![\"BREAKING:](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/221129-nyc-chuck-schumer-pride-parade-ac-531p-77baa0-14.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed on Tuesday that Democrats are demanding billions in wasteful and ideological spending, including $3.9 million for LGBTQI+ democracy grants in the Western Balkans, as part of their conditions to reopen the government.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the 14th day of what he called the Democrat government shutdown, Johnson said the American people are suffering because Democrats have chosen politics over responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWelcome to day 14 of the Democrat government shutdown,\u201d Johnson said during his press briefing. \u201cIt\u2019s two weeks of Democrats in Congress inflicting untold pain on the American people for nothing other than pure politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson explained that House Republicans had already offered a clean continuing resolution to keep the government funded, but Democrats repeatedly rejected it.<\/p>\n
Instead, he said, Democrats are tying unrelated left-wing priorities to essential government operations in an attempt to strong-arm Republicans into approving radical spending measures.<\/p>\n
He accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of catering to what he described as the party\u2019s \u201cMarxist base.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Speaker laid out details from the Democrats\u2019 counterproposal, calling it a $1.5 trillion wish list of reckless spending that would send taxpayer money to liberal causes and foreign projects that have nothing to do with running the U.S. government.<\/p>\n
Among the examples he cited were $24.6 million for climate resilience programs in Honduras.<\/p>\n
Another $13.4 million would go to civic engagement programs in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n
An additional $2.9 million is earmarked for desert locust risk reduction in the Horn of Africa.<\/p>\n
The Democrats\u2019 plan also calls for $2 million to fund \u201corganizing for feminist democratic principles\u201d in Africa, according to Johnson.<\/p>\n
Johnson highlighted the $3.9 million in LGBTQI+ democracy grants for the Western Balkans as an example of Democrats\u2019 misplaced priorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want to spend 3.9 million of your hard-earned dollars for LGBTQI+ democracy grants in the Western Balkans,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe are not doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He argued that Democrats are also trying to undo common-sense reforms enacted by Republicans that prevent illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer-funded healthcare.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a fact,\u201d he said. \u201cThey would add illegal aliens and non-citizens back to taxpayer-funded benefits. It would cost taxpayers nearly $200 billion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson further warned that Democrats want to roll back modest work requirements placed on able-bodied young men without dependents.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Democrats are pushing to make COVID-era Obamacare subsidies permanent, with no income limits or meaningful reforms.<\/p>\n
Johnson said this approach would not only punish working Americans but also reward dependency and mismanagement.<\/p>\n
The Speaker accused Democrats of prioritizing ideological projects over the immediate needs of the American people.<\/p>\n
He said their proposal exposes how out of touch the party has become, highlighting spending for causes abroad while Americans face uncertainty at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not about keeping the lights on,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThis is about Democrats trying to use the shutdown as leverage to fund their far-left agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson reminded reporters that Republicans have already passed legislation to reopen the government responsibly, without any of the unrelated political riders Democrats insist on including.<\/p>\n
The Republican plan, he said, would maintain government operations, protect taxpayers, and prevent wasteful spending abroad.<\/p>\n
Johnson also pointed out that the Democrats\u2019 proposal would restore funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, sending a half-billion dollars to what he described as liberal media outlets that have long benefited from taxpayer subsidies.<\/p>\n
He described it as another example of Democrats using government funding to reward their political allies rather than serving the public good.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are not the priorities of the American people,\u201d Johnson said firmly. \u201cThey are the priorities of a radical political class that has forgotten who they work for.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Speaker ended his remarks by calling on Democrats to stop the political games and join Republicans in reopening the government immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a clean bill ready to go,\u201d he said. \u201cIt keeps the government open, pays our troops, secures the border, and protects hardworking taxpayers. Democrats need to stop holding America hostage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson\u2019s comments reflect growing frustration among House Republicans who say Democrats are using the shutdown to push through spending on social experiments, foreign projects, and activist groups under the guise of government funding.<\/p>\n
He warned that such spending will only deepen America\u2019s fiscal crisis and fuel public anger toward Washington\u2019s political class.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a moment for leadership,\u201d Johnson concluded. \u201cIt\u2019s time to put the American people first and end this shutdown\u2014not by giving in to woke demands, but by standing firm for fiscal sanity and common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
BREAKING: Anna Paulina Luna Claims The Biden DOJ DESTROYED\u2026<\/p>\n
Representative Anna Paulina Luna has leveled explosive information against the Biden Department of Justice, claiming that critical materials related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation have been deliberately destroyed.<\/p>\n
This assertion, if proven true, would represent one of the most damning instances of governmental obstruction and cover-up in recent history.<\/p>\n
Luna, who chairs a congressional task force focused on federal transparency, has stated unequivocally that she possesses evidence implicating high-ranking officials in the DOJ.<\/p>\n
According to her, these officials not only failed to disclose materials related to Epstein but actively destroyed them to conceal the extent of powerful individuals\u2019 involvement in Epstein\u2019s criminal network.<\/p>\n
She introduced legislation titled the SHRED Act, aimed at imposing severe penalties on government agents who destroy or conceal federal records. The proposed bill calls for 20 years to life in prison for anyone caught eliminating evidence in cases of national significance.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if they are conducting a criminal investigation, you should probably pick up the phone and call us,\u201d Luna told Fox News. \u201cWe have been more than patient.\u201d<\/p>\n
These developments come amid growing conservative suspicion that the Biden administration has no interest in unmasking Epstein\u2019s full network. The notion that key records could be gone forever only intensifies fears that justice is being buried under a bureaucratic rug.<\/p>\n
Luna\u2019s office has reportedly sent multiple requests to the Department of Justice demanding clarity on the handling of Epstein-related materials. So far, those inquiries have been met with either vague responses or complete silence.<\/p>\n
The congresswoman did not mince words in her public statements, suggesting that the DOJ\u2019s behavior constitutes a deliberate act of obstruction. If true, such actions could violate federal law and trigger an entirely new legal battle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Biden DOJ has obstructed Congress, ignored subpoenas, and now appears to have destroyed critical evidence,\u201d Luna said. \u201cThis is corruption at the highest level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Critics argue that this is yet another example of double standards in Washington. \u201cHad this been a Republican-led DOJ accused of destroying documents in a child sex trafficking case, the media would be apoplectic,\u201d one conservative commentator noted.<\/p>\n
For years, the Epstein case has symbolized the deep rot within America\u2019s elite circles. The financier\u2019s suspicious death in prison and the subsequent lack of high-profile indictments have fueled accusations of a widespread cover-up.<\/p>\n
Now, Luna\u2019s allegations breathe new life into those concerns. If records were indeed destroyed, the implications are profound. It would mean that the DOJ, under Biden, actively shielded criminals from justice.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more troubling is that these destroyed materials could have named prominent individuals\u2014politicians, celebrities, and global financiers\u2014who participated in or enabled Epstein\u2019s crimes.<\/p>\n
In this context, Luna\u2019s SHRED Act isn\u2019t just legislative symbolism. It is a clarion call for accountability in an era marked by elite impunity. Her bill seeks to ensure that future officials think twice before erasing truth from the historical record.<\/p>\n
Despite Luna\u2019s repeated calls for transparency, there has been no formal response from Attorney General Merrick Garland. The silence speaks volumes to many who believe the DOJ is stonewalling on purpose.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, conservative lawmakers have rallied behind Luna. A growing number of Republicans in the House and Senate are voicing support for investigations into the DOJ\u2019s handling of Epstein evidence.<\/p>\n
Some have even floated the idea of appointing a special counsel to probe the matter independently. Given the stakes, such a move may be the only path forward to restore public confidence.<\/p>\n
This latest scandal further erodes the credibility of an already battered Department of Justice. From the Hunter Biden laptop fiasco to the political targeting of conservatives, the agency has been repeatedly accused of partisanship.<\/p>\n
Now, with Epstein documents allegedly destroyed, the DOJ\u2019s credibility is in tatters. Public trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild.<\/p>\n
The American people deserve the truth. And if Luna\u2019s allegations are accurate, they deserve justice, no matter how high the guilty parties sit.<\/p>\n
A monsoon storm hit the Phoenix area, bringing a dust storm, thunderstorms and a ground stop at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.<\/p>\n
The dust storm advisory was in effect until\u00a07\u00a0<\/strong>p.m. Aug. 25 for several areas in the Valley, the National Weather Service’s Phoenix office\u00a0said.<\/p>\n This included Avondale and Goodyear near Interstate 10, Interstate 17 and U.S. 60 near Phoenix and Mesa, the weather service said.<\/p>\n Other locations impacted included Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Goodyear, Laveen, Maricopa, Tempe and Tolleson, according to a National Weather Service\u00a0forecast.<\/p>\n A severe thunderstorm warning was issued through 6:15 p.m. for Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Tempe, according to the weather service.<\/p>\n A\u00a0ground stop\u00a0was also issued at Phoenix Sky Harbor due to thunderstorms, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The ground stop was moved from active to possible after 6 p.m. and could last through 9 p.m., the FAA said. The average flight delay was an hour, as of 6:11 p.m.<\/p>\n Two flights were canceled, 172 flights were delayed and seven flights were diverted as of 6:35 p.m., the airport’s\u00a0website\u00a0said.<\/p>\n Dust and strong winds were hitting Tempe near Loop 101 and Southern Avenue at about 5:20 p.m. Rain hit the same area just before 5:30 p.m. while a strong storm struck an east Mesa neighborhood around the same time. Rain came to downtown Phoenix around 6 p.m.<\/p>\n Storm chances remained for Aug. 26 at 30 to 50%, though coverage won\u2019t be as widespread.\u00a0<\/p>\n A shift to a westerly flow later this week will bring drier air and clear out thunderstorm chances after Aug. 27, according to Tom Frieders, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Phoenix.<\/p>\n Monsoonal moisture could bring temperatures down, hovering in the low 100s or even high 90s through the week.<\/p>\n There were an estimated 65,792 Salt River Project customers experiencing outages, according to the company’s\u00a0outage map\u00a0as of shortly after 6 p.m. Aug. 25.<\/p>\n There were 11,435 APS customers in metro Phoenix experiencing outages, according to the company’s\u00a0website\u00a0as of shortly before 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25.<\/p>\n “Dust storms lead to dangerous driving conditions with visibility reduced to near zero. If driving, avoid dust storms if possible,” the weather service said. “If caught in one, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake.”<\/p>\n The Arizona Department of Transportation has helpful tips for drivers who may get stuck in a dust storm while driving. The “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” campaign aims to save drivers from dangerous situations by providing tips to survive a blowing dust event.<\/p>\n If you encounter a dust storm, immediately check traffic around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down. Do not wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway – do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.<\/p>\n