Income inequality at Obama Foundation, as brass thrives and rank and file seeks union
FIRST ON FOX: The beleaguered Obama Foundation has an income inequality problem: While half of its employees earn six-figure salaries, led by CEO Valerie Jarrett at $771,000, dozens at the other end of the scale are fighting for union representation. The workplace disparity comes to light just as Fox News Digital reported that the long-delayed Obama Presidential Center’s price tag hit $1 billion — nearly triple the original estimate for the Chicago facility. The Obama Foundation, former President Barack Obama’s private nonprofit, reported 172 employees receiving more than $100,000 in salary in its 2025 tax filing — roughly half its 342 reported employees. Jarrett, one of former President Barack Obama’s closest advisors and a former senior White House official, has led the Obama Foundation since 2021, overseeing the final years of construction of the Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side. OBAMA’S BILLION-DOLLAR BABY: CHICAGO CENTER’S PRICE TAG HITS MONUMENTAL MILESTONE, TRIPLING ORIGINAL ESTIMATE Her total pay rose by around $15,500 from 2024 and she is one of at least four of the nonprofit’s 10 highest-paid executives with previous ties to the Obama White House or campaign. “The Foundation pays our employees rates that are competitive with the market,” Emily Bittner, the Obama Foundation’s vice president of communications, told Fox News Digital. “We have more than 500 employees worldwide, roughly 300 of whom are based at the Center.” The current workforce of more than 500 is substantially larger than the 342 employees reported in the Obama Foundation’s 2025 tax filing, which covers the year ending nearly six months before the Presidential Center opened in June. The nonprofit did not provide an updated payroll breakdown. The Obama Foundation saw its annual payroll and benefits bill come in at $50.4 million in 2025, soaring from $18.5 million in 2018. The nonprofit brought in approximately $159 million in revenue last year, of which nearly $151 million consisted of contributions and grants. The spending surge came as the Obama Foundation expanded its leadership and civic programs at home and abroad while racing to finish the beleaguered Presidential Center. The sprawling 19.3-acre campus sits on publicly owned parkland in Chicago’s Jackson Park. Brian Mittendorf, an accounting professor at Ohio State University who specializes in nonprofit finances, said the proportion of Obama Foundation employees earning more than $100,000 stood out compared with a typical nonprofit, but noted that the organization relies heavily on specialized staff. “That’s clearly higher percentage than your average nonprofit,” Mittendorf told Fox News Digital. “But here we’re dealing with a nonprofit that’s probably very expertise heavy. It’s very heavy on like the think tank side. And as you look at a think tank, it would look very differently than say a local food bank.” Mittendorf said the Obama Foundation’s employees likely possess specialized skills that could command substantial pay elsewhere. “So it does reflect that a lot of their employees are ones that they would consider having an outside opportunity that would justify them getting paid at that level,” he said. “Like I said, it is atypical for a standard nonprofit, but probably not that unusual for a nonprofit of its type.” The Obama Foundation also reported a higher proportion of employees receiving more than $100,000 than five other presidential nonprofits examined by Fox News Digital. Roughly half its reported workforce exceeded that threshold in 2025, compared with 37% at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, 29% at the Carter Center, 23% at the Clinton Foundation, 13% at the Reagan Foundation and 10% at the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, according to their respective 2024 tax filings, the most recent available for the review. OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER’S $470M SAFETY NET UNDER SCRUTINY AS SUBCONTRACTORS SAY THEY’RE OWED MILLIONS Jarrett’s salary rose from approximately $581,000 when she took over as CEO in 2021 to $740,000 in 2022, remaining at that level through 2024 before climbing to nearly $755,000 in 2025. For comparison, Fox News Digital reviewed the latest available tax filings from five other major presidential foundations, all of which reported lower CEO salaries than Jarrett’s $771,000 in 2025. The Reagan Foundation paid its CEO approximately $735,000 and the Carter Center $531,000 for fiscal years ending in 2025, while the George W. Bush Presidential Center paid its top officer $661,000, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation $426,600 and the Clinton Foundation $425,000 for 2024. Beyond Jarrett, several former Obama administration officials continued to collect hefty six-figure paychecks at the Obama Foundation. Christina Tchen, former chief of staff to first lady Michelle Obama, received approximately $431,000 in salary in 2025, while Michael Strautmanis, a former Obama campaign and White House aide, collected approximately $404,000. Laura Lucas Magnuson, a former White House communications official, received approximately $396,000. Other top earners included Robbin Cohen, who received approximately $666,000. Cohen previously led Pritzker Realty Group, founded by billionaire Democratic donor and former Obama commerce secretary Penny Pritzker, a cousin of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Former Cook County chief financial officer Ammar Rizki received approximately $400,000. The Obama Foundation defended its executive salary practices. “The Board of Directors uses comparability data and a compensation consultant to review and approve the compensation of the CEO, officers and key employees on an annual basis,” Bittner told Fox News Digital. OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR SHUTS DOWN AMID $4M FIGHT, LAYS OFF 25 The nonprofit also pointed to higher pay for top executives at other major charitable institutions, including approximately $2 million for the Getty Trust’s president and CEO, $1.7 million for the Rockefeller Foundation’s president and $1.5 million for the Mellon Foundation’s president, citing figures from their recent tax filings. The Getty Trust, however, operates on a vastly different financial scale, with a multibillion-dollar endowment compared with the Obama Foundation’s approximately $14.2 million in reported endowment funds at the end of 2025. Asked whether Jarrett’s pay was excessive, Mittendorf said the answer was subjective, particularly given the Obama Foundation’s size and financial resources. “This is not an unusual amount that to see for a highest paid employee for a director or a
‘No Kings’ foot soldiers ignore organizers’ warning, go all in for Democrats
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the high-level organizers of the “No Kings” demonstrations seek to turn their operation into a nationwide get-out-the-vote rally Saturday, their warning to steer clear of partisan messaging that could violate their own rules is falling on deaf ears. A Fox News Digital investigation reveals that, on the ground, the political activation is in fact highly partisan, led by the center-left Indivisible nonprofit that has received millions of dollars of funding from Democratic mega-donor George Soros. “No Kings” organizers didn’t respond to a request for comment. The partisan nature of the day’s events is important because political experts say the “No Kings” operation reveals a sophisticated electoral strategy: transform the crowds assembled for anti-Trump protests into a durable voter bloc that participates in elections and turns out a “Blue Tsunami” of votes in political battles. But federal election law bars nonprofits, many of which fund the “No Kings” operation, from advocating for particular candidates. Behind today’s action, Fox News Digital has identified a sprawling network of 300 progressive advocacy organizations, labor unions, Democratic political operatives and tax-exempt nonprofits with an estimated $2.5 billion in annual revenues, transforming the “No Kings” protest movement into a nationwide voter-mobilization operation of an estimated 3,000 events for Democrats. A review of digital advertisements for Saturday’s “No Kings: Vote Early” demonstrations and their organizing rhetoric identifies multiple instances of organizers promoting the very language the coalition’s national rulebook forbids in its attempt to create the illusion of nonpartisanship. In Newark, Delaware, Democratic activists from the local Indivisible chapter are encouraging voters to “wear blue” to their 2 p.m. demonstration at the corner of S. College Avenue and W. Main Street, and their “Sign Ideas” include: “Vote Blue Nov. 3,” “Vote Early, Vote Blue” and “Time for a Blue Tsunami.” NEW MIDTERM BATTLEGROUND TAKES SHAPE AS PARTIES BUILD ELECTION ARMIES Their announcement reads: “💙 Wear blue to signify the blue tsunami we are hoping we will see in Nov!” Some 3,000 miles away, in Roseburg, Ore., Indivisible Douglas County activists are advertising their own “No Kings” rally with suggested signs reading “DOUGLAS COUNTY VOTES BLUE!,” “REPUBLICANS HAD THEIR CHANCE!” and “VOTE EARLY. VOTE THEM OUT!” “Be bold. Be direct. Don’t hold back,” the Oregon organizers tell participants. Those are precisely the kinds of partisan political messages the national “No Kings” coalition has explicitly prohibited. On a Thursday night webinar promoting the protests, a member of Indivisible Colorado Springs told Indivisible co-founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin that the group’s event is struggling to attract media attention without focusing on President Donald Trump. Levin replied: “By all means, make it about Trump. Y’all make it about Trump. Create some conflict. Use some strong language. There’s nothing about No Kings that says you can’t focus on the fascists in the White House.” SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES Under “Event Prohibitions,” a “Host Toolkit” warns: “Events must not be partisan in nature or make references to preferred election outcomes.” It bars “candidate campaign activity,” “any political party or political committee attending or helping coordinate the event.” The “Event Prohibitions” list bars events from being held at “overtly partisan organizations, or held at campaign offices, political party headquarters, or other locations principally associated with candidate or party political activity.” The prohibitions explicitly state: “Events should not be jointly branded with partisan organizations,’ and provides as “Examples: Democratic clubs, ‘the Lincoln County Democratic Party.’” Yet, in Roseville, Calif., the Placer County Democratic Party in California is explicit in its connection to the “No Kings” voter drive, advertising a canvassing operation specifically tied to Saturday’s “No Kings” rally at the Roseville Galleria. The party’s website invites activists to attend a morning canvassing session at Harry Crabb Park, saying voters will be gathered at the rally at the Galleria and promising materials to help participants “support our endorsed candidates.” On their Democratic Party website, the local party activists describe the “No Kings” rally as “a day of nonpartisan voter participation.” ACTBLUE SCRUTINY FUELS NEW GOP BILLS TO TIGHTEN ELECTION DONATION RULES The advertisement raises questions about the relationship between the Democratic Party’s candidate-support operation and an event whose national organizers expressly prohibit political parties, political committees and candidate campaigns from coordinating activities. In Springfield, Pa., an event listed on the Women’s March organizing platform advertises a one-hour “No Kings FOUR” demonstration at 1200 Baltimore Pike. The event calls for voter participation and, in another direct conflict with the national coalition’s ban on “vote Blue” appeals, also declares: “Vote Blue. Vote. Make Your Voice Count.” FIRST ON FOX: ‘NO KINGS’ PROTEST NETWORK BEHIND FIGHT AGAINST AI DATA CENTERS AND FLOCK CAMERAS The coalition’s own documents leave little ambiguity about its official standards. In a five-page “Talking Points + Messaging” guide, organizers instruct participants not to use partisan political language, including telling participants to “vote for Democrats up and down the ballot” or saying, “we can get a Democratic Congress elected in 2026 to resist Trump.” It bars any “speaker expressing bias for or against any candidate for office,” the guide states. It prohibits candidate campaign activities, including campaign literature, fundraising and coordination with campaign staff. Political parties and political committees are also barred from helping coordinate events. The instructions go beyond conventional warnings against endorsements. Organizers specifically prohibit references to “MAGA politicians” and calls to elect a Democratic Congress. Even urging participants to register as Democrats ahead of the midterms is explicitly forbidden. Another document, “Event Prohibitions + Things to Note,” specifically prohibits “vote them out” and “vote Blue” messaging, campaign fundraising and political party coordination. Still, in Kingstowne, Va., Indivisible of Franconia is promoting its Oct. 17 rally at South Van Dorn Street and Kingstowne Village Parkway with the statement: “We vote for leaders to represent our interests—and if they don’t, we need to vote them out.” The coalition also prohibits events hosted or co-sponsored by overtly partisan organizations, including Democratic clubs. Its “Election Law FAQs” and “Resources” go further, warning
From ‘Third Reich’ to ‘not that informed’: Senate debates deliver fireworks before midterms
With control of the U.S. Senate hanging in the balance this November, candidates across the country have been trading blows on debate stages, delivering everything from explosive personal accusations to embarrassing gaffes and unexpected admissions. The heated exchanges have unfolded in closely watched general-election contests and contentious primaries alike, offering voters a glimpse of the personalities and policy differences shaping the battle for Washington. Some confrontations have drawn national headlines, while others produced memorable moments that quickly spread across social media. 12 RACES SCRAMBLE SENATE BATTLEFIELD AS DEMOCRATS EYE COMEBACK Here are five standout moments from Senate debates leading up to the 2026 midterm elections: The first head-to-head debate between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed took an unusually combative turn on Oct. 8, with the candidates repeatedly interrupting each other and trading personal attacks. The confrontation became so heated that the arguing reportedly continued even after the televised debate went to a commercial break. “In 30 years of doing debates, I’ve never seen it continue during the commercial. But it did,” moderator Rick Albin remarked when the broadcast resumed. The arguing got so bad Albin had to get stern with the candidates. “Look, here’s the situation. We’ve got dozens of questions we want to get to. You can’t litigate all of these with 14 different rebuttals,” he told them at one point. EL-SAYED REFUSES TO ANSWER WHETHER IRAN OR ISRAEL IS MORE DANGEROUS Throughout the hourlong showdown, Rogers questioned El-Sayed’s medical credentials, accused him of misleading voters and repeatedly attacked his political ideology. The candidates also sparred over their respective property holdings, including Rogers’ Florida home and El-Sayed’s overseas investments. El-Sayed, meanwhile, accused Rogers of enriching himself through corporate relationships after leaving Congress and criticized his support for President Donald Trump. Rogers described his Democratic opponent as a “con man” during Thursday night’s debate, while El-Sayed accused the Republican of being “weak” and “cowardly.” “I’d like to be part of the debate, too,” Albin interjected during one particularly contentious exchange. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., unleashed a series of accusations against Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., during their first head-to-head debate Oct. 8, accusing the congressman of associating with white nationalists and employing individuals with extremist ties. “Mike Collins has brought dishonor to our state through his personal bigotry and his widely documented ties to white nationalists,” Ossoff declared in his opening statement. The Democrat later escalated his attacks while questioning Collins about his support for tax incentives benefiting data center developers. “It’s not just that you’ve hired half the Third Reich to staff your congressional office and you have promoted neo-Nazi content online,” Ossoff charged. The accusations followed reporting about Collins’ former congressional staffers and son-in-law, whose social media activity and alleged associations with white nationalists have drawn scrutiny. Collins rejected the characterization, insisting he has consistently condemned extremist rhetoric. TOP ELECTION SCHEMES ROILING KEY MIDTERM RACES AS BOTH PARTIES ACCUSE RIVALS OF TRICKERY “I’ve condemned racism, anti-Semitism, hate. I don’t care where the source is. And I tell him that too” Collins said. “It’s wrong. We have no place in this world for that.” Ossoff also invoked the late civil rights leader John Lewis, declaring that if Lewis were marching from Selma to Montgomery today, Collins “would be grabbing a billy club.” Collins countered by portraying Ossoff as a radical liberal who was out of touch with Georgia voters, accusing him of supporting extremist policies and criticizing his connections to progressive political figures. A South Carolina Republican Senate primary debate produced an unexpected admission when Sen. Darline Graham acknowledged that she wasn’t very familiar with foreign policy. Graham, who was appointed to the Senate following the death of her brother, longtime Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, faced Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., during an Aug. 18 debate ahead of the state’s Republican primary runoff. Asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea represented national security concerns for the United States, Graham struggled to provide a substantive answer. “I’m just going to be honest here,” Graham said. “I’m not that informed on national security.” Graham went on to emphasize her support for the military, pointing to her late brother Lindsey Graham’s 33 years of service in the Air Force and her father’s service in the Army, while acknowledging that she was “not a polished politician.” DEMOCRATS ARE CHANGING THEIR TRANSGENDER MESSAGE. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’RE JUST FLIP-FLOPPING “National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military,” she said. The admission prompted audible reactions from the audience and a subsequent frenzy on social media. Among Graham’s critics was former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who endorsed Graham’s Republican primary opponent, Norman. In a post on X following the debate, Haley argued that national security expertise was not something Graham could inherit from her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, emphasizing its importance for serving in the U.S. Senate. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, demanded an apology from Democratic challenger Troy Jackson during an Oct. 8 debate after he accused her and her husband of financially benefiting from the ongoing war in Iran. Jackson, a former Maine Senate president, argued that Collins had failed to use her influence in Washington to stop the conflict because of her family’s financial interests. “Sen. Collins and her husband are making money off this war,” Jackson charged, suggesting that financial interests were helping prolong the fighting. Collins immediately rejected the accusation and called the allegations against her “absolutely false.” DEM SENATE NOMINEE APOLOGIZES TO JEWISH VOTERS AFTER ‘GENOCIDE’ REMARK SPARKED BACKLASH “That is absolutely outrageous, and you owe me an apology,” the Republican senator shot back at Jackson. But Jackson refused to back down, responding, “You owe me an apology.” Daffron owns stock in two U.S. defense contractors, Boeing and RTX. According to the couple’s 2025 financial disclosure, filed in May 2026, Daffron held between $15,001 and $50,000 in stock in each company. A Collins spokesperson previously told the Maine Independent the investments were managed by a third
Inside the family business that turned a famous fair food into an American tradition
DALLAS — Every fall, millions flock to the Lone Star State for one of America’s largest and most iconic state fairs, where towering midway rides, blue-ribbon livestock and the latest deep-fried creations compete for attention. But while each year’s newest culinary creation may dominate social media, the State Fair of Texas has long been defined by the long-held traditions that keep generations of families coming back for more. Few are more recognizable than Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs. “What started as a simple idea has turned into now an 84-year Texas tradition for fairgoers,” Amber Fletcher, a third-generation owner of Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs, told Fox News Digital as the fair kicked off this year. MEET THE VOTERS WHO COULD BREAK THE GOP’S DECADESLONG GRIP ON A REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD Her grandfather, Neil Fletcher, and his brother Carl say they invented the corny dog in Dallas in the late 1930s before introducing it at the State Fair of Texas in 1942. More than eight decades later, that simple creation has grown into a massive family operation. During the fair’s 24-day run, Fletcher’s sells roughly 550,000 corny dogs, going through about 60,000 pounds of hot dogs, 1,500 gallons of mustard and 800 gallons of ketchup. “I don’t remember the oil, but it is a lot,” Amber Fletcher joked after listing the other metrics. Yet even as the operation has grown, the family has largely resisted changing the product that made it famous. “We’ve never changed our recipe. We haven’t even tinkered a little bit,” she said. “It is the same method and recipe my grandfather started with.” TEXAS VOTERS HAVE PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT WHETHER LONE STAR STATE COULD TURN BLUE That stalwart mindset includes resisting shortcuts, too. “There’s a lot of things we could do to speed up the process,” Fletcher acknowledged. “We could get our hot dogs pre-stuck, but no. Each corny dog is hand-stuck. Everything is hand-dipped, fried, made to order.” For Aaron Fletcher, also a third-generation owner, consistency helps explain why the old-fashioned corny dog continues to hold its own against the over-the-top creations that debut at the fair each year. “The viral stuff is cool, but people know what they’re going to get when they come to Fletcher’s,” Aaron told Fox News Digital. “They get excited about it. They look forward to it all year.” Being rooted in tradition doesn’t mean the menu was also frozen in time. Over the years, Fletcher’s has added jalapeño cheese, turkey and veggie corny dogs. This year, the family even ventured into dessert with a chocolate corny dog, earning one of the fair’s most coveted awards for the creation. Pulling it all off requires months of preparation, seven locations across Fair Park and roughly 200 seasonal workers. Running an operation that produces more than half a million corny dogs also means navigating rising food and operating costs while trying to keep the fair tradition affordable for families. “You do have to adjust for pricing as you go along,” Aaron said. “We try our best to be fair in that we are a family-owned business, so we appreciate the importance of being able to take your family to the fair.” Sometimes, that means absorbing higher costs rather than passing them along to customers. “I know a lot of business owners won’t say this — we eat it. We eat the price sometimes,” Aaron said. “There’s only so much you can do before people are going to look at it and be like, ‘No, I’m not going to do that.’” “If we don’t have to, we aren’t raising prices,” Aaron added. After 84 years, the challenge for Fletcher’s is balancing what changes with what doesn’t — keeping up with the cost of doing business without losing what has kept generations of fairgoers coming back.
ICE arrests more than 100 alleged gang members in single week, including violent MS-13, TdA suspects: DHS
In the last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested more than 100 suspected gang members in the country illegally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) exclusively told Fox News Digital. Agents arrested 131 gang-affiliated people between Oct. 4 and 10, including 22 affiliated with MS-13, and 13 with Tren de Aragua (TdA). ICE has made 12,018 gang-related arrests since President Donald Trump took office again in 2025, DHS said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN 10,000 SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS “In less than a week, the brave patriots of ICE have arrested more than 100 gang members across the country, including members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement. “The best that America has to offer are on the frontlines every day to ensure that the worst of humanity cannot threaten or harm innocent Americans.” Mullin praised Trump’s leadership for helping ICE to smash the “gangs and cartels, making it impossible for them to do business in America, and removing their members from our country. Arresting and deporting illegal aliens, especially gang members, is how we make America safe again.” MULLIN TELLS RUTHLESS PODCAST THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS APPREHENDED 2,210 TERRORISTS Among the arrestees was Gustavo Adolfo Flores-Ramirez, a Salvadoran national who DHS said is an MS-13 member. Arrested in Las Vegas, on Wednesday, he’s wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide, aggravated femicide, rape of a minor or incapacitated person, illegal or irresponsible handling, carrying, or possession of firearms, illicit grouping, and crimes involving public peace. It’s not known when he first illegally entered the country, but he was arrested in the U.S. in September 2021 and deported to Mexico. He then illegally entered again, which is considered a felony, at an unknown time. ICE-LED FLORIDA OPERATION NETS 500 — INCLUDING ILLEGAL ALIENS ACCUSED OF MURDER, CHILD ABUSE, CARTEL TIES Jose Luis Perez-Arrias, a Venezuelan national and TdA member, was arrested in Tallahassee, Florida, on Wednesday, DHS said. Perez-Arrias is a suspected hitman for TdA. He illegally entered the country in Oct. 2023, while former President Joe Biden was in office and was arrested by Border Patrol agents and released into the country. MORE THAN 25 CHARGED IN NATIONWIDE TREN DE ARAGUA CRACKDOWN INVOLVING GUNS, DRUGS AND CASH Emerson Jossiel Calderon-Hernandez, a Salvadoran national and suspected MS-13 member, was arrested in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. He illegally entered the country in August 2012, while former President Barack Obama was in office, and was released into the country. Calderon-Hernandez has been arrested for second-degree assault, attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, armed robbery, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and false imprisonment. DOJ CHARGES 8 ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBERS IN TEXAS, ILLINOIS MURDER AND KIDNAPPING CASES An unnamed 14-year-old from Venezuela facing charges of first-degree murder — criminal attempt with extreme indifference was arrested in Denver on Tuesday. The 14-year-old is associated with the Los Piratas Gang, a faction of TdA, according to DHS and was illegally carrying a Glock 48 pistol at the time of his arrest. He also faces charges of first-degree assault with extreme indifference, first-degree kidnapping, aggravated criminal extortion, illegal discharge of a weapon, and conspiracy.
Meet the 22-year-old candidate eyeing history in key swing state as Gen Z embraces conservatism: ‘Step up’
From delivering pizzas to running for an Iowa House seat, 22-year-old Dillon Fillion hopes to make history in his swing district and inspire Gen Z to embrace conservatism, which he says he’s already seeing on the ground. Fillion, believed to be the youngest candidate ever to seek office in Scott County, spoke to Fox News Digital about his ambitions to cut property taxes, boost police funding, give parents more say in their children’s education and draw Gen Z to the polls. “I think people are very excited that a young person is running because they see a lot of these old people running for office, no offense to them, but people wanna see some fresh new faces and I think it’s time for my generation to step up,” Fillion said. Before launching his bid for the Iowa House, Fillion decided to take a gap year from Scott Community College, where he is pursuing a criminal justice degree. He currently works as a Domino’s delivery driver while hitting the campaign trail, which he described as juggling “two full-time jobs.” MEDIA NARRATIVE PREDICTING BLUE WAVE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE NOT MESHING WITH LOCAL REPUBLICANS: ‘FIRED UP’ “Basically, I do a full-time job as well as campaigning,” he said. But campaigning wasn’t always Fillion’s vision. A lifelong hockey fan, he said his initial dream was to play professionally before stepping into politics. Fillion said he became interested in politics in 2019 after seeing Democrats accuse President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia, saying he found it “weird” they were “calling our president a lot of weird, untrue things.” From there, he said he went down a “rabbit hole” researching what he described as corruption within the Democratic Party, which he found “baffling and shocking.” “I just couldn’t stand back and just watch all this stuff happen, and I decided to get involved,” he said. “Keep Iowa Great!” is the slogan Fillion has plastered across campaign signs and merchandise as he works to win over Iowa voters. One of three siblings, Fillion had an upbringing “grounded in Christian family values, a strong work ethic, and the perseverance to stand by his principles no matter the challenge,” according to his campaign website. Fillion credited Charlie Kirk with helping young men like him “find a purpose” and turn to conservative principles. “The men in my generation are really conservative. They admire conservative principles. I think Charlie Kirk really helped with the young men in my generation in regard to finding a purpose in life. And I think that’s really helped a lot of men in my generation,” Fillion said. “I do think my generation is going in the right direction in regard to conservatism. It’s just, I think my generation needs to turn out more in our elections.” LIZ PEEK: HASAN PIKER EXPOSES DEMOCRATS’ DESPERATION TO WIN BACK YOUNG MEN Fillion will challenge incumbent Democratic state Rep. Daniel Gosa for a seat representing Iowa’s 81st House District. Fillion says he finally has the opportunity to “carry the ball down the field” in his district and is calling for a leadership overhaul. “I wouldn’t be in this race if I didn’t think I could win it,” he said. “However, my Democrat opponent does not stand up for the things that this district cares about.” Among Fillion’s most high-profile endorsements are Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Iowa House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann, according to his campaign website. DEMOCRATS SAY THEY’LL MAKE LIFE AFFORDABLE. YOUR WALLET MAY DISAGREE One of Fillion’s top priorities is eliminating property taxes completely. His campaign website said if that isn’t “immediately achievable,” Fillion will work to lower taxes as much as possible. “I wanna keep Iowa number one in affordability,” he said. Crime and education are also on Fillion’s mind, and he told Fox News Digital those will be two of his top priorities if elected in November. “When I get into that legislature, I will be introducing a constitutional amendment for the Back the Blue Act to make sure our police are protected so they can do their job correctly,” Fillion said. “And I will continue to empower parents and teachers in our kids’ education, because parents should be the forefront of your kids’ education, not the government.” He said his ultimate goal is to make Iowa “the number one state to live, work, and raise a family.” With voters preparing to head to the polls in November, Fillion said his campaign aims to spread more optimism and show people that Gen Z wants to make the world a better place. “I just want our country to know that there are people in my generation that are doing everything they can to try and save this country,” he said.
Cookies, liquor and mocking Nazis fuel final stretch in fiery Texas House race
A Texas Democratic congressional candidate’s campaign reported more than $4,300 in spending on cookies, Mexican restaurant purchases and beer and wine earlier this year, according to federal election records, drawing renewed attention after a heated debate in which she apologized for a remark about her Republican opponent “making fun of Nazis.” Katy Padilla Stout, the Democrat nominee for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, reported expenditures totaling $4,338.14 in five transactions in March and April, according to spending details cited in an August report by RedState and records attributed to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The reported purchases included $675 for cookies for a campaign event, $1,289.22 at Total Wine and $2,373.92 at Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana. SENATE REPUBLICAN SETTLES SIX-YEAR-OLD CAMPAIGN BILL AFTER BEING CALLED OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA The expenditures have also become a line of attack for Republican Brandon Herrera, whose campaign website showcases the cookie purchase and accuses Stout of using donor funds to pay for the treats. According to the spending details, the campaign reported a $675 payment dated March 30 with the stated purpose “COOKIES FOR EVENT.” Herrera’s website identifies the payee as Denise Gamboa Zelle and categorizes the expense as a campaign event expenditure. Additional transactions included $1,089.08 at Total Wine on April 21 and $200.14 the following day, both described as “BEER AND WINE.” The campaign also reported payments of $2,027.52 and $346.40 to Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana on April 27 and April 28, respectively, according to the transaction details. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Stout said the disbursements “were for campaign and fundraising events which were attended by our supporters.” “Sugar cookies, particularly Texas-shaped ones, hold a special place in Texan culture,” she said. “We bought ours at a local bakery because we believe in supporting small businesses.” SENATE HOPEFUL’S ‘TREADING WATER’ NARRATIVE CRUMBLES UNDER $500K CAMPAIGN PAYOUTS TO FAMILY The filings establish that the campaign reported the expenditures but do not establish whether the purchases were improper, whether any were for personal use or how many people attended the associated events. The spending has attracted criticism from Herrera’s campaign, which maintains an opposition website, The Real Katy Stout. Under a section labeled “Cookie gate,” the site highlights the $675 expenditure and displays the reported purpose, “COOKIES FOR EVENT.” The website also criticizes Stout’s positions on immigration, taxes and other issues. DEM SENATE NOMINEE APOLOGIZES TO JEWISH VOTERS AFTER ‘GENOCIDE’ REMARK SPARKED BACKLASH The spending questions come as the two candidates compete for a congressional seat representing one of the country’s largest districts along the southern border. During Tuesday’s televised debate in San Antonio, Stout also drew attention for an unusual exchange involving Herrera’s online videos. “He made millions of dollars after making jokes online, making fun of Nazis, making fun of all of these things that we know he does not need to be doing,” Stout said in a heated moment during the debate. Herrera responded, “And here I thought making fun of Nazis was a good thing.” Stout later apologized and clarified her criticism after closing remarks. “I apologize, I did misspeak,” she said. “He chooses to goose-step on YouTube for clickbait and money so that he can promote that type of ideology. He chooses to shame women.” The exchange was part of a debate hosted by WOAI/KABB, during which the congressional candidates also sparred over gun rights, immigration and the cost of living. Stout told Fox News Digital “mocking Nazis is fine, and that is not what I objected to, nor is that what my opponent does.” “I object to content that trivializes veteran suicide, rape, child murder, women’s bodies and the Holocaust, the type of content he churns out,” she added. “You can hear his disgusting commentary straight from his own mouth at HeReallySaidThat.com. “Do I think he promotes Nazi imagery? Yes. In a video posted 5/24/22, he goose-steps to ‘Erika,’ and touts an MP-40 machine gun. In another video posted 6/23/20, he said ‘for the fatherland’ before firing a Nazi-made STG 44, calling it ‘like a religious experience.’ “Calling it a joke doesn’t change what it is: giving a platform to Nazi symbols and weaponry for clicks and money. In my view, the ‘I’m only joking’ defense is a familiar tactic among neo-Nazi and antisemitic content creators. His content has attracted bipartisan condemnation, including the Republican Jewish Coalition, which called my opponent ‘a goose-stepping extremist who pals around with online Nazis.’” Stout, a former teacher and child welfare attorney, has emphasized affordability and corruption as central themes of her campaign. Herrera, a firearms manufacturer and online personality who has adopted “Let’s Go Brandon” as his campaign slogan, has campaigned on border law enforcement, tax reductions and Second Amendment protections. The two are vying to replace former Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, who resigned earlier this year after acknowledging an affair with a staffer. Texas’ 23rd Congressional District stretches from the San Antonio area toward El Paso and includes hundreds of miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. Early voting begins Oct. 19, with Election Day scheduled for Nov. 3. The campaign for Brandon Herrera did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Tish James confronted on camera over Trump’s accusation of bias in Cornell rape case
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday vowed to conduct a “fair” investigation into the seven defendants accused of sexually assaulting an unnamed woman at a fraternity party at Cornell University. James’ investigation into the alleged college gang rape was launched after the filing of a recent lawsuit against Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity and several other defendants that has thrust the Ivy League university’s handling of campus sexual assault into the national spotlight. The remarks to a reporter come as James has repeatedly pushed back on questions about her impartiality, insisting the investigation will be guided by the facts and evidence, not politics. President Donald Trump, a longtime foe of the attorney general, has also questioned James’ ability to lead an impartial investigation. Trump made the remarks after Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked for his view on Hochul appointing James as special prosecutor in the case. LETITIA JAMES FACES NEW PUSH TO BOOT HER FROM CORNELL RAPE PROBE OVER ALLEGED BIAS: COURT DOCUMENTS “Letitia James is a corrupt person,” Trump said. “She’s totally corrupt, and I can’t imagine it. And I feel badly for whoever she’s looking at because they won’t get a fair shake. Letitia James is a corrupt person.” Attorneys for two of the defendants have also sought James’ removal, including Andrew Miltenberg, who represents Gillio Lopes, and Teny Geragos, who represents Winston Lee. The defense attorneys point to a social media post by James that Geragos separately argued in a court filing shows she is “unquestionably biased.” Just days before Hochul’s appointment, James posted on X in support of the alleged victim, identified in court filings as Jane Doe. “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers,” James posted on X Sept. 28. “To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you.” Hochul has stood by her appointment of James amid the criticism, saying she has “every confidence” the attorney general will “look at the facts, examine the record and draw the proper conclusions.” James has rejected accusations that she prejudged the case, saying during an attorney general campaign debate that her comments supporting the alleged victim were intended to demonstrate “empathy” and insisting that “politics stops at the door” of her office. CORNELL RAPE ALLEGATIONS PROMPT NY ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES TO OPEN ‘ACTIVE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION’ SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The case centers on allegations from a Cornell student that she was gang raped at a Chi Phi fraternity house party in 2024. Her allegations were investigated by Cornell University Police, which submitted her six-page sworn statement to the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors declined to pursue charges at the time, concluding that the conduct described in the statement did not provide sufficient evidence to sustain criminal charges under New York law. Cornell separately conducted a Title IX investigation that resulted in disciplinary action against several of the seven defendants, including the expulsion of two students and suspension of two others.
Democrats’ latest gun-control push runs into inconvenient fact about how school killer was stopped
Democrats renewed calls for tougher gun laws after three children and a teacher were killed in an Oregon school shooting, but gun-rights advocates say the circumstances of the attack bolster their case against new restrictions. The teenage shooter reportedly opened fire with a shotgun purchased by his mother before an armed father-of-two-students, Kaylub Giamanco, pursued him into Silver Rail Elementary School and fatally shot him. Second Amendment advocates argue additional gun restrictions would not have stopped the killer and could make it harder for armed civilians like Giamanco to intervene. “Democrats are shamefully weaponizing this tragedy in Oregon to advance their political agenda on gun control,” Aidan Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America, told Fox News Digital. “But more gun control isn’t the solution. The school was a gun-free zone, and the killer didn’t use a so-called ‘assault weapon.’ What did stop the mass murderer and save lives was an armed bystander with good aim.” FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS CONTROVERSIAL ILLINOIS BAN ON SEMIAUTOMATIC GUNS Gun-rights researcher John Lott, president of the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC), separately argued that restrictions on carrying guns can leave potential victims defenseless. “These gun-free zones actually serve as a magnet for these attacks rather than stopping them from occurring,” Lott told Fox News Digital. Lott pointed to CPRC research examining active shootings from 2014 through 2024, which he said found that legally armed civilians stopped more attacks than police did. The National Rifle Association similarly questioned whether new restrictions would have changed the outcome. “Oregon already has nearly every gun-control measure on the anti-gun wish list — including an A- rating from groups that push them — yet that did not prevent this attack,” the NRA said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The armed bystander who pursued the shooter inside and ended the threat is the clearest reminder that, when seconds count, a prepared law-abiding citizen can stop a killer.” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., was among the lawmakers calling for action after the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, where Bend-LaPine school policy bans firearms, including concealed guns. “The best way to honor these victims is to at long last pass commonsense gun laws that reduce the risks of more children, parents, teachers and staff forced to live in fear of similar nightmares for their schools,” Wyden said in a statement. JONATHAN TURLEY: JAMES TALARICO’S DEFENSE OF GUN CONTROL LEAVES OUT A KEY WORD Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., whose district includes Bend, also called for action while acknowledging the armed bystander’s intervention. “When are we going to practice that same bravery that that bystander had?” Bynum asked during a vigil, after urging action to keep guns away from people who should not have them. Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., also cited the shooting in calling for additional gun laws and urging the Supreme Court to change course. “It is far past time for the Roberts Court to make it clear their decision on guns does not endorse unfettered and unregulated access to weapons,” Reed said. “In the absence of the Supreme Court ceasing its pro-gun rulings, Republicans need to join Democrats in enacting commonsense policies that could prevent these kinds of tragedies.” The Roberts court has issued consequential gun-rights rulings, including District of Columbia v. Heller, which struck down the District of Columbia’s handgun ban in 2008, and New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. Bruen, which struck down New York’s requirement that applicants show a special need to obtain a license to carry a handgun in public. LA GUN OWNERS STUCK WAITING YEARS FOR CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS SCORE MAJOR DOJ VICTORY The political fighting is unfolding as investigators examine how the teenage gunman gained access to his mother’s shotgun, a key question in determining whether existing or proposed gun laws could have made a difference. Asked specifically about universal background checks and red-flag laws, the NRA argued that neither would likely have prevented the shooting, citing initial reports that the teenager obtained a family member’s firearm. The organization noted that background checks generally apply to firearm transfers, not unauthorized access to a firearm already owned by someone else. It also argued that a red-flag order would likely have been ineffective, although the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s access to the shotgun remain unclear. Lott also pointed to a 2021 change in Oregon law that allowed individual school districts to prohibit concealed carry permit holders from bringing guns onto school property, arguing that such restrictions can leave schools more vulnerable. Before that change, Lott said, Oregon teachers with concealed carry permits generally could carry guns at schools, although some districts imposed employment-related restrictions. He estimated that roughly 25 of the state’s 197 school districts have adopted prohibitions since then. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “All the school shootings where anybody has been wounded or killed have occurred in places where people, teachers and staff are banned from having guns,” Lott said, citing CPRC research. Lott said his organization is updating the research through 2025. He also argued that uniformed school resource officers face tactical disadvantages because attackers can identify them, avoid them or target them first. “Having somebody in uniform is like having a neon sign above them that says, shoot me first,” Lott said. Lott also questioned whether penalties for violating gun-free zone restrictions would deter someone already facing multiple life sentences for murder. “They may be facing six or seven life sentences [on murder counts and the like]. Does taking five years away from their seventh or eighth life [sentence] going to matter? Is that a penalty for them? And the answer is no,” he said. The NRA also cited research finding that 94% of mass shootings since 1950 occurred in gun-free zones, echoing Lott’s argument. “Law-abiding Americans have the right to defend themselves and their communities rather than rely solely on a sign or sticker. The tragedy in Bend is a clear example of how
Obama’s star power gets a reality check from Black voters in crucial Senate race: ‘It’s a turnoff’
DETROIT — Former President Barack Obama’s endorsement of Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is getting a mixed reception among Black voters in Detroit, with some undecided voters saying the former president’s backing isn’t enough to win them over. Fox News Digital spoke with more than a dozen Black voters in Detroit, most of whom said they plan to back El-Sayed in November, but several undecided voters said Obama’s endorsement had not persuaded them to support the Democrat. The reactions come as Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers seeks to win over disaffected Democrats, including Black voters in Detroit, a key constituency for the party in Michigan. “Honestly, it’s a turn-off just because I’ve seen too many candidates use him just to manipulate the Democratic vote,” Mercedes, one undecided Black voter, told Fox News Digital of Obama’s endorsement. BLACK VOTERS RIP DEMS OVER TAKING THEM FOR GRANTED IN EL-SAYED’S BACKYARD: ‘HUSH US UP’ “No, not at all,” Anthony, another undecided Black voter, told Fox News Digital when asked if Obama’s endorsement had swayed him toward El-Sayed. “What he’s been able to do is from an image standpoint, as far as ‘hope,’ he drove the point there. But as far as really giving back to the community, minority owned businesses, and everyone across the board, I don’t really think he really got there for me … he really hasn’t swayed me one way or another.” Obama and El-Sayed are preparing to campaign together in Michigan despite the Democratic Senate nominee’s history of sharply criticizing the former president, a political reversal that also drew mixed reactions from Black Detroit voters interviewed by Fox News Digital. Juanita, another Black voter who has yet to commit to El-Sayed, told Fox News Digital that, “I don’t want to be pushed to vote for him because somebody else is backing him.” Rita, a Black voter who said she had recently been homeless, told Fox News Digital that she would prefer to do her own research rather than relying on Obama’s endorsement. MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED SAYS LEADERS MUST ADDRESS ‘UNPAID DEBTS’ TO BLACK COMMUNITIES Even some voters who support El-Sayed stated that Obama’s endorsement didn’t do much for them. “I think that a lot of people put more stock into who the person is than what he does … his yay or nay doesn’t sway me either way,” one such voter told Fox News Digital. Detroit’s African American residents were not uniform in dismissing Obama’s endorsement, however. Roughly half of those who spoke with Fox News Digital said the former president’s backing improved their opinion of El-Sayed, though none of those voters claimed that they were undecided before the endorsement. “For sure, I’m an Obama stan,” Jamel, a Black voter planning to support El-Sayed, told Fox News Digital when asked whether Obama’s endorsement made him more likely to back the Democrat. “Somebody who is endorsed by Obama, I would want to vote for them, because I stand behind the things he endorsed at the time, and I think that Obama’s endorsement means a lot to our community,” Kenya, another Black voter, told Fox News Digital. Detroit’s Black voters were also divided over El-Sayed’s past criticism of Obama, particularly now that the two are preparing to campaign together. ‘DESTROYING THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE’: EL-SAYED’S POLITICAL ORBIT COMPLICATES EFFORT TO MODERATE HIS IMAGE In a 2012 opinion column, El-Sayed accused then-President Obama of perpetuating war, violating civil liberties and deporting more people than any previous president. He described Obama’s reelection as “no victory,” writing, “it was the rock we chose over the hard place.” El-Sayed has since walked back those criticisms, praising Obama’s handling of the circumstances he inherited and noting that it is possible to disagree with someone while still admiring them. “Yeah, I don’t understand how you can endorse somebody that was kind of the opposition when you were in office,” Juanita told Fox News Digital. “I mean, that doesn’t make sense.” “I think I see it as a flip flop, but I also see it as an opportunity to pretty much highlight those things and how he’s actually changed and why their objectives may align now,” Anthony said. “You know, people’s objectives change, their perspectives change.” Nia, an African American voter who said she intends to support El-Sayed, said that pivots like El-Sayed’s are common in politics, pointing to Vice President JD Vance’s past criticism of President Donald Trump as an example. Despite mixed reactions to Obama’s endorsement and El-Sayed’s past criticism, several Black voters interviewed by Fox News Digital acknowledged the former president’s continuing influence within the Democratic Party. HARRIS JOINS FORCES WITH RADICAL SENATE NOMINEE IN KEY SWING STATE AS 2028 WHISPERS SWIRL “He is. I mean, you can’t deny that he has a gigantic following and a lot of people will follow him and will listen to what he has to say,” Vincent, a Black voter who voted early for El-Sayed, told Fox News Digital. “But we’re coming into a point in time now where we want to see results on both sides. We’re not seeing results from either party, so we have to see results. So he may still have a big sway in the party now, but I think party politics is coming to an end kind of quick.” While Fox News Digital’s interviews were limited in number, they echo concerns about El-Sayed’s support among Black voters that have surfaced in other reporting and polling. Pre-primary polling showed stronger support for Rep. Haley Stevens among Black Democratic voters, and questions have persisted about whether El-Sayed can consolidate that support heading into November. A recent focus group of Black voters held by MS NOW, for instance, found reluctance among Black Michigan voters to cast their lot with El-Sayed. A Fox News poll conducted in late September found that just 77% of African American voters were supportive of El-Sayed, significantly below the usual Democratic benchmark for the demographic. “I think he’s taking advantage [of] we as Black people are Democratic,