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GOP HQ Firebombed, Elderly Tesla Driver Beaten, Kid Rock Trump & Scalpers, Hamas Kills Protestor, Putin Cozy with Taliban

• Ranting Politics • Season 1 • Episode 142

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 • GOP headquarters in New Mexico torched in deliberate arson attack with politically charged graffiti found at scene
• Tesla owners targeted nationwide in concerning trend of political violence, including a 61-year-old woman assaulted in Arizona
• Trump signs executive order tackling concert ticket price gouging with Kid Rock as witness to the signing
• Hamas tortures and kills 22-year-old Palestinian man for participating in anti-Hamas protests amid growing opposition
• Russia moves to remove Taliban from terrorist list after Putin calls extremist group a "trusted ally" 

 The political landscape grows increasingly volatile with each passing day, as demonstrated by a series of alarming developments across America and around the world.

A disturbing arson attack at New Mexico's Republican Party headquarters has federal investigators scrambling after finding incendiary materials and politically charged graffiti at the scene. The attack coincides with a troubling nationwide pattern targeting Tesla owners – including a 61-year-old Arizona woman who was boxed in on a highway and physically assaulted while driving her electric vehicle. These incidents highlight the dangerous spillover of political animosity into everyday life, raising serious concerns about the normalization of politically motivated violence against ordinary citizens. 

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https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-gop-headquarters-fire-vandalism-adb210db3820610521ed0a927f436b8c https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14552643/elderly-woman-arizona-boxed-beaten-drives-Tesla.html https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-sign-executive-order-protect-americans-from-exploitive-ticket-scalping-entertainment-industry https://nypost.com/2025/03/31/world-news/anti-hamas-protester-tortured-to-death-in-gaza-as-warning-to-others/ https://nypost.com/2025/03/31/world-news/moscow-moves-to-pull-taliban-off-terrorist-list-after-putin-calls-extremist-group-a-trusted-ally/ 

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Speaker 1:

Hello America, joc, here with your ranting politics headline updates, where we are diving into today's most explosive political stories that you need to know about Coming up. We're diving into some wild headlines today In New Mexico, the GOP headquarters was torched in what's being investigated as arson, with some politically charged graffiti left at the scene. Meanwhile, in Arizona, a 61-year-old woman claims she was targeted and beaten simply for driving a Tesla part of a disturbing trend we're seeing nationwide. On the political front, president Trump just signed an executive order taking aim at those ridiculous ticket prices you've been complaining about, with none other than Kid Rock standing by his side for the signing. Internationally, we've got some grim news out of Gaza, where Hamas reportedly tortured an anti-Hamas protester to death and left his body on his family's doorstep as a warning to others. And, in a stunning diplomatic shift, russia is now moving to take the Taliban off their terrorist list, after Putin called the extremist group a trusted ally. It's a crazy world out there and we're making sense of it all. No partisan spin, just straight talk. This is ranting politics headline updates, where common sense isn't so common anymore.

Speaker 1:

Let's talk about this arson attack in Albuquerque that has officials from the FBI to the ATF scrambling. The New Mexico Republican Party headquarters was torched Sunday morning in what fire officials are now confirming was deliberate arson. The building was vacant when the fire started, but the damage is extensive enough to make the GOP offices completely uninhabitable. According to Lt Jason Feiger, with Albuquerque Fire Rescue, investigators found incendiary materials at the scene, along with spray-painted graffiti reading ICE, kkk on the side of the building. Federal officials have now taken over the investigation, with the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, tobacco, firearms and Explosives joining local authorities. The timing here is interesting. This comes after a series of attacks targeting Tesla dealerships across the country, seemingly aimed at Elon Musk, who's heading up Trump's efforts to slash the federal workforce, and let's not forget Trump's push to ramp up deportations through ICE. Republican leaders wasted no time framing this as part of what they're calling an ongoing crime crisis in New Mexico. They're using the incident to pressure Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to call a special legislative session. State Senate Minority Leader Bill Scherer stood in front of the charred entrance, which was covered with plywood, with burned doors propped against it, and urged the governor to come to the table with meaningful solutions. To their credit, democrats, including Governor Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, immediately condemned the attack. The governor posted on social media saying there is no excuse for political violence or vandalism of any kind and strongly denounced the attack. The GOP says they have surveillance footage from inside the building that captured images of the fire, but they're keeping quiet on the details. At the request of law enforcement, no suspects have been named so far. This story comes to us from the Associated Press with reporting from Albuquerque and Billings, montana In Flagstaff, arizona.

Speaker 1:

A 61-year-old woman who goes by Susan claims she was targeted and physically assaulted simply because she drives a Tesla. The incident reported by Arizona's family occurred on March 18th while Susan was driving along Route 66. Shocking footage shows a green car pulling alongside Susan's Tesla before swerving in front of her, effectively boxing her in on the busy highway. The driver then approached Susan's vehicle and allegedly began punching her with a closed fist while she was still behind the wheel. I started to say you cut me off, what's your problem? But I didn't know how much he heard me. Susan recounted the attack only ended when the passenger of the green car pulled the attacker away and they drove off. Susan said she bit the man's hand during the assault to defend herself. Flagstaff police confirmed the driver of the green car was sighted and scheduled to appear in court, while the exact catalyst for the confrontation remains unclear, susan believes she was targeted specifically because of her Tesla and its association with Elon Musk.

Speaker 1:

I'm just appalled. I didn't buy my car for a political statement. I bought my car because it's really fun to drive. Susan explained my politics have nothing to do with that. I'm ashamed of our society and what they are doing.

Speaker 1:

This isn't an isolated incident. We're seeing a disturbing trend of attacks on Tesla owners and property across the country, coinciding with Musk's increased political profile and his role in the Trump administration overseeing government efficiency. In Wichita, kansas, a wheelchair-bound woman named Abigail Gill reported up to $10,000 in damage to her new Tesla after a vandal, bizarrely dressed in Lilo and Stitch pajama pants, keyed both sides of her vehicle while she dined at Olive Garden with her family. Damaging a personal vehicle does not affect Elon Musk, jill pointed out to local media. It's not damaging who you're thinking it is. Security footage showed the vandal initially walking past her car without incident, but returning 45 minutes later to deliberately scratch the paint on both the driver's and passenger's sides before leaving with a bag of leftovers. Experts on domestic extremism say it's too early to know if these incidents represent a short-term spike or the beginning of a longer pattern, but the targeting of everyday citizens because of the car they drive represents a troubling escalation in our increasingly polarized society. Reporting from the Daily Mail shows these attacks have spiked noticeably since President Trump took office and empowered Musk to lead government efficiency efforts. The question now is whether law enforcement can get ahead of this trend before someone gets seriously hurt.

Speaker 1:

President Trump took aim at the concert ticket industry Monday, signing an executive order designed to crack down on what he called exploitive ticket scalping that has frustrated music fans for years. The signing ceremony in the Oval Office featured an unexpected guest, kid Rock, who joined the president to witness the order being finalized. According to Fox News Digital, the executive order directs the Federal Trade Commission to collaborate with the attorney general to ensure competition laws are properly enforced throughout the concert and entertainment industry, specifically targets the enforcement of the Better Online Ticket Sales Act, commonly known as the BOTS Act, which prohibits the use of automated software to bypass security measures on ticketing websites. The order addresses several key issues plaguing concertgoers, including mandating price transparency at every stage of the ticket purchasing process, including the often murky secondary ticket market. It also authorizes the evaluation of unfair, deceptive and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market, with the possibility of enforcement actions to follow. In a noteworthy provision, the President has directed both the Attorney General and Treasury Secretary to ensure ticket scalpers are operating in full compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and other applicable laws, potentially closing tax loopholes that have allowed scalpers to operate with limited oversight.

Speaker 1:

Kid Rock, speaking at the signing ceremony, highlighted the universal frustration of modern ticket buying. Anyone who's bought a concert ticket in the last decade maybe 20 years, no matter what your politics are knows it is a conundrum. If you buy a ticket for 100 bucks, by the time you check it out it's $170. You don't know what you can charge for it. But, more importantly, these bots come in to get all the good tickets to your favorite shows and then they're relisted immediately for sometimes a four or 500 percent markup. The musician emphasized that artists don't see any of that money from the inflated resale prices. The White House noted that America's live, concert and entertainment industry has a nationwide economic impact of $132 billion and supports over 913,000 jobs, but has become blighted by unscrupulous middlemen. Reports cited by officials claim fans have sometimes paid as much as 70 times the face value for tickets. Live Nation, the entertainment giant that owns Ticketmaster, surprisingly came out in support of the order, with CEO Michael Rapinoe thanking President Trump and Kid Rock for taking ticket scalping head-on. Within 180 days, the Treasury Department, doj and FTC are required to deliver a comprehensive report summarizing actions taken and recommending additional regulations or legislation needed to protect consumers from predatory ticketing practices.

Speaker 1:

In a disturbing development from Gaza, hamas militants have reportedly tortured and killed a young Palestinian man for participating in anti-Hamas protests, leaving his body on his family's doorstep as a warning to others who might oppose their rule. 22-year-old Uday al-Rabai was allegedly kidnapped and beaten for four hours before dying at the hands of Hamas fighters. According to Mazen Shat, a police officer affiliated with the opposition Fatah party, uday was martyred by the criminals of Hamas. And what's his crime? He told the truth because he refused to be silent on injustice, because he did not kneel to Hamas. Images reportedly showing Uday's body revealed severe bruising and bloody injuries from the attack. In a particularly chilling detail, shett described how Hamas fighters dragged his body to the door of his house and told his family that this is the punishment for those who complain about Hamas. The killing comes amid unprecedented anti-Hamas protests in Gaza, the first major demonstrations against the group since they seized control of the territory from Fatah in 2007. At Uday's funeral on Saturday, attendees reportedly chanted anti-Hamas slogans, showing that even the brutal killing has not completely silenced opposition.

Speaker 1:

Support for Hamas has plummeted in recent months, according to polling from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. The ongoing war with Israel has resulted in devastating casualties and destruction throughout Gaza, with unverified Hamas figures claiming more than 50,000 Palestinian deaths. Protesters have been increasingly vocal about their desire for an end to the conflict. What is happening in the Gaza Strip is a catastrophe. One protester reportedly stated the citizens here demand that Hamas release the Israeli prisoners so that they can stay alive. Others have been even more direct, with some chanting the people do not want the rule of Hamas. The rule of Hamas is over. Despite the clear risks of speaking out, as tragically demonstrated by Uday's torture and killing, protests have continued across Gaza. The deteriorating situation highlights the desperate circumstances faced by ordinary Palestinians caught between Hamas's brutal governance and the ongoing Israeli military campaign. This story comes to us from reporting by the New York Post, which cited multiple sources, including the Telegraph, and videos shared on social media platforms documenting the growing protests against Hamas rule.

Speaker 1:

In a move that has raised eyebrows across the international community, russia's highest prosecutor has formally requested that the Taliban be removed from the nation's list of terrorist organizations. This stunning development comes just months after Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the Afghan extremist group as a trusted ally. The Russian prosecutor general's office submitted this request to the Supreme Court on Monday, asking to suspend the ban on the activities of the Taliban movement. If approved at a closed-door hearing scheduled for April 17th, russians would no longer face criminal penalties for contact with the group a significant shift in official policy. This dramatic reversal reflects Russia's evolving relationship with the Taliban, a group that originally formed in the aftermath of the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989. Russia first designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization back in 2003, but their stance has softened considerably in recent years as Moscow finds itself increasingly isolated from Western nations due to its ongoing war in Ukraine. Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan following the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021, putin's government has been actively cultivating diplomatic ties with the group. Russia has hosted numerous Taliban delegations, with Putin suggesting last summer that the group could be a valuable partner in combating ISIS. This diplomatic warming accelerated in December, when Putin signed legislation allowing for suspensions of terrorist designations. Just last week, russia's foreign and justice ministries jointly appealed to the president, requesting the Taliban's removal from the terrorist list. Russia isn't alone in this policy shift. Other Central Asian nations, including Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, have recently removed the Taliban from their terrorism lists, suggesting a regional recalibration in approach to the Afghan government. However, the United States continues to designate the Taliban as a terrorist group and the organization remains subject to United Nations sanctions. This potential policy change represents a remarkable turnaround in Russia's position toward a group formed in opposition to Soviet influence in Afghanistan. Critics argue it reflects Moscow's increasing desperation for international partners, as its isolation from Western democracies deepens amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's our news roundup for today, and what a day it's been. We covered the disturbing arson attack at New Mexico's GOP headquarters, where investigators found incendiary materials and graffiti linking ICE to the KKK. We also reported on the troubling trend of Tesla drivers being targeted, including a 61-year-old woman boxed in and assaulted on an Arizona highway. Then we examined President Trump's executive order to crack down on ticket scalping and bots in the entertainment industry, with Kid Rock joining the signing ceremony to highlight how fans and artists are being exploited by middlemen.

Speaker 1:

In international news, we shared the tragic story of Uday al-Rabai, tortured to death by Hamas after participating in anti-Hamas protests in Gaza, revealing growing opposition to the group within the territory. And finally, we covered Russia's move to remove the Taliban from its terrorist list, marking a dramatic shift as Putin seeks new allies amid international isolation. Remember, we at Ranting Politics cut through the noise to deliver unfiltered updates without the partisan spin. Follow us on X at Ranting RP, and find us on YouTube, spotify, iheartradio, apple Podcasts and on the web at rantingpoliticscom. This is JOC signing off and thank you, our loyal listeners, for choosing Ranting Politics headline updates. We'll be back soon with the updates you need to navigate these interesting times. Until then, stay tuned, stay informed and, as always, stay free.