Blue state mayor arrested for fraud sparks uproar for not speaking English in viral clip: ‘How is this real’
The mayor of a northern Massachusetts town went viral on social media in recent days after his lawyer told reporters he doesn’t speak English when they pressed him on being arrested for COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud. Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, 61, was arrested Friday morning following an investigation into his alleged misuse of more than $1.5 million of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), a program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the CARES Act to assist struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. “He doesn’t speak English, no comment,” DePeña’s lawyer said in the clip as DePeña repeatedly smiles and said, “God bless you,” to the reporters. The clip of the exchange quickly spread on social media, prompting criticism from users wondering aloud why the mayor wouldn’t be able to answer questions in English. MASSACHUSETTS MAYOR CHARGED WITH WIRE FRAUD IN $1.5M COVID RELIEF SCHEME “OMG,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok wrote on X in a post viewed over 1 million times. “How is this real.” “‘He doesn’t speak English, no comment’ says the assistant of the mayor of an American city,” conservative radio host Mike Gallagher posted on X. “Our melting pot has completely melted.” WHITE HOUSE PUSHES ‘WATERSHED’ FRAUD-FIGHTING REFORM IN CONGRESS AS VANCE CONVENES TASK FORCE “English fluency should be a basic prerequisite for holding public office,” journalist Miranda Devine posted on X. “This is what happens when we not only import the third world, but elect the third world,” Texas Republican congressional candidate Jace Yarbrough posted on X. “Why is an unassimilated foreigner a mayor in America?” Shortly after the exchange with reporters, users on social media posted video appearing to show the car DePeña left in crashing into another parked car while attempting to drive away. Fox News Digital reached out to DePeña’s office for comment. DePeña was elected mayor of Lawrence in November 2021 and won re-election in November 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council from 2016 to 2021. “Mayor DePeña was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. “He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies. Today’s arrest is just another example of our determination to root out fraud by anyone, even public officials, and hold elected officials accountable.” If convicted, DePeña faces up to 30 years in prison. Fox News Digital reached out to DePeña’s lawyer, Carlos Apostle, for comment. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Socialists accused of ‘motor mouth’ rhetoric as longtime Dem strategist unloads on far-left candidate
Longtime Democratic pundit James Carville is firing back at recent jabs from a socialist candidate running to unseat a mainstream Democratic congressman in Tuesday’s primary elections in Florida. After Oliver Larkin told Fox News this past weekend that “it may be time” for Carville “to take a back seat, to people with fresh ideas,” the strategist who first gained national attention as one of the masterminds behind former President Bill Clinton’s 1992 White House victory shot back. Referring to Larkin, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Carville told Fox News Digital he “has the attribute of every DSA member in the country, and that is he has a motor mouth.” “He fits right in.” CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES Carville, an establishment Democrat, has repeatedly railed against high-profile victories by far-left and socialist candidates over more mainstream candidates in primaries this spring and summer, which are framed by many pundits as a battle for the party’s ideological future. “They’re a bunch of silly people… a pack of fools,” Carville said in his comments Monday in an appearance on Fox News’ “Jesse Waters Primetime.” The 33-year-old Larkin, a veteran of Sen. Bernie Sanders‘ 2016 Democratic presidential campaign, is the only DSA-endorsed House candidate running in a competitive congressional swing district. He is challenging more moderate Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in Florida’s newly drawn 25th Congressional District. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Moskowitz is backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) as well as indirectly by AIPAC, a major pro-Israel political group. Larkin, meanwhile, has support from prominent far-left figures, including controversial political streamer Hasan Piker. “Democratic socialism can win in any district, in any race, for any office all across the country,” Larkin told Fox News on the campaign trail this past weekend. He added that he was “very proud” to be carrying the “torch forward as a DSA candidate.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER And pointing to Carville and other mainstream Democratic strategists, Larkin said “they’re seeing their power over the Democratic Party establishment wane, and a new generation of leadership taking a step forward.” In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Larkin added, “I think it is very foolhardy to be excluding people from the Democratic Party that they’re going to be begging for our votes in 2028.”
Ralph Norman suggests special GOP primary runoff rival Darline Graham is the establishment’s chosen candidate
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. — the candidate going head-to-head against Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., in the South Carolina special Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff — suggested in a campaign ad that his rival is the establishment’s candidate. “The establishment has already” selected “their candidate,” he declared in the video, without naming Graham, his lone rival in the contest. “Same old playbook, same old insiders. I’m not their choice.” “South Carolina needs a proven conservative with a record of fighting for you. You shouldn’t have to guess where your next senator stands: With me, you already know,” Norman said in the ad. HOUSE REPUBLICAN SUGGESTS SEN DARLINE GRAHAM IS AN ‘ALLY’ FOR THE ‘SWAMP’ Graham and Norman, who finished first and second respectively in the Aug. 11 special GOP U.S. Senate primary, will now face each other in the Aug. 25 runoff. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham last month to fill the Senate vacancy caused by the death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. RUSSELL FRY ENDORSES EX-RIVAL DARLINE GRAHAM AFTER FAILING TO ADVANCE TO SPECIAL GOP US SENATE PRIMARY RUNOFF The new senator is backed by President Donald Trump. “To suggest Donald Trump is part of the establishment is a joke. Senator Darline Graham has built a broad coalition of conservatives across South Carolina. Ralph is a party of one: himself,” Graham campaign spokesperson Abby Zilch said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “Ralph is a fiscal conservative when it is politically convenient. He voted no on a pay raise for our troops and benefits for veterans, but when COVID money benefited Ralph, all bets were off. Darline is a MAGA fighter who will help President Trump deliver. Ralph Norman will stand in the way,” she added. MARK LYNCH ENDORSES RALPH NORMAN AS CONGRESSMAN HEADS INTO RUNOFF AGAINST DARLINE GRAHAM Norman spokesperson Brittany Yanick said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Ralph Norman is a businessman and the only proven conservative in this race. He has received wide support from conservatives including Senators Rick Scott and Mike Lee in Washington, D.C. to leaders across South Carolina, such as [former] Senator Jim DeMint and Former State Rep. Adam Morgan, among many others.” “South Carolinians shouldn’t have to guess where their Senator stands on important issues; with Ralph, they already know,” Yanick added. “His resume is his record unlike his opponent who is unknown and backed by Democrat donors. Next week, South Carolinians will vote for Ralph Norman to represent the Palmetto State for the next six years.”
Massive risk in South China Sea exposed after four-day power loss on US Navy destroyer
A U.S. guided-missile destroyer spent four days without power in the South China Sea last month after an engineering casualty involving its generators, forcing the Navy to tow the warship to the Philippines for repairs. USS Benfold lost power July 24 and was towed on July 28 to Subic Bay in the Philippines, where power was restored two days later, according to U.S. 7th Fleet. The ship reported an “engineering casualty involving its generators, causing a loss of power,” Cmdr. Matthew Comer, a spokesperson for U.S. 7th Fleet, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “There were no injuries to the crew, who demonstrated resilience, grit, professionalism and unwavering steadiness in their response.” The power loss disrupted galley services, toilets, air conditioning and potable water aboard the nearly 10,000-ton warship. CENTCOM COMMANDER TOUTS USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN MENTAL HEALTH RECORD AFTER MORE THAN 260 DAYS WITHOUT PORT CALL The guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls helped provide meals for the crew, while the strike group supported the destroyer during the casualty, 7th Fleet said. No injuries were reported. The Navy has not publicly detailed whether the casualty affected the Benfold’s propulsion, navigation, communications, sensors, weapons systems or emergency power. Those facts will help define the operational impact of the failure as the Navy investigates its cause. The ship is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, which was operating with the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group at the time of the power outage. The breakdown occurred while the destroyer was in the South China Sea, a strategically vital waterway where the U.S. Navy routinely operates with allies and partners as China presses sweeping territorial claims. The Navy has described its regional missions as part of its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The incident also left the Benfold dependent on support from the carrier strike group at a moment when USS George Washington was preparing to leave the western Pacific for the Middle East. The strike group is headed to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed since November. PENTAGON RACES TO BUY 10X MORE MISSILES AS IRAN WAR DWINDLES ARSENAL, THREATENS READINESS FOR CHINA AGGRESSION The Navy said on Aug. 14 that the Lincoln had been deployed for 266 days, including 200 days in a combat zone, and would return home as part of a planned rotation. The shift underscores the operational demands on a Navy balancing commitments in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. It is unclear whether The Benfold will rejoin the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group for its Middle East deployment after regaining power. The 7th Fleet did not immediately say whether the Benfold casualty has prompted maintenance checks or other action across the destroyer fleet. The Navy is investigating the cause of the failure. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the Lincoln’s deployment was extended because “the mission demanded it” and said the ship would return home as part of a planned rotation. Cao acknowledged that a small number of personnel had received mental health treatment and that meal plans were adjusted when fresh resupply was unavailable, while disputing broader media accounts of conditions aboard the carrier.
Corporation targeted by Brandon Gill digs in on ‘diverse workforce’ after firebrand opens DEI probe
FIRST ON FOX: A multibillion-dollar global corporation that House Republicans accused of peddling misleading claims about diversity in the workplace is sticking by its findings. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, who leads a House Oversight Committee task force on “exposing institutional abuses,” targeted consulting firm McKinsey & Company over a series of reports it released that argued diversity in the workplace led to better business and financial outcomes. “These McKinsey reports have been highly influential, being cited by publicly traded companies, asset managers, proxy advisory firms, and banking institutions, among others, as cause for embedding illegal racial and sex-based targets into hiring, promotion, executive compensation, and asset manager proxy voting policies,” Gill wrote in a letter sent Monday and first reported by Fox News Digital. A spokesperson for the company told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that it agreed with Gill “that race and gender should not guarantee outcomes,” but added, “We stand by our research on the business and economic impact of a diverse workforce.” SENATE REPUBLICAN PUSHES MERIT-BASED MILITARY PROMOTIONS, TARGETS BIDEN-ERA DEI POLICIES “We also recognize that diversity in the workplace encompasses a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. We have and will continue to follow the law in the U.S. and in the other markets in which we operate,” the spokesperson said. Gill wrote in his letter that McKinsey’s reports were “highly influential in American corporations” and provided fuel for left-wing groups pushing race and gender-based diversity goals. “With the support of the previous administration, progressive activists cited McKinsey’s reports to push companies, governments, and stock exchanges to implement rules which forced or incentivized illegal corporate racial or gender-based hiring and disclosure policies,” he wrote. NEW YORK TIMES SUED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER ALLEGED ‘DEI-RELATED’ EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION Gill also questioned whether the findings of the reports were legitimate. “Although in 2024 McKinsey stated that it ‘stands by its findings,’ other researchers have found zero statistical correlation between a company’s gender and racial diversity and its financial performance,” the letter said. “Racial discrimination in the employment context, including under the guise of DEI, has been pervasive despite being plainly illegal for over half a century.” Gill cited a 2026 White House Economic Report that said DEI initiatives cost the U.S. economy roughly $94 billion in 2023. He also pointed out that four reports published by McKinsey between 2015 and 2023 argued that companies with increased racial and gender diversity financially outperformed companies without it. “Researchers assessing the McKinsey DEI studies cannot recreate the results and also find that McKinsey likely swapped the cause and effect of its DEI conclusions,” Gill wrote. “The Executive Office of the President has identified $94 billion in annual economic costs to the U.S. economy due to promotion of otherwise illegal race and gender-based hiring practices, perhaps in part motivated by the findings of McKinsey’s DEI reports that are partially inaccurate or wholly incorrect.” McKinsey’s corporate website states, “The business case for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion is strong and growing stronger.” The website estimated that the national GDP would go up by $12 trillion if the workforce gender gap is narrowed by 2025, but no update appears to be provided. Another statistic cites $2 billion in additional revenue “if financial inclusion efforts broaden services for black Americans.” Fox News Digital reached out to Gill for comment on McKinsey’s response to his probe.
Republican AGs working together to investigate Fauci explain how states can possibly bypass Biden pardon
A trio of Republican attorneys general — Florida’s James Uthmeier, Louisiana’s Liz Murrill and West Virginia’s John McCuskey — opened a joint investigation into former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci in an effort to hold Fauci accountable at the state level despite his federal pardon. “Americans need to have confidence that the medical professionals that are giving them information during medical catastrophes like COVID, that that information is sound… Rebuilding that trust begins with holding accountable the people who caused it to be lost,” McCuskey told Fox News Digital in an interview. Uthmeier initially announced his office would launch an investigation into Fauci on July 29, shortly after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to answer any questions about his role in the COVID-19 pandemic response 111 times while testifying before a Senate committee. “In light of recent reports exposed by Sen. Rand Paul, we will investigate any and all potential violations of Florida law involving Anthony Fauci,” Uthmeier previously told Fox News Digital. FAUCI REFUSES SENATE APPEARANCE AFTER INVOKING FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES IN COVID PROBE “Our inquiry will focus on what Fauci knew, when he knew it, and how he misled the American people. We will examine the physical and monetary harms to Floridians that may have resulted from his deceptions and determine whether his conduct exposes him to liability under state law,” Uthmeier concluded. On Aug. 5, Uthmeier officially subpoenaed Fauci for documents related to awards he won, any financial incentives related to his pandemic response recommendations, and “documents concerning vaccine efficacy and boosters, natural immunity, potential adverse events including myocarditis risks, messaging strategies, and communications with vaccine manufacturers.” Both McCuskey and Murrill have joined Uthmeier’s investigation. They each explained to Fox News Digital how the partnership came about and why it was so important to them and to their constituents. FAUCI’S FIFTH FUELS VOW TO HAUL HIM INTO COURT ‘EVERY DAY’ DESPITE BIDEN PARDON “West Virginia and Florida and any other Republican states that want to work with us will be able to better overcome if we work together so that we can pool our resources and we can wade through a lot of this material,” Murrill told Fox News Digital in an interview. Murrill also revealed that her young son had an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine. “My own son developed myocarditis from the Pfizer vaccine and was hospitalized in a pediatric ICU for a week,” she told Fox News Digital. McCuskey echoed similar sentiments. “My plan here — and the reason that I jumped in — is to use the teamwork that the Republican Attorneys General Association gives us to work with General Murrill and James Uthmeier in Florida. I want my office to support them in any way that we can so that when these subpoenas come back and this investigation is completed, I can recommend to prosecutors here in West Virginia to take the same kind of actions that some of my AG colleagues can do on their own,” McCuskey told Fox News Digital. The West Virginia attorney general told Fox News Digital that pandemic restrictions forced his family retail store to shutter for four months, nearly bankrupting them. “It is very hard to explain to somebody what it means to have built something that is essentially your entire livelihood and have the government tell you you’re not allowed to open your doors,” he told Fox News Digital. “At the exact same time, my daughter, who was turning 5, was prevented from going to kindergarten. My daughter is an incredibly loquacious and energetic child who loves being around other people. She loves school and she was so excited to get started. Instead, she spent her entire kindergarten year with me in the state auditor’s office by herself doing online school. Every day, I had to watch her and my wife essentially cry because of the restrictions that these COVID mandates were causing,” McCuskey added. CAN FAUCI HIDE BEHIND THE FIFTH? GAME-CHANGING BIDEN PARDON MAY NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE COVER, EXPERTS SAY Former President Joe Biden, on his last day in office, doled out a sweeping federal pardon to Fauci which covered “ANY OFFENSES against the United States which he may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014” until the day it was issued. The pardon, however, does not protect Fauci from state charges, Murrill explained. “It doesn’t shield him from state prosecution. The president doesn’t have the power to issue a pardon for state crimes. It’s that simple. The president only had the power to pardon him for what might be federal criminal activity,” Murrill told Fox News Digital. Murrill will be looking specifically into whether Fauci lied during testimony she participated in when her state, along with Missouri, deposed him for Murthy v. Missouri, a case in which Missouri and Louisiana sued the government for allegedly collaborating with social media platforms to censor Americans’ views related to COVID-19. LEGACY MEDIA IGNORES MASSIVE ANTHONY FAUCI DOCUMENT RELEASE ALLEGING HE MISLED CONGRESS ON COVID ORIGINS “We did discover in the very beginning of the case that the federal government was pressing its own narrative. Different agencies were taking down truthful speech under threats from the federal government. Dr. Fauci was very much involved in all of that, and we deposed him for seven hours during which he mostly said, ‘I don’t recall,’” Murrill told Fox News Digital. “And so we then find out that there’s a diary, and there are now going to be contemporaneous phone and text messages. I think that it already shows that he was lying. Of course, many of us thought he was lying anyway, but I think the public is now seeing the full extent of his lies and how he said one thing privately and then turned around and said other things publicly that directly contradicted what he was saying privately,” she added. In light of the revelations coming from Fauci’s
Transgender defendant who sought to ‘kill Scott Bessent’ sentenced to more than 6 years in prison
A biological male who identifies as a woman was sentenced to 63 months (6 years and 1 month) Tuesday for a plot to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Prosecutors sought at least 10 years in prison for Riley Jane English, 25, who was identified by the Justice Department as Ryan Michael English. U.S. District Judge Rudolf Contreras sentenced English after a guilty plea to two counts related to the attempt to kill Bessent and carrying a dangerous weapon on the grounds of the Capitol on Jan. 27, 2025. “The offense is very serious,” said Contreras, adding that “Miss English” was concerned with “trans rights” and came to the Capitol with a folding knife and two small Molotov cocktails, “which probably would not have ignited.” ARMED MAN ARRESTED AT US CAPITOL BARRICADE AS POLICE PROBE WHY HE DROVE ONTO RESTRICTED GROUNDS Contreras said English is a 26-year-old trans woman who has many physical and mental health issues which were exacerbated by drug usage. The calculation for the sentencing range was 97 to 121 months, and Department of Justice prosecutor Brendan Horan asked for a sentence at the top end of the suggested range, but Contreras, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said he believed the range was too high. “No one was harmed,” the judge said Tuesday. “The plan was basically impossible to succeed, and she turned herself in before it came anywhere near fruition.” Contreras also noted that the probation department recommended a sentence of 60 months. English has served roughly 20 months in prison already and will get credit for that time served, as well as three years of probation after the sentence. INTERROGATION VIDEO SHOWS TRANS KILLER’S CALM CONFESSION TO AMBUSHING PARENTS OVER GENDER TRANSITION BATTLE “My office will not tolerate attempts to intimidate or harm public officials that strike at the heart of our democratic process and are antithetical to the values we all depend on,” U.S. Attorney Pirro told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The defendant is now a convicted felon and is headed where he belongs: prison.” English wore an orange jumpsuit and glasses, with mid-length blonde hair. “I love my country, I love my family, and I live my life; I never wanted to hurt anyone,” English told Judge Contreras before the sentence was delivered. “At times I can’t explain the mental state that I’m in. “I’m sorry for the fear I caused the country and my family,” English added. “I have a lot on my plate with an upcoming surgery. I want a chance to work and start a family of my own. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get sober and get right in my mind.” English pleaded guilty March 26 to unlawful receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm and carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY SCRAPS CONTROVERSIAL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER WHO CRITICIZED CHARLIE KIRK AFTER HIS MURDER “I was going to kill Scott Bessent,” English told police, who repeated the question back, asking, “Kill Scott Bessent?” “Yes, sir,” English confirmed. Prosecutors, led by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, sought a “total sentence of 121 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.” Pirro rejected the defendant’s argument for a lighter sentence for a transgender mental health issue as a “young transexual woman who has experienced trauma and suffering from the day she was born.” English, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, “had been thinking about this for a while because of Luigi Mangione,” according to a statement to police, prosecutors said. The defense team requested that English be placed in a female prison. Contreras said he would pass the request to the Bureau of Prisons. “You’ve had a very difficult life with a lot of challenges,” Contreras told English. “You’re young, you still have a significant portion of your life. Good luck to you.” The Justice Department said English traveled from Massachusetts to the Washington area Jan. 27, 2025, intending to kill a government official or burn down a Washington think tank. English ultimately focused on Bessent, who was being confirmed by the Senate that day as President Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary. “Our system of justice depends on public officials being able to carry out their duties free from intimidation and fear,” Pirro wrote in a statement announcing English’s guilty plea in March. “This defendant’s threats crossed a clear legal line, and today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to protecting those who serve. Anyone who threatens violence against government officials will be identified, charged, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” At about 3:12 p.m. ET on Jan. 27, 2025, English approached a U.S. Capitol Police officer near the South Door of the Capitol and said, “I’d like to turn myself in.” English told the officer about a knife and two Molotov cocktails. Police found a folding knife, two 50-milliliter Absolut vodka bottles with gray cloth attached to the tops and a lighter, according to court records. Investigators later found additional vodka and material matching the cloth used in the incendiary devices inside English’s vehicle. English told investigators that the original targets included House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and that English had also considered burning down the Heritage Foundation, according to court filings. The target shifted to Bessent after English saw him on television while stopping at a library in the Washington area. English told police that a clip of Bessent discussing the federal minimum wage had sparked anger. “He said it with a smile on his face and that got under my skin,” English told investigators, according to court records. English allegedly admitted to going to the Capitol intending to wait for Bessent but abandoned the plan after seeing the security presence and realizing other people could be harmed. Police also recovered a handwritten note in which they said English had written, in part, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters,” according to the Justice Department. “Im so sorry for
WATCH: Letitia James told ‘do her f—ing job’ by Republican enraged by inaction on antisemitic crimes
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., unleashed a profanity-laden demand on New York Attorney General Letitia James for what he characterized as a failure to prosecute rising antisemitic hate crimes in the state. “The Attorney General of the State of New York, Letitia James, needs to actually do her f- – -ing job,” Lawler said in response to the recent attack on a Jewish synagogue. “Which means prosecute antisemitic hate crimes.” Lawler was questioned on the rise of antisemitism in New York during a campaign endorsement event with local law enforcement leaders. MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT, HATE CRIMES AFTER ALLEGEDLY DISRUPTING SHABBAT SERVICES AT NYC SYNAGOGUE “Rather than running around doing whatever the hell she does, where she plays politics every day, maybe she can actually focus on what her job is,” the Republican lawmaker continued. “Which is to ensure the safety and well-being of New Yorkers as the chief law enforcement officer in the state of New York.” The comments come just days after a Bronx man burst into a Manhattan synagogue last week during Shabbat services, assaulting a congregant and a member of the synagogue’s security team. “I saw her statement she put out the other day, decrying what happened,” Lawler said. “Great.” James, Trump’s biggest legal foe who targeted him in New York prosecutions during the time between his first and second terms, released a statement condemning the assault, calling it “appalling and unacceptable.” The New York Attorney General’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. TRUMP BACKS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER TO OUST LETITIA JAMES AMID ONGOING MORTGAGE FRAUD FEUD “Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Lawler said in response to James’ statement. “Stop releasing these people on cashless bail. Start going after criminals who jeopardize the safety and well being of law-abiding New Yorkers. That’s what needs to happen here.” The suspect Larry Montes, 46, was arraigned Saturday night with his bail set at $10,000 cash and $30,000 in bonds. He was charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime. Anti-Jewish attacks made up more than half of all hate crimes committed in New York City, an 8.5% increase on antisemitic hate crimes in the city since last year, according to New York Police Department (NYPD) officials. “We have seen a rapid rise in attacks on places of worship,” Lawler said. “We have seen a rise in antisemitic hate crimes — people being attacked for practicing their faith.” Lawler also claimed during the event that over 90% of antisemitic hate crimes are not prosecuted in the state of New York. NY ASSEMBLYMAN CALLS FOR DOJ TO INVESTIGATE MAMDANI, PROTECT JEWISH NEW YORKERS AFTER STABBING ATTACKS Both Lawler and James are up for re-election, seeking another term in their respective roles serving New York. The groups endorsing Lawler at the campaign event include the Police Conference of New York, Port Authority PBA, Rockland County PBA, New York State Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement groups.
Longtime GOP aide defects to Dem rising star as Texas Senate battle for Cornyn’s seat heats up
Following his bombshell primary defeat in May, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is facing another blow as his longtime aide is crossing the political aisle to work for the Democrat candidate running to replace him in the upper chamber. Former Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, backed by President Donald Trump, is running against Democrat state Rep. James Talarico in a crucial midterm election race that will decide the future of Cornyn’s seat and could determine control of the Senate. Jacob Smith, who worked for Cornyn for five years as a deputy legislative director and policy advisor, signed up to work on the Senate campaign for Talarico. The news was first reported by NOTUS and confirmed by Fox News Digital. WHAT OUR LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN THE TEXAS SENATE SHOWDOWN REVEALS Cornyn lost his re-election bid in an expensive and bitter primary runoff against Paxton earlier this year. The clash between the two Texas titans shaped up as a fight between the Republican establishment versus Trump’s MAGA and America First supporters. The general election face-off in red-leaning Texas between Talarico and Paxton is one of roughly a dozen that will likely decide if Republicans hold the Senate majority or if Democrats win back control of the chamber. Instead of Smith opting to join the replacement Republican for Cornyn, he defected to back the Democrat running for the seat. “I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign,” Smith wrote in a statement. “Instead of playing partisan politics, Talarico speaks to the needs of everyday people who day in and day out work too hard for too little.” Democrats haven’t won a Senate election in Texas in nearly four decades, but they view Paxton as vulnerable because of the slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered him over the past decade. And Paxton is dealing with a messy divorce, with his wife citing “biblical grounds” based on “recent discoveries” in filing last year to end their marriage. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES And Smith took aim at Paxton in his decision to bolster Talarico’s campaign, charging that the former AG “is the most corrupt, self-dealing politician in Texas who would sell their futures to the highest contributor just to hold onto power.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Paxton campaign for comment, but didn’t receive a response at time of publication. Cornyn has repeatedly noted since his runoff defeat that he would support the party’s nominee, saying, “I’ve always supported the Republican ticket, and I intend to do so again in this general election.” DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB The cross-party switch by Smith is considered rare, and his addition to Talarico’s team may potentially help the Democratic nominee as he reaches out to Republicans who may not be thrilled with Paxton as their party’s nominee. The most recent Fox News poll in the Texas Senate showdown, conducted late last month, indicated Talarico holding a slight 51%-48% edge over Paxton among registered voters. The survey suggested that Paxton had yet to fully unite Republicans. While virtually all Democrats supported Talarico (98%), fewer Republicans were unified behind Paxton (89%). Meanwhile, the latest Fox News Power Rankings, released on Tuesday, shifted the Senate race in Texas from Lean Republican to toss-up.
Antisemitism fight explodes in Florida as voters head to the polls: ‘Political pogrom’
A Republican primary race in Florida has exploded over accusations of antisemitism as one far-right candidate espouses openly anti-Jewish tropes and references to Adolf Hitler. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., the lone Jewish Republican in Florida’s congressional delegation, is being targeted for his religion by a long-shot rival challenging him in the GOP primary for the Sunshine State’s 6th Congressional District. “This is an open Nazi who transported himself from Las Vegas to Florida in order to target me. This isn’t an organic campaign. It’s an organized pogrom against the Jews. It’s a political pogrom,” Fine told Fox News Digital of Dan Bilzerian’s campaign on Tuesday. TLAIB UNDER FIRE FOR WORKING TO UNSEAT TWO JEWISH HOUSE DEMOCRATS IN FLORIDA: ‘NO COINCIDENCE’ It comes as voters across Florida vote in primary elections that will set up key matchups between Democrats and Republicans ahead of the November midterms. Fine, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, has attracted multiple GOP challengers in his fight for his first full term in the House. But none have generated backlash like Bilzerian. “District 6 understands the Jewish problem,” he captioned one post on X that appeared to show a campaign gathering. Last week, he posted what appeared to be an AI-generated video to X that alluded to Hitler in a positive manner while depicting Fine with horns growing out of his head, another antisemitic trope that was infamously used in Nazi Germany to spur hatred of Jews. DEM CANDIDATE’S ZIONIST CASTRATION RANT SPARKS FIRESTORM AS PARTY LEADERS REWRITE NARRATIVE TO TARGET GOP Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., told Fox News Digital in response on Tuesday, “Dan Bilzerian is running for Congress on a Nazi platform. That’s not hyperbole. His own campaign ad celebrates Hitler, draws horns on Jews, and calls a sitting Jewish Member of Congress a problem to be solved. That’s absolutely insane, disgusting, and the clearest, textbook version of antisemitism.” “I don’t agree with Randy Fine on much, but that’s exactly the point. When someone runs for the United States Congress on Jew-hatred, every one of us, Democrat and Republican, has an obligation to say so out loud, no matter who’s on the other end of it,” Gottheimer said. Fine told Fox News Digital of Bilzerian’s campaign, “I’ll be honest, never in my wildest nightmares did I think I would start the week with a swastika painted on one of my yard signs and end the week with a video from a Republican congressional candidate with horns coming out of my head.” He also said, “They’ve spent, we believe, $6 or $7 million. And I think there’s a much bigger story that needs to be explored when this is all over about the influence of direct foreign investments in political campaigns. They’ve spent millions of dollars in the race of unreported money.” FORMER BERNIE SANDERS OFFICIAL ACCUSES SENATOR OF PUSHING MOST ANTISEMITIC CANDIDATES ‘IN A GENERATION’ There is no evidence as of now that foreign investors funded Bilzerian’s campaign. But the degree of antisemitism has drawn condemnation from both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. “The vile attack ads against Congressman Randy Fine in Florida’s 6th District are disgusting and should be condemned by all political leaders on the Right and Left,” Johnson said in a statement. Jeffries said, “The hateful campaign being run by Daniel Bilzerian in Florida is blatantly antisemitic and shocks the conscience. People of goodwill, regardless of political affiliation, must reject his vile attacks on the Jewish community.” Gottheimer was also part of a group of Jewish House Democrats who said that while they do not agree with Fine’s positions, Bilzerian’s “grotesque” video “has no place in America.” Fine is widely expected to win his primary on Tuesday and is favored to win his seat in November.