House Dem back in the spotlight as brother faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted
The efforts of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to move past his indictment and subsequent pardon by President Donald Trump are clashing with his brother’s legal troubles. Martin Cuellar, sheriff of Webb County, Texas, faces a court hearing Thursday over accusations of having misappropriated county funds. The case, coupled with the closeness of the Cuellar family, is complicating Henry Cuellar’s political outlook as he wages a campaign to continue his congressional career in one of the country’s most competitive districts. It’s been over half a year since Trump pardoned Cuellar from an indictment on charges of bribery, conspiracy and money laundering. “This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains,” Cuellar said in a post to X, announcing that very same day that he would pursue re-election. FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION Cuellar was accused of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an oil and gas company controlled by the government of Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. Although those charges are gone, Cuellar’s case is still very much in the public eye as his brother fends off accusations of siphoning funds. Martin Cuellar, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 10 years behind bars and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for allegedly using county employees and resources to run his own disinfecting business, Disinfect Pro Master. Martin allegedly took home about $175,000 in illegal proceeds between 2020 and 2022, according to the Department of Justice. “They allegedly opened Disinfect Pro Master in April 2020 and entered into service agreements with local businesses and restaurants despite having no employees or supplies of their own,” the U.S. attorney’s office wrote. SWALWELL FRIEND GALLEGO DEFENDS CAMPAIGN-FUNDED SUPER BOWL, MIAMI TRIPS: ‘GO WHERE THE MONEY IS’ “The indictment alleges WCSO employees handled the company’s day-to-day operations from the sheriff’s office, where they picked up schedules and equipment to conduct disinfecting services both on and off the clock with the county.” Connections between Cuellar and his siblings are further strengthened by their closeness. In the past, Cuellar has used his campaign fundraising apparatus to bolster his family’s chances in their own official pursuits, records show. According to FEC filings, Cuellar’s campaign and his leadership PAC have paid $11,000 to his sister Rosie Cuellar for doing work for the campaign in 2022 and then donated $1,200 to her bid to become a judge. He has similarly donated $8,400 to his brother, Martin Cuellar, and his campaign to become sheriff in 2008 and 2020. To at least one onlooker, the family’s woes look interconnected. “The latest legal trouble surrounding Henry Cuellar’s family proves one thing: The scandals didn’t end with Henry. They simply moved down the family tree,” Christian Martinez, the national Hispanic press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. “The Cuellar family’s culture of corruption has turned South Texas into a case study of what happens when one self-serving family holds power for too long.” SWALWELL PAL ACCUSED OF USING CAMPAIGN CASH TO BANKROLL ‘LUXURY LIFESTYLE’ — INCLUDING SUPER BOWL TICKETS Cuellar’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Having cleared the Texas primary in March, Cuellar now heads to the general election on Nov. 3. Cuellar last won re-election in a 52.8% to 47.2% victory over Republican challenger Jay Furman in 2024.
Platner drops out of crucial Senate race after bombshell rape allegation torpedoes campaign
Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, suspended his campaign on Wednesday amid mounting controversies and growing calls from top Democrats in his home state, in the nation’s capital, and across the country for him to immediately quit the race. Platner, a populist Democrat backed last September by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November’s midterm elections. “For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” Platner said in a video posted to social media. Platner’s exit from the race comes five days before a crucial deadline, which, if he had missed, would have prevented Maine Democrats from replacing him with a new nominee on the general election ballot. The suspension of his campaign took place one month after Platner won a landslide victory in Maine’s June 9 Democratic Senate primary, but just two days after an explosive report on Monday afternoon contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION DESPITE MOUNTING CONTROVERSIES Addressing those allegations, a visibly irritated Platner charged, “This is all false. The things that have been claimed did not happen. It is not real.” And Platner, who has run an outsider, anti-establishment campaign for nearly a year, pointed to the political class and argued, “the brutal political reality is they are going to take everything away from us.” Platner said that if he continued his bid, he’d lose the ability to raise money and access crucial voter data, essential elements to any campaign. “Those in power who have the ability to do so are using these allegations as an excuse to take away all the things that we need to run a campaign,” he charged. Longtime Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, following Platner’s announcement, said in a post on X, “Democrats are going to defeat Susan Collins, win Maine, and take back the Senate.” The Marine Corps combat veteran and oyster farmer became the all-but-certain party nominee in the spring, after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who had been backed by Schumer and the Democratic establishment, suspended her bid after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling. Platner’s suspension of his campaign comes ahead of a 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, July 13, set by state law, for candidates to withdraw from the race. Since Platner dropped out ahead of the deadline, the Maine Democratic Party will be able to replace him on the general election ballot. The party needs to select a new nominee by July 27. The Maine Democratic Party on Tuesday night, in a stunning announcement, said that party officials were working “around the clock” to determine a replacement process, but claimed that Platner and his team were trying “to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like.” Platner’s team, responding, said they had reached out to the party but denied they were trying to put any “finger on the scale.” A couple of hours before Platner dropped out, the state party announced it would hold a nominating convention to choose a new Senate nominee, if Platner were to exit the race. That didn’t appear to sit well with Platner, who in his video said, “What comes next needs to come from the people. Needs to come from the people of Maine. Needs to come from the voters who on June 9….said no to this kind of politics. Voted for a politics that would actually represent them. Vote against the political system. Against the donor class. Against the entrenched forces.” “I’m not asking for how this process is going to work. I’m not trying to dictate to anyone how it should be or how we get there,” he emphasized. “But I will say this, it needs to be open, transparent, and democratic. It needs to be reflective of the will and the values of the people that built this movement, the people that showed up on June 9. People in DC should stay in DC. Decisions should not be made in backrooms by people in places of political power.” The allegation that triggered Platner’s exit from the race came from Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, who told CNN’s Jake Tapper that “by dictionary definition” Platner “raped” her. “I thought, here’s a man who was drunk and who, by dictionary definition, raped me. And he’s blaming drunk women,” Racicot said. “So I just felt like that was a very odd take to have on that. And I also feel like with all of the comments that he made about women, sexual assault, rape, even, um, you know, the comments that he had made that was in The New York Times article about, you know, threatening people with rape, like, why does this person have this issue, like scattered throughout their life, throughout their commentary, like it‘s on their mind?” Racicot also said over the course of three interviews with Politico that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Platner denied in the Politico story. Additionally, the report says that a man Racicot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told the outlet about the incident, which allegedly took place while Platner was “almost blackout drunk.” “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her telling him to stop multiple times. Racicot said in the report that “one of the reasons” she didn’t come forward until now was the “huge moral conflict” she had between her support
Who is Valli Geiger? Meet the Maine Dem that Platner urged to run for Senate
Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger, a Rockland Democrat, former nurse and former mayor, is drawing sudden national attention after saying now-former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner encouraged her to consider taking his place on the ballot in the Maine Senate race. While Geiger has not been named the replacement nominee, her name entered the Maine Senate scramble after she told local outlet WMTW that Platner called her Monday night, praised her as a “fighter” and asked whether he could put her name forward. Platner’s campaign told the outlet he had not made an endorsement decision but confirmed he encouraged Geiger to consider running if he stepped aside. After Geiger said Platner called her about potentially putting her name forward, Geiger posted Tuesday she would not “throw Graham under the bus,” while also saying she would not “slander or accuse” Jenny Racicot, the woman who accused Platner of rape, “of anything more than telling the truth as she experienced it.” By Wednesday, local outlets were reporting that Geiger said Platner had encouraged her to consider running if he withdrew. Platner, who suspended his campaign Wednesday night, has denied the claim. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF PLATNER DROPS OUT? HERE’S WHO COULD REPLACE HIM ON THE BALLOT AND HOW IT COULD WORK “For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” Platner said in a video posted to social media. Geiger is a third-term Democratic state representative from Rockland, according to her legislative biography, representing a coastal House district in Maine that includes Rockland, Criehaven Township, Matinicus Isle Plantation, the Muscle Ridge Islands, North Haven and part of Owls Head. Her biography says she serves on the Labor Committee and the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. Before entering the state legislature, Geiger served six years on the Rockland City Council, including one year as mayor and four years on the Rockland Comprehensive Planning Commission, three of them as chair. Her biography says she holds a master’s degree in sustainable design and built her own passive-solar, net-zero-energy house. It also describes her as a former nurse at Pen Bay Medical Center who later worked as a health policy analyst and health administrator, including as director of the Healthreach Hospice program and clinical director for Federally Qualified Health Centers around Maine. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING ‘THUMB ON SCALE’ TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES Geiger’s connection to Platner predates the latest replacement speculation. Local reporting has described her as a close Platner supporter, and WMTW reported she previously stood with him and credited him with helping secure funding for rape kit tracking in Maine. In her Facebook post responding to Racicot’s allegation, Geiger wrote that Racicot’s story “seems credible” but added that “none of us knows the truth nor will we ever.” She also described Platner as “a man becoming a better man” and said she had hoped he would lead the political movement his campaign had built and will not “throw Graham under the bus.” In the post, Geiger also praised Platner’s “passion for economic populism” and said she had granted him “an enormous amount of grace” for his behavior during what she described as his “dark years” after multiple deployments. The Maine state representative is not the only Democrat whose name has surfaced as Maine Democrats prepare for the possibility that Platner exits the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Several Democrats have expressed interest or are considering bids, including former gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah. Under Maine law, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.
Bernie-backed socialist who allied with Platner could supplant him on ballot
With Graham Platner facing mounting pressure to end his Senate campaign after rape allegations surfaced Monday, longtime Maine Democrat Troy Jackson filed paperwork Tuesday positioning himself to enter the U.S. Senate race should the Democratic nomination become available. Prominent Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have withdrawn their support for Platner and urged him to end his campaign. Platner has denied the allegations as “categorically false” and has remained in the race. Under Maine law, Platner has until Monday, July 13, to withdraw if Democrats hope to replace him on the November ballot. If he steps aside before the deadline, the state Democratic Party will have until July 27 to choose a new nominee. Jackson, who lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary just weeks ago, signaled his interest in the Senate race by filing a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. He later took to social media to condemn the allegations against Platner while emphasizing that he has not yet decided whether to seek the nomination. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING ‘THUMB ON SCALE’ TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES “While I haven’t made any final decisions yet, I’m deeply humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement I’ve received,” Jackson wrote. “I’m currently weighing the best path forward to support our progressive movement and the working class political revolution Mainers are fighting for.” Jackson and Platner ran closely aligned progressive campaigns and appeared together at campaign events throughout the 2026 election cycle. Both embraced a progressive platform and earned the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. KINGMAKER MAMDANI CALLS ON PLATNER TO ‘DROP OUT OF THE RACE’ AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION Following the allegations against Platner, however, Our Revolution — the progressive political organization Sanders founded after his 2016 presidential campaign — withdrew its endorsement of Platner and instead backed Jackson, whom it had also endorsed during his gubernatorial campaign. “We have days, not weeks, to make sure a real progressive is on this ballot,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese said in a statement. “If we do not organize now, we risk watching the Democratic establishment handing Maine a corporate placeholder while the party that just got outvoted decides it knows better. We refuse to let that happen.” Jackson’s ties to Sanders stretch back more than a decade. He was one of the few Democratic National Committee superdelegates to endorse Sanders over Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary and later served as Sanders’ Maine political director, introducing him at campaign rallies across the state. Sanders later returned the favor, endorsing Jackson’s gubernatorial campaign and appearing alongside him on the campaign trail. FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES “Fighting for the working class of Maine is not something new for Troy,” Sanders said during a campaign rally. “That’s what he has done for his entire life as a logger and as a member of the Maine state legislature. Troy knows what’s going on with the working class of Maine because he’s part of that working class.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER A fifth-generation logger and one of Maine’s best-known labor Democrats, Jackson spent more than two decades in the state Legislature, including six years as president of the Maine Senate before leaving the post in 2024. During his gubernatorial campaign, he ran on a platform that included universal child care, Medicare for all and the creation of a Department of Affordable Housing. He also secured endorsements from more than 20 labor unions, cementing his reputation as a working-class progressive. Despite his progressive politics, Jackson has repeatedly won elections in one of Maine’s most Republican regions. He represented northern Aroostook County, a largely rural district that has consistently supported President Donald Trump by double-digit margins in recent presidential elections. Jackson has argued that his success stems from focusing on working-class economic issues rather than partisan labels. Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson for comment.
WATCH: Dana White drops 2028 hints while raving about his favorite Trump cabinet secretary
Political heavyweight Dana White, whose endorsement of President Donald Trump was instrumental in his 2024 victory, is now hinting that he may jump back into presidential politics in 2028 because he has “become really close” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This comes as White’s UFC announced a rare “sports diplomacy” partnership with the State Department this week. White and Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding establishing the partnership last month, according to a UFC statement. The league said that as part of the agreement, UFC athletes and coaches will serve as “sports ambassadors” for young athletes around the world through the State Department’s Sports Envoy Program. White was explicitly asked by OutKick’s Tomi Lahren, whether there are any leaders he is looking at for 2028, to which he responded, “It’s funny, As I was, leading up to the White House fight, doing all this media, you know, a lot of the left media was saying to me, ‘So, you’re out of politics after this, right?’ And I can’t remember who it was that I said it to but … I said, ‘I’ve become really close to Rubio.’ We’ve become really close.” “People are asking me if I’m going to get out of politics when the president leaves and I just said, ‘I’ve become very close to Rubio.’ He and I have become friends,” he emphasized. RUBIO ANNOUNCES FRAMEWORK DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON AS EXPERTS WARN IRAN WILL FIGHT TO SABOTAGE IT White said that Rubio “is a great guy, I like him,” adding, “He’s smart, I like the way he handles himself.” He also said, “I’ve met his sons, and I like his kids and, you know, so, never say never.” Pressed on whether Rubio is his official pick to succeed Trump as president, White clarified, “I’m not saying I’m picking.” He noted that he also likes Vice President JD Vance, who, alongside Rubio, is a rumored 2028 presidential frontrunner. “JD is a great guy too,” said White, adding, “It’s a tricky situation, and I don’t know enough about politics to even comment on that, but, yeah, I don’t know, but it’s not a bad thing to have two strong candidates.” Rubio and Vance are the two Republicans most discussed as possible successors to Trump. While Rubio ran for president in 2016, he has expressed support for Vance, calling him a “close friend” and saying the vice president “would be a great nominee if he decides he wants to do that.” VIRAL MARCO RUBIO CLIP ON HIS VISION FOR AMERICA SPARKS MORE 2028 SPECULATION Though White stopped short of issuing a full-throated endorsement of Rubio, his partnership with the State Department through UFC underscores the high regard he appears to have for the secretary. This is the first time the UFC has entered into such a partnership with the State Department. The NFL, which entered into a similar agreement in January, is the only other major sports organization to have signed such a formal agreement with the department. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein said the league is “thrilled” about the partnership. He said it would allow the State Department and UFC to “work together to build bridges through community engagement.” “We’re excited to join this program, led by Secretary Rubio, as UFC is a truly global organization with athletes representing 75 countries. We can’t wait to get started later this year,” said Epstein. VANCE TAKES LEAD SELLING TRUMP’S IRAN GAMBLE AS RUBIO, HEGSETH AND RATCLIFFE CEDE SPOTLIGHT ON FRAGILE DEAL In turn, Rubio spoke very highly of the UFC, saying it “has become a global phenomenon by embracing values that resonate far beyond the Octagon: excellence, discipline, opportunity, and meritocracy.” The secretary said the State Department is “proud” to launch the sports diplomacy partnership with UFC and to “continue growing the sport of MMA.”
Potential 2028 Dem contender unloads on Netanyahu, admits US-Israel ties at ‘crossroads’
Amid many Americans’ plummeting support for Israel, potential Democratic presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday took aim at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Emanuel, who is Jewish and a longtime defender of Israel, appears to have changed his tune and is now cautioning that the alliance between the U.S. and Israel “cannot stand or survive as it’s been.” The former White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama and one-time Chicago mayor who later served as U.S. ambassador to Japan in the Biden administration, issued the tough-love message for America’s increasingly isolated ally amid its ongoing military operations in Gaza against Hamas. His message was blunt: Unconditional U.S. support for Israel needs to end, and Israel needs to make major changes if it wants to keep America as its top ally. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON ISRAEL “The hard truth is that America’s silence for years has engendered the worst of your domestic politics. We’ve done you no favors by averting our eyes,” Emanuel argued during his more than 30-minute address at the University of Tel Aviv, the centerpiece of his trip to Israel this week. And pointing to Netanyahu, Emanuel argued that America’s “unconditional support has produced a prime minister who has presumed that his strategic interests would incur no cost if he ignored America’s concerns. “I came here from Chicago to tell you directly where things need to head if we are to maintain the historic alliance between two democracies. Without question, the alliance is at a crossroads,” he added. NETANYAHU REJECTS REPORTS OF A RIFT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYS THE TWO REMAIN ALIGNED ON IRAN A horrific Hamas sneak attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. The continued Israeli response over the past two and a half years has resulted in more than 73,000 people being killed, according to health officials in the Palestinian territory. Israel’s response has led to condemnation of the country from across the globe, including from longtime advocates for the Jewish state. “Support for Israel is plummeting around the world. You’ve lost Europe, your biggest economic partner,” Emanuel emphasized. “Israel has never been more strategically isolated.” Democrats have become increasingly divided over the war in Gaza, with a growing number of politicians on the left charging that Israel’s actions against the Palestinians are “genocide” and calling for a halt to longstanding U.S. military aid to the Middle East nation. Roughly half of Democrats questioned in a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll said Israel had committed genocide in its war with Hamas. Meanwhile, 58% said the U.S. is “too supportive” of Israel, which is up 13 points since January. Most Republicans remain strong supporters of Israel, although there’s increasing unease among some in MAGA/America First camp. The poll indicated a slight deterioration in support for Israel among those in the GOP, but overall only a sliver of Republicans questioned felt that Israel had committed genocide. Emanuel called for a “new and fundamentally new approach to this alliance. … To maintain the strength of our ties, we need significant changes and a new direction.” 21 DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 And he sketched out early ideas for a new peace process. “The now-discredited path to a ‘two-state solution’ should be replaced by a 23-state solution: The 21 Arab nations that have exploited Palestinian rights as a slogan for decades now need to roll up their sleeves and stand up a governing authority capable of accepting the historic Jewish connection to this land,” Emanuel proposed. “If Israel made peace with 21 … Arab nations, that would be your greatest day and Iran’s worst nightmare.” EMANUEL PUSHES BACK ON ‘STRAIGHT WHILE MAN’ – SAYS THIS IS WHAT MATTERS MOST IN 2028 Emanuel’s proposals include sanctioning Israelis who attack Palestinian civilians and property, along with companies and banks that support Israeli settlements in the West Bank that most of the international community consider illegal. He also called for ending U.S. subsidies to Israel’s defense budget, arguing the country “should be able to buy American arms under the same financial terms, the same restrictions and the same requirements as every other trusted ally that abides by our laws.” For Emanuel, long known as a moderate who has clashed with the left-wing faction of his party, the speech appeared to be an attempt to find what he’s described as a realistic middle ground. His message: “Those chanting ‘from the river to the sea’ need to hear this: You will never have your way. “Those calling for a greater Israel, you need to hear this: You will never have your way, either. Both of them are fantasies chanted by fanatics that lead to perpetual endless conflict.” Netanyahu, who years ago famously slammed Emanuel as a “self-hating Jew,” had yet to respond to the speech at the time this report posted. Emanuel, who has been crisscrossing the country this year as he considers a presidential bid, has made two stops in New Hampshire, which has traditionally held the first primary in the White House race. He has also made trips to two other crucial early primary election states — Nevada and South Carolina.
Far-left candidate’s past anti-meat activism clashes with campaign pivot in cattle country
Manny Rutinel, a state legislator and Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, has a long track record of activism against ranching and other animal-related businesses — even as the district he’s running to represent depends heavily on the sector. His past positions cast doubt on his current posture towards the meat business as he looks to unseat Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., in one of the most competitive districts in the country. Rutinel said he had recently rethought his position towards ranching during an interview with the Colorado Sun late last year. MAMDANI COMPARISONS FOLLOW COLORADO DEMOCRAT INTO PIVOTAL HOUSE RACE AFTER PRIMARY WIN “Like all industry, there are bad apples, and I’ve spoken out against those bad apples that cause extreme and unnecessary animal cruelty in parts of the food industry and against the environmental cost of unsustainable food practices,” he said. “They’re good stewards of the land, they care for their animals and they are the backbone of our economy and our communities. Colorado ranchers are my friends and neighbors, and I’ve gotten to know them,” he added. Notably, Colorado’s 8th district is Colorado’s leading producer of beef cattle and dairy, accounting for 26% of the state’s output, according to Upstate Colorado Economic Development. Of its 2.5 million acres, 75% are devoted to farming and raising livestock. “Meatless Manny makes PETA look reasonable and he wants to force Coloradans to scrounge for berries and nuts off the ground like cave men,” Republican National Committee spokesperson Zach Kraft told Fox News Digital. “The lack of protein in Rutinel’s diet must be messing with his brain because there is a zero percent chance the ranching capital of Colorado votes for a vegan. DSA’S THIRD MAJOR PRIMARY WIN DEEPENS DEMOCRATS’ FIGHT OVER THE PARTY’S FUTURE Despite his reframing on ranching, Rutinel has suggested his ideal world might exclude them. “In order to go green, you have to eat green,” Rutinel said when, as a 21-year-old, he prompted veganism by stripping and wearing a pro-vegan sign at an Earth Day celebration. He reflected that thinking in testimony before the Connecticut legislature during his time at Yale Law School. STEVE FORBES: CHUCK SCHUMER HAS A BEEF WITH BEEF, BUT DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO GRILL IT “The report concludes that the globe must dramatically shift away from animal products and towards fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. This environmental shift will also have tremendous health benefits for consumers,” Rutinel said, referring to the Planetary Health Diet, a collaborative report on food production ideals to address climate change. Years later, as a state legislator, he would call a proposed ban on fur “really awesome,” even as the Denver Democrats opposed the idea. Additionally, Rutinel began a petition to get Popeyes to implement a plant-based menu as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that doing so would lessen the risk of employees at slaughterhouses contracting the disease. Rutinel would also go on to found Climate Refarm, a group that helped readers make the transition towards more plant-based food sources. “At Climate Refarm, we exist to turn everyday choices into powerful tools for climate action. Our mission is to help institutions transition to plant-based food systems while reducing greenhouse gas emissions through science-backed carbon credit solutions,” the group’s website reads. Rutinel’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he continues to believe that climate reform must, on some level, mean change for farming industries. Having cleared the Democratic primary, Rutinel will face off against Evans in the state’s Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Trump envoy warns China’s power move at sea is threat ‘we cannot afford to ignore’
China is using control over global seas as a tool of “political coercion,” the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom warned, and President Donald Trump is restating his interest in Greenland for that very same reason. China is seeking to turn ports, ships and supply chains into instruments of geopolitical leverage, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens warned in a statement to the International Maritime Organization Council (IMO). “I spoke about a challenge that we cannot afford to ignore: China’s systematic effort to use maritime power as an instrument of political coercion,” Stephens wrote in a Truth Social post after the speech. SEN TODD YOUNG: THE HIDDEN DANGER CHINA’S SHIPS COULD BRING TO OUR SHORES “Beijing has pursued an aggressive strategy of acquiring port concessions and infrastructure around the world — not simply for commercial gain, but to extend its strategic reach and weaponize that access against sovereign nations.” The U.S. is “not a passive observer of maritime affairs,” Stephens told the IMO, calling America a “cornerstone of the global maritime economy.” He said the U.S. Maritime Transportation System supports $5.4 trillion in economic activity each year and nearly 30 million jobs. The warning comes as Trump continued peacemaking efforts in the Strait of Hormuz and pressing Demark and NATO for U.S. control over Greenland due to Chinese and Russian threats to free navigation in the Arctic. “Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States. And it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships,” Trump said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. For global security, Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump added. “They wouldn’t go along with it,” Trump said of Denmark. “And with all the money we spend to help them with Russia. And we don’t have to spend any money. We could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe because, as you probably noticed, Europe is a very different place than it was 20 years ago. A lot different.” DENMARK VOWS TO DEFEND GREENLAND AFTER TRUMP REITERATES US SHOULD CONTROL TERRITORY Greenland’s position between the Arctic and North Atlantic has made it a key piece of U.S. security planning. “President Trump has made restoring American maritime leadership a national priority,” Stephens said in his IMO remarks warning on China’s broader maritime footprint. “The evidence is clear and growing,” Stephens said. “China currently builds more than half of the world’s ships. It dominates the production of ship-to-shore cranes and shipping containers.” Stephens cited Panama as a recent example, pointing to a ruling by Panama’s Supreme Court that found CK Hutchison’s port concessions at the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals unconstitutional. The terminals sit at opposite ends of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most strategically important trade corridors. TRUMP MAKES FRESH GREENLAND PLAY AFTER XI TALKS AS CHINA’S ARCTIC AMBITIONS LOOM Stephens said China’s response to the Panama ruling was “swift and punishing,” accusing Beijing of taking action against Panama-flagged vessels in a move the U.S. characterized as an attempt to undermine Panama’s sovereignty and disrupt global supply chains. “What happened to Panama is a warning to every nation in this room,” Stephens said. “When a country allows a foreign power or its proxies to control its ports, it does not simply accept a commercial arrangement,” he added. “It accepts a vulnerability.” Stephens urged IMO member states to closely scrutinize deals allowing foreign entities, especially state-linked enterprises, to operate critical port infrastructure. “Transparency, the rule of law and genuine sovereignty are not obstacles to commerce,” Stephens said. “They are its foundation.” The ambassador also said the U.S. would press for maritime security, sanctions enforcement, protection of flag state rights, freedom of navigation and updated standards on polar operations, autonomous vessels and cyber risk management. “The pattern is consistent: China uses its maritime and economic power to coerce, to intimidate and to punish those who assert their sovereign rights,” Stephens said. The Chinese government has routinely rejected U.S. accusations that its overseas infrastructure investments are coercive, portraying its port, shipping and Belt and Road projects as commercial partnerships that support global trade and development. Stephens said the U.S. will continue contributing expertise, resources and leadership at the IMO but warned that the rules-based maritime order cannot be taken for granted. “A free and open ocean is not guaranteed,” he said. “It must be defended.”
Socialists set sights on Taylor Swift after ‘tacky’ NYC wedding sparks left-wing backlash
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding is drawing backlash from socialist commentators who say the celebrity spectacle showcased billionaire excess and disrupted New York City during a crowded holiday weekend. “Controversial opinion: I think this is a dramatic misuse of public resources,” socialist Twitch host Hasan Piker in a livestream Friday. “I think it’s insane. I think it’s a bad look. I think it’s, it’s, it’s heightening the contradictions. It’s showcasing one again that like, no matter how beloved a public figure you might be, you’re still, if you’re a billionaire, you’re still a billionaire and you are going to do billionaire s–t.” The pop star has historically been embraced by the left, including when she endorsed then-President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 race, when she criticized President Donald Trump over the George Floyd protests in 2020 and for her pro-abortion stance. Her massive Madison Square Garden wedding has reopened criticism of her billionaire status, with socialist voices blasting the spectacle as Manhattan dealt with holiday-weekend crowds, street closures and added pressure from the ongoing World Cup games. DEMOCRATIC INFIGHTING GROWS AS CONGRESSWOMAN EXPOSES ‘DISRESPECTFUL’ WELCOME OF SOCIALISTS INTO ‘BIG TENT’ “This is a glaringly obvious example of that. This is straightforwardly a flex I think. It is straightforwardly a flex to be like, ‘Yeah, I can do this, f it.’ And I kind of think it is a little tacky, at best,” Piker added. Swift and Kelce tied the knot on Friday at Maddison Square Garden (MSG) in front of 1,000 guests, keeping much of their garden-themed wedding under wraps to the public. Fox News Digital previously reported Swift wore a Christian Dior wedding dress, comedian Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony, and guests played a raffle game to win lavish prizes. TAYLOR SWIFT AND TRAVIS KELCE’S WEDDING: LEAKED DETAILS REVEAL INSIDE LOOK AS PHOTOS CAPTURE A-LIST DEPARTURES Like other large events at MSG, the Swift-Kelce wedding led to street closures in the area, complicating access to transportation such as nearby Penn Station. “She’s just another psychotic billionaire. On a holiday weekend. Amidst all this worldwide suffering, the ultra-wealthy still have no compunction. Unreal,” Democratic Socialists of America member and political talk show “Majority Report” host Emma Vigeland posted on X. “I’m sorry but he’s right. I’m sorry, swifties,” wrote pro-socialist account on X. The backlash comes as socialist-aligned voices are gaining more influence in New York Democratic politics, with several candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeating incumbents in recent primaries. MET GALA BACKLASH GROWS AS CELEBRITIES AND POLITICIANS TARGET JEFF AND LAUREN BEZOS’ SPONSORSHIP Democrats also took shots at the wedding, including former NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ spokesman Fabien Levy. “Unpopular opinion but this takes Groomzilla and Bridezilla energy to a new level,” wrote Levy on X. “This wedding is inconveniencing thousands of local residents, impacting the nation’s largest transit hub, and taking cops away from patrolling streets when we’re in a heightened threat environment,” Levy continued. The White House also weighed in, using the moment to poke fun at the fanfare surrounding the couple’s nuptials by sharing a meme of Madison Square Garden’s pink sign altered to read, “Trump is your president.”
A look at what’s inside the America 250th time capsule buried in Philadelphia
Something big went down 250 years ago at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The Founders finalized the Declaration of Independence there. But something big also went down at Independence Hall just a few days ago — literally. As in the ground. Congress adopted a resolution mandating burial of a time capsule just a few feet away from Independence Hall to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary. And the instructions are clear — do not open until the year 2276, 250 years from now. FLASHBACK: AS AMERICA TURNS 250, HERE’S HOW THE NATION CELEBRATED ITS BIGGEST BIRTHDAYS “Our responsibility is not simply to remember what happened here on these grounds. But to preserve those same ideals of whose generation came before and that will come after us,” said Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., who traveled with a coterie of bipartisan lawmakers to Philadelphia for the occasion. Congress met in Philadelphia from 1790 to 1800 before decamping to what is now Washington, DC. In fact, the District of Columbia exists because of the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783. That’s when a mob of Continental Army soldiers threatened the security of Independence Hall after the fledgling American government failed to pay them. Alexander Hamilton advocated for what the Constitution describes as a federal “District” to serve as the “seat of government.” The primary purpose of the unique federal enclave was to protect the Congress. “The Congressional time capsule is a reflection of our faith in the future of this grand experiment in self-governance,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “When this capsule is finally opened, those Americans will be as distant from us as we are today from the men who signed their names on our declaration.” Each U.S. state and all six of its territories furnished artifacts to bury in the stainless steel time capsule. There were letters from Congressional leaders. Also, ones from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. Fox asked MLB what Manfred wrote in the letter. But he wouldn’t say. That’s because the missive is intended for those in the future. Manfred’s words will remain a mystery. Much like how the New York Mets can have the second-highest payroll in baseball and remain mired in last place. At least the Mets still won’t be paying Bobby Bonilla in 2276. Three temporal lines intersected for the burial of the time capsule in Philadelphia. Each item represented something from America’s past. The burial was about present day — America’s 250th birthday. But, the ceremony was simultaneously about the future. So imagine for a moment the likes of Thomas Jefferson crossing that green by Independence Hall 250 years ago. Then consider those who journeyed to Philadelphia to tour the National Constitution Center and spy the Liberty Bell for the holiday this year. Finally, propel yourself into the future and envision what that green would look like and who you might encounter in 250 years. The time capsule included some items from one of the most harrowing days in American history: 9/11. THE REVOLUTIONARY LANDMARKS WHERE WASHINGTON, ADAMS AND JEFFERSON CHANGED AMERICA “We have a piece of metal from the Freedom Tower that obviously represents both the struggle initially and what happened on September 11th. But then ultimately, the resilience of rising from the ashes, as America has always done,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. But everyone longed to include something else important to them. “Well, a New York Knicks championship ring would be incredible,” said Jeffries. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Penn., represents Independence Mall and the location of the time capsule. He pushed his colleagues to adopt a resolution for lawmakers to meet in Philadelphia for a Joint Session of Congress. But that didn’t happen. However, lawmakers did convene in Philadelphia in 1987 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Constitution. They also traveled to New York for a Joint Session in 2002, one year after the 9/11 attacks. But like Jeffries, Boyle hoped to include whimsical items as well. “Part of me as a Philadelphian wants to say a Philly cheesesteak. But that would not age well over 250 years,” said Boyle. “If there could be a piece of Independence Hall as part of the time capsule, I think that that would be wonderful.” Here are some of the other contents: Georgia donated a medallion from the Masters Golf Tournament. And, being the home of Coca-Cola, the state also sent along a vintage glass Coke bottle. One of the biggest items in the time capsule was a piece of bone from a North Atlantic Right Whale. It’s listed as one of the most-endangered of the large whale species. It would be a testament to aquatic preservation if the North Atlantic Right Whale is still swimming in 2276. One of the most intriguing items in the collection came from California. The Golden State included an AI prompt from the chatbot Claude. People asked Claude what the country would be like in 250 years. Like Manfred’s letter, what Claude spat back out is lost to the future, sealed in the time capsule. THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM BICENTENNIAL HISTORY IS TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 1976 In 1776, the colonists wore tri-cornered hats and powdered wigs. Those aren’t around anymore. New Mexico’s contributions included bolo ties, culturally important apparel in the American Southwest. One wonders if anyone will still be wearing those in 250 years. To say nothing of any sort of necktie. Lawmakers who traveled to Philadelphia noted that the Founding Fathers were bold. Courageous. And willing to take risks – not knowing we’d still celebrate their actions today. “The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were signing their death forms. After all, they knew what they faced had they not succeeded,” said Boyle. The artifacts in the time capsule represent where America stands. But also suggests where it might go. There’s an Olympic Gold medal, won by an American athlete at the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina earlier this year. And, there’s an