The seventh and eighth days of Passover are celebrated as Yom Tov, holidays, capping the weeklong celebration that begins with the first Seder. In Israel, only the seventh day is celebrated (you can read up on why that is so here). In Hebrew, the last two days are known as Shvii shel Pesach (Seventh of Passover) and Acharon shel Pesach (Last of Passover), respectively. Find candle lighting times for your city
On the 15th day of the month of Nissan, the children of Israel left Egypt, where they had served as slaves for generations. Despite his original stubborn refusal, after 10 debilitating plagues, Pharaoh relented and allowed Israel to leave Egypt for a three-day spiritual retreat in the desert.
Three days later, when the Israelites failed to return, Pharaoh realized that they were gone for good, safely on their way to independence and freedom in the Promised Land. He bridled his best warhorse and called his nation to join him in pursuit of his erstwhile slaves.
After a short chase, the Egyptian army caught up with the Israelites at the banks of the red sea. The Israelites were trapped; there was nowhere to go but into the sea.
Then G‑d commanded Moses to raise his staff and the sea split, allowing the Israelites to comfortably cross on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to follow the Israelites across, the sea came crashing down on them. Chariots, riders and horses all perished in the churning sea.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Moses led the Israelites in singing the Song of the Sea. Miriam led the women in an additional song of thanks, accompanied by tambourines and drums.
This miracle took place in the wee hours of the morning of the Seventh of Passover.
The Jews by the Parting of the Sea. (Art by Yoram Ranaan)
How to Celebrate the Final Days of Passover
The seventh and eighth days of Passover are full holidays. Like other holidays, we do no work, other than certain acts connected to food preparation, we recite holiday prayers, and women and girls light candles on the eve of both days. But there are also special practices for the last days of Passover:
Seventh Day of Passover
Don’t blink. Many people have the custom to remain awake the entire night preceding the seventh day of Passover, studying Torah as a way of thanking G‑d for the miracle He did at that time.
Read it again. During the morning services of the seventh day, the Torah reading includes the biblical narrative of our miraculous salvation at the sea and the song we sang. Learn more on the Splitting of the Sea
Yizkor. During the morning services of the eighth day, Yizkor memorial prayers are recited for departed relatives.
Futuristic dining. The Baal Shem Tov remarked that on the last day of Passover, the rays of the messianic redemption are already shining bright. He instituted that a special meal be held during the waning hours of the day. Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber of Lubavitch added four cups of wine to the meal, mirroring the Seders held on the first nights of the holiday. (In Israel, this meal and Yizkor are observed on day seven).
“Suspect Alien” at Center of Deportation Firestorm Flagged for Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence: DHS Docs Reveal Explosive Details on Kilmar Abrego Garcia
(TJV NEWS) Newly surfaced Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents have uncovered alarming allegations about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a now-deported El Salvadoran national whose name has become a political flashpoint in recent weeks. According to a report by Just the News, federal authorities had flagged Abrego Garcia as a “suspect alien” potentially involved in human smuggling or trafficking—and that’s just the beginning.\
.@PressSec: “It’s appalling and sad that Senator @ChrisVanHollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incapable of having any shred of common sense or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens. Nobody knows this more than the woman standing to… pic.twitter.com/EiNoth8zwM
Abrego Garcia, who liberal media outlets had once dubbed a “Maryland man” to downplay his immigration status, was pulled over in November 2022 by a Tennessee state trooper for erratic driving in an SUV packed with passengers. While the officer issued only a warning for an expired driver’s license, DHS internal memos show the situation raised serious red flags.
“Subject was observed speeding and unable to maintain its lane… The encountering officer decided not to cite the subject for driving infractions but gave him a warning citation for driving with an expired driver’s license,” reads a DHS entry obtained by Just the News.
Crucially, Maryland issues driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants—a fact not lost on the officer, who suspected the vehicle was being used for human trafficking.
Human Trafficking Suspicions and a Mysterious Boss
The encounter took a suspicious turn when Abrego Garcia reportedly fumbled through his responses, pretending to speak less English than he knew and dodging questions.
“When asked what relationship he had with the registered owner of the vehicle, subject replied the owner of the vehicle is his boss, and that his work is in construction,” the memo said. Notably, the officer observed there was no luggage in the vehicle, further fueling suspicion of a human trafficking operation.
The incident was formally entered into DHS’s system under “human smuggling/trafficking.” Three weeks later, on December 27, 2022, DHS updated Abrego Garcia’s file with a chilling directive: if encountered again, he was to be “escorted to secondary,” a procedure for suspected wrongdoers at borders or ports of entry.
Abrego-Garcia’s lawyers insisted that there was no evidence that he was MS-13, that the cops were just making it all up, that he’s just a Maryland father.
Turns out that he was hanging out with multiple confirmed MS-13 members when he was arrested, that he was wearing apparel… pic.twitter.com/hwrwDnJcGY
Despite this, there is no public record indicating the Biden administration pursued further investigation or enforcement action.
Domestic Violence Allegations Emerge
Adding even more controversy to the case, Just the News reports that DHS released a separate court filing this week showing Abrego Garcia’s wife had filed a restraining order against him for alleged domestic abuse in 2021—a full year before the Tennessee stop.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the case in sharp terms during a press conference Wednesday:
“Just this morning, it was revealed through Maryland court documents that Abrego Garcia’s wife petitioned for an order of protection… On May 4th, 2021, he punched and scratched his wife, ripped off her shirt, and grabbed and bruised her,” Leavitt said. “This is from a court in Maryland.”
“So not only are Democrats rushing to defend an illegal criminal foreign terrorist gang member,” she added, “but also an apparent woman-beater.”
The domestic violence case was eventually dismissed after Abrego Garcia’s wife failed to appear in court.
MS-13 Ties and Political Uproar
This is just the latest revelation in a series of damning reports tied to Abrego Garcia, who some on the left have begun championing as a victim of deportation excess. Critics, however, point to mounting evidence of criminal behavior, including alleged ties to the MS-13 gang, one of the most violent criminal organizations in the Western Hemisphere.
As the narrative continues to unfold, Republicans are slamming the Biden administration for what they call willful negligence—pointing to repeated warning signs DHS allegedly ignored.
The story of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is rapidly evolving into a national flashpoint—one that cuts to the core of the U.S. immigration debate, law enforcement accountability, and political double standar
In a bold and highly strategic escalation of pressure against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday that American forces had carried out precision airstrikes targeting the Ras Isa fuel port, a key financial hub long controlled by the Houthis. The port, located along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast, has been a critical economic artery for the militant group, enabling them to fund terror campaigns across the region through illicit oil revenues.
As reported by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), the objective of the operation was to strike at the heart of the Houthi’s economic infrastructure, curtailing their ability to finance attacks and maintain control over parts of war-torn Yemen. In a statement issued Thursday, CENTCOM emphasized the strategic rationale behind the mission: “Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years,” CENTCOM said.
For over a decade, the Ras Isa port has served as one of the Houthis’ primary means of generating cash flow. According to CENTCOM and detailed by JNS, the group has embezzled proceeds from oil transactions, diverting fuel meant for the people of Yemen to the black market, with profits funneled directly into terror financing.
Despite mounting international condemnation and the reinstatement of Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) status under President Trump, ships have continued docking at Ras Isa, facilitating the flow of illicit fuel and sustaining the Houthi war machine. CENTCOM confirmed that these ongoing transactions defied the FTO designation that took effect on April 5, a move by the Trump administration aimed at reining in the Houthis’ regional ambitions and ties to Tehran.
“Despite the Foreign Terrorist Designation that went into effect on April 5, ships have continued to supply fuel via the port of Ras Isa,” CENTCOM noted in its statement. “Profits from these illegal sales are directly funding and sustaining Houthi terrorist efforts.”
As JNS reported, the latest strike marks a significant departure from the policies of the Biden administration, which had delisted the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization early in its tenure. That move, criticized by regional allies and national security experts, was seen as an attempt to reinvigorate diplomacy in Yemen’s civil war but was widely viewed as a miscalculation after the Houthis escalated cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and more recently, Red Sea shipping lanes.
President Trump’s decision to reclassify the Houthis as a terrorist group, a designation reimposed earlier this month, has given U.S. military and financial institutions renewed legal leverage to strike at the group’s networks, not only militarily but through sanctions and interdictions.
The JNS report emphasized how the Trump administration’s national security strategy in Yemen is taking a more muscular, deterrence-based approach aimed at degrading both the military and economic capacities of Tehran’s proxies throughout the region. In doing so, the U.S. hopes to stem the flow of Iranian arms into Yemen and limit the Houthis’ ability to disrupt international shipping lanes or launch drone and missile strikes at neighboring countries.
CENTCOM’s statement was careful to distinguish between legitimate humanitarian fuel supplies and the illicit trade being carried out through Houthi-controlled infrastructure.
“The fuel should be legitimately supplied to the people of Yemen,” CENTCOM stressed, making clear that the U.S. does not oppose humanitarian assistance—but does object to its exploitation by terrorist organizations.
Yemen remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with over 21 million people in need of aid. However, the JNS report highlighted that the Houthi leadership has consistently used civilian suffering as leverage, hoarding aid, inflating prices, and restricting access to non-aligned populations.
By targeting Ras Isa, the U.S. seeks to deprive the Houthis of the illicit revenue streams that have allowed them to prolong the war and maintain an iron grip over much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
This latest action comes amid rising regional tensions between the United States and Iran’s expanding network of proxies, including not only the Houthis in Yemen but also Hezbollah in Lebanon and various Shia militias in Iraq and Syria.
The JNS report contextualized the strike as part of a broader U.S. counterterrorism and deterrence doctrine aimed at constraining Tehran’s ambitions and signaling American resolve to protect maritime commerce and regional allies.
With international shipping in the Red Sea threatened by Houthi aggression and American forces under fire in the region, strikes like the one on Ras Isa are likely to continue unless the group halts its attacks and relinquishes control over key economic assets.
The U.S. strike on the Houthi-controlled Ras Isa fuel port represents a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts to dismantle the financial lifelines of Iran’s most dangerous proxies. With the reimposition of the terrorist designation under President Trump and the adoption of a more assertive military posture, the United States has made it clear that it will no longer tolerate the exploitation of humanitarian aid and commercial shipping to fund terrorism.
As JNS continues to report, the unfolding strategy is not just about Yemen—it’s about confronting Iran’s regional influence, disrupting proxy networks, and reestablishing American deterrence in a region beset by chaos and extremism.
In a dramatic escalation of the federal government’s campaign to combat antisemitism on college campuses, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee has launched a formal investigation into Harvard University’s compliance with civil rights law. As reported by The New York Post on Thursday, the inquiry comes in direct response to Harvard’s recent rejection of a proposed settlement from the Trump administration, which aimed to enforce sweeping reforms related to antisemitism, hiring practices, and diversity initiatives.
The inquiry, spearheaded by Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), a Harvard College alumna, signals a new front in the GOP’s broader offensive against elite academic institutions accused of harboring discriminatory or extremist environments. In a forceful letter sent Thursday to newly installed Harvard President Alan Garber, Comer and Stefanik demanded comprehensive documentation to assess whether Harvard has complied with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in programs receiving federal funds.
“Harvard is apparently so unable or unwilling to prevent unlawful discrimination that the institution, at your direction, is refusing to enter into a reasonable settlement agreement proposed by federal officials intended to put Harvard back in compliance with the law,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter, quoted by The New York Post.
The investigation follows Harvard’s April 14 refusal to implement a series of reforms laid out by the Trump administration, which included dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, reforming departments with records of antisemitism or ideological bias, transitioning to merit-based hiring standards, and enforcing stronger screening of international applicants to block those with hostile views toward American values or connections to terrorist ideologies.
President Alan Garber, in rejecting the administration’s demands, argued that the proposed measures were an assault on institutional independence.
“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber said, as reported by The New York Post.
The administration responded swiftly. As reported by The New York Post, President Trump froze $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in federal contracts to Harvard, citing the university’s failure to protect Jewish students and uphold federal civil rights standards.
The president has also hinted at more drastic measures, including potentially stripping Harvard of its tax-exempt status, a move that would have devastating financial consequences for the Ivy League institution, which holds an endowment of over $53 billion.
“It should come as no surprise that Harvard would continue to advocate for illegal discrimination and violate its obligations under the law,” Comer and Stefanik charged in their letter. “As it has a long, consistent history of defending racial discrimination and antisemitic activities on campus.”
At the heart of the Oversight Committee’s probe is Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, a powerful federal mechanism that prohibits discrimination in programs receiving U.S. funding. Under the Trump administration, this statute is being leveraged to pressure universities to address rising antisemitism, especially after the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel.
The New York Post report noted that the document request issued to Harvard is sweeping in scope. By May 1, the university must turn over hiring and admissions policies, communications related to DEI programs, internal dialogue and public responses following the October 7 attacks, records related to foreign funding and gifts, whistleblower complaints regarding faculty bias or antisemitism, and details on international student admissions and their compliance with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
This is not the first time Harvard has found itself at the center of a national civil rights debate. As The New York Post reported, in June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Harvard’s affirmative action policies, declaring them unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause. The university had defended its admissions system, which prioritized race-based considerations, all the way to the high court.
Rep. Stefanik, a frequent critic of her alma mater, has been an outspoken advocate for Jewish students. During a contentious December 2023 hearing, she famously grilled then-Harvard President Claudine Gay over her institution’s failure to condemn antisemitic campus speech. Gay resigned just weeks later amid a plagiarism scandal and mounting political pressure.
The Oversight Committee’s investigation into Harvard represents more than just a dispute with one university—it reflects a broader political and legal campaign to reshape American higher education. By tying federal funding to civil rights compliance and ideological neutrality, the Trump administration and its congressional allies are signaling that elite institutions are not above the law.
As The New York Post has reported, the outcome of this inquiry could reverberate across the Ivy League and beyond, setting a new standard for what universities must do to receive and retain taxpayer support.
TJV Editorial: Elise Stefanik Is the Leader New York Desperately Needs
As New York continues its slow but painful descent under the failing leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, a powerful and refreshing alternative is emerging: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a bold, effective, and principled fighter who, if she chooses to run for governor in 2026, would be the most formidable Republican candidate the Empire State has seen in a generation.
At just 40 years old, Stefanik already boasts an extraordinary resume. A Harvard graduate and the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House of Representatives, she has proven time and again that she is unafraid to confront powerful institutions—from elite universities enabling antisemitism to entrenched bureaucracies pushing failed progressive ideologies. As reported by The New York Post, Stefanik is seriously considering a gubernatorial bid, and with nearly $10 million in campaign funds, a sky-high favorability rating among New York Republicans, and a record of outperforming President Trump in her upstate district, she would enter the race as a clear frontrunner.
But Stefanik’s appeal transcends numbers. She brings with her a compelling moral clarity on the most urgent issues plaguing New York today.
A Champion Against Campus Antisemitism
One of Stefanik’s most defining moments on the national stage came during her fearless takedown of university presidents—including Harvard’s own—over their institutions’ shocking failure to protect Jewish students in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks. She demanded answers when none were given, exposed the moral bankruptcy of DEI bureaucracies that refuse to confront antisemitism, and helped catalyze the resignation of then-Harvard President Claudine Gay. Her leadership wasn’t just symbolic—it was effective. Stefanik sent a clear message: Jew-hatred, in any form, will not be tolerated.
This kind of principled backbone is exactly what New York needs.
The Antidote to Hochul’s Woke Mismanagement
Stefanik’s possible opponent, Governor Hochul, has presided over a state in crisis. Under her watch, crime has spiraled, taxes remain among the highest in the nation, and families and businesses are fleeing in record numbers. Hochul’s embrace of sanctuary policies has overwhelmed our communities with unchecked illegal immigration. Her tone-deaf fiscal policies—bloated budgets, sweetheart deals, and zero accountability—have drained our resources while public services deteriorate.
As Stefanik recently pointed out, a Marist poll shows more New Yorkers disapprove than approve of Hochul’s performance. That’s no surprise. Hochul has not just failed to solve the state’s problems—she’s helped create them.
Elise Stefanik, by contrast, offers a vision grounded in real solutions. She opposes bail reform policies that handcuff law enforcement and let violent offenders back on the street. She supports tax relief for working families and small businesses. And she will undoubtedly pursue a common-sense housing policy that emphasizes growth and affordability over red tape and endless bureaucracy.
The Fighter New Yorkers Deserve
While Hochul talks in platitudes and hides behind press releases, Stefanik confronts reality head-on. Her record in Congress has been one of strategic leadership and bold action. She has been a loyal ally of President Trump—who has lauded her as “GREAT!!!”—and a tireless advocate for conservative values in a state long dominated by one-party rule.
Unlike Hochul, Stefanik doesn’t cower to the extremes of her party. She doesn’t pander to socialist agitators or submit to the destructive orthodoxies of the far left. She stands for freedom, security, and the everyday New Yorker—not the Ivy League donor class or the woke echo chambers of Albany and Manhattan.
A Winning Coalition
Stefanik has something rare in New York politics: the ability to build a winning coalition. She outperformed Trump in her rural district and maintains strong ties to both traditional conservatives and working-class voters. If nominated, she would energize the GOP base while appealing to disillusioned moderates and independents disgusted by the state’s progressive drift.
And make no mistake—she can win. Hochul barely scraped by in 2022, despite every institutional advantage. With growing frustration across the state and a weakening Democratic bench, Stefanik would enter the race as the most serious contender Republicans have fielded since George Pataki.
Elise Stefanik is a rare breed in today’s political climate: a proven leader with courage, integrity, and a results-driven agenda. She is exactly the kind of candidate who can restore balance, integrity, and common sense to New York government. If she chooses to run for governor in 2026, she will not only be the Republican Party’s best hope—she will be New York’s best hope.
It’s time to fire Kathy Hochul and rebuild this state. Elise Stefanik is the leader who can get it done.
In a chilling act of political vandalism, the New York Republican Party’s headquarters in Albany was defaced overnight with swastikas, a move denounced by party leaders, elected officials, and law enforcement as an outrageous display of hate and intimidation. According to a report in The New York Post on Thursday, multiple printed images of the Nazi symbol were discovered duct-taped to the doors, windows, and signage of the GOP’s building early Thursday morning, sending shockwaves through the state’s political establishment.
Albany police confirmed that officers responded to the scene shortly after 9:30 a.m. and have since launched an active investigation into what they described as a “hateful incident.” The suspect or suspects responsible for the attack remain at large, and law enforcement is reviewing surveillance footage and collecting evidence.
New York Republican Party Chair Ed Cox issued a powerful statement condemning the act as not just an assault on his party but a desecration of the very principles of democracy and civil discourse. “A vandal duct-taped swastikas to our doors and windows—symbols of genocidal evil, meant to intimidate and silence,” Cox said. “This is not only an attack on our party, it is also an attack on the values of civil discourse, democracy, and decency.”
The New York Post published photographs from the scene showing stark black swastikas printed inside red boxes on white paper, brazenly taped to several exterior surfaces of the party’s headquarters. In addition, one sign left by the perpetrator read ominously: “If this is not what you stand for, prove it.”
Though targeted specifically at the Republican Party, the incident has drawn bipartisan condemnation. New York Governor Kathy Hochul took to social media shortly after news of the incident broke to denounce the defacement as unacceptable. “This is unacceptable. No one should ever resort to violence or vandalism to make a political point,” Hochul wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
New York Attorney General Letitia James also condemned the act in strong terms, emphasizing the broader implications of such hate-fueled actions. “Defacing any institution, across any political party, house of worship, or anywhere else with antisemitic hate or hate of any kind is wrong,” James posted. “All New Yorkers should reject these hateful acts to the fullest extent.”
House Republican Conference Chair and prominent New York lawmaker Rep. Elise Stefanik called for an immediate and uncompromising legal response. “We must ensure that this vicious criminal who perpetrated this heinous crime is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Stefanik said in a statement provided to The New York Post.
Stefanik has been a national leader in speaking out against antisemitism, particularly on college campuses and in the political sphere. Her swift response underscored the broader concern that such incidents are becoming dangerously normalized in America’s public discourse.
While no group has yet claimed responsibility, the use of Nazi imagery to target a major political party headquarters raises the specter of escalating political extremism and antisemitism. The choice of the swastika—a symbol synonymous with genocide, fascism, and historical trauma—is seen by many as an attempt to terrorize and delegitimize.
GOP leaders have demanded that Democrats across the state—including Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand—join them in unequivocally denouncing this attack. Thus far, neither senator has issued a public statement, though the issue is expected to dominate discussion in the coming days.
While spirited debate and partisan disagreement are foundational to American democracy, the use of hate symbols and intimidation tactics are a clear line that must not be crossed. As The New York Post report pointed out, this is far more than mere vandalism—it is political terrorism meant to silence opponents and destabilize public trust.
The defacement of the New York GOP headquarters with swastikas is an affront not just to one party, but to all who believe in civil dialogue, democracy, and human decency. Regardless of political affiliation, leaders must come together to reject this act of hatred and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
This moment demands not just condemnation, but also reflection: What kind of political culture are we cultivating when swastikas are being used as weapons in America’s domestic political battles?
In the face of such vile hatred, New Yorkers must stand together. As Ed Cox rightly said, this isn’t just about party politics. It’s about preserving the core values that make civil society possible.
TJV Editorial: Letitia James Must Be Held to the Same Legal Standard She Demanded for Trump
If there’s one principle that New York Attorney General Letitia James has zealously paraded throughout her political career, it’s that “no one is above the law.” But recent revelations — as reported by the New York Post and detailed in a criminal referral by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte — strongly suggest that James may not be living up to that lofty ideal. In fact, she may have brazenly violated the very standards she used to pursue former President Donald Trump with relentless zeal.
According to Pulte’s explosive referral, James allegedly falsified mortgage records to secure favorable loan terms on a Virginia property she declared as her “principal residence” — all while actively serving as New York’s attorney general and legally obligated to reside in-state. Let that sink in: the same public official who built her political brand around policing financial misrepresentations by Trump and his businesses may have engaged in exactly the kind of misconduct she accused him of.
This is not a mere clerical oversight. Pulte’s referral also outlines additional misrepresentations, including her apparent claim that a five-unit building she owns in Brooklyn has only four units — a crucial distinction, as four-unit buildings qualify for residential financing with more favorable terms. Moreover, in older mortgage documents, James and her father were dubiously listed as “husband and wife,” raising still more red flags. Whether these were lies of convenience or part of a deliberate effort to deceive lenders, the hypocrisy could not be more blatant.
The timing of James’ alleged misrepresentations adds an especially damning twist: her questionable mortgage dealings occurred just as she was launching her civil fraud case against the Trump Organization. In that case, James argued that Trump, his sons, and his company overstated asset values to secure better terms from financial institutions — a tactic that, if committed by James herself, renders her entire crusade not just disingenuous, but dangerously self-serving.
The legal irony is almost too rich: James pursued Trump over documents prepared by others, yet now tries to distance herself from documents her own attorney-in-fact signed on her behalf. In her telling, when a Trump subordinate fills out a form, it’s the former president’s legal responsibility; when her own relative signs a mortgage paper under her power of attorney, it’s somehow not hers. That’s not justice — it’s a double standard cloaked in political opportunism.
Letitia James didn’t stumble into the Trump case through the normal course of an investigation. She campaigned on going after Trump — publicly vowing to uncover wrongdoing before even examining the evidence. That’s not law enforcement. That’s a vendetta disguised as a legal mission. Her case against Trump, resulting in a staggering $464 million judgment currently on appeal, was never about justice — it was about scoring political points, feeding headlines, and satisfying her progressive base.
Now that serious questions have emerged about her own financial dealings, James has offered no transparency, no explanation, and certainly no accountability. Instead, her office lazily waved off the allegations as “cherry-picked” and politically motivated. That may work for MSNBC talking heads, but it doesn’t fly for the state’s top legal officer who claims to be above politics.
You can’t run a high-profile legal assault against a former president under the banner of “no one is above the law,” and then expect immunity when the same scrutiny is turned on you. If these allegations had involved a Republican official — or, say, Donald Trump — James herself would be shouting from the rooftops, holding press conferences, and promising swift consequences. Why should she now be allowed to duck behind a wall of silence?
The people of New York deserve better than a politicized attorney general who appears to have treated mortgage law as a suggestion rather than a mandate. James should not be allowed to brush this aside with a spokesman’s talking point. The Department of Justice must fully investigate these allegations, and if wrongdoing is confirmed, James should face the same legal consequences she has so eagerly sought for others.
And let’s be clear: this is not about partisan politics. This is about integrity. The rule of law does not bend for those who enforce it. If Letitia James committed fraud to save on a mortgage — and then turned around and tried to destroy Donald Trump’s business empire for doing the same — then she is unfit to hold public office.
Letitia James told the public that “no one is above the law.”
It’s time to find out if she really meant it — or if she only meant it applies to Donald Trump.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James, currently under federal scrutiny for alleged mortgage fraud, called the accusations “baseless” and dismissed them as political retaliation from the Trump administration in a combative television appearance on Thursday.
James, who recently secured a $450 million civil fraud judgment against President Trump and his business associates, now finds herself on the other side of the legal spotlight. As reported by The New York Post on Thursday, she appeared on Spectrum NY1’s “Inside City Hall” to address — or rather, strategically deflect — mounting questions over the criminal referral filed by the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) earlier this week.
According to the information provided in The New York Post report, the FHFA’s referral, submitted to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, accuses James of falsifying mortgage documents and property records in both New York and Virginia in order to obtain better loan terms.
Specifically, the charges focus on two properties: A Brownstone in Brooklyn — Allegedly misrepresented as a four-unit building instead of the five units officially listed in its Certificate of Occupancy. This discrepancy may have allowed James to qualify for certain residential loan programs, including HAMP, which exclude properties with more than four units.
A Home in Norfolk, Virginia — A property co-purchased with her niece, where documents signed under power of attorney explicitly stated that James intended to occupy the residence as her primary home. Critics note that such a declaration could constitute a false statement to a lender if, as many suspect, James has never actually lived there.
As The New York Post detailed earlier this week, neighbors in Norfolk reportedly told the publication they had never seen James at the property. Furthermore, the $219,000 mortgage on the Virginia home was notably absent from her 2023 ethics filings in New York, raising additional questions about transparency and financial disclosure compliance.
Faced with mounting questions, James chose a defensive posture during her NY1 interview. “Let me just say to all New Yorkers and to all Americans: the allegations are baseless. The allegations are nothing more than a revenge tour,” she told political anchor Errol Louis.
But when Louis pressed her specifically on the five-unit versus four-unit discrepancy in her Brooklyn property — a core element of the federal referral — James demurred, citing her legal background. “As you know, as any good attorney, I will not litigate this case in a camera. It is important that we respond to these allegations at the appropriate time and in an appropriate way,” she said, as was reported by The New York Post.
She also criticized the media for what she described as “harassment,” calling out reporters who were “camped out” in front of her Brooklyn residence and that of her relatives in Virginia. “I will not be silenced, I will not be bullied, I will not bend, I will not break, and I will not bow to anyone,” she proclaimed.
James cast herself as one of many being targeted by the Trump administration in what she characterized as a sweeping “revenge tour” against political adversaries. “My office was successful in securing a $450 million judgment against Donald Trump and others for exaggerating the value of his assets,” she noted, according to The New York Post report, implying that the federal investigation into her real estate dealings is payback for her successful prosecution.
Still, her refusal to directly answer questions about specific legal documents and discrepancies — particularly those exposed in official land records and mortgage filings — has only intensified public interest and skepticism. As The New York Post reported, the AG’s evasiveness has raised eyebrows, especially given that she built her political brand on transparency, accountability, and the mantra that “no one is above the law.”
Critics argue that James’ current predicament is a mirror image of the very accusations she leveled at Trump: namely, the use of false or misleading information in financial filings to obtain favorable treatment from banks.
The criminal referral to the DOJ represents a significant escalation, even if James has not yet been formally charged. While her supporters claim the investigation is politically motivated, legal experts suggest the allegations are serious and warrant careful review. The report in The New York Post noted that making knowingly false statements on mortgage applications — especially those involving federally regulated lending — can carry severe penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 1014.
Meanwhile, political opponents have seized on the controversy as evidence of hypocrisy and a double standard in James’ approach to justice. The New York Post reported indicated that House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and other critics have called for a full investigation and, if warranted, prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
James continues to assert that her office remains focused on “freedom, liberties, and the rule of law,” but the coming weeks could test that commitment as she navigates an unprecedented legal and political challenge of her own making.
Letitia James, once hailed by progressives as the standard-bearer for accountability and legal reform, now finds herself under federal scrutiny for the same types of conduct she claimed to oppose. Whether the allegations are politically motivated or legally substantial, one truth remains: in the eyes of the law, as she once famously declared, “no one is above the law.” That includes the New York Attorney General.
FACTS IN THE LETITIA JAMES CASE
New York Attorney General Letitia James is under federal investigation following allegations of mortgage fraud related to properties in Virginia and Brooklyn. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has referred the case to the Department of Justice, citing concerns over potential misrepresentations in mortgage documents and financial disclosures.
In August 2023, James signed a notarized power of attorney stating her intent to occupy a Norfolk, Virginia property as her “principal residence.” This declaration was made while she was serving as New York’s Attorney General, a position that requires residency in New York. The mortgage agreement for the Virginia property stipulated that the borrower must occupy the residence within 60 days and maintain it as a primary residence for at least one year. However, public records indicate that James continued her official duties in New York during this period, raising questions about the accuracy of her declaration.
James’s Brooklyn property at 296 Lafayette Avenue is officially classified as a five-unit dwelling according to the Certificate of Occupancy issued in 2001. Despite this, multiple filings, including mortgage applications and Department of Buildings permits, have listed the property as having only four units. This discrepancy could have allowed James to secure more favorable mortgage terms, as properties with four or fewer units often qualify for different financing options.
Further scrutiny has been directed at James’s financial disclosures. Reports suggest that certain mortgages, including one for the Virginia property, were not listed in her official disclosures, potentially violating state requirements for public officials to report significant debts. Additionally, inconsistencies have been noted in the reporting of rental income and the classification of loans across different years.
James’s office has acknowledged the FHFA’s referral but has characterized the investigation as politically motivated. A spokesperson stated that the Attorney General is focused on her duties and will address any inquiries through appropriate legal channels. The Department of Justice has not commented on the matter, and the investigation is ongoing.
The allegations against James raise significant concerns about the adherence to legal and ethical standards by public officials. As the state’s top legal officer, any substantiated misconduct could have serious ramifications for her career and the public’s trust in the office she holds. Observers await further developments as the investigation proceeds.
As antisemitic incidents surge across New York City’s subway system, one fearless rapper is choosing matzo balls, rhymes, and radical hospitality as his form of resistance.
Rami Matan Even-Esh — better known by his stage name Kosha Dillz — has transformed Passover into a mobile, musical protest by staging elaborate Seder dinners on subway trains. Dressed as Moses, complete with a faux beard and flowing robe, the 43-year-old rapper is delivering much more than matzah to unsuspecting commuters: He’s serving up humor, unity, and spiritual defiance. As reported by The New York Post on Thursday, Even-Esh’s underground Seders are both a heartfelt cultural expression and a statement against hate.
“It’s a really great way to bring people together,” Even-Esh told The New York Post. “There are so many antisemitic train incidents, but the dinner has a spiritual, deeper meaning.”
Indeed, the rapper’s roving Seder includes everything from Katz’s legendary matzoh ball soup to grape juice, gefilte fish, and rhymes inspired by The Notorious B.I.G. As subway doors slide open, Even-Esh rolls in folding tables, place settings, and the full array of Passover ritual foods, welcoming anyone — regardless of faith, ethnicity, or background — to join him for the ancient Jewish tradition.
The tone is both reverent and irreverent. Even-Esh’s lyrics, like his “Matzo Poppa” freestyle set to the tune of Biggie’s “Big Poppa,” are delivered with a wink — but the mission is deadly serious. Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism since Hamas’ brutal October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Even-Esh sees these Seders as a necessary reminder of Jewish resilience and a rebuttal to hatred.
The New York Post report highlighted one particularly tense encounter last year when a protester on her way to Columbia University interrupted the Seder, yelling “Why don’t you free Palestine?” Instead of retaliating, Even-Esh extended an invitation. “‘You’re coming out of pocket right now,’” he recalled telling her. “‘We’re doing a Seder and you’re actually invited… I gotta finish this and then we can talk.’” She declined — but the gesture underscored his deeper point: Even in confrontation, there is space for conversation.
That spirit of inclusivity has led to surprising moments of connection. As The New York Post reported, one subway performance saw a Dominican father and son eagerly sampling matzah crackers, while an Egyptian teenager wearing a “Free Palestine” bracelet joined the Seder mid-ride. Even-Esh sees such encounters as micro-miracles, driven by food, rhythm, and the universal language of laughter.
“We’re all going through tough times — New York is a tough place,” he told The New York Post. “We all think we’re bigger than we are, and the subway is a humbling place.”
That humility undergirds Even-Esh’s activism. His subway Seder series, now expanding to the A, C, E, and possibly L trains, is designed not only to celebrate Jewish tradition but also to humanize it — especially in a moment when Jews are increasingly targeted on public transit and across college campuses.
Even-Esh’s creative outreach won’t stop in the subway tunnels. On Saturday, he plans to host a Passover-themed performance outside Madison Square Garden during the Knicks-Pistons game, the report in The New York Post said. His goal? To mix prayer, performance, and parody for the benefit of a wider audience — and maybe bring a little divine favor to the Knicks while he’s at it.
“We’re praying for the Knicks,” he joked to The New York Post. But the subtext is clear: If matzo balls and laughter can lift spirits, maybe they can also lower tensions.
Even-Esh’s approach — part rabbi, part rapper, part street performer — flips the script on both Jewish ritual and public protest. In a city where cultural divisions often seem to harden by the day, his Seder-in-transit is an invitation to see one another differently.
“If I can make the world a little happier and lighter, that’s awesome,” he said.
And judging by the joy of commuters sharing a communal Seder on a rumbling Q train, he’s succeeding — one matzoh ball at a time.
In a time of growing tension, Even-Esh reminds us that resistance doesn’t always have to shout. Sometimes, it can sing.
Adam Boehler, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. Envoy Adam Boehler: No Gaza ‘Day After’ Talks Without Full Hostage Release
By; Fern Sidman
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler delivered a clear and uncompromising message on Wednesday: there will be no discussions about Gaza’s post-war future until all hostages held by Hamas are released. In comments to Al Jazeera, reported by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), Boehler emphasized that President Donald Trump’s directive on the matter is unequivocal: “Nothing goes forward until all hostages are released.”
“Step one is all hostages released. Step two is, let’s figure out this day after,” Boehler stated, reinforcing the administration’s position that humanitarian and political planning for the Gaza Strip is contingent upon Hamas relinquishing its captives.
According to the JNS report, the Biden administration’s more incremental diplomatic stance on the war has now been replaced with a hardline approach by the Trump administration, which insists that Hamas’s ongoing hostage crisis must be resolved before reconstruction efforts or future governance discussions can commence.
While Boehler acknowledged the potential for a comprehensive resolution, he made clear that the path forward is blocked by Hamas’s refusal to release the more than 130 hostages still believed to be in captivity since the October 7 massacre.
“There’s always a possibility for a comprehensive deal,” Boehler said, according to JNS. “I don’t think Israel is interested in staying for the long term.”
President Trump’s plan reportedly includes relocating Gaza civilians who choose to leave to safer areas, followed by a U.S.-supported effort to rebuild infrastructure devastated by Israel’s ongoing military campaign. But Boehler made it clear that none of this will happen until the hostages come home.
“The hostages are what keep things from moving forward,” he explained. “We need them home. You can’t deal with people that hold innocent people as hostages.”
Boehler’s remarks underscored the strategic centrality of the hostages to the conflict’s resolution. He firmly asserted that the moment Hamas agrees to a full release, the fighting would end. “The day that those hostages are released, the fighting will end. Immediately.”
JNS reported that Boehler has urged Hamas to identify terms that both Israel and the United States could accept and to act decisively to bring an end to the war.
He also responded to Hamas’s recent claim that it had lost track of Edan Alexander, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen and one of the hostages. The terror group blamed Israeli airstrikes for the confusion.
“If Edan gets sick, if Edan has a cold, guess who’s getting blamed—Hamas,” Boehler said, as quoted by JNS. “I hope no hair on his head is hurt, or we’re going to come for them, and it’s not going to be pretty. So I believe that Edan is fine.”
On the matter of hostages potentially killed in Israeli airstrikes, Boehler clarified that the root blame lies not with the Israeli military, but with Hamas itself. “I’m not sure I would blame Israeli bombardment for that. I would blame the fact that they’re hostages in the first place.”
As JNS has reported, Boehler’s aggressive diplomacy has occasionally stirred controversy. In mid-March, he was reportedly removed from the official hostage negotiation team after remarks perceived as dismissive of Israeli concerns. At the time, he had referred to Hamas negotiators as “nice guys” and remarked that he didn’t “really care about” Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
His additional statement—“The United States is not an agent of Israel”—triggered backlash and prompted clarification via social media.
“Hamas is a terrorist organization that has murdered thousands of innocent people,” Boehler later wrote. “They are, by definition, bad people.”
Despite the diplomatic hiccup, Boehler remains a central figure in efforts to pressure Hamas into releasing the hostages and paving the way for post-conflict rebuilding in Gaza. His most recent remarks, as reported by JNS, reflect a Trump administration that is committed to ending the war only on its own terms—starting with the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages.
As the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates and international pressure mounts, Boehler’s comments clarify the U.S. stance: until the hostages are free, there will be no political reset, no economic aid package, and no discussion of Gaza’s future. The ball, it seems, is squarely in Hamas’s court.
Pocono Television Network correspondents (middle L-R) Deanna Fontanez, Brianna Strunk and Jim Hamill celebrate in Victory Lane last season with the Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 Xfinity Series race winner Cole Custer and his team at Pocono Raceway. Photo credit: PoconoMountains.com.
POCONO MOUNTAINS VISITORS BUREAU RETURNS WITH MORE ACTION FOR JUNE’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES RACE
PMVB serving once again as the entitlement sponsor for the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 on Saturday, June 21.
Xfinity Series race lengthened to 250 miles with 10 additional laps as the middle race of the NASCAR tripleheader weekend.
Poconos attracted 30 million visitors that generated $4.8 billion in tourism according to a 2023 statewide economic report.
Pocono Raceway has limited offer for grandstand ticket savings on all three races.
NOTE: Click HERE to download the NEW Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 race logo.
LONG POND, Pa. (April 17, 2025) – The annual NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway will have the same look with the return of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) as the entitlement sponsor, but a different feel for drivers with the race distance being lengthened.
The Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, set for Saturday, June 21, has been extended 25 miles and 10 laps on the 2.5-mile tri-oval while serving as the middle race of the NASCAR tripleheader weekend. The 100-lap Xfinity Series race is joined by the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race on Friday, June 20, and The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM Cup Series race on Sunday, June 22.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that the PMVB has been a race entitlement partner with Pocono Raceway. The first came in 2021 for the Cup Series event and the subsequent races for the Xfinity Series. The Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 will be the 16th of 33 races in the Xfinity Series season and be broadcast live nationally on the CW, MRN and SiriusXM Radio beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.
“Pocono Raceway is a proud family-owned and -operated business and to be able to use our platform to highlight the Pocono Mountains and showcase all that our region has to offer is something we are extremely proud of,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said. “We encourage our guests to come early and stay after the race to take advantage of everything the Pocono Mountains has to offer, from state parks to water parks and everything in between. We’re honored to have the PMVB on our team as we kick off summer in Northeast Pennsylvania with our NASCAR weekend.”
With approximately 60 percent of race fans coming to Pocono Raceway from out of state, the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 provides an avenue for the PMVB to showcase the area’s numerous attractions, events, activities, lodging and restaurants that are available to visitors throughout the four seasons.
The Pocono Mountains encompass 2,400 square miles in northeast Pennsylvania’s Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties. The area is famous for its resorts, natural scenic beauty, 150-plus lakes including Lake Wallenpaupack, and quaint, historic towns with plenty to enjoy. The Pocono Mountains also have more than 350 hiking and bike trails, three dozen golf courses, boating, fishing, whitewater rafting, two national parks, nine state parks and several water park resorts.
According to the 2023 Tourism Economic Impact of Visitors in Pennsylvania Report, more than 30 million guests spent $4.8 billion and accounted for 38,075 jobs, which is nearly 40 percent of the employment and labor income in those four counties. Tourism provides $875.1 million annually in total taxes for the area and more than $1,500 per person in direct tax support for residents of the Pocono Mountains.
“It’s no secret the power of motorsports in the Poconos helps drive tourism, especially during the NASCAR weekend at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ each summer,” said Chris Barrett, President/CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. “Race fans are treated to world-class hospitality at Pocono Raceway and many take advantage of our four-season destination and countless reasons to stay and play in the Poconos. We are extremely proud to have Visit PA and the Commonwealth tag-team the racing action with us again this year, shining a light on the economic prowess of the tourism industry here in PA and the Poconos.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced in February that his Administration would be partnering with Pocono Raceway as the Cup Series entitlement sponsor for the second consecutive year with The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM. Governor Shapiro unveiled “Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway” tourism campaign in 2024 to highlight all the Commonwealth has to offer visitors. Pocono Raceway has been a key driver in providing national and international exposure for the Commonwealth through NASCAR’s popularity.
In celebration of the race entitlements, Pocono Raceway is offering a limited special for all three races in the 100/200 section grandstands. The first 200 fans can score a $10 savings and purchase a ticket at just $15 for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. The first 250 can save $10 and purchase a ticket for $25 to the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250. The first 400 can enjoy a $15 savings and purchase a ticket for $65 to The Great American Getaway400 presented by VISITPA.COM. Click HERE for more details or to purchase tickets.
The PMVB will have a presence on race weekend to assist any fans who may want to enjoy activities outside of Pocono Raceway. Bureau representatives will be on site throughout the weekend at the Pocono Mountains Activities & Welcome Center. The center, which also hosts several activities on site for race fans including children, is located in the infield adjacent to the inclusive playground on the right after coming through the Turn 2 tunnel.
Supporters of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Samaria city of Jenin, Oct. 27, 2023. Photo by Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90.
By: Fern Sidman
As Israel continues its sweeping military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the terrorist organization is now facing what appears to be its most severe financial crisis in years. According to a detailed report published by The Wall Street Journal and cited by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), Hamas is now struggling to meet even its basic payroll obligations, while its traditional income streams have been decimated by Israeli military pressure and international sanctions.
As JNS reported, Hamas’s financial infrastructure, long sustained through a combination of illicit taxation, aid diversion, smuggling, and black-market manipulation, is now under immense strain. According to Moumen al-Natour, a lawyer based in Gaza’s Al-Shati refugee camp, “They [Hamas] have a big crisis on their hands. They were mainly dependent on humanitarian aid sold in black markets for cash.”
Hamas, which the United States, European Union, and Israel designate as a terrorist organization, has historically exploited humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza—seizing supplies, reselling them for profit, and taxing merchants at checkpoints. That system, however, has been substantially degraded by the Israeli campaign, which has deliberately targeted Hamas operatives responsible for the movement and disbursement of funds.
The JNS report noted that Israeli airstrikes have focused specifically on Hamas officials known to handle cash transfers, forcing them into hiding and interrupting the internal flow of funds.
The economic collapse has translated directly into payroll failures across Hamas’s organizational hierarchy. According to the WSJ and JNS, senior Hamas officials and fighters are now receiving only a fraction of their former salaries. Rank-and-file terrorists are reportedly being paid just $200 to $300 per month, while many administrative and support staff within the Hamas-run Gaza bureaucracy have ceased receiving salaries altogether.
This disruption in income is creating discontent within the ranks of Hamas and is reportedly hampering recruitment. Hamas, which relies heavily on maintaining local loyalty and projecting power through financial patronage, is now facing a growing backlash from some Gazans who view the group as responsible for their suffering.
As JNS reported, there have even been instances of civil unrest and public protests against Hamas, an increasingly rare and dangerous development within the tightly controlled enclave.
Despite the crisis, Hamas is not entirely without financial reserves. According to Western and Arab estimates cited by JNS, the group is believed to have stashed up to $500 million abroad, with much of the money originating from Qatar and other sympathetic regimes.
However, Gaza faces an acute shortage of physical cash. With Israel’s central bank halting the delivery of new bills into the territory, and bank infrastructure largely destroyed by airstrikes, everyday economic activity has slowed to a crawl. The JNS report noted that many residents have resorted to using “money repair shops” to tape together tattered currency, reflecting the depths of Gaza’s financial dysfunction.
Estimates of the remaining money still circulating in Gaza vary. One analyst told the WSJ there could be as much as $3 billion, though the lack of banking records makes it impossible to verify.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz made it clear that Israel’s current strategy goes beyond military operations—it includes economic tools to dismantle Hamas’s grip on Gaza. As quoted by JNS, Katz said that humanitarian aid deliveries would resume, but only through civilian companies, thereby bypassing Hamas entirely.
“Stopping humanitarian aid undermines Hamas’s control over the population,” Katz stated, underscoring a broader effort to sever the group’s ability to leverage aid for political and military gain.
In January, a brief ceasefire allowed for increased aid into Gaza, providing Hamas with a temporary economic reprieve. However, when hostilities resumed in March, Israel reinstated strict controls on goods and financial flows, further compounding Hamas’s financial troubles.
While international mediators continue pushing for a new ceasefire deal—one that would potentially include the release of Israeli hostages—negotiations remain stalled. Hamas is demanding a complete end to the war, while Israel insists that military operations will continue until Hamas is decisively defeated.
The JNS report emphasized that this deadlock places Hamas in an increasingly desperate position: militarily pressured, economically constrained, and politically isolated. The once-powerful militant group now faces mounting internal and external challenges that threaten to undermine its authority and operational capabilities.
The financial unraveling of Hamas represents a significant development in the broader Israeli strategy to dismantle the group’s operational infrastructure. As JNS has consistently reported, the combination of targeted military action and economic strangulation is having a tangible impact—not just on Hamas’s ability to wage war, but also on its ability to govern, recruit, and maintain loyalty within Gaza.
With Hamas’s financial lifelines collapsing, its battlefield options narrowing, and its public support waning, Israel may be closer than ever to achieving one of its long-standing objectives: breaking the backbone of Hamas’s rule over Gaza.
Trump Administration Rescinds $8 Cap on Credit Card Late Fees, Siding with Banks in Major Consumer Policy Reversal
Edited by: TJVNews.com
In a sweeping rollback of consumer financial protections, the administration of President Trump has formally rescinded a rule that would have capped most credit card late fees at $8, a regulation originally estimated to save American households over $10 billion a year. As reported by The New York Times, the move marks a decisive victory for the banking industry and a major shift in the direction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) under the Trump administration.
The late fee cap, finalized last year by the CFPB during President Biden’s administration, was immediately challenged in court by a coalition of banking and business groups who argued the agency had overstepped its statutory authority. On Tuesday, in a dramatic about-face, the CFPB—now led by Russell T. Vought, the White House budget chief also serving as acting director of the bureau—joined the lawsuit’s plaintiffs in requesting the rule be vacated, a request that was granted by a federal judge in Texas.
The rule’s demise came through a joint motion by the plaintiff trade groups and the CFPB itself, which reversed its prior legal stance. The motion was approved by Judge Mark Pittman, who presides over the Northern District of Texas, a jurisdiction that has increasingly become a destination for industry challenges to federal regulations due to its pro-business reputation.
The New York Times report noted the unusual judicial path of the case. Judge Pittman twice attempted to transfer the case to Washington, D.C., citing tenuous local connections, but was overruled both times by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing the Texas court to proceed with a final decision.
The American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and several Texas business organizations, who led the legal opposition, hailed the court’s ruling as a victory for “common sense” and financial discipline.
“If the CFPB’s rule had gone into effect, it would have resulted in more late payments, lower credit scores, higher interest rates and reduced credit access for those who need it most,” the group said in a statement quoted by The New York Times.
According to the banks, the average late fee is approximately $32, and they argued that a blanket $8 cap would undermine consumer incentives to pay on time, potentially destabilizing the credit ecosystem.
Consumer protection groups, however, reacted with fury and concern. They argue the rollback will reopen the door for excessive punitive fees that banks charge customers far beyond their actual costs.
“This decision will allow big banks to exploit consumers to the tune of $10 billion annually by charging inflated late fees that far exceed what late payments cost them to collect,” said Chi Chi Wu, senior attorney with the National Consumer Law Center, in comments published by The New York Times.
Critics argue that the fees—often levied on vulnerable customers—serve more as a profit center for banks than a genuine deterrent.
The repeal of the late fee cap is part of a wider pattern under Trump’s leadership, where the CFPB has been rapidly dismantling many regulatory and enforcement priorities established under President Biden. As The New York Times reported, Mr. Vought, acting as the bureau’s de facto head, has frozen most of the agency’s rulemaking and abandoned over a dozen enforcement cases, including major actions involving Capital One, accused of deceptive marketing of low-interest savings accounts and three large banks alleged to have inadequate fraud safeguards in their Zelle payment systems.
Moreover, Trump is expected to sign additional congressional resolutions targeting other key Biden-era consumer protections, including a $5 cap on overdraft fees, and a rule enhancing the CFPB’s oversight of payment apps, such as those run by large tech firms such as PayPal, Apple, and Google.
These moves reflect a philosophical shift in the Trump administration’s approach to financial regulation—favoring industry self-governance and rolling back rules it deems overly burdensome or economically restrictive.
The implications for consumers could be significant. According to the CFPB’s own estimates from 2023, Americans paid over $14 billion in credit card late fees annually, with fees often compounding the financial distress of lower-income borrowers.
With the rollback, banks are once again free to charge fees upward of $30 or more, a decision that critics say disproportionately impacts consumers who are already financially strained. While banks argue that the fees encourage fiscal responsibility and offset risk, consumer advocates point to evidence suggesting they function more as revenue generators than deterrents.
As The New York Times report documented, the repeal of the $8 late fee cap represents not just a technical change in financial policy, but a fundamental redefinition of the government’s role in consumer protection. Under Trump and Vought’s leadership, the CFPB has pivoted away from regulatory activism and toward bank-friendly policies, igniting fierce debate about the future of financial fairness.
In the months ahead, observers expect further legal and political battles as the administration continues to reshape financial regulations—potentially leaving American consumers more exposed to high fees, weaker safeguards, and reduced transparency.
RFK Jr. Champions the Search for Environmental Causes of Autism, Challenging a Stagnant Medical Orthodoxy
By: Fern Sidman
In a bold and much-needed challenge to the complacency of the allopathic medical establishment, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reaffirmed this week what many concerned citizens have long suspected: the autism epidemic is preventable, and environmental toxins—not genetics—are the primary culprit behind its staggering rise.
Speaking at a press conference covered by The New York Times, Kennedy responded to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that autism now affects one in every 31 eight-year-old children—an astonishing fivefold increase since the CDC first began collecting such data in 2000.
While the entrenched scientific community predictably circled the wagons, attributing the surge to “better diagnosis” and “broader definitions,” Kennedy refused to accept these facile explanations, instead identifying a far more plausible cause: widespread exposure to environmental toxins.
“Genes don’t cause epidemics,” Kennedy rightly stated. “You need an environmental toxin.”
Rather than parroting the tired, politically safe narrative that autism’s rise is merely the result of better screening, Kennedy exposed the fallacy of the “myth of epidemic denial.” The claim that autism has simply always been with us, merely underdiagnosed, defies basic common sense—and ignores the very real changes parents and communities have witnessed over the past 30 years.
As The New York Times report detailed, Kennedy pointed out that environmental exposures—whether through food additives, industrial chemicals, or environmental contaminants introduced in the late 20th century—are far more logical explanations for the epidemic’s sharp rise. Indeed, Kennedy’s insistence on environmental causality mirrors the growing unease of countless families who have observed dramatic regression in children following early environmental exposures.
Rather than taking Kennedy’s concerns seriously, establishment voices such as Dr. Maureen Durkin and Dr. Joshua Anbar stuck to the party line, dismissing the environmental argument and offering platitudes like “the more you look for it, the more you find”—a narrative Kennedy courageously branded as a “canard.”
It is no surprise that Kennedy’s call to action has drawn fire from entrenched interests. For decades, the allopathic system—intimately tied to pharmaceutical profits—has downplayed environmental risks and overemphasized genetic determinism to shield industries from liability. As The New York Times report noted, Kennedy’s critics swiftly accused him of “oversimplifying” autism’s causes and warned that he might divert funding from genetic research—a clear admission that their priority remains safely studying genes rather than confronting inconvenient environmental truths.
Yet the genetic theory of autism, while real in terms of susceptibility, has never offered a complete explanation. As Dr. Catherine Lord at UCLA conceded to The New York Times, genetic predispositions may simply increase a child’s vulnerability to environmental triggers—exactly the nuanced position that Kennedy champions.
For decades, twin studies have been cited as evidence for genetic influence, but growing numbers of researchers now acknowledge that environmental factors can critically interact with genetic predispositions, triggering conditions like autism when the right (or wrong) exposures occur.
Kennedy is doing what no one else in power has dared: demanding answers to uncomfortable questions. He announced plans to commission new studies specifically aimed at investigating toxins introduced around 1989, the approximate timeframe that coincides with the explosion of autism diagnoses—an effort dismissed by critics as predetermined, but one which many believe is long overdue.
“We’re going to task [researchers] with certain outcomes,” Kennedy said, acknowledging that focused, purposeful research is necessary after decades of obfuscation and industry capture of scientific agendas.
Predictably, critics rushed to defend the outdated status quo. Dr. David Mandell of the University of Pennsylvania warned that Kennedy’s focus would “divert resources,” but what he and others seem to fear most is that an honest investigation might finally reveal the environmental exposures—and by extension, corporate negligence—that have long been ignored.
Kennedy’s brave stand also threatens the fragile edifice of pharmaceutical orthodoxy. Although he did not directly mention vaccines at the press conference, the media rushed to connect his remarks to his past questioning of vaccine safety—a topic the establishment has tried to place beyond debate despite emerging evidence that warrants further scrutiny.
As The New York Times reported, Kennedy recently appointed a vaccine skeptic within the Department of Health and Human Services as part of his effort to ensure that no avenue of inquiry is censored—a move praised by those who believe true science requires open investigation, not dogmatic conformity.
By challenging the myths promoted by conflicted researchers, Kennedy is not “politicizing” science. He is depoliticizing it, liberating it from corporate capture and returning it to its true purpose: to seek truth, serve humanity, and protect the vulnerable.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call to reassess the environmental causes of autism should be hailed as a bold act of leadership, not a source of controversy. As The New York Times reporting makes clear, Kennedy is up against a deeply entrenched establishment determined to defend its narrative, no matter the cost to American families.
Rather than stigmatizing Kennedy’s efforts, the nation should welcome his insistence on real answers and real accountability. The autism epidemic is real, its causes are not fully understood, and only by fearlessly questioning prevailing dogmas can we hope to stem the tide.
In a world too often ruled by corporate interests disguised as scientific consensus, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stands nearly alone—a beacon for parents, advocates, and truth-seekers everywhere who refuse to accept that nothing can be done.
In a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign to hold elite academic institutions accountable for antisemitism and political radicalism on campus, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Wednesday that it is officially canceling $2.7 million in grants to Harvard University. As reported by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), the decision follows Monday’s freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funds to the Ivy League university due to its refusal to comply with a series of federal reforms aimed at safeguarding Jewish students and rooting out campus extremism.
The action, coordinated by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, is part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on what it has described as the spread of pro-Hamas, anti-American ideology within elite universities, particularly since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attacks against Israel.
“Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism—driven by its spineless leadership—fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security,” Secretary Noem stated in a sharply worded press release obtained by JNS. “With anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology poisoning its campus and classrooms, Harvard’s position as a top institution of higher learning is a distant memory. America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars.”
The $2.7 million in canceled grants were earmarked for various DHS-related initiatives, but officials at the department made clear that Harvard’s conduct no longer met the standard of eligibility. Among the administration’s demands were the abolition of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, enhanced efforts to address antisemitism, and the requirement that the university disclose records of foreign students potentially involved in illegal or radical activity.
The JNS report noted that the Department of Homeland Security specifically warned that Harvard could lose its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) if it fails to verify its compliance.
“With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos,” the DHS statement said. “But the Department of Homeland Security won’t.”
The department also emphasized that if Harvard cannot demonstrate compliance with federal visa reporting standards, it could lose the ability to enroll international students altogether—a move with potentially devastating consequences for both the university’s global standing and revenue streams.
In response, Harvard University President Alan Garber issued a defiant statement on Monday, declaring that the administration’s directives violated the university’s First Amendment rights and encroached on the autonomy of private educational institutions.
“The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government,” Garber said. “It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI, and it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.”
“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” he added.
However, critics—led by President Donald Trump himself—argue that Harvard’s invocation of academic freedom is a smokescreen designed to protect its failure to confront what the JNS report described as an increasingly toxic and dangerous atmosphere for Jewish students on campus.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the world’s great universities or colleges,” Trump said in a statement Wednesday. “Harvard is a joke, teaches hate and stupidity, and should no longer receive federal funds.”
According to the information provided in the JNS report, the DHS’s actions are rooted in disturbing developments that have unfolded on Harvard’s campus since the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel. The department alleges that foreign students and faculty on temporary visas have been involved in harassment and intimidation of Jewish students, while the university administration has done little to protect their safety or punish misconduct.
The administration’s stance is clear: universities that accept billions in federal funding must be held to the highest standards in defending constitutional rights and national security—especially when it comes to protecting students from religious-based hate and investigating foreign nationals engaged in extremist conduct.
This case is likely just the beginning of a broader federal reckoning with higher education, particularly as the Trump administration continues to investigate campus antisemitism, visa violations, and the ideological capture of taxpayer-funded institutions.
As the JNS report noted, the unprecedented funding freeze signals a new era of accountability, where elite universities may no longer assume they can insulate themselves from oversight while accepting billions in federal support.
Whether Harvard will reverse its course and comply—or face the full consequences of defiance—remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Washington’s relationship with America’s ivory towers has fundamentally changed, and the message from the DHS is resounding—no more blank checks for institutions that tolerate hate.
(TJV NEWS) In a stunning turn of events, the Reform movement has aligned itself with Hamas sympathizers, defending those who advocate for the murder of Jews.
Reporter Daniel Greenfield pointed out that former J Street press secretary, Amy Spitalnick, who now heads the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), proudly orchestrated a coalition of left-wing Jewish organizations, including the Union for Reform Judaism, the Rabbinical Assembly of Conservative Judaism, and Reconstructionist groups. This coalition has gone so far as to support campus Hamas advocates who have openly incited violence against Jewish students.
The controversial letter issued by these organizations claims that Jewish safety is intrinsically tied to the “safety of others,” absurdly including the safety of individuals calling for the death of Jews. The letter further asserts that escalating federal actions targeting antisemitism are nothing more than a guise for stripping students’ rights, including due process and the threat of deportation. The groups argue that these measures could jeopardize billions in academic research and funding.
Despite their clear alignment with Hamas-supporting factions, these groups assert they “reject any policies or actions that foment or take advantage of antisemitism.” By echoing leftist talking points that accuse Jews of “weaponizing” antisemitism, they have abandoned any semblance of solidarity with their own community.
As Greenfield emphasized, the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements have betrayed Jewish students by standing alongside those who have assaulted them—both physically and ideologically—on college campuses. This betrayal represents a monumental failure, not only in their religious duties but in their very identity as Jewish organizations. By siding with those who support antisemitic violence, they have irreparably discredited themselves.
This shocking alliance with Hamas supporters, including notorious figures like Mahmoud Khalil and Momoudo Taal, signals the ultimate betrayal. Amy Spitalnick’s prideful acknowledgment that these groups are unified in this stance marks the moment when Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism sold out their own people for the sake of leftist politics.
Only Orthodox Jewish organizations have stood firm in their defense of American Jews, refusing to sign the letter and thereby preserving their commitment to the safety and well-being of the Jewish community. The rest of the Jewish denominations have irrevocably abandoned this cause, revealing the dangerous and tragic consequences of their actions.
There is no coming back from this. The betrayal is undeniable, and these movements will be remembered for their decision to side with antisemitic violence, leaving Jewish students and communities vulnerable in their wake.
