Lawmakers demand answers as scientists tied to US secrets die or vanish
House Republicans are pressing multiple federal agencies for answers about reports that at least 10 individuals tied to sensitive U.S. nuclear and aerospace programs have died or disappeared in recent years, with lawmakers pointing to public reporting that raises questions about a possible “sinister connection” between the cases. In letters sent Monday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Subcommittee Chairman Eric Burlison, R-Mo., request briefings from the FBI, Department of Energy, NASA and Department of War, citing what they describe as “unconfirmed public reporting” surrounding the incidents. The lawmakers say the reports involve individuals with connections to “U.S. nuclear secrets or rocket technology” who have “died or mysteriously vanished,” and are seeking to determine whether any broader national security risk exists. “If the reports are accurate, these deaths and disappearances may represent a grave threat to U.S. national security and to U.S. personnel with access to scientific secrets,” Comer and Burlison wrote. MISSING RETIRED AIR FORCE GENERAL CONSULTED ON UFOS FOR BLINK-182’S TOM DELONGE In response to earlier outreach, the War Department said there are “no active national security investigations” involving any current or former personnel tied to the reported cases. The White House has acknowledged the issue but has not confirmed any connection between the incidents. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt recently said officials are working with relevant agencies to gather more information, while President Donald Trump told reporters he had “just left a meeting” on the matter, calling it “pretty serious stuff” and indicating answers could come soon. The letters cite several individuals whose deaths or disappearances have drawn public attention, including former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist Michael David Hicks, who died in 2023. COMER WARNS ‘SOMETHING SINISTER’ MAY BE BEHIND DEATHS, DISAPPEARANCES OF 11 NUCLEAR, SPACE-LINKED SCIENTISTS Among the more recent cases, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William “Neil” McCasland disappeared from his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home in February. Authorities said he left behind personal items but took his wallet and a firearm, and he has not been located. NASA materials engineer Monica Reza, who served as director of the Materials Processing Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also remains missing after disappearing during a hike in California in June 2025. The cases cited in public reporting span a range of circumstances, including disappearances, confirmed homicides and deaths where no foul play has been identified. Authorities have not indicated that the incidents are linked. Lawmakers also referenced reports suggesting a possible professional connection between some of the individuals through past Air Force–funded research programs involving advanced materials for space and weapons systems, though no confirmed link between the cases has been established. Comer and Burlison said the situation warrants further review, requesting staff-level briefings from the agencies by April 27 on any information they have regarding the individuals, as well as the procedures in place to protect sensitive scientific personnel and classified research. The inquiry spans agencies responsible for nuclear weapons infrastructure, advanced military research, federal law enforcement and space exploration — a wide-ranging effort to determine whether any risk to U.S. national security or personnel connected to advanced research programs exists. Fox News Digital has reached out to the departments that received letters for comment.
Supreme Court to hear Catholic parish’s challenge after Colorado barred schools from universal pre-K program
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Catholic parish’s argument after Colorado excluded its schools from the state’s program that pays for families to send their children to the preschool of their choice, public or private. The oral arguments in the case of St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy are expected to take place this fall. The case could redefine how states balance anti-discrimination laws with religious freedom. The Archdiocese of Denver, which oversees 34 Catholic preschools, argues that its schools are an extension of the church’s ministry. ALITO NOT EXPECTED TO RETIRE THIS TERM, COOLING SUPREME COURT VACANCY SPECULATION: SOURCES To maintain the integrity of their religious environment, the Archdiocese says its schools admit only families who support Catholic beliefs, including on sex and gender. Colorado officials, however, maintain that the Universal Preschool Program is designed to be inclusive of all children, regardless of their background or their family’s identity. SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH CHEVRON, OIL COMPANIES IN LOUISIANA ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSUITS The state argues that while faith-based providers are welcome to participate in the program, they must follow the same rules as secular schools. The Archdiocese views the exclusion as a violation of its religious exercise, while the state views the parish’s enrollment policies as a barrier to universal civil rights. When the Supreme Court hears oral arguments this fall, the justices will look to address whether a state can require a religious institution to set aside its core tenets in order to participate in a state-funded program. This is a developing news story; check back for updates.
Canada’s prime minister refers to US economic ties as a weakness
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney asserted that many of his nation’s prior “strengths” stemming from its close relationship with the U.S. have turned into “weaknesses” that must be addressed. “The U.S. has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression. Many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses, weaknesses that we must correct,” Carney said in a video message. “Workers in our industries most affected by U.S. tariffs, in autos, in steel, in lumber, are under threat. Businesses are holding back investments, restrained by the pall of uncertainty that’s hanging over all of us. The U.S. has changed. And we must respond,” the Canadian leader declared. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. CARNEY CASTS HIMSELF AS NATO DEFENDER AMID TRUMP BEEF, DESPITE CANADA MISSING KEY BENCHMARK FOR DECADES “It’s about taking back control of our security, our borders, and our future. There are some who say there’s no need for a comprehensive plan. They believe we should wait it out in the hope that the United States will return to normal, that the good old days will come back,” Carney continued. “But hope isn’t a plan. And nostalgia is not a strategy,” he asserted. SEATTLE, VANCOUVER COORDINATE CROSS-BORDER PLANNING FOR 2026 WORLD CUP TOURISM FROM AUSCHWITZ, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR ISSUES URGENT WARNING OVER RISING ANTISEMITISM IN CANADA “We have to take care of ourselves because we can’t rely on one foreign partner. We can’t control the disruption coming from our neighbors. We can’t bet our future on the hope that it will suddenly stop. But we can control what happens here. We can build a stronger country that can withstand disruptions from abroad, that creates good jobs here at home, that’s a leader in this new world, with a vast network of reliable allies,” Carney said. President Donald Trump has implemented an aggressive tariff policy. The Supreme Court ruled against him in February, holding that Congress – not the president – holds authority over such taxes. Starting Monday, businesses are able to file for tariff refunds, as the federal government starts unwinding billions of dollars in import duties. Fox News’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
US military announces another deadly strike against ‘narco-terrorists’
The U.S. military announced another deadly strike against a vessel that it alleges was involved in “narco-trafficking” efforts. “On April 19, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” U.S. Southern Command indicated in a post on X. “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the post continued. US MILITARY KILLS 2 SUSPECTED CARTEL OPERATIVES IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL STRIKE, SOUTHCOM SAYS SOUTHCOM indicated that the attack killed three men. “Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post noted. President Donald Trump’s administration has carried out dozens of deadly strikes against vessels of alleged “narco-terrorists.” US MILITARY CONDUCTS MORE DEADLY STRIKES AGAINST VESSELS OF ALLEGED ‘NARCO-TERRORISTS’ In a completely different part of the world, amid ongoing tensions between America and Iran, the U.S. attacked an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on April 19. “Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade,” U.S. Central Command noted. US SEIZES IRANIAN SHIP AFTER OPENING FIRE; PAKISTAN TALKS IN DOUBT “After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody,” CENTCOM noted.
DOJ demands 865K Detroit ballots, threatening possible legal action
Michigan is among states doubling down on rejecting Trump administration investigations and oversight into elections, claiming protection of the right to vote, potentially setting up a battle that could escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Justice Department is demanding roughly 865,000 ballots and hundreds of thousands of related election records from the Detroit area’s 2024 election, threatening to seek a court order if the materials are not turned over within 14 days. In an April 14 letter to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon asked for “all ballots (including absentee and provisional), ballot receipts, and ballot envelopes” from the November 2024 federal election, saying the department was acting under federal records-retention law and investigating whether election laws were followed. Dhillon wrote that the request was based on a “history of fraud convictions and other allegations” in Wayne County and warned that failure to comply “may result in the United States seeking a court order for production of such records.” FEDERAL JUDGE REJECTS TRUMP ADMIN LAWSUIT SEEKING MICHIGAN VOTER ROLLS “Here @theJusticeDept, ensuring election integrity is a paramount duty,” Dhillon wrote Sunday on X, sharing the video of her appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo. “Many states fail to clean noncitizen & deceased people from their voter rolls, and under my leadership, @CivilRights will continue working to ensure that ONLY eligible American citizens vote in our elections!” Dhillon added her investigations seek to “ensure accountability for the outrageous weaponization of the deep state against President Trump and his team.” “It must never be repeated!” she concluded. WITHIN MINUTES OF TRUMP SIGNING VOTER DATABASE ORDER, DEM STATES THREATEN LAWSUITS The demand marks the latest step in a broader push by the Trump administration to scrutinize election procedures in key swing states after earlier moves involving 2020 ballots in Georgia and election records in Arizona. Democrat officials in Michigan blasted the request as baseless and politically motivated. “If this administration wants to bring this circus to our state, my office is prepared to protect the people’s right to vote,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told The Washington Post. FBI SUBPOENAS 2020 ARIZONA VOTING DOCS AS FEDERAL PUSH INTO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION WIDENS The Justice Department’s request covers ballots, ballot envelopes and ballot receipts in Wayne County, which includes Detroit. Nessel wrote in a separate letter that the department is seeking about 865,000 ballots and that the request was directed to the wrong office because the ballots are held by 43 municipal clerks, not the Wayne County clerk. In her letter, Dhillon cited three voter-fraud cases and repeated allegations raised in a 2020 lawsuit against Detroit and Wayne County over absentee-ballot handling. That suit was later dismissed, with a judge finding the allegations were not credible. DOJ SUES 5 MORE STATES, DEMANDING ACCESS TO VOTER ROLLS: ‘WE WILL NOT BE DETERRED’ Nessel argued that Dhillon’s request is a “fishing expedition” that goes too far back in state election history, and the past findings of fraud in 2020 were not widespread, claiming the “the process worked” in rooting out fraud. Further investigation will be “an unwarranted intrusion into Michigan elections,” she added, and would put an undue burden on elections officials before the Aug. 2 primary, which is more than three months away. “Any form of federal interference in Michigan’s elections, including any attempt to seize election records, will be closely scrutinized,” she warned. GOP GOVERNORS, AGS BACK TRUMP SAVE ACT PUSH, WARN SYSTEM GIVES ‘UNDUE INFLUENCE’ TO STATES WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called the request a “poorly disguised attempt to justify more doubt and misinformation about our elections,” while Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson described it as the administration’s “latest attempt to interfere in our elections,” according to the Post. The Post report of Michigan’s letter to Dhillon came hours after her appearance on Fox News, where Dhillon laid out the work of the DOJ and the obstruction it faces from Democrat-run states like Michigan. “I’ve requested the voter rolls from all states and the District of Columbia,” Dhillon told Bartiromo. “About a third of the states have voluntarily complied with us or reached settlements with us, and we’ve run some of those records. FBI REVIEWING FULTON COUNTY VOTE-COUNT ‘DEFICIENCIES,’ COURT DOCS REVEAL “I’m suing 29 states and the District of Columbia for their refusal to give us the voter rolls to which the attorney general or the acting attorney general is entitled under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. We’re doing that to make sure that states are in compliance,” she said. “And guess what? States are not in compliance, even those ones who want to do so.” Dhillon noted that in the DOJ’s investigation into the states that have cooperated with transparency to her requests, “we found at least 350,000 dead people currently on the voter rolls in those jurisdictions.” ELECTION INTEGRITY GROUPS PRESS SUPREME COURT TO REQUIRE BALLOTS BY ELECTION DAY “And we’ve referred approximately 25,000 people with no citizenship records to Homeland Security to look at, you know, dig into that further and see the extent to which people voted,” she continued. “I’m in touch with voting rights activists who are showing me information about people who have voted, who are not American citizens.” “So the left told us, this never happens. And it’s a myth,” Dhillon continued. “It definitely happened just recently, someone was indicted in Minnesota, of all places, for voting without being a citizen.” Minnesota, Dhillon noted, “has a weird vouching law that allows citizens to vouch for each other’s citizenship.” “That’s crazy and inconsistent with the Help America Vote Act, and we’re not going to rest until we complete this project,” Dhillon said.
Lutheran minister and House candidate under fire after recounting her part in satanist couple’s wedding
Democratic House candidate Sarah Trone Garriott’s campaign is on the defensive after a resurfaced video showed her recounting her role in the marriage of a pair of satanists while serving as a minister-in-training. Trone Garriott, a Lutheran minister running in a battleground House district in November’s midterm election, participated in the wedding of a satanist couple in 2006 while serving as an intern pastor in a West Virginia parish. Nearly two decades later, she delivered remarks for the Des Moines Storytellers Project, where she reflected that the marriage of two satanists in the church offered a “spiritual lesson” about love. “He asked me to pick the Scriptures,” Trone Garriott said on stage in 2023, referring to the senior pastor. “Irritated, I flipped through the Bible. Should I pick something with Satan in it to make them feel more at home?” ‘PAGAN’ OUTREACH, WICCAN PRAYER DEFENSE COULD HAUNT DEM IN BATTLEGROUND RACE “Eventually, I just put the bookmark in at 1 Corinthians 13,” she continued. “If you have ever been to a Christian wedding, you’ve probably heard this Scripture. All they would get from me was [a] basic Lutheran wedding.” “When the Apostle Paul wrote these words, he certainly never had in mind a small town in West Virginia, two satanists and a Lutheran pastor in training,” Trone Garriott said. “But Paul knew people, and people haven’t changed that much over the centuries. It is hard to love one another. We often need to be reminded how.” Trone Garriott is vying to unseat Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, for a “toss-up” congressional seat in the southwestern part of the state. Throughout the campaign, she has been criticized for expressing beliefs that Republicans have argued do not align with the Christian faith she represents. “She’s made it clear that the values Iowa families live by every single day are the ones she’s running against,” Nunn previously told Fox News Digital. At the 2023 love-themed storytelling event, Trone Garriott chose to spotlight her “first wedding” with the satanist pair. She recounted that the couple had shown up under the mistaken belief they had to be married in a church and proceeded to interrogate their Christian beliefs. “These people could barely stand us. They didn’t believe in or really have any respect for what mattered to us,” Trone Garriott said. The senior pastor went ahead and married them anyway, with Trone Garriott reading the words, “Love is patient; love is kind” over them. Though Trone Garriott expressed initial concern about the wedding, by the end of the ceremony she spoke tenderly about the man with a pentagram tattooed on his face. “Was he getting teary?” Trone Garriott asked during her remarks. “They had a lot of baggage between the two of them, but there was no denying how they were looking at each other.” At no point in her speech did Trone Garriott suggest that she or the senior pastor had asked the couple to reject satanism. “So what happened to that couple? I have no idea,” Trone Garriott reflected. “We never saw them again.” BATTLEGROUND DEM SAYS TERRORISTS ACT FROM ‘PAIN AND FRUSTRATION,’ ACCUSES AMERICANS OF BEING ‘HIGH AND MIGHTY’ Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Trone Garriott’s campaign told Fox News Digital, “As a minister in training, Sarah followed the direction of her supervising pastor and had no control over who walked through the church’s doors — it was her job to minister to everyone, including people she does not share beliefs with. “Like so many Iowa Christians, Sarah’s faith calls her to love thy neighbor, and she follows Jesus’ example of embodying his grace for everyone,” the spokesperson added. A source familiar with the campaign disputed that Trone Garriott helped marry the satanist couple, because she was not ordained until 2008. But Trone Garriott’s own words and actions during the ceremony appeared to acknowledge her active role in the wedding. “This was going to be my first wedding,” Trone Garriott reflected in her remarks. The resurfaced video comes as Trone Garriott’s beliefs have been heavily scrutinized in the contest for the swing seat. In a 2023 speech, she expressed discomfort with public displays of Christianity and defended seeking out non-Christian prayers at the statehouse as a member of the state Senate. Trone Garriott wrote an op-ed in 2015 calling out Christian lawmakers who protested a Wiccan-led prayer, arguing, “Jesus engaged with pagans.” The National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republicans’ campaign arm, sharply criticized Trone Garriott’s past in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Her record shows a clear pattern of rhetoric and decisions that contradict her own faith, raising serious questions about her judgment and values,” NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle said. “If she’s willing to blur those lines, Iowans can’t trust her to stand up for them.”
After Supreme Court blow, Trump admin launches $166B tariff refund portal
The Trump administration on Monday launched a new system to begin refunding $166 billion in tariffs to U.S. importers after the Supreme Court ruled the levies unlawful earlier this year. The system, known as CAPE, will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue consolidated electronic payments to importers, streamlining what would otherwise be a complex, entry-by-entry refund process. “It’s essentially a fast track for processing refunds,” said Reed Smith partner Michael Lowell, adding that importers will need to file claims, but the process should be straightforward. TRUMP’S TARIFF REVENUES HIT RECORD HIGHS AS SUPREME COURT DEALS MAJOR BLOW “Customs is estimating that refunds will be processed within 60 to 90 days after submission,” he added. “If importers file as soon as the system opens, refunds could begin flowing by mid-June to mid-July.” The rollout marks the first phase of the refund effort, meaning not all importers or tariff categories will be eligible right away. The refunds stem from a February Supreme Court decision that struck down the tariffs, setting the stage for what could become one of the largest repayment efforts in U.S. history. Many businesses are expected to rush to file claims to get back billions they paid under the now-invalid tariffs. Tariff revenues hit record highs after “Liberation Day” duties, underscoring the scale of payments now being returned to importers. SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO TRUMP’S TRADE AGENDA IN LANDMARK TARIFF CASE Tariffs function as a tax on imports, with U.S. companies often absorbing the upfront costs and passing them along through higher prices for wholesalers, retailers and ultimately consumers. As a result, households and businesses can face increased costs on goods ranging from electronics to raw materials. Still, trade experts say the broader use of tariffs is far from over. “Tariffs are not going anywhere. That’s clear. It’s a central component of the administration’s economic and trade policy,” said Reed Smith partner Michael Lowell. Lowell pointed to the administration’s swift move to impose new tariffs under a separate legal authority known as Section 122 following the Supreme Court’s ruling, noting those measures are already facing legal challenges. “The administration has tools available to it that it is actively using to impose tariffs on certain imports from certain countries,” Lowell said. “Tariffs are here to stay, at least for the balance of the Trump administration.” He added that tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term largely remained in place through the Biden administration, underscoring their staying power across administrations. Lowell also said companies should take steps now to prepare for continued uncertainty. “We are advising companies to deal with the issues up front in their contracts, have very explicit terms around who’s responsible for the tariff, how refunds will be processed if we continue to see tariffs that are invalidated and refunds associated with them,” he said.
NRCC reporting record $47.1 million quarter, record $28.1 million raised in March
The midterm elections might be historically difficult for the controlling party, but Republicans are building a war chest to break that trend, reporting smashing first quarter fundraising totals of $47.1 million, including a record $28.1 million in March alone. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) was set to report the strongest first quarter fundraising haul in its history Monday, according to figures shared first with Fox News Digital, giving House Republicans a fresh sign of financial momentum as they look to defend their narrow House majority in a cycle that has often favored the party out of power. “This historic fundraising quarter proves House Republicans have a tremendous amount of enthusiasm behind our agenda to lower costs and keep Americans safe,” NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement to Fox News. “House Republicans are united, battle-tested, and building the financial firepower to protect our majority and take the fight directly to Democrats’ extreme agenda.” ON FILING DEADLINE, GOP BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR OPPOSING TRUMP TAX CUTS, ‘MAKING LIFE MORE EXPENSIVE’ NRCC officials are framing the numbers as part of a broader trend they say has defined the cycle so far, with Republican incumbents and allied groups posting stronger-than-usual early fundraising numbers and narrowing, or in some cases reversing, Democrats’ traditional money advantage. The NRCC is staking claim to having outraised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on average for five straight quarters, including snapping a long-standing trend by outraising the minority party in the first year of an election cycle for the first time in decades in 2025. The NRCC reported this week its swing-district patriots have raised an average of $1.2 million and hold $3.5 million cash on hand, compared to $919,000 raised and $2.4 million cash on hand for DCCC frontliners. MCINTOSH: MIDTERMS A CHOICE BETWEEN TRUMP’S ‘GREAT PROGRESS’ AND ‘SOCIALISTS BACK IN’ “Vulnerable House Democrats are getting outraised, outworked, and outmatched. Republicans have the momentum, and the money is following it,” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement last week. The financial windfalls do not end there. The House Speaker Mike Johnson-backed Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and its nonprofit American Action Network (AAN) have raised a combined $192.6 million thus far in the 2025-2026 cycle. Those groups brought in a combined $56.6 million in the first quarter of 2026, which Republicans say is a record for the first quarter of a non-election year. CLF alone raised a record $38.1 million and is expected to report $91.4 million cash on hand. REPUBLICANS WIN BUT DEMOCRATS ALSO CLAIM VICTORY WITH BALLOT BOX SURGE IN TRUMP TERRITORY Top House GOP leaders have also posted eye-catching numbers, according to the NRCC: MIDTERM ALARM BELLS: DEMOCRATS FACE STEEP FAVORABILITY DEFICIT DESPITE ELECTION GAINS The committee also pointed to the wider President Donald Trump-aligned fundraising network, noting that MAGA Inc. entered 2026 with more than $300 million cash on hand. “This unprecedented momentum is part of a sustained trend that’s held this entire cycle and is now accelerating,” Marinella said in a statement to Fox News. “Republicans are consistently outpacing Democrats in the money race where Democrats have traditionally dominated.” “This is a fundamental shift from the traditional dynamic where Democrats build an early financial edge and force Republicans onto defense,” he added. “That script has flipped.” Insiders pointed out to Fox News that circumstances of the spring have combined to provide the unprecedented financial push, including Trump peacemaking in the Middle East and wildly successful military operations in Venezuela and Iran. Also, Democrats have been hurt in the fundraising coffers by House Oversight, Judiciary and Administration committee investigations into the big-ticket Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue, and the Senate Democrat-forced government shutdown of Department of Homeland Security funding. Notably, the record NRCC March came amid massive spring break delays and four- to eight-hour security line waits at crowded spring break airports, which were hamstrung by Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) agents not showing up because they were not getting paid for work.
GOP Senate hopeful Michele Tafoya accuses Walz, Ellison of ignoring Minnesota fraud scheme
A Senate Republican hopeful eyeing Minnesota’s open seat accused Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison of turning a blind eye to a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Michele Tafoya, 61, is running to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., in a crowded race where Republicans have heavily targeted Walz and Ellison over a nearly $10 billion daycare, food aid and health clinic fraud scheme that unfolded under their noses. This widespread theft could flip a Senate seat red in Minnesota for the first time since 2008, Tafoya insisted in an interview with Fox News Digital, adding that people in her state are “angry.” “Fraud is certainly at the forefront” of this election, she said. MINNESOTA REPUBLICANS REVEAL WHICH FAR-LEFT CANDIDATE THEY WANT TO CHALLENGE IN OPEN SENATE RACE “I think that Tim Walz and Keith Ellison are both to blame for this fraud,” Tafoya alleged. “Look, they’re at the top. And as one very revered former United States senator told me, that amount of money cannot change hands without people knowing.” “So people knew this was going on,” the former sports broadcaster added, demanding someone be held accountable for the widespread fraud. Brian Evans, a spokesperson for Ellison, told Fox News Digital that the attorney general’s office has gone after fraud in the state, specifically with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which has “secured over 340 convictions and regularly ranks as one of the most efficient team of fraud fighters in the nation.” “Attorney General Ellison is currently leading the charge to pass a bipartisan bill to give his fraud control unit more resources and authority to go after fraudsters and protect our tax dollars,” Evans said. “He has a strong record of fighting fraud and holding fraudsters accountable.” Both Walz and Ellison defended their actions to address fraud in their state during a congressional hearing. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., found ahead of the hearing that Walz and Ellison were aware of fraud in the state but “repeatedly failed to act.” And Tafoya claimed they “laughed it off” during their appearance before the House Oversight Committee in March. “People knew this was going on. We have seen it with the Quality ‘Learing’ Center,” Tafoya said. “We know that there have been so many mistakes made. And when you are the governor, the buck stops with you.” MINNESOTA GOP LAWMAKER URGES CONGRESS TO PRESS WALZ AT FRAUD HEARING: ‘REAL ISSUES TO DEAL WITH’ Tafoya, a former sports reporter seeking elected office for the first time, is aiming to flip the seat red and said Minnesotans are “ready for a change.” “They are so fed up and disillusioned,” she said. When asked about a noncitizen recently charged with committing voter fraud and perjury in Minnesota, Tafoya tied that issue to the multibillion-dollar fraud scandal and said, “Walz and company want us to believe there’s zero voter fraud.” “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Tafoya said. “I’m certain that’s not the only example. And for them to say that we had perfect elections, when they have just proven that they are willing to lie through their teeth about where our money is going, is laughable.” But Tafoya is not running against Walz or Ellison and, despite having the most campaign coffers among her cohorts, she must first survive a crowded primary to win the Republican nomination. Only then will she advance to the general election in November against Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., or Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, both of whom she claims are trying to “out-left” each other. Specifically, Tafoya pointed to Flanagan, saying: “She got dressed in a hijab and told Minnesotans, ‘Somalis built Minnesota.’ That was so offensive to everyone in the state.” “So that gives you an example of how much of a leftist she is.” TOP 5 WILDEST MOMENTS AS GOP LAWMAKERS CLASHED WITH WALZ, ELLISON IN HEATED FRAUD HEARING: ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ While Tafoya has the backing of Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who chairs the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, former President Donald Trump has yet to issue a coveted endorsement that could make or break her campaign. Tafoya said it is ultimately Trump’s decision whether and when to endorse a candidate in the race. “I’m going to let him speak for himself on any endorsement,” Tafoya said. “We would happily take it. But right now, we are the candidate that has raised the most money by far in the Republican senatorial race in Minnesota, and we think that speaks very highly of our chances.” She has also outpaced her Republican opponents, raising just over $2 million between January and March of this year, with just under $1.9 million on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Tafoya also holds a cash advantage over Flanagan, who has raised $1.4 million and still has $1.1 million on hand. Both are surpassed by Craig, who has brought in $2.5 million and has a whopping $4.9 million on hand. Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Walz but did not immediately hear back.
California regulators kill charity fireworks for America’s 250th, sparking outrage
As the nation prepares for its 250th Independence Day celebration, a decades-long California Fourth of July fireworks tradition that has raised millions for local children’s programs is going dark this year after the California Coastal Commission rejected a final effort to keep it alive, citing environmental concerns to protect the bay. “We’ve raised over the past 14 years $2 million for kids programs here in Long Beach,” event organizer John Morris told Fox News Digital, adding the July 3 event is fully funded by the local community. “This community pays for everything — everything. City fees, and the city doesn’t give us a break. We pay $20,000 to the city for police and fire, which I’m fine with, because there’s 100,000 people enjoying the fireworks,” said Morris, a Long Beach resident and business owner. Morris, who owns the Boathouse on the Bay restaurant, had planned a scaled-up fireworks display this year to mark America’s 250th Independence Day. CALIFORNIA BEACH TOWN BANS THE USE OF BALLOONS In January, Coastal Commission staff rejected the proposal, and last week commissioners unanimously upheld that decision despite an appeal backed by local, state and federal officials. Regulators warned Morris last year that 2025 would likely be the final year for fireworks at the event, as they continue pushing organizers to switch to drone shows they say are more environmentally friendly. The decision stands in contrast to other approvals by the commission, including a permit granted to SeaWorld allowing up to 40 nights of fireworks. “They get 40 nights in Mission Bay. All I’m asking for is 20 minutes — it doesn’t make any sense,” Morris said. Morris, 78, also pushed back on the environmental concerns cited by the commission, pointing to years of testing around the event. CLIMATE EXECUTIVE WARNS CALIFORNIA ‘FUNCTIONALLY BANKRUPT,’ $1T SHORTFALL COULD SHAKE NATION “We’ve had 10 years of environmental studies,” Morris said. “We test the water before and after the fireworks and send a robotic camera into the bay to check for debris — there’s never been any. It’s been spotless. “We’ve also had eight years of bird reports to make sure we’re not harming wildlife. We’ve never had an issue. We’ve never been written up one time. So what is it really about?” Joshua Smith, a spokesman for the California Coastal Commission, told Fox News Digital that permits are determined on a case-by-case basis, citing environmental concerns to “protect the bay.” Smith said Morris was approved for a permit to hold a drone show in lieu of fireworks. Morris told Fox News Digital such a show would cost about $200,000 — roughly four times more than traditional fireworks. Smith confirmed that SeaWorld received a permit allowing 40 nights of fireworks. When pressed on the discrepancy, he reiterated that decisions are made individually and declined to provide further details. Morris said the loss of the fireworks show will be felt across the community, from local businesses to families who have made the event an annual tradition.