Trading barbs from light-hearted to vicious, mayoral candidates make final appeal to New Yorkers
New York City mayoral contenders relentlessly criticized their opponents as they made their final pitch to voters Wednesday night in the last debate before early voting starts Saturday. Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, Independent candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa once again traded barbs on the debate stage, meeting for the second time in less than a week. Wednesday’s debate at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City came as billionaires called for Sliwa to drop out of the mayoral race this week to consolidate support for Cuomo against Mamdani and as more than 650 rabbis nationwide, including those from the largest New York City synagogues, signed an open letter condemning Mamdani for what they said was anti-Israel rhetoric. ‘TIME FOR A CHANGE’: OUTSIDE 30 ROCK, NEW YORKERS TRADE CHANTS AND ARGUMENTS DURING TENSE MAYORAL SHOWDOWN Both issues were on full display Wednesday night as Mamdani fielded questions about his support for Israel. When asked if Mamdani has any regrets about his “longstanding” anti-Israel views, the democratic socialist affirmed his commitment to protecting Jewish New Yorkers. TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FIERY NYC MAYORAL DEBATE: ‘HE LITERALLY HAS NEVER HAD A JOB’ “You won’t denounce ‘globalize the intifada,’ which means, ‘Kill Jews.’ There’s unprecedented fear in New York. It was not several rabbis. It was 650 rabbis who signed the letter, not several,” Cuomo said. While Mamdani refused to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” during the primary, he has since said he would “discourage” others from using the slogan. “I’ve heard from Jewish New Yorkers about their fears about antisemitism in this city, and what they deserve is a leader who takes it seriously, who roots it out of these five boroughs, not one who weaponizes it as a means by which to score political points on a debate stage,” Mamdani fired back in a fiery moment. Sliwa also chimed in, telling Mamdani that Jewish New Yorkers are “frightened” and “scared.” “They view you as the arsonist who fanned the flames of antisemitism,” Sliwa charged, accusing him of being in support of a “global jihad.” New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand issued an apology earlier this year for “mischaracterizing Mamdani’s record” when she made the same suggestion. “I have never, not once, spoken in support of global jihad,” Mamdani said. “That is not something that I have said and that continues to be ascribed to me. And, frankly, I think much of it has to do with the fact that I am the first Muslim candidate to be on the precipice of winning this election.” Moderators for the final New York City mayoral debate were Spectrum News NY1 Political Anchor Errol Louis, WNYC’s Brian Lehrer and The City’s Katie Honan. The first question posed to candidates during Wednesday’s debate focused on the federal raid in New York City’s Chinatown neighborhood on Tuesday that led to the arrest of nine migrants from West Africa who were in the United States illegally, according to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. All three candidates agreed that the Trump administration was beyond its jurisdiction on Tuesday. Cuomo called the raid “dangerous.” “You don’t send ICE in without coordinating with our police,” Cuomo said, arguing he would have personally called President Donald Trump if he was mayor to tell him the administration was “way out of bounds.” Sliwa agreed that the matter should have been left up to the NYPD. Mamdani took the criticism a step further, calling ICE a “reckless entity that cares little for the law and even less for the people that they’re supposed to serve,” urging an “end to the chapter of collaboration between City Hall and the federal government, which we’ve seen under” Mayor Eric Adams. Adams is no longer seeking re-election after he built a reputation for his willingness to collaborate with the Trump administration on immigration reform. At one point, candidates were allowed to ask their opponents a question, sparking a tense moment between Cuomo and Mamdani. Cuomo asked how Mamdani could pose for a photo with an anti-LGBTQ advocate. Mamdani said had he known, he wouldn’t have agreed to take the picture. Mamdani clapped back, asking Cuomo, “What do you say to the 13 women that you sexually harassed?” Cuomo has continued to deny the allegations and said the cases were dropped. The latest Fox News survey, conducted Oct. 10-14, ahead of the first general election debate last week, revealed that Mamdani has gained a substantial lead in the race because voters see him as the best candidate to tackle the city’s top problems. According to the poll, Mamdani has a 21-point lead among New York City registered voters with 49% of voters backing Mamdani, while 28% go for Cuomo and 13% favor Sliwa. Mamdani also rose above the 50% threshold among likely voters, garnering 52% support, while Cuomo picked up 28%, and Sliwa received just 14%. But as Mamdani, ever the social media-savvy candidate, warned his followers on Wednesday, it was Cuomo who was the favorite to win the nomination just weeks before the Democratic primary. By consolidating support with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, cross-endorsing each other to topple Cuomo through ranked-choice voting, Mamdani pulled the political upset that has since landed him on the national stage. Since winning the primary, Trump has labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and “my little Communist.” Mamdani has rejected that moniker, affirming he is a democratic socialist. Nevertheless, the odd-year election has captivated a national audience at a time when Democrats are still grappling with devastating losses last year. And with Trump back in the White House, Democrats nationwide are seeking to capitalize on growing discontent over his sweeping, second-term agenda. Less than two hours before candidates took the stage Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Mamdani intends to keep New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch on as his police commissioner if elected in November, citing two senior campaign aides and two more
Trump reveals how US military is going to crack down on drug smugglers on land
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump said the U.S. will “hit” drug smugglers attempting to enter the U.S. by land after a series of lethal strikes on cartel boats at sea. The president was questioned about his use of military force to crack down on drug smugglers in the Caribbean and Pacific following the eighth such strike in recent weeks. Trump acknowledged “it is violent” but said that “every one of those boats that gets knocked out is saving 25,000 American lives.” “We have the greatest military in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And you see a little bit of it there, one shot, every one dead center. And the only way you can’t feel bad about it is you realize … that every time you see that happen, you’re saving 25,000 American lives. TRUMP’S WAR ON CARTELS ENTERS NEW PHASE AS EXPERTS PREDICT WHAT’S NEXT “Whenever I see that, I say to myself, I just saved 25,000 lives.” Trump said, after these strikes, “there are very few boats traveling on the water, so now they’ll come in by land to a lesser extent. “And they will be hit on land also.” Pressed on whether he has legal authority to unleash strikes on drug smugglers on U.S. territory, Trump answered confidently, “Yes, we do.” TRUMP ADMIN ON PACE TO SHATTER DEPORTATION RECORD BY END OF FIRST YEAR: ‘JUST THE BEGINNING’ “We have legal authority. We’re allowed to do that,” he said, noting that “if we do it by land, we may go back to Congress. “We’ll probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we’re doing when we come to the land. We don’t have to do that. “This is a national security problem,” Trump added. “They killed 300,000 Americans last year, and that gives you legal authority. “We will hit them very hard when they come in by land. They haven’t experienced that yet, but now we’re totally prepared to do that. TRUMP REFUSES TO RULE OUT STRIKING VENEZUELA. WHAT’S NEXT FOR TRUMP’S WAR ON DRUGS? “Something very serious is going to happen. The equivalent of what’s happening by sea. And we’re going to Congress just to tell them what we’re doing, just to keep them informed. But we have to do it for national security. We have to do it to save lives.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that, at Trump’s direction, the military carried out its first kinetic strike on “narco-terrorists” in the Eastern Pacific. This was the eighth such strike in recent weeks.
Merkley nearly breaks Booker’s filibuster record, wins his praise for fighting ‘Trump’s authoritarian tactics’
Democrats pulled out all the stops Wednesday to delay the vote on a short-term spending bill to reopen the government, the 12th time the Senate has considered the measure since the government entered a shutdown Oct. 1. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., embarked on a nearly 24-hour speech at 6:23 p.m. Tuesday, concluding his remarks at 5 p.m. the next day. Merkley, 68, warned viewers of the authoritarianism he said had become a facet of the Trump administration. “Be aware and worried about the possibility of the use of an emergency in order to expand authoritarian power. That’s the position we’re in now in the United States of America. Authoritarianism with a rubber-stamp Congress, a court that’s delivering more and more power to the executive and an executive who has a well-planned strategy,” Merkley said in his remarks. JOHNSON WARNS US ‘BARRELING TOWARD ONE OF THE LONGEST SHUTDOWNS’ IN HISTORY “Republicans have shut down the government to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ healthcare.” He delivered his speech as lawmakers remain gridlocked over federal funding for 2026. While Republicans in the House of Representatives have passed a short-term funding bill to keep the government open through Nov. 21, Democrats in the Senate have voted a dozen times to defeat the package. The Senate once again failed to advance the package on Wednesday. It failed in a 54-46 vote. Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have demanded an extension of COVID-era supplemental funding for Obamacare healthcare subsidies that will sunset in 2025. SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES Republicans need the support of seven Democrats to overcome the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. The GOP holds 53 seats in the chamber. Merkley, who came close to breaking Sen. Cory Booker’s 25-hour and 4-minute record set earlier this year, put the shutdown blame on Republicans throughout his discourse. Booker praised Merkley’s stalling efforts online. “Listening to Senator Jeff Merkley for over 22 hours, it is clear that we need to stand up for our democracy. We must continue to call out and counter Trump’s authoritarian tactics. Thank you, Jeff!” Booker said in a post on X. BOOKER CONCLUDES RECORD 25-HOUR SPEECH AGAINST TRUMP, MUSK, MARKING THE LONGEST EVER ON THE SENATE FLOOR On the issue of authoritarianism, the primary topic of Merkley’s remarks, Merkley decried what he saw as the Trump administration’s attempts to push the limits on executive power, like its deployment of the National Guard to urban areas. “If you remove a clear standard as to whether there is a rebellion and just say a president can deploy the military on a whim in places he doesn’t like against peaceful protesters to distract Americans or to exercise a suppression of dissent, then you have flung the doors open to tyranny, to a strongman state,” Merkley said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Chicago; Memphis; and Portland, Oregon, citing a need to protect law enforcement and government operations in those cities.
Maine Dem Senate hopeful backed by Bernie Sanders apologizes for Nazi-style tattoo, vows to stay in race
Maine Democrat Graham Platner, a first-time Senate candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., says he has covered up a tattoo widely recognized as a Nazi symbol after critics unearthed old social media posts and demanded he quit the race. Platner’s campaign is facing intense scrutiny after it was revealed he once had a skull-and-crossbones tattoo resembling the Totenkopf used by Hitler’s SS paramilitary forces. Platner said he got the tattoo in 2007 during a “night of drinking” while on leave in Croatia in the Marine Corps and claimed he did not know its historical associations at the time. He has since covered the image with another tattoo. DELETED POSTS URGING VIOLENCE HAUNT DEMOCRATIC SENATE HOPEFUL IN MAINE RACE In a video posted to Instagram Wednesday afternoon, Platner elaborated that the design was chosen from a flash tattoo wall while “carousing” with fellow Marines in Split, Croatia. “We thought it looked cool,” he said. He claimed he had “lived a life dedicated to anti-fascism, anti-racism and anti-Nazism” and was “appalled” to learn it resembled a hate symbol. Platner said he had never been questioned about the tattoo during his service and passed Army background checks. He told The Associated Press he chose to cover rather than remove the tattoo due to a lack of removal services near his home in rural Maine. “Going to a tattoo removal place is going to take a while,” Platner said. “I wanted this thing off my body.” In the video, Platner said he had the symbol inked over with a Celtic knot and imagery of dogs, a tribute to his family pets. “This far more represents who I am now than even the skull and crossbones did,” he said, lifting his shirt to reveal the new tattoo. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER DIRECTS INVESTIGATION AFTER SWASTIKA VANDALISM DISCOVERED IN DC OFFICE The controversy comes on the heels of deleted Reddit posts in which Platner appeared to mock military sexual assault victims, criticize police and make racially-charged comments about tipping. Platner since apologized and blamed the posts on depression and PTSD after his military service in Afghanistan. He has vowed to stay in the race and has the backing of Sanders. Jordan Wood, a Democratic rival in the primary and former chief of staff to Rep. Katie Porter, is calling on Platner to drop out. “Graham Platner’s Reddit comments and Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo are disqualifying and not who we are as Mainers or as Democrats,” Wood said in a statement. “With Donald Trump and his sycophants demonizing Americans, spewing hate and running roughshod over the Constitution, Democrats need to be able to condemn Trump’s actions with moral clarity. Graham Platner no longer can.” Platner said he believes the controversy is part of his life story, not disqualifying. “I don’t look at this as a liability. I look at this as a life that I have lived, a journey that has been difficult, that has been full of struggle, that has also gotten me to where I am today,” Platner told the AP. “And I’m very proud of who I am.” He blamed “establishment” forces for amplifying the backlash to derail his campaign. “Every second we spend talking about a tattoo I got in the Marine Corps is a second we don’t talk about Medicare for all,” Platner said in the video. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He is running in a packed Democratic primary against Wood and two-term Gov. Janet Mills. GOP Sen. Susan Collins, who has held the seat for three decades, has not yet commented on the controversy. Sanders and Collins did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Texas Rep Jasmine Crockett weighs Senate bid after redistricting threatens House seat
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said Wednesday she would “strongly consider” a run for the U.S. Senate, telling SiriusXM’s “The Lurie Daniel Favors Show” that recent polling suggests she would be a top contender in the Texas Democratic primary. During the interview, Favors asked Crockett about her district redrawn by the Texas legislature and whether she planned to continue running to represent her new district. Crockett said she had no idea where she might run, noting that she and her team are waiting for the court to issue a final ruling on whether the new district lines will go into effect. If the lines change, she said, she will be moved to another district. “The other option is every other day there’s a poll that comes out that makes it clear that I can win the primary for the U.S. Senate race in Texas, and I am looking, because if you want to take my seat of 766,000 away, I feel like there has to be some karma in that to where I take your seat that is for 30 million away,” Crockett said. TEXAS GOP’S NEW MAP WOULD MOVE REP. CROCKETT’S HOME OUT OF HER DISTRICT, SLASH DEM SEATS “The primary is the primary. That’s cool. But, you gotta win in general, so we are doing some testing here shortly to see if I can expand the electorate,” she added. Crockett said she does not put much stock in traditional polling, arguing it fails to capture voters who don’t typically participate in elections. She added that both Barack Obama and President Donald Trump succeeded by inspiring nontraditional voters, saying pollsters often overlook those who might be motivated to vote for the first time. She said the key to winning in Texas is not relying on the existing electorate but expanding it. Crockett told the host she is studying polling data to identify which demographics could be mobilized and said that if she believes the electorate can be broadened enough, she would “strongly consider” entering the U.S. Senate race. CROCKETT CHEERS TEXAS DEMS FLEEING TO DELAY CONGRESSIONAL MAPS BACKED BY ‘RIDICULOUS TYRANT’ TRUMP: ‘DEUCES!’ Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s team for comment on the matter. Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, signed a new congressional map into law in August, securing an additional five Republican-leaning U.S. House districts ahead of competitive midterm elections expected in 2026. The Republican-controlled Texas House and Senate passed the new map through their respective chambers last week, following weeks of Lone Star State Democrats breaking quorum and fleeing the state to avoid a redistricting vote. CROCKETT CRITICIZES AOC AND BERNIE SANDERS’ ‘FIGHTING OLIGARCHY’ TOUR FOR MAKING IT ABOUT THEMSELVES Crockett’s comments come after a year of statements that have drawn controversy. Last month, she was a guest on CNN’s “The Arena” when she said critics who believe “Hitler” and “fascist” comparisons contribute to political violence were “absolutely wrong.” Host Kasie Hunt asked Crockett during the show to respond to critics who pointed fingers at Democrats who use those terms and asked whether she thought they contribute to political violence. JASMINE CROCKETT ALLEGEDLY TRIED ‘SHUTTING DOWN’ ATLANTIC PIECE AFTER REPORTER CONTACTED OTHER DEMOCRATS “They’re absolutely wrong,” Crockett said. “Here’s the reality: They don’t want the American people to know any forms of history. We know that there was news out today about the president going after yet more historical information. “The reality is that when we look at what is taking place, when you look at an authoritarian, and what they do is they try to basically say you have to do whatever the government says, even if that means that your personal freedoms are going to be subjected to whatever we say, whether it’s right or wrong. Right now, our personal freedoms are constantly under attack,” she said. Crockett also appeared to mock Abbott, who is paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair, while speaking at a Human Rights Campaign event in March. “Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there – come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a– mess, honey,” Crockett said. The remark resurfaced as Crockett was already facing heavy criticism for other recent statements calling for Elon Musk to be “taken down” and for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to be “knocked over the head, like hard.” Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo, Deirdre Heavey and Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Schumer blocks 12th GOP bid to reopen government as Trump says Democrats ‘lost the negotiation’
The government shutdown meandered into its 22nd day with no end in sight after a 12th GOP attempt to reopen the government was stalled and then blocked by Senate Democrats on Wednesday afternoon. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus kneecapped Republicans’ bid to reopen the government for the 12th time in a 54-46 vote where Republicans needed at least 60 votes to advance the measure. The latest failed vote comes as Schumer has demanded another meeting with President Donald Trump and on the heels of an almost 24-hour filibuster by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, that pushed the vote late into Wednesday. During his marathon floor speech, which began at 6:23 pm on Tuesday, Merkley spoke on authoritarianism — what he called the Trump Administration’s overreach on immigration, separation of powers, and more. “Republicans have shut down the government to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ healthcare,” Merkley said, referring to the healthcare-centered debate holding up consideration of the government’s funding. He concluded his remarks at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Little has changed in the upper chamber since the shutdown began. Schumer and the Senate Democratic caucus demand that there be a real, ironclad deal to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies, while Senate Republicans remain adamant that there is no path forward available on the matter until the government is reopened. SCHUMER REQUESTS MEETING WITH TRUMP ‘ANY TIME, ANY PLACE’ AS DEMOCRAT STALEMATE DRAGS ON But what is old is new in a repeating cycle, and Schumer wants to meet with Trump again. Schumer, speaking on behalf of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., requested another meeting with Trump ahead of the vote in a bid to go around Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and congressional Republicans to secure a deal. There have been informal talks — more casual conversation than true negotiation — between Republicans and Democrats, but nothing has materialized that puts lawmakers any closer to solving the ongoing stalemate. “Hakeem and I reached out to the president today and urged him to sit down and negotiate with us to resolve the healthcare crisis, address it and end the Trump shutdown,” Schumer said. “He should sit — the things get worse every day for the American people. He should sit down with us, negotiate in a serious way before he goes away.” The last time the top congressional Democrats met with Trump came just a day before the climactic vote to avert a shutdown. Neither side walked away with a compromise, or agreement, to keep the lights on. SENATE DEMS EMBOLDENED BY WEEKEND RALLIES BLOCK GOP PLAN TO END SHUTDOWN FOR 11TH TIME Fast-forward to the shutdown’s fourth week, and Trump signaled he’d speak with Schumer and Jeffries — only after the government is reopened. “The government has to be open,” he said. “You know how long it will take for them to do that? Just say, ‘OK, government is open.’ That’s it. There is nothing — They’re not negotiating.” “What they’re doing is saying they lost the negotiation,” Trump continued. “And when we got the great ‘big beautiful [bill]’ done, they lost the negotiation. Now they’re saying, ‘Well, we want to get some of the things we lost.’ But the problem is the things they lost are very bad for our country.” Congressional Democrats’ initial demands, made in a counter-proposal to the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), called for a permanent extension to the enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits and guardrails on Trump’s ability to claw back congressionally approved funding, among other things. SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ON A White House official doubled down on Trump’s position and told Fox News Digital, “We will not have policy conversations while the Democrats are holding the American people hostage. Reopen the government.” While Democrats desire more than just an extension to the COVID-19-era subsidy, they’ve made their primary argument all about the tax credits. Thune offered Senate Democrats a vote on the subsidies, but so far they have declined to take the leap and instead are holding out for a guaranteed outcome in the shutdown fight. However, that is unlikely to come as Republicans and the White House, so far, are equally dug in against Schumer’s demands. “I think [Trump] wants the Democrats to take ‘yes’ for an answer,” Thune said. “We’ve offered them a lot of the things they were asking for — a normal appropriations process, an opportunity to get a vote on some of the things that they want to see voted on, with respect to the expiring Obamacare enhanced subsidies. But that can’t happen until we open up the government.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Former radical group leader tied to Mamdani on AOC payroll
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Florida mayor predicts ‘substantial exodus’ of NYC businesses if Mamdani wins –Jack Smith defends subpoenaing Republican senators’ phone records: ‘Entirely proper’ -Republican calls for public database naming illegal immigrants facing deportation FIRST ON FOX: A former top leader and “lifetime member” of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has been on the payroll of “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s, D-N.Y., campaign since she first ran for Congress in 2018. Frank Llewellyn, the former director of the largest socialist organization in America and a founding member of the socialist group that would later become DSA’s sister organization, serves as the treasurer for both Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign and her political action committee, Courage to Change. Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign has paid Llewellyn a total of over $250,000 for payroll, travel and other administrative expenses dating back to 2018, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reviewed by Fox News Digital. Disbursements range from $77.50 for cellphone, travel and internet stipends and salary payments of $1,281 approximately every two weeks…READ MORE. WORST OF WORST: DHS arrests worst of VA illegals in the closing days of campaign DIPLOMACY IN MOTION: Trump meets NATO’s Rutte as Ukraine peace talks take center stage after Zelenskyy visit FINAL PUSH: Trump jumps into New Jersey race as GOP chases rare flip of governor’s seat TOKYO REBOUND: Japan plans to tell Trump it will build up its military after years of 1% defense spending ‘DAYS OF DESTINY’: Vance hails ‘days of destiny’ as VP seeks to build on ceasefire agreement PUTIN SAYS NYET: Trump, Zelensky agree on crucial aspect to end Ukraine war: ‘good compromise’ ALLY TURNED ENEMY: Alliance with US ‘dismantled’ by leftist Petro regime, Colombia’s former defense minister says FAITH UNDER FIRE: Cruz leads Senate push to hold China accountable for Beijing church crackdown HEATED STANDOFF: White House slams Jeffries’ dismissal of bill to pay troops as government shutdown enters day 22 NUMBERS GAME: Trump-backed North Carolina House map approved by lawmakers as Republicans aim to pick up seat MAGA MOMENT: MAGA stars hit campaign trail in blue-leaning New Jersey as Republicans aim to flip governor’s office POLITICAL CALCULUS: Clinton campaign alum urges Jeffries, Schumer not to ‘take the bait,’ get ‘bullied’ into Mamdani endorsement ELECTION INTEGRITY: California Republicans launch voter ID ballot push, need 875K signatures by deadline ‘SHAME ON YOU’: WATCH: Scathing report exposes what New Yorkers think of sanctuary policies as Mamdani victory looms RETURN BID: Former GOP senator emerges from private sector with new mission: ‘Somebody has to step up’ ARMED RESISTANCE: Los Angeles teacher says ICE agents are ‘not the only ones with guns’ after federal shooting Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Miyares demands Jones’ ouster after court doc indicates reckless driving case under further criminal probe
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares blasted Democratic challenger Jay Jones after a court filing indicated the probe into Jones’ I-64 reckless driving arrest remains or is again under criminal investigation. A court filing obtained by Fox News Digital in New Kent County shows that Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick asked to be recused from the case, citing largely unspecified reasons — a move that indicates an investigation remains active. “It is not possible for Jay Jones to fulfill the duties of the attorney general while under an open criminal investigation,” Miyares told Fox News Digital after learning of the document, first reported by National Review. VIRGINIA AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES CONVICTED OF RECKLESS DRIVING, CALLS IT ‘MISTAKE’ “If Jay stays in the race, it shows a contempt for voters never seen in modern Virginia political history.” Miyares said Jones’ text messages envisioning the murder of then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, already disqualified him from the position, but that Wednesday’s news is icing on the proverbial cake. “Now we learn that he may have misled the courts to avoid jail time for recklessly driving 116mph. He has not taken accountability for his words or actions,” Miyares said. WATCH: KAINE DEFENDS JONES AMID AG CANDIDATE’S TEXTS ENVISIONING MURDER OF GOP LEADER: ‘STILL A SUPPORTER’ The order, signed by New Kent County Circuit Judge B. Elliott Bondurant, cites the case Commonwealth v. Jerrauld C. Jones. Bondurant wrote that Renick advised the court he believed it would be “improper for him to act in the matter currently pending in the General District Court in New Kent County, due to a potential conflict.” Without extrapolating the conflict further, Bondurant consented to the request and has appointed James City County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nathan R. Green as special prosecutor. JONES AND MIYARES CLASH OVER MURDER TEXTS AS DEM REPEATEDLY INVOKES TRUMP AT HEATED, HIGH-STAKES DEBATE Green, whose jurisdiction is adjacent to New Kent, is based out of and also includes the independent city of Williamsburg. Green will be able to “exercise all powers of the Attorney for the Commonwealth in this matter,” Bondurant wrote. Questions have also surfaced about the legality and ethics of Jones completing half of his 1,000 community service hours for the reckless driving case through his own political action committee. The remaining 500 hours were logged with the NAACP of Virginia, according to a sworn statement signed by the group’s president, Rev. Cozy Bailey. JASON MIYARES TOUTS RECORD ON CRIME, FENTANYL AS JONES SCANDAL ROILS VIRGINIA RACE Fox News Digital has a pending Freedom of Information Act request with New Kent County for any communications between the committee – MOMPAC – and the county as well as the NAACP and the county. Legal documents obtained by Fox News Digital earlier in October did not indicate whether time logs were also filed along with the sworn certificates of completion of 500 hours each. Jones was also issued a $1,500 fine for the incident. Officials who answered the phone at both the New Kent County Circuit Court and Renick’s office declined to provide details about the investigation referenced in the recusal document, though the court did release a copy of the order to Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to Jones for comment for purposes of this story but did not hear back by press time.
FLASHBACK: Ted Cruz predicts ballooning Obamacare subsidies now at center of shutdown fight
Over a decade ago, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, predicted that healthcare premiums would skyrocket, even in the face of subsidies put into effect under Obamacare that were meant to bring them down. Today, the ballooning of those premiums and their accompanying subsidies are at the center of the 22-day shutdown that looks poised to get longer still. “Despite Obamacare subsidies, many Americans will still be paying higher premiums in 2014 as a result of Obamacare,” Cruz said in 2013, referring to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES AT CENTER OF DEM SHUTDOWN FIGHT ‘FUEL’ HEALTHCARE COST INFLATION, CONSERVATIVES SAY HOUSE DEMOCRATS THREATEN SHUTDOWN FIGHT TO PROTECT OBAMACARE PERKS In his 2013 floor speech, Cruz pointed to research from Avik Roy, a healthcare researcher who, at the time, was a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Roy’s research made the case that subsidies passed by the Obama administration would do little to stop government-backed healthcare plans from growing more expensive over time or competing effectively with non-government-backed plans. But even those forecasts have paled in comparison to the costs of the government’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The subsidies under Obamacare have vastly expanded in recent years. An emergency provision included in President Joe Biden’s 2021 American Rescue Plan widened the range of eligible applicants as a response to the global pandemic. Now that those COVID-era provisions are set to sunset at the end of 2025, an expiration date set by Democrats themselves, Democrats are voicing alarm that Obamacare policyholders will have to shoulder the costs of health insurance without the enhanced supplemental aid. ‘THE PANDEMIC’S OVER’: GOP, DEM SENATORS SPAR ON CAMERA OVER COSTLY OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on fiscal policy, continuing the expanded credits could cost upwards of $30 billion annually. Findings by KFF, a healthcare policy group, say that over 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees make use of the enhanced credits. KFF analysis indicates that the enhanced premium tax credits saved subsidized enrollees an average of $705 last year. Democrats in Congress, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have demanded some sort of extension to the already expanded COVID-era subsidies as a condition for passing spending legislation to end the current government shutdown, which is now the longest full shutdown in history. Republicans, who maintain that the subsidies are completely unrelated to government funding considerations, have said lawmakers will address the subsidies when the government is open again. The most conservative members in Congress have said cutting back on the subsidies is key to returning the government to pre-COVID levels of funding. Lawmakers in the Senate have voted 11 times on a short-term spending extension meant to keep the government open through Nov. 21 but have so far failed to move past the gridlock over the enhanced premium tax credits. Cruz did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Where might the stolen Louvre jewels end up; will the robbers be caught?
The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, reopened to the public on Wednesday after a jewellery heist prompted a three-day closure. During the robbery, a band of thieves broke into the French capital’s iconic museum and stole eight items of jewellery containing precious jewels from the Napoleonic era on October 19. The robbers are still at large, and the jewels have not been found. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Here is what we know so far about where the jewellery could be, whether it can be traced, and whether the robbers will be found. What was stolen from the Louvre? At 9:30am (07:30 GMT), a group of robbers used a truck-mounted ladder to reach the gilded Galerie d’Apollon (Apollo’s Gallery) on the second floor of the museum before taking an angle grinder to a window to access the French crown jewels. The heist took place around half an hour after the museum opened to the public. The stolen articles were: A tiara from the jewellery set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense A necklace from the same duo’s sapphire jewellery set A single earring from the sapphire jewellery set An emerald necklace from a set belonging to Empress Marie-Louise A pair of emerald earrings from the Marie-Louise set A brooch known as the “reliquary” brooch The tiara of Empress Eugenie A large brooch of Empress Eugenie The robbers also stole a ninth item, the crown of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. But it was recovered nearby, thought to have been dropped by the thieves, according to the French Ministry of the Interior. How much are the stolen items worth? The haul of jewels is worth an estimated 88 million euros ($102m), Paris public prosecutor Laure Beccuau told RTL radio on Tuesday. Advertisement “It is important to remember that this damage is an economic damage, but it is nothing compared to the historical damage caused by this theft,” Beccuau said. Sets of jewelry, including the crown, tiara, and large bodice bow of Empress Eugénie, on display at the Louvre Museum on October 21, 2023 in Paris, France. The Louvre reopened its doors to visitors in Paris on October 22, 2025, three days after thieves stole jewels worth around 88 million euros ($102m) in a daring daytime heist [Zhang Mingming/VCG via Getty Images] Why is this heist different from previous robberies at the museum? This is not the first time the Louvre has been robbed. However, previous robberies have mostly involved the theft of paintings – for example, the Mona Lisa, which was stolen in 1911 – rather than jewels. “A jewellery theft is a very different thing to consider because of the high intrinsic value of the object stolen,” American art historian Noah Charney told Al Jazeera on Tuesday. “A painting doesn’t have a high intrinsic value because it’s usually made of panel and pigment, and canvas and nothing more. Whereas jewellery has a high intrinsic value because if you break down what was stolen and sell the components, the value is still significant,” Charney explained. Where could the jewels be now? The jewels are most likely still in France, Dutch art historian Arthur Brand told Al Jazeera. They could be sold on the black market, but this would reduce their value because of the high risk associated with being in possession of them. “They are very ‘hot’ and the price on the black market will be way below the regular market,” Brand said, estimating that the black-market prices would be between 10 and 30 percent of their value. This means the $102m jewels could sell at between $10.2m and $30.6m on the black market. Charney said the thieves will not need to go to the black market at all if the jewels are recut significantly and no longer identifiable. However, re-cutting gems also reduces their value. If a thief tries to re-cut an antique diamond to a modern shape, they may lose some of the diamond’s size and value. Corinne Chartrelle, a former officer with the French Police’s unit for cultural property trafficking, told Reuters that the stolen jewels could ultimately be sold in major diamond markets such as Antwerp in Belgium, where some buyers may not care about their origins. Alternatively, “they might try to sell the jewels in countries like India, Israel or Dubai,” said Brand. Will the thieves be caught? “The thieves will get caught for sure. Recovering the jewels is 50 percent – depends on the time it will take to arrest the thieves,” Brand said. Advertisement Public prosecutors have tasked the BRB (Brigade de Repression du Banditisme – or the Banditry Repression Brigade), a specialised Paris police unit experienced in handling high-profile thefts, with investigating the heist. Former police officer Pascal Szkudlara, who previously worked in the BRB, told Reuters that the unit is experienced in such cases, and handled the 2016 Paris theft of media personality Kim Kardashian’s engagement ring, worth $4m. Szkudlara said he was “100 percent” confident that the thieves would eventually be caught. Police are expected to review surveillance camera footage going back weeks in an attempt to identify suspicious people in and around the premises. However, time is limited because if the jewels are recut, they will never be returned to their original form, even if the thieves are caught. Have there been other robberies in European museums recently? The Louvre robbery comes amid a recent spate of jewellery thefts from other museums in Europe. Recent incidents include: September 2025: Museum of Natural History, France On September 30, a 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested in Barcelona after stealing six gold nuggets from the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The gold nuggets were worth about 1.5 million euros ($1.74m). The woman was arrested while trying to dispose of melted gold – it is unclear who may have melted it. The museum’s alarms and security system had been disabled in a cyberattack, but it is also unclear whether the thieves were the ones behind the cyberattack or