Appraising the Federal Indictment of Letitia James

The legal clashes between New York Attorney General Letitia James and President Donald Trump took a U-turn with a federal indictment on Oct. 9 charging James with mortgage fraud. The government says when James bought a house in Norfolk, Virginia, she told the mortgage broker it would be a second home in order to get a lower interest rate, but she then used it as a rental property.

James called the charges in the indictment “baseless.” News reports say the house was purchased for her great-niece who lived in the home rent-free, though James has listed a few thousand dollars in income from the property.

Legal experts have questioned the merits of the indictment. “In my experience, federal prosecutors would not have seriously pursued something this minor,” James Kainen, a professor with expertise in real estate and white collar crime at Fordham University School of Law, told us in an email. “The indictment is disproportionate and inconsistent with established prosecutorial norms.”

Here, we’ll look at the allegations and facts surrounding the case, the history of animosity between Trump and James, and what experts say about the weight of the charges.

The case was brought by the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia amid pressure from Trump to pursue his longtime political adversaries. In a Sept. 20 post on Truth Social, apparently addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump cited social media posts calling for the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff and James. “They’re all guilty as hell,” Trump’s post said, adding, “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” (Comey was indicted Sept. 25 on charges of lying to Congress.)

James is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Oct. 24 on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said James “faces penalties including up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count, and forfeiture.” The release also noted, “Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.”

RFK Jr. Misleads About Antidepressants and School Shootings

This story discusses suicide. For anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is available from the 988 lifeline.

A day after a shooting at a school in Minnesota, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed, as he has before, that certain antidepressant drugs, known as SSRIs, “might be contributing to violence” in such cases. Experts say there is no direct evidence linking SSRIs to mass shootings. He also falsely claimed SSRIs have black box warnings for homicidal ideation.

On Aug. 27, an assailant fired through the windows of the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, killing two students and injuring 21 others, before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suspect, identified as Robin Westman, was a 23-year-old former student of the school who in 2020 legally changed their name to reflect a female gender identity. Authorities have not yet identified a motive, although the Minneapolis police chief said Westman “clearly had a deranged obsession with previous mass shooters.”

The day after the shooting, Kennedy appeared on “Fox & Friends,” and when asked whether he was looking into whether gender-affirming drugs might be behind the shooting, the secretary pivoted to SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

“We’re launching studies on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence,” Kennedy said. “You know, many of them … have black box warnings that warn of suicidal ideation and homicidal ideation. So we need — we can’t exclude those as a culprit.”

“This kind of violence is very recent. It’s a new thing in human history,” he added. “There was no time in the past when people would walk into a church or a classroom and start shooting people. And it’s not really happening in other countries. It’s happening here. And we need to look at all of the potential culprits that might be contributing to that.”

Alabama Broadband Progress: State Officials Clarify Expansion Efforts and Oversight to Prevent Waste

ADECA affirms that no state funds have supported overlapping broadband projects in Montgomery’s Halcyon area, emphasizing strong safeguards, GIS verification, and transparency to ensure equitable access across Alabama.

MONTGOMERY, AL | In response to community concerns about potential overlap and inefficiency in Alabama’s broadband expansion efforts, state officials are emphasizing that no public funds have been wasted or duplicated in projects serving the Montgomery metro area, including the Halcyon neighborhood.

According to Mike Presley, Unit Chief of Communications and External Affairs for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the broadband projects seen in parts of Montgomery are entirely private investments made by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) — not projects funded through state-administered broadband grants.

“No funds have been awarded to any provider for projects in the Halcyon neighborhood of Montgomery,” Presley clarified. “These are private projects by ISPs. ADECA has no enforcement authority over private expansion.”

Auburn Freshman Phenom Logan Reilly Named SEC Golfer of the Week After Record-Breaking Run at Turtle Point

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Auburn University freshman Logan Reilly has been named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman Golfer of the Week, following a dominant runner-up finish at the Turtle Point Invitational that showcased his precision, poise, and promise for the future of Auburn Men’s Golf.

Competing at Turtle Point Yacht & Country Club, Reilly delivered a statement performance, carding rounds of 68, 66, and 67 to finish 15-under (201) — just one stroke shy of medalist honors and six shots ahead of the nearest freshman in the 75-player field.

His 201 (-15) total ties the seventh-best 54-hole score in Auburn program history, placing him alongside elite company and continuing the Tigers’ legacy of producing top-tier collegiate golfers. He also joins teammate Jackson Koivun as only the second freshman in the last decade to post a top-10 finish in a major collegiate event.

Reilly’s stellar play included 16 birdies, two eagles, and only five bogeys, making him the only player in the field to record multiple eagles over the three-round tournament. His ability to stay composed under pressure and capitalize on scoring opportunities underscored his growing reputation as one of the brightest young talents in collegiate golf.

AUM’s Ashley Nelson Cracks Top Five at Newberry Invitational, Leading Warhawks to Strong Finish in Georgia

Junior standout Ashley Nelson continues her breakout season with a Top 5 individual finish at the Harbor Club Golf Course, as Auburn University at Montgomery women’s golf team ties for 9th overall.

GREENSBORO, GA | The Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) Warhawks women’s golf team wrapped up a determined performance at the Newberry Women’s Fall Invitational, hosted by Newberry College at the scenic Harbor Club Golf Course in Greensboro, Georgia.

The Warhawks finished tied for 9th place with a two-round team total of 690 (+114), while junior Ashley Nelson stole the spotlight, becoming the first AUM golfer to secure a Top 5 individual finish in the event’s history.

Trump Urges Israel to “Seize the Chance for Peace” Before Egypt Summit — and Publicly Presses for Netanyahu Pardon

In a historic Knesset address, the U.S. president hails a fragile truce as the “start of a new era,” calls on Israel’s president to pardon Netanyahu, and heads to an Egypt peace summit as the last living hostages are freed

JERUSALEM/CAIRO | President Donald Trump told Israeli lawmakers that Israel has “won all it can by force of arms” and should now turn battlefield gains into a durable peace, hours before flying to Egypt for a summit on Gaza’s future. In the same Knesset speech, Trump stunned observers by urging Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who remains on trial for corruption—drawing loud ovations from much of the chamber. 

The push comes as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has produced its most significant breakthrough to date: the release of the last living Israeli hostages and a mass prisoner exchange, as humanitarian aid begins to surge into Gaza. Trump is expected to press Arab and European leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh to cement the truce’s first phase and build a pathway to reconstruction and regional de-escalation. 

Trump’s remarks framed the moment as an inflection point after two years of war with Hamas and clashes involving Hezbollah and Iran. He promised U.S. support for Gaza’s rebuilding, while urging Palestinians to reject violence, and he cast the truce as a stepping stone toward a broader normalization push. Israeli and Palestinian streets showed rare scenes of relief during the exchanges, though aid groups warned of a race against time to address Gaza’s devastation. 

Trump Orders Pentagon to Tap “All Available Funds” So Troops Are Paid on Oct. 15—Even as Shutdown Drags On

Directive pulls roughly $8B in unobligated RDT&E money to cover mid-month pay; Coast Guard inclusion unclear and critics warn of legal/operational risks if the shutdown persists

WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump said he has directed the Pentagon to use “all available funds” to ensure U.S. service members receive their Oct. 15 paychecks despite the ongoing federal shutdown. Defense officials subsequently identified about $8 billion in unobligated Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds from the last fiscal year to execute the mid-month payroll if the funding lapse continues, administration and defense sources said. 

In a weekend social-media post, Trump said the move was necessary so “our Brave Troops” do not miss pay; the White House budget office indicated the reprogramming would rely on Pentagon R&D accounts. The decision does not extend to hundreds of thousands of furloughed or unpaid federal civilians, potentially reducing pressure on Congress to resolve the impasse. 

Pentagon officials and outside analysts called the step extraordinary and likely temporary, warning the maneuver could disrupt R&D schedules and may be hard to repeat if the shutdown stretches into November. It remained uncertain whether the Coast Guard—under DHS in peacetime—will be covered, echoing past shutdown inequities for that service. 

‘TELL IT LIKE IT IS’ Defense News: Planning for an Extended Government Shutdown—Military Families’ Field Guide to Pay Delays

With paychecks at risk and benefits uncertain, here’s a mission-ready checklist for active-duty families to cut costs, secure childcare, and tap emergency aid until normal operations resume

WASHINGTON | After years of warnings, the “what if” has become a real operational risk: an extended federal shutdown with potential pay disruptions for active-duty service members. While officials signal workarounds to keep pay on time, the legal and logistical path is murky. The smartest posture now is classic force protection: plan for the worst, hope for the best. This guide consolidates practical steps military families can take today to maintain financial stability, ensure childcare continuity, and access relief resources—without waiting on last-minute fixes.

Immediate Actions: 72-Hour Prep

• Prioritize essentials. Triage cash for housing, utilities, food, transport, prescriptions.
• Contact creditors proactively. Many lenders, landlords, and utilities offer short-term hardship forbearance or fee waivers during federal disruptions—ask in writing.
• Freeze non-essentials. Pause subscriptions, recurring app charges, premium services, and elective memberships for 30–60 days.
• Document everything. Keep records of communications with HR/finance, landlords, lenders, and childcare providers.

‘My Secret Informant Love’: Ex–Army Officer Gets Nearly 6 Years for Leaking Russia-Ukraine War Secrets on a Dating Site

Retired lieutenant colonel shared SECRET-level briefings from U.S. Strategic Command to a purported “Ukrainian woman,” exposing targets and Russian capabilities, prosecutors say

LINCOLN, Neb. | A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who later worked as a civilian at U.S. Strategic Command has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiring to transmit classified national-defense information about the Russia-Ukraine war via a foreign online dating platform. David Franklin Slater, 64, also received a $25,000 fine and one year of supervised release; he pleaded guilty in July after his March 2024 arrest, and two additional counts were dismissed under the plea deal. 

According to court filings, Slater held a Top Secret clearance while assigned as an Air Force civilian at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska (U.S. Strategic Command) between August 2021 and April 2022, where he attended classified briefings on the conflict. He admitted he conspired to transmit SECRET information about military targets and Russian capabilities to a person he believed was a woman in Ukraine, communicating through the site’s messaging tools. 

Messages from the unnamed coconspirator included endearments—calling Slater “my secret informant love!” and “my secret agent. With love.”—and prodded for details such as whether “NATO will prepare a very pleasant surprise” for Russia. Prosecutors have not publicly identified the coconspirator or confirmed any government affiliation. 

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said Slater “betrayed an oath” and “put our country at risk,” while the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska emphasized the breach of the trust placed in cleared personnel. The sentence—70 months—falls within the range contemplated at the plea, which anticipated roughly 5 years 10 months to 7 years 3 months. 

LSU Defense, Trey’Dez Green Lead Tigers to 20–10 Homecoming Win Over South Carolina

🛡️ LSU Football Flexes Defensive Might, Powers Past South Carolina 20–10 in Homecoming Victory

BATON ROUGE, La. | In a classic Tiger Stadium defensive showcase, No. 12 LSU (5–1, 2–1 SEC) leaned on a stifling defensive effort and the breakout performance of sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green to secure a 20–10 Homecoming victory over South Carolina (3–3, 1–2 SEC) on Saturday night.

Green, a 6’7” former two-sport standout, turned in a career performance with 119 yards on eight catches and a touchdown, becoming the first LSU tight end to eclipse 100 yards receiving in a game since Chris Hill in 1994. His first-half touchdown reception — a six-yard fade to the corner of the end zone — helped LSU reclaim the lead and set the tone for the night.

The win marked another signature defensive outing for head coach Brian Kelly’s squad, which has now held three opponents to 10 points or fewer this season — a defensive resurgence that’s redefining LSU’s SEC identity.

No. 4 Ole Miss Fends Off Washington State 24–21 in Gritty Homecoming Victory

Trinidad Chambliss accounts for three touchdowns while Lane Kiffin earns his 50th career win as the Rebels remain undefeated in a hard-fought Oxford showdown.

🏈 Ole Miss Football Fights Off Washington State for 24–21 Homecoming Win, Kiffin Hits 50 Career Victories

OXFORD, Miss. | In a tense back-and-forth battle fitting for Homecoming weekend, No. 4 Ole Miss (6–0) survived a late Washington State rally to secure a 24–21 win inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday. The victory preserved the Rebels’ unbeaten season and marked head coach Lane Kiffin’s 50th career win at Ole Miss, achieved in just 68 games — the fastest pace in program history.

Ole Miss improved to 74-17-2 all-time in Homecoming games and extended its non-conference dominance under Kiffin, who is now 22-2 overall and 19-0 in regular-season non-conference play. The win also gave the Rebels their best start since 2022, continuing their climb toward College Football Playoff contention.

🔥 Chambliss, Lacy, and Wright Lead Balanced Offensive Attack

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss delivered another poised performance, going 20-for-29 passing for three total touchdowns (two through the air, one rushing). The sophomore’s ability to improvise under pressure — highlighted by his 17-yard scramble touchdown in the third quarter — kept the Rebels in control during key drives.

Tight end Dae’Quan Wright continued his record-breaking campaign, catching four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown, tying Don Williams for sixth in career touchdown receptions among Rebel tight ends. De’Zhaun Stribling added six receptions for 63 yards against his former team, while freshman running back Kewan Lacy powered the ground game with 142 rushing yards on 24 carries, marking his third 100-yard performance of the season and a new career high.