Surprise election upset shows hating Trump is no longer enough as Democratic voters turn to new playbook
A growing number of Democrats who grabbed national attention as they led the resistance to President Donald Trump during his first term in the White House are the latest casualties in this year’s primary battle between the party’s left-wing and the establishment. The latest victim: Alexander Vindman, who gained national prominence nearly a decade ago as the then-Army lieutenant colonel and National Security Council official who served as a key witness against Trump during the president’s first impeachment trial. Vindman, who made resisting Trump a key part of his Senate bid, was upset Tuesday in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary by state Rep. Angie Nixon. A Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, Nixon landed a double-digit victory over Vindman despite being outspent by a roughly 10-to-1 margin. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB His defeat, as well as losses to challengers from the far-left by other one-time resistance stars such as Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Dan Goldman of New York, appear to point to shifting priorities for a Democratic base moving left, starving for change and eager to use midterm election victories to escape the political wilderness. Also falling short so far this primary season are Reps. Shri Thanedar of Michigan and Al Green of Texas, who led the Trump impeachment pushes. They both went down to younger challengers. Meanwhile, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, who was a member of key committees handling Trump’s second impeachment in 2021, fell short as he bid for the Senate. A congressional run by longtime Trump critic George Conway, a co-founder of the anti-Trump Republican group the Lincoln Project, failed to ignite. And former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was honored for his efforts during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, lost for a second straight cycle as he campaigned for a congressional seat in Maryland. WHO’S UP AND DOWN IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTION POWER RANKINGS Billionaire Tom Steyer, an environmental and political activist and former Democratic presidential candidate who helped bankroll the resistance during Trump’s first term, unsuccessfully ran for California governor this year. And Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who along with DeGette was a manager of the 2021 Trump impeachment, dropped his gubernatorial bid and quit Congress amid mounting sexual assault and harassment allegations, which he denied. Veteran Democratic political commentator Ben Rhodes, who served as a leading official in former President Barack Obama’s administration, has repeatedly argued that opposition to Trump is insufficient to build a lasting political movement. He has emphasized that to win at the ballot box, Democrats must articulate how they’ll help address voters’ economic concerns and day-to-day frustrations. Shannon Jackson, a longtime progressive political strategist and grassroots organizer best known for his leadership roles in Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital that “it’s not enough anymore just to oppose Trump.” Referring to the onetime resistance leaders who lost their primaries this year, Jackson said, “They’ve stood up to Trump, but the fact is it’s not enough anymore. We need to recognize why Trump won, we need to recognize the failings of the Democratic Party and the Democratic leaders who have gotten us to this point, and we need to improve upon it.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Jackson, a top consultant for progressive leader Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, said, “what really happened is that we’ve seen the progressive movement succeed… it’s an entire wave that’s coming across the country.” While progressives and socialist-aligned candidates have bested establishment-backed contenders in a slew of nomination showdowns this spring and summer, including high-profile Senate primaries this month in Michigan, Minnesota, and Florida, moderates are also scoring victories. The center’s latest wins came in Florida, where Rep. Jared Moskowitz crushed a DSA-backed challenger on Tuesday. The same day, longtime Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, a former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair, won renomination in a dramatically altered district against four candidates, including a socialist. MEET THE FAR-LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT Longtime strategist and political commentator Maria Cardona, a DNC committee member, told Fox News Digital she doesn’t buy the narrative that “huge heroes of Trump resistance one are just not cutting it anymore.” “Voters want someone who is going to fight for them. Whether or not you call yourself establishment, a moderate, a progressive, or DSA, voters don’t care. Voters want to see you fighting for them,” Cardona emphasized. Cardona said “whether you are a Abdul El-Sayed, who is new on the scene, or a Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who has been there for decades but who has delivered for her community and is still seen as a fighter, you’re going to win. You have to deliver. That’s the secret.”
Top JPMorganChase exec warns regulatory proposal could squeeze credit for millions of small businesses
FIRST ON FOX: A top executive at JPMorganChase warned that proposed federal bank capital rules could damage small businesses across the country, airing caution that Main Street may have less access to credit from banks. As regulators move to finalize Basel III Endgame, one of the most important global financial regulatory standards to date, Chase Business Bank CEO Stevie Baron said in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital that the current framework could potentially have unintended consequences for small businesses as capital requirements could prevent lending. “The latest revisions to the 2023 proposal are a step in the right direction, but as we reiterated to regulators, more work is needed to ensure the final rules do not increase the cost of lending or reduce access to credit for small businesses,” Baron explained. Baron specifically noted proposed changes to the Global Systemically Important Bank (GSIB) surcharge, saying that formula could encourage trading over lending, raising borrowing costs for millions of small business owners. JAMIE DIMON SAYS HE WOULDN’T BUY STOCKS OR TREASURYS AT CURRENT PRICES JPMorganChase is considered a GSIB, and is required to adhere to higher loss-absorbing equity and capital requirements than other smaller banks. “The Fed should reconsider the proposed changes to the GSIB surcharge calculation, and, in particular, retain the current approach to the short-term wholesale funding factor that accounts for the size and funding diversification benefits of universal banks,” Baron added. “Regulators should ensure the surcharge framework does not penalize the everyday lending and banking services relied on by small businesses.” He also argued that “capital requirements should not increase just because the economy is growing, or routine activity is expanding,” and that “policymakers should ensure the capital framework operates as a coherent whole, rather than layering multiple requirements on top of the same risks.” Baron oversees more than 7 million small and medium-size businesses and over $19 billion in business banking average loans in FY2025. The American Dream Initiative, which was announced by JPMorganChase CEO Jamie Dimon on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” in March, seeks to expand the total number of small and medium-sized businesses to 10 million in additional to a number of changes at the bank to promote growth in the U.S. economy. A senior JPMorganChase executive told Fox News Digital that acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling visited JPMC headquarters last week to discuss the initiative and steps the bank is taking to implement changes under the Trump administration. After the 2008 financial crisis, global regulators developed the Basel III regulatory package to ensure banks have enough capital and financial cushion to weather economic volatility to protect taxpayers. U.S. regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller, initially proposed the framework, dubbed Basel III Endgame in 2023 but withdrew the draft for revision after pushback. SURVIVING SINCE LINCOLN: HOW SIX GENERATIONS BEAT THE SMALL BUSINESS CURSE In March, Trump administration regulators proposed the latest draft of Basel III Endgame, with a comment deadline of July, though banks are still lobbying for changes as regulators move to enact permanent policy. Top lawmakers, like Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, have also warned about potential lending shortfalls if the framework is enacted. “I have long said that overly complicated capital rules can slow economic growth without making our financial system safer,” Scott said in a March statement. “The Biden administration’s plan would have made it harder to get a mortgage, harder to start a business, and more expensive to make ends meet. That is the wrong direction when families are already feeling squeezed. There is still more work to do. We need rules that keep our financial system strong while making sure banks can lend, and our economy can grow.” Baron aligned with Scott’s view that there needs to be assurance that banks will be able to lend freely, stating in his memo that small businesses could be restricted from expansion and investing in growth should there be limited access to capital. His memo is part of a new JPMorganChase series titled “from the desk of,” where top executives, including Dimon, have shared their takes on various economic and political policies and how they affect America’s largest bank.
AOC blasted as too moderate by Maoist DSA faction as 2028 buzz grows
The Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) Liberation Caucus is rejecting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., as a potential candidate for Democrats in the 2028 presidential election, arguing she is too far removed from the socialist agenda. “Liberation condemns Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s continued retreat from socialist politics and rejects any effort to present her as the future presidential standard-bearer for DSA, or for the broader socialist movement,” the DSA Liberation Caucus wrote in the statement. DSA slammed Ocasio-Cortez as an “opportunist” and condemned her vote to defend Israel’s right to exist and for not holding firm as an anti-Zionist. “In short, it was determined that she had failed to meet conditions concerning Palestine solidarity,” the statement said. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ERUPT OVER 2028 ENDORSEMENT AS AOC SPECULATION GROWS: ‘DANGEROUS PATH’ After withdrawing a conditional endorsement of the “Squad” Democrat in 2024, DSA’s National Political Committee “determined” that Ocasio-Cortez hosted a public panel with an alleged Zionist organization — the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. She was also trashed for joining a group of House Democrats to co-sign a statement — after voting against providing Israel with supplemental weapon funding — that voiced support for Israel’s right to have defensive systems. The statement continued to attack her, pivoting to her recent remarks in an interview with ABC, where Ocasio-Cortez walked back on her support for the movement to defund the police and the language used around policing in 2020, calling the 2020 “Woke 1” era for progressives “crazyyyyy.” “She has dismissed the mass radicalization around policing and abolition as part of the supposed excesses of ‘Woke 1’, seeking to reduce the historic Black-led uprising of 2020 to an embarrassing political phase,” the statement reads. It continues, “Ironically, her first electoral victory came in the heat of ‘Woke 1’, where she trafficked in the language of abolition. Now that she feels that she no longer needs it, she condemns it. This is the action of an opportunist dilettante, devoid of any principles whatsoever, not a socialist.” ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ SHRUGS OFF PAST ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ COMMENTS, JOKING ‘WOKE 1 WAS CRAZY’ The DSA’s rejection of Ocasio-Cortez comes shortly after the organization recently announced its new program that calls for the complete elimination of the Senate, president and Supreme Court. The DSA said this program, “Workers Deserve More,” must be accepted and promoted by all candidates in order to receive a formal DSA endorsement. “This is why the current rumblings for and prospects of an AOC presidential campaign should be met with a clear answer from the socialist left: No,” the group said in the statement. “We will not endorse or give succor to a campaign to put a social democrat at the head of an empire, where she will make even more capitulations to the imperialists, and drag our organization into antagonistic contradiction after antagonistic contradiction.” While the national DSA does not endorse Ocasio-Cortez, and vehemently opposes her presidential bid, the New York City DSA chapter has routinely endorsed Ocasio-Cortez throughout her races. The statement claims that the NYC DSA chapter has hinted at “splitting away” from the DSA over disagreements similar to endorsing Ocasio-Cortez. HASAN PIKER VOWS NEVER TO CRITICIZE MAO ZEDONG IN RESURFACED VIDEO, HAILS HIM AS ‘GREAT LEADER’ “This is not the behavior of socialist cadres,” the Liberation Caucus said in the statement. There has been widespread speculation that Ocasio-Cortez will run for president or Senate in 2028, and is polling as the leading choice among Democrats. But she has not yet formally announced if she will run. Formed in 2025, the DSA Liberation Caucus openly describes itself as a “Marxist-Leninist-Maoist caucus in Democratic Socialists of America.” The group’s website has a page dedicated to a list defending Maoism that includes labeling the period of mass starvation and disaster as “misconception 4” on the list. Both the DSA Liberation Caucus and Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
AOC endorses Sen Ed Markey as incumbent faces Dem US Senate primary challenge from Rep Seth Moulton
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., endorsed Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., as the incumbent senator faces off against Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., in the Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Senate primary. “At a time when powerful special interests are making life harder for everyday Americans, Massachusetts working families need a champion in the U.S. Senate to stand up for them and fight corporate greed,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement released by Markey’s campaign. “Ed Markey has spent his career doing exactly that, from our partnership on the Green New Deal to running his campaign without accepting a dime of corporate PAC money. His work is an inspiration to many of us who are committed to building a better future for all, and that’s why I’m proud to endorse him,” the congresswoman added. AOC DOCUMENTS EGG-FREEZING JOURNEY, TAKES AIM AT TRUMP ADMIN OVER WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE CHOICES The House lawmaker previously backed Markey during his last election cycle. “The toughest fights need the most inspiring leaders, and that’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She’s got vision, she knows what’s at stake, and she never backs down,” Markey said in a statement. “We introduced the Green New Deal to tackle the climate crisis, lower costs, and build an economy that works for working people, not corporations and billionaires. I am incredibly proud to have her endorsement and look forward to continuing to fight alongside her for the livable future we deserve.” BOMB-THROWER DEM MAKES SHOCKING PROMISE TO KICK SCHUMER TO CURB DURING SENATE DEBATE Markey, who turned 80 this year, has served in the Senate since mid-July 2013, but he had previously served in the House for more than 36 years. Moulton, who is 47 and will turn 48 in October, has served in the House since 2015. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CLAIMS GOP ‘STOLE’ TWO SCOTUS SEATS IN 2016, 2020, CALLS FOR EXPANSION The Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Senate primary is on Sept. 1, and early voting is Aug. 22–28.
Socialism surges among Democrats as party leaders reject DSA agenda: ‘Pack of fools’
The top Democrat in the House is making it clear that he doesn’t support the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) agenda. But even though House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York doesn’t back the DSA’s far-left policy proposals, a majority of Democrats hold favorable views of socialism, according to two national polls released in recent weeks. That’s not the case for most Americans, and especially Republicans, who hold negative views of socialism, according to the surveys. “I don’t support the DSA agenda, as has been articulated by the DSA itself,” Jeffries said during an interview this past weekend on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES Jeffries wasn’t the only major Democrat taking aim at the socialist agenda on the Sunday talk shows. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, called socialism a “failed experiment” during an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” Longtime Democratic strategist and pundit James Carville was less diplomatic. “They’re a bunch of silly people… a pack of fools,” Carville said as he referred to DSA members, during a Monday appearance on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime.“ DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB The DSA’s agenda includes defunding and abolishing police and prison systems, ending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportations and detentions, abolishing borders, granting voting rights to noncitizens and implementing a single-payer “Medicare for All” health system. The DSA’s new platform also calls for abolishing the Senate, and replacing the presidency and Supreme Court with leadership chosen by and subordinate to Congress. Candidates backed by or aligned with the DSA, as well as other left-wing progressives, have won a series of victories over more moderate incumbents and candidates supported by the party establishment in primary showdowns this spring and summer, including high-profile wins this month in crucial Democratic Senate primaries in Michigan, Minnesota and Florida. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Ahead of those victories, a Fox News national poll conducted last month indicated 52% of Democrats but just 11% of Republicans held positive views of socialism. According to the poll, Democrats had more favorable opinions of socialism that capitalism. A CBS News survey in the field earlier this month had similar findings. The poll results come in the wake of years of pessimistic views of the nation’s economy, as Americans have struggled with persistent inflation for most of this decade. “Health insurers have acted irresponsibly making access to affordable and quality care beyond challenging for Americans, wages aren’t keeping up with soaring inflation and there is no plan to reconcile any of these issues. Voters are looking for a solution to the affordability crisis,” longtime Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told Fox News Digital. Caiazzo, a veteran of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, emphasized that “progressives are winning primaries around the country because the electorate is desperate for leaders that will address the affordability crisis that has swept the country.” Sanders’ marathon battle with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination has had a lasting impact on the party. “Since 2016 and the Bernie Sanders campaign, there are lots of Democrats, particularly younger ones, who don’t think socialism is scary and wouldn’t mind seeing more of it in U.S. policy-making,” political scientist Chris Galdieri told Fox News Digital. SOCIALISTS ACCUSED OF ‘MOTOR MOUTH’ RHETORIC AS LONGTIME DEM STRATEGIST UNLOADS ON FAR-LEFT CANDIDATE It’s a different story for Republicans. “For Republicans, ‘socialism’ has been a boogeyman for almost a hundred years, and it was used as a criticism of everything from the New Deal to Obamacare,” Galdieri, a politics professor at Saint Anselm College, said. “Republicans take it as a matter of fact that socialism is a bad thing and polls reflect that.” Polling from Gallup conducted late last year also highlighted that “socialism starts from a much less favorable position in Americans’ minds” compared to capitalism or free enterprise. “Republicans are far more likely than Democrats or independents to say there is nothing good about socialism,” a release from Gallup noted. It also pointed out that a majority of Democrats “praise socialism either for providing access to basic services and strengthening the social safety net or for promoting greater economic equality.” New England College President Wayne Lesperance, a veteran political scientist, points to a different reason for the ongoing socialist surge. “Most Americans do not know what socialism means in theory or in practice,” Lesperance argued. “I’d wager that the votes for democratic candidates identifying as socialists has much more to do with being young and new, and not the same as establishment candidates that have dominated elections for years.” “That is the bigger story here — voters participating in democratic primaries want new options, and they will even vote for self-described socialists to force the change they want to see,” Lesperance told Fox News Digital. Regardless of the contributing factors, Republicans see the leftward lurch in the Democratic primaries as ammunition they can use to try and save their congressional majorities in the upcoming midterm elections as they face a rough political climate. “I’m absolutely convinced we’re going to defy the historic trend and keep and grow the House majority for Republicans,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday in an exclusive campaign trail interview with Fox News Digital. Referring to Republicans, Johnson said, “I’m so grateful we have common sense on the ballot. This really is a contrast election between commonsense candidates… and crazy, and that’s what the other side represents.” President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to Democrats as “communists.” And this week, referring to socialist politicians, the president charged, “They’re driving out the middle class. You’re not going to have anybody left to pay any taxes. And if you don’t pay taxes, you know what happens. Squalor, squalor, filth.” But Democrats discount the GOP attacks. “It’s an attempt by Republicans to try to frame the debate around
EXCLUSIVE: Fentanyl deaths plunge 22% as Trump White House touts crackdown on deadly drug crisis
EXCLUSIVE: Fentanyl-linked deaths plunged 22% in a single year as the Trump White House credits its border crackdown, campaign against drug cartels and arrests of convicted fentanyl traffickers for helping drive down the deadly toll. Synthetic opioid deaths, which include fentanyl, fell from 48,913 in 2024 to 38,084 in 2025, according to CDC figures cited by the White House — a decline of more than 10,000 deaths. Total drug overdose deaths fell 14% during the same period, from 81,313 to 69,973. The Trump administration provided the figures to Fox News Digital in honor of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day on Friday, pointing to the decline as evidence its border and counter-narcotics policies are disrupting the flow of fentanyl into American communities. PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY SETS THE PATH TO END THE DRUG CRISIS FOR GOOD “President [Donald] Trump targeted cartels who were profiting off the death of Americans, secured our border to stop Fentanyl and other illicit drugs from flowing into our communities and jump-started ICE to arrest illegal alien fentanyl traffickers,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. “These policies delivered a 22% decline in opioid deaths in a single year. Thanks to President Trump, America is finally winning the fight against fentanyl,” she added. MASSIVE MEXICO-CALIFORNIA BORDER BUSTS UNCOVER EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF DRUGS: ‘REMAIN VIGILANT’ The White House also pointed to a 45% decline in nationwide fentanyl seizures in fiscal year 2025 compared with the previous year. The administration characterized the drop as evidence that disruption further up the supply chain is reducing the amount of the drug reaching the U.S. border. DEA testing cited by the administration also found 29% of seized fentanyl pills contained a potentially lethal dose, down from 76% two years earlier. The White House attributed the declining potency to pressure on trafficking networks. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN 10,000 SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS The administration also shared the cases of 11 foreign nationals arrested by ICE this year who the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says had previous fentanyl-related convictions. The administration highlighted the February ICE arrest of Julio Cesar Pimentel-German, a Dominican Republic national whom DHS says had previously been convicted in Massachusetts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, trafficking fentanyl and a firearms offense. ICE also arrested Ader Aldair Ramirez-Quiroz, a Honduran national DHS says was convicted of importing fentanyl in San Diego, and Yancarlos Marte-Morel, a Dominican Republic national convicted in federal court in Massachusetts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to DHS. The arrests are part of what the administration says is a broader effort to remove convicted fentanyl traffickers from American communities while federal agencies target the drug trade at multiple levels. 5 MEXICAN CARTEL BOSSES CHARGED IN WEAPONS, DRUG TRAFFICKING, TIMESHARE FRAUD SCHEMES, DOJ SAYS Trump has also pursued the cartels through terrorist designations, financial sanctions and other federal enforcement tools. The president signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law in July 2025, permanently placing fentanyl-related substances under Schedule I and giving federal prosecutors a permanent framework for targeting fentanyl analogs. Trump later designated illicit fentanyl and key precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction. FEDS SEIZE MOUNTAIN OF FENTANYL FROM ‘OPEN-AIR DRUG MARKET’ IN MASSIVE CRACKDOWN TARGETING GANG CREWS The White House also pointed to Justice Department prosecutions involving nearly 8,000 defendants in fentanyl cases as evidence of the scope of the federal crackdown. The decline comes after fentanyl helped fuel an overdose epidemic that killed tens of thousands of Americans annually and devastated communities across the country. The administration says the latest figures show that trend moving sharply in the opposite direction.
Singham-linked nonprofits fight House subpoenas, accuse lawmakers of McCarthy-era ‘witch hunt’
Two nonprofits subpoenaed in a House Ways and Means Committee investigation into communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham’s funding network have formally objected to the congressional subpoenas, accusing lawmakers of reviving “Red Scare” tactics to target them because of their political views. In letters from their attorneys to the committee, New York City-based BreakThrough News, a pro-China media outlet, and Peoples Forum Inc., a socialist activist group, argued the subpoenas violate the First Amendment. They claim lawmakers are targeting their free speech, journalism and political advocacy rather than conducting a legitimate tax-law investigation. In a statement to Fox News Digital, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., defended the investigation and criticized the organizations’ refusal to comply with the July 21 subpoenas. “Make no mistake: Compliance with a congressional subpoena isn’t optional, and the Committee will use all tools it has available to investigate whether foreign actors are exploiting our tax code to sow chaos and create division,” Smith said. HOUSE PANEL SUBPOENAS 3 LEFT-WING GROUPS IN PROBE OF $39M TIED TO MARXIST TYCOON NEVILLE SINGHAM In letters, attorneys for both organizations wrote in identical language, “A witch-hunt is not a valid legislative purpose,” arguing the committee’s public statements reflect “the language of the Red Scare.” Both organizations argue they are not required to comply with the subpoenas as presently framed, saying the committee’s demands are too broad and seek information protected by the First Amendment. They leave open the possibility of responding if the committee narrows its demands. The two responses, dated Aug. 7 and shared on the organizations’ social media accounts, closely mirror each other in tone and substance. Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, co-founder and executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, a far-left nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., signed the letter from the People’s Forum. She co-signed the letter from BreakThrough News with Andrew Herman, an attorney also based in Washington, D.C. Both attorneys have represented the nonprofit groups through earlier inquiries and compared the current congressional investigation to the work of the House Un-American Activities Committee, which investigated suspected communist influence and subversion in the United States in the late 1940s and 1950s. According to digital records, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund shares the same address at a Florida Avenue NW townhouse used by the ANSWER Coalition, a self-described communist group that also operates out of the People’s Forum headquarters on W. 37th Street in Midtown Manhattan. In both letters, the attorneys also argue the committee has strayed beyond its traditional role of overseeing tax law by venturing into foreign influence, national security and alleged propaganda issues. The committee, however, says in its July 21 subpoena cover letters that it’s seeking information about the organizations’ financing and structure to examine how Singham-linked money reached the tax-exempt groups and whether foreign influence was involved. The committee hasn’t accused any of the subpoenaed organizations of criminal wrongdoing or other illegal conduct. The cover letters describe $40.3 million in funding that flowed from Singham’s network to BreakThrough News, People’s Forum and a third nonprofit, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which describes its work as rooted in “national liberation Marxism.” Tricontinental also submitted a response by the Aug. 7 deadline, according to a source familiar with the committee’s investigation. Fox News Digital reached out to Tricontinental and its attorney for comment and a copy of the letter but didn’t receive a response. JIM BANKS, GOP LAWMAKERS RALLY BEHIND DOJ PROBE INTO ALLEGED CCP-LINKED FUNDING NETWORK The committee alleges the Singham network routed money through shell companies and donor-advised funds in ways that obscured the original source of the contributions. It says the investigation is examining whether existing tax laws adequately account for those funding arrangements and whether legislative changes are needed to address potential gaps. Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his software company, ThoughtWorks, for an estimated $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, has directed at least $278 million into six core nonprofits that Fox News Digital previously reported promote socialist, communist and pro-China causes as part of a broader international network of media organizations, activist groups and think tanks. The committee said the organizations failed to produce requested documents, while the organizations argued they weren’t legally required to comply with the requests as they were framed because they violated First Amendment protections. In a five-part investigation, Fox News Digital traced how the six nonprofits into which Singham poured $278 million serve as key funding hubs in a broader international network of nonprofits, activist groups and media organizations. Of that funding, the Fox News Digital investigation found Singham pumped $22.44 million to People’s Forum, $16.76 million to Tricontinental and $1.098 million to BreakThrough BT Media Inc., the parent organization of BreakThrough News. The total amounted to $40.298 million. BreakThrough News and the People’s Forum subpoena responses ‘MCCARTHY TRIALS’: HASAN PIKER, FAR-LEFT FIGURES ERUPT OVER SUBPOENAS IN $39M SINGHAM PROBE In arguing they can’t be required to comply with the subpoenas as written, BreakThrough News and People’s Forum say the committee is demanding far more information than it needs to investigate their finances, including records they say would expose their journalism, political activity, donors and associations. The organizations argue they “cannot be required to respond” to a process that “seeks to punish, silence, expose, and condemn protected expression.” The committee disputes that argument, saying its investigation is examining whether existing tax laws governing tax-exempt organizations adequately account for foreign influence and whether Congress needs to strengthen those laws. Smith told Fox News Digital, “After months of delay, I am disappointed but not surprised to see yet another attempt by tax-exempt organizations connected to Shanghai Singham to evade scrutiny. Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right. When organizations that receive generous taxpayer-funded benefits refuse to comply with lawful congressional oversight about potential foreign influence, the American people have every right to know what they are hiding. And we will continue pushing until the truth is uncovered.” The committee hasn’t publicly said it has
LA socialist’s fumbled answer to Graham Platner question draws groans from Dem audience
Socialist Nithya Raman drew loud groans and hisses from a crowd of Democrats during the Los Angeles mayoral debate after she fumbled while explaining her decision to hire the political consulting firm behind disgraced former Senate candidate Graham Platner’s campaign. After winning the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine, Platner, also a socialist, dropped out of the race in July after several sexual misconduct allegations. Even before the allegations arose, Platner had stirred significant controversy over his history of inflammatory statements and a chest tattoo critics say resembles a well-known Nazi symbol. Though he continues to deny the sexual misconduct allegations and maintains his innocence, Platner remains an embarrassment for many Democrats after several prominent figures in the party endorsed and praised him. During the debate Wednesday night, Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Los Angeles chapter, faced questions over her decision to hire the consulting firm Fight Agency. “[It was] reported that you’ve hired the same political consulting firm that managed Graham Platner’s campaign in Maine, who had to resign amidst sexual assault allegations. Is that true? And is that the best choice? And why did you make that decision?” the moderator asked. KAREN BASS RIPPED AFTER VIRAL VIDEO LAYS OUT TAXPAYER-FUNDED MATCH OF CAMPAIGN DONATIONS Raman responded by saying, “Well, I did hire an advertising agency to make my paid ads, who also worked with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s successful campaign.” At this, the crowd of several hundred people broke into loud moans as some hissed. Mamdani is another socialist politician backed by the DSA who won his race for New York City mayor last year. Raman pushed on, saying that the firm also worked on “many, many other successful campaigns across the entire city.” “Here’s what I do want to say, that I do want to win this race,” she said, adding, “I’ve retained most of my good campaign staff … we’ve made sure to invest in our team, and I hope that we can win this seat, and I’m going to work as hard as I can to win.” “Did you weigh the pros and cons of being associated with Graham Platner’s campaign?” the moderator pressed. “Absolutely. But we wanted to make sure that we were hiring good people to make our ads,” Raman responded. LA MAYORAL RACE HEADS TO NOVEMBER RUNOFF AS KAREN BASS FACES MAMDANI-STYLE SOCIALIST “We have to get talent to be able to run our team,” she said before briefly stumbling over her words and saying, “We we we we weighed the issues.” After that, Raman criticized incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, also a Democrat. She pointed to a recent case in which an advisor to Bass simultaneously did crisis communications work for a company facing scrutiny over a major Los Angeles warehouse fire, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest. “That, to me, is a real, real, real problem,” Raman said. After that, the moderator turned to Bass and asked, “That wasn’t a good look, was it?” Bass responded, “Absolutely not,” adding it “should not have happened.” “However, I don’t know what the heck that has to do with the question that you asked her,” Bass told the moderator. “I guess it’s a question of judgment,” the moderator responded. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Well, if I had known that person was doing that, that person would not have been advising me. When I realized it found out about it, they stopped advising me,” Bass said. A spokesperson for Fight Agency responded to the controversy by telling Fox News Digital, “We decided to make ads for the campaign that actually believes in taking on a broken status quo and a corrupt political establishment to finally make things work in L.A. again.” Bass and Raman are running in a competitive race to be the next mayor of America’s second-largest city. Raman secured a spot on the November ballot after narrowly edging out Republican candidate Spencer Pratt in a late election surge. Fox News Digital reached out to Raman and Bass for additional comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to Platner, the DSA and Mamdani’s office for comment.
Top Dems go silent after McCarthy vindicated for booting Swalwell off intel committee
“No concern.” “Pernicious nonsense.” “Spurious allegations.” A “frivolous, political exercise.” Those were among the defenses senior Democrats mounted on former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s behalf as former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tried to force the California Democrat off the powerful House Intelligence Committee over his relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine “Fang Fang” Fang. Now, newly declassified FBI records and a raid on his home are casting fresh light on Swalwell’s relationship with Fang that Democrats denied and previously argued did not justify McCarthy’s actions. The newly declassified records, released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force Monday, detail two FBI interviews with Swalwell, both conducted as part of a broader investigation examining Fang’s involvement with illicit campaign contributions, funneling interns to Swalwell’s office and other activity. DECLASSIFIED FBI DOCS REVEAL SWALWELL HAD SEX WITH ‘FANG FANG’ MULTIPLE TIMES Meanwhile, FBI agents seized Swalwell’s electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night, while his Washington, D.C., residence was subsequently searched the following day, as part of a probe into sexual misconduct. “I sat in on that briefing. And when Kevin McCarthy misrepresents it and does that disservice to the American people, it’s shameful,” then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said in January 2023 as McCarthy blocked Swalwell from returning to the Intelligence Committee. Schiff, who had chaired the House Intelligence Committee, added that Swalwell had “served honorably” on the panel, had “never been accused of any kind of wrongdoing” and called McCarthy’s criticism a “patently unfair smear.” “Mr. Speaker, I have rarely heard such pernicious nonsense as we heard from the minority leader a few minutes ago. He accused Mr. Swalwell of having a Chinese spy or Chinese agent in his campaign. I understand he has introduced a resolution to remove Mr. Swalwell from his committee for that purpose,” Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said during remarks from the House floor. “That is absurd. And I think Mr. McCarthy ought to be ashamed because he is an experienced campaigner — he knows this — for raising these spurious allegations.” SWALWELL RESIGNATION COLLIDES WITH CHINA-LINKED SCANDAL AS CRITICS DEMAND FILE RELEASE The newly declassified files show for the first time publicly that the FBI’s concerns about Swalwell went beyond just the fact he had a romantic relationship with Fang, which Swalwell admitted to in the interviews uncovered in the file. The declassified documents also showed agents had launched a full investigation tied to Fang examining possible bribery, foreign campaign contributions and efforts to trade access to Swalwell and congressional internships for political donations. The records also show how the FBI viewed Fang as a significant counterintelligence concern, suspecting ties to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) and at one point attempting to recruit her as an FBI confidential source. PELOSI, CALIFORNIA DEMS SLAM SWALWELL OVER BOMBSHELL SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS: ‘INDEFENSIBLE’ Investigators ultimately did not find evidence that Swalwell participated in a quid-pro-quo scheme or committed federal corruption violations, and he was removed as a subject of the investigation in 2017. Separately, the bipartisan House Ethics Committee closed its investigation into Swalwell’s interactions with Fang in May 2023 without taking further action against him. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also publicly defended Swalwell as the controversy first erupted in December 2020, saying, “I don’t have any concern about Mr. Swalwell” when asked about whether increased security should be tied to positions of influence in Congress. Her office separately said Pelosi had “full confidence in Congressman Swalwell’s service in the Congress and on the Intelligence Committee.” PELOSI DISTANCES HERSELF FROM ALLY SWALWELL AMID SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS Pelosi and McCarthy later received a classified FBI briefing on the matter in December 2020. McCarthy emerged from the briefing saying Swalwell “should not be on Intel,” while Pelosi continued to back the California Democrat, who was later reappointed to the Intelligence Committee in March 2021. “The knowledge that I have of what transpired and the actions that he has done and the behavior, especially when he’s gone to other countries, I would be very leery of him in any position of that can have sensitive information,” McCarthy previously told Fox News Digital earlier this year. “The recklessness in which he lived his life, the reports that have come back, I think it would be hard for him to ever even be considered as a governor candidate, period.” Then-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer likewise dismissed McCarthy’s effort to remove Swalwell as a “frivolous, political exercise” intended to “attack the reputation of an outstanding Member of Congress.” Hoyer also described the Republican push as a “spurious attempt.” SENATOR GALLEGO SAYS LONGTIME FRIENDSHIP WITH SWALWELL ‘CLOUDED MY JUDGMENT’ AS RUMORS SWIRLED IN DC And in January 2023, then-Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., went further in defending Swalwell, saying on CNN that “the FBI has clearly stated that Swalwell … has been cleared.” Gallego said Swalwell and Schiff “have not done anything incorrectly” and rejected the suggestion that they posed a national-security threat. Fox News Digital reached out to the top Democrats mentioned in this article, but did not hear back in time for publication.
Ukraine’s ‘Equalizer’ bomb aims to blow up reliance on US, European weapons
Ukraine is buying a homegrown glide bomb that could help its pilots strike Russian forces from a safer distance while relying less on weapons supplied by the U.S. and Europe. The new weapon is called the Vyrivniuvach, or “Equalizer.” It was developed by Ukrainian company DG Industry with support from Brave1, a government-backed defense technology group. A Ukrainian military official told Ukrinform that the bomb has finished testing and is now being bought for the armed forces. Fox News Digital has reached out to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense for more details. Until now, Ukraine’s warplanes have relied heavily on U.S.-supplied JDAM-ER bomb kits and Small Diameter Bombs, as well as French-made Hammer bombs, for precision strikes from safer distances. The Equalizer could give Kyiv more control over its own supply of guided bombs as foreign military aid remains uncertain. ‘A NEW KIND OF WAR’: INSIDE UKRAINE’S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES The Equalizer turns a conventional bomb into a precision weapon by adding wings and guidance systems. It is designed to be dropped from Ukraine’s MiG-29, Su-24 and Su-27 warplanes, allowing pilots to attack targets farther behind Russian lines while staying farther away from Russian air defenses. Brave1 told The War Zone that the bomb could eventually be used by Ukraine’s donated F-16 and Mirage fighter jets, but it needs additional certification before that can happen. Russia’s use of glide bombs has become one of the most punishing parts of the war for Ukrainian troops and towns near the front. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Russian forces dropped more than 8,300 guided aerial bombs in July — the highest monthly total of the war and an average of more than 267 bombs a day. Russia’s wider air assault has also intensified in recent days. A Russian missile-and-drone barrage on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight killed at least 16 people and wounded about 40, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. The attack damaged homes, a school and a children’s hospital. RUSSIA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK ON KYIV HOURS AFTER ZELENSKYY WARNS OF MAJOR STRIKE The Equalizer does not make Ukraine fully independent from foreign supply chains. Brave1 said the bomb’s wings and flight-control software were made in Ukraine, but its chips and microcircuits come from abroad. The group said about 90% of the weapon’s parts come from Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. The weapons have helped Russia pound Ukrainian defensive positions and communities near the fighting. Ukraine has continued to press the U.S. and European allies for more air-defense weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this month that the U.S. had agreed to send Patriot interceptor missiles each month, but he warned that the volumes were not enough to meet Ukraine’s needs. RUSSIA EXPOSES NATO WEAPONS GAP AS TOP COMMANDER WARNS ‘THE MATH IS NOT IN FAVOR OF THE WEST’ SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER It is not yet clear when the Equalizer will reach Ukrainian units in large numbers or whether it has been used in combat. Fox News Digital has reached out to DG Industry and Brave1 for comment.