DOJ expands indictment against SPLC, alleging $4M secretly funneled to KKK and extremist groups
The Department of Justice last month announced an indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), alleging that the civil rights nonprofit defrauded donors by secretly paying informants associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan. A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned an 11-count indictment in April charging the SPLC with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of making false statements to a federally insured bank and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, according to the Justice Department. The superseding indictment retains those charges while expanding on the alleged misconduct. According to the DOJ, the SPLC “secretly funneled” more than $3 million in donor funds between 2014 and 2023 to numerous individuals associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, the National Socialist Movement, participants in the Unite the Right rally and the Aryan Nations-affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club. NEO-NAZIS, ‘SADISTIC’ BIKERS AND CHARLOTTESVILLE ORGANIZER: 5 OF THE MOST SHOCKING SPLC INFORMANTS The original indictment alleged approximately $3 million in payments between 2014 and 2023. “The SPLC’s paid informants (‘field sources’) engaged in the active promotion of racist groups at the same time that the SPLC was denouncing the same groups on its website,” the indictment states. Prosecutors further allege the SPLC opened bank accounts tied to fictitious entities in order to conceal donor funds that were allegedly routed to confidential sources. MIKE DAVIS: SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: A TALE OF A RACISM SCAM According to the indictment, the SPLC began operating a covert informant network in the 1980s, and between 2014 and 2023 allegedly paid those sources in a clandestine manner. The DOJ alleges an SPLC employee instead encouraged the pair to remain involved and offered them a monthly salary of $1,200. The two subsequently agreed to remain in the organization, according to the indictment. DR. BEN CARSON: I KNOW HOW BAD THE SPLC WAS, IT CAME AFTER ME AND PUT ME AT RISK Prosecutors allege an SPLC employee instructed the individuals to claim they worked for a company called Rare Books and helped college students with research and writing assignments if anyone questioned the source of their income. The indictment alleges donor funds were used to pay both individuals through SPLC accounts. According to prosecutors, the pair were also reimbursed for expenses related to Ku Klux Klan activities, including cross-burning events and associated costs such as wood and fuel. One of the individuals is also accused of recruiting new members using donor-funded payments. The indictment further alleges the SPLC knew donor funds were used to purchase materials for Ku Klux Klan garments. In a statement to Fox News Digital, attorney Abbe Lowell, who represents the SPLC, denied the allegations. “This apparent superseding indictment attempts to shore up the flaws in the initial charges, but it changes nothing,” Lowell said. “The SPLC did not lie to its donors, it did not mislead banks it did business with, and its informant program prevented violence and saved lives,” he continued. “It appears the Justice Department shared the indictment with media before it was unsealed by the court – another example of the government’s troubling handling of this case.” “We will be addressing these irregularities with the court and look forward to presenting the truth at trial,” he added. NONPROFIT REVENUE TOTALS SURGE AMID GROWING SCRUTINY AFTER MAJOR FRAUD CASES The superseding indictment also notes that the SPLC’s reported revenue increased from roughly $38.7 million in 2010 to more than $129 million in 2023, an increase of approximately 233%. According to the filing, the organization’s net assets grew from approximately $238 million to nearly $787 million during the same period. The SPLC is a longtime nonprofit organization that says it combats white supremacy and extremism through research, reporting and monitoring efforts intended to assist law enforcement and the public. During a news conference announcing the original indictment, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche alleged the SPLC paid members of extremist groups so it could generate “work product” documenting their activities. “To that end, [SPLC] was doing the exact opposite of what it told its donors it was doing – not dismantling extremism but funding it,” Blanche said. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, David Spunt, Jake Gibson and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Missing GOP congressman reveals he’s ‘more energized than ever’ to return to Washington
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., said Tuesday he is “more energized than ever” and plans to return to in-person work “within a matter of weeks,” issuing a new statement after months away from Capitol Hill because of an undisclosed medical issue. Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has been absent from Congress for months while dealing with undisclosed health issues keeping him away from Washington and the campaign trail. Kean said in April that he was addressing a “personal medical issue,” but he has not publicly disclosed the nature of the issue. “Serving the people of this district is the honor of my life. Every day, I wake up determined to build on the results I have delivered for New Jersey families such as lowering costs, restoring the SALT deduction, funding our law enforcement, helping veterans, standing with Israel, strengthening our economy, and making government work better,” Kean said in a statement Tuesday, amid growing scrutiny over his absence. REP. TOM KEAN JR. SAYS HE EXPECTS TO RETURN TO CONGRESS ‘IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS’ AFTER MISSING 100 VOTES Kean has not cast a vote since March 5, according to The New York Times. House voting records also listed Kean as “Not Voting” on a May 21 roll call vote. “I am optimistic about the road ahead, and ready to earn the support of voters in every corner of the district,” Kean continued. “I am more energized then ever to keep fighting for the people of New Jersey’s 7th District. Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks. At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition.” Kean added that he “understand[s] the need for transparency on this matter” and looks forward to sharing his experience with the public. DEMOCRAT TINA SHAH CALLS TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN A ‘NO-BRAINER’ IN COMPETITIVE NJ HOUSE RACE Ahead of Kean’s Tuesday primary election, during which he ran unopposed, President Donald Trump endorsed the New Jersey Republican. Trump praised Kean in a Truth Social post Monday night, describing him as a strong supporter of the president’s “America First Agenda,” adding the New Jersey Republican is “working tirelessly” on border security, crime, the economy, taxes, energy, veterans and Second Amendment issues. “Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,” Trump concluded, telling people to get out and vote. Trump’s support remains one of the most powerful forces in Republican primaries, with candidates across several states openly competing for his backing ahead of key contests. His endorsement of Kean signals the White House and GOP leaders are still lining up behind the incumbent as Republicans fight to defend their narrow House majority this fall. Four Democrats — Rebecca Bennett, Michael Roth, Tina Shah and Brian Varela — were competing for the nomination to face Kean in November, but Bennett edged them out Tuesday night during the Democratic primary. The Associated Press described Bennett as a former Navy helicopter pilot, Roth as a former Small Business Administration official, Shah as an intensive care doctor and Varela as a businessman, with each candidate raising seven figures as Democrats target Kean’s battleground seat.
Democrats turn to Paralympian in bid to flip key GOP-held Senate seat
Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek of Iowa on Tuesday captured his party’s Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst. Turek, a Paralympian, defeated state Sen. Zach Wahls in Iowa’s Democratic Senate primary, The Associated Press reported, and will now face off against Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, who cruised to the GOP nomination. The Republican-controlled Senate seat in Iowa is a top target for Democrats, and the race is one of about a dozen crucial showdowns in this year’s midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans successfully hold onto their slim majority in the chamber. THE MIDTERM RACES THAT COULD TIP THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE SENATE Turek, a moderate Democrat who flipped a GOP-held Iowa House seat in 2022, was backed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and had the tacit support of longtime Democratic Senate Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. And VoteVets, an establishment-aligned outside group, has spent big bucks on behalf of Turek. “Josh Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist who has represented his country on the world stage and has built a reputation in the legislature for working across the aisle to get things done for Iowans,” Schumer and Gillibrand said in a statement. “His nomination tonight puts the Iowa Senate seat firmly in play, and in November, Iowans will reject Ashley Hinson’s self-serving politics and send Josh Turek to the U.S. Senate.” But National Republican Senatorial Committee Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell said that “Chuck Schumer spent $10 million dollars to coronate Josh Turek as his rubber stamp for Democrats’ radical tax-and-spend agenda. In November, Iowans will reject him and elect Ashley Hinson to keep fighting for Iowa families, farmers, and workers.” Wahls, a progressive candidate who Republicans likened to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, was endorsed by liberal champion Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The Democratic primary grabbed plenty of national attention and drew tons of outside money. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Hinson, a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, defeated former state senator and former U.S. Senate candidate Jim Carlin in the GOP Senate primary, The Associated Press reported. Hinson was backed by President Donald Trump; Senate Majority Leader John Thune; the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the campaign arm of the Senate GOP; and by Ernst as she cruised to her party’s nomination. Hinson, who in 2020 flipped a Democratic-held seat, is seen as a rising star in the party. Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles with Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020 and by 13 points in November 2024. Republicans hold both of the state’s Senate seats — Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley — and all four of Iowa’s congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except state auditor. But Democrats are energized heading into the midterms, when the GOP, as the party in power, will face traditional headwinds, a challenging political climate thanks to persistent inflation and sky-high gas prices due to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran, as well as Trump’s sinking approval ratings. And Iowa Democrats, in particular, are energized after flipping two GOP-held state Senate seats in special elections in 2025. The general election winner will succeed Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War and was first elected to the Senate in 2014. Ernst grabbed plenty of national attention in that campaign with her “make ’em squeal” ads as she won the high-profile Senate election to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. Fox News’ Sally Persons contributed to this report.
Plastic surgeon who testified for 1993 WTC bombing cleric wins NJ Dem primary
A pro-Palestinian plastic surgeon in New Jersey who testified as a witness in a major terrorism case on behalf of a convicted Islamic cleric won election in the New Jersey primary. Adam Hisham Hamawy, a former Army combat medic born in Egypt, won a 12-way Democratic primary contest for a solidly blue House seat, according to The Associated Press. Hamawy was considered to be the frontrunner to succeed retiring Trenton-area Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, D-N.J., and garnered support from the Democratic Party’s far-left flank. He attempted to weather mounting scrutiny for his ties as a young adult to Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, who was convicted of inciting the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six people and injured thousands. The infamous “Blind Sheikh” was also an influential figure among al Qaeda terrorists. MEET ANALILIA MEJIA, THE SANDERS-AOC BACKED PROGRESSIVE WHO JUST WON ELECTION TO CONGRESS Hamawy testified as a witness for the defense and has faced lingering questions for his role in the convicted sheikh’s 1996 trial. Fox News contributor Andrew McCarthy, the chief prosecutor in Abdel Rahman’s criminal trial, said Hamawy’s testimony ultimately helped the government’s case despite it being offered to undermine the prosecution’s case. “As was uniformly the case with witnesses presented in the extensive defense case, his testimony, once cross-examination was over, did more to bolster the prosecution’s proof of a jihadist terrorism conspiracy against the United States than to help the accused,” McCarthy said in a statement to Fox News Digital. His campaign told Fox News Digital that a past affiliation with Abdel Rahman, who was also convicted of conspiring to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, amounts to “guilt-by-association” shaming. He has denied any wrongdoing and was never criminally charged. The political newcomer also faced questions over his ties to a now-shuttered al Qaeda-linked front group in Eastern Europe, which he briefly volunteered for in 1994, Jewish Insider first reported. Hamawy was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; and controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, among other leading progressives. American Priorities, a nascent pro-Palestinian super PAC, also poured money into the race to put him over the top. EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF WARNS OF ‘MAJOR PROBLEM’ THAT COULD FORCE US ‘BACK INTO THE WAR ON IRAN’S TERMS’ The district, spanning liberal Mercer County up through Somerville to the Plainfields, is considered a safe Democratic seat in a blue-trending state that has moved away from the relatively close margins President Donald Trump received in his 2024 race. With a crowded field, few have coalesced around an alternative to Hamawy, while one opponent — Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp — did call out the surgeon as a “radical extremist.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., told Jewish Insider he had “deep concerns” about Hamawy’s “associations with terrorist organizations and leaders who have attacked America.” Activist Sue Altman, who lost to adjacent-district Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in 2024, is another of the dozen running against Hamawy. She recently won support from influential figures among the party’s establishment, including former Gov. Jon S. Corzine, ex-Sen. Robert “The Torch” Torricelli and ex-Sen. Bill Bradley. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., notably credited Hamawy with saving her life on an overseas deployment to the Middle East in 2004, and he, in turn, credited her with helping secure his evacuation in 2024 after his medical mission was reportedly trapped by a closed border crossing near Khan Younis, Gaza. During that humanitarian trip, Hamawy said he had “never … witnessed the level of atrocities and targeting of my medical colleagues,” in an apparent reference to the Israeli government.
Trump-endorsed Hinson secures Iowa Senate nomination as Democrats eye GOP seat
Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa on Tuesday captured her party’s Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst. Hinson, a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, defeated former state senator and former U.S. Senate candidate Jim Carlin in the GOP Senate primary, The Associated Press reported. The Republican-controlled seat in Iowa is a top target for Democrats, and the race is one of about a dozen crucial showdowns in this year’s midterm elections that will determine whether the Republicans hold on to their current 53–47 majority in the chamber. Hinson was backed by President Donald Trump; Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune; the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the campaign arm of the Senate GOP; and by Ernst as she cruised to her party’s nomination. Hinson, who in 2020 flipped a Democratic-held seat that covers the northeastern portion of Iowa, is seen as a rising star in the party. THE MIDTERM RACES THAT COULD TIP THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE SENATE “It has been working Iowans from all 99 counties – and I’ve visited every single one of them – who powered this campaign and delivered a resounding victory tonight,” Hinson said in a statement released moments after her race was called. And she emphasized, “We’re going to continue fighting every day to make life more affordable for Iowa families, to take on Big Pharma and Big Health Insurance, and to root out corruption in Washington by banning Members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks and participating in prediction markets.” Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020, and by 13 points in November 2024. Republicans hold both of the state’s Senate seats — Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley — and all four of Iowa’s congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB But Democrats are energized heading into the midterms, when the GOP as the party in power will face traditional headwinds, a challenging political climate thanks to persistent inflation and sky-high gas prices due to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and Trump’s sinking approval ratings. And Iowa Democrats, in particular, are energized after flipping two GOP-held state Senate seats in special elections last year. Hinson will face off in the general election against state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian. Turek defeated state Sen. Zach Wahls in an expensive and contentious Democratic Senate primary. Wahls, a progressive who Republicans have likened to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, had the backing of liberal champion Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Turek, the more moderate Senate contender who flipped a GOP-held Iowa House seat in 2022, was backed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and had the tacit support of longtime Democratic Senate Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. And VoteVets, an establishment-aligned outside group, has spent big bucks on behalf of Turek. “Josh Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist who has represented his country on the world stage and has built a reputation in the legislature for working across the aisle to get things done for Iowans,” Schumer and Gillibrand said in a statement. “His nomination tonight puts the Iowa Senate seat firmly in play, and in November, Iowans will reject Ashley Hinson’s self-serving politics and send Josh Turek to the U.S. Senate.” But National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell said that “Chuck Schumer spent $10 million dollars to coronate Josh Turek as his rubber stamp for Democrats’ radical tax-and-spend agenda. In November, Iowans will reject him and elect Ashley Hinson to keep fighting for Iowa families, farmers, and workers.” And the NRSC quickly went up with a digital ad targeting Turek for what Republicans argued is his “radical agenda.” Hinson is aiming to succeed Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War and was first elected to the Senate in 2014. Ernst grabbed plenty of national attention in that campaign with her “make ’em squeal” ads as she won the high-profile Senate election to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. Fox News’ Sally Persons contributed to this report.
Dems pick challenger for GOP congressman who vanished from public view amid health mystery
Democrat Rebecca Bennett will face Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., an embattled lawmaker sidelined for months by an undisclosed health issue, in November’s general election. Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, won the Democratic nomination in a crowded primary for a battleground New Jersey House seat, according to The Associated Press. Kean, who has not appeared in public since early March, ran unopposed for the GOP nomination. Bennett’s primary victory sets up what could be the two-term incumbent’s toughest re-election fight yet. The suburban swing district is considered critical to House Republicans’ efforts to hold their slim majority. VIDEO SHOWS DEM CANDIDATE DODGING TRUMP VIOLENCE QUESTION AS CAMPAIGN ISSUES RESPONSE Gov. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., narrowly carried the northern New Jersey swing seat during her gubernatorial race in 2025. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rated the contest as a “toss-up.” The brewing general election battle comes as Kean has faced mounting scrutiny for a prolonged absence from Congress that has left even House GOP leadership in the dark. “He’s had a medical issue, and he’s gonna be fully transparent and disclose all that,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters in May. “I mean, that’s what he told me. But I don’t even know the details, and I have to respect that.” Kean released a written statement shortly before polls closed Tuesday saying he will be “completely transparent” about his medical issue when he resumes in-person work, which he said he expects to do “within a matter of weeks.” “I understand the need for transparency on this matter, and I look forward to sharing my experience with the public,” he continued, without further elaborating on his condition. DEMOCRAT TINA SHAH CALLS TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN A ‘NO-BRAINER’ IN COMPETITIVE NJ HOUSE RACE Kean previously said in mid-May that he would resume work “in the next couple of weeks,” according to the New Jersey Globe. The New Jersey Republican has missed all 104 of the most recent roll call votes, according to GovTrack, a website that monitors congressional absences. He last voted March 5. His office has continued to post on social media and Kean has even introduced legislation during his absence. President Donald Trump highlighted his endorsement of Kean in a post on social media, stating the incumbent lawmaker “WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN.” Tina Shah and Michael Roth — two former Biden administration officials — challenged Bennett for the Democratic nomination. Brian Varela, a businessman running on a progressive platform, also launched a bid for the seat. Bennett, a first-time candidate, ran a less progressive campaign than the other Democrats in the race. She was the lone Democrat to stop short of calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Kean defeated Democratic challenger Sue Altman by roughly 5 points in 2024. He is the son of former two-term New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean, who led the Garden State throughout much of the 1980s. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), House Republicans’ campaign arm, immediately criticized Bennett following her primary win. “The truth is, Bennett is a tax-and-spend liberal who worships the socialist Squad and wants to make life more expensive for New Jerseyans,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole said in a statement Tuesday.
Spencer Pratt stops at iconic LA restaurant on Election Day, vows to make city ‘streets safe again’
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt spent part of Election Day at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles, one of the city’s many recognizable culinary institutions, as voters headed to the polls in Tuesday’s primary election. Pratt first rose to fame on MTV’s reality show “The Hills” alongside his wife, Heidi Montag. This year he launched an unconventional bid for Los Angeles mayor as a registered Republican, running as an independent, in the city’s open primary election. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB After eating at the restaurant, Pratt praised the food and contrasted his visit with a recent stop by incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass at another one of the soul food restaurant’s locations. “Oh, it was incredible,” Pratt told Fox News Digital. “We went to the actual Roscoe’s in LA City.” “I saw Mayor Bass enjoyed a different Roscoe’s. Still good,” he snubbed. “I don’t think she ate anything. I think she just had a soda and a photo op, but I wanted to actually go experience the LA City Roscoe’s.” Asked what he ordered, Pratt replied: “I had waffles and chicken. It was incredible.” DENNIS QUAID THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND SPENCER PRATT FOR LA MAYOR WITH BLUNT MESSAGE Founded in 1975, Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles has become a Los Angeles institution known for its signature pairing of fried chicken and waffles and its place in the city’s cultural history. The restaurant has long attracted a mix of local residents, celebrities, athletes and politicians. Pratt entered the mayoral race after losing his Pacific Palisades home in the devastating 2025 wildfire and has since become a vocal critic of Bass and city leadership. His campaign has focused on public safety, homelessness, wildfire preparedness and government accountability. LA MAYORAL CANDIDATE SPENCER PRATT VOWS ‘ZERO ENCAMPMENTS’ OF HOMELESS, NO FENTANYL ON STREETS Speaking outside of Roscoe’s, Pratt used the stop to reinforce his law-and-order message and vowed to clean-up the city. “What am I doing on day one? We’re gonna start making the streets safe again,” Pratt said. “It’s gonna take the first couple weeks — I gotta warn everybody — the law’s back in LA.,” he continued. “But then, once everybody’s been warned, we will be enforcing all the laws so that everybody can feel safe all across the city. Because right now, no one feels safe.” Though initially viewed as a celebrity long shot, Pratt has attracted attention through his social media presence, catchy campaign ads, viral debate performance, name recognition and outsider campaign message. His Election Day appearance at Roscoe’s reflected a campaign that has leaned heavily into Los Angeles culture while seeking to connect with voters frustrated by the city’s challenges — especially in the wake of the deadly and widely destructive wildfires last year.
California’s sluggish vote counting ripped across the political spectrum: ‘Extremely embarrassing’
Though California voters are heading to the polls tonight, they may not know the results of several key primary races for days – a fact that has people across the political spectrum raising concerns. “The fact that California elections often can’t be resolved for weeks is kind of insane and not common in other electoral systems around the world,” Nate Silver, a top political data analyst, wrote on X on Tuesday afternoon. “Like honestly ‘it’s going to take us several weeks to tell you who won the election’ is failed state sh-t and should be much more stigmatized. The fact that it’s tolerated is bad too a textbook example of learned helplessness.” Lengthy vote counts in California are a product of the state’s reliance on mail voting and its thorough review process. Under California law, every registered voter receives a mail-in ballot and votes that arrive at election offices up to a week after election day are considered valid so long as they were postmarked by election day. RNC RAILS AGAINST CALIFORNIA’S LATE MAIL-IN BALLOT COUNTING AMID NATIONAL LITIGATION: ‘IT IS ABSURD’ In tight primaries where a handful of votes decide outcomes, this process can cause voters to go weeks without knowing who will advance to the general election. “Every other state manages to count its votes in a somewhat timely manner,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, an independent who caucuses with the GOP, wrote on X. “California’s inability to competently handle the basic administration of democracy is embarrassing. It’s also indicative of why our state has so many other problems.” TRUMP MAKES LATE-NIGHT ENDORSEMENTS IN SIX STATES AHEAD OF TUESDAY PRIMARIES, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA Florida famously tweaked its election laws after the state failed to declare a winner during the 2004 presidential election and has since had relatively few problems in providing quick and accurate counts. Some, however, defend California’s system, arguing that the slow pace of counting is a worthwhile trade-off to ensure greater access for voters. USPS GIVES CRITICAL WARNING ABOUT MAIL-IN BALLOTS AS ELECTION DAY LOOMS NEXT WEEK “The delayed count is in service of maximizing turnout and access,” Democratic strategist Addisu Demissie wrote on X. “LA County is bigger than 40 states, but, well, a county.” He added that critics were being unreasonable, as knowing the results of the elections by the end of the week, which he says is acceptable. David Dayen, executive editor at The American Prospect, a liberal magazine, pointed out that fraud prevention efforts – such as checking all ballot signatures against a master file – lengthen the counting process. In a different vein, Logan Dobson, a conservative political operative, argued that California’s slow vote counting could throw the nation into disarray if the United States moved to a national popular vote system, leaving the results of presidential elections unclear for days or even weeks. “This is correct and extremely embarrassing for US democracy,” Princeton Professor Arthur Spirling wrote, responding to Silver’s criticism. “What’s also bad is the number of people, political scientists among them, who show up to tell you there’s no other way and you’re damaging the civic fabric by pointing out how ridiculous it is.”
WATCH: Dem senators excuse Platner’s conduct at crisis huddle with embattled Maine candidate
Democratic senators attending a closed-door meeting with Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on Tuesday brushed off questions about the controversies engulfing his campaign, with some expressing confidence in his chances. Platner made a crisis trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with Democratic senators a week before his primary election on June 9 as his campaign continues to face questions over his alleged sexting scandals and resurfaced online posts. “I’m very confident we are going to win Maine,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., told reporters outside the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee building when asked if she still supports the progressive candidate. DEM SENATORS DEFLECT QUESTIONS ON PLATNER’S SCANDAL-PLAGUED CAMPAIGN: ‘NOT FOLLOWING THAT RACE CLOSELY’ Pressed on whether she had confidence in Platner, Gillibrand replied, “I do. I have confidence that we are going to win Maine and I have no doubt.” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., defended Platner, pointing to the millions of dollars being spent on advertising in Maine targeting the Democratic candidate. “All I can tell you is that the wealthiest people in this country have now reserved close to $100 million in TV ads in a small state like Maine,” Sanders said. “So what are the billionaires worried about? Why are they spending so much money trying to defeat this guy?” “The answer is that he’s going to stand up to the oligarchies,” he concluded ahead of the sit-down with Platner. SANDERS SAYS PLATNER HAS THE ‘GUTS’ TO FIGHT BILLIONAIRES DESPITE GROWING SCANDAL PILEUP Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., declined to answer questions from reporters about the controversies surrounding Platner’s campaign as she entered the meeting at DSCC headquarters. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., for his part, said the decision is “going to be up to voters in Maine.” Asked whether he believes the moderate jurisdiction will back Platner, the Vermont senator replied, “We’ll see.” Among the controversies facing the leading Democratic candidate is a Wall Street Journal report that his wife discovered sexually explicit text exchanges with multiple women just months after they were married in 2024. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Platner said, “Amy and I went through something hard — because of me.” SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT “We did the work, and I’m grateful for her every hour of every day,” he added. “I’ve learned throughout this campaign is that people don’t care about gossip or headlines, they care that you’re fighting for their hospitals, their paycheck, their kids.” A Kik account appearing to belong to Platner featuring a sexually suggestive photo of Platner posing shirtless with only a towel wrapped around his waist was found. However, his campaign told Fox News Digital that the account was created while he was single and “has long been deleted from his phone.” The Marine Corps veteran has also faced criticism over a Nazi-linked tattoo and resurfaced online posts, including a 2019 Reddit post that said Purple Heart veteran Teddy Daniels “didn’t deserve to live.” Platner will face David Costello in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary on June 9. The winner will take on five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.
Trump-backed candidate ‘confident’ Republicans will have great night in California: ‘Very excited’
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton expressed confidence Tuesday as California Republicans fight to avoid being shut out of the governor’s race under the state’s unique “jungle-primary” system. Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are the two main Republicans in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. After Hilton received President Donald Trump’s endorsement, his neck-and-neck position with Bianco became a lead, but as the election neared, concern arose that two Democrats may outdo he and the sheriff – leaving no Republican on the ballot, “I’m very excited that it looks like we’re going to have a good night tonight,” Hilton said. “I think the president’s endorsement has been a great honor. The vice president endorsed me this morning. What an incredible thing for someone who’s a new American citizen,” the former Fox News host – a native of Great Britain – added. Hilton portended a good night regardless of Bianco’s decision to stay in the race. “I think everyone in California understands we need change,” he said. Hilton said California Republicans – of which there are more numerically than any other state – are energized and that the early ballot returns depict such. “I’m pretty confident that we are going to do fine one way or the other.” The mood extended beyond the governor’s race. In Los Angeles, independent mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt spent Election Day courting voters in neighborhoods Republicans and independents increasingly see as receptive to change. Pratt was spotted at the famed Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, mingling with voters at the soul food establishment – and also seen in another clip hosting a cookout in a park in a majority-minority community. With Gov. Gavin Newsom term-limited and Mayor Karen Bass under fire for her handling of crime, homelessness and the Palisades fires, Republicans and Pratt see an opportunity for marked change in California. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – who like Hilton is an immigrant and Republican – was the last member of the Grand Old Party to hold court in Sacramento.