Obama prepares to rally with Michigan Dem who once delivered scathing verdict on his presidency
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is set to rally with former President Barack Obama on Saturday as Republicans raise questions about his support among Black voters, a crucial Democratic constituency in the battleground state. Obama formally endorsed the Michigan Democrat earlier this month, filming a campaign ad that ran on Oct. 12 imploring his supporters “to support Abdul El-Sayed for the United States Senate.” His upcoming rally with El-Sayed has become a major political event as the progressive Senate candidate continues his effort to build bridges with the Democratic Party’s establishment. Obama’s support has also renewed scrutiny of El-Sayed’s past criticism of the former president, including a sharply worded 2012 essay accusing him of failing to deliver on the promises of his presidency. Conservatives have suggested that the El-Sayed campaign is leaning on Obama to build support among the African American community, whose turnout could be decisive on Election Day. ROGERS ARGUES EL-SAYED IS VULNERABLE WITH 2 TRADITIONALLY DEMOCRATIC BLOCS AS OBAMA HEADS TO MICHIGAN Claims that El-Sayed is only receiving lukewarm support from the Black community began during his primary race against Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens. El-Sayed performed strongly among Arab American voters during the Democratic primary, but he narrowly defeated Stevens after polls showed her attracting stronger support among Black Democratic voters. El-Sayed’s uneven support among key Democratic constituencies has raised questions about his ability to unite the party’s coalition heading into November. Black voters are crucial to the Democratic coalition in Michigan. Low turnout or defections to the GOP in Michigan among African Americans could seriously endanger the Democratic Party’s path to control of the Senate. OBAMA’S STAR POWER GETS A REALITY CHECK FROM BLACK VOTERS IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE: ‘IT’S A TURNOFF’ A poll conducted by Fox News Digital in late September found that just 77% of Black voters were supportive of El-Sayed, a figure well below where Democrats typically perform with the demographic. It is unclear what impact, if any, Obama wading into Michigan’s Senate election will have. Fox News Digital spoke with more than a dozen Black voters in Detroit about Obama’s endorsement, finding mixed reactions that included skepticism among undecided voters and enthusiasm from others who already planned to support El-Sayed. While the undecided voters largely agreed that Obama was still a leader within the Democratic Party, they generally did not put much weight on the former president’s endorsement of El-Sayed. “Honestly, it’s a turn-off just because I’ve seen too many candidates use him just to manipulate the Democratic vote,” Mercedes, one undecided Black voter, told Fox News Digital about Obama’s endorsement. MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED SAYS LEADERS MUST ADDRESS ‘UNPAID DEBTS’ TO BLACK COMMUNITIES “What he’s been able to do is from an image standpoint, as far as ‘hope,’ he drove the point there,” another undecided African American voter told Fox News Digital. “But as far as really giving back to the community, minority owned businesses, and everyone across the board, I don’t really think he really got there for me … he really hasn’t swayed me one way or another.” Rita, an undecided Black voter who said she had recently been homeless, said that Obama’s endorsement would not move the needle for her as she prefers to do her own research on candidates. Juanita, another Black voter who wasn’t sure how she would vote in November, told Fox News Digital that, “I don’t want to be pushed to vote for him because somebody else is backing him.” Even some African Americans who voted early for El-Sayed said Obama’s backing didn’t mean much of anything to them. SOCIALIST POLITICIANS ARE ‘MORE RACIST THAN THE KKK,’ SAYS BLACK DEM OFFICIAL URGING VOTERS TO DITCH EL-SAYED “I think that a lot of people put more stock into who the person is than what he does … his yay or nay doesn’t sway me either way,” one such voter told Fox News Digital. Undecided voters, however, had mixed feelings about El-Sayed’s changing position on Obama. “Yeah, I don’t understand how you can endorse somebody that was kind of the opposition when you were in office,” Juanita told Fox News Digital. “I mean, that doesn’t make sense.” “I think I see it as a flip flop, but I also see it as an opportunity to pretty much highlight those things and how he’s actually changed and why their objectives may align now,” another voter said. “You know, people’s objectives change, their perspectives change.” ‘DESTROYING THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE’: EL-SAYED’S POLITICAL ORBIT COMPLICATES EFFORT TO MODERATE HIS IMAGE Others, however, pointed out that pivots like El-Sayed’s are nothing new in politics, pointing to the fact that Vice President JD Vance was once a staunch critic of President Donald Trump. The controversy surrounding El-Sayed’s purported flip-flop on Obama can be traced back to a 2012 Huffington Post essay where he accused Obama of failing to live up to the progressive rhetoric he campaigned on. “I realize that I have little hope because there has been less change,” El-Sayed wrote. “But I have to say now what I’ve been holding in throughout his campaign and what I think all of us have to admit: Obama was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one.” He went on to criticize the then-president for perpetuating war, violating civil liberties and carrying out more deportations than any previous president. The Michigan Democrat has since walked back some of those criticisms, noting that it is possible to disagree with someone while still admiring them and praising how Obama operated under the circumstances he inherited. DEM INSURGENT TURNS ON THE CHARM WITH PARTY ESTABLISHMENT AS SCHUMER LEAVES BITTER FEUD HANGING Some, however, don’t buy that explanation. Conservative commentator Jason Rantz said on a CNN panel that El-Sayed was setting aside his criticisms of Obama because he was in a desperate electoral position and needed to “try to bring in black voters.” Others, however, don’t think El-Sayed has a problem with Black voters at all. Kandia Milton, a
Omar’s deleted tweet could give clue on alleged brother marriage
A deleted 2013 social media post in which Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., appeared to refer to her father by a different name has resurfaced as federal investigators examine questions surrounding her identity and immigration records. “Happy Father’s Day to my aabo Nur Said, I am forever grateful to Allah for giving me the best father …,” Omar wrote in the June 2013 post, which was deleted in 2019. Several records, including a memorial post by the Congressional Black Caucus marking his death in 2020, refer to Omar’s father as “Nur Omar Mohamed.” But the now-deleted X post has Omar calling him “Nur Said,” a name that also appears similar to the name of her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. REP ILHAN OMAR’S IMMIGRATION HISTORY FACES NEW SCRUTINY AS FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS SUBPOENA RELATIVES The congresswoman deleted the social media post the morning of Sept. 19, 2019. An archived version of the post, first reported on by the Daily Caller in 2019, resurfaced after federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., residence on Oct. 12 as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into possible false statements on immigration and naturalization documents. Omar and her office have repeatedly denied allegations that her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, is her brother. She has also denied wrongdoing amid the federal probe, which she has called a political attack. Somali names generally consist of a person’s given name, their father’s given name and their paternal grandfather’s given name. The similarity between names alone does not establish a familial relationship. A statement allegedly attributed to Omar’s spokesperson and recirculated online said “Nur Said” was her father’s childhood nickname and that he maintained a public page using the name. The statement also said the tweet was deleted because Omar and her family had received threats. FEDERAL AGENTS SEIZE PHONE OF REP ILHAN OMAR IN RAID TIED TO IMMIGRATION FRAUD PROBE Omar’s office did not respond Friday to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the now-deleted social media post. Omar’s father is referred to as “Nur Said” in some reports. For example, a New York Post story on his alleged military experience quoted Oxford University historian Mohamed Haji Ingiriis as calling Omar’s father “Nur Said.” Fox News has not independently verified that Omar’s father’s name is Nur Said Elmi Mohamed, his alleged name, not Nur Omar Mohamed. In a statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday, a spokesperson for the congresswoman said Omar has “repeatedly and unequivocally denied” the “baseless, disgusting conspiracy theory” that she married her brother. The spokesperson pointed to Omar’s interview Wednesday on MS NOW, in which she was asked whether her one-time husband may have been a “distant relative.” “Not to my knowledge,” Omar replied. Recent court documents related to the search warrant for Omar’s Washington, D.C. residence, first obtained by Fox News Digital, connected to the federal investigation identify Omar as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a.k.a. Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.” The filing does not explain why the name appears in the document or establish that Omar used a false identity. ILHAN OMAR CALLS TRUMP ‘CREEP’ AS PRESIDENT REVIVES ‘FAKE NAME,’ MARRIAGE ALLEGATIONS Omar told Fox News Digital on Friday that her “real name” is “Ilhan Abdullahi Omar” and not “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi.” “Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, you know it,” Omar told Fox News Digital when asked about her name. “It’s Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.” Omar’s marriage to Elmi ended in divorce in 2017. She later legally married Ahmed Hirsi in 2018. Two people familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital that “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi” may be Omar’s legal name. Omar’s office has disputed that characterization. A former Minnesota federal immigration judge told Fox News Digital that if investigators prove Omar knowingly used a false name on federal forms, the conduct could be brought into question under the federal false-statements statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Whether the statute applies would depend on the specific documents, the materiality of any alleged misstatement and the evidence of intent. The Justice Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Hannah Brennan contributed to this report.
Trump’s war on drug cartels could gain powerful new ally after pivotal election
EXCLUSIVE: Brazil could join the U.S.-led effort to combat drug cartels if presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro wins the country’s Oct. 25 runoff election, according to his brother, Brazilian politician Eduardo Bolsonaro. The initiative, known as the Shield of the Americas, is designed to expand security cooperation among countries in the Western Hemisphere, including intelligence sharing, military coordination and joint efforts to disrupt cartel financing. The coalition follows the Trump administration’s decision in February 2025 to designate eight major criminal organizations as both Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The groups include Tren de Aragua, MS-13, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Northeast Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, La Nueva Familia Michoacana and Carteles Unidos. LATIN AMERICA’S CONSERVATIVE SHIFT FACES ITS BIGGEST TEST YET IN BRAZIL ELECTION “The main thing that we need to do is fight the cartels,” Eduardo Bolsonaro told Fox News Digital. “They work together in a lot of countries, so we should fight back then.” Brazil has not joined the initiative under left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Eduardo Bolsonaro said that if his brother’s conservative Liberal Party wins the presidency, Brazil would work with the Trump administration to combat the country’s powerful criminal organizations. ‘DONROE’ DOCTRINE AND CONSERVATIVE VICTORIES SQUEEZE CARTELS IN LATIN AMERICA “So I’m sure that, under the leadership of President Trump and the Shield of the Americas, we have the opportunity for the first time” to work together against the cartels, Eduardo Bolsonaro said. Brazil’s presidential runoff will pit Flávio Bolsonaro against Lula after Bolsonaro led Lula in the first round. He has said he would seek closer security cooperation with the United States and other conservative governments in the region. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON BRAZIL’S BIGGEST DRUG GANGS WITH ‘GLOBAL TERROR’ DESIGNATION The potential addition of Brazil would expand the coalition’s presence in South America, where criminal groups such as Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho have become major forces in the regional drug trade. Other countries participating in the U.S.-led effort include Argentina, El Salvador and Peru. The initiative has also drawn participation from countries including Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay and Chile, according to the State Department. DRUG CARTEL KINGPIN AMONG TARGETS IN SWEEPING TRUMP CRACKDOWN ON ALLEGED MEXICAN CORRUPTION NETWORK The coalition’s broader goals include combating drug trafficking, disrupting criminal financing and strengthening cooperation among law enforcement and military officials. U.S. officials have repeatedly linked cartel activity to the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has also attributed hundreds of thousands of American deaths to cartel-linked drug overdoses.
Canada is feeling the pain from Trump’s tariffs — but the trade fight didn’t start overnight
President Donald Trump’s escalating trade fight with Canada is squeezing the economy north of the border, threatening jobs and adding to families’ financial strain as steep U.S. tariffs on roughly $20 billion in goods remain in place. U.S. tariffs have hammered the country’s steel, aluminum, lumber and automobile producers that depend heavily on the American market. Steel exports have fallen by roughly half since the tariffs took effect, while lumber exports were about 20% below 2024 levels earlier this year, according to the Bank of Canada. Production and jobs have also declined in some of the hardest-hit industries. Canadian families are feeling the squeeze, too. Consumer prices were 3% higher in August than a year earlier, with grocery prices up 2.8% and transportation costs jumping 7.5%, according to the government’s own data. A MUST-WIN MIDTERM STATE IS THE REAL LOSER OF TRUMP’S CANADA TRADE WAR Retaliatory tariffs on American products have also added to those costs. Prices of affected goods, which includes groceries, household products, furniture, electronics and appliances, rose roughly 6% more than comparable products that were not hit by the tariffs, according to the country’s central bank. But while Canada is feeling the economic pain, the disputes driving Trump’s trade fight are not new. “The Trump administration is complaining about dairy access and, generally speaking, those complaints are completely valid,” David Clement, North American affairs manager at the Consumer Choice Center, told Fox News Digital. “Canada has exorbitant tariffs on imports from the United States and really from everywhere around the world when it comes to chicken, turkey, eggs, cheese and milk,” Clement said. THE OVERLOOKED WAY THE IRAN WAR IS MAKING GROCERIES, AMAZON PACKAGES AND NEW HOMES MORE EXPENSIVE Clement noted, however, that differences between American and European access to Canada’s market reflect terms negotiated under separate trade agreements, including the USMCA struck during Trump’s first term. But dairy represents just a fraction of the broader U.S.-Canada trading relationship. Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute and the Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, said more than 99% of U.S.-Canada trade was duty-free before 2025, with negotiators historically willing to tolerate disputes over politically sensitive products like dairy to preserve the broader relationship. “The Trump administration has so far refused to make the deal,” he said. Lincicome said free trade in products including fertilizer, energy and lumber helps keep costs down for American farmers, homebuilders and consumers. With the midterm elections just weeks away and the cost of living in focus, the trade dispute is unfolding as higher energy prices add another layer of pressure on consumers. Lincicome called the combination a “double whammy.” “First you had the tariffs which increased the prices of a lot of products. And then you had energy prices spike because of the Iran war,” he said. Higher diesel prices can ripple through the economy because they fuel tractors, trucks and trains, Lincicome said, acting “as kind of another tariff” by raising the cost of getting products to consumers. Despite the escalating tensions, Clement cautioned against allowing the dispute to undermine the broader relationship. “The partnership between Canada and the United States is one of the greatest trading relationships the world has ever known,” he said. “That should be embraced. It should be enhanced, and it shouldn’t be torn down by either side.”
Trump officials warn decades-long decline among American men could carry national security consequences
The Trump administration is targeting testosterone deficiency as a potential threat to military readiness, rolling out new screening guidelines for male service members amid growing concerns about the health of American men and the shrinking pool of young people qualified to serve. “There is absolutely a national defense readiness ramifications for [low testosterone],” Adm. Brian Christine, a senior Department of Health and Human Services official, told Fox News Digital in an interview. Christine also pointed to broader health challenges facing the military’s recruiting pool, warning that 77% of Americans ages 17 to 24 do not qualify for service without a waiver, with obesity, chronic disease and other barriers contributing to the problem. Among young men, he said, more than 70% are ineligible, while only about 3% of young Americans express interest in serving. The warning comes as the Trump administration places a renewed emphasis on military readiness, with Christine helping shape an initiative that led the Pentagon to issue testosterone deficiency screening guidelines for male service members ages 30 and older in September. THE REAL REASON BEHIND HEGSETH’S VIRAL MILITARY TESTOSTERONE SCREENING ORDER Trump entered his second term with an aggressive approach to rebuilding the American military, tightening fitness requirements, axing DEI policies, overhauling weapons acquisition, building up recruitment and refocusing the force on combat readiness and lethality. Christine, a urologist who spent more than 35 years specializing in men’s health, said testosterone levels have been declining for decades, raising concerns about the long-term health of American men and the physical demands placed on those serving in uniform. “I think it’s incredibly important, incredibly timely,” Christine said of the screening guidance. Under the Pentagon’s guidelines, male service members ages 30 and older undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency, beginning with an assessment of symptoms and risk factors, with further testing and potential treatment available when medically appropriate. ‘WOKE’ MILITARY ACADEMIES TARGETED IN NEW BLUEPRINT FOR SWEEPING WARFIGHTING OVERHAUL “We’re not forcing testosterone on anybody,” Christine said. “But what we are doing is screening, taking those men who are symptomatic and have low numbers and offering them a pathway forward.” The HHS official pointed to obesity and chronic disease as established factors associated with low testosterone, while raising concerns that environmental exposures, including microplastics and other toxins, could also be contributing to the decline — a possibility researchers are still investigating. “In the mid-1970s, the average testosterone level for men in this country… was well over 650. Now it’s approaching 350,” Christine said. POPULAR WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS LINKED TO UNEXPECTED MALE FERTILITY BENEFIT National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya echoed those concerns in a separate interview with Fox News Digital, warning that some testosterone deficiency may be going undiagnosed even as medical guidelines stress that a diagnosis requires both symptoms and consistently low hormone levels. “It’s interesting because if you look at the epidemiological trends, testosterone levels in the American male population have been declining over the last decades. And again, we don’t know why. We don’t have an answer,” Bhattacharya said. Bhattacharya said researchers must determine not only why testosterone levels are declining, but also what medical guidance should follow for men diagnosed with a deficiency. “There are under-diagnosed testosterone deficiencies.” “The question of what to do about it, how to prevent it, that’s at the top of my mind,” he added. LONGER LIVES, WORSE HEALTH? SCIENTISTS UNCOVER TROUBLING TREND ACROSS GENERATIONS The NIH director also pointed to declining sperm counts as another area requiring further scientific investigation, suggesting that environmental exposures could be contributing to broader reproductive health concerns. “But even more importantly, what are the factors, probably environmental factors, that have led to the decline in sperm counts, for instance? We need an answer to those questions,” Bhattacharya said. Bhattacharya said the NIH is investing in research to better understand the potential causes of those trends and determine how doctors should advise American men. Christine said that testosterone is about more than muscle growth or physical appearance, arguing that hormone levels play an important role in men’s overall health. DEMS ROASTED FOR COMPARING HEGSETH’S TESTOSTERONE INITIATIVE TO ‘GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE’ “Testosterone levels in men are absolutely related to their overall well-being, to their lifespan, to their health span, and to their wellness,” Christine said. He also noted that men with low testosterone tend to experience higher rates of anxiety and depression. The administration is also developing separate hormonal health guidance for female service members, which the Defense Health Agency said would follow the September guidelines issued for male troops, with women’s health specialists contributing to the recommendations, Christine said. Christine said that the goal is ensuring that service members are equipped to perform their duties while addressing broader health challenges affecting American men. “If we truly want our men who are in uniform to be at their best,” Christine said, the focus must be on their ability to function and perform their jobs.
Minnesota candidate ‘stress tests’ state’s new fraud law — what she found raised major red flags
A Minnesota state Senate candidate revealed she found several vulnerabilities in a fraud prevention law signed by Gov. Tim Walz after testing it against the state’s previous fraud scandals to see whether it could have caught them sooner. The measure in question, the Office of the Inspector General law, creates an independent statewide watchdog that oversees inspectors general, investigates alleged fraud across state programs, establishes fraud prevention standards, and improves coordination and data sharing. However, Heidi Heino, the Republican candidate for Minnesota’s 36th Senate District, told Fox News Digital her test against the Feeding Our Future scheme and other past fraud cases found the law lacks extra safeguards when potential risks emerge. “When I stress tested against Feeding Our Future and some of the other fraud schemes that we had in Minnesota, it would have found the fraud eventually, but it’s way after the money was already gone and we would still be stuck trying to claw it back,” Heino said. MINNESOTA MAN CAPTURED IN SOMALIA AFTER ALLEGEDLY HELPING ORCHESTRATE $250M CHILD NUTRITION FRAUD SCHEME The law was passed as Minnesota faces the fallout from massive fraud schemes involving childcare, autism, housing and disability services. Republicans have blamed leadership and oversight failures, while the Trump administration launched a federal anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance. Working as a corporate leader whose day job involves underwriting, Heino said she used similar review and auditing practices to test where Minnesota’s fraud safeguards fell short. “Business does a lot with a little,” she said. “Government does the opposite. They do a little with a lot of resources.” Heino said she used a 2,800% increase in payments to Feeding Our Future from 2020 to 2021 in her test, a jump that should have automatically raised alarm bells and led to further review. The scheme alone allegedly stole $250 million from a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. FRAUD EXPERT EXPOSES HOW HIDDEN NETWORKS DROVE MINNESOTA FRAUD, OTHER MAJOR SCAMS: ‘CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE’ “You don’t have to be a detective to see that there’s some issue there and so to investigate that and check and see if those claims are legitimate, and if they were legitimate, have someone actually sign off on it,” she said, adding that filling out extra paperwork may be frustrating but can help prevent fraud in the long run. Heino also argued Feeding Our Future should not have been allowed to address complaints against itself. “We had 30 complaints to the Minnesota Department of Education regarding the fraud and they are mostly overlooked or Feeding Our Future had to go correct itself and that was a huge gap there,” she said. She proposed immediately freezing payments, conducting a full review, and triggering an outside audit. “The OIG has good bones, but it needs teeth,” she said. Without independent audits, Heino said Minnesota will not be able to uncover fraud-related gaps, saying the additional oversight would save more money than it costs. GOP ACCUSES WALZ ALLIES OF BURYING $52M MEDICAID FRAUD REPORT BEFORE ELECTION “We get a lot of pushback saying this is going to be expensive, but is it?” she said. “It will be less expensive to have an independent audit than it is going to be to have all the fraud and lose taxpayer dollars to fraudulent activities.” Those same issues apply to current state programs like Minnesota’s Paid Leave program, according to Heino. “However, we need to rein it in and have more investigation before we start sending out the checks, especially with paid family leave,” she said. “They pay out before they have the doctor’s note certifying that this is actually true and they have verified it.” She acknowledged that the law is a “great first step” toward addressing the problem but said it does not go far enough to protect taxpayers and prevent future fraud. As a mother, grandmother and taxpayer, Heino said she is fed up with how leaders in her home state have handled fraud, adding the problem has gotten so bad that Minnesota has become the “laughing stock of the nation” and people no longer want to say they are from the state anymore. “We need to funnel those resources to the people that actually need them and keep people committing fraud from taking our money and running away with it, buying luxury condos or homes, and then funneling it out of the country,” she said. Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office and the Minnesota Department of Education for comment. “We have not slowed down, there is no sense in which the fraud has been stopped in Minnesota,” Bill Glahn, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, told Fox News Digital in August, making the case that the fraud situation in the state has not been properly addressed.
California must respond to DOJ’s emergency request over ballots mailed to alleged noncitizens, court rules
A federal appeals court ordered California to respond by noon Saturday to the Trump administration’s emergency request involving roughly 20,000 mail-in ballots sent to people the Justice Department suspects are noncitizens ahead of the midterm elections. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued the order late Friday after the DOJ filed an emergency request earlier in the day seeking a ruling by Saturday. The Justice Department sought emergency relief from the appeals court after U.S. District Judge David Carter did not rule by a deadline previously requested by the department. The DOJ is asking California election officials to set aside ballots associated with individuals on its list while their eligibility is reviewed, rather than allowing the ballots to be processed alongside other votes. DOJ GIVES CALIFORNIA 48 HOURS TO REVIEW LIST OF POSSIBLE NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS In its emergency filing, the DOJ emphasized the urgency of its request. “This is an emergency,” the filing, submitted by Attorney General Todd Blanche and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, stated. “Every minute of processing that occurs without segregating the ballots of suspected non-eligible voters causes untraceable disenfranchisement and dilution of the votes of United States citizens,” the filing continued. Despite the Ninth Circuit’s order, a hearing before Judge Carter remains scheduled for Tuesday, according to Fox News’ Matt Finn. It remains unclear whether the appeals court will rule before that hearing. BLANCHE WON’T RULE OUT DOJ BLOCKING ELECTION CERTIFICATION IN ‘DOOMSDAY’ SCENARIO Essayli previously told Fox News Digital that federal investigators have evidence showing the 20,000 individuals received mail-in ballots in October. His office sued California last week seeking a court order to prevent ballots returned by those individuals from being counted. “We’re not asking California to take any drastic steps other than to sequester the ballots from the suspected noncitizens,” Essayli said in an interview Wednesday. “We believe it’s at a minimum of 20,000. That’s the floor.” Essayli also clashed with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on social media this week over the state’s safeguards against noncitizen voting. Essayli accused California of allowing noncitizens onto its voter rolls because of what he described as inadequate citizenship verification procedures, while Newsom defended the integrity of the state’s elections and maintained that California was following the law. ‘RAW MATERIAL FOR ELECTION FRAUD’: EXPERT FLAGS VOTER-ROLL PROBLEMS FAR BEYOND ONE STATE California election officials have rejected the Justice Department’s demands. In court filings, they argued that county election offices lack both the authority and access to federal records needed to verify voters’ citizenship status. They also said separating ballots associated with people on the DOJ’s list would be impossible in cases where the ballots have already been processed. California officials say that once a mail-in ballot’s signature has been verified, the ballot is separated from its identifying envelope and processed with other ballots. According to court records, officials have already processed 331,000 ballots in Los Angeles County alone. Friday’s escalation comes after Essayli’s office initially filed the suit Oct. 15, roughly two weeks after California began mailing ballots. Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone contributed to this report.
Virginia Dems cast doubt on prosecution of colleague after embracing criminal allegations against Trump
Virginia Democrats who previously defended investigations and allegations against Donald Trump are urging restraint now that federal prosecutors have charged one of their own. The shift is evident across the party’s top ranks following the indictment of Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas. Lieutenant Gov. Ghazala Hashmi, who rejected Republican claims that Trump was being selectively prosecuted after his 2023 classified-documents indictment, is now stressing Lucas’ “constitutional presumption of innocence” and arguing Lucas “is fully entitled to legal due process.” Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, who said last year that Trump tried to “incite a riot” and “overturn an election,” says the allegations against Lucas must be tested through a legal process “free from political interference or bias.” Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., likewise joined Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine in declaring that “those charged with crime are innocent until proven guilty” and questioning the Justice Department’s motivations — years after Scott said during Trump’s first impeachment that “the facts are uncontested,” called his conduct a “gross abuse of presidential power” and declared that “no one is above the law.” Trump was later acquitted by the Senate. POWERFUL DEM’S JABS AT TRUMP COME BACK TO HAUNT HER AFTER OFFICE RAIDED BY FBI: ‘AGED WELL’ Gov. Abigail Spanberger, meanwhile, is stressing Lucas’ presumption of innocence after calling congressional defenses of Trump’s handling of classified documents “deeply detrimental to our national security” days after his 2023 indictment in a case that was ultimately dismissed without a trial. Lucas, who also chairs the powerful Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, was indicted alongside six others in what federal prosecutors allege was a years-long criminal enterprise involving marijuana distribution, money laundering, bribery and fraud. She has denied wrongdoing, and an indictment does not establish guilt. The investigation that ultimately produced the charges began during the Biden administration, according to multiple reports. The contrasting rhetoric extends beyond individual officeholders. The Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) declared Trump had been “rightfully indicted” and that “no one is above the law” immediately after a Manhattan grand jury indicted him in March 2023 — more than a year before a jury heard the case. The party had also criticized Republican claims that federal law enforcement was being politically “weaponized” against Trump during the classified-documents investigation. Lucas currently serves as a DPVA vice chair. TOP SPANBERGER ALLY TARGETED IN FBI CORRUPTION PROBE HAS LONG HISTORY OF CONTROVERSY Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., was the only Democrat contacted by Fox News Digital who responded to questions about the contrast between his past rhetoric about Trump and his current rhetoric about Lucas, rejecting the suggestion that his positions were inconsistent while accusing federal law enforcement of politically timing Lucas’ arrest. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican, the American people deserve answers and accountability from everyone,” Subramanyam told Fox News Digital. Subramanyam called the charges against Lucas “serious,” adding that “she should face justice if they are true,” while alleging that “the DOJ and FBI timed this arrest for two weeks before the election for political reasons.” “Trump has a pattern of targeting political opponents and weaponizing the DOJ, and he has spent his second presidency covering up the Epstein files,” Subramanyam said. “It took Congress forcing the administration’s hand to even get a fraction of the full files released.” VIRGINIA DEMS SPLIT ON DOJ PROBE OF SOROS-BACKED DA ACCUSED OF GIVING ‘SWEETHEART DEALS’ TO ILLEGAL ALIENS The federal investigation that produced Lucas’ indictment, however, predates Trump’s second administration. The Washington Post, CBS News and The Associated Press reported after federal searches in May, citing anonymous sources familiar with the investigation, that the probe began during the Biden administration. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche reiterated that the investigation began years ago and rejected allegations of political retaliation. “We don’t do political paybacks,” Blanche said. Federal prosecutors allege Lucas led a criminal enterprise involving relatives and associates that distributed marijuana and laundered proceeds while she used her political position to protect the operation and influence legislation that could financially benefit it. The indictment alleges Lucas and her co-defendants were involved in distributing at least 100 kilograms of marijuana, while FBI Director Kash Patel said the alleged scheme generated roughly $4.5 million. Lucas has denied wrongdoing and accused the federal government of trying to silence her. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother,” Lucas said after surrendering to authorities. “I grew up under Jim Crow. I’ve seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them.” “I will not be bullied,” she added. “And I will not back down.”
Iran has ‘substantially increased’ efforts to target Americans abroad, US intelligence memo warns
Iran has “substantially increased” efforts to target U.S. personnel abroad, with plots to kill Americans reaching “advanced stages” in the Middle East and other countries, according to an intelligence memo obtained by Fox News. The memo, sent Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, comes just days after the State Department ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. U.S. officials confirmed the authenticity of the unclassified intelligence memo, which was first reported by Axios. “Specifically, through various channels, we have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel,” the memo states. ‘KEEP A LOW PROFILE’: STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS AMERICANS OVERSEAS THEY COULD BE TARGETED “The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” the memo continues. The memo also states that intelligence officials will work to downgrade the classification of certain intelligence so it can be disseminated and shared with State Department personnel. A U.S. official told Fox News Digital that the government continually monitors and evaluates evolving security threats. “When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment,” the official said. “The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting U.S. officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies on RO Status in the region.” US PULLS PERSONNEL FROM SAUDI ARABIA AS KINGDOM COMES UNDER HOUTHI FIRE The intelligence report on Iranian efforts to target U.S. diplomats and officials in the Middle East also comes as President Donald Trump continues to weigh another round of military strikes against Iran if Tehran does not reach an agreement with Washington. Earlier this week, the State Department addressed reports that it directed nonessential government personnel and their dependents to leave the entire Gulf region, clarifying that the departure order applies only to Saudi Arabia. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that any claims of a potential broader regional shutdown were “inaccurate.” AMERICANS WARNED AGAIN TO RETHINK TRAVEL AS MISSILE ATTACK RATTLES HISTORIC REGION “The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia,” the department said. The State Department previously renewed its warning to Americans traveling in and through the Middle East in late September. The latest warning came as Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched several missile attacks toward Saudi Arabia. Fox News Digital’s Jessica Mekles and Fox News’ Nick Kalman contributed to this report.
A New England city was transformed by refugees – now it faces a youth gun violence crisis: ‘Fear for my life’
LEWISTON, Maine – A New England city transformed by an influx of refugees and immigrants is now grappling with a youth gun-violence crisis, as police report 35 gun-related incidents this year, 22 involving juveniles. “I don’t feel safe. I fear for my life,” Mohamed Muhumed, a Lewiston teenager, told Fox News Digital. “I saw someone get punched in the middle of the sidewalk over there. It’s crazy.” The city, Maine’s second most populous city and home to a large population of refugees from Somali and other African nations, is experiencing a serious youth gun violence problem. Lewiston Police Chief Carly Conley called the gun violence “one of the most serious public safety challenges” facing the city. EXPLOSIVE SLEEPER ISSUE RAGING IN THIS MAINE CITY COULD FUEL MIDTERM SHAKEUPS Jon Fetherston, a reporter for the conservative-leaning The Maine Wire who has reported extensively on the issue, told Fox News Digital that “the gun violence in Lewiston is very concerning. The majority… has been committed by teenagers… Multiple times teenagers have been arrested and immediately released by the courts back out on the streets.” “The court systems are being tapped. The DA is frustrated that the courts aren’t putting these kids away in jail… Residents are scared. Residents are very, very frustrated, and you’ve got kids shooting kids, and it’s almost become commonplace here in Lewiston,” Fetherston said. City officials have responded by approving $200,000 in additional police overtime funding to expand patrols and enforcement. They have also urged changes to Maine’s juvenile justice system, including more options for handling repeat violent offenders and greater scrutiny before high-risk juveniles are released. Mayor Carl Sheline said in a statement last month that the increased resources are “sending a strong message to those perpetrating gun violence: we will find you.” But he added, “Parental involvement and accountability are key to reducing youth gun violence in our city.” MAINE NONPROFIT WITH SOMALI TIES LOSING STATE FUNDING Republican Rick LaChapelle, a former city council president who is now running for mayor, told Fox News Digital, “Our biggest problem is the system itself. The police department is doing an excellent job catching these people. We have one young man that’s been arrested 5 times, I believe, for the same thing. He gets arrested, gets brought down to the youth center… gets released.” “It’s been a one-party rule forever that has instilled the rules that there’s no accountability,” LaChapelle argued. “We need to change the rules of the system.” Fox News Digital reached out to Sheline to discuss his efforts on combating the gun violence, but the mayor didn’t respond by the time this story was published. No official city or police data indicates that Somali residents as a group are behind the violence, or establishes a connection to the increase. But LaChapelle said, “That seems to be who’s being arrested right now.” Mohamed Adbei, a teenager who spoke with Fox News Digital on the streets of Lewiston, pushed back on any ethnic connection: “I wouldn’t just say it’s the Somali kids. It’s youth in general.” Ifraax Saciid, a Somali native who lived in Atlanta before moving to Lewiston, agreed. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “No, that’s not the root cause. I think the root cause is poverty here in Lewiston. Lewiston is very poor and is economically not in a good state,” she said when asked if there was a direct connection to the Somali community. “I think what’s happening here is happening everywhere. It’s happening in Atlanta. I have lived in Miami and Ohio and Kentucky and Minnesota and have seen what is happening in those states also happening here in Lewiston. It’s nothing new.” Lewiston has also been an epicenter in recent years for fraud scandals involving Maine’s joint federal and state Medicaid program. Saciid emphasized that “fraud is happening everywhere in the United States and with every skin color, with every class. It’s not tied particularly to one people.” The Somali influx to Lewiston began a quarter century ago, when refugees and secondary migrants started relocating to the former mill city along the Androscoggin River in search of safe neighborhoods and affordable housing. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Then-Mayor Larry Raymond drew national attention in 2002 after asking Somali leaders to discourage additional migration to Lewiston, arguing the rapid influx was straining city resources. Fast-forward to present day and Lewiston has one of the highest per capita Muslim populations in the country, most of it Somali along with refugees from other African nations. Fetherston argued that “history has proven him [Raymond] to be correct that… that it was too much too fast because a lot has changed in Lewiston. And things are not working out in Lewiston.” LaChapelle noted, “I’m a French Canadian, so my ancestors came here…. We need legal immigration in America. We need to grow.” But he added, “We just have to do it logically and legally and in. When my ancestors got here, there wasn’t a free… gravy train all the way down. Now we’re supporting everybody. We have for 30 years, we still have some people that are still on the welfare system 30 years later. That has to change.”