Longest-Serving Active-Duty Marine Ends 42-Year Career
Lt. Col. Rhonda C. Martin joined the Marines when she was just 19.
When Lt. Col. Rhonda C. Martin was just 19, she accidentally stepped into a Marine Corps recruiting office while on her way to apply for the Peace Corps. According to a service press release last week, that chance decision turned into a distinguished 42-year military career—making her the longest-serving active-duty Marine. Martin is set to retire at the end of this month.
She began her journey as an administrative specialist before rising to the role of drill instructor, at a time when women were still not allowed to wear the Marine Corps’ iconic campaign cover. In 1996, she earned her commission as an officer and was later deployed several times, including in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Reflecting on her career, Martin highlighted the progress she witnessed — and contributed to — in opening doors for women Marines. “To say that I came in and saw so much progress for Marines, and especially female Marines, over my time … it hits me really hard,” she said.
Her service spanned from the mid-1980s, when women were first allowed to qualify with the M16A2 rifle, to the Pentagon’s landmark decision more than two decades later to lift the ban on women serving in direct combat roles. “It’ll be tough, but I’ve had 42 years of doing what I love, and I’m leaving at a time when the Marine Corps is stronger than ever,” Martin said.
Colleagues praised her leadership and steady presence in difficult times. She was credited with boosting morale and keeping calm after a Marine helicopter crash in Nepal in 2015 claimed the lives of the pilots, crew, and two combat cameramen. “When she came to us, we had a source of positive energy,” recalled Lt. Col. Cassandra Stanton, who served alongside her.
Martin now serves as assistant chief of staff for Manpower at Quantico, Virginia, and will be honored at a retirement ceremony next week. Her official retirement date is Jan. 1, 2026. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue a doctorate degree. Instead of traditional gifts or flowers, Martin has asked that donations be made to Marine Corps education foundations “so service members and their families have additional opportunities to pursue educational goals, advancing their careers and elevating their lives,” according to the release.
Trump’s FBI Reportedly Fires Agents Who Knelt During George Floyd Protests
The Trump administration's FBI has reportedly fired approximately 20 agents who kneeled during a 2020 protest of the murder of George Floyd.
According to The Associated Press, the FBI has fired agents who were photographed kneeling during a racial justice protest after the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin. Per two of the three sources the AP spoke to with knowledge of the situation, the number of agents fired is approximately 20.
As the AP reported, last spring, the officers had been reassigned, but the anonymous sources indicated that the individuals who were captured angered some within the Bureau. Some agents also interpreted it as a potential de-escalation technique.
New: More than 15 agents who took a knee during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest were fired today, current and former FBI officials tell @MSNBC.
Some had previously been demoted. The sources say the agents took a knee not necessarily because they were trying to sympathize…
It’s not about kneeling for Black people, the terminations are to get FBI agents to bow & abandon their oath to the Constitution. Trump’s Machiavellian genius is having a Brown man weaponize Brown & Black people to achieve a racist autocracy. https://t.co/OvOpnartP6 via @NYTimes
— Rev. & Prof. Cornell William Brooks (@CornellWBrooks) September 27, 2025
According to a statement released by the FBI Agents Association, a nonprofit advocacy group representing FBI employees, the number of agents fired included individuals who had served in the military and were thus entitled to additional protections. The association also called for Congress to investigate the firings and indicated that Trump’s embattled FBI Director, Kash Patel, is blatantly disregarding the rights of the employees of the FBI.
Kash Patel has ZERO justification for firing extremely qualified, experienced, intelligent FBI agents.
Sen. DURBIN: Let me tell you what’s disgraceful. You fired these agents because of the rants of a podcaster. pic.twitter.com/TO5LaUEqXJ
“As Director Patel has repeatedly stated, nobody is above the law,” the agents’ association stated. “But rather than providing these agents with fair treatment and due process, Patel chose to again violate the law by ignoring these agents’ constitutional and legal rights instead of following the requisite process.”
The FBIAA continued, “Leaders uphold the law — they don’t repeatedly break it. They respect due process, rather than hide from it. Patel’s dangerous new pattern of actions are weakening the Bureau because they eliminate valuable expertise and damage trust between leadership and the workforce, and make it harder to recruit and retain skilled agents — ultimately putting our nation at greater risk.”
Patel has brushed off accusations from recently ousted agents and top executives, including Steve Jensen, Brian Driscoll, and Spencer Evans, who allege in a lawsuit against Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi that Patel had the understanding that it was “likely illegal” to fire agents because of cases they worked but insisted he was powerless because he was working on orders from both the White House and the Justice Department.
To that end, as CNN reports, the Justice Department stated that it will review the conduct of 1,500 agents, including those who worked on cases that displeased the current administration — cases involving Donald Trump and his political allies.
Does anyone know how many FBI agents got fired for catching Tom Homan accepting a bribe?
Notably, the response on social media has been one of alarm, with some juxtaposing the firing of these agents with a complete lack of consequences for the Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, who allegedly accepted a $50,000 bribe from FBI agents in an undercover sting in 2024.
According to NBC News, Homan allegedly promised he could help win government contracts for a fee, but the White House has denied that this occurred.
According to a letter sent by Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the stench of corruption is emanating from the Trump administration and, in particular, the White House.
“The fact that the incoming Trump Administration reportedly closed this investigation prematurely raises further concerns that the Administration is weaponizing our system of justice to protect the president’s friends and to persecute his political foes. It is critical that the American people be able to trust that the influence of White House and other government officials has not been bought, and that contracts will be awarded to companies based on merit, not to those willing to pay bribes,” the letter stated.
White Men Bosses Are So Back, Thanks To The Trump Administration
According to a new report, corporate boards are again dominated by white men.
The Trump administration has been a boon for white men who direct S&P 500 companies, according to newly available data from research firm ISS-Corporate, as reported by Axios. According to the data, the percentages of women and ethnic minority groups leading those companies have decreased by nine percentage points and 24 percentage points, respectively.
Trump’s aggressive stance on eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion at the federal level has led to a domino effect in the business and tech worlds, leading companies like Meta, Disney, and Target to either recast or end their DEI positions and departments to avoid the scrutiny of an overzealous and increasingly authoritarian federal government.
According to Bloomberg, recruiters have told them that efforts in prior years to broaden the net of qualified individuals to fill those positions have fallen by the wayside in favor of the “male, stale and pale” leader that had fallen out of favor during the post-George Floyd DEI emergence of 2020.
Per Robert Travis, a managing partner at executive recruiter Boyden who works on director searches, “What was grossly underappreciated five years ago — a candidate that was male, stale and pale — is now very much at the table to be considered against any and all other candidates.”
How companies explain this move is that they are looking for candidates with previous experience running companies or big business units, which basically means they are prioritizing white men, and among that group, they especially value current or former CEOs, which, again, tend to be white men.
Although the directors and recruiters whom they interviewed pointed out that the Trump administration isn’t technically guiding what they do, the atmosphere surrounding DEI has absolutely been transformed.
According to Ellen Zane, who is on the nomination and governance committee at Boston Scientific Corp. and is the former chief of the Tufts Medical Center in Boston, the changed atmosphere is undeniable.
“There were large shareholders that would absolutely, positively ding a company if they disagreed with how you had fulfilled your diversity goals,” Zane told Bloomberg. “Then all of a sudden, it completely changed.”
As Joan Williams, a law professor and the founding director of the Equality Action Center at UC Law San Francisco, told The Guardian in March, “We all want a meritocracy, but too often we don’t have them. There is one group in professional workplaces where over 90% believe they are working in meritocracies-–and that’s white men. Every other group has significantly less confidence that they are working in meritocracies because they feel that they are being held to a different standard. We did 22 DEI experiments inside companies. One company was horrified to find that they were hiring white men who had lower ratings than women and people of color who weren’t hired,” Williams said.
“The amount of money I made starting May 2020 until about 2023-–I’ve never made so much money in my entire life. I’ve laid off my staff. I have a much smaller team. I’m being punished as a result of people no longer wanting to care about people they should have been caring about in the first place,” Cadet reflected.
She continued, “Imagine that you were working for a company where you had tools in place, access to an executive coach, a programme that got you into a leadership track. These individuals had support and were told they were valued. Heterosexual, non-disabled, cisgendered white men and women have always had that [validation] in the workplace. And it will still be there after the attack on DEI, but it won’t be for people who don’t identify as those groups. That’s the bigger unfortunate thing that’s happening here: ‘You mattered––and guess what? I’m going to remind you that you don’t matter again.’”
Kandi Burruss Turned Parenting Into A Contract Lesson For Daughter
Kandi Burruss made daughter sign contract for an Xbox and toys.
For many kids, earning an Xbox or a new gadget comes with a simple ask: “Do your chores, get your grades.” But for Kandi Burruss, the formula was more formal.
In an interview with People, the singer, entrepreneur, and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum shared that she made her daughter, Riley Burruss, sign contracts before she could receive toys.
Burruss said the contracts helped teach responsibility and accountability from a young age. For example, she told Riley she could get an Xbox 360 only if she committed to doing swim team for a full year. The contract was not just symbolic; it included high stakes for a child, according to Riley.
“I don’t think a lot of people know this, but my mom used to make me sign contracts!” Riley said. “I wanted an Xbox 360, and my mom said I could get one if I did swim team for the full year, and she made me sign a contract that said if I quit, she could throw it away.”
Riley, who graduated from NYU in 2024 and now stars on the Bravo series “Next Gen NYC,” laughed when recounting the experience.
Mama Joyce, Kandi’s mother, confirmed that structure has long been a family value. She called young Kandi “very, very smart.” Additionally, she recalled that the hardest discipline was sending her to her room — she’d just read. The multigenerational thread of intellect, accountability, and dedication is clearly strong in the Burruss family.
Still, Kandi’s sharp business instincts don’t stop at parenting. In her multidecade career as a writer, songwriter, and producer, she has demonstrated foresight in the music world. Starting her career as one-fourth of the popular singing group Escape, Burruss could have stayed stagnant. Instead, she chose to expand her talent, making her a wildly successful songwriter. A talent that keeps her paid today. In July, BLACK ENTERPRISEreported on Kandi’s continued royalty collection.
During an Instagram Live session, a fan asked the multihyphenate if she is paid when Beyoncé performs “Bills, Bills, Bills” on the Cowboy Carter Tour. Responding in the affirmative, “Yeah, I do actually,” she went on to explain how her publishing works.
Kandi’s accolades are long. As the owner of sex toy and lifestyle company Bedroom Kandi, producer of “Othello,” starring Denzel Washington, and owner of the Old Lady Gang restaurant, Burruss knows contracts. Burruss has fashioned contracts, expectations, and systems that reward performance. She is clearly passing those lessons along to Riley.
The NAACP Activates Virginia Residents To Increase Voter Turn Out
The NAACP has announced a $500,000 voter mobilization campaign in Virginia.
The NAACP has announced a $500,000 voter mobilization campaign in the state of Virginia.
The campaign aims to turn out 300,000 voters ahead of the Nov. 4 election. A series of town halls and phone banking sessions will kick off the effort across the state. This six-week campaign includes targeted mailers, radio ads, digital outreach, emails, text messages, and direct calls.
Outside of physical assets, the campaign is focusing on college campuses. Campus activations will take place at Virginia State, Virginia Union, Virginia Commonwealth, Hampton University, University of Virginia, Old Dominion, and George Mason. The NAACP hopes to register over 2,000 student voters and verify registrations.
In a statement, Rev. Cozy Bailey, president of the NAACP Virginia State Conference, stressed the importance of participation at all levels of government.
“From the school board to the White House, every election counts. And we must show up at the ballot box to make our voices heard,” Bailey said.
The NAACP’s National Director for Mobilization, Amari Fennoy, framed the campaign as a defense of democracy and local power.
“There’s so much at stake in Virginia — from public safety to criminal justice, from women’s health to voting rights,” Fennoy stated. “We are building power block by block, person by person, student by student.”
The NAACP describes this as the first of three major town halls planned through early October, marking the public launch of the campaign. According to the statement, media and community partners are invited to take part in sessions scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 2.
Virginia’s turnout campaign comes as the state prepares for competitive legislative races and local ballot measures. Ballot measures will determine outcomes for education funding, reproductive health access, and criminal justice reforms. The NAACP states its investment is a counter to restrictive voting policies seen in nearby states. By interjecting the organization into these immediate political battles, the organization is making clear that this campaign is designed not only to increase participation but also to defend the accessibility of the ballot in a closely watched swing state.
South Africa Becomes Africa’s Largest Supplier Of Packaged Foods With $18.5B In Sales
South Africa has emerged as the leading force in Africa’s fast-growing packaged foods market.
With $18.5 billion in 2024 sales, South Africa leads Africa’s packaged food industry, commanding a significant share of the continent’s rapidly growing food market.
South Africa continues to dominate Africa’s packaged food industry thanks to its strong supply chains, a well-organized retail sector, and rising consumer demand, Business Insider Africa reports. With nearly $20 billion in sales in 2024, it far outpaces regional peers, Nigeria, the continent’s most populous nation, at $4.7 billion, and Kenya at $5.1 billion.
Packaged foods are also thriving in North Africa, with Morocco reaching $11.5 billion and Egypt $11.2 billion in sales. These numbers highlight the region’s emerging market potential and the growing gap between Africa’s mature and developing consumer markets.
South Africa also shines on a global scale, surpassing Thailand’s $17 billion in sales and trailing only Saudi Arabia, which leads at $25 billion. Key to the country’s edge is its organized supply chain and concentrated supermarket sector that allows food companies to pair mass-market reach with value-added strategies.
However, the growth in packaged food consumption carries health risks.
A 2024 study found that low-income South African adults get, on average, 40% of their calories from ultra-processed foods. Meanwhile, only 7% meet the World Health Organization’s daily fruit and vegetable guidelines, and just 19% reach the recommended fiber intake.
“South Africa is facing a rising tide of obesity and non-communicable diseases that is driven in part by the proliferation of ultra-processed products,” said Tamryn Frank, Ph.D., researcher, and dietitian at the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa and the study’s first author. “Consuming these ultra-processed products is associated with numerous health risks, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and increased risk of early death. This puts a strain on our already burdened health care system.”
These circumstances create a delicate balance for South Africa to curb consumption of ultra-processed, unhealthy foods while ensuring low-income populations have enough to eat. Efforts include a Health Promotion Levy on sugary drinks, which prompted the beverage industry to cut sugar content and led to declines in purchases and consumption of taxed drinks.
Additionally, the National Department of Health released a draft front-of-package warning label regulation, developed using scientific evidence from focus groups and randomized controlled trials, to clearly inform consumers about products high in sugar, saturated fat, salt, or containing non-sugar sweeteners.
Detroit Lions’ GM Looks To Redefine NFL Front Offices: ‘We Need More Black Presidents’
Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes is working to make NFL front offices more diverse and reflective of their players and communities.
Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes is leveraging his success to diversify NFL front offices and better reflect players and the communities they represent.
Since being hired as the Lions GM in 2021, Holmes has become the third Black GM in NFL history, following Ozzie Newsome and Jerry Reese, both of whom have supported him along the way. Now, with six Black GMs in the league, including Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Ryan Poles, Andrew Berry, Chris Grier, and Terry Fontenot, Holmes has launched initiatives and recruitment efforts aimed at increasing Black representation in NFL front offices.
“It’s so many paths that you can take, and it doesn’t have to be just playing or coaching,” Holmes told ESPN. “… We need more Black [team] presidents. So, what can we do on our part to give others opportunities to become a [team] president?”
Holmes’ proven track record as a GM made him a standout hire following his success with the Los Angeles Rams. As the second Black GM in Lions history, Holmes, alongside coach Dan Campbell, orchestrated one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent NFL memory, leading Detroit to consecutive playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024, including an NFC Championship Game in 2023 and a franchise-record 15 wins last season, largely driven by players he drafted, signed, or acquired.
His success in Detroit follows his 18 seasons in the Rams’ front office, rising from a public relations intern in 2003 to director of college scouting. There, he played a key role in drafting Jared Goff, Aaron Donald, and Cooper Kupp, cornerstones of the Rams’ Super Bowl appearances in 2019 and 2022. Even in his first season with Detroit, Rams GM Les Snead credited Holmes for helping assemble the roster that won Super Bowl LVI.
When building his Lions front office, Holmes prioritized hiring Black executives he knew were ready for bigger roles. He selected former NFL player Ray Agnew as assistant GM after four years working with Holmes as the Rams’ director of pro scouting. Holmes also created the Scouting Advancement Department in 2021, appointing Mike Martin to lead the unit focused on enhanced college and pro scouting.
Martin has since moved on to become Notre Dame football’s general manager, reflecting Holmes’ commitment to developing Black leaders beyond the playing field and coaching ranks.
“I just try to make sure guys are in a position to succeed,” Holmes said, also citing the Fritz Pollard Alliance for helping him and other minority candidates land opportunities in coaching, front office, and scouting. “And look, they’ve gotta be qualified. Black, white, brown, purple … whatever color. They’ve gotta be qualified and good regardless.”
Current fellows Alexis Williams (Notre Dame) and Myles Gresham (Saginaw Valley State) are in their second year, gaining experience in marketing, stadium events, team operations, corporate partnerships, and community relations.
“Do all these rotations to give these experiences outside of just coaching and scouting so those were some of the things we wanted to do to make sure we were giving other kids a chance,” Holmes said.
As a Black GM leading a team in a predominantly Black city and league, Holmes recognizes that his influence goes beyond the front office. Many Lions players view him as a role model who strengthens the connection between the team and management, building mutual respect throughout the organization.
“You look at an NFL roster and the majority of it is African American players,” Holmes said. “So, just to be able to relate, connect with them, talk with them … and I just think that it’s good to see for younger generations. So, just as I was looking to an Ozzie Newsome and a Jerry Reese and Rick Smith, hopefully I can be that same model for that younger generation.”
Terrell Williams, New England Patriots Defensive Coordinator, Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel indicated that Williams is currently in the process of undergoing treatment.
Terrell Williams, the 51-year-old defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to comments from Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel during a news conference on Sept. 26.
According to The Associated Press, Vrabel indicated that Williams is currently in the process of undergoing treatment and taking meetings with specialists to “figure out the best plan to be able to attack this and heal it and allow him to get back to better health.”
Vrabel added, “Our medical staff and the people in this town have been fantastic to help him and get him started with that process.”
Presently, linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has defensive play-calling duties in Williams’ absence, and the defensive coordinator will be around the team as much as he can. Williams called the plays in the Patriots’ season-opening loss, a game in which his defense only gave up 20 points, but an inconsistent offense cost them a win.
According to Boston.com, the announcement coincides with the NFL’s yearly Crucial Catch initiative, its collaboration with the American Cancer Society that promotes the prevention and early detection of cancer, which the ACS notes can impact anyone at any age.
“This week is Crucial Catch, and I unfortunately have to tell you that Terrell Williams was determined to have prostate cancer and is in the process of treatment, meeting with specialists, and figuring out the best plan of attack to heal it, fix it, and allow him to get back to better health,” Vrabel noted in his comments.
He continued, “You know how much Terrell means to me and the people around this football team. So, we want to send our regards and just publicly let everyone know that’s what he’s dealing with. I don’t know if he could get any better anywhere else. Our medical staff and the people in this town have been fantastic to get this started in that process.”
According to the head coach, Williams was one of his first hires when New England offered him the job. The two share a synergy dating back to Vrabel’s first head coaching stint with the Tennessee Titans, where Williams served as the defensive line coach.
“When you do this, you’ve got to have people that you trust implicitly, that are loyal,” Vrabel noted, characterizing his relationship with Williams. “He’s been that. When you get into [expletive] storms during the season, he’s got an ability to reach everybody. He always kept me in perspective; very few people do. He’s always willing to share his thoughts with me as I needed a guardrail.”
He concluded, “Our thoughts and prayers — and T (Williams) knows all this, we talk all the time — are with him and his family. We care about him.”
Prostate cancer disproportionately affects Black men. In 2020, per 100,000 men, only 95 white men were diagnosed with a new case of prostate cancer, while 154 Black men were diagnosed.
According to Dr. John Stewart, chief of surgery for Morehouse School of Medicine at Grady Health System, it is of vital importance that awareness of prostate cancer is raised to improve the outcomes of Black men in particular.
“We’ve got to make sure to get the word out about prostate cancer screenings,” Dr. Stewart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “As Black men, we aren’t exactly fond of interactions with the medical system. We see it in prostate cancer, we see it in colonoscopy screenings. We have to create a better agenda for men’s health in our community.”
Likewise, Dr. Wayne Harris, an associate professor in Emory School of Medicine’s department of hematology and medical oncology, noted that Black men should get screened earlier due to the more aggressive nature of prostate cancer in that population.
“In the African-American community, it [prostate cancer] is known to have an earlier onset and have a more aggressive profile for reasons that are not fully clear,” Harris said. “There’s this broad spectrum of contributing factors, but not one specific thing that says this is why there are disparities. The consensus is that there should be an individualized discussion with the patient’s physician.”
Stewart noted that the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King’s son Dexter King in January 2024 provided an opportunity to reaffirm to the Black community that prostate cancer does not care who you are or what your social status is.
“This is an opportunity to continue to educate our community and let people know that prostate cancer is not a respecter of social status. It’s not a respecter of position,” Stewart told the outlet. “It is a real issue that we have to address head on.”
Roberts, a former Olympian and Guyanese immigrant, became the first Black person to oversee the largest school district in Iowa when he was appointed the superintendent of Des Moines public schools in 2023.
On Sept. 26, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents detained former Olympian and Guyanese immigrant Dr. Ian Roberts, who in 2023 became the first Black person to oversee the largest school district in Iowa when he was appointed the superintendent of Des Moines public schools.
According to The Guardian, the Department of Homeland Security alleges that Roberts was arrested due to the existence of “a final order of removal and no work authorization.”
Per the statement given to the outlet, their justification for the arrest is as follows: “During a targeted enforcement operation on Sept. 26, 2025, officers approached Roberts in his vehicle after identifying himself, but he sped away. Officers later discovered his vehicle abandoned near a wooded area. State Patrol assisted in locating the subject and he was taken into ICE custody. Roberts has existing weapon possession charges from February 5, 2020. Roberts entered the United States in 1999 on a student visa and was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge in May of 2024.”
“We do not have all the facts. There is much we do not know,” she said during the press conference. “However, what we do know is Dr. Roberts has been an integral part of our school community since he joined two years ago.”
With no warning, ICE has detained Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts. No reason has yet been provided for the detainment.
Roberts is a native of Guyana and a former Olympic Athlete, and by all accounts is a well-regarded member of the Des Moines community.… pic.twitter.com/BlqWb8fXaY
According to Norris, Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will serve as interim superintendent until further notice, Smith formerly served as the interim superintendent before Roberts was appointed to his position in June 2023.
The school district, meanwhile, said in a statement to the outlet that it “has not been formally notified by ICE about this matter, nor have we been able to talk with Dr. Roberts since his detention.”
Per ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson, “This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats. How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.”
However, the only thing that the arrest of Roberts, a former mid-distance runner for his native Guyana during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, has garnered is protests and alarm from community groups and members that a trusted member of the community was arrested by ICE on what seem like dubious circumstances.
BREAKING: A large crowd of people protesting immigration enforcement has formed outside the Neil Smith Federal Building in downtown Des Moines. The protest was sparked by the detainment of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts earlier today. @weareiowa5newspic.twitter.com/IqV3HoEsuM
Once again, they’re NOT going after “dangerous criminals.” In this case it’s a liked and respected superintendant, who worked as a special ed teacher, competed in the Sidney Olympics, and has lived in and contributed to this country for at least three decades. https://t.co/7lJk0CXTao
According to a statement from The Directors Council, an umbrella group of several nonprofits focused on Des Moines’ Black community, posted to Facebook, Roberts is “a valued member of our board,” whose detention currently lacks context and clarification.
The organization continued, “Dr. Roberts has been a trusted partner, a dedicated advocate for equity, and an unwavering supporter of families and youth in Polk County. His contributions to both The Directors Council and the wider community are immeasurable, and we stand with him during this uncertain moment.”
Alison Hoeman, founder of a local nonprofit, Des Moines Refugees Support, indicated to the outlet that her phone has been blown up with calls and texts offering support for Roberts, and she has indicated that she is aware that students have been asking about Roberts with concern, ““‘Nothing’s going to happen to Dr. Roberts, right?’”
She continued, “You know it’s the Black and Brown kids who are worried. If it’s Ian Roberts who’s in trouble, what does that mean for them?”
Mazie Stilwell, executive director of the liberal group Progress Iowa, indicated that “answers and appropriate action,” are needed from Iowa’s elected officials in the face of deep uncertainty over Roberts’ arrest.
Stilwell, the parent of a student enrolled in DPMS, continued, “No Iowan is safe. We’re living under a fascist regime because Nunn, Miller-Meeks, Hinson and every single Iowa Member of Congress has been in lockstep with the MAGA administration that is terrorizing our communities. President Trump is willing to use political power against anyone who disagrees with him.”
To Stilwell’s point, the Republicans in Iowa, including U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, whose district includes the DMPS, have been publicly supportive of the arrest of Roberts, while Democrats, like Iowa Rep. Larry McBurney (D-Des Moines) indicated on social media that he was “furious” about the arrest of Roberts.
“This is not only unacceptable, it is an outright disgrace,” he said in a statement. “Our schools should never be treated as political battlegrounds for federal overreach.”
Rep. McBurney continued, “I hold President Trump and Iowa’s delegation — Congressman Zach Nunn, Senator Chuck Grassley, and Senator Joni Ernst — directly responsible for this action. Their silence or complicity will not go unnoticed. If they have any shred of leadership, they must intervene immediately.”
Another Trump Revenge Play? DOJ Subpoenas Fani Willis’ Travel History
The request reportedly targets her trips in the fall of 2024.
The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a subpoena seeking the travel history of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The request reportedly targets her trips in the fall of 2024. The time frame coincides with the period surrounding the 2024 presidential election. Willis was removed from the Georgia election interference case due to concerns related to her personal relationship with her former special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, The Hill reports.
The probe is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia under Theodore S. Hertzberg. It remains uncertain how far the inquiry will reach, or whether Willis herself is directly under scrutiny. But in 2023, Trump and 18 others were indicted over an alleged plot to overturn his narrow 2020 election defeat in Georgia to Joe Biden. The indictment was brought under Willis, who was the Fulton County District Attorney at the time. She led the investigation into the alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. She was removed from that case due to a personal relationship with Wade.
The subpoena raises new questions: Is Willis a focus of the DOJ probe, or is she caught in a broader inquiry? Willis’s subpoena can be viewed as part of a larger agenda to target the current president’s political opponents. Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Sept. 25 in the Eastern District of Virginia. He faces two federal counts, one for making false statements and another for obstruction. The charges are tied to his Senate testimony in 2020.
Multiple government officials are speaking out in support of Comey and against the Trump administration, calling the indictments politically motivated. House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries denounced the actions with a harsh critique.
“The malicious prosecution against James Comey has no apparent basis in law or fact, and lawyers of good conscience in the department know it,” Jeffries said.
Democratic Sen. Peter Welch called Comey’s indictment a “new low.”
“President Trump and his Justice Department’s indictment of James Comey is a new low for our democracy. The reason for the indictment is clear: Comey is Trump’s political adversary,” Welch wrote on X.
Comey responded with a video message, declaring, “I am innocent … we will not live on our knees.”
The timing of his prosecution adds to growing concerns that legal tools are being utilized to target powerful figures. Inquiries into Willis’s travel may lead nowhere, but if the political climate is one of vengeance, she may be in for a battle.
