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Column: Aaron Rodgers and Donald Trump both represent a dangerous war on accountability

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Column: Aaron Rodgers and Donald Trump both represent a dangerous war on accountability

The battle for accountability in a culture of impunity — one in which reality increasingly plays second fiddle to conspiracy theories and disinformation — heated up Tuesday when a football star doubled down on his baseless claims about a late-night host and a federal appeals court judge scrutinized a former president’s claim of immunity from prosecution for his role in a violent insurrection.

It’s not a stretch to mention in the same breath New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has asserted without evidence that Jimmy Kimmel was associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Donald Trump, who pushed the unfounded narrative that he is immune from criminal charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a campaign that was itself based on lies. After all, neither of these men have facts on their side. They simply have public platforms, colorful stories and a victim complex — all key ingredients in the art of ignoring the facts to amass a following.

If the first couple weeks of 2024 were turned into a period drama, it’d be called “Lies and Culpability” and it’d be a Shakespearean tragedy, not a Jane Austen romance. The country’s relationship with the truth, or even reasonable doubt, is so eroded that anything is now plausible: The Jan. 6 Capitol attack was a “fedsurrection,” an inside job by the FBI. The folksy site Etsy is really a hub for child pornography, evidenced by photos of — wait for it — pizza. Vice President Kamala Harris breathes through gills (I did not make this up).

Such ludicrous tall tales are easy to laugh at, and dismiss. Less entertaining is a poll released last week showing that a third of the country believes President Biden’s election was illegitimate despite ample evidence to the contrary. Not to mention dangerous fictions spread daily about Jews, Muslims, Asians, transgender people and other groups, provoking increased hate and violence against them as a result.

Which is why the fight for accountability now raging in the courts, and the court of public opinion, is so vital and at times worrying — because it’s unclear who is winning from week to week, hour to hour.

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Rodgers is an excellent example of the backslide. In a Jan. 2 appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” the conspiracy-minded athlete steered the conversation into a perennial favorite of the QAnon crowd, pedophilia and Epstein. Rodgers said that many high-profile folks were nervous about the unsealing of Epstein’s client list.

“There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, really hoping that doesn’t come out.” His reckless comments drew a swift response from Kimmel on social media, and on Monday, Kimmel dedicated the opening monologue of his late-night show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” to rebutting Rodgers.

“I don’t know Jeffrey Epstein. I’ve never met Jeffrey Epstein,” Kimmel said. “I’m not on a list. I was not on a plane or an island or anything ever, and I suggested that if Aaron wanted to make false and very damaging statements like that, we should do it in court so he can share his proof with, like, a judge.”

But Rodgers appeared unfazed Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” when he doubled down on the Epstein connection in his response to Kimmel’s monologue. “I’m not stupid enough … to accuse you of that with absolutely zero evidence, concrete evidence,” Rodgers said. Yet he produced no proof; his evidence, it appears, is somewhere in the same make-believe vault as Trump’s stolen votes.

The quarterback said he would like to put the issue “to bed, to move forward,” then blamed the media for trying to “cancel” him … the very same media he’s using to discredit Kimmel.

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Hours earlier, Trump made a personal appearance in court with his legal team, who sought to convince a panel of judges that former presidents should not be prosecuted for actions taken in office.

Judge Florence Pan was skeptical of the argument. “You’re saying a president could sell pardons, could sell military secrets, could tell SEAL Team Six to assassinate a political rival?” she asked. Trump lawyer John Sauer answered that a former president could be charged only if first impeached by the House of Representatives and convicted in the Senate. After the hearing, Trump warned of “bedlam” should the trial proceed.

The threat of violence was underpinned by a confidence that he’ll win this battle, too. And maybe he will since accountability is such a unicorn in politics and the tribalism of a divided country. It’s not just Trump and his allies, like Rep. Elise Stefanik, who have cultivated an impressive impermeability to the facts (they recently referred to the federal criminal defendants incarcerated in connection with the Jan. 6 attack as “hostages” of the judicial system). It’s a large swath of our fellow Americans.

But accountability is still possible within the law: Dominion Voting Systems won nearly $787 million in a settlement with Fox News Channel and the Fox Corp. in a defamation lawsuit alleging that Fox broadcast false information that Dominion’s voting machines were rigged to tip the election in Biden’s favor. And three years after the Capitol attack, hundreds have been convicted.

Trump’s legal team and his allies have not had the same success in court they have had on social media. The pitched battle to fight off politically engineered untruths and wild conspiracies is frightening, but these legal victories mean that those who care about truth and accountability need to keep up the fight.

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Video: Marco Rubio Asserts Control Over Venezuela’s Budget

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Video: Marco Rubio Asserts Control Over Venezuela’s Budget

new video loaded: Marco Rubio Asserts Control Over Venezuela’s Budget

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Marco Rubio Asserts Control Over Venezuela’s Budget

During a hearing on Venezuela on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared the Trump administration’s plan to control Venezuela’s spending. Lawmakers shared concerns with Mr. Rubio that Congress was not consulted on the military operation before it happened.

“A short-term mechanism. This is not going to be the permanent mechanism, but this is a short-term mechanism in which the needs of the Venezuelan people can be met through a process that we’ve created, where they will submit every month a budget of ‘this is what we need’ funded. We will provide for them at the front end what that money cannot be used for. The president never rules out his options as commander in chief to protect the national interest of the United States. I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy. One thing is for me to pick up the phone and talk to Delcy Rodríguez three times a week. Another thing is to have someone on the ground on a daily basis that’s following these events, is talking to civil society, but also engaging with interim authorities.” “I am worried that the very foundations of trust are being shaken. Our democracy depends on consultation with Congress that is truthful and timely, and the confidence of our allies depends on them knowing where we’re going next.” “And I’m often struggling to get briefings, clear information or meaningful cooperation from the administration and the State Department.”

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During a hearing on Venezuela on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared the Trump administration’s plan to control Venezuela’s spending. Lawmakers shared concerns with Mr. Rubio that Congress was not consulted on the military operation before it happened.

By Jorge Mitssunaga

January 28, 2026

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Trump return to Iowa likely ahead of high-stakes midterms, GOP gubernatorial candidate says

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Trump return to Iowa likely ahead of high-stakes midterms, GOP gubernatorial candidate says

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President Donald Trump’s campaign blitz to help Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections will bring him back to Iowa just a few months before the November races take place, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful there said.

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, was one of several House Republicans traveling with the president during his latest stop in the Hawkeye State on Tuesday, which Trump capped off with a rally-style speech in Clive in the late afternoon. The conservative Republican is also the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary there, and is expected to face off against Democrat state official Rob Sand in November.

“He’s coming back. So we have the 250th anniversary — that’s going to be at the state fair. He’s come down for that. We’re going to have a big bash, it’s going to be exciting. That’s gonna be a big deal,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “Hopefully he comes back a few more times.”

The Iowa State Fair will take place in Des Moines from Aug. 13 to 23, according to the event’s website.

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SEN TIM SCOTT: REPUBLICANS JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT NEED TIME TO STOP RADICAL LEFTISTS

Left: Then-candidate and former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, Jan. 5, 2024, in Mason City, Iowa. Right: Iowa Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, gubernatorial candidate, speaks during Iowa’s Roast and Ride, Oct. 11, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Cody Scanlan/The Register/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

That’s roughly three months ahead of what’s expected to be a tough midterm season for Republicans across the country. History dictates that the president’s party normally suffers political setbacks during the election cycle two years after power changes hands.

Meanwhile, Democrats across the country have fallen back into positioning Trump as a divisive political boogeyman. But Feenstra argued the opposite, and said Trump’s effort to stay active during the election cycle will “absolutely” benefit Republicans.

TRUMP SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ‘MEANER’ THAN REPUBLICANS, WARNS OF IMPEACHMENT IF GOP LOSES MIDTERMS

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President Donald Trump speaks to guests as he visits the Machine Shed restaurant, Jan. 27, 2026, in Urbandale, Iowa. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“He carried Iowa by 13 points, and him engaging and stimulating the base — I mean, he turns out voters like nobody else. He had 77 million Americans that voted for him in the last election talking about making America great again. Now he’s talking about lowering prices, making things more affordable,” Feenstra said.

“He’s lowered the price on gas, he lowered the price on eggs, he’s lowered the price on a lot of pharmaceuticals. He’s lowered the price on healthcare. I mean, people are going to get the biggest refund they’ve ever had through…the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. These are all things that are really relatable to people, I think that will help turn people out.”

Other House Republicans who traveled with Trump on Tuesday are Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, the latter of whom is running for U.S. Senate.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak about the economy at a rally, Jan. 27, 2026, in Clive, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)

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Before the speech, they and Trump traveled to the Machine Shed, a restaurant near the rally venue where they met with everyday Iowa voters.

“They wanted their hats signed, they want their napkins signed, they wanted to talk to him about, you know, how things were, and what he has done over the last year has truly benefited them,” Feenstra said. “We had one gentleman pray with him, which I found very interesting. He just said, ‘Hey, Mr. President, will you pray with me?’ And they prayed together. So it was just the Iowa way of life.”

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Pasadena Jewish Temple sues Edison for igniting Eaton fire

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Pasadena Jewish Temple sues Edison for igniting Eaton fire

The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison Tuesday, claiming the electric company was to blame for igniting last year’s Eaton fire, which destroyed the congregation’s historic sanctuary, preschool and other buildings.

“Our congregation has been without a physical home for more than a year, at a time when our members had the deepest need for refuge and healing,” Senior Rabbi Joshua Ratner said in a statement. “While we’ve continued to gather and support one another, the loss is deeply felt.”

David Eisenhauer, an Edison spokesman, said the company would respond to the complaint through the court process.

“Our hearts remain with the people affected by the Eaton fire,” Eisenhauer said. “We remain committed to wildfire mitigation through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices.”

The temple had served hundreds of Jewish families since 1941. Congregation members were able to save little more than its sacred Torah scrolls.

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The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims Edison failed to follow its own safety protocols despite advance warnings of extremely dangerous red flag conditions in an area known to be at high threat of wildfires.

The complaint points to the utility’s failure to de-energize its transmission lines that night, as well as its decision to leave up a decommissioned line that hadn’t carried electricity for decades.

It also cites a Times investigation that found that Edison fell behind in doing maintenance that it told state regulators was needed and began billing customers for.

“SCE’s maintenance backlog and unutilized maintenance funds show that it was highly likely that the subject electrical infrastructure that ignited the Eaton Fire was improperly inspected, maintained, repaired, and otherwise operated, which foreseeably led to the Eaton Fire’s ignition,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit seeks financial compensation for destruction of the campus, as well as injunctive relief aimed at preventing Edison from causing more wildfires in the future.

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The government investigation into the cause of the fire has not yet been released.

Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility’s parent company, has said that a leading theory is that a century-old, dormant transmission line in Eaton Canyon briefly became energized that night, causing sparks that ignited the fire.

Edison is already facing hundreds of lawsuits from fire victims, as well as one by the U.S. Department of Justice. The utility is offering compensation to victims who agree to give up their right to sue the company for the blaze.

Under California law, most of those payments, as well as the lawsuit settlements, are expected to be covered by a state wildfire fund that lawmakers created to shield the three biggest for-profit utilities from bankruptcy if their equipment ignites a catastrophic fire. Some wildfire victims say the law has gone too far and doesn’t keep the utilities accountable for their mistakes.

The temple’s lawsuit details how investigators have found Edison’s equipment to have caused multiple wildfires in the last 10 years, including the the Round Fire in 2015, the Rey Fire in 2016, the Thomas, Creek, and Rye fires in 2017,and the Woolsey Fire in 2018.

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Investigators also found that Edison’s power lines sparked the Fairview fire in 2022, which killed two people.

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