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Maine secretary of state’s house 'swatted' day after Trump ballot disqualification decision

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Maine secretary of state’s house 'swatted' day after Trump ballot disqualification decision

The home of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was “swatted” Friday evening, police confirmed Saturday.  

Maine State Police responded after an unidentified man lied about having broken into the house. 

Bellows and her family were away at the time of the hoax call. 

The incident comes after Bellows disqualified former President Trump from the state’s 2024 Republican presidential primary ballot late Thursday, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection” over his alleged incitement of the Jan. 6 riot. 

MAINE GOP STATE LAWMAKER MOVES TO IMPEACH STATE SECRETARY OVER TRUMP BALLOT REMOVAL

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Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows decided Thursday that former President Trump is to be barred from Maine’s 2024 presidential ballot.  (Joe Phelan/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images/File)

Bellows made the ruling after some state residents, including a bipartisan group of former lawmakers, challenged Trump’s position on the ballot.

“Swatting” is when someone calls the police under dangerous false pretenses to trigger a law enforcement response, especially a SWAT team to a location. 

Some swatting calls in the past have ended in the victim being killed. An Ohio man was sentenced to prison in 2019 after a Kansas man he swatted was accidentally killed by police. 

On Saturday, Bellows called the swatting call “unacceptable” in a lengthy statement on Facebook. 

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HOW RECENT ‘SWATTING’ CALLS TARGETING OFFICIALS MAY PROMPT HEAVIER PENALTIES FOR HOAX POLICE CALLS

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (Gordon Chibroski/File)

“Thank you for the messages of love and support,” she wrote. “I’ve been moved by every one and especially by those from friends and loved ones who disagree with my decision but have reached out to express love and respect.”

Bellows added that her staff had faced “unacceptable” and “non-stop threatening communications” on Friday after her decision. “It’s designed to scare not only me but also others into silence, to send a message. I am so grateful to have such an amazing team of employees at the Department of Secretary of State. [Her husband] Brandon and I are grateful for incredible, dedicated support from law enforcement in this time.” 

Maine State Police said officers investigated Bellows’ home at her request and nothing suspicious was found. 

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The investigation is ongoing. 

On Christmas Day, Republican U.S. Reps. Brandon Wiliams of New York and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia were also the targets of swatting calls. 

Then on Tuesday, Republican state Rep. Kevin D. Miller of Ohio reported that he was swatted.

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Northeast

Alexander brothers learn fate in federal sex trafficking trial

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Alexander brothers learn fate in federal sex trafficking trial

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Real estate moguls Tal and Oren Alexander and their brother, Alon Alexander, were found guilty in federal court of sex trafficking and related offenses, marking a dramatic fall for the once-prominent luxury brokers.

A jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, inducement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and multiple counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

In his closing argument on March 3, prosecutor Andrew Jones said the brothers masqueraded ​as party boys but really were predators towards women.

“They used a consistent playbook to lure, isolate and rape their victims,” ‌Jones ⁠said. “They did it with callousness and a perverse sense of pride.”

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ALEXANDER BROTHERS ACCUSED OF CRUISE SHIP SEX ABUSE AHEAD OF REAL ESTATE MOGULS’ TRAFFICKING TRIAL

Oren Alexander and his twin brother, Alon, attend a bond hearing after being charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Throughout the four weeks of testimony, Tal, Oren and Oren’s twin, Alon Alexander, who was an executive at his family’s private security firm, vehemently denied the sex crime charges against them, as well as other allegations.

Prosecutors allege the brothers orchestrated a yearslong pattern of sexual abuse involving numerous women across multiple states. The defense argued that the encounters were consensual and that the government had overreached.

Oren Alexander and Tal Alexander speak at a panel at the Rockstars of Real Estate Event, Sept. 3, 2013, in New York.  (Amy Sussman/Invision for DETAILS Magazine/AP Images, File)

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Eleven women, including several who said they were minors at the time of the incidents, testified against the brothers, alleging they gave them gifts and flew them to locations and parties where they were given drugs before assaulting them.

Oren Alexander, 37, center, and his twin brother, Alon, center-right, speak to their attorney Joel Denaro during their bond hearing after being charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

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U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said the verdict marks a significant step in combating sex crimes, calling the brothers’ conduct “calculated, brutal sexual abuse that, unimaginably, the defendants celebrated.”

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Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

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New York

Video: Two Men Face Terrorism Charges in Bomb Attack at Gracie Mansion

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Video: Two Men Face Terrorism Charges in Bomb Attack at Gracie Mansion

new video loaded: Two Men Face Terrorism Charges in Bomb Attack at Gracie Mansion

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Two Men Face Terrorism Charges in Bomb Attack at Gracie Mansion

Federal prosecutors charged two men with attempting to support the Islamic State after they attempted to set off homemade explosives at Gracie Mansion on Saturday. The bombs did not detonate and no one was injured.

“Federal charges have been filed in the Southern District of New York against two individuals: Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi. The defendants were inspired by ISIS to carry out their attack.” “Get him, get him, get him.” Preliminary testing has determined that one of the devices contained triacetone triperoxide — highly volatile explosive that has been used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade.” “Many of the counterprotesters met this display of bigotry peacefully, with a vision of a city that is welcoming to all. But a few did not. Two men, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, traveled from Pennsylvania and attempted to bring violence to New York City. While I found this protest appalling, I will not waver in my belief that it should be allowed to happen. Ours is a free society where the right to peaceful protest is sacred.”

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Federal prosecutors charged two men with attempting to support the Islamic State after they attempted to set off homemade explosives at Gracie Mansion on Saturday. The bombs did not detonate and no one was injured.

By Christina Kelso

March 9, 2026

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Boston, MA

This Marblehead man is running the Boston Marathon for his pediatric patients

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This Marblehead man is running the Boston Marathon for his pediatric patients


Boston Marathon

“Every kid should have access to the best, most cutting edge treatments, and we aim to do that here, regardless of where the kids come from or what resources they have themselves.”

Ben Wishart is running the 2026 Boston Marathon. Brian Wishart

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.

Name: Brian Wishart

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Age: 42

City/State: Marblehead, Mass.

I am running as the Chief of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine division at Spaulding Rehab to help support the hospital and adaptive sports programs.   

At Spaulding Rehabilitation, we have a full team that is really incredible at what they do. Each staff member, from the physicians, therapists, nurses, case managers, social workers, to the front desk and care assistants, are incredible.  

We work everyday in inpatient, in the clinic, in the therapy gym, and doing research to bring these types of outcomes to all our patients.  Though we see wonderful outcomes, there is always work to be done.  

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One of our goals is to really integrate the amazing research being done at Spaulding into clinical care.  

Every kid should have access to the best, most cutting edge treatments, and we aim to do that here, regardless of where the kids come from or what resources they have themselves. 

We also want to make sure we are thinking about some of those less flashy innovations in terms of how we are educating or empowering our patients, or how we are supporting and helping them cope with a new reality. 

Pediatric care is resource intensive, from needing a lot of expertise to just needing multiple sizes of each piece of equipment. 

I am working to raise funds and support to really think broadly and expansively about what we are doing and how we provide care everyday for every patient. 

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That may mean bringing meaningful research to the clinical setting or ensuring there are enough child life specialists available with the resources they need to make these children comfortable in the hospital. 

It is a privilege what I get to do every day and I thank you all sincerely for any support!

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.


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