Illinois lawmakers pass bill banning ICE immigration arrests near courthouses
Illinois lawmakers passed a bill on Friday prohibiting federal agents from making immigration arrests near courthouses. The measure also allows lawsuits when people believe their constitutional rights were violated during civil immigration arrests. The legislation, approved largely along party lines, was sent to Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. His office said he supports the idea and will review the proposal when it reaches his desk. According to the bill, civil damages for false imprisonment could be imposed when a migrant attending a court hearing or appearing as a party or witness to a legal proceeding is arrested. BLUE CITY JUDGE CITES ‘FEAR OR OBSTRUCTION’ IN BLOCKING ICE COURTHOUSE ARRESTS DURING COURT PROCEEDINGS Supporters of the bill say courts must be accessible to everyone to seek resolutions to violations of their rights, but even one of the measure’s top sponsors acknowledges it will face an uphill battle in court. “It’s not just about the constitutionality of the law, which I think is sound, but it’s the reality that the courts are stacked against us,” Democrat Senate President Don Harmon said. “The federal government can try to remove it from state courts to federal courts. They can try to substitute the government itself for the individual defendants, but that’s not a reason not to try.” Earlier this month, a judge in Cook County, which includes Chicago, issued an order blocking immigration arrests at county courthouses, citing concerns about “fear or obstruction” while migrants attend court proceedings. The order prohibits immigration authorities from making civil arrests of any “party, witness, or potential witness” during court appearances. The federal government, however, contended that “there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law.” The Trump administration’s immigration agenda aims to detain suspected illegal migrants as part of the president’s mass deportation policies. But witnesses have reported numerous incidents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detaining people regardless of citizenship or legal status. “No one should have to choose between seeking justice and risking their freedom,” said Democrat state Sen. Celina Villanueva, who is co-sponsoring the bill. “Courthouses must be places where people can resolve disputes, testify and support loved ones, not sites of fear or intimidation.” The measure also requires hospitals, day care centers and higher education institutions to create policies detailing how they would handle immigration agents inside their facilities. Earlier this year, the federal government reversed a Biden administration policy prohibiting immigration arrests in sensitive locations such as hospitals, schools and churches. Other states have made similar efforts to protect migrants against federal raids. FEDERAL JUDGE LIMITS ICE ARRESTS WITHOUT WARRANT, PROBABLE CAUSE California has restricted immigration enforcement action in courthouses since 2017. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state cannot control federal immigration action, but “the state has a responsibility to provide safe and secure access to court facilities to all residents regardless of immigration status.” In Connecticut, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Raheem Mullins issued a policy in September banning warrantless arrests inside state courts, and prohibited the use of face coverings, often worn by ICE officers to shield their identities, in judicial buildings. “Judges, staff, litigants, members of the public, they all must be able to conduct their business in our courthouses without fear of disruption,” Mullins said. Other bills introduced by various local governments and Congress also seek to ban face coverings for immigration agents. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
VP JD Vance dresses up as his own viral meme for Halloween, social media post tops 15 million views
Vice President JD Vance leaned into an internet joke at his own expense this Halloween, posting a short video of himself wearing a curly brown wig to mimic a meme that’s followed him for months. In the TikTok clip, filmed at the Naval Observatory residence, Vance opens the door in a dark suit and red tie, smiling as he tells trick-or-treaters, “Happy Halloween, kids … remember, say thank you!” The line is a playful callback to the “you didn’t say thank you” meme before he spins under purple lights to the eerie “Twilight Zone” theme. The 41-year-old vice president’s video racked up more than 250,000 likes and 14 million views within hours, an extraordinary number for a political post, and drew thousands of comments across Instagram, X and Facebook. Vance first became the butt of the “fat JD with curly hair” meme after a tense White House exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. Critics edited a photo of Vance with exaggerated features and wild hair, pairing it with captions like, “you didn’t say please” or “you didn’t say thank you.” VANCE PAUSES NORTH CAROLINA SPEECH FOR BOY WHO SAID HE ‘SKIPPED SCHOOL’ TO ASK FOR A SELFIE Rather than ignore the ridicule, Vance embraced it. Earlier this week, the White House X account joined the online fun, posting mock “costume package” images of political figures, including a “JD Vance Costume” that jokingly “does not include the fat JD curly hair.” Vance’s own Halloween post essentially completed the gag by adding that missing piece himself. Within hours, the vice president’s post was trending. Screenshots flooded social media, with one user calling him “the best VP ever” and another saying, “JD just won 2028.” Elon Musk responded simply with a laughing emoji. Even some critics gave credit. One commenter on X said, “he did the meme lol.” Users quickly remixed the Halloween look with the original meme, adding jump cuts and effects as it spread across platforms. JD VANCE RESPONDS TO HAKEEM JEFFRIES’ CLAIM SOMBRERO MEME IS ‘RACIST’ For a White House that thrives on viral content, Vance’s light-hearted stunt fits seamlessly into the Trump administration’s digital playbook. The comms shop for President Trump has long embraced meme culture and rapid-fire online humor, sometimes even powered by AI. By Friday night, Vance’s Halloween post was still climbing past 14 million views. For now, JD Vance has done what few politicians manage by turning a meme into a personal win and proving that, at least on Halloween, even the vice president can laugh along with the internet (in a wig). The office of Vice President JD Vance did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Federal judge blocks Trump order requiring citizenship proof on federal voter registration forms
A federal judge has ruled the Trump administration cannot enforce an executive order requiring documented proof of U.S. citizenship on federal voter registration forms, a decision the administration defends as a lawful effort to protect election integrity. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., on Friday found the requirement unconstitutional, writing that the president “lacks the authority to direct such changes.” “The first question presented in these consolidated cases is whether the president, acting unilaterally, may direct changes to federal election procedures,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote in her opinion. “Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the President lacks the authority to direct such changes.” CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS LAUNCH VOTER ID BALLOT PUSH, NEED 875K SIGNATURES BY DEADLINE However, a spokesperson for the White House told Fox News Digital Trump acted within his legal powers. “President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to ensure only American citizens are casting ballots in American elections,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital in an email. “This is so commonsense that only the Democrat Party would file a lawsuit against it. “We expect to be vindicated by a higher court.” The judge sided with the plaintiffs — including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Democratic National Committee and the League of Women Voters Education Fund — arguing the Constitution “assigns no direct role to the president in either domain.” NEARLY ALL REPUBLICAN AGS ADD FIREPOWER TO TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP PUSH The ruling says the U.S. Election Assistance Commission is permanently blocked from adding the requirement to the federal voter form, according to The Associated Press. The lawsuit will continue as the judge examines other parts of Trump’s order, according to The Associated Press. In March, President Trump signed an executive order mandating that anyone registering to vote provide government-issued proof of U.S. citizenship. The order also directed the attorney general to enter into information-sharing agreements with state election officials to identify cases of election fraud or other election law violations and conditioned federal election-related funds on states complying with federal election integrity measures. TRUMP ADMIN BLOCKS CITIZENSHIP FOR NON-CITIZEN VOTERS “There are other steps that we will be taking in the coming weeks,” Trump said just before signing the order. “We think we’ll be able to end up getting fair elections.” Kollar-Kotelly previously issued a preliminary injunction in April, and another federal judge blocked the same March 25 executive order in June after a separate challenge brought by Democratic state attorneys general, The Associated Press reported. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Shannon Bream and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Trump vows to ‘fund SNAP as soon as possible’ if court allows, blasts Democrats over shutdown delay
President Donald Trump said Friday his administration has asked federal courts to clarify whether it can legally release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments as the government shutdown continues. In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said government lawyers had raised doubts about whether existing funds could be used for the November distribution and that two courts have issued conflicting opinions on the matter. “Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do,” Trump wrote. “I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.” The president said he had instructed administration attorneys to ask the courts for clarification “as soon as possible.” SCHUMER, DEMS CALL ‘BULL—-‘ ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FOOD STAMP SHUTDOWN THREAT “If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay,” Trump added. “The Democrats should quit this charade where they hurt people for their own political reasons, and immediately REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.” Trump urged food stamp recipients to contact Senate Democrats, writing, “If you use SNAP benefits, call the Senate Democrats, and tell them to reopen the Government, NOW! Here is Cryin’ Chuck Schumer’s Office Number.” SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, provides aid to about 42 million Americans each month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Funding for the program depends on congressional appropriations, which have lapsed during the current shutdown. USDA CHIEF WARNS ‘WE’RE RIGHT AT THE CLIFF’ AS 40 MILLION AMERICANS BRACE FOR FOOD STAMP CUTOFF The president made his comments one day before the scheduled Nov. 1 payment date for many recipients. The USDA has not publicly confirmed whether benefits will be issued if the courts do not provide new guidance. Trump has repeatedly accused Democrats of prolonging the shutdown to gain political leverage, while Democrats say the White House could reopen the government by signing a short-term spending bill already passed in the Senate. In his post, Trump referenced his earlier actions to protect military and law enforcement paychecks during the standoff, calling it his duty to “ensure Americans don’t go hungry.” No court filings related to SNAP funding had been publicly docketed as of Friday afternoon. The White House referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s Truth Social post when pressed for comment.
Trump reveals first photos after Lincoln Bedroom’s renovation in the White House
President Trump announced Friday that renovations have been completed on the Lincoln Bedroom bathroom in the White House, revealing the redesigned space in a series of posts on Truth Social. The bathroom, which was last updated in the 1940s with a green tile design, has been reimagined with black-and-white marble — a look the President described as more fitting for the Lincoln era. “I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Friday. PHOTOS: THE MAKING OF TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, A LOOK AT THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS Trump added, “I did it in black and white polished statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!” The President shared multiple photos on Truth Social of the remodel, which showcased the bathroom’s marble walls and gold fixtures. “The Refurbished Lincoln Bathroom in the White House — Highly polished, Statuary marble!” Trump said in one of the posts. WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO REPORTS OF TRUMP PREPARING TO HIT MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE VENEZUELA The office and cabinet room once used by America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, has been known as the Lincoln Bedroom since 1945, when President Harry S. Truman directed that furnishings from Lincoln’s era be placed there, according to the White House Historical Association. The room is located in the southeast corner of the second floor of the White House. WHITE HOUSE MAKEOVERS HAVE LONG SPARKED CONTROVERSY, WELL BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S $200M BALLROOM The bathroom renovation follows Trump’s recent announcement that construction crews had begun tearing down part of the East Wing to make room for his privately funded White House ballroom, a project that’s been in the works for months. The ballroom is estimated to cost $250 million and will be financed jointly by Trump and private donors. “The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a July 31 briefing. Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Supreme Court prepares to confront monumental case over Trump executive power and tariff authority
Economic imperative or executive overreach? That is the question the Supreme Court is preparing this week to confront, in one of its most monumental appeals over the scope of executive power, a time-sensitive challenge to President Donald Trump‘s expansive import tariffs over most countries. The justices will hear oral arguments Wednesday over lawsuits from a coalition of small businesses and several Democratic-led states, who say Trump has abused his authority by declaring a “national emergency” to impose levies on nearly every country in the world. At issue is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) gives the president that power. TRUMP CUTS CHINA TARIFF AFTER XI SIGNALS TOUGHER FENTANYL ENFORCEMENT, RARE-EARTH PAUSE Lower federal courts have ruled against the Executive Branch, but Trump’s Justice Department warns “denial of tariff authority would expose our nation to trade retaliation without effective defenses.” The financial and political stakes are enormous, with potential immediate effects on the domestic and global economies. Businesses and industries, large and small, are nervously watching how the Court will act. “The Supreme Court will decide whether or not Congress, in fact, gave the president the fairly broad authority that he’s claimed to impose [tariffs] on, in a way that no president has used it before,” said Thomas Dupree, a leading appellate attorney and a former top Justice Department official. “Not to say that’s necessarily impermissible, but it is something that the Supreme Court has not seen in recent years and is going to weigh in on whether or not he’s overstepped the authority that he has under the law.” The consolidated, expedited appeals will be the first major test on the merits of the White House’s aggressive second-term agenda to remake large swaths of the federal government, and the outsized role this president has so far played. The administration has been winning most of the emergency appeals at the Supreme Court since January dealt only with whether challenged policies could go into effect temporarily, while the issues play out in the lower courts — including immigration, federal spending cuts, workforce reductions and transgenders in the military. In doing so, the 6-3 conservative majority has reversed about two dozen preliminary nationwide injunctions imposed by lower federal courts, leading to frustration and confusion among many judges. Now those percolating petitions are starting to reach the Supreme Court for final review — and legal analysts say the bench may be poised to grant broad unilateral powers to the president. The justices fast-tracked the administration’s appeal over sweeping tariffs on nearly every country, which were blocked by lower courts. A high court ruling on the merits could come quickly, perhaps within weeks. Both sides have urged a quick decision, since the U.S. has been engaged in active, ongoing trade negotiations with dozens of countries over the past months. This could be the start of several high-profile merits appeals over Trump’s executive actions. In December, the justices will decide whether to overturn a 90-year precedent dealing with the president’s ability to fire members of some federal regulatory agencies like the Federal Trade Commission. SENATE REPUBLICANS DEFECT, REJECT TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CANADIAN GOODS And in January, the power of President Trump to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors will be tested in another major constitutional showdown. For now, the Biden-appointed Cook will remain on the job. Other appeals that could be added to the high court argument docket include birthright citizenship and other immigration-related petitions, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies in educational institutions and the environment. Congress is given the power under the Constitution’s Article I to “lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises.” But when Trump in February began issuing a series of executive orders, he relied on the IEEPA, which gives the president the power — under a self-declared national economic emergency — to “investigate, block during the pendency of an investigation, regulate, direct and compel, nullify, void, prevent or prohibit, any acquisition, holding, withholding, use, transfer, withdrawal, transportation, importation or exportation of, or dealing in, or exercising any right, power, or privilege with respect to, or transactions involving, any property in which any foreign country or a national thereof has any interest.” The Trump Justice Department says the choices are stark. “President Trump and his advisors have determined that erroneously invalidating the IEEPA tariffs, ‘would have catastrophic consequences for our national security, foreign policy, and economy,’” wrote U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer, who will argue the case before the justices. Citing Trump’s own words, “The President has emphasized: ‘If the United States were forced to unwind these historic agreements … the economic consequences would be ruinous, instead of unprecedented success.” But the plaintiffs claim no president until now in the law’s five decades has ever used it to impose “sweeping worldwide” tariffs. “Context, history and common sense all support a more modest understanding of that provision — one that leaves the President ample tools to address emergencies but does not delegate Congress’ tariffing power wholesale,” wrote Benjamin Gutman, Oregon’s solicitor general, who will argue the case for the state plaintiffs. “This Court should reject the President’s bid to seize that power for himself.” Two categories of tariffs involving a variety of products are being contested: The first are “trafficking tariffs,” on goods from Canada, China and Mexico, imposed after the Trump administration said those nations have not done enough to reduce the flow of fentanyl. The second, broader category, labeled “reciprocal tariffs,” involves tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on products from virtually all countries. The Supreme Court will hold at least 80-minutes of scheduled oral arguments in its marble-lined courtroom, but the public session is expected to last much longer. The justices will almost certainly have many questions of counsel from both sides, since they will be confronting a range of novel legal and constitutional questions over Trump’s tariff authority. TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT FOR URGENT RULING ON TARIFF POWERS AS ‘STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER’ The arguments — audio of which will
House military vets rip Jeffries for dodging question on pay during shutdown: ‘Insult to Americans’
EXCLUSIVE: Military veterans in Congress are criticizing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for dodging questions on whether he will forego his paycheck as government workers go without pay due to the ongoing shutdown. Reps. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Tom Barrett, R-Mich., each of whom served in the U.S. Army, said they would give up their paychecks for the duration of the shutdown, citing concern for American service members. The three took aim at Jeffries for delaying saying whether he would do the same. As the government shutdown enters its fifth week, Jeffries was asked on CNN on Wednesday night if he would defer his paychecks during the shutdown in light of TSA agents and other federal workers having to work without pay. Jeffries dodged the question, saying, “I’ll be commenting on that shortly.” While Jeffries’ office did not initially give a comment by the time of original publication, a spokesperson later told Fox News Digital that Jeffries would be forgoing his November paycheck. On Friday evening, after taking criticism from Republican veterans for dodging questions on his paycheck, Jeffries answered, “I made clear to my constituents that my check will be withheld.” The spokesperson declined to comment on whether Jeffries had taken his paycheck at the beginning of October. JOHNSON REJECTS PUSH FOR MILITARY PAY FIX AS SHUTDOWN FIGHT INTENSIFIES Just the day before, Jeffries told CNN, “I understand the sacrifice that people are making, including Capitol Police officers here, and I’m going to conduct myself accordingly given that sacrifice.” To which the CNN host pressed, “So, that sounds like a yes, that you will defer your paycheck?” Jeffries answered, “Well, I’ll have more to say about that shortly, but I think consistent with the values that I just articulated.” In response, Evans, who served as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, called Jeffries’ dodge an “insult to Americans” that “just reiterates their unserious and irresponsible legislating and proves how out of touch they are from those they are supposed to serve.” HOUSE GOP BLOCKS DEMS’ MILITARY PAY BILL AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENS CHECKS “As a former cop and soldier who still lives paycheck to paycheck, I understand firsthand the severity and impact that this Democrat-led shutdown has caused our country to endure, and is why I’ve chosen to defer my pay and stand in solidarity with every federal employee who misses a paycheck until the Democrats decide to work with Republicans to reopen our government,” Evans told Fox News Digital. He added that “while thousands of dedicated and hardworking Americans continue to work tirelessly without a paycheck to keep America safe and running, Democrats continue to be noncommittal when asked about deferring their own pay amid the government shutdown.” Meeks, who retired as a lieutenant colonel, told Fox News Digital that if Jeffries “cared half as much about working families as he does about his own salary, the government would already be open.” “While 42 million Americans face losing their SNAP benefits and our troops go unpaid, Hakeem Jeffries is still cashing a paycheck,” she said. FLIGHT DELAYS WORSEN AS UNPAID AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS FEEL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN PAIN “Hakeem Jeffries is so out of touch that he thinks he should be compensated for shutting down the government and causing the American people to suffer,” added Barrett, a 22-year veteran. “This type of hypocrisy is exactly what I came to Washington to fight against,” he said. “It’s time for him to drop this ‘rules for thee and not for me’ attitude and make a decision: pay our federal employees or pass on his paycheck like the rest of us.”
‘Pissed off’: Terence Sears fumes as wife kept from campaign stops by Democratic session
Virginia second gentleman Terence Sears rallied with the GOP ticket in his wife’s stead Friday as Democrats continued to pull Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears off the campaign trail to have her preside over their last-minute redistricting amendment session. The typically soft-spoken Sears fumed at party politicking as he headlined an event at the Obenshain family farm in Montgomery County, not far from Virginia Tech. The rally was supposed to feature his wife, who was instead stuck 200 miles away at the state capitol. Sears said a similar situation occurred in Fredericksburg Thursday, when Democrats’ activities kept Earle-Sears in the Senate president’s chair. MAN WHO WENT VIRAL FOR HECKLING WINSOME SEARS WITH RACIST COMMENT DEALT ANOTHER BLOW AFTER GETTING FIRED “I was pissed off because of what the Democrats have done to my wife,” Sears, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant, said. “And let me tell you that I’m thoroughly pissed off now.” Sears said Earle-Sears was looking forward to the rally hosted by a prominent Virginia Republican family whose kin represent Blacksburg, Shawsville, Harrisonburg and Luray in the legislature. SPANBERGER DEFENDS ABORTION AD CRITICIZING SEARS AFTER BERNIE WARNS AGAINST HIGHLIGHTING ISSUE “She would’ve loved to have been here with you, but you see the games that they’re playing and the shenanigans that they’re pulling to keep her off the campaign trail. … If you do not want to become Maryland or California, then you need to get out there and vote,” he said, adding he traveled from their home in Winchester, several hours north near the Old Line State, to stump in Southside Virginia. VA DEMS REJECT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING POLITICAL VIOLENCE WHILE HOUSE SPEAKER CUTS OFF JAY JONES REFERENCES Sears said his wife and others on the ticket would help Virginia remain a safe place to live and put a focus on educational advancement. Del. Chris Obenshain, R-Blacksburg, and Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., were also featured at the event. TOP GOP GROUP DROPS BIG MONEY INTO VIRGINIA SHOWDOWN AFTER DEM AG NOMINEE’S VIOLENT TEXTS GO VIRAL Griffith, who could be the only remaining Republican in Virginia’s congressional delegation if a map highlighted by Senate President pro tem L. Louise Lucas comes to pass, lambasted the current redistricting effort and special session being held as people are already actively voting. Before he introduced lieutenant governor candidate John Reid, Griffith offered an aside about Reid’s father he said rang true amid the current partisan turmoil in Richmond. Griffith said former House Minority Whip Jack Reid, R-Powhatan, found Democrats’ behavior to become such that Reid began handing out “B.S. Deflector” sunglasses during a session, suggesting they could be useful in the current controversial situation. OBAMA’S ‘WINGMAN’ DUMPS $300K INTO NEW VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING FIGHT AS DEMS CALL LAWMAKERS BACK “When the speaker does something really stupid, we’re going to put on these B.S. Deflectors,” Griffith recounted Reid telling the GOP conference when they were in the state House together. It wasn’t too long after that the shades became needed, Griffith recounted. “Jack gives us all the signal, we put on these sunglasses. The media wants to know what’s going on, and Jack goes out and says, ‘We call B.S. when we see it, and that ruling by the speaker was B.S’.” “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Griffith quipped, introducing John Reid.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Johnson warns against Trump’s ‘nuclear’ shutdown demand
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… -‘Scary Movie’ Jay Jones: GOP turns Democratic AG hopeful’s scandals into Halloween costumes -GOP hopeful warns socialist mayoral candidate in Minneapolis is a ‘copy-paste’ of Mamdani -As Congress grows older, debate heats up over when to step aside House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned against President Donald Trump’s demand for the Senate to invoke the “nuclear option” to end the government shutdown. Johnson was asked during his Friday press conference about a late-night Truth Social post in which Trump demanded the Senate get rid of the filibuster and its 60-vote threshold to ram through the GOP’s federal funding bill by a simple majority. “Look, I’ll just say this in general, as I’ve said many times about the filibuster, it’s not my call. I don’t have a say in this. It’s a Senate chamber issue,” Johnson said. “But the filibuster has traditionally been viewed as a very important safeguard. If the shoe was on the other foot, I don’t think our team would like it.”…READ MORE. SNAP SHOWDOWN: Two judges rule Trump admin must keep SNAP benefits in place as shutdown drags on TOXIC WATERS END: Trump EPA slashes 12 years off sewage cleanup crisis that has rocked California for decades LICENSE TO VOTE: Former VP Kamala Harris advocates for lowering the voting age RED WAVE RISING: Trump, Youngkin hold tele-rally for Virginia GOP ticket; presidential Sears endorsement remains withheld TABOO TOPIC: Trump and Xi skip Taiwan talk despite years of war preparations CASH PIPELINE: Bombshell report shows foreign charities dumped billions into US political advocacy groups, ‘erode’ democracy SHUTDOWN STANDOFF: Senate talks show signs of progress as government shutdown grinds into 2nd month FOLLOW THE MONEY: Unearthed records expose Swalwell campaign’s ‘bizarre inconsistency’ in payments to California man WHO BLINKS FIRST: Johnson raises shutdown stakes on Schumer as food stamp deadline, Obamacare cliff loom IN THE BALANCE: Cuomo picks up endorsements, rises in polls as comeback campaign nears finish line HIDING THE TRUTH: Alvin Bragg dodges mentioning signature Trump case as he campaigns for DA re-election ‘DISAPPOINTED’: Dem appointed supreme court justice in hot seat over politically charged Halloween display Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Mamdani dances into final campaign stretch, pushing socialist affordability message ahead of NYC vote
Facing tightening polls and growing scrutiny of his progressive agenda, New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani spent Friday courting senior voters on the Lower East Side, even joining a tai chi class as he delivered his final affordability pitch. The self-described democratic socialist heads into the final weekend before Election Day with a double-digit lead. In the latest Fox News Poll, released Thursday, Mamdani has a 16-point lead: 47% back him, while 15% favor Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and 31% go for Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani, whose platform to freeze rents and expand city-run services has drawn fire from business groups and moderate Democrats, framed his campaign’s closing message around affordability. NEW POLL REVEALS MAMDANI’S LEAD IS SHRINKING AS CUOMO GAINS GROUND IN NYC SHOWDOWN “It’s the same message that we opened with, which is that this is the most expensive city in the United States of America, and it’s time to make it affordable,” Mamdani told Fox News Digital on Friday. CUOMO NARROWS MAMDANI’S ADVANTAGE IN LATEST POLL AHEAD OF NYC MAYORAL ELECTION Mamdani’s campaign agenda includes city-run grocery stores, rent freezes and free childcare, all of which he plans to pay for by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers. “When I stood there alongside hundreds of supporters in Long Island City on Oct. 23, last year, we said then what we say now: We’re going to freeze the rent for rent-stabilized tenants. We’re going to make the slowest buses in America fast and free. We’re going to deliver universal childcare, and we’re going to do it because, at the heart of our struggle, is for the working New Yorker who’s been pushed out of the city,” Mamdani told Fox News Digital. Less than 12 hours earlier, Mamdani greeted hospital workers at Elmhurst Hospital, canvassed taxi drivers at LaGuardia Airport and met those working night shifts in Jackson Heights. It’s a style of retail politics that Mamdani has employed throughout his campaign, particularly in this final week, as he attempts to shake any and every hand — even in the sea of local, national and international reporters following his every move. “Last night, after I spoke to taxi drivers, before I went to Elmhurst Hospital and outside of Elmhurst Hospital, I spoke to an 1199 organizer. He told me that he commutes two hours each way from Pennsylvania because he cannot afford a place to live in the city,” Mamdani said. To Mamdani, the campaign ends where it began, with a pitch to working-class New Yorkers. “We have people that we look at and understand, as New Yorkers, they can’t even live here anymore, and that is a shame,” Mamdani said. “That is unacceptable, and it doesn’t actually have to be that way. I’m looking forward to proving that starting Jan. 1.” And while Mamdani already has his eyes set on next year, affirming his commitment to keeping New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her position if he is elected, the latest polling indicates Cuomo is making up some ground ahead of Election Day. The latest Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows Mamdani’s 10-point advantage over Cuomo is down from his 13-point lead in their poll earlier this month, and this latest poll matches the Suffolk University poll released Monday that found Mamdani losing ground with a now 10-point lead. “Make no mistake: The race is tightening, and Andrew Cuomo is closing in fast,” Cuomo campaign spokesman Rich Azzopardi said in a statement this week. The latest Fox News poll finds independent candidate and current mayor Eric Adams, who endorsed Cuomo last week, received 2% support despite dropping out of the race Sept. 28. Adams will still appear on the ballot. Despite traded jabs this year, Adams has joined Cuomo on the campaign trail in a last-ditch effort to boost the anti-Mamdani vote. Adams announced Friday his plan to increase the NYPD’s headcount by 5,000 officers, increasing the total number of officers to 40,000 by 2029, which he says will be the highest level in 20 years. It’s a $17.8 million investment for the upcoming fiscal year with plans to raise the investment to $315.8 million by 2029. “The vast majority of New Yorkers want more police officers on their streets and in their subways, and that is what we are delivering by adding these 5,000 new officers,” Adams, a former NYPD officer, said in a statement Friday. Mamdani’s approach to public safety and past criticisms of the NYPD have been a major point of contention for his mayoral campaign. He apologized this month on Fox News to the NYPD for his past comments, including calling the department “racist, anti‑queer & a major threat to public safety” in 2020, among other insults. Mamdani was asked to respond to Adams’ new proposal Friday. “I have said time and again that I believe we have the right number of police officers,” Mamdani said, arguing that Adams does not have the money to hire an additional 5,000 officers. “We know what New Yorkers actually care about,” Mamdani added Friday. “It’s not a question of headcount. It’s a question of safety, and that’s exactly what I’m going to deliver in retaining Commissioner Tisch and creating a Department of Community Safety and finally ensuring that we live up to the words that Eric Adams … said four years ago, that New Yorkers need not choose between safety and justice.”