Obama Presidential Center subcontractors file fresh payment claims totaling nearly $900K
Three more subcontractors that worked on the Obama Presidential Center have filed legal claims saying they are owed nearly $900,000, adding to a growing list of payment disputes surrounding the project. The companies each filed mechanics liens against the Obama Presidential Center property, a routine legal tool used on construction projects to recover unpaid construction costs. The subcontractors claim they are owed money for structural steel, excavation and concrete, and gymnasium flooring work performed on Home Court, the Center’s 60,000-square-foot basketball and events facility. Structural steel subcontractor Area Erectors is seeking nearly $620,000, excavation and concrete subcontractor CSI 3000 — the only Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) of the three — claims it is owed about $236,000, and gymnasium flooring specialist Floors Incorporated says it is owed nearly $25,000. Unlike previous payment disputes reported by Fox News Digital, which largely involved work across the main campus, these claims relate specifically to Home Court, which was built under a separate construction contract. It comes as Home Court is hosting several high-profile WNBA All-Star Weekend events this week which the former president attended. The Home Court claims are the latest in a series of subcontractor payment disputes previously reported by Fox News Digital involving the broader Obama Presidential Center project, located in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park. The disputes add to a growing list of challenges during construction, including the project’s ballooning cost — from an initial estimate of about $350 million to more than $1 billion — and legal challenges over contracting practices and diversity requirements. OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR SHUTS DOWN AMID $4M FIGHT, LAYS OFF 25 The Home Court is located at the southern end of the campus and features a regulation-size NBA basketball court, training space and multipurpose meeting and event rooms. The basketball court is decorated with phrases associated with former President Barack Obama, including “Yes we can” and “No one does big things alone.” The Obama Foundation, Obama’s private nonprofit organization, oversees construction of the Obama Presidential Center. It hired Lakeside Alliance as the primary construction manager for most of the campus. Home Court, however, was built under a separate contract by Elevate Design Builders, a joint venture led by minority-owned BOWA Construction that served as construction manager for the facility. Although the mechanics liens are filed against the Obama Presidential Center property, they do not determine which entity is legally responsible for the disputed payments. The newly identified liens were recorded around the time of the Obama Presidential Center’s June 19 opening. The Cook County Clerk’s Office told Fox News Digital there is typically a four-to-six-week delay before recorded documents appear in its online property records database, meaning they only recently became searchable online. Elevate and the Obama Foundation did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the three subcontractors. SUBCONTRACTORS SAY THEY’RE OWED MILLIONS, FACE FINANCIAL RUIN, AFTER HELPING BUILD OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER Fox News Digital also identified an additional three previously unreported mechanics liens totaling about $557,000 involving other portions of the Obama Presidential Center project. Unlike the Home Court claims, which stem from work performed under contracts managed by Elevate Design Builders, the additional liens involve subcontractors, suppliers and benefit funds seeking payment further down the project’s contracting chain. For instance, O’Leary’s Contractors Equipment & Supply is seeking about $184,000 in allegedly unpaid equipment rental invoices. The Cement Masons’ Union Trust Funds alleges more than $326,000 in unpaid fringe benefit contributions, while Intek Construction Products is seeking about $47,000 for labor and materials it says it supplied to the project. Jeffrey Molchan, whose company Intek Construction Products filed one of the liens, told Fox News Digital the company was seeking payment on its final invoice from another contractor and that “the project did not go as well as we anticipated in terms of the timeliness of the payment.” The additional liens involve portions of the project managed by Lakeside Alliance. In a statement, Lakeside said the Obama Presidential Center involved multiple structures, hundreds of trade partners and community businesses, and that contractual closeout continues after the center’s opening. The joint venture said it remains committed to working through outstanding matters. Fox News Digital previously reported that Black subcontractors alleged they were owed millions of dollars for work on the project, while Concrete Collective filed a mechanics lien seeking more than $40 million. The lien was later replaced by a court-approved surety bond while the underlying dispute continues in court. Adamson Plumbing also said it suspended operations and laid off workers after claiming it was left nearly $4 million in the red. Fox News Digital also previously reported that at least four other companies filed mechanics liens during construction, while two subcontractors — Glass Management Services and Vision Painting & Decorating Services — later sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Court records do not establish that the Obama Presidential Center caused those bankruptcies. Since that reporting, two of the previously identified mechanics lien claims have been withdrawn, including one after the claimant said it recovered the amount sought through the lien, though the owner told Fox News Digital the company still lost about $200,000 on the project overall. One previously reported lien remains unresolved. WATCH: Black subcontractors at Obama Presidential Center still seeking payment as Juneteenth opening nears, advocate says
From locker rooms to Congress: Jay Feely latest athlete seeking to take lessons in leadership to Capitol Hill
Former NFL placekicker Jay Feely is the latest professional athlete poised to transition to a congressional career, where leadership, performing under pressure and handling public scrutiny are essential in both arenas. Fox News Digital reached out to Feely, who spent time with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals before becoming an “NFL on CBS” commentator, for his take on why professional sports prepared him for public life as he seeks the seat of retiring Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz. “Especially as a kicker — to be a successful kicker in the NFL, you have to be able to handle pressure, and you have be able handle failure. And I think those two attributes are very tangible attributes that will help you as you try to navigate the political field and try to be effective,” Feely said Friday in an interview with Fox News Digital. He said the NFL also exposed him to teammates from different backgrounds and viewpoints, helping prepare him to represent a diverse constituency. STATE OF PLAY: DEMS BATTLE FOR SHOT AT CRUCIAL ARIZONA HOUSE SEAT AMID GOP’S RAZOR-THIN MAJORITY “[T]he greatest advantage of being an NFL player was to be in those locker rooms where racial walls were broken down and conversations happened and you got to know people which otherwise you might not ever get to know.” He recalled rooming with LeVar Arrington and Brandon Short while with the Giants in East Rutherford, sharing stories about their different life experiences and personal views as they played chess and other games. NFL GREAT PATRICK PETERSON SAYS LOCKER ROOM POLITICAL DISCOURSE WAS ‘UNNECESSARY,’ MOST PLAYERS ARE UNINFORMED “Your job is to represent everybody and i think those experiences certainly are an asset,” Feely said. He also mentioned a trip to the infamously unfriendly confines of Lincoln Financial Field to play the Philadelphia Eagles right after the “worst game of [his] career” against the Seahawks. The prior night he had been “spoofed” on “Saturday Night Live,” and while preparing for what was a game-winning kick after an apparent icing timeout, Philadelphia played a montage of his Seattle misses on the Jumbotron to mock him. HALL OF FAMER TONY DUNGY ENDORSES MICHELE TAFOYA IN CROWDED MINNESOTA REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR U.S. SENATE “They tried to deter me, but I made the kick and my career goes on for another nine years – you learn a lot through those processes,” Feely said. Feely added that he got to know another athlete-turned-public official through their time with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). “There’s so many different correlations with the people in sports, and a lot of the best people I know that I met in sports have thought about getting into politics,” he said, reflecting on his time working with HUD Secretary Scott Turner, a former Washington Redskin. He said he also hopes to see other athletes regardless of viewpoint who have acted on issues close to them, like former New Orleans Saints Drew Brees and Benjamin Watson. Feely will face former state Rep. Amish Shah, D-Phoenix, who also worked for about two years as the New York Jets’ team doctor. Just over two decades ago, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner was on the NFL gridiron, playing cornerback for the Washington Redskins and then-San Diego Chargers. The skills and lessons learned on the field helped Turner grow into his new role at HUD, which was also preceded by a stint in the Texas House of Representatives. “The Lord used football to change the course of my life, and through the game,” Turner told Fox News Digital. “He taught me lessons that continue to guide me every day in public service: discipline, teamwork, perseverance, humility, and working toward a mission bigger than yourself.” “Those values inform how I served in the Texas state legislature and how I lead HUD today. My experience on football teams shaped how I lead, how I serve, and the example I hope to set for the next generation.” Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., had a successful mixed martial arts career before shifting from dodging fists to political blows on Capitol Hill. Davids, who tried out for “The Ultimate Fighter,” compiled a 5-1 amateur record before a brief professional MMA career in 2013, when she went 1-1. “Turns out getting punched in the face is pretty good preparation for Congress,” Davids told Fox News Digital on Friday. She first left the octagon to support Native American communities, focusing on community development and expanding economic opportunities for Native people. Davids later won her 2018 congressional bid in an upset against Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., in the largely red state. “But really, fighting professionally taught me that you don’t solve every challenge by throwing punches. You have to stay disciplined, work hard, respect your opponent, and keep moving forward — and that’s how I approach this job, too,” she told Fox News Digital. Former Auburn Tigers Coach Tommy Tuberville transitioned to the U.S. Senate in 2021 after compiling a slew of outstanding stats as a head coach. The Republican — now running for governor of Alabama — declined comment for this story but spoke in 2020 about the parallels between success in athletics and government. Asked about his then-11-month campaign against incumbent Democrat Sen. Doug Jones, Tuberville told the Alabama Daily News he had to approach it at “full speed” just like a football coach. “We put together a good, good team. And a lot of people told me when I first got started they said, coach, this is just like being a head coach. You’re only as good as the team around you,” he said. One of the most recognizable Republican figures of the last century was former HUD Secretary and former Congressman Jack Kemp. Kemp’s political peak came in 1996 when he was the vice presidential running mate of Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., against President Bill Clinton. Prior to that, Kemp led the same agency Turner did under the first Bush administration, and previously represented western New York
Here’s what you missed from Trump’s first WHCA Dinner as president: 5 takeaways from his night with the press
President Donald Trump attended the annual White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner Friday night for the first time in either of his two presidential terms. The event was rescheduled from its original April 25 date after a crazed gunman allegedly tried to assassinate the 47th president, bull rushing security with several weapons and firing a shot before he was taken into custody. Here are five top highlights from the dinner: TRUMP HEADS BACK TO CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER MONTHS AFTER GUNFIRE FORCED EVACUATION Trump and the press typically find themselves at odds, and while Friday night had its share of uncomfortable moments, both sides were able to find some common ground — especially after sharing a scary moment at the originally scheduled dinner in April. Before presenting one of the many awards of the night, ABC’s Jon Karl thanked the president for his attendance. “Mr. President, I want to say it matters that you came here tonight,” said Karl. “For more than 100 years, presidents have chosen to sit in a room of reporters who asked tough and often uncomfortable questions, and who report without fear or favor. It’s important. Thank you for being here.” TRUMP PRAISES PRESS AFTER WHCD SHOOTING, SAYS UNITY AT DINNER WAS ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WHCA outgoing President and the dinner’s emcee Weijia Jiang also had kind words for the president, just before she introduced him to speak and after discussing the importance of the First Amendment. “President Trump, I’ve covered you for a long time, and so have many reporters in this room. When we ask questions, you push back, you give us answers and we push back,” she said. “You have always been a deal guy. Well, that’s the deal. And the First Amendment is a done deal. And that’s what we toast tonight. The freedoms that brought us back together even after they were threatened.” “So let’s raise a glass to what makes ours a beautiful country.” Later in the night, Trump concluded his speech with a warm message for the press delivered in his own style. JOURNALISTS DEMAND WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ ASSOCIATION ‘SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER’ IN NEW DINNER WITH TRUMP “I just want to say, this room — I have tremendous respect for the people in this room,” Trump said. “Sometimes I don’t feel you treat me fair, maybe you do, I don’t know,” he continued. “I don’t feel that. But sometimes you treat me fairly, and I have a lot of respect for your profession. It’s amazing. And I just want to thank you for having me, and it’s been fun.” Trump made a series of jokes throughout his speech, some targeting the press, and others targeting people he appointed to positions of power. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was on the receiving end of a quip from the 47th president after Trump told attendees he hoped they enjoyed their beef tenderloin dinner. “I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who’s right here, personally ran over the cow with his car,” he jabbed. “And he cut it up and he brought it here for you to eat tonight.” Kennedy is well known for his eccentric history with animals, including once saying he captured a raccoon and cut its genitals off, viral videos of him catching dangerous snakes and once using a chainsaw to remove the head of a dead whale that washed up on Cape Cod. “Bobby also suggested an appetizer featuring his favorite cut of male raccoon roadkill. But we drew the line at that,” the president went on. “We said, ‘No, we’re not doing that.’” Kennedy is also known for pushing a more red-meat centric diet and has embraced the push for restaurants to use beef tallow to fry their food instead of seed oils. Trump also joked about the shooting at the first WHCA dinner earlier this year, which pro-MAGA rapper Nikki Minaj attended. “But after hearing the gunshots, many people yelled, ‘get down, get down!’ Which caused Nicki Minaj to start twerking, do you believe? Get down! She’s the only one that really understood what that meant,” Trump joked, earning laughter from the tough crowd. Throughout his speech, he repeatedly used one of his famous phrases — referring to the press as “fake news,” but took some direct shots at certain outlets and figures. He unexpectedly flipped the script in a misdirection from what seemed like an update on the Iran war. “A once feared and powerful regime that relentlessly attacked America has finally been toppled,” he said. “Their former leaders have been removed and they’re now being run by a gay dictator facing internal divisions. But I, for one, wish Bari Weiss all the best at CBS News.” Trump’s nemesis, Kaitlan Collins of CNN, was also on the receiving end of a brutal blow. “I thought Kaitlan Collins had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney,” he said, referencing the beer brand’s failed marketing campaign featuring a transgender influencer. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is currently in the confirmation process to take on the job full-time, became part of mentalist Oz Pearlman’s routine to close out the night. In a convoluted bit, Oz asked Blanche to make up an amount of money he had in his wallet. Blanche said $130, but Oz guessed the correct amount — $85. Then, Oz asked a man sitting next to Blanche to choose a single bill from Blanche’s wallet, and then had Blanche sign it. Blanche signed it, and was instructed to sit on it. For the remainder of the act, Oz asked members of the crowd to stand — including Fox News’ Kevin Corke — and dream up a person dead or alive who they wished they could interview. He guessed several of interview subjects’ names correctly, and even enlisted the help of a member of the crowd, who also made correct guesses. After
Trump spares no one at WHCA dinner, taking aim at Dems, press and his own Cabinet
President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone Friday at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner, scrapping the combative speech he had prepared before an assassination attempt upended the annual event in April. The rewrite emphasized unity and gratitude, though the president still couldn’t resist slipping in a few familiar jabs at the press while insisting: “The show must go on.” Trump returned to the stage just months after gunfire abruptly ended the organization’s annual banquet. An armed suspect, Cole Allen, stormed the event in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate the president. “The speech that I had ready just a short while. Oh, that was going to be a doozy. I was so psyched. I was going to rip people. And I don’t know, just something changed it — really for the better. But I just wouldn’t want to do that,” Trump said to a room full of journalists and government officials. “But we’ll do a little ripping, if you don’t mind. But it is true. I said, how do we handle this is going to be a different kind of evening. And it is. And in many ways it’s a more beautiful evening, actually,” he added. TRUMP HEADS BACK TO CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER MONTHS AFTER GUNFIRE FORCED EVACUATION Trump teed up his typical walk-out song — Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” — and quickly jumped into joking about seeking a third term before striking a more serious chord as he thanked the Secret Service for its work, not only during the attack at the original Correspondents’ Dinner, but for protecting him every day. He delivered a speech that went longer than expected, talking for an hour and four minutes. “Just like my presidency, the second time is always better. It’s always better, and the third time will be better yet. I’m only kidding,” Trump said to some chuckles throughout the room. The president said he could not deliver the same speech he had planned for the first dinner, “ripping” the press, but said “it was for the better” that he changed his remarks for the second time around. COLE ALLEN INDICTED BY GRAND JURY ON FOUR CHARGES RELATED TO ALLEGED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT He made various jokes aimed at not just Democrats but his own cabinet members. “I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloins, very special beef. And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who’s right here personally, ran over the cow and his car,” said Trump. TRUMP HEADS BACK TO CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER MONTHS AFTER GUNFIRE FORCED EVACUATION He took aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom, former vice president Kamala Harris, possible 2028 presidential candidate Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker among other Democratic lawmakers and candidates. ” You can’t have somebody like a J.B. Pritzker who I understand is not president, sadly. But, you know, some people say never used a fat word. And I know I would never call anybody fat,” said Trump. “I have my own problems, you know, it’s not like I’m perfect, sir. In the back. Don’t call him a fat pig, okay? That’s. I’m sticking up for him. Don’t call him you. You can’t do that, sir. You can’t call J.B. Pritzker a fat pig,” said Trump. Trump mocked Chuck Schumer’s criticism of Israel and his increasingly vocal positions on the Israel-Hamas war. “I’m going to send him a beautiful Palestinian outfit tomorrow so he can greet Bibi Netanyahu when he comes to town next week,” joked Trump. He used the moment to call for term limits, saying, “all joking aside, I do think we need term limits in Congress.” “The other day, a senator I knew got a text… ‘When you get home, I want to have you immediately come up the stairs and make love to me.’ And he said, ‘I can’t do both,” joked Trump, saying that he can’t both walk upstairs and have sex—he only has enough energy for one of those activities. The WHCA honored U.S. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales during Friday’s dinner in recognition of his actions in helping stop Allen from entering the ballroom. The computer scientist from Torrance, California, traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. by Amtrak after purchasing a one-way ticket. Court filings say he sent a manifesto to family and friends shortly before the attack, describing political motivations and apologizing for his actions. Allen has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempting to assassinate the president, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. “The attempted mass murder at the Washington Hilton, that’s what it could have been, was an assault on our democracy itself,” Trump said in his speech, which spanned from jabs at Democrats, the press and some jokes at the expense of his own Cabinet. PHOTO OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT COLE ALLEN IN HOTEL ROOM RELEASED AS DOJ SEEKS TO KEEP HIM JAILED “One officer placed himself directly in harm’s way and engaged the armed suspect, even after gunfire struck his protective vest. He stayed in the fight and the attacker was stopped,” said Weijia Jiang, former WHCA president presenting the award to Gonzales. “I know many of us have wondered. What if he hadn’t acted in that exact way? What if he had waited a few more seconds? His courage that night reflects the core values of Secret Service duty, justice, courage, honesty and loyalty, and as a commitment to safeguarding his country and community,” said Jiang. During the speech, Trump highlighted his White House Ballroom following heat for the $200 million project, pointing to the lawsuits. FIRST ON FOX: WHITE HOUSE REVEALS WHO’S JOINING TRUMP AT CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER — AND WHO CAN’T ATTEND “In light of what we went through, I think, people understand it. It’s going to be amazing, a phenomenal one of the biggest drone ports anywhere in the world,” Trump said, referencing gunfire at the
Gretchen Whitmer endorses moderate Haley Stevens in tight upcoming Senate primary
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday endorsed Rep. Haley Stevens ahead of the state’s U.S. Senate Democratic primary. Stevens, a more centrist candidate, and progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed are considered the front-runners in the race as early voting starts on Saturday. Whitmer’s endorsement could give Stevens a boost in a state where the governor twice won by considerable margins. DEMOCRATS’ CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN The governor also beat El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for governor in 2018. Whitmer told supporters at a Teamsters hall in Detroit on Friday that Stevens has “what it takes to win” while appearing with her and South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn. “Michiganders need a fighter in Washington and there are few leaders with more fight in ’em than Haley Stevens,” Whitmer said at the event. SWING-STATE POLL SPELLS TROUBLE FOR FAR LEFT AS SCHUMER-BACKED CANDIDATE DOMINATES WITH CRITICAL VOTING BLOCS Stevens, who flipped a Republican House seat in 2018, is also backed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, a two-term Democrat who is retiring from the seat. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are backing El-Sayed. “The corporate establishment has closed ranks and made their pick – now, Michigan voters will get to make theirs,” Roxie Richner, a spokesperson for El-Sayed, told the Associated Press. JEWISH MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS ADMIT THEY WILL VOTE REPUBLICAN IF ABDUL EL-SAYED BECOMES NOMINEE Michigan’s Democratic primary is on Aug. 4 and the winner will face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in November. Democrats want to flip the U.S. Senate from narrow Republican control and must hold Michigan to do so. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump orders signs outside Smithsonian museum amid row over its depiction of American history
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to what the White House describes as “accurate” information about the nation’s past. The executive order instructs the National Park Service, which maintains the sidewalks outside the museum, to place signs informing visitors about a White House report released July 4 that criticized the Smithsonian’s portrayal of American history. Trump also directed the creation of a temporary exhibit intended to correct what his administration considers inaccurate historical information. TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CALLS OUT SMITHSONIAN FOR PUSHING ‘ONE-SIDED, DIVISIVE POLITICAL NARRATIVES’ The move follows a report from Trump’s Domestic Policy Council that accused the Smithsonian and the National Museum of American History of failing to present history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.” Because the Smithsonian operates independently of the executive branch, Trump cannot directly remove museum leadership or unilaterally change exhibits. Instead, the order targets federal property outside the museum that falls under National Park Service jurisdiction. National Museum of American History Director Anthea M. Hartig defended the museum during congressional testimony this week. “As we continue to fact check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum,” Hartig told lawmakers. “There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.” MED SCHOOL DEANS COME UP EMPTY IN TENSE HEARING WHEN ASKED POINT BLANK IF MEN CAN HAVE BABIES: ‘RIDICULOUS’ Friday’s order builds on Trump’s broader effort to reshape the Smithsonian’s exhibits. In March, Trump signed an executive order directing the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents to eliminate what the administration described as “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from the institution’s museums. The White House later criticized the National Museum of American History’s “Entertainment Nation” exhibit, arguing displays about American pop culture framed the nation’s history through an ideological lens rather than celebrating its achievements. White House official Lindsey Halligan previously told Fox News Digital that “American taxpayers should not be funding institutions that undermine our country or promote one-sided, divisive political narratives.” OBAMA JUDGE RULES ON EFFORT TO BLOCK AMERICA 250 EVENTS AT WH AND LINCOLN MEMORIAL At the time, the Smithsonian said it was conducting a review of museum content and remained committed to “continuous and rigorous scholarship and research and unbiased presentation of facts and history.” The Smithsonian is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, members of Congress and citizen regents. The institution receives roughly two-thirds of its approximately $1 billion annual budget through federal appropriations. Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
House Republicans confront NJ governor over 6,600 noncitizens registered to vote in alleged software failure
Nineteen House Republicans are demanding answers from New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill on how approximately 6,600 self-identified noncitizens were registered to vote and cast 400 ballots in what the state described as a software failure. The group put the question to Sherrill in a letter published on Friday afternoon. “Despite those answers, a software failure reportedly transmitted their information for voter registration between June 2023 and June 2024. This was not a minor clerical discrepancy,” the group wrote in the letter. “It was a catastrophic breakdown of the most basic safeguard in our election system: ensuring that only eligible American citizens are registered and permitted to vote. How do you know this was just a software glitch and not a nefarious act?” The letter continues to underscore Republican-led concerns that lawmakers are inviting election security liabilities without passing legislation to shore up voter identification and implement federal standards to ensure proof of citizenship. GOP ERUPTS OVER 6,600 NONCITIZEN VOTERS FOUND IN BLUE STATE AS SCANDAL DEEPENS: ‘WORSE THAN ANYONE EXPECTED’ Its signatories included Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-N.J., and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., two of New Jersey’s three Republican congressmen. Notably, the third, Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., did not join. The system failure originally came to the public’s attention when Sherrill disclosed the issue in an announcement on Tuesday. “Last week I learned that a serious software error in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle System led to the registration of roughly 6,600 people who indicated that they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024, almost three years prior to my taking office,” Sherrill said. NEW JERSEY REMOVES 6,600 PEOPLE FROM VOTER ROLLS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO CAST A BALLOT FOR 2024 ELECTION “These individuals answered ‘no’ when asked on a keypad whether they were a U.S. citizen when applying for drivers’ licenses and identification cards, but through no fault of their own, the system registered them anyway.” Republicans in their letter listed a series of questions they said the state should answer, including what testing it normally conducts for voter roll maintenance, the specific counties where the improper ballots were cast, and whether Sherrill’s administration would support voter-ID legislation. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Republicans have been sounding the alarm for years about weaknesses in voter-registration systems, inadequate voter-roll maintenance, and the danger that noncitizens may be registered and permitted to vote in national elections, which is illegal under federal law,” the letter stated. The group has requested a response to its questions no later than Aug. 21, 2026.
Succession: Why Congress has no clear plan when lawmakers can’t serve
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have a lot in common. Both have long spells of absences from Capitol Hill due to health. Kean was out for months this winter and spring. But until he returned in June, no one knew exactly what was going on. Neither Kean nor his office or family said a word about why the congressman was AWOL. Upon his return, Kean announced he endured a lengthy hospital stay for depression. McConnell’s absence is similarly cryptic. His office simply declared in June that the Kentucky Republican was hospitalized and receiving “excellent care.” Yet it took weeks to learn that McConnell was hospitalized for a fall and then pneumonia. The dearth of information fueled conspiracy theories about whether McConnell was even alive. It prompted a letter of inquiry from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) as to the senator’s well-being. He told SiriusXM he hadn’t “heard a thing. Not an email. Not a letter. Not a call.” But that’s not where the similarities between Kean and McConnell end. During Kean’s absence, hardly a day went by when someone didn’t ask me about how they could potentially fill his seat. The same has gone on with McConnell for the past month-and-a-half. There’s conjecture about whether their respective state’s governors, or even the House or Senate could declare their seats vacant since they haven’t shown up “for work.” The American electorate is angry right now. Prices are up. They’re disenchanted with politics. At the very least, they want to know that the people they elected are on the job. And if they’re not, voters believe they’re entitled to explanations from those who serve them. WATCH: LAWMAKERS REVEAL WHERE THEY STAND ON CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS AFTER RECENT HEALTH SCARES No one received timely clarity from either Kean or McConnell. Which brings us to why some constituents think there should be a mechanism to remove lawmakers who are infirm or out for prolonged periods of time. It’s not that easy. Here are the constitutional qualifications for someone to serve in the House, according to Article I, Section 2: “No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.” The Senate mandates are similar, as dictated by Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution: “No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years, a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.” Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution declares that “Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own Members.” It goes on to say that “with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.” So, the Constitution is clear about the requirements to join the House or Senate. It also grants both bodies the agility to decline to seat someone and even remove them from office. But despite granting those authorities to Congress, the Constitution is silent on why the House or Senate might not seat someone. And, the Constitution is vague on reasons to expel a lawmaker. That’s why we must rely on the standard established in Article I, Section 3 on qualifications of House and Senate members. It says nothing about health. It says nothing about mental capacity. It says nothing about attendance or dereliction of duty. It just determines the minimum criteria for people to serve in Congress. And if either the House or Senate decides they don’t want you here, they can either bar you at the door or kick you out. Besides the House and Senate expelling someone, a governor must declare a seat vacant. And there’s nothing anyone can do to force someone to step aside. The late Sen. Carter Glass (D-Va.) of Glass-Steagall fame, if you know banking law, fell ill in 1942. He was absent from the Senate for four years before dying. Glass rejected entreaties for him to resign. The late Sen. Karl Mundt (R-S.D.) suffered a stroke in 1969 and couldn’t speak. Mundt’s wife nixed calls by Senate Republicans, demanding he resign. Mundt remained in office until early 1973, when his term expired. Other lawmakers have missed swaths of time due to illness over the years prior to Kean and McConnell. The late Rep. Lane Evans (D-Ill.) was absent for extended periods, suffering from Parkinson’s Disease in the 1990s and 2000s. Former Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) suffered a stroke in 2012. He missed more than a year before returning to the Senate. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) missed several months after he was shot in 2017 at the GOP Congressional baseball practice. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was away for a couple of months after battling depression shortly after he joined the Senate in 2023. These are just a few instances of lawmakers missing chunks of time because of illnesses. There is only one instance in recent history where the House or Senate took action because of someone’s bad health. On October 31, 1980, the late Rep. Gladys Noon Spellman (D-Md.) suffered a heart attack. Voters re-elected Spellman a few days later. But Spellman fell into a coma, and she was unable to take the oath of office when the new Congress convened in January 1981. Regardless, the House took the extraordinary step of voting to pay her – even though she wasn’t a Member. It was obvious that the Maryland Democrat would never be well enough again to assume office. The House then voted to declare her seat vacant, compelling Maryland to hold a special election. So, the House didn’t remove Spellman because of her being incapacitated. She wasn’t a Member at that stage. But, under Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution, the
Combat vet senator chokes up over fallen friend in fiery floor speech about Iran war: ‘We will finish it’
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., choked up on the Senate floor as he pointed to a bracelet honoring a fallen friend he said was “cut in half” by an Iranian bomb, turning a Democratic-led push to rein in President Donald Trump’s war powers into an emotional warning about the cost of failing to confront Tehran. The Montana Republican and combat veteran delivered the fiery remarks in opposition to an Iran War Powers Resolution that would have forced the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress explicitly authorized the mission. The Senate rejected an effort to advance the measure Thursday in a 47-49 vote, but not before Sheehy accused critics of ignoring decades of Iranian-backed attacks on Americans. “We didn’t start this war, we did not. But, we will finish it,” Sheehy said from the Senate floor. “And forever wars are not popular with anybody these days. Both sides of [the aisle] love to attack our forever wars. And I can promise you, being someone overseas wearing the uniform, when you’re fighting for your country, you don’t care what party’s in office.” REPUBLICANS FALL IN LINE WITH TRUMP ON IRAN WAR DESPITE RISING COSTS AND US DEATH TOLL Sheehy argued Democrats were right to call the conflict a “war of choice,” but said the choice was made by Iran’s regime decades ago — not by Trump. “This is a war of choice. The Democrats are correct,” Sheehy said. “It’s a war of choice that was begun by a radical, lunatic band of terrorists that took over a beautiful nation 47 years ago.” The former Navy SEAL then ticked through decades of attacks he tied to Iran and its proxies, invoking the 1983 Marine barracks bombing, the USS Cole, the Achille Lauro and terrorist groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. TRUMP THREATENS ‘MAJOR MILITARY PUNISHMENT’ FOR IRAN OVER FUTURE HOUTHI ATTACKS “This regime that we are fighting does not care about our partisan politics,” Sheehy said. “They don’t care who you voted for, who you pray to, or where you live. They want to kill all of us. And they don’t just say it, they actually do it. And they’ve been doing it for 47 years.” Sheehy also invoked William Buckley, whom he described as “an American military officer” who was abducted and tortured in the 1980s. “William Buckley was abducted in 1985,” Sheehy said. “He was skinned alive on camera by the Iranians.” The senator concluded by describing Iran’s ongoing retaliatory attacks as “the flailing’s of a nation in collapse” not strength, citing what he called “an occasional missile strike” on commercial boats and U.S. military members in the Middle East. Meanwhile he encouraged his congressional colleagues to “think about the people who are deployed right now standing on that wall with a loaded weapon who volunteered to defend our country and our way of life” in what Sheehy described as a “just war.” “Last time I checked, we wiped these bastards out … because they deserve it,” Sheehy said. “We did not start a war with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), they started it with us 47 years ago and their attacks have gone unanswered for half a century. It is time to fix this problem and make sure another generation of Americans does not have to fight this murderous, savage adversary.”
EXCLUSIVE: ICE removes former NFL player Daniel Ogama Adongo after visa overstay, criminal record
FIRST ON FOX: A former NFL player from Kenya with a criminal record has been removed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Chicago, ICE exclusively told Fox News Digital. Daniel Ogama Adongo, 37, was a linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts until 2015 and has been arrested multiple times over the last decade, including a conviction for criminal mischief with damage in 2020. He was sentenced to a year in jail. DHS BLASTS MINNESOTA BOARD FOR UNANIMOUSLY PARDONING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CONVICTED OF 3 ASSAULTS ICE said Adongo overstayed his visa in 2016 and under the Laken Riley act, signed by President Donald Trump last year, those in the country illegally are required to be detained without bond if convicted of certain crimes. His other arrests include felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct, according to officials. In March, Adongo was ordered to be removed by a Department of Justice immigration judge; the order was carried out on June 20. EXCLUSIVE: DHS SEEKS CUSTODY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER TRUMP DEPORTATION, BIDEN RELEASE “This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he’s been removed,” ICE Chicago Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson said in a statement. “Those who violate immigration law are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes.” Adongo came to the U.S. after he was recruited as a rugby player and played two seasons with the Colts from 2013 until 2015. “Since Day One, DHS law enforcement has been delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, gang members, and terrorists,” ICE said. TOM HOMAN WARNS ICE SURGE COMING TO NEW YORK CITY AS MAMDANI BOASTS ABOUT SANCTUARY STATUS It added, “Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. More than 3 million illegal aliens are out of the country and counting. Our message is clear: If you come to our country illegally, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you.” Adongo could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.