Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman denies viewing pornography on flight after viral photos surface online
Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman is firing back after photos went viral appearing to show him viewing explicit images on a tablet while aboard a flight, prompting swift online backlash. Images posted to X Friday appeared to show the California congressman, 71, staring at a tablet with his mouth agape while scrolling through photos of women in their underwear. “Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today?” one X post said. JAY JONES MURDER TEXTS LATEST CASE OF DEMOCRATS CIRCLING THE SCANDAL WAGONS The post had amassed 12.4 million views as of Saturday evening. Sherman denied the allegations, and a spokesperson for the congressman told Fox News Digital the pictures appeared because of his algorithm on X, formerly Twitter. “This was nothing more than scrolling through Twitter, and, unfortunately, Elon Musk has ruined the Twitter algorithm to give people content that they don’t ask for or subscribe to,” a spokesperson for Sherman told Fox News Digital in an email. Sherman similarly told Punchbowl News the images appeared on his X feed under the “For You” section of X, a page that shows recommended content. “This was on Twitter. These pictures came up on ‘For You’,” Sherman told Punchbowl News, adding he viewed a variety of posts during his cross-country flight. “If you have to fly across the country, you look at a lot of stuff on your tablet,” he said. FOX NEWS POLITICS NEWSLETTER: MAJOR PENTAGON CONTRACTOR EXECUTIVE CAUGHT IN CHILD SEX STING OPERATION “If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah.” When asked whether he thought the content was appropriate to view on a plane, Sherman told Punchbowl News, “Is it pornography? I don’t think Elon Musk thinks so. Is it appropriate? No.” The images quickly drew widespread reactions across social media. Donald Trump Jr. responded to the viral post with, “Yikes!!!!” EPSTEIN DOCUMENTS RAISE NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP CONDUCT AS HE DENOUNCES DEMOCRATS Firing back at Donald Trump Jr., Sherman posted an edited version of the photo showing his iPad screen replaced with the words, “Release the Epstein files.” Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also weighed in, writing, “I don’t want to hear a single peep from anyone in/around Congress, or the media, [about] how I stroll through an airport ever again.” Mace recently demanded the resignation of Charleston Airport CEO Elliot Summey and threatened legal action after airport officials accused her of mistreating staff. X did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Border czar Tom Homan slams Catholic Church, says a ‘secure border saves lives’
Border czar Tom Homan slammed the Catholic Church on Friday, saying its opposition to mass deportations undermines U.S. law enforcement and costs lives. “The Catholic Church is wrong,” Homan said. “I’m sorry. I’m a lifelong Catholic. I’m saying it not only as a border czar — I’ll say it as a Catholic. They need to spend time fixing the Catholic Church, in my opinion.” Homan made the remarks at the White House when asked about the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which this week condemned President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and warned of “a climate of fear and anxiety” around immigration enforcement, according to Reuters. HOMAN BLASTS CRITICS, HAILS BORDER PATROL CHIEF GREG BOVINO AS ‘PATRIOT’ AFTER FIERY CHICAGO TEAR GAS HEARING The bishops’ statement followed recent comments from Pope Leo, who called for “deep reflection” on how migrants are being treated under Trump, whose administration has aggressively carried out mass deportations, according to Reuters. Homan urged the Church to “fix itself” before criticizing U.S. immigration policy and accused faith leaders of hypocrisy, noting that the Vatican imposes harsh penalties for trespassing on its grounds. “So, according to them, the message we should send to the whole world is that if you cross the border illegally, which is a crime, don’t worry about it,” Homan said. TOM HOMAN CALLS OUT ‘MORNING JOE’ HOST FOR ACCUSING ICE AGENTS OF DISAPPEARING PEOPLE “If you get ordered removed by a federal judge after due process, don’t worry about us, because there should not be mass deportations. Is that the message you send to the whole world?” Homan said the Trump administration’s immigration policy “saves lives” and is more humane than the Biden administration’s approach. He argued that desperate migrants often rely on violent cartels to smuggle them across the border in hazardous conditions, claiming that more than 4,000 migrants died during those journeys, while thousands of Americans died from fentanyl smuggled across the border. “Secure border saves lives. I wish the Catholic Church would understand that,” Homan said. “We have a right to secure our borders, just like they have a right to secure their facility. You can’t enter their facility without getting arrested. The penalties for entering their facility are much worse than ours.” Homan added that the U.S. has “the most secure border in the history of this nation” because of strict enforcement under ICE.
Sen. Fetterman shares graphic photo after heart rhythm scare, says doctors ‘put me back together’
Sen. John Fetterman shared a graphic recovery photo Saturday, two days after a fall near his Pennsylvania home sent him to a Pittsburgh hospital with a facial injury caused by a ventricular fibrillation flare-up. Fetterman, D-Pa., posted the close-up selfie on X Saturday, showing a stitched gash across his cheek as he held an iced coffee. “Twenty stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home,” he wrote, thanking doctors at UPMC for “putting me back together” and supporters for their well-wishes. He posted the image just two days after he was hospitalized early Thursday. FETTERMAN’S BRUTALLY CANDID ACCOUNT OF BATTLING DEPRESSION, FEELING SUICIDAL, BEING THROWN OUT OF HIS HOUSE A spokesperson said the senator was out for a morning walk near his home in Braddock when he suddenly became light-headed, collapsed and struck his face. Doctors later determined the fall was triggered by a flare-up of ventricular fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm that can cause dizziness or sudden loss of balance. Fetterman remained at UPMC for observation and medication adjustments before being discharged and returning home. His office said he is “doing well” and recuperating with his wife, Gisele, and their children. He tried to joke about the incident in a statement Thursday, saying, “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!” FETTERMAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER FALL NEAR HOME IN PENNSYLVANIA The stitched-up selfie quickly spread across social media Saturday, drawing a wave of sympathy, political commentary and fresh attention to Fetterman’s health, something he has addressed openly since suffering a debilitating stroke during his 2022 Senate campaign. Fetterman became one of the most outspoken lawmakers during the ongoing shutdown fight, breaking with most Democrats this week to vote with Republicans to reopen the federal government.
Indiana Senate Republicans reject Trump-backed redistricting push, decline to meet in December
Indiana Senate Republicans are refusing to return for a December redistricting session sought by President Donald Trump, a decision first reported Friday by the Indiana Capital Chronicle and one that marks a notable break from Trump’s political operation as states prepare for the 2026 midterms. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said in a written statement there were not enough votes within the GOP caucus to reopen Indiana’s congressional map, according to the Chronicle. Lawmakers had been expected to reconvene Dec. 1 for what would have been an unusual mid-decade attempt to redraw all nine congressional districts. “Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,” Bray said, according to the Chronicle. “There are not enough votes to move that idea forward.” Gov. Mike Braun had called for lawmakers to meet in November to take up redistricting and argued that Republicans should add additional GOP-leaning districts before Democrats in other states complete their own mapping changes. TRUMP-BACKED MAP VICTORY IN MISSOURI COULD TRIGGER REDISTRICTING BATTLES IN THESE STATES He urged lawmakers to “show up and do the right thing,” according to a statement released by his office. Indiana’s current map, drawn by Republicans in 2021, gives the GOP a 7-2 congressional advantage. Redistricting supporters had wanted lawmakers to craft a map in which all nine districts favored Republicans based on 2020 Census data. The push came after months of pressure from Trump allies, including strategist Marty Obst, who now leads the group Fair Maps Indiana. Obst told the Chronicle that Bray “blocked the special session” and warned that “decisions have consequences.” JUDGE SET TO CHOOSE NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP IN FIGHT THAT COULD RESHAPE HOUSE CONTROL Eight Republican state senators had publicly opposed redistricting, while 13 had expressed support, the Chronicle reported. Undecided senators were targeted with a wave of television, digital and mail advertising campaigns from pro-redistricting groups. Democrats quickly praised Bray’s announcement. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder said in a statement to the Chronicle that “Washington insiders pressured the governor to rig Indiana’s congressional maps,” calling the collapse of the effort a “win for all of us.” Public polling cited by the Chronicle suggested that Indiana voters also leaned against revisiting the maps. University of Indianapolis political science professor Laura Merrifield Wilson told the Chronicle that surveys indicated roughly a 2-to-1 margin opposing a mid-decade redraw. Turning down Trump’s request makes Indiana the first Republican-led state to formally reject his redistricting push. The president has encouraged similar efforts in several states, with varying results. Some of the effort’s loudest supporters signaled they would continue pressing the issue. State Sen. Liz Brown called the move “cowardly” on social media, according to screenshots published by the Chronicle, and vowed to raise redistricting again when lawmakers return for Organization Day next week. The White House, Bray’s office and Braun’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump issues fresh pardons for Jan 6 defendants, including woman accused of threatening FBI on social media
President Donald Trump has granted fresh pardons to two Jan. 6 defendants facing charges on other issues. Suzanne Kaye, a Jan. 6 defendant, was also sentenced to 18 months in prison for allegedly threatening to shoot FBI agents in social media posts. The Biden administration’s Department of Justice stated that on Jan. 31, 2021, the day before Kaye was set to meet with FBI agents regarding a tip that she was at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, she posted videos on social media in which she said she would “shoot” FBI agents if they came to her house. The FBI learned of Kaye’s social media posts on Feb. 8, 2021, and arrested Kaye at her Florida home on Feb. 17, 2021. A White House official told Fox News Digital that Kaye is prone to stress-induced seizures and suffered one while the jury read its verdict in 2023. The official said that the case was one of disfavored political speech, which is protected under the First Amendment. TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS ON INAUGURATION DAY U.S. Special Attorney Ed Martin posted about the pardon on Saturday, thanking Trump in a post on X. “The Biden DOJ targeted Suzanne Kaye for social media posts — and she was sentenced to 18 months in federal lock up. President Trump is unwinding the damage done by Biden’s DOJ weaponization, so the healing can begin,” Martin wrote. Jan. 6 defendant Daniel Wilson remained incarcerated after Trump pardoned convicted rioters, because he had pleaded guilty to firearms charges. A White House official told Fox News Digital that the president made the decision to grant Wilson an additional pardon because the firearms were discovered during a search of Wilson’s home related to the Capitol riot. Despite being included in the sweeping pardon granted to Jan. 6 defendants by Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, Wilson remained incarcerated due to the firearms charge and was set to be released in 2028. Prior to his sentencing on Jan. 6-related charges, for which he received five years in prison, Wilson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of an unregistered firearm. While the Trump administration Justice Department initially said that the firearm charge should not count under the Jan. 6 pardon, it later reversed course, citing “further clarity,” without going into details about what caused the shift. TRUMP ISSUES SWEEPING PARDONS FOR 2020 ELECTION ALLIES — WHAT THE MOVE REALLY MEANS In his original pardon, Trump declared that pursuant to his authority under Article II, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution, he was commuting the sentences of those “convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.” That pardon included Wilson’s Jan. 6 charges, but not the firearms-related ones. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee involved in Wilson’s case, rejected the expanded definition of what exactly Trump was pardoning, saying it stretched the bounds of the order too far. In her opinion, Friedrich criticized the use of the phrase “related to” from Trump’s original pardon to expand its meaning. “The surrounding text of the pardon makes clear that ‘related to’ denotes a specific factual relationship between the conduct underlying a given offense and what took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021,” Friedrich wrote in her opinion. An appeals court later supported her objections, saying that Wilson had to remain behind bars during the appeal process. Wilson previously identified himself as a member of the Oath Keepers and the Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers militia, according to Politico. “Dan Wilson is a good man. After more than 7 months of unjustified imprisonment, he is relieved to be home with his loved ones,” Wilson’s attorneys, George Pallas and Carol Stewart, told Politico in a statement. “This act of mercy not only restores his freedom but also shines a light on the overreach that has divided this nation.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Justice and Wilson’s legal team for comment.
Trump ends shutdown, faces backlash and makes surprise Epstein move amid chaotic week
The 42nd week of his second administration was another busy one for President Donald Trump. This week, Trump signed legislation ending the longest government shutdown in history, backed using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, announced plans to order the Justice Department to evaluate ties between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and other U.S. figures and issued pardons to those accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election. Here’s a look at what happened. On Wednesday evening, Trump signed legislation that the House and Senate passed earlier in the week to fund the government again as consequences of the lapse in funding started to mount, such as missed paychecks for federal workers and airline delays due to air traffic controller staffing shortages. TRUMP CANCELS $4.9B FOREIGN AID, PUSHES DC DEATH PENALTY, TOUTS KIM TIES The bill maintains funding for the government consistent with fiscal year 2025 spending levels through Jan. 30 to provide a window for lawmakers to nail down a longer appropriations measure for fiscal year 2026. The measure also allocates spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which more than 42 million Americans rely on, through September. The program supports non- or low-income individuals or families to purchase groceries with a debit card. Additionally, the measure reverses layoffs the Trump administration set into motion earlier in October and pays employees for their absence. Trump also conducted a sit-down interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that aired Monday and Tuesday, in which he said bringing foreign workers to the U.S. on H-1B visas is important to “bring in talent” to the U.S. After Ingraham claimed that the U.S. has talent at home, Trump disagreed. “No, you don’t. No, you don’t. You don’t have, you don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn,” Trump said. “You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m gonna put you into a factory where we’re gonna make missiles.’” LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN HISTORY NEARS LIKELY END AS HOUSE MOVES ON FUNDING BILL H-1B visas permit U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers for up to six years. It’s an issue that has remained controversial among MAGA supporters. Those who back the program claim it is critical to U.S. competitiveness, but opponents say that the visa holders are taking away jobs from Americans. Trump’s statements earned him criticism from those who make up his base. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., rebuked Trump’s statements afterward and said that she is “America First and America Only.” “I believe in the American people,” Greene said. “I am one of you. I believe you are good, talented, creative, intelligent, hardworking, and want to achieve. I am solidly against you being replaced by foreign labor, like with H1Bs.” TRUMP SIGNS BILL ENDING LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN US HISTORY In response to the criticism, the White House pointed to the Trump administration’s announcement in September that would require a $100,000 annual fee for companies seeking to obtain an H-1B visa. Plus, the White House noted that the Department of Labor launched Project Firewall in September in an attempt to ensure employers don’t abuse the H-1B visa process. Separately, Trump also defended previous statements supporting allowing up to 600,000 Chinese students to come to the U.S. in his interview with Ingraham and asserted they must study in the U.S. so U.S. colleges don’t “go out of business.” Former Trump U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said doing so would be a “massive mistake.” “That would be a huge gift to China and a threat to the United States,” Haley said in a post on X Thursday. Additionally, Trump announced Friday he would order the Justice Department and the FBI to probe financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with others, including former President Bill Clinton and Larry Summers, the former treasury secretary, among others. The announcement came after Democrats and Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released thousands of documents Wednesday related to Epstein, including emails that mention Trump. However, the documents do not allege wrongdoing from Trump and simply show Epstein mentioning him. “This is another Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, with all arrows pointing to the Democrats,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. “Records show that these men, and many others, spent large portions of their life with Epstein, and on his ‘Island.’ Stay tuned!!!” Clinton has denied that he ever visited Epstein’s island and wrote in his 2024 memoir, “Citizen,” that he wished they’d never met. A spokesperson for Summers did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Late Sunday, the Trump administration announced the president had issued pardons for more than 70 people accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election results. But presidential pardons only apply to federal charges, and those involved don’t have any federal charges leveled against them, meaning the move is primarily a symbolic gesture. Those pardoned include Trump allies like Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and the president’s former personal lawyer who claimed that the 2020 election was “stolen” from Trump. Giuliani is caught up in a case in Arizona in which he faces state charges for election interference for those statements. Other prominent figures pardoned include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell.
Trump gives ex-ally Greene new nickname after dropped endorsement, says she betrayed ‘entire Republican Party’
President Donald Trump gave Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a new nickname and accused her of betraying “the entire Republican Party” as a feud between the two escalates. “Lightweight Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Brown (Green grass turns brown when it begins to ROT!), betrayed the entire Republican Party when she turned Left, performed poorly on the pathetic View, and became the RINO that we all know she always was. Just another fake politician, no different than Rand Paul Jr. (Thomas Massie), who got caught being a full-fledged Republican In Name Only (RINO)! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. “Marjorie Taylor Brown” is the second nickname Trump has bestowed upon the congresswoman in the last 24 hours. The initial nickname he gave her was “Wacky Marjorie.” After his initial post on Saturday morning, the president posted again and gave his former ally yet another nickname, calling her “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Greene.” TRUMP DROPS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE ENDORSEMENT, CALLS HER A ‘RANTING LUNATIC,’ HINTS AT BACKING PRIMARY RIVAL “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Green [sic] is a disgrace to our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. On Saturday, Greene posted a message on X thanking those who reached out amid her feud with the president. “I never thought that fighting to release the Epstein files, defending women who were victims of rape, and fighting to expose the web of rich powerful elites would have caused this, but here we are. And it truly speaks for itself,” Greene wrote. “The toxic political industrial complex thrives on ripping us all apart but never delivers anything good for the American people, whom I love,” she added. “I believe in the American people more than I believe in any leader or political party and the American people deserve so much better than how they have been treated by both sides of the aisle.” She then replied with her personal account and added screenshots of her “Liberty Score” — a grading system used by Conservative Review — and that of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., showing that she received an “A” while the senator was given an “F.” She also included a graphic from “AIPAC Tracker” showing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) had not given her any donations. “This and the Epstein files is why I’m being attacked by President Trump. It really makes you wonder what is in those files and who and what country is putting so much pressure on him? I forgive him and I will pray for him to return to his original MAGA promises,” she wrote. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SURPRISES ‘THE VIEW’ CO-HOSTS WITH CIVILITY, PRAISE Trump announced on Friday that he was withdrawing his support and endorsement of Greene, calling her a “ranting lunatic.” He also accused her of “complaining” instead of celebrating what he described as his administration’s “record achievements.” The president, in a lengthy Truth Social post, then vowed “complete and unyielding support” for “the right person” if someone were to challenge Greene in 2026. The president claimed that Greene was complaining to others that he was not returning her calls. He said that “with 219 congressmen/women, 53 U.S. senators, 24 cabinet members, almost 200 countries, and an otherwise normal life to lead, I can’t take a ranting lunatic’s call every day.” After the post on Friday, Greene said that “President Trump just attacked me and lied about me. I haven’t called him at all, but I did send these text messages today. Apparently this is what sent him over the edge. The Epstein files.” In the post on X, Greene included a screenshot of a message she claimed she sent to Trump. The message read, “Check the flight logs of Epstein’s plane. Bill Clinton is on there like 26 times! Hillary too!! For many of us releasing the Epstein files has always been for the women who were victims of Jeffery Epstein, but also because we believed that Democrat bad guys like the Clintons were entangled and involved with him. Epstein was the spider that wove the web of the deep state. Lean into it.” The congresswoman accused Trump of “coming after me hard to make an example and scare all the other Republicans before next weeks [sic] vote to release the Epstein files.” She remarked that it was “astonishing” that Trump was “fighting” to stop the files from being released to the public. THE REVOLT OF MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, NOW DONALD TRUMP’S FIERCEST CRITIC Greene declared where her loyalty will always lie, writing, “I have supported President Trump with too much of my precious time, too much of my own money, and fought harder for him even when almost all other Republicans turned their back and denounced him.” “But I don’t worship or serve Donald Trump. I worship God, Jesus is my Savior, and I serve my district GA14 and the American people,” she wrote. Greene had been a strong supporter of Trump since she entered Congress in 2021. However, she has become a vocal critic of the president, particularly when it comes to U.S.-Israel relations and the Epstein files. On Nov. 4, Greene joined the co-hosts of “The View,” who are famously critical of Trump, and discussed a wide range of topics. When co-host Sunny Hostin remarked that it seemed like Greene had moved to the left — something Trump later echoed — Greene pushed back, insisting that “there’s lies that come in both sides.”
Leading Senate Democrat tells Fox News ‘it’s time … for new leadership,’ as Schumer faces growing pressure
Amid a rising tide of calls from House Democrats and others in the party to remove Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., from his longtime post as Senate Democratic leader, a top Democratic senator says it’s time for “new leadership” in the party. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, speaking one-on-one with Fox News Digital during a stop in New Hampshire, said it’s also a moment for a younger generation of Democratic leaders to “step up the stage.” Booker was interviewed on Friday, four days after seven Senate Democrats and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the party, bucked Senate Democratic leaders and voted with the majority Republicans to end the longest federal government shutdown in history. Plenty of progressives and center-left Democrats have pilloried the deal to end the shutdown, which didn’t include the Democrats’ top priority: an agreement to extend expiring subsidies that make health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act, known as the ACA or Obamacare, more affordable to millions of Americans. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CALLS FOR ‘MORE EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP’ AS SCHUMER FACES MOUNTING PRESSURE And even though he opposed the agreement, Schumer, the top Democrat in the chamber, has faced calls from an increasing number of party members to step down due to his inability to keep Senate Democrats unified. But to date, no Senate Democrat has joined those calls for Schumer to step down. After the final congressional vote to end the shutdown, Booker wrote that “the Democratic Party needs change. It needs a new generation of leaders to stand up to Trump.” SCHUMER FACES FURY FROM THE LEFT OVER DEAL TO END SHUTDOWN Asked if those comments were directed at Schumer, Booker said, “I’m pointing these comments at anybody who will listen to me.” “Chuck Schumer’s generation, Nancy Pelosi’s generation, John Lewis’s generation. They have so much to be proud of. It is time, though, for new leadership. The other generations, X, millennials, Z, — it’s time for us to step up. The stage is waiting for us to lead, not just the party, but the nation right now.” Booker was interviewed ahead of an event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. New Hampshire’s two senators — Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan — were among the Democrats who supported the deal with Republicans. Shaheen, who previously supported a bill to extend the ACA subsidies, on Monday defended breaking with her party to support the deal. “We’re making sure that the people of America can get the food benefits that they need, that air traffic controllers can get paid, that federal workers are able to come back, the ones who were let go, that they get paid, that contractors get paid, that aviation moves forward,” Shaheen said in a “Fox and Friends” interview. SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: DEMOCRATIC SENATOR STANDS FIRM AFTER DEFYING PARTY Asked about the Democratic senators who bucked the party, Booker, who played Division One football at Stanford University, called for party unity. “I played football, and that play is behind me. Now I want everybody back in the huddle, tighten your chin straps, because we’ve got to fight forward and the end zone, for me, is very simple. It is lowering people’s healthcare costs, lowering people’s grocery costs, lowering people’s energy costs, and getting an America that works for everybody, not just the wealthiest of the wealthy,” Booker said. And Booker, who broke a Senate record with a 25-hour speech earlier this year as he took aim at President Donald Trump‘s second-term agenda, said: “I’m a big believer, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” But he also lamented the increased animosity between Democrats and Republicans, saying that “the partisanship, as you know, bothers me, because it’s turned to tribalism.” As he unsuccessfully ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Booker spent plenty of time and made lots of friends in New Hampshire, which has held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary for over a century. Booker, who is up for re-election next year in blue-leaning New Jersey, is seen by political pundits as a possible contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, which is expected to be a crowded and competitive race. “Of course, I’m thinking about it. Haven’t ruled it out. But I’m up on the ballot in New Jersey in ’26 and that is my focus,” Booker said. After his Fox News interview, Booker headlined the latest “Stand Up New Hampshire Town Hall.” The speaking series, organized by top New Hampshire Democratic elected officials and party leaders, is seen as an early cattle call for potential White House contenders. And later in the day, he gave the keynote address at a major fundraising gala for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Booker called next year’s elections, when the Democrats will try to win back majorities in the House and Senate, “vitally important.” “Don’t talk to me about ’28 until you show me where you stand and who you stand for in ’26. I stand for New Jersey. I stand for America and an America that works for everybody,” Booker emphasized.
Meet the socialist Mamdani-style mayor just elected to run West Coast’s 5th largest city
A little more than a week after socialist New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani took the reins of the nation’s largest city, voters in Seattle elected a socialist that has been compared to Mamdani to lead the West Coast’s fifth-largest city by population. Katie Wilson, a progressive activist who operates a small nonprofit called the Transit Riders Union, defeated Democratic Mayor Bruce Harrell in an election so tight that it took over a week to determine. Harrell conceded Thursday as the vote totals all but guaranteed a win for Wilson, who, like Mamdani, identifies as a “democratic socialist.” Like Mamdani, Wilson has faced criticism for past support of defunding the police, most notably through her support of a “Solidarity Budget” which would have cut the Seattle police force by 50%. “There’s a strong argument for simply disbanding police departments and starting over,” Wilson wrote in a June 2020 op-ed. INCUMBENT SEATTLE MAYOR CONCEDES TO MAMDANI-STYLE ‘SOCIALIST’ WHO TAPPED HER PARENTS FOR MONEY WHILE RUNNING Similar to Mamdani, Wilson walked back her past statements on defunding the police and distanced herself from the “abolish the police” movement on a debate stage when pressed by Harrell. Leading up to Tuesday night’s election, Wilson pledged to “Trump-proof” the City of Seattle and has been likened to New York City’s Mamdani by political pundits on that angle as well. Wilson, like Mamdani, has proposed policies like implementing government-run grocery stores. She pledged to explore government-backed grocery stores if elected this fall after accepting the endorsement from grocery workers union UFCW 3000, Washington’s largest private-sector union. New York voters, meanwhile, saw a similar pitch from Mamdani. “Yes, Seattle voters want to tax the rich,” Wilson wrote in February of this year, echoing a prominent socialist platform, championed by Mamdani, of increasing the tax burden on the wealthiest residents. Prior to her establishment of the Transit Riders Union in 2011, Wilson worked several jobs in various unrelated industries, including as a barista, boatyard worker, apartment manager, lab technician, baker, construction worker and legal assistant. Several of the progressive activist groups and unions that backed Mamdani’s campaign also endorsed Wilson, including the Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood affiliates, and SEIU affiliates. MULTIPLE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS LINE UP TO SUCCEED MAMDANI Wilson has credited her parents with helping her run her campaign for mayor. “They send me a check periodically to help with the child care expenses,” Wilson told Seattle’s PubliCola, noting daycare for her kids cost about $2,200 per month. Wilson did not share precisely how much her parents contribute, pointing out that she does not keep track. However, when pressed for more details, Wilson reportedly said the money comes in every few months. “Before I decided to run for office, my husband and I were just kind of juggling our kid back and forth,” Wilson continued about the childcare costs her parents assist with. “We didn’t have her in daycare because it’s so expensive. But then, when I decided to run, we’re like, we really need childcare.” Affordability was a key driver of Wilson’s campaign, similar to Mamdani’s campaign in New York City, and after her victory she has continued to outline those goals. “There is an awful lot that I want to accomplish as mayor,” Wilson said in her first speech since clinching the mayor’s office. “I want everybody in this great city of ours to have a roof over their head. I want universal childcare and free K-8 summer care. I want world-class mass transit. I want great, safe public spaces where kids can run around with abandon. I want stable, affordable housing for renters.” “I want social housing. I want much more land and wealth to be owned and stewarded by communities instead of corporations. I want a robust economy, with thriving small businesses, great living wage jobs, and strong rights for workers. I want a city where everyone has the basics of a dignified life, including healthy food, access to healthcare, and support of communities. I want a city where your health and your life expectancy and your children’s future doesn’t depend on your zip code or your race.” Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Dems say base is ‘rightfully’ angry over their leaders caving to GOP during shutdown fight: ‘Porch puppies’
A handful of Democrats defended the far-left portion of their base upset over Democrat Senators caving to Republicans to end the government shutdown. “I think they are rightfully disappointed. At the end of the day, we took on this fight for more than 40 days to make healthcare more affordable, being one of the primary goals that we had in this fight and to see us give in now at the end of the is something that’s incredibly frustrating, incredibly disappointing for myself included,” Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., told Fox News Digital on the steps of the Capitol after the longest government shutdown that estimates expect to cost the government between $7 billion and $14 billion. “We needed to stay fighting,” Rep. Shri Thanedar said. “The stronger our resolve to fight, the more successful we would have been. But it looked like there was always some people in the U.S. Senate that were never on board to continue this fight.” DEMOCRAT CIVIL WAR ERUPTS AFTER MODERATE ACCUSES PROGRESSIVE OF UNDERMINING ‘FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS’ Earlier this week, eight Senate Democrats agreed to give Republicans the votes they needed to pass their budget and reopen the government until the end of January. They provided the support in exchange for a few compromises, notably a promised mid-December vote on whether to extend the Obamacare subsidies that expire at the end of the year. “We had a moment right now where we needed fighters. We need people to be here and stand up and lay it on the line,” Figures added. “As we say in Alabama, we need big dogs right now. We don’t need porch puppies. If you’re not here for this fight, if you’re not willing to be engaged in this and willing to lay it on the line for people that are counting on us, then you need to reconsider it.” After the budget finally passed following the longest government shutdown in history that left about 1.4 million federal employees going unpaid, according to the largest labor union representing federal workers, Democrat Rho Khana began fundraising off the anger within the Democratic Party, according to Politico. DNC STAFFERS RUTHLESSLY MOCKED FOR FUMING OVER REMOTE WORK REVERSAL: ‘GET YOURSELVES TOGETHER’ “A lot of people are rightfully concerned about skyrocketing health care costs,” Rep. Sarah Elfreth, D-Md., told Fox News Digital, but she noted she “can’t speak for the base” when asked about their anger at Democrat leaders for giving in. “I can’t speak for the base, I can say that, you know, a lot of people are rightfully concerned about skyrocketing health care costs, in addition to skyrocketing housing costs, grocery costs,” she said. “Anybody getting ready for Thanksgiving right now is seeing that. And we haven’t been able to resolve that. We haven’t gotten the Republicans to even come to the table.” The House Progressive caucus, in a letter by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., condemned the deal Democrats made, arguing it does nothing to stop people’s healthcare premiums from going up, or losing their coverage altogether. Even the Democratic Party’s primary House campaigning arm instructed lawmakers to hold Republicans “accountable” for the shutdown. Meanwhile, the Democrat disarray has not gone unnoticed. “Now the knives are out for him,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’ Jesse Waters. “The Democratic Party is entirely shattered in this ideological battle that they’re having,” noted Josh Holmes, co-host of the “”RUTHLESS” podcast. “I think it continues for quite some time.”