DC police officials face termination after federal probe uncovers alleged manipulated crime data by department
Thirteen members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., have been placed on administrative leave, pending termination amid an investigation alleging that law enforcement leaders manipulated crime data to create a false perception of safety. MPD Interim Chief Jeff Carroll on Tuesday said the officers were placed on administrative leave after the internal affairs bureau completed its investigation into crime reporting and have been served with termination papers. Some of the 13 were already on leave for other matters, he said. All were served with notices of proposed adverse action, meaning they face potential termination, the chief said. “Our Internal Affairs Bureau has completed an investigation into crime reporting,” Carroll said. “This investigation was reported — it was referred to us earlier this year from the United States Attorney’s Office.” The chief declined to get into specifics. Fox News Digital has reached out to the MPD, the Justice Department and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for comment. DOJ INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE DC CRIME DATA MANIPULATION AMID TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN ON VIOLENCE A federal investigation that began last year found that the MPD misclassified crime reports, making crime statistics across Washington, D.C., appear “artificially lower.” The findings were based on a review of nearly 6,000 reports and interviews with more than 50 witnesses, showing that D.C.’s crime numbers were significantly understated, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said at the time. “We don’t want to minimize any crime,” Carroll said. “Obviously. We want to make sure the crimes are appropriate and classified. We’ll continue to work with that, making sure officers have the appropriate classification. Regardless of the classification of the crime, we want to make sure that all crimes are appropriately investigated.” Two federal reports were produced in late 2025 regarding the matter — one by the Justice Department and another by the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee. The probe began as President Donald Trump initiated a federal crackdown in the nation’s capital amid public safety concerns. He argued that crime was worse than city statistics showed as he moved to take temporary control of the force. Pamela Smith stepped down as MPD chief in 2025, during the investigation into the department’s crime statistics. DC POLICE CHIEF RIPPED FOR ‘MIND BLOWING’ RESPONSE TO BASIC POLICING QUESTION: ‘YIKES’ The House report, titled “How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy,” alleged Smith prioritized public image over actual crime reduction, often using humiliation and retaliatory transfers to silence subordinates who reported rising crime rates. She allegedly used mandatory crime briefings — held twice a week in person and three times a week via video — to publicly “dress down” and humiliate commanders in front of their colleagues if they reported an increase in crime, the report states. Commanders who reported crime spikes, or who simply questioned her actions, faced immediate professional retaliation. DC Police Union President Gregg Pemberton praised the MPD’s move to serve termination papers to high-ranking command staff. “Justice is being served,” he said in a statement. “The command staff officials responsible for this betrayal must be held accountable, not just for the sake of the thousands of dedicated MPD officers they undermined, but for the residents of the District of Columbia who deserve honest leadership and real public safety. The corruption that endangered lives, eroded trust and allowed shooters, robbers and predators to evade justice cannot be tolerated.” Pemberton added that the union had previously warned officials that “this toxic culture of coercion, fear and corruption left thousands of cases not investigated, denied victims justice, gaslit residents and endangered public safety.” Carroll said the department continues to use crime data to help deploy officers in high-crime areas. “We use crime statistics every day to help us do deployment across the city,” he said. “I do have confidence in those numbers.”
SPLC-backed coalition sues Florida over new congressional map it alleges is an unconstitutional gerrymander
A coalition of groups represented by the embattled Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is suing Florida over its new congressional map, arguing that it favors one political party over another. The 41-page lawsuit was filed by Common Cause, an ethics watchdog; the League of Women Voters of Florida; and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The organizations allege the map violates the Fair Districts Amendment, which prohibits the Republican-controlled state legislature from drawing maps that favor a specific political party. “The fact that this is a partisan gerrymander is as obvious as it is unconstitutional,” said Bradley Heard, deputy legal director for the SPLC. “And while this unnecessary map is egregious in how it advantages Republicans and disadvantages Democrats, the people who will suffer the most if it is allowed to stand are once again Black and Brown communities, whose voices are consistently silenced in these redistricting battles. The SPLC will not allow this governor to turn back the clock on voting rights in Florida.” DESANTIS SIGNS FLORIDA REDISTRICTING MAP TO POTENTIALLY FLIP 4 HOUSE SEATS RED The lawsuit is the second filed in as many days against the new map. The first was filed hours after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the map into law; the plaintiffs in that suit are the Equal Ground Education Fund, a voting rights group, and 18 Florida voters. Fox News Digital has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment. The Fair Districts Amendment was approved by voters in 2010 in an effort to set redistricting standards to prevent partisan gerrymandering, the favoring of political parties, or the reduction in power of minority groups. “The governor’s ploy to impose maps for an unfair partisan advantage is exactly why voters made it illegal in 2010—and why we’re going to court,” said Amy Keith, the executive director for Common Cause Florida. “This governor and Republican lawmakers will stop at nothing to put their finger on the scale because they are afraid of being held accountable by the people. “We expect the courts to be the adults in the room and honor the Florida Constitution and the will of Florida voters.” REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS The plaintiffs are asking a judge to declare the map unconstitutional and impose an injunction to prevent state officials from enacting it. Additionally, they want the state to reinstate the previous 2022 congressional map or order the adoption of a completely new redistricting plan that is compliant with the state constitution. “When a map is distributed in a red/blue format to the media before being transmitted to the legislature, and when the governor’s staff openly acknowledges in committee that there is no new Census data being used to justify a new map, Florida voters can’t help but suspect that this is a partisan gerrymander,” said Jessica Lowe-Minor, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida. The SPLC is one of several groups representing the plaintiffs. The organization currently faces federal charges for allegedly secretly transferring money to extremist groups it claimed to be fighting, with the goal of infiltrating and monitoring their activities. AL SHARPTON RAGES AT FLORIDA GOV DESANTIS’ IMPRESSION OF HAKEEM JEFFRIES The SPLC is accused of paying $3 million to people associated with violent extremist groups — including the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist Movement, and the American Nazi Party — between 2014 and 2023. Amid the battle over Florida’s redrawing of its congressional map, Democrats have repeatedly decried the move as a GOP power grab. Currently, Florida Republicans have a 20–8 majority in the House, but the new map could extend the GOP’s power to 24–4 following the redrawing of districts. This shift could impact several Democratic incumbents, including Reps. Darren Soto, Kathy Castor, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Jared Moskowitz. Nikki Fried, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, said the new map disenfranchises millions of Black, brown, and Jewish voters in the state. “This type of voter suppression is nothing new in Florida—from Jim Crow and the Ocoee massacre to election police and the enactment of the most extreme voter suppression laws in the country since 2021, unfortunately, Florida has always been a testing ground for conservative extremism,” she said Monday.
Civil rights groups file lawsuit seeking to block Texas law allowing cops to arrest illegal migrants
A coalition of civil rights groups filed a new lawsuit on Monday seeking to halt parts of a Texas law that would allow police officers in the Lone Star State to arrest migrants suspected of crossing into the U.S. across the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The law is set to take effect next week after a federal appeals court vacated a lower court ruling last week that had prevented its enforcement since 2024. In that ruling, he appeals court vacated an injunction that had blocked the law, finding that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue. Senate Bill 4 established a state-level crime for entering the country illegally and authorized state magistrates to order certain individuals to leave the country if they are convicted. Courts have long maintained that immigration enforcement has historically been treated as the responsibility of the federal government, but Texas Republicans attempted to challenge that precedent when they approved S.B. 4. TEXAS BILL REQUIRING SHERIFFS TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE GIVEN INITIAL APPROVAL BY STATE HOUSE The Texas Civil Rights Project, American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Texas argued that the law is unconstitutional, noting that immigration law is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government and that federal law should preempt the state law. The groups are attempting to block four provisions of S.B. 4 — the creation of a crime for re-entering the country illegally, even if a person has since obtained legal status such as a green card; granting state magistrates authority to issue deportation orders; the creation of a crime for failing to comply with a magistrate’s deportation orders; and the requirement that magistrates continue a prosecution even if a person has a pending immigration case under federal law, such as an asylum claim. “Our fight against S.B. 4 isn’t over until justice wins,” Kate Gibson Kumar, an attorney at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said in a statement. “S.B. 4 is not only unconstitutional, but a vile law that uses our Texas resources to harm communities across our state. The Texas Civil Rights Project will keep fighting to protect Texas communities from the wrath of S.B. 4.” Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued that S.B. 4 is “cruel and illegal,” adding that the groups “will keep fighting it until it is permanently struck down.” “Every court to have reached the merits of laws like S.B. 4 has found them to be unconstitutional,” he said. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The law is scheduled to go into effect on May 15 unless another court takes action. “S.B. 4 would transform our police and judges into immigration agents — threatening neighbors who have families here, who have lived here for years, even those who have legal status,” said Adriana Piñon, legal director at the ACLU of Texas. “Immigration enforcement is exclusively the federal government’s arena, and no state has ever claimed the power Texas threatens to wield here. We are taking this back to court to defend our Texas communities.” TRUMP DOJ DROPS BIDEN-ERA CHALLENGE TO TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW Monday’s lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to the Texas law, which was passed by state lawmakers amid an uptick in migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration. Another lawsuit had been led by some of the same advocacy groups that filed Monday’s challenge. The Biden administration also initially sought to halt the law in 2024 before the Trump administration terminated the Department of Justice’s involvement in the lawsuit last year as part of the president’s mass deportation agenda.
Rudy Giuliani’s primary care provider gives update on his condition
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is breathing on his own after being taken off a ventilator, his doctor said, adding he has “9 lives” following a dramatic turnaround from a dire condition. Dr. Maria Ryan told Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl that Giuliani began feeling ill after returning from a trip to Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point that he required hospitalization and was placed on a ventilator. Ryan said his condition turned critical, prompting a priest to be called to his bedside to perform last rites. By Tuesday, however, his condition had improved enough for doctors to remove him from the ventilator. He is now breathing independently and able to speak, though he remains in critical but stable condition. RUDY GIULIANI HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT IN 2020 ELECTION DEFAMATION CASE “He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan told Fox News. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.” Ryan said she expects Giuliani to make a full recovery. A spokesperson for Giuliani also pointed to his health history following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he was exposed to debris while responding at Ground Zero, later leading to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease. BERNARD KERIK, FORMER NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER AND 9/11 FIGURE, DIES AT 69 In a video shared on X, Ted Goodman said Giuliani is now “breathing on his own” and remains in “critical but stable condition.” “Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the ultimate fighter,” Goodman said. The update comes after Giuliani was hospitalized with severe breathing issues, prompting concern about his condition. His team had previously said he was in critical but stable condition. RUDY GIULIANI HOSPITALIZED IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION: “HE’S FIGHTING” Giuliani, 81, has faced a number of health challenges in recent years but has remained active in public life. He previously made headlines after being seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire in August 2025. Authorities said the vehicle he was riding in was struck from behind on Interstate 93 in Manchester, leaving him with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and other injuries. Despite those setbacks, Giuliani returned to work and continued to appear publicly in the months that followed. Ryan said the latest improvement marks a turning point in his recovery, though doctors will continue to monitor his condition closely in the coming days. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Video shows Dem candidate dodging Trump violence question as campaign issues response
New Jersey Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Bennett walked away from questions about political violence against President Donald Trump in a video circulating online, as a person with her repeatedly told the questioner to “get a life.” The video was shared by the Libs of TikTok account and shows a man approaching Bennett and asking whether she condemns attempts to harm the president. Bennett does not respond and continues walking as a woman accompanying her addresses the questioner. “Excuse me, Mrs. Bennett, do you think that people should stop trying to kill the president?” the man is heard asking. As he continues, the woman accompanying Bennett can be heard attempting to drown him out by singing. REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE DEM CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE’S ’86 47′ POST AS CALL FOR ‘POLITICAL VIOLENCE’ “Oh my God. Dude, get a life. Get a life, dude,” the person says in the video. Bennett is then seen walking away and heading toward a vehicle, partially obscured at times by a blue sign, as the questioning continues. Bennett’s campaign told Fox News Digital that she “has and always will condemn political violence against President Trump.” PATRICIA HEATON URGES ‘FRIENDS ON THE LEFT’ TO TONE DOWN EXTREME RHETORIC AFTER WHCD SHOOTING The campaign also pointed to a post Bennett shared on X on April 26. “Last night’s attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was an act of political violence, and I condemn it unequivocally,” Bennett wrote. “Political violence has no place in our democracy.” “I’m grateful to the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers who responded with extraordinary courage, who acted immediately to neutralize the threat,” she added. “Their bravery kept hundreds of people safe last night, and I’m relieved that everyone went home to their families.” DEM IN TRUMP DISTRICT RACE SCRUBS SOCIAL MEDIA OF POSTS PRAISING PROGRESSIVES: ‘SCAM ARTIST’ “My thoughts are with everyone who was at the dinner last night.” The Navy veteran and current member of the Air National Guard made news last year as a Democrat running for Congress who positioned herself as a moderate in a bid to unseat sitting Republican Thomas Kean Jr. in a pro-Trump district. A Fox News Digital review of Bennett’s X account — created in July 2011 and converted from @BigRedBecks to @RebeccaForNJ07 — shows several deleted posts that appear to diverge from that “moderate” label, including praise for progressive Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “Love her,” Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post about Warren in 2019. Bennett also deleted posts praising former Vice President Kamala Harris after she was announced as then-former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020. During the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020, Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post that she agreed with a comment from former Obama campaign strategist David Plouffe calling for investigations into law enforcement responses. Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Florida GOP candidate reveals why ‘amazing’ fundraising haul and key Trump moves suggest midterm ‘optimism’
Scott Singer, the former Republican mayor of Boca Raton and a candidate for Congress in Florida, is touting a significant campaign fundraising haul while outlining to Fox News Digital the reasons why he believes there is reason for optimism for the GOP in November. Singer’s first-quarter fundraising numbers in the 2026 cycle showed him significantly outraising incumbent Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, along with slightly more cash on hand, despite being a first-time candidate. As a result of Florida’s new redistricting push, Singer recently announced he will be running in the redrawn 25th congressional district, and it is unclear which district Moskowitz will decide to run in, but Singer tells Fox News Digital he is “very pleased” with the financial support he’s gotten from almost 3,600 contributors “We’re very pleased that we had an amazing fundraising quarter, one of the best of any Republican challenger in the nation,” Singer said. “I think it’s going well because people are really enthused about our candidacy. I think people are ready for change. They’re upset with the progress of Congress.” GOP LAWMAKER RALLIES AROUND TRUMP’S TAX-CUT CAMPAIGN AS COMPETITIVE 2026 HOUSE RACE LOOMS: ‘BIG ISSUE’ With most pundits predicting a tough time for Republicans in the upcoming midterms as they attempt to hold a razor-thin majority in the House and tight majority in the Senate along with historical headwinds, Singer says he sees “great reason for optimism” as he campaigns in his race. “We have a strong economy, the strongest we’ve had in years, record growth in GDP inflation before the latest blip, which is temporary because of the Iran conflict,” Singer explained. “Inflation was at the lowest level we had for years and voters understand that it was the one unchecked runaway inflation under President Biden that put us in this situation.” VOTERS SAY REPUBLICANS OUTDO DEMOCRATS ON THESE KEY ISSUES: FOX NEWS POLL Singer continued, “President Trump and the administration have done so much to bring prices down across the board, and cutting regulations will continue to do that. The biggest tax cut in American history is reaching American taxpayers right now, with huge refunds going to individuals and the average refund for 12 million small businesses of $7,000 and that was done with every Democrat in Congress voting against it.” Singer told Fox News Digital the GOP is now the “party of the middle” class thanks to tax-cutting policies for tips and overtime, and said he believes those “real benefits” will continue to take effect over the next year. “I think people are going to be more optimistic,” Singer said. “If you look at so many objective indicators and not the panic that some media outlets put out there, things are great and when you interview voters and ask them about policies, they lean more to the right. They support the Republican agenda. That’s why I feel very optimistic, and I think other candidates, if we focus on the agenda and less on what the media would have us buy into comments about personality, it really affects what we’re doing on paychecks and what we are doing on the border.” Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives heading into the 2026 midterms, one of the narrowest controlling margins in nearly a century, with Democrats widely believed to be holding an edge, especially given the party in power historically sees losses in midterm elections. Aggressive redistricting by both parties in states across the country has complicated the situation even further. Democrats have been hammering President Trump and the Republican Party on high gas prices and the economy, and a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pushed back on the Republican agenda in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Florida Republicans knew they couldn’t win on their cost-raising, billionaire-first, wildly unpopular agenda that’s crushing working families and small businesses, which is why they’re desperate to gerrymander the maps and rig the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre said. “Any Republican who claims the GOP’s price-spiking policies are popular only proves the fact they have no idea what voters are feeling right now.”
GOP challenger Joe Kaufman to run in Florida’s 25th district; will face either Moskowitz or Wasserman Schultz
Joe Kaufman knows what it’s like to lose a close race in a historically Democratic District. In fact, in the 2024 election cycle, Kaufman ran in the closest congressional race in the state, narrowly losing in the 23rd district to incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a two-term congressman who has sought to build a moderate profile. Florida has just completed its redistricting process, and this time around, Kaufman is confident that he can win, despite the Republicans facing headwinds. Kaufman confirmed to Fox News Digital that in 2026, he will be running in the new 25th district. Former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer will also be running in the 25th district in the GOP primary. Moskowitz said on Monday that if he runs, it will be in the 25th District, while it appears that incumbent Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who would be seeking her 12th term in Congress, is also weighing running in the same district. DEMOCRAT PRAISES STEVE SCALISE FOR QUICK ACTION DURING WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING Kaufman brings a battle-tested strategy and message to the race, on the heels of his near-victory in 2024: “Yes, we had 48% of the vote. It was the closest race in all of Florida and the highest percentage of any Republican to ever run for that seat. But back then, I got in very late in the game and this time around our numbers are much better, and we’ve been able to form those coalitions that we needed to last time. We’ve done that now, and I will win this seat this time.” Kaufman bills himself as a “terrorist hunter” and brings strong foreign policy credentials to the table. “I do counter-terrorism research, writing and lectures.” He says he’s been involved in “the shutdown of terrorist charities and the imprisonment of terror-related individuals. Recently, I led the shutdown of a pro-Hamas conference that was to take place in Coral Springs, and the organizers, including CAIR and the South Florida Muslim Federation, they were upset, so they sued me and the Marriott Corporation in federal court. They sued us not once, but twice and I’m proud to say that we won not once, but twice.” “He says in regard to foreign policy, “I’ve been very involved these past few years in what’s been taking place. 17 years ago, I was honored to co-found a group called Cyrus Force with his majesty, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who we believe is going to be soon to be a future leader of Iran.” Despite being a foreign policy hawk, Kaufman is opposed to putting troops on the ground in Iran. “No, I don’t support ground troops, at least not from the United States. I don’t want to see what took place in wars past happen here with seeing Americans come back in body bags. I feel the same way about our friends in Israel. “But there are third parties that want to get involved, and I say, give them the green light to do so. So, if there’s any ground troops…they shouldn’t be from America or Israel. It should be from these third parties.” Kaufman is a strong advocate for vocational training in high school, and a critic of the Affordable Care Act. “Well, for one thing, I support putting vocational training in all of the high schools in America. And it’s a project I want to initiate as a congressman. Too many kids today are staying home with their parents after they graduate high school. They need to have real job skills so they could make money, get out of their parents’ homes, be able to have their own families, and eventually, purchase their own house of their own. “Also, I don’t like the Affordable Care Act. It was never affordable. It’s been taking hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies, thanks to the Democrats. And I think we need a new health care system that costs the American government less and costs the American taxpayer less and better quality. And I think we could have that without Obamacare.” OBAMACARE PREMIUMS SET TO SPIKE AGAIN AS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FACES 2026 RATE HIKE PRESSURE Historically, the party of the incumbent president loses seats in midterm elections the vast majority of the time. In what is widely believed to be a difficult year ahead for Republicans, Kaufman acknowledges the current engagement in Iran and the lingering effects of Biden-era inflation as challenges. “Well, a lot of it has to do with the war overseas, but I believe that that’s going to be short term. I think that’s, that’s going to end soon. Also, with regards to inflation, we’re still dealing with the Biden years where Joe Biden initiated very heavy inflation for our country. “And thank you, President Trump, for doing the things that would bring inflation down. So I’m looking forward to low inflation, better affordability and very soon an end to the war, and results overseas that allow us to have peace in the Middle East and more peace in world.” Kaufman says the Democratic Party is fundamentally broken, and Republicans can win on messaging in 2026. “Well, the Democrats, they’ve allowed people, an untold amount of people, to cross our borders, some of which have been terrorists and members of terror cells. They’ve hurt the values in the United States. They’ve destroyed our healthcare system with an Affordable Care Act that was never affordable. They’ve done everything possible to destroy our nation, and we need to make that change.”
Woman objected to trans sex offender roommate — then she was sent back to prison, legal group says
FIRST ON FOX: A woman was allegedly sent back to a federal prison after objecting to rooming with a biological male sex offender at a Rhode Island halfway house, according to a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital. The conservative America First Legal asked the Bureau of Prisons on Monday in a public records request, obtained by Fox News Digital, for information about the re-incarceration of Sarah Cavanaugh, who had been serving out the remainder of her sentence at Houston House, a halfway house in Rhode Island operated by the nonprofit Community Resources for Justice. The request raised concerns about whether Bureau of Prisons contractors were complying with President Donald Trump’s day-one directive that agencies make sure biological men are not detained in women’s prisons, part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten policies surrounding transgender people. “Men should not share intimate spaces with women; this includes in our federal prisons,” Emily Percival, AFL senior counsel, said in a statement. “The BOP has a duty to provide for the safekeeping, care, and protection of federal inmates.” BLUE STATES CALLED OUT BY WOMEN’S GROUP FOR IGNORING RISKS POSED BY TRANSGENDER INMATES Percival accused the Bureau of Prisons of “[shirking its] duty when it allowed its contractor to send a woman back to prison after she raised concerns with sharing a room with a biological male convicted of a heinous sex crime.” Cavanaugh, who had been sentenced to about six years in prison in 2023 for a stolen valor conviction, was transferred to Houston House by the Bureau of Prisons after the agency determined she was a good candidate for the move. While there, Cavanaugh learned last August that she would be assigned a new roommate named Haley Lynn Rose, according to AFL’s records request. After searching the name online, Cavanaugh discovered the individual was named Anthony Ninfo, a male who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2024. Cavanaugh raised concerns with staff, expressing discomfort about sharing a room with a man convicted of a sex offense, AFL’s filing said. Staff told her to follow up with the facility’s management, but the following day she was instead given an accusatory incident report charging that she had violated conditions of being at the halfway house, according to AFL. The incident report said, according to AFL, that Cavanaugh created “a hostile environment for the [transgender felon], and [overstepped] boundaries by inquiring about the gender identity, genitalia, charges, and room assignment of another Houston House resident.” TRUMP IS RETURNING SANITY TO THE GENDER CONVERSATION The report stated that “asserting [sic] preferences regarding room assignments is inappropriate.” As a result of the incident, Cavanaugh’s placement at the halfway house was revoked, and she was returned to prison for six months, AFL said. The legal group wrote in its complaint that the alleged incident was at odds with Trump’s executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which states that only two sexes exist and that inmates must be separated by sex. The case comes amid ongoing legal challenges from civil rights groups over the implementation of Trump’s order. While some provisions have faced lawsuits, courts have allowed certain aspects affecting prison housing policies to move forward. Citing the Freedom of Information Act, AFL asked the Bureau of Prisons for records related to staff interactions with Cavanaugh, the incident report issued to her, actions taken against her, and the Bureau of Prisons’ contractual relationship with Houston House. The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not provide more information on Cavanaugh because of privacy reasons. “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the BOP does not release information regarding the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual,” a BOP spokesperson said. “However, we can share that the BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our population, our employees, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Houston House and Community Resources for Justice for comment.
Warren pushed ‘free and easy’ IRS filing system, but docs reveal what she used instead
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., didn’t use the free government tax-filing system she had spent years promoting when it became available in her state, records show. As far back as 2016, Warren pushed for a free IRS online tax preparation and filing service, a precursor to what became Direct File. The senator touted it as a way for taxpayers to save time and money. When Direct File launched a pilot program serving Massachusetts for the 2024 tax-filing season, however, Warren’s publicly released tax return indicated that she opted to use a private accountant instead. Warren was ineligible to use Direct File during the 2024 tax-filing season because she chose not to take the standard deduction that year. The standard deduction under the program is a restriction critics say illustrates why the program was too limited to serve many taxpayers. “The Direct File pilot program has been a huge win for taxpayers,” Warren said in April 2024. “This year, thousands of taxpayers saved hours of their time and the $150 typically spent on TurboTax and other junk filing fees — money that could be spent on groceries or rent … I’m excited to continue to work with the IRS and the Treasury Department to permanently extend and expand this free and easy tax filing solution for Americans.” HAWLEY, WARREN TEAM UP TO BACK TRUMP, CRACK DOWN ON DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PAYOUTS Warren has characterized herself as one of the top legislative architects of the Direct File system. “For years, Senator Warren has been the Direct File program’s biggest champion — yet her own tax returns show she hired a private accountant,” David Williams, president of the Taxpayer Protection Alliance (TPA), a right-of-center fiscal advocacy group, told Fox News Digital. “Direct File was ill-equipped to handle investment, property and interest income — limiting the tax credits and deductions Americans deserve. At its core, the government would not have any incentive — as the tax preparer, collector, and auditor — to maximize those deductions,” he added. The Trump administration moved to suspend Direct File in 2025, and the IRS later told states the program would not be available for the 2026 filing season. Even after her own return showed she used a private accountant and not Direct File for the 2024 tax-filing season, Warren continued to push for the system. On April 15, Tax Day 2026, Warren took a recently-introduced bill to the Senate floor seeking to revive the program. “Filing your taxes should be easy and free … Let’s save people time and money, and show the American people that government can work for them,” Warren said. SEN WARREN UNLOADS ON TRUMP’S FED NOMINEE KEVIN WARSH IN EXPLOSIVE HEARING SHOWDOWN Usage of the Direct File was low during the 2024 tax-filing season, with only 161,042 of the estimated 19 million eligible Americans submitting returns through it, according to an IRS report. Among those who did use the service, however, 90% rated their experience as “excellent” or “above average,” according to the IRS. Large majorities of respondents reported that Direct File was easy to use and had high quality customer service support. The TPA, however, says that 25% of Direct File users rated their experiences negatively, citing its analysis of user responses obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. THE SIMPLE TAX HABIT THAT COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OVER YOUR LIFETIME Critics of Direct File, such as conservative economist Stephen Moore, have argued that allowing the IRS, which has an incentive to maximize tax revenue, to prepare taxes for Americans creates a conflict of interest and that the program isn’t truly free, given its administrative costs. Proponents like the left-of-center advocacy group Public Citizen, meanwhile, argue that eliminating filing costs could save taxpayers billions of dollars per year at a relatively minor public expense. Firms such as Intuit and H&R Block lobbied aggressively to kill Direct File, which many believed would cut into their profits. Warren’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent Monday.
Trump surgeon general pick sparks backlash, splits MAHA movement
President Donald Trump’s new nominee for surgeon general is exposing divisions in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, the health-focused coalition elevated inside the administration by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “The new surgeon general nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, may have a great pro-life testimony, but she gets an F when it comes to all things MAHA,” said Turning Point USA health and wellness podcaster Alex Clark — a comment shared by other MAHA activists like Kelly Ryerson, an anti-pesticide advocate also known online as “Glyphosate Girl.” “DOGE the Surgeon General!!! We want medical freedom!!!! If not Casey – we take no one!” added Vani Hari, also known online as “Feed Babe” and a prominent figure inside the MAHA movement. She recently told The Atlantic that failing to confirm Means would “ruin the soul of MAHA.” TRUMP SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE CONFIRMATION HEARING POSTPONED AS SHE GOES INTO LABOR After Trump’s initial pick for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was withdrawn in 2025, Trump selected Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician, wellness author and entrepreneur, and vocal MAHA proponent who was close to Kennedy as he helped develop the Trump administration’s health agenda. Means’ nomination was withdrawn Thursday, and she was replaced with radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier amid a stalled confirmation process leading up to the eventual pivot. Trump announced that Means’ nomination would be withdrawn from his Truth Social platform Thursday and replaced with Saphier amid the stalled confirmation process, in part caused by Means’ pregnancy during the process and the need for extensive vetting, a source familiar with the nomination told Fox News Digital. Minutes before Trump announced the pivot to Saphier on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called Means “a strong MAHA Warrior, at the recommendation of Secretary Kennedy, who understands the MAHA Movement better than anyone.” Kennedy also praised Means as news was coming down that she would be replaced by Saphier. Meanwhile, the pair also lambasted moderate U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Chairman of the Senate’s powerful health committee in charge of getting the surgeon general nomination approved, for allegedly sabotaging Means’ nomination. RFK JR. ‘WRONG’ ABOUT VACCINATIONS, GOP SENATOR SAYS Delays and concerns about Means’ qualifications and views on vaccines, among other things, slowed down the process, until, according to a source familiar with the confirmation process, it was determined that not enough support would be garnered to secure Means’ appointment. Saphier has been described by Trump as “an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR” who “will do great things for our Country,” and Kennedy has also publicly supported Saphier’s nomination. But MAHA activists became alarmed by the decision to withdraw Means’ nomination. Clark described Saphier as a “catastrophic mistake” at a time when the MAHA coalition is “very fragile.” “She is one of the most pro-vaccine advocates in medicine, even defending Hep B on the first day of life,” Clark wrote on X. “My position isn’t to replace Dr. Saphier. It’s to completely DOGE the Surgeon General role. If we don’t, we risk accelerating the loss of one of the most activated voting blocs the GOP is already watching slip away.” “Doge the SG!!!!” Hari said in a post on X Sunday, lamenting that the pivot is just “more of the same.” “We’re seeing a system that protects itself,” she added, according to The Washington Post. “A system that says it wants change but recoils the moment real change shows up.” REMOVING ONE FOOD INGREDIENT FROM YOUR HOME IS FIRST STEP TO ‘DOING MAHA,’ INFLUENCER SAYS “I am so proud of Casey, and the way she conducted herself during this process,” her brother, Calley Means, another early leader within the MAHA movement said on X before laying into Cassidy. “I am also proud to work for the Trump admin, who has marshaled the disruptive MAHA message and driven victories against dark forces personified by Bill Cassidy.” Fox News Digital reached out to Saphier for comment on the criticism that she is not skeptical enough of vaccines, but did not hear back. White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Saphier has been “an outspoken voice” against “intrusive COVID-19 mandates, the politicization of science, and the federal government’s role in America’s chronic disease epidemic.” “She will be a powerful asset … to deliver on every facet of (the president’s) MAHA agenda.” Others aligned with the MAHA world appeared less concerned with Means’ departure, such as the Independent Medical Alliance, which is anti-pesticide, promotes questions about vaccine efficacy and supported two of Kennedy’s picks for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel. TRUMP FDA NOMINEE TURNS VACCINE QUESTION ON DEM, RECALLING CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN DECISION Dr. Joseph Varon, the group’s president and chief medical officer, said Saphier was “exactly who America needs,” describing her as “a real doctor, treating real patients, who has the spine to tell the truth even when it’s unpopular.” Dr. Robert Malone, a leading contrarian to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdown measures and a supporter of the broader MAHA movement, described Saphier as “moderate-MAHA” in a blog on his Substack. Malone also attempted to assuage fears Saphier is too pro-vaccine. “This is the part MAHA readers care about most, and it is the part where Saphier’s record is most genuinely mixed,” Malone wrote on his blog. “She is pro-individual-vaccine on the merits. She is supportive of parental autonomy on schedule. She is critical of universal pediatric mandates absent benefit data. She is explicitly sympathetic to MAHA’s vaccine-safety-surveillance reform agenda,” he continued. “She is not, in any reading I can construct from the documentary record, an anti-vaccine voice in the medical-freedom register that, say, Children’s Health Defense operates in. She is also not, in any reading I can construct, a CDC-establishment-defending voice of the kind Cassidy is looking for.” Kennedy, known for being a vaccine skeptic, faced backlash when he attempted to make formal changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule — changes ultimately blocked by the courts. Fox News Digital reached out to MAHA