“John Thune” by Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0

The talking filibuster strategy is dead thanks to a handful of RINOS who are sabotaging the MAGA movement in its quest to stop Democrats from stealing any more federal elections.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, despite a mandate from the American people to secure our elections, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) admitted on Wednesday that the Republican conference is “not unified” on using the talking filibuster to force a vote on the SAVE Act.

Speaking to reporters amid the ongoing government shutdown, Thune acknowledged that Republicans currently lack the internal cohesion necessary to execute a procedural maneuver as aggressive as a talking filibuster to muscle the SAVE Act through the Senate.

Thune warned that pursuing such a strategy would require near-perfect unity across all 50 Republican senators to repeatedly table Democrat amendments.

Now, a report from Punchbowl News reveals that four RINOS are REFUSING to kill these stupid Democrat Amendments and help secure our elections.

The culprits should surprise absolutely no one.

The first is Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is retiring at the end of this year. He has long been a supporter of amnesty and opposed several of President Trump’s best cabinet nominees.

The second is Senator John Curtis of Utah. He says that he’s concerned should this process stop up a ridiculous Democrat amendment spree, he wouldn’t torpedo them if it means “changing the Senate’s rules.”

I’ve been absolutely clear,” Curtis told Punchbowl News. “Breaking the filibuster is breaking the filibuster. So the reason or method doesn’t matter; it’s breaking the filibuster.”

The other two are perhaps the worst ‘Republicans’ of all: Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. McConnell, of course, is against anything Trump supports, and Murkowski is basically a Democrat.

The SAVE Act is an absolutely critical measure that requires every American to show ID to cast a ballot. It also requires proof of citizenship BEFORE registering to vote.

Democrats are in meltdown mode because, should the measure pass, they will find stealing elections far more challenging.

The talking filibuster strategy was proposed by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) to force the Democrats’ hands on the measure.

Unlike a complete abolition of the filibuster, requiring Democrats to stand and speak would enforce a rule that already exists. Moreover, Republicans would simply have to maintain unity and kill every Democratic amendment.

Rachel Bovard of the Conservative Partnership Institute notes that Republicans do this all the time during the vote-a-rama that is part of the budget reconciliation process.

Lee and others have made it crystal clear: no more hiding in the back rooms. If Democrats want to block legislation that prevents non-citizens from voting, they should have to stand up and do it in front of the American people.

But a few too many Republicans are clearly troubled with the idea of having their Democrat ‘friends’ speak too much or having to put in actual hard work themselves. They are also worried about attack ads close to the election.

From Punchbowl News:

But several GOP senators said this assessment ignores the political realities facing vulnerable Republicans, many of whom wouldn’t want to be seen as opposing politically popular amendments so close to the midterms.

How pathetic.

The post NEW: Thune Quashes ‘Talking Filibuster’ Move to Pass SAVE Act Thanks to These Four GOPers Refusing to Vote on Tabling Democrat Amendments appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Cuban vessel via Cuban Government

New details have emerged regarding one of the passengers aboard a Florida-registered speedboat who was killed by Cuba’s Coast Guard on Wednesday.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, Cuban authorities said their border guards killed four passengers and wounded six others aboard a U.S.-registered speedboat after the passengers allegedly opened fire on Cuban soldiers just one nautical mile off Cuba’s coast.

The New York Post reported that one of the passengers who was killed was identified as American citizen Michel Ortega Casanova, who has lived in the United States for over 20 years after fleeing Cuba.

Misael Casanova, the brother of Michel Casanova, shared with the Associated Press that his brother had become obsessed in recent days with the liberation of Cuba from its communist regime.

Per MS NOW:

Misael Ortega Casanova, brother of Michel Ortega Casanova, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that he was mourning his brother’s death but lamented that he fell into what he called an “obsessive and diabolical” quest for Cuba’s freedom.

“Only us Cubans who have lived over there understand,” Misael Ortega Casanova said, referring to the “great suffering” that he and other Cubans on the island have faced.

He noted that his brother, who was a truck driver and an American citizen who lived for more than 20 years in the U.S., leaves behind his wife, his mother, two sisters — one of whom lives in Cuba — and a daughter who is pregnant.

“No one knew,” Misael said of his brother’s plans. “My mother is devastated.” He added: “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives.”

Cuba’s government on Wednesday claimed the 10 passengers on board the U.S.-registered boat were attempting to “infiltrate Cuba” in order to “unleash terrorism.”

In response to the fatal shooting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents fled Cuba in the 1950s during the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, stated, “We’re going to find out exactly what happened here, and then we’ll respond accordingly.”

WATCH:

SECRETARY RUBIO on CUBA: What I’m telling you is we’re going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved. We’re not going to just take what somebody else tells us.

I’m very confident we will be able to know the story independently. pic.twitter.com/965ul2lC8b

— Department of State (@StateDept) February 26, 2026

Rubio later clarified that no U.S. personnel were among the boat’s passengers.

The incident comes just weeks after President Trump signed an executive order placing tariffs on any nation that supplies Cuba with oil.

The post UPDATE: One of the Passengers on U.S.-registered Speedboat Killed by Cuba’s Coast Guard Identified as American Citizen appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Hillary Clinton’s lawyers abruptly halted the Epstein deposition on Thursday after a photo of Hillary was leaked to conservative podcast host Benny Johnson.

Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify before the Oversight Committee after Chairman James Comer moved forward with holding them in criminal contempt of Congress.

Hillary is testifying at an office in Chappaqua, New York.

All hell broke loose after a photo of Hillary Clinton mid-testimony leaked to Benny Johnson.

Clinton left the room over the leaked photo and when she came back, she sparred with Chairman Comer, according to MSNOW.

The deposition eventually resumed.

“The first image of Hillary Clinton testifying under oath about Jeffery Epstein to the Republican Oversight Committee,” Benny Johnson said.

The photo was provided by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert.

BREAKING: The first image of Hillary Clinton testifying under oath about Jeffery Epstein to the Republican Oversight Committee.

This is the first time Hillary has had to answer real questions about Epstein. Clinton does not look happy.

Photo provided by Rep. Lauren Boebert. pic.twitter.com/mPtUyA4u5i

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 26, 2026

Benny Johnson posted another photo of Hillary Clinton.

Full Shot of the Clinton Epstein Testimony currently ongoing: pic.twitter.com/W4JuJhUjCN

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 26, 2026

Clinton’s lawyers accused Rep. Boebert of violating the House rules by snapping a photo of Hillary and releasing it to the media.

The Daily Mail reported:

Chaos has erupted inside Hillary Clinton’s Epstein deposition after a Republican lawmaker took a photograph of her during the private session.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert snapped a photo of Hillary Clinton and her attorneys as she addressed lawmakers about her relationship with Epstein. Boebert reportedly leaked the photo to MAGA influencer Benny Johnson.

Clinton’s lawyers asked for the Epstein proceedings to halt after the photo began leaking on social media. It is highly prohibited for lawmakers or witnesses to take photographs inside a closed-door congressional testimony.

‘It’s against chamber rules that were read at the top of the meeting. so the hearing has been paused briefly while they figure out where the photo came from and why, possibly members of congress are violating house rules. so we’ll keep you updated. we just wanted to share what’s happening inside,’ Clinton told the Daily Mail.

Benny Johnson argued that Hillary Clinton’s deposition is being filmed and will eventually be released.

I cannot believe this is happening.

Hillary Clinton just STORMED out of the Epstein Deposition because I posted a photo of her testifying.

Now the Clinton PR team is crying about me to the press. This is insane.

The deposition is being filmed and will be released in full.… pic.twitter.com/imMZDFF9Jk

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 26, 2026

The post BREAKING: Hillary Clinton’s Lawyers Abruptly Halt Epstein Deposition After Photos of Hillary Mid-Testimony Leak to Benny Johnson appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.