Blue state councilman mocked after claiming self-driving cars are ‘murdering’ pets: ‘Hide your cats’
One Minneapolis city council member prompted widespread mockery on social media after going to bat for “cat lovers,” claiming Waymo cars are killing cats and urging officials to require humans in the self-driving vehicles. “I will say cats have been killed and cats have been killed by these autonomous vehicles,” Jason Chavez told fellow council members. “I have a cat. I don’t want my cat getting killed because of these autonomous vehicles. “So, to those cat lovers out there, just know that these Waymo vehicles, these autonomous vehicles have killed cats and that’s unfair. “I just watched a video sitting here from the dais, and it was really hard to watch. Literally, cats being murdered by these vehicles.” WAYMO DRIVERLESS CARS OVERRUN ATLANTA NEIGHBORHOOD, CIRCLING CUL-DE-SACS AND ALARMING FAMILIES WITH KIDS The ordinance, which narrowly passed Thursday, would mandate a human operator and a special license for all autonomous vehicles. But its future remains uncertain. Mayor Jacob Frey announced he plans to veto the proposal in a statement to multiple Minnesota outlets, saying it “doesn’t make sense,” and the city will continue its efforts to embrace “innovative technology,” including transportation options. Despite acknowledging the safety concerns, Frey added he would not support a “backdoor ban” of the vehicles. As Waymo vehicles with rooftop sensors and empty seats become a more common sight, supporters argue requiring a human operator would effectively ban autonomous taxi services and result in higher fares, while opponents insist the technology poses safety risks and takes away jobs. Social media users were quick to pile on Chavez’s remarks about the potential threat to cats, accusing him of blowing the issue out of proportion and shifting focus from more pressing priorities in Minneapolis. “The Minneapolis City Council wants to require a human in driverless vehicles because cats are being ‘murdered’ by them,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “This guy’s salary is $110,000/year, by the way.” Grage took more swipes at Chavez in separate X posts, writing, “They’re calling it the cat genocide” and, “Hide your cats. The Waymos are coming.” In another post on X, conservative commentator Gunther Eagleman wrote, “LOL! MINNEAPOLIS HAS FOUND ITS REAL CRISIS, AND IT’S ROBOT CARS ‘MURDERING’ CATS.” JACOB FREY CRITICIZED FOR REMEMBERING GEORGE FLOYD ON MEMORIAL DAY, SIX YEARS AFTER DEATH SPARKED RIOTS Eagleman also argued the city should be addressing larger issues such as crime and fraud, describing the situation as a sign of failed leadership. “A council member in a city that let rioters burn down a police precinct and watched a $250 million fraud scheme happen under its nose now wants a human in every driverless car to protect the cats,” he wrote. “He’s pulling down $110,000 a year of taxpayer money to say this with a straight face. Minneapolis doesn’t have a driverless car problem. It has a leadership problem.” “They’re driving over the cats, they’re driving over the dogs!” Fox News Digital columnist David Marcus posted on X. “Why is a city council member making 110,000 when families and seniors are getting priced out of their homes in Minneapolis and taxes are sky rocking????? That’s absurd – where is the equality in that???” Three Rivers Park Commissioner Jennifer DeJournett posted on X. TERRIFIED PASSENGERS FILM WAYMO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE DRIVING INTO LIVE FIREWORKS IN SAN FRANCISCO “Fwiw I’ve been in a self-driving Tesla that stopped for cats to cross the road and Waymo is a lot more advanced,” journalist Zaid Jilani posted on X. “My FSD Tesla avoids animals on the road. He is full of it,” Dealer Teamwork CEO and co-founder Sean Stapleton posted on X. Fox News Digital reached out to Chavez for comment.
Dems demanding Venezuela brief face State Department fury as senators leave town before meeting
The State Department is accusing Democrats of performative “grandstanding” by demanding a sweeping Venezuela oil deal briefing then postponing it so the Senate could leave town early. Four senior Senate Democrats demanded documents they already knew were coming, according to material reviewed by Fox News Digital. Then, the Senate rescheduled a congressional briefing on the agreement planned for Oct. 1, 2026, so it could break for fall recess. The group of lawmakers were seeking more information on the Pentagon’s involvement in an agreement with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) that gives the Department of War a 35% stake in one of Venezuela’s largest oil producers. TRUMP TOUTS ACCESS TO 65 BILLION BARRELS OF VENEZUELAN OIL IN DEAL HE SAYS WILL SLASH GAS PRICES State says the lawmakers had known for weeks that administration officials planned to brief the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and provide documents on the deal on Thursday. The department went forward with delivering copies of the U.S. government’s strategic partnership agreement with NABEP to the committee, claiming it did so despite the briefing being pulled down “as a courtesy.” “Copies of the USG Strategic Partnership Agreement with NABEP for your Members are in the SFRC front office,” a senior State Department official wrote. “Each Member has a folder with their copy.” State Department Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson claimed Senate Democrats canceled the briefing so they could “skip town and go on vacation.” “This is pure grandstanding,” Johnson wrote on X. “When they sent this letter, they had known for weeks that we planned to brief them and provide the documents today, on October 1.” A congressional source familiar with the planned briefing disputed State’s characterization, telling Fox News Digital that lawmakers had not been told the written NABEP agreement would be provided before writing the letter and that the briefing was intended as a broader update on U.S. policy toward Venezuela, not specifically the oil deal. And emails reviewed by Fox News Digital show the briefing postponement request itself came from a Republican majority staffer on the Foreign Relations Committee, who told State early Oct. 1 that “the Senate has left town” and asked to move the briefing until November. A State Department official told Fox News Digital the staffer was acting on behalf of the full committee. The congressional source said Republican leadership had ended legislative business for the week, with senators on both sides of the aisle preparing to leave Washington ahead of next month’s midterm elections. The group of Democrat lawmakers demanding the briefing are challenging the legality and prudence of the Trump administration’s agreement with NABEP, which would give the Pentagon rights to a 35% stake in one of Venezuela’s largest oil producers. Under the arrangement, the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital would receive rights to the stake through so-called penny warrants, while the State Department would receive preferential rights to purchase 20% of the company’s production at cost. The unusual structure is part of the administration’s broader effort to revive Venezuelan oil production and expand U.S. economic influence after Nicolás Maduro’s ouster. Democrats argue the Pentagon may lack legal authority to take the stake and have raised questions about the administration’s vetting of NABEP and its leadership. The administration argues the structure could generate substantial returns for the U.S. without requiring taxpayers to buy the stake up front. The White House has said the government’s 35% position could ultimately be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in equity and dividends if NABEP succeeds in developing the fields. The deal could also give Washington a new source of relatively low-cost crude at a time when the administration is trying to increase global supply and bring down fuel prices. State would have the right to buy 20% of NABEP’s production at cost and the right of first refusal on the remaining output, which the administration says could help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and supply U.S. military and other sensitive needs. The White House also says millions of barrels of additional Venezuelan production could eventually flow through U.S. refineries and be developed using American drilling equipment and infrastructure, generating investment and jobs in the United States. NABEP produces roughly 220,000 barrels a day and has said it plans to more than double production to 500,000 barrels a day by late 2028. The administration is betting that private investment can revive fields that have suffered years of underinvestment and mismanagement. The agreement is part of a much broader U.S. effort to remake Venezuela’s economy after the dramatic removal of Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. On Jan. 3, U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transport them to the United States to face federal charges. The administration has characterized the operation as a law enforcement mission supported by the military and has since made rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector a central part of its stabilization strategy. Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, has remained in power while cooperating with Washington, even as Venezuela’s political transition remains unsettled and opposition figures continue pressing for elections. The White House has described the NABEP agreement as part of a three-part strategy of stabilization, reconstruction and eventual democratic transition, arguing that restoring oil production is necessary to rebuild Venezuela’s economy and reduce the influence of China, Russia and other U.S. adversaries in its energy sector. TRUMP ‘SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING’ PLAN TO MAKE VENEZUELA AND ITS $40 TRILLION IN OIL PERMANENT PART OF USA Senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.; and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., challenged both the legality and prudence of the deal in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Among their central questions is whether the Pentagon office being used to structure the investment has the legal authority to acquire an equity position in a foreign oil company. The senators also demanded the agreement itself, details about how
Obama judge halts Trump firing bid as decades-old legal authority tees up possible major reversal
An Obama-appointed judge blocked President Donald Trump from firing court-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Roger Rogoff, ordering the Justice Department to recognize Rogoff as the rightful officeholder and restore his ability to serve. “This is yet another ruling from an activist judge trying to thwart President Trump’s agenda and undermine his constitutional authority. U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. Judge Stanley Bastian, who was first nominated by Obama in 2013, issued a preliminary injunction reinstating Rogoff and barring the administration from treating him as having been lawfully removed. The ruling sets up a legal fight over whether a president can fire a U.S. attorney appointed by federal judges. A 1979 Justice Department opinion and a 2000 federal appeals court ruling both concluded that the president has that authority. “We disagree with the decision and intend to seek an immediate stay and will appeal,” the DOJ Rapid Response account wrote. TRUMP ADMIN FIRES US ATTORNEY IN SEATTLE MINUTES AFTER HE WAS APPOINTED Some legal experts and conservative attorneys took to social media to sharply criticize the ruling, arguing it infringes on the president’s constitutional authority over the executive branch. “Another lawless and dangerous ruling. Violating the separation of powers. By another Democrat activist judge. This time? Seattle Obama Judge Stanley Bastian,” wrote Article III founder and president Mike Davis. “Democrat judges handpicked their own U.S. attorney. The President, through his attorney general, fired him. Under Article II of the Constitution, the President clearly has the executive power to fire Justice Department officials,” Davis added. Davis also noted Bastian’s first name was misspelled in the order, missing the “e” in Stanley. ‘ROGUE’ OBAMA JUDGE’S SMACKDOWN OF TRUMP ELECTION RULES PROVOKES OMINOUS WARNING FROM WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY “The Federal Judge misspelled his own name in his order. That’s how you know it’s quality legal work,” wrote one user. “Now Judge Bastian created an unnecessary constitutional crisis by essentially ordering a coup at the Justice Department, by ordering the removal of the President’s pick and putting in Bastian’s judicial puppet. The Ninth Circuit must fix this. Or the Supreme Court will have to step in. Again,” Davis concluded. “The President’s power to remove U.S. Attorneys must be unfettered consistent with Article II of the Constitution. Judge Stanley Bastian is wrong here to order Rogoff reinstated. I predict Judge Bastian will eventually be reversed, whether at the Ninth Circuit or by the Supreme Court,” said Oversight Project litigation vice president Jeff Clark. WHITE HOUSE RIPS ‘ACTIVIST’ BIDEN JUDGE WHO UPENDED TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER “Judicial overreach, plain and simple. The judiciary does not get to run the Executive Branch. Period,” said Holtzman Vogel partner Brian Nieves. In Myers v. United States (1926), which centered on President Woodrow Wilson’s firing of a postmaster without Senate consent, the Supreme Court ruled that the president generally has constitutional authority to remove executive branch officers. More recently, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel concluded in a 1979 opinion that the president’s statutory authority to remove “each United States attorney” also extends to prosecutors appointed by federal judges. The case is the latest in a string of legal fights over President Trump’s U.S. attorney appointments, following similar disputes in New Jersey, Virginia and New York. A similar dispute unfolded in New Jersey after the administration sought to keep Alina Habba leading the U.S. attorney’s office after her interim term ended. Federal courts ultimately rejected the administration’s effort to maintain her authority, although the judges’ original appointee, Desiree Grace, did not simply take over the office. Rogoff’s case goes a step further, directly testing whether a president can remove a U.S. attorney appointed by federal judges under the statutory process for filling a vacancy.
Socialist streamer Hasan Piker faces fury after pressuring Talarico to enact far-left policy if elected
Far-left streamer Hasan Piker is getting dragged online after calling for Texas Senate nominee James Talarico to “play ball” by governing as a leftist if elected in this year’s midterms. Talarico, running to be the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas in more than three decades, has publicly realigned on some of his more radical stances and tried to campaign on a more moderate platform despite his previous comments. But Piker, who has gained prominence through his relationship with socialist-aligned Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, appears to want Talarico to pull a bait-and-switch if he wins in November. “Hopefully, after James Talarico wins, we’ve got to hold him to account,” Piker said during a campus event at the University of Texas at Austin. “We’ve got to make sure that he doesn’t become another, ‘do nothing Democrat’ ‘business as usual,’ and we’ve got to keep up that pressure. HASAN PIKER SPEAKS TO UT AUSTIN STUDENTS AFTER BACKLASH FROM TEXAS LAWMAKERS As his campaign has progressed, Talarico has rolled back on some of his controversial statements like his claim that “God is non-binary.” But he continues to back progressive policies like universal healthcare, arguing his beliefs stem from “biblical grounds.” Piker’s recent remarks quickly became ammunition for Republicans. Talarico’s opponent, GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pounced, claiming that Piker is saying the quiet part out loud and showing the pressure Talarico could face from the party’s left flank if he were to ascend to the U.S. Senate representing the Lone Star State. “James Talarico is bought and paid for by the Democratic Socialists,” Paxton posted in response to Piker’s comments on Talarico. “And if he wins, they’ll cash in at YOUR expense: raising your taxes and making life more expensive to pay for their radical agenda. Texas can’t afford Talarico.” Ted Cruz said on X: “When they tell you who they are…believe them.” EL-SAYED TRIES TO PUT THE HASAN PIKER DEBATE BEHIND HIM AS MIDTERMS APPROACH “James Talarico will be nothing more than a puppet of the radical left,” Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas posted. Piker erupted in the left-wing party over the past couple years, most notably campaigning with El-Sayed. Democrats, including El-Sayed, are now distancing themselves from Piker after many of his controversial statements caught heat — like his claim that “America deserved 9/11.” “Hasan ‘America Deserved 9/11’ Piker expects James Talarico would support his extreme agenda & be beholden to his base,” Fox News Political Analyst Guy Benson warned. “He think he’s a mafia boss, and with the psychotic state of today’s Democrat party, he’s kinda right…” Dave Rubin posted. New York City Council member Vickie Paladino said, “Hasan Piker says he’s the one actually in charge of the Democrat party.” Piker’s comments, mixed with Talarico’s back-and-forth from progressive to moderate rhetoric, have sparked skepticism about the direction the Texas Democrat would take in governing if elected. “Here we have Hasan Piker—an outspoken socialist, hater of Israel and opponent of capitalism — telling us exactly what he expects from James Talarico if elected,” one user posted. “He says, ‘We gotta remind [James] that we are the force that backed him…’ and got him elected and that we expect him to remember that and fall in line. Every Republican, Independent and even common-sense Democrat even thinking about voting for Talarico needs to see this and think deeply about it.” “A huge reason not to vote for Talarico he has to answer to the Fascist wing of his party,” another posted. “No thanks.” TALARICO SAYS HE ‘MISSED THE MARK’ AS HE BACKTRACKS ON CONTROVERSIAL WOKE STATEMENTS Other users on social media argued Piker’s comments are irrelevant to Talarico’s campaign, and would not impact the agenda he would bring to the Senate if elected. “Hasan needs to shut the hell up,” a X user named Adam Cochran posted. “He has nothing to do with Talarico’s campaign. Talarico’s campaign is the success of Talarico’s morals, policies and his hard working team’s outreach to the people of Texas.” “What is Hasan even talking about,” another user posted. “Talarico isn’t DSA and doesn’t owe DSA anything. He will be a senator that represents Texans, not California Socialists like Hasan.” Talarico’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump campaign insider reveals strategy behind midterm blitz that White House hopes pays off big
A veteran campaign strategist who worked for Donald Trump’s 2024 reelection bid told Fox News Digital that pundits are misreading the strategy behind the president’s 32-state pre-midterms rally tour, which includes stops in deep red states. Thursday, the president spoke in Denton, Texas, a suburb of Dallas before traveling to Oklahoma, a longtime bastion of conservatism that hasn’t been carried by a Democrat in a presidential election since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Trump on Friday will rally in Mobile, Alabama, another traditionally Republican-dominated state. While political analysts speculate Trump’s blitz signals doom for the GOP in November, Luke Ball, who knows intimately the inner-workings of how the 47th president operates on the campaign trail, has a different view. CAN THE ‘BEST SHOWMAN IN POLITICS’ DELIVER AGAIN? GOP BETS ON TRUMP AT HISTORIC MIDTERM CONVENTION “So for people who are maybe commenting and doing it from a perspective of ‘the president’s in trouble,’ I think that’s kind of a lazy analysis for you to just take it at surface value that he’s in red states,” Ball said. He added that Texas and Oklahoma go “hand in hand,” and that the appearing in both places can boost Republican midterm turnout in November across swing district or more competitive districts found in some deep red states. Though he admits the strategy is a “risk” for Trump, he says the month-long tour isn’t a fly-by-night operation. GOP FACES BRUTAL MIDTERM HEADWINDS AS REPUBLICANS PAINT ELECTION AS ‘COMPETITION WITH COMMUNISM’ “They keep saying — and it’s a risk politically for the president — but they keep saying that he is on the ballot and on the top of the ballot, but the reason they’re doing it is because the RNC the MAGA Incs, and the James Blair‘s of the world have the data that show who’s going to turn out for the president and nobody else,” said Ball. MAGA Inc. is a Super PAC that poured more than $375 million into electing Trump in 2024, and is now backing Republican congressional candidates nationwide. James Blair was Trump’s 2024 campaign political director, and is now the White House Deputy Chief of Staff. BLACK CONSERVATIVE REVEALS HOW GOP CAN LOCK DOWN MINORITY VOTERS WITHOUT TRUMP ON BALLOT “The next stop is in Mobile, Alabama, another media market that I worked in, which is going to encompass Pensacola, Florida — which always brings out the vote for the rest of the state,” Ball said. “So if you want to solidify your standing in Florida and show that you still are the kingmaker in that state that used to be purple a few years ago, and now Democrats don’t even bother spending in it, you’ve got to make sure that you lock that down.” “So, great optics in Alabama, great optics in Oklahoma, but in addition to that, you’re getting a red area of Texas motivated to turn out and a very, very red area of Florida to turn out for those elections.” Nationwide media coverage of the rallies is in itself part of the strategy, too. “Other traditional candidates would strategically target and fine-tune the principal’s time in various states, but people were saying Trump wasn’t going to go out on the campaign trail at all, and now it’s the total opposite,” Ball explained. “It’s, ‘why is he doing so much? Why is he hitting all of these deep red states?’ It’s also from a perspective too, when you have these major rallies in Mobile, Alabama, or Oklahoma or deep red states across the nation, that still gets major national coverage.” LARGEST-EVER US STEEL PLANT IS COMING TO A KEY RED STATE AS TRUMP UNVEILS $15B INVESTMENT In Denton, Trump toured a Peterbilt truck manufacturing plant, where he met with employees of the company and made brief remarks. Stops like that are part of a broader campaign strategy, according to Ball. “When we were on the campaign trail, I remember [former co-campaign manager] Susie Wiles saying that at every stop he goes to, she wants him at an off the record event, whether that’s going into the Bluebird Diner in Iowa or eating a hoagie in Buc-ee’s or whatever it might be, and I almost see a little bit of parallel here with the macro strategy behind the tour,” he said. Wiles is now Trump’s closely trusted White House Chief of Staff. “Instead of popping into a mom and pop show or store, he’s touring manufacturing, or he’s going to a specific industry in one state and then holding a rally that captures the media market in another. So you’re not just showing up and leaving,” Ball continued. “You always think about what’s the additional thing you can do to draw out voters in that state.”
DOJ moves to boot federal judges from immigration cases over NYT interview
The Justice Department wants several Minnesota federal judges removed from immigration cases after accusing them of crossing an ethical line by publicly criticizing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The complaint argued the judges improperly commented on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement while related cases were still pending, undermining public confidence in their impartiality. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Wednesday that the Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals against seven Minnesota federal judges over their participation in a New York Times interview published last September. “These judges talked to the media, or at least The New York Times, about cases, some of which are ongoing, in a manner which the Department views as a clear violation of their ethical duties,” Blanche said. ‘UNPRECEDENTED’: JUDGES REVEAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES COORDINATION ON TRUMP IMMIGRATION CASES The complaint specifically names Judge Patrick Schiltz, appointed by President George W. Bush, and Judge John Tunheim, a Clinton appointee, along with unnamed district judges who also participated in the interviews. The Justice Department asked the Eighth Circuit’s Judicial Council to investigate the judges’ conduct and order Schiltz and Tunheim to recuse themselves from Department of Homeland Security immigration cases, arguing that their impartiality could reasonably be questioned. But, whether that happens, however, is not up to the Justice Department. Under the federal judiciary’s judicial misconduct process, complaints are reviewed within the judicial branch. The chief judge of the circuit — which for the Eighth Circuit is Steven Colloton, a Bush-appointee — would first determine whether a complaint should be dismissed or referred to a special committee for further investigation, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. If a committee is appointed, it submits findings to the circuit’s Judicial Council, which decides whether any corrective action is appropriate. The judiciary also notes that the misconduct process “cannot be used to obtain automatic disqualification of a judge presiding over a case” or simply challenge a judge’s legal rulings. OBAMA, BIDEN JUDGES DRAW FRESH FIRE AS TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION COURT CLASHES HEAT UP: ‘ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE’ The Justice Department’s complaint stemmed from a Sept. 17, 2026, New York Times article in which Judge Schiltz and Tunheim and six other Minnesota federal judges discussed the wave of immigration litigation that followed the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge.” The judges described an unprecedented influx of habeas petitions and reflected on how the cases strained court resources, while also expressing concerns about aspects of the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. Both Schiltz, who sat for a nearly 90-minute interview, and Tunheim made remarks that were specifically cited in the DOJ complaint. BLANCHE TORCHES TRUMP FOE BOASBERG AFTER APPEALS COURT BLOCKS JUDGE AGAIN IN DEPORTATION FIGHT The Department argued those interviews crossed an ethical line because they addressed issues involved in active litigation. The complaint cited comments attributed to Schiltz describing the administration’s actions as threatening “the constitutional order” and “the rule of law,” as well as remarks from Tunheim criticizing the administration’s immigration arrests. The Justice Department alleged that those statements violated the Code of Conduct for United States Judges by commenting publicly on ongoing matters and creating the appearance that the judges had prejudged issues that were likely to come before them. “The Framers insulated judges so they would exercise judgment, not will,” Chad Mizelle, chair of Litigation for America First Policy Institute, wrote on X. “What we have now is the inverse: a bench enslaved to its own political ideology. When judges become politicians in a robe, the system starts to collapse.” Mizelle pointed out that, in the past, judges have been removed from cases due to their conversations with the press, which “created an appearance of bias.” “In 2001, Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson gave embargoed interviews, including to the Times, while handling United States v. Microsoft,” Mizelle wrote on X. “The D.C. Circuit called that conduct ‘deliberate, repeated, egregious and flagrant’ and removed him from the case. That standard still applies. What has changed is the willingness of sitting judges to ignore it.” Meanwhile Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison chalked the complaint up to be the Trump administration’s attempt to intimidate judges. “This complaint has nothing to do with judicial ethics and everything to do with political punishment,” Ellison said in a statement. “Blanche and Trump are trying to punish the judges who ruled against federal government actions during Operation Metro Surge — including the Administration’s undisputed non-compliance at the time with hundreds of court orders — even though sometimes the court ruled with the government.”
DHS torches sanctuary Fairfax after accused child predator released despite immigration detainer
Homeland security officials blasted Fairfax County, Virginia after DHS arrested an illegal immigrant convicted of pedophilic crimes, including aggravated sexual battery of a parent with a child and illicit filming of a naked minor, following the Democrat-led municipality’s refusal to honor an ICE detainer. The dispute comes as DHS and Republicans in Congress remain at odds with county leaders, including Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and Sheriff Stacey Ann Kincaid, over what they describe as a lax approach to prosecuting illegal immigrants and cooperating with federal authorities. “Another criminal illegal alien has been taken off the streets by the brave men and women of ICE, with no help from sanctuary politicians in Fairfax County,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement. Fox News Digital reached out to Kincaid’s office — which handles the jail — and a Fairfax County spokesman for comment but did not hear back by press time. ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING CHILDREN AFTER FAIRFAX COUNTY RELEASE: DHS ICE’s Washington field office arrested Honduran illegal immigrant Oscar Evaristo Nunez more than a year after Fairfax County corrections officials released him without cooperating with federal authorities. Nunez was previously arrested in Fairfax on Aug. 27, 2025, on charges including aggravated sexual battery of a parent with a child ages 13 to 17, two counts of nonconsensual videotaping of an undressed minor and two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a victim under 13. He was released two days later from the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center after corrections officials declined to honor a detainer lodged by ICE. “This illegal alien from Honduras had been arrested for child sex crimes in August last year, but Fairfax County refused to honor ICE’s detainer and let this creep back out onto the streets,” Mullin said. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA A ‘HOTBED’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME, DHS SAYS AFTER LATEST RAPE CHARGE “Once again, ICE did the job that these heartless sanctuary politicians won’t do: enforce the law and protect American lives. DHS is calling on Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to stop putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people.” Nunez remains in ICE custody, but his criminal proceedings continue in absentia in Fairfax, a spokesperson for Descano told Fox News Digital. The spokesperson said a Descano prosecutor objected to the release. Nunez’s plea hearing was scheduled for Friday but has been continued to Nov. 5. A Descano spokesperson said ICE “stalled our ability to seek justice in this case and further delayed the [victim’s] family’s ability to get the closure they deserve” by taking him into custody “during an active prosecution.” Robert Guadian, director of ICE’s Washington field office, said in a statement issued before the spokesperson’s comments that when local officials refuse to honor ICE detainers, they prioritize politics over the safety of their communities. The incident occurred before incumbent Gov. Abigail Spanberger took office in January, but ICE pointed to several other recent cases of denied detainers and the like that they say have created an unsafe environment across Virginia. The agency has previously cited her executive directives undoing Youngkin-era cooperation with ICE at the state level and the passage of a law restricting cooperative agreements between local authorities and DHS, which a George H.W. Bush-appointed judge temporarily blocked last month. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Spanberger spokesperson said the Democrat “strongly believes violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported.” “Under Governor Spanberger’s leadership, the Virginia Department of Corrections continues the long-standing practice of notifying ICE when individuals born outside of the United States are in state custody,” they said. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The spokesperson also cited Spanberger’s history as a CIA officer prosecuting crimes involving minors as particularly sensitive to Nunez’ case. “As a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators, Governor Spanberger will always prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginia families and kids.”
California mayor accused of drunken behavior, racial slur, harassment in chief of staff’s claim
Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken has been accused of repeatedly appearing intoxicated during city-related events, making racially derogatory remarks and asking intrusive questions about sexuality, according to a newly released 25-page government claim. Berenice Ballinas, who has worked in Aitken’s office since December 2022 as her chief of staff, alleges harassment, discrimination and retaliation based on her perceived sexual orientation, Mexican heritage and Catholic faith. The filing also accuses the city of failing to adequately respond after concerns were raised. Ballinas outlines a number of alleged incidents involving Aitken, including accusations about the mayor’s conduct while drinking. SMALL-TOWN VIRGINIA MAYOR REPORTEDLY ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY SHOWING UP DRUNK TO TRAIN DERAILMENT She alleges that Aitken arrived at a City Council meeting in April 2025 appearing “visibly impaired by alcohol.” After a closed session at the meeting, Ballinas says she ultimately drove Aitken home in then-City Manager Jim Vanderpool’s city vehicle. During the roughly 15-minute ride, the claim alleges Aitken began searching through Vanderpool’s vehicle and personal belongings and taking photographs with her cellphone. Ballinas says she objected and told the mayor to delete the photos because Vanderpool’s information was private. Aitken is also accused in the claim of making racially derogatory remarks. Ballinas alleges that Aitken made multiple derogatory comments concerning her Mexican heritage and referred to her as a “dirty Mexican.” During a separate incident at Disneyland in May 2025, Ballinas said she offered to drive Aitken after believing the mayor was too intoxicated to drive home safely. However, Aitken allegedly declined the offer because she refused to have “a Mexican” drive her, according to the claim. Aitken has directly denied using the racial slur attributed to her and said the allegations deserve to be investigated. REPUBLICANS TURN ON HOUSE GOP LAWMAKER ACCUSED OF LATE-NIGHT TEXTS, LAVISH GIFTS TO FEMALE STAFFERS “These allegations are extremely serious, and they deserve to be investigated. I did not use the racial slur attributed to me, and I have always been a champion of the LGBTQ community,” she said in a statement posted last month on Facebook. Fox News Digital has reached out to Aitken’s office for comment. Ballinas also described alleged conduct during a team dinner, where she said she observed Aitken becoming “physically affectionate” with another person, including touching and grabbing him, resulting in the mayor’s husband removing her from the event. While walking back toward the hotel, Ballinas alleges Aitken became angry and knocked or pushed over a bicycle, damaging its mirror, before later falling in the street. Aitken then fell in the street, according to the claim. When Ballinas told the mayor’s husband that Aitken was not OK and needed help, he allegedly responded, “Don’t we all?” ANOTHER TOP SEATTLE MAYORAL AIDE EXITS AS KATIE WILSON ADMINISTRATION FACES CONTINUED STAFF TURNOVER The filing says Aitken’s husband later asked Ballinas to make a Venmo payment to compensate the bicycle’s owner. Ballinas also makes several allegations concerning questions about her perceived sexual orientation. She said Aitken took her to Disneyland’s Club 33 for a birthday lunch on June 10, 2026, where the mayor consumed alcohol and repeatedly questioned whether Ballinas was a lesbian. Later at the 1901 Lounge, Aitken allegedly questioned a Disney cast member about whether he was gay or straight and about his dating life. Disney later sent written correspondence to the Club 33 member whose membership was used for the visit, saying cast members had reported “rude, insensitive, and inappropriate remarks” during the outing. The government claim says Ballinas was forced to take leave beginning around July 31 and alleges retaliation after she reported or opposed conduct she believed violated laws or workplace rules. Anaheim has said a review of the allegations is underway. Aitken has pledged to participate in the process. She is currently seeking another term as Anaheim mayor in the Nov. 3 election.
‘DSA jihadi’: LA mayoral candidate torched after defending ‘genocide’ comment during Jewish forum
Nithya Raman, the far-left Los Angeles mayoral frontrunner, defended her appearance on controversial streamer Hasan Piker’s program and stood by her use of the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza when pressed by a Jewish audience Tuesday night, raising alarm among some Jewish voters. Raman’s appearance before hundreds of attendees at a Jewish community mayoral forum quickly turned into a series of pointed exchanges over Israel, antisemitism and her past comments on the war in Gaza. Pressed over her appearance on Piker’s show, Raman said candidates need to “meet people where they’re at” and rejected the suggestion that appearing on his platform signaled an endorsement of his views. She also reaffirmed her use of the word “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying she relied on unnamed “experts” who have used the same terminology. Both Raman and current Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass attended a candidate forum hosted by several Jewish organizations Tuesday evening, during which they were questioned on a range of topics but largely about antisemitism, public safety, homelessness, Israel and other issues of particular concern to the Jewish community ahead of the Nov. 3 election. FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER CALLED OUT BY MS NOW HOSTS IN FIERY EXCHANGE OVER HIM BEING A DRAG FOR DEMOCRATS “Nithya Raman’s remarks should alarm every Jewish voter in Los Angeles,” StopAntisemitism founder and Executive Director Liora Rez told Fox News Digital, arguing that “‘meeting people where they’re at’ is not a defense” for appearing on Piker’s program. The Wednesday night forum’s moderator noted that many in the audience viewed Raman’s appearance on Piker’s show as “deeply hurtful,” citing the streamer’s past remarks about Jews and praise for groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and al Qaeda. Asked why she chose to appear and whether she worried it could be perceived as an endorsement of his views, Raman said she has consistently spoken out against antisemitism but believed candidates should engage voters across different platforms. ABDUL EL-SAYED DISMISSES QUESTIONS ABOUT HASAN PIKER TIES ON ‘FACE THE NATION,’ PIVOTS TO GROCERIES “I do believe that as an elected representative who’s seeking higher office, you have to go and speak to voters,” Raman said. “I think it’s important for us as elected officials and as people running for office to go and speak to them even when you disagree with parts of those individuals… and meet them where they’re at.” Raman’s explanation echoes a rationale Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed offered when defending his own appearances with Piker, arguing candidates should engage audiences on platforms where voters already are. DEM SENATE NOMINEE APOLOGIZES TO JEWISH VOTERS AFTER ‘GENOCIDE’ REMARK SPARKED BACKLASH The moderator then shifted to Raman’s broader views on the Israel-Gaza war, noting that she had repeatedly described Israel’s actions as “genocide” and asking her to define the term and address Jewish voters who viewed the language as deeply inflammatory. Raman acknowledged that “the word ‘genocide’ is a deeply painful word” and said she understood its historical significance, but maintained she used the term because other experts had done so and because she felt compelled to speak out after seeing “the targeting of hospitals” and “the deaths of children.” FAMILY MEMBER OF LAWYER WHO COINED ‘GENOCIDE’ SEEKS TO STRIP NAME FROM GROUP ACCUSING ISRAEL OF ATROCITY “I have used that term, and I’m not an expert on these issues, and so I have looked to experts on these issues — international experts, Israeli experts — who have used that language, and that is what guided me in using that term in describing what’s happening in Gaza,” Raman said. But, in comments to Fox News Digital, Rez said “that charge is not supported by the facts,” arguing “casualty figures supplied by Hamas-controlled authorities, often presented without distinguishing civilians from combatants, do not establish a deliberate campaign to destroy the Palestinian people.” LA MAYORAL RACE HEADS TO NOVEMBER RUNOFF AS KAREN BASS FACES MAMDANI-STYLE SOCIALIST During the Tuesday night forum, Bass offered a sharply different view on the term and rejected its use in regard to the war in Gaza when pressed on the matter. Meanwhile, when asked where she differed from the anti-Israel positions of the Democratic Socialists of America, whose Los Angeles chapter has endorsed her mayoral campaign, Raman defended the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, as “a legitimate form of peaceful protest” before arguing that Israel-related issues were not part of her municipal platform and pointing to disagreements she has had with DSA on other issues. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA BACKS ‘OUR TWITCH STREAMER’ HASAN PIKER, RIPS ANTI-SOCIALISM HOUSE RESOLUTION Rez rejected Raman’s characterization of BDS as “a legitimate form of peaceful protest,” arguing the movement “is a discriminatory movement that singles out the world’s only Jewish state for isolation and elimination.” Local Los Angeles activist and Jewish mother of two, April Silverman, slammed Raman’s appearance at the forum on X, arguing the mayoral frontrunner is not aware of “the concept of knowing your audience and reading the room.” ABDUL EL-SAYED PLAYS DOWN HASAN PIKER TIES AFTER STREAMER’S VIRAL ANTISEMITISM FIRESTORM “Nithya Raman couldn’t even pretend in front of a room full of Jewish Angelenos to be anything other than an antizionist radical,” said Shana Meyerson, a podcast host who has a show called “The Unapologetically Jewish Podcast.” “She also doubled down on her ‘genocide’ accusations despite admitting she ‘isn’t an expert,’ and could not define what genocide is,” Meyerson added. “Another DSA jihadi laughing in the face of Jewish Americans.”
Inside the House GOP’s 4-week battle plan to save its majority
FIRST ON FOX: House GOP leaders are quietly laying their battle plans for the final month ahead of the November midterm elections. A new memo being sent to Republicans across the country, first obtained by Fox News Digital, reveals four key topics that the House GOP is focusing on in the final four weeks before the election: the border, fraudulent use of taxpayer dollars, the economy, and public safety. “I think these are the points that the voters actually care most about,” House GOP Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., who leads Republicans’ messaging strategy, told Fox News Digital. “[Democrats] want open borders. They want to defund the police, they want to take more money out of your pocket and give it to somebody else. They believe in bigger government. We believe in people… So those are the things that we’re really hammering home during this election.” It comes as Republicans fight an uphill battle to keep control of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s final term. REPUBLICANS FACE BRUTAL MIDTERM HEADWINDS. SIX FORCES COULD HELP THEM DEFY HISTORY. A recent Fox News poll found Democrats have a wider path to victory than Republicans in the House. Democrats are projected to win 215 seats compared to 201 for the GOP, meaning the left only needs three more victories out of the 19 possible toss-up races to clinch a majority. Republicans would need to win at least 17 of those races. 10 DEMOCRAT-HELD HOUSE SEATS REPUBLICANS COULD FLIP TO SAVE THEIR MAJORITY Republicans are also seeing political opportunity in the far-left insurgency that’s gripped the Democratic Party during its primary cycle, warning that socialists are pushing the party further left than the majority of Americans. On the economy, which is a focus of week two in the GOP memo, Republican incumbents and candidates are encouraged to talk about “putting more money back in Americans’ pockets and creating more opportunities to get ahead through hard work, ownership, and economic freedom.” HOUSE CONSERVATIVES UNLEASH MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR MIDTERM BLITZ AGAINST DEM ‘SOCIALIST’ INSURGENCY The economy, including high grocery and gas prices, has become a central issue in the 2026 election cycle. Democrats have seized on Americans’ struggle with cost-of-living as a political cudgel against Republicans, particularly using Trump’s tariffs on allies like Canada and his war in Iran as arguments against the GOP. McClain acknowledged Americans’ concerns, urging Republicans to be forthright with their voters but warning that Democrats’ high-tax policies would worsen the situation. She also pointed to the low poverty rate and Trump’s new trade deals as positives the GOP could highlight. “What we’re not going to do is gaslight the American people, right? That’s what the Democrats did, and it didn’t work well for them,” she said, referencing former President Joe Biden’s handling of high inflation during his term. “But you have to take a look at the alternative. The alternative is absolutely terrifying.” “We had a massive hole that we were digging out of under Biden. We have more work to do, of course we do, but do you want our trajectory, or do you want to go back to 9% inflation, open borders, and, and higher taxes? Because I tell everybody, every single Democrat voted to raise your taxes. They want more of your money.” She echoed Trump’s assurances that gas prices would drop when the conflict with Iran ended, adding, “We also don’t want the number one state sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon, and we have to protect Americans from that.” Meanwhile, Trump’s polling is underwater, with the most recent Fox News survey from mid-September finding his disapproval rating at 61%. Trump’s favorability remains a high 79% with Republican voters, however, meaning the GOP could still prevail by turning out the base on Nov. 3. One of the most decisive issues of his 2024 victory proved to be illegal immigration and the border, a fervor Republicans are hoping they can harness again come November. The memo encouraged Republicans to discuss “protecting America by stopping illegal immigration, enforcing our laws, and knowing who is entering the country.” McClain pointed to policies promoted by far-left Democrats like abolishing police — and some mainstream Democrats’ backing of sanctuary jurisdictions — as a contrast point for the election, while arguing Republicans were still supportive of legal immigration. “They tell you they want to defund the police. They tell you they want sanctuary cities. These are their words, not mine. These are the policies… they want,” McClain said. “The Republicans, we want immigration, we believe in immigration, but we want people to come in the right way, and we darn sure want to make sure we know who’s coming across.”