Xavier Becerra pressed on ‘rumors’ he knew about Eric Swalwell’s alleged misconduct during CA governor debate
California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra faced scrutiny over his knowledge of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s alleged sexual misconduct during Wednesday’s night’s California gubernatorial debate. Becerra, who served as Health and Human Services secretary under former President Joe Biden, was asked about recent comments in which he said he had heard “rumors” of Swalwell’s actions. Swalwell dropped out of the California race and resigned from Congress over the scandal. “Mr. Becerra, you were chair of the Democratic Caucus when Eric Swalwell was elected to Congress. You said in a recent interview that, quote, ‘Many of us heard the rumors.’ What rumors did you hear? And should you have pursued the rumors as a member of Democratic leadership?” NewsNation host Nikki Laurenzo asked. “Thanks, Nikki. Yeah, you hear rumors all the time about all sorts of things. Rumors are not facts,” Becerra responded. “And the, the caucus, the Democratic caucus is not a place that adjudicates those things. It’s law enforcement that does. If someone had come forward, we could then have investigations.” CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM FAMED PRO-UNION ACTIVIST AFTER BOMBSHELL REPORT The debate came as Swalwell was hit with a fresh ethics complaint urging the Justice Department to investigate whether he leveraged his position in Congress to promote a startup business he was running on the side with his chief of staff. Swalwell has also been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct in recent weeks, allegations he has denied despite conceding he has made poor choices in his past with women. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a conservative ethics watchdog, filed a complaint Wednesday calling on the Justice Department’s Office of Congressional Conduct to investigate allegations Swalwell was personally pitching Findraiser, an artificial intelligence political fundraising tool, to Democratic lawmakers, staff and campaigns. ERIC SWALWELL CAMPAIGN PAID HOTEL WHERE ACCUSER LONNA DREWES CLAIMS ASSAULT TOOK PLACE Included in FACT’s complaint is Yardena Wolf, Swalwell’s former chief of staff and also the co-founder of Findraiser. Wolf eventually left her chief of staff role to lead Swalwell’s now defunct gubernatorial campaign. Swalwell already is facing multiple investigations related to sexual misconduct allegations, including from the Los Angeles County District Attorney, Manhattan District Attorney and the Justice Department. Prior to sexual misconduct allegations against him coming to light earlier in April, the former member of Congress also was facing heat for his behavior on Capitol Hill as it pertained to promoting Findraiser. One Democratic operative reportedly told news outlet NOTUS that Swalwell was “peddling the s— out of” Findraiser on Capitol Hill. NOTUS released a pair of reports in March, one of which cited Federal Election Commission data that showed the artificial intelligence-powered political fundraising tool was getting business from some of Swalwell’s longtime political allies, including Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Trump admin loosens regulations on state-licensed medical marijuana
President Donald Trump’s administration is reclassifying state-licensed marijuana as a “less-dangerous” drug, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Thursday. Blanche signed an order reclassifying FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I – reserved for drugs like heroin – to the less strict Schedule III. “The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” Blanche said in a statement. “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information,” he said. MIKE TYSON URGES TRUMP TO DELIVER ON CANNABIS REFORM AFTER BIDEN’S ‘FAILED’ PLEDGE Blanche noted that the order does not yet apply to marijuana generally, but said the order initiates “a new, expedited hearing with set deadlines, to fully reschedule marijuana.” Blanche’s order comes just days after President Donald Trump signed another executive order Saturday expediting the review of some psychedelic drugs as potential therapy treatments. “The executive order I’m signing, we’re actually signing the executive order today, is really a moment,” Trump said. “These treatments are currently in the advanced stages of clinical trials to ensure that they’re both safe and effective for the American patients.” VETERANS CROSS BORDER FOR FORBIDDEN PSYCHEDELIC TREATMENT THAT’S CHANGING LIVES AFTER COMBAT The president said the executive order would implement “historic reforms to dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs.” “In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans,” Trump said, citing the veteran suicide rate. DEMENTIA RISK COULD BE TIED TO YOUR MINDSET AND OUTLOOK ON LIFE, STUDY SUGGESTS “And the nice part is we’re actually doing this early, but it has been going on. Research has been going on for quite some time. But, you know, usually with things like this, nothing ever happens, no matter how the research ends up, but we’re changing that. This order will clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved,” Trump continued. The president said, “in 2024, a study from Stanford University, 30 special operation veterans with traumatic brain injuries underwent — it’s called ibogaine treatment — ibogaine, remember the name,” noting that they “experienced an 80 to 90% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month.” A paper published in the journal Chronic Stress said ibogaine is a “psychoactive indole alkaloid which is extracted from the Tabernanthe iboga rainforest shrub and has been used for centuries in Central Africa for initiatory rituals.” “Ibogaine treatment is reported to alleviate a spectrum of mood and anxiety symptoms and is associated with self-reported improvements in cognitive functioning in individuals with substance-use disorders. During treatment, ibogaine allows the evocation and reprocessing of traumatic memories and occasions therapeutic and meaningful visions of spiritual and autobiographical content, which are of central relevance in addressing PTSD-related psychological content,” it added. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Punjab to witness blackout mock drills on April 24; Know why
The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered a blackout mock drill to be held in various areas of Ludhiana and Amritsar in Punjab on April 24, Friday, at 8 pm. The drill is being carried out to assess the preparedness of Civil Defence.
Mallikarjun Kharge gets ECI notice over ‘terrorist’ remark on PM Modi: ‘Highly objectionable, dehumanising’
The ECI described the language used by Kharge as “intemperate and highly objectionable”, noting that such dehumanising labels undermine the dignity of democratic institutions. The Congress chief has been granted a strict window of 24 hours to clarify his stance.
West Bengal elections 2026: It’s TMC vs BJP as 152 seats head to polls today in Phase-1
With more than 3.22 crore electors eligible to cast their votes, the day marks the beginning of a decisive chapter in the contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Who is Rahul Meena? Ex-househelp-turned-murderer, who strangled IRS officer’s daughter to death, CCTV footage emerges, How did he entered the house?
A 23-year-old man was arrested from a hotel in Delhi’s Dwarka, after senior IRS officer’s daughter was found murdered at her residence in Amar Colony, South East Delhi. How did he bypassed security and entered the house?
UP’s Mirzapur accident: 4 children among 9 people burn alive in deadly multi-vehicle collision; 2 others die; details here
The collision occurred as the truck’s brakes failed, the car was trapped between two trucks, while another vehicle caught fire after being hit. Details here
West Bengal Election 2026: Rahul Gandhi to storm Bengal with 3 rallies day after police denial
Congress has secured permission for Rahul Gandhi to hold three rallies in West Bengal, a day after police denied clearance for his planned April 23 appearances. Details here
Texas Republican candidate suspended by Kalshi for betting on his own election
Zeke Enriquez, who ran in the GOP primary for Texas’ 21st Congressional District, was fined and barred from the prediction market platform for five years. Two candidates in other states were suspended for the same offense.
Manhattan DA’s office employee charged with sexual abuse after alleged incident on Queens subway
An analyst with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office was arrested Tuesday on allegations that he sexually abused a woman while off duty, police told Fox News Digital Wednesday. Tauhid Dewan, 28, is accused of inappropriately touching a 40-year-old woman’s private area during a late-afternoon rush-hour subway ride in Queens, according to local outlet PIX11. The victim was reportedly a random woman, the outlet added, citing sources who said she and the suspect were strangers. A spokeswoman for the office told Fox News Digital that the staffer has since been suspended. MAN ARRESTED IN NYC STRANGULATION DEATH OF WOMAN FOUND OUTSIDE TIMES SQUARE HOTEL According to the New York Police Department, Dewan was arrested around 5 p.m., possibly after returning from work. PIX11 added that the arrest occurred minutes after the incident, which allegedly took place on a No. 7 train near the Junction Boulevard station. He was subsequently arrested by the NYPD Transit Bureau and is facing multiple charges, including forcible touching on a bus or train, third-degree sexual abuse, and second-degree harassment involving physical contact. He was also charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child under the age of 17, suggesting a minor may have been nearby and either witnessed the alleged conduct or was placed at risk by it. ERIC SWALWELL FACES MANHATTAN SEX ASSAULT PROBE AFTER ENDING CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN AMID ALLEGATIONS Law enforcement sources said Dewan has no prior arrests, local outlets reported. According to city records, Dewan has worked at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a senior investigative analyst for nearly four years, since July 10, 2022. His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was scheduled for Wednesday, according to state records.