UPDATED: Mitch McConnell insinuates FreedomWorks & Senate Conservatives Fund supporters are traitors in closed door meeting

UPDATE: TheBlaze reached out to Sen. McConnell's office for a comment on this story. A spokesperson responded: “The anonymous claim is false. He neither said nor insinuated that.”

Original Story Below:

On last night's Glenn Beck Program, Glenn teased that he would be releasing the name of a GOP senator who, in a recent closed door meeting of the Senate Republicans, proved himself to be a wolf in sheep's clothing when he insinuated supporters of FreedomWorks or the Senate Conservatives Fund (i.e. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), and other Tea Party members) are traitors. Glenn opened the radio show this morning by exposing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as the perpetrator.

“There was a meeting that happened last week where the GOP senators were called in. There were no aides. There were no staff members. This was just senators,” Glenn said. “Well, yesterday, as we're going through all of this, somebody in my office gets a phone call from a guy who is not on our usual list of friends. A guy who, if I gave you this name, you would say, ‘Well, he's not on our side.’ He's not like John McCain, but he's not necessarily somebody you think of as on your side. This guy is just disgusted by what happened and is one of those guys who was sitting in this meeting not saying anything but watching everybody and realizing… I think my friends are not friends of the republic, not friends of freedom of speech.”

Stu quickly questioned the credibility of the mole, for Glenn openly described the source as someone who would not typically be considered a friend of the conservative movement.

“I was concerned when you described this person to me that you may be being fed false information or potentially information that's not completely accurate,” Stu said. “But you don't need to go through the process of how you tried to verify this information, but I believe it was a process that holds some credibility.”

So what prompted the tongue lashing?

“[The source] said [Senators Mike Lee and Ted Cruz] were dressed down in a meeting and torn apart and humiliated. Let me give you the specific name and what was said now by one senator. And there were two that were the ringleaders, so far I only have the name of one. But I believe I will have the name of the other hopefully by the end of the day,” Glenn explained. “Here is what happened. As they are all standing in there, they are told in not so many words that they are on the wrong side, that these people have been here for a very long time and you new senators come in and you think you know it all. And if anyone is working with the Senate Conservatives Fund or Freedom Works, you're a traitor.”

"Was that the actual word used," Pat interjected.

“The actual word was not ‘traitor,’” Glenn clarified. “[The source] couldn't remember the actual word they said but that's what everybody heard. And that's what set this guy off because he was like, ‘Yeah, you put them in their place.’ And then when he heard the word - and he doesn't remember what it was - but he translated it as ‘traitor’ and he was like, ‘Whoa, that's a little strong.’”

“The one who wanted everybody to know that you're a traitor, his name is Senator Mitch McConnell. Mitch McConnell is coming out on television and being all pie‑eyed happy‑faced, but Mitch McConnell is a ruthless, ruthless authoritarian leader of the GOP," Glenn continued. "So what I want to bring you is a message today, the same message I brought you last week and that is it's time to defund the GOP. We've tried to play nice. We tried to coerce, we've tried to, in a nice way, we've tried to bring them along, we've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, we've tried to do all of those things. They have announced themselves as superior. They have announced themselves as knowing more than what the people know."

It is time to put these guys out of business. The politicians on the right and left who do not stand for the Constitution, who do not respect the Constitution, need to be put in there place. Instead of supporting candidates through the Republican National Committee, support FreedomWorks and the Senate Conservatives Fund, who are working directly with the candidates that share your values.

"These guys just did something that hasn't been done, I'll bet you this hasn't been done in my lifetime. They just called all the senators in and they threatened them. And they actually said, 'If you have a differing opinion than mine, if you believe in the Constitution of the United States, you're an enemy.' That's remarkable," Glenn said. "They're terrified of you. As I have said before, you're about to win. Let's put them out of business. Everybody says, 'What can I do? ' If you have any money and you're thinking about contributing to an election and you don't know who to give, make the commitment right now: Not a dime to the GOP."

"The first name of the senator that dressed them down is Mitch McConnell, a disgrace. Hopefully tomorrow I'll give you the name of the second senator," he continued. "Mitch McConnell. Isn't he running again? That should be interesting."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please note the headline of this article has been changed to reflect that Sen. Mitch McConnell did not atually use the word "traitor" when referring to supporters of FreedomWorks and the Senate Conservatives Fund. Glenn's source, however, described the tone of Sen. McConnell's remarks during the meeting in that way. 

Front page image courtesy of the AP

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

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Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

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Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

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When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.