Socialist leader squirms during TV interview when forced to address push to abolish prisons, police
A socialist leader squirmed during a tense Sunday interview after a local California television anchor pressed her on the real-life ramifications of the radical party’s calls to abolish police and prisons. In an interview with NBC 4 Los Angeles, anchor Conan Nolan posed pointed questions to Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) National Political Committee Member Frances Gill on the topics of law enforcement, immigration and the movement’s other far-left proposals. After a brief back-and-forth over what defunding the police means and how that would be applied in practice, Gill resorted to deflecting by refusing to engage in ‘hypotheticals.’ DSA CO-CHAIR PUSHES BACK ON SOVIET UNION COMPARISONS, WANTS PRISONS TO BE ‘LESS NECESSARY’ “What we really want to see is a horizon where folks are not reliant on armed enforcement to meet our public safety needs,” Gill conceded. “Right, but it says ‘defund police’ on your website — that’s your goal — and also to get rid of prisons and jails, correct?” he pressed, to which Gill answered affirmatively. “So if my daughter is assaulted and raped, is there any agency that would seek to find her assailant and bring him to justice?” asked Nolan. “Of course, yeah of course—” said Gill before the host jumped back in with a follow-up question. “What would it be if not police and where would he be if not a jail?” asked Nolan. SOCIALIST HOUSE NOMINEE’S RADICAL LAW-AND-ORDER VISION: ‘WHAT ARE ILLEGALS?’ “So I guess I really want to avoid getting caught into these hypotheticals and talk about the reality that we’re actually facing right now,” Gill dodged. That reality, she said, is the city spending “outrageous amounts on police and policing,” instead of addressing real issues plaguing Los Angeles. She suggested that the lack of street lights, substance abuse treatment and mental healthcare are all contributing to a lack of public safety and rise in crime. The pair then clashed over voter demographics in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, won by DSA-adjacent candidate Abdul El-Sayed — closely associated with extremist streamer Hasan Piker, who once said America deserved 9/11. The two palled around on the campaign trail. 2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGAN Nolan noted that El-Sayed’s support came overwhelmingly from college-educated voters like Gill, and that El-Sayed lost the state’s 15 counties where the majority of voters did not have a college degree, characterizing the latter as the “working class” that DSA claims to support. Noting that she has $500,000 in student debt, Gill said college-educated voters like herself believed their degrees would lead to prosperity, but ultimately they found themselves downwardly mobile because society’s “scales are tipped in one direction to benefit the rich.” On the issue of border security, Gill became defensive and questioned whether Nolan was acting in “good faith” when he quizzed her about whether there would be any border security if, like the DSA promotes, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was abolished. DEM REP HENRY CUELLAR REJECTS DSA AGENDA, SAYS SOCIALISTS ARE TRYING TO ‘USE’ DEMOCRATIC PARTY “I guess I don’t understand why we kind of constantly get pinned on these particular questions when the immediate reality of the situation is that immigration enforcement is absolutely out of control, needs to be addressed immediately and we know that in Los Angeles, like, more than almost any other city in the country,” she said. She also denied that former President Joe Biden opened the borders. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show that the agency encountered at least 11 million people during Biden’s presidency. Under President Donald Trump, that number has waned to fewer than 10,000 per month, and the administration touts that zero illegal aliens have been released into the country since retaking office. Fox News Digital reached out to DSA for comment on Gill’s interview.
Spencer Pratt praises fierce GOP foe in rare bipartisan turn: ‘Major props’
Republican former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is giving rare praise to Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff after the California senator helped push through bipartisan disaster relief legislation benefiting wildfire victims like Pratt. “Major props to [Sen. Adam Schiff] and [Sen. Rick Scott] for working across the aisle to get this done,” Pratt wrote late last week. “Disaster recovery is hard enough as it is. A little bit of financial relief goes a long way. It’s easy to complain, but good leadership is very rare.” Pratt, who lost his home during the Palisades wildfire in 2025, was referencing the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act, which the Senate passed on Aug. 7, sending it to President Donald Trump’s desk for approval. KAREN BASS MEETS WITH TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE TO PUSH FOR LA WILDFIRE RELIEF AFTER MONTHS OF CLASHES Under current rules, in order for an individual to claim a disaster relief tax break, the damage to their property resulting from a federally declared disaster must meet or exceed 10% of their adjusted gross income. Someone who makes $100,000 per year, for instance, must incur $10,000 in damages before they can deduct the damages from their tax bill. If the new disaster relief legislation is signed into law, that threshold would be removed for individuals who experienced disasters between December 28, 2019, and July 4, 2025, a period that covers the California wildfires, which destroyed the home of Pratt and many of Schiff’s other constituents. OLD TRAILS FIRE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY CONFESSED TO SETTING 25 FIRES; JUDGE DOUBLES BAIL TO $2M “California politicians completely failed their residents after the fires. I flew to LA and met with [Pratt] at his burned-down lot. It was devastating,” Scott said of the legislation, which he and Schiff sponsored. “After meeting with him, we fought to get this done. I appreciate all of Spencer’s work in helping us deliver much-needed relief for wildfire victims.” Additionally, the bill designates all wildfire relief payments as untaxable income. The 2025 California wildfires destroyed nearly 13,000 housing units and caused between $28.0 billion and $53.8 billion in damages, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. EXCLUSIVE: WOMAN WHO STOLE $1.7M MEANT FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS GETS PRISON TIME AS DHS CRACKS DOWN ON FEMA FRAUD The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act will result in the federal government losing $408 million in revenue between 2026 and 2036. Pratt wasn’t the only Californian conservative to praise Schiff for his work to pass the disaster relief legislation. “Thank you [Scott] and [Schiff] for seeing this through,” James Johansson, a Republican farmer running for the California State Assembly, wrote on X. “With all that we’ve been through here in the North State we had no better champion and friend than [Rep. Doug LaMalfa]. Our friend is missed but leaves a big legacy for his constituents that won’t be forgotten.” LaMalfa, who the bill is named after, spent 13 years representing a northern California district in the House of Representatives, where he was an advocate for agricultural interests before dying in January following a heart-related medical emergency. He was known as an “affable, approachable and pragmatic lawmaker,” according to The Washington Post. Schiff’s office did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.
US State Department has yanked more than 175k visas under Trump administration so far
FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas during President Donald Trump’s administration so far. The announcement comes less than two years since Trump started his second term. “Under President Trump, the United States Department of State has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S. citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security,” the State Department noted. FOREIGN DRUNK DRIVERS COULD FACE SWIFT BOOT OUT OF COUNTRY UNDER TRUMP’S ‘AMERICA FIRST’ CRACKDOWN “The majority of these visas were revoked due to law enforcement encounters for a range of criminal activity, with assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug crimes being the leading causes. A significant share of visas were revoked for reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement, and other crimes,” according to the department. The department pointed to some examples of individuals who allegedly committed heinous crimes. TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS TARGETING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT SETBACK It indicated some of the individuals whose visas were revoked included “A foreign national who was charged with felony rape and sexual battery – including of a victim who was mentally disabled” and “A foreign national charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of a minor.” The department also pointed to the issue of birth tourism. “A U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked over 100 visas for ‘birth tourist’ parents who came to the United States primarily to give birth so their children would get U.S. citizenship,” the department noted. TRUMP ADMIN REVOKES BRAZILIAN AMBASSADOR’S VISA IN ESCALATING DIPLOMATIC FEUD “Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, the State Department will continue to identify, investigate, and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who threaten the safety of the American people. A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right. The Department remains committed to using every tool available to protect our communities from those who abuse it,” the department declared. Fox News’ Nicholas Kalman contributed to this report.
Johnson turns Democrats’ socialist civil war into new weapon for midterms
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans have adopted a new weapon on the campaign trail as they fight to keep control of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term — using Democrats’ own intraparty civil war against them. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is unveiling a website on Monday that will highlight the contrast between what he calls “common sense and crazy.” The name for the new initiative is “Contrast for America,” a play on the Newt Gingrich-led “Contract with America” GOP policy platform used during the 1994 midterm election. That same year saw a massive red wave help the GOP retake the House and Senate for the latter two years of former President Bill Clinton’s first term, and Republicans are hoping to harness that energy now as they fight an uphill battle to retain the House and Senate. MIKE JOHNSON PREDICTS GOP COULD GAIN UP TO EIGHT SEATS IN MIDTERMS, DEFYING HISTORICAL TRENDS The website is divided into five separate parts, beginning with a video message from Johnson that includes a montage of Fox News clips and compares images of unrest in U.S. cities to videos of patriotic displays of the country’s 250th anniversary. “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for. It must be protected. It has to be taught, passed along to the next generation. Thirty-five years ago, Republicans and Democrats in Congress, they were fighting communism on a distant shore. Now it’s here,” Johnson says in the video. The website also includes a timeline of failed communist governments throughout the world, followed by dueling lists that show what Republicans are running on versus what Democrats’ far-left insurgency is pushing. SOCIALIST VICTORIES SHOW DEMS’ DESCENT DOWN ‘DEADLY PATH OF COMMUNISM,’ JOHNSON WARNS It comes as candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) surge to the top of Democratic primaries across the United States, even toppling establishment and progressive incumbents in places like Colorado and New York. Johnson’s website highlights those specific DSA-linked candidates along with Republicans who are endorsed by House GOP leaders. “House Republicans have delivered working families tax cuts to put more money in your pocket, a secure border, safer streets, American energy dominance, an end to woke indoctrination for our kids, and renewed American strength abroad. Meanwhile, Democrats have surrendered to the socialist and communist far-left that wants to abolish borders, defund police, abolish prisons, raise your taxes, and shred our Constitution, leaving America less safe, less prosperous, and less free,” Johnson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “By highlighting this decisive contrast for America and our common sense polices and America first candidates, House Republicans are ready to defy history and win the midterms.” 100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY Political history shows that the party in power in the White House usually loses one or both houses of Congress during the midterm elections. But the slate of DSA victories is giving Republicans new hope that they can buck tradition. Among the DSA’s policy goals are abolishing the Senate, police, and the prison system, extending voting rights to noncitizen permanent residents, and establishing public ownership of large corporations. DSA candidates have also called for abolishing the nation’s borders and granting mass amnesty to people in the U.S. illegally. It’s a message Johnson has made on the campaign trail already as he’s campaigned in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, with plans to hit a total of 30 districts across 18 states. Whether the message is potent enough to buck decades of political history, however, will become clear in November.
Battleground Dem called patriotism ‘sensitive and controversial’ during debate over the Pledge of Allegiance
FIRST ON FOX: An Iowa Democrat seeking to flip one of the nation’s most competitive House seats in a rematch described patriotism as “sensitive and controversial” while also questioning the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance in a recently resurfaced newsletter she published in the weeks after the January 6 Capitol riot. Former Iowa State Rep. Christina Bohannan of Iowa City, who is running against incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, also criticized the politics around an Iowa bill she ultimately supported that mandated the Pledge of Allegiance for schoolchildren, urging Iowans to think critically about what the pledge means. “I acknowledge that patriotism is a sensitive and controversial subject,” Bohannan wrote in a 2021 newsletter put out by her State House office, while saying she remains patriotic herself. DEMS PUT ON BLAST OVER POLL THAT SHOWS RECORD-LOW PATRIOTISM IN US: ‘TEAR OUR SOCIETY APART’ “Many progressives have turned away from it. And I see the point, especially when the concept of patriotism has been so co-opted and distorted by the other side,” she wrote of Republicans. The newsletter has resurfaced as recent polling shows a partisan divide over displays of patriotism. AP polling released in June found that about six in 10 Democrats and independents said they never fly the American flag, while roughly seven in 10 Republicans said they display it at least on holidays. Bohannan wrote that the right viewpoint is to “not cede patriotism to anyone” but instead restore its definition as a belief in “democratic ideals of America and a willingness to fight to make those ideals a reality.” Bohannan went on to critique a February 2021 Republican-led bill, which ultimately passed, requiring the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public and certain private schools. Bohannan’s campaign manager, Dan Driscoll, told Fox News Digital that “Christina absolutely stands by her vote to require the Pledge of Allegiance in Iowa schools and her passionate defense of patriotism and the greatness of our country and democracy.” “That’s why in Congress she’ll put that into action by fighting to clean up Washington, enacting term limits and getting corporate money out of our elections, so our government focuses on working for Iowans — unlike Rep. Miller-Meeks who is funded by millions in special interest contributions while voting to raise drug, healthcare and energy costs.” FOX NEWS POLL: LOOKING AHEAD TO AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY The bill passed 91-3-6 with Bohannan in favor, but she wrote about her reservations in the same newsletter. “It was clear that many of our Democratic members in swing districts would risk their seats for voting ‘no’ on this bill,” Bohannan wrote. “And even if those members voted for it, they would still be held accountable if other members of our caucus voted ‘no’. That is how deep the concept of patriotism runs.” “But we can reframe the issue in a way that is true to our values.” IOWA DEM ADMITS BEING ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ WITH WHITENESS AS SHE SEEKS TO FLIP COMPETITIVE HOUSE SEAT Bohannan said in floor remarks at the time that she supported the bill not because she wanted children to “mechanically” recite the oath but because she wanted to give them the opportunity to “think critically” about the words they are saying and whether the U.S. is “living up to them.” “For example, the pledge is not just to the flag, but to the republic for which it stands. So our kids might ask whether our republic can last when our leaders fail to denounce those who subvert our democracy.” Miller-Meeks, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and medic, told Fox News Digital that patriotism “has never been controversial to me, not in the 24 years I served this country and not now.” “Bohannan and her DSA allies are free to call loving America ‘controversial,’ but they have no business representing Iowa,” Miller-Meeks said. Zach Kraft, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said Bohannan’s comments were predictable in light of prior controversial support she offered for the left-wing pro-DEI “1619 Project.” ‘QUEEN OF DEI’ RUNNING FOR CONGRESS RIPPED HER RURAL STATE AS ‘BACKWARDS’ ON PODCAST “Leave it to the Queen of DEI to hate America,” Kraft told Fox News Digital. “Only a true… woke warrior like Christina Bohannan could find patriotism offensive but see nothing wrong with calling Iowans backwards for believing in basic biology.” Bohannan warned against a bill prohibiting diversity and “implicit bias” training at schools and universities statewide, calling the Hawkeye State potentially “backward” if it passed. BATTLEGROUND DEMOCRAT FLIP-FLOPS ON CONVERSION THERAPY AFTER LEFT-WING BACKLASH SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “I think that it is going to be very divisive if passed. I think that it’s going to send a very bad message about Iowa and that it is going to seem like are kind of this backwards state that doesn’t understand there are things like systemic racism.” Miller-Meeks previously defeated Bohannan by about six percentage points in 2022, but the Democrat narrowly lost in 2024 in a race that triggered a recount and resulted in the Republican being re-elected by about 800 votes. The district, which includes Davenport and Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa, is competing with Rep. Zach Nunn’s district to the west for the distinction of being the most competitive in the state. Fox News Digital’s Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.
Trump’s DC law-and-order blitz marks one year with eye-popping haul of suspects
FIRST ON FOX: The Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force will mark its first anniversary Tuesday after making more than 16,000 arrests since its launch, Fox News Digital has learned exclusively, as the Trump administration points to the results of its sweeping crackdown on violent crime in the nation’s capital. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners have delivered extraordinary results in our nation’s capital. More than 16,000 arrests, thousands of illegal drugs and firearms taken off the streets, and dangerous violent offenders brought to justice mean safer neighborhoods and lives protected,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We will not relent until every community in Washington, D.C., is safe.” The task force launched Aug. 11, 2025, bringing federal, state and local law enforcement together after Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. Trump also deployed National Guard troops, drawing criticism from Democratic officials. DC MURDER RATE SEES ASTONISHING TURNAROUND AS TRUMP TEAM CREDITS FEDERAL CRACKDOWN The operation has led to the arrests of 35 homicide suspects and more than 100 known gang members, along with more than 3,200 narcotics arrests, nearly 2,000 illegal guns seized, and 25 missing children located and returned home, according to a White House official. “President Trump has transformed our nation’s capital from a crime-ridden city into a safe and beautiful haven for residents and visitors alike. The president’s Safe and Beautiful Task Force have made more than 16,000 arrests, including murderers, sex offenders, drug traffickers and other violent criminals,” said White House spokesperson Lauren Bis. “The Task Force has driven down crime, beautified the city, and improved quality of life for countless individuals,” she added. The operation followed the June 2025 killing of 21-year-old congressional intern Eric Tarpinian and a series of high-profile violent crimes, including the beating of a former DOGE staffer and the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy in a case involving MS-13 gang members. BLUE CITY’S STAGGERING 40% VIOLENT CRIME DROP A ‘BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER CITIES,’ LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERT SAYS “The men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service, along with our partners from so many federal and local agencies, have tirelessly worked to make D.C. safer for those who live here and for those who visit our nation’s capital,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta. “This operation shows the relentless dedication we have to investigate and apprehend the most violent, dangerous fugitives,” Serralta added. “When law enforcement works together, the impact is exponential. The D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force is proof of that the whole-of-government approach works.” Last year, Trump increased the federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C., deploying hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops to the streets to combat crime. The decision drew pushback, with “No Kings” protests across the country and Democratic leaders saying the troops were not welcome. DC GUARD SHOOTING SUSPECT STARES DOWN DEATH PENALTY IN FIRST COURT APPEARANCE Mayor Muriel Bowser previously slammed Trump for the move, saying, “I don’t think it’s legal, let me start there, for the National Guard to police Americans on American soil.” “We use the Guard to respond to emergencies. We use the Guard for large scale events. We do not use the Guard to police our local laws,” she said in October. In November, two National Guard members were ambushed in downtown D.C. when 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal opened fire. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of the West Virginia National Guard, was shot in the head and died the following day, Thanksgiving. Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, then 24, was also shot in the head and critically injured but survived. 173 HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING POLICE AMID RISING ATTACKS SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “The true impact of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission is written not only in statistics, but the impact on our community. It is found in the courage of those who serve so that others could move through our nation’s capital with greater safety and peace,” said Brigadier General Leland D. Blanchard II, Commanding General (Interim) of the District of Columbia National Guard. “Alongside the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners, our Guardsmen have answered that call with discipline, compassion and resolve. Sgt. Sarah Beckstrom gave the last full measure of devotion, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe endured a profound sacrifice in service to others. Their courage will forever be part of this mission’s legacy,” Blanchard added. “We honor them by carrying the work forward — united in purpose, steadfast in service, and committed to protect the people of Washington, D.C.”
Dems hammer Mace for saying all Muslims in public office are ‘a trojan horse’
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., asserted that all Muslim public servants in the U.S. pose a threat to the nation. “Every single Muslim holding public office in America is a trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic,” Mace declared in a Friday post on X. “We refuse to be silent.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., condemned Mace’s comments and insisted that Republicans should do so as well. EL-SAYED TOUTS ENDORSEMENT FROM PASTOR WHO PRAISED NOTORIOUS ANTISEMITE INFAMOUS FOR CALLING JEWS ‘TERMITES’ “This is absolutely disgusting and dangerous. Republicans must denounce this blatant Islamophobia. To Muslim communities across America: I will always stand with you,” Jayapal wrote in a Saturday post on X. Mace, in part of a post replying to Jayapal, wrote, “Islam must be confronted and Islam must be removed from civil society in the US.” IMAM WHO PRAYED BEFORE CONGRESS FACES FORMAL REBUKE AFTER CELEBRATING GRAHAM’S DEATH California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who is running for the U.S. House in San Francisco, wrote, “Nancy Mace is on yet another bender demonizing Muslims and advocating to strip them of full citizenship. She is a vile person.” Owen Jones, a British man who describes himself on X as a “Socialist, antifascist, writer in various places,” shared Mace’s post and wrote in a Saturday post, “This is a Republican Congresswoman. If she spoke like this about Jewish Americans, she would right be regarded as a loud-and-proud Nazi. Islamophobia is spiralling out of control in the US.” Mace shared Jones’ post and wrote on Sunday, “If not wanting to be blown up, stabbed, or rammed by a car by a radical Islamist in the United States of America makes us Islamophobes, then so be it.” DEMS IN THE HOT SEAT FOR SKIPPING CRUCIAL HEARING ON RADICAL GROUP HIDING IN US: ‘EMBARRASSMENT’ Mace, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021, ran unsuccessfully in the Republican South Carolina gubernatorial primary this year.
A Southern state just took the top spot in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries
North Texas has beaten some of the world’s biggest data center hubs to claim the No. 1 spot in a new global ranking, as Texas becomes an increasingly powerful player in the industry. Dallas ranked No. 1 in the 2026 Global Data Center Market Comparison by Cushman & Wakefield, a global commercial real estate services firm. The Lone Star State made a strong showing across the board, with Austin-San Antonio and West Texas also ranking first in their respective categories. The rankings underscore how quickly Texas has become a major destination for data center development as companies search for the land and electricity needed to support artificial intelligence and other computing. Cushman & Wakefield said the state is growing at a pace that could eventually match, or surpass, Virginia, the world’s largest data center market by operating capacity. ONE OF AMERICA’S OLDEST MANUFACTURERS SAYS AI IS CREATING JOBS — NOT REPLACING THEM Dallas isn’t the world’s largest data center market. Despite Dallas’ No. 1 ranking, Virginia remains the world’s largest data center market based on the amount of capacity already in operation. Cushman & Wakefield’s ranking, however, looks beyond sheer size to where the industry is positioned to grow. The commercial real estate services firm compared 107 markets on factors including access to power and land, projects under construction, existing infrastructure and the regulatory environment. Dallas has one of the largest pipelines of planned data center development, trailing only Virginia and Atlanta, according to the report. And that development is spreading across Texas. Cushman & Wakefield said activity has pushed outward from the long-established Dallas-Fort Worth market as companies search for vast amounts of land and electricity needed to support AI and other computing. At the current pace, the firm said Texas could eventually match or surpass Virginia in total data center capacity. Texas has several advantages in that race, including abundant land, a business-friendly environment, an independent and deregulated power grid and incentives for development, according to the report. The rapid growth has also drawn political attention, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pressing data centers to provide more of their own power and cover infrastructure costs as development accelerates across the state. TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT EFFECTIVELY PAUSES NEW DATA CENTER PROJECTS PENDING STATEWIDE GRID AUDIT The scale of that growth is also putting pressure on Texas’ resources. Water availability is becoming a concern in West Texas and the Panhandle, while the enormous amount of electricity needed for new data centers is putting greater focus on the state’s power supply. Texas has also adopted new rules requiring some large electricity users to share infrastructure costs and account for their impact on grid reliability. Finding enough power is an industry-wide problem. Cushman & Wakefield said electricity is now the top consideration when companies choose where to build, with utilities taking an average of 4.4 years to connect large new projects to the grid. Those waits are prompting some developers to secure or generate power themselves. Texas may already be home to the world’s top-ranked data center market, but staying on top could come down to whether the state can provide enough power for what comes next.
Dem rep, in first video since hit-and-run crash, opens up about wreck
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, has released a video on X saying she and her congressional staff involved in a Toledo, Ohio, car accident earlier this month are in good shape, thanking the well-wishes for helping fuel her “very rapid recovery.” “As I move to physical rehabilitation, sharing a message with the thousands who shared good wishes from our community, across our region, our country, and around the world,” the longest-serving woman in U.S. House history, Kaptur, 80, wrote on X and sharing the video. “It’s made a huge difference in my very rapid recovery. Each of you continue to uplift my spirit as we move forward. Thank you!” Kaptur, a 22-term House member serving since 1983, and her staffer Keegan Zimmerman were in a vehicle traveling to a church service when it was struck in what police described as a “hit-skip” crash near Detroit and Central avenues in Toledo. Ohio law uses the term hit-skip for a driver’s failure to stop following a crash. OHIO REP MARCY KAPTUR HOSPITALIZED AFTER HIT-AND-RUN CRASH ON WAY TO CHURCH “Dear friends, first of all, thank you so very, very much for the thousands of good wishes that are coming from our community, across our region, our state, our country, and even around the world,” Kaptur says in the video, where she is seated on what appears to be a wheelchair in front of an office window. “Really, it’s made a huge difference in my very rapid recovery. “I want to thank all of you on behalf of myself, my beautiful staff, including Keegan Zimmerman who was with me on that fateful day on Sunday a week ago. He also is in good shape. And I’m working my way back and am so grateful for all of the help that has been given to me in this effort.” The House is on August recess, giving her additional time to recover before returning to Washington, D.C. “We will not return to Washington until next month, so I’m blessed to have time to recover fully, and I want to thank the first responders, the fire and rescue squads, the police, and all of the medical personnel that served us at such a fateful moment,” she added in the video. TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN ADVANCES TO FACE VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT IN KEY HOUSE BATTLEGROUND She is seeking another term in November in a rematch against former Ohio State Rep. Derek Merrin after narrowly defeating him in 2024. The race will be a key battleground in the bellwether state of Ohio. In 2024, she won by just more than the 0.5% margin that would have triggered an automatic recount, with a Libertarian candidate snagging about 4% of the vote. But, she is recovering after the crash where she suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was active and alert after the collision, her office reported after the crash. “It was not a pleasant experience and there were wounds that resulted, but let me tell you we have to be very grateful in this region to have the kind of dedicated medical staff that exists at Mercy St. Vincent’s treating patients from across this region, many of are underserved,” she said in the video. “Absolute dedication to saving lives. I was just so impressed.” TOP DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER SUFFERS MINOR INJURIES IN DELAWARE CAR CRASH Kaptur closed the video by showing viewers a handmade get-well card she received from a child. The card included a drawing of a brown dog named Charlie, whom Kaptur jokingly described as “half-human.” “We’ve heard from many people of many ages, and I received this card from a young gentleman named Avery,” she said. “Isn’t this sweet? That’s his dog, Charlie. And he and I happen to be friends. And he was worried about me. So he did this card for me. “And I’ll just read it for you: It says, ‘Get well soon’ – with Charlie, with hearts, because I really love this dog, Charlie. He’s half-human. And signed Melanie, Adam, Eli, and Avery.” “These are wonderful people, and they uplift your spirits, and each of you uplift my spirit as we move forward.”
Subpoenaed pro-China outlet defends itself on Democracy Now!, which paid Singham-founded company millions
A U.S.-based pro-China media outlet subpoenaed in a Congressional probe of communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham’s funding network mounted its public defense on Democracy Now!, a progressive news outlet that once paid millions of dollars to a software company Singham founded. BreakThrough News, one of three organizations subpoenaed by the powerful House Ways and Means Committee last month, used Democracy Now! to portray the investigation as an attack on journalism rather than what the committee said is a probe into its funding and alleged foreign influence. During an interview with Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, BreakThrough News presenter Rania Khalek slammed the subpoenas as a McCarthy-style attack on free speech and independent journalism. She also warned investigators could eventually target Democracy Now! itself and encouraged viewers to financially support BreakThrough News as it fights the subpoenas. ‘MCCARTHY TRIALS’: HASAN PIKER, FAR-LEFT FIGURES ERUPT OVER SUBPOENAS IN $39M SINGHAM PROBE “They’re attempting to criminalize dissent and an independent press because they’re losing the argument,” Khalek told Goodman. Khalek described the subpoenas as a “flagrant attack” on the First Amendment and argued lawmakers were reviving McCarthy-era tactics because they were losing the public debate. She said the committee had cited the outlet’s coverage of Israel and ICE’s immigration enforcement. According to a previous Fox News Digital investigation cited by the House Ways and Means Committee, BreakThrough BT Media Inc., the parent organization of BreakThrough News, received about $1.1 million from Neville Roy Singham. Separately, IRS filings show Democracy Now! paid about $2.5 million between 2019 and 2024 to ThoughtWorks, the software company founded by Singham, for software development services. Democracy Now! is not a target of the House Ways and Means Committee investigation and the committee has not suggested those payments are part of its inquiry. Singham sold the company in 2017. BreakThrough News and two other organizations are being scrutinized over funding tied to the Singham network and for failing to produce documents requested by the committee earlier this year. The committee said it is examining whether nonprofit laws adequately protect against foreign influence and whether Congress should strengthen those laws. The committee alleges the Singham network routed money through shell companies and donor-advised funds in ways that obscured the original source of the funding. The committee is specifically investigating about $39 million it says flowed to BreakThrough News, as well as People’s Forum Inc., a New York-based activist organization, and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which describes its work as rooted in “national liberation Marxism.” BreakThrough News operates from People’s Forum’s West 37th Street address in Manhattan. HOUSE PANEL SUBPOENAS 3 LEFT-WING GROUPS IN PROBE OF $39M TIED TO MARXIST TYCOON NEVILLE SINGHAM Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold ThoughtWorks for an estimated $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, has directed at least $278 million into six core nonprofits within a broader international network of media organizations, activist groups and think tanks, according to a previous Fox News Digital investigation. Organizations within the broader network have regularly organized or participated in anti-ICE, anti-Israel and pro-Iran demonstrations, Fox News Digital previously reported. During the Democracy Now! interview, Khalek argued the committee was investigating BreakThrough News because of its political views. Khalek also disputed the committee’s characterization of the investigation. “They are explicitly saying it’s because of our viewpoints,” she said. However, in a cover letter accompanying the subpoenas to BreakThrough News, the House Ways and Means Committee rejected such arguments made by attorneys for the organization that the investigation infringed First Amendment protections. The committee said its inquiry concerns BreakThrough News’ “financing arrangements and organizational structure” — “not its speech, editorial positions, or political viewpoints.” The cover letter stated that the committee is seeking internal communications, financial records and documents relating to the committee’s investigation into organizations connected to the Singham network. Khalek later expanded on her McCarthyism comparison, arguing Republicans were attempting to shape public opinion because they were “losing the argument.” She said the original McCarthy era succeeded because it won public support. “This smear that we’re part of a ‘foreign plot’ is all they have left because they can’t win on their merits,” Khalek said. “That’s what people need to understand this as.” Khalek did not address the committee’s questions regarding BreakThrough News’ finances or organizational structure during the interview. INTEL EXPERT SAYS SINGHAM NETWORK IS MORE THAN A NONPROFIT SCANDAL—IT’S A SECURITY THREAT Her remarks echoed messaging that quickly spread among left-wing activists and organizations defending BreakThrough News after the subpoenas became public. Supporters portrayed the probe as an effort to suppress dissent rather than scrutinize the network’s funding and alleged foreign influence. As Fox News Digital previously reported, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, socialist politician Kshama Sawant and others — rapidly characterized the investigation as “McCarthyism,” a “witch hunt,” an attack on independent journalism and a “war on the left.” Many argued the probe was aimed at suppressing dissent rather than scrutinizing the network’s funding and alleged foreign influence. Benjamin also appeared on the same Democracy Now! program, where she discussed a separate Treasury Department investigation into CodePink following the group’s Cuba convoy earlier this year. Benjamin co-founded CodePink with Jodie Evans, who married Singham in 2017, the same year he sold ThoughtWorks. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York has separately opened a grand jury investigation into alleged wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering and other financial crimes involving Singham’s funding network. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been announced. In March 2026, Piker, Benjamin and Evans traveled to Cuba to express support for the country’s communist government. Later in the interview, Khalek broadened her warning beyond BreakThrough News. “It starts with BreakThrough News. But if we let them win, next they come after Democracy Now!, and it only gets bigger from there,” Khalek said. BreakThrough News and Democracy Now! did not respond to a request for comment.