Bianco says ‘Democrat policy is indefensible’ as GOP candidates top California governor polling
California Democrats are reportedly panicking over the possibility that the state’s jungle primary system could send two Republicans to the November ballot, a scenario Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told Fox News Digital is the result of “decades of complete Democrat failure.” The New York Post reported that Democratic lawmakers are privately warning a crowded and “uninspiring” field of candidates could split the vote in California’s top-two primary system, allowing Republicans to advance to the two-person runoff in a state long dominated by Democrats. One Democratic state legislator described the situation as a “sh**show,” while another criticized party leadership for doing little to consolidate the field, according to the Post. Under California’s system, only the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election. Polling cited by the Post shows former Fox News host Steve Hilton leading with 17% support, followed by Bianco at 14%. Rep Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., also polled at 14%, with former Rep. Katie Porter at 12% and billionaire Tom Steyer at 9%. EXTREME SPORTS STAR LASHES OUT AT NEWSOM FOR KILLING THE CALIFORNIA DREAM: ‘WHAT HAPPENED?’ The concern comes as Democrats gather this weekend in San Francisco for their state party convention, where candidates are expected to make their case to party activists ahead of the June primary. Nancy Pelosi took to the stage as well as gubernatorial hopefuls Swalwell and Porter at Moscone Center. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa dismissed the possibility of two Republicans advancing. “At the end of the day, everybody has a right to run,” Villaraigosa told the Post. “The notion that two Republicans can win [the primary] is poppycock.” UFC CHAMPION TITO ORTIZ REVEALS HE FLED HOME STATE CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF NEWSOM’S LEADERSHIP Bianco disputed that assessment. “Yeah, so yes, I think it’s a little bit odd that they’re panicking about that, and they don’t recognize that it’s because of decades of complete Democrat failure,” Bianco told Fox News Digital. “It’s not because of a lack of a Democrat candidate, it’s the lack of a Democrat policy that they can show has helped California. The Democrat policy is indefensible in California.” Responding to Villaraigosa’s dismissal, Bianco pointed to polling trends. NO CLEAR CHAMPION OF CASH PAYMENT REPARATIONS AMONG DEMOCRATS IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE “Obviously, polling contradicts that statement,” he said. “Two Republicans have been ahead in the polls for the last six months.” Bianco said he believes voter sentiment is shifting more broadly. “California is looking for change. They are looking for honesty, integrity, transparency, and leadership,” he said. “And that is why they’re looking at me to be their next governor.” The California Democratic Party did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. It is still unclear which of the eight Democrat gubernatorial candidates will receive the party’s official nomination leaving the convention this weekend. The New York Post reported that Democrats fear vote-splitting among multiple candidates could allow Republicans to capture both top spots, a scenario that could put a Republican in the governor’s office for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger left in 2011.
Newsom weighs in on social media age restrictions, citing experience as a parent: ‘We need help’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom entered the battle over social media age limits for kids under 16 on Thursday, stating “it’s long overdue.” Newsom shared his thoughts on the issue during a news conference regarding public transportation in the Bay Area. He shared his own experience as a father, recalling a recent incident where he confronted his daughter and her friends at a birthday party. “I literally stopped everybody because there were seven of them together on their cellphone at the birthday party, not one of them talking to each other,” Newsom told reporters. FRANCE LAWMAKERS DECLARE ‘BATTLE FOR FREE MINDS’ AFTER APPROVING SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR CHILDREN UNDER 15 Seven members of the California State Assembly introduced a bipartisan bill this month to establish a minimum age requirement to “open or maintain a social media account.” “It’s long overdue that we’re having the debate we’re having now in the legislature, and I’m very grateful the legislature is taking this very seriously,” Newsom said. The bill doesn’t clarify a cutoff age. The bill cites preexisting laws that “impose various requirements on social media platforms,” including things such as requiring platforms to post terms of service, “disclose threat reporting procedures and maintain a law enforcement contact process.” JILLIAN MICHAELS: BIG TECH BUILT A DIGITAL DRUG — AND OUR KIDS ARE HOOKED Newsom also stated he recently met with leaders at the Munich Security Conference and World Economic Forum in Switzerland concerning social media. “I was overseas to meet with Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain, who’s also moving in this direction. We had a direct conversation about this. I also met with the Vice Premier of Australia,” Newsom said. “It’s something that I’m very grateful that we are debating and pursuing at the state level,” Newsom continued. Newsom later confirmed to Politico that he wants state legislation that would restrict access to online platforms for individuals under 16. Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the governor supports “age-gating rules,” inspired by rules that took effect in Australia. NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN VOTERS BACK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR KIDS UNDER 16, FOX NEWS POLL SHOWS He doubled down in a social media post Saturday, saying, “Bad news for child predators: they’ll soon lose access to kids on the platforms they use to groom them,” while taking a swipe at President Donald Trump. “As a parent, we need help,” Newsom said Thursday. “We have a generation that’s never been more anxious, less free, more stressed and we have to address this issue.” Newsom’s office and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump pulls endorsement from GOP lawmaker over alleged lack of support for administration’s tariff agenda
President Donald Trump on Saturday withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., accusing the congressman of lacking support for his tariff policies after Hurd publicly touted Congress’ constitutional authority over trade decisions. “Based on a lack of support, in particular for the unbelievably successful TARIFFS imposed on Foreign Countries and Companies which has made America Richer, Stronger, Bigger, and Better than ever before, I am hereby WITHDRAWING my Endorsement of RINO Congressman Jeff Hurd, of Colorado’s 3rd District, and fully Endorsing Highly Respected Patriot, Hope Scheppelman, to take his place in Congress,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The move came one day after Hurd cited the Constitution’s separation of powers following a Supreme Court ruling Friday limiting the president’s tariff authority, and hours after Trump announced he would raise the global tariff rate to 10% and then 15% on Saturday. The endorsement reversal marks a rare public break between Trump and a Republican incumbent. JOHN YOO: SUPREME COURT TARIFF RULING SHOULD END COMPLAINTS THAT JUSTICES FAVOR TRUMP “The Supreme Court has clarified the scope of IEEPA, and that clarification matters,” Hurd posted Friday on X. “Article I assigns Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to impose tariffs. Major trade decisions should rest on clear statutory authority, not expansive emergency interpretations.” Hurd wrote that while he shares Trump’s broader trade goals, “Strong trade enforcement must be grounded in durable legal footing.” “If tariffs are necessary, Congress should debate them and vote on them directly. That is how our constitutional system is designed to function,” Hurd said. TRUMP GIVES GRUDGING PRAISE TO LIBERAL TRIO WHO HELPED SINK HIS TARIFFS In his Truth Social post announcing the endorsement withdrawal, Trump wrote that Hurd “is one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down.” “He is more interested in protecting Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for decades than he is the United States of America,” Trump added. Trump also stressed pulling endorsements is uncommon and “difficult” for him: TRUMP REVEALS HIS ‘NEW HERO’ SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AFTER TARIFFS RULING “Taking back an Endorsement is a difficult decision for me. I have only done it once before, with a former Congressman named Mo Brooks, from Alabama… These are the decisions that must be made, however, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Earlier Saturday, Trump announced he was raising the global tariff rate from 10% to 15% following a 6-3 Supreme Court decision blocking his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). “Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday … I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff … to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump wrote. The order was issued under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing,” saying he was “ashamed” of certain members of the court. Trump praised Hope Scheppelman as a “distinguished Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, and a brave U.S. Navy Veteran, who knows the America First Policies required…” and concluded, “unlike RINO Jeff Hurd, HOPE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Fox News Digital reached out to Rep. Hurd’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Mamdani promotes NYC where ‘every family can afford a home,’ rips ICE’s ‘cruelty’ amid budget blowback
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani promoted a Big Apple “where every family can afford a home” and ripped “ICE’s cruelty and violence” Saturday as he faces criticism for proposing hiking property taxes to balance the city’s budget. Mamdani made the remarks while paying tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson at an event hosted by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. “When New Yorkers link arms with someone they have never met before and marched for the voiceless and the downtrodden, hope is alive. When New Yorkers sacrifice their precious free time in a city where every child can have the education that they deserve, where every family can afford a home in the stability that it holds, where our criminal justice system is fair and our economy is just, when New Yorkers link arms in the fight for those things, hope is alive,” Mamdani said. “Hope is the light. And we know this, that while Reverend Jackson may not be with us any longer, his purpose has not dimmed, his clarity has not faded. As we work every day towards a New York that delivers dignity for all, towards a nation that rejects ICE’s cruelty and violence, towards the stranger among us, and towards a society where compassion is not a rarity, where solidarity is not abstract, let the reverend’s words be our guide,” he added. NYC RESIDENTS SAY MAMDANI RENEGING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROMISE WITH PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX HIKE During a news conference on Tuesday, Mamdani called on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers in Albany to raise income taxes on the “ultra-wealthy and the most profitable corporations” to help close the city’s budget gap. If they do not, Mamdani warned about “painful decisions of last resort” that include a potential 9.5% property tax increase. MAMDANI TELLS ‘THE VIEW’ HE FAVORS ABOLISHING ICE This increase would affect approximately 3 million homes across working and middle-class New Yorkers. Some New York City residents now argue that Mamdani is reneging on his affordable housing campaign promises by floating potentially hiking property taxes. “You are giving only two options. You’re saying if we don’t tax the rich then I gotta increase property taxes,” one Queen homeowner, James Johnson, reportedly told WABC. “We are not a pawn in Southeast Queens. We are not part of your negotiation tactics.” Mamdani admitted that middle class New Yorkers would bear the brunt of his proposal. “This would effectively be a tax on working and middle class New Yorkers, who have a median income of $122,000,” Mamdani said. Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Trump reveals his ‘new hero’ Supreme Court justice after tariffs ruling
President Donald Trump revealed which Supreme Court justice he considers to be his “new hero” after a high court ruling rejected his sweeping tariff powers on Friday. Trump made the declaration in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday morning, a day after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to block Trump’s tariff powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). “My new hero is United States Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and, of course, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito,” the post read. “There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that they want to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” While all three justices voted with the minority, Kavanaugh wrote a fiery dissent that called the high court’s decision “illogical.” TRUMP RESPONDS TO SUPREME COURT RULING REJECTING SWEEPING TARIFFS POWERS: ‘A DISGRACE’ “As they interpret the statute, the President could, for example, block all imports from China but cannot order even a $1 tariff on goods imported from China,” Kavanaugh wrote. “That approach does not make much sense.” Kavanaugh asserted that the IEEPA “does not draw such an odd distinction between quotas and embargoes on the one hand and tariffs on the other,” but rather empowers the president to regulate imports during national emergencies using tools such as quotas, embargoes and tariffs. Trump last year bypassed Congress and unilaterally levied tariffs on nearly every country in the world by invoking the IEEPA. The president argued that an influx of illicit drugs from China, Mexico and Canada and a trade deficit that has decimated American manufacturing constituted emergencies that justified the tariffs. SCOTT BESSENT SAYS SUPREME COURT STRENGTHENED TRUMP WITH ‘DRACONIAN’ MOVE DESPITE RULING ON TARIFFS Trump, in a Friday speech remarking on the decision, praised Kavanaugh for “his genius and his great ability,” adding he was “very proud of that appointment.” Kavanaugh wrote in his dissent that while he disagrees with the court’s ruling, its decision may not “substantially constrain” a president’s ability to order tariffs going forward because of “numerous other federal statutes” that allow the president to impose tariffs. The justice added that the court’s decision may, however, have substantial interim effects. “The United States may be required to refund billions of dollars to importers who paid the IEEPA tariffs, even though some importers may have already passed on costs to consumers or others,” Kavanaugh wrote. “As was acknowledged at oral argument, the refund process is likely to be a ‘mess.’” He added that the high court’s decision could “generate uncertainty” regarding what the government has said were trade deals worth trillion of dollars with foreign nations, including with China, the United Kingdom and Japan. Trump on Saturday raised the global tariff to 15% — up from the 10% global tariff he announced Friday in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. He cited Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 in announcing the new levy.
Trump raises global tariff to 15%
President Donald Trump announced Saturday he is raising a global tariff to 15% after a ruling this week by the Supreme Court. “Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday, after MANY months of contemplation, by the United States Supreme Court, please let this statement serve to represent that I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “During the next short number of months, the Trump Administration will determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs, which will continue our extraordinarily successful process of Making America Great Again – GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!!!” In a 6-3 decision Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the president’s authority to issue sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In response, Trump announced a 10% global tariff, citing a different law. SUPREME COURT BLOCKS TRUMP TARIFFS IN MAJOR TEST OF EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWERS “It is my Great Honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a Global 10% Tariff on all Countries, which will be effective almost immediately,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday evening. The order was issued under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and applies in addition to the standard tariffs that are already in place, the president announced during a White House press briefing Friday afternoon. DEMOCRATS CHEER SUPREME COURT MOVE BLOCKING TRUMP TARIFFS – DESPITE PAST SUPPORT FOR TRADE DUTIES The high court blocked Trump’s tariffs levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in what amounts to a major test of executive branch authority. The president noted he will pursue “alternatives” to tariffs under emergency law. Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing,” saying he was “ashamed” of certain members of the court. Fox News’ Alexandra Koch, Alex Nitzberg, Jacqui Heinrich and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Trump torches ‘stupid’ AOC’s Munich showing, tees up fresh fight with progressive Democrats
President Donald Trump turned up the heat on progressive Democrats during his public remarks Thursday, including slamming New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her “horrible” efforts at diplomacy during the Munich Security Conference. “Her performance was horrible,” Trump told the media aboard Air Force One on the way to an event in Rome, Georgia, Thursday. “I was surprised, actually. I didn’t know she was stupid.” Ocasio-Cortez attended the Munich Security Conference last weekend and faced criticism for a handful of “sputtering” and “embarrassing” responses, including when she was asked, “Would and should the U.S. actually commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move?” The progressive New York Democrat delivered an answer that included a handful of pauses, punctuated by repeatedly saying “um.” BUTTIGIEG, NEWSOM, AOC TOP THREE IN NEW 2028 POLL IN KEY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE She ultimately answered: “This is, of course, a very long-standing policy of the United States, and I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point. And we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise.” Vice President JD Vance called the response “embarrassing,” while social media critics compared it to “Kamala cringe” or that she “SELF-DESTRUCTED” with her answer. Ocasio-Cortez is viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, and Trump’s sharp critique of the left-wing Democrat lawmaker set a tone for potential future campaign attacks. Ocasio-Cortez made a point to downplay 2028 speculation during the security conference. She said she joined the forum that attracts hundreds of world leaders, business titans and celebrities “not because I’m running for president, not because I’ve made some kind of decision about a horse race or a candidacy, but because we need to sound the alarm bells that a lot of those folks in nicely pressed suits in that room will not be there much longer if we do not do something about the runaway inequality that is fueling far-right populist movements.” Earlier Thursday, when Trump held the first Board of Peace meeting, he described Ocasio-Cortez as a weak representative for the U.S. on the world stage. TRUMP HITS CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN KEY BATTLEGROUND AS RACE TO REPLACE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE HEATS UP “She was unable to answer a simple question. And she could have said, ‘Well, I’m studying it, and I’ll report back to you next week.’ You know, you can get away with that. But she just went ‘uhhh.’ I think it could be a career-ending answer because, for 25 years, anybody running against her, I think Susie is going to use that, that little piece of stuff. It was not good. It was not good. That was not a natural,” Trump said. The White House told Fox News Digital Friday that “Trump is always transparent with his thoughts, and he’s right. AOC should be working on behalf of the American people instead of embarrassing our country on the world stage.” “It’s ridiculous that third-rate Congresswoman AOC decided to frolic around Munich, where no one knows or cares who she is, while New Yorkers are suffering as a result of Democrats’ shutdown, which is cutting off resources to FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard and thousands of federal law enforcement officers,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. Trump, later that day during a steel event in Georgia, took a shot at Democrats who have promoted a message of “affordability.” Left-wing Democrats such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani carried out a successful campaign in 2025 on a message of lowering costs for New Yorkers, including increasing taxes on some high earners in the state. MOCKED IN MUNICH? WHY AOC WAS A MUCH BIGGER SUCCESS THAN HER CRITICS REALIZE Trump has slammed the party for using the term, arguing sky-high inflation during the Biden era was caused by Democrat policies. Trump took aim at Democrats again Thursday for their message of affordability, claiming he hasn’t heard the media specifically promote affordability in weeks because he “won affordability.” “I added $9 trillion, and your retirement accounts and 401(k)s are at the highest level they’ve ever been. And then I have to listen to the fake news talking about affordability. Affordability. Do you notice what word have you not heard over the last two weeks? Affordability. Because I’ve won, I’ve won affordability,” he said on Thursday from Georgia. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for additional comment Friday afternoon.
Labor Dept deploys ‘strike team’ to California over $21B unemployment debt, fraud concerns
The Labor Department deployed a “strike team” to California to address federal findings of improper payments and alleged fraud within the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) program. California has been found to have a depleted UI trust fund, along with $21 billion in borrowed federal funds to keep the system running — which federal officials say has led state employers to pay higher UI taxes to repay the debt. In a statement, the department cited an 83-page California State Auditor report that determined the state’s UI system is high-risk, in part due to “inadequate fraud prevention and claimant service [in its employment development department (EDD)], as well as a high rate of overturned eligibility decisions in its Unemployment Insurance Program.” EXCLUSIVE: SENATE BILL TARGETS MINNESOTA-STYLE ‘RUNAWAY FRAUD’ TO FORCE SCAMMERS REPAY TAXPAYERS “Financial issues and potential fraud in California’s unemployment insurance program will be fully examined. The previous administration turned a blind eye toward failing Labor programs: This ends now,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said. “Immediately, we are engaging a specialized strike team to uncover any potential fraud or abuse and quickly moving to protect the American worker and taxpayers. I look forward to restoring the California UI program’s integrity and financial health.” Chavez-DeRemer added that the “strike team” will include Labor Department specialists from both its national and regional offices. The secretary also wrote a letter to the EDD, citing increasing improper payment rates, insufficient timeliness, data accuracy and quality concerns, and questions about participants’ eligibility and the use of taxpayer funds. California received about $290 billion in COVID relief, part of, part of which helped what the California Post described as “rapidly implementing expanded unemployment benefits.” FEDERAL PROSECUTOR CALLS NEWSOM ‘KING OF FRAUD’ AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CALIFORNIA CORRUPTION PROBE At least one California UI steward was convicted of using her position to file nearly $860,000 in fraudulent UI claims, while some civilians were convicted of creating nonexistent businesses to claim UI. Just prior to the strike team’s deployment, DOL Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said he found nearly $1 billion in taxpayer funds “at risk” nationwide due to COVID-related UI fraud. D’Esposito, a former NYPD officer and ex-congressman from Long Island, said in a statement that an analysis of 6.5 million prepaid debit cards used for COVID UI benefits still had $720 million loaded on them. WALZ’S MINNESOTA MESS COULD SPARK THE TOUGHEST FRAUD REFORMS IN DECADES “My office has warned that, absent swift action, U.S. taxpayers risk losing nearly a billion dollars in fraudulently obtained benefits,” D’Esposito said in a statement. “This is taxpayer money — and it demands immediate attention.” D’Esposito said fraud is not a victimless crime and that every misspent dollar is one that an actual needy family could use. “When we root out fraud, we protect taxpayers and lower the real cost of living,” he said. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom and the state Senate’s top Republican for comment.
Trump approves DC emergency declaration over Potomac sewage spill, FEMA mobilizes
President Donald Trump on Saturday approved a disaster declaration for Washington, D.C., over the Potomac River sewage disaster. The declaration will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to step in and provide assistance after a sewer line collapsed in January and dumped millions of gallons of raw filth into the water outlining the nation’s capital. “The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe,” FEMA said in a statement. FEMA’s assistance will cover the nation’s capital and the areas in Maryland and Virginia where the District of Columbia has responsibilities, the agency said. TRUMP WORRIES POTOMAC ‘WILL STILL STINK’ DURING AMERICA250 CELEBRATION AFTER MASSIVE SEWAGE SPILL A sewage pipe interceptor ruptured on Jan. 19, releasing upward of 240 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a disaster emergency over the Potomac sewage spill on Wednesday and requested federal assistance with the cleanup. Trump is worried the Potomac River will still stink when America250 celebrations kick off this summer, according to the White House. The president has directed his ire toward Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and other local leaders in Virginia and Washington, D.C., on the issue, claiming alleged incompetence led to the disaster. Moore and his office, however, have pushed back on Trump’s assertions, claiming the federal government has oversight over the sewer utility. “This is a Washington, D.C., pipe on federal land,” Moore told Fox News Digital this week. “Maryland has nothing to do with this. In fact, the only thing Maryland did was when we saw a neighbor who was in need. That’s why I ordered people, our people to go support them, and that’s what we’ve been doing the past month.” TRUMP SLAMS MARYLAND GOVERNOR, LAUNCHES FEDERAL EFFORT TO PROTECT POTOMAC AFTER HISTORIC SEWAGE SPILL “We’ve been doing essentially the federal government’s job, because it’s the federal government’s job to be able to protect the Potomac interconnector, because that’s federal land,” Moore said, adding, “For the president now to come and attack me on this, I find that to be… absurd.” The sewage pipes are managed by D.C. Water, an independent utility based in the District of Columbia, which has made emergency repairs, but says it will take four to six weeks to completely fix what’s known as a broken interceptor. This is a developing news story; check back for updates. Fox Business’ Edward Lawrence and Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
DOGE’s Medicaid data dump aims to expose fraud — but privacy and legal hurdles loom
The Department of Government Efficiency’s release of years of anonymous, open-source Medicaid data was hailed by former DOGE chief Elon Musk as a transparency win that will make fraud “easy to find.” But turning internet sleuthing into prosecutions could prove far harder for the Justice Department— and legally messy. Prosecutors and privacy experts warn the leap from anonymous tips to a courtroom case runs through three choke points: patient privacy, proof standards and the uneven quality of state-reported Medicaid data. The DOGE data will include aggregate-level information about providers, claims, and other general information, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Senior Trump administration officials have stressed that any information released will be done in accordance with federal privacy laws, in order to avoid identifying individuals or sharing private medical information. The release comes as the Justice Department ramps up healthcare fraud enforcement, particularly targeting schemes involving Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded programs. Its healthcare fraud “strike force” now operates across 25 federal districts and has brought charges against roughly 5,000 individuals, according to information shared with Fox News Digital. FLORIDA EXECS SENTENCED IN $233M OBAMACARE FRAUD THAT TARGETED HOMELESS, HURRICANE VICTIMS But before the Justice Department can chase down new leads, it may have to sort through mountains of flawed data. Information shared by DOGE in its early days may be imperfect due to its reliance on state data submitted through the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System, or T-MSIS — a system that has struggled with data quality and reporting issues that vary widely from state to state. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is actively working to improve state compliance. There are open questions as to how the federal government might seek to retroactively “claw back” Medicaid reimbursements from states, in the event fraud is detected. Others have cautioned that investigations could be hindered by new or thorny legal challenges — including privacy concerns, statute of limitations questions and evidentiary hurdles. The emphasis on healthcare fraud reflects a broader enforcement priority for Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who built her prosecutorial profile in Florida cracking down on opioids, drug trafficking, and so-called “pill mills.” That enforcement posture has translated into expanded resources for federal prosecutors, particularly within the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit. Formed in 2007, the unit has grown in scope and funding in recent years as officials confront increasingly complex and large-scale fraud schemes. The unit has benefited from the creation of its data analytics team in 2017 and the newly announced healthcare fraud data “fusion center” late last year. The center draws on DOJ’s criminal and fraud divisions, the FBI and outside agencies, including HHS-OIG, to leverage cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other analytics tools to more quickly identify and prosecute sweeping healthcare fraud in the public and private sectors, at a rate and scope that would have been unimaginable just years ago. A Justice Department official with knowledge of the unit’s operations told Fox News Digital that the effort allows prosecutors to identify so-called “outlier” providers earlier. “It’s an area of work that’s not only reactive prosecutions — but proactive prosecutions, using data analytics,” this person said. The new data analytics have been crucial to helping DOJ develop and prosecute widespread instances of healthcare fraud cases, as well as major prescription drug cases. One official pointed to the recent conviction of a California telehealth company founder and CEO who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for illegally prescribing and distributing roughly 40 million Adderall pills, a Schedule II controlled substance, over the internet using false and fraudulent information. The tools the Justice Department used in that case were critical in quickly identifying the $100 million scheme. The Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit announced the largest-ever national healthcare fraud takedown in its history in 2025, securing an estimated $15 billion in losses and forfeitures and returning a record $560 million to the public.