Newsom blames Trump for DOJ probe, but reports say investigation predates his administration
California Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s claims that President Donald Trump’s Justice Department launched a politically motivated “fishing expedition” against him are facing new scrutiny after multiple reports indicated key federal investigations predate Trump’s second administration. The timeline has emerged as a central point in the dispute. While Newsom argues the current Justice Department is weaponizing the investigations against a political rival, multiple news organizations, citing sources familiar with the matter, have reported that at least some of the investigative activity began before Trump returned to the White House. According to CalMatters, at least two criminal investigations involving Newsom’s orbit have been underway for about a year in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. The outlet, citing a Justice Department source familiar with the matter, reported the investigations originated from whistleblowers and local complaints in Sacramento, while one inquiry involving former Newsom chief of staff Dana Williamson was opened during the Biden administration. CBS News, Axios, the Financial Times and The Guardian have also reported similar timelines, citing sources familiar with the investigations. Newsom has maintained that the current Justice Department has expanded or politicized the investigations, even as the reported chronology has fueled questions over whether the inquiries themselves originated under Trump’s administration. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEWSOM-LINKED CHARITIES REPORTEDLY CAUGHT IN DOJ’S SIGHTS The outlet also reported that one investigation involving Williamson was opened during the Biden administration. Williamson pleaded guilty earlier this year to corruption charges in a case that did not implicate Newsom. CBS News, Axios, the Financial Times and The Guardian have also reported, citing sources familiar with the investigations, that at least one federal inquiry began roughly a year ago and originated in California rather than at Justice Department headquarters in Washington. Despite that reported timeline, Newsom has maintained that the current Justice Department is weaponizing the investigations in retaliation for his criticism of Trump and his national political profile, describing the inquiry as a politically motivated “fishing expedition.” His administration has also sought records through the Freedom of Information Act in an effort to determine who ordered or directed the current investigation. ACTING AG TODD BLANCHE SAYS NEWSOM’S DOJ CLAIMS ARE NOT ‘GROUNDED IN FACT’ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back on that characterization this week. While declining to comment on any ongoing investigations, Blanche told reporters he was “not sure [Newsom’s] words are in any way grounded in fact,” adding that the California governor “would have to address that.” Blanche did not confirm or deny whether any investigation exists. Newsom’s office responded by mocking Blanche on social media, posting a meme captioned, “Why you always lyin,” while the governor’s press office said, “Trump goons know that it’s not a crime to lie to a reporter.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER According to CalMatters, Newsom’s office contends federal prosecutors expanded their inquiries after failing to build a case from the Williamson investigation, broadening their scrutiny to include the governor’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the couple’s finances and their associates. The outlet reported investigators have examined the first partner’s tax filings, nonprofit organizations and certain behested payments, though it did not allege those payments were unlawful. Fox News Digital previously reported, citing federal sources, that investigators have opened inquiries involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom, but that Fox News had not learned of any federal investigation directly targeting Gov. Newsom himself. The Department of Justice, the White House and Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Top highlights from Trump’s late night July 4 address: ‘No dream in history is bigger’
President Donald Trump delivered a 37-minute speech for America’s 250th birthday after a weather delay in the dark of night that was lit up by a Guinness world-record-setting fireworks display stretching from July 4 into July 5 at Washington, D.C.’s National Mall. While thousands outlasted the rain and dodged nature’s thunderstorm light show, many Americans might have missed the president’s historic remarks. Here is a recap of some of the highlights. AMERICA’S NEXT 250 YEARS DEPEND ON PASSING FAITH AND FREEDOM TO OUR CHILDREN “In this country, we could achieve the wildest and most impossible dreams, and no dream in history is bigger or more incredible than the one that started on July 4, 1776,” Trump said. “The war for independence was launched by minutemen, farmers, blacksmiths, tradesmen who took up their muskets against the mightiest army on Earth, the most powerful army and unbeatable army – until they met us.” “No one made them do it. They fought because they knew that a free people must have a free country. Over 250 years, the world has seen the great empires, vast kingdoms, mighty nations and terrible tyrants: They came and they went, but after 2 1/2 centuries, this American republic still stands tall and strong,” the president added. TRUMP HAILS AMERICA AS ‘MOST EXCEPTIONAL NATION EVER TO EXIST’ IN MOUNT RUSHMORE SPEECH “Americans won the West and built the modern world, because America is a nation of winners, and today our country is winning again, and we’re winning like never before,” Trump said just before the midway point of the speech. “America is back and we want to keep America great.” “Together, we are also reasserting the truth that American strength and power is not something to be ashamed of. It is something that we are very, very proud of,” Trump continued. “This country has been the greatest force for peace and justice on earth in the last century. We defeated tyrants, demolished evil, and saved freedom again and again and again.” “There is no challenge Americans can not overcome,” Trump said before his concluding remarks. “There is no place we cannot go. There is no goal we cannot reach. And there is nothing that Americans cannot do.” “If you think that was easy, it wasn’t,” Trump began in an unscripted salute to the patient and devoted crowd. “And I want to thank everybody because they did the right thing. They saw lightning. And I said, ‘There’s no way; if we have to speak in front of one person at 4 in the morning, I’m going to be here.’ “There’s no way we can be deterred. And they estimated they had 375,000 people before everybody had to leave, and they now have 150,000 people. It’s the craziest thing anyone’s ever seen. “And I want to just thank you. And I feel so badly about some people. They left it; they couldn’t get back. But, you’re very special people, and we have a very special country. Thank you very much.” “They declare that all men are created equal; that they are endowed with sacred unalienable rights by the hand of our creator, and that among these are life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Trump said, “and signing their names to the roster of freedom.” “Those 56 patriots put everything at risk. Stepped onto the stage of destiny and seized a victory for the ages. And that’s what it was,” he said. “And this is an evening for the ages. I believe this is something very special. This is bigger than if we didn’t have the lightning blaring. We had lightning blaring. But this is bigger, little more inconvenient, but it’s bigger, I think, in its own way it’s more beautiful. From the beginning, we were a nation that live by the motto victory or death and live free or die.” “God bless the immortal patriots of 1776, and long live the cause of independence,” Trump said. “May it reign forever and ever and ever. We will always be on top. We will never let our country fall. We will always be the best.” “Our founders not only won our liberty, they secured it with the most righteous political document ever conceived: It’s called the Constitution of the United States,” Trump said. “Very special, and it’s because of their genius that we remain the finest people on the planet.” “We are honored to be joined by 11 Gold Star family members,” Trump said. “The Gold Star family – that is one of the great tributes. It’s one of the great honors, a tough honor. There’s nothing tougher than that. But these are amazing people.” “We’re going to be going to Mars very soon, and I think that’s something that we do have in my mind,” Trump said, hearkening to the historic John F. Kennedy going to the moon speech excerpt. “And we’re going to do the moon and we’re going to go from there. We’re going to go to Mars, and we’re going to continue to be way ahead.” “All these talks from the communists, they haven’t got a chance – not even a chance,” Trump said; a theme he reiterated multiple times in the speech. “We don’t want communists in our country. Never worked and it never will work.” Communism will always be “a loser,” Trump added later. “Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world only to have that menace rears its ugly head right back here in America. We’re not going to let it happen. We like to stop a threat like that immediately and before it begins,” Trump said. “It’s like a cancer. You got to cut it out. You got to cut it out fast.” Trump added a warning to potential future communist opposition around the globe. “The Stars and Stripes cast the hammer and sickle into oblivion before,” Trump said, “and we will do it again if necessary.” “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary. I think people have
Expert who fled Cuba warns of ‘vicious cycle’ that will lead to ‘communists in double digits’ in Congress
A national security expert who fled to the U.S. from Cuba is warning that one “vicious cycle” currently dominating American politics could lead to “communists in double digits” serving in Congress. Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation who fled communist Cuba in the 1970s, said in an interview with Fox News Digital that the socialist “threat is real now.” Gonzalez likened this trend to a “takeover of a host body, the Democratic Party,” saying, “It’s being taken over by body snatchers and they’re not able to mount any defense of it whatsoever even if they wanted to.” Under the current political environment, Gonzalez predicted, “We’re going to get communists in double digits in the House of Representatives at least, there’s no doubt of that.” BILL MAHER’S DIRE MIDTERM ELECTION WARNING TO DEMS AFTER ‘REALLY CRAZY’ SOCIALISTS WIN PRIMARIES Over the course of a year, New York City elected a socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, while three of his endorsed socialist congressional candidates — Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier — defeated establishment Democrats, including two incumbents. On the other side of the country, Seattle elected a socialist mayor, Katie Wilson. Just this week, Colorado congressional candidate Melat Kiros defeated 15-term Democratic incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, further illustrating socialists’ ability to topple entrenched party figures. While these politicians identify as socialist, Gonzalez pointed out that to the authors of the communist manifesto, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “there was no difference between socialism and communism, they were interchangeable.” “These people are communists, and when you catch them unawares, they actually say, ‘Oh, yeah, I know we want communism,’” he said. According to Gonzalez, the widespread success of socialist candidates in races across the U.S. is due to several factors, including the breakdown of immigrants assimilating to American culture, increased hatred of the U.S. and even White guilt combined with a real affordability crisis in cities like New York. “A very important component of this and one that conservatives sometimes forget is that a lot of these votes are White votes, White young kids who have come in from the suburbs, who feel guilty about a number of things,” he explained. SOCIALISM GOES WEST AS DSA-BACKED CHALLENGER OUSTS LONGTIME DEMOCRAT “They have gone to very expensive Ivy League schools and they’re trying to make a living in New York City without being a banker. And you can’t make a living in New York City if you’re not a banker, sorry, you’re going to have an affordability crisis.” This, Gonzalez said, makes socialist promises of handouts, such as free tuition, free bus fares and public-run grocery stores, an easy sell. “So, they end up voting for this. This is a very bad vicious cycle that is taking place and that is going to produce communism in this country if we’re not careful.” Meanwhile, Neetu Arnold, a young immigrant to the U.S. who now works as a policy analyst for the Manhattan Institute, emphasized that the socialist trend is not just isolated to cities like New York but becoming increasingly prevalent in cities across the U.S. “The rise in the socialism in America, it’s going to shape our politics. I think it’s going to make things more extreme,” Arnold said in an interview with Fox News Digital. DSA CO-CHAIR PUSHES BACK ON SOVIET UNION COMPARISONS, WANTS PRISONS TO BE ‘LESS NECESSARY’ “What the socialist candidates have tapped into are real frustrations and grievances, but the solutions that they’re offering is essentially more government involvement rather than trying to address the underlying problems,” she explained. “What a lot of younger people are finding out is that it’s not that easy to get housing. They’re in student debt, they are struggling to find stable jobs, and so the things that they were promised are not necessarily coming true.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER As a naturalized U.S. citizen, Arnold said she hopes both sides of the political aisle recognize that “socialist policies are a threat to the American way of life.” “In this country we value merit, we value wealth, and the ability to move upward in this society,” she said. “I’ve seen my life change before my eyes by being here in this country, by having the opportunities that I did, and that I saw for my family, and I think that was only possible because of free markets and the opportunities that we had in this country.” “Socialist policies essentially restrict what we are able to do,” Arnold continued. “So, I do take it seriously and I hope that Democrats, Republicans, they all take the rise of socialism seriously.”
9/11 Museum CEO reflects on lasting impact of terror attacks as America marks 250th birthday
As America marks its 250th anniversary, 9/11 Memorial and Museum President and CEO Elizabeth L. Hillman said this year’s milestone coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, highlighting the nation’s past and its resilience. “This year, America’s 250th birthday coincides with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which means that what’s happening at our site is very much connected to the history of the country and to the recognition of this important milestone,” Hillman told Fox News Digital. “9/11 is an important part of our nation’s history, but especially now as the nation turns 250.” Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the terrorist attacks when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. SECRETS OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLEFIELDS EMERGE 250 YEARS AFTER AMERICA’S FOUNDING Hillman said it is more important than ever for future generations to learn about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to understand how they helped shape the nation and “where we are today.” “Now, 25 years have passed since that date, so if we don’t elevate 9/11 in the eyes of the 100 million Americans who were born since or were too young to remember 9/11 when it happened, we’ll lose the opportunity for them to understand what happened on that day and how the world came to heal, how the nation came together, and how this city and the other sites, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, worked to recover afterward,” she said. Hillman said the nation’s recovery after 9/11 shows that even after a devastating tragedy, people can come together, heal and rebuild. “I think everyone’s hungry for evidence that we can survive things that are difficult,” she said. “There’s nothing like 9/11 to help people realize, given how the nation has recovered since, that it is possible to persevere, to heal, to recover, even in the face of really unfathomable loss, and that’s what 9/11 has the chance to teach us.” Reflecting on the museum’s role, Hillman said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks affected not only New York City but the entire country, calling the museum “a testament to the resilience of the city” and to “the perseverance that enabled us to actually rebuild.” 9/11 MUSEUM TO OFFER FREE ADMISSION FOR VETERANS AHEAD OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND “At the center of the rebuilt World Trade Center is a monument to the people who were killed that day and a testimony, really, to what we can do when we come together after that kind of catastrophe,” she said. This year, the museum opened “Our Flag Was Still There,” an exhibition featuring flags, artifacts and photographs that tell stories of resilience from first responders, veterans and Americans who lived through 9/11. The exhibit includes the Ground Zero flag raised by FDNY firefighters, the flag draped over the Pentagon by soldiers and firefighters, a flag raised over the last column of the South Tower, and one carried during the mission that killed Usama bin Laden. “It reveals how important the flag was in the healing and the coming together that happened after 9/11,” Hillman said. Hillman said commemorating 9/11 is especially important at a time when “many things seem to be splitting us apart.” TUNNEL TO TOWERS ANNOUNCES ‘STEEL ACROSS AMERICA’ TOUR TO MARK 25 YEARS SINCE 9/11 ATTACKS “The opportunity to bring people together around a symbol like the flag and around a symbol like the rebuilding of the World Trade Center after 9/11, it’s a great opportunity, especially right now,” she said. On July 4, Hillman said the museum placed an American flag at each victim’s name on the memorial, “to recognize how important the flag was as a symbol of the country on its birthday, but also of the recovery from 9/11 that happened and continues to happen now as we remember that day at this site.” Looking ahead to fall, Hillman said the museum will also start offering free admission to veterans whose “willingness to serve after 9/11” helped rebuild the World Trade Center and unite the nation. “If there’s one message that we feel we can elevate now that we couldn’t do 25 years ago because we didn’t know enough about what would happen afterward, it’s that so many people were inspired to serve their country, serving in the military,” she said.
Before the Boston Tea Party, there were New Hampshire’s Pine Tree Riots
NASHUA, N.H. – As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence, the actions of Massachusetts colonists in contributing to the outbreak of the American Revolution will once again be in the national spotlight. But Gov. Kelly Ayotte in neighboring New Hampshire, which was another of the 13 colonies that broke away from the British Empire, told Fox News Digital that the Pine Tree Riot in her state also deserves attention, as an event that may have inspired the Boston Tea Party a year and a half later. “Before the Boston Tea Party, we had the Pine Tree Riots here in New Hampshire. That’s because the British tried to come in and tax our pine trees and take them for their own, and we said no way,” Ayotte explained. CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS AMERICA 250 COVERAGE The riot was in opposition to a long-standing British policy preventing colonists from cutting down white pine trees larger than 12 inches in diameter in order to reserve them for Royal Navy use as masts on their ships. And it was significant because it demonstrated that colonists could defy British policies. “We were early joiners of the revolution, very, very proud of this nation,” the governor emphasized. “New Hampshire has a very special role in the history of this country.” Ayotte also noted that New Hampshire was “the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, so we were the deciding state to make sure that we had the Constitution,” and added that “we were the first state in the nation to draft our own Constitution.” The Pine Tree Riot and New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation state Constitution are highlighted in the state’s exhibition at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington D.C. ONE OF THE BIGGEST MYTHS ABOUT THE BOSTON TEA PARTY IS REVEALED “New Hampshire is so proud to be part of the fair on the National Mall. In fact, in that fair, we are displaying the history of New Hampshire. We have a video that’s running where we have prominent figures throughout our state, on both sides of the aisle, reading from the Declaration of Independence. We also talk about our history. We’ll be giving out some great New Hampshire maple syrup,” the governor said. Back home in the Granite State, Ayotte noted that “at our own Statehouse, we are going to have our visitors center open. We’re going to have some very special documents there.” They include one of the Dunlap Broadsides, which were the first printings of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the original 1823 William J. Stone engravings of the historic document. Cities and towns in New Hampshire have long taken a lead in celebrating the Fourth of July, with parades, fairs and fireworks, and other festivities, and this year is no different. Ayotte, a former U.S. senator and former state attorney general who is running for re-election this year, noted in her Fox News Digital interview ahead of the holiday that she would be marching in four Independence Day parades on July 3 and 4. “It’s going to be fantastic.” Fox News’ Kiera McDonald contributed to this report
America’s 250th celebration in nation’s capital boosted by iconic automaker’s 2-week tribute to innovation
WASHINGTON, DC – As dozens of travelers arrived at Union Station Wednesday morning, many stopped to photograph historic Ford Motor Co. cars, trucks, tractors and artifacts celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and the automaker’s role in shaping the nation. For two weeks, Ford is hosting “Driving America Forward: A Ford Experience at Union Station,” a free public exhibit showcasing vehicles and artifacts from the Ford Heritage Vault in Dearborn that trace the company’s legacy, from the Model T, the iconic mass-produced car, to a 1934 Ford pickup on loan from legendary late-night host Jay Leno. The exhibit, part of Ford’s marquee America 250 celebrations, features 10 vehicles displayed behind museum-quality glass, including a 1941 Ford GP prototype that helped lead to the military Jeep, a 1951 Ford 8N tractor, a 1954 F-100 from Virginia’s Red Truck Bakery and a 2026 Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula One car. Visitors can also create a free postcard at an interactive photo station and shop for Ford merchandise. “America’s celebrating its 250th anniversary,” Ted Ryan, Ford’s archives and heritage brand manager, told Fox News Digital. “We’ve been here for almost half of that journey, and we’ve had such a material impact on America.” HISTORIC BIG BOY STEAM LOCOMOTIVE DRAWS CROWDS AS AMERICA 250 TOUR HEADS EAST “Whether it’s industrializing, building the moving assembly line, mass transportation with the Model T, the best-selling car in the world for a number of years, or even the tractor that transformed farming. Ford has been there.” Ryan said the exhibit was designed to turn heads and reveal surprising stories about the company’s influence on American industry, transportation and pop culture over the past 123 years. “I was challenged to create an exhibit that would stop people in their tracks to take pictures or learn new facts about the Ford Motor Company,” he said. “So we have 10 amazing vehicles that go throughout our entire 124-year history… These are cars that are stopping people in their tracks, and then the exhibit cases are full of material that will tell people stories they don’t expect to hear.” LDS CHURCH CELEBRATES DELIVERING 6.5M MEALS ACROSS ALL 50 STATES FOR AMERICA250 ANNIVERSARY In a news release, Ryan said Union Station was a fitting location because it has “a particular kind of magic.” “For more than a century, it has served as the front door to the nation’s capital, a place where presidents have arrived to be inaugurated, where soldiers have shipped off to war, and where ordinary Americans, by the millions, have stepped off a train and into the heart of their democracy,” he wrote. But Ryan said Ford’s contributions to America go far beyond building cars. “Ford built Mission Control at Johnson Space Center,” he said. “We developed tracking beams for airplanes. Ford invented the mail sorter. Hopefully we’re teaching people about the critical role that Ford has played in America during half of its 250 years.” MINNESOTA BROTHERS LAUDED FOR PATRIOTISM AFTER RAISING $60K FOR VETERANS GROUP WITH LEMONADE STAND Ryan said the vehicles are meant to spark memories for visitors, whether they remind someone of their first car, a family road trip or a vehicle passed down through generations. “I hope people take wonderful photos of cars that remind them of vehicles Ford has produced that they fell in love with, and that they’ll leave with information they didn’t know ahead of time,” he said. Through wars, natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryan said Ford has consistently stepped up to support the country through its “Answering the Call” initiative, which highlights the company’s long history of helping the nation during times of need. “Ford is always there and always will be there to answer the call whenever America or our local communities need us,” he said. As visitors walk through the exhibit, Ryan hopes they leave with a deeper appreciation for Ford. “America’s turning 250, and it’s a great time to celebrate,” he said. “Ford has been here for half of it, and we’re doing our best to tell our story and the role we’ve played in America.” The exhibit is open daily through July 14, with no tickets or registration required.
Trump set to deliver ‘historic’ speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary
President Donald Trump vowed Saturday to deliver what the White House is calling a “historic” speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary despite severe thunderstorms sweeping through Washington. Trump was originally expected to take the stage at 10 p.m. at the conclusion of the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall, though timing of events may fluctuate due to adverse weather, per a senior White House official. Following the delay, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, the event organizer, said Trump was expected to take the stage around 11 p.m., followed by a fireworks display. “I’m going through bad weather. No matter what happens, I am delivering this speech,” Trump said during a phone call with Fox News’ Bret Baier. Trump’s comments came after Baier interviewed World War II veterans who had taken shelter after the event was temporarily postponed because of severe weather. THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM BICENTENNIAL HISTORY IS TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 1976 “It’s America 250. If they can storm the beaches on D-Day, I can deliver a speech and we can keep this program going,” Trump told Baier. Trump added in a post on Truth Social, “It’s Saturday night, LETS HAVE SOME FUN, even if we are out late tonight.” The president’s address is expected to look back on America’s history since its founding 250 years ago, a senior White House official told Fox News. Trump will deliver a “unique” speech featuring the stories of American heroes. “It will be a unique speech unlike any other he’s given before,” the official added. Earlier Saturday, Trump celebrated what he described as a “stronger than ever” America in a Truth Social post, praising the “incredible” crowds gathered in Washington despite the heat and storms. FOURTH OF JULY APP GUIDES SPECTATORS THROUGH NINE-HOUR AIR SHOW FROM NASA JETS TO B-1 BOMBERS The president also highlighted the air shows over the nation’s capital, saying the pilots and aircraft were “at a level never seen before.” Trump also addressed recent vandalism at the Reflecting Pool, calling those responsible “Vandal Thugs” and promising the pool would be drained and repaired after the holiday weekend. The president’s remarks come one day after he delivered a patriotic speech at Mount Rushmore, where he called the United States the “most exceptional nation ever to exist” and warned that communism posed the nation’s greatest threat. TRUMP HAILS AMERICA AS ‘MOST EXCEPTIONAL NATION EVER TO EXIST’ IN MOUNT RUSHMORE SPEECH “Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — it is death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil. A severe thunderstorm swept through Washington on Saturday evening, prompting emergency officials to urge people on the National Mall to seek shelter. Freedom 250 said it would provide updates on the evening’s schedule as weather conditions developed.
Paul Pelosi, 86, faces a hit-and-run charge after striking a parked car in Napa County: sheriff’s office
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is facing a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after authorities say he struck a parked vehicle in Napa County, California, on Friday, and drove away before his own car became disabled. The Napa County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened Friday afternoon in Yountville, just over an hour north of San Francisco. A witness reported seeing a brown convertible hit an unoccupied parked vehicle before continuing north. Deputies later found the damaged convertible partially blocking a nearby roadway and identified the driver as Paul Pelosi, 86. During the investigation, Pelosi allegedly told deputies he knew he had hit something but did not know what it was, according to the sheriff’s office. He continued driving until his vehicle became disabled, investigators said. PAUL PELOSI HAMMER ATTACKER GETS LIFE SENTENCE ON STATE CHARGES, ON TOP OF 30 YEARS AFTER FEDERAL TRIAL Authorities said alcohol was not a factor in the crash. “The investigation also determined that no alcohol (.00 on Preliminary Alcohol Screening Device) was detected upon testing, therefore Driving Under the Influence was ruled out,” the sheriff’s office said. Investigators said Pelosi was responsible for the collision. He was not arrested at the scene, and the sheriff’s office said that is common for this type of misdemeanor offense. Instead, deputies will refer the case to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution. The sheriff’s office also said it will submit a driver re-evaluation referral to the California DMV, a common practice for elderly drivers. PAUL PELOSI HAMMER ATTACKER DAVID DEPAPE RECEIVES MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 30 YEARS IN PRISON “Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle,” a spokesperson for the Pelosi family said in a statement to The California Post. “Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.” Fox News Digital also reached out to the Pelosi family for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The incident comes more than two years after Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving causing injury stemming from a May 2022 crash in Napa County. He was sentenced to three years of probation, five days in jail — most of which was satisfied through custody credits and a work program — a three-month DUI education program, installation of an ignition interlock device for one year, and fines and restitution to the injured driver. Unlike the 2022 case, investigators said DUI was ruled out in Friday’s crash. Pelosi has remained in the public eye since the October 2022 hammer attack inside the San Francisco home he shares with the former House speaker. David DePape, who broke into the Pelosi residence seeking Nancy Pelosi before attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, was sentenced in October 2024 to life in prison on state charges after previously receiving a 30-year federal prison sentence. The attack left Paul Pelosi with a skull fracture and other serious injuries. Rep. Nancy Pelosi has represented the state’s 11th congressional district in San Francisco for decades.
Trump pardons 9 people convicted of tampering with emission controls on diesel engines
President Donald Trump pardoned nine people convicted of violating the Clean Air Act by tampering with diesel vehicle emissions-control systems. On Friday, Trump announced six of the pardons on Truth Social, arguing that the men he granted clemency to were “persecuted by the Biden Administration” and punished for “fixing their car.” Eight of the people Trump pardoned were diesel mechanics or car tuners who were prosecuted for selling and installing so-called “defeat devices” into trucks, according to a Fox News review of federal court records. These devices reprogram trucks to bypass federally required emissions controls and suppress diagnostic warnings. Without them, many diesel trucks can enter a “limp” mode that limits speed — sometimes to as little as 5 mph — until the emissions system is restored. FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION Trucks can also enter this limp mode when emissions controls fail. These failures are extraordinarily common and have been causing massive headaches for truckers and farmers for years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. People are more than willing to pay top dollar to mechanics who can do the job of disabling the emissions-limiting systems. Matthew Geouge, one of the pardon recipients, ran two companies that sold illegal tuning devices. Just from the sale of those devices alone, his firms grossed more than $10 million, according to his December 2021 plea agreement. Emissions-capping technology, specifically Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) systems, is also prone to malfunctions in extremely cold weather. TRUMP WILL WELCOME FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO WHITE HOUSE DINNER TO CELEBRATE TRADE, TAX WINS Brad Bylsma, a state equipment fleet manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), said in March that DEF systems account for a “significant portion of our maintenance issues and costs” with state-owned diesel vehicles. Frederic Sifuentes, the president of Alaska-based transportation service, put it more bluntly. “The percentage of breakdowns we have here in Alaska with the DEF systems is roughly 85 percent of the time,” he said. Another pardon recipient, MacKenzie “Mac” Spurlock, was a mechanic in Alaska who modified emissions controls on vehicles for exactly this reason, according to Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. “Four years ago, about 30 armed EPA agents conducted a military-style tactical raid of Matanuska Diesel, owned by Mac Spurlock — a devoted husband and father, small business owner, and veteran of the Alaska Air National Guard,” Sullivan said in a statement celebrating Spurlock’s pardon. “His shop had assisted trucking businesses by modifying several diesel emissions-control systems mandated by a one-size-fits-all Obama-era emissions regulation, ensuring the vehicles wouldn’t shut down in Alaska’s harsh, subzero conditions,” Sullivan added. The other men who received pardons for similar conduct included Ryan and Wade Lalone, Tim Clancy, Joshua Davis, Barry Pierce, Aaron Rudolf, and Jonathan Achtemeier, CBS News reported. In late January 2026, the Trump administration announced it would no longer pursue criminal charges for manufacturers, distributors and users of defeat devices. Civil penalties could still apply.
Pope Leo urges US to welcome immigrants in America 250 speech before visiting global migrant hotspot
Pope Leo XIV urged Americans to embrace the U.S.’s history of welcoming immigrants in a virtual address to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Friday while accepting the 2026 Liberty Medal in recognition of his commitment to religious freedom. “In these past 250 years, for so many peoples throughout the world, it was the firm resolve to achieve the noble vision of the nation’s founders that made America a byword for freedom, as the country opened its doors to successive waves of immigrants, enabling them and their children to play their part in shaping the future of the nation,” Pope Leo, the Catholic church’s first American Pope, recited. “I would just like to recall the words signed by the founding fathers of the nation 250 years ago in Philadelphia in the Declaration of Independence. It said that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men have received fundamental rights from our creator, and they include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” he continued. AMERICA’S NEXT 250 YEARS DEPEND ON PASSING FAITH AND FREEDOM TO OUR CHILDREN “As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children, I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice and peace,” Leo said. “Today, as we look to the future, this historic anniversary presents us with the opportunity to reflect once again on the nation’s founding principles in the hope that America will remain ever true to the dream that has earned it the title of land of the free and home of the brave,” the Pope continued, bolstering a steady commitment to advocating for immigrant and migrant rights, a position he’s taken a strong stance on since ascending to the papacy in 2025. “The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to support, protect and cherish the lives of all, especially the most vulnerable and those whose worth is questioned,” Leo concluded. POPE LEO SAYS HE’S UNAFRAID OF THE TRUMP ADMIN AFTER PRESIDENT CALLS HIM ‘TERRIBLE’ ON FOREIGN POLICY Following his virtual address to the Philadelphia crowd, which he delivered remotely from The Vatican, the Pope departed for Lampedusa, an Italian territorial island off the coast of north Africa that’s become a hotspot for migrants seeking to gain entry into Europe. There, again, Leo urged the world and Europe to accept more migrants. “Here you have seen not just one, but thousands of human beings fallen into the hands of robbers who have taken everything from them, beat them brutally and walked away, leaving them half-dead. The sea has claimed the lives of others, those who did not manage to reach their hoped-for destination. Yet we feel their presence, which challenges us no less than that of those who have landed in need of attention and aid,” he said. ‘YOU’RE DESTROYING YOUR COUNTRIES’: IS EUROPE FINALLY HEEDING TRUMP’S WARNING ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION? “There are also those who choose not to be a neighbor and those who choose not to make a decision. Those who have lost their lives in this sea are victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made. Indifference to the common good and corruption in their countries of origin; a global economic system that generates poverty and exclusion; fear that fuels prejudice and contempt; the belief that such problems do not concern us; the criminal calculations of those who profit from the suffering of others; the slow and difficult transition from mere emergency management to the development of comprehensive and shared policies,” the Pope continued. “Thanks to its geographical location and institutional framework, Europe is capable of addressing the crisis, in this region, in a comprehensive manner, integrating immediate relief efforts into a long-term strategic plan capable of receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants, while at the same time assisting developing countries so that no one is forced to emigrate.” “Indeed, for many a vacation is merely a distraction, a time of lightheartedness and carefree enjoyment. It then seems as though an invisible wall has to be erected between the sea of shipwrecked migrants and the vacationers. Have the courage to think differently,” the Pope concluded. Leo’s strong stances on immigration and war have often put him at odds with Western leaders, particularly President Donald Trump. Trump has called Leo “terrible for Foreign Policy” and “weak,” while Vice President JD Vance, a converted Catholic, has also criticized the Pope’s public comments.