Welcome to the RedState Weekly Briefing — where we take a quick look at the week’s most viewed stories in case you missed any of them. What do you suppose caught people's attention in this latest whirlwind week? Grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger if you're so inclined), and sit down with this 21st Century Weekend Edition of your favorite (online) publication.
#1 - Pass the Popcorn: Kash Patel Has Intriguing News About Comey Case and Those 'Burn Bags' — by Nick Arama
"So we're not done," Patel pointedly noted. "I would say stay tuned for right after Thanksgiving, and you'll see multiple responses, in my opinion." Hmm, that sounds good, pass the popcorn. That certainly sounds like he has more than just the one case as an option. He does seem confident about what he has.
That wasn't all. Patel had more juicy news for us about those "burn bags." We reported at the end of July on the stunning news that they found a room at the FBI with the bags, which had Russia probe documents in them. That raised a lot of questions as to what might be in those documents. Patel said all of that information is going to come out, so that we will be able to see it.
#2 - That Narrative About Hegseth and the Strike on the Drug Boats Just Imploded Even More — by Nick Arama
Now that's vastly different from the picture that Democrats were trying to push of Hegseth ordering the killing of shipwrecked people stranded in the water.
The NY Times also cites officials pointing out another problem with the narrative.
The two officials questioned whether the surviving people were Admiral Bradley’s intended target in the second strike, as opposed to the purported drugs and the disabled vessel. They argued that the purported cargo remained a threat and a lawful military target because another cartel-associated boat might have come to retrieve it.
Translation? Disabled doesn't equal done and no longer a threat. We've been treated to yet another "48-hour rule" story. It's rolled out with great fanfare and outrage. Then, as more facts come out, you see it isn't what the Democrats were claiming it to be. But this rather conveniently helped to feed the Democrat "illegal orders" narrative.
#3 - Story of Attack on NYU Female Student Just Got So Much Worse — by Katie Jerkovich
The NYPD later reported that 45-year-old homeless man James Rizzo was suspected of the crime and had been arrested. He was charged with assault, persistent sexual abuse, and forcible touching in connection with the incident.
And it turns out this is not the first time. The New York Post reported that Rizzo has a lengthy criminal past, with 16 total prior arrests.
The report read:
Rizzo has 16 prior busts, including for sexual abuse and forcible touching, and even a 1997 murder rap. He was released from state prison in September after being sentenced to two years behind bars on a persistent sexual abuse conviction, online correction records show.
He was released on parole in September and was still on parole when the suspected attack occurred. Other arrests include him being charged with burglary on four separate occasions, ABC 7NY reported.
#4 - White House Roasts Jill Biden’s Clown Show Christmas After Melania Classes Up the Decorations — by Rusty Weiss
Who could forget this travesty? A travesty described by Mrs. Biden as a "bit of magic, wonder, and joy." Yeah, so long as you can overlook the accompanying mightmare fuel.
Ah, who doesn't miss the days when the White House was turned into a high school play production, complete with furry masks and a guy with a giant purple flower on his head?
A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite.
— Jill Biden Archived (@FLOTUS46Archive) December 13, 2023
Enjoy! 💕 pic.twitter.com/qXtCm4t37oWhat in the bejeezus was that, exactly?
The Economic Times described Dr. Jill's decorations as including a "maypole that resembled a circus tent" and "window drapes ... replaced with multicoloured ribbon, creating the illusion of a fun house entrance."
No matter, Melania, as she often does, is classing up the place once again. Her theme, "Home Is Where The Heart Is," shows the character of the White House that has been missing for years.
#5 - Musk Gives Epic One-Word Response to Insane EU X Speech Fine, Gets Backing From Rubio — by Katie Jerkovich
Musk's simple response couldn't have been more American. Under the EU post, he simply wrote, "Bulls—."
Bullshit
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2025In a follow-up post sometime later, Musk included what a threat to democracy this fine was.
Freedom of speech is the bedrock democracy.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2025
The only way to know what you are voting for."Freedom of speech is the bedrock [of] democracy. The only way to know what you are voting for," Musk said.
If you enjoy the Weekly Briefing, be sure to check out "RedState Radio," our weekly podcast. It features a rundown of our top stories of the week, along with chats with a couple of our contributors about what they've been covering. This week, we visit with Becky Noble and streiff. If you like RedState, we think you'll like this added feature. You can always find it and our other featured podcasts by clicking on the Podcast tab at the top of the page. Liking, subscribing, and following are much appreciated
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member