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.
Senate GOP launches all-night vote-a-rama to fund ICE, Border Patrol through end of Trump’s term
Senate Republicans are inching closer to funding federal immigration operations for years to come, but first they have to plow through a marathon of votes Democrats plan to weaponize against them. The Senate officially launched a “vote-a-rama” for Republicans’ budget resolution, the blueprint guiding the GOP’s push to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s presidency. But, first, lawmakers must grind through amendment after amendment from Senate Democrats — and some Republicans — before voting to adopt the resolution. SENATE GOP BLOCKS FIFTH DEM BID TO END TRUMP’S IRAN WAR AS DIVISIONS GROW Some Republicans unhappy with the limited scope of the GOP’s latest budget reconciliation push have vowed to force votes on amendments addressing economic issues and a provision set to expire in July that prohibits Medicaid funding from going to abortion providers. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he would not block amendments from his own party from reaching the floor. “We’ll see what our colleagues come up with, but we’re talking to them and their offices about strategy and the best way to move forward in order to ultimately succeed — and that is to get it passed in both houses and signed [into law],” Thune said. SENATE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL IMMIGRATION FUNDING PLAN WITH $140 BILLION PRICE TAG AS DIVISIONS SIMMER But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus intend to use the opportunity to attack Republicans on several issues, including the war in Iran, affordability and other concerns tied to Trump’s agenda. Schumer said Democrats plan to “show the contrast” between the parties over Republicans’ reconciliation plans, which they intend to use to inject tens of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol over the next 3½ years. “We are for reducing costs for the American people — whether it’s housing, healthcare, electric bills, groceries or childcare,” Schumer said Wednesday. “And they are funding a rogue police force that is not even popular with the American people. And we’re going to keep at it.” REPUBLICANS EYE ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS FOREVER OVER FEARS DEMS WILL DO IT AGAIN Senate Democrats have teed up several amendments, including proposals aimed at forcing rebates for small businesses affected by Trump’s tariffs, addressing rising grocery costs and renewing their push to extend the long-expired Obamacare enhanced premium tax credits, a fight from last year that led to the longest full government shutdown in history. Republicans turned to reconciliation after months of avoiding the maneuver after congressional Democrats refused to fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection without stricter immigration enforcement reforms, including warrant requirements and rules requiring agents to remove their masks. Senate Republicans unveiled their budget resolution Tuesday in a bid to meet Trump’s June 1 deadline to have the full package on his desk. The measure directs the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to each craft legislation providing $70 billion in funding for the agencies. Republicans are ultimately eyeing up to $80 billion for immigration enforcement. Once the vote-a-rama ends and the budget resolution is adopted, it will head to the House. After the House adopts it, Congress will begin the process of crafting a reconciliation package without Democratic input.
Video exposes disrepair lurking beneath Trump Kennedy Center as $257M renovation looms
Peeling concrete, exposed steel rebar, rust-streaked electrical equipment and vents patched together with layers of duct tape are among the problems hidden beneath the Trump Kennedy Center, according to photos, project materials and board minutes obtained by Fox News Digital as officials push to temporarily shut down the building for major repairs. The Trump Kennedy Center released documentation Wednesday of what it described as “decades of deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure needs” as part of a $257 million renovation effort, offering an unusually detailed look at the condition of the venue as leadership pushes forward with the project. The disclosures come as debate intensifies over the plan to close the center for up to two years. While there appears to be broad agreement that the building requires significant repair, some Democrats have objected to the speed of the process. According to March 16 meeting minutes reviewed by Fox News Digital, Democrat Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said she had “no opposition for the need for repair” but “strongly opposes voting on a closure.” TAXPAYERS ON THE HOOK FOR LAWN CARE, FIXING HINGES AT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES; TRUMP-LED REFORMS AIM TO STOP IT The minutes also say Beatty argued there had not been “enough time to review, study, and discuss” the proposal. The condition of the building is evident in images and video provided by the Trump Kennedy Center, which show water damage affecting electrical systems, rusted infrastructure and large sections of concrete where internal steel supports are exposed. Project materials describe “2,000+ pound soffit panels” that have reached “end-of-life” and “present a public safety risk,” along with “hundreds of structural failure points” in areas such as the parking garage. Officials also cited “extensive water infiltration,” deterioration in electrical rooms beneath entrances and long-term damage affecting the center’s iconic white marble exterior as well as concrete and core structural systems. LEAVITT SHOWS OFF US TRIUMPHAL ARCH, WITH PLANS TO BE RELEASED THURSDAY Officials have warned that, without repairs, deteriorating structural elements, water-damaged electrical systems and heavy overhead components nearing “end-of-life” could pose potential safety risks to visitors and staff. The scope of the problems outlined in the new materials echoes earlier warnings from center leadership. In February, officials told Fox News Digital that decades of neglect had left the building in “extremely poor condition,” citing broken elevators, failing HVAC systems and deferred maintenance needs they warned could threaten the venue’s very survival. “We are financially stable, yet the building is still physically in trouble,” Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi said in a previous statement to Fox News Digital. WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA TO DEPART TRUMP–KENNEDY CENTER AMID REPORTED FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES Executive Director Matt Floca said the decision to close the center is driven by the scale of the work required. “So, the recommendation was just natural: You shut the building down, temporarily, and you make this investment. And then you reopen,” Floca said. President Donald Trump has also previously argued that closing the building is necessary to complete the work efficiently. “If we don’t close, the quality of construction will not be nearly as good,” Trump said. KENNEDY CENTER DIRECTOR ENCOURAGES REPUBLICAN ATTENDANCE, SAYS ‘EVERYONE IS WELCOME’ Floca said the scope of the repairs is based on long-standing assessments of the building’s condition, not a newly developed plan. “The maintenance needs were all developed previously in a 2021 Comprehensive Building Plan,” he said. Asked how visitors have reacted when seeing the condition of the building up close, Floca said there has been “surprise across the board — ‘How did we get here,’ right?” Tours of the Trump Kennedy Center have been offered on a bipartisan basis to lawmakers, along with donors and other key stakeholders, as officials seek to demonstrate the extent of the damage firsthand. The sessions began earlier this month while Congress was in recess and included staff for a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, as well as offices representing both parties in the House and Senate and a representative for Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. WARREN-LED INQUIRY DRAWS NEW DETAILS ON TRUMP BALLROOM DONATIONS FROM MAJOR CORPORATIONS Opponents have also raised concerns about process and oversight, and a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation has argued that major changes could affect the historic integrity of the building. “We’re maintaining the JFK bust where it is,” Floca told gathered press on Wednesday. “The memorial at large will stay the same. All of the quotes and everything on the marble on the exterior building, none of that’s changing.” The physical deterioration outlined in the renovation plans comes as the center has reported financial gains under current leadership. In December, officials told Fox News Digital the Kennedy Center Honors raised a record $23 million, nearly doubling the previous year’s total. The fundraising gains followed leadership changes that saw Trump take on a more direct role in the institution, including as chairman of its board. Congress has appropriated roughly $257 million for the work through the “One, Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law last year. Renovations are expected to begin after July 4, 2026. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the center,” Floca said Wednesday. “All of these improvements that we need to make are real, are needed. And we have the timeframe to do it. I’m incredibly excited about it.” The Office of Rep. Joyce Beatty did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Mexican national convicted of illegally voting in US after false citizenship claims faces removal: DHS
FIRST ON FOX: A Mexican national who voted illegally in U.S. elections and falsely claimed to be a citizen has been convicted and could face removal under federal immigration law. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Jose Ceballos-Armendariz, a lawful permanent resident who has held a green card since 1990, pleaded guilty to three counts of disorderly election conduct following prosecution by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. Officials said Ceballos-Armendariz unlawfully voted multiple times and falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms, including a 1999 application in which he affirmed he was a citizen of the United States. He later applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2025. DHS said he falsely stated on that application that he had never claimed to be a U.S. citizen. CONSERVATIVE LEGAL GROUP PRESSES AGENCY TO ACT ON TRUMP’S VOTER CITIZENSHIP MANDATE DESPITE COURT INJUNCTIONS Under federal immigration law, false claims to U.S. citizenship can make a noncitizen removable, though DHS has not detailed any potential action in this case. “This alien has now been convicted of illegally voting in American elections, voting in American elections,” DHS acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. “The SAVE program is a critical tool for state and local governments to safeguard the integrity of elections across the country.” Records provided by DHS and reviewed by Fox News Digital show Ceballos-Armendariz checked “yes” when asked if he was a U.S. citizen on a Kansas voter registration form and signed to affirm the information was true. ‘ESSENTIAL TO OUR NATION’S SOVEREIGNTY’: NONCITIZEN VOTER CRACKDOWN LED BY GOP AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS On his naturalization application, however, he marked “no” when asked whether he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen despite his prior voter registration. DHS said Ceballos-Armendariz also has a prior criminal conviction, having been found guilty of battery in 1995. President Donald Trump has made election integrity a central focus of his administration, with officials pointing to enforcement actions like this case as part of broader efforts to prevent noncitizens from participating in U.S. elections. Existing federal law — 18 U.S.C. § 611: “Voting by aliens” under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 — prohibits noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from voting in elections for all federal offices. GRAHAM EYES ‘DOWN PAYMENT’ ON TRUMP-BACKED SAVE ACT WITHOUT DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT “Nothing is more fundamental than the integrity and security of our elections,” Bis said. “That’s why the Trump Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, commonsense legislation that requires voters to present photo ID and implements other critical measures to protect federal elections from fraud. “Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens.” Despite the IIRIRA, since April 2025, more than 24,000 potential non-U.S. citizens have been identified on voter rolls through the SAVE program and referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for further investigation, according to DHS. Officials said more than 60 million voter verification queries have been processed during that time. Federal officials say the system allows states to verify citizenship status and prevent unlawful voting, and they continue to urge broader adoption nationwide.
Virginia court declares state’s redistricting vote was unconstitutional in legal win for Republicans
Republicans are cheering a circuit court victory in Virginia that showed Democrats’ redistricting efforts in Virginia are not quite over yet despite a referendum to accept a new map drawn by Democrats getting approved by voters Tuesday. Virginia Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley ruled Wednesday, one day after the Democrat redistricting referendum passed, that all votes for or against the proposed redistricting amendment were unconstitutional, citing rules that impose certain requirements that the referendum did not meet. There are a handful of cases making their way through the Virginia court system challenging various aspects of the referendum, including the one Hurley ruled on Wednesday. “The Tazewell Circuit Court just ruled the referendum unconstitutional. The Judge entered an injunction blocking certification of the election & denied a motion to stay pending appeal. A final order will be entered once drafted, & it will be immediately appealed,” former Republican Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said on X after Hurley’s ruling. ERIC HOLDER ACCUSES GOP OF ‘STEALING SEATS’ WHILE DEFENDING ‘FAIR’ DEMOCRATIC REDISTRICTING PUSH Shortly after the ruling came down, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, a Democrat who beat GOP incumbent Jason Miyares in November, indicated his office will “immediately file an appeal.” Cuccinelli, who heads the American Principles Project Election Transparency Initiative, indicated Wednesday there are four constitutional challenges to the referendum making their way through the courts, three of which are challenges to the amendment process itself. “Virginia has a process to amend its constitution that has the General Assembly pass a proposed amendment and then have a state election — an intervening election — where the new House of Delegates was elected and so forth. And then that new General Assembly comes back and has to pass the exact same amendment,” Cuccinelli told CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings on Wednesday. “The General Assembly passed the amendment for the first time — called first passage, very creative — on Halloween. Well, these same Democrats, five years ago, gave us a 45-day election. So, voting began September 19 of 2025. Over a million people had already voted before first passage, and they want to treat that election as the intervening election. They’re going to have a very difficult time with that.” Cuccinelli added that there are other “equally difficult” constitutional challenges Democrats are facing in this legal battle, which he said he expects to move quickly through the courts. Cuccinelli told Jennings he expects a final ruling on the matter by May. NEWSOM TURNS VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING VICTORY INTO WARNING SHOT FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Shortly after news of the Virginia circuit court ruling in Tazewell, Jones announced his office would be immediately appealing the measure. Jones argued that “an activist judge” should not have the power to veto “the People’s vote.” “Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People’s vote,” Jones said Wednesday after the ruling. “We look forward to defending the outcome of last night’s election in court.” Democrat strategist Adam Parkhomenko echoed Jones’ criticism after the news broke Wednesday but also said he has expectations that Republicans’ legal challenges will not hold up in court. “Virginia voters spoke. MAGA lost. And now a rogue Republican judge is trying to override the will of the people because they didn’t like the outcome,” Parkhomenko said on X. “That’s not democracy. That’s desperation.” Parkhomenko added he has “full confidence a higher court will overturn this nonsense quickly, and the will of Virginia voters will prevail.” “Nice try,” the Dem strategist added.
EXCLUSIVE: Eric Swalwell hit with fresh complaint over alleged use of House office to boost his business
Former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is facing 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. The complaint comes as 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. 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 CAMPAIGN SETS OFF ALARM BELLS AFTER ACCEPTING $25K DONATION FROM CCP-TIED LAWYER: ‘OUTRAGEOUS’ 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. But, 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. NOTUS published a follow-up days later based on interviews with a half dozen Democratic Party political operatives and other unnamed sources and reviews of emailed communications and texts. Both Swalwell and Wolf allegedly would send texts to Democratic staff and lawmakers about their company, according to the subsequent report, in addition to promoting it during in-person interactions. FACT’s ethics complaint seeks to have the allegations revealed by NOTUS and substantiated by other outlets investigated. “Public office is a position of trust, and no individual should be able to skirt accountability for potential abuses of power simply by resigning,” FACT’s Executive Director Kendra Arnold said in a press release accompanying the group’s complaint. “The reported actions using an official position to promote a personal business and potentially misusing government resources raise serious legal concerns that warrant a thorough investigation by the Department of Justice. Ensuring accountability in cases like this is essential to maintaining public confidence in government.” Fox News Digital reached out to Swalwell’s legal team, Wolf and Findraiser for comment but did not receive any responses. The Justice Department also did not provide any comment on whether it plans to look into FACT’s complaints. While lawmakers on Capitol Hill are legally allowed to earn passive income through businesses they own, House rules do prohibit lawmakers and their staff from using their “political influence, the influence of (their) position … to make pecuniary gains.” According to the 2022 House Ethics Manual, lawmakers and their staff are expected to avoid even an appearance that they may be using their political influence for financial gain. SCHIFF LAUNCHES LEGAL DEFENSE FUND IN RESPONSE TO CLAIMS TRUMP IS ‘WEAPONIZING’ JUSTICE SYSTEM “In any event, the Standards Committee routinely advises Members and staff to avoid situations in which even an inference might be drawn suggesting improper conduct,” the manual states. In addition to allegedly pitching the company in-person, Wolf, while still working as Swalwell’s chief of staff on Capitol Hill, allegedly emailed congressional campaigns offering demos for Findraiser and texted congressional staff below her to set up business meetings with her and Swalwell to discuss their startup company, according to the accusations reported by NOTUS. Democratic operatives described Swalwell’s promotion of Findraiser on Capitol Hill as “relentless” and said he “aggressively” peddled it to Democratic candidates for office and senior campaign officials, according to NOTUS. One of the operatives told NOTUS that being approached by Swalwell or his staff about his company has been “surprisingly universal” in some Democratic circles. NANCY MACE CALLS ON CONGRESS TO RELEASE SEXUAL HARASSMENT RECORDS, WANTS AN ‘AVALANCHE OF RESIGNATIONS’ “They were really hitting up everyone,” a source with knowledge of the situation told the New York Post. “I bet every California member probably got outreach.” The New York Post also reported it had spoken to sources who indicated Swalwell allegedly would use his company as a legislative negotiating tactic. “The only way you get Swalwell to sign on to your bills is if you take this weird call from his chief of staff,” a source reportedly told the New York Post. According to NOTUS’ reporting, Findraiser received about $60,000 from more than a dozen Democratic campaigns. Meanwhile, Swalwell’s congressional financial disclosures have listed his company as being worth between $200,000 and $500,000. NOTUS did indicate that it was informed by a former Swalwell spokesperson in March, who has since left his position, that both Swalwell and Wolf consulted with the necessary House Ethics personnel about Findraiser. The spokesperson also claimed that Swalwell receives no income from the company. “These alleged facts deserve to be criminally investigated,” FACT’s complaint to the Justice Department argues. “This is just one issue of many during Swalwell’s problematic tenure in Congress, which among others includes being accused of using campaign funds to pay for a Brazilian nanny in our country illegally and being removed from the House Intelligence Committee over his association with a Chinese spy.” Fox News Digital previously reported on the other ethics complaints Swalwell has faced that are mentioned in FACT’s letter to the Justice Department. Swalwell was accused of paying his nanny, Amanda Barbosa, with campaign funds for roughly two years while she allegedly did not have valid work authorization. Following multiple complaints against Swalwell over the matter,
Hospice CEO asks Congress how a provider can operate ‘out of a burrito stand in California’ with no oversight
The CEO of a California hospice advocacy group told congressional lawmakers Tuesday that fraud in the industry is flourishing across the state, questioning how numerous fraudulent providers can continue to operate under the nose of regulators. Sheila Clark, the president and CEO of the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) — a nonprofit that pushes to improve access to quality end-of-life care — told the House Ways and Means Committee that some hospices operate in name only, meaning they have no patients or staff. Clark said the surge in hospice and home healthcare providers is a symptom of failures across multiple regulatory bodies that degrade patient protections and hurt taxpayers. NEW EXPOSÉ CLAIMS CALIFORNIA LOST AT LEAST $180B TO FRAUD UNDER GAVIN NEWSOM “You’d be amazed at how many hospices… the door you can walk up to in California and there is nobody there. Five months’ worth of mail that you can see stacked… nobody’s there,” Clark said. “And that passed a survey. How did that happen?” “How do you put a hospice in a burrito stand in California?” she quipped. “How do you put a hospice in an entire store in California? That all had to be vetted through licensure and through certification and accreditation.” Dr. Lynn Ianni, a licensed psychotherapist with nearly 40 years of clinical experience who also testified, said she was locked out of her own Medicare benefits for months after she was falsely enrolled in hospice care. “Imagine being told, in effect, that you are at the end of your life — when you are not — and then being denied access to care because of that error. It was not just frustrating,” she said. “It was terrifying.” MAN CHARGED IN $90M MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME; DOJ SAYS SUSPECT MAY HAVE ENTERED US ILLEGALLY “A Medicare representative gave me the name of the hospice where I was supposedly enrolled,” Ianni added. “I looked it up. It appeared legitimate on the surface—listed on Medicare’s own website, with an NPI number, a named CEO, and an address. But the address led to what looked like a strip mall. The phone number went unanswered.” Republican lawmakers have called for investigations into Medicare fraud, particularly in blue states where reports have surfaced detailing hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent activity. The hearing came as the Trump administration has ramped-up efforts nationwide to combat healthcare fraud. The Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, recently suspended 447 hospices in the Los Angeles area over more than $600 million in suspected fraud. Another crackdown led to charges against more than a dozen people in a brazen multimillion-dollar scheme where people who weren’t even dying were used to bilk taxpayers out of more than $50 million. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed back on claims that his office has failed to act to combat the issue. “FACT: The state has no role in the Medicare billing or payment process,” his press office wrote on X earlier this month in response to a CBS report on hospice fraud in California. “We are glad the Trump Admin is taking action to combat fraud. Now, if Trump could stop pardoning fraudsters—and hold them accountable—that would be great!”
DeSantis says he’s taking up Jeffries’ invitation to ‘F around and find out’ on Florida redistricting effort
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ invitations to “F around and find out” on redistricting efforts in Florida, the next possible battleground in a nationwide struggle to gain partisan advantages from congressional district maps. “Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign,” DeSantis said. “I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We will take you fishing. “There’s nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries everywhere around this state.” His comments follow remarks from Jeffries on Wednesday morning. DAVID MARCUS: DEMOCRAT NEW ENGLAND IS THE MOST GERRYMANDERED REGION IN AMERICAN HISTORY “Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out. If they go down the road of a DeSantis dummy-mander … the electoral tide is turning in Florida,” Jeffries said. The standoff demonstrates both parties’ resolve to double down on gerrymandering as a strategy central to winning control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the upcoming 2026 midterms. Since President Donald Trump urged state lawmakers to expand the GOP’s 217-213 majority by eliminating five Democratic seats in Texas, states including North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, New York and Georgia have followed suit. Most recently, voters in Virginia approved a redistricting effort spearheaded by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, to turn her party’s 6-5 advantage in the Commonwealth into a 10-1 majority by extending Republican-leaning districts into Democratic strongholds. Florida is developing plans to be next. With a Republican trifecta and eight Democratic-held districts to carve up, DeSantis has called a special session this week to explore the Sunshine State’s options. “Today, I announced that I will be convening a special session of the Legislature focused on redistricting to ensure that Florida’s congressional maps accurately reflect the population of our state,” DeSantis said in his January announcement, citing changing demographics in the state. TRUMP HAILS TEXAS REDISTRICTING APPROVAL THAT COULD ADD FIVE GOP CONGRESSIONAL SEATS NATIONWIDE Florida’s state constitution forbids individual districts from being drawn “with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent.” Democrats, who have framed their redistricting efforts as retaliatory, have warned that Republicans are stretching their support too thin in some areas, diluting their advantage and inviting challenges in districts that haven’t been competitive in the past. Jeffries believes that might be the case in Texas, and it could be the case for Florida too. “The Florida Republicans are going to find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans who are on the run right now,” Jeffries said. “Under no circumstances are Texas Republicans picking up five seats. They’ll be fortunate if they get two or three, while in California, we are going to get all five. The Republicans are dumbly meandering their way into the minority before a single vote is cast.” BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE Florida legislators have yet to unveil what their potential redistricting effort could look like. Republicans hold 20 of the state’s 28 seats.
Murphy defends ‘Awesome’ post on Iranian ships evading US blockade, says it was ‘sarcastic’
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said he was being sarcastic when he called reports that Iranian ships had slipped by a U.S. blockade “Awesome” in a post to X on Monday, responding to the news that as many as 26 vessels had avoided U.S. detection. Murphy brushed off criticisms that he had celebrated shortcomings in President Donald Trump’s military strategy. “It’s so unbelievably disingenuous. Obviously, all these Republicans know that I was being sarcastic. They just don’t really want to actually have to answer for the fact that this war has gone off the rails,” Murphy said. “Republicans don’t want to talk about that, so they try to create fake outrage over sarcasm.“ Murphy’s defense of his phrasing highlights the tension Democrats have navigated since the U.S. first began hostilities with Tehran: pushing back on parts of the Trump administration’s Iran strategy without inadvertently sounding sympathetic of a geopolitical adversary. GOP REP MASSIE JOINS DEMOCRATS IN OPPOSITION TO US IRAN STRIKES Like many Democrats, Murphy panned Trump’s decision to bomb Iran and, more recently, voiced criticisms of plans to impose a naval blockade on Iran in an attempt to shake Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping. “Let’s talk about Trump’s insane plan to fix Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz: helping them close the Strait,” Murphy said of the administration’s strategy earlier this month. “He is compounding one mistake after another.” LIZ PEEK: IRAN WAR COULD BECOME THE ACHIEVEMENT THAT ENSURES TRUMP’S LEGACY GOP skeptics responding to his post believe Murphy is celebrating the defeat of a strategy he thought was ill-advised to begin with. “A sitting U.S. Senator is actively rooting for Iran. Crazy as hell. TRAITOR,” the Libs of TikTok, a popular conservative account, wrote in a post of its own. Murphy told Fox News Digital those criticisms were overblown, calling them a deflection of the war’s political toll. CRUZ SAYS TRUMP’S MOVE TO STRIKE IRAN ‘MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION’ OF HIS PRESIDENCY “You’re talking about a war that’s cost American taxpayers billions of dollars that’s allowed for Iran to control the Strait,” Murphy said. “Over a dozen Americans have been killed. There doesn’t seem to be any endgame.” Asked to comment on Murphy’s post, at least one other Senator declined to weigh in. “I’m not familiar with that,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., told Fox News Digital.
High-ranking DHS official sidelined over allegations of ‘sugar daddy’ relationship, luxe gifts and drug use
Fox News has learned a high-ranking Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official is on administrative leave after an investigation was launched into the leader’s alleged “sugar daddy” relationship, lavish spending and drug use, according to a DHS official. The probe unfolded after a formal complaint was filed against Julia Varvaro, 29, the DHS deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism, the Daily Mail first reported. The man at the center of the allegations, described as a divorced father named “Robert,” told the outlet he spent $40,000 on her during a three-month relationship that began on dating app Hinge before discovering she had a profile on a website called Seeking, which markets itself as “a space where love and luxury meet.” He alleged that her Seeking profile was under the name “Alessia” and sought “mutually beneficial” relationships with “masculine men.” Varvaro firmly denied the claims when questioned by the Daily Mail. LIBERAL JOURNALIST CLAIMS ICE ACCEPTED HER RECRUITMENT APPLICATION WITHOUT PROPER VETTING The outlet reported that, prior to the pair’s falling out, Robert took Varvaro on numerous posh getaways to Aruba, Italy and Switzerland, purchasing her a $3,500 Bottega handbag and taking her to the high-end jewelry store, Cartier. He added that, during their travels, Varvaro flexed her government position in TSA security lines and claimed she could get VIP access to the Winter Olympics, allegedly bragging, “ICE works for me.” In his formal complaint to the DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which was reviewed by the Daily Mail, Robert said he believes Varvaro is “under financial stress” and that her actions pose a severe national security risk. A DHS OIG spokesperson told Fox News Digital the office has “a longstanding policy neither to confirm nor to deny the existence of any specific investigation,” and could not provide additional details or comment on the matter. CARDI B ISSUES WARNING TO ICE AT CALIFORNIA CONCERT KICKOFF: ‘WE GON’ JUMP THEY A—-‘ He also told the outlet he witnessed her use marijuana on nearly a dozen occasions and take recreational Xanax. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Varvaro described the situation as a “mad ex-boyfriend putting crap together. I didn’t know it was bad to go on vacation with your boyfriend.” The outlet said Varvaro admitted to being expedited through Dulles Airport security but denied using marijuana, seeking VIP Olympic access or having sugar daddies pay for her college, insisting that her request to Robert for a credit card in her name was “kind of a normal thing.” The scandal comes less than a month after photos were released of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s husband, Bryon, which appeared to show him cross-dressing in private messages to three different women. Fox News previously reported rumors of an alleged affair between Noem and her top advisor, Corey Lewandowski, contributed to her dismissal from her DHS post. She now serves as special envoy to the Shield of the Americas. The CIA, Hinge and Seeking did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Varvaro could not immediately be reached for comment.