DALLAS — Republicans held an observance ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
They played a video montage recapping the attack and praising the first responders who scrambled in response. Two beams of light were shone near the stage to represent the Twin Towers.
President Trump’s favorite opera singer, Christopher Macchio, performed “Ave Maria.” Then service members in the audience were encouraged to stand and be recognized.
Silk Road founder pardoned by Trump makes libertarian case for prez: ‘He felt compassion for me’
Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the pioneering dark web market Silk Road, thanked President Trump for freeing him from prison and called on libertarians to stick with the Republican leader on the final night of the midterm convention.
Ulbricht, 42, served 11 years of a life sentence for allegedly facilitating drug dealing, money laundering and computer hacking, but was pardoned last year by Trump, who had made a promise to do so at the Libertarian Party’s 2024 convention.
“I lost my freedom to a corrupt federal investigation,” Ulbricht told the crowd. “President Trump heard about my case. He felt compassion for me because he too was the target of a weaponized government.”
Ulbricht tearfully thanked Trump while telling fellow libertarians it’s “easy to miss all of his wins for liberty.”
He cited Trump’s clemency for “hundreds of decent Americans,” including mechanics who modified their trucks, and the president’s push to reduce federal regulations, end the debanking and deplatforming of political targets, promote school choice and liberalize psychedelic policy.
“I never thought anyone in the White House would do these things. He’s actually doing them,” Ulbricht said. “President Trump knows the costs when nobody does it.”
Sheridan Gorman’s mother gifts Congress bench dedicated to her slain daughter — invites Mike Lawler as first politician to sit on it
DALLAS — Angel mother Jessica Gorman unveiled a new bench that will be given to Congress in dedication to her daughter, Sheridan, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant.
The bench was crafted by a law enforcement officer in North Carolina who spent some 200 hours hand-crafting the bench.
“May this bench remind us to see those who feel alone, to choose kindness and to remember every life that leaves an empty seat,” an inscription on the bench read.
After showing off the bench, Gorman invited Rep. Mike Lawler to be the first to sit on it on stage.
DALLAS — Hudson Valley Rep. Mike Lawler got candid about his differences with President Trump, whom he credited for being open-minded.
Lawler (R-NY) reminded the Republican crowd at the midterm convention that he hails from a competitive district where Democrats outnumber the GOP by about 80,000. Lawler explained that he is trying to court independents.
“The truth is that the president and I don’t always agree, and that’s okay,” Lawler said in his speech. “After all, we’re both New Yorkers. We argue. We tell each other what we think. And I know this might be hard to believe. There’s even some profanity.”
“What I learned about President Trump behind closed doors is that if you’re willing to make your case and fight for what you believe in, he’s willing to listen.”
Lawler detailed his feud with the president over the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, drawing a few boos from the crowd when he described the tax break for blue states.
DALLAS — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott laced into Democrats for focusing on affordability during the 2026 midterms, accusing them of gaslighting.
“They’re gaslighting the public about affordability,” Abbott said in his fiery speech at the GOP midterm convention.
“These Democrats, they voted for an income tax in Texas. They voted to raise your property taxes, and they support green renewable policies that would send hundreds of thousands of our oil … [workers to] unemployment lines.”
Abbott drew thunderous applause from the audience, basking in the benefit of the GOP midterm convention taking place in his home state.
The Lone Star State governor, who is facing a somewhat competitive reelection bid, ticked through a slew of his accomplishments to much fanfare from the crowd.
DALLAS — Republican Mike Rogers accused his rival Dr. Abdul El-Sayed of being propped up by money from terrorist organizations.
“Abdul is funding his campaign with money from terrorist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood,” Rogers declared in his speech at the GOP midterm convention. “Abdul says he wants money out of politics unless that money comes from recognized terrorist organizations.”