Shawna Forde saw herself as a Robin Hood figure -- someone on a moral mission. As media director of the Washington state chapter of the Minuteman project -- the San Diego-based "citizens' Neighborhood Watch on our border" -- Forde was a spokesperson for the organization. Her dedication inspired other members of her family to join her on yearly trips to Arizona to "secure" the Southern border. In 2007, with Jim Gilchrist, her mentor and a Minuteman project founder, by her side, she told a crowd of about 100 people at the local Elks Lodge about her moment of political awakening.

(Flickr/Harry NL)

A Toyota dealership. Today, a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the results of a safety investigation on Toyota vehicles that suddenly accelerated. It found no electronic flaws.