Massachusetts GOP ticket rocked by alleged drunken crash as candidate abruptly halts campaign
A late-night crash has thrown a Massachusetts Republican’s statewide campaign into turmoil just weeks before voters head to the polls. Shawn Oliver, 42, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and a New Bedford city councilor, suspended his campaign on Sunday. The move came after Oliver was arrested following a rollover crash that involved five parked vehicles, police confirmed to Fox News Digital. Officers responded around 11:40 p.m. Saturday to 448 Dartmouth St., where a vehicle had overturned after striking multiple parked vehicles, the New Bedford Police Department said. Two of the five parked vehicles sustained extensive damage. BODYCAM SHOWS NANTUCKET OFFICIAL SLURRING, SWAYING DURING DUI STOP AFTER CRASHING INTO SIGN: POLICE Oliver, identified by police as the driver, was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Following an investigation at the scene and at the hospital, officers arrested Oliver and charged him with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation and speeding, police said. DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE SEEN SOBBING, PRAYING IN PATROL CAR AFTER DUI ARREST: VIDEO Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue publicly called on Oliver to suspend his campaign. “I am extremely disappointed. Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt,” Minogue wrote on X. “There is no excuse for driving under the influence.” NEW JERSEY LT GOV DALE CALDWELL RESIGNS AFTER SEXUAL HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION Minogue, a businessman and military veteran challenging Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, said he spoke with Oliver before demanding he step aside. “After speaking with Shawn, I am asking him to suspend his campaign immediately, and when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation,” he wrote. TRAFFIC DRAMA THREATENS TO END DEM GOVERNOR’S TENURE AS VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS IN RHODE ISLAND Oliver confirmed his campaign suspension on X, saying “the election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters.” New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said in a statement posted to Facebook that the crash happened in the city’s South End. MASSACHUSETTS MAYOR CHARGED WITH WIRE FRAUD IN $1.5M COVID RELIEF SCHEME “This morning, I was made aware that City Councilor Shawn Oliver was involved in a car accident in the South End and taken into custody,” Mitchell said. “I’m grateful to the New Bedford Police Department for their prompt response and relieved that no one was seriously injured.” The Democratic mayor also called for Oliver to address the incident publicly. EX-NEW JERSEY MAYOR, HER HUSBAND CHARGED FOR USING FAKE BALLOT SIGNATURES AFTER SHE PLEADED GUILTY TO DUI “The allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened,” Mitchell said. Minogue urged Oliver to focus on his family and take steps to prevent another incident. “Shawn is a father and grandfather, and he needs to put his family first. He needs to do the work to ensure this never happens again,” Minogue wrote. “If he needs help with that, I will help him.” He also took aim at his Democratic opponent. ICE BOSTON ARRESTS BRAZILIAN ILLEGAL ALIEN WANTED FOR MURDER DAYS BEFORE GOV HEALY SIGNED PROTECT ACT “As governor, I will put the Commonwealth first. That starts with accountability, something Massachusetts has not seen from Maura Healey,” Minogue wrote. The Massachusetts Department of Correction confirmed to Fox News Digital that Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor employed by the department, has been placed on restricted work duty following his arrest. “Shawn Oliver has been placed on restricted work duty while all facts and circumstances are reviewed. He is currently assigned to the Massachusetts Treatment Center,” department spokesman Scott J. Croteau said. The campaign suspension comes just weeks before the November election, with Minogue challenging Healey and Democratic Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll seeking another term.
Trump unveils plan to transform historic DC golf course as judge tees off
President Donald Trump announced plans Sunday to transform a historic public golf course in Washington, D.C., into a “world class” championship venue capable of hosting some of the sport’s biggest tournaments. Trump said the Department of the Interior, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, is working with famed golf course architect Tom Fazio to overhaul East Potomac Golf Links, located along the Potomac River near the National Mall. “When completed, it will be open to the Public while, at the same time, designed to the Highest Level of Golf,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The president said the redesigned course would be capable of hosting events including the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Trump said the United States Golf Association, PGA of America and PGA Tour have already been notified of the plans. FROM THE GILDED OVAL OFFICE TO A NEW MONUMENT: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S RENOVATION PROJECTS Trump, an avid golfer, vowed the project would create jobs and deliver an economic boost to Washington and the surrounding region. The existing course is expected to close Nov. 15, when restoration work on Fazio’s design is slated to begin. Trump said the new course could open approximately 15 months later. Trump did not acknowledge the ongoing legal fight in his post, which included an artist’s rendering of the proposed course redesign. Hours after Trump’s announcement, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes took judicial notice of the Truth Social post and ordered the government to clarify by 8 p.m. Sunday whether it still stood by its position in a court filing two days earlier that “there is no final agency action” and that, at most, Trump had given “preliminary thought” to rebuilding the course. Reyes also ordered two government attorneys who have appeared in the case to attend an evidentiary hearing in person Monday morning. TRUMP REVEALS ARC DE TRIOMPHE-STYLE MONUMENT FOR AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY Trump, meanwhile, sharply criticized the condition of the existing course, calling it “old, broken, dilapidated” and pointing to what he described as dangerous and diseased trees and a deteriorating seawall. East Potomac Golf Links sits on federally owned land at East Potomac Park and has been part of Washington’s public golf scene for more than a century. The redevelopment has also drawn scrutiny over tree removal at the site. Reyes recently temporarily halted additional tree cutting amid a legal challenge over work at the property. Trump said the overhaul would restore views of Washington while creating what he predicted would become “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World.”
Photos show aftermath of riots as masked groups clash with police across France
Paris woke Sunday to shattered storefronts, burned cars and a heavy police presence after unrest swept through the city and other parts of France. Violent clashes broke out Saturday during nationwide demonstrations over rising living costs and poor school conditions. Hundreds of thousands marched across the country, while masked groups fought with police, looted businesses and set fires in several cities. Police reported 1,800 arrests nationwide, including 855 in the Paris region. VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT FRANCE PROTESTS AS MACRON WARNS UNREST IS BEING EXPLOITED The destruction was not limited to Paris. In Limoges, about three hours south of the capital, fire tore through the city’s historic town hall, built in 1883 and designated a historic landmark in 1975. The local prefect, Maurice Barate, told AFP that the roof had collapsed onto the lower floors and about two-thirds of the building’s exterior had disappeared. He called it “a catastrophe for heritage.” LIMOGES TOWN HALL ‘LARGELY LOST’ AFTER FAR-LEFT RIOTERS SET HISTORIC BUILDING ON FIRE French President Emmanuel Macron had called for “calm and respect” ahead of Saturday’s demonstrations, saying the right to protest must be exercised with respect for people and property. But as violence escalated, the French president and his wife, Brigitte, were spotted at a Celine Dion concert in Nanterre, west of Paris, according to French media reports. The couple reportedly arrived and left discreetly and joined roughly 35,000 spectators at the Plenitude Arena. Macron had spent Thursday and Friday in Brussels for a European Council meeting. WHERE’S MACRON? FRENCH LEADER BLASTED FOR ATTENDING CONCERT AS RIOTS ESCALATED President Donald Trump weighed in Sunday, blaming immigration for the unrest in a Truth Social post and urging France to close its borders. “The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country,” he wrote. “Close your borders and take control, before it is too late!”
Pro-Israel leader warns Democrats failing to condemn ‘vicious Jew haters’ in Congress
When Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed could not say Iran is a bigger threat to the U.S. than Israel, it was a warning of elections in a post-Oct. 7 world, Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) president Morton Klein says. American and even Israeli leaders are failing to show strength against hate as anti-Zionist voices gain power, Klein told Fox News Digital in a Monday interview. “Ilhan Omar is one of the most vicious Jew haters in America,” Klein said, speaking on behalf of himself and not as the leader of the ZOA. “And it is very painful to me that the leaders of the Democratic Party have not continuously and vigorously condemned her” and other antisemitic political leaders, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., El-Sayed and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. They are not merely “pro-Palestinian” voices, Klein says: “They’re anti-Israel voices. They don’t really give a damn about the Palestinians either. They just hate Jews in the Jewish state. That’s my opinion.” RESCUE EXPERT WARNS FLYDUBAI HIJACKING ATTEMPT SHOWS US, ALLIES ARE ‘PLAYING CHECKERS’ AGAINST TERROR THREAT The ZOA is a 501(c)(3) that is unpermitted by law to talk candidacies as opposed to their positions, Klein stressed, before unloading on the voices that take aim at Israel and ostensibly handing political power to the antisemites and terrorists – which even includes Israeli elections just two weeks from now. “Viciously antisemitic members of Congress have not been condemned in any significant way by the Democratic Party,” he continued. “So it’s disappointing to me as an American that we don’t condemn people who are filled with hate and not filled with what’s best for America.” Anti-Israel rhetoric has moved from the political fringe into elected office, he said, warning that Democrats have not forcefully condemned members of their own party who he says traffic in antisemitism. TERROR CELLS INSIDE FOREIGN AIRLINES ‘CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY,’ RETIRED PILOT WARNS It has even forced Israeli leaders to move toward a dangerous level of “appeasement,” according to Klein. “I blame the Jewish leaders and the Israeli leaders themselves: You might find that surprising,” he said. “The Israeli government over the years has not made it clear that the Hamas Charter has two clauses that say, murder every Jew on earth, destroy Israel. And, most recently, El-Sayed not only refused to clearly name Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, as a greater threat than Israel during a Michigan Senate debate, “he said worse,” Klein lamented. “He said both of them are dangerous to America, and he said Israel is as evil as Hamas,” he continued. “The Democratic Party has not condemned him. Worse, [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer endorsed him, has given him tens of millions of dollars to run,” Klein said. “Elissa Slotkin, the senator from Michigan, Jewish senator, has endorsed him. And [Dana] Nessel, the attorney general, Jewish attorney general has endorsed them. This is disgraceful.” ILHAN OMAR ON TRACK FOR FIFTH TERM AS MINNESOTA VOTERS MAINTAIN FAR-LEFT STREAK “If this guy was unequivocally anti-Black, they would have all condemned him. Why don’t they condemn people who hate Jews for no reason whatsoever? It’s very, very frightening,” he said. During his push to hold the Michigan Senate seat for Democrats, Abdul El-Sayed described Judaism as “a light unto the world,” expressing deep gratitude for the Jewish community’s contributions. “My commitment to Jewish safety is equivalent to the commitment to the safety of my own daughters,” he said. Klein also weighed in on Mamdani for declining to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a call to violence against Jews around the world, he warned. “Mamdani was asked to condemn the phrase, globalize the intifada … he refused to condemn this phrase,” Klein said. “This guy is a monster. He is a jihadist Jew-hater supporter of terrorism.” Despite the criticism, Mamdani has pledged to “protect our Jewish neighbors” and stated his commitment to “mourning with them, and committing to fight against evil and antisemitism.” As Mamdani has done explicitly, Israel is often portrayed as the aggressor and perpetrator of a so-called “genocide” in Gaza, Klein observed, stating that the reality is those atrocities were committed by Hamas terrorists Oct. 7, when terrorists invaded Israel specifically to kill “Jews,” not merely “people,” Klein said. MICHIGAN STUDENT CONFRONTS EL-SAYED OVER IRAN STANCE IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘DO YOU STAND WITH US?’ “They went in house to house, door to door, murdering every single family,” Klein said. “Can you imagine? They go in and there’s a mother and a father and children sitting, they’re scared out of their minds, and they shoot them to death. And oftentimes they raped the mother first and then they murdered them. Then they put babies into ovens and killed them that way. It’s just a nightmare what they did.” “Yes, their goal is to murder every single Jew. In fact, the leaders of Hamas have said repeatedly: ‘We will have many, many more Oct. 7s; you wait, many, more Oct. 7s,” he added. Klein said any future Israeli government after the Oct. 27 elections must be “as tough as nails, responding with overwhelming force for any terrorism,” and do as the “the people demanded: destroy Hamas.” Klein warned, however, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be weakened politically if he is forced to form an alliance with left-of-center parties after Israel’s elections. “The polls show that it’s likely that Netanyahu will win again, but he may have to have a broader coalition to bring in people from the left of center,” Klein warned. “I think the odds are high Bibi will continue to be the prime minister. But his hands will be somewhat tied if he’s forced, and I think he will be forced, to bring people from left of the center to have coalition.” JEWISH DEMOCRATS ABANDON EL-SAYED FOR GOP RIVAL IN ALL-IMPORTANT BATTLEGROUND STATE Asked whether the process of forming a coalition could weaken Israel’s response, Klein answered, “Yes.” “Yes, because some of the left-of-center people are
Slotkin wants GOP prosecutions to deter young people from Trump administration jobs
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., is facing online backlash after saying she wants the threat of prosecution to make young people think twice before taking jobs in the Trump administration. During an Oct. 13 University of Chicago event focused on her political path and the future of the Democratic Party, Slotkin said she wants to pursue “signature cases” against people who “enabled” President Donald Trump. “I want to look at these signature cases and not just focus on the president, but on the people who enabled him,” the Michigan Democrat said. Slotkin went on to describe how she wants prospective administration employees to weigh the risks. “I want young people coming out of school to say, should I go work for the Trump administration? Like, that sounds fun, I might get an opportunity. I want them to be like, Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that,” she said. “I want that deterrence message.” MEET THE VOTERS WHO COULD BREAK THE GOP’S DECADESLONG GRIP ON A REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD Law professor Jonathan Turley criticized the remarks on X, writing that Slotkin had “said the quiet part out loud.” He argued that she wants to deter young people from supporting the administration. The remarks were made during a University of Chicago event focused on Slotkin’s political path and the future of the Democratic Party. A clip of the exchange circulated online, prompting critics to accuse her of trying to scare potential administration employees away from public service. Scott Kupor, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which manages the federal government’s civilian workforce, called Slotkin’s comments “disappointing and unprofessional.” “This is incredibly disappointing and unprofessional coming from a U.S. senator — endorsing political prosecutions to dissuade patriotic Americans from serving their country,” Kupor wrote on X. “In contrast, we at OPM believe in recruiting the best and brightest early-career prospects.” Michael Bicksel, a University of Chicago student, said Slotkin’s remarks made him and other conservative students feel they could face political persecution for serving in the Trump administration. REPUBLICANS JUST GOT A POWERFUL NEW PLAYBOOK FOR THE BATTLE FOR CONGRESS. HERE’S WHAT’S INSIDE “Sen. Slotkin, a self-avowed “defender of democracy,” told me and other conservative students that we should live in fear of political persecution if we dare serve our country in the Trump administration. Sadly for her, we will never be intimidated by her Bolshevik-style tactics,” he wrote on X. The debate over Slotkin’s remarks unfolded as former President Barack Obama criticized the Trump administration’s scrutiny of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., arguing she was being targeted for her political views. “The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views,” Obama wrote on X. One commenter accused Obama of overlooking what they saw as a parallel: Slotkin’s call for investigations of Trump administration officials. Omar is facing two separate federal inquiries: federal agents searched her Washington home as part of an investigation into her immigration paperwork, while D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said her office was examining Omar’s financial disclosures after businesses tied to her husband reported a sharp increase in value. It remains unclear whether the probes are connected. With the midterms approaching, Slotkin’s comments have added to the debate over how Democrats would use congressional power if they win control of the House or Senate.
Trump says Netanyahu needs to be re-elected, or else US will have to ‘finish the job’ against Iran alone
President Donald Trump is supporting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party in the Oct. 27 Knesset elections, urging Israel voters to pick the man he called a “great warrior” and U.S. “partner for peace” amid the multi-front war on Iran and its nuclear weapons aspirations. “I have watched Bibi under the most trying of times,” Trump wrote Sunday morning in a full-throated endorsement of the Likud leader. “Normal men or women in such situations would have wilted under the pressure — But Bibi did not wilt, he actually got stronger, and maintains that same Strength today.” “This is the kind of Partner that the United States of America is demanding of Israel, a Country for which it has done so much,” Trump added. “Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-election as Prime Minister of Israel.” NETANYAHU PRAISES TRUMP’S ‘WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR,’ DEFENDS IRONCLAD ALLIANCE AHEAD OF HISTORIC ISRAEL VOTE “If Israel has the wrong leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so,” Trump wrote. “BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump concluded. NETANYAHU REJECTS REPORTS OF A RIFT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYS THE TWO REMAIN ALIGNED ON IRAN “Thank you, President Trump, for the tremendous support and the joint work,” Netanyahu replied on X shortly after. “Together, we will complete the mission.” The Israeli elections are a battle for control of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, which will ultimately decide the next prime minister from a broad coalition. Israelis will vote for party lists, with seats distributed proportionally among parties that clear the 3.25% threshold. TRUMP WELCOMES NETANYAHU TO WHITE HOUSE AS RAGING IRAN WAR THREATENS TO SOUR US-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP After the vote, the Israeli president will consult with party leaders and assign a Knesset member — usually the leader best positioned to form a coalition — to build a government; the candidate must secure the support of at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 members. Isaac Herzog is Israel’s president, but he is not on the ballot and he does not lead a party or bloc. Current forecasts show Likud winning roughly 18–22 seats, while a Netanyahu-aligned right-religious bloc (which includes other parties) is projected at a total about 49–51 seats — short of a majority — leaving smaller parties and potential coalition partners with the balance of power.
Obama backs Ilhan Omar amid probe, accuses Trump admin of ‘appalling’ targeting in lengthy statement
Former President Barack Obama accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the federal government against its political enemies in a social media post defending Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., amid an investigation into the progressive lawmaker’s citizenship. Obama claimed the administration is attempting to strip Omar of her U.S. citizenship and deport her over her criticism of President Donald Trump, warning that the effort could set a dangerous precedent. “It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say,” Obama wrote Sunday on X. “But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.” ILHAN OMAR’S TURBULENT WEEK EXPLAINED: THE DUELING PROBES THAT THREW THE SOMALI-BORN PROGRESSIVE INTO CHAOS Obama’s remarks come after federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home as part of a criminal investigation into her immigration status. Sources previously told Fox News Digital that investigators are examining whether Omar or her father committed fraud on immigration paperwork when she became a U.S. citizen decades ago. Obama defended the circumstances under which Omar became a U.S. citizen, saying, “To understand why this is so appalling, it’s important to know the facts.” Obama then said Omar arrived in the United States with her father at age 12 and automatically became a citizen at 17 when her father was naturalized. The former president accused investigators of pursuing an “unsubstantiated theory” that Omar was actually 18 at the time, which he said would have required her to apply for citizenship separately. “The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president,” Obama wrote. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and Department of Homeland Security for comment on the former president’s allegations. Trump has denied involvement in the investigation, previously telling reporters that the matter was up to the Justice Department. “I’ve always found her to be totally crooked, personally, but that has nothing to do with me,” Trump said. Obama also accused the administration of repeatedly targeting perceived political opponents, pointing to federal actions involving New York’s attorney general, a former FBI director and members of the Federal Reserve. “The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views,” Obama wrote. “Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.” Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
The nine key races that will decide who controls the Senate, and where they stand
Democrats have expanded their once-narrow path to reclaiming the Senate majority with just over two weeks until Election Day, but they’ll need to win several competitive races to take control of the chamber. If Democrats ride a massive blue wave in the midterm elections, they could end up with 52 or even 53 seats in the next Senate. But if Republicans out-perform the polls, they could hold their majority, which currently stands at 53-47. Here’s a look at the current battlefield and both parties’ routes to securing a Senate majority in the midterms. The latest Power Rankings point to Democrats and Republicans each taking 47 seats in the midterms, leaving six races rated as true toss-ups. Additionally, three races are rated as leaners — one step shy of a toss-up. These nine showdowns will likely determine whether the Democrats make a net gain of four seats to win control of the Senate or if the GOP holds the majority. DEMS SEE NEW CHANCES TO FLIP SENATE SEATS BUT GOP’S MASSIVE CASH ADVANTAGE AN OBSTACLE “Nine races will determine control of the Senate, and on the polling alone, you could call any of them toss-ups,” said Remy Numa, a Fox News contributor who steers the network’s Power Rankings. The GOP is fighting political history, as the party in power in Washington has traditionally lost seats during midterm election years. Republicans also face a challenging political climate fueled by persistent inflation Americans see at the grocery store, high gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and President Donald Trump‘s increasingly negative approval ratings. With Republicans controlling the seats in six of the nine competitive races in the Power Rankings, the GOP is playing more defense than the Democrats. The six toss-up states are Alaska, where Sen. Dan Sullivan is seeking re-election against Democratic challenger and former Rep. Mary Peltola; Iowa, where Rep. Ashley Hinson is trying to keep retiring Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat in GOP hands against Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek; and Maine, where longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is running for re-election against former state Senate President Troy Jackson, the Democratic challenger. DEMOCRATS THINK A BLUE WAVE IS BUILDING – HERE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT COULD STOP IT Also on the list is Ohio, where appointed GOP Sen. Jon Husted is running to serve the final two years of the term won in 2022 by now-Vice President JD Vance. He’s facing former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. And in Texas, state Attorney General Ken Paxton is battling Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the race to succeed longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn, who was ousted by Paxton in a bitter Republican primary. Democrats are playing defense in Michigan, the sixth toss-up, where nominee Abdul El-Sayed is trying to keep party control of retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ seat, as he faces former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Democrats are also on defense in New Hampshire, where Rep. Chris Pappas is aiming to keep retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s seat blue against former GOP Sen. John E. Sununu. The Power Rankings rate the race “Lean Democrat.” It’s a similar story in Minnesota, where Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is trying to keep retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat in party hands. But the Power Rankings this past week shifted the race in the blue-leaning state toward the GOP, from Likely Democrat to Lean Democrat, as Republican nominee Michele Tafoya appears to gain traction. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Meanwhile, the GOP is on defense in red-leaning Kansas, where Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a difficult re-election fight against Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton, a pastor. The Power Rankings rate the race Lean Republican. Numa, pointing to Kansas, Minnesota and New Hampshire, said that “the voter profiles and histories of those states are keeping them at ‘Lean D’ and ‘Lean R’ on the forecast, but this map has expanded, and with the exception of the North Star State, mostly into red territory.” Meanwhile, two states are now pretty much off the table for the GOP. Georgia was a top Republican target when the 2026 cycle began, but Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff holds a solid lead over GOP challenger Rep. Mike Collins in the southeastern battleground. Republican outside groups have cut their spending significantly in Georgia, and the Fox News Power Rankings rate the race as Likely Democrat. In neighboring North Carolina, Republicans appear to have conceded the seat held by retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Republican groups have pulled the plug on spending on behalf of GOP nominee Mike Whatley, who trails former Gov. Roy Cooper, the Democratic nominee, in polling. The Fox News Power Rankings also rate this race as Likely Democrat. The Democrats win the majority if they run the table by holding Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire, and flip North Carolina as well as at least three of the five GOP-controlled toss-up states. “Senate Democrats are in the strongest position yet to win the majority – with multiple paths to flip GOP-held seats and growing momentum across the map,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair, touted in a recent statement. Conversely, Republicans would keep control of the chamber by holding at least three of the toss-ups where they’re playing defense. A 50-50 Senate would remain in GOP hands, thanks to the tie-breaking vote of Vice President JD Vance. Gillibrand’s counterpart, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, remains optimistic. “I think it’s going very well for us,” Scott said Thursday in an interview on Fox News “America Reports.” “The momentum, frankly, is with us, not against us.” The GOP majority could be bolstered if the party goes on offense. While chances of Sununu flipping New Hampshire appear to be receding, Republicans are optimistic Rogers can top El-Sayed in Michigan. Trump is expected to hold a rally with Rogers in the Great
Trump tries different approach with Russia to bring Americans relief amid ongoing war with Ukraine
President Donald Trump is easing some of the economic pressure on Russia in hopes of bringing Vladimir Putin closer to a peace deal — a gamble that will test whether economic incentives can move Moscow where years of sanctions have not. The administration’s decision to temporarily ease restrictions on Russian diesel has drawn opposition from Republicans on Capitol Hill and skepticism over whether the move will meaningfully lower prices for Americans. Meanwhile, Russia has offered few public signs of concessions in return. Six Republican senators joined Democrats this week in urging Trump to reverse the decision, while five House Republicans signed a separate bipartisan letter Thursday seeking to revoke the Treasury authorization. The resistance comes as Washington approaches an Oct. 18, 2026, deadline to begin implementing a sweeping new sanctions law Congress overwhelmingly approved to increase economic pressure on Russia. BIPARTISAN SENATORS DEMAND TRUMP SCRAP RUSSIA DIESEL DEAL, CALL IT ‘BETRAYAL’ OF US ALLIES The administration argues that allowing Russian diesel back onto global markets could help bring down prices for American consumers while demonstrating the economic benefits Russia could gain through improved relations with the United States. Trump has defended the agreement as a way to add supply to a global diesel market strained by high prices, stressing that the Russian fuel does not necessarily need to come state side to benefit American consumers. “That’s a diesel deal that’s going to be released into the world for the world market because the world market suffers with high prices,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. But energy analysts have questioned whether the volumes involved would meaningfully affect prices. Russia, meanwhile, continued striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure after Trump declared an immediate energy ceasefire Sunday. John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argued the diesel agreement would make more sense as part of a reciprocal deal under which Moscow and Kyiv both stopped attacking energy infrastructure. “The Ukrainians could stomach it if it were part of a mutual energy truce where both Russia and Ukraine don’t strike each other’s infrastructure,” Hardie told Fox News Digital. Instead, Hardie said, Trump pressed Ukraine to halt its refinery strikes without securing the same restraint from Putin. “The better solution is to go back to the Kremlin and try to get that two-way solution,” he said. Trump announced the diesel agreement Oct. 9 after a phone call with Putin, saying Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the “American and Global Marketplace,” followed by another 500,000 tons in November, 1 million tons shortly thereafter and eventually another 3 million tons depending on the condition of its refineries. TRUMP RUSSIA DEAL COULD FUEL PUTIN’S WAR, EX-NATO COMMANDER WARNS AS ZELENSKYY SAYS ‘NYET’ Treasury issued General License 135 the same day, temporarily authorizing transactions involving Russian-origin diesel through April 7, 2027. The diesel dispute has become part of a broader strain between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump has repeatedly pressed Kyiv to halt refinery attacks, while Zelenskyy has criticized the diesel deal and accused Russia of ignoring Trump’s energy ceasefire. Ukraine resumed attacks on Russian oil infrastructure this week after saying Moscow had failed to observe the pause. Russia, meanwhile, has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy system as winter approaches. A major missile and drone attack Wednesday damaged dozens of energy facilities and left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power, according to Ukrainian officials. The White House says the deal serves two purposes: adding supply to global fuel markets and showing Moscow some of the economic benefits that could come with improved relations. Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discussed the agreement with Ukrainian officials as part of an effort to revive peace negotiations, Reuters reported. One person briefed on the talks said the deal could help “soften” Moscow’s position by signaling that Trump remains open to doing business with Russia. But analysts question how much genuinely new diesel Russia can provide. “The amount of diesel Russia can provide would be a drop in the bucket compared to global demand,” Masha Kotkin, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told S&P Global. “If you are asking about US diesel prices, I don’t think it’s going to make a difference,” she said. Sergey Vakulenko, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and former Russian oil executive, similarly cautioned against treating the roughly $7 billion value of the diesel contemplated under the agreement as new revenue for Moscow, noting that Russia was already exporting substantial quantities despite Western sanctions. He estimated the sanctions relief could instead benefit Russian exporters by roughly $30 to $40 per ton through better commercial terms and lower shipping costs — tens of millions of dollars per month, only part of which would reach the Russian state through taxes. At the same time, Ukrainian strikes have sharply constrained Russia’s ability to increase supply. Vakulenko said Russian diesel available for export fell from roughly 3 million tons per month in April to about 325,000 tons in September, leaving both Russia’s additional financial benefit and the deal’s potential impact on global prices more limited than the headline figures suggest. Hardie said signs of division between Washington and Kyiv could encourage Putin to increase military pressure rather than compromise. “That message of irresolution and of division between Washington and Kyiv only encourages Putin to intensify military pressure, kind of seeing that opportunity,” Hardie said. He said the administration had previously presented sanctions relief and renewed economic ties as benefits Russia could unlock through a negotiated settlement. Offering some of those benefits beforehand, he warned, could undermine that incentive. “It’ll lead Putin to kind of digging his heels in on maximalist demands,” Hardie said. The debate comes as Congress is moving in the opposite direction. Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act into law Sept. 18, giving the administration new authorities to target Russian officials, financial institutions and entities helping sustain the war. Its first
House panel warns Singham-linked nonprofits: Comply with subpoenas or face Congress
Lawmakers have escalated their probe of three nonprofits linked to Marxist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham’s funding network, warning that their leaders — and even Singham himself — could be hauled before Congress to answer questions under oath unless they comply with subpoenas by Tuesday. In new letters announced this week, the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee renewed its demands for financial records and other documents as lawmakers investigate whether millions of dollars flowing through Singham’s network of tax-exempt nonprofits are being used to advance Chinese Communist Party interests in the United States. Singham himself is among 21 individuals identified by the committee for potential questioning under oath, according to Fox News Digital sources. The list includes nonprofit executives, activists and journalists associated with the three organizations. PROBE INTO ‘SUBVERSIVE’ ANTI-AI SINGHAM NETWORK IS ‘ENORMOUS,’ FORMER TREASURY ADVISOR SAYS DOJ LAUNCHES GRAND JURY PROBE INTO MARXIST MOGUL NEVILLE ROY SINGHAM’S FUNDING OF LEFTIST GROUPS The letters were sent to The People’s Forum Inc., a New York City-based activist hub; BreakThrough News, a left-wing nonprofit media outlet that shares a Manhattan address with The People’s Forum; and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, a Massachusetts-based Marxist think tank. “Shanghai Singham has poured millions of dollars into these groups to take advantage of America’s nonprofit sector and promote Chinese Communist Party propaganda. That much is public. What these groups are fighting to keep hidden is even more concerning,” Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said in a statement. “Either these organizations turn over the documents, or their leaders will answer the Committee’s questions under oath.” The threatened depositions mark another escalation in a dispute that began with requests for financial records in 2025 and intensified when the committee subpoenaed the three nonprofits in July. The organizations have challenged the investigation, arguing lawmakers are targeting their political views and First Amendment-protected activities. The potential deposition targets include eight individuals at The People’s Forum, seven at BreakThrough News and six at Tricontinental. Among those named are The People’s Forum executive director Manolo De Los Santos, education director Layan Fuleihan and organizing director David Chung; BreakThrough News editor-in-chief Ben Becker, news director Zoe Alexandra and chief correspondent Rania Khalek; and Tricontinental executive director Vijay Prashad and Singham, who is listed as chairman of its international advisory board. The committee has not publicly announced that deposition subpoenas have been issued to any of the individuals. SUBPOENAED PRO-CHINA OUTLET DEFENDS ITSELF ON DEMOCRACY NOW!, WHICH PAID SINGHAM-FOUNDED COMPANY MILLIONS The panel alleges that Singham channeled money through shell companies and donor-advised funds before it reached the three tax-exempt groups. Such arrangements, the committee said, can allow foreign-linked funding to pass through intermediaries that “by design, obscure the original source of the contribution.” Singham is an American-born technology tycoon and longtime Marxist activist who sold his software company, ThoughtWorks, for an estimated $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai. Fox News Digital previously traced at least $278 million from Singham into six core U.S. nonprofits that served as funding hubs within a broader international network of activist groups, media organizations and think tanks promoting socialist, communist and pro-China causes. Of that funding, the investigation found $22.44 million flowed to The People’s Forum, $16.76 million to Tricontinental and $1.098 million to BreakThrough BT Media Inc., the parent organization of BreakThrough News. Together, the three received approximately $40.3 million, according to the investigation, which the committee cited in its earlier correspondence. The committee says it is examining whether existing tax laws adequately protect against foreign influence in the nonprofit sector and whether Congress should strengthen those laws. Separately, Singham is under federal grand jury investigation in the Southern District of New York over alleged financial crimes involving his nonprofit funding network, as previously reported by Fox News Digital. The investigation is examining possible wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering and other financial offenses. No criminal charges against Singham have been announced. BreakThrough News condemned the latest demands in an Oct. 9 statement on its website, accusing the committee of targeting its journalists because of their political views. The outlet said it receives no outside editorial direction and that its major donations come from U.S. organizations. During an episode of its BT Live program, hosts Alexandra and Khalek, both named among those facing potential depositions, denounced the committee’s demands. “Unless BT gives up its legal rights, including our First Amendment protections, he’ll subpoena each of us individually and drag us to Washington for depositions,” Alexandra said. Khalek accused lawmakers of targeting journalists personally after the outlet challenged earlier demands. “They will come after us individually if we don’t comply with their unconstitutional demands,” she said. BreakThrough News also urged supporters to sign a petition opposing the investigation and donate to help cover its legal expenses. Fox News Digital contacted all three organizations and their attorneys for comment on the latest demands but had not received a response as of publication. The investigation has also drawn accusations of McCarthyism from prominent left-wing figures, including Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who called the July subpoenas “the McCarthy trials” and warned, “They will come for you,” and CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who described them as a “terrible attack on independent journalism.” ‘MCCARTHY TRIALS’: HASAN PIKER, FAR-LEFT FIGURES ERUPT OVER SUBPOENAS IN $39M SINGHAM PROBE The committee first sought records from The People’s Forum in September 2025 and expanded its investigation to BreakThrough News and Tricontinental in February 2026. After the organizations challenged the requests, lawmakers narrowed their demands in May before issuing subpoenas in July. The committee sought records involving foreign-linked funding, financial arrangements, communications with Singham and other foreign interests, and information about donors and overseas grants. Attorneys for BreakThrough News and The People’s Forum formally objected in August, arguing the subpoenas violated First Amendment protections and demanded information beyond the committee’s legitimate legislative authority. “A witch-hunt is not a valid legislative purpose,” the attorneys wrote in their Aug. 7 responses, comparing the investigation to the House Un-American Activities