Entire Squad endorses Abdul El-Sayed days before Michigan Democratic Senate primary
Every member of the “Squad,” an informal left-wing congressional caucus, has endorsed Abdul El-Sayed ahead of Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, according to his campaign website. The Squad is made up of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., and Greg Casar, D-Texas. Many of the squad’s current and former members have past or ongoing affiliations with the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization El-Sayed is attempting to distance himself from as he attempts to moderate ahead of a swing-state general election. The unified endorsements sharpen the ideological stakes of the Tuesday primary, linking El-Sayed to the party’s most prominent progressive bloc even as he rejects the socialist label and seeks to present himself as a viable candidate in a battleground state. The support also gives Republicans an early line of attack should El-Sayed defeat the more centrist Stevens and advance to the general election. DEM PRIMARY ERUPTS AS ESTABLISHMENT FAVORITE DISMISSES RIVAL AS ‘CELEBRITY CANDIDATE’ “The entire Squad has now endorsed Abdul El-Sayed to carry on its radical, socialist, anti-American agenda in the U.S. Senate, and they will be rejected by Michiganders at the ballot box,” National Republican Senatorial Committee regional press secretary Samantha Cantrell told Fox News Digital. Casar was the most recent Squad member to endorse El-Sayed, throwing his support behind him Thursday. “Abdul El-Sayed is showing what it means to run a bold, pro-working class campaign,” Casar said. “House progressives need strong partners in the Senate in order to put money in your pocket, get money out of politics, and win Medicare for All. I’m proud to endorse Abdul.” SOCIALIST-BACKED DEM WHO RIPPED THE WEALTHY CRACKS STATE’S TOP 1%, TAX RETURNS SHOW Casar, Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Lee all have current or former Democratic Socialists of America affiliations. El-Sayed at one point even appeared at a Democratic Socialists of America event alongside Tlaib. El-Sayed headlined that event, a fundraiser that brought in roughly $10,000 for the Detroit Democratic Socialists of America, and was photographed next to Tlaib behind a table with a poster on it depicting a hand labeled “DSA” choking a snake labeled “capitalism.” The Michigan Senate hopeful attended and spoke at six Democratic Socialists of America events between 2017 and 2020, Fox News Digital previously reported. Organizers affiliated with the socialist organization have described El-Sayed as “a longtime friend of Detroit DSA.” ABDUL EL-SAYED SAYS RALLYING WITH HASAN PIKER DOESN’T MEAN HE ENDORSES ‘AMERICA DESERVED 9/11’ REMARK Despite pulling in endorsements from socialists and his longtime association with the Democratic Socialists of America, El-Sayed rejects the socialist label and has distanced himself from the group. “I’m not technically or practically DSA,” El-Sayed told The Wall Street Journal in early July. In an interview with CNN, he said, “I am not somebody who is a socialist. I believe in capitalism, I just believe that capitalism has to be regulated.” El-Sayed faces off against Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary Tuesday. Stevens is widely viewed as the more centrist of the two. Polls generally show El-Sayed leading Stevens by a comfortable margin, according to the New York Times. The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Ohio GOP family feud explodes as Sen Bernie Moreno calls on Rep Max Miller to resign
A bitter family feud has spilled into Congress after Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called on his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller, to resign, accusing the fellow Ohio Republican of abusive behavior and saying he poses a danger to Moreno’s daughter and granddaughter. Moreno’s extraordinary statement on X Sunday marked the latest escalation in a years-long family clash that has spilled from a contentious divorce into national Republican politics. Miller, a Republican congressman endorsed by President Donald Trump, was married to Moreno’s daughter, Emily. Their divorce and ongoing custody battle have increasingly played out in public, culminating Sunday with Moreno’s call for Miller to leave Congress just days before Ohio’s Aug. 5 deadline to replace congressional candidates on the ballot. FOX NEWS POLL: DEMOCRATIC UNITY, REPUBLICAN CROSSOVERS SHAPE OHIO SENATE RACE On Sunday, hours after Miller publicly denied allegations stemming from the divorce, Moreno broke his public silence in a lengthy statement posted to X, saying his family had endured “pure hell” over the past two years and accusing Miller of increasingly “erratic and dangerous behavior.” “Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible,” Moreno wrote. Moreno went on to call Miller unfit for office, writing: “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.” The Ohio senator also alleged that Miller “needs serious psychological help” and wrote that he fears for the safety of his granddaughter while she is in Miller’s custody. Miller has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime related to the dispute. Sunday’s post marked a dramatic shift for Moreno, who had previously avoided publicly commenting on Miller or the family’s legal dispute. The statement came just days before Ohio’s Aug. 5 deadline to replace a congressional candidate on the ballot. Still, Moreno has been criticized online for not speaking up about the situation sooner. When asked by Notus last week, Moreno said he didn’t “know” if Miller should stay in office. A source close to the Moreno family told Fox News Digital that the senator had wanted to break his silence for months, and has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses as the legal battle between his daughter and Miller continues on. But his daughter, the source said, didn’t want the lawmaker’s granddaughter to “eventually read about her grandfather attacking her dad.” That changed after Miller’s livestream, which the source characterized as an “unhinged meltdown.” SEN BERNIE MORENO CALLS FOR EX-SON-IN-LAW TO RESIGN FROM HOUSE, GET ‘SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP’ Earlier Sunday, Miller posted a livestream denying allegations of domestic and child abuse related to the divorce. During the livestream, Miller also alleged that his ex-wife has struggled with mental health issues and shared a Dropbox link containing court filings and other documents that he said support his version of events. “Just want to be clear: no court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me. No criminal charge has ever been filed against me,” Miller said. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated, and I cooperated fully every single time because I had nothing to hide and I have nothing to hide now.” GOP REP. MAX MILLER PUSHES BACK AGAINST ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’ Days before Sunday’s public clash, Emily Moreno’s attorneys sought restraining orders against Miller that would prohibit him from contacting or harassing members of her legal team. Emily Moreno’s spokesman, Stefan Mychajliw, accused Miller of trying to “save his political career” and rejected the congressman’s characterization of the dispute. “It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Mychajliw said in a statement. “There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that,” Mychajliw continued. “Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.” Asked about the senator’s public comments, Emily Moreno’s attorney, Subodh Chandra, declined to engage with the allegations. “When adverse parties in litigation are setting themselves on fire, I do not provide them with a fire extinguisher,” he told Fox News Digital. With neither side backing down, the bitter family feud appears far from over, setting the stage for more courtroom battles and political fallout in the weeks ahead. Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Miller and Moreno for additional comment.
Sen Bernie Moreno calls for ex-son-in-law to resign from House, get ‘serious psychological help’
Unmoved by his former son-in-law’s X livestream denials Sunday, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called on Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, to resign from Congress and seek “serious psychological help.” “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,” Moreno wrote in a lengthy statement on X. “He should not serve in the House of Representatives.” It was a call repeated by Miller’s Democratic challenger in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District. “No one credibly accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head and breaking their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone belongs in the halls of power,” Brian Poindexter, the union ironworker and Brook Park city councilman, wrote in a statement Sunday. GOP REP MAX MILLER PUSHES BACK AGAINST ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’ Moreno delivered an even more blistering public rebuke an hour after Miller livestreamed a sweeping denial of domestic abuse allegations made by ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of the senator. “As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help,” Moreno wrote. “He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.” The aftermath of the couple’s divorce had been “pure hell” for his family, Moreno began. “As a father and husband, I can tell you the last two years have been pure hell for my wife Bridget, our daughter Emily, me, and our entire family in the aftermath of Emily’s divorce,” Moreno wrote. 5TH ACCUSER COMES FORWARD AGAINST REP ERIC SWALWELL AHEAD OF EXPECTED RESIGNATION “It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent two-year-old girl is caught in the middle. Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter. “Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.” Miller has categorically denied abusing Emily Moreno or their daughter. In the livestream, he said no court or government agency had substantiated an allegation of abuse against him and that he had never faced a criminal charge related to the claims. The congressman said child welfare investigations involving his daughter had been closed without findings against him. He also argued that the allegations emerged as the former couple’s custody battle intensified and accused his former wife of using them as leverage. DEMOCRATS TARGET MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES ROCK LEFT-WING PRIMARIES Emily Moreno has accused Miller of physically assaulting and threatening her during their marriage, including allegedly holding a gun to her head. Questions have also been raised about how the couple’s daughter suffered a broken collarbone. Miller denies causing the injury and said his daughter was no longer in his care when it was discovered. Miller also denied an allegation that he threw boiling water on his former wife, saying he sprayed her with water from a kitchen sink during what he described as horseplay. “It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Emily Moreno spokesman Stefan Mychajliw wrote in a statement Sunday. “There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that. “It is despicable and abhorrent that Miller lied on an unhinged and humiliating video for their daughter to watch one day. “No loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career. Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.” The extraordinary intervention from a sitting Republican senator adds pressure on Miller as a Wednesday deadline approaches for the party to replace him on the November ballot. Democrats have increasingly viewed the northeast Ohio district as a possible pickup opportunity amid the controversy. Miller, a former advisor in President Donald Trump’s first administration who had Trump’s endorsement, insisted Sunday that he would remain the Republican nominee. “I’m not dropping out of this race,” Miller said. “And I’ll win in November.”
Trump DHS chief under fire from conservatives after immigration speech ignites backlash
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is facing a conservative backlash after reaffirming his opposition to amnesty in a social media post, with critics arguing the hardline message contradicted comments he made hours earlier during an immigration speech in Oklahoma. Hours after speaking at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City, Mullin wrote on X: “NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever.” “We are a nation of laws,” he wrote. “If you are illegally present in the United States of America—you will be detained and deported. Period.” The post did little to quell criticism from some conservatives, who argued it conflicted with remarks Mullin made earlier in the day. RED STATE GOVERNOR PUMMELED ONLINE AFTER DEFYING TRUMP’S DEPORTATION ORDERS “Why were you at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting today saying the exact opposite of what you are posting now?” one user wrote on X. “Did you suddenly radically change your mind about America’s immigration policy in the past couple of hours? Or are you a liar?” Former Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino also criticized Mullin’s remarks, writing on X that “Voters asked for mass deportations. Clear demand. High priority. No ambiguity.” He added, “The guy running DHS is making the case for ‘immigration reform.’ We’ve seen this script before.” In a separate post, Bovino wrote that Mullin had delivered “a masterclass in how to give terrible answers during a single interview” and argued, “Now you know why we’re not getting mass deportations.” Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck also weighed in, calling Mullin’s remarks “a total betrayal.” During the event, Mullin argued the U.S. needs immigration reform, distinguished between immigrants pursuing legal status and those who are not, and called for changes to some employment visa programs to address labor shortages. “We haven’t had actual immigration reform since 1959. There’s a reason. It’s political,” Mullin said. “Do you really need immigration reform? Yes, you do.” BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FORCED A FALSE CHOICE ON AMERICANS ABOUT IMMIGRATION Mullin also argued the country should modernize some employment visa programs. “If we’re looking to grow our economy, then we need to look at making more permanent solutions,” he said, adding that “there’s a way to utilize labor where we’re not having the participation rate we need to… and we can plug those holes.” At the same time, Mullin repeatedly emphasized that immigration laws must be enforced. “If you have a criminal background, we’re not making exceptions for you,” he said. “There are zero exceptions.” Mullin added that immigrants who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas without pursuing legal status could not expect relief. “There’s nothing I can do for you,” he said. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
GOP Rep Max Miller pushes back against abuse allegations: ‘I have nothing to hide’
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, went live on X Sunday morning, denying allegations from his ex-wife that he abused her and their daughter. “I’m not getting out of this race, and I’m winning in November,” Miller said at the end of an X livestream statement with pictures of his family in the background. Miller said his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has documented mental health circumstances that might have led to her allegations after their public divorce. “They frame me as an abuser,” Miller said, saying there is “no evidence” against him. “No court or agency has even substantiated any allegation against me,” he added. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated.” Miller released troves of evidence via Dropbox that he says undermines the allegations against him. “I have nothing to hide,” he said. Faced with a narrow path to winning control of the U.S. House, Democrats are seeing fresh opportunity in a northeast Ohio congressional seat where the Republican incumbent is facing mounting pressure over allegations that he abused his ex-wife and daughter in a bitter and drawn-out dispute with his former spouse. Allegations against Miller, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, have been public for years but have recently drawn increased media scrutiny amid an escalating legal back-and-forth with his ex-wife. That has Democrats sensing Miller could be vulnerable in a district he won two years ago with just over 51% of the vote. Over the past week, they have called for Miller to resign, requested a congressional ethics investigation and suggested more help could be directed in the fall toward his Democratic opponent, union ironworker Brian Poindexter. Miller has denied the abuse allegations and filed defamation lawsuits against his ex-wife and a second accuser. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Trump demand puts vulnerable Republicans in impossible spot ahead of midterms
Republicans are sounding the alarm that President Donald Trump’s demand to cancel August recess could cost the GOP seats in the midterms. As the upcoming jailbreak from Washington, D.C., fast approaches, Trump’s most-prized legislative push remains stalled. He wants Republicans to stay put until it’s finished, but the political reality says otherwise. And it comes as Republicans are desperate to get out of the Beltway and sell their accomplishments, rather than their shortcomings, to voters on the campaign trail. The GOP has more to lose than Democrats this cycle, too, with three vulnerable incumbents and a handful of others on the periphery. REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP’S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY ‘DEAD’ IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS “Canceling August recess, where we have to have our members out campaigning and connecting with their voters, and people not understanding that, is about as tone-deaf as telling everybody to stay home in 2020 when we lost [Kelly] Loefler and [David] Purdue,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “It’s the same sort of thought process,” he continued. “It’s thinking that one branch runs this country and it doesn’t. If we don’t keep majorities, people are gonna regret it.” Several of Tillis’ colleagues, however, disagree, and want the Senate to stay put until the SAVE America Act passes, be it through the party-line budget reconciliation process or by nuking the filibuster. GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN Trump’s pressure, the online zeitgeist and the political hot potato of the situation have put incumbents in a tough spot: go home and admit defeat, or stay put and push legislation that so far has not gone anywhere. For many Republicans, they openly acknowledge that it’s a math problem in the Senate — the GOP does not have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act. Some argue that keeping the Senate in town likely wouldn’t change the minds of those who oppose it. “If it would make a difference in the outcome, I’m fine with that, but it won’t make a difference, which I don’t believe it will, that it’s an act of futility,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. TRUMP UNLOADS ON CORNYN, TIES AG NOMINATION FIGHT TO BITTER TEXAS PRIMARY Both Cornyn and Tillis are retiring — Tillis opted to get out during the tumultuous period that was passing the “big, beautiful bill,” and Cornyn was kneecapped by Trump, who backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over him in a grueling primary battle. But Cornyn noted that if he was still running for office, he might have a change of heart. “I don’t know how that would come out, but if I was running for re-election, I would vote to stay,” he said. Cornyn’s point is the line that some vulnerable Republicans are toeing. Two Republicans running in tight races, Sens. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told Fox News Digital that they have been voraciously pushing for the SAVE America Act. But, Sullivan said that he didn’t want to comment on the president’s push to cancel recess, while Husted said it was always preferable to be back in Ohio with his constituents. “But I also have a job here, and if the job requires me to be here, then I’ll be here,” he said. Others in less tight races who support the legislation still understand the reality in the upper chamber: without changing the minds of a cohort of Republicans who have voted against it and flipping several Democrats, the SAVE America Act is going nowhere. “I think to cancel the whole recess would be a problem, but I think to keep us up here another week or 10 days, certainly, I’m willing to do it. I’d stay here till November if I thought it would change things,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. But he acknowledged that coming home empty-handed was a problem, too. “The base would be mad if we don’t make the best effort possible to get this voter ID across the finish line,” Marshall said.
Inside the behemoth Smithsonian museum network drawing fire from the Trump administration
The Smithsonian Institution, whose museums in Washington, D.C., have come under fire from conservatives and President Donald Trump over what they describe as increasingly left-wing messaging, is the world’s largest museum complex, comprising a sprawling network that spans the country and influences millions of people each year. Founded in 1846 with funds from the will of British scientist James Smithson, who never visited the United States but left his fortune to establish an institution “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” the Smithsonian steadily grew from a single museum into the world’s largest museum, education and research complex. Today, the Smithsonian owns or leases nearly 700 facilities across eight states, Washington, D.C., and Panama, encompassing roughly 13.6 million square feet of museums, laboratories, archives, warehouses, research stations and support facilities. The organization now houses more than 157 million artifacts and specimens, operates 21 museums along with the National Zoo and 14 education and research centers, maintains 21 libraries, and partners with more than 200 affiliate museums and cultural institutions nationwide. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Visitors see only a fraction of the Smithsonian’s overall collection. Roughly 99% of the Smithsonian’s more than 157 million artifacts and specimens are kept in storage facilities, laboratories and archives, where they are preserved and studied by researchers. The Smithsonian as a whole welcomes over 30 million in-person visitors each year, while its educational resources and digital platforms reach millions more. The institution operates on an annual budget of more than $1 billion. The Smithsonian isn’t just a museum operator, it’s effectively a national education and research institution that has a vast reach across school campuses nationwide as it helps shape the educational experience of the nation’s students. GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SMITHSONIAN CHIEF URGED MOVING BEYOND ‘AMERICA FIRST MENTALITY’ Through initiatives like the Smithsonian Learning Lab and Smithsonian Science Education Center, the institution provides millions of free lesson plans, classroom activities, virtual field trips and other educational resources used by teachers and students nationwide. It also offers professional development for educators and educational programming that extends well beyond its museums. On college campuses, the Smithsonian is actively involved in partnering with schools across the country on internships, fellowships, research collaborations and joint academic programs which put the organization in touch with thousands of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students each year. Earlier this month, the White House released a sweeping report warning about an alleged infiltration of leftist politics inside the Smithsonian, a report an expert told Fox News Digital is an example of the “long march through the institutions” that socialist and communist activists have been pushing in the United States for decades. “That shift from history to activism is clearly documented in this report. Anthea Hartig, NMAH’s director since 2019, has explicitly stated that she sees history as a ‘prime tool of social justice’ and one of her roles as connecting ‘research and scholarship to activism and advocacy,’” the White House report stated. Last week, President Trump 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, guaranteeing that the controversy over the Smithsonian’s cultural influence will remain a topic of conversation for months to come.
Vulnerable Democrat warns party to ‘fight back’ against growing socialist movement
A senior House Democrat is urging his party to push back against the growing socialist wing that’s been gaining influence in recent years. “I don’t ascribe to any of those ideas at all, and I think that there’s very little support for those ideas,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital in an interview. He compared the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to the House Freedom Caucus, a group on the rightmost flank of the House GOP, while denouncing the DSA’s use of the word “democratic” in its name — implying its ideals were mostly socialist in nature. “Much like the Republicans have had to deal with the Freedom Caucus, the Democrats are going to have to deal with this group,” Suozzi said. “I don’t like the idea of them using ‘democratic.’ I think that we should be, as the Democratic Party, should be fighting against that and saying, ‘You know, you shouldn’t be using the word democratic… that’s us, that’s not you.” RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DSA AGENDA DOESN’T PLAY WELL OUTSIDE ‘UPPER WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN’ It comes as DSA-linked candidates are making significant inroads in primary elections across the country, even defeating incumbent House progressives in New York and Colorado. HOUSE REPUBLICANS AIM TO TURN DEMOCRATIC CIVIL WAR INTO MIDTERM WEAPON And as Republicans work to capitalize on a burgeoning civil war within the party, Suozzi warned fellow Democrats to take the perception of a DSA takeover seriously. “I try not to waste my time on worry. I try to take action. So I just say very clearly, ‘That’s not me and that’s not us, and this is why that’s not us, and that’s why this is not me.’ And I fight back against it,” Suozzi said. “And there are a lot of Democrats who say, ‘Oh, if you look at it, it’s just a very small percentage in very deep-blue seats. And it’s not that big a deal.’ I think that’s wrong to just discount it like that. I think you just come out head-on, and take it on and say, ‘These guys are wrong. We’ve got nothing to do with them.’” 100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY Suozzi himself is part of an ever-shrinking group of moderates on both sides of the aisle. He’s also co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which is dedicated to finding legislative solutions that both parties can get behind. The New York Democrat is one of Republicans’ top targets in the coming midterm elections, and his November victory would be key to Democrats taking back control of the House. Suozzi’s district, anchored in the wealthy Long Island suburbs outside of New York City, was won by President Donald Trump in 2024. He told Fox News Digital that Democrats should not focus on running against Trump the person, but rather argue about his specific policy actions. “Your grocery prices are higher, your fuel prices are high, your health insurance costs are higher. Your energy bill is higher. Your kids can’t buy a house — all these different factors. And that’s happening because of this administration,” Suozzi argued. “I think it should be less about Trump himself. You know, when I say it should be a referendum on Trump, it should be a referendum on this administration’s performance addressing the things in your life.” Meanwhile, Republicans have argued that a Democrat-controlled House will embolden the party’s socialist wing to take control and push policies that are unpopular with Americans. In the Empire State, for example, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has become a prominent boogeyman for the right. Suozzi said the tactic “would be effective” if he had not distanced himself from the socialist’s policy platform early on. “He’s a very smart guy, he’s very charismatic,” Suozzi said. “I just fundamentally disagree with his positions on things.” But it’s not enough to speak out against the socialist left, Suozzi warned. “I started a thing called The Promise to America, where I’ve got now 10 members of Congress signed onto it. We’re in the process of getting 200 state and local officials,” he said. “We’ve identified 10 candidates, Democratic candidates, to sign the pledge that says ‘We’re capitalist, not socialist. We’re for safety, not lawlessness. We’re proud, not ashamed of America, and we’re mainstream, we’re not extreme.’ So we’ve just got to organize, we’ve got to do the work necessary.” Suozzi is running against Republican former state lawmaker Mike LiPetri, whom Trump endorsed to flip the seat red.
Louisiana becomes latest state to launch Fauci investigation following explosive Senate hearing
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Saturday that her office will investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci, days after the former top health official invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a contentious Senate hearing. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times during Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing and declined to answer lawmakers’ questions. Murrill shared a Fox News Digital story on X noting that, despite receiving a federal pardon from former President Joe Biden, Fauci could still potentially face prosecution under state law. CAN FAUCI HIDE BEHIND THE FIFTH? GAME-CHANGING BIDEN PARDON MAY NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE COVER, EXPERTS SAY “Fauci lied,” Murrill wrote. “Louisiana and Missouri deposed Dr. Fauci. At the time, he claimed to not recall many key details of his own actions and now we are discovering contemporaneous records he kept.” “Louisiana will join Alabama & Florida in investigating Fauci and whether he committed any other offenses that could be pursued in our State courts,” she added. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also weighed in, writing on X, “As someone who was Attorney General alongside Eric Schmitt, and deposed Dr. Fauci, I am happy to have Louisiana join Alabama and Florida!” FAUCI’S FIFTH FUELS VOW TO HAUL HIM INTO COURT ‘EVERY DAY’ DESPITE BIDEN PARDON Louisiana is the latest state to announce an investigation into Fauci. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Thursday that his office would investigate Fauci following the Senate hearing. Uthmeier previously told Fox News Digital that “any and all potential violations of Florida law” are under review. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., also told Fox News Digital that Fauci’s federal pardon does not shield him from potential state prosecutions because presidential pardons apply only to “offenses against the United States.” REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: WHY FAUCI’S 111 FIFTH AMENDMENT PLEAS COULD END UP BEFORE THE COURTS “Anthony Fauci is responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Alabamians,” Tuberville said. “The ‘pardon’ signed by Joe Biden’s autopen doesn’t apply to state-level crimes.” Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, said that if elected he would explore ways to pursue state charges against Fauci while encouraging Alabamians to pursue civil claims. “When I’m governor of Alabama, I will look into ways we can hold Fauci accountable for all of the Alabamians who died under his watch.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Fauci’s attorney for comment. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Democratic socialist headed for $142K legislature salary begs for rent handout, deletes post after backlash
A Democratic Socialist expected to coast to victory in a deep-blue Queens state Assembly district is facing questions after briefly asking supporters to help cover his rent and grocery bills while waiting to take office. Brian Romero, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 34th Assembly District, removed a GoFundMe campaign Friday after the New York Post inquired about the fundraiser, which sought $2,000 to help with living expenses. Romero said he left his job as a senior adviser to state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez earlier this year after receiving ethics guidance once he became a candidate for Assembly, according to the Post. While he handily won June’s Democratic primary and faces no Republican challenger in November, Romero said he has exhausted his savings while searching for consulting work and has been unable to collect unemployment benefits. SHOCKING PERCENTAGE OF DEMOCRATS IDENTIFY AS ‘DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS’ ACCORDING TO NEW POLL: ‘TOXIC POLICIES’ “As many of you know, I had to leave my full time job in the legislature when I got on the ballot for our Assembly race,” Romero wrote on the since-deleted fundraising page, according to the Post. “I’m excited that we won and I saved for months to get by but I’ve now depleted my savings as I’m close to closing down some consulting gigs.” The fundraiser said the money would help cover rent and groceries while he navigated the transition to elected office. According to the Post, the page had raised more than $1,000 from 13 donors before Romero removed it Friday. The online appeal drew criticism because Romero is expected to easily win the heavily Democratic district, where he would earn the state Assembly’s $142,000 annual salary once sworn into office, in addition to legislative per diem payments while the Legislature is in session. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST IN HOT SEAT AGAIN OVER DELETED POSTS PRAISING COMMUNISM, MARXISM: ‘CRAZYPANTS’ Jordan Libowitz, vice president for communications at Citizens for Ethics in Washington, told the Post he could not recall another instance of a lawmaker-elect publicly asking for financial assistance while awaiting office. Romero told the newspaper he removed the fundraiser after discussing it with friends and described creating it as “a mistake.” He also said he did not keep any of the money that had been donated. “I decided to take it down. It was kind of done pretty quickly in consultation with some friends,” Romero told the Post. Instead, Romero said friends offered to help him financially while he looked for work. “I have friends I just reached out to directly who said, ‘We’ll take care of it.’ They’re just dear friends who know me, they know politics. They know sometimes these long breaks are really tough,” he told the newspaper. State payroll records cited by the Post show Romero earned $106,469 last year as a legislative aide. The newspaper also reported he lives with his partner in a Jackson Heights apartment that rents for about $2,600 a month. Romero did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.