Citizen Sourced

Here’s a quick reminder of some important facts about Donald Trump: Ladies & Gentlemen, Please meet the President of the United States: 1. Flew on Epstein’s plane at least seven times. Just friends, I guess. 2. Pleaded the Fifth more than 400 times in a single deposition. Nothing says “innocent” quite like refusing to answer hundreds of questions about your own business. 3. 34 felony convictions. A record most people would call disqualifying. 4. 91 criminal charges. 5. Accused of sexual misconduct or assault by at least 26 women. But sure, tell me again how he’s a great guy. 6. 6 corporate bankruptcies. The self-proclaimed greatest businessman alive somehow keeps running out of money. 7. 5 draft deferments. Funny how the toughest guy in the room never actually showed up for duty. 8. 4 criminal indictments. Not two. Not three. Four. 9. 2 impeachments. A club of exactly one president. 10. 2 of his companies convicted of criminal tax fraud. Convicted. ...

America Doesn't Need to Be Called a Christian Nation I've been thinking a lot about people who say America is a Christian nation or that it should become one. As a Christian, this matters deeply to me because I love both my country and my Savior. But I think we've confused two very different ideas. I would love for every American to come to know Jesus Christ. That's my prayer. But faith can't be forced. The government can't make people Christians, and it shouldn't try. Jesus never told His followers to build His kingdom through political power. He told us to preach the gospel, make disciples, and love our neighbors. History should make us careful before we start calling America a Christian nation. Our country has done some terrible things. Native Americans were forced from their land. Some people used the Bible to defend slavery and Jim Crow. Churches have been rocked by sexual abuse scandals. A few extremists even committed violence against abortion cli...

The federal prosecution of Samuel Tunick should concern every American, regardless of political beliefs. On January 24, 2025, Tunick was detained at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport while returning to the United States from the Dominican Republic. During a border inspection, federal agents sought access to his Google Pixel smartphone. Prosecutors allege that instead of entering his normal unlock code, Tunick entered a duress passcode that securely erased the phone using a built-in GrapheneOS security feature. Before anyone assumes that sounds sinister, it's important to understand why duress passcodes exist in the first place. A duress passcode is not designed to help criminals destroy evidence. It is a security feature created to protect innocent users who are forced to unlock their phones under coercion. Imagine someone being robbed at gunpoint, kidnapped, assaulted by an abusive spouse, held hostage, or forced by a corrupt government official or criminal organ...

Most Americans don't spend their days tracking what happens in Congress. Between work, family, and everyday life, it's easy to assume our elected officials are focused on solving the country's biggest problems. But every so often, a proposal comes along that reminds us why paying attention matters. One such proposal is Representative Keith Self's resolution to repeal the 17th Amendment. The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913, gave the American people the right to directly elect U.S. senators. Before that, senators were chosen by state legislatures, a system plagued by political deadlock, backroom deals, and allegations of corruption. The amendment was adopted because Americans wanted greater accountability and a stronger voice in their own government. Repealing it would move the country in the opposite direction. Supporters argue that state legislatures should once again choose senators because it would strengthen federalism and make senators more responsive to state gove...

To those who believe President Trump was God's answer to America's problems, I'd simply ask that we apply the same standard to every president and stick to the facts instead of political talking points. President Obama never said America was "no longer a Christian nation." What he actually said was that America is not just a Christian nation but also a nation of people from many other faiths and those with no faith—a reflection of the First Amendment and America's religious diversity, not a denial of Christianity. He also never ordered that "all bathrooms be genderless." His administration issued guidance concerning transgender students in public schools, which is very different from what some people are are claiming. The idea that he "apologized for America" comes from a political slogan, not from an actual apology speech. And while Obama acknowledged that some manufacturing jobs would not return because of automation, he never said Americ...

I recently listened to a sermon by James Talarico about Christian nationalism that has been getting a lot of attention. As I listened, I found myself agreeing with some of what he said and disagreeing with other parts. What stayed with me afterward, though, wasn't simply where we disagreed. It was the overall direction of the sermon and what seemed to be missing from it. The sermon began with a joke about beer being better than religion. I understand it was meant to be humorous, but it struck me as an unusual way to begin a Christian sermon. When people gather to hear God's Word, I think the focus should immediately be on Christ and the gospel rather than on making light of religion, even if it's done for effect. As the sermon continued, I found myself agreeing with several biblical principles. Jesus rejected worldly power. He taught His followers to love their neighbors, care for the poor, live humbly, and serve others instead of seeking to dominate them. Those are timeles...

I believe in secure elections. I believe only eligible American citizens should vote in our elections, and I believe anyone who actually commits voter fraud should be prosecuted. But I also believe we need to be very careful when the government starts making it harder for legal American citizens to vote—especially when those changes are being pushed by politicians who have a personal interest in the outcome of the next election. That's where the SAVE America Act concerns me. President Trump and his supporters say these new requirements are needed to protect our elections. That's certainly worth discussing. But noncitizen voting in federal elections is already illegal, and evidence suggests it is rare. So before we create new federal requirements that could make voting more difficult for some eligible Americans, we should be asking a very simple question: Are we fixing a real, widespread problem, or are we creating a bigger problem in the name of solving a smaller one? This beco...

Whatever one's opinion of Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.'s dismissal, the controversy raises a broader question that transcends any single administration: How much authority should elected officials exercise over institutions that have traditionally sought to remain professional and politically neutral? Civilian control of the military is a cornerstone of American democracy. At the same time, public confidence in the armed forces depends on the belief that senior officers are selected and evaluated primarily on competence, experience, and integrity rather than on their perceived political alignment or association with contested policy initiatives. History reminds us that democratic societies should remain attentive whenever government power expands or when political considerations appear to influence institutions expected to serve the entire nation. Those concerns are not unique to any political party or administration. They are recurring questions in every constitutional republi...

The Trump administration's new policy requiring annual testosterone screenings for military personnel aged 30 and older raises an important question: **How much of our biology should the government monitor in the name of readiness?**¹ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the policy is designed to ensure troops have the "right testosterone levels" to maximize physical and mental readiness. Troops diagnosed with testosterone deficiency may choose testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), while those under 30 may volunteer for screening.¹ No reasonable person disputes that men with clinically diagnosed hypogonadism should have access to appropriate medical treatment. The real issue is whether routinely screening an entire age group of service members is justified by the scientific evidence. At present, the answer is far from clear. Clinical practice guidelines support TRT for men with confirmed testosterone deficiency and symptoms—not routine screening of otherwise healthy men....

WASHINGTON — Air Force Major Jason P. Watson remains under investigation by the U.S. Air Force following his July 1 protest on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, where he appeared in uniform and called for the impeachment, conviction, and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The Air Force launched an investigation shortly after the protest, citing the military's requirement to remain politically neutral.  Although Watson was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police during the demonstration, the District of Columbia declined to prosecute the case, ending the civilian criminal matter. The military investigation, however, remains ongoing.  According to Watson's attorney, Christopher J. Mutimer, a partner with Monument Legal in Washington, D.C., Watson remains on active duty but has been restricted to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling while the Air Force completes its investigation. He is not in confinement, and no court-martial has been scheduled.  Muti...

Nations rarely lose themselves all at once. More often, they change through a series of seemingly ordinary decisions As presented by one side of the political aisle, but seen as destructive by those with their eyes open to what's going on. The cycle continues until future generations look back and ask when the turning point really came. After listening to and reading Governor Gavin Newsom's Fourth of July message, I found myself reflecting on the themes he raised about democracy, civic responsibility, and the future of our country. His remarks prompted me to think more carefully about these issues, so I decided to write down my own reflections. I try to approach political questions by listening to different viewpoints and weighing the evidence as objectively as I can. What follows is my personal reflection on those ideas and the questions they raise for me. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many Americans are asking whether the...

Congressman Chip Roy recently blasted the Supreme Court, claiming the justices "manufactured out of thin air" a ruling that allows people to become citizens simply by being "born on dirt." He then argued that the decision leaves Congress with "no choice" but to pause all immigration. That criticism misses a fundamental fact: birthright citizenship is not something the Supreme Court invented. It is written into the United States Constitution. The first sentence of the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, states: «"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."» That is the Constitution itself—not a law passed by Congress and not a policy created by judges. For more than a century, the Supreme Court has interpreted that language to mean that nearly everyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen, with limited exceptions su...

Since Major Jason Watson's protest at the U.S. Capitol on July 1, I've seen people using some pretty strong language. One label that has come up is "domestic terrorist." Personally, I don't think that label fits the publicly known facts. Words matter, especially when they carry legal and emotional weight. "Domestic terrorism" isn't just a political insult—it's a legal concept. Under federal law, it generally refers to criminal acts that are dangerous to human life and are intended to intimidate or coerce the public or influence government policy through violence, mass destruction, assassination, kidnapping, or similar means. Based on everything that's been publicly reported, that's not what happened here. Major Watson staged a political protest while wearing his Air Force uniform. He called for the impeachment and removal of the President and Vice President. He refused lawful orders from Capitol Police to leave a restricted demonstration ...

On July 1, 2026, Air Force Major Jason Watson made a decision that will likely define the rest of his military career. While wearing his Air Force service uniform, he stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol holding a sign calling for the impeachment, conviction, and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. He also publicly criticized the administration's military actions, saying he believed they were unconstitutional. By his own statements, Watson believed he had a moral duty to speak out. He knew there would probably be consequences, but he chose to protest anyway as an act of civil disobedience. One thing that has confused a lot of people is why he was arrested. Some have said he had permission to be there and then somehow lost it. That's not exactly what happened. Representative Al Green escorted Watson onto the House steps. Under Capitol rules, demonstrations are allowed there only under certain conditions, including when a member of Congres...

Pamela Hemphill, often referred to in the media as the "MAGA Granny," has one of the most remarkable stories to emerge from the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol. While more than 1,500 people connected to the Capitol attack received pardons or clemency from President Donald Trump after he returned to office in January 2025, Hemphill became the only known defendant to formally reject her pardon. Her decision reflected a dramatic personal transformation from devoted Trump supporter to outspoken critic of both the January 6 attack and the false claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election.¹ Before January 6, Hemphill was an enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump and believed the widespread claims that the 2020 election had been stolen. She traveled from Idaho to Washington, D.C., to participate in the "Stop the Steal" rally. Prosecutors later presented evidence showing that she encouraged others to attend the event, ...