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Year: 2026

California mom rips Newsom-backed ‘diversion program’ that appears to benefit her son’s killer

California mom rips Newsom-backed ‘diversion program’ that appears to benefit her son’s killer

Compounding layers of leniency in California laws are allowing drivers charged with vehicular manslaughter to walk away with clean criminal and driving records, prompting calls for reform from victims’ families. Allison Lyman, who is looking for accountability for the crash that killed her son last year, believes soft-on-crime laws passed under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tenure have weakened accountability for road deaths, amounting to what she described as “negligence.” “You know, our hunch is this was all happening during ‘soft on crime,’ ‘let’s clear the jails,’” Lyman said of California’s laws. “And the consequence now is us — with these drivers right back on our roads.” BLUE CITY ERUPTS AS 91-TIME FELON TRIES TO DODGE PRISON, WEASEL INTO REHAB AFTER CRASH Lyman’s son, Connor Lopez, was killed in a collision on April 23, 2025, when Harkit Kaur, a 50-year-old woman, turned into a clear view of incoming traffic and blocked the path of Lopez’s motorcycle, according to eyewitnesses to the accident. Kaur did not show signs of intoxication after taking a standardized field sobriety test, police reports indicate. Fox News Digital reached out to Kaur’s legal representation. After the accident, Lyman was shocked to hear the death was considered a “misdemeanor” under California laws dealing with non-violent crimes — something amounting to less than a shoplifting crime. But her shock only grew when she was told Kaur could soon have the accident wiped entirely from her record through a law Newsom approved in 2020. “I won’t ever forget the day I sat in front of the DA. He said something about a ‘diversion program.’ And then we learned: Governor Newsom signed AB 3234 into law,” Layman explained. CALIFORNIA’S SOROS-BACKED PROGRESSIVE EXPERIMENT COLLAPSES AFTER A DECADE That law expanded judges’ authority to grant pretrial dismissal in some misdemeanor cases, allowing charges to be completely dismissed if defendants complete court-ordered programs and “would deem the arrest upon which diversion was imposed to have never occurred.” The law can apply to more than just traffic violations. “And then the charge is dismissed. It is erased,” Lyman said. “The driver that killed Connor has never lost her license. I’ve seen her driving,” Lyman said. Lyman noted that Kaur hasn’t yet officially received a diversion ruling and will receive a final sentencing ruling next week. Coupled with other Newsom-approved laws, Lyman said courts are specifically told to consider diversion ahead of possible jail sentences. “I zoomed in for a woman whose husband was killed in Sacramento. It’s a misdemeanor. She has the same judge as Connor. And the judge was talking about making his decision and cited this code that I had never heard of — 17.2. And it was another law passed in 2023 that essentially tells judges to consider everything, including diversion, before jail,” Lyman said. Newsom approved 17.2 through AB 2167 — a law that requires “a court to consider alternatives to incarceration including collaborative justice court programs, diversion, restorative justice and probation.” In the wake of her son’s death, now one year ago, Lyman is working with state lawmakers to advocate for SB 953 — a law that would require all vehicular manslaughter to be reported to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. THIS IS HOW WE’LL KNOW IF CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S EPIPHANY ON ‘LIBERAL GOVERNANCE’ IS REAL Sen. Roger Niello, R-Calif., the bill’s sponsor, explained his legislation would put two points on the defendant’s driving record, regardless of diversion. “Under current laws, a speeding ticket can now have a greater reflection on a driver’s record than killing somebody with a car. A diversion does not change the fact that a fatality occurred,” Niello said at a press event earlier this week. “The DMV cannot do its job of determining who poses a risk and who does not.” SB 953 advanced unanimously out of committee on Tuesday. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office.

Viral Marco Rubio clip on his vision for America sparks more 2028 speculation

Viral Marco Rubio clip on his vision for America sparks more 2028 speculation

A viral clip of Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivering a hopeful vision for America’s future while answering a question this week at the White House is stoking more buzz about a possible 2028 presidential bid. Rubio, in his debut performance at a White House briefing, gave an uplifting answer that noted America’s “story of perpetual improvement” when asked about his hope for the country in the years ahead. Recordings of the secretary of state’s 53-second answer, including a campaign-style video put out by Rubio’s team, grabbed tons of views on social media. The frenzy is understandable, as every move and each comment Rubio makes is often seen as a possible prelude to a potential White House run in the race to succeed his boss, term-limited President Donald Trump. RUBIO GAINS MOMENTUM IN HYPOTHETICAL 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION RACE AS VANCE REMAINS CLEAR FRONT-RUNNER Rubio, briefing reporters ahead of his current overseas trip, including Thursday’s meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican amid strained relations due to recent critical comments of the U.S.-born pontiff from Trump, said his “hope for America is what it’s always been. I think it’s the hope I hope we all share. We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity, but frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.” “I think that should be the goal of every country in the world, frankly, but I think in the U.S. – we’re not perfect. Our history is not one of perfection, but it’s still better than anybody else’s history,” Rubio said. “And ours is a story of perpetual improvement. Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer, more prosperous, safer, and that is our goal as well.” The secretary, who is a devout Catholic, added, “But it is a unique and exceptional country and, as we come upon this 250-year anniversary, I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history. It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement, where each generation has done its part to bring us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders of this country had upon its founding.” A clip of the comments grabbed over 6 million views on X. Rubio’s team also put out a minute-long vertical video of the soliloquy that included voice-over video of the secretary of state, Trump, jets flying over the White House, a diverse mix of Americans, the late President Ronald Reagan and the American flag being raised. The video, on the secretary’s X account, was viewed over 3 million times and grabbed the attention of some of the biggest names in MAGA world. Right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who is close to Trump, retweeted the video and said, “Wow! This looks like it could be a launch video for a Presidential campaign. Amazing production quality and vibes.” Meanwhile, Elon Musk retweeted a separate video of the Rubio comments. Vice President JD Vance has long been seen as the heir apparent to Trump and his MAGA and America First base. While Vance remains the hypothetical clear frontrunner ahead of the start of the 2028 White House race, which won’t ignite until after this year’s midterm elections, Rubio appears to be on the rise. WHITE HOUSE RACE UNDERWAY: WITH 2026 LOOMING, BOTH PARTIES ARE ALREADY PLAYING FOR 2028 Thanks to an increase in his responsibilities and public profile, more recently around the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the war against Iran, Rubio has seen speculation and support for a possible presidential bid soar in recent months. Among the most notable evidence is Rubio’s strong second-place finish in March in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Rubio, who was one of more than a dozen Republican contenders who ran and lost to Trump in the tumultuous 2016 presidential race, grabbed 35% of the vote at CPAC when the straw poll results were announced this past weekend, up from a mere 3% a year earlier. Vance, who is popular with MAGA and America First groups, finished first at 53%. While the vice president saw his support slightly edge down from 61% last year, Vance’s numbers are higher than anyone else in CPAC presidential straw poll history other than Trump. Rubio insists he’ll support Vance if the vice president launches a White House campaign. “If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair late last year. MARCO RUBIO SPOTTED BEHIND DJ BOOTH AT FAMILY WEDDING AS SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO VIRAL CLIP Vance, who like Rubio has highlighted his Catholic faith, will likely get plenty of chances next month to spotlight his devotion amid the release of his new book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.” VANCE IN ‘CATBIRD SEAT’ FOR 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION, BUT THESE REPUBLICANS MAY ALSO RUN Partially fueling Rubio’s rise has been Trump, who has lavishly praised his secretary of state. The president recently declared that Rubio would go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.” Trump has also promoted a Vance-Rubio ticket — calling it “unstoppable” a few months ago — but has not said who should be at the top of the ticket. But the president said last year that Vance is “most likely” his heir apparent. “In all fairness, he’s the vice president,” Trump added. And Trump, in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last year, called Vance a “fantastic, brilliant guy.” Trump, who has yet to say whom he would endorse in the race for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, added in that interview, “certainly you would say that somebody’s the VP, if that person is outstanding, I guess that person would have an advantage.”