operations are imminent. What particularly got their goat was Hegseth bench-pressing. What really got them was his pressing 315 pounds.
It was nearly a metaphor for Hegseth's career. He faltered. He almost failed to make it. But when it counted, he succeeded. Suddenly, X was inundated with people who claimed that 315 pounds was nothing. One moron claimed that three-fourths of the guys in his high school class could do it. And another school claimed it was all fake. Reality Check: Dude, do you see those troops standing there? Do you think a single one of them would let Hegseth get by with claiming he'd pressed 315 pounds if he'd really pressed 314? If you think an E-4 is intimidated by rank and won't call out anyone, including generals, when they think they can get away with it, you obviously know nothing about any branch of the U.S. military. There were the imbeciles who pointed out that if the six plates on the bar weighed 45 pounds each, then he "only" pressed 270 pounds, loudly announcing to the world they were utter strangers to moving iron because the bar itself weighs 45 pounds. The Daily Beast outdid itself in being the most shameful outlet. Hegseth had filmed himself lifting before the Fort Campbell event with his teenage son spotting for him.
The headline of their story is Pentagon Pete Berates Son Gunner for Nearly Ruining Publicity Stunt.
If you've ever spotted for someone or had someone spot weights for you, you recognize the pattern. It is important that the lifter be in charge and let the spotter know when he's needed and when he's not. Good grief, if that was "berating," I have no idea what they would've written if they'd watched me and my 17-year-old building a deck. The bottom line is that Hegseth is building a bond with the rank and file unlike any Secretary of War/Defense in our history. He's showing them that he can walk the walk he's imposing on them. He's laying down a marker for their bosses, because if SecWar presses 315, you can bet there will be pressure on lots of colonels and generals to be seen lifting weights at the gym. The services are recovering the professionalism destroyed by Lloyd Austin, and the cultural rot is being excised. The competence of the military makes Hegseth immune from attacks in that quarter, so the left has to find something else. And this is the crap they come up with: lying and mocking Heseth for lifting weights with the troops, when most of the critics would be hard-pressed to do a single rep of push-away-from-the-table, much less lift the plates. They do it because it is all they have left. |
This Tweet From Kyle Rittenhouse About Trans Folk and ICE Will Surely Trigger the Libs
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This is a controversial statement that no major network would openly state, but it’s true: in 2026, more people have been shot by transgender individuals than by ICE agents. The Left is increasingly opposing federal immigration enforcement efforts across the country, aiming to prevent law enforcement from detaining and deporting individuals who shouldn’t be here. In January, two people in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, wrongly attempted to interfere with these operations and paid dearly for it—Good hit a federal agent with her car and was shot in the face. Meanwhile, the recent mass shootings committed by transgenders at schools, and recently, a hockey game in Rhode Island, have led to more fatalities and injuries than ICE. Kyle Rittenhouse
posted this, though others have made similar observations, and it’ll likely trigger liberals. Good. Stop acting crazy and get your people in line. Their insanity is becoming a public safety concern.
Now, if you just count those who have been killed, well, some are arguing that ICE and trans folks have killed the same number of people in 2026 thus far, which stands at five. That figure is bound to change, given how unhinged the Left is, however.
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The US Men's Hockey Team Got a Call After Beating Canada Yesterday. You Know Who Called Them.
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This call had to happen. After beating Canada in overtime in a wild game for the gold medal yesterday, the US men’s hockey team got a call from none other than President Donald J. Trump as they celebrated their win in the locker room. The president also invited them to the State of the Union tomorrow, which they accepted MUST
WATCH: President Trump called Team USA’s hockey team to congratulate
them after their thrilling gold medal win at the Milan
Olympics—defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime.
I guess we’ll see these champions on the Hill tomorrow. The women’s team also clinched gold in their match with Canada. Both men’s and women’s games ended 2-1 in overtime. Yet the men’s hockey team hasn’t won a gold medal since 1980, when we beat the Soviets in the Miracle on Ice game. That drought ended 46 years to the day yesterday.
The fellas are going to be nursing hangovers after their celebrations in Milan, which took place promptly after the game. |
Cartels outgun police: Rocket launchers seized in El Mencho raid spotlight CJNG firepower
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Mexican forces seized rocket launchers capable of shooting down aircraft during the operation Sunday that killed cartel boss Ruben "Nemesio" Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," underscoring how the Mexican Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) amassed military-style firepower over the years. Authorities have previously linked CJNG to a 2015 attack in
Jalisco in which cartel gunmen used rocket-propelled grenades to bring
down a Mexican military helicopter – one of the starkest examples of a
cartel directly engaging federal forces with battlefield-grade weapons. The assault marked a turning point in how Mexican authorities viewed the group’s capabilities. During Sunday’s raid, officials said security forces were attacked and returned fire, deploying aircraft and specialized units to carry out the operation. Authorities said troops seized armored vehicles and heavy weapons, equipment more commonly associated with armed conflict than routine law enforcement. TOURISTS IN MEXICAN SEASIDE CITY TOLD TO STAY ON RESORT AS GOVERNMENT WARNS OF ‘CLASHES’  Ruben "Nemesio" Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," was killed during a Mexican operation in Jalisco on Sunday. (Drug Enforcement Administration) Mexican Special Forces, with aircraft assistance from the Air Force and National Guard rapid-reaction units, participated in the mission, highlighting the scale of force required to confront senior cartel leadership. Former U.S. officials have described CJNG as operating more like a paramilitary organization than a traditional trafficking ring, using coordinated roadblocks, armed convoys and structured enforcement wings to assert control in contested regions. In prior reporting, former Drug Enforcement Administration officials said the group commanded large numbers of gunmen and organized itself in a way that allowed it to deploy force quickly and visibly. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNSEALS MULTI-STATE INDICTMENTS AGAINST TREN DE ARAGUA LEADERS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES  CJNG is known for its paramilitary-style operations and structure. (Eduardo Verdugo, File/AP Photo) CJNG’s tactics have included seizing vehicles and staging coordinated attacks in urban areas to demonstrate strength and deter rivals or security forces. Over time, such displays reinforced its reputation as one of Mexico’s most heavily armed criminal organizations. ALLEGED SINALOA CARTEL FENTANYL PRODUCER CHARGED IN NEWLY UNSEALED FEDERAL INDICTMENT  Smoke rises into the sky over Puerto Vallarta during an operation targeting cartel activity on Feb. 22, 2026. (Obtained by Fox News Digital) The State Department issued a travel alert Sunday urging Americans in multiple Mexican states to shelter in place due to "ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity," reflecting the instability that can follow major cartel confrontations. In recent years, Mexican authorities have increasingly relied on military forces – rather than local police – to confront senior cartel figures as groups like CJNG expanded their reach and arsenals. The raid that killed "El Mencho" marked not only the removal of a powerful drug lord but also another example of how heavily armed cartels can challenge state forces in direct confrontations. |
Bears Stadium Move Signals Chicago's Decline Amid Indiana's Urgency
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Chicago’s decline isn’t an abstract talking point anymore — it’s a business decision with real consequences as the Chicago Bears weigh moving a major stadium project across state lines. Indiana lawmakers recently advanced legislation creating a Northwest Indiana stadium authority, a concrete step that signals a serious effort to court the franchise away from Illinois. Communities
in Indiana aren’t just making promises; they’re putting proposals on
the table that actually move at the speed of business. Gary and Portage
have rolled out detailed, shovel-ready concepts — from waterfront Halas
Harbor to multiple Gary sites marketed as “plug-and-play” — offering
infrastructure, transit access, and a willingness to partner without the
stonewalling we’ve seen from Springfield. Meanwhile, Illinois’ political class has been stuck in slow motion while taxpayers and fans wait. The stalled Arlington Heights project and ongoing legislative dithering have left the Bears publicly expanding their search after years of false starts and unfulfilled promises from state leaders who treat priorities like campaign talking points instead of commitments. Indiana didn’t wait for headlines or photo ops — they built a process and moved the bill through committees with urgency, forcing the issue onto the table before the legislative session ended. That kind of pro-growth, results-oriented approach is what businesses and teams respond to; Chicago’s one-party machine, by contrast, prefers grandstanding to getting things done. If the Bears do leave, don’t let anyone tell you it’s about football first and foremost — it’s about who runs the city and who actually values taxpayers, jobs, and economic common sense. Illinois voters and local leaders should see this as a wake-up call: endless tax promises and failed negotiations have real costs, and hardworking Americans deserve government that protects opportunity instead of chasing headlines. |
Gavin Newsom's 2028 Ambitions: A Threat to America's Traditional Values
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The idea that Gavin Newsom could be the Democratic nominee in 2028 should make every patriotic, hardworking American pause and take a long, hard look at the record he’d bring to the White House. Newsom has openly admitted he’s considering a presidential run, and Democrats are already whispering his name as their next standard-bearer — which means it’s on conservatives to scrutinize whether his California playbook is what the nation needs. Newsom’s defenders will point to press
releases that trumpet gains on homelessness, but the lived reality in
cities across California tells a different story for families trying to
raise kids in safe neighborhoods. The governor’s state announcements
highlight selective local declines and careful wording that masks
decades of policy failure, and those press releases do not change the
fact that visible encampments and public disorder remain a daily burden
for many communities. We shouldn’t forget the very public hypocrisy that cost him credibility during the pandemic — the French Laundry episode and the recall fight left a stain on his claim to moral leadership. Voters remember a governor who told Californians to make sacrifices while he dined maskless at an exclusive party, and that disconnect was central to the 2021 recall effort that he barely survived politically. On public safety, the official numbers show some decreases in violent and property crime in recent statewide reports, but statistics don’t erase the nights parents spend worrying about downtown streets or small businesses that shutter after repeated thefts. Californians know the nuance between headline stats and on-the-ground reality; law-abiding citizens deserve policies that actually restore order rather than platitudes about “progress.” Even inside the Democratic coalition there is unease about elevating Newsom to a national ticket: polling and political handicappers show interest but also significant skepticism about his electability and appeal beyond California’s media bubble. If Democrats nominate a big-state culture warrior with a record of lockdowns, sanctuary policies, and regulatory overreach, they risk handing conservatives a clear message to run on in 2028. Now that Newsom is polishing his national image with memoirs and high-profile appearances, conservatives must do the basic work of reminding voters what his tenure actually produced: a bloated state bureaucracy, a sky-high cost of living, and neighborhoods where ordinary Americans live with fewer guarantees of safety and prosperity. The glossy narrative in elite outlets won’t protect a Biden-style nominee from scrutiny when hardworking Americans get a real choice at the ballot box. If Newsom runs, the fight won’t just be about policies; it will be a clash of visions—one that asks whether America keeps moving toward local control, lower taxes, and restored order, or whether it follows California’s expensive experiment in centralized mandates and social engineering. Patriots who love this country should be ready now to hold him and any would-be statist accountable, and to give voters a bold conservative alternative that puts families and freedom first. |
Sunday, February 22, 2026
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