Ilhan Omar’s sister skips book tour event amid week of chaos following raid on progressive’s DC home
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The older sister of embattled Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who is currently on a book tour promoting a memoir about her life as a Somali immigrant, skipped a scheduled event amid the fallout from the raid on the congresswoman’s home. As Omar faces a federal government probe related to potential immigration fraud as well as a separate investigation into her financial disclosures, Sahra Noor was scheduled for a book tour stop at the University of Minnesota Rochester on Thursday night. Noor, who came to the United States as a refugee alongside Omar and other family members in the 1990s, was reportedly subpoenaed in relation to the immigration investigation into her sister. She currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya, according to her LinkedIn page, but is on a worldwide book tour promoting her recently-released “Salt in the Snow: A Somali Immigrant Story.” ILHAN OMAR’S HUSBAND INSISTS HE HAS ‘NO CONCERNS’ AMID FEDERAL IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATION Fox News Digital reached out to Noor for comment but did not hear back at time of publication. According to a flyer, which was posted on Facebook by Rochester-based bookstore Garden Party Books, the event was scheduled for Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. It was set to be held at the Intercultural Student Center at the University of Minnesota Rochester. When Fox News Digital arrived for the event, the space was completely empty. Fox News Digital had previously RSVP’d for the event via a QR code on the flyer and did not receive any communication that the vent had been canceled, rescheduled or relocated. Neither the University of Minnesota Rochester nor Garden City Books returned Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Noor’s absence from the book your stop comes amid rumors that Omar fled the United States following the raid earlier this week. While the congresswoman has not been seen in public since Monday’s raid, her husband snapped when asked outside the home on Wednesday whether he had a response to the rumors that she fled the country. The flyer said that Garden Party Books, along with the University of Minnesota Bookstores and the Rochester Public Library, were “proud supporters” of the event. It also described Noor as a “poet, storyteller and health system leader,” and said the book is a “story of migration, motherhood, grief and family.” According to Noor’s website, her book was officially launched during an event in a Nairobi bookstore on Aug. 13, 2026. She appeared in early September at a festival in Cape Town, South Africa to promote her work. OMAR RAID DRAWS OMINOUS WARNING FROM VANCE AS HE BLASTS PROGRESSIVE REP’S ‘RAGE’ TOWARD AMERICA Now, she is touring in the United States. Noor held an Oct. 1 event in Minneapolis, and another five days later at the University of Minnesota. She hosted an event in St. Paul, Minnesota on Oct. 7. Her next scheduled event is at the Somali Community Cultural Innovation Hub in Seattle on Oct. 23. Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the leading investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), executed a search warrant on Omar’s home starting at around 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning. ILHAN OMAR’S HUSBAND SNAPS OVER RUMORS SHE FLED US AFTER FEDERAL IMMIGRATION FRAUD RAID Fox News Digital first reported Monday that the raid stems from an investigation into whether Omar or her late father, Nur Mohamed, fraudulently filled out her citizenship paperwork decades ago. The investigation, two sources noted, could lead to the congresswoman’s denaturalization. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Omar’s phone, passport and computers were seized in the raid. Omar has described the search as an “outrageous abuse of power” and called it an “unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies.”
Democrats call for gun control after Oregon school shooter reportedly uses shotgun purchased by his mother
Several high-profile Democratic lawmakers renewed calls for gun control after a teenager broke into an Oregon elementary school Thursday and fatally shot three children and a teacher before being killed by an armed bystander. Sen. Ron Wyden, who has represented Oregon in the Senate since 1996, made one of the most explicit calls for tighter gun laws following the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, where the 16-year-old attacker used his mother’s shotgun, according to The Associated Press. “The best way to honor these victims is to at long last pass common-sense gun laws that reduce the risks of more children, parents, teachers and staff forced to live in fear of similar nightmares for their schools,” Wyden said in a statement. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., said Thursday night that “the epidemic of gun violence in schools across America must come to an end.” GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING SUSPECT COLT GRAY CHANGES PLEA TO GUILTY, NOW FACES LIFE IN PRISON “No parent should have to wonder if their child will come home at the end of the day,” Bonamici said. “Children deserve to feel safe — and be safe — in school.” Democratic Rep. Janelle Bynum represents Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Bend. She attended a nighttime vigil for the teacher and children — aged 5, 8 and 11 — who were killed in the shooting. “When are we going to step up and say enough of killing our babies? When are we going to say that we need safe schools, that we need to make sure that people who should not have firearms don’t have them? When are we going to stop making excuses? When are we going to practice that same bravery that that bystander had?” Bynum told KTVZ 21, a local NBC station in Bend, at the event. Statements from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and the state’s Democratic governor, Tina Kotek, stopped short of calling for new regulation on guns, but both made it clear gun violence should have no place in American schools. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS CONTROVERSIAL ILLINOIS BAN ON SEMIAUTOMATIC GUNS Democrats outside of Oregon appeared a bit freer to express support for going further on gun control, especially in the early aftermath of the shooting, which also left another child, 7, and a teacher, 54, critically injured. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said the gun reforms Congress passed after the Uvalde school shooting — including enhanced background checks for buyers under 21 — did not go far enough. “Much more must be done. Not a single child should be lost to gun violence. Ever,” Heinrich said in a statement posted to social media. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who supports federal red-flag laws and universal background checks, had a similar message. “No family should ever have to suffer like this—and there have been over 50 school shootings just this year,” she wrote on social media. “Congress must do much more to prevent gun violence.” DOJ TARGETS SPANBERGER, NEWSOM GUN LAWS WITH TWIN LAWSUITS AFTER SCOTUS AFFIRMS SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS The reactions from lawmakers came as authorities in Bend continue to piece together how the deadly attack unfolded and how the teenage gunman obtained the weapon he used. Police said they did not know if the shooter knew anyone at the school or if he had attended when he was younger. The first emergency call came at 12:59 p.m. from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at multiple times by someone carrying a long gun, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said Thursday. Dispatchers then received dozens of calls reporting that a shooter had entered the school. Officers arrived within three minutes of the first emergency call. Moments later, an officer reported that a “community member” had shot the teenage suspect. Silver Rail Elementary School, which is about 125 miles southeast of Portland, has a total of 467 students this academic year. It serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade. After the shooting, students were bused to a nearby church that served as a family reunification center, where relieved parents embraced their children and walked them to their cars, some carrying stuffed animals and other comfort items they had brought from home, The Associated Press reported. The Bend-La Pine school district canceled classes, sporting events and extracurricular activities Friday across all 32 of its schools. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump’s Capitol Hill whisperer reveals secrets to president’s dealmaking as he heads for exit
EXCLUSIVE: There are few people in the United States who have more significantly shaped the course of American history over the last two years, while remaining as little-known as James Braid. Millions of Americans across the country may not be familiar with the name, but in Washington, D.C., Braid is hard to miss both literally and figuratively. At 6 feet, 6 inches tall, he cast a tall shadow during his days at the White House and on Capitol Hill pushing President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. And that shadow has been responsible for helping push numerous legislative successes for Trump over the finish line, from rolling back Biden-era policies to passing Trump’s signature tax policy bill, until Tuesday — which marked Braid’s last day as director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. The “stock-in-trade” of the job, he told Fox News Digital in a rare interview, “is cautious optimism in the face of all odds.” From the outside, being Trump’s whisperer on Capitol Hill does not look like an easy job, particularly when the president is known to personally call out lawmakers who oppose his agenda. Recently, for example, he publicized the personal phone number of Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., over his opposition to a bill making daylight saving time permanent. TRUMP DROPS REPUBLICAN SENATOR’S PHONE NUMBER IN SOCIAL POST OVER FURY ON STALLED BILL But Braid insisted that Trump’s people skills ultimately meant those dust-ups came out of the wash and lauded “his extraordinary capacity to have a tough conversation one day and play a round of golf the next.” “There’s always a give-and-take in any relationship with a legislator, and sometimes there’s a give as a result of, you know, tension,” Braid said. “But you know … one errant Truth [Social post], or one critical Truth, does not a relationship make.” But some Republicans’ relationships with the president never seemed to recover, like in the case of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has no love lost with Trump. Braid said the key to working with people was always being straightforward about what the White House wants. “We’ve been able to be honest brokers and deliver for a lot of these members in different ways,” he said. But Trump’s presence still looms large in Congress whether he’s there in person or not. A senior administration official familiar with Braid’s work told Fox News Digital that ultimately, “No one speaks for President Trump except for President Trump.” The official said Trump is known to be “hands-on at every critical legislative juncture” that pushes his agenda forward. And Braid revealed that he keeps tabs on certain votes, as well. “He always wants to know how people are voting after every major vote. He knows where people are,” Braid said, adding that Trump “ultimately knows that Republicans in Congress overwhelmingly vote with him.” But Braid admitted he has faced long odds over his last two years, particularly with the vast tax-and-policy package nicknamed the Big, Beautiful Bill. MILLIONS TAP TRUMP TAX CUTS THIS FILING SEASON AS REFUNDS TOP $3,400 He recalled sitting in his office one day, “I looked at the quad on the TV, and every single chyron is some variation of ‘GOP megabill in trouble.’ And yeah, I mean, there’s certainly, at every moment, it was tenuous. At every moment, the thread was fraying.” One specific scenario he recalled took place at Sterling Golf Club in Virginia, where he, Trump, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and then-deputy chief of staff James Blair were meeting with Senate Republican holdouts on the legislation. GOP FISCAL HAWK SOUNDS ALARM ON ‘OUT OF CONTROL’ FEDERAL SPENDING, SAYING ‘BOTH PARTIES HAVE FAILED US’ “We’re sitting there with [Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.], [Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.], [Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.], me, Blair, Russ and the president, and they’re bringing out these heaps of food,” Braid recalled. “I think there’s something like four pizzas on the table and maybe 22 hot dogs for five guys, none of them were eating. And it’s just, I mean, we, I think we argued about the administration’s overall funding strategy for two hours as the afternoon wore on.” Ultimately, however, the bill passed the House and Senate — for which Braid credited both administration officials and congressional leaders. “The level of commitment that was there and present from the leadership across the Republican Party to get this thing done, basically willed it into being,” he said. He referenced the day Trump signed the bill when asked about his best day on the job over the last two years: “I would say July 4th in the White House with my son and the speaker of the House in the summer sunshine, watching the president sign the most significant piece of Republican domestic policy legislation.” Top congressional leaders hailed Braid as a critical champion of the GOP agenda. “James is a total pro and one of House Republicans’ greatest teammates,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said. “He took the time to get to know our members and master the unique dynamics of the House Republican Conference.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., called Braid a “tremendous partner” for his conference. “I’m grateful for his dedicated service to our country, and I wish him and his family all the best with their next chapter,” Thune said. Vought called Braid a “lion for the president in delivering his agenda on the Hill.” And Vice President JD Vance, who hired Braid as his legislative director before both ascended to the White House, told Fox News Digital that he is “incredibly brilliant, effective and a hard worker without compare.” “He has been with me since the start of my Senate term, where he was with me for every fight and brought his talents to the president’s second term, where he has played a central role in every single policy effort since,” Vance said. Now that he is departing, the senior administration official who spoke with Fox News Digital said they expect Braid
Former Border Patrol chief recalls Biden migrant surge chaos as Trump crackdown delivers historic turnaround
President Donald Trump’s border crackdown has sharply reduced the illegal crossings that overwhelmed agents under former President Joe Biden, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting Thursday historic lows in apprehensions and a full fiscal year without Border Patrol releasing migrants into the country. For retired Yuma Arizona Sector U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol Chief Chris Clem, the turnaround stands in sharp contrast to days when his agents could not pick up migrants fast enough and the consequences spilled into neighborhoods, farms and local businesses. “They just started walking through the agriculture fields. They started running through town,” Clem told Fox News Digital, recalling the surge in December 2021. “They started going to the food bank. They started knocking on people’s doors at all hours of the nights.” TRUMP ADMIN MARKS 15 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH ZERO BORDER RELEASES AS APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE 94% But while Clem said he credits stronger enforcement and the prospect of deportation with helping drive the decline, he warned that the gains could face another threat — a political shift in Washington. “There are a lot of policy decisions that can be really jammed up by a Congress that’s gung-ho to overturn what this president has done,” said Clem, who warned that changes in congressional control could complicate enforcement through funding decisions and policy restrictions, while a future presidential administration could pursue broader reversals. Preliminary DHS figures released Thursday show Border Patrol recorded 98,708 southwest border apprehensions in fiscal year 2026, roughly 95% below the annual average of more than 1.8 million during the Biden administration. That translates to about 270 apprehensions a day across the southwest border, compared with roughly 5,000 using the department’s Biden-era annual average. In Yuma alone, Clem recalled daily arrivals climbing from roughly 25 in December 2020, to more than 1,000 by December 2021. During a particularly difficult three-day stretch that month, he said, daily arrivals approached 1,500. TRUMP HITS DRAMATIC MILESTONE IN MASSIVE DEPARTURE FROM BIDEN BORDER PLAN: ‘WHAT A DIFFERENCE’ Weather problems and a shortage of resources compounded the strain, leaving agents struggling to transport people from the border, he said. “That was really when it, you know, was the most critical for me because we had the true community impact of a failed border security policy out of Washington, D.C.,” Clem said. His agents remained committed to the mission, he said, but the volume was overwhelming. “The agents, their heads were in the right place. They knew they had to do the job,” Clem said. “But when you’re outnumbered, literally 100 to one, it’s very difficult.” The new DHS figures put an entire fiscal year of southwest border apprehensions below half the 249,740 recorded during the Biden administration’s single busiest month. DHS also said September marked the 17th consecutive month without Border Patrol releasing migrants into the country, completing what it described as the agency’s first full fiscal year with zero releases. DHS TOUTS MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DEPARTURES AS BORDER CROSSINGS DROP 94% UNDER TRUMP Clem said the prospect of being released had given smugglers a powerful selling point during the previous administration. “If you get to the border, you’re gonna be processed, and you’ll be let go,” he said, describing the pitch. He argued that changing that expectation is central to discouraging illegal crossings. “They know that they’re not gonna be processed and released, which was the status quo under the Biden-Harris administration,” Clem said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE’S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY He credited a combination of personnel, infrastructure, technology and consequences for illegal entry, rather than any single measure. The enforcement effort also extends beyond the border itself. Clem said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations inside the country add another layer, making clear that getting past Border Patrol does not eliminate the possibility of arrest and removal. “When you combine the strong border posture, as well as the strong and robust interior enforcement, it’s a recipe for success,” he said. Border czar Tom Homan pointed to that interior enforcement push Thursday, saying ICE had recorded its highest single-day deportation total since Trump returned to office. TRUMP DHS HITS 16 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH 0 RELEASES AT THE BORDER “We are deportation-maxxing—firing on all cylinders while still expanding our capabilities to ramp up removals beyond current record-breaking levels,” Homan wrote on social media. Homan said he visited ICE Air Operations in Alexandria, Louisiana, to observe removal operations, including a flight returning Haitians he said had criminal records involving aggravated assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, battery and other offenses. He also said ICE conducted more removals in September than in any other month, though his post did not provide totals or specify the comparison period. Fiscal year 2026 figures were still being finalized, he said. The ICE removal figures measure a separate part of the immigration system from Border Patrol apprehensions and releases. “President Trump promised the American people a secure border, and the data proves he delivered,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement announcing the border figures. “The results could not be clearer: strong enforcement works.” Still, Clem cautioned that lower numbers do not eliminate threats from smugglers or people trying to evade detection. “There are always gonna be that risk where somebody does sneak through. Who is that person?” he said. He argued that mixed political messages can also give smugglers an opening to lure people into dangerous journeys with promises that U.S. policies will change. “When our policies aren’t clear and transparent, and we’re not holding ourselves accountable, it’s a marketing tool for the smuggling organizations,” he said. For Clem, the distinction between debating immigration policy and maintaining border security is essential. “We have an immigration issue we need to address,” he said. “We need to find a way to retain and recruit those that are here, that are foreign nationals that want to contribute.” “But none of that should matter when it comes down to securing the border,” Clem added. “We should
Illegal alien busted allegedly hauling enough fentanyl to potentially kill state’s entire population — twice
An illegal immigrant pulled over for speeding in Nevada allegedly had enough fentanyl in his truck to kill millions, federal prosecutors say. Francisco Joel Garcia Farias, 26, now faces federal drug-trafficking charges after a Lincoln County sheriff’s deputy stopped his pickup on a rural highway and a narcotics detection dog alerted to the vehicle, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Inside, authorities say they found 13 large storage totes packed with approximately 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl and 677 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, a combined haul of more than 700 pounds. CALIFORNIA K-9 OTIS HELPS POLICE SEIZE 440 POUNDS OF COCAINE DURING ALHAMBRA TRAFFIC STOP “The massive scale of this seizure underscores the staggering volume of illicit narcotics flowing into our communities from transnational criminal organizations,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Fourteen kilograms of fentanyl alone represents approximately seven million potentially lethal two-milligram doses — enough to kill more than twice the population of Nevada — and, when combined with over 650 pounds of methamphetamine, represents an estimated street value of approximately $2 million,” Chattah said. AS A US ATTORNEY, I SEE FENTANYL’S HORRIFYING TOLL UP CLOSE. CONGRESS MUST ACT NOW Based on that lethal-dose estimate, the fentanyl could potentially kill nearly twice the population of Los Angeles, everyone in Indiana or roughly the entire population of Paraguay. “These staggering quantities reflect a blatant disregard for human life, driven purely by profit,” Chattah said. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF FENTANYL DEALING LINKED TO VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL OVERDOSES The Justice Department identified Garcia Farias as an illegal immigrant in its announcement of the charges. The bust began Oct. 13 on U.S. Highway 93 near Ash Springs, Nevada, where a deputy saw the pickup traveling above the posted speed limit, according to prosecutors’ account of the criminal complaint. HERO K-9 SNIFFS OUT HIDDEN $6M COCAINE SHIPMENT ALONG US-CANADA BORDER After the dog alerted, deputies searched the truck and uncovered numerous vacuum-sealed packages inside the totes. Authorities recovered approximately 187 packages of a white crystalline substance weighing about 307.22 kilograms, along with 13 brick-shaped packages weighing approximately 14 kilograms. Field tests of selected samples were positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl, respectively, prosecutors said. DOJ ANNOUNCES 81 ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS INDICTED AFTER PUERTO RICO DRUG TRAFFICKING TAKEDOWN U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the seizure kept a potentially deadly drug supply off American streets. “Anyone who plans to release a deadly drug like fentanyl onto American streets will be prosecuted,” Blanche said. “Thanks to the diligent work of federal and local law enforcement, the lethal drugs allegedly possessed by this illegal alien are no longer endangering the lives of countless Americans.” CBP OFFICERS SEIZE $67 MILLION IN ILLEGAL DRUGS AT SAN DIEGO BORDER PORTS, DHS SAYS The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Task Force partners. “The suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine seized in this case represent an extraordinary threat to public safety,” said John A. Condon, executive associate director of HSI. “Through close coordination with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our Homeland Security Task Force partners, HSI will continue to identify, investigate and hold accountable those who profit from poisoning Americans and endangering our communities,” Condon said. Lincoln County Sheriff Derek Foremaster credited his deputies’ traffic enforcement and the trained dog with uncovering the suspected narcotics. DOJ TOUTS HUNDREDS OF GUN, DRUG ARRESTS AS ST LOUIS SURGE OPERATION ENDS: ‘VIOLENCE IS NOT INEVITABLE’ “The allegations in this case underscore the serious threat illicit narcotics pose to rural communities and the traveling public,” Foremaster said. “I am proud of the vigilance and professionalism demonstrated by our deputies, whose proactive traffic enforcement and trained K-9 deployment led to the identification of suspected narcotics and a coordinated response with Homeland Security Investigations.” Garcia Farias is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life on each count, followed by five years of supervised release, according to prosecutors.
Personal jabs, billionaire donors and party loyalty fuel heated Maine Senate debate
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson clashed over billionaire donors, party loyalty and working-class voters Thursday night as their fourth debate took a notably personal turn. In the debate’s top moments, Jackson needled Collins over whether she had meaningfully pushed back on Republican-led decisions she disagreed with. Collins defended her record and questioned whether Jackson would stand up to his own party when pursuing the best interests of Maine. COLLINS INSISTS SOCIALIST RIVAL WON’T BEAT HER AS MAINE’S MONEY MACHINE: ‘YOU’LL LOSE BIG TIME’ When a heckler interrupted the debate and began shouting about data centers and climate change, Collins said the man was “obviously one of Troy’s supporters.” “Oh shut up,” Jackson shot back. “I don’t even know that kid.” Near the beginning of the night, Collins questioned whether Jackson had really kept campaign promises to reject billionaire donors that aligned themselves closely with his and other Democratic campaigns, noting FEC contribution records that seemed to clash with those assurances. “And as far as the billionaires that I might have on my campaign, that is accurate,” Jackson admitted. “But I haven’t … “ Jackson paused for a moment as members of the crowd gave an audible reaction to the admission. MAINE DEM SEN CANDIDATE’S ‘WORKING CLASS’ CRED SHREDDED BY BOTH PARTIES WHEN INTERNET SEES LATEST ‘CRINGEY’ AD “I haven’t made any deals like Senator Collins has with those billionaires,” he continued. “I’m going to tax those billionaires when I get to the U.S. Senate.” Jackson did not specify what agreements he was referring to. WATCH: MAINE’S JACKSON ADMITS HAVING BILLIONAIRE DONORS DESPITE PROMISING TO REJECT THEIR MONEY: Collins also faced questions about her independence from President Donald Trump. At one point, the moderator asked her to identify an instance when she had defied the president and changed the outcome of a decision. Collins cited her opposition to the confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who faced scrutiny during his nomination over his qualifications and allegations about his personal conduct. “At one point, I had organized people to vote against Secretary Hegseth. As you undoubtedly have read, at the very last minute, one of our Republicans changed his mind. Otherwise, he would have been defeated for that job,” Collins said. Jackson countered that Hegseth was ultimately confirmed despite Collins’ opposition. “Senator Collins likes to have it both ways. I mean, the reality is that 100% of the time when Donald Trump needs her, Susan Collins is going to be there. That has happened time and time again,” Jackson said. FORMER OBAMA ADVISOR TELLS DIVIDED MAINE DEMOCRATS TO ‘GET OVER YOUR S—‘ AND WIN THE RACE Meanwhile, Collins pointed to what she described as a “major difference between Troy and me. I vote very independently … I am the most bipartisan member of the Senate.” And referring to Jackson, Collins said, “We don’t need more people who are going to vote a straight party line.” Jackson defended his own independence by pointing to clashes with Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills during his tenure in the state Senate. “How can I be a rubber stamp with my very own governor — a Democratic governor — vetoing 40 of my bills?” Jackson asked. Jackson had repeatedly challenged Collins over her voting record in their three prior debates. Collins disputed his characterization of her record, arguing that he had overstated how frequently she sided with Trump. “You have heard Troy say that I vote with the president 92 or 94% of the time; that takes only a third of the votes. If you look at 90% of the votes, you will find that I vote with him 72% of the time, not 95% of the time,” Collins said. The debate took a personal turn near the end when Jackson, a former logger, questioned whether Collins looked down on him because of his working-class background. “You know, you said consistently that I don’t have the experience. You just said it tonight that I wouldn’t be able to do the things that you do. Growing up as a working-class person, I have all kinds of experience,” Jackson said. “And so, I guess, you know, what I’m curious about — is it just me that you look down on, or is it working-class people overall?” Collins rejected the accusation and pointed to her own working-class roots. “Troy, I do not look down on you or on anyone. I grew up in Caribou. My first job was picking potatoes,” Collins said. “I have worked since I was age ten, literally since I was age ten. I have enormous respect for all the people of Maine.” The debate came as Collins and Jackson entered the home stretch of the campaign ahead of Maine’s Nov. 3 general election, with control of the U.S. Senate at stake.
Personal attacks fly as Sullivan, Peltola spar over corruption, character and controversy
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and former Rep. Mary Peltola traded blows Thursday night in the final debate of a Senate race that has surprised some political observers with how close it has become. The latest Fox News Power Rankings rate Alaska’s Senate race as a “toss-up,” meaning neither party has an edge. Alaska has historically favored the GOP, though the party’s margin of victory has narrowed in recent cycles. Sullivan and Peltola clashed over energy costs, the Iran war, Social Security reform, healthcare policy, military spending, allegations of misconduct and fish, among other topics, but a handful of exchanges stood out from the rest. GOP SENATOR, EX-HOUSE DEM EMERGE FROM ALASKA’S ‘JUNGLE PRIMARY’ DESPITE FAR-LEFT MEDDLING Throughout the debate, Peltola attacked Sullivan for being a D.C. insider and using his position to enrich himself and his allies. Sullivan attempted to rebut her claims by pointing to Peltola’s extensive lobbying career after her time in office, accusing her of cashing in by selling influence. “My opponent keeps talking about corporate greed again; she defines the rigged system in D.C.,” Sullivan said. “There’s nothing more rigged than a member of Congress getting fired and then immediately walking through the revolving door to cash in. She made almost half a million last year as a D.C. lobbyist selling her knowledge of D.C. She did it when she left the state legislature; she set up a lobbying firm.” “You’re walking through the revolving door so much, you must be getting dizzy up here,” he quipped. Peltola responded by saying that her lobbying work was done to benefit Alaskans and highlighting how Sullivan has gotten wealthier since coming to Washington. “Dan’s been in D.C. for 12 years and gotten richer every single one of those years. That’s the corruption that Alaskans are really sick of, and that’s the corruption that I’ll fight against. Dan went to D.C. with $3 million. He now has $8 million,” she said. “Dan’s doing just fine watching out for himself.” After Peltola responded to a question about how she would work to improve affordability for Alaskans if elected to the Senate while appearing to read from a piece of paper, Sullivan questioned whether she had received a copy of the debate questions in advance. “Here’s a moderator question, we weren’t supposed to get these questions beforehand, were we?” Sullivan asked. “No, sir,” one moderator responded. “Neither one of you got questions beforehand,” the other moderator said. “Absolutely not.” CARVILLE MOCKS DEM CANDIDATE STAFFERS AS ‘WEAK’ AND ‘SOFT’ FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT TREATMENT TO NEW YORK TIMES “I’m just watching my opponent read questions that seem to be answered,” the senator said. After Sullivan brought up a New York Times report airing complaints from anonymous staffers alleging that Peltola physically and verbally mistreated her employees, the Democrat lashed out at the incumbent senator, prompting moderators to interject. “Look, my opponent has been telling lies throughout this entire campaign, and it’s revealed character challenges. But it’s not just the lies. Take a look at how she treats Alaskans when the cameras are off,” Sullivan said. “Look at that New York Times story. She treats young Alaskans horribly. 25 staffers quit on Mary Peltola because she abused them physically and emotionally, and then she slanders every other group — African Americans, special needs individuals. It is a character flaw of my opponent.” Sullivan’s statement prompted Peltola to attempt to cut him off, calling the reports “gossip” and “unfounded.” “Let’s have some decorum here,” a moderator said, after Peltola began to interrupt Sullivan, who was speaking past his allotted time. Though Peltola’s campaign disputed several of the allegations, including claims that she used slurs and shoved a young staffer, her spokesman said some of her behavior came during a period of extreme grief after the deaths of her mother and husband in 2023. DEM SENATE HOPEFUL RACKED UP HUNDREDS OF MISSED VOTES DURING STOPS AT MULTIPLE TAXPAYER SERVING JOBS SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Another heated moment came after Sullivan accused Peltola of blocking pay for members of the armed services over access to transgender medical procedures. “My opponent did vote against our military, did vote against pay raise for our troops, because she wanted more transgender surgeries for our troops. I mean, that is an outrage,” the senator said. “I need to rebut that, that is absurd,” Peltola interjected. “Yeah. I think that Alaskans have had it up to here with the lying and the dishonesty. Dan, you should be ashamed of yourself for propagating these lies,” the Democrat responded. “The first time I voted on the NDAA, there was trick language in there that would have prohibited our soldiers from getting health care that they needed if they were not stationed in a state that didn’t allow for women’s reproductive health care. I’m not doing that to our soldiers. But three other times I voted hard yes, in support of our troops.” Near the end of the debate, each candidate was asked to say one nice thing about their opponent. “Well, my wife invited Mary to attend my Marine Corps retirement ceremony after 30 years, and they honored me, but they honored my wife and daughters more than anybody at my retirement ceremony … and Mary Peltola attended, so I thank her for that,” Sullivan said. “Yeah, that was a lovely, lovely service. And I was so proud to be there. And one, you know, three wonderful attributes of Dan and Julie are their lovely daughters. So that’s three lovely things I can say about Dan and Julie,” said Peltola.
Trump admin sued over alleged illegal collection of sensitive voter data from 47 states
The Trump administration is being sued over its efforts to collect and analyze sensitive voter data from across the country. The complaint, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, alleges the Department of Homeland Security has obtained voter files from at least 47 states and handled the data in a way that violates federal law. DHS’ secretive probe of the voter data, which includes a policy to combine it with commercial datasets, ignores federal safeguards and the privacy rights of millions of Americans, the lawsuit says. The case was brought by the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the League of United Latin American Citizens and is the latest legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat noncitizen voting. STATE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS SHARING PASSPORT RECORDS FOR VOTER CITIZENSHIP CHECKS The president has purported repeatedly argued that noncitizen voting poses a serious threat to election integrity, although studies and prosecutions have found documented instances of noncitizens casting ballots to be rare. The administration has repeatedly sought a greater federal role in voter eligibility and election administration, areas traditionally overseen primarily by states under the Constitution and federal law. Federal courts have repeatedly rejected administration efforts to compel states to turn over voter information. The new lawsuit alleges the administration has obtained and processed voter records from at least 47 states, even though officials in 30 states have previously refused federal demands to turn over voter information. The complaint urges the court to declare the administration’s collection of voter data illegal, block DHS’ policy and order the agency to delete and stop using the voter information it has already obtained. The lawsuit comes less than three weeks before Election Day, and the administration continues to pressure states, alleging they are not doing enough to purge noncitizens from their voter rolls. TRUMP SCORES SUPREME COURT WIN IN ELECTION INTEGRITY FIGHT AS STATES GAIN NEW VOTER ROLL TOOL The administration sued California election officials on Thursday, arguing they failed to act quickly enough to review names the federal government identified as “likely” noncitizens. The Justice Department asked a judge to block the state from counting mail-in ballots from those individuals unless their eligibility can be confirmed. The California secretary of state’s office said it was given only 48 hours to review roughly 20,000 names and said the federal government had not provided the underlying evidence or methodology supporting its claims. The Justice Department’s lawsuit, however, says U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services conducted a “multiagency and multilevel review” and determined with “high confidence” that roughly 20,000 people on California’s voter rolls were likely noncitizens. DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Democrat’s debate ‘cue cards’ steal spotlight in high-stakes Senate clash
Alaska Democratic Senate hopeful Mary Peltola faced ridicule Thursday night after her use of notecards during a debate with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan drew mocking responses from GOP critics — including a pointed jab from her incumbent opponent. Sullivan is in an unusually close race with Peltola, a former congresswoman, that is further complicated by another candidate with his same name but a different middle initial, as Republicans fight to hold their narrow Senate majority. “Really, Mary? Reading off a script? You can’t cue-card your way through the Senate,” Sullivan wrote on X after Peltola appeared to have a notecard-sized paper with bullet points that she looked down at for several seconds while responding to earlier questions. GOP SENATOR, EX-HOUSE DEM EMERGE FROM ALASKA’S ‘JUNGLE PRIMARY’ DESPITE FAR-LEFT MEDDLING The criticism quickly became a flashpoint in the candidates’ debate-night exchanges, with Republican commentators seizing on Peltola’s apparent use of prepared notes. “Mary, blink twice if you are okay. It seems you can’t string a sentence together without reading from the talking points your Lower 48 handlers wrote you,” NRSC official Joanna Rodriguez posted on X. Another social media user took aim at Peltola’s apparent reliance on notes even while discussing personal details. “Mary Peltola can’t read her name or that she’s a grandmother without needing a cue card,” the user wrote, adding a laughing emoji. After Peltola appeared to read from her card another time, Sullivan cut in that he had a question for the moderators. ‘THEY WERE SPYING’: SULLIVAN SOUNDS ALARM ON JOINT RUSSIA-CHINA MOVES IN U.S. ARCTIC ZONE “We weren’t supposed to get these questions beforehand, were we?” he asked the debate moderators. “No, sir,” Alaska’s News Source reporter Wil Courtney replied. “Absolutely not,” added Alaska Public Media chief editor Lori Townsend. “OK,” Sullivan said. “I’m just watching my opponent.” Peltola defended herself, interjecting that she was better “prepared.” The Republican Party’s research arm hit back on X, highlighting a clip of Peltola appearing to read from her card: “Mary Peltola — who did not introduce a single bill to help Alaska fisherman during her first term in Congress — has to read off of a script when talking about Alaska’s fishing industry,” the party tweeted. The debate also turned personal when Sullivan confronted Peltola over allegations that she mistreated former staffers, citing reporting by The New York Times and claiming that 25 employees had quit while working for her. Peltola rejected the allegations as “outright fabrications or mass exaggerations of the truth,” arguing that the election should not be about her “worst day.” The heated exchange prompted moderators to call for decorum and warn that microphones could be shut off if the candidates continued interrupting one another. Sullivan maintained that the allegations reflected a pattern of behavior, while Peltola accused her opponent of exploiting the controversy for political gain. The candidates also faced questions over Alaska’s long-discussed liquefied natural gas pipeline after moderators reported South Korea had not committed to investing in the project despite President Donald Trump’s public promotion of a potential deal. Sullivan defended the administration’s efforts, arguing Seoul had committed funding through a broader trade agreement while acknowledging that the specific investment amount remained under negotiation. DEM SENATE HOPEFUL VOWS TO UNLEASH ALASKA OIL — BUT HER RECORD TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY Peltola also expressed support for the pipeline but cautioned against raising expectations without firm commitments, saying Alaska should not be “promoting falsehoods that just have no substance.” Both candidates emphasized the project’s economic potential, although the exchange exposed uncertainty over whether promised foreign investment would materialize. Peltola previously became the first Democrat in decades to represent Alaska in the House after the death of Republican Rep. Don Young, and her Senate candidacy again carries potentially sweeping statewide and national repercussions. “Last debate Dan Sullivan copied Mary’s answers, this debate he got mad that she was too prepared. He’ll say and do anything to distract from his record of voting for the war in Iran and raising costs on Alaskans,” an Alaskans for Mary spokesperson told Fox News Digital following the debate. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The showdown comes as Republicans fight to defend their narrow Senate majority, with Sullivan’s seat emerging as a major Democratic pickup opportunity in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2024. The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up, making Alaska one of several battlegrounds that could determine which party controls the chamber in January.
‘Oh, shut up!’: Democrat snaps at Collins after heckler drives Maine Senate debate off the rails
A protester interrupted the final debate between Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson in Maine, triggering a heated exchange after Collins suggested the demonstrator was a Jackson supporter. The interruption came amid a debate that saw the candidates trade fire over numerous issues. The race between Jackson and Collins, who is seeking a sixth term representing the blue-leaning Northern New England state, is a top flip opportunity for Democrats as they try to win back the Senate majority from Republicans in the midterm elections. The latest public opinion polls indicate a race within the margin of error between Collins and Jackson, a one-time logger and former state Senate president. The latest Fox News Power Rankings rate the race as a toss-up, as do leading nonpartisan political handicappers the Cook Political Report, Inside Elections and Sabato’s Crystal Ball. DEMS SEE NEW CHANCES TO FLIP SENATE SEATS BUT GOP’S MASSIVE CASH ADVANTAGE AN OBSTACLE The protester, who interrupted Collins as she spoke, yelled out, “I’m terrified. AI data centers are destroying our climate. They are poisoning our water.” “30 years for what?” the demonstrator shouted, referring to Collins’ tenure in the Senate. As security escorted the protester out of the debate hall, Collins suggested the man was a Jackson supporter. “So, this is obviously one of Troy’s supporters,” Collins said. Jackson quickly fired back, “Oh, shut up, I did not — I didn’t, I don’t even know who that kid.” Another heated moment came a few minutes later when each candidate was able to ask a question of the other. Jackson, who grew up in rural northern Maine in the same county as Collins, asked, “What I’m curious about — is it just me that you look down on, or is it working-class people overall?” DEMOCRATS THINK A BLUE WAVE IS BUILDING – HERE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT COULD STOP IT The senator shot back, “Troy, I do not look down on you or on anyone. I grew up in Caribou. My first job was picking potatoes.” As he works to oust Collins from the Senate, Jackson has repeatedly tried to anchor the senator to President Donald Trump, who has seen his approval ratings in Maine and across the country drop further underwater. “The reality is 100% of the time when Donald Trump needs her, Susan Collins is going to be there,” Jackson claimed. But Collins pointed to what she described as a “major difference between Troy and me. I vote very independently. … I am the most bipartisan member of the Senate.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER And referring to Jackson, Collins said, “We don’t need more people who are going to vote a straight party line.” Collins and Jackson spent much of the hour-long debate trading fire on issues, including the Iran War, immigration, rising fuel prices and electricity rates, budget deficits, Supreme Court reform, dark money in politics, an assault weapons ban and climate change. Collins used the debate, the fourth between the two candidates over a two-week period, but the first with a live audience, to once again showcase how her Senate seniority has helped her deliver federal funding for Maine. Meanwhile, Jackson used the showdown to position himself as an outsider who understands the struggles and frustrations of working-class voters. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Jackson won a special nominating convention in late July to claim the party’s Senate nomination, which was left vacant after primary winner Graham Platner ended his campaign following allegations he raped a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the allegations but dropped out. Jackson, who earlier this year unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, had campaigned alongside Platner during the primary campaign. Collins, who is the only GOP senator seeking re-election in a state Trump lost in the 2024 election, has a history of surviving Democratic efforts to unseat her. Six years ago, she trailed Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, the Maine House speaker at the time, but Collins won re-election by nearly nine points while former President Joe Biden carried the state by a similar margin. Fox News’ Jessica Sonkin contributed to this report.