Mike Hixenbaugh
@mikehixenbaugh.com
NBC News senior reporter | Author of THEY CAME FOR THE SCHOOLS | Co-creator of SOUTHLAKE & GRAPEVINE podcasts | Retired t-ball coach
www.mikehixenbaugh.com
www.mikehixenbaugh.com
Forensic analysis of objective video evidence. This is how you serve readers searching for clarity.
January 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Forensic analysis of objective video evidence. This is how you serve readers searching for clarity.
ICE officers approached vehicle in manner counter to training, DHS official tells NBC News
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
January 7, 2026 at 9:33 PM
ICE officers approached vehicle in manner counter to training, DHS official tells NBC News
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
5/
Receiving emails in prison can take hours, sometimes days. Messages are screened and scrutinized, creating delays that become agonizing in times of crisis.
Two days later, Williams received a message from Michele.
She’d send to just hours before her death.
Receiving emails in prison can take hours, sometimes days. Messages are screened and scrutinized, creating delays that become agonizing in times of crisis.
Two days later, Williams received a message from Michele.
She’d send to just hours before her death.
January 6, 2026 at 2:25 PM
5/
Receiving emails in prison can take hours, sometimes days. Messages are screened and scrutinized, creating delays that become agonizing in times of crisis.
Two days later, Williams received a message from Michele.
She’d send to just hours before her death.
Receiving emails in prison can take hours, sometimes days. Messages are screened and scrutinized, creating delays that become agonizing in times of crisis.
Two days later, Williams received a message from Michele.
She’d send to just hours before her death.
4/
That story came to a tragic end last month when Williams saw a news alert on his state-issued tablet. It said two people had been found dead at the Reiners home. Their ages matched Rob and Michele’s.
Williams typed out a desperate message: “Please tell me the news is lying.”
That story came to a tragic end last month when Williams saw a news alert on his state-issued tablet. It said two people had been found dead at the Reiners home. Their ages matched Rob and Michele’s.
Williams typed out a desperate message: “Please tell me the news is lying.”
January 6, 2026 at 2:25 PM
4/
That story came to a tragic end last month when Williams saw a news alert on his state-issued tablet. It said two people had been found dead at the Reiners home. Their ages matched Rob and Michele’s.
Williams typed out a desperate message: “Please tell me the news is lying.”
That story came to a tragic end last month when Williams saw a news alert on his state-issued tablet. It said two people had been found dead at the Reiners home. Their ages matched Rob and Michele’s.
Williams typed out a desperate message: “Please tell me the news is lying.”
2/ Reiner responded by reminding Williams — a man once sentenced to death for a murder he says he didn’t commit — of the lesson of his classic fairytale comedy, “The Princess Bride.”
“Your story is about true love,” Reiner told him. “If you don’t fight for love, Nanon, what would you fight for?”
“Your story is about true love,” Reiner told him. “If you don’t fight for love, Nanon, what would you fight for?”
January 6, 2026 at 2:25 PM
2/ Reiner responded by reminding Williams — a man once sentenced to death for a murder he says he didn’t commit — of the lesson of his classic fairytale comedy, “The Princess Bride.”
“Your story is about true love,” Reiner told him. “If you don’t fight for love, Nanon, what would you fight for?”
“Your story is about true love,” Reiner told him. “If you don’t fight for love, Nanon, what would you fight for?”
Andrew: There are no good women who will date me.
Also Andrew: Mama says women are too dumb to vote.
Also Andrew: Mama says women are too dumb to vote.
December 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Andrew: There are no good women who will date me.
Also Andrew: Mama says women are too dumb to vote.
Also Andrew: Mama says women are too dumb to vote.
The first comment on the Jim Bakker Show Facebook post:
“We all have a past.”
“We all have a past.”
December 19, 2025 at 1:56 AM
The first comment on the Jim Bakker Show Facebook post:
“We all have a past.”
“We all have a past.”
PTL, the Christian TV network founded by disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker, has released a statement distancing itself from pastor Joe Campbell, who preached on the network and at Bakker’s church for a decade.
Campbell was charged with child sex abuse this week following our investigation in May.
Campbell was charged with child sex abuse this week following our investigation in May.
December 19, 2025 at 1:53 AM
PTL, the Christian TV network founded by disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker, has released a statement distancing itself from pastor Joe Campbell, who preached on the network and at Bakker’s church for a decade.
Campbell was charged with child sex abuse this week following our investigation in May.
Campbell was charged with child sex abuse this week following our investigation in May.
New York Times subhead about the president and the man a judge called "the most infamous pedophile in American history":
"Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...
"Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...
December 18, 2025 at 4:32 PM
New York Times subhead about the president and the man a judge called "the most infamous pedophile in American history":
"Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...
"Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...
Wow, the horror. Completely shut out of an industry that … promoted him to senior reporter by 40
December 16, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Wow, the horror. Completely shut out of an industry that … promoted him to senior reporter by 40
This AI toy sunflower is Time’s person of the year
December 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM
This AI toy sunflower is Time’s person of the year
Throwback to that time when Dana Loesch — identified by Bari Weiss as an example of a charismatic, good-faith voice on the center right — called me “thirstier than a broke chick on OnlyFans.”
Still think we should have put it on the book jacket.
Still think we should have put it on the book jacket.
November 25, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Throwback to that time when Dana Loesch — identified by Bari Weiss as an example of a charismatic, good-faith voice on the center right — called me “thirstier than a broke chick on OnlyFans.”
Still think we should have put it on the book jacket.
Still think we should have put it on the book jacket.
The Browns are so bad it’s “historic” when a quarterback wins a game
November 24, 2025 at 12:36 AM
The Browns are so bad it’s “historic” when a quarterback wins a game
4/ Barrett shared voluntary child safety guidelines that churches could adopt.
Then the denomination's longtime chief legal counsel, Richard Hammar, rose to explain his thinking. The legal risks of mandating child-protection policies, he said from the stage, “outweighed the benefit.”
Watch:
Then the denomination's longtime chief legal counsel, Richard Hammar, rose to explain his thinking. The legal risks of mandating child-protection policies, he said from the stage, “outweighed the benefit.”
Watch:
November 2, 2025 at 11:50 PM
4/ Barrett shared voluntary child safety guidelines that churches could adopt.
Then the denomination's longtime chief legal counsel, Richard Hammar, rose to explain his thinking. The legal risks of mandating child-protection policies, he said from the stage, “outweighed the benefit.”
Watch:
Then the denomination's longtime chief legal counsel, Richard Hammar, rose to explain his thinking. The legal risks of mandating child-protection policies, he said from the stage, “outweighed the benefit.”
Watch:
3/ The Assemblies of God's General Council voted to study the resolution.
When it reconvened two years later, top leaders advised rejecting it.
General Secretary Donna Barrett said mandating child safety policies would have played “right into the hands of plaintiffs’ attorneys.”
Watch:
When it reconvened two years later, top leaders advised rejecting it.
General Secretary Donna Barrett said mandating child safety policies would have played “right into the hands of plaintiffs’ attorneys.”
Watch:
November 2, 2025 at 11:50 PM
3/ The Assemblies of God's General Council voted to study the resolution.
When it reconvened two years later, top leaders advised rejecting it.
General Secretary Donna Barrett said mandating child safety policies would have played “right into the hands of plaintiffs’ attorneys.”
Watch:
When it reconvened two years later, top leaders advised rejecting it.
General Secretary Donna Barrett said mandating child safety policies would have played “right into the hands of plaintiffs’ attorneys.”
Watch:
2/ But before the resolution could be voted on, the Assemblies of God's former general superintendent, George Wood, stood to share "grave legal concerns."
If the denomination adopted rules, he said, it could be held liable in lawsuits for failing to enforce them.
Listen to how Wood framed it:
If the denomination adopted rules, he said, it could be held liable in lawsuits for failing to enforce them.
Listen to how Wood framed it:
November 2, 2025 at 11:50 PM
2/ But before the resolution could be voted on, the Assemblies of God's former general superintendent, George Wood, stood to share "grave legal concerns."
If the denomination adopted rules, he said, it could be held liable in lawsuits for failing to enforce them.
Listen to how Wood framed it:
If the denomination adopted rules, he said, it could be held liable in lawsuits for failing to enforce them.
Listen to how Wood framed it:
🧵 1/ In 2019, the Assemblies of God considered a resolution to make it a punishable offense if any minister or affiliated church failed to adopt policies to prevent child sex abuse.
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
November 2, 2025 at 11:50 PM
🧵 1/ In 2019, the Assemblies of God considered a resolution to make it a punishable offense if any minister or affiliated church failed to adopt policies to prevent child sex abuse.
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
This family fled to Russia because they felt white, straight, conservative Christians were being persecuted in their hometown of … Humble, Texas
November 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM
This family fled to Russia because they felt white, straight, conservative Christians were being persecuted in their hometown of … Humble, Texas
The decision left survivors reeling. In interviews, they described being molested in a church van. Stalked in a church nursery. Raped with a statue of Jesus plucked from a mantle. Told to repent.
Now they are demanding change.
Now they are demanding change.
October 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The decision left survivors reeling. In interviews, they described being molested in a church van. Stalked in a church nursery. Raped with a statue of Jesus plucked from a mantle. Told to repent.
Now they are demanding change.
Now they are demanding change.
The Assemblies of God has long known of this danger.
A few years ago, it considered making child safety policies mandatory at all its churches—but then backed away after lawyers warned it could expose the denomination to lawsuits.
The legal risks, their top lawyer said, “outweighed the benefit.”
A few years ago, it considered making child safety policies mandatory at all its churches—but then backed away after lawyers warned it could expose the denomination to lawsuits.
The legal risks, their top lawyer said, “outweighed the benefit.”
October 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The Assemblies of God has long known of this danger.
A few years ago, it considered making child safety policies mandatory at all its churches—but then backed away after lawyers warned it could expose the denomination to lawsuits.
The legal risks, their top lawyer said, “outweighed the benefit.”
A few years ago, it considered making child safety policies mandatory at all its churches—but then backed away after lawyers warned it could expose the denomination to lawsuits.
The legal risks, their top lawyer said, “outweighed the benefit.”
In some cases, denomination officials oversaw the restoration and reinstatement of accused child abusers. In others, churches put convicted sex offenders in charge of youth groups.
In total, these men were accused of abusing more than 475 people, mostly children.
In total, these men were accused of abusing more than 475 people, mostly children.
October 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
In some cases, denomination officials oversaw the restoration and reinstatement of accused child abusers. In others, churches put convicted sex offenders in charge of youth groups.
In total, these men were accused of abusing more than 475 people, mostly children.
In total, these men were accused of abusing more than 475 people, mostly children.
Last year we got a tip about a children's pastor who'd managed to stay in ministry for decades even as allegations of sex abuse trailed him across four states.
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
October 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Last year we got a tip about a children's pastor who'd managed to stay in ministry for decades even as allegations of sex abuse trailed him across four states.
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
Seems like a big missed opportunity, given the eclectic collection of newsroom characters I’ve known over the years, that “The Paper” cast includes three accountants but just one newspaper reporter
September 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Seems like a big missed opportunity, given the eclectic collection of newsroom characters I’ve known over the years, that “The Paper” cast includes three accountants but just one newspaper reporter
No suckers this year. Jamie Raskin is giving kids copies of the Constitution at the Kensington Labor Day Parade.
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
September 1, 2025 at 3:26 PM
No suckers this year. Jamie Raskin is giving kids copies of the Constitution at the Kensington Labor Day Parade.
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
Captain Maryland and his crab mallet.
Happy Labor Day
Happy Labor Day
September 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Captain Maryland and his crab mallet.
Happy Labor Day
Happy Labor Day