‘Fiesta Mexicana’: El-Sayed campaign plans festive 9/11 while remembrance is missing from public schedule
While Americans prepare to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Abdul El-Sayed’s public campaign schedule for that day makes no mention of a remembrance event, but includes a Mexican festival, a farmers market and a county fair. As of Friday morning, El-Sayed’s campaign website listed staff and volunteers for Grand Rapids’ Fiesta Mexicana, a nearby farmers market and the Allegan County Fair, while El-Sayed himself was scheduled to make a stop on his “Shouldn’t Be This Hard” tour. After Fox News Digital asked about the lack of a 9/11 remembrance on the public schedule, El-Sayed’s campaign said the Democrat nominee “will be attending a 9/11 remembrance memorial event that day,” though the event was not listed on his campaign website. FOX NEWS MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXTENSIVE 9/11 ANNIVERSARY COVERAGE FROM GROUND ZERO, PENTAGON AND SHANKSVILLE The events listed on the campaign schedule have a notably more festive tone. Fiesta Mexicana, for instance, describes itself as “three days of mariachi, folklórico and forty-some vendors” that uses “music, food, dance and good company” to “make sure Mexican culture is known, understood and celebrated in West Michigan — on our own terms.” El-Sayed’s campaign instructs supporters to “bring some Mexican swag” and “go inside to enjoy the music and get some food.” The Allegan County Fair, meanwhile, features live entertainment, food, games and rides. El-Sayed’s campaign pointed out, that of the four events flagged by Fox News Digital — Fiesta Mexicana, the farmers market, the county fair and the candidate’s tour event — the Senate candidate would not be attending two of them, though would not specify which ones. The campaign did not explain why El-Sayed’s website did not list the 9/11 remembrance memorial event on his list of upcoming events, but it did underscore in a comment to Fox News Digital that El-Sayed views 9/11 as a horrific moment in history. “The September 11th terrorist attacks were an evil attack on America’s freedom and he will be joining Michiganders in remembering the 25th anniversary,” El-Sayed’s spokeswoman told Fox News Digital. BIDEN-WORLD VETERAN ISSUES STARK WARNING ABOUT ABDUL EL-SAYED AS HE CROSSES PARTY LINES The Michigan Senate hopeful has a complicated relationship with 9/11. Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, whom El-Sayed had campaigned alongside, caused him a headache early in the campaign when a clip of the streamer saying that America “deserved 9/11” resurfaced. El-Sayed called the statement “dumb,” though did not disavow Piker. Later, old blogs and social media posts where El-Sayed made controversial statements about the terrorist attacks began to surface. SANDERS-BACKED DEM BLISTERED FOR MAKING ‘EXCUSES FOR TERRORISTS,’ SLAMMING ‘HIGH AND MIGHTY’ AMERICANS Fox News Digital previously reported that El-Sayed equated 9/11 with Jan. 6 and President Donald Trump with Osama bin Laden on a now private blog. In social media posts, he called on Americans to bring the same outrage to the COVID-19 pandemic that they felt for 9/11 and mourned the deaths of those killed in America’s War on Terror.
Comer indicates McConnell staffers aiming for lawmaker to return to Senate later this month
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., indicated on Thursday that he has been in contact Sen. Mitch McConnell’s, R-Ky., staff, who have indicated that the aim is for the lawmaker to return to the Senate later this month. “I expect that. I sure hope so,” Comer said after being asked if McConnell was expected to join his Senate colleagues on Sept. 14. Comer said he had talked to McConnell staff, who have “said it’s their goal for senator McConnell to be here… when the Senate” returns. MCCONNELL IS OUT OF REHAB, BUT HIS ABSENCE HAS STUNTED A KEY REPUBLICAN PRIORITY Fox News Digital reached out to McConnell’s office on Friday. Senators are slated to return to work in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 14. “Other than pro forma sessions on Tuesday September 8th at 1:15 p.m. and Thursday September 10th at 3:00 p.m. the Senate stands adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, September 14th. There is one vote that evening at 5:30 p.m.,” according to the U.S. Senate Press Gallery website. KENTUCKY GOVERNOR CALLS ON MCCONNELL TO PROVE HE IS FIT TO SERVE OR RESIGN: ‘ADDRESS THE PEOPLE’ McConnell, 84, suffered a fall in June. In a statement nearly a month ago, the lawmaker noted that he had been released from a rehabilitation center. SEN MITCH MCCONNELL HOSPITALIZED, ‘RECEIVING EXCELLENT CARE,’ HIS OFFICE SAYS The lawmaker, who has served in the Senate since 1985, is not running for re-election this year.
Non-citizen police officers approved after Dem says ICE ‘invasion’ ‘sends a message’
After a week of ICE raids, the Democrat-dominated City Council of Danbury, Connecticut, voted nearly unanimously to approve non-citizen legal residents serving as police officers. Under the new guidance, approved in an 18-2 vote, non-citizen legal residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients living in Danbury are allowed to serve as police officers in Danbury. One city council member, Democrat Joe Britton, remarked that the vote “sends a message to our immigrant community at large that you are welcome in Danbury.” ICE operations in the area resulted in more than 60 arrests, according to local reports. The arrests prompted public outrage in the community, including from city officials such as Britton, who called the raids “frightening.” BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN FIRES BACK AFTER DEMOCRAT CHRIS MURPHY CLAIMS ICE IS ‘TERRORIZING LITTLE KIDS’ The only two council members to vote against the measure were Republicans, while the council’s 17 Democrats and one Republican voted in favor. Before the vote, Britton said that “what we have here is an opportunity.” He noted that “though this definitely wasn’t planned to be on the agenda on the end of a federal invasion of immigration officials in Danbury … I do think it’s timely.” “There is no reason to vote against this, and if you do vote against this, I truly question your moral compass,” he added. Britton emphasized that this change “is legal, it’s allowed” and said it has been recommended. Britton told Fox News Digital that “Danbury is an immigrant city, and I believe someone who is lawfully here, committed to our community, and willing to raise their hand and take an oath to protect and serve should have the opportunity to do so.” He added that “this change does not lower Danbury’s standards for becoming a police officer. It simply allows otherwise qualified lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients to apply and compete for these positions.” He noted that “every applicant must still satisfy the same training, background, character, and certification requirements required of any other officer,” saying, “This was about expanding the pool of qualified applicants while maintaining the same high standards our residents expect from their police department.” Similarly, Taylor O’Brien, a spokesperson for the Danbury city government, told Fox News Digital that council “amended its ordinance in accordance with Connecticut’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council, allowing legal permanent residents and DACA recipients to apply to become officers in the Danbury Police Department.” DEM SENATE NOMINEE CHANGES TUNE ON ICE AFTER VOWING NOT ‘ONE MORE DIME’ FOR AGENCY O’Brien said that “this standard is followed by over 30 municipalities in Connecticut and several states across the country” and that it “opens Danbury’s applicant pool to otherwise qualified candidates, including legal Danbury residents, who are currently applying to be police officers in other communities.” In 2020, the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council “partially waived” the citizenship requirement, extending eligibility for law enforcement candidates in Connecticut to lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients, according to the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. O’Brien added that Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, a Democrat, “ensures Danbury maintains a rigorous hiring process for our Police Officers,” adding that “this amendment should encourage qualified residents from the Danbury community to apply to serve the City they call home.” According to the Danbury News Times, Alves himself immigrated to the U.S. as an “undocumented child” and gained citizenship in 2017. The outlet quoted Alves saying he is “glad the City Council approved” the measure. Alves emphasized that “the standards are not being lowered” and that “every applicant still has to meet the same rigorous background, training, fitness and professional standards required of any Danbury police officer.” “What we are doing is giving qualified people an opportunity to compete for the job,” said Alves. “For a diverse city like Danbury, it strengthens our recruitment pool and gives us another opportunity to hire talented people who understand and care about the community they want to serve.” Fox News Digital reached out to Britton for additional comment. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Last year, ICE arrested two illegal immigrants who were serving as police officers. On July 25, 2025, Jamaican national Jon Luke Evans, who was serving as a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Police Department, was arrested on charges related to unlawfully attempting to purchase a gun. Then, on Oct. 15, Radule Bojovic, of Montenegro, who was serving as a police officer with the Hanover Park, Illinois, Police Department, was arrested during Operation Midway Blitz. Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Pelosi, Omar join Trump and Schiff as unlikely alliance pushes to onshore key industry
EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump has gained several unlikely allies, including the man who led his first impeachment trial, in a major push to bring motion picture production back to California from other countries. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who represented studio-heavy Burbank in Congress, was joined by Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in echoing support for Trump’s federal tax incentive plan to draw major film projects back to where it began. “We’ve been promoting that for a long time. I’m glad he finally arrived at it,” Pelosi told Fox News Digital when asked about the plan on the Capitol grounds. PARAMOUNT ESCALATES THREAT TO LEAVE CALIFORNIA AS DEM AG’S ANTITRUST LAWSUIT STALLS WARNER BROS MERGER Schiff tweeted earlier this week that he is “in strong agreement with the president.” The Democrat, who has accused Trump of colluding with Moscow to win the election and whom the president has responded to by calling him “pencil-neck,” said it is time for Republicans and Democrats to “work together… get this done and bring the movie magic back to America.” SCHIFF ATTACK ON TRUMP’S DC INDYCAR RACE BACKFIRES AFTER DRIVER POINTS OUT CONTRADICTION “Congress should immediately take up and pass a federal film tax incentive to bring back these good-paying jobs that we’ve lost to other countries.” Omar told Fox News Digital a similar refrain, adding that she has worked separately to attract film projects to Minneapolis. FILM PRODUCER SAYS ‘MADE IN AMERICA’ MOVIES CAN HELP REVIVE HOLLYWOOD’S STRUGGLING INDUSTRY She referenced “Fargo,” the 1996 Coen Brothers comedy starring William H. Macy as an example of Minnesota’s ability to host large projects. The “Mighty Ducks” series starring Emilio Estevez and Joshua Jackson also filmed heavily in the Twin Cities during its 1990s run. “When I was in the Minnesota House, I was very supportive of Minnesota having subsidies so we can have more movies being made inside Minnesota like the movie ‘Fargo’,” she said. She said the end of subsidies from St. Paul recently “made it less fun trying to run into people who were actually doing the production.” “It could be a really cool thing [and] also bring us money to states that can use it.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Trump appointed legendary actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone special envoys to Hollywood. Gibson previously told Fox News that for a recent film, it was cheaper to fly the entire crew to Europe for three days than to shoot for one day in Los Angeles. “There’s something really wrong there,” he said, adding that another actor, ex-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, tried to assuage the problem while in office but was met with “obstacles.” Last year, another Trump foil also got on board with the idea of Washington bolstering Hollywood. “California built the film industry – and we’re ready to bring even more jobs home… Now it’s time for a real federal partnership to Make America Film Again,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
Fetterman faces Dem revolt as bombshell report fuels push to oust him: ‘Disgrace’
After a scathing report that called into question Sen. John Fetterman’s willingness to do the basic duties of a senator, some of his Democratic colleagues in Pennsylvania are eyeing ways to dislodge him from the upper chamber. An explosive report from The Wall Street Journal painted Fetterman as a politician more interested in appearing on Fox News to discuss Israel than meeting with paralyzed veterans from his state, and blowing off a funeral for slain police officers because it would have taken too long. And members of his own delegation are furious. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’D WELCOME FETTERMAN AS GOP EYES BIGGER SENATE MAJORITY “There is a lot I could say about this report of John Fetterman’s pathetic behavior as a senator,” Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., said on X. “But between the laziness, disrespect, and willingness to carry water for a foreign government, it shows us something we already know: this man has no sense of duty.” “He is not up for the high office he was elected to — and we in Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028,” he continued. Behind the scenes, The Wall Street Journal’s report revealed through leaked text messages between Fetterman and his aides that the lawmaker was unwilling to do some of the core functions of the job, like meeting with constituents. “John Fetterman is a disgrace,” Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said on X. “Our state deserves better than a lazy trust fund baby who is too lazy to do the job.” In one instance, Fetterman was told by an aide that representatives of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) wanted to meet over concerns about Medicaid cuts. Fetterman asked why he had to keep meeting with CHOP, and the aide noted that they were worried about “vaccines and Medicaid cuts.” FETTERMAN UNDER FIRE AS GOV SHAPIRO PUSHES WILD CARD SENATOR TO ‘GET BACK’ TO BEING A DEMOCRAT “Well, I’m not,” Fetterman responded. “I’m convinced they just want free trips to D.C.” Another instance came when an aide told Fetterman that there would be a dress code at a funeral for three police officers killed in Pennsylvania last year, and that the service was expected to last for three hours. “This may be a nonstarter,” Fetterman wrote. Years before his time in the Senate, Fetterman rose to prominence as a progressive who appeared to emulate the formula laid out by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who he backed early on in his runs for the White House. When Fetterman won his seat in 2022 against Dr. Mehmet Oz, who now runs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Fetterman ran on a platform of universal healthcare, pro-labor policies and higher tax rates on wealthy Americans — key hallmarks of progressive politics. Since ascending to the Senate, however, his voting record has shown a more moderate flair, and questions are swirling over whether he will jump ship and join the GOP. He’s bucked his party on several occasions since taking office, too. DNC VICE CHAIR ATTACKS DEMOCRATIC SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: ‘YOU’RE A MESS’ During the government shutdown fight last year, he joined Republicans as Democrats stayed unified in their push to renew lapsing Obamacare tax credits, has become one of the most vocal proponents of Israel, and helped to confirm some of President Donald Trump’s nominees, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin — notably, he voted against his old political rival Oz. The desire to boot Fetterman extends beyond just his colleagues in the Pennsylvania congressional delegation. Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who is the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, has his sights set on Fetterman, too. “This report is horrifying, but not new to many of us in PA. John barely showed up as [Lieutenant Governor] and is constantly MIA as our senator,” Kenyatta said on X. “When he’s not on FOX cheerleading Trump & endless wars, he is attacking the very neighbors who gave him a chance,” he continued. “2028 can’t come soon enough.” Fetterman did not respond to a request for comment.
Mamdani faces growing 9/11 backlash as old post resurfaces ahead of Ground Zero ceremony: ‘Is this real?’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing renewed scrutiny after a 2023 post marking the 9/11 attacks resurfaced online, in which he referenced the deaths and suffering caused by wars that followed the attacks. “Nearly 3,000 New Yorkers died on 9/11; 22 years later, the death hasn’t stopped. We mourn our neighbors who died that day. The hundreds of thousands who died in the wars that followed. The unknown millions injured & displaced. In their memory, we work toward a better world,” Mamdani wrote on X in 2023. Some 9/11 families have called on the socialist mayor not to attend New York City’s 9/11 commemoration after he faced backlash for interviewing Hasan Piker, who in 2019 said, “America deserved 9/11.” Mamdani initially declined to condemn the remarks but later called them “objectionable and reprehensible.” Critics have accused Mamdani of using the solemn anniversary to draw attention to the wars that followed 9/11 while notably leaving out who carried out the attacks and describing the deaths in passive terms. NEW YORK GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE URGES 9/11 ATTENDEES TO TURN AWAY FROM MAMDANI DURING CEREMONY “As someone who was in the Pentagon when the planes hit, this is absolutely disgraceful. You have no business ever setting foot at Ground Zero, much less on 9/11. If you dare show up, I hope you are greeted with such a Bronx cheer that you slink away in shame,” wrote Marc Thiessen. “I guess they all just ‘died’ in an accident? And then you wonder why the families of 9/11 victims don’t want you at the ceremony. Stay home, Mamdani,” wrote New York City council woman Inna Vernikov. “Nearly 25 years later, NYC’s Mayor is in bed with Muslim terrorists and refuses to call out evil for what it is. Unfortunately, it seems the city forgot when they elected Jihadi Mamdani mayor. But we never will,” wrote Florida Rep. Randy Fine. RETIRED PORT AUTHORITY OFFICERS TELL MAMDANI, HOCHUL TO STAY AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO ON 9/11 “You’ve made this easy. Don’t show up on 9/11 this year — or any year. We’re not interested in your moral equivalency, nepo baby. Stick to the parlor communism daddy taught you. You and your buddy Piker can spend the day practicing Mandarin,” said Fox News contributor and ex-NYPD officer Paul Mauro. “Is this real?,” wrote former first lady Jill Biden’s spokesperson Michael La Rosa. “Americans were MURDERED by TERRORISTS in the most horrific way,” wrote Rep. Nancy Mace. “What a coward. They were murdered and sleep well at night knowing I and thousands of my brothers did our part to even the f—–g score,” wrote “Big Weekend Show” co-host Joey Jones. HASAN PIKER CALLS HAMAS ‘FAR MORE MODERATE,’ DISMISSES TERROR GROUP’S BRUTAL RULE IN GAZA Mamdani said he plans to attend the 9/11 commemoration to honor the victims, survivors, families and first responders alongside Vice President JD Vance and former presidents, including Biden and Bush. A petition organized by several victims’ families called on Mamdani not to participate in the ceremony, with the families questioning whether his participation would be appropriate given the tragedy. “We respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy,” a Change.org petition organized by several victims’ families states. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.
Trump commutes sentence for former Philadelphia union official, attorney says
President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, a former union business manager, according to Dougherty’s lawyer George Bochetto. Bochetto confirmed to Fox News Digital during a Friday morning phone call that the president had inked the commutation on Thursday. He said that Dougherty would be “released any hour now.” The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the lawyer indicated the move will also release Dougherty from needing to pay around $1.6 million for restitution, and that the man will not face monitoring or house arrest, but will be “a free man.” Regarding those details, Bochetto confirmed to Fox News Digital, “It’s all true.” COLORADO GOVERNOR COMMUTES TINA PETERS’ SENTENCE AS TRUMP POSTS ‘FREE TINA!’ He said the “compassionate release” was “remarkable in its humanity,” indicating that it was “equally as remarkable” that a Republican president granted it to the Democratic political figure. He said that it demonstrates that “doing the right thing” can be an endeavor that is “bipartisan,” noting that he is “so proud” of Trump. Bochetto added that he is “so happy for John, and particularly” for Dougherty’s “gravely ill wife, who will now have her husband by her side.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Friday. Dougherty, a former business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98, was sentenced in 2024 to six years in prison. The U.S. Justice Department said at the time that Dougherty had been sentenced in connection with embezzling funds from the union as well as in connection with payouts provided to a Philadelphia City Council member. NATION’S LARGEST TEACHERS UNION UNDER FIRE AS CONTROVERSIAL AGENDA PUTS CENTURY-OLD FEDERAL CHARTER AT RISK “John Dougherty held himself out as Local 98’s biggest booster,” then-U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero said in a statement. “But while he was backslapping his electricians with one hand, he was ripping them off with the other. He cheated Philadelphians, too, through his corrupt quid pro quo with Bobby Henon.” “Our city and its workers deserve so much better than union bosses and politicians whose true priority is looking out for number one,” Romero, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, added at the time. “I want to thank all of the investigators, analysts, prosecutors, and staff who partnered on this case, and, in doing so, stood up for integrity and the rule of law in Philadelphia.”
Former Trump Cabinet official had ‘inappropriately close’ relationship with bodyguard, IG finds
Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with her bodyguard and created a hostile work environment for her subordinates, according to a Thursday report from the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The report cites one incident in which Chavez-DeRemer allegedly ordered a member of her security detail to throw cash at a stripper. Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned her position in April, had been under investigation after the OIG received an anonymous complaint in January. That complaint alleged Chavez-DeRemer’s inappropriate relationship with the assistant special agent-in-charge (ASAIC) of her department’s Division of Protective Operations (DPO), who the report did not name. TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION The complaint also alleged that Chavez-DeRemer, her chief of staff, Jihun Han, and deputy chief of staff, Rebecca Wright, created a hostile work environment and regularly drank alcohol on DOL property and during work hours. The OIG interviewed 38 witnesses who described the DOL work environment as “toxic, intimidating and humiliating.” The witnesses reported that Chavez-DeRemer, Han and Wright “openly discussed employee performance matters in the presence of other staff, including details of performance-related meetings and whether those employees had cried during the meetings.” HIGH-RANKING DHS OFFICIAL SIDELINED OVER ALLEGATIONS OF ‘SUGAR DADDY’ RELATIONSHIP, LUXE GIFTS AND DRUG USE Witnesses also told the OIG that Chavez-DeRemer’s alleged relationship with the ASAIC also contributed to the hostile work environment. During an April trip to Oregon, the ASAIC complied with Chavez-DeRemer’s request to make an unplanned, off-the-record stop at “an establishment that was determined upon entry to feature partially nude dancers,” according to the report. The ASAIC assigned Chavez-DeRemer’s driver to enter the establishment with her, and, according to the report, she handed the driver a stack of cash and instructed him to give it to one of the dancers. When the driver refused, the ASAIC instructed him to comply. “Chavez-DeRemer then took additional money from her purse and asked the agent to drop the bills one by one onto the partially nude woman. The agent again hesitated and sought intervention from ASAIC 1, who told him to follow Chavez-DeRemer’s instructions,” according to the report. The complaint and subsequent investigation also determined that the ASAIC’s alleged inappropriate relationship with the former labor secretary, who is married, affected his job performance. “ASAIC 1 allegedly focused on his interactions with Chavez-DeRemer, monitored her interactions with other agents, and reduced the presence of other DPO personnel to create opportunities to be alone with her, resulting in reduced protective coverage for the Secretary,” the report read. COURT FILINGS REVEAL KYRSTEN SINEMA HAD SEX MULTIPLE TIMES WITH MARRIED BODYGUARD WHILE SERVING AS SENATOR The pair reportedly grew immediately close upon Chavez-DeRemer’s arrival at the department in March 2025, communicating often through the encrypted messaging app Signal in off-duty hours and about non-operational subjects. Another witness described observing Chavez-DeRemer massaging the ASAIC’s shoulders in a car after he had finished a driving shift. When she asked if he was tired, he allegedly responded that he was “solid as a rock,” and the pair both laughed. “The witness interpreted the comment as sexual innuendo,” the report read. MARRIED FEDERAL JUDGE REPEATEDLY HAD COURTHOUSE SEX WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, COMPLAINT ALLEGES Other witnesses described the pair walking arm in arm after leaving an event at Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ home. After opening the investigation, the OIG surveilled Chavez-Deremer’s Washington, D.C., home and found the ASAIC entering her residence through a back door on repeated occasions. FEDERAL JUDGE WHO HAD SEX IN CHAMBERS APOLOGIZES TO FORMER CLERK AS IMPEACHMENT PUSH RAMPS UP After reports that the ASAIC was breaking chain-of-command protocol by attending meetings with Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of staff and deputy chief of staff without his Special Agent in Charge’s (SAIC) knowledge, the SAIC recommended he take a leave of absence. However, the SAIC did not escalate beyond this recommendation for fear she herself would be terminated. “ASAIC 1 declined the suggestion to take leave and agreed that the SAIC taking action to limit his travel with Chavez-DeRemer could result in the SAIC’s removal,” the report read. TWO TAMPA POLICE OFFICERS RESIGN AFTER INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS THEY SLEPT WITH A 911 DISPATCHER ON DUTY When the SAIC told ASAIC in a text message that she would reassign him to another team he replied, “lol. Don’t do that.” The ASAIC was put on paid administrative leave in January and then on unpaid investigative leave in February. He resigned in March, according to the report. Fox News Digital contacted the Department of Labor, the department’s OIG and the White House for additional comment.
Top DHS lawyer turns tables on 128 ex-judges after Bar declines ‘Worst of the Worst’ complaint
EXCLUSIVE: DHS General Counsel James Percival is turning a complaint from 128 former judges back on its signers, calling on the Florida Bar to scrutinize those among them who are Bar members after it declined to investigate him. The Bar said it does not investigate or prosecute sitting officers appointed under the U.S. Constitution while they are in office, a position Percival argued the complainants should have known before challenging his “Worst of the Worst Judges” series. Percival accused the Florida Bar members who joined the complaint of potentially abusing the disciplinary process for political purposes, arguing their filing was frivolous and dubbing the tactic “Bar-fare.” “The 128 former judges are sort of an example of a tactic the left has used for a long time,” Percival told Fox News Digital, comparing their appeal to professional authority to the 2020 controversy involving 51 former intelligence officials and Hunter Biden’s laptop. DHS EVISCERATES MEDIA FOR ‘ABSOLUTE ABSURDITY’ OVER CONCERN ABOUT ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ACTIVIST JUDGES LIST Percival pointed to the Florida Bar’s previous handling of a complaint involving former Attorney General Pam Bondi, arguing that they already signaled refusal to probe sitting presidential appointees. “[W]hat these 128 former judges did was frivolous, and they were on notice that it was frivolous because the Florida Bar is very clear about this. So, it’s ‘Bar-fare’,” he said, playing on the term “lawfare.” LIBERAL LAW PROFESSOR BREAKS WITH OBAMA JUDGE OVER TRUMP LAWYER CRACKDOWN: ‘I REFUSE TO TEACH’ IT Percival said the same tactic has been used elsewhere, including the Hunter Biden laptop controversy and the way dissent over COVID-era restrictions was met with echoes of “trust the experts.” “The left has just like often hid behind this veneer, this prestige [of expertise] and they’ve gotten people who carry weight to carry their water for them. And I really think the emperor has no clothes on this, but we have to call it out and expose it.” When the political left does not want to publicly debate the merits of their assertion, they get figures who appear authoritative to shut down dissent, he said. The comments came after rule-of-law groups Democracy Defenders Fund, Lawyers Defending American Democracy and 128 former federal and state judges filed a 24-page complaint accusing Percival of violating Florida’s rules governing statements about judges. The complaint alleged that Percival, a licensed Florida attorney, violated ethics rules through “public attacks on sitting judges.” “His statements mischaracterized the judges’ rulings and assailed their character and integrity. The ethics rules exist for a reason: Baseless attacks on judges by lawyers and public officials can undermine confidence in the courts and heighten the risk of physical threats against judges,” Democracy Defenders Fund said in a statement after the Bar declined to investigate the complaint. Former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Peggy Quince, an appointee of Democratic ex-Gov. Lawton Chiles, led the judges’ consortium. The complaint focuses on four judges featured in Percival’s “Worst of the Worst” posts, whom he accused of actions including “open defiance of the Supreme Court,” “judicial sabotage” and “judicial micromanagement.” SUPREME COURT WEIGHS TRUMP EFFORT TO TERMINATE TEMPORARY PROTECTIONS FOR HAITIAN, SYRIAN MIGRANTS The cases involved disputes over Temporary Protected Status, the government’s handling of Kilmar Ábrego García and DHS use-of-force policies. The complaint also referenced an article written by Percival condemning former President Joe Biden and a Rhode Island judge he appointed after an illegal immigrant whom DHS said had an international warrant for homicide was ordered released. Percival said the activist judges themselves are the ones who are being a “disservice to the judiciary.” He argued that judges know their district court rulings can delay executive action when they cannot be immediately appealed. As for the complainants, Percival said those who are themselves members of the Florida Bar should face scrutiny over whether they abused the complaint process for political purposes. The Bar provided Fox News Digital a copy of its response sent to the Framingham, Massachusetts, address listed for the collective complainants. Bar Counsel Christopher Wackes wrote his group does not investigate or prosecute “sitting officers appointed under the U.S. Constitution while they are in office.” Wackes said any action could “encroach on the authority of the federal government.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER He quipped situations like the bar complaint show he is over the proverbial target: “[I]f people are this upset about what I’m doing, it must be having an effect that they don’t like, which really just encourages me to keep going,” he said, pressing conservatives to fight for their causes despite the knowledge the left will “try to ruin your life.” Fox News Digital’s Kiera McDonald contributed to this report.
Ted Cruz names ‘most powerful Democrat’ as he warns socialist rise has paralyzed bipartisanship
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, believes that fear of a rising wave of progressives is paralyzing possible bipartisan work on permitting reform that would otherwise create fertile ground for collaboration. “That dynamic is dangerous right now because they are terrified of the extreme left. Finding a middle ground on ideological issues right now is … the prospects for success, particularly between now and election day, are not high,” Cruz said at an energy summit hosted by Club for Growth and Arnold Ventures on Thursday. “Schumer is truly terrified right now,” he added, referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Cruz’s political assessment underscores what progressive momentum in the 2026 midterms means for more establishment figures in the Democratic Party — and especially the ones already in Congress — and the policy areas that legislators may still want to address before the November midterm elections. CRUZ SAYS MAMDANI, AOC, PLATNER SHOW DEMOCRATS’ LEFTWARD SHIFT: ‘THAT’S WHERE THE ENERGY IS’ “They’re in the middle of a revolution,” Cruz said. “Their problem is that they’re very driven by their interest groups. They’re captured by their activists.” His remarks came as he delivered an address at an energy affordability summit hosted by the Club for Growth, a free-market group that advocates for limited government. In particular, the event centered on permitting reform, an area where Democrats and Republicans have found some overlap. Although differences remain about just how far to scale back regulations or how far to push legislative changes, lawmakers at the event stressed that bipartisan work on cutting back red tape could meaningfully expand American access to energy projects domestically. Energy Secretary Chris Wright noted how regulatory bodies had prevented the expansion of nuclear energy — a source of power that is uniting Republicans and Democrats as a new frontier in a space apart from fossil fuels. “We have built three new nuclear reactors in like the last 40 years. It went quickly from: we didn’t even know about the technology, to 20% of U.S. electric generation from nuclear reactors,” Wright said. 100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY “We created the Nuclear Regulatory Commission… in the name of safety, no malintent. But since that creation, we’ve built almost no reactors in the United States since. If it’s so uncertain and so long to permit something, it’s just not worth investing in. That’s awful! Nuclear is just an awesome energy technology.” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio., stressed that many of the discussions around reform have come down to a matter of practical details. “There’s a lot of conversations going on not about who’s going to fight with whom or who is going to take credit for it, but rather what is the mechanics of getting it done,” Moreno said at the Club for Growth event. “When it comes to permitting reform, if we can actually pull this off, Scott, what does it mean? It means lower energy prices for all Americans, us taking better care of our environment, being good stewards for the next generation. Those are worthy goals that should unite all of us, and I’m hopeful that we can get that done,” Moreno said, speaking to conservative political commentator Scott Jennings, a moderator at the event. Despite a sense of optimism among several speakers — and even from Cruz himself — Cruz warned listeners that progressives already have a very real presence inside the Capitol that casts a shadow on permitting reform and other areas. “It is not the case that every Senate Democrat is a Marxist or Islamist. What is the case is that every Senate Democrat is terrified of the Marxists and Islamists. Because that’s where the energy is in their party, that’s where the power is, that’s where the money is; it’s where the young people are. I think Mamdani is the single most powerful Democrat in the country,” Cruz said, referring to the socialist mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani. Since Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, came to power earlier this year, a series of progressive candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have won key primary races and even toppled veteran incumbents. A few notable races include New York’s socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier and her victory over incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., the veteran chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Along those lines, Melat Kiros, another socialist in Colorado, unseated 30-year incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo. SCHUMER DODGES QUESTION ON WHETHER DSA BELONGS IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY With pressures like that, Cruz argued that it’s difficult to find legislators who are willing to separate themselves from progressives. He believes there isn’t leadership to push back against that progressive momentum. “Look, Schumer is known for a lot of things but acts of principle and courage are not among them,” Cruz said.