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.
Vice President JD Vance blasts Mamdani, El-Sayed, AOC and Ossoff in rapid-fire TikTok roast
Vice President JD Vance offered an unfiltered assessment Thursday of some of the biggest names in politics in a rapid-fire TikTok, calling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a “communist,” Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., “lame” and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani “crazy.” The vice president was asked to describe a succession of Democrats, Trump administration officials and other political figures as their names flashed across a screen, producing a 30-second barrage of answers that ranged from complimentary to cutting. Vance appeared particularly unimpressed with far-left Democrats. He described Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as “cranky” and Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed as “odd.” AOC CRUISES TO PRIMARY VICTORY AS SPECULATION SWIRLS ABOUT POLITICAL FUTURE But one of Vance’s most dismissive assessments was saved for Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. “I mean, nothing,” Vance said when Schiff’s name appeared. “Irrelevant.” Vance was considerably more complimentary when members of the Trump administration came across the screen, describing outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as “awesome,” deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller as “hardcore” and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles as “tough.” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was “interesting,” while Vance called Secretary of State Marco Rubio “funny” and House Speaker Mike Johnson “kind.” JD VANCE WINS GRUDGING PRAISE FROM JOY BEHAR ON ‘THE VIEW,’ WHO TELLS HIM TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT One name, however, left the usually sharp vice president unusually short on words. When Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) leader Megan Romer appeared, Vance simply responded, “No comment.” The video then cuts to a SpongeBob-style title card declaring “two minutes later” before returning for Vance’s assessment of Schiff. President Donald Trump received a much warmer review from his second-in-command. CNN PANEL SWOONS OVER JD VANCE’S GLOW-UP, ADMITS MEDIA BLITZ IS ‘IMPRESSIVE’ FOLLOWING ‘THE VIEW’ APPEARANCE “Generous,” Vance said of the president. The video offered a lighter glimpse at Vance’s relationships with figures inside the administration while also giving him an opportunity to take shots at several prominent far-left Democrats and self-described democratic socialists. Fox News Digital reached out to Vance’s office to confirm the identities displayed alongside each response and for additional context on the video. Fox News Digital also reached out to named Democrats and administration officials in the video for comment.
Carville unloads on DSA socialists: ‘Don’t use our god—- name’
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville did not mince words when he unloaded on his party’s far-left insurgency Thursday. “We get subjugated by some of the more outspoken people who, by the way, [are] not even Democrats,” Carville said during a video news conference. “I wish they’d take the word Democrat out of their name. I have no idea why the democratic socialists — if you hate the Democratic Party so much, well, then don’t use our god—- name. Go think of your own name.” JAMES CARVILLE BLAMES BERNIE SANDERS FOR TRUMP BEING PRESIDENT IN FIERY RANT He was one of several speakers at a media event promoting the Promise To America, a set of principles created in part by two moderate House lawmakers, Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Adam Gray, D-Calif., as their party experiences a civil war over its identity and agenda. The Promise To America is about celebrating “capitalism, safety, fiscal responsibility, effective government, common purpose, and patriotism,” according to its website. VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT WARNS PARTY TO ‘FIGHT BACK’ AGAINST GROWING SOCIALIST MOVEMENT It’s the latest bid by moderate and pragmatic members of the left to distance themselves from the socialist wave that’s already toppled several establishment-backed Democrats. The intraparty feud has also become a central campaign talking point for Republicans, who have argued that Democrats will try to push a far-left vision of the country beyond what most Americans want if they win the midterms in November. JOHNSON TURNS DEMOCRATS’ SOCIALIST CIVIL WAR INTO NEW WEAPON FOR MIDTERMS Carville said during the news conference it was “just common sense.” “That’s so often what people are forgetting in politics. And for the life of me, I hope … that we do things like this that are popular, are actually helpful, that can help the country. Who’s not for lower crime? I mean, everybody is, but we just need to restate it,” he said. CARVILLE SAYS ONE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST’S ‘LUNACY OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL’ POLICY COULD HAUNT SWING-STATE DEMS He maintained that “80% of Democrats really want” what the Promise To America is promoting and criticized the far-left for drowning out those moderate voices. But just 10 House Democrats have signed onto the pledge so far, which Republicans have argued is evidence that the far-left is really capturing its party. Out of the litany of Democrats running for the House, just five are signatories. Suozzi argued, however, “We only want 10 members of Congress because we don’t want to make it only about Washington. That’s why we’re going out to the state and local officials.” Those who have not signed on include House Democrats’ senior leaders, who have said little on the socialist insurgency. But Gray and Suozzi dismissed the notion that they were not getting enough support from their leaders when asked by Fox News Digital. “I think the leadership is being very supportive,” Suozzi said of his own experience. “They have a lot to balance. They’ve got the whole country to worry about.” Gray said, “The efforts on the cable news networks and everything else to nationalize our politics all the time, pretend that, you know, somebody in some big city represents all of us is absurd. … It’s a distraction, this idea that somehow some leader somewhere is supposed to win my district.”
Bodycam video shows Oklahoma secretary of state’s arrest outside McDonald’s on public intoxication allegation
Newly released police bodycam video obtained by Fox News Digital shows Oklahoma Secretary of State Benjamin Lepak’s encounter with police outside a McDonald’s before officers arrested him on suspicion of public intoxication. Lepak was arrested Friday night in Edmond after police responded around 10:45 p.m. to a report of a man who appeared to be drunk in public, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital. Officers found Lepak standing near the restaurant’s drive-thru window and saw his vehicle in the parking lot, according to the affidavit. Lepak reportedly confirmed the vehicle belonged to him. According to the arrest affidavit, an officer said Lepak had “extremely slurred speech” and an “odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath.” The officer also said Lepak struggled to remove his identification from his wallet. NEVADA GOVERNOR NAME-DROPS DURING TRAFFIC STOP AND AVOIDS RED-LIGHT CITATION Body camera video obtained by Fox News Digital shows officers questioning Lepak about where he had been, how much alcohol he had consumed and how he arrived at the McDonald’s. Lepak told officers he had attended a gathering with other fathers at a church earlier in the evening, according to the video. As officers continued questioning him, Lepak disputed that he was unsteady on his feet. Police allege Lepak was unable to maintain a “coherent train of thought” during the encounter, according to the affidavit. Lepak acknowledged to drinking beer while speaking with officers. “I had a beer … that’s it,” Lepak said, according to the affidavit. He later said he had consumed less than one beer because he did not finish it. BODYCAM SHOWS NANTUCKET OFFICIAL SLURRING, SWAYING DURING DUI STOP AFTER CRASHING INTO SIGN: POLICE Police allege Lepak also gave contradictory statements about whether he drove to the McDonald’s and how he arrived there, according to the affidavit. Officers ultimately placed Lepak under arrest on suspicion of public intoxication. A spokesperson for Lepak told Fox News Digital he was waiting outside the restaurant for his dinner and noted that police did not administer a breathalyzer test. “Mr. Lepak was waiting outside McDonald’s for dinner. He was not given a Breathalyzer test,” the spokesperson said. “Mr. Lepak will address the ticket appropriately through the legal process.” The arrest prompted Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond to call on Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt to fire Lepak. OKLAHOMA STATE AGENCY FIRES STAFF ATTORNEY AFTER ANTI-ICE SOCIAL MEDIA TIRADE “After reviewing footage from law enforcement body cameras, it is clear that Secretary of State Ben Lepak was thoroughly inebriated and very likely lied to law enforcement about how much he had to drink and how he and his car both arrived at the same place without him driving it,” Drummond said in a news release. “This conduct is thoroughly unbecoming of a such a high-ranking state official, and I am demanding that Gov. Stitt fire him immediately.” Drummond also criticized Stitt for appointing Lepak. “Given the fact that Mr. Lepak had been arrested just a few years ago after being found unconscious in a running vehicle, Gov. Stitt should have known better than to elevate him to such a senior leadership position,” he added. “Gov. Stitt has made countless errors in judgment like this during his tenure in office, including most recently when he intervened to help a campaign donor avoid further jail time. “He cannot undo those past mistakes, but he can help our state avoid further embarrassment by firing Mr. Lepak immediately.” FLORIDA MAYOR SAYS SHE ‘DID NOT RESIST’ ARREST OVER ALLEGED PROBATION VIOLATION FROM DUI CASE Stitt appointed Lepak to serve as Oklahoma secretary of state in October 2025. Lepak previously served as the governor’s general counsel and as executive director of the State Chamber Research Foundation.
Obama strategist turns on rising Dem star over viral Trump attack: ‘Gratuitous and unnecessary’
A top Democratic strategist from the Obama White House contended that Sen. Jon Ossoff’s latest shot at President Donald Trump was “gratuitous and unnecessary.” The Georgia Democrat, who has expanded his profile throughout his re-election campaign during this midterm cycle to new heights that have him in the conversation for the 2028 presidential race, recently went viral for his remarks while on the trail, where he went after Trump. Ossoff was blasting Trump for the war in Iran and the record-breaking deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East when the lawmaker pivoted to a new foe: the president’s executive assistant, Natalie Harp. FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE GEORGIA SENATE RACE “While the sailors on the Lincoln fight his war, while he fruitlessly drains our munitions and oil reserves, the president sleeps through his meetings. He golfs and trades stocks,” Ossoff said. “So, he doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.” The comment received strong pushback from Trump, his allies and family and Ossoff’s opponent, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga. But it also drew the ire of a major figure in the Democratic Party: David Axelrod, who was a key player in getting former President Barack Obama elected for two terms and served as his senior advisor. While Axelrod applauded Ossoff’s previous “eloquent or incisive” attacks against Trump, he warned that mentioning Harp may not have been warranted. JON OSSOFF DODGES ON WHY HE INVOKED TRUMP AIDE’S NAME DURING GEORGIA CAMPAIGN RALLY “The paragraph from his weekend speech that has gotten so much attention was a brutal takedown,” Axelrod said on X. “But two words in it, ‘with Natalie,’ seemed gratuitous and unnecessary.” He contended the Ossoff campaign likely “juiced the virality” of the clip, which so far has over 6 million views on X, and that it “probably thrilled some in the base, who figured it was just giving Trump a taste of his own nasty medicine.” “But they distracted and detracted from the power of the message,” Axelrod contended. CNN FIRES BACK AT TRUMP WHITE HOUSE OVER ATTACKS ON REPORTER, CALLS THEM ‘BENEATH THE OFFICE’ And Collins agreed with Axelrod, to a degree, in a statement to Fox News Digital. “It’s disgusting that he would attack a young female staffer just to score cheap political points with his radical activist base,” Collins said. “It’s unbecoming of a U.S. senator, and the fact prominent Democrats are starting to call him out just proves it.” But other notable Democratic social media figures disagreed, like Joanne Carducci, better known as Jojofromjerz online, who countered that Axelrod was “100% wrong” and called Ossoff’s callout of Harp “genius.” “The political world has changed since you were a player in it, and if we continue to operate under the antiquated rules of the past, we’ll keep losing,” she said on X. And Ossoff is reveling in the White House’s response, too, which included Trump calling him a “Pee-wee Herman look-alike,” while defending the construction of the ballroom at the White House, which has been scrutinized by both sides of the aisle in the Senate. During an appearance on MS NOW, Ossoff countered, “No one cares about their feelings.” “It’s been amazing to watch this White House melt down over this all week,” Ossoff said. “And about Natalie Harp, these White House staffers are adults, public officials paid by the taxpayers with immense power in positions of public trust.”
El-Sayed booked for major Islamic convention alongside clerics with radical pasts
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is slated to speak at the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) annual convention over Labor Day weekend, joining a speaker roster that includes Muslim religious leaders with histories of controversial remarks. Among the most controversial figures attending the ISNA convention is cleric Baqir Berry, who prayed for “mujahideen” in Palestine and Lebanon, using a term commonly associated with Islamist fighters, and asked God to grant them “a mighty victory.” Islamic Institute of America head Hassan Qazwini is also attending after appealing to God to “grant victory to our brothers in Iran,” a U.S.-designated state sponsor of terrorism. Also appearing at the conference is Texas imam Yasir Qadhi, who previously made remarks denying the Holocaust that he later repudiated. Siraj Wahhaj, who was named as a possible co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center terrorism case but never charged, is also scheduled to speak. EL-SAYED CAMPAIGN BACKED BY OVER $100,000 FROM DOZENS OF MEMBERS OF GROUP WITH ALLEGED TERROR TIES “We pray to Allah to save our people in South Lebanon from the evil of these Zionists, to support the Muslims and the mujahideen on His path in the East and the West, especially our mujahideen in Palestine, Lebanon, and everywhere,” Berry said during a June sermon, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute. “Oh Allah, grant them a mighty victory.” Qazwini, in addition to praying for an Iranian victory, was denounced by Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign over what it called “antisemitic conspiracy theories” after Qazwini claimed ISIS was connected to Israel and acting as an “arm of the Zionists.” Qadhi, Berry and Qazwini did not respond when Fox News Digital reached out for comment on Wednesday. This is not El-Sayed’s first brush with religious radicals. EL-SAYED TOUTS ENDORSEMENT FROM PASTOR WHO PRAISED NOTORIOUS ANTISEMITE INFAMOUS FOR CALLING JEWS ‘TERMITES’ Fox News Digital previously reported that the Democratic Senate candidate had touted the endorsement of a Detroit-area pastor who had praised notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan. El-Sayed has also faced criticism over his appearances with streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said America “deserved 9/11.” El-Sayed later called the remark “dumb” and disavowed the comment, while declining to disavow Piker himself. El-Sayed has also defended a 2021 blog post that compared President Donald Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to Osama bin Laden’s role in the Sept. 11 attacks. MICHIGAN CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED DODGES WHEN PRESSED ON CONTROVERSIAL REMARKS ABOUT DEATH OF KHAMENEI El-Sayed’s appearance comes as Republicans have increasingly focused on his past associations with controversial political and religious figures in the Michigan Senate race. El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
Progressives notch victory in race to replace Swalwell following sexual assault scandal
Progressive state Sen. and Assistant Majority Leader Aisha Wahab has bested Melissa Hernandez, a more moderate public transit executive, in a special election to replace disgraced Rep. Eric Swalwell. The race between Wahab and Hernandez represented another front in the Democratic civil war between the party’s establishment and progressive wings. Wahab counted on high-profile endorsements from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and labor icon Dolores Huerta, while Hernandez relied on large sums of super PAC cash and endorsements from local officials. PRIMARY TAKEAWAYS: DEMS’ LEFT-CENTER BATTLE INTENSIFIES AS SCHUMER TAKES ANOTHER HIT; SPLIT DECISION FOR TRUMP While progressive Democrats opened the election season strongly, securing high-profile victories in New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado and D.C., they have more recently underperformed on expectations in the Democratic primaries for Michigan’s Senate race and Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race. Wahab was the strong favorite heading into Election Day, earning 42.8% of the vote in the special primary against Hernandez’s 16.8%. California has “jungle primaries” in which the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election. Wahab and Hernandez, both Democrats, occupied the top two slots in the special primary, effectively shutting Republicans out of a district that Kamala Harris carried easily in the 2024 presidential election. The special election, however, represents only a temporary victory because it determined who would serve out the remaining two months of Swalwell’s term. The two will likely face off again in November to determine who will serve a full two-year term in Congress. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS AWARDED $5.2M IN INHERITANCE DISPUTE DESPITE FAMILY’S OBJECTIONS Though the victory is technically temporary, incumbents tend to have an advantage in elections. The general election will take place under slightly different district boundaries after California’s newly redrawn congressional map takes effect. Some Democrats have pointed to recent underperformance by progressive candidates to argue that the socialist ascendancy within the party has been stymied, while others point to the continued popularity of socialist politicians and policies among young people as evidence to the contrary. LEFT-WING ACTIVISTS HECKLE PRO-ISRAEL DEMOCRAT HALEY STEVENS AT MICHIGAN CONVENTION On the campaign trail, Hernandez criticized Wahab primarily on ethical grounds for her alleged missteps during her time in Sacramento. Wahab, meanwhile, painted Hernandez as the beneficiary of conservative and pro-Israel money, challenging her liberal credentials. Hernandez, for instance, accused Wahab of skirting campaign finance laws by routing $60,000 from her state campaign account through the Alameda County Democratic Party, which later funded pro-Wahab congressional mail. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Wahab hit back with her own campaign finance-related attack, criticizing Hernandez for allegedly taking money from pro-Israel donors and benefiting from expenditures by pro-Israel super PACs. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become a major flashpoint in the internal struggle for control of the Democratic Party, with progressives seeking to push out Democrats who support Israel.
Pastor unleashes on Dearborn as religious tensions erupt at city council meeting: ‘Enough is enough’
What started as a regularly scheduled town hall in Dearborn, Michigan, erupted into a flashpoint over the influence of Muslim culture in American civic life Tuesday as the pastor of a local church accused the town of operating under Sharia law. “America, we have lost this city. This is a city that is no longer up under American laws; we are up under Sharia law. We will not have it anymore,” Lorenzo Sewell, the pastor of 180 Church, said. “Enough is enough.” The outburst, which came amid a series of other anti-Islam protests in Dearborn, vocalizes fears that Muslim populations in Michigan are working to bring their communities more in line with their religious worldview, views Sewell believes are at odds with the vast majority of the country. EL-SAYED’S AGENDA PUTS ‘PERMANENTLY’ CHANGED AMERICA ON THE LINE IN MICHIGAN SENATE RACE, GOP FIREBRAND WARNS “You are only 1% of this nation. We are not a nation of Muslims,” Sewell said. Sewell’s references to the implementation of Sharia law don’t refer to actual legislation looking to codify Muslim religious practices. Instead, they’re based on what he sees as a form of favoritism applied unevenly to Muslims in the name of religious freedom. In particular, Sewell and other Dearborn critics have pointed to a case in which Muslim counterprotesters, in his view, suffered inadequate consequences for assaulting Jake Lang, a local political activist. “You are not up under American law. You are up under Sharia law. That is the reason why you have made no arrests,” Sewell said, referring to the incident. Lang, the activist, is no stranger to brushes with the Muslim community in Dearborn. He frames himself as a faith-based champion of American culture. In one video posted to X, Lang conducts baptisms while wearing military-style garb and a bulletproof chest plate, an outfit he dons in a lot of his online content. “I don’t know about you, but I am ready to load up CRUISE SHIPS with f—ing AMERICAN GUNS & go and LIBERATE SPAIN from the Muslim hords. If the Democrats take power in 2028, I’ll be at the Southern Border laying these animals down by the HUNDREDS!!!!!” Lang wrote in another post, referring to a recent influx of immigrants to Spain. But his online opposition turned into a real-world altercation earlier this month when Lang took his protest to the city’s Arbaeen March, an annual religious commemoration. MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: EL-SAYED’S TIES TO EXTREMIST FUEL ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS AMONG JEWISH VOTERS In one video, Lang takes a punch from behind while holding a sign saying “deport 100 million, save America.” Muslim counterprotesters chased Lang back to his car, and at least one tried to hit him with a rock. “Detroit Crime News JUST released video of 3 BARBARIC Muslims picking up large rocks to STONE me to death!!! For preaching the NAME OF JESUS!!!” Lang wrote online. Notably, the police did arrest one of the assailants and asked for help in identifying others who had engaged in unlawful behavior. “One individual was arrested by Dearborn Police during the altercation and is currently held without bond as the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office determines charges,” a police press release of the incident said. In Lang’s view — and in the view of Sewell — that isn’t enough. Ahead of the Tuesday city council meeting, Lang, Sewell and other demonstrators announced plans to protest the gathering, pressing for the city to more seriously evaluate Muslim influence and the influence of Sharia law. City officials have pushed back on characterizations that Muslims are being treated differently than other citizens of Dearborn. “When people portray Dearborn as some place that has been overtaken by Muslims, they aren’t simply attacking our Muslim and Arab communities. They’re also trying to erase our Christian brothers and sisters who have contributed immeasurably to the city and folks of other faiths,” Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said at the city council meeting Tuesday. CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS’ PUSH TO MAKE MUSLIM HOLY DAYS STATE HOLIDAYS SPARKS DEBATE OVER SCHOOL NEUTRALITY “Ultimately, they’re attacking something much larger than any one faith or community. They are attacking the idea that all of us can belong to America at the same time.” According to the 2020 U.S. census, a majority of Dearborn reported Middle Eastern or North African ancestry, making it the first American city to have a predominantly Arab population at roughly 54.5% of its residents.