Letters to the Editor

Jim Scott | A Disguised Variant

In today’s (Dec. 2) Democratic Voices, Jonathan Kraut exposes a disguised variant of Trump Derangement Syndrome. He continues the disruptive, deceitful deception of the Democratic video that encourages our soldiers

Letters to the Editor

Jim de Bree | Nuremberg as a Precedent?

Last week, I saw the movie “Nuremberg,” which is a psychological thriller about the war crime trial of Hermann Göring. After the Nazi surrender in May 1945, Nazi leaders were

Letters to the Editor

Paul McGuire | A Curious Flag Decision

Noticed half-mast flags at the Acton/L.A. County Library. Having missed the memo, I learned they’ve been down the entire month of November in loving memory of Dick Cheney, the Republican

Congressman-elect Matt Van Epps (R-Tenn.) shook hands with supporters at his victory party in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 2, 2025. Photo by Jacki Thrapp.

Van Epps wins Tennessee special election 

By Jacki Thrapp Contributing Writer  NASHVILLE — Republican Matt Van Epps has won the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District seat.  The former state commissioner and Army helicopter pilot defeated the Democratic nominee, Aftyn

Aimee Bock (C), founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Feeding Our Future, arrives at the Minneapolis federal courthouse with her attorney, Ken Udoibok (R) in Minneapolis on March 19, 2025. Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP

How Minnesota’s Somali fraud exploded 

By Janice Hisle Contributing Writer  When 200 federal agents raided dozens of Minnesota homes and businesses on Jan. 20, 2022, policy analyst Bill Glahn took notice. So did a lot of

Letters to the Editor

Brian Richards | Obamacare Falsehoods

I can see the eye rolls out there in Signal land after you read the title of my letter. But let us review what was promised. If you like you

Letters to the Editor

Jack Teoli | A Concerning Endorsement

The results of the recent vote on Proposition 50 have sent a clear and undeniable message, not just to Sacramento, but to our own City Hall. In Santa Clarita, a

Letters to the Editor

Arthur T. Tom | Congress’ Pay Is No Accident

In today’s Signal (Nov. 21), Lois Eisenberg thanks federal employees for working through the recent government shutdown. I want to add a bit of explanation about why some government workers

Pirro: National Guard shooting suspect to be charged with 1st-degree murder By Jack Phillips Contributing Writer Charges against the man accused of shooting two National Guard members this week will be upgraded to first-degree murder after one died, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Friday. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were both shot on Wednesday. Beckstrom died a day later, President Donald Trump confirmed during a call with service members on Thanksgiving. Wolfe remains in critical condition as of the publication of this story. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who had worked with the CIA during the war in Afghanistan, faces a charge of first-degree murder, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, Pirro said. “There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” Pirro told Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” program. Officials in the Trump administration, including the president and FBI Director Kash Patel, have described the shooting as a terrorist attack. Attorney General Pam Bondi said this week that federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty in the case. Both Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed to the nation’s capital with the West Virginia National Guard as part of the Trump administration’s mission there, starting earlier this year. Wolfe is still in “very critical condition,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a Friday statement. He confirmed that he ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in recognition of Beckstrom’s passing. “These two West Virginia heroes were serving our country and protecting our nation’s capital when they were maliciously attacked,” Morrisey’s statement added. “Their courage and commitment to duty represent the very best of our state.” The governor added that he is holding the Guard troops’ friends and families in their prayers. Trump said at an address on Thursday that he believes Lakanwal “went cuckoo” or “nuts” before he shot at the soldiers. The president also said that Beckstrom was an “incredible person, outstanding in every single way.” The president said that he would freeze migration from “Third World countries“ after Beckstrom’s death was confirmed. “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions ... and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States,” he said in a post on Truth Social. The Biden administration initiative for Afghans who worked with U.S. forces brought roughly 76,000 people to the country, many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators during the 20-year-long war in the country. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and others over allegations of gaps in the vetting process. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday that Lakanwal was allowed into the United States under a Biden administration program, Operation Allies Welcome, and confirmed that he had been living in Bellingham, Washington, a city located between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. “This program let in thousands of unvetted Afghan nationals including terrorists into our country,” Homeland Security said in a statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Man charged with shooting 2 National Guard members pleads not guilty 

By Jackson Richman Contributing Writer  WASHINGTON — The man accused of shooting two National Guard members pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.  A lawyer for Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the plea during a virtual court appearance. Lakanwal appeared from a

Travelers go through security screening at San Antonio International Airport in San Antonio, Texas, on July 10, 2025. Photo by Madalina Kilroy.

TSA announces $45 fee for passengers without proper ID 

By Jack Phillips Contributing Writer  Passengers who lack a REAL ID, passport, or another equivalent document will have to pay a $45 fee to travel domestically, the Transportation Security Administration announced on Monday.  The

Alina Habba speaks after being sworn in as interim U.S. attorney general for New Jersey, in the Oval Office of the White House on March 28, 2025. Pool photo via AP.

Appeals court disqualifies Habba as US Attorney in NJ 

By Matthew Vadum Contributing Writer  A federal appeals court ruled on Monday that Trump administration appointee Alina Habba is disqualified as U.S. attorney for New Jersey.  The new ruling came from a three-judge

The Intel logo is displayed outside of the Intel headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., on July 26, 2025. The Trump administration took equity stakes in the semiconductor giant in August. Photo by Gary Wang.

Trump: US made $40B from Intel deal 

By Andrew Moran Contributing Writer  President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. government made $40 billion from its deal with chipmaker Intel.  The president, speaking during his Cabinet meeting, told reporters that the head