MAGA voters reveal who they want to see lead GOP in 2028
With Democrats taking control of Congress in the midterm elections, MAGA voters are already sizing up potential successors to President Donald Trump in 2028 — with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeatedly emerging as favorites among those interviewed by Fox News Digital. “I like [Rubio],” one American told Fox News Digital. “I like that he’s no-nonsense, similar to Trump.” “Well, I like JD Vance obviously,” another said. “I like Marco Rubio. There’s some other ones, too, that are maybe not so much mainstream that are coming up that I like too.” TRUMP TOLD DONORS ‘WE NEED TO ELECT JD,’ SOURCE CONFIRMS, AS HE WEIGHS VANCE OR RUBIO IN 2028 “JD is great too, but Rubio has a little more experience,” one said. “He’s articulate, he’s well-spoken. He’s got good ideas. I just really like him.” Fox News Digital spoke with Americans attending a Trump rally in Bangor, Maine, as one of Trump’s final stops before Tuesday’s midterms that ended in a stunning blue wave. Fueled by anger over high costs and the war with Iran, Americans voted to oust Trump and his agenda, boosting Democrats to large majorities in the House and Senate. With Democrats looking to rebuke Trump and his allies, Republicans that Fox News Digital spoke with are looking for a presidential candidate to fill in Trump’s “footsteps.” “I’m really open to see who can fill Trump’s footsteps, not just the next person in line,” one told Fox News Digital. FOX NEWS/NORC STUDY: VOTERS LOOK TO 2028 FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY “I wish Trump could run again,” another said. Another brought up the prospect of another presidential run by Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., who has tried to distance himself from the results of Tuesday’s midterms. In a news conference Wednesday, he praised Florida for keeping the state under GOP control — suggesting his governance was a reason Florida Republicans held on. “I would like to see either JD and Marco, or JD and Gov. DeSantis,” one said at the Trump rally. “That’s what I would feel comfortable with. “ Beyond Vance, Rubio and DeSantis, other prominent Republicans whose names have surfaced in early 2028 discussions include Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Josh Hawley, R-Mo. CRUZ-VANCE RIVALRY HEATS UP AS TEXAS SENATOR SUGGESTS VP IS ‘FEELING INSECURE’ No major Republican contender has formally announced a 2028 presidential campaign, though the conclusion of the midterms has brought the party’s next presidential nomination into sharper focus. Despite some that Fox News Digital spoke with expressing a preference for Rubio over Vance, other Trump supporters stopped short of choosing between the two, praising both as potential successors to the president. “I like JD Vance, and I like Marco Rubio,” one said. “I think those are two very outstanding candidates that will continue to make America great again.”
From ‘Red Sprouts’ to school board races, DSA’s years-long effort to reach children gains momentum
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is taking its message into classrooms, child-care programs and school boards, urging organizers to approach child care “from a socialist perspective” through initiatives such as Socialist Sprouts, and its been an initiative for years, a parental-rights watchdog warns. In New York City, the DSA’s “Red Sprouts” program held a training session in October 2026 to equip organizers to provide “resistance-driven childcare” at demonstrations, meetings and community events. The training encouraged participants to incorporate political themes into childcare through “radical storytelling”, “cooperative games” and age-appropriate discussions. “There’s been a real influx in enthusiasm and their ability and desire to recruit and grow their movement,” American Parents Coalition leader Alleigh Marré told Fox News Digital. “What’s particularly concerning and insidious, is their direct efforts to apply that to not just adults, but to youth.” Marré said the American Parents Coalition is working to equip parents with resources to identify and question political activism in schools, including through its “Lookout” initiative. PARENTS SHOULDN’T NEED THE HELP OF CONGRESS TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN’S SCHOOL CURRICULUM The New York City DSA chapter also established Comrades With Kids, a family-focused organizing group that seeks to be a “political and social home base for working-class families.” The group posted photos of DSA-themed coloring pages for children provided at a Zohran for Parents event in September 2025. The New York initiatives are part of a larger effort by the DSA to incorporate childcare and political education into its organizing activities. For years, the DSA’s National Political Education Committee has offered training on approaching childcare for activists “from a socialist perspective”, including activities for children at organizing events. In 2025, the committee outlined plans to develop a “Socialist Sprouts” curriculum geared for children, parents and caregivers involved in the movement. The organization’s efforts to introduce socialist ideas to children date back at least a decade. In 2016, New York City DSA members launched a Socialist Sunday School for children ages 2 to 6. The program used political songs such as “Union Maid” and “Solidarity Forever,” alongside children’s books, including “The Lorax,” to introduce discussions about corporate greed, environmentalism and organizing against unfairness. In Ohio, the Cleveland DSA chapter created a children’s coloring book to “help kids learn what we work on at DSA.” Its illustrations include a version of “The Three Little Pigs” tied to the chapter’s housing agenda. POLITICAL ACTIVISM, ANTISEMITISM ALLEGATIONS PUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE The DSA’s online store has also sold children’s clothing promoting a “Green New Deal for Public Schools.” The DSA describes much of its childcare programming as a way to make political organizing more accessible to working-class families. Marré, however, argued that introducing socialist ideas to young children raises concerns about political indoctrination. “The DSA really understands and values that if you can indoctrinate and teach these kids really young, their perceived value of, of socialism, that that’s going to stick with kids for a lifetime,” Marre said. “It’s much easier to teach a child an idea or ideal in their infancy, and when they’re very young and they’re forming their worldview, and we have seen many efforts to try and capitalize on that.” “There’s this really concerted effort to instill an ideology in really, really young children, rather than teaching kids how to think and introducing a breadth of ideologies of religious interests, etc.,” Marré said. “It’s really focused on socialist and communist aligned ideas.” Beyond its childcare programs, the DSA has also pursued a strategy to expand its influence over public education through local school board elections. At its 2023 national convention, the DSA adopted an amendment prioritizing the recruitment and support of socialist school board candidates. Rose DuBois, one of the amendment’s authors, argued that school board elections could help the organization reach “new kinds of voters, such as parents,” while building the infrastructure needed to win higher-profile races. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST WINS NYC HOUSE SEAT AS DSA EXPANDS ITS REACH IN CONGRESS The Los Angeles chapter of the DSA established its own Public Education Committee, with priorities that include expanding the organization’s influence on school boards, recruiting school board candidates, working with teachers unions and promoting policies such as the Green New Deal. Those longstanding efforts come as the DSA gains political ground following the 2026 midterm elections, with DSA-backed candidates winning congressional, state legislative and local school board races. DSA-backed positions prevailed on 23 ballot measures, including a measure in Washington where voters rejected a proposal to restore expanded parental rights in public schools. The election results highlight the growing political reach of an organization whose members advocate shifting economic power away from private corporations and expanding government-funded programs, including universal healthcare and childcare. The 2025 victory of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a card-carrying member of the DSA, heightened awareness of the movement’s growing influence, particularly among young people. Following the 2026 midterms, three card-carrying DSA members — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Reps.-elect Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, both New York Democrats — are set to represent parts of New York City in Congress. Marré said the American Parents Coalition is working to equip parents with resources to identify and question political activism in schools, including through its “Lookout” initiative. She warned that the impact could become more visible as newly elected DSA-backed officials take office. “We’re gonna see a lot more of the firsthand resources and the effects of this brand new class of DSA members being folded into their communities,” Marré said.
Inside a rancher family’s clash with gov’t that could have ripple effect right to SCOTUS: ‘Existential threat’
The owners of a multigenerational cattle ranch say they are facing an “existential threat” after the Washington State Department of Ecology fined them hundreds of thousands of dollars over their stockwater ponds, and they are warning the case could have substantial implications nationwide. The department fined Wade and Teresa King, owners of King Ranch in Grant and Douglas counties, $267,540 in 2023 for allegedly damaging regulated wetlands by digging ponds to provide water for their ranching operations. The Kings argue the areas, which they were ordered to restore, are longstanding stockwater ponds for their livestock, not regulated wetlands. The Kings, who have been trying to get their case in front of a jury, told Fox News Digital that, not only is their financial stability at stake, so are the rights of other ranchers. “Losing this fight would be an existential threat,” Wade said. “I don’t know how we would recover from that, to be honest with you.” HOW A LOBSTERMAN’S PRIVACY FIGHT REACHED SCOTUS — AND COULD RIPPLE FAR BEYOND THE WATER: ‘AIN’T OVER YET’ When the Kings were first hit with the fines and restoration orders, they immediately set out to challenge them. However, the department’s required process directed them to bring their case before the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB), an administrative panel that does not provide jury trials. In March, the Kings filed a separate lawsuit in Grant County Superior Court, arguing the case should not be decided by the PCHB and that doing so would violate their right to a jury trial. Months later, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling the Kings first had to complete the administrative process. The Kings appealed the decision, and a Washington Court of Appeals commissioner paused the PCHB proceedings in September while the court considers whether they are entitled to a jury trial. “It’s all under the executive branch, and they very rarely go with the property owner,” Wade said, adding that Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, who was attorney general when the fight began, now has appointment authority over the board alongside the state Senate. “They almost always side with the agencies and it’s just not a fair trial for appellants like us.” The PCHB declined to comment due to the pending case. Oliver Dunford, a senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation representing the Kings, told Fox News Digital they are prepared to petition the U.S. Supreme Court if they are unsuccessful in Washington. HOW A SIX PACK OF BEER AND THE MAGNA CARTA COULD FINALLY FIX A PROBLEM PLAGUING AMERICANS FOR DECADES “We have to ask them one question: to rule that the Seventh Amendment does apply against the states, and then to argue that the Kings should have had a jury trial under the Seventh Amendment,” Dunford said. He said if the case reaches the Supreme Court, a ruling could have ripple effects across other states. “If we prevail, it would have an enormous effect, certainly across the state of Washington, but hopefully across the country, and prevent these agencies from just issuing these fines and then essentially putting the burden on you to prove your innocence and take the case all the way to the Supreme Court just to get a chance at a jury trial,” he said. The Kings’ attorneys estimate the cost of complying with the department’s orders could exceed $3.7 million. But beyond the financial toll, Teresa said the orders would be “unachievable” because the areas were never wetlands in the first place. BLUE STATE’S WATER FAILURES COULD THREATEN FOOD SUPPLIES ACROSS US, LAWMAKER WARNS “How do we as ranchers turn these into wetlands and comply with everything that Ecology wants us to?” she said. “It’ll be unachievable and it would just spin us in the ground financially.” “How are we supposed to make wetlands from non-wetlands?” Wade added. Wade said the department has failed to give them any details on how to fix the alleged damage. He said the wetlands designation gives the department greater authority over the areas than it would if they were considered stockwater ponds. “That’s the big reason why they want to call them wetlands when they’re not wetlands,” Wade said. Wade and Teresa described how the fight could also hurt their children and their children’s children. The Kings have ranched in Grant and Douglas counties since the 1950s, where Teresa said multiple generations now live and work. TRUMP ADMIN SCRAPS ‘WEAPONIZED’ WILDLIFE RULE THAT BECAME ‘BURDEN’ ON AMERICAN FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES: BURGUM “It’s fourth generation, then we have fifth and sixth living and working on this ranch and we want to continue with this,” she said. “We just want to be left alone.” The department said its investigation found no evidence the areas were previously stockwater ponds and accused the Kings of “damaging 23 naturally occurring wetlands” in Grant County. “Ecology inspectors made site visits to these damaged areas where possible, but also used satellite imagery, aerial images dating from as far back as 1949, and other records to determine that the Kings had damaged 6.37 acres of naturally occurring wetlands by excavating, recontouring, and putting fill in them,” the department said. The department added it “repeatedly sought to resolve concerns about the damage” but the Kings “refused to cooperate with these efforts.” They said they ordered the Kings to restore 11 more areas in Douglas County last year, bringing the total to 34, and most were on state land. Wade said they have always protected and cared for the land that the department is now accusing them of damaging. “We want clean water,” Wade said. “Why would we pollute or cause damage to the land or the water that we rely on in our livelihood? We’re generational. Why would we do something to harm ourselves that way and harm the environment?” The Kings said the fight is far from over, with Teresa arguing the case could jeopardize exemptions other ranchers rely on to provide water for livestock. “It’s not just us,” Teresa said. “We are defending
New Jersey town reveals staggering $26M theft days after election, sparking backlash
A New Jersey township is facing backlash after officials revealed that $26 million was stolen in a fraudulent wire transfer, with residents questioning why the massive theft wasn’t disclosed until more than five weeks later — just days after Election Day. Cranbury Township Mayor Lisa Knierim announced Friday that the municipality had been the victim of a “sophisticated financial theft” involving approximately $26 million. Knierim, a Democrat, said the fraudulent wire transfer took place on Sept. 28, with the funds originally designated for purchasing property to meet the township’s affordable housing obligations. A task force involving local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies, led by the township’s police department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, is working to recover the funds, according to the mayor’s statement. CYBERCRIME LOSSES NEAR $21B: 5 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR MONEY So far, investigators have frozen nearly $17.3 million in assets, leaving approximately $8.7 million outside the reported freeze. The township said the investigation remains active, adding that additional details cannot be released. Knierim’s announcement came Nov. 6, three days after the midterm elections and more than five weeks after the theft. Several residents responded to the announcement on the township’s Facebook page, questioning the timing of the disclosure and demanding greater transparency from local officials. NEW JERSEY MAYOR WHO CHARGED AT RESIDENT DURING COUNCIL MEETING CONCEDES ELECTION LOSS “I’m interested in knowing why this information was kept under wraps until after Election Day,” one commenter wrote. Another asked, “If this occurred on September 28th why is it just now being shared?” The announcement followed Tuesday’s local election, in which Democrat Thomas Szczur Jr. defeated Republican Carol Haring with 63.69% of the vote to Haring’s 36.32%, according to election results published by the New Jersey secretary of state’s office. Szczur’s victory preserved Democrats’ control of all five seats on the Cranbury Township Committee. The mayor acknowledged residents’ concerns in her statement. “We recognize that news of this magnitude will understandably raise questions and concerns among our residents,” Knierim wrote. “Those concerns are legitimate, and we take them seriously.” NEW BANK SCAM LAWS COULD STOP SUSPICIOUS PAYMENTS Knierim also said the township was taking steps to strengthen financial oversight and maintain municipal operations, noting that the Township Committee plans to introduce ordinances Monday to establish two new positions: assistant township administrator and assistant chief financial officer. The committee also plans to consider hiring a municipal accounting firm for additional financial consulting support, while officials work with insurance carriers to explore potential recovery options. It remains unclear why the township waited more than five weeks to publicly disclose the theft. Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor’s office for additional comment.
Melania Trump secures $7.2M for foster care scholarships at LSU ahead of Alabama showdown
BATON ROUGE, La. — First lady Melania Trump announced a $7.2 million scholarship endowment at Louisiana State University (LSU) on Saturday, delivering a message of hope to young Americans who have experienced foster care before receiving a special football tribute ahead of the Tigers’ rivalry showdown against Alabama. Trump wore a Dalma suede bomber jacket by Nour Hammour, paired with an Adam Lippes skirt and Manolo Blahnik BB pumps for the occasion, blending her signature polished style with a more relaxed look suited to a college football weekend. The first lady’s visit unfolded against a distinctly LSU backdrop, with purple-and-gold tailgating crowds lining the motorcade route and a massive American flag hanging above the stage inside Patrick F. Taylor Hall. LSU cheerleaders flanked Trump during her remarks, and the Tiger mascot presented her with both scholarship checks while wearing a signature “Be Best” T-shirt. MELANIA TRUMP CHALLENGES CONGRESS TO MAKE HER FOSTER CARE EXECUTIVE ORDER PERMANENT LAW: ‘THEIR BIRTHRIGHT’ There, university officials, donors and students gathered for an announcement supporting young Americans who have experienced foster care through Trump’s “Fostering the Future” initiative. “This achievement will give young people from foster care an anchor of stability, a strong educational foundation, and a chance to build a wonderful life,” Trump told attendees. The permanent endowment includes a $5 million commitment from MMR Group, led by LSU alumnus James B. “Pepper” Rutland, and an additional $2.2 million raised from 75 LSU Foundation donors. LSU Foundation President and CEO Krista Raney said the contributions had brought the scholarship fund to “more than $7.2 million and growing.” LSU President Wade Rousse said the $5 million leadership gift is expected to generate approximately $200,000 annually, helping students cover tuition, fees, books and room and board. ED ORGERON-LANE KIFFIN PAIRING ALREADY PAYING DIVIDENDS FOR LSU TIGERS DURING PIVOTAL RECRUITING WEEKEND “At LSU, we believe talent is everywhere, but we understand that opportunity is not,” Rousse said. The university also embraced the occasion with several football-themed gifts for the first lady. Trump received a custom purple-and-gold LSU jersey bearing the name “MELANIA” and the number 14, along with a Tigers helmet featuring her BE BEST Fostering the Future logo. Former LSU coach Ed Orgeron, known to fans as Coach O, joined the presentation with a specially designed commemorative football created by Big Game USA, a company owned by LSU alumnus Chris Calandra. The initiative extended beyond the ceremony, with special patches on LSU players’ jerseys, helmet decals, cheerleader uniforms, mascot attire and commemorative fan towels, according to the White House. COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S FIRST FULL SATURDAY IS HERE AND IT’S A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA AT ITS BEST The celebration continued at Tiger Stadium, where the first lady’s Fostering the Future initiative received a special on-field recognition during LSU’s highly anticipated matchup against Alabama. Students joined LSU’s Mike the Tiger mascot and others on the field for a ceremonial check presentation highlighting the $7.2 million scholarship endowment. Trump also appeared on the stadium’s massive Jumbotron as fans cheered and chants of “USA” echoed through the stadium. The game-day atmosphere included a military flyover above Tiger Stadium, adding to the spectacle as thousands of fans gathered for the SEC rivalry. The first lady’s visit extended beyond the scholarship announcement, with LSU incorporating Fostering the Future branding into players’ jerseys, helmets and other game-day elements. A special Melania Trump challenge coin was also designated for the game’s opening coin toss, according to the White House. The legendary LSU-Alabama rivalry even found its way into the scholarship announcement. After Trump revealed that LSU has 14 Fostering the Future scholars compared with Alabama’s nine, Raney offered a lighthearted observation. “Mrs. Trump, what I heard you say is that LSU has 14 scholarship recipients and Alabama has nine,” Raney said. “So I think that means we’ve already won the first point.” Trump told attendees that 26 universities nationwide are supporting 100 Fostering the Future scholars this semester. “While most eyes will be on the athletes today, I encourage you to recognize LSU’s Fostering the Future scholars, who are just as remarkable,” she said. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Louisiana first lady Sharon Landry and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., were among those in attendance. Trump also received a handcrafted wooden bowl made from a fallen limb of one of LSU’s historic oak trees, a gift symbolizing the lasting impact of the scholarship initiative. Fostering the Future, launched in 2021 as part of Trump’s BE BEST initiative, seeks to expand educational opportunities for young people who have experienced foster care. “A great education does more than prepare someone for work life,” Trump said. “It gives something no one can ever take away.” She closed with an encouraging message to scholarship recipients. “To the Fostering the Future scholars here today, and throughout America: I see you. I believe in you. And I will keep working to create new opportunities with you,” she said.
Trump orders DOJ probe into Democrats over alleged threats against administration officials
President Donald Trump said he has ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to open an investigation into instances of Democratic lawmakers “threatening” to impeach Attorney General Todd Blanche, among others. The announcement, which was made via a Truth Social post Saturday afternoon, came after the Democrats regained control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, winning strong majorities in both chambers of Congress. “The Democrats are going around threatening a lot of people, including the Attorney General of the United States, and others, with Impeachment and many other forms of punishment, even though they admit they have no reason to do so,” Trump wrote. Since Election Day, two House Democrats — Reps. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., and Deborah Ross, D-N.C. — have publicly said they would support impeaching Blanche. HOUSE GOP ERUPTS AT STEPHEN MILLER AS TRUMP ELEVATES HIM AFTER MIDTERM MASSACRE: ‘MEGALOMANIAC’ “I personally believe that the offenses of Todd Blanche demand that he be impeached and convicted and removed from office,” Johnson said Thursday in an interview on SiriusXM’s “The Dan Abrams Show.” Ross went on host Dan Abrams’ radio show shortly after Johnson and said she supported impeaching Blanche as well, but she said Democrats “should start with Hegseth.” In his post, Trump denied that any “impeachable acts” had been committed by Blanche or any other administration officials. He didn’t mention Johnson or Ross by name, nor did he mention the fact that Thomas Massie, R-Ky., will likely reintroduce impeachment articles against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday. Trump named only one Democratic politician, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, in his post. He accused her of saying she would “go after all young people that believe in Republican Values.” TRUMP CALLS OUT SENATE REPUBLICANS AFTER MIDTERM LOSSES Trump appears to have been referring to comments Slotkin made on Oct. 13 at the University of Chicago about wanting to pursue “signature cases” against people who “enabled” Trump. “I want young people coming out of school to say, ‘Should I go work for the Trump administration? Like, that sounds fun, I might get an opportunity.’ I want them to be like, ‘Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don’t want, and so let me avoid participating in that,’” Slotkin said. “I want that deterrence message sent.” Trump also said Democrats have been threatening Republican donors “with imprisonment” because of their views. The president did not identify the donors that have allegedly been threatened. Democrats have, however, signaled they plan to investigate some major Republican donors and corporations when they assume control of Congress, Reuters reported this week. This could include donors to the White House ballroom. Trump concluded his post by saying “these EXTORTIONISTS” should be imprisoned, adding that he wanted the DOJ to investigate the alleged actions as a “criminal act.”
Biden-appointed judge probes whether ICE skirted judge’s release orders in Colorado cases
A Biden-appointed federal judge ordered ICE’s Denver field office director to appear in court Monday amid concerns that immigration authorities violated judicial release orders by immediately rearresting detainees, including at least one instance outside a detention center. Nathan Rasper has been summoned as part of an inquiry involving 14 people who were arrested after being released from immigration detention. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintains that ICE complied with lawful court orders and that a judicial release order does not permanently shield individuals from immigration enforcement. “When an illegal alien is ordered released by a judge, that does not immunize the alien from immigration enforcement for all time,” DHS said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “ICE may seek to rearrest the alien in a way that complies with the judicial decision. To suggest that ICE cannot do this is nothing short of sabotage.” OBAMA, BIDEN JUDGES DRAW FRESH FIRE AS TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION COURT CLASHES HEAT UP: ‘ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE’ The Nov. 5 order issued by U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney followed an earlier ruling requiring the government to identify every case in Colorado since Oct. 27 in which ICE detained someone within 12 hours of a court-ordered release. Federal officials subsequently identified 14 petitioners who had been arrested again after being released, but the filing did not provide the precise timing of when the rearrests occurred. She directed officials to provide the exact dates and times of those releases and rearrests and identify any additional individuals immediately detained following court-ordered releases. The additional reporting requirements followed a Nov. 4 hearing at which Sweeney questioned whether ICE was circumventing judicial orders by briefly releasing detainees before immediately taking them back into custody. At that hearing, she ordered Rasper to appear at a follow-up hearing Monday to address the agency’s practices. The inquiry stems in part from the case of Ramon Quintero Alvarez, who was released from immigration detention Oct. 27 before ICE immediately took him back into custody, according to a government court filing. In a Nov. 3 court filing, federal government attorneys said they would not submit a legal brief defending the lawfulness of Alvarez’s continued detention. The filing prompted Sweeney to convene the Nov. 4 hearing at which Assistant U.S. attorneys Andrew Soler and Kevin Traskos appeared alongside ICE Assistant Field Office Director Nichole Black, who testified under oath about the circumstances surrounding Alvarez’s rearrest. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM HOLDING MIGRANTS WITHOUT BOND FOR OVER 90 DAYS At a Nov. 4 hearing, Sweeney ordered Alvarez released and barred immigration authorities from detaining him again unless the government demonstrated, by clear and convincing evidence at a bond hearing, that he posed a flight risk or danger to the community. The government must submit the additional information requested by Sweeney by 8 a.m. Monday, ahead of Rasper’s scheduled court appearance later that morning. The proceedings could shed light on ICE’s compliance with judicial release orders, but Sweeney has not indicated whether she intends to pursue contempt proceedings. The dispute comes as ICE faces similar legal challenges across Colorado, where other Biden-appointed federal judges, including U.S. District Judges Nina Wang and S. Kato Crews, have presided over cases involving disputes over immigration detention and court-ordered releases. Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado for comment.
Newsom’s death-row commutations spark DA revolt as prosecutors warn of legal fight
At least a dozen California district attorneys are publicly condemning Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to commute all 548 death sentences in the state, arguing the sweeping move overrides juries, disregards victims’ families and defies the will of state voters. Newsom announced the plan Thursday, saying state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values. The move would convert the sentences to life without parole, though 382 cases still require approval from at least four California Supreme Court justices, according to the Associated Press. In response, prosecuting attorneys across California have raised concerns about victims’ rights, the governor’s constitutional authority and the role of the California Supreme Court in reviewing hundreds of the commutations. “Justice requires case-by-case consideration, not one-size-fits-all decisions,” Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho said in response to Newsom’s action. THREE STATES CARRY OUT EXECUTIONS ON SAME DAY AMID RENEWED DEATH PENALTY DEBATE Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer described the move as “mercy for the wolves” that inflicts “the ultimate act of cruelty on the sheep.” Spitzer noted that regulations implemented by California’s Board of Parole Hearings on Oct. 1 allow thousands of prisoners serving life without parole to become eligible for parole, arguing that Newsom’s latest death row commutations could put these inmates “one step closer” to release. Newsom’s office says, however, that the affected prisoners will remain in prison and are not eligible for release. “The Governor is attempting to appear courageous with this decision. He is not courageous. His commutations are solely based upon power and political aspirations,” added San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, who accused Newsom of caring more about politics than people. “Courage would require speaking with crime victims and the surviving family members of the people murdered by these death row inmates.” CALIFORNIA SUED OVER POLICY THAT COULD FREE SERIAL KILLERS AS LACI PETERSON’S FRIEND SOUNDS ALARM Anderson cited the case of Kevin Cooper, a California death-row inmate convicted of killing Josh Ryen’s parents and sister, along with Ryen’s friend, Chris Hughes, and leaving Ryen for dead. Anderson said Newsom had not contacted Ryen or Hughes’ mother, Mary Ann Hughes, to ask their views on a possible commutation — and that Ryen has never received a call from the governor. “Courage would require the Governor to follow Marsy’s Law, California’s constitutional rights belonging to victims of crime,” Anderson continued. “He has not. I am not aware of any victims’ family members receiving notice of these commutations from the Governor.” Meanwhile, Anderson and several other California prosecutors who spoke out against Newsom’s death row commutations also framed the dispute as a challenge to the jury system and an override of the will of California voters. They said jurors in each case heard the evidence, weighed all the necessary factors and decided whether death was warranted, with judges and appellate courts later reviewing those verdicts. Newsom’s blanket action, they argue, substitutes one statewide decision for hundreds of individualized judgments. NEW YORK BILLS COULD ABOLISH LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR SERIAL KILLERS AND COP KILLERS, CRITICS WARN “A single order commuting all of them would set aside hundreds of individualized judgments without examining the facts of even one,” San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said. “It invalidates the exhausting, emotionally wrenching work of our citizens who sat on juries, weighed horrific evidence, and delivered lawful verdicts. Most unforgivably, it is a slap in the face to victims and their families,” said San Joaquin District Attorney Ron Freitas. “This decision does not bind wounds; it tears them wide open, all over again.” The prosecutors pointed out that California voters rejected death-penalty repeal initiatives in 2012 and 2016 while approving Proposition 66 in 2016, which changed procedures for challenging death sentences and was promoted by supporters as a way to speed up the process. The district attorneys argued Newsom’s blanket action overrides those ballot-box decisions without repealing the law. “A blanket commutation is a mass erasure of justice. It overrides the will of California voters who have repeatedly defended capital punishment at the ballot box,” Freitas added in his response to Newsom’s action. Some California prosecutors who spoke out against Newsom’s controversial move signaled that the dispute may not end with public statements. San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said her office was “researching any lawful remedies” that would allow victims’ voices to be heard and considered, while Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer was more direct, saying, “This assault on justice will be challenged.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman acknowledged that commuting existing sentences falls within the governor’s constitutional authority, but said, “That power does not extend to eliminating the death penalty. Only the Legislature or the voters can do that.” Newsom’s clemency announcement clarifies that it “does not repeal the death penalty” and is limited to commuting California’s current death sentences. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
Republican state lawmakers reported Omar to the IRS in 2019
EXCLUSIVE: A group of Minnesota Republican state lawmakers asked the IRS in August 2019 to “conduct a detailed reexamination” of tax filings by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., based on a report from a state board suggesting she filed joint tax returns in 2014 and 2015 with a man she was not legally married to, according to a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. The letter was sent after the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board issued a report on June 6, 2019, indicating that Omar had filed joint tax returns in 2014 and 2015 with Ahmed Hirsi, despite being legally married to another man, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, at the time. The joint tax returns came up during the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board’s examination of a $1,500 expense associated with Omar’s campaign committee. The board was investigating whether the expenditure was a legitimate campaign-related expense or whether campaign funds had been used to pay for services that benefited Omar personally. The payment was part of a larger $2,250 reimbursement to the Kjellberg Law Office for legal and other services. ILHAN OMAR ISSUES STUNNING ADMISSION WHEN CONFRONTED WITH BROTHER MARRIAGE RUMORS In response to the board’s questions, Omar’s campaign committee explained that the Kjellberg Law Office had retained the accounting firm Frederick & Rosen to obtain and review financial records as part of the campaign committee’s efforts to respond to allegations surrounding Omar’s marital history. According to the committee’s explanation, Frederick & Rosen prepared releases for Omar and Ahmed Hirsi to sign, so the firm could obtain copies of their filed joint federal income tax returns for 2014 and 2015 from the IRS. The board concluded that the committee had not demonstrated that the $1,500 expense benefited the campaign and required Omar to reimburse the committee. JD VANCE SAYS DOJ LOOKING INTO IF ILHAN OMAR COMMITTED IMMIGRATION FRAUD AMID BROTHER-MARRIAGE ALLEGATIONS Omar married Hirsi in 2002 in their Muslim faith tradition and that they ended their relationship in that tradition in 2008, Newsweek reported. She then legally married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in February 2009, according to public records, as reported by Newsweek. According to divorce documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Omar legally divorced Elmi in December 2017. Carla Kjellberg, a lawyer for Omar and her campaign committee, stated during the board proceedings that Frederick & Rosen’s services provided “some personal benefit to Rep. Omar,” because “there was an issue with her tax returns that needed to be corrected regardless of her status as a candidate,” according to the board’s report. In a letter to then-IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig dated Aug. 6, 2019, the state lawmakers asked the IRS to undertake a review in light of the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board report. “Due to recent developments, I believe probable cause exists for an investigation into Rep. Omar’s tax filings,” read the letter, signed by Minnesota state Reps. Steve Drazkowski, Linda Runbeck, Glenn Gruenhagen, Shane Mekeland, John Poston, Eric Lucero, Duane Quam, Tim Miller, Cal Bahr and Jeremy Munson. Drazkowski told Fox News Digital that the IRS never responded to the request. The IRS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital could not confirm whether the IRS followed through with the lawmakers’ request. Federal tax confidentiality rules generally restrict what the agency can disclose about individual taxpayers. The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board issued its findings on June 6, 2019, following two complaints filed by Drazkowski. Although the board required Omar to repay the $1,500 that her campaign had paid the Kjellberg Law Firm for Frederick & Rosen’s services related to the tax returns, it rejected the allegation that this money was payment for Omar’s personal divorce proceeding, in which Kjellberg also represented her. The board also required Omar to repay campaign funds used for certain travel expenses, including trips to Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. Following the board’s 2019 findings, Omar said she was “glad” the process was complete and welcomed the board’s determination regarding allegations that she had improperly used campaign funds for personal expenses. However, she did not address the portion of the board’s report concerning the joint tax returns she submitted with Hirsi. Omar did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. In a separate letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the Republican state lawmakers, led by Drazkowski, asked Cynthia Bauerly, then-commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Revenue, in August 2019 to review Omar’s joint tax filings. Drazkowski said neither Bauerly nor the Minnesota Department of Revenue responded to the lawmakers’ request. The Minnesota Department of Revenue did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The letter from the lawmakers urging the state and federal tax reporting agencies to investigate Omar’s joint tax filings came two months after Drazkowski urged Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., to refer his concerns about Omar’s tax filings to the House Ethics Committee. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Craig told Drazkowski in a letter that he could submit information himself to the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), which was renamed to the Office of Congressional Conduct in 2021. The congressional ethics process allows members of the public and lawmakers to submit information concerning alleged misconduct, although the independent ethics office and the House Committee on Ethics have separate procedures. In late October, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on Fox News that the federal investigation into Omar regarding potential immigration and marriage fraud had been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) as a “large case” that targets multiple individuals rather than just one person. The DHS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on whether the investigation is looking into the 2014 and 2015 joint tax filings flagged by the state lawmakers in 2019.
California prosecutors slam Newsom’s death row commutations, accuse governor of putting ‘politics over people’
District attorneys and law enforcement unions across California have publicly condemned Gov. Gavin Newsom following his announcement to commute the sentences of 548 death row inmates, a decision one prosecutor called a slap in the face to victims’ families. Newsom’s sweeping order to commute the condemned inmates to life in prison without the possibility of parole has drawn intense criticism alongside praise from anti-death penalty advocates. “I think it’s all about politics, sadly. Politics is over people in this case, and that’s a real sad state of affairs,” San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow told Fox News Digital. ALABAMA GOVERNOR COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE AS DOUBTS EMERGE ABOUT EVIDENCE IN MURDER CONVICTION In an open letter detailing his decision, Newsom said California’s capital punishment system is fundamentally at odds with the state’s principles. “After nearly 30 years in public office, I have come to understand the limits of what government can justly accomplish,” Newsom wrote. “I take this action because I firmly believe that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values, undermines the foundations of our legal system, and diminishes each of us.” POPE LEO DENOUNCES DEATH PENALTY AS ‘INADMISSIBLE’ AHEAD OF PENTAGON’S PLANNED LIVESTREAMED EXECUTION Upon taking office in 2019, Newsom issued an executive moratorium on capital punishment. California has not carried out an execution since 2006. The backlash to the governor’s announcement was immediate. FLORIDA PUTS 77-YEAR-OLD MAN TO DEATH FOR DEPUTY’S MURDER AS STATE CLOSES IN ON EXECUTION RECORD “Justice will not have been served for these victims, dozens of them in San Diego County,” said Lt. Jared Wilson, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association. “Their last memories were of these evil, evil men who took their lives. What Gavin Newsom has done is awful.” Wilson and other law enforcement officials strongly criticized the blanket clemency, citing cases like that of Jesse Michael Gomez, who was sentenced to death for the 2016 murder of San Diego police officer Jonathan “J.D.” De Guzman. “Californians have been asked on two separate ballot initiatives to abolish the death penalty, and both times they have chosen to keep it for the most serious crimes,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. “Until the law is changed, my office will continue to evaluate every death penalty-eligible case with the rigor, care, and restraint these decisions demand.” NEW YORK BILLS COULD ABOLISH LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR SERIAL KILLERS AND COP KILLERS, CRITICS WARN Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer called the commutations “mercy for the wolves … while inflicting the ultimate act of cruelty on the sheep,” saying voters in California have upheld the death penalty in recent years. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who previously ran for governor, noted that 127 inmates on California’s death row were sentenced for crimes committed in his county. “These sentences were not handed down without due process,” he said. “They followed extensive investigations, lengthy trials, evidence presented in court, and decisions made by juries and judges. “Yet, with one sweeping executive decision, the governor has chosen to override those outcomes, disregarding the voices of victims’ families, the work of prosecutors, and the pursuit of justice that took years to achieve.” Among the 548 inmates whose sentences were commuted are two men convicted in San Luis Obispo County: Michael Whisenhunt, 61, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 torture and murder of his girlfriend’s 1-year-old daughter, Kesha Gurke; and Rex Krebs, 60, who was convicted in the brutal slayings of two female college students. CHARLES MANSON CULT FOLLOWER BRUCE DAVIS, CONVICTED IN TWO 1969 KILLINGS, DIES BEHIND BARS AT 83 Dow noted that families of the victims were neither consulted nor notified prior to Newsom’s public announcement. “I was just sickened, frankly, for the crime victims in California who were slapped in the face by our governor,” Dow said. JUDGE BLOCKS ALABAMA’S NITROGEN GAS EXECUTION METHOD, RULES IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONALLY CRUEL Addressing arguments from anti-death penalty groups who contend that capital punishment is inherently flawed and racially biased, Dow defended the current legal framework. “We have a rigorous defense procedure that weeds out cases. I have strong confidence in the integrity of our convictions,” he said.