X News Line

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing about DOJ handling of Jeffrey Epstein files, Rep. Ted Lieu accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of lying under oath after she said there was “no evidence” Donald Trump committed a crime. Lieu presented a witness statement and other documents he said show Trump’s name in the files, including an FBI tip from a limo driver, and demanded DOJ interview the witness. Bondi denied the charge, shouting “Don’t you ever accuse me of a crime.” Lieu then called for her resignation live on air, prompting a heated, widely covered confrontation and drew immediate national scrutiny. (theguardian.com)

Scott Presler warned House Republicans that they must pass election‑integrity measures and the SAVE America Act or risk losing in 2026. On a Washington state tour he pushed grassroots drives and ballot initiatives requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship, arguing Congress will not act unless the filibuster is removed. Presler urged GOP leaders to prioritize securing elections rather than only delivering tax cuts, and he warned complacency would cost seats. Conservative activists and some senators are pressing the Senate to consider the SAVE legislation, which the House approved in 2025, framing it as essential to defend future Republican victories. (lynnwoodtimes.com)

The United States will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train and provide technical support to Nigerian forces combating Islamist militant groups. U.S. officials say the contingent will supplement a small team already in country, help coordinate joint air and ground operations, share intelligence and advise on targeting, but will not engage in direct combat. Nigeria requested the assistance amid escalating attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State-affiliated fighters. The deployment follows U.S. strikes and increased military cooperation, and officials framed the move as capacity-building to strengthen Nigerian counterinsurgency efforts and accelerate arms deliveries and operational coordination with regional partners. (investing.com)

Authorities searched a Rio Rico home after detaining a man during a traffic stop. A woman who spoke to CNN said FBI agents told her they had received a tip that Nancy Guthrie was inside; she identified herself as the detainee’s mother‑in‑law and said officers executed a court‑authorized search and questioned her son‑in‑law, whom she denied was involved. Guthrie, 84, remains missing after being taken from her Tucson home. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation, released surveillance images of a person of interest, and are offering a $50,000 reward for information as authorities continue searching. (kold.com)

A Washington, D.C., federal grand jury declined on February 10, 2026, to indict six Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, over a video urging U.S. military personnel to refuse unlawful orders. (apnews.com) The Justice Department and FBI investigated whether the tape undermined military discipline; prosecutors sought indictments but jurors would not sign charges. (theguardian.com) The lawmakers — many with military or intelligence backgrounds — said their message reiterated service members’ legal duty to disobey illegal commands. (deadlinedetroit.com) President Trump denounced the video as “seditious.” (theguardian.com) The Pentagon has reviewed administrative steps against Kelly, who has called the probes politically motivated. (washingtonpost.com)

Claims that a payment was just deposited to the alleged ransom account for Nancy Guthrie circulated online, but TMZ and law‑enforcement updates show the publicly visible Bitcoin address had no transactions and no payment has been confirmed. Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her Tucson home on February 1; her family said they would comply with a $6 million demand after an unverified ransom note was circulated. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff are leading the investigation, operating a 24‑hour command post and conducting door‑to‑door searches; reports of SWAT or bomb‑squad activity have appeared but remain partially unverified by major outlets sources. (tmz.com)

Note: I could not find any credible, contemporary reporting confirming that a ransom payment was made — TMZ reported the account remained at zero and major outlets have not verified a deposit. (tmz.com)

Federal authorities removed a Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, New York, after a January 21 Interior Department memo restricting National Park Service flagpoles to U.S., Interior and POW/MIA banners. LGBTQ+ activists, city leaders and advocates condemned the removal as an attempt to erase the 1969 Stonewall uprising’s history and vowed to restore the banner. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Chuck Schumer sharply criticized the decision. The National Park Service said it was enforcing uniform flag‑display guidance. The removal prompted protests and plans by local officials and activists to publicly raise the Pride flag again soon. (washingtonpost.com)

Kate Barr, a lifelong North Carolina Democrat who recently changed her registration to run in the Republican primary for the 14th Congressional District, has acknowledged on camera that she is not a traditional GOP member and is running as a progressive within the Republican primary to challenge incumbent Rep. Tim Moore. Barr says the switch responds to gerrymandering and closed primaries that make general elections uncompetitive; her platform highlights fair maps, a $20 minimum wage, and tax relief for the first $100,000 of income. Republican officials call her bid a stunt; the upcoming primary is March 3, 2026. (theassemblync.com)

Newly released Justice Department files include an October 2019 FBI interview summary in which former Palm Beach police chief Michael Reiter says that in July 2006 Donald Trump called to thank police for investigating Jeffrey Epstein, telling them “thank goodness you’re stopping him, everyone has known he’s been doing this.” Reiter’s statement says Trump described Ghislaine Maxwell as “evil” and an “operative,” and said he distanced himself from Epstein after seeing him with teenagers. The FBI said it has no corroborating evidence of the call. Trump has denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. The documents are part of a DOJ release. (time.com)