‘Keep a low profile’: State Department warns Americans overseas they could be targeted
The State Department on Saturday reiterated its worldwide warning for Americans overseas as fears grow that Iran or its supporters could retaliate against U.S. citizens and interests far beyond the Middle East. The “Worldwide Caution” alert, which has been in place since February, warns that groups supportive of Iran could target Americans and U.S. interests overseas. The advisory urges U.S. citizens abroad to remain vigilant, monitor local developments and follow guidance from nearby U.S. embassies. WHY THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ MATTERS AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH ULTIMATUM TO IRAN The warning follows a series of rapidly escalating developments in the region. Earlier Saturday, the U.S. military said an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan killed two American service members and left another missing, underscoring concerns that the conflict could spill beyond traditional battlefields and increase security risks for Americans overseas. The heightened security concerns were reinforced when the U.S. Embassy in Amman issued a separate security alert after Jordanian authorities evacuated Aqaba’s international airport and seaport because of what officials described as a “specific and credible threat.” The embassy urged Americans to avoid both locations and reminded U.S. citizens that the State Department has maintained an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families in Jordan since March because of ongoing security risks. TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN STRIKES ON JORDAN, CENTCOM SAYS The State Department said the security environment remains “complex” and warned the conflict could escalate with little notice. Officials also noted that U.S. diplomatic facilities, including some outside the Middle East, have previously been targeted and cautioned that groups supportive of Iran could target other U.S. interests or locations associated with the United States and Americans around the world. Officials urged Americans worldwide, particularly those in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution, keep a low profile, avoid locations associated with the United States when possible, monitor local news, follow security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which provides security updates and allows embassies to contact U.S. citizens during emergencies. The advisory also warns that continued military activity could lead to commercial flight cancellations and temporary airspace closures, adding to travel disruptions across the Middle East. Travelers were advised to check with airlines before departing and prepare for potential delays, rerouted flights and last-minute itinerary changes as security conditions evolve. The State Department issues worldwide caution alerts when officials believe security threats extend beyond a single country or region. While the advisory does not prohibit international travel, it reflects growing concern that the conflict could create security risks well beyond the Middle East, prompting U.S. officials to urge Americans everywhere to remain vigilant and prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
Johnson warns America is in ‘battle’ against Marxism, calls for renewed focus on nation’s founding principles
FIRST ON FOX: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned Friday that the United States is engaged in a “battle” against Marxism, arguing the ideology is gaining traction as Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates notch a string of high-profile primary victories this midterm cycle. Speaking at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Summit in San Diego, Johnson framed the nation’s 250th anniversary as an opportunity to push back against what he described as growing socialist influence and renew appreciation for America’s founding principles. “We are in a confrontation, in a battle against a very dark philosophy — Marxism, and its deviations, communism and socialism,” Johnson said. “You see, the problem that I tell university students is, this formula that Lincoln later articulated in the Gettysburg Address, we’re dedicated to this proposition that we are one nation under God, and that a government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” SOCIALISM’S RISE INSIDE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOW THREATENS THE AMERICAN DREAM The ADF Summit is an annual conference that brings together leaders in law, government, business, media, education and the Christian community to discuss religious freedom, free speech and other public policy issues. In addition to Johnson, West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, who successfully argued and won a Supreme Court case, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, conservative influencer Allie Beth Stuckey and Adm. Brian Christine, who serves as assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also attended. Johnson went on to describe an illustration he says he often uses while speaking on college campuses, arguing that America’s founders grounded individual rights in God rather than government. He contended that abandoning that principle leads to socialism, communism and concentrated government power. RARE AMERICAN BIBLE AND FOUNDERS’ LETTERS TRACE FAITH’S ROLE IN BIRTH OF THE NATION “The people that amass the power will control and direct the herd, you lose your freedom. It’s a road to tyranny,” Johnson said. His remarks come as Democratic Socialist-backed candidates continue to make gains in primaries, fueling a broader debate over the party’s ideological direction. In New York City alone, three far-left congressional candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won Democratic primaries this cycle, including two who defeated incumbent members of Congress. Johnson suggested those political gains reflect a broader ideological shift that begins in the classroom. “We have a teachable moment, and I think we’ve got to make this very simple to explain it to the people coming behind,” Johnson said. “Because, let’s be honest, they’ve been indoctrinated in so many of these educational institutions. They see America through the wrong lenses.” Throughout the address, Johnson repeatedly tied America’s constitutional system to religious faith, arguing the nation’s freedoms are inseparable from the biblical principles embraced by the Founding Fathers. FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS According to Johnson, the founders rejected the European concept of the divine right of kings by declaring that individual rights come from God rather than government. “We acknowledge the self-evident truth that our rights do not come from the government,” Johnson said. “They don’t come from a king. They come from the King of Kings. They come from our Creator.” Johnson also pointed to polling that he said shows fewer Americans expressing pride in the U.S. than in previous decades, arguing the trend reflects a growing disconnect from the nation’s history. “If we want the next generation to love America, they first have to know America,” Johnson said. The speaker closed by reflecting on the pressures of leading the House Republican conference with one of the narrowest majorities in modern history, saying his Christian faith has helped keep him grounded through repeated legislative and political battles. “People say you don’t seem to get too riled up about all the chaos on Capitol Hill. You seem rather calm in the midst of the storm,” Johnson said. Johnson said he has adopted the words of former President John Quincy Adams as his mantra. “‘Duty is ours. Results are God’s,’” Johnson said, quoting Adams. “I’m not the sovereign. All I’m supposed to do is be faithful every single day and leave it on the field.”
Platner ally Troy Jackson closing in on Democratic Senate nod in key race to face Collins
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson appears to be sprinting far ahead of his rivals in the abbreviated race to replace now ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in the high-stakes showdown to face off with longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Delegates aligned with Jackson won the vast majority of the 319 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday as Maine’s 16 counties kicked off two days of delegate selection for next weekend’s nominating convention. “We’re well on our way to getting the government that we deserve,” Jackson emphasized Saturday night in a video posted to social media, as he addressed supporters. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Jackson is now in a strong position to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Collins in what’s expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle that’s among a dozen nationwide which will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority. The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47. MEET THE DEMOCRATS GUNNING TO REPLACE GRAHAM PLATNER A fifth-generation logger and a one-time conservative Republican who became a Democrat over two decades ago, Jackson came in third place last month in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. On Saturday, in the race to replace Platner, Jackson-aligned delegates won more than 90% of the slots, including all 149 in Cumberland County, Maine’s most populous county and home to the state’s largest city, Portland. Along with Platner, Jackson had the support of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont as he ran for governor, and he is currently backed by ‘Our Revolution,’ the group born in 2016 out of Sanders’ first presidential campaign. MAINE DEMOCRATS RALLY BEHIND PLATNER’S PLATFORM IN SPRINT TO REPLACE HIM Jackson, similar to Platner, is running on a progressive and populist platform aimed at working-class voters. He backs raising taxes on billionaires, the universal healthcare system known as “Medicare-for-all,” abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he opposes military aid to Israel at a time that Democrats are increasingly divided on support for America’s longtime Middle East ally. Nirav Shah, a former director the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023 who later served as principal deputy director of the federal CDC during then-President Joe Biden’s administration, and who came in second in last month’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, secured only a handful of delegates on Saturday. Shenna Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state, who came in fourth place in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, was even further back in the delegate hunt, as was Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer for then-Rep. Katie Porter of California who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate as well as the Democratic nomination in the state’s 2nd Congressional District this cycle. Maine’s eight remaining counties will select 181 delegates on Sunday. The 500 picked this weekend will join 101 delegates coming automatically from the Democratic State Committee. All 601 will vote for the Senate nominee at next Saturday’s convention in Bangor. Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who was backed by Sanders soon after he launched his bid last August, saw his campaign quickly catch fire. Two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who was heavily recruited by longtime Democratic Senate leader Sen. Chuck Schumer to run for the Senate, suspended her campaign this spring after trailing Platner in fundraising and in the polls. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB But even as Platner steamrolled the Democratic establishment and crushed the competition last month to capture the nomination, he had already been forced on defense in the wake of a slew of scandals. Platner dropped out earlier this month, amid calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to immediately exit the race following an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the report but stepped aside. While Jackson was among those who quickly called on Platner to end his bid in the wake of the rape allegation, he had previously campaigned alongside Platner and made the case that he was the best candidate to continue the fight for the progressive and populist agenda. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “This movement is always been bigger than one person. It’s about taking on a system rigged against working people, fighting for ‘Medicare-for-all,’ strong unions, higher wages, reproductive freedom, and an economy where billionaires and corporations finally pay their fair share,” Jackson said last week during a Our Revolution virtual town hall, as he pointed to Platner supporters. At last week’s first debate among the replacement candidates, Jackson pointed to Platner and said, “That’s the thing that I think Graham did the best: talked about fighting against the health care industry and the prescription drug industry to make sure that people in this state and this country have affordable, quality health care.”
Controversial program paying drug users for used syringes becomes permanent in NYC
New York City is permanently bankrolling a program that pays people up to $10 a day for used syringes, a controversial effort critics argue puts taxpayer dollars into addicts’ pockets rather than getting them treatment. The program, known as the Community Syringe Redemption Program, was quietly made permanent through Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s first city budget after the city’s $126 billion spending plan set aside $3 million to continue it beyond its pilot phase, the New York Post reported. The funding appeared in budget documents submitted to the New York City Council on June 30, shortly before lawmakers approved the budget. Participants receive 20 cents for every used syringe they return, with payments capped at 50 syringes, or $10 a day, according to the New York City Health Department. The city operates eight redemption sites — five in the Bronx and one each in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens — where enrolled participants can drop off used needles during scheduled collection hours. MAYORS WANT TO KEEP HANDING OUT FREE CASH AFTER FEDERAL FUNDS DRIED UP The program launched as a pilot in March 2025 after legislation backed by progressive City Council members passed in 2022. It is run by Addiction Response Resources, a nonprofit that also started a similar syringe redemption program in Boston, under an $11.1 million contract that runs through the end of next year, the Post reported. Health officials say the program has collected more than 2.3 million used syringes since it began about 16 months ago, the outlet reported. During its first year, the city paid out about $292,000 to more than 1,700 participants. Sanitation Department data cited by the Post shows workers have collected 26,229 discarded needles so far this year, down from 64,560 during the same period in 2025. According to the Post, the city is paying for the program with more than $189 million in settlement funds it received from major opioid manufacturers and distributors — money some critics argue should be directed toward addiction treatment instead. EX-EMPLOYEE OF TAXPAYER-FUNDED NONPROFIT CAUGHT SELLING FENTANYL NEAR LA PARK: DOCS Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola argued the opioid settlement money used to fund the program “should all be going toward addiction treatment services — not for paying users to turn in their needles for cash,” the Post reported. She added that the program “is putting money in the pockets of addicts” instead of helping them overcome addiction. Bronx Democratic Councilman Oswald Feliz credited the effort to remove discarded syringes but warned the city “should not recklessly create conditions that can threaten the safety of vulnerable communities,” according to the Post. Some participants see the program differently. Tamia Wright, 43, told the Post it had become “definitely a side hustle” after returning used needles at a park in the Bronx, adding she planned to spend the money on “weed… and cigarettes.” City officials say the program is meant to reduce dangerous syringe litter in neighborhoods that frequently report discarded needles. The Health Department says improperly discarded syringes can pose risks of needlestick injuries and disease transmission, and urges residents to safely dispose of sharps or report syringe litter through 311. Health Department spokesperson Rachel Vick defended the program, saying it helps residents “live in a community free of syringe litter” while safely disposing of medical waste and connecting people in need with nearby care.
WATCH: Josh Hawley issues blistering rebuke of McConnell over ‘obligation’ to country
As questions persist about Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell’s condition, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., issued a blistering rebuke about his team’s handling of the crisis, reminding them of their “obligation to your constituents.” The 84-year-old former Senate majority leader has been absent from the upper chamber for over a month now after a fall at his home left him hospitalized. His absence, coupled with the sudden death of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, leaves Senate Republicans down two crucial votes amid a dead sprint to wrap up key parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda. Speaking with Fox News Digital, Hawley, a conservative populist, said he wishes McConnell and his family well and hopes for a recovery. At the same time, however, Hawley said that “at a certain point you do have an obligation to your constituents and the country to tell them what’s going on.” MCCONNELL FACES FRESH CALLS TO COME CLEAN ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES “To be down a vote,” Hawley continued, “We’ve got a slim majority; it’s not easy.” While Hawley said he would “defer” to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on how to handle McConnell’s situation, he noted that the lack of GOP votes is hurting priorities like the voter integrity measure, the SAVE America Act. “I just hear a lot from leadership that, ‘Well, we don’t have the votes for this.’ Like the voter ID, we don’t have the votes for that. Well, we might want to do something about that,” he said. Hawley also said that he too, has been “totally in the dark” about McConnell’s condition and said, “I never had any idea about any of his health stuff.” “I hope he recovers, but I also hope that they get the transparency out there to help people know what the situation is,” he said. ‘THIS IS NOT NORMAL’: AOC UNLOADS ON MCCONNELL’S PROLONGED ABSENCE Asked whether he believes McConnell’s condition evidences a need for age limits to serve in office, Hawley quickly shot back, “Well, I’m a term-limit guy, so I’m all for that.” “Nothing against colleagues who are older,” he continued. He pointed to 92-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, saying, “Chuck is sharp as a tack and spry and all that stuff.” “But I do think there needs to be term limits. People just come here and stay forever. And I don’t think it’s what the founders intended; I don’t think it’s what people want. So, I’ve always been a big proponent of a constitutional amendment for term limits.” McConnell is completing his seventh term in the Senate. He was first elected to the chamber in 1984. This June, he was hospitalized after a fall in his Washington, D.C., home. He later developed pneumonia while in the hospital. After an extended period of silence, McConnell issued an open letter to Kentuckians in which the senator addressed his prolonged absence. McConnell attributed his fall to mobility issues left from his childhood fight with polio. SEE IT: GOP SENATORS SPLIT ON MCCONNELL QUESTIONS AS TUBERVILLE SEEKS TIMELINE, KENNEDY DEFENDS LEADER He acknowledged that at the advice of his doctors, he “won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet.” However, McConnell emphasized, “I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do” and said, “I’ll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible.” He also pledged to keep his constituents updated on the progress of his recovery.
Tulsi Gabbard’s brother charged after allegedly trying to lure children to Waikīkī hotel room: police
The older brother of former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been charged after Honolulu police say he allegedly tried to lure several children to his Waikīkī hotel room by offering them gum and money, as his family says he is continuing to receive psychiatric treatment. Batarti Gabbard, 55, was charged with second-degree custodial interference after the July 12 “stranger danger” incident at a Waikīkī hotel pool, according to police. Honolulu police allege Gabbard approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, asked for their names, wrote them in a notebook and offered them money and gum if they would accompany him to his hotel room. EXCLUSIVE: TULSI GABBARD RESIGNS FROM TRUMP CABINET Fox News Digital obtained new comment from Gabbard’s father, Hawaii state Sen. Mike Gabbard, who declined to discuss the allegations, but confirmed his son continues to receive medical and psychiatric treatment. “We love him, and asked him to follow the protocol at the hospital, which he says he will do,” Mike Gabbard told Fox News Digital. “We’re praying for his speedy recovery, and would appreciate the prayers of others.” Fox News Digital also reached out to Tulsi Gabbard through her public office and left a voicemail requesting comment. She did not immediately respond. GABBARD CLAIMS ‘COORDINATED EFFORT’ BY INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO ADVANCE NARRATIVE TO IMPEACH TRUMP Police said the incident occurred around 2 p.m. on July 12 at the pool area of an unnamed Waikīkī hotel, where Batarti Gabbard allegedly approached several children. According to police, the children refused and Gabbard walked away. A 42-year-old woman reported the incident to police. MIKE WALTZ, TIM TEBOW LAUNCH EFFORT TO COMBAT ONLINE CHILD EXPLOITATION: ‘IT’S HAPPENING IN THEIR BACKYARD’ According to KITV, Gabbard had also been arrested July 16 on charges of theft. He pleaded not guilty to the theft charge Friday morning, was released and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 14 in that case. KITV reported that no court date has yet been set on the custodial interference charge. Honolulu Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that Gabbard is no longer in custody.
Mamdani doubles down on democratic socialism while insisting Wall Street, business leaders can work with him
New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani is embracing his identity as a Democratic Socialist, arguing the movement represents a return to the Democratic Party’s New Deal roots even as he insists Wall Street and corporate leaders have nothing to fear from his administration. In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, Mamdani rejected the notion that his political label is a liability, instead characterizing Democratic Socialism as the modern embodiment of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vision for the Democratic Party. “So much of what makes me proud to be a Democrat is looking at what our party used to stand for. You think about the Four Freedoms, you think FDR, you think the New Deal,” Mamdani said. “Those are at the core of what our party’s identity is, and yet it feels like to experience it, you have to read about it. You can’t see it around you anymore. And that isn’t something that I’m willing to accept, and I know that many feel similarly.” DE BLASIO DEFENDS SOCIALIST ‘INSURGENCY’ INSIDE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, SAYS TRUMP HAS BECOME ‘STATUS QUO’ The remarks come as Mamdani has emerged as one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent progressive voices following a string of successful endorsements of fellow Democratic Socialist candidates, who won their primary House races. Even as he doubled down on Democratic Socialism, Mamdani insisted his administration welcomed private investment and collaboration with Wall Street, finance and real estate leaders, despite continuing to push for higher taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents. “I think it’s important,” Mamdani said of the city’s relationship with private business leaders. “And what I have in common with leaders of those sectors — even amid disagreements, because I believe that we can raise taxes a little bit more on the wealthiest New Yorkers — what brings us together is both a belief in the city and a commitment to its continued vitality.” FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS Mamdani pointed to the recent announcement of American Express’ new headquarters at Two World Trade Center as evidence that major corporations continue investing in New York. “These business leaders, they’re not just making decisions on the basis of dollars and cents; they’re also making decisions on the basis of investing in the city and in what the city represents,” he said. The mayor also rejected the idea that Democratic Socialism is incompatible with economic growth after the interviewer remarked that he sounded in line with a “capitalist mayor.” NYC MAYOR MAMDANI CALLS THREAT OF RICH PEOPLE LEAVING NYC OVER TAXES ‘IMAGINED’ “I will always celebrate continued investment in this city,” Mamdani said. “And I’ll also look to ensure that more and more New Yorkers can be a part of those benefits.” But even as Mamdani boasts his support for corporate investments, an analysis by the Citizens Budget Commission found New York’s share of the nation’s millionaires fell from 12.7% in 2010 to 8.7% in 2022, the steepest decline of any state, costing an estimated $10.7 billion in personal income tax revenue in 2022 alone. The report points to New York’s high taxes and declining competitiveness relative to states like Florida and Texas as factors behind its shrinking share of the nation’s millionaires. Mamdani has made raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers a centerpiece of his economic agenda, arguing the city’s highest earners and most profitable corporations should shoulder more of the cost of funding public services. His interview comes as national Democrats debate the party’s future direction ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Mamdani argued that the victories of democratic socialist candidates signal that voters are embracing his vision for the party. “For too long, it has felt like our party, the Democratic Party, the only answer we have is to say that we are not the Republican Party,” Mamdani said. “But we also have to have a vision of what comes after this administration.”
Bernie Sanders dismisses Haley Stevens, says Michigan race is against the ‘billionaire class’
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., took a swipe at Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., on Saturday, saying Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary isn’t about her, but about whether the “billionaire class” can stop progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Sanders — joined by progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., at the Detroit Opera House rally — delivered the remarks to voters alongside El-Sayed, who is set to face Stevens in Michigan’s Aug. 4 primary. “In all due respect to Haley Stevens, everybody knows that this is not an election between her and Abdul,” Sanders said. “This is an election between Abdul and the billionaire class. That is what this election is about.” BERNIE, AOC TO TEAM UP WITH EL-SAYED AS DEM CIVIL WAR MOVES TO MICHIGAN Sanders said wealthy donors and outside groups have poured unprecedented sums into the race to defeat El-Sayed, whom he has endorsed as one of the leading progressive candidates running for the Senate this cycle. “The billionaire class, which has already — and there are two weeks left to go in the election — has already spent $50 million against him,” Sanders said. “Now I want everybody here throughout the state, people turning on the TVs, and they see all these ads, I want you to ask yourself a simple question: Why are the richest people in the country spending tens and tens of millions of dollars to defeat Abdul El-Sayed?” Sanders claimed outside groups have outspent El-Sayed’s campaign by a margin of 12-to-1, portraying the flood of spending as evidence that powerful interests view the progressive candidate as a threat. According to AdImpact, super PACs backing Stevens are spending about $26.9 million on TV ads during the final five weeks of the primary, compared with roughly $2.1 million backing El-Sayed. DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: ‘WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?’ The Michigan Senate primary has emerged as one of the most closely watched Democratic contests of the 2026 cycle, highlighting the growing divide between the party’s progressive and establishment wings. El-Sayed has been endorsed by Sanders and other prominent progressives, including AOC, while Stevens has the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and recently received the endorsement of retiring Sen. Gary Peters. Stevens has represented Michigan’s 11th Congressional District since 2019 after serving on the Obama administration’s auto industry task force. .SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS WITH MOCKERY AS DEM SENATE CANDIDATE’S PEP TALK GOES VIRAL: ‘IS THIS FOR REAL?’ The congresswoman attracted attention on the campaign trail in recent days after a couple of bizarre speeches went viral online. In one viral clip, Stevens was mocked online as critics compared her animated campaign speech to a classic “Saturday Night Live” sketch featuring Chris Farley’s “van down by the river” character. The viral moment also drew renewed attention to a 2020 House floor speech in which Stevens, wearing pink latex gloves during the COVID-19 pandemic, continued speaking after her allotted time expired as the speaker pro tempore repeatedly declared her “out of order” and struck the gavel. The Senate race tightened after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow ended her campaign earlier this month, leaving Stevens and El-Sayed in a head-to-head contest that many Democrats view as a proxy battle over the party’s future direction. The winner is expected to face Republican Mike Rogers in November.
Mamdani says NYC is exploring whether it can arrest Netanyahu if Israeli leader visits for UN General Assembly
Far-left New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is actively exploring whether the city has the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York for this month’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), escalating one of his sharpest criticisms yet of the foreign leader. In remarks first reported by The New York Times, Mamdani called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who “belongs in the Hague” and said his administration is in an “active conversation” with the city’s Law Department over what legal authority New York City possesses should the Israeli prime minister travel to the Big Apple. The comments from self-described Democratic socialist Mamdani raises questions about the limits of a mayor’s authority over foreign affairs and whether New York City could take legal action against a visiting head of government. POTENTIAL 2028 DEM CONTENDER UNLOADS ON NETANYAHU, ADMITS US-ISRAEL TIES AT ‘CROSSROADS’ Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office asking whether Mamdani stands by calling Netanyahu a “war criminal,” whether City Hall is actively consulting with the Law Department regarding possible legal action against the Israeli leader, and whether the mayor would direct the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu if attorneys determined the city had legal authority. The mayor’s office did not immediately respond. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz slammed Mamdani’s remarks as “pure political theater,” saying the mayor has no legal authority to arrest Netanyahu. In a post on X, Waltz argued that the U.S. is not party to the ICC’s founding treaty, the U.N. Headquarters Agreement protects visiting heads of government, head-of-state immunity applies and “federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes.” The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. ISRAEL SIGNALS READINESS FOR ANOTHER IRAN STRIKE AS TRUMP DECLARES CEASEFIRE OVER Israel has rejected the allegations and disputes the court’s jurisdiction, while the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. The issue has become increasingly contentious as world leaders weigh whether they would act on the warrant if Netanyahu enters their countries. The United Nations General Assembly annually brings dozens of heads of state and government to New York, creating unique diplomatic and security considerations for the city. The comments are likely to intensify scrutiny of Mamdani’s foreign policy positions, particularly regarding Israel, which became a flashpoint during his mayoral campaign. Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected allegations that Netanyahu committed war crimes, arguing Israel is acting in self-defense following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack. FETTERMAN WARNS MAMDANI RISKS ‘CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS’ BY VOWING TO DEFY SCOTUS IMMIGRATION RULING Mamdani’s office has not yet publicly detailed any legal analysis supporting the idea that New York City or the NYPD could independently execute an international arrest warrant against a visiting foreign head of government, though Fox News Digital has requested further details. Mamdani’s remarks are the latest example of his administration venturing into international affairs. Earlier this year, the State Department stepped in to halt a planned meeting between a senior Mamdani administration official and Iran’s U.N. ambassador, stressing the role of federal, not local government to conduct U.S. foreign policy. Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this reporting.
Liberal circuit judge blasts SCOTUS conservatives, says Hawaii will defy high court
A Hawaii Supreme Court justice used a ruling overturning a decades-old criminal conviction to deliver a blistering rebuke of Chief Justice John Roberts’ Supreme Court, accusing the nation’s highest court of weakening constitutional rights, damaging democracy and advancing a political agenda. Justice Todd Eddins authored the 91-page majority opinion Wednesday in State v. Granillo, a case involving a man convicted in 1990 of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman on Maui. The court ordered a new trial after concluding that hair and fiber evidence presented by an FBI expert relied on forensic science that has since been discredited. But in roughly eight pages of the opinion, Eddins argued Hawaii’s courts should not look to the Roberts court when interpreting the state constitution, using the case to deliver an unusually sharp critique of the nation’s highest court. LAWYER WHO BEAT HAWAII GUN LAW CALLS STATE’S RELIANCE ON BLACK CODE ‘DISGRACEFUL’ “When six justices walk away from those they are supposed to protect, state constitutions hold the line,” Eddins wrote, referring to the court’s six conservative justices. “That is not defiance. That is the design.” Eddins argued that Hawaii’s Constitution provides stronger protections than the federal Constitution as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court and said the court has abandoned landmark civil rights principles. “The Court that now defines federal due process does not honor the work of 1954,” Eddins wrote. “It revives the work of 1857. The work of 1896.” Eddins was referring to Brown v. Board of Education, ruled in 1954, which ended racial segregation in public schools, and Dred Scott v. Sandford, the infamous 1857 decision denying citizenship to Black Americans and Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 ruling that upheld racial segregation. Eddins argued that the Roberts court no longer reflects the constitutional principles established in Brown v. Board of Education. Instead, he argued the court’s originalist approach relies on the same type of constitutional interpretation in the discredited Dred Scott and Plessy decisions. “Today’s hubristic originalists use the same method to control modern life,” Eddins wrote. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES “The Court overrides what Congress passed,” Eddins continued. “It overrides what the people chose. All to serve its own ends. What this Court has done to constitutional rights, democratic institutions, and the rule of law explains why Hawaiʻi’s Constitution takes no instruction from it.” Throughout the opinion, Eddins pointed to many of the Roberts court’s most consequential decisions as evidence that constitutional protections have been weakened, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the federal constitutional right to abortion; Citizens United v. FEC on campaign finance; Rucho v. Common Cause on partisan gerrymandering; Trump v. United States on presidential immunity; and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which expanded Second Amendment protections. Eddins accused the Roberts court of adopting a “colorblind” approach to the equal protection clause that, in his view, ignores the amendment’s original purpose of protecting formerly enslaved Black Americans. “The Roberts Court sees only white,” he wrote. “It refuses to acknowledge who the Equal Protection Clause was written to protect.” He also suggested that recent Supreme Court decisions have repeatedly expanded the power of government officials and wealthy interests while reducing protections for individual rights. “A court that systematically dismantles democratic safeguards, steamrolls constitutional liberties, and tramples human dignity does not chart the course for the Hawaiʻi Constitution,” he wrote. THOMAS LEAVES NOTHING LEFT UNSAID ON RACIAL GERRYMANDERING DECISION: ‘GO FURTHER’ The opinion quickly drew criticism from legal observers who said it was highly unusual for a state supreme court opinion to devote so much space to criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court. “The Court issues an unhinged attack on the legitimacy of the Supreme Court,” Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan wrote on X. “I haven’t ever seen something like this. And it’s not good.” George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley similarly described the opinion as “devoid of judicial restraint and decorum.” “The Hawaii Supreme Court just issued a truly shocking opinion that unleashed a torrent of rage and recrimination against the majority of the United States Supreme Court, including suggesting that they are de facto racists,” Turley wrote on X. The opinion comes just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court handed Hawaii a major loss in Wolford v. Lopez, striking down the state’s so-called “vampire rule.” In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled Hawaii could not require gun owners to get a property owner’s permission before carrying a gun into businesses and other private property open to the public. Eddins has served on the Hawaii Supreme Court since 2020 after being appointed by former Democratic Gov. David Ige.