Trump DHS chief under fire from conservatives after immigration speech ignites backlash
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is facing a conservative backlash after reaffirming his opposition to amnesty in a social media post, with critics arguing the hardline message contradicted comments he made hours earlier during an immigration speech in Oklahoma. Hours after speaking at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City, Mullin wrote on X: “NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever.” “We are a nation of laws,” he wrote. “If you are illegally present in the United States of America—you will be detained and deported. Period.” The post did little to quell criticism from some conservatives, who argued it conflicted with remarks Mullin made earlier in the day. RED STATE GOVERNOR PUMMELED ONLINE AFTER DEFYING TRUMP’S DEPORTATION ORDERS “Why were you at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting today saying the exact opposite of what you are posting now?” one user wrote on X. “Did you suddenly radically change your mind about America’s immigration policy in the past couple of hours? Or are you a liar?” Former Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino also criticized Mullin’s remarks, writing on X that “Voters asked for mass deportations. Clear demand. High priority. No ambiguity.” He added, “The guy running DHS is making the case for ‘immigration reform.’ We’ve seen this script before.” In a separate post, Bovino wrote that Mullin had delivered “a masterclass in how to give terrible answers during a single interview” and argued, “Now you know why we’re not getting mass deportations.” Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck also weighed in, calling Mullin’s remarks “a total betrayal.” During the event, Mullin argued the U.S. needs immigration reform, distinguished between immigrants pursuing legal status and those who are not, and called for changes to some employment visa programs to address labor shortages. “We haven’t had actual immigration reform since 1959. There’s a reason. It’s political,” Mullin said. “Do you really need immigration reform? Yes, you do.” BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FORCED A FALSE CHOICE ON AMERICANS ABOUT IMMIGRATION Mullin also argued the country should modernize some employment visa programs. “If we’re looking to grow our economy, then we need to look at making more permanent solutions,” he said, adding that “there’s a way to utilize labor where we’re not having the participation rate we need to… and we can plug those holes.” At the same time, Mullin repeatedly emphasized that immigration laws must be enforced. “If you have a criminal background, we’re not making exceptions for you,” he said. “There are zero exceptions.” Mullin added that immigrants who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas without pursuing legal status could not expect relief. “There’s nothing I can do for you,” he said. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
GOP Rep Max Miller pushes back against abuse allegations: ‘I have nothing to hide’
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, went live on X Sunday morning, denying allegations from his ex-wife that he abused her and their daughter. “I’m not getting out of this race, and I’m winning in November,” Miller said at the end of an X livestream statement with pictures of his family in the background. Miller said his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has documented mental health circumstances that might have led to her allegations after their public divorce. “They frame me as an abuser,” Miller said, saying there is “no evidence” against him. “No court or agency has even substantiated any allegation against me,” he added. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated.” Miller released troves of evidence via Dropbox that he says undermines the allegations against him. “I have nothing to hide,” he said. Faced with a narrow path to winning control of the U.S. House, Democrats are seeing fresh opportunity in a northeast Ohio congressional seat where the Republican incumbent is facing mounting pressure over allegations that he abused his ex-wife and daughter in a bitter and drawn-out dispute with his former spouse. Allegations against Miller, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, have been public for years but have recently drawn increased media scrutiny amid an escalating legal back-and-forth with his ex-wife. That has Democrats sensing Miller could be vulnerable in a district he won two years ago with just over 51% of the vote. Over the past week, they have called for Miller to resign, requested a congressional ethics investigation and suggested more help could be directed in the fall toward his Democratic opponent, union ironworker Brian Poindexter. Miller has denied the abuse allegations and filed defamation lawsuits against his ex-wife and a second accuser. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Trump demand puts vulnerable Republicans in impossible spot ahead of midterms
Republicans are sounding the alarm that President Donald Trump’s demand to cancel August recess could cost the GOP seats in the midterms. As the upcoming jailbreak from Washington, D.C., fast approaches, Trump’s most-prized legislative push remains stalled. He wants Republicans to stay put until it’s finished, but the political reality says otherwise. And it comes as Republicans are desperate to get out of the Beltway and sell their accomplishments, rather than their shortcomings, to voters on the campaign trail. The GOP has more to lose than Democrats this cycle, too, with three vulnerable incumbents and a handful of others on the periphery. REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP’S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY ‘DEAD’ IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS “Canceling August recess, where we have to have our members out campaigning and connecting with their voters, and people not understanding that, is about as tone-deaf as telling everybody to stay home in 2020 when we lost [Kelly] Loefler and [David] Purdue,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “It’s the same sort of thought process,” he continued. “It’s thinking that one branch runs this country and it doesn’t. If we don’t keep majorities, people are gonna regret it.” Several of Tillis’ colleagues, however, disagree, and want the Senate to stay put until the SAVE America Act passes, be it through the party-line budget reconciliation process or by nuking the filibuster. GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN Trump’s pressure, the online zeitgeist and the political hot potato of the situation have put incumbents in a tough spot: go home and admit defeat, or stay put and push legislation that so far has not gone anywhere. For many Republicans, they openly acknowledge that it’s a math problem in the Senate — the GOP does not have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act. Some argue that keeping the Senate in town likely wouldn’t change the minds of those who oppose it. “If it would make a difference in the outcome, I’m fine with that, but it won’t make a difference, which I don’t believe it will, that it’s an act of futility,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. TRUMP UNLOADS ON CORNYN, TIES AG NOMINATION FIGHT TO BITTER TEXAS PRIMARY Both Cornyn and Tillis are retiring — Tillis opted to get out during the tumultuous period that was passing the “big, beautiful bill,” and Cornyn was kneecapped by Trump, who backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over him in a grueling primary battle. But Cornyn noted that if he was still running for office, he might have a change of heart. “I don’t know how that would come out, but if I was running for re-election, I would vote to stay,” he said. Cornyn’s point is the line that some vulnerable Republicans are toeing. Two Republicans running in tight races, Sens. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told Fox News Digital that they have been voraciously pushing for the SAVE America Act. But, Sullivan said that he didn’t want to comment on the president’s push to cancel recess, while Husted said it was always preferable to be back in Ohio with his constituents. “But I also have a job here, and if the job requires me to be here, then I’ll be here,” he said. Others in less tight races who support the legislation still understand the reality in the upper chamber: without changing the minds of a cohort of Republicans who have voted against it and flipping several Democrats, the SAVE America Act is going nowhere. “I think to cancel the whole recess would be a problem, but I think to keep us up here another week or 10 days, certainly, I’m willing to do it. I’d stay here till November if I thought it would change things,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. But he acknowledged that coming home empty-handed was a problem, too. “The base would be mad if we don’t make the best effort possible to get this voter ID across the finish line,” Marshall said.
Inside the behemoth Smithsonian museum network drawing fire from the Trump administration
The Smithsonian Institution, whose museums in Washington, D.C., have come under fire from conservatives and President Donald Trump over what they describe as increasingly left-wing messaging, is the world’s largest museum complex, comprising a sprawling network that spans the country and influences millions of people each year. Founded in 1846 with funds from the will of British scientist James Smithson, who never visited the United States but left his fortune to establish an institution “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” the Smithsonian steadily grew from a single museum into the world’s largest museum, education and research complex. Today, the Smithsonian owns or leases nearly 700 facilities across eight states, Washington, D.C., and Panama, encompassing roughly 13.6 million square feet of museums, laboratories, archives, warehouses, research stations and support facilities. The organization now houses more than 157 million artifacts and specimens, operates 21 museums along with the National Zoo and 14 education and research centers, maintains 21 libraries, and partners with more than 200 affiliate museums and cultural institutions nationwide. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Visitors see only a fraction of the Smithsonian’s overall collection. Roughly 99% of the Smithsonian’s more than 157 million artifacts and specimens are kept in storage facilities, laboratories and archives, where they are preserved and studied by researchers. The Smithsonian as a whole welcomes over 30 million in-person visitors each year, while its educational resources and digital platforms reach millions more. The institution operates on an annual budget of more than $1 billion. The Smithsonian isn’t just a museum operator, it’s effectively a national education and research institution that has a vast reach across school campuses nationwide as it helps shape the educational experience of the nation’s students. GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SMITHSONIAN CHIEF URGED MOVING BEYOND ‘AMERICA FIRST MENTALITY’ Through initiatives like the Smithsonian Learning Lab and Smithsonian Science Education Center, the institution provides millions of free lesson plans, classroom activities, virtual field trips and other educational resources used by teachers and students nationwide. It also offers professional development for educators and educational programming that extends well beyond its museums. On college campuses, the Smithsonian is actively involved in partnering with schools across the country on internships, fellowships, research collaborations and joint academic programs which put the organization in touch with thousands of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students each year. Earlier this month, the White House released a sweeping report warning about an alleged infiltration of leftist politics inside the Smithsonian, a report an expert told Fox News Digital is an example of the “long march through the institutions” that socialist and communist activists have been pushing in the United States for decades. “That shift from history to activism is clearly documented in this report. Anthea Hartig, NMAH’s director since 2019, has explicitly stated that she sees history as a ‘prime tool of social justice’ and one of her roles as connecting ‘research and scholarship to activism and advocacy,’” the White House report stated. Last week, President Trump ordered his administration to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to what the White House describes as “accurate” information about the nation’s past, guaranteeing that the controversy over the Smithsonian’s cultural influence will remain a topic of conversation for months to come.
Vulnerable Democrat warns party to ‘fight back’ against growing socialist movement
A senior House Democrat is urging his party to push back against the growing socialist wing that’s been gaining influence in recent years. “I don’t ascribe to any of those ideas at all, and I think that there’s very little support for those ideas,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital in an interview. He compared the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to the House Freedom Caucus, a group on the rightmost flank of the House GOP, while denouncing the DSA’s use of the word “democratic” in its name — implying its ideals were mostly socialist in nature. “Much like the Republicans have had to deal with the Freedom Caucus, the Democrats are going to have to deal with this group,” Suozzi said. “I don’t like the idea of them using ‘democratic.’ I think that we should be, as the Democratic Party, should be fighting against that and saying, ‘You know, you shouldn’t be using the word democratic… that’s us, that’s not you.” RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DSA AGENDA DOESN’T PLAY WELL OUTSIDE ‘UPPER WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN’ It comes as DSA-linked candidates are making significant inroads in primary elections across the country, even defeating incumbent House progressives in New York and Colorado. HOUSE REPUBLICANS AIM TO TURN DEMOCRATIC CIVIL WAR INTO MIDTERM WEAPON And as Republicans work to capitalize on a burgeoning civil war within the party, Suozzi warned fellow Democrats to take the perception of a DSA takeover seriously. “I try not to waste my time on worry. I try to take action. So I just say very clearly, ‘That’s not me and that’s not us, and this is why that’s not us, and that’s why this is not me.’ And I fight back against it,” Suozzi said. “And there are a lot of Democrats who say, ‘Oh, if you look at it, it’s just a very small percentage in very deep-blue seats. And it’s not that big a deal.’ I think that’s wrong to just discount it like that. I think you just come out head-on, and take it on and say, ‘These guys are wrong. We’ve got nothing to do with them.’” 100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY Suozzi himself is part of an ever-shrinking group of moderates on both sides of the aisle. He’s also co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which is dedicated to finding legislative solutions that both parties can get behind. The New York Democrat is one of Republicans’ top targets in the coming midterm elections, and his November victory would be key to Democrats taking back control of the House. Suozzi’s district, anchored in the wealthy Long Island suburbs outside of New York City, was won by President Donald Trump in 2024. He told Fox News Digital that Democrats should not focus on running against Trump the person, but rather argue about his specific policy actions. “Your grocery prices are higher, your fuel prices are high, your health insurance costs are higher. Your energy bill is higher. Your kids can’t buy a house — all these different factors. And that’s happening because of this administration,” Suozzi argued. “I think it should be less about Trump himself. You know, when I say it should be a referendum on Trump, it should be a referendum on this administration’s performance addressing the things in your life.” Meanwhile, Republicans have argued that a Democrat-controlled House will embolden the party’s socialist wing to take control and push policies that are unpopular with Americans. In the Empire State, for example, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has become a prominent boogeyman for the right. Suozzi said the tactic “would be effective” if he had not distanced himself from the socialist’s policy platform early on. “He’s a very smart guy, he’s very charismatic,” Suozzi said. “I just fundamentally disagree with his positions on things.” But it’s not enough to speak out against the socialist left, Suozzi warned. “I started a thing called The Promise to America, where I’ve got now 10 members of Congress signed onto it. We’re in the process of getting 200 state and local officials,” he said. “We’ve identified 10 candidates, Democratic candidates, to sign the pledge that says ‘We’re capitalist, not socialist. We’re for safety, not lawlessness. We’re proud, not ashamed of America, and we’re mainstream, we’re not extreme.’ So we’ve just got to organize, we’ve got to do the work necessary.” Suozzi is running against Republican former state lawmaker Mike LiPetri, whom Trump endorsed to flip the seat red.
Louisiana becomes latest state to launch Fauci investigation following explosive Senate hearing
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Saturday that her office will investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci, days after the former top health official invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a contentious Senate hearing. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times during Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing and declined to answer lawmakers’ questions. Murrill shared a Fox News Digital story on X noting that, despite receiving a federal pardon from former President Joe Biden, Fauci could still potentially face prosecution under state law. CAN FAUCI HIDE BEHIND THE FIFTH? GAME-CHANGING BIDEN PARDON MAY NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE COVER, EXPERTS SAY “Fauci lied,” Murrill wrote. “Louisiana and Missouri deposed Dr. Fauci. At the time, he claimed to not recall many key details of his own actions and now we are discovering contemporaneous records he kept.” “Louisiana will join Alabama & Florida in investigating Fauci and whether he committed any other offenses that could be pursued in our State courts,” she added. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also weighed in, writing on X, “As someone who was Attorney General alongside Eric Schmitt, and deposed Dr. Fauci, I am happy to have Louisiana join Alabama and Florida!” FAUCI’S FIFTH FUELS VOW TO HAUL HIM INTO COURT ‘EVERY DAY’ DESPITE BIDEN PARDON Louisiana is the latest state to announce an investigation into Fauci. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Thursday that his office would investigate Fauci following the Senate hearing. Uthmeier previously told Fox News Digital that “any and all potential violations of Florida law” are under review. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., also told Fox News Digital that Fauci’s federal pardon does not shield him from potential state prosecutions because presidential pardons apply only to “offenses against the United States.” REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: WHY FAUCI’S 111 FIFTH AMENDMENT PLEAS COULD END UP BEFORE THE COURTS “Anthony Fauci is responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Alabamians,” Tuberville said. “The ‘pardon’ signed by Joe Biden’s autopen doesn’t apply to state-level crimes.” Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, said that if elected he would explore ways to pursue state charges against Fauci while encouraging Alabamians to pursue civil claims. “When I’m governor of Alabama, I will look into ways we can hold Fauci accountable for all of the Alabamians who died under his watch.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Fauci’s attorney for comment. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Democratic socialist headed for $142K legislature salary begs for rent handout, deletes post after backlash
A Democratic Socialist expected to coast to victory in a deep-blue Queens state Assembly district is facing questions after briefly asking supporters to help cover his rent and grocery bills while waiting to take office. Brian Romero, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 34th Assembly District, removed a GoFundMe campaign Friday after the New York Post inquired about the fundraiser, which sought $2,000 to help with living expenses. Romero said he left his job as a senior adviser to state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez earlier this year after receiving ethics guidance once he became a candidate for Assembly, according to the Post. While he handily won June’s Democratic primary and faces no Republican challenger in November, Romero said he has exhausted his savings while searching for consulting work and has been unable to collect unemployment benefits. SHOCKING PERCENTAGE OF DEMOCRATS IDENTIFY AS ‘DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS’ ACCORDING TO NEW POLL: ‘TOXIC POLICIES’ “As many of you know, I had to leave my full time job in the legislature when I got on the ballot for our Assembly race,” Romero wrote on the since-deleted fundraising page, according to the Post. “I’m excited that we won and I saved for months to get by but I’ve now depleted my savings as I’m close to closing down some consulting gigs.” The fundraiser said the money would help cover rent and groceries while he navigated the transition to elected office. According to the Post, the page had raised more than $1,000 from 13 donors before Romero removed it Friday. The online appeal drew criticism because Romero is expected to easily win the heavily Democratic district, where he would earn the state Assembly’s $142,000 annual salary once sworn into office, in addition to legislative per diem payments while the Legislature is in session. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST IN HOT SEAT AGAIN OVER DELETED POSTS PRAISING COMMUNISM, MARXISM: ‘CRAZYPANTS’ Jordan Libowitz, vice president for communications at Citizens for Ethics in Washington, told the Post he could not recall another instance of a lawmaker-elect publicly asking for financial assistance while awaiting office. Romero told the newspaper he removed the fundraiser after discussing it with friends and described creating it as “a mistake.” He also said he did not keep any of the money that had been donated. “I decided to take it down. It was kind of done pretty quickly in consultation with some friends,” Romero told the Post. Instead, Romero said friends offered to help him financially while he looked for work. “I have friends I just reached out to directly who said, ‘We’ll take care of it.’ They’re just dear friends who know me, they know politics. They know sometimes these long breaks are really tough,” he told the newspaper. State payroll records cited by the Post show Romero earned $106,469 last year as a legislative aide. The newspaper also reported he lives with his partner in a Jackson Heights apartment that rents for about $2,600 a month. Romero did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump says he ‘disagrees 100%’ with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro over Reflecting Pool case
President Donald Trump publicly broke with his top local prosecutor Saturday, insisting damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was “a pure case of VANDALISM” despite federal officials citing contractor failures as they moved to dismiss a felony case against a former U.S. Olympian. “I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I don’t know what she was thinking?” Trump’s remarks came one day after Pirro’s office asked a federal judge to dismiss a felony destruction of property charge against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the landmark after allegedly pulling up a loose section of its protective lining on June 19 despite being told by a National Park Service employee to stop. “To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass, which had a big 86 47 emblazoned in giant letters on it, and other elements of the surrounding area,” Trump continued, referencing a separate vandalism incident that had occurred about a week earlier. U.S. Park Police previously discovered the numbers “86 47” etched into the grass near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The phrase has become a politically charged slogan directed at Trump. Supporters of the president, including Trump himself, have argued it amounts to a call for his assassination. WHO IS DAVID HEARN? US OLYMPIAN WHO DENIES VANDALIZING REFLECTING POOL AFTER VIRAL ARREST Pirro’s office dropped the charges against Hearn on Friday after concluding that reports disclosed by the Department of the Interior revealed that there were many flaws with the renovation project, including that the lining appeared to begin peeling days after installation. “Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” the motion concluded. Trump acknowledged there potential issues with the project but rejected the Justice Department’s conclusion that construction problems were primarily responsible for the damage. “There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!” Trump wrote. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS LOST OR ABANDONED HUNDREDS OF LAWSUITS AGAINST ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS, MIGRANTS: REPORT Hearn was indicted on July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property after U.S. Park Police alleged he pulled at the pool’s protective coating, with authorities initially estimating the damage exceeded $1,000. According to Pirro’s office, the Department of the Interior initially provided only “barebones” reports and did not disclose documents showing the Reflecting Pool’s newly installed coating had begun failing almost immediately after construction. “Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote in Friday’s filing. “It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents to the USAO-DC indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (‘AIC’), and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026,” the filing continued. The case against Hearn was dismissed without prejudice, meaning charges could be brought again in the future. Court filings show Atlantic Industrial Coatings received a no-bid contract worth more than $14 million to install a new protective lining across the Reflecting Pool’s 68,000-square-foot floor. The project began in early May but was slowed by rain and complications with the pool’s expansion joints, adding pressure to complete the work before the July Fourth festivities celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. According to prosecutors, problems surfaced almost immediately. TRUMP SHARES NEWS OF ‘CRYSTAL CLEAR’ REFLECTING POOL, CALLS FOR VANDALISM SUSPECT’S ARREST Just two days after the project was completed on June 9, a National Park Service engineer reported that sections of the new lining were already peeling. “I stated my concern that this ‘overspray’ along the perimeter of the pool could lead to a 1′-2′ strip that is vulnerable to peeling,” the engineer wrote in a June 11 email obtained by the New York Post. “The contractor would not confirm in field if this was or wasn’t a risk.” Following the dismissal request, Hearn’s legal team accused the government of rushing to prosecute the case. “The Trump administration’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology,” attorneys Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin said in a statement to the New York Post. Fox News Digital has reached out to Pirro’s office for comment.
Mamdani extends deadline for NYC homeowners to seek exemption from new pied-à-terre tax
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has given homeowners in New York City an additional month to apply to be exempt from his new pied-à-terre tax, which went into effect July 1. Homeowners across the five boroughs who believe they should qualify for an exemption now have until Sept. 18 to apply for one, according to City Hall. The previous deadline was Aug. 21. The extended deadline, city officials said, applies to anyone who received notices from the Department of Finance (DOF) with the phrase “You may be subject to.” The pied-à-terre tax, passed by the New York State Legislature in May, imposes an annual surcharge on certain high-value New York City homes worth more than $5 million that are not the owner’s primary residence. LIBERAL PODCASTER SAYS HE WAS ‘DOXED’ BY MAMDANI’S ‘WANTED POSTER’ OF PROPERTY OWNERS The city’s finance department said the extension was necessary to give homeowners more time to prove that their home is in fact their primary residence, which would mean the tax would not apply to them. Some homeowners were initially confused because, on July 24, the city published a list of more than 900,000 properties in a “supplemental market value roll” without explaining that the vast majority of them would not be getting hit with the pied-à-terre tax. “This roll includes, but is not limited to, those properties that may be subject to the surcharge,” according to a city webpage archived on Monday. On Thursday, the webpage was updated with the following disclaimer: “Not every property or unit listed in the roll will be subject to the surcharge. Only property owners to whom DOF sent a notification by mail are required to take further action.” PROPERTY OWNER ADVOCACY GROUPS PUSH BACK ON MAMDANI’S ‘RENTAL RIPOFF REPORT,’ PUBLIC DATA BASE OF LANDLORDS On Saturday, the same webpage was updated once again, clarifying that the DOF had only sent surcharge letters to 17,000 homeowners and that only those people should concern themselves with sending an exemption application to the city. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment. Mamdani announced the new levy April 15 — Tax Day — in a controversial video filmed outside Ken Griffin’s $238 million penthouse on Billionaires’ Row, singling out the hedge fund manager by name as an example of the wealthy second-home owners the tax would target. Griffin later described the video as “creepy and weird” during a discussion at the Milken Institute Global Conference May 6. He said he watched it three times. Despite objections from real estate and business leaders who warned that the tax could drive investment out of the city, state lawmakers approved it as part of the budget, which Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law May 28. The tax will apply during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 property tax years to secondary residences, including one-, two- and three-family properties, worth more than $5 million. Individual condo units and co-op units will be taxed if they are valued at $1 million or more.
DSA candidate pushes federal AI data center moratorium with Michigan early voting underway
Michigan House candidate and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member Will Lawrence advocated for a national data center moratorium Saturday during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. “What I see is that there is an urgent need to have a federal moratorium on new AI data centers so that we can have a national conversation about, if we’re going to be generating this hyper-intelligent AI, what’s the best way to do it and how do we ensure that it benefits everybody rather than just a few billionaires in Silicon Valley?” Lawrence said at a campaign event in South Lansing, Michigan. “I do support a federal moratorium because there may be a right way to build these data centers and generate super-intelligent AI, but what’s happening now is the wrong way, because it’s abandoning the basic principles of democracy and self-determination that are foundational to the American identity. BLANCHE URGED TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN FIGHT AGAINST DATA CENTERS “You have billionaires from Silicon Valley and Wall Street who are coming into small towns and then just telling everybody, ‘Trust us, trust us, your energy bills aren’t going to rise. This is going to be a great deal for everybody.’” In addition to backing a data center ban, Lawrence also bashed President Donald Trump for a number of policies and, like other DSA members, advocated for major campaign finance reform in the form of publicly funded elections. “There’s a lot of money in politics, there’s no doubt about it. And I think it does a disservice to the democratic process,” Lawrence said. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES He then took aim at the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, a landmark 2010 decision that ruled political contributions should be treated as a First Amendment-protected form of free speech. “Unless there’s change in the Supreme Court, Citizens United will need to be overturned with a constitutional amendment because it’s a Supreme Court decision. But beyond just ending Citizens United, which deals with the dark money in politics, I also support public financing of elections, which would mean that every single candidate who has legitimate grassroots support gets access to the same pool of public funding and the same amount of dollars to run their campaign with,” he said. Lawrence avoided a question about a broader slate of DSA policies, such as abolishing the Supreme Court, the presidency and the Senate, potentially turning off centrist voters. HARRIS’ ‘NO BAD IDEA BRAINSTORM’ FOR DEMS INCLUDES PACKING SCOTUS, ELIMINATING ELECTORAL COLLEGE “That’s not what we’re talking about. So, I can’t speak to whether people are turned off by it or not. We’re focused on stopping these AI data centers, stopping these wars around the world and ensuring that everybody has health care,” he responded. Lawrence, who’s backed by prominent leftists like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is running in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to claim the House seat in Michigan’s 7th district. The district is represented by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., a first-term congressman who won the seat after current Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., vacated it to run for Senate. Lawrence is vying with a number of other Democratic candidates to face off against Barrett in November’s election, including former Obama National Security Council member and U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink. Fox News Digital contacted the Barrett and Brink campaigns and the DSA for comment.