EXCLUSIVE: Collins pits record built in Maine potato fields against Platner’s ‘angry rhetoric’
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, learned hard work in the dirt. When she was 10 years old, like several other children in Caribou, Maine, she left school to pick potato fields to aid farmers with the harvest deep in potato country in Aroostook County, dubbed “The County” by locals. “I remember my mother saying to me when I was going to pick for the first time at age 10, saying, ‘Now, Susan, this is really hard, back-breaking work, but you cannot quit. The farmers are depending on you, and you can’t let them down,’” Collins told Fox News Digital. “And those words have always stayed with me.” SCHUMER’S ‘NUMBER ONE TARGET’ SAYS VOTERS WILL SEE HER DEMOCRAT SENATE CHALLENGER AS TOO EXTREME It’s that work ethic born in her hometown of Caribou, molded by her parents’ separate stints as mayor of the small town in the county that helped shape her into the political titan she is today, propelling her to a record 10,000th straight vote in the Senate and a gavel atop the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. It’s also caused her to have the biggest target on her back in a highly contentious election cycle where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is once again trying to flip her seat. Collins’ race has also become the most-watched and controversial of the cycle because of her unlikely opponent, Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who over the last several months has been rocked by scandal after scandal. Speaking to Fox News Digital on the drive between Bangor, Maine and Portland, one she’s made several times since joining the Senate in 1997, Collins acknowledged Platner’s rocky past and present but that she still was taking him seriously as an opponent. MAINE DEMOCRATS DECIDE FATE OF SENATE CANDIDATE DOGGED BY EXPLOSIVE ALLEGATIONS “I am surprised that [Gov. Janet Mills] is not my opponent,” Collins said. “That’s what I would have predicted, particularly given the very serious allegations against Graham Platner. Plus, his own words over many years, including recently. So, I think that he has a lot of questions to answer, but I do take him very seriously as a candidate.” Platner has been no stranger when it comes to attacking Collins in his insurgent campaign, skewering her for her vote to authorize the Iraq War two decades ago or her backing of parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda. During his acceptance speech earlier this week, he accused her of being “just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves.” Collins, who is no stranger to heated campaigns, argued that her ability to produce results was a better metric for Mainers. “I think when people look at the accomplishments and results that I’ve delivered for the people of Maine, that the contrast is enormous,” Collins said. “And angry rhetoric does not produce results.” She knows how to bring the bacon home to Maine. In her climb to the top of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she’s sent back $1.5 billion over five years, dozens of new or renovated fire stations, billions in rural healthcare funding and a fire boat that saved key businesses along Portland’s waterfront when a blaze broke out. Still, she’s in a tight race with Platner, despite the scandals and baggage. And Schumer, who has spent years trying to beat her, hopes to seize the opportunity in this cycle, even with a candidate who was not his first choice. WATCH: CHUCK SCHUMER SIDESTEPS PLATNER SCANDALS, CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR CONTROVERSIAL DEM Schumer told Semafor that Collins is “weaker than in 2020,” when they last squared off, arguing that her defense of Trump, her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the role that vote played in overturning Roe v. Wade have weighed her down. “To me, this is déjà vu all over again,” Collins said, noting that six years ago, Schumer and Democrats spent over $160 million to defeat her. Collins contended, “Democratic leaders always distort my record,” and added that when she voted to advance Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” last year, it was so she and others could modify the bill. She ultimately voted against the final product but scored a $50 billion rural hospital fund nonetheless. “If we can’t get on the bill, I can’t help fix that,” Collins said. And on Kavanaugh, Collins noted that she disagreed with how he voted on Roe v. Wade, but that she also voted “for people who voted on the other side of that decision.” “I voted for Sonia Sotomayor. I voted for Elena Kagan. I voted for Justice Jackson,” Collins said. “And that always seems to get left out.” She doesn’t vote in lockstep with Trump, either, who recently said that Collins was “not my best friend at all,” but was a “sane woman.” That prompted a laugh from the longtime lawmaker, who noted, “I’ve worked with five different presidents, and I have never agreed with a single one of them on every issue.” “I know that there’s some people who want me to oppose President Trump, just because he’s President Trump, and that’s not how I operate,” Collins said. “I look at each individual issue and then make my decision. And based on whether it’s helpful to the state of Maine, and improves the lives of families in the state of Maine.”
Talarico touts Texas roots as out-of-state cash powers Senate campaign
Donors from outside of Texas accounted for roughly 50% of the funds Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico received during the final stretch of the first quarter of 2026, compared to his Republican opponent, who received just about 25% of his cash from out of state. Of the $8.5 million Talarico raised between February 12 and March 31, a period where he saw a significant uptick in donations owing to his growing national profile, approximately $4 million came from states other than Texas, according to campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. The Republican nominee, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, raised $640,000 out of the roughly $850,000 he brought in during that period from within Texas. The fundraising disparity underscores the nationalization of Texas’ Senate race, with Talarico drawing major financial support from Democratic donors and executives far beyond the state he seeks to represent, even as he campaigns on Texas roots and opposition to outside special interests. The haul gives Democrats a cash advantage in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Senate races this cycle, while giving Republicans an opening to cast Talarico’s campaign as powered by coastal liberal donors rather than Texas voters. Donors from New York and California, for instance, showered Talarico with more than $1.3 million in the final six weeks of quarter one, according to Federal Election Commission records. VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR’S ‘GRASSROOTS’ CAMPAIGN POWERED BY OUT-OF-STATE CASH, MOSTLY BY COASTAL ELITES Talarico has made an effort to highlight his ties to Texas during his Senate campaign, touting the fact that his family has lived in the state for eight generations and criticizing the influence of out-of-state interests on Texans. “I’ve led the fight against the billionaire mega-donors that have rigged the system against working Texas families,” Talarico’s campaign website reads. “Now, as those same billionaire mega-donors take over the federal government, we need more fighters in Washington who will take power back for working people.” ACTBLUE SUES TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON, ALLEGING POLITICAL RETALIATION OVER DEMOCRATS’ FUNDRAISING “James is proud to be the only candidate in this race not taking a dime of corporate PAC money, shattering grassroots fundraising records with donations from 246 Texas counties and the help of over 540,000 small dollar contributors — unlike John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, who have raked in millions of dollars from special interests and enriched their billionaire donors while working Texans struggle,” campaign spokesman JT Ennis told Fox News Digital when asked about out-of-state donations. “Our campaign is bringing Democrats, Republicans and Independents together to fix this broken, corrupt political system and bring down costs for families across our state.” Talarico accepted donations from out-of-state executives at Google, Warner Brothers, Apple, Meta, Victoria’s Secret, and other major companies between February 12 and March 31, per FEC records. The Democratic Senate hopeful has also accepted donations from lobbyists representing major corporations such as Google, AirBnB, Boeing, Novo Nordisk, Comcast, CVS and JP Morgan. While Talarico has attracted considerable support from outside of Texas, his fundraising operation within the state has also eclipsed that of Paxton, who raised less than one-fifth as much from Texans as his Democratic opponent. Paxton, however, fought a brutal primary against Sen. John Cornyn, splitting the GOP donor base. JAMES TALARICO ADMITS PAST COMMENTS ‘MISSED THE MARK’ WHEN CONFRONTED ON CLAIMS LIKE GOD IS ‘NON-BINARY’ Beyond his campaign committee, Talarico has also benefited from Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC spending millions to help him win. In contrast to his campaign rhetoric, much of the cash behind the super PAC boosting Talarico’s campaign came from wealthy out-of-state donors. Just 12% of the millions of dollars in donations collected by Lone Star Rising PAC, which the Washington Free Beacon reports is run by Talarico’s longtime friend, came from entities within Texas, according to campaign finance records.
Hasan Piker celebrates America being ‘closer than ever’ to socialism as he backs NYC candidates
Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker threw his support behind two far-left candidates running for Congress in New York City, arguing their victories would help push the country closer to socialism. “For the longest time, I thought we were so far away from socialism, and we might still be far away from socialism, but we do have an opportunity right here right now, more than ever before,” Piker said Thursday at a Brooklyn rally for candidates endorsed by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America ahead of the state’s June 23 primary. Leading the DSA-backed slate are State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, D-N.Y., and activist Darializa Avila Chevalier, whom Piker praised as “giants” of the socialist movement. “We must seize that opportunity, and you all must continue your own disciplined organizing for that to happen,” Piker told the crowd. “That is the challenge.” DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAMDANI ALLY MOUNTS BID FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Both candidates are socialists who want to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raise taxes on the wealthy and advance the Palestinian cause in Congress. If they win their contested primaries for deep-blue districts, they would almost certainly pad the ranks of the Democratic caucus’ far-left flank. “I’ve rarely ever seen such tremendous ideological representation at such an important level,” Piker said, referring to Valdez and Avila Chevalier. “I mean, a congressional seat is a tremendous amount of power.” “What an honor it is to be joined by Darializa on stage,” Valdez jokingly said, referring to a cardboard cutout of Avila Chevalier. “[It’s the] honor of my life to be on a slate with her, with so many of my other socialist comrades.” Valdez is running for a seat vacated by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., that spans progressive bastions in Queens and Brooklyn. Meanwhile, Avila Chevalier is running as a formidable leftist challenger to Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., the chairman of the influential Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in a district covering Upper Manhattan and the West Bronx. The leftist duo is backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Justice Democrats, the progressive group that helped launch New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s insurgent House campaign in 2018. MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS Avila Chevalier has sparked controversy over since-deleted social media posts in which she asserted “Israel doesn’t exist,” voiced literal support for open borders and claimed “all deportation is wrong,” CNN first reported. The Mamdani ally has also faced scrutiny over calling former President Joe Biden “a rapist” and writing “F— Kamala Harris” in 2021 after the former vice president told Guatemalan nationals not to illegally cross the border. Piker predicted a wave of socialist victories in New York City would soon eclipse the significance of Mamdani’s mayoral win last year. “By the end of these midterms, Zohran will seem unremarkable. Because by then, we will have elected so many brilliant fighters into legislative offices throughout New York City and the state,” Piker said, referring to the slate of socialist candidates. “These are your comrades, these are your fighters,” he continued. Thursday’s rally comes as Piker, who has sparked widespread backlash over comments saying, “America deserved 9/11,” and Hamas is “a thousand times better” than Israel, has interviewed and campaigned with proudly socialist candidates across the country. Several Piker allies have lost their primaries, including former Ocasio-Cortez chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti, who launched a failed bid to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. However, the socialist streamer did score one notable victory with progressive surgeon Adam Hamawy’s primary victory for a Democratic-heavy New Jersey House seat. Fox News Digital reached out to spokespersons for Valdez and Avila Chevalier for comment. Fox News’ Matthew Donnell contributed to this report.
Platner’s ‘deranged’ response to Musk becoming a trillionaire sparks online outrage: ‘Loserthink’
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner was widely mocked by conservatives on social media over a post lamenting Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk being labeled the world’s first trillionaire. “Elon Musk just became the world’s first trillionaire,” Platner posted on X on Friday. “Let’s make sure he’s also the last.” Platner’s post, which was seen over 2 million times as of Friday evening, was referring to news that Musk’s SpaceX began trading at $150 a share on Friday, above its listing price of $135 a share, making him the world’s first-ever trillionaire following the initial public offering. THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER’S MAINE SENATE BID The post received heavy criticism from conservatives on social media, with many bringing up the various controversies surrounding Platner’s campaign, including reports of infidelity, a Nazi tattoo, physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend and social media posts criticizing the military and rural America. “Communists can never quite grasp that if you make Musk poorer, you make millions of others poorer in the process because unlike them, he actually creates value for others in society,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. “It’s deranged.” “”Pick your fighter,” Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee posted on X. “Guy who innovates constantly, has built phenomenally successful businesses, and now reaps the rewards. PLATNER CAMPAIGN ROCKED WITH DAMNING ALLEGATIONS FROM ANOTHER EX-LOVER AS SENATE RACE HEATS UP: REPORT Guy who thought it wise to permanently stain his chest with a Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo.” “Worth reminding everyone that in addition to being a pathological liar Graham Platner also has the economic views of third world resentment socialists,” Charlie Kirk show producer Blake Neff posted on X. “This is loserthink,” California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak posted on X. “Musk’s IPO is making millions of Americans wealthier. And his success is inspiring others: ‘If it can happen for an immigrant kid — why not me?’ The winning way to think — the AMERICAN way to think — is: Let’s make some more trillionaires! “ “I hope @elonmusk is the first of many trillionaires,” Actor Dean Cain posted on X. ” Pray for others to have his success and continue to change the world for the better, for EVERYONE!!” Fox News Digital reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment. Platner has faced widespread criticism since launching his campaign for overplaying his blue collar record and embracing the economic policies of progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has emphatically endorsed him. Musk’s rocket and satellite company raised a record $75 billion, valuing the company at about $1.8 trillion, pushing the value of Musk’s stake in SpaceX to an estimated $690 billion. The company is trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker “SPCX” after pricing its IPO on Thursday. Combined with his holdings in electric vehicle maker Tesla, as well as other investments and assets, Musk’s net worth is now estimated at about $1.1 trillion. SpaceX stock jumped after it began trading, rising to $168.75 a share before paring some of those gains to trade around $158 a share. It subsequently rebounded and reached a new high of $176.52, and closed at $160.95 per share. Investor demand for SpaceX has been intense. Reuters reported this week that the company attracted more than $250 billion in orders, while Bloomberg News reported Thursday that retail investors alone submitted more than $70 billion in requests for shares. The company is expected to allocate at least 20% of the offering to retail investors, according to Bloomberg — an unusually large portion for individual investors in a deal of this size. Fox News Digital’s Eric Revell and Bradford Betz contributed to this report
WATCH: House Dems blame racism, ‘all-White’ jury for Karmelo Anthony’s guilty verdict
House Democrats are raising concerns about how race and jury selection may have impacted the guilty verdict in the Karmelo Anthony case, with several arguing the verdict highlights the racism they believe exists in the criminal justice system. “A travesty, two lives ruined, and what struck me most is that you had an all-White jury,” Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, said when asked his thoughts on the guilty verdict. “You had preemptive strikes that were used in order to achieve an all-White jury.” After Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday for the stabbing and killing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track event, many activists and Democratic lawmakers have claimed the trial to be unfair and racist. KARMELO ANTHONY VERDICT DRAWS ANTI-WHITE RAGE AND LIES FROM RADICAL DEM CONGRESSWOMAN, ANGRY ACTIVISTS Many are claiming the jurors were all White, and that this contributed to the rejection of Anthony’s self-defense claim. “Juries should represent the diversity of this country, and if a White kid was convicted of murder and it was an all-Black jury that did the conviction, people would say this is patently unfair,” Menefee said. “So why should it be fair if it’s the other way around?” But sources close to the trial told Fox News Digital that there were three jurors who were racial minorities. They said that of the 18 total jurors, including alternates, six were minorities. Additionally, four Black men testified in defense of Metcalf, saying Anthony was not provoked in any way to justify stabbing the 17-year-old. SELF-DEFENSE CLAIM IN AUSTIN METCALF SLAYING IS ‘UPHILL BATTLE’: EXPERT Supporters of Anthony claim that he stabbed Metcalf as an act of self defense, arguing he did not receive a fair trial. Some activists and Democratic lawmakers have called for further review of the case and urged Anthony to pursue an appeal. “Here is a case where a young man certainly appears to have been being attacked and defended himself,” Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., said about the case. “It does bring in light the imbalance in our judicial system, as it relates to African Americans and people of color” Carter continued. “And that’s a shame. So hopefully, there’ll be an opportunity for some appeal and some further discussion.” “Case after case, after case you see that if it is a young Black person, they’re not allowed to be fearful, they’re not allowed self-defense, they don’t get the same standard ground opportunities that other people get,” Menefee said. “But then other races do.” AUSTIN METCALF’S DAD EXPRESSES EMPATHY FOR KARMELO ANTHONY AS KILLER’S PARENTS SAY ‘THEY DID A NUMBER ON US’ Some lawmakers were less likely to directly blame the trial as unfair due to race, but were still sympathetic toward Anthony and were not blatantly opposed to the idea of looking further into the evidence in the case despite a verdict already being made. “We’ve got to stop this loss and the killing of these young children, number one,” Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., said. “First of all, they need to reopen it and all the evidence needs to come forward.” “I think it’s an unfortunate circumstance all the way around,” Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., said. He continued, “You have one young man who was killed. His family will never get to be with him again. You have another young man who, for all intents and purposes, thrown a lot of years of his life. A lot of the years of this life. If he does 35 years, he’ll be 50 — in his 50s — when he gets out. And it’s just totally unfortunate.” Throughout their criticism of the verdict, several lawmakers framed the case as part of a larger debate over race, self-defense claims and equal treatment for minorities under the law. “The American justice system does not work equally for everybody,” Menefee said.
Trump says US military eliminated ‘infamous’ Tren de Aragua leader in lethal strike
President Donald Trump on Friday night announced the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) “delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike” to successfully execute Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, the “infamous” leader of Tren de Aragua (TdA). The U.S. Department of State previously offered up to a $5 million reward for the 43-year-old Venezuelan’s arrest or conviction. “Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity,” Trump wrote in a statement on Truth Social. “During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls.” DOJ INDICTS ALLEGED HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER ON TERRORISM CHARGES FOR THE FIRST TIME VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS The president said with Friday’s action, the U.S. military “has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones.” “Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive,” Trump wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “This action was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well,” he continued. “As a result, Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else and, under my leadership, we will find these vicious murderers and drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong.” TdA, originally a prison gang in the Aragua state of Venezuela, has grown into a transnational criminal organization led by Flores, according to the State Department. The group has since been designated by the U.S. as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Authorities said Guerrero spent many years incarcerated at the Tocorón Prison in Aragua State of Venezuela and expanded the group’s influence by extorting prison inmates and bribing prison guards. The gang later assumed overall control of the Tocorón prison, gold mines in Bolivar State, drug corridors on the Caribbean coast and of some of the clandestine border crossings between Venezuela and Colombia.
California Dems accused of putting sanctuary law over migrant child welfare checks: ‘Real children’
California Democrats are facing accusations that the state’s sanctuary policies are leaving vulnerable migrant children unchecked after California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office warned that local police welfare visits on unaccompanied minors using information from federal authorities could violate state law. The warning from Bonta has become a flashpoint in a broader lawsuit brought by the City of El Cajon against California’s sanctuary state policies. City officials, like Mayor Bill Wells and City Councilman Steve Goble, argue that the state is putting law enforcement in an impossible position, such as forcing them to make a determination on whether to check on potentially vulnerable children flagged by federal immigration authorities and risk violating state law, or leave the vulnerable unaccompanied minors unchecked. Goble told Fox News Digital he was informed during a February 2025 meeting with San Diego-area Homeland Security officials that federal authorities had a list of unaccompanied migrant children, including 52 with addresses in El Cajon. He said federal officials asked whether local police could help “ensure these kids are safe” through welfare checks, prompting Goble to seek guidance from Bonta’s office before dispatching officers. I’M A MAYOR TRYING TO FOLLOW LAW BUT CALIFORNIA IS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR COPS “It’s kind of hard to imagine why they’re choosing this hill to die on,” Wells told Fox News Digital. “What they basically want to say is, ‘Because our narrative is so important, and protecting illegal aliens is so important, that, yeah, if a few kids get sex trafficked along the way — you know, you’re just making this up. You’re just using this as a way.’ I mean, these are real people. These are real children. I think it’s an incredibly insensitive argument.“ Goble had asked Bonta’s office in a March 2025 letter whether local police could conduct the checks using contact information provided by federal authorities, writing that the city wanted to ensure all children were safe “regardless of citizenship or resident status.” In the letter, Goble cited the inspector general’s concerns that unaccompanied minors are at heightened risk of trafficking, exploitation and forced labor, and wrote that “time is of the essence” in determining whether the children were safe. Meanwhile, Bonta’s office responded in a June 2025 letter, warning that local law enforcement pursuing wellness checks “alongside or based on information provided by federal immigration authorities” could implicate conduct prohibited by SB 54, known as the California Values Act. Bonta’s letter said these violations could include if officers confirmed location information provided by ICE, or reported the results of the check back to federal immigration authorities. But Goble told Fox News Digital that the city was not asking police to act as immigration agents, but primarily wanted to confirm whether the children are safe. CALIFORNIA TOWN WITH LARGE MIGRANT POPULATION MIGHT REVOKE SANCTUARY STATUS “All I care about is, is the kid safe?” Goble told Fox News Digital. “I don’t care the immigration status or citizen status of anybody else in the room.” The welfare-check dispute is one piece of a broader legal challenge El Cajon filed against Bonta on April 28, 2026, seeking relief from California’s sanctuary policies impacting how local law enforcement do their jobs, including SB 54, the TRUST Act and the TRUTH Act. In a May 20 motion for a preliminary injunction, the city asked the court to temporarily block Bonta from enforcing those laws against El Cajon while the case proceeds, arguing the policies are preempted by federal immigration law and put local police in the position of choosing between state restrictions and federal obligations. The May 20 injunction motion specifically cites the Goble-Bonta exchange as an example of how the city says California’s sanctuary laws prevent El Cajon officers from engaging in “basic public safety work.” The filing argues that the state’s legal framework forces officers to spend time navigating “legal hairsplitting” instead of responding quickly to public-safety concerns, including checks on children in the community. “Every time an El Cajon police officer steps out onto the street, they’re going to be breaking one of two laws,” Wells said to Fox News Digital. “They’re either going to be breaking federal law or they’re going to be breaking state law. And you cannot put police officers in that situation.” BLUE STATE COUNTY FACES BACKLASH AFTER FAILED VOTE TO SCRAP ‘SUPER SANCTUARY’ POLICY: ‘FRINGE DEMOCRATS’ El Cajon’s lawsuit is not limited to the welfare checks. The April 28 complaint broadly asks a San Diego County court to declare California’s sanctuary restrictions invalid and to stop Bonta from enforcing them against El Cajon police. Bonta’s office’s June 2025 response said it “share[s]” El Cajon’s concern for children who may be at risk of harm, but suggested county social service agencies may have a role when there is no evidence of criminal activity requiring law enforcement. Wells and Goble pushed back on that argument; however, arguing Bonta’s suggestion ignored San Diego County’s December 2024 vote restricting county resources from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement. “That means we’re not going to let our social service workers go do welfare checks on unaccompanied minors for the Department of Homeland Security,” Goble told Fox News Digital. “It’s another rock and a hard place.” EX-BIDEN OFFICIAL’S CAMPAIGN FACES HEAT AS MISSING CHILDREN SCANDAL RESURFACES: ‘VOTERS DESERVE BETTER’ Wells added that it was difficult to accept Bonta’s suggestion that county agencies could serve as a neutral fallback for welfare checks tied to information from federal authorities. “This is the same county we would be deferring to, to check on these kids,” Wells added. “They’re not neutral. They’ve been very, very clear.” Immigrant-rights advocates nationally have warned that ICE “welfare checks” on unaccompanied migrant children can function as immigration enforcement under the banner of child safety. The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights has called the Trump administration’s ICE “wellness checks” harmful enforcement “in disguise,” while other advocates have warned that DHS visits can discourage sponsors from coming forward or expose families to deportation fears. But Wells and
Trump’s name to be removed from Kennedy Center as appeals court denies board’s request for administrative stay
The Kennedy Center board on Friday asked a federal appeals court to temporarily block a judge’s order requiring references to President Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the institution’s signage and official materials, as signage bearing Trump’s name remained visible on the building’s facade late Friday afternoon. Hours later, the appeals court denied the board’s request for an immediate administrative stay. In an emergency motion filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the board requested both a stay pending appeal and an immediate administrative stay, arguing that physical changes to the building should not occur before appellate judges review the dispute. The filing asks the court to issue an administrative stay by 7 p.m. Friday. A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit later denied the board’s request for an immediate administrative stay, declining to temporarily block enforcement of the district court’s order while the appeal proceeds. The appeals court ordered Beatty to respond to the broader stay-pending-appeal motion by June 22, with a reply due June 29. OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE WITH TIES TO ANTI-TRUMP CONSPIRACY THEORY HIT WITH MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT Fox News Digital observed Friday afternoon that Trump’s name remained mounted on the Kennedy Center facade as of 5:30 p.m. ET, with scaffolding erected around portions of the signage. Earlier Friday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper denied the board’s request to pause enforcement of his ruling while the appeal proceeds, finding that the defendants had not demonstrated either a likelihood of success on appeal or irreparable harm. The Kennedy Center board argued in its emergency filing that removing and potentially reinstalling signage would force it to incur costs that could not be recovered if it ultimately prevails on appeal. The board also argued that removing Trump’s name could impair fundraising efforts and create public confusion if the Center’s name changes again following a successful appeal. The motion further contends that the case raises significant questions regarding the board’s authority and whether Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, had standing to bring the lawsuit. The latest filing stems from Cooper’s May 29 ruling that Congress, not the Kennedy Center board, has authority over the institution’s name. The judge ordered the removal of Trump’s name from physical signage, digital materials and official branding and directed the Center to comply within 14 days. BOARD VOTES KENNEDY CENTER TO BE RENAMED ‘TRUMP-KENNEDY CENTER,’ LEAVITT SAYS In a lengthy opinion, Cooper wrote that the Kennedy Center‘s governing statute “makes crystal clear” that the institution is to be named for President John F. Kennedy and cannot be formally renamed through unilateral board action. The judge concluded that Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name and that only Congress can change it. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by Beatty, who serves as an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board. Following the May 29 decision, Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi said the board intended to appeal. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP-LED KENNEDY CENTER NEARLY DOUBLES FUNDRAISING FROM BIDEN ERA, SMASHING RECORD WITH $23M HAUL “We will review the decision carefully though the reality remains — the Center requires an urgent and significant restoration — a truth that even the plaintiff acknowledges,” Daravi told Fox News Digital at the time. “With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place, and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy.” Beatty praised the ruling, saying in a statement that the Kennedy Center “belongs to the American people, not to Donald Trump.” Trump’s name was added to the venue in December after a unanimous vote of the board. Signage bearing the president’s name was installed above the existing Kennedy Center lettering shortly afterward. The board sought emergency relief from the appeals court Friday to temporarily block Cooper’s order. By late Friday, the D.C. Circuit denied that request. The court has not yet ruled on the board’s broader request for a stay pending appeal and instead set a briefing schedule extending into late June. The White House and a representative for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this reporting.
Clinton judge indefinitely blocks Trump’s $1.776B anti-weaponization fund
A federal judge on Friday indefinitely blocked the Trump administration’s $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, even as another federal judge earlier this week declined to intervene after the Justice Department said the fund was no longer moving forward. The court disputes have heightened pressure on the administration to formally dismantle the fund. While Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the fund would not move forward, the settlement agreement and departmental directives that created the fund have not been formally rescinded. Critics argue this leaves open the possibility that the fund could still proceed in the future. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, a Clinton-appointed judge, extended a court order Friday preventing implementation of the fund, concluding that public assurances from administration officials were insufficient to eliminate concerns that it could later be revived. Brinkema noted how Trump, “says he’s disappointed that something is not going forward,” suggesting this was evidence that the fund may “rear its head” at some point in the future. JUDGE TEMPORARILY BLOCKS TRUMP DOJ’S NEARLY $2B ‘ANTI-WEAPONIZATION’ FUND Over the weekend Trump shared on “Meet the Press” that he’d like to continue with the fund. “If it was up to me, I’d pay them the kind of money that they deserve. People have been destroyed. Lives have been destroyed,” Trump said. Brinkema gave the Justice Department a week to put in writing that the Anti-Weaponization Fund is being terminated and will not be reinstated. The ruling comes days after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected a separate request from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) seeking emergency intervention, saying he was willing to rely on Justice Department representations that the fund had effectively been abandoned. ACTING AG BLANCHE REVEALS FATE OF TRUMP’S ‘ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND’ UNDER PRESSURE FROM HOUSE LAWMAKERS But Leon, a George W. Bush-appointed judge, simultaneously warned administration officials not to treat his decision as permission to revive the program. “I give the Justice Department this warning: Don’t play possum with me,” Leon said from the bench. Blanche announced during a hearing earlier this month that the Anti-Weaponization Fund, which was born out of President Donald Trump’s lawsuit settlement with the IRS, would not be proceeding. The fund was intended to compensate alleged victims of government “lawfare,” but its creation sparked immediate backlash from Democrats, who characterized it as a “slush fund” that could ultimately benefit Trump’s political allies and individuals charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. TRUMP ADMIN PUSHES BACK ON ‘SLUSH FUND’ ATTACKS AGAINST ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND AND LAYS OUT WHO QUALIFIES Justice Department attorney Andrew Block argued before Leon that Blanche’s congressional testimony effectively mooted CREW’s challenge because the government had publicly committed not to move forward. Leon repeatedly questioned why Blanche has not formally rescinded a May 18 order that established procedures for the fund in the first place, a question Block could not answer. CREW attorney Nikhel Sus argued the settlement agreement that established the fund remains legally operative and contains upcoming deadlines requiring action. WAY HARDER THAN IT SHOULD BE: WHY CONGRESS MAY BALK ON $1.7B COMPENSATION FUND According to Sus, a five-member board overseeing the fund must be established by June 17, while funding transfers are scheduled by July 17. “On paper, the fund is still a legally operating entity,” Sus argued. However, Leon ultimately accepted the government’s assurances for now that the fund is moot, but he noted that he can sanction attorneys who make false representations to the court. He also indicated he will continue considering CREW’s request for a preliminary injunction and suggested he could intervene if evidence emerges that the administration is attempting to revive the fund.
Pratt concedes LA mayor race with scathing video teasing next move, bombshell info he holds: ‘Commie animals’
Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted a fiery video on social media teasing his plans for “Phase III” of his effort to clean up the city and teasing information he has that could force one of the candidates still in the race to resign if elected. “I’m moving on to the next more interesting phase. Listen, I spent a lot of time slaying everybody. I’ve ridiculed everyone on the roster,” Pratt posted on Instagram after finishing third in the mayoral race earlier this month, following a strong election night performance that suggested he’d finish in the top two and move on was eventually erased by a surge in mail-in votes over the next week. “You think you can get rid of me that easily? I know a lot of dimwit jerks thought I was in this for a grift, that I was gonna roll up and leave town if I didn’t get into City Hall. Hey morons, I didn’t get in this for political power. I got in to expose this corrupt machine, and nothing has changed.” Now that he is not a candidate, Pratt says that he doesn’t have to “worry about offending CNN viewers” and doesn’t have a “campaign hamstringing me now.” SPENCER PRATT’S UNEXPECTED POLITICAL RISE FROM MTV VILLAIN TO KAREN BASS’ CHALLENGER “It’s war,” Pratt said. “It’s zero hour for Los Angeles. Angelenos are now stuck with two morons responsible for all their problems and they have to choose between dumb and dumber. That’s not a choice. That’s the machine protecting the machine. And now every problem that plagues Los Angeles because of these two corrupt communists is going to accelerate.” Pratt then floated a claim that a video recording in his possession could rock the political landscape in the city, but that he is waiting until the city makes its final choice in November between current Mayor Karen Bass and progressive councilwoman Nithya Raman. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION YANKS FUNDING FROM LA HOMELESS AGENCY AMID EXPLOSIVE FRAUD PROBE: ‘NECESSARY STEP’ “My goal hasn’t changed, I’ve been laser-focused on stopping these commie animals, and I will stop them if you think we uncovered a lot of fraud and evil in the campaign, just wait,” Pratt explained, “We have some recordings of one of your exalted candidates doing insane something that would make her resign in shame I was saving it for the general election go ahead and pick your demon certify your choice and then you get to see it.” Pratt asked Raman and Bass to “ask yourself” is it “possible one of your employees may have a recording of you doing or saying something they would force you to resign in disgrace?” Pratt then sarcastically told both candidates he hopes they “sleep well at night” over the next five months, unlike his mother and all the others who lost their homes in the devastating wildfires under Bass’ watch last year as well as the moms who are subjected to the homelessness and crime issues facing the city. Pratt painted a grim picture of what the city will look like in four years, regardless of which of the “corrupt communists” left in the race wins in the November election. “You have no idea how many major developers, hoteliers, business owners, entrepreneurs have been texting me saying they’re packing up and leaving town,” Pratt said. “More of your favorite restaurants will be shuttering. That means less tax revenue. That means the city has to cut services. More potholes, less firefighters, less police patrols, more criminals, more drug addicts terrorizing your communities. You have no idea how bad things are about to get for this city.” The video ends with a clip from the TV show Ozark, suggesting that if the political establishment wants to “stop him,” they are “gonna have to f—— kill me!” Fox News Digital reached out to the Bass and Raman campaigns for comment on the video, which racked up over 20,000 likes within 45 minutes of being posted.