DeSantis reveals which dictatorship should be ‘put out to pasture’ next
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the time has come for Cuba’s government to be “put out to pasture” while speaking at a bill-signing event on Friday afternoon. “If you look at the state of Cuba today and in 2026, it is time for the Cuban communist dictatorship to be put out to pasture once and for all,” DeSantis said. “That would be a good thing for our country. It would be a good thing for Florida,” he continued. Although he stopped short of calling on President Donald Trump to take military action to liberate the communist island that sits just 100 miles off the coast of Florida, DeSantis’ comments show that Trump isn’t the only Republican keeping an eye on instability in Havana. RUBIO SAYS CUBA NEEDS ‘NEW PEOPLE IN CHARGE’ AS BLACKOUTS, UNREST GRIP ISLAND His comments framed his reasoning around a new Florida law that looks to restrict Cuban-linked businesses operating in the Sunshine State in violation of U.S. sanctions. “You can’t do business with criminals,” DeSantis said. DeSantis noted that, under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. has taken a renewed, aggressive posture toward securing its interests in the region, positing that some degree of American intervention would be consistent with the administration’s outlook. “Certainly, President Trump, and how he’s viewed the importance of our own hemisphere, [has] kind of reinvigorated the Monroe Doctrine,” DeSantis said, referring to the interventionist geopolitical philosophy espoused by U.S. President James Monroe. Trump sparked speculation that the U.S. might take military action against Cuba earlier this year, hinting that he might “take” the island. “I do believe I’ll have the honor of taking Cuba… That’s a big honor. They’re a very weakened nation right now. They were for a long time,” Trump told reporters in March. TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME Trump did not expand on what recourse the U.S. could take against the island or when such an action could occur. His comments came on the heels of a military operation that had removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and, as a consequence, spurred local unrest in Cuba over energy shortages. Cuba, which has depended on Maduro’s regime and Venezuelan oil to power its energy grid for much of the past 30 years, has found itself struggling to prevent rolling blackouts. DeSantis’s comments on Cuba came as he signed the Foreign Interference Restriction and Enforcement Act on Friday — a bill that grants Florida the power to revoke business licenses with ties to Cuba, among other countries. “It does a lot of different things, but particularly with respect to Cuba, it authorizes local governments and tax collectors to revoke business tax receipts for businesses operating in Cuba in violation of federal law. PAIR OF DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS SLAM ‘BLOCKADE OF FUEL’ TO CUBA, ‘ECONOMIC BOMBING’ AFTER VISIT TO ISLAND “It creates accountability for false declarations regarding business activities in Cuba; knowingly submitting a false declaration related to unlawful activity involving Cuba will now constitute a third-degree felony in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said. When asked about DeSantis’ comments, a White House spokesperson didn’t comment on whether the U.S. would intervene in Cuba’s current situation, but reaffirmed that the administration believes the regime’s days are numbered. “As the President stated, Cuba is a failing nation that has been horribly run for many years and whose rulers have had a major setback with the loss of support from Venezuela. As the President stated, Cuba is a failing country. Within a short period of time they will fall, ‘and we will be there to help them out,’” the spokesperson said.
Dems blast Trump over Virginia FBI raid but probe started under his predecessor
Democrats accused the Trump administration of political prosecution after powerful Virginia Senate President Pro-Tem L. Louise Lucas’ Portsmouth office and cannabis dispensary was raided by the FBI. However, reports surfaced after the raid that the investigation into the 81-year-old, three-decade senator was started under former President Joe Biden’s administration. Scandal-plagued Attorney General Jay Jones — whose comments about envisioning the murder of the commonwealth’s former GOP House Speaker roiled his ultimately successful campaign – cast aspersions on President Donald Trump and “failed prosecutions” of his political “enemies.” “We simply do not have sufficient information about the reported FBI activity in Portsmouth. However, several previous actions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia have undermined public confidence in that office,” he said of the Alexandria-centered prosecutor’s office that handles cases in Lucas’ region. POWERFUL DEM’S JABS AT TRUMP COME BACK TO HAUNT HER AFTER OFFICE RAIDED BY FBI: ‘AGED WELL’ “These include the failed prosecutions against President Trump’s stated political enemies, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James that were both dismissed by a judge well before trial. I urge everyone to exercise restraint in judgment until the relevant facts are known in this matter,” Jones said, referring in part to allegations of wrongdoing in connection to a home linked to James in nearby Norfolk. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Newport News Democrat who has represented Lucas’ area for 33 years, slammed Trump after the raid. “While we await the full facts of the investigation, it must be acknowledged that this FBI raid occurs in the broader context of President Trump’s repeated abuse of the Department of Justice to target his perceived political opponents,” Scott said, before adding the raid’s timing following Virginia voters approving Lucas’ redistricting bid is notable. “Senator Lucas helped lead the successful effort by Virginia voters to reject President Trump’s attempt to rig the midterm elections,” he said, going on to echo Jones’ concerns about recent Trump-era prosecutions like those of James, Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell and ex-G-Man James Comey. “Like all Americans, Senator Lucas has a right to due process and a presumption of innocence,” Scott said. One of Lucas’ top allies in Richmond and a fellow Portsmouth lawmaker also expressed outrage and pointed the finger at the White House. “Let’s start with this: Senator L. Louise Lucas has not been charged with anything! I am deeply concerned by today’s FBI raid,” fumed Virginia House Speaker Don Scott Jr. “Given the politicization of this administration — an FBI led by Kash Patel and a Justice Department run by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney — I think people should take this with a grain of salt and allow the facts to come out before jumping to conclusions,” he said. Speaker Scott said “theatrics and speculation” are overpowering verifiable information about the case before also criticizing Fox News’ reporting of the matter. THE 6 BIGGEST FBI SCANDALS UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION The Associated Press, New York Times and other outlets reported several sources within the federal government telling them the probe that sparked the raids began under the octogenarian Delawarean. “One of the people said the investigation into Democratic Sen. L. Louise Lucas was opened during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation,” the AP reported. Another official told News of the United States (NOTUS) that the probe into Lucas was “financial” in nature and also that it began under Biden, while the New York Times characterized the origination similarly and suggested “corruption and bribery” concerns. Lucas’ deputy in Richmond also fired off a missive lambasting Trump, claiming he has proven his intent to “target the Commonwealth of Virginia” because it voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. “Senator L. Louise Lucas is an outspoken and historic figure in Virginia politics and has not been charged with a single crime,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon. Surovell, an attorney in Fairfax County, said Trump “obliterated” the Justice Department’s independence and said the president wrongly removed ex-U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia Todd Gilbert – the same official Jones envisioned the murder of – and “purged” prosecutors’ offices of career staff members. “Every Virginian should be very worried about the rule of law and how it will be applied in this Country and our Commonwealth,” Surovell said in a statement. Meanwhile, Lucas fired back in a statement obtained by Richmond conservative radio host John Reid, the 2024 GOP lieutenant gubernatorial nominee. “Today’s actions by Federal agents are about far more than one state senator; they are about power and who is allowed to act on behalf of the people. What we saw fits a clear pattern from this administration: when challenged, they try to intimidate and silence the voices who stand up to them,” Lucas said. “I was proud to help lead [the redistricting] effort and I have never been afraid to stand up to Donald Trump or anyone else that has tried to undermine our democracy,” she said, before going on to say she is not backing down and will continue fighting for and representing Portsmouth. “LOL, sure Louise,” Reid said in response on social media. “Everyone knows you’re as honest and pure-hearted as the day is long.” Reid said that casting blame on Trump is the “best play” in this situation because “lots of TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) zombies will believe you immediately.” No further information has been released by the FBI about any charges against Lucas, who was not detained in the operation. The raid began a 48-hour period for Virginia Democrats, who on Friday saw Lucas’ redistricting effort implode in court, giving Republicans nationally a major boost in their efforts to hold the House majority.
Tom Homan answers how many more deportations needed to restore country: ‘One hell of a shot’
President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, responded to a question about how many more deportations are needed to bring the U.S. back to a country of legal citizens, saying, “millions.” Speaking with Fox News’ Will Cain on Thursday, Homan pushed back on rumors that the administration is ramping down its immigration enforcement surges, saying he expects the deportation numbers to actually increase. “We’re going to continue to surge resources, especially to sanctuary cities, because we know we have a problem there,” he said. “So, I expect the numbers to increase while the border numbers continue to decrease.” Asked how many more deportations are needed, Homan said, “Millions. Look … I see it all the time, there’s 12 million illegal aliens in the country, we used 12 million 25 years ago, I think its well over 20 million. So, we’re going to do everything we can to arrest as many people as we can.” BORDER CZAR HOMAN VOWS TO ‘FLOOD’ NEW YORK WITH ICE AGENTS DESPITE HOCHUL’S RESISTANCE Pressed on whether the logistics of such large-scale deportation operations are possible, Homan responded, “I’ll give it one hell of a shot.” “I mean, bottom line is we’re not going to give up on President Trump’s promise to the American people on mass deportations,” he continued. Homan confirmed that the administration is hiring 10,000 more immigration enforcement agents. He said there are about 7,000 “on board” and 3,000 more going through training. TRUMP BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN WANTS POPE LEO XIV TO RIDE ALONG WITH ICE AGENTS: ‘THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND’ The border czar said he expressed his opinion to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that the “vast majority” of these agents “need to go to sanctuary cities.” “Why is that? We go to Florida, every sheriff, every [police] chief is working with us. They honor detainers, we’ve got less of a problem in states like that, Florida and Texas,” he explained. “However, in states that want to lock us out of jails, that refuse, sheriffs and chiefs, to work with us in any capacity, that’s where we know it’s a problem, because we know they are releasing public safety threats, illegal aliens every day.” Homan recently issued a warning to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, vowing to “flood the zone” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers despite her efforts to block federal operations. EX-BIDEN OFFICIAL’S CAMPAIGN FACES HEAT AS MISSING CHILDREN SCANDAL RESURFACES: ‘VOTERS DESERVE BETTER’ He responded to Hochul’s claim that federal agents aren’t welcome in her state without permission and that she is not asking for help, by saying, “Well, Governor Hochul, I’m not asking either. I said it. We’re going to do it.” “This is what we have to do because she forces this position. And we’re going to do it. They’re not going to stop us. They can put all the roadblocks they want, but we’re [going to] do this job,” he said. Fox News Digital’s Madison Colombo contributed to this report.
Trump turns sights on Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie after decisive Indiana primary victories
After taking out five Indiana state senators who opposed his push for congressional redistricting, President Donald Trump and his allies are now moving on to two other top targets in upcoming Republican primaries. They are Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 Senate impeachment trial, and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a vocal GOP critic of the president. The decisive victories this week in reliably red Indiana scored by Trump-backed challengers were the latest sign that the president’s immense grip on the Republican Party remains rock solid. “I think Indiana sent a message to a lot of folks,” veteran Republican campaign strategist Matt Gorman told Fox News. TRUMP STRIKES BACK: GOP LAWMAKERS WHO OPPOSED PRESIDENT ON REDISTRICTING PAY PRICE Gorman, who has advised GOP presidential campaigns and top members of Congress, said the results in Indiana show that “Trump’s power within the party is unequivocal.” Five months ago, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Indiana state Senate withstood immense pressure from Trump and his allies and voted down congressional redistricting, which would have given Indiana two more right-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms. Eight of those state senators who are up for re-election this year faced GOP primary challenges. And seeking retribution, the president endorsed challengers to seven of those eight lawmakers. Five of the Trump-endorsed candidates won, with just one incumbent surviving and one race still too close to call. The political world was closely watching Indiana’s primary because it was the first of a series of major tests this month of Trump’s endorsement power in GOP nomination showdowns, and the president cleared his first hurdle with ease. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Trump-allied groups that supported the Trump challengers and targeted the GOP incumbents spent over $10 million in Indiana as they poured resources in the races. The intraparty battle was seen not just as a test of fealty to Trump but rather a fight between MAGA forces and more traditional conservatives for the future of the GOP. One of the groups backing Trump was the politically potent Club for Growth. “This is a big win for Trump,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh said on Tuesday night. And McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana, said the primary victories were “a signal to the entire party that our base wants us to fight for what we believe in.” Trump’s clout will be on the line again next weekend in the Louisiana primary. Cassidy is facing primary challenges from two Republicans: Rep. Julia Letlow and former Rep. John Fleming, who is currently the state treasurer. Trump earlier this year weighed in on the race by endorsing Letlow. Cassidy was one of only seven Senate Republicans who voted in early 2021 to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House for his role in the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters who aimed to upend congressional certification of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Trump was acquitted by the Senate. WHO IS JOHN FLEMING, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS FOUNDING MEMBER CHALLENGING GOP SEN BILL CASSIDY? But since the start of Trump’s second term 15 months ago, Cassidy has been supportive of the president’s agenda and his nominees, including voting to approve Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again movement are out for revenge. That’s because Cassidy, a doctor, has been a skeptic of Kennedy’s push to reform the nation’s health policies, including Kennedy’s efforts to cut back on vaccine recommendations. And last week, Cassidy voted to nix the surgeon general nomination of Casey Means, a close Kennedy ally and top MAHA advocate. If no candidate cracks 50% of the primary vote, the top two finishers will face off for the nomination in a June 27 runoff election. Another major test comes three days later, on May 19, in the primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, where Massie is facing a challenge from Trump-backed Ed Gallrein. Massie has long been one of Trump’s most vocal GOP critics in Congress, repeatedly taking aim at the president over the Epstein files and foreign policy. Trump allies have spent big bucks to boost Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, and to take aim at Massie. Veteran Republican strategist Tim Murtaugh, who is advising Gallrein, said the Indiana results are a major warning sign for Massie. “Indiana is right across the border from this district so there’s no doubt Massie knows what those primary results mean to him—and it ain’t good news, that’s for sure,” Murtaugh told Fox News Digital. “It’s more evidence that Republican voters want America First candidates who will stand with President Trump rather than fight him and endlessly obstruct the agenda.” But Massie has highlighted a surge in fundraising this year, as he faces off against Gallrein. He hauled in $2.5 million during the first three months this year, and just in the past week he raked in nearly $1 million. And Massie has criticized Gallrein for not debating, arguing this week that his challenger has “been AWOL for eight debates and forums so far.”
Medicaid fraud fears grow amid massive red state billing spike in sector that also plagued Minnesota
As fraud concerns ramp up across the country, particularly involving Medicaid, North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek tells Fox News Digital that the problem is very real in his state, especially when it comes to autism therapy, an area that has been highly scrutinized in Minnesota. Boliek is sounding the alarm on potential waste, fraud, and abuse within the state’s Medicaid program, specifically calling out in an interview with Fox News Digital a 47,000% explosion in autism therapy billings that he has flagged since taking office last year. “Those are vital services to folks and individuals that need that therapy,” Boliek said. “But when you have, like in North Carolina, a system that went from $1.4 million or so in total billings for autism therapy to more than $660 million a year in billings on autism therapy within a five-year range, that begs an audit from the state auditor, who in North Carolina, we are the top watchdog agency for taxpayer waste, fraud, and abuse prevention. So we’ve dug down into that or in the middle of that.“ Boliek, who was speaking to Fox News Digital from the State Financial Officers Foundation annual conference in Orlando, says his office is “hand-in-hand” with Vice President JD Vance’s focus on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse to “make sure that the people who need the services and deserve those services get the services” without “wasting money.” NORTH CAROLINA AUDITOR EXCITED FOR ‘REAL EFFECT’ OF STATE-LEVEL DOGE: ‘KEEPING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE’ One of the core problems, Boliek explained, is that the system is oftentimes designed in a way that fails to properly safeguard against waste and abuse. “What we’ve got is we’ve seen examples where there might be three different clinical providers billing during the same tranche of time on an autism therapy client and that is because of poor rulemaking,” Boliek explained. “Some of it is possibly illegal and probably illegal, and we’re going to point that out, and we’re going to try to put people in cuffs because of it.” “But some of it might be technically legal because of the lax oversight from a Democrat-led Department of Health and Human Services,” Boliek said, referencing the top state health agency in North Carolina. In a March 10, 2026, hearing of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services presented data that matches Boliek’s narrative of exponential growth in the autism therapy space. TRUMP ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH EXPOSES MASSIVE AMOUNT OF DEAD PEOPLE ON NORTH CAROLINA VOTER ROLLS The report confirmed that Medicaid spending on ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy grew by 347% between 2022 and 2025 alone and that total spending is projected to hit $842 million in state fiscal year 2026 and $1.14 billion by state fiscal year 2027. Medicaid fraud has been a hot-button issue across the United States when a scandal in Minnesota gained widespread attention last fall and spreading to places like California and Ohio, the latter being the subject of a recent Daily Wire exposé examining seven medical buildings in Columbus, Ohio, that house 288 Medicaid companies and bill the government $250 million. The key issues with Medicaid and the ease with which it can be abused both illegally and legally, according to Boliek, are the “minutia of rulemaking” that is “built in by government.” “For example, how individual entities, whether they are a provider of clinical medical services or whether they’re a provider of daycare services or other services that can be paid for through departments of Health and Human Services, how those rules are set up and what the billing rules are,” Boliek explained. GOP SENATOR LAUNCHES EFFORT TO CLOSE MEDICAID LOOPHOLE ALLOWING FRAUDSTERS TO RAKE IN MILLIONS “It really is minutiae, but in North Carolina, for example, we still have some services that are delivered on a fee-for-service basis, and they lack transparency and lack accountability with respect to who can bill and how much can be billed for particular services. That’s why we’ve taken a deep dive into some particular fee-for-service areas in North Carolina and are looking at provider data on exactly how those services are billed. That’s where the flaws are.“ During the developing fraud scandal in Minnesota, federal agents discovered that one suspected scammer defrauded the state’s autism-treatment program of roughly $14 million and allegedly billed Medicaid for fake therapy sessions, used untrained staff and paid parents $300 to $1,500 a month to keep their kids in the program. The state’s autism program’s budget jumped from $3 million in 2018 to nearly $400 million in 2023, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “The fraud is so obvious, just simply looking at the exponential growth in some of these social services programs, that anybody kind of looking at how fast this was growing should have known that a fraud was a major reason why,” Minnesota state Sen. Michael Kreun, a Republican, told Fox News Digital in December about social services fraud in his state. In terms of next steps in North Carolina, Boliek says his office is working with lawmakers to strengthen fraud enforcement by increasing financial accountability, expanding investigative and Medicaid audit resources and investing in staff and technology to recover misused funds. Boliek explained that one important tool to crack down on fraud is artificial intelligence. “Look, we’ve got to pour jet fuel on artificial intelligence in the area of state auditing because the fraudsters are using AI and if we’re not using AI to combat the fraud, then we’re going to be on our heels and the taxpayer isn’t going to be protected.” He emphasized that these steps, especially enhancing oversight of programs like Medicaid, are aimed at holding individuals accountable and returning taxpayer dollars for more effective use. The State Financial Officers Foundation, a group of financial officers that collectively oversees more than $3 trillion in state funds, released a report earlier this year outlining how the organization safeguarded
Newsom’s ‘Golden State Start’ promises 400 free diapers per baby as California grapples with budget woes
Gov. Gavin Newsom is rolling out a taxpayer-backed freebie for new parents, promising hundreds of diapers for every baby born in California under a new statewide program. The Democrat announced Friday that the state will partner with nonprofit Baby2Baby to hand out 400 free diapers to families leaving participating hospitals, starting this summer. The initiative, dubbed “Golden State Start,” is being billed as a first-in-the-nation effort to ease the high cost of raising a child. “Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement, touting the plan as part of his broader push to tackle affordability. CALIFORNIA IS BROKE, BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR THE REST OF US Under the program, hospitals will distribute the diapers directly to parents upon discharge. Officials said early rollout will prioritize facilities serving low-income patients on Medi-Cal, with plans to expand statewide. During the program’s first year, it will be offered at about 65 to 75 hospitals that handle about a quarter of births in the state and largely serve low-income patients, Newsom’s office said, according to the Associated Press. The move is the latest in a string of family-focused spending initiatives from the Newsom administration, which already includes free school meals and universal preschool for 4-year-olds. Critics are likely to challenge the program’s price tag, particularly as California navigates a tightening fiscal environment. Fox News Digital has reached out to the governor’s office regarding the costs of the program. According to the Associated Press, the state has allocated $7.4 million in last year’s budget to launch the free diaper initiative, and Governor Newsom’s latest proposal seeks an additional $12.5 million for implementation through the fiscal year ending in June 2027. However, these spending goals collide with a sobering economic reality. In its January budget overview, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) noted that while the administration officially projected a $2.9 billion deficit for 2026-27, the long-term outlook is far more dire. The LAO warned that the state faces structural deficits ranging from $20 billion to $35 billion annually over the coming years State officials said that they are also looking at ways to take on major diaper brands and drive down prices. Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that distributes supplies to children in need, will handle manufacturing and logistics for the program. The group says diaper need is widespread, with as many as one in two families struggling to afford them. CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT INFORMS PARENTS PERIOD PRODUCTS ARE IN BATHROOMS FOR ‘ANY STUDENT WHO MENSTRUATES’ Co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof praised the partnership as “historic,” saying it will help families during one of their most financially vulnerable moments. “We are incredibly grateful to Governor Newsom for his ongoing commitment to combating diaper needs in California and could not be prouder to partner on this historic initiative that will support moms and babies at their most vulnerable time,” Weinstein and Patricof said in a joint statement. The announcement comes two years after Tennessee and Delaware became the first U.S. states to offer free diapers to families enrolled in their Medicaid programs, which provide healthcare to low-income families. Tennessee families can go to pharmacies to pick up 100 diapers per month for children under two. The Delaware program, which began as a pilot before the state extended it in 2024, provides individuals with up to 80 diapers and up to one pack of baby wipes per week in the first 12 weeks. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Utah Supreme Court justice resigns amid probe into alleged relationship with redistricting attorney
A Utah Supreme Court justice has resigned amid a probe into an alleged relationship with an attorney who worked on a redistricting lawsuit. Justice Diana Hagen appeared to reference the investigation and the toll it has taken on her loved ones in a resignation letter to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, which was obtained by Fox News Digital. “As a public servant for twenty-six years, I am keenly aware that public service requires sacrifice,” Hagen wrote. “I have willingly accepted those sacrifices for the privilege of holding a position of public trust, where I could do my part to uphold the rule of law and protect the constitutional rights of every Utahn.” UTAH LEADERS LAUNCH PROBE INTO SUPREME COURT JUSTICE OVER ALLEGED RELATIONSHIP WITH REDISTRICTING LAWYER “I also understand that public officials are rightly held to a higher standard and must accept a greater degree of public scrutiny and diminished privacy,” she said. “But my family and friends did not choose public life. They do not deserve to have intensely personal details surrounding the painful dissolution of my thirty-year marriage subjected to public scrutiny.” The resignation was effective immediately, a spokesperson for Utah’s Administrative Office of the Courts said. Hagen was accused by her former husband of sending “inappropriate” text messages to an attorney who helped challenge a Republican-friendly map that maintained four red congressional seats in Utah. David Reymann, who worked on behalf of progressive voting rights groups in the case, was named as the lawyer in a complaint that an attorney for Hagen’s husband submitted to Chief Justice Matthew Durrant and the Judicial Conduct Commission, according to local outlet KSL. RED STATE JUDGE CHOOSES NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP IN FIGHT THAT COULD RESHAPE HOUSE CONTROL Hagen and Reymann previously denied the allegations. The Judicial Conduct Commission—described on its website as an independent body comprising several state lawmakers, judges, and members of the public—conducted a preliminary investigation based on the complaint and chose not to pursue the matter further, KSL reported. A statement issued by the Utah Supreme Court on behalf of Hagen in April said she took “prompt, prudent, and transparent steps” in response to the allegations by her ex-husband. “My last involvement in the redistricting case was October 2024,” Hagen said. “I voluntarily recused myself from all cases involving Mr. Reymann in May 2025, and my recusal was reflected in the Court’s September 15, 2025, opinion in League of Women Voters.” In her resignation letter, Hagen stated that she would love to continue serving on the bench. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP “But I cannot do so without sacrificing the privacy and well-being of those I care about and the effective functioning and independence of Utah’s judiciary,” she wrote. Cox will be tasked with naming Hagen’s replacement. Fox News Digital has reached out to the governor’s office. Fox News Digital’s Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Men admitted to all-women’s school, bizarre campus confrontation
IVY LEAGUE CLASH: Ivy League student says president’s confrontation was unlike anything seen on campus ‘LOSES ALL MEANING:‘ College ‘makes a mockery’ of all-women status by admitting transgender students, education watchdog says RADICAL RHETORIC: University director booted after calling Zionism ‘cancerous’ in explosive remarks ‘COMPLETELY OSTRACIZED:’ Junior college athletes speak out on trans controversy that’s now in the Trump admin’s crosshairs REMOTE CONTROL: Bill would let illegal immigrant professors keep teaching US students remotely ‘BETTER THAN THAT’: University rushes ICE alert system months before deadline after pressure from far-left students
Virginia Democrat who helped lead state’s redistricting push also played part in killing it
A top Virginia Democrat’s support for his state’s redistricting referendum ironically backfired after a judge he previously appointed helped torpedo his party’s bid to redraw the state’s congressional districts. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who endorsed the referendum and appeared at pro-referendum events, gave $100,000 to the campaign behind Virginia Democrats’ redistricting effort, which voters approved in April. On Friday, a judge Warner appointed when he was governor in 2002, D. Arthur Kelsey, was among the four justices who voted to strike the referendum down on constitutional grounds. In fact, Judge Kelsey authored the 4-3 prevailing opinion. The voter-approved ballot measure was poised to give Democrats a major advantage heading into November’s midterm elections, and they vastly outspent Republicans in their bid to get it passed. However, Kelsey wrote in the prevailing opinion that the sequencing in which Democrats held the referendum vote violated the state’s Constitution, which requires an intervening election between the state legislature’s mandatory first and second passage of the proposed constitutional amendment. ‘JUSTICE’: CELEBRATION, MOCKERY ERUPT AFTER SPANBERGER ‘GERRYMANDER’ IS BLOWN UP IN BLOCKBUSTER DECISION Warner, who was the Governor of Virginia from 2002 until 2006, previously appointed Kelsey, then a Circuit Court judge, to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Kelsey served two terms before a GOP state legislature elevated him to the state’s Supreme Court, where Kelsey has been serving since 2015. When Warner appointed Kelsey to the Virginia Court of Appeals in 2002, he praised the then-Suffolk circuit judge as having shown “a keen intellect, a strong work ethic and a commitment to equal justice,” according to a report from Virginia Lawyers Weekly at the time. “Although I had not met Judge Kelsey before this process began, I have spoken to him at length, reviewed his numerous opinions and consulted with those who know him well,” Warner added in 2002. Following the ruling by Virginia’s Supreme Court, Warner put out a statement in a news release saying he respected the decision, but added that “it’s impossible to ignore that more than three million Virginians already cast their ballots on the amendment and deserved to have their voices heard.” MARK WARNER FACES GOP CHALLENGE FROM AIRBORNE RANGER-TURNED-LAWMAKER BRYCE REEVES Fox News Digital reached out to Warner to inquire whether he felt the ruling was fair, but a spokesperson for the senator only referred Fox News Digital to the news release with his public statement. “Donald Trump assumed he could tilt the playing field and lock in political advantage before a single ballot was cast. But Virginians are paying attention,” Warner also said in his public statement. “They want leaders who will protect their rights, defend their freedoms, and actually focus on lowering costs and getting things done. Democrats will still show up this November, we will still compete everywhere, and when the votes are counted, Virginians will send a strong message about the kind of leadership they want.” The prevailing opinion written by Kelsey said that Democrats’ proposed map would have replaced Virginia’s current 6-5 congressional split “with a highly partisan gerrymandered map” expected to create a 10-1 advantage for a single party. Kelsey went on to highlight that under Democrats’ proposed new map, roughly 47% of Virginians who voted for one political party during the last congressional election would end up being represented by just 9% of Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, while 51% of Virginians who voted for the other major political party would be represented by 91% of Virginia’s congressional delegation. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Friday she was “disappointed” with the Supreme Court’s decision and, along with other Democrats, blasted the state’s High Court for invalidating the will of voters. “More than three million Virginians cast their ballots in Virginia’s redistricting referendum, and the majority of Virginia voters voted to push back against a President who said he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress with a temporary and responsive referendum. They made their voices heard,” Spanberger said after the ruling. “I am disappointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia’s ruling, but my focus as Governor will be on ensuring that all voters have the information necessary to make their voices heard this November in the midterm elections because in those elections we — the voters — will have the final say.”
Leftist streamer calls violent revolution ‘inevitable’ as Democrats explode over Virginia court decision
Democrats exploded in fury Friday after the Virginia Supreme Court struck down a party-backed redistricting map central to their midterm election strategy, with at least one prominent leftist voice going so far as to call violent revolution “inevitable.” In a 4-3 decision, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that a voter-approved map, which would give Democrats a 10-1 advantage in U.S. House races, violated the state’s constitution because of procedural errors in the map’s passage. Virginia voters will cast ballots in the 2026 midterms using the same district maps from the 2022 and 2024 elections, which Democrats currently hold 6-5. But Democratic lawmakers and commentators alike have framed the Supreme Court’s ruling as an act going against the will of the people. Hasan Piker, a popular leftist streamer who has espoused antisemitic rhetoric and campaigns with congressional candidates, accused the Virginia Supreme Court of denying the results of the state’s redistricting referendum. “Scotus gutted the voting rights act and tennessee carved up the last dem district destroying black voter power in the state,” Piker wrote on X. “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.” VIRGINIA’S MAP WAR LAYS BARE STATE’S SHARP PARTISAN TURN AS LEGAL FIGHT LOOMS Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., suggested that Democrats won their redrawn map fair and square by holding a statewide election. “Unlike Republican-led states that have redrawn their maps through backroom deals, the Virginia General Assembly let the people decide for themselves in a free and fair election,” Kaine said in a statement. “If the Virginia Supreme Court had legitimate concerns about this referendum, the time to stop it would have been before three million Virginians cast their ballots. TRUMP URGES VIRGINIA VOTERS TO REJECT ‘BLATANT PARTISAN POWER GRAB’ BY DEMOCRATS “But the Court let the process move forward, and Virginians sent a message loud and clear: we see President Trump’s brazen power grab in states across the country, and we won’t stand for it,” Kaine continued. Kaine also echoed Piker’s sentiment that the ruling “eviscerates” the Voting Rights Act. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said they’re “exploring all options” to fight back against Virginia’s high court’s ruling. BLOCKBUSTER SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS RULING IGNITES REDISTRICTING WAR ACROSS SOUTHERN STATES “The decision to overturn an entire election is an unprecedented and undemocratic action that cannot stand,” Jeffries said in a statement. “MAGA Republicans have adopted voter suppression as a strategy, as also evidenced by far-right extremists on the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act to open the door to a Jim Crow-like attack on Black representation across the American South,” Jeffries continued. Meanwhile, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Don Scott took a more pragmatic approach, saying he respects the high court’s ruling. “We respect the court. But we will keep fighting for a democracy where voters — not politicians — have the final say. Because in Virginia, power still belongs to the people.” As Democrats describe the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling as a violation of the Voting Rights Act, Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, who spearheaded the lawsuit over the maps, said Virginia’s ruling was not based on politics but on the “rule of law.” “Democrats just learned that when you try to rig elections, you lose,” said Chairman Gruters. “The RNC led the charge in court against this blatant power grab, where Virginia Democrats poured more than $66 million into an effort to lock in control and silence voters. We took them to court, and we won.”