NationalWatch

New York Attorney General Letitia James is facing scrutiny after opening up a legally required investigation into the police shooting of a woman who fatally stabbed Erin Piacenti, Bank of America executive and a new mother in her first week back to work from maternity leave, in Times Square.

James’ office announced on Wednesday that it will be investigating Pamela Cisneros’ death, who was wielding two large knives in each hand when officers confronted her following the fatal stabbing. She was ordered to drop the weapons but did not comply and was shot when she moved toward the officers.

Under state law, the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation is mandated to investigate all deaths that were caused by police officers. However, Attorney General Republican candidate Saritha Komatireddy is pushing that the Attorney General’s office take more concrete steps to ensure that another tragic killing or attack caused by a mentally unstable person doesn’t happen again. She argued that an investigation into police conduct fails to address the real problem at hand.

“The problem is that we have people who are known dangerous individuals, people with documented mental illness,” Komatireddy told Fox News Digital. “They’ve been in the courts before, or they’ve been to the hospitals before. The police know exactly who they are, but we have no ability to take care of them.”

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A campaign spokesperson for James accused Komatireddy of seeking to “score cheap political points off of a tragedy.”

“Saritha Komatireddy wants to be Attorney General but doesn’t understand the law,” a spokesperson said in an email to Fox News Digital. “Under New York’s Executive Law, the Office of the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation is required to investigate any incident where a police officer’s actions may have caused a death, including this one.”

However, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has a history of anti-police rhetoric, applauded the officers who stopped Cisneros.

“I want to thank the NYPD officers who stepped in and prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse,” Mamdani said at a news conference.

PARENTS IN BRONX NEIGHBORHOOD PLEAD FOR NYPD GUARD AS MAMDANI CUTS COPS, HALTS HIRES: ‘HORRIBLE SITUATION’

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch shared that while Cisneros, who lived in Queens, didn’t have an arrest record in the city, there were two times police responded to calls concerning her suffering a mental health crisis.

In March 2019, Cisneros attempted suicide by jumping onto the tracks of the E train and was removed and later hospitalized. In March 2018, police found her in Midtown, where she was screaming, acting belligerent and intoxicated.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Under the state’s Mental Hygiene Law, police and doctors can take a person to the hospital for a psychological hold if they are deemed to be a risk to themselves or others, or they can not meet their basic needs — but often times those with severe mental illnesses are released by the hospital back onto the streets hours after being brought in.

LETITIA JAMES FACES SCRUTINY AFTER NEW YORK CITY SPENDS $81,700 PER HOMELESS PERSON AMID SHELTER SCANDALS

“I was there in Times Square — just a couple of days after this fatal stabbing — and I was walking around and saw severely mentally ill people on the street,” Komatireddy told Fox News Digital. “It’s still happening every day, and we need someone who’s actually going to propose a real solution and way forward.”

TRUMP WANTS TO HELP 146,000 MENTALLY ILL WHO ARE HOMELESS. DEMOCRATS WANT TO STOP HIM

The New York State Office of Mental Health is tasked with overseeing the state’s mental health system, which includes 23 psychiatric centers and 6,500 programs overseen by local governments and nonprofits, but Komatireddy said, if elected, she’d create a new office known as the Office of Civil Commitment which would target and keep tabs on people who are at most risk.

“The Office of Civil Commitment that I’m going to launch will be staffed with both law enforcement personnel and also physicians, and you need both because, under state law, the law requires that physicians certify that someone has the mental state required for involuntary civil commitment,” Komatireddy told Fox News Digital. “So there’s nothing like that right now in New York State. There’s no office that has both law enforcement and physicians who can work together to get these people off the streets.”

Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky told Fox News Digital that his deputies are not trained to handle psychiatric crises — and that the county has nowhere to send people who need real care. Deputies are constantly pulled off patrol for mental-health calls, he said, then left to put those in crisis in hotels because there aren’t enough hospital beds available.

“Additionally, we really struggle when we have people in custody who we aren’t equipped to handle, and secure beds are even harder to find,” Kusminsky said. “It sometimes takes weeks or months to locate once and when we do, they are maybe on the other side of the state and at an exorbitant cost.”

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“Hotels and motels don’t have doctors, don’t have medicine, don’t have therapy,” Komatireddy said. “The state needs to step in.”

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a day after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as part of efforts to end the war between the two countries.

Zelenskyy said Sunday morning that he had met with his negotiating team ahead of the Americans’ arrival and that Kyiv was prepared for the discussions.

“Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “We are interested in bringing the end of the war closer. Peace is needed. Security guarantees are needed. A dignified character of the postwar peace is needed.”

“Our proposals are ready,” he added. “It is important to work in a coordinated, substantive, and realistic manner.”

CIA DIRECTOR JOHN RATCLIFFE MET WITH RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS IN VISIT TO MOSCOW, KREMLIN SAYS

Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin for more than three hours behind closed doors Saturday, though the talks ended without any announced breakthroughs.

Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the meeting as “constructive, frank and useful,” but did not disclose specific outcomes.

A White House official said following the meeting that the two sides discussed “substantive plans for next steps,” which are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The official added that the U.S. delegation looked forward to “equally productive meetings” in Ukraine.

The Kyiv meeting comes as Washington seeks to revive efforts to reach a settlement in a war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Those efforts had lost momentum over the past six months as U.S. attention shifted to the war with Iran.

PUTIN AND IRAN ‘NEED EACH OTHER DESPERATELY,’ EXPERT SAYS, AS RUSSIA VOICES SUPPORT FOR REGIME

Significant differences between Moscow and Kyiv remain, including over territory. Kyiv has rejected Russia’s demand that Ukraine withdraw from portions of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that remain under Ukrainian control.

Ushakov said Moscow provided the U.S. delegation with its “comprehensive assessment” of the battlefield during Saturday’s meeting, though the discussions extended beyond the war.

“Economic issues and potentially large, mutually beneficial joint projects for Russia and America were discussed in considerable detail,” Ushakov said.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he dispatched Witkoff and Kushner, his son-in-law and adviser, to determine whether progress toward a peace agreement could be made.

“We have an idea for peace. I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators,” Trump told reporters. “They’ve done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we’ll do it.”

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The diplomatic push comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange drone and missile attacks. Both sides reported strikes overnight into Sunday despite agreeing to pause attacks on each other’s capitals during the negotiations.

Fox News Digital’s Robert McGreevy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Democrats have made summer pilgrimages to Nantucket, tapping the wealthy Massachusetts island’s donor class as candidates and party leaders stockpile campaign cash ahead of November.

Nantucket and neighboring Martha’s Vineyard have long been magnets for political fundraising, and Democrats are again tapping the islands’ deep-pocketed donor networks as candidates and party leaders build their war chests ahead of November’s midterm elections.

As of June 30, the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had about $136 million in combined cash on hand, compared with roughly $277 million held by their Republican counterparts, according to federal filings.

This summer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and others have been spotted on the island for fundraising events. 

FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: AS DEMOCRATS TURN LEFT, BLACK VOTERS TAP THE BRAKES

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., reportedly went to Nantucket for an Aug. 29 fundraiser hosted by Democratic heavyweight Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, a Biden-appointed U.S. ambassador to Brazil who previously served as ambassador to Portugal under President Bill Clinton, according to the Boston Globe.

The Democratic fundraising circuit extends to neighboring Martha’s Vineyard, another exclusive Massachusetts vacation destination.

Former President Barack Obama visited Martha’s Vineyard on Aug. 31 for an event hosted by former Attorney General Eric Holder benefiting the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.

Wes Moore, a possible 2028 presidential contender, was on Martha’s Vineyard the weekend of Aug. 8 for a DNC fundraiser with DNC Chair Ken Martin.

“Where was Wes Moore last weekend? Not campaigning in Maryland or solving our problems in Annapolis, but speaking at a national Democrat event in Martha’s Vineyard. Wes Moore’s priority isn’t Maryland, and it will never be Maryland. His only focus is growing his national profile and running for President in 2028. Elect Dan Cox for a Governor who will put Maryland and the needs of Marylanders first,” wrote Maryland GOP at the time. 

Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek, a Democratic nominee for the open Senate seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, was spotted on Nantucket while the Iowa State Fair was still underway. Turek, had appeared at the fair earlier in the week, did not answer a reporter’s questions about his fundraising stop, according to videos on social media.

Democratic donors Frank Herron and Sandra Urie, who previously hosted then-first lady Jill Biden for a 2022 Democratic National Committee fundraiser at their Nantucket home, hosted Moulton for a Nantucket fundraising brunch on August 2, according to local paper Nantucket Current.

JON OSSOFF DODGES ON WHY HE INVOKED TRUMP AIDE’S NAME DURING GEORGIA CAMPAIGN RALLY

Michelle Obama was also on the island, on Aug. 23, but was there to promote her book, “The Look,” at two sold-out conversations at the Performing Arts Center in Oak Bluffs. The Obama’s have had a vacation house on the Vineyard since 2019. 

Nantucket has long been a destination for prominent Democrats as well as celebrities, millionaires and billionaires.

Former President Joe Biden and his family have traveled to the island for decades to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Former first lady Jill Biden was also spotted on the island in July to promote her new book, “View From the East Wing: A Memoir.”

DEM ATTORNEY BACKS GOP HOPEFUL IN MICHIGAN RACE AGAINST EL-SAYED, ‘JUMPING SHIP’ FROM HIS PARTY’S ‘LUNATICS’

Republicans have also tapped Nantucket’s deep-pocketed donor circuit. Back in 2022, when Vice President JD Vance was running for Senate, he appeared alongside Florida Senator Rick Scott and fellow Senate candidates Ted Budd, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker for another fundraising jaunt on the affluent island.

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The NDRC is focusing on key battlegrounds including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.

House Democrats are planning for a slew of investigations targeting President Donald Trump, his Cabinet, and his family if they win the midterm elections.

In just two months, voters across the country will decide which party controls Congress for the second half of President Donald Trump’s final term. Historical trends dictate that the party in power in the White House — in this case, Republicans — usually loses one or both chambers.

Democrats in the House of Representatives are already planning for that eventuality, key left-wing leaders told Fox News Digital.

SEN CHUCK SCHUMER UNVEILS ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENCY AIMED AT TRUMP AND FUTURE PRESIDENTS

“I’m going to start on the Department of Defense. Our service members are being put at tremendous risk. There is corruption, there’s incompetence, there is nepotism at the DoD,” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., told Fox News Digital.

“There are very disturbing reports about ties between defense money and appropriations programs, and requests by the White House to funnel defense spending to certain companies linked to the Trump family. So we’re going to take a hard look at all of that.”

2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGAN

Crow sits on the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, in addition to co-chairing the House Anti-Corruption Caucus. He was also notably one of the impeachment managers who helped lead one of two pushes by Democrats to keep Trump out of power.

Asked if impeachment could pop up again — whether for Trump or his appointees — Crow did not rule it out.

GOP LAWMAKER UNVEILS HISTORIC MOVE TO ‘EXPUNGE’ BOTH ‘MALICIOUSLY FALSE’ IMPEACHMENTS AGAINST TRUMP

“It’s one of several tools that Congress has to pursue accountability, to get information, and to attack corruption,” Crow said. “I won’t hesitate to use that tool if that’s the right one. But there are other tools available to us, too.”

Several impeachment resolutions have been introduced over the last two years targeting both Trump and his officials, but none have gained steam within the wider Democratic Caucus.

HOUSE DEMS UNVEIL BILL TO EXAMINE REMOVING TRUMP USING 25TH AMENDMENT

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has demurred on multiple occasions when asked about impeachment.

And it likely won’t be the first tool in Democrats’ arsenal that they’d wield if they win in November, two of their presumptive chairmen suggested. The most likely first approach will be tackling what Democrats see as corruption and mismanagement of federal agencies.

JEFFRIES’ REPORTED MEETING WITH KUSHNER ABOUT POSSIBLE TRUMP COOPERATION DRAWS LEFT-WING BACKLASH

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., who is poised to take over the House Oversight Committee if the chamber flips, told reporters he was already working closely with presumptive House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jamie Raskin, D-Md., on potential investigations.

Garcia told Fox News Digital there were “a few key investigations” he was already looking at.

MISSOURI HIGH COURT BLOCKS GOP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS; TRUMP BLASTS ‘RIDICULOUS’ RULING

“One is going to be the Trump family corruption. The second will be the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Third will be ICE and DHS and the corruption happening there,” Garcia said. “We’ll also go into anyone that’s ripping off the American public from a corporate perspective or CEO perspective. And then lastly, there’s a lot of interest in the committee on taking on what’s happening to the destruction of our vaccination process and [Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.].”

Raskin, meanwhile, has already previewed what his panel’s investigations would look like. He’s sent a flurry of requests for information targeting the business dealings of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as well as Donald Trump Jr. and FBI Director Kash Patel, among others.

TODD BLANCHE SAYS ‘NO CLOSED INVESTIGATIONS’ IN EPSTEIN CASE, VOWS DOJ WILL PURSUE NEW SUSPECTS

“The Trump family has turned the entire executive branch into a money-making enterprise, so there’s more than enough corruption and lawlessness to keep Democrats across the House busy for years. Judiciary Democrats are already following the evidence wherever it leads, from the Trump family’s astonishing self-dealing and conflicts of interest to the corporations and law firms that have colluded with this administration for profit, advantage and protection,” Raskin told Fox News Digital when asked about his plans.

“We will continue to work together across committees and use every investigative and legislative tool we have to uncover the facts, expose the wrongdoing and its costs for the public, hold the perpetrators and profiteers accountable, and pass legislative cures.”

Republicans have long feared that Democrats winning either the House or Senate will grind the GOP’s agenda to a halt in Washington.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., previously told Fox News Digital that he believed Democrats would try to impeach Trump “on Day 1” if they win.

Trump, meanwhile, has maintained his innocence amid an array of accusations from the left.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

An MS-13 gang member convicted in a savage execution-style murder is out of federal custody in California after a federal judge ordered his immediate release, igniting fury from the Trump administration.

U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta ordered the release of David Antonio Aviles Perez, 35, aka “the witch,” after finding that immigration officials held him for five months without giving him a bond hearing or determining whether he posed a danger to the public or a flight risk.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused the Biden-appointed judge of putting the public in danger by ordering Aviles Perez’s release.

DHS EVISCERATES MEDIA FOR ‘ABSOLUTE ABSURDITY’ OVER CONCERN ABOUT ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ACTIVIST JUDGES LIST

“This radical activist judge has put American lives at risk by releasing a wanted murderer,” Mullin said in a statement Saturday.

“This is now the SECOND time this dangerous illegal has been released back onto the streets in California,” he added. “Because sanctuary politicians want to play politics from the bench, innocent Americans are in danger.”

SANCTUARY LAWS COULD STOP POLICE FROM PROTECTING KIDS. SO WE’RE SUING CALIFORNIA

The case centers on a brutal 2014 gang killing in El Salvador and a legal fight over the Trump administration’s authority to detain immigrants while removal proceedings unfold.

Alvise Perez, identified by Salvadoran prosecutors as an active MS-13 member also known as “La Bruja,” or “The Witch,” was convicted while outside El Salvador in December 2025 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated murder.

ICE NABS ACCUSED MS-13 KILLER HIDING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA SUBURB

Prosecutors said Aviles Perez and another MS-13 member chased a man through a mountainous area in La Unión before fellow gang members forced the victim to stop and kneel.

The victim was held by the shoulders as Aviles Perez and his accomplice approached, prosecutors said.

The gang members then shot the man in the chest, back and face before fleeing. Both defendants were tried and convicted while outside the country.

Aviles Perez entered the U.S. at an unknown date and location, according to DHS.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH BRUTAL SLAYING ONE DAY AFTER CALIFORNIA JUDGE RELEASED HIM: DHS

He was arrested in Monterey, California, in 2023, after allegedly swinging a machete at a homeless man at Laguna Grande Park near Monterey State Beach. He allegedly hid the weapon before officers recovered it from a nearby Holiday Inn parking lot.

Aviles Perez was charged and convicted after the incident but later released from custody. DHS blamed California’s sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officials.

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ICE agents arrested him again in San Diego on March 26 and took him into custody pending his removal to El Salvador.

He was held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center pending removal to El Salvador until Ohta ordered his immediate release Aug. 26, federal court records show.

After nearly five months in immigration custody, Aviles Perez filed a petition challenging his detention and seeking his immediate release.

Ohta ruled that immigration officials violated his Fifth Amendment due process rights by holding him without an individualized assessment of whether he was dangerous or likely to flee.

“Although Petitioner appears to have previously been convicted following a fight with another individual in May 2023, the government has offered no evidence that it detained him after considering those facts and making an individualized determination of his danger to the public or flight risk,” Ohta wrote.

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The judge said federal officials gave Aviles Perez “no process before or after his detention” and had not shown that providing a hearing would place an undue burden on the government.

Ohta ordered his immediate release and barred ICE from detaining him again unless an immigration judge first holds a bond hearing and determines that renewed detention is warranted.

A status report was filed in the case Aug. 27, one day after the release order. DHS said Aviles Perez was subsequently released from federal custody.

The ruling did not clear Aviles Perez of wrongdoing or find that he posed no danger. It focused on whether immigration officials followed the required process to justify keeping him detained.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Ohta to the San Diego County Superior Court in December 2020, according to the governor’s office.

BIDEN JUDGE TORCHES TRUMP ICE CRACKDOWN AS ‘DEVOID OF RATIONAL EXPLANATION,’ NUKES COURTHOUSE ARREST POLICY

President Joe Biden nominated her to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in September 2021. The Senate confirmed her that December, and her judicial commission was issued later that month, according to the Federal Judicial Center.

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Mullin vowed that the ruling would not derail the administration’s immigration crackdown.

“DHS and ICE will not be deterred by these partisan games,” he said. “If California’s leaders won’t protect Americans, DHS will.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Ohta’s office for additional comment and confirmation surrounding Aviles Perez’s release.

The Kennedy Center shared photos on Saturday that showed a partial ceiling collapse that happened during a rainstorm in the main hallway of the over 50-year-old performing arts building.

Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, said the collapse underscored the need to close the building for renovations.

“Another example of the urgent need to close for renovation and revitalization, as our Chairman President [Donald] Trump has championed,” Daravi said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital, adding, “This structural failure stems from decades of neglect and deferred maintenance by the previous leadership, and there’s no justification for further delays in restoring America’s cultural center.”

VIDEO EXPOSES DISREPAIR LURKING BENEATH TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER AS $257M RENOVATION LOOMS

The center’s board, which is led by Trump, voted in August to close the building for two years.

This came after a judge ruled in May that Trump’s name must come off the building months after the board voted to name it: “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. “Therefore, based on the fact that the Radical Left Democrats care more about opposing your favorite President, ME, than saving a dying Performing Arts Center, almost all of which lose large amounts of money throughout the Country, we are going to be working with Congress to transfer this failing Institution back to them so they can make a determination as to what to do with it.”

TRUMP’S NAME TO BE REMOVED FROM KENNEDY CENTER AS APPEALS COURT DENIES BOARD’S REQUEST FOR ADMINISTRATIVE STAY

Last month, the board voted to rename the institution’s grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” and to put lettering on the building that says “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.”

The board remains in court fighting to move forward with the name changes, as well as the closure and $250 million in renovations.

Grace Terpstra, founder of the community group Keep the KC, which is fighting the closure, said she thinks the board will use the collapse “to make the point that the whole thing needs to be shut down, that it’s going to fall on everybody.”

KENNEDY CENTER DISPUTES ALLEGATIONS ON CONTRACTOR BIDS DESPITE DEMOCRAT SENATOR’S CLAIMS

She added, “I think they’ll try to make it into a bigger thing and show that they’ve found a lot of other things.”

A tarp and scaffolding has covered the front of the building since the bronze letters that made up Trump’s name were removed in June.

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Last week, the center did remove a piece of modern artwork called “Blue” that has been outside the building since 2019, saying in a statement, “we are honored to have been stewards” of the late sculptor Joel Shapiro’s work.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

MAGA, Inc., the super PAC linked to President Donald Trump, has made its first major midterm buy with $10 million in ad spending to support Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his Senate race, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission.

Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico are locked in a tight race in which polls continually show the two candidates neck and neck.

The $10 million will go toward digital and TV ads across the state.

FOX NEWS POLL: GOP DIVISIONS SHAPE TEXAS SENATE RACE

Trump’s endorsement earlier this year already helped Paxton beat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary.

“While James Talarico has a record of raising taxes on working families, my Protecting the Texas Promise Agenda cuts costs and makes life more affordable. Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump, for your support,” Paxton wrote on X on Saturday while sharing a post about the ad buy. “Together we will win for Texas and America.”

The decision comes after weeks of speculation over whether the super PAC would put money into the hotly contested race.

Talarico’s campaign also responded to the move, telling Fox News Digital, “Billionaire-backed dark money groups are lying about James Talarico because they’re scared of the people-powered movement we’re building to fix this broken, corrupt political system.”

BERNIE SANDERS DEMANDS DEMOCRATS BAN SUPER PACS FROM PRIMARIES, BLASTS AIPAC, ‘CORRUPT SYSTEM’

Talarico, who has called for higher taxes on the wealthy, called out billionaires heading to the Republican midterm convention starting Wednesday.

“Next week, billionaire mega-donors and their puppet politicians will gather at a convention in Dallas to clink champagne glasses and toast their own corruption,” he said. 

“They’re paying $20,000 for entry to a Billionaire Ball celebrating corrupt tariffs, billionaire tax breaks, and a new forever war that are all driving grocery costs through the roof. We’ll be doing something different. We’re bringing Republicans, Democrats and independents together to collect groceries for our neighbors who have been screwed over by corrupt politicians.”

Calling him “High Tax Talarico,” MAGA Inc. spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer told Fox News Digital the Democrat “wants to take money out of Texans’ pockets. MAGA Inc. is going to ensure Texas knows about Talarico’s radical policies and elects Ken Paxton to the U.S. Senate.”

TALARICO’S ‘PROUD CAPITALIST’ ABOUT-FACE COLLIDES WITH RESURFACED CALL TO ‘DISMANTLE’ CAPITALISM

Talarico’s campaign has raised $72 million since the campaign began, mostly from small donors, compared to $16.8 million by Paxton’s campaign, according to the Texas Tribune.

The two anti-Talarico ads slam his policies on taxes and rural hospitals while touting Paxton’s support for doubling the child tax credit, allowing tax breaks for medical expenses and a $50,000 deduction for first-time homebuyers.

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MAGA, Inc. has around $400 million in campaign funds, which Trump called “my money” while speaking to reporters this week, adding, “I’m going to spend whatever amount of money necessary to try and help us.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said Lindsay Clancy will still have to pay “the price” for the deaths of her three small children — Cora 5, Dawson 3, and Callan, 8 months — after a mistrial was ruled on Friday.

During a press gaggle in the Oval Office, a reporter asked Trump if he’d been following the murder trial of Clancy, a Massachusetts mom whose defense did not deny that she strangled her children with exercise bands in January 2023, but argued that she was not guilty by reason of insanity. Her attorneys claimed that she suffered from postpartum psychosis, a severe but rare psychiatric condition in which a person is disconnected from reality.

“It’s a horrible tragedy,” Trump shared with reporters. “It’s a horrible tragedy. I see what’s happened, and it looks like it’s a hung jury.”

“I assume there’s going to be another trial. It’s a terrible situation. Look, she did a horrible, horrible thing. Can’t be worse. But you’ll find out what the price to pay is. There’ll be a price. It’s going to be [a] mental institution or jail or something,” Trump continued.

LINDSAY CLANCY MISTRIAL DECLARED AFTER JURY DEADLOCKS IN KILLINGS OF HER THREE CHILDREN

The six-week trial, which was supposed to determine whether Clancy was to be held criminally responsible, quickly evolved into a flashpoint in the internet culture war over women’s postpartum mental health and spurred misinformation and conspiracy theories, including false claims accusing her husband, Patrick Clancy, of being responsible for the children’s deaths.

After nearly a week of deliberations, Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial when the jury deadlocked 11 to 1: 11 jurors voted to acquit Clancy, while one holdout refused to join them. The jury consisted of 9 women and 3 men.

PROSECUTOR IN INFAMOUS KILLER MOM CASE SAYS WOMEN ON LINDSAY CLANCY JURY MAY BRING ‘STRANGE TWIST’ TO VERDICT

Clancy’s defense attorney requested that the lone juror be removed because a note given to the judge by the jurors said the holdout had doubt but refused to apply it, according to People.

The mistrial invoked a strong reaction from Republican lawmakers, while Democratic lawmakers and leaders — including those from Clancy’s state — have remained mum on the high-profile case.

“Out of 12 people, only ONE had the courage to hold a serial killer accountable for her actions,” Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, posted on X. “That’s not just bravery. That’s a hero.”

“Holdout juror’s going to need security,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Ohio, posted on X. “Sad.”

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis called the mistrial a “miscarriage of justice.”

“The victims deserved far, far better than a kangaroo court,” DeSantis wrote.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has been incredibly vocal against Clancy’s supporters — who have been gathered outside the courthouse and posted videos showing support online — suggesting Clancy would not have this support if she were Black.

“This case is not about the excuses for why she committed murder,” Mace posted on X. “This is about justice for the three beautiful souls whose lives were taken after their mother strangled them with her bare hands and workout bands.”

PATRICK CLANCY SPEAKS OUT AFTER HUNG JURY IN LINDSAY CLANCY CASE, ADDRESSES PROSPECT OF ANOTHER TRIAL

“12 jurors looked at this onesie,” Mace continued. “Only ONE stood his ground to defend the children.”

But Clancy’s defense argued that she was a devoted and loving mother who was desperately seeking to get help, alleging that the cocktail of medications she was on worsened her mental state. Clancy had been prescribed 13 psychiatric medications — more than 30 prescriptions — in the four months leading up to the murders.

“Lindsay was struggling. We were all very concerned,” said Susan Clancy, Clancy’s mother-in-law. “She was very nurturing, very loving. She was a wonderful mother. Wonderful.”

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Clancy is due back in court Sept. 29 for a status hearing, trial assignment and a defense Rule 25 motion.

Election experts are warning the Supreme Court that affirming a lower court’s ruling could mean that noncitizens, minors, or factitious people listed on state voter rolls could be impossible to remove.

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in RNC v. Mi Familia Vote this December and will determine whether a pair of Arizona’s state laws which remove the registrations of noncitizen voters from voter rolls within 90 days of the election and require voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote are in violation of the National Voter Registration Act.

“Citizenship is a qualification for voting. If states are going to enforce that requirement, they have to be able to verify it,” Justin Riemer, president & CEO of Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “And when officials find noncitizens on the voter rolls, they should be able to act before an election, not after. We are confident the Supreme Court will agree and reverse the Ninth Circuit’s misguided ruling.”

In an amicus brief filed on Thursday, attorneys from Center for Election Confidence, Inc., Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections, Inc., and Honest Elections Project, argued that the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling that the Arizona laws are an act of “voter suppression” is “absurd” and raises serious threats to state rights.

CLINTON-APPOINTED JUDGE TRIGGERS APPEAL AFTER BLOCKING KEY VOTER CITIZENSHIP LAW

The brief argued that Congress may regulate the mechanics of federal elections, but states have the constitutional authority to set and enforce voter qualifications — a power they argued becomes meaningless if states cannot obtain documentation needed to verify citizenship or remove people who were never eligible to register.

“Since the power to establish voting requirements is of little value without the power to enforce those requirements, it would raise serious constitutional doubts if a federal statute precluded a State from obtaining the information necessary to enforce its voter qualifications,” the brief stated.

The amicus brief pushed back on the Ninth Circuit’s conclusion that Arizona cannot conduct a systematic program to remove noncitizens from voter rolls during the NVRA’s 90-day pre-election period. The federal law generally requires states to complete systematic voter-removal programs at least 90 days before a federal election, while allowing removals during that window for a voter’s request, death, criminal conviction or mental incapacity.

DEMOCRAT NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR SAYS THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS DISCOVERED ON VOTER ROLLS, PURGED

The groups argued that non-citizenship is not among those listed grounds because it concerns someone who was never eligible to register in the first place. They said the restriction is meant to protect eligible voters from erroneous last-minute removals — not to shield people who were never eligible to register.

“If the Ninth Circuit is right that the 90-day limitation on programs prohibits removal on these bases — because the statute has listed exceptions — States could never remove improperly registered individuals who fall within these categories, no matter when the removal happens or whether it is after a systematic inquiry,” the brief said.

“Not just that, but these States could never remove these noncitizens who were never eligible to vote,” the brief continued.

The brief pointed to reported registration errors in New Jersey, Illinois and Oregon as examples of why states need a mechanism to correct allegedly improper registrations. It argues that an unlawful ballot cannot be undone once cast and counted.

DHS APPROVES PLAN TO VERIFY VOTER CITIZENSHIP, MONITOR MAIL BALLOTS AS TRUMP PUSH INTENSIFIES

“American elections are for American citizens only. Period,” Lisa Dixon, executive director of the Center for Election Confidence, said in a statement. “We should all support Arizona ensuring non-citizens can’t register to vote and removing any non-citizens who end up on the voter lists.”

The amici also argued that the Ninth Circuit misread NVRA provisions governing what information is “necessary” for state election officials to assess a voter’s eligibility, and whether a state registration form is “equivalent” to the federal form.

The brief argued that the Ninth Circuit wrongly concluded a voter’s citizenship attestation on a registration form is sufficient proof of eligibility and improperly interpreted an “equivalent” state form to mean one that is virtually identical to the federal form.

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“Once again, far-left activists are using the courts to twist federal law into a straitjacket that prevents states from securing their elections,” Jason Snead, executive director of Honest Elections Project, said in a statement to Fox News. “The Honest Elections Project urges the Supreme Court to side with Arizona and preserve the tools states need to ensure that elections are decided only by American citizens.”

In just over a week, former staffers for John Fetterman, D-Pa., are planning to go public with inside details after expressing what they called disgust at his work as a legislator.

“We’re a group of former campaign & Senate staffers for John Fetterman who are disgusted with what he’s become. If you were troubled by yesterday’s Wall Street Journal story… trust us, that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” the group wrote in a post to X.

“It’s even worse than you thought.”

The new social media account, which is calling itself “Former Fetterman Staffers” (FFS) alleges it will reveal additional unflattering details of the embattled senator’s office as he also faces blowback over Wall Street Journal reporting chronicling his reluctance to engage in the basic duties of his office.

FETTERMAN FACES DEM REVOLT AS BOMBSHELL REPORT FUELS PUSH TO OUST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’

The FFS acronym notoriously also stands for “for f—s sake.”

“We’ve come together to share our stories (and screenshots) to show Pennsylvanians exactly who their Senator is,” the anonymous X account continued. “Set your calendar for September 14th — the day the Senate is back in session — for our first drop.”

Fetterman routinely blew off constituent meetings, neglected legislative review and declined to make in-state public appearances, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Thursday, drawing immediate backlash online.

“There is a lot I could say about this report of John Fetterman’s pathetic behavior as a senator,” Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., said on X. “But between the laziness, disrespect, and willingness to carry water for a foreign government, it shows us something we already know: this man has no sense of duty.”

“John Fetterman is a disgrace,” Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said in a post of his own. “Our state deserves better than a lazy trust fund baby who is too lazy to do the job.”

Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who is the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, also condemned Fetterman’s behavior.

“This report is horrifying, but not new to many of us in PA. John barely showed up as [Lieutenant Governor] and is constantly MIA as our senator,” Kenyatta wrote.

“When he’s not on FOX cheerleading Trump & endless wars, he is attacking the very neighbors who gave him a chance. 2028 can’t come soon enough,” he continued.

DNC VICE CHAIR ATTACKS DEMOCRATIC SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: ‘YOU’RE A MESS’

Conor Lamb, a former Pennsylvania congressman who ran against Fetterman in the 2022 primary for the party’s nomination, called on Fetterman to resign.

“John, if there is a decent bone left in your body, just quit. It’s an insult to decent people in our state for you to treat them and the office this way,” Lamb wrote, referring to an instance where Fetterman blew off a meeting with paralyzed military veterans.

As reactions continue to pour in, Former Fetterman Staffers, the new group on X, told viewers that they would set a deadline for some of its upcoming revelations.

“Set your calendar for September 14th — the day the Senate is back in session — for our first drop. (Let’s be honest, maybe the 15th: he’ll skip Monday’s votes),” the group said.

Despite raising questions and rage towards Fetterman, some observers condemned the staffers for what they called a lack of loyalty.

“So disloyal. He gave you jobs and opportunities and advanced your careers, and you publicly turn on him and set up an X account to attack him?” Marc Thiessen, a political pundit and former White House speechwriter for the Bush Administration, wrote on X.

“Honorable thing, if you disagree, is to resign quietly and work for someone else you prefer. You are pathetic,” he continued.

Mark Morgan, political director for the Republican Governors Association, echoed Thiessen’s thinking, blasting the group for its anonymity.

“Staff rule #1: it’s not about you Staff rule #2: Your boss had the courage to put their name on a ballot. If you’ve chosen to become a click-seeking bottom feeder, at least have the courage to put your own name on it,” Morgan said.

EMBATTLED REP TONY GONZALES ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RESIGN AMID SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS

“I’m disgusted by anonymous leakers, actually,” Harmeet Dhillon, Trump’s assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, also chimed in.

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Fetterman’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Dan Driscoll’s departure as Army secretary has brought new scrutiny to the Trump administration’s sweeping changes at the Pentagon, with Democrats and some Republicans warning that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s approach is creating instability among the military’s top leaders.

But the president replacing senior military leaders is nothing new. Presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Harry Truman have removed commanders when they lost confidence in their leadership, disagreed over strategy or wanted a different direction.

What stands out about the current moment is the pace of the turnover — and the debate over whether the administration’s changes are putting the military on a stronger footing or creating leadership gaps along the way.

COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE US ARMY IN EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN THEATER IS UNEXPECTEDLY STEPPING DOWN

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said Hegseth is “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks” while ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed of Rhode Island said, “Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished, and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.”

Under Trump’s second term, at least 20 military leaders have departed over a combination of clashes, including over Hegseth’s leadership, military strategy, as well as disagreements over DEI, according to a CBS report.

Parnell told Fox News Digital that the Pentagon is “unified behind” Hegseth’s vision.

“Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War and, at President Trump’s direction, has ushered in a new era of Peace Through Strength. Standards and merit are back, our arsenal is stronger than ever before, and morale and recruitment across every service are at all-time highs,” added Parnell. “Secretary Hegseth has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our warfighters every step of the way.”

Presidents dating back to Abraham Lincoln have removed senior military leaders when they believed a change in personnel was necessary — a longstanding feature of civilian control of the military, not a new invention of the current administration.

Then-President Barrack Obama accepted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resignation in 2014 after the president concluded that new Pentagon leadership was needed amid disagreements over the administration’s strategy against ISIS, Syria policy and the management of the Defense Department.

PENTAGON FIRES BACK AFTER MARK KELLY ACCUSES PETE HEGSETH OF TARGETING WOMEN AND BLACK MILITARY OFFICERS

Reports at the time indicated the departure was a forced resignation.

Following Hagel’s departure, Obama said the former Defense Secretary had “guided the department through this transition” and that it was “an appropriate time for him to complete his service.” He praised Hagel for helping modernize the military’s strategy and meet Obama’s concern for longterm threats such as China’s rise and Russian aggression.

Harry Truman removed five-star Army general and one of the most prominent U.S. commanders of World War II Douglas MacArthur.

The two men clashed over the Korean War with Truman wanting to avoid spreading conflict to China while MacArthur advocated for the opposite.

One early example came during the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln removed Gen. George McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac after growing frustrated with his cautious approach to fighting Gen. Robert E. Lee. Lincoln later removed Ambrose Burnside after the Union’s defeat at Fredericksburg and replaced him with Joseph Hooker.

RENEWED PATRIOTISM AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FUEL ARMY’S BIGGEST RECRUITING SURGE IN YEARS

Trump named Adam Telle as acting secretary of the Army Thursday, calling him “a Great Patriot, who is respected by all” and saying he would assume the role immediately after Driscoll’s resignation.

Telle previously was the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. 

Driscoll’s exit comes after reportedly butting heads with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over concerns with the administration about the Army’s transformation and readiness, including his belief that Hegseth had hindered those efforts.

Vice President Vance said Thursday Driscoll was a “very good friend” of his and was a “great secretary of the Army.”

Vance acknowledged that he agreed with Hegseth, that there is a need to “have a culture shift at the Department of War.”

US ARMY HITS 2026 RECRUITING GOALS FOUR MONTHS EARLY, PETE HEGSETH ANNOUNCES AT WEST POINT COMMENCEMENT

“Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army by providing outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement.

“The United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War,” she added.

Trumps entered his first administration with the message of peace through strength seeking to reinvent global perception of America while also modernizing the military such as creating the U.S. Space Force.

During his first term, Trump had two Senate-confirmed defense secretaries, including Jim Mattis, who resigned in 2018 after Trump announced plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, and Mark Esper, whom Trump fired in 2020 after disagreements that included the military’s role in responding to domestic unrest.

“Changes in civilian leadership at the military-service level aren’t unusual. During President Trump’s first administration alone, the Army had two Senate-confirmed secretaries, Mark Esper and Ryan McCarthy, while Robert Speer and McCarthy also served as acting secretaries during leadership transitions,” a senior Pentagon official told Fox News Digital.

“There’s a reason the law is structured this way,” the official added. “The Department of the Army operates under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Army is specifically responsible for ensuring Army policy is consistent with the President’s and Defense Secretary’s national-security policies and that their decisions and instructions are implemented effectively and on time.”

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Trump came back during his second term with an aggressive approach to rebuilding the American military, tightening fitness requirements, axing DEI policies, overhauling weapons acquisition, building up recruitment and refocusing the force on combat readiness and lethality.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway on Friday filed an emergency appeal urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the new congressional map backed by President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders to be used in November’s midterm election.

The appeal comes after Missouri’s high court blocked the redistricting map and ordered a statewide vote in November on whether to keep it.

Hanaway asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the state high court’s decision immediately.

“We have just appealed yesterday’s catastrophic ruling to the Supreme Court of the United States. We look forward to the Court’s prompt review of this critical matter, as our ability to hold timely and lawful congressional elections hangs in the balance,” Hanaway, a Republican, said in a statement.

MISSOURI HIGH COURT BLOCKS GOP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS; TRUMP BLASTS ‘RIDICULOUS’ RULING

State law sets a Tuesday deadline to make changes to the November ballot. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who hears appeals of cases from the region and can decide alone or refer to the full court, asked opponents of the new map to respond to the appeal by Monday.

The Missouri high court ruling on Thursday was among the latest rulings in a national redistricting battle backed by Trump. The GOP had aimed to use Missouri’s new congressional map to help win an additional seat and hold onto its slim House majority.

The state Supreme Court ruled that the referendum petition, filed in December after opponents submitted more than 300,000 signatures, prevented the new districts from taking effect unless approved by voters.

Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins waited until primary Election Day last month to reject the petition, arguing that Missouri’s constitution does not allow referendum petitions on congressional redistricting. A lower court sided with Hoskins, but the state Supreme Court overturned his decision.

“The referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise,” the court said in its ruling. The measure with the new districts “did not go into effect and will not go into effect unless and until approved by the voters.”

Missouri’s new districts were used in the primaries last month, but the state Supreme Court said they cannot be used again unless voters first uphold the new districts passed by the GOP-controlled legislature and signed by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe last September.

Now, the congressional map adopted after the 2020 census “remains in full force and effect for the November 2026 general election,” the court said.

Five of the seven current justices on the Missouri Supreme Court, including the chief justice, were appointed by Republican governors.

Hanaway said no other court has ordered congressional maps after a primary but before a general election.

“No court in American history has ever given such an extraordinary remedy, which inflicts unprecedented chaos on Missouri,” her office wrote in the appeal. “Looking forwards, the State is genuinely unsure whether it can switch its governing congressional map in time to run a timely federal election.”

DEMS DERIDED TRUMP’S MIDTERM GAMBLE — UNTIL HE ENDED UP WINNING BIG

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Congressional districts are typically redrawn at the start of each decade, based on new census data, but Trump’s mission to tip the scales in favor of Republicans in the midterm election sparked a mid-decade redistricting battle that spread to more than a dozen states across the nation.

Trump called Thursday’s ruling “ridiculous” and argued it was unconstitutional, saying there will not be enough time to change the map before November’s elections. Missouri’s governor said he is “extremely disappointed” in the decision “by unelected judges and their lack of respect for the legislative process.”

The new Missouri map targeted longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-area district by shifting it eastward to include rural right-leaning voters. The map was intended to make Cleaver’s district more favorable to Republicans, who hoped it would produce a 7-1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.

“More than 305,000 Missourians demanded a say in who will represent them in the halls of Congress,” Cleaver said on Thursday. “Despite the cynical and deeply shameful attempt to silence many of our neighbors, the people fought back and won. This reaffirms that the people should choose their politicians, not the other way around. Democracy prevails.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division was directed earlier this week to pause all work with the Canadian government as the trade dispute between the neighboring nations intensifies, according to a report.

The chief of the antitrust division’s international section, Lynda Marshall, ordered officials on Wednesday to halt all cooperation on cases and engagement on policy issues with Canadian authorities, without providing a reason for the directive, according to emails obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Section chiefs in the antitrust division were also instructed in another email on Friday to provide lists outlining areas of cooperation with Canada by the end of the day, according to the newspaper.

NEW YORK GOV HOCHUL REJECTS TRUMP’S ‘LAKE AMERICA’ RENAMING WITH BLUNT MESSAGE

The DOJ disputed the report, saying in a statement that the “alleged direction was never given to anyone.”

The division was asked to “temporarily hold off on a scheduled meeting on a specific investigation until the DOJ’s antitrust team had more time to prepare,” the department said.

This comes as the U.S. and Canada, which have been close allies for decades, continue to spar over President Donald Trump’s trade war against Ottawa and subsequent targeting of the U.S.’s northern neighbor, which most recently included the president’s executive order to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”

Although the renaming only applies to the U.S. federal government, while Canada, other international bodies and U.S. states are not forced to follow the rebranding, the order adds to the ongoing tensions between the two countries that arose following Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025.

The trade war has led to tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in cross-border trade.

TRUMP RENAMES LAKE ONTARIO ‘LAKE AMERICA’ AMID INTENSIFYING US-CANADA TRADE DISPUTE

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The Canadian government said it would impose retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. beginning Sept. 8 in response to the Trump administration’s new 50% tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, which took effect last month.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada “will match Washington’s new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses.”

The Wall Street Journal and Reuters contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows federal agents executing a sweep linked to a multi-state Department of Justice (DOJ) probe that has resulted in criminal charges against individuals for illegal voting, falsifying citizenship status and other election fraud related charges in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin.

The charges arrive as part of a highly publicized nationwide surge by the Trump administration to hunt down election-related crimes ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Over the past year, the Justice Department has filed lawsuits against nearly 30 states to force the surrender of confidential voter rolls, while simultaneously repurposing Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)—an agency historically focused on cartels and terrorism—to spearhead a search for unlawfully registered non-citizens.

“Despite the media and Democrats claiming it never happens, the evidence of non-citizens registering to vote in our elections continues to pile up,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. “Any non-citizens found registering to vote and voting in our elections will be held accountable. Only Americans should be electing American leaders.”

‘RAW MATERIAL FOR ELECTION FRAUD’: EXPERT FLAGS VOTER-ROLL PROBLEMS FAR BEYOND ONE STATE

The Justice Department announced Friday that five people—including two illegal immigrants and two non-citizens with legal status—had been federally charged with unlawfully casting ballots, falsifying citizenship status, fraudulently registering to vote and aiding and abetting during the 2022 and 2024 elections. 

Some of the arrestees, according to a DOJ press release, could face up to more than a decade in prison if found guilty of providing a false statement of citizenship in order to vote and other election fraud charges they are facing. Fox News Digital obtained footage of the arrest of one of those individuals, Katya Rodriguez, 30.

An illegal alien from Mexico living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. In particular, she is facing allegations of providing a false statement of citizenship to vote, fraudulent registration and voting as an alien, according to a DOJ press release, and could serve a maximum 11 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and be forced to pay a fine.

SPANBERGER FACT-CHECKED AFTER TRUMP MAIL-VOTING WARNING RAISES MILITARY BALLOT FEARS

The Trump administration’s federal enforcement action comes just weeks after New Jersey officials disclosed a massive state software error that mistakenly registered nearly 6,600 non-citizens to vote, with roughly 400 casting ballots. 

Meanwhile, Homeland Security announced earlier this summer that an audit of public voter rolls had identified more than 250,000 registered noncitizens in just four states: California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada.

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Just days ago, internal directives revealed by CNN showed Homeland Security Investigations launching a coordinated “voter fraud surge” into nine key states—including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—to hunt down non-citizens suspected of election interference. The handful of arrests announced Friday are among the latest enforcement actions.

“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon. 

“The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable,” he continued. “As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”

President Donald Trump’s legal representation is demanding an answer to a key question in the civil suit that almost cost him $464 million.

In a letter filed with the New York Supreme Court on Thursday, Trump’s representation is arguing that James failed to comply with a court order that required her to present “the preservation practices” and “its preservation efforts.” The demand is the latest objection Trump’s attorneys have used to argue that the case, which is being reconsidered, is full of errors.

Trump’s attorneys believe James may have key evidence she hasn’t turned over — communications with Michel Cohen, a former attorney for Trump.

DELETED EMAIL DETAILS ALLEGED TRUMP-TARGETING PUSH INSIDE LETITIA JAMES’ OFFICE: ‘FIND AND PURSUE CRIMES’

“In seeking the discovery, defendants rely on a January 16, 2026 article by Cohen, published on the online platform Substack in which he asserted that, in meetings with lawyers from [James’s] office, he had ‘felt pressured and coerced to only provide information and testimony that would satisfy the government’s desire to build the cases against and secure a judgement and convictions against President Trump,” a court filing reads.

Cohen was a star witness in the civil suit.

During trial, he helped build the case that Trump had routinely misrepresented the value of his properties and testified that Trump had given him target net-worth numbers to meet.

Although the judge denied the request for additional discovery, the process where parties disclose relevant information about the case, he did require James to detail the process it has used to maintain and preserve information.

Trump’s attorneys maintain James failed to do so.

“[New York Attorney General’s Office] also carefully avoids representing one way or the other whether any requested materials in fact exist, and, if they do, whether NYAG has confirmed that they are being preserved,” they wrote.

“Instead of actually complying with the Order, NYAG has simply recited in general terms that her ‘standard litigation hold procedures’ have been in place since the investigation phase of this matter.”

The back-and-forth is the most recent development of the civil suit James brought against Trump in 2022, accusing him of habitually inflating the value of his property to a fraudulent extent.

LETITIA JAMES FACES SCRUTINY AFTER NEW YORK CITY SPENDS $81,700 PER HOMELESS PERSON AMID SHELTER SCANDALS

After being found liable, Trump was ordered to pay $355 million plus interest in disgorgement and was banned from applying for loans from any New York bank or financial institution for three years.

He was also banned from serving as an officer or director of any New York company for two years.

Although an appeals court later vacated the monetary penalties, James has appealed to reinstate them. Trump, for his part, has argued the case is fundamentally flawed and that it should be thrown out in its entirety

Earlier this month, Trump’s lawyers cited five key disqualifying weaknesses.

They argue that Attorney General James lacked the authority to bring the case, noting that the case involves private commercial transactions rather than harm to the public. They also contend that Trump’s valuations reflected subjective estimates that lenders independently evaluated rather than fraudulent misrepresentations.

“The only supposed ‘victims’ here are a handful of ultrasophisticated banks and insurers that have never claimed to be injured, were eager to do business with President Trump and his family, and made over $100 million from these transactions,” the appeal states.

They further argue that the prosecution’s premise of overvaluation is based on the misguided idea that real estate has one objective value and that deviations from that value must be fraud.

“Under that breathtakingly broad theory, NYAG can second-guess any business transaction in this State on almost any imagined grounds,” attorneys wrote.

And, on the penalties, Trump’s representation argues that the $450 million disgorgement is excessive, unlawful and even unconstitutional.

Finally, the appeal argues that the politically charged nature of the case, on its own, should have been enough to halt its consideration.

“NYAG cannot point to a single Section 63(12) enforcement action against similarly situated developers (or any other type of defendant) based on practices comparable to those alleged here,” the filing states, referring to the state law Trump was accused of violating.

On the matter of its disclosures, James’ office pointed to its own letter in response to an inquiry from Fox News Digital, contending that it had met its disclosure requirements.

TRUMP BACKS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER TO OUST LETITIA JAMES AMID ONGOING MORTGAGE FRAUD FEUD

“Insofar as Defendants have sought or are seeking more information about OAG’s specific preservation efforts, OAG objects to the demand for this extrajudicial discovery,” the letter reads.

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“Moreover, OAG has completely satisfied its obligations under the Court’s Order for OAG to identify the preservation practices that existed and applied and continue to exist and apply.”

After a scathing report that called into question Sen. John Fetterman’s willingness to do the basic duties of a senator, some of his Democratic colleagues in Pennsylvania are eyeing ways to dislodge him from the upper chamber.

An explosive report from The Wall Street Journal painted Fetterman as a politician more interested in appearing on Fox News to discuss Israel than meeting with paralyzed veterans from his state, and blowing off a funeral for slain police officers because it would have taken too long.

And members of his own delegation are furious.

REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’D WELCOME FETTERMAN AS GOP EYES BIGGER SENATE MAJORITY

“There is a lot I could say about this report of John Fetterman’s pathetic behavior as a senator,” Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., said on X. “But between the laziness, disrespect, and willingness to carry water for a foreign government, it shows us something we already know: this man has no sense of duty.”

“He is not up for the high office he was elected to — and we in Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028,” he continued.

Behind the scenes, The Wall Street Journal’s report revealed through leaked text messages between Fetterman and his aides that the lawmaker was unwilling to do some of the core functions of the job, like meeting with constituents.

“John Fetterman is a disgrace,” Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said on X. “Our state deserves better than a lazy trust fund baby who is too lazy to do the job.”

In one instance, Fetterman was told by an aide that representatives of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) wanted to meet over concerns about Medicaid cuts. Fetterman asked why he had to keep meeting with CHOP, and the aide noted that they were worried about “vaccines and Medicaid cuts.”

FETTERMAN UNDER FIRE AS GOV SHAPIRO PUSHES WILD CARD SENATOR TO ‘GET BACK’ TO BEING A DEMOCRAT

“Well, I’m not,” Fetterman responded. “I’m convinced they just want free trips to D.C.”

Another instance came when an aide told Fetterman that there would be a dress code at a funeral for three police officers killed in Pennsylvania last year, and that the service was expected to last for three hours.

“This may be a nonstarter,” Fetterman wrote.

Years before his time in the Senate, Fetterman rose to prominence as a progressive who appeared to emulate the formula laid out by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who he backed early on in his runs for the White House.

When Fetterman won his seat in 2022 against Dr. Mehmet Oz, who now runs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Fetterman ran on a platform of universal healthcare, pro-labor policies and higher tax rates on wealthy Americans — key hallmarks of progressive politics.

Since ascending to the Senate, however, his voting record has shown a more moderate flair, and questions are swirling over whether he will jump ship and join the GOP. He’s bucked his party on several occasions since taking office, too.

DNC VICE CHAIR ATTACKS DEMOCRATIC SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: ‘YOU’RE A MESS’

During the government shutdown fight last year, he joined Republicans as Democrats stayed unified in their push to renew lapsing Obamacare tax credits, has become one of the most vocal proponents of Israel, and helped to confirm some of President Donald Trump’s nominees, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin — notably, he voted against his old political rival Oz.

The desire to boot Fetterman extends beyond just his colleagues in the Pennsylvania congressional delegation.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who is the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, has his sights set on Fetterman, too.

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“This report is horrifying, but not new to many of us in PA. John barely showed up as [Lieutenant Governor] and is constantly MIA as our senator,” Kenyatta said on X.

“When he’s not on FOX cheerleading Trump & endless wars, he is attacking the very neighbors who gave him a chance,” he continued. “2028 can’t come soon enough.”

Fetterman did not respond to a request for comment.

While Americans prepare to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Abdul El-Sayed’s public campaign schedule for that day makes no mention of a remembrance event, but includes a Mexican festival, a farmers market and a county fair.

As of Friday morning, El-Sayed’s campaign website listed staff and volunteers for Grand Rapids’ Fiesta Mexicana, a nearby farmers market and the Allegan County Fair, while El-Sayed himself was scheduled to make a stop on his “Shouldn’t Be This Hard” tour.

After Fox News Digital asked about the lack of a 9/11 remembrance on the public schedule, El-Sayed’s campaign said the Democrat nominee “will be attending a 9/11 remembrance memorial event that day,” though the event was not listed on his campaign website.

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The events listed on the campaign schedule have a notably more festive tone.

Fiesta Mexicana, for instance, describes itself as “three days of mariachi, folklórico and forty-some vendors” that uses “music, food, dance and good company” to “make sure Mexican culture is known, understood and celebrated in West Michigan — on our own terms.” El-Sayed’s campaign instructs supporters to “bring some Mexican swag” and “go inside to enjoy the music and get some food.”

The Allegan County Fair, meanwhile, features live entertainment, food, games and rides.

El-Sayed’s campaign pointed out, that of the four events flagged by Fox News Digital — Fiesta Mexicana, the farmers market, the county fair and the candidate’s tour event — the Senate candidate would not be attending two of them, though would not specify which ones.

The campaign did not explain why El-Sayed’s website did not list the 9/11 remembrance memorial event on his list of upcoming events, but it did underscore in a comment to Fox News Digital that El-Sayed views 9/11 as a horrific moment in history.

“The September 11th terrorist attacks were an evil attack on America’s freedom and he will be joining Michiganders in remembering the 25th anniversary,” El-Sayed’s spokeswoman told Fox News Digital.

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The Michigan Senate hopeful has a complicated relationship with 9/11.

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, whom El-Sayed had campaigned alongside, caused him a headache early in the campaign when a clip of the streamer saying that America “deserved 9/11” resurfaced. El-Sayed called the statement “dumb,” though did not disavow Piker.

Later, old blogs and social media posts where El-Sayed made controversial statements about the terrorist attacks began to surface.

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Fox News Digital previously reported that El-Sayed equated 9/11 with Jan. 6 and President Donald Trump with Osama bin Laden on a now private blog. In social media posts, he called on Americans to bring the same outrage to the COVID-19 pandemic that they felt for 9/11 and mourned the deaths of those killed in America’s War on Terror.

After a week of ICE raids, the Democrat-dominated City Council of Danbury, Connecticut, voted nearly unanimously to approve non-citizen legal residents serving as police officers.

Under the new guidance, approved in an 18-2 vote, non-citizen legal residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients living in Danbury are allowed to serve as police officers in Danbury.

One city council member, Democrat Joe Britton, remarked that the vote “sends a message to our immigrant community at large that you are welcome in Danbury.”

ICE operations in the area resulted in more than 60 arrests, according to local reports. The arrests prompted public outrage in the community, including from city officials such as Britton, who called the raids “frightening.”

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The only two council members to vote against the measure were Republicans, while the council’s 17 Democrats and one Republican voted in favor.

Before the vote, Britton said that “what we have here is an opportunity.” He noted that “though this definitely wasn’t planned to be on the agenda on the end of a federal invasion of immigration officials in Danbury … I do think it’s timely.”

“There is no reason to vote against this, and if you do vote against this, I truly question your moral compass,” he added.

Britton emphasized that this change “is legal, it’s allowed” and said it has been recommended.

Britton told Fox News Digital that “Danbury is an immigrant city, and I believe someone who is lawfully here, committed to our community, and willing to raise their hand and take an oath to protect and serve should have the opportunity to do so.”

He added that “this change does not lower Danbury’s standards for becoming a police officer. It simply allows otherwise qualified lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients to apply and compete for these positions.”

He noted that “every applicant must still satisfy the same training, background, character, and certification requirements required of any other officer,” saying, “This was about expanding the pool of qualified applicants while maintaining the same high standards our residents expect from their police department.”

Similarly, Taylor O’Brien, a spokesperson for the Danbury city government, told Fox News Digital that council “amended its ordinance in accordance with Connecticut’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council, allowing legal permanent residents and DACA recipients to apply to become officers in the Danbury Police Department.”

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O’Brien said that “this standard is followed by over 30 municipalities in Connecticut and several states across the country” and that it “opens Danbury’s applicant pool to otherwise qualified candidates, including legal Danbury residents, who are currently applying to be police officers in other communities.”

In 2020, the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council “partially waived” the citizenship requirement, extending eligibility for law enforcement candidates in Connecticut to lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients, according to the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

O’Brien added that Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, a Democrat, “ensures Danbury maintains a rigorous hiring process for our Police Officers,” adding that “this amendment should encourage qualified residents from the Danbury community to apply to serve the City they call home.”

According to the Danbury News Times, Alves himself immigrated to the U.S. as an “undocumented child” and gained citizenship in 2017.

The outlet quoted Alves saying he is “glad the City Council approved” the measure. Alves emphasized that “the standards are not being lowered” and that “every applicant still has to meet the same rigorous background, training, fitness and professional standards required of any Danbury police officer.”

“What we are doing is giving qualified people an opportunity to compete for the job,” said Alves. “For a diverse city like Danbury, it strengthens our recruitment pool and gives us another opportunity to hire talented people who understand and care about the community they want to serve.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to Britton for additional comment.

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Last year, ICE arrested two illegal immigrants who were serving as police officers. On July 25, 2025, Jamaican national Jon Luke Evans, who was serving as a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Police Department, was arrested on charges related to unlawfully attempting to purchase a gun. Then, on Oct. 15, Radule Bojovic, of Montenegro, who was serving as a police officer with the Hanover Park, Illinois, Police Department, was arrested during Operation Midway Blitz.

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump has gained several unlikely allies, including the man who led his first impeachment trial, in a major push to bring motion picture production back to California from other states.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who represented studio-heavy Burbank in Congress, was joined by Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in echoing support for Trump’s federal tax incentive plan to draw major film projects back to where it began.

“We’ve been promoting that for a long time. I’m glad he finally arrived at it,” Pelosi told Fox News Digital when asked about the plan on the Capitol grounds.

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Schiff tweeted earlier this week that he is “in strong agreement with the president.”

The Democrat, who has accused Trump of colluding with Moscow to win the election and whom the president has responded to by calling him “pencil-neck,” said it is time for Republicans and Democrats to “work together… get this done and bring the movie magic back to America.”

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“Congress should immediately take up and pass a federal film tax incentive to bring back these good-paying jobs that we’ve lost to other countries.”

Omar told Fox News Digital a similar refrain, adding that she has worked separately to attract film projects to Minneapolis.

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She referenced “Fargo,” the 1996 Coen Brothers comedy starring William H. Macy as an example of Minnesota’s ability to host large projects. The “Mighty Ducks” series starring Emilio Estevez and Joshua Jackson also filmed heavily in the Twin Cities during its 1990s run.

“When I was in the Minnesota House, I was very supportive of Minnesota having subsidies so we can have more movies being made inside Minnesota like the movie ‘Fargo’,” she said.

She said the end of subsidies from St. Paul recently “made it less fun trying to run into people who were actually doing the production.”

“It could be a really cool thing [and] also bring us money to states that can use it.”

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Trump appointed legendary actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone special envoys to Hollywood. Gibson previously told Fox News that for a recent film, it was cheaper to fly the entire crew to Europe for three days than to shoot for one day in Los Angeles.

“There’s something really wrong there,” he said, adding that another actor, ex-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, tried to assuage the problem while in office but was met with “obstacles.”

Last year, another Trump foil also got on board with the idea of Washington bolstering Hollywood.

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“California built the film industry – and we’re ready to bring even more jobs home… Now it’s time for a real federal partnership to Make America Film Again,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with her bodyguard and created a hostile work environment for her subordinates, according to a Thursday report from the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

The report cites one incident in which Chavez-DeRemer allegedly ordered a member of her security detail to throw cash at a stripper.

Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned her position in April, had been under investigation after the OIG received an anonymous complaint in January. That complaint alleged Chavez-DeRemer’s inappropriate relationship with the assistant special agent-in-charge (ASAIC) of her department’s Division of Protective Operations (DPO), who the report did not name.

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The complaint also alleged that Chavez-DeRemer, her chief of staff, Jihun Han, and deputy chief of staff, Rebecca Wright, created a hostile work environment and regularly drank alcohol on DOL property and during work hours.

The OIG interviewed 38 witnesses who described the DOL work environment as “toxic, intimidating and humiliating.” The witnesses reported that Chavez-DeRemer, Han and Wright “openly discussed employee performance matters in the presence of other staff, including details of performance-related meetings and whether those employees had cried during the meetings.”

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Witnesses also told the OIG that Chavez-DeRemer’s alleged relationship with the ASAIC also contributed to the hostile work environment.

During an April trip to Oregon, the ASAIC complied with Chavez-DeRemer’s request to make an unplanned, off-the-record stop at “an establishment that was determined upon entry to feature partially nude dancers,” according to the report.

The ASAIC assigned Chavez-DeRemer’s driver to enter the establishment with her, and, according to the report, she handed the driver a stack of cash and instructed him to give it to one of the dancers. When the driver refused, the ASAIC instructed him to comply.

“Chavez-DeRemer then took additional money from her purse and asked the agent to drop the bills one by one onto the partially nude woman. The agent again hesitated and sought intervention from ASAIC 1, who told him to follow Chavez-DeRemer’s instructions,” according to the report.

The complaint and subsequent investigation also determined that the ASAIC’s alleged inappropriate relationship with the former labor secretary, who is married, affected his job performance.

“ASAIC 1 allegedly focused on his interactions with Chavez-DeRemer, monitored her interactions with other agents, and reduced the presence of other DPO personnel to create opportunities to be alone with her, resulting in reduced protective coverage for the Secretary,” the report read.

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The pair reportedly grew immediately close upon Chavez-DeRemer’s arrival at the department in March 2025, communicating often through the encrypted messaging app Signal in off-duty hours and about non-operational subjects.

Another witness described observing Chavez-DeRemer massaging the ASAIC’s shoulders in a car after he had finished a driving shift. When she asked if he was tired, he allegedly responded that he was “solid as a rock,” and the pair both laughed.

“The witness interpreted the comment as sexual innuendo,” the report read.

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Other witnesses described the pair walking arm in arm after leaving an event at Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ home. After opening the investigation, the OIG surveilled Chavez-Deremer’s Washington, D.C., home and found the ASAIC entering her residence through a back door on repeated occasions.

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After reports that the ASAIC was breaking chain-of-command protocol by attending meetings with Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of staff and deputy chief of staff without his Special Agent in Charge’s (SAIC) knowledge, the SAIC recommended he take a leave of absence. However, the SAIC did not escalate beyond this recommendation for fear she herself would be terminated.

“ASAIC 1 declined the suggestion to take leave and agreed that the SAIC taking action to limit his travel with Chavez-DeRemer could result in the SAIC’s removal,” the report read.

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When the SAIC told ASAIC in a text message that she would reassign him to another team he replied, “lol. Don’t do that.”

The ASAIC was put on paid administrative leave in January and then on unpaid investigative leave in February. He resigned in March, according to the report.

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Fox News Digital contacted the Department of Labor, the department’s OIG and the White House for additional comment.