Federal Judge Rules Warrantless Flock Search Violated Fourth Amendment

Source: Dallas Express

“A federal judge ruled that a deputy violated the Fourth Amendment by searching a driver’s historical vehicle-location records without a warrant through license plate reader systems, including Flock Safety. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill of the Northern District of Oklahoma issued the 38-page ruling Thursday in United States v. Melisa Susan Kyle. She ordered prosecutors to exclude all evidence officers obtained after the deputy initiated the search. Federal prosecutors charged Kyle with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Hill’s October 1 order addressed how officers obtained evidence, not whether Kyle committed the alleged offense.” (10/03/26)

https://dallasexpress.com/national/federal-judge-rules-warrantless-flock-search-violated-fourth-amendment/

Red scare: Solid GOP districts reeling from war, price backlash

Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Blaise Malley

“On Monday, as the war with Iran crossed the seven-month mark, Governor Greg Abbott declared a statewide disaster in Texas as a result of a massive increase in diesel prices and a deepening fuel shortage. Texas is hardly alone. Diesel prices have climbed nationwide since the war began …. As the midterm elections near and the war’s costs hit voters’ wallets, Abbott’s declaration is a window into a larger problem for Republicans across the country, including some in deep red states. An increasing number of Republicans are being forced to spend money and political capital defending seats that they carried easily in recent elections.” (10/02/26)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-republicans-midterms/

Why the media got DOGE and Elon all wrong

Source: Fox News
by Tyler Hassen

“My book about my time inside DOGE launched last week, and I’ve watched friends who privately cheer me on go completely silent in public. That’s how toxic the stigma around DOGE has become. And that stigma is built on a version of events I barely recognize. My experience inside DOGE was almost nothing like what I read about in the mainstream news. The fairest and most balanced coverage I can remember was our interview on Fox News with Bret Baier in March 2025 — but let me tell you what it was actually like. As the DOGE lead and acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior, I saw the accusations that we cut everything indiscriminately. That could not be further from the truth.” (10/02/26)

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/saw-real-doge-inside-why-media-got-doge-elon-wrong

“Monty Python” legend John Cleese doubles down after incenidiary posts about Islam spark UK complaint

Source: New York Post

“‘Monty Python’ legend John Cleese is doubling down on his months-long string of incendiary posts about Islam after activists filed a complaint that asked Britain’s counter-radicalization program to scrutinize him over the missives. ‘How exciting,’ the 86-year-old comedian wrote after learning that a member of the public had referred him to Prevent, a British government program designed to intervene when authorities believe someone may be vulnerable to radicalization or becoming involved in terrorism. The September 22 referral, first reported by Muslim-focused British news outlet 5Pillars, accused Cleese of ‘a sustained pattern’ of online activity that ‘demonizes, dehumanizes, and collectively attributes violence and criminality to Muslims and Islam’.” (10/03/26)

https://nypost.com/2026/10/03/entertainment/monty-python-legend-john-cleese-doubles-down-after-incidiary-posts-about-islam/

Fly the Cruel and Unusual Skies

Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob

“Sometimes, cruel punishment is the usual, as in states like the People’s Republic of China. Everybody is a victim there. But entire ethnic or religious groups of people are routinely subjected to even more cruel tyranny than most Chinese people must put with. If Americans aren’t yet in this situation — not for lack of trying by various local, state, and federal autocrats — one reason is that instances of cruel and unusual punishment can be fought in court. Which is what Ken Jouppi is doing with the help of the Institute for Justice. What was Jouppi’s alleged crime? He let a passenger bring ‘visible’ containers of beer on board his Cessna 206. … Jouppi was punished 13 years ago, a year after the ‘crime,’ with three days in jail and a $1,500 fine. But that wasn’t good enough for the Alaska government, which tenaciously enforces local alcohol prohibitions — it demanded that Jouppi forfeit his $95,000 airplane.” (10/02/26)

https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/10/02/fly-the-cruel-and-unusual-skies/

Latvia: PM on track to lead pro-Ukraine coalition after parliamentary election victory

Source: France 24 [French state media]

“Latvian ​Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs was set to retain power and form a coalition after his centrist United List won parliamentary elections on Sunday, the biggest in the country’s post-independence history. While the result is expected to reinforce the Baltic country’s pro-European and pro-Ukrainian stance, populist parties also made significant gains. … Populist parties, boosted by support from Latvia’s Russian-speaking minority, also had a good night after an election campaign dominated by fears over neighbouring Russia, the cost of living and other social issues.” (10/03/26)

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261003-latvia-elections-pm-kulbergs-pro-ukraine-party-ahead-coalition-partners-stumble