Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Year: 2026

DOGE says agencies cut $1.6B in federal contracts, flags spending on Somalia, HHS web services

DOGE says agencies cut .6B in federal contracts, flags spending on Somalia, HHS web services

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said Friday that federal agencies have terminated or reduced 55 contracts over the last three days with a combined ceiling value of $1.6 billion, claiming $542 million in savings. DOGE, whose name nods to Elon Musk’s high-profile involvement, was launched during the opening days of President Donald Trump’s second administration as part of a broader effort to reshape federal spending and bureaucracy. While Musk has since stepped back from the project, elements of the DOGE framework remain active across federal agencies. In a post on X, the department wrote: “Contracts Update! Over the last 3 days, agencies terminated and descoped 55 wasteful contracts with a ceiling value of $1.6B and savings of $542M.” WHITE HOUSE SENDING $9.4 BILLION DOGE CUTS PACKAGE TO CONGRESS NEXT WEEK The post listed several examples, including what it described as “a $47M State Dept. program support contract for ‘Africa / Djibouti, Somalia armored personnel carriers and Somalia National Army crew’,” and “a $19.5M HHS IT Services contract for support for National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in designing, creating, updating, maintaining, and archiving online communications.” DOGE also referenced “a $151k DoW education services contract for ‘Director’s Development Program in Leadership – Partnership course to be held at Northwestern University’,” according to the post. Screenshots shared with the DOGE post show federal contract records matching the descriptions and dollar amounts cited. DOGE WILL GO ON: HILL PORK HAWK SAYS ROOTING OUT GOVERNMENT WASTE WILL CONTINUE AFTER ELON One screenshot shows a contract record tied to Somalia, listing professional program management support under a federal services code and identifying the country of service origin as Somalia. The contract description references support related to armored personnel carriers and Somalia National Army crews in Djibouti and Somalia. A second screenshot shows an IT management support services contract based in the United States, categorized under computer systems design services. The description outlines work for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences focused on maintaining and managing online communications, including websites, webpages, mobile tools and social media platforms. The DOGE post did not provide additional details about when the contracts were originally awarded, how much funding had already been obligated or spent, or which agency actions produced the savings figure cited in the post. The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny this week over several Somali-owned, government-funded daycare facilities in Minnesota that have been accused of fraudulently collecting millions of dollars worth of taxpayer funds. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, DOGE, the State Department and HHS for additional information.

Hochul orders NY landmarks, including One World Trade Center, lit green for Muslim American Heritage Month

Hochul orders NY landmarks, including One World Trade Center, lit green for Muslim American Heritage Month

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday issued a proclamation declaring January Muslim American Heritage Month across the state and directed 16 state landmarks, including NYC’s One World Trade Center, to be illuminated green Friday night in “celebration of the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans.” “Home to the largest Muslim American population in the nation, New York is proud to join in this month-long celebration, recognizing the values, faith and traditions of our Muslim American communities,” Hochul said in a statement.  “New York remains committed to being a beacon of hope, tolerance, and inclusivity that celebrates the diversity of its Muslim American population and protects them from Islamophobia, hate, bias, and harm.” MAMDANI DISPUTES ANTISEMITISM DEFINITION AMID BLOWBACK FROM JEWISH COMMUNITY ABOUT DAY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDERS One World Trade Center stands on the site of 6 World Trade Center, which was heavily damaged by debris during the collapse of the North Tower in the 9/11 attacks. The terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks were Muslim and members of al Qaeda, a violent militant group. The move came just one day after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was sworn in with the Quran as the first Muslim mayor of the city. “While I was proud to be sworn in as our city’s first Muslim mayor [Thursday], Muslims have been part of New York for centuries,” Mamdani said in a statement. “We have built small businesses, raised our families, pursued every profession, enriched our culture and cuisine, and been a part of what makes our city what it is today.  “I am grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership in recognizing these many contributions and ensuring that every January, Muslim New Yorkers can see ourselves reflected and recognized in a city and state that is also our home.” Other Muslim politicians, including New York State Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Charles Fall, state Sen. Robert Jackson, New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif and New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam applauded the designation, thanking Hochul for honoring the community and promoting inclusivity. SOCIALIST MAYOR MAMDANI INAUGURATED ALONGSIDE BERNIE SANDERS AND AOC ON NEW YEAR’S DAY Council of Peoples Organization CEO Mohammad Razvi noted the Muslim community has “demonstrated resilience in the years following 9/11 while continuing to strengthen New York through immigrant contributions, civic leadership and service. This recognition affirms our place in the social, cultural and civic life of our state. … This moment reflects New York’s continued commitment to civil rights, religious freedom, unity and interfaith solidarity and to ensuring that people of all backgrounds are seen, valued and included.” While anti-Muslim hate crime increased after the 9/11 attacks, Jews were targeted more frequently than all other groups combined in New York City in 2024, with anti-Jewish incidents accounting for 54% of all hate crimes, according to a report from The Times of Israel. The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding reported the Muslim community in New York City makes up 12.5% of pharmacists, 40% of taxi drivers and more than 57% of street food vendors.  Fox News Digital has reached out to organizations supporting 9/11 victims, survivors and their families for comment.

US appeals court strikes down California’s open-carry ban in major Second Amendment ruling

US appeals court strikes down California’s open-carry ban in major Second Amendment ruling

A federal appeals court on Friday struck down California’s ban on openly carrying guns across most of the state. In a 2–1 decision, the San Francisco-based Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled California’s ban on open carry in counties with more than 200,000 people — covering roughly 95% of the state’s population — violates the Second Amendment, according to Reuters. U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke, writing for the majority, said the ban conflicts with the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which requires gun regulations to be consistent with the nation’s “historical tradition of firearm regulation,” Reuters reported. NRA SUES CALIFORNIA OVER BAN ON GLOCK-STYLE FIREARMS: ‘VIOLATES THE SECOND AMENDMENT’ “The historical record makes unmistakably plain that open carry is part of this Nation’s history and tradition,” VanDyke wrote. “It was clearly protected at the time of the founding and at the time of the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment.” VanDyke also noted that California previously allowed residents to openly carry holstered handguns for self-defense without penalty until 2012. CALIFORNIA’S CRACKDOWN ON ‘LESS-LETHAL’ WEAPONS SPARKS 2A LAWSUIT TARGETING NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION “That changed only when California enacted its urban open-carry ban barely over a decade ago in 2012,” he said. “In doing so, California joined a tiny minority of states to have adopted such severe restrictions on open carry.” The decision overturned part of a 2023 ruling by a lower court that had dismissed a lawsuit filed in 2019 by gun owner Mark Baird, while rejecting his challenge to open-carry licensing in smaller counties, according to Reuters. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULES CALIFORNIA AMMUNITION BACKGROUND CHECKS UNCONSTITUTIONAL In October, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun groups said they were suing California over the state’s ban on Glock-style guns with features known as switches that allow them to be converted to fully automatic weapons. The NRA was joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Poway Weapons & Gear, and two NRA members in challenging the state’s ban. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Mamdani announces new Office of Mass Engagement, says he needed a ‘clean slate’ to govern New York City

Mamdani announces new Office of Mass Engagement, says he needed a ‘clean slate’ to govern New York City

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Friday his first executive order as mayor was meant to draw a line after former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted while also launching a new City Hall office aimed at changing how the public is involved in decision-making. “In the first executive order, you, as the new mayor of a city, have to sign a continuation of all prior executive orders or a revocation or an amendment of all of them,” Mamdani said during a question-and-answer session focused on what he called the city’s revived Office of Mass Engagement. Mamdani said his administration chose to continue the executive orders that came before Adams’ 2024 indictment on federal corruption charges, which were later dropped by the Justice Department and dismissed by a federal judge in April. “And, so, what we did was to sign an executive order that continued every executive order that predated the moment when our former mayor was indicted,” Mamdani said, calling it “a moment when many New Yorkers lost even more faith in New York City politics and the ability of city government to actually prioritize the needs of the public, as opposed to the needs of the person.” MAMDANI PICKS EDUCATOR WHO WORKED TO DISMANTLE GIFTED & TALENTED PROGRAM AS NYC SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR “And what we will now do is showcase that new era to protect each and every New Yorker and to deliver for those same New Yorkers in a manner that they have not seen under prior administrations,” he added. The executive order revoked or required reissuance of mayoral directives issued after Sept. 26, 2024, giving the Mamdani administration control over which policies would carry forward. Mamdani made the remarks as he described the purpose of a new Office of Mass Engagement, which he said is intended to bring together civic outreach work already happening across city government. BISHOP ROBERT BARRON SLAMS ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S ‘WARMTH OF COLLECTIVISM’ LINE: ‘FOR GOD’S SAKE’ Mamdani said the new Office of Mass Engagement will be led by Tascha Van Auken, an organizer whose background includes national Democratic campaigns and New York City’s Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). “Since President Obama’s first campaign in 2008 to her leadership in New York City DSA, Tascha has spent more than a decade organizing at scale,” Mamdani said. Mamdani credited Van Auken with building the volunteer operation behind his mayoral campaign, saying she mobilized more than 100,000 volunteers who knocked on more than 3 million doors across the city. “The work of civic engagement has existed before today. It has been a part of city government,” Mamdani said. “However, it has often been siloed in different parts of city government infrastructure, sometimes under different offices, sometimes through different initiatives. “Part of the intent of this executive order is not just to create a new Office of Mass Engagement, but also to cohere all of the work that is already being done into one place so that we can ensure that it’s not duplicative, and it’s actually fulfilling its intent.” MAMDANI DISPUTES ANTISEMITISM DEFINITION AMID BLOWBACK FROM JEWISH COMMUNITY ABOUT DAY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDERS Mamdani said he wants the new office to change when public engagement happens in the policy process. “Oftentimes, the outreach and engagement of city government is done with an intention to justify a decision that’s already been taken,” he said. “The point of this office is, however, to make decisions with a large part being what the public actually thinks about those decisions.” Asked about budget and staffing, Mamdani said the office will initially draw from existing city employees. “There are a number of employees within this office that are already working for the city, within previously existing offices. And then the specifics of how it will expand beyond that is something that we will be sharing later,” he said. Mamdani rejected the idea that the office was built around re-election politics, saying it is aimed at “delivering for New Yorkers today, delivering for New Yorkers every single day. … We have an opportunity in this moment where New Yorkers are allowing themselves to believe in the possibility of city government once again. That is not a belief that will sustain itself in the absence of action,” Mamdani said. Mamdani also pointed to another appointment announcement, saying the engagement office aligns with his decision to name Ali Najimy to lead recruitment and outreach for the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. “Too often, the ability for a New Yorker to become a judge has been determined by who they know, as opposed to the work that they do,” Mamdani said, adding that the goal is to ensure the judicial system reflects the city and “a commitment to excellence and an application of the law in a universal manner.” Najimy said the position would expand recruitment citywide and shape criminal and family court appointments, saying that candidates should be evaluated “on the merits of their experience, their qualifications, their commitment to public service.” Mamdani said he does not want the new office judged by activity alone. “We should not be measured on the number of meetings we hold or the number of surveys that are filled out,” he said. “We should, in fact, be measured by the way in which we incorporate that feedback into the decisions that we make. Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional comment.

New York Republicans call for independent fraud investigation following Minnesota revelations

New York Republicans call for independent fraud investigation following Minnesota revelations

Republican state senators in New York on Friday wrote a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul urging her to launch an independent investigation into possible fraud involving government programs in response to similar allegations in Minnesota. “We write to you concerning disturbing reports of widespread fraud involving taxpayer dollars in the state of Minnesota, including schemes that reportedly involved sham daycare centers and other illegitimate entities,” the letter, signed by 12 Republican state senators, said. The letter added that the “revelations” in Minnesota “raise serious concerns about the vulnerability of publicly funded programs to abuse.” TRUMP TARGETS MINNESOTA FRAUD ALLEGATIONS, SAYS ‘WE’RE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT’ The senators urged Hochul to “immediately retain an independent private professional services firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of comparable programs in New York State.” MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS The letter said that the audit was necessary “to ensure that public funds are being distributed solely to legitimate organizations and eligible individuals and to identify and address any instances of fraud, waste or abuse.” “Given that New York administers comparable programs involving billions of taxpayer dollars it is imperative that proactive measures be taken to ensure similar abuses are not occurring here,” the letter said. The senators noted $68 million in Medicaid fraud that the U.S. Department of Justice said it uncovered at a Brooklyn operator of social adult daycare centers in July.  “At a time when resources are strained, it is essential that available funds are protected and directed exclusively to those who truly need assistance,” they added.   The senator said that with reports that Hochul’s office plans to advance a proposal for universal pre-kindergarten in the next legislative session, “ensuring these programs are efficient, transparent and free from fraud should be a shared priority for all New Yorkers.”  The Small Business Administration announced Thursday that it had suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers after uncovering what it says is widespread suspected fraud in the state. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler sent a letter Tuesday to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Dec. 23, telling him that her agency will “halt” more than $5.5 million in annual support to resource partners in the state “until further notice.”  “I am notifying you that effective immediately and until further notice, the SBA is halting the disbursement of federal funds to SBA resource partners operating in the state of Minnesota, totaling over $5.5 million in annual support,” Loeffler wrote. The SBA said that at least $2.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds issued during the pandemic era were connected to a Somali fraud scheme based in Minneapolis. Loeffler told Walz that $430 million in PPP funds tied to roughly 13,000 loans were flagged as potentially fraudulent but were still funded anyway, including some that were forgiven during the Biden administration. “The volume and concentration of potential fraud is staggering, matched in its egregiousness only by your response to those who attempted to stop it,” she wrote. Hochul’s office told Fox News Digital in response to the letter: “This is a rich political stunt coming from the lawmaker who spent months fighting the Governor’s efforts to route out waste, fraud and abuse in the state’s Medicaid program,” referencing GOP State Sen. Robert Ortt. “Instead of suggesting we spend taxpayer dollars to do the jobs of the State Comptroller and State Inspector General, the Minority Leader should focus on supporting the many longstanding initiatives that the Governor has advanced to stop fraud and protect taxpayers.”