Texas bill would keep unsubstantiated complaints against police officers from the public
Senate Bill 15’s supporters say police shouldn’t be publicly maligned for allegations that aren’t proven. Critics say the bill disincentivizes agencies from properly investigating complaints.
Tensions flare as Texas House panel hears a “bathroom bill” for first time in eight years
Senate Bill 8 would restrict which bathrooms in government buildings transgender people would be allowed to use. Testimony drew expletives and anger.
East Texas lawmaker, with governor’s blessing, wants to stop proposed water deal
Dallas businessman Kyle Bass has proposed exporting millions of gallons of water from East Texas to other parts of the state.
Tribune presents lessons from news avoidance research and experiments
We’ll share learnings about reaching younger Texans through short-form video, implementing strategies to build trust with news-avoidance people and revamping our in-person engagement.
Texas Republicans revive effort to further restrict abortion pills
The legislative proposals would allow people to sue manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills.
Virginia leaders condemn racist sign aimed at Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears over bathroom policy
Virginia leaders from both parties have condemned a racist sign aimed at Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, which was raised during a protest outside a school board meeting where she was speaking. Earle-Sears — the Republican nominee in the state’s gubernatorial race — spoke at the Arlington County school board meeting on Thursday, which was reviewing its transgender bathroom policy. Outside the meeting, where a transgender rights rally was being held, a person displayed a racist sign directed at Earle-Sears. The protester’s poster, which has gone viral on social media and sparked outrage from across the political spectrum, read: “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then Blacks can’t share my water fountain.” POLITICAL ACTIVIST CJ PEARSON SAYS WHITE LIBERALS ARE STARTING TO FEAR THEY’RE LOSING ‘POWER’ OVER BLACKS Governor Glenn Youngkin defended Earle-Sears on X on Thursday, blasting what he labeled as the “hypocrisy of the liberal left.” “Winsome is so much bigger than this idiocy,” Youngkin added. Attorney General Jason Miyares joined in, writing on X: “This is wrong. [Winsome Earle-Sears] — and Virginia — deserve better.” VIRGINIA LT. GOVERNOR ON WHY HER STATE IS AT RISK OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING OVER TRANSGENDER BATHROOMS Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who is also the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, denounced the poster, saying it evokes the “pain of racism, segregation and Jim Crow-era ugliness.” “These sentiments are unacceptable,” Hashmi said on X. “We each have a responsibility to move our communities to unity and to reject all forms of bigotry.” In a post to X, Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones echoed the other leaders’ sentiments, calling the sign a “horrific display of racism.” VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS SUPPORT FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS’ RIGHTS IN GOVERNOR’S RACE SPOTLIGHT “My parents grew up during the height of segregation in America,” Jones said. “This horrific display of racism is wrong and unacceptable. It has no place in our communities or politics, period.” Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid wrote on X, “There’s no place for hate here in Virginia. This is wrong. Will [Abigail Spanberger] or [Ghazala Hashmi] condemn racist attacks like this?” Sen. Minority Leader Ryan McDougle took to X to write, “The tolerant left strikes again.” In an X post, Sen. Schuyler Van Valkenburg wrote: “Two wrongs don’t make a right. Been teaching my kids – and students – that for years. In the age of Trump it’s easy to get in the gutter. We should insist on betting the better angels of our nature.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Del. Mike Cherry, R-Chesterfield, said on X: “Wow. Sad.” Earle-Sears’ opponent, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., also condemned the sign, calling it “racist, abhorrent and unacceptable,” but Earle-Sears felt that her response should have been stronger. “A very weak response from a very weak person who we know cannot lead Virginia as governor,” Earle-Sears asserted. “She’s finally come out of hiding when she should have a long time ago come out and defended so many things that are so wrong, and she’s been absent.”
George Mason University violated Tile VI with ‘unlawful DEI policies,’ Education Department says
George Mason University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by illegally using diversity, equity and inclusion practices, the Department of Education announced Friday. The department’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into the institution’s hiring and promotion practices last month following a complaint filed by several of its professors who claimed preferential treatment was given to prospective and current faculty members from “underrepresented groups” to advance “anti-racism.” The complaint accused George Mason President Gregory Washington of issuing guidance that prioritized diversity initiatives over qualifications. “In 2020, University President Gregory Washington called for expunging the so-called ‘racist vestiges’ from GMU’s campus,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education Craig Trainor said in a statement. “Without a hint of self awareness, President Washington then waged a university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies that intentionally discriminate on the basis of race. You can’t make this up.” TRUMP-APPOINTED JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ANTI-DEI MEASURES FROM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT “Despite this unfortunate chapter in Mason’s history, the University now has the opportunity to come into compliance with federal civil rights laws by entering into a Resolution Agreement with the Office for Civil Rights,” he continued. “In the last seven months, this much is clear: The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will not allow racially exclusionary practices—which violate the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Protection Clause, and Supreme Court precedent—to continue corrupting our nation’s educational institutions.” The Office for Civil Rights proposed a possible resolution to the university’s president that includes six conditions to which the institution must agree. The university must agree to the conditions within the next 10 days to resolve the matter. The proposed resolution would require the university to send a statement to students and faculty committing to comply with Title VI in its recruitment, hiring, promotion and tenure decisions, and the statement should include a personal apology from the university’s president for “promoting unlawful discriminatory practices.” GMU BOARD AGREES TO CUT DEI PROGRAMS WHILE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVING RAISE FOR EMBATTLED PRESIDENT The statement must also be displayed prominently on the university’s website and any contrary statements would have to be removed, according to the proposed resolution. The university would need to agree to revise any policies and documents used in its recruitment, hiring, promotion and tenure process and must remove any provisions that require or encourage the use of race as a factor in these practices. The federal government also said George Mason must conduct annual training for anyone involved in these practices to affirm that it would not give preferences based on race. Additionally, the institution must make records demonstrating compliance with the agreement available to the government upon request. George Mason’s failure to agree to the proposed resolution could lead to a loss in federal funds. The Trump administration has already pulled funding from several universities, including Harvard, Columbia and the University of California, Los Angeles, over discrimination accusations and their handling of alleged antisemitism on campus. Fox News Digital reached out to George Mason for comment.
Hundreds of DoD civilians accept call of duty in southern border mission under Trump’s order
Defense Department civilians are volunteering by the hundreds for temporary details with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), joining efforts to bolster operations at the troubled southern border under President Donald Trump’s priority to secure it. In under 48 hours, nearly 500 volunteers answered the president’s call of duty, as assignments became available via USAJOBS.com. Recruiting agencies include Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “This is a national security problem, and our civilians have the critical skill sets to support DHS in their mission,” Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Civilian Personnel Policy Michael A. Cogar said. “We’re proud that our civilians are already willing to sign up.” Assignments last up to 180 days, providing skills ranging from intelligence analysis to detention support. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RECRUITING CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS FOR TRUMP ADMIN’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN OPERATIONS A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital the initiative reflects Trump’s “whole-of-government approach” to removing national security threats, including gang members and terrorists. “ICE, CBP, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense are embracing President Trump’s whole-of-government approach to protecting the American people,” a DoD spokesperson said to Fox News Digital. “DOD civilians — who have already undergone rigorous vetting and demonstrated their commitment to serving this nation — are invited to volunteer for temporary ICE assignments to help make America safe again and remove national security threats—including gang members and terrorists from our country.” PENTAGON UNVEILS NEW MEDAL FOR TROOPS DEPLOYED IN TRUMP’S SOUTHERN BORDER CRACKDOWN Civilian employees were notified via email earlier this week, and can apply through USAJOBS, after which DHS will coordinate with their respective agencies for ultimate approval. If approved, candidates can be deployed within 96 hours. All DoD civilian employees in good standing with at least 90 days at their current agency can apply. Assignments last up to six months and roles currently run through Sept. 30, 2026. Volunteers will provide logistical and technical support including data entry, planning, case processing, linguistics and human resources. Civilian DoD employees maintain their pay and benefits while on assignment with eligibility for overtime, while gaining cross-agency experience and professional development. “This mission is truly critical, not just for DHS, not just for DOD, but for the entire country,” Cogar said in a DoD memo released Friday. “Any individual, any one person, can have a force-multiplying effect for those DHS agents, allowing them to focus on what they do best, while we can provide that technical support that they need to be on target, on mission and out there every day focused on the safety of our nation.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The program follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s June directive that also opened DHS placements for retiring service members through the SkillBridge program. The DoD SkillBridge program allows retiring service members to obtain ‘real-world training and work experience in in-demand fields of work.’ Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
10 key takeaways from DOJ’s release of Ghislaine Maxwell’s Epstein interviews
Hours of interviews between Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and a federal prosecutor were released by the Department of Justice on Friday afternoon. During the recorded sessions in which the convicted sex offender, who was found guilty for her role in Epstein’s crimes, was granted immunity, she made several interesting claims. Here are 10 top takeaways. EPSTEIN’S FORMER LAWYER: GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD GET IMMUNITY IN EXCHANGE FOR SECRETS Maxwell denied the existence of a black book with Epstein’s clients on it – and least to her knowledge. “There is no list,” she told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Maxwell said she believed the origin of rumors that there was a list came in 2009 after Epstein had finished a 13-month sex trafficking sentence in Florida, and a lawyer at Rothstein Adler involved in a civil suit against him called the FBI to say he had a “piece of evidence” that belongs to Epstein. That was “the list,” she claimed, adding that she believes he became a confidential informant to the FBI. She said he obtained the list through a sting operation involving Epstein’s former butler, who said in a deposition he had “handwritten notes, or a journal, whatever.” GHISLAINE MAXWELL TELLS DOJ SHE DOESN’T BELIEVE JEFFREY EPSTEIN DIED BY SUICIDE IN FEDERAL PRISON Maxwell said she doesn’t believe Epstein killed himself when he was found hanging in his New York jail cell in 2019. “I do not believe he died by suicide, no,” she told Blanche when asked. She added that she didn’t have any speculation about who could have killed him, but claimed the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is rife with mismanagement. “If it is indeed murder, I believe it was an internal situation,” she said, adding she didn’t believe his death was a way to silence him. “I do not have any reason to believe that,” she told Blanche. “And I also think it’s ludicrous because if that – I also happen to think if that is what they wanted, they would’ve had plenty of opportunity when he wasn’t in jail. And if they were worried about blackmail or anything from him, he would’ve been a very easy target.” Maxwell said while she believes President Trump (before he was president) and Epstein were friendly, she didn’t think they were “close.” “I think they were friendly, like people are in social settings. I don’t — I don’t think they were close friends or I certainly never witnessed the president in any of — I don’t recall ever seeing him in his house, for instance.” she said. “I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting.” She added, “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way. The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.” Maxwell claimed that former President Bill Clinton, whose name has previously been linked to Epstein, “absolutely never went” to Epstein’s Caribbean island where sex trafficking of young girls took place. She added, “I can be sure of that because there’s no way he would’ve gone – I don’t believe there’s any way that he would’ve gone to the island, had I not been there. Because I don’t believe he had 16 an independent friendship, if you will, with Epstein.” She also said that Clinton was her friend, not Epstein’s, and that she knew him through the Clinton Global Initiative and was part of the inception of the organization. TRUMP DOJ TO BEGIN HANDING OVER EPSTEIN FILES TO HOUSE OVERSIGHT INVESTIGATORS Maxwell called Epstein “disgusting” in the interview but said she doesn’t believe he was guilty of all the accusations. “I do believe that Epstein did a lot of, not all, but some of what he’s accused of, and I’m not here to defend him in any respect whatsoever,” Maxwell told Blanche. “I don’t want to, and I don’t think he requires, nor deserves any type of protection or – from me in any way, to sugarcoat what he did or didn’t do.” She added, “This is one man. He’s not some – they’ve made him into this – he’s not that interesting. He’s a disgusting guy who did terrible things to young kids.” Maxwell told Blanche that she also never saw Prince Andrew do anything inappropriate while she was with him, adding that she believes the infamous photo of the prince with his hand around accuser Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 isn’t real. “I believe it’s literally a fake photo,” she said of the picture, purported to have been taken at her former London townhouse. “I do not know that they met.” Giuffre died of suicide earlier this year. She had accused the royal of forcing her into sex inside Maxwell’s home in London’s ritzy Belgravia neighborhood. The prince was relieved of his royal duties amid fallout from the scandal but has always denied allegations of wrongdoing. He agreed to pay Giuffre an undisclosed settlement in 2022 and to donate to her charity for crime victims. BILL BARR TESTIFIES HE DIDN’T SEE INFO TO WOULD ‘IMPLICATE’ TRUMP IN EPSTEIN CASE, COMER SAYS Maxwell claimed to Blanche her “memory’s not as good as it was” because she was kept on suicide watch at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after her arrest for nearly two years, and she was woken up every 15 minutes. She said because of her memory lapses she had taken notes before the interviews, and throughout the interview still struggled to recall many details. Maxwell said that when she traveled with Epstein, they slept in the same bed, but he told her he had a heart condition and couldn’t have sex frequently. “Which meant that he didn’t have intercourse a lot, which suited me fine, because I actually do have a medical condition, which precludes me having a lot of intercourse,” she told Blanche. She added that she didn’t know the exact nature of the condition, but he liked “other forms of sexual
National Guard mobilizing in 19 states amid immigration, crime crackdown
Up to 1,700 National Guardsmen are set to mobilize in 19 states in the coming weeks to assist the Department of Homeland Security with President Trump’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and crime, Pentagon officials confirmed to FOX News. Documents obtained by FOX News show planning for activations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming – with status effective from August through mid-November. Texas is projected to host the most significant Guard presence. The National Guard soldiers being mobilized will effectively serve as a support pillar to a sweeping federal interagency effort, while also serving as a visible deterrent force, a U.S. Defense official said. The service members supporting ICE will be preforming case management, transportation, logistical support, and clerical functions associated with the processing of illegal migrants at the facilities. “The in-and-out processing may include personal data collection, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing of personnel in ICE custody,” the official said. TRUMP JOINS POLICE AND MILITARY FORCES IN WASHINGTON STREETS President Trump has indicated in recent days his administration aims to broaden the DC operation to other states, telling a group of federal agents and National Guard troops at a DC patrol center Thursday, “We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places.” On Friday in the Oval Office, Trump said, “I think Chicago will be our next. And then we’ll help with New York,” Trump said. A U.S. Defense official told FOX, “We won’t speculate on further operations, but can tell you that the department is a planning organization and continues to work and plan with other agency partners to protect federal assets and personnel.” Fewer than 2% of the authorized forces have mobilized so far, but missions coordinated under state governors are projected to expand in the coming weeks – including in Virginia, where approximately 60 soldiers and airmen will begin training August 25th to begin duty by early September, the Virginia National Guard confirmed. “VNG personnel will not conduct law enforcement functions, and VNG support will not include making arrests,” a spokesperson for the Virginia National Guard tells FOX. “VNG Soldiers and Airmen will report directly to ICE leadership at their assigned duty locations but remain under the control and direction of the Virginia Governor and Adjutant General of Virginia.” The deployment of National Guard troops — a state-controlled reserve force — will allow the U.S. military to provide a more direct role in supporting federal immigration enforcement amid as the Trump administration pushes forward with mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASSIGNS MILITARY ATTORNEYS TO PROSECUTE DC CRIMES AMID FEDERAL CRACKDOWN Under the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, use of the military for civilian law enforcement is limited – but the National Guardsmen will be mobilizing under Title 32 Section 502F authority, to which Posse Comitatus does not apply. At the request of DHS, in July, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved hundreds of additional forces for DHS-ICE Interior Enforcement support, and switched existing approvals from Title 10 to Title 32 status. “We understood ICE’s needs at that time to be more administrative in nature…as planning continued, working with our partners, it became clear more that ICE needed something different,” a U.S. defense official told FOX. Service members supporting ICE will be performing case management, transportation, clerical functions, and logistical support – which may include data collection, fingerprinting, DNA swapping, and photographing of personnel in ICE custody. “As you can imagine and appreciate, some of those start to get close to that law enforcement line. So it’s best that these people are in a Title 32 status so that we are absolutely staying within the law of what we’re doing and providing the appropriate support,” the official said. Most deployments remain in the planning and coordination stage with DHS and governors, but documents show operations beginning in Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada during the first week of September. “Under Title 32, the guardsmen are under the command and control of their governors. So, it’s up to the governors when they’ll bring those forces …as the governors and the states coordinate with DHS, that timeline will differ state by state,” the defense official said. Vermont declined to activate its National Guardsmen, despite the authorization from the Pentagon to assist the DHS-ICE Interior Enforcement Mission. HUNDREDS ARRESTED AS TRUMP’S WASHINGTON, DC, CRIME CRACKDOWN HITS FULL STRIDE The news comes as almost 2,000 National Guard soldiers from Washington DC and six states have been deployed to support law enforcement in Washington DC. Under direct presidential authority, Guard members were assigned to posts at monuments, checkpoints, and traffic stops in all eight wards, with a mission focused on deterring crime and keeping a visible security presence around the city. At the authorization of Secretary Hegseth, those National Guard members can now carry weapons if needed for their individual tasks. But DC is different under Title 32. For the states it would be up to the individual governors who act as command and control. A U.S. Defense official said while the mobilizations in 19 states and activation of DC National Guard both fall under President Trump’s larger directive protecting territorial integrity and immigration policies, the missions are distinct and separate. “The big question is how long do we stay? Because if we stay, we want to make sure it doesn’t come back. So we have to take care of these criminals and get them out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday. Officials have tied the effort in Washington DC to beautification ahead of next year’s 250th Independence Day celebration. But President Trump has hinted he may request the Guard stay in DC for an extended period of time, and then take the operation to other parts of the country. “We’re not playing games. We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places,” Trump said to a crowd of National Guardsmen