New York state officials are facing a subpoena from the Trump administration after they refused to cooperate with the investigation into a horrific lethal bus crash.

Five people were killed, including two children, when the North Carolina-based travel bus plowed into cars that had slowed down for a construction zone on Friday at about 2:35 a.m. Dozens were injured in the Stafford County, Virginia, crash.

‘This is one of the most tragic things I’ve ever seen. Absolutely tragic.’

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy identified the driver as 48-year-old Jing Shen Dong, a man originally from China who could not speak English.

The agency has now indicated that Dong had a commercial driver’s license from the state of New York but is accusing the state of refusing to cooperate with its investigation.

Investigators are seeking information about what driving school Dong attended, his entry-level driver training, and other records related to his license.

The Transportation Department demanded that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles produce the records by 10 a.m. on Wednesday or suffer consequences that could include criminal or civil contempt proceedings.

About 48 people were transported to local hospitals over injuries from the wreck, at least three of which were in critical condition.

Four of the victims killed in the crash were identified as a family of four from Massachusetts that was traveling to a wedding with homemade desserts. They had emigrated to the U.S. from Moldova in 2008.

Dong was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, but other charges are expected as the investigation continues.

Duffy vowed to uncover what agencies and companies were responsible for putting Dong on the road.

“Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English,” he said Friday. “If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus.”

RELATED: Security camera shows school bus blow through stop sign and get hit by city bus, 6 people hurt

Thirty-four travelers were on the bus that originated in New York City and was headed to Charlotte, North Carolina.

“I’ve got to say, this is one of the most tragic things I’ve ever seen. Absolutely tragic,” said Federal Transit Administration spokesperson Peyton Vogel on the day of the crash.

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​Chinese driver, Commercial drivers license, Lethal bus crash, Subpoena, Politics 

A split panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found that War Secretary Pete Hegseth had acted unconstitutionally when he ordered a ban on transgender-identifying members of the military.

Two of the three judges said a preliminary injunction could stay in force against the Pentagon keeping transgender-identifying plaintiffs out of the military.

‘We have direct evidence in this case that animus motivated the classifications in the Hegseth Policy.’

The two judges said the order was likely a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

“The government’s stated reason for issuing the Hegseth Policy as based solely upon gender dysphoria was pretextual, and that instead, the Hegseth Policy was premised, at least in part, on a non-legitimate state interest to harm the politically unpopular group of transgender persons,” Judge Robert Wilkins wrote in the ruling.

Judge Judith Rogers agreed with Wilkins about the constitutionality of the order.

However, Wilkins and Judge Justin Walker agreed separately that the Trump administration would be allowed to block transgender-identifying plaintiffs who wanted to join the military as the case progressed through the courts.

In the first days of President Donald Trump’s second term, he issued an executive order declaring that the military’s “high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity” were not compatible with the “medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria.”

In Feb. 2025, the Defense Department issued the new restrictions on transgender-identifying military members.

Wilkins pointed out in his ruling that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit had collectively garnered more than 80 commendations in the military and served a combined 130 years.

“This is not a case where we are left to speculate why the government drafted such broad, undifferentiated classifications,” he said. “Unless we are going to fall for the old Groucho Marx line — ‘Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?’ — we have direct evidence in this case that animus motivated the classifications in the Hegseth Policy.”

RELATED: Transgender military members sue Trump, Hegseth over trans ban

Wilkins also argued that the Trump administration had “conceded” that there was “no evidence to establish that persons with gender dysphoria are not honest, humble, and full of integrity.”

A defense official said that about 4,200 troops had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria by Dec. 2024.

Walker was nominated to the bench by President Donald Trump in 2020, Wilkins was nominated by former President Barack Obama, and Rogers was nominated by former President Bill Clinton.

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​Pete hegseth, Transgender military members, Us court of appeals, Lgbtq, Politics 

James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, has been distancing himself from some of his more provocative past statements now that he’s in the general election against Republican candidate Ken Paxton.

On this episode of “Pat Gray Unleashed,” Pat and the panel revisit one of Talarico’s wildest statements and criticize his convenient backtracking.

In 2021 during a Texas House floor/committee debate on transgender issues, Talarico claimed that “God is nonbinary.”

“God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is nonbinary,” he began.

He then used Scripture to justify supporting trans rights.

“In Genesis 1:26, God speaks of God’s self in the plural, saying, ‘Let us make human beings in our image to be like us.’ That’s the infinite multitude of God. The masculine, the feminine, and everything in between,” Talarico continued. “Trans children are God’s children made in God’s own image. There’s nothing wrong with them. Nothing at all. They are perfect. They are beautiful, and they are sacred.”

This highly controversial claim, which many Christians called heretical, has been hammered by Attorney General Ken Paxton and Republicans as powerful proof of just how radical Talarico really is. The clip has resurfaced in force during the 2026 Senate race, with Paxton using it to expose Talarico’s extreme views on gender and Christianity that are wildly out of step with Texas values and mainstream biblical theology.

It appears Talarico knows his “God is nonbinary” statement isn’t helping him in the Senate race. In a recent interview with CBS’ Ed O’Keefe, he softened his former statement.

“I was being intentionally provocative with that statement. But what it means is that God can’t be defined by human categories. The apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians says that in Christ there is neither male nor female,” he said, blaming Paxton for “intentionally clipping [his] cringy comments to distract from his career of corruption.”

“Oh, so it’s Ken Paxton’s fault that you’re twisting the word of God?” scoffs co-host Keith Malinak, calling Talarico “insufferable.”

In an earlier interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Talarico shared similar sentiments.

“I understand that that comment is a little provocative. I said it on the House floor when the extremists in the Republican legislature were picking on school kids who were different. But I don’t think it’s controversial theologically. Most Christians would acknowledge that God is beyond gender,” he said.

Pat notes how “bizarre” it is that a trans advocate like Talarico claims to be “a champion of women’s rights” but only seems to care about the feelings of transgender-identifying people — never the women who suffer from their spaces and sports being invaded by biological males.

“If they want to play sports, let’s come up with a way to let them engage in sports. Like with their own biological gender, they could compete, or we create a separate category for trans people,” Pat argues. “But you don’t stick them against the females. It doesn’t make any sense.”

To hear more of the panel’s analysis and commentary, watch the episode above.

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​Pat gray, Pay gray unleashed, James talarico, Pat gray unleashed 

The crowded California gubernatorial race, which started with 61 candidates, has now apparently narrowed to just three: former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra (D), climate advocate and businessman Tom Steyer (D), and former Fox News host and small-business owner Steve Hilton (R), according to the latest polling.

‘If we don’t get together as a party, if we don’t unite, then we could have Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra in the general election.’

With California’s primary election operating on a nonpartisan basis, which allows the top two candidates regardless of party affiliation to advance, there had previously been speculation that the Democratic Party’s failure to coalesce behind a single candidate could result in two Republicans, Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, advancing to the November 3 general election.

One month out from the election, polling showed 26% of voters were undecided, with votes split among the Democrat candidates.

However, polls conducted in the final days before the primary election revealed a significant decrease in undecided voters, an increase in support for Becerra, a close contest for second place between Steyer and Hilton, and Bianco falling behind.

An Emerson College poll conducted May 27-28 reported that 4% were still undecided. Of those surveyed, 28% stated they were likely to vote for Becerra, 22% for Steyer, 21% for Hilton, and 12% for Bianco.

A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll completed May 19-24 showed a similarly close race, with 25% supporting Becerra, 21% supporting Hilton, and 19% supporting Steyer. Bianco trailed with 11%.

RELATED: California Democrats’ search for a front-runner: Polls show 26% of voters undecided in fast-approaching gubernatorial race

Steve Hilton. Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg – Pool/Getty Images

The latest polling prompted Hilton to call on Bianco to drop out of the race. He encouraged Bianco supporters to vote for him to avoid two Democrat candidates advancing to the general election to succeed California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

“These polls are looking very concerning. Yes, it’s true that I’m leading in some of them, but it’s also true that it’s a very, very tight race,” Hilton stated on Saturday in a video published to social media.

“If we don’t get together as a party, if we don’t unite, then we could have Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra in the general election. That is a disaster for California. That means no change.”

RELATED: Katie Porter’s new ad jokes about one of her worst moments — and she’s getting CRUSHED online for it

Chad Bianco. Leon Bennett/Getty Images

“There’s one person who could stop this doomsday scenario, and that is my friend Chad Bianco,” Hilton continued. “Chad, the best time to have dropped out would have been a couple of weeks ago, but the second-best time is right now.”

The following day, Bianco dismissed Hilton’s comments by calling on Hilton’s supporters to unite behind him instead.

“It’s clear that Steve Hilton supporters should unite and support me,” Bianco wrote.

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​News, Steve hilton, Xavier becerra, California, Gavin newsom, Tom steyer, Chad bianco, Politics 

Bill Maher says that Spencer Pratt needs to stop crying about his house burning down.

On the latest episode of his podcast “Club Random,” Maher also called Pratt a “douchebag” while the two discussed Pratt’s run for mayor of Los Angeles.

‘They’re not going to have any money to take from these people to give to you.’

However, while Maher joked that being unliked meant Pratt should have no problem facing off against unfettered California bureaucracy, the duo were in overwhelming agreement when it came to the fiscal waste that cripples L.A. and the surrounding area.

About three-quarters of the way into their discussion, Maher claimed that “douchebag guys” who are in debt from gambling websites represent Pratt’s core audience.

While Pratt joked in response about having “more voters” than he realized, he immediately asserted that his true voting block consists of mothers who are concerned about the safety of their children in the city. Pratt used that talking point as a launchpad to warn young voters about opening the door to socialism.

“Socialism has captivated people. … I feel like people are all hyped on socialism because they’re like, ‘Everything’s so expensive. America’s failed. Give me money,'” Pratt explained. “But what they’re forgetting is all the people that these socialists are saying they’re taking the money and giving it, they’re gonna leave.”

Pratt added, “Then they’re not going to have any money to take from these people to give to you.”

RELATED: Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman shrink Karen Bass’ lead in tight race for LA mayor: Poll

Maher and Pratt largely agreed there is far too much red tape in Los Angeles, and furthermore, in the state, but it was Maher’s anecdote about needing three city inspections to change his garage door that perfectly framed the issue.

The 70-year-old then warned Pratt that if he becomes mayor, the “special interests” representatives are going to eat him alive by demanding policies just like those that ruined his garage revamp.

“What you’re going to go up against is a state that is just full of special interests, all of which are very, very powerful. I mean, you can’t do anything in this state without, like, getting a license or an inspection.”

At this point, Maher pointed to Pratt being a “douchebag” as a positive trait that would help him deal with the bureaucrats, whom Pratt described as “champagne socialists” who are stealing taxpayer dollars.

“This state is all these f**king pigs at the trough,” Maher lamented.

RELATED: Socialist mayoral candidate is outraged at encampment outside her LA home — but it’s not what it seems

HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Pratt told the host his modus operandi has been to get into office so he can stop theft at the government level, which means letting the “successful rich people build businesses, build restaurants,” and put money into the citizens’ pockets.

The former star of “The Hills” said his leadership would get the money in the hands of the people without increasing taxes, because those “champagne socialists scammers steal” the money that is already coming in from wealthy L.A. residents.

“I can’t even comprehend taxing more,” Pratt announced.

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​Align, Bill maher, Spencer pratt, Los angeles, Karen bass, California, Entertainment 

A former journalist at the Washington Post is suing the outlet after she was apparently fired for disparaging white males in a post about the death of Charlie Kirk.

Karen Attiah said Monday that her case against the Post was progressing after eight months since she was fired. She had worked as a Post writer and editor for more than a decade.

She appeared to accuse Kirk of espousing hatred and suggested the political violence against him was justified.

“After 11 years at the Washington Post, I was fired in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk killing,” wrote Attiah. “This week, I’m fighting back. My case heads to arbitration on Thursday.”

Attiah posted a screenshot of the messages she wrote on BlueSky that seem to have led to her firing. She appeared to accuse Kirk of espousing hatred and suggested the political violence against him was justified.

“For everyone saying political violence has no place in this country… Remember two Democratic legislators were shot in Minnesota just this year. And America shrugged and moved on,” she wrote.

“Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence,” she added, apparently referring to Kirk.

“Again. I don’t care for empty rhetoric,” she added.

She characterized the posts as a “refusal to strip my clothes in performative mourning for Charlie Kirk.”

Attiah also published the apparent termination notice in which she was accused of “gross misconduct” related to the messages, which the Post said had potentially endangered the safety of its staff. The letter said she had violated the outlet’s prohibition against disparaging people based on their ethnicity or race.

She went on to say that the lawsuit challenges the termination and that her presence in the editorial office was important based on the color of her skin.

“As the last remaining Black full-time staff columnist in the Washington Post’s Opinions section, I was very aware of what my firing represented for diversity in newsrooms,” Attiah wrote.

Blaze News has reached out to the Washington Post for comment.

RELATED: WaPo faces backlash over bizarre headline on ‘complex’ drop in fentanyl seizures at border

Attiah was among those who fell for a scam by a Somali activist who falsely claimed to have been assaulted with a brick by a man after she spurned his advances. A jury later found the activist guilty of faking the story in order to garner $42,000 from a GoFundMe campaign.

In 2022, Attiah also assailed white “cis” women for not being sufficiently supportive of the transgender agenda.

“Many white, cis women would rather gatekeep and maintain privilege than work in solidarity with other groups. Patriarchy is crushing us, but y’all wanna play both-sides pattycake,” she wrote at the time.

“We will need a politics of solidarity and community building to resist this, which is not something that white women have historically had to do.”

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​Karen attiah, Washington post, Political violence, Diversity hire, Politics