California
Portland: Trump Defies Court, Sends 300 CA Guard Troops
President Donald Trump ordered 300 California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, in open defiance of a federal court order. The decision, made on October 5, 2025, set off an immediate political and legal firestorm across the country. The deployment came one day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the White House from using Oregon’s own National Guard in the state. The court ruled that the administration’s justification lacked solid evidence and could violate constitutional limits on presidential authority. Despite that ruling, Trump directed troops from California to cross state lines, saying Portland needed protection from ongoing chaos and threats to federal property. President Trump reacted to the judge’s order: There’s the magic word again 👀 Trump says that “insurrectionists” are burning Portland to the ground. This is not an accident. Trump and his administration are beginning to use this word frequently for a reason. The Insurrection Act is coming. pic.twitter.com/8f9C3S0tki — Clandestine (@WarClandestine) October 5, 2025 Both Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move. They accused Trump of abusing his power and ignoring the Constitution. Tension Builds in Portland Portland has faced waves of demonstrations since early summer. The protests began after several controversial immigration enforcement actions at a local federal facility. Over time, the gatherings drew national attention and occasional clashes between protesters and federal agents. In late September, Trump announced that his administration would send federal resources to Oregon to restore order. He blamed state leaders for failing to protect federal buildings and personnel. As part of that plan, he sought to federalize Oregon’s National Guard and place them under his command. Judge Karin Immergut halted the order. She ruled that the administration had not shown credible evidence of widespread violence or an immediate threat that justified federal intervention. Her ruling says that the president could not use the military to manage local protests without clear legal authority. Trump responded by directing troops from California instead, claiming the court’s order did not apply to National Guard units from another state. She has since issued a TRO prohibiting the Trump administration from relocating or deploying ANY federalized national guard troops to Oregon. Judge Immergut has issued her written TRO prohibiting the Trump administration from relocating or deploying federalized national guard troops to Oregon. Here it is: https://t.co/9xO5hwocck pic.twitter.com/WU11j6Or2F — Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) October 6, 2025 A Clash Over Constitutional Limits The confrontation in Portland has become a defining example of the struggle between state sovereignty and federal power. Legal scholars point to the Tenth Amendment, which reserves certain powers to the states, as central to the dispute. Governors Newsom and Kotek argue that Trump’s decision violates that principle by seizing control over state guard forces without consent. The White House insists the president has the right to protect federal property and enforce federal law. Yet critics say the order oversteps executive authority and blurs the line between military and civilian roles. The Posse Comitatus Act also lies at the heart of the debate. The law generally forbids using the military for domestic law enforcement unless Congress explicitly authorizes it. Opponents of the deployment argue that sending troops to monitor protests crosses that legal boundary. (MORE NEWS: Apple Pulls ICE-Tracking Apps from App Store) Judge Immergut’s earlier ruling complicates matters further. In her opinion, Portland had been relatively calm in recent weeks, contradicting the administration’s portrayal of the city as a “war zone.” Governors Weigh In California Governor Gavin Newsom called the order unconstitutional and reckless. He said his state would not allow its National Guard to be used for political stunts. Newsom promised immediate legal action to block the deployment and protect the rights of California’s soldiers. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek echoed his concerns. She warned that Trump’s actions could undermine federalism and increase tensions instead of reducing them. Kotek’s office confirmed that she is working with state attorneys to seek emergency relief from the courts. Both governors maintain that the situation in Portland does not justify military intervention. They insist that local and state law enforcement agencies are capable of maintaining order without federal troops. (MORE NEWS: Viral 2019 Debate Clip Shows Democrats Back Healthcare for Illegal Immigrants) On the contrary, Texas Governor Abbott authorized 400 members of the Texas National Guard. He is ready and willing to assist federal law enforcement if necessary. I fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials. You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it. No Guard can match the training, skill, and… https://t.co/7SUk9XlMBn — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 6, 2025 National Implications for Power and Protest The battle over Portland reaches far beyond one city or protest. It tests the boundaries of American democracy, the separation of powers, and the reach of presidential authority. The outcome could redefine how Washington interacts with state governments during times of unrest. Supporters of the deployment argue that the president is within his legal right to act, especially when local leaders order police to stand down or fail to protect federal personnel and property. Under the Insurrection Act, the president can lawfully deploy military forces if states cannot or will not uphold federal law. In this case, Trump’s allies say his decision reflects a duty to defend federal officers and facilities from escalating threats, similar to situations seen in Chicago and other cities where local enforcement retreated. The courts now face the task of determining how far the president’s powers extend under existing law. The restraining order remains in place until mid-October, giving judges time to weigh whether his actions fall within constitutional boundaries. The ruling will likely influence how future presidents handle civil unrest and the use of military forces on U.S. soil. Final Word The deployment of California National Guard troops to Portland stands as one of the most controversial moves of Trump’s second term. It has fueled intense debate over federal…
California Volleyball Clash Over Transgender Athletes
California is once again in the spotlight, and not for the right reasons. The state’s policies on transgender athletes are creating conflict after conflict, and this time, volleyball is at the center of the storm. Families, students, and coaches are speaking out, saying the rules don’t prioritize fairness or safety. A High School Girl Forced Out of the Game At Jurupa Valley High School, senior Hadeel Hazameh walked away from volleyball. Why? Because she says she spent three years sharing a locker room with a biological male. For her, that wasn’t just uncomfortable—it violated her faith and her rights. She filed a lawsuit, joined by teammate Alyssa McPherson, who is Catholic and says she faced the same struggle. Both of these brave young women argue that girls shouldn’t have to compromise their beliefs, their privacy, or their safety just to play sports. Their lawsuit names the school district, the California Interscholastic Federation, and the Department of Education. They’re asking for what should be common sense: fairness and respect for girls. A Muslim American girl in California is standing up against the state’s trans athletes policies after spending three years sharing a locker room with a transgender volleyball teammate – a violation of her religion. She is also calling out Gavin Newsom for doing nothing to help… pic.twitter.com/I4qQhF4UKx — Jackson Thompson (@JackThompsonFOX) September 17, 2025 College Teams Caught in the Same Fight This isn’t only happening in high school gyms. At Santa Rosa Junior College, players filed a Title IX complaint after a transgender athlete joined the women’s volleyball team. One player says she got a concussion after taking a spike to the head. Another says she was injured, too, according to Fox News. These aren’t small scrapes—these are serious safety concerns. Two junior college women’s volleyball players in California allege they witnessed a transgender teammate give a concussion to a female player with a spike to the head, and one of them took one of the athlete’s spikes to the face herself. pic.twitter.com/tgksH60i7u — Jackson Thompson (@JackThompsonFOX) September 9, 2025 At San Jose State University, teammates say a biological male played on the women’s team for three years. They claim nobody told them the truth. In a lawsuit, player Brooke Slusser alleges that she was never told that her teammate, later identified as Blaire Fleming, is a biological male. For example: She says she moved into an apartment (with teammates including Fleming) and shared a room without knowing this. The lawsuit claims she only learned the truth toward the end of a season after overhearing non-team members referring to Fleming as “a dude.” Slusser also claims that Fleming asked to room with her, and that school officials assigned them to share rooms (on road trips), without disclosing Fleming’s birth sex. The case has now triggered a federal Title IX investigation. That’s how big this problem has become. (MORE NEWS: Skipping Coverage: The New Trend Among Young Adults) Why Girls Are Pushing Back The issue comes down to three simple points: fairness, safety, and faith. Girls are tired of being told to “just deal with it” when they’re asked to compete against transgender biological males. They know the physical differences aren’t erased by changing paperwork. Volleyball is a fast and powerful game, and the risk of injury is a real concern. Then there’s the matter of faith and privacy. Hazameh and McPherson both say their beliefs demand modesty. They shouldn’t be forced into locker rooms with males to keep their spot on the team. That’s not equality—it’s coercion. What Leaders Are (and Aren’t) Doing Governor Gavin Newsom admits it’s unfair for males to compete in female sports. Yet, when it comes time to act, he punts. His office says the policy was passed years ago under Jerry Brown and that the athletic federation and education department run independently. That excuse doesn’t fly with parents and students who want action now. Hazameh spoke out on Newsom’s lack of action: “If our governor himself says that it’s unfair, then he’s the one who should act on it… he should be the one to stand up, it shouldn’t have to be girls like me and Alyssa who have to forfeit in order to make a stand that this isn’t right… If you’re not going to do anything, then what are you here to do if you’re not here to make America better?” Saying the policy is wrong while leaving it untouched is like acknowledging the house is on fire and refusing to pick up a hose. Lawmakers Take a Pass Earlier this year, lawmakers had a chance to fix this. Two bills were introduced that would have stopped males from competing in girls’ sports. Both failed. Every Democrat voted them down. Some even compared the effort to historic oppression—ignoring the real oppression of girls losing their teams, their safety, and their voices. The message to families was clear: politics came before protecting daughters. And people are taking note. (MORE NEWS: Rising Socialism Exposes the Democratic Party’s Identity Crisis) Title IX: A Law Turned Upside Down Title IX was written to protect opportunities for women. It opened doors, built teams, and gave generations of girls the chance to compete. Now, that law is being twisted into something unrecognizable. Instead of protecting female athletes, it’s being used to justify rules that put them at a disadvantage. That’s why so many families are filing lawsuits. They’re asking the courts to restore the original intent of Title IX—to protect women, not erase them. What’s Next California is heading toward a reckoning. Lawsuits regarding transgender athletes are piling up. Federal investigations are underway. Parents are demanding change. And girls are speaking out louder than ever. The pressure is building, and leaders won’t be able to dodge the issue forever. The question is simple: will California protect the rights of girls, or will it continue to sacrifice them on the altar of ideology? Families know what’s at stake—privacy, safety, and the basic fairness that sports are supposed to be built…
Court Nixes California AI Deepfake Law, Free Speech Wins
Welcome to The Modern Memo — where our readers don’t come for fluff, filters, or focus-grouped headlines. They come for the truth. We don’t spin. We don’t censor. And we don’t dance around the narrative — we swing a machete straight through it. If it matters to America, we cover it — raw, real, and relentlessly honest. AI Deepfake Ruling a Major Win for Elon Musk’s X Platform A federal court has struck down an unconstitutional California law that limited free speech by controlling the use of AI-generated “deepfake” videos during elections. The law is one of the strictest in the United States. Elon Musk and his platform, X, joined the lawsuit to challenge the law and scored a major victory with this decision. However, the judge avoided ruling directly on free speech claims. Instead, he based his decision on Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act. This act protects online platforms from being held responsible for what their users post. What Was the Law About? In direct conflict with the First Amendment, the law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024 aimed to block social media platforms from hosting AI-generated videos featuring politicians or public figures. Newsom pushed for the legislation after Elon Musk shared a viral AI video of then-Vice President Kamala Harris. She was portrayed as saying she was the “ultimate diversity hire.” Newsom said the video “should be illegal” and said he would sign a bill “in a matter of weeks to make sure it is.” (RELATED: Trump Dismisses Rumors of Targeting Elon Musk’s Companies, Calls for American Business to “Thrive Like Never Before”) Manipulating a voice in an “ad” like this one should be illegal. I’ll be signing a bill in a matter of weeks to make sure it is. pic.twitter.com/NuqOETkwTI — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 29, 2024 Why Was the Law Challenged in Court? The law gave the government too much control over what people could post online. It was designed to punish parody, comedy, and political satire—all forms of speech protected under the First Amendment. Those who challenged the law included: Christopher Kohls, the video creator who posted the Kamala Harris deepfake Elon Musk’s X platform, in a 65-page lawsuit, said the law targeted free expression The Babylon Bee, a conservative comedy and satire site Rumble, a video-sharing platform that competes with YouTube The plaintiffs argued that the law would: Discourage parody or humor about politicians Pressure platforms to over-censor content Violate the First Amendment by favoring some views over others Musk described the law as an attempt to “make parody illegal,” and said it would lead to unnecessary censorship. You’re not gonna believe this, but @GavinNewsom just announced that he signed a LAW to make parody illegal, based on this video 🤣🤣 https://t.co/bdykNuxe6G — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 18, 2024 What Did the Judge Say? On Tuesday, Federal Judge John Mendez struck down the law. According to Politico, Mendez said that platforms hosting deepfakes, “don’t have anything to do with these videos that the state is objecting to,” and that Section 230 releases them from liability. This ruling means the state cannot force platforms to remove deepfakes simply because they are politically misleading. Free Speech Question Left Unanswered—Or Is It? Even though the case was largely about First Amendment rights, Mendez did not rule on that issue. He said it was not necessary because the law already failed under Section 230. “I’m simply not reaching that issue,” he told the lawyers during the hearing. (RELATED: So-Called ‘Equality Act’ Could Undo Free Speech, Mandate Murder Of Unborn Children, Make Pedophiles A ‘Protected Class’) BUT this ruling is still a major victory for free speech advocates everywhere. In a free society, government officials don’t police political speech—especially during election season, when open debate matters most. The Constitution protects the First Amendment. It’s not a privilege granted by politicians. Final Thoughts This case isn’t just about deepfakes. It’s about who controls the narrative. The California government—from the governor down—tried to silence speech they didn’t like. They hid behind AI fears and “disinformation panic.” Judge Mendez saw through it. And free speech won. Let’s be clear: the law was never about protecting voters from disinformation. It was about protecting politicians. This bill was designed from the beginning to shut down criticism and uncomfortable truths in the name of “election integrity.” That is NOT what freedom is about. That is tyranny in disguise. If free speech is so easily discarded every time a politician doesn’t like a joke, a meme, or an article—like this one—then we don’t have a republic. We have a regime. Make no mistake. This ruling draws a line in the sand. It tells every governor, state legislature, every activist dreaming of being the thought police: you don’t get to dictate what Americans say, share, or criticize online. The PEOPLE hold the government accountable—even when it’s inconvenient. Especially when it’s inconvenient. The battle over AI is just beginning. While AI technology poses new risks, lawmakers will need to find ways to address those risks without infringing on constitutional rights. This ruling shows that broad, sweeping restrictions won’t survive in court. Other states that have or are considering similar laws will do well to remember this ruling. The Constitution isn’t optional. Protecting elections is important, but you can’t legislate your way around the First Amendment. Cut through the noise. Drown out the spin. Deliver the truth. At The Modern Memo, we’re not here to soften the blow — we’re here to land it. The media plays defense for the powerful. We don’t. If you’re done with censorship, half-truths, and gaslighting headlines, pass this on. Expose the stories they bury. This isn’t just news — it’s a fight for reality. And it doesn’t work without you.
MICHELE STEEB: Gov. Newsom’s Broken Promise On Homelessness
By Senior Fellow for the Texas Public Policy Foundation Michele Steeb, via Daily Caller News Foundation Standing on an Oakland street flanked by legislative allies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom made a sweeping promise in 2021: California would eliminate family homelessness within five years. Backed by an unprecedented $75 billion budget surplus and $27 billion in federal stimulus, his administration committed $12 billion to the crisis, including $3.5 billion for housing units and rental subsidies. His strategy? Double down on Housing First—a one-size-fits-all policy California adopted in 2016 after the federal government’s 2013 embrace of it. Housing First promises permanent, taxpayer-funded housing with no expectations—no sobriety, no treatment, no work, ever. Somehow, the governor missed the glaring reality that under Housing First, homelessness in California exploded by 34%, and unsheltered homelessness by 47% between 2017-2021. Fast forward to 2025, and the devastation is even clearer. Family homelessness has surged 22%, and the number of homeless students has jumped 9% in just the last year. Spiraling Crisis Far from improving, the crisis facing California’s homeless families is spiraling further out of control. In 2021, I warned the Newsom Administration that its plan to end family homelessness was deeply flawed. Having spent 13 years leading Saint John’s Program for Real Change—Northern California’s largest residential program for homeless women and children—I knew firsthand that housing alone does not heal trauma, break addiction, or rebuild lives. Housing First’s failure as a one-size-fits-all approach to homelessness is undeniable. Yet Newsom continues to ignore the overwhelming evidence of failure, dismisses calls for reform, and deflects blame onto local governments while the crisis that has metastasized at his helm threatens an entire generation. Housing First Is A Myth Meanwhile, the bleak numbers behind Housing First tell only part of the story. The real devastation is written in broken lives and stolen futures. At Saint John’s, 78% of the women we served battled addiction, 70% endured domestic violence or mental illness, and half never completed high school. Nearly all carried deep, unhealed childhood trauma, reflected in staggering Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores. Many also struggled with anosognosia—a profound lack of self-awareness—leaving them unable to recognize the depth of their own struggles. Yet, under Governor Newsom’s Housing First mandate, these moms are handed nothing but a set of keys. Services to treat their addiction, trauma, and mental illness are optional, if available at all. It’s the policy equivalent of tossing a drowning person a life preserver riddled with holes, then walking away as they slip beneath the surface. (RELATED: California Dems Blame Wildfires On Trump After Their Party Created Tinderbox Of Regs) The result is a heartbreaking surge in homeless families and children whose safety, education, and futures are sacrificed to protect a failed political ideology instead of advancing real solutions. Newsom’s homelessness legacy has long roots and wide consequences. As San Francisco mayor, his “Care Not Cash” program spent $1.5 billion with no lasting reduction in homelessness. A 2021 state audit slammed California’s homelessness response as “uncoordinated,” and a 2024 report revealed the state spent $24 billion over five years with no consistent tracking of outcomes. This is not leadership. It is negligence. Homeless families deserve a real chance at stability. Taxpayers deserve accountability. California must stop clinging to a failed Housing First ideology and embrace a Human First approach that addresses the three core deficits driving and entrenching homelessness: lack of a support network, lack of income, and unaddressed trauma and addiction. (RELATED: Newsom Attacks Republicans On Violent Crime — Data Tell Different Story) For the vast majority struggling with homelessness, lasting change requires more than a roof. It demands active engagement—job training, mental health care, addiction recovery, financial literacy, and the rebuilding of positive community connections. True stability comes from participation, not passivity; from helping people heal and grow, not simply handing them keys and hoping for the best. Because in the end, the goal must be to help people thrive, not just survive. The soaring 22% increase in family homelessness is more than a policy failure. It is a moral failure. Every child left unsheltered, every student forced to do homework from the back seat of a car, represents not only a personal tragedy, but a deepening wound in California’s future. Protecting and prioritizing these children—ensuring they have safety, stability, and the tools to succeed—is not just a political choice. It is a moral imperative. If California fails to act, today’s crisis will grow into tomorrow’s catastrophe, one that will cost the state far more than any investment in prevention ever would. (RELATED: Los Angeles Burns (Again); Is The Golden State Turning Into An Open Air Prison Camp?) With its vast wealth and culture of innovation, California should be leading this charge. But under Gov. Newsom’s leadership, it is falling further behind— sacrificing families on the altar of failed ideology and political expediency. Michele Steeb Michele Steeb is the founder of Free Up Foundation and author of “Answers Behind the RED DOOR: Battling the Homeless Epidemic,” based on her 13 years as CEO of Northern California’s largest program for homeless women and children. She is a Visiting Fellow with the Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness Initiative. Follow them on Twitter: @DiscoveryCWP and @SteebMichele. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Newsom’s Press Office Attacks Victims Of Palisades Fire For Demanding Answers
Star of ‘The Hills’ Spencer Pratt and his wife Heidi Montag filed a lawsuit against California and the City of Los Angeles over the Pacific Palisades fire, leading to a dark confrontation with the press office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The lawsuit filed in July includes more than 20 other property owners who lost their homes during the Palisades Fire that started on January 7, 2025, and was only contained on January 31 after burning through more than 23,448 acres, according to CBS and Los Angeles Fire Department. The complaint alleges that Los Angeles municipal water department are to blame for the issues in actually getting water to the burn zone. pic.twitter.com/2N2Qypij1V — Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) July 14, 2025 Gavin Newsom’s Press Office Goes Off The Rails? Newsom’s press office issued a statement on X that appears to be against Pratt and his wife, calling them “C-list reality TV stars” and calling out “anonymous Twitter accounts” who the Governor and his office clearly think are spreading “misinformation” about the situation, whereas the lawsuit came as a result of no one receiving answers as to why this disaster was not mitigated — particularly given California’s ongoing risk for wildfires. Calling a concerned resident who lost his home to the Palisades Fire ‘C-list’ for demanding answers? That’s not leadership. That’s shameful. Newsom, you let the state park burn down and it burned down my home, my parents’ home and my whole community. I’ll continue to speak up for… pic.twitter.com/5A0xIlDBmp — Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) July 17, 2025 “Calling a concerned resident who lost his home to the Palisades Fire ‘C-list’ for demanding answers? That’s not leadership. That’s shameful,” Pratt replied to Newsom and his press office. “Newsom, you let the state park burn down and it burned down my home, my parents’ home and my whole community. I’ll continue to speak up for my home town and I’ll see you in court.” Newsom’s Leadership Called Into Question More than 100 people replied to Pratt’s post (at the time of writing) while hundreds more liked it, and more than 700 “liked it,” while Newsom’s office decided to double-down on their stance. (RELATED: Newsom Appears To Stealth Launch Campaign For Presidency) “Losing your home is heartbreaking. No one should have to go through that, and we’re fully committed to supporting you and your community in recovering. Period,” his office replied. “But that pain doesn’t give you license to mislead your neighbors with completely fabricated conspiracy theories. You’ve been spreading false information that’s scaring people and actively hurting the very community you claim to speak for. And now — thanks to your videos — a proposal to help fire victims rebuild is dead. Well done.” Newsom’s Leadership Called Into Question More than 100 people replied to Pratt’s post (at the time of writing) while hundreds more liked it, and more than 700 “liked it,” while Newsom’s office decided to double-down on their stance. “Losing your home is heartbreaking. No one should have to go through that, and we’re fully committed to supporting you and your community in recovering. Period,” his office replied. “But that pain doesn’t give you license to mislead your neighbors with completely fabricated conspiracy theories. You’ve been spreading false information that’s scaring people and actively hurting the very community you claim to speak for. And now — thanks to your videos — a proposal to help fire victims rebuild is dead. Well done.” (RELATED: California Dems Blame Wildfires On Trump After Their Party Created Tinderbox Of Regs) The office then shared a link to an LA Times article that appeared to back-up the Governor’s stance — clearly he doesn’t realize that no one in LA believes anything written by the LA Times, and this is not a newspaper of note to anyone who lives and works within Southern California. Newsom Destroyed In The Comments People who spoke to Million Voices on strict condition of anonymity claimed that this type of behavior is exactly what everyone should expect of Newsom and his leadership. Along with ignoring the rights of his citizens, he and his team are often quick to call out anyone who disagrees with them as “spreading misinformation.” (RELATED: Newsom Attacks Republicans On Violent Crime — Data Tell Different Story) “Quit the gaslighting,” replied one user to Newsom’s press office latest post. You guys are an utter joke. What a ridiculous post. ‘And now — thank to your videos — a proposal to help fire victims rebuild is dead. Well done,’” replied another. “So – just to clarify, you’re killing a proposal to help fire victims because of Spencer’s posts and videos? How pathetic. How amateur. How weak.” Newsom’s press office is paid for by taxpayer dollars as part of the state budget. Million Voices: Christians No Longer Have To Be Silent In Politics A recent ruling by the IRS now allows Churches to endorse political candidates to their congregation. Bringing a Biblical Worldview back to the American cultural norm is definitely a large part of our purpose during our time on Earth. If every Christian in America voted for the candidates supporting common sense, often Christian values, we would win every election. Your Sunday service doesn’t have to be political, but your day-to-day life outside of His four walls will always be dictated — in large part — by your elected officials. Ignorance of politics is like handing over control of your life to the greediest, most power-hungry serpent in the room. When we Use Our Voice, we bring a more Biblical worldview to our nation. Join Million Voices in our mission to advocate for religious freedom, support fair and secure elections, and uphold the values that this great nation was built upon. Tell us what you want from the next four years, and we will fight to make it a reality … again!
California Dems Blame Wildfires On Trump After Their Party Created Tinderbox Of Regs
By DCNF technology reporter Thomas English As California braces for another wildfire season, forestry experts warn that decades of regulatory mismanagement — not climate change or Trump-era budget cuts — have left forests dangerously overloaded with fuel. Democrats have blamed climate change and agency rollbacks for creating tinderbox conditions, but forestry experts see a self-inflicted wound that began festering as far back as the Clinton administration. Three decades of environmental litigation, they say, has warped forest management into a Byzantine maze of legal delays and procedural dead ends — leaving millions of acres to accumulate fuel faster than anyone can clear it. The blame game intensified Friday as Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom took to X to point fingers at President Donald Trump. “Donald Trump isn’t just threatening CA’s disaster aid, he’s also pushing for dangerous cuts ahead of wildfire season,” the governor said Friday. “A 63% REDUCTION in the U.S. Forest Service’s budget. A 30% REDUCTION in workforce — 10,000 employees … He is literally playing politics with people’s lives.” Donald Trump isn’t just threatening CA’s disaster aid, he’s also pushing for dangerous cuts ahead of wildfire season — A 63% REDUCTION in the U.S. Forest Service’s budget. A 30% REDUCTION in workforce — 10,000 employees. The agency is the nation’s largest firefighting entity.… pic.twitter.com/YrVKfyaBPv — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 20, 2025 Newsom then accused Trump of “sabotage” in a follow-up post Saturday, citing a San Francisco Chronicle article that reported less than 20% of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles were actually on the ground fighting the state’s seven ongoing fires — the worst of which is the Monte Fire, which burned over a thousand acres and was 90% contained as of Monday. But Bob Zybach, an author and wildfire expert who has led the Oregon Websites and Watersheds Project since 1996, sees a different cause for California’s chronic wildfire problem. (MORE NEWS: ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid Swarm Adds Fuel To Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis, And Poses Huge Cosmic Threat) “The problem isn’t all these massive numbers of wildfires,” he told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The problem is the financial end of it. It’s not Trump, it’s the people, the litigants, who keep suing to shut down the timber industry which has allowed the fuels to build up.” Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Democrats have already begun a chorus of preemptive condemnations against Trump ahead of wildfire season. California Sen. Alex Padilla said in February he expects the president’s “flagrantly illegal” cuts to environmental agencies will “jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis.” Similarly, Newsom accused Trump’s cuts to the Forest Service of creating “rampant uncertainty ahead of peak wildfire season” in May, sentiments echoed in stories from The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times in mid June. But the numbers tell a story of long-accelerating destruction: before 2000, California experienced 45 mega-fires over an entire century, but since then, 35 mega-fires have scorched the state in just 25 years, with 2020 alone burning 4.3 million acres and causing $19 billion in economic devastation, according to Frontline Wildfire Defense. Zybach credits this worsening regulatory logjam to environmental lawsuits funded through the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), which pays plaintiffs’ attorney fees when they beat the government in civil cases. “We have paid these people to shut down the work that would, one, produce good income for our rural counties and rural families, but two, would greatly reduce wildfire risk,” he said. The transformation began with the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, Zybach said, which started as the Clinton administration’s bid to save a species of owl by designating 7.4 million acres of its habitat as completely off-limits to logging — ultimately resulting in a reduction of Pacific Coast timber harvests by 80-90%. “In the 1970s and ’80s, California and Oregon didn’t have these fires,” Zybach explained. “Then we put in the Clinton plan, the Northwest Forest Plan … I was on the cover of the national magazine Evergreen in 1994 and said, ‘If we put in the Clinton plan, we’re going to have catastrophic wildfires.’ And my predictions were accurate.” California’s wildfire response is handicapped by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act — two bills introduced by Democrats but signed into law by former President Richard Nixon — according to Nick Smith, a spokesman for the American Forest Resource Council. “The greatest obstacle to doing more forest management, especially on National Forest lands, is the cost and time requirements of federal environmental regulations,” Smith said. “NEPA alone typically adds an average of three-and-a-half years of planning time to thin one stand of overstocked forest.” (RELATED: Newsom Attacks Republicans On Violent Crime — Data Tell Different Story) The human cost was shown in Berry Creek, California, destroyed in the 2020 North Complex where 16 people died after protective forest thinning projects sat trapped in California Environmental Quality Act reviews, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The fire consumed 180,000 acres in 24 hours through untreated forests, Sierra Forest Legacy reported, incinerating the elementary school, fire station and most homes while planned treatments languished in bureaucratic limbo. “Gavin Newsom famously said, ‘Oh, this fire, it was caused by global warming,’” Zybach recalled. “And he’s sitting in the ruins of a fire that was set by the Forest Service … it’s very revealing.” (RELATED: ‘If I Was Waiting For FEMA, I Would Be Screwed’: You’ll Sob Watching What’s Happening In NC Months After Hurricane Helene) By exploiting EAJA, outfits like the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) built a business model around suing the government, then billing taxpayers for it, Zybach said. Smith explained that even when these groups lose cases, they receive compensation for partial victories, creating a litigation industrial complex that profits while forests collect deadly fuel loads. The Center has collected at least $4 million in EAJA awards since 2001, according to federal records. CBD has disputed such characterizations in past congressional testimony, telling lawmakers it “receives little income from federal litigation fee and cost recovery” and that any awards merely offset out-of-pocket expenses. The CBD did not respond to a request for comment. Congress let EAJA’s public reporting requirement lapse…
Newsom Attacks Republicans On Violent Crime — Data Tell Different Story
This article was written by Daily Caller News Foundation Crime and Extremism reporter Hudson Crozier. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s attacks on Republican states for their murder rates ignore a wealth of data on how violent crime plagues left-leaning parts of the country. Newsom boasted in X posts throughout June that Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri had higher murder rates than California after Republican lawmakers from those states criticized him over the anti-deportation riots that rocked Los Angeles. However, statistics show California ranks above most states in overall violent crime, one of several statistics that do not fit Newsom’s narrative of conservatives failing to crack down on criminals. (RELATED: ‘Secret Ties Between Soros and Your Local Prosecutor’: LaHood, Pags Reveals How One Foreign Billionaire Is Buying Control Of Your State) The governor’s argument “lacks context and paints an inaccurate picture of crime in California,” Steve Smith, a crime expert for the Pacific Research Institute, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Most states have lower overall felony crime rates than California,” Smith said. A study by Paper Prisons Initiative in 2020 put California’s felony rate among the top 15 in the country. Your state’s homicide rate is 117% higher than California’s. https://t.co/3cJB702klb — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 16, 2025 Republicans’ comments toward Newsom came in response to riots in Los Angeles against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that led to days of alleged vandalism, assaults on law enforcement, cars being set on fire and other chaos. The violent anti-ICE uprising quickly spread to other states in mostly Democrat-led cities after the Los Angeles riots began June 6. Even on violent crime specifically, Newsom’s claims were questioned. The left-leaning Politifact acknowledged that California’s overall violent crime rate ranked sixth in the country in 2023, higher than that of Oklahoma and Alabama, according to FBI data. (RELATED: Los Angeles Burns (Again); Is The Golden State Turning Into An Open Air Prison Camp?) “The Governor’s point is simple: Republican leaders talk tough on serious crime, but the facts tell a different story. You’re more likely to be murdered, sexually assaulted, or shot in a red state than in California,” a Newsom spokesperson told the DCNF. “Since taking office, Governor Newsom has invested over $1.1 billion to improve public safety, fund the police, and crack down on organized crime. That’s why California is seeing results — and the Governor is committed to building on that progress.” Smith noted another inconvenient fact for California stemming from Proposition 47, a measure passed in 2014 that reduced penalties for crimes such as shoplifting and grand theft. “The theft undercount in California was huge due to the fact that crime victims stopped reporting due to Prop 47,” Smith told the DCNF. A bipartisan state commission found in July 2024 that theft reporting decreased by more than 7% from 2010 to 2022 while many violent crimes were reported to be spiking. Voters overturned most of Proposition 47 in November. Newsom also highlighted Republican states’ murder rates in 2022, suggesting Democrats should use the data to push back on accusations that their party is soft on crime. Experts previously told the DCNF that Newsom’s fixation on statewide statistics ignores the fact that liberal cities are often catalysts for violent crime around the country. Nine of the ten cities with the highest murder rates in 2024 all had mayors who were Democrats or left-leaning nonpartisan candidates, according to data from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Two cities were in California, the only state to have more than one city on the top ten list. TMM Analysis Once again, we are begging you not to turn America into California. Newsom is truly trying his hardest to become a big noise ahead of the 2026 midterms, possibly the 2028 presidential election, he has done absolutely nothing to mitigate the macro-social decline taking place through his state. California may have the most beautiful beaches, national parks, and natural landscape, it is home to some of the most dangerous politicians this nation has ever seen. Not only do none of Newsom’s policies on crime align with actual crime reduction, but even his climate change initiatives don’t work. In a recent study by WalletHub, California ranked in the Top Worst cities for air pollution, while boasting the worst-run cities overall. Whether or not the real Newsom is running his own social media, making all of these very silly comments, is unclear. What is clear is that you need to ensure that you avoid voting for anyone who could replicate Newsom’s work in your own state.
Los Angeles Burns (Again); Is The Golden State Turning Into An Open Air Prison Camp?
Five years after Angelenos took to the streets, burned buildings, and ransacked stores in the name of George Floyd, they’re back at their “mostly peaceful protests” in the name of illegal immigration. Riots erupted on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a series of raids throughout the city. LA is a hotbed for illegal immigration, largely linked to the skyrocketing rates of human trafficking, child and adult sex-slave trafficking, and generalized slavery throughout the city, issues that have yet to be addressed by any of LA’s political leadership. (RELATED: Complicit? California Democrats Send Another Child Sex Trafficking Bill Into Oblivion – LGBTQ Concerns Raised) As ICE raids started, countless residents of LA used the opportunity to start looting shops, according to reports shared by Los Angeles Police Departments. While the mainstream news media is calling these riots “protests,” tell us if any of these videos and images look like protests to you. pic.twitter.com/qQJqzws9hL — Rem (@NormativeDemand) June 8, 2025 Got this the other side of the Waymo fires pic.twitter.com/HVOXKZtI3V — Los Angeles Scanner (@LosAngeles_Scan) June 9, 2025 Protester throws rock from bridge, hits cop in the head at the anti-ICE protest in LA 🤯 pic.twitter.com/KaMvV8dMtJ — Kick Clips (@KickClipssss) June 9, 2025 Still trying to wrap my head around why at the LA protests flags of Mexico were everywhere . . . .while chanting that no one should ever be sent back there. pic.twitter.com/SZ7LY1niwr — Gerald Posner (@geraldposner) June 9, 2025 Wow. Incredible video footage of a rioter in LA waving a Mexican flag & wearing a HAMAS arm band in front of a WAYMO that was set on fire to protest ICE. There are many Islamic jihadists who have teamed up with Mexican illegal aliens in a major US city. pic.twitter.com/P8HL1GS3bg California politicians must call off their rioting mob. Federal law enforcement are working to protect and safeguard American citizens from criminal illegal aliens. Why is California’s governor siding with foreign criminals? pic.twitter.com/MoZLCx7nih — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 9, 2025 — Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) June 9, 2025 Footage shared on X shows police cars burning in the middle of the street. Another showed a person wearing a Palestinian Keffiyeh appearing to throw something burning onto police officers and vehicles. (MORE NEWS: Hurricane Warnings Ramp Up For Summer With ‘Above Normal’ Forecast) Most of the scariest videos from Los Angeles are censored by the owners. Note to X users who want to gain a following: you’ll get more likes, follows, and retweets if your video appears in a news article. All you’re doing is ensuring most people won’t see your content, and handing your competitors an edge. Terrorism in LA. Waymo cars torched in the streets aren’t just vandalism. Burning lithium batteries release toxic gas, hydrogen fluoride, flammable vapors, cancerous smoke. This isn’t protest. It’s chemical warfare in our country. Invaders called the Waymos using the app and… pic.twitter.com/hl6NIetnXw — Peter B (@realpeteyb123) June 9, 2025 National Guard Gets Involved The Left is telling you that Trump’s use of the National Guard is provoking the riots… This is from before the NG arrived in LA. It was already a riot. The NG did not provoke anything. The Left did. pic.twitter.com/YVCZ1D6dq1 — Shawn Farash (@Shawn_Farash) June 9, 2025 During the George Floyd riots, locals wanted the National Guard to be deployed. The level of violence and domestic terrorism was not unseen by LA standards, but was certainly enough to require a far greater response than they received. The violence gained momentum so quickly that President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard just one day later, according to the Daily Caller News Foundation. Trust us: the National Guard is better for the protestors than letting the Rooftop Koreans. Trump’s swift actions to protect the city from the violence led California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom to threaten to sue his administration, according to the Los Angeles Times. (RELATED: Gavin Newsom Begs Regulators To Keep Refineries In Biz After California Dems Ran Industry Out Of Town) Trump responded by saying his border czar Tom Homan should arrest Newsom as the riots continued to rage into the new week, Daily Caller’s Reagan Reese noted. The comment came after Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Trump: “Gavin Newsom is daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him. Should he do it?” “Come and get me, tough guy,” Newsom said on social media, desperately seeking the validation and attention he needs to be considered a serious contender for the 2028 Democrat Presidential ticket. Homan was quick to clarify that he has zero intention of arresting Newsom. I fought in two wars to defend our freedoms, including the right to protest peacefully. Throwing bricks at law enforcement isn’t protest though—it’s anarchy. I fully support President Trump’s call to send in the National Guard into LA. pic.twitter.com/o7P0c5mePr — Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) June 8, 2025 Riots Continue After The Weekend Pro-illegal protest is currently happening in an LA park. Who the hell has time to protest on a Monday afternoon? And who got paid to organize it? pic.twitter.com/xNR2nemnV2 — I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 9, 2025 To answer the above question: million of LA residents have time to protest on Mondays because they are likely either paid to protest, or they work in the entertainment industry and therefore don’t have a proper job. “The people setting cars on fire [and] committing violent acts in LA should not be conflated w/peaceful protesters. Every protest I’ve covered— it’s always the same unemployed professional rioters who use any excuse to cause mayhem, whether it’s BLM, a Lakers win, or these raids,” wrote Christina Pascucci on X, which is fair. This moment calls for decisive leadership. The president will not tolerate rioting and violence. pic.twitter.com/p65Jlj8rx5 — JD Vance (@JDVance) June 9, 2025 What Is The Answer? Here at The Modern Memo, we are extremely anti-violence. Unfortunately, there is too much for our elected officials to gain from allowing the least respectful members of our society to commit heinous…
Turns Out There’s A Catch To California’s Rosy Population Stats (+BONUS ANALYSIS)
By Daily Caller News Foundation reporter Melissa O’Rourke. California’s population is growing again, but not because Americans are moving in, according to The Wall Street Journal. In 2024, nearly 240,000 Californians packed up and left the state, WSJ reported. The state’s population still rose by 0.6% overall because more than 361,000 immigrants arrived to take their place. The exodus from the state is not a new phenomenon, as around 344,000 Californians left in 2023, while 292,000 international migrants arrived, the outlet reported. (MORE NEWS: Gavin Newsom Begs Regulators To Keep Refineries In Biz After California Dems Ran Industry Out Of Town) About 56% of Californians have considered leaving the state due to the exorbitant cost of living, a 2024 Emerson College poll found. California’s median home price topped $900,000 in 2024 — well over double the national average — while utility and gas prices remain among the country’s highest. The state’s population decreased for the first time in history in 2020, when over 477,000 Californians left, leading to the state losing a congressional seat. The population continued to decline until 2023, buoyed by an influx of international immigrants. Population Trends The H-1B visa program, which allows businesses to employ skilled foreign workers with bachelor’s degrees, brought nearly 79,000 workers to the state in 2024, WSJ reported. However, applications for the program fell by 25% compared to a year ago due to higher fees and expectations that the Trump administration could impose more restrictive immigration policies. The H-1B visa program has sparked fierce debate among Republicans in recent months. While big names such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have defended the program, opponents have argued it allows companies to undercut American workers by importing cheaper labor from abroad. In addition to California, many states rely on immigration to drive population growth. In 38 states and Washington, D.C., immigration outpaced domestic migration last year, and in 16 states, it was the only reason populations grew, WSJ reported. California has the highest share of foreign-born residents in the nation, with more than 25% of its population born outside the U.S., according to the Public Policy Institute of California. As of 2022, about 17% of California’s immigrant population was in the country illegally, according to the Pew Research Center. (THREAT: Mainstream Media Finally Wakes Up To Massive Geological Threat To US) At the same time, the Golden State faces mounting challenges, including a $45 billion budget deficit, while programs like Medi-Cal — covering hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants — are projected to cost taxpayers $8.4 billion in the 2024–2025 fiscal year. The office of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. TMM Analysis & Action Don’t focus on the immigration of this situation. This story is actually about 240,000 who left California — they were the lucky ones, those able to do so despite the hellish tax nightmare the Golden State’s Democrat Party have used to imprison countless residents in the state. “If I wasn’t going to lose so much on punishment taxes, I’d have moved myself, my family, my extended family, and all of my businesses out of California half a decade ago. The government has truly weaponized this place to hold us prisoner,” one southern California resident told TMM. “Crime, taxes, quality of life, and the corruption? That is what defines the place I used to call paradise.” Even though we’re not in a major election year, your state government can still destroy your life to the same extent as those in California. The most nefarious actors in government are those purchasing politicians from behind a veil of pro-social causes. But you can kick each and every bad politician out of their position of power by simply using your voice. Your elected officials don’t want you to know this, so get involved to learn more today.
Gavin Newsom Begs Regulators To Keep Refineries In Biz After California Dems Ran Industry Out Of Town
This article was written by Nick Pope for the Daily Caller News Foundation (April 23, 2025) Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking a state regulator to try to keep oil refineries in business in the state after Democrats spent years targeting the industry with aggressive regulation. Newsom wrote to California Energy Commission (CEC) Vice Chair Siva Gunda on Monday to urge that Gunda and the CEC “redouble” their efforts to keep fuel refiners in the state on the heels of Valero’s announcement that it will be taking at least one of its California refineries offline by April 2026. In the letter, Newsom attempts to characterize the state’s dwindling refining presence as part of a wider national trend, but analysts have warned for years that California’s hostile regulatory environment is what is truly driving the fossil fuel industry’s retreat from the state. “I write to direct you to redouble the State’s efforts to work closely with refiners on short- and long-term planning, including through high-level, immediate engagement, to help ensure that Californians continue to have access to a safe, affordable and reliable supply of transportation fuels, and that refiners continue to see the value in serving the California market, even as demand for fossil fuels continues its gradual decline over the coming decades,” the letter states. “Further, I am directing you, as my Administration’s lead representative on this issue, to reinforce the State’s openness to a collaborative relationship and our firm belief that Californians can be protected from price spikes and refiners can profitably operate in California — a market where demand for gasoline will still exist for years to come.” Valero announced on April 16 that it intends “to idle, restructure, or cease refining operations at Valero’s Benicia Refinery by the end of April 2026.” Patrick De Haan, a gasoline analyst, noted in an April 16 post to X that Valero’s announcement will leave only seven refineries in California by April 2026. For comparison, the state had 20 refineries as of 2000, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. California’s “cap-and-trade” program, as well as its tax environment and push to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035, are frequently cited as examples of hostile regulation driving refineries out of the state. Meanwhile, Newsom and other California Democrats like Attorney General Rob Bonta have ripped the fossil fuel industry for years, often characterizing it as a malignant force in society or a collusive industry committed to misleading consumers. (MORE NEWS: Mainstream Media Finally Wakes Up To Massive Geological Threat To US) A spokesman for Newsom said that “the Governor’s letter speaks for itself.” California has the highest average per-gallon price of gas at the pump of any state in the country, according to AAA gas price data. Meanwhile, California regulators have proposed to more deeply involve the state in the management of refineries, including the prospect of state-owned refineries. Andy Walz, president of Chevron Americas products, described California as a “tough place to do business” in August 2024 after his company decided to move its headquarters out of the state earlier that year. Walz specifically identified California’s “cap-and-trade” rules and the gas-powered car ban as specific headwinds that helped lead Chevron to its decision to move its center of gravity elsewhere. ‘No Environmental Benefit’ “For well over two decades now, politicians like Governor Newsom have hammered California’s conventional energy producers, both large and small, with excessive taxes, regulations, and threats of profit taking,” Tom Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance, previously told the DCNF. “Many companies have already moved out of the state, along with hundreds of thousands of residents as a result of these and other harmful policies … like a cap on profit margins, that hurt consumers by making conventional energy investments uneconomic. These types of policies have outsourced jobs to other states and increased California’s reliance on oil and electricity imports — all with little or no environmental benefit.” (MORE FROM CALIFORNIA: Complicit? California Democrats Send Another Child Sex Trafficking Bill Into Oblivion – LGBTQ Concerns Raised) In the letter, Newsom pointed to the recent closure of the LyondellBasell refinery in Houston and the Trump administration’s trade policies to support his argument that refinery closures are part of a broader national trend. When LyondellBasell announced that the refinery would close in January, the company said that it is getting out of the refining business altogether and focusing instead on low-carbon energy. Analysis from The Modern Memo Have you ever heard the phrase: “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” We exist in an oil-based economy. Our entire civilization is built on oil and gas. The existence of our renewable energies industry is exclusively dependent on oil and gas, because we can’t make and transport things like solar panels and wind turbines without oil and gas. Unfortunately, the world is far too divided for any type of zero-point energy, like that created by Nikola Tesla, to be viable for any macro roll-out. We therefore need a means of balancing our energy needs with our economy and natural environment. Part of that balance starts with electing people who don’t push stupid legislation that can upend our stability as a nation. Instead of short-term, click-bait bills and legislation designed for the limited time elected officials have between reelection campaigns, we need leaders who focus on long-term solutions to all of the major societal issues we’re facing today. That’s why The Modern Memo is a huge supporter of Million Voices, and their work in breaking down the barriers between you and your elected officials. Million Voices has engaged well over 150 million American voters with non-partisan Candidate Fact Sheets, and helped more than 650,000 low-propensity voters pledge to vote. Outside of major election years, Million Voices helps you contact your reps in ways they can’t ignore you. Did you know that if just eight to 10 people write letters to their elected officials about the same issue, that politician has to take action? If they don’t, that politician is ignoring a crisis — and we won’t let them get away with it. You can tell your lawmakers to stop doing stupid stuff today….