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Cleared 'Trump Train' defendants liken their case to 'lawfare' campaign against former president

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Cleared 'Trump Train' defendants liken their case to 'lawfare' campaign against former president

Defendants in the so-called “Trump Train” case in Texas say they have been fully vindicated after they were cleared of voter intimidation allegations in relation to a highway interaction nearly four years ago when a convoy of Trump supporters in pickup trucks and SUVs surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus on a busy highway.

Three of the defendants – Steve and Randi Ceh, along with Joeylynn Mesaros – spoke to Fox News Digital, detailing the hellish years they endured fighting back against what they say was an attempt to stifle their political speech and attack their First Amendment rights.

They say the case was a “lawfare” campaign against them and likened it to recent court cases brought against former President Trump. The trio, along with two others, had their charges dismissed by a federal jury.

‘TRUMP TRAIN’ TRIAL KICKS OFF WITH FORMER DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER TESTIFYING SHE FELT LIKE A ‘HOSTAGE’

Trump train trial defendants celebrate outside court. (Jay Janner/American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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Eliazar Cisneros, whose pickup collided with a white SUV in a caught-on-camera incident, was ordered to pay the bus driver $10,000 and an additional $30,000 in punitive damages. The collision, and the alleged aggressive behavior from the convoy, occurred on Oct. 30, 2020, when the bus passed through San Marcos, about 30 miles southwest of Austin.

The trio tell Fox News Digital that the incident was largely uneventful and that the bus and the SUV were swerving in and out of traffic. They say the collision was minor and that it was blown up by the media and taken out of context to paint Trump supporters as extremists.

It was very friendly. I actually have tons of video of friendly encounters where we’re waving on the side of the road, smiling, the bus is just driving, and the trucks are driving behind it,” Mesaros recalled. “Through the lawsuit, we did identify there were maybe one or two vehicles that were driving in a way that we wouldn’t have driven. I think at worst, it’s maybe a traffic citation, not anything major or extreme, certainly not a conspiracy under the Ku Klux Klan law to intimidate voters. But those people weren’t sued, it was just intentionally us [and] I think that we were targeted as what they perceived maybe to be easy targets, but they couldn’t have imagined that God would sustain us in this fight and we would prevail.”

The plaintiffs accused the Trump supporters of assault and political intimidation tactics, violating state law and the federal Enforcement Act of 1871 – also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act – which aims to stop political violence and intimidation tactics. The law was enacted by Congress during the Reconstruction era to protect the rights of Black men to vote by prohibiting political violence. No criminal charges were filed against the six Trump supporters.

The driver of the Biden-Harris campaign bus told jurors during the trial that he felt “under attack” and feared for his life when the bus was swarmed by the convoy. He said the actions of the group forced him to slow the bus to a 15 mph crawl on the busy highway.

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The driver, along with former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis, a campaign volunteer and a staffer, sued the six defendants, with Davis testifying that she felt like she was being “taken hostage in a way.”

The plaintiffs say the group drove recklessly and attempted to run the bus off the road and forced them to cancel the campaign event they were headed to. Davis also described the verdict as vindicating and a relief.

‘TRUMP TRAIN’ TRIAL: DEFENDANT SAYS CONVOY USING ‘FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT’ DURING HIGHWAY CLASH

In terms of the on-road collision, Cisneros’ attorney says he will appeal. In the incident, Cisneros’ pickup and a Biden campaign SUV collided while trailing the bus, although nobody was hurt. 

Cisneros denied driving recklessly and argued that a campaign staff member in the white SUV initiated the collision along the highway. Video leading up to the collision shows the SUV repeatedly driving in between lanes. Cisneros testified that a social media post by him afterward bragging about “slamming” the other vehicle had been taken out of context.

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A pickup with Trump flags alongside a Biden-Harris campaign bus. (John Hinojosa via Storyful)

The Cehs say they were dragged into the lawsuit because they ran a Facebook page that helped organize Trump parades in the New Braunfels area, which Mesaros would also take part in. 

They say they were aware the bus was going to be around that day, but they were on their way back from work when they came across it. 

“I was in a company truck, so I did see it go by, and we weren’t pulled into this lawsuit until a year and a half after it was filed,” Steve said. “And that is because we organized a Trump train here in New Braunfels that got pretty big, it was all grassroots. And also, I am a pastor, so the mainstream regime that we see wants to shut down all the truth. Anybody that opposes them, they want to shut it down, or they want to instill fear in all of us, so we do not speak up against them. And we just can’t do that.”

Speaking to reporters after the Trump Train trial are, from left, bus driver Tim Holloway, David Gins, a former campaign staffer for Joe Biden, and former state Sen. Wendy Davis, in downtown Austin on Sept. 23, 2024. (Jay Janner/American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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He added, “I don’t want my grandkids to grow up in a Marxist society and right now it’s leaning that way.”

Randi says the prosecution painted her as being “mission control” for organizing the event when she notified the Facebook group ahead of time. The group had as many as 5,000 followers, she says.

“I was asked… to make a post that the Biden bus was coming through and if anybody wanted to peacefully follow it, they could. And so I put the post out, went to work and found out later that I was going to be sued for being mission control,” Randi Ceh said.

Joeylynn Mesaros says the case was more than political persecution and that the prosecution tried to circumvent the Constitution to make its case. She says her family owed about $75,000 in legal fees, which they now intend to sue to recoup. The Cehs’ legal fees were covered by the nonprofit Citizens Defending Freedom. 

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A Trump supporter in a pickup tails a Biden-Harris campaign bus in 2020. (John Hinojosa via Storyful)

“We’re getting the same treatment that President Trump does. We’ve got the gag order, we have the unfair jurisdiction, the biased Obama-appointed judge. We’ve got the motions in limine that prevent us from speaking the whole truth. They’re not allowing us to reference the Constitution, they’re watering down the definition of free speech,” Mesaros said. “So by the time the jury gets its instructions, it’s such a rigged sham trial. It’s a complete joke and a mockery of the judicial system to leverage for their own political gain.”

Mesaros says the case was even referenced in Trump’s impeachment trial and his 14th Amendment hearing to label his followers as political extremists or having extremist tendencies.

“So not only are they interfering with the Constitution, interfering with the election, they’re creating lies, hiring experts to substantiate it and then cross cross-hatching them in all of their lawsuits to substantiate their own claims while we’re collateral damage.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

‘Moana’ is a triumph for Pacific Islander representation on the big screen

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‘Moana’ is a triumph for Pacific Islander representation on the big screen

“Moana” has been called a box office flop, an unnecessary money grab by Walt Disney Studios, but what it hasn’t been called yet is a triumphant win for cultural representation on the big screen.

The live-action adaptation of the beloved 2016 animated movie “Moana” effectively bombed at the box office, making much less money than industry insiders anticipated.

While it failed to live up to the expectations of the box office and critics alike, the film did exceed the expectations of moviegoers of Pacific Island descent, and they’ve taken to social media to express just how much the movie means to them.

Moana is more than the main character’s name. It means ocean across several Pacific Islander languages.

This image released by Disney shows Catherine Laga’aia in a scene from “Moana.” (Disney via AP)

One user explained how this kind of representation is more than entertainment.

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“When I watched ‘Moana,’ I couldn’t hold back my tears. I heard the language of my parents, the language of my people. I saw our traditional Samoan clothing, our weaving, our siva, our culture, our values. I saw my people. I saw me.”

Another user said seeing Pacific Islanders on the silver screen influenced her own artistry.

“Representation matters. As a sometimes-Female-Polynesian-filmmaker (depending on the day and my imposter syndrome), seeing our stories on a screen this big makes me dream a little bigger too.”

Even the film’s star, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, spoke to the film’s representation in a recent Instagram post.

“I feel that our movie ‘Moana’ will always serve a bigger purpose than just a film – it’s representation. Our Polynesian culture showcased to the world, and embraced by the world – with love, humility, warrior spirit and MANA.”

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That representation was taken as a serious responsibility by the actors and creative team behind the scenes of Disney’s latest live-action remake.

“We got chosen for a reason,” Rena Owen, who plays Gramma Tala in the film, explains.

“Every single one of us, whether that’s an actor, whether that’s a creative, whether that’s a crew person. We’re raised that way, we’re raised in villages and we’re raised… on our earth, with our sky father and our moana, that’s what we all have in common. So, we just had to be ourselves.”

Disney once again leaned on members of its Oceanic Cultural Trust, a group formed over a decade ago to ensure cultural accuracy for the first “Moana” movie.

The trust’s lead consultant, Dr. Grant Muāgututiʻa, spoke about the work that went into bringing Moana to life on screen.

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“We have a big responsibility to our folks who are gonna be watching the film. We’re elated that the film crew and the filmmakers were really receptive to all of the input that we had and we’re really happy with the way it turned out.”

Dr. Muāgututiʻa is a linguist by trade, serving as Assistant Professor of Linguistics at California State University San Marcos. He told KTLA he was thrilled that people of Samoan descent can hear their language spoken in a major Disney film.

“The mountaintop scene where you can hear both Jon Tui, who plays Chief Tui, and Catherine Laga’aia, who plays Moana speaking Samoan. And then the Siva Tau scene, where Seiuli Dwayne Johnson also speaks Samoan. I think those are special moments that are new, especially for our people to see. They’re able to experience real islanders that are proud of their culture.”

“Moana” Choreographer and Cultural Trust member Tiana Nonosina Liufau agreed.

“Seeing an all-Pasifika cast, and hearing them, there’s a lot of Mana in that, hearing these words come out of their mouth, something audiences can trace back to their genealogy, that’s priceless. All worth it.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture

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LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture

Crews worked overnight on what is expected to be a long-term effort to clean up and repair a broken water main that caused extensive damage in West Hollywood on Thursday.

Yellow tape remained in place Friday morning, blocking streets around Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive as crews continued pumping water out of the century-old trunk line.

Asphalt and soil were also being removed so crews could get a better look at the damaged 36-inch trunk line, a major feeder pipe serving the area.

  • Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood.
  • A sinkhole opened up on a sidewalk in West Hollywood following a water main break
  • Aerial view of flooded Metro buses.
  • Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood.
  • Water floods out of an apartment in West Hollywood
  • A broken water main floods a parking garage in West Hollywood
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Residents stand with luggage and a dog at the entrance to an apartment parking garage as floodwaters from a water main break rush through a West Hollywood street.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • A broken water main floods the streets of West Hollywood

“First and foremost is our crews’ safety,” a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokesperson said Thursday. “When we excavate, we are going to have to make sure the area is safe before we send crews in to proceed and start the actual repairs on the pipe.”

The water main ruptured around 3 a.m. Thursday, sending thousands of gallons of water rushing through West Hollywood streets, flooding dozens of garages and pushing parked cars into one another.

A Metro bus yard was also flooded, leaving several buses partially submerged.

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The force of the water washed away dirt and gravel supporting the roadway, creating a massive sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard and a smaller one near Palm Avenue, where two people fell in.

“I’m astounded by the massive sinkhole that has just opened up before our eyes,” KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos reported Thursday from Palm Avenue.

The two men appeared to be uninjured.

As for the larger trunk line that burst beneath Sunset Boulevard, KTLA’s Carlos Herrera reported it was scheduled for replacement in 2031.

LADWP officials now hope to establish a repair timeline after getting a closer look at the damage Friday. For now, the intersection is expected to remain closed for anywhere from several days to several weeks.

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The cause of the rupture remains under investigation.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues

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Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna gave an update Thursday on several shootings over the Fourth of July weekend that left three people dead and several others injured.

Police arrested Antoine Jones, a 50-year-old man from the Los Angeles area, who they believe is responsible for the murder of a 19-year-old woman and the attempted murder of two additional surviving female victims who were attending a large community block party in Compton.

On July 4 at approximately 11:40 p.m., deputies from the Compton station responded to an apartment complex on the 700 block of West Laurel Street following reports of multiple people being shot.

Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was killed when gunfire broke out at the party.

Meah Bordenave-Jenkins and Eric Washington are pictured in a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department bulletin. (LASD)

Deputies located Bordenave-Jenkins and the two other women suffering from gunshot wounds outside of the apartment complex.

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“While today’s announcement represents an important step towards justice for Meah and her family, our work is very far from being over,” said LASD Sheriff Robert Luna.

The LASD is also seeking the public’s help in identifying those responsible for the murder of Eric Washington, 37, a beloved community activist and former government staffer, and the attempted murder of another surviving man injured that same night at the same party.

Washington was reportedly killed while trying to deescalate a conflict at the party, his family said. Deputies found victim Washington suffering from a gunshot wound inside the complex.

Investigators later learned that another man had also been shot at some point during the incident.

Bordenave-Jenkins and Washington both died from their injuries. The remaining victims, two women and a man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and have been released from the hospital. They have not been identified by police.

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Detectives determined the two shootings happened moments apart at the party but appear to be separate and unrelated.

  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration

Detectives identified Jones as the suspect responsible for Bordenave-Jenkins’ death and the attempted murder of the two surviving women. Authorities located Jones on July 14 in Los Angeles and took him into custody.

The LASD is still searching for the suspect or suspects responsible for the murder of Washington and the attempted murder of the surviving male victim.

“Although today’s arrest is significant, this investigation remains extremely active,” Luna said.

“There were hundreds of people at this gathering,” Luna said. “Somebody knows, somebody saw or somebody heard what happened.”

The LASD also announced they’re searching for a suspect in a separate shooting at a different Fourth of July gathering that occurred in the early morning of July 5.

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At approximately 12:10 a.m., Compton deputies responded to the 2100 block of North Grandee Avenue, where they located a 30-year-old victim, Thaddeus Clark, and a second victim suffering from gunshot wounds at the gathering.

Clark, a father of three, did not survive his injuries, Luna said.

The LASD is urging anyone with information about Clark’s murder and the attempted murder of the surviving victim to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau.

Although these shooting incidents occurred at gatherings less than an hour apart, investigators found no evidence that the two were connected, Luna said.

Luna also announced three suspects have been arrested in connection with a shooting in East L.A. on July 5. It happened as crowds crossed the intersection near Whittier Boulevard and Leonard Avenue during a World Cup match.

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Four people were hit by gunfire, including two men, one woman and a boy. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

The sheriff said the alleged shooter, a 15-year-old known gang member, was arrested. Two female suspects, ages 21 and 38, have been arrested in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas for their alleged roles in luring the primary victim to the location and assisting the shooting suspect in evading arrest.

They’re all facing four counts of attempted murder.

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