AI’s massive appetite for power, water ignites fight in high-stakes Texas Senate race
FIRST ON FOX: There’s an ugly political fight brewing in the Lone Star State over data centers, and both candidates running for Senate are racing each other to unveil their plans to slow the AI boom in Texas. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is rolling out his own plan to address what has become a political pressure point in Texas politics during this midterm cycle: how to add guardrails to the explosion of data centers across the state as voters’ concerns rise about skyrocketing power and water costs. The four-point plan, first obtained by Fox News Digital, details steps at the federal and state levels on the issue and comes in the waning weeks of a closely watched contest for power in the Senate between Paxton and state Sen. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee. LONGTIME GOP AIDE DEFECTS TO DEM RISING STAR AS TEXAS SENATE BATTLE FOR CORNYN’S SEAT HEATS UP “There’s no doubt in my mind that the United States will beat the Chinese Communist Party in the AI race,” Paxton said in a statement. “This plan will ensure that happens while putting Texas First, protecting our culture and land, and safeguarding our families and communities. My plan will also work to ensure that data centers are not utilized to power AI platforms that endanger our children.” His plan comes after Talarico, who has used the issue of data centers as a political cudgel against Paxton, convened bipartisan roundtables and hit the Republican nominee for taking in nearly $500,000 in campaign donations to a variety of political action committees (PACs) that support him. “Ken Paxton took nearly half a million dollars from data center companies and has ignored Texans in Hood County who asked him to help block a data center development in their community,” Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital. “While Ken Paxton funnels data center money into his campaign, James is fighting to hold data centers accountable. Texans can’t afford a Senator who’s bought by big data center companies,” he continued. “Texans can’t afford Ken Paxton’s corruption.” A SOUTHERN STATE JUST TOOK THE TOP SPOT IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S FASTEST-GROWING INDUSTRIES He’s also not scot-free from receiving data center-adjacent money, either. Talarico’s political operation, through his Lone Star Rising PAC, has received about $10 million from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, an advocate for data centers who has argued about the value that they present in the AI arms race against China. “While James Talarico and his campaign infrastructure accept millions of dollars from data center-affiliated donors and put their interests first, I will lead with Texans at the forefront. That’s exactly why I am proud to release my 4-Point Plan that will put Texans First and protect our communities,” Paxton said. The first three pillars of Paxton’s plan address actions against data centers at the federal level. They would see Paxton author two bills in the Senate to prevent Chinese technology from powering data centers or being used in American infrastructure and creating criminal liabilities for data center companies if the centers empower AI chatbots that undermine children’s safety. ONE MONTHLY BILL AMERICANS CAN’T AVOID IS QUIETLY SURGING THANKS TO EMERGING INDUSTRY: DATA He would also join as a co-sponsor on the DATA Act, a bill from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., that would create a new federal category for data centers to produce their own independent power away from preexisting power grids. Talarico’s offering would repeal state tax exemptions for data centers, mandate that data centers cover 100% of grid connection costs, and require closed-loop water recycling systems. It would also give local governments the power to veto project developments. Paxton similarly wants to undo sales tax exemptions for data centers, something he notably supported over a decade ago while in the state legislature. Back in 2013, when he was serving as a freshman state senator in the Texas Legislature, Paxton voted in favor of 100% sales tax exemptions for data centers, which passed on a nearly unanimous vote out of the state Senate. While that exemption required a hefty ground-floor investment of $200 million and employment requirements to receive, it also sparked the present-day boom in data centers. Meanwhile, at the state level, Paxton would also push Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s new directive unveiled earlier this month to effectively freeze the data center explosion. Abbott touted earlier this week that his directive has so far halted roughly 1,800 data center projects in the Lone Star State. It requires data centers to disclose how much power they’re using and whether they will produce independent power, their water consumption, financial incentives they’ve received, a plan to lower the impact on local communities and documented ownership of the center. “These guidelines are now the universally applied standard in Texas,” Abbott said on X.
Trump’s Bedminster turf could make or break his last two years in the White House
WASHINGTON, N.J. — Washington, D.C., is undoubtedly the center of gravity in American politics, but another Washington over 100 miles away could help decide the fate of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term. It’s a small town in New Jersey where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., urged GOP supporters to help get Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., re-elected to the House in November. Kean is seeking a third term representing the Garden State’s 7th Congressional District, which is notably home to Trump’s Bedminster golf course where he spends a significant amount of time. “We consider this a top three race, not just a top 10. That’s how important it is to us. It has a target on its back,” Johnson told the room at Hawke Point Golf Club, Fox News Digital heard. “They’re investing tons of money to try to take [Kean] down, but they are not going to be successful.” The district happens to be one of the most critical battlegrounds in the country this year. Trump narrowly won the area by two points in 2024, though it flipped for Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill by the same margin in 2025. HOW ONE NYC SUBURB COULD DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE HOUSE Democrats are now betting they have a real opportunity to score another victory in November by sending former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett to the House. And with such a small number of House seats still considered politically neutral, it could prove decisive for which party controls the House next year. Kean’s morning fundraiser saw key figures in New Jersey Republican politics having breakfast as the congressman and speaker made the case for why he needs another term. Attendees included members of the Republican National Committee, local elected officials, and former Rep. Leonard Lance, the last Republican to represent Kean’s district. DEMS PICK CHALLENGER FOR GOP CONGRESSMAN WHO VANISHED FROM PUBLIC VIEW AMID HEALTH MYSTERY If Republicans win, that means enacting Trump’s agenda for another two years. Johnson told Fox News Digital the GOP has “aggressive” plans to tackle government waste and excessive spending. But if Democrats win the district — and potentially the House — Trump’s goals could grind to a halt. Kean, for his part, told Fox News Digital that he’s confident he can win again. “I’ve been a really effective legislator who’s brought things back to the district, who’s listened to my constituents on their needs and their concerns, in contrast to my opponent, who has really been a very abject partisan,” Kean said on the sidelines of his event. “She’s actually stopped going to church because there are Republicans [there]. So when you think about that contrast — a person can’t even go to religious services with people of the other party — she’ll never work across the aisle. She’ll be always in the far-left corner of whoever is in her caucus and whoever is in her leadership. And that’s not what this district needs.” ANTI-SOCIALISM PUSH CAN FLIP BATTLEGROUNDS, REPUBLICAN LEADER BETS AS PARTY FIGHTS TO HOLD HOUSE Bennett spokesperson Carly Jones hit back at Kean’s accusation, “Rebecca is an active member of her local church and talks openly on the campaign trail about her faith, which inspired her to serve her country in uniform and run for office. She is proudly building a coalition of Democrats, Independents and Republicans to flip this seat in November.” Kean noted he’s seen legislative success under both the Biden and Trump administrations, and his bipartisan efforts were on display — by what was not on display. The congressman’s name appeared throughout the event, but without mention of “GOP” or “Republican.” A sign outside the door only said “Tom Kean for Congress.” Conventional wisdom dictates that the party in power faces significant losses in Congress during the midterms. Critics of whoever is president generally turn out in droves to vote for the other side, in this case, Democrats. Kean noted that he’s had legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden, but also insisted he backed Trump “fully.” SOCIALIST VICTORIES SHOW DEMS’ DESCENT DOWN ‘DEADLY PATH OF COMMUNISM,’ JOHNSON WARNS “He’s done great things for this country and will continue to do great things for this country. He has been a very effective leader,” Kean said of the current president. And Johnson deployed a pinch-hitter to help gin up enthusiasm on Friday: All-Star professional baseball player Mark Teixeira, who posed for photos with excited attendees. Teixeira is running his own campaign for Congress and is likely to win a safe red seat in Texas. Republican leaders are also seizing on the far-left insurgency that’s toppled establishment Democrats in recent months as evidence that they should not get control of the House. “It’s very effective because people see what’s happening. This isn’t campaign rhetoric. They give us new illustrations every day,” Johnson told Fox News Digital in an interview. “It’s a challenge to the very foundational principles of America, and that is increasingly what the Democrat Party represents… The Marxist-communist element is taking over that party, sadly, and it’s really alarming for our country.” Kean was notably absent from the campaign trail and the halls of Congress from March through June this year, with few knowing the circumstances until the congressman publicly admitted he was being treated for depression. Upon his return, he introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for people to pay for mental healthcare. Bennett did not criticize the reason for his absence but has previously accused him of continuing to trade stocks during that time. She similarly told Fox News Digital in a written statement that Kean made millions from the stock market. “I spent 15 years serving our country in the military, and I felt called to serve once again because I can’t sit on the sidelines while Washington corruption, rising costs, and devastating healthcare cuts crush New Jersey families. Congressman Tom Kean Jr. has failed to show up for our community while trading more than $3 million
Linda McMahon vows crackdown on teachers sexually harassing students: ‘Must end’
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Sunday said the federal government is committed to “cracking down” on sexual misconduct involving teachers, staff and other adults in positions of authority in schools across the country. In an interview, McMahon denounced what she described as school districts reassigning, rather than firing, teachers accused of misconduct involving students. “And it’s not part of their record or anything, so we have really been cracking down on that as well,” she said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” McMahon, citing a 2004 Education Department literature review, said about one in 10 eighth- through 11th-grade students reported sexual misconduct by an educator. The review used a broad definition that included physical, verbal and visual conduct; the department cautioned that sexual misconduct should not be equated with the narrower legal definition of sexual abuse. TRUMP EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROBES SCHOOL AFTER TEACHER ALLEGEDLY REQUIRED SAME-SEX STUDENTS TO KISS California officials at the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing did not revoke the licenses of at least 67 educators after school districts determined they committed sexual misconduct against students from 2019 through 2025, according to ProPublica and KQED. At least 14 of those educators were later hired by other school districts and at least 12 of those were still working in education as of May, according to the reports. Separately, the Department of Education in May opened a Title IX investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District. “Our schools must protect America’s children. Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids’ school employs and protects sexual predators,” McMahon said in a previous statement. “Schools that receive federal funding have a duty to protect students, report sexual misconduct honestly, and follow the law.” The department said it was investigating an agreement with the United Teachers of Los Angeles that it said appeared to require teachers credibly accused of certain misconduct to be reassigned, rather than terminated or immediately removed from student-facing roles, while officials investigated allegations they engaged in conduct including having a sexual or romantic relationship with a student, creating child pornography or failing to report suspected child abuse. LAUSD and UTLA disputed the department’s characterization, saying reassignment means an employee is sent home and kept away from students while an investigation proceeds, not transferred to another classroom or school. They said termination remains possible when allegations are substantiated. COLORADO TEACHER FIRED AFTER STUDENTS ALLEGEDLY PRESSURED TO KISS CLASSMATES IN SKITS McMahon said in the letter that schools that fail to comply with federal requirements under Title IX and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act risk enforcement action, including the potential termination of applicable federal assistance, pledging a nationwide effort to “crack down” on sexual misconduct by adults in positions of authority. “Make no mistake, the Department will fully enforce federal law and employ every resource at its disposal to protect children from sexual predators,” she wrote at the time. “Those schools that allow sexual misconduct to occur risk the termination of applicable federal assistance provided by the federal government.” “This epidemic of nationwide sexual abuse in our schools must end,” McMahon added.
El-Sayed under fire online after taking aim at Usha Vance, female Trump aide in weekend social media posts
The internet is ablaze after controversial socialist Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan invoked second lady Usha Vance in taking a dig at Vice President JD Vance, leading some top voices to question how he would treat female staff should he win in November. “El Sayed is now attacking Wives [sic] of US leaders? What a guy,” said former Florida state Rep. Ben Graber on X. El-Sayed, running against Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers, launched the attack on Saturday after Vance slammed him for his stated adherence to Sharia law during a rally in Ohio, suggesting the practice would be completely alien to his grandfather, whom he calls his “Papaw.” VANCE UNLOADS ON EL-SAYED OVER SHARIA REMARKS: ‘THAT’S NOT MY GRANDPA’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY’ “So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…” El-Sayed said, seemingly in reference to the second lady’s Indian ethnicity. El-Sayed’s campaign did not return a comment request from Fox News Digital asking him to explain exactly what he was implying. SWING-STATE DEM CANDIDATE’S ‘DISGUSTING’ COMMENTS ABOUT JD, USHA VANCE’S ‘BROWN CHILDREN’ SPARKS OUTRAGE “Why does Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed just assume that all White midwestern grandparents are racist?” asked Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, in response to the post. “If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist,” said commentator Ryan Girdusky. MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT ACCUSES ABDUL EL-SAYED OF ‘DEEPLY SEXIST ATTACKS’ ON FEMALE POLITICAL RIVALS “This is why there were ads in the primary correctly highlighting how sexist and misogynistic Abdul is,” said an X account run by Democrats supporting El-Sayed’s opponent Mike Rogers. “He has so much contempt for women. If you’re over the politics of division. Reject Abdul El-Sayed.” Others accused El-Sayed of being racist himself. WHITE HOUSE TEARS INTO OSSOFF WITH BRUTAL TAKEDOWN AFTER JAB AT KEY TRUMP AIDE: ‘LIGHTWEIGHT LOSER’ “You are a racist creep,” said journalist Emily Schrader in response to El-Sayed’s post. Earlier in the day, El-Sayed also made a post directed toward Natalie Harp, an aide to President Donald Trump. Far-left media and Democrats online have spent the past two weeks implying that Harp and Trump have an improper relationship. “Natalie, I think he’s had a little too much iPad for the week. He needs his rest,” El-Sayed said in response to Trump blasting him at a rally for campaigning with far-left socialist Hasan Piker, who has said that “America deserved 9/11.” EL-SAYED DARES GOP RIVAL TO NO-PADS FOOTBALL SHOWDOWN AS SENATE FEUD TURNS PERSONAL “This is what I’m talking about,” said GOP strategist Matt Whitlock, posting screenshots of the posts directed at Harp and Usha Vance. “Just a bad campaign, bad candidate, bad instincts. Sitting at home on a Saturday morning tweeting bad takes that any normal campaign would shut down.” “He goes after Usha. He goes after Natalie [Harp]. This coward picks on women who are not in his fight. Imagine how he would treat female staffers in the halls of Congress,” said Tudor Dixon, a Republican former gubernatorial candidate in Michigan. Fox News Digital reached out to the vice president’s office and a representative for Usha Vance, but did not immediately hear back.
Karoline Leavitt reveals next role after leaving White House press secretary post
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Friday she will return to President Donald Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., after leaving her post in the administration. Leavitt, 28, told reporters aboard Air Force One that she plans to work for MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned super PAC, though she did not specify her title or responsibilities. The move sends Leavitt back to a familiar political operation. She previously served as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc. before joining Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and later becoming White House press secretary. The White House and MAGA Inc. did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Leavitt’s new role. TRUMP SAYS KAROLINE LEAVITT WILL LEAVE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ROLE, BECOME OUTSIDE ADVISOR “You guys will still see me all the time,” Leavitt told reporters on Friday, signaling she intends to remain active in Trump’s political orbit as Republicans gear up for the midterm elections. Leavitt said Friday’s trip was her last official Air Force One flight as press secretary. ALINA HABBA SHUTS DOWN SPECULATION SHE COULD REPLACE KAROLINE LEAVITT AS WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY Trump announced that Leavitt will leave her role at the end of the month to spend more time with her family. Leavitt confirmed her departure in a lengthy post on X, saying she made the “bittersweet decision” after concluding she could not balance the demands of serving as press secretary with being the mother she wants to be to her two young children. “Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” Leavitt wrote. Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in history when Trump returned to office in January 2025. Her departure also creates a high-profile vacancy in the White House briefing room. Trump has not yet announced who will replace her.
Alaska Republicans scramble to educate voters on suspected Dem plant as ‘ballot fatigue’ threatens race
In addition to fending off a Democratic challenger, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, is wrestling against confusion caused by a candidate who shares his name — Dan J. Sullivan Jr., an independent — and a shrinking window to clear it up. Alaska state Sen. James Kaufman, a Republican, said he personally remains worried about conflation between the two. “I’ve had at least one person say they had to slow down to make sure they didn’t make a mistake. And I can only imagine people who are less engaged in politics — I think it can be confusing,” Kaufman said. Results on Tuesday seem to confirm his hunch. Sullivan Jr.’s campaign, which has focused on his background as a logger, has meaningfully splintered support from the incumbent Republican candidate in the primary — but not enough to create ambiguity about who the frontrunner was in the primary. Now, the question becomes whether the Sullivan look-alike will have a proportional impact in November, given Alaska’s ranked choice voting system, a larger pool of voters and more time for Republicans to warn voters about the dueling Sullivans. MORNING GLORY: ALASKA’S ‘REAL’ SENATOR DAN SULLIVAN STOOD UP OVER CHALLENGER Former Congresswoman Mary Peltola convincingly led the field on Tuesday, beating out Sen. Sullivan by a 5.4% lead. Notably, the votes that went to Sullivan Jr. wouldn’t have closed the gap entirely had they been cast for the senator, having received just 2.3%. Even so, Randy Ruedrich, Republican Party chairman from 2000-2013, believes the confusion is evident. As a state resident, he pointed out that Alaska’s lone congressman, Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, had received as much support in his own primary as the top non-Democrats vying for the Senate seat: Sen. Sullivan, Sullivan Jr. and Gerald Heikes, a veteran. “Nick Begich, without all this entertainment, has 60,061 votes. Nick Begich has slightly less Republican votes than these three Republicans together,” Ruedrich said. “There is some obvious crossover.” Ruedrich noted that Alaska has grappled with voter name confusion before. He recalled that, in 2022, little-known Buzz Kelly advanced to a general election when enough voters confused him with Republican Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka. Tshibaka had been campaigning using just her first name, effectively creating two “Kelly” candidates. “We had a lady running who was using her first name to identify herself because her last name is a nightmare,” Ruedrich recalled. “We’ve had identity issues and confusion in the past.” Ruedrich believes that attempts to muddy the waters also go beyond just Sullivan Jr.’s campaign. He pointed out that this year looks different for Heikes — the Republican with the third-most support on Tuesday and a familiar face in Alaska politics. “Now, why am I bringing up Heikes? He is a perennial candidate. He has run a number of times, but he’s always been unfunded,” Ruedrich said. JUDGE RULES REPUBLICAN WITH SAME NAME AS SEN DAN SULLIVAN CAN STAY ON ALASKA PRIMARY BALLOT “This year, he has a significant contribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Massachusetts liberal who is contributing to this ultra-conservative Republican, and they’re running ads saying that Dan Sullivan is not pro-life; he’s pro-abortion.” Heikes has backing from groups like Right for Alaska, which has put roughly $1.2 million up to oppose Sen. Sullivan and $410,000 to support Heikes. It remains unclear if Heikes will advance to the general election as election results are not final. One notable difference between Alaska’s top-four jungle primary and its general election is the implementation of ranked-choice voting in November. Under this system, voters rank their preferred candidates. If their top choice is eliminated, their support passes on to their next-ranked option. While supporters of the process argue it expands voters’ power and greatly increases the influence of candidates that may not otherwise be a top choice, critics believe it also introduces confusion. Kaufman fears that some voters won’t bother to fill out both the “Sullivans” on the ballot to cover their bases. He believes there are still some voters in Alaska, especially Republicans, who refuse to use the system, citing disagreements with its implementation. “Some people have a pretty strong traditionalist perspective: one person, one man, one vote,” Kaufman said. “And so, the ballot fatigue where people just don’t rank because maybe they disagree with it; there’s a pretty strong segment of the population here that just patently disagrees with the rank-choice voting system we ended up with. And they don’t necessarily believe in utilizing it.” Both Kaufman and Ruedrich remain unclear about how much confusion the Sullivan Jr. campaign will add in November, but noted that Republicans will likely make it a focus to highlight the issue in the remaining months of the campaign. SAME-NAME CANDIDATE DISQUALIFIED FROM KEY SENATE RACE OVER ALLEGED DEM SCHEME TO CONFUSE VOTERS “It has had some blog coverage and some social media coverage,” Ruedrich said. “I expect that’s going to go up significantly to get more people to understand what the problem really is,” he added. In terms of proportionality, Sullivan Jr.’s most notable support came from his hometown, Petersburg Kupreanof. There, he received 66 votes to Sen. Sullivan’s 213 votes — roughly 33% of the incumbent’s support. Sullivan Jr.’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Virginia Dem admits system ‘failure’ after illegal immigrant accused in landlord killing escapes to Tajikistan
Northern Virginia Democrats faced questions about how a Tajik national committed to a psychiatric facility after killing his landlord was twice allowed to leave — once to obtain a passport and once to visit an apartment — before escaping to Tajikistan. Abdulloi Doniyor Toshpulodzoda had been held at a mental health facility in Falls Church, Virginia, after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in the killing of his landlord but was allowed an escorted visit to the Tajik embassy in Foggy Bottom, DC, and later to an Alexandria apartment, where he obtained an airline ticket to Dushanbe and left the country. “I don’t know about investigation, but certainly it’s a bad thing that he’s not in our custody, not being subject to the laws of the United States,” Rep. Donald Beyer, D-Va., told Fox News Digital when asked if federal authorities should investigate the situation. ACCUSED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDERER WHO FLED US DURING 48-HOUR PASS HAD ACCESS TO TAXPAYER-FUNDED APARTMENT “There’s a failure in the system somewhere along the way. I don’t know whether it’s failure to put [Toshpulodzoda] in the mental hospital or the hospital didn’t have the right security to keep them there. But no, we don’t want bad guys on the loose,” Beyer said. His district includes Alexandria, Arlington and part of Fairfax County, including the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, where Toshpulodzoda was housed. Beyer pushed back on criticism of Fairfax County, saying he does not believe local leaders would consider it a “sanctuary” jurisdiction for illegal immigrants. He also said he presumed Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano was justified in having Toshpulodzoda committed to the psychiatric facility. DOJ OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO SOROS-BACKED DA ACCUSED OF SHIELDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CONSEQUENCES Beyer also pushed back on arguments that Toshpulodzoda should have been deported rather than committed to a psychiatric facility, saying someone who commits a serious crime should face consequences in the U.S. before being sent home. “Deportation doesn’t seem sufficient punishment for someone who’s [committed] a major felony,” Beyer said. VIRGINIA MAN ACQUITTED BY INSANITY IN KILLING FLEES US DURING 48-HOUR MENTAL HOSPITAL PASS Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, who represents neighboring Loudoun and Fauquier counties, told Fox News Digital that U.S. laws cover murder and violent crime and that criminals “should be held accountable.” “I’ve been pretty consistent that if someone’s undocumented and they committed a crime, that they should be held accountable for the crime and we should look into whether they should be deported at that point,” Subramanyam, a Democrat, said. DHS UNLOADS ON ‘SANCTUARY CALAMITY’ VIRGINIA AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF HEINOUS CRIME RELEASED: ‘SICKO’ “So you know, I think that’s the federal law at this point and we have to go case by case though, because not every person who commits any crime should be deported automatically, right.” Subramanyam said officials should consider the circumstances when illegal immigrants commit minor offenses such as moving violations while also verifying a suspect’s immigration status. ICE LODGES DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DISARM VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER “We have to make sure we go case by case, but. In the instance of violent crime, for instance, they need to be held accountable,” he said. Subramanyam said he wants accountability on both sides of the process, for suspects who break the law and agents who do the same. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “I want to make sure that if an ICE officer does the wrong thing that they’re held accountable and there’s not a cover up for them… that’s what happened in the case of Renee Good was that a lot of public pressure led to some people getting removed, but that wasn’t enough when they need to actually have the DOJ and FBI investigate and prosecute instances where they’re going too far.” Good, an anti-ICE activist in Minnesota, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January after officials said she tried to strike him with her car while shadowing immigration enforcement operations. Laura Birnbaum, a spokesperson for Descano, told Fox News Digital that the office did not oppose Toshpulodzoda’s escorted visit to the embassy in 2024 but has successfully argued multiple times in court against his outright release. Fox News Digital reached out to the Tajik embassy for comment. Fox News Digital’s Hannah Brennan contributed to this report.
NYC taxpayers could pay twice under Mamdani’s city-owned grocery store plan
New York City officials are looking at ways to ease costs for independent grocers as taxpayers foot the bill for Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s city-owned grocery store plan. The administration is eyeing tax breaks, incentives and zoning benefits to help private grocers manage costs as the city moves ahead with taxpayer-subsidized stores that will receive low- or no-cost real estate, city-funded buildouts and other subsidies. That could put taxpayers in a position of paying twice, once for the city-run stores and again for incentives that could be used to ease costs for private grocers operating alongside them. Those city-run stores, meanwhile, are expected to sell groceries at prices 30% below comparable retailers, according to Mamdani’s administration. NYC GROCERS SOUND ALARM ON MAMDANI’S SUPERMARKET PLAN: ‘WE’LL LOSE CUSTOMERS’ Adam Lehodey, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, said the arrangement masks the true cost of the discounts. “The 30% savings that Mamdani announced on his government-owned stores are an illusion,” Lehodey previously told Fox News Digital. “Taxpayers will foot the bill for millions of dollars in subsidies, and they will operate on government-owned land with rents waived. New Yorkers will still be paying the full price, just indirectly,” he added. Lehodey also warned that pricing groceries well below market rates could create unintended consequences for consumers and business alike. “Pricing goods significantly below market price creates an additional problem of people purchasing them to resell elsewhere,” he said. “Shortages are also likely as people buy more than they otherwise would due to artificially low prices.” EXPERTS SCORCH MAMDANI’S GROCERY PLAN AS AN ‘ILLUSION’ THAT WILL HAVE TAXPAYERS FOOTING THE BILL E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, also questioned whether the city’s pricing model is financially sustainable, arguing that grocery stores already operate on razor-thin profit margins. “A 30% discount at stores with a 2% profit margin is simply a loss for taxpayers who will have to make up the difference,” Antoni told Fox News Digital. “These artificially low prices will also harm small businesses which will lose sales to taxpayer-subsidized grocery stores.” The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), tasked with overseeing the rollout of the program, disputed the suggestion that the municipal stores would hurt neighborhood grocers. The agency said the administration expects the stores to generate additional foot traffic and ultimately benefit nearby businesses. MAMDANI’S AFFORDABILITY REVOLUTION STUMBLED AS RENT COSTS SOAR TO RECORD HIGHS The agency also walked back an official’s public suggestion Thursday that the city was considering grants for existing grocers. EDC told Fox News Digital that the administration is not currently considering any grant programs for existing grocers. Waverly Neer, the lead official for NYC Groceries at EDC, told NY1 that the agency was exploring “complementary policies and programs, grants, incentives” to support local independent businesses alongside the city-run stores. “We’re, as an agency, looking at a number of different complementary policies and programs, grants, incentives that can come alongside these grocery stores to support other local independent businesses that in the neighborhoods,” Neer said. EDC subsequently told Fox News Digital that the city’s Grocery Task Force is “not currently considering any grant programs for existing grocers.” “However, we are looking at the potential for tax abatement, incentives, and zoning benefits through existing City programs to ensure that the City is doing everything in our power to alleviate cost pressures for small businesses across the city.” GROCERY BOSS WARNS MAMDANI’S CITY-RUN STORES PIT GOVERNMENT AGAINST ‘ITS OWN CITIZENS’ Asked what specific assistance was under consideration, EDC pointed to the city’s longstanding FRESH program, which offers tax incentives and zoning benefits to qualifying grocery stores. The agency also cited Mamdani’s recently announced OPEN for Small Business initiative, a package of more than 50 reforms aimed at reducing fines, fees and bureaucracy for small businesses. Meanwhile, Mamdani has committed $70 million to open five municipal grocery stores. The first is expected to open in Hunts Point in the Bronx by the end of 2027, with additional locations planned for East Harlem, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Under the proposal, private grocery operators will manage the stores’ day-to-day operations, including staffing, merchandising and product sourcing, while the city sets pricing requirements and operating standards, provides the locations and absorbs major occupancy costs. Mamdani has pitched that model as a way to slash grocery bills by eliminating costs such as rent and profit margins. Whether those savings can be sustained and at what ultimate cost to taxpayers and the city’s existing grocers is likely to remain a central test as the first municipal store moves toward its planned 2027 opening. Mamdani’s office referred Fox News Digital’s request for comment to the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
White House revs up ‘iconic’ Freedom 250 race as IndyCars prepare to unleash American muscle on DC streets
A roaring display of American muscle will be unleashed in the streets of Washington, D.C., this afternoon as IndyCar racers zoom through the city in a first-of-its-kind race, capping off a summer of celebration for America’s 250th birthday. “President [Donald] Trump is ensuring America gets the spectacular birthday it deserves as we celebrate our 250th anniversary,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital. The race is called the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, and top IndyCar drivers, including this year’s Indianapolis 500 winner, Felix Rosenqvist, will take to the streets of the nation’s capital vying for victory in vehicles designed to drive at nearly 200 mph. DRIVERS JOSEF NEWGARDEN AND KYLE KIRKWOOD TALK INDYCAR’S ‘ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME’ FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX The course is a 1.7-mile, seven-turn circuit, including a .4-mile front stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. “The historic IndyCar race set to take place in our Nation’s Capital will be one of the greatest and most iconic races in history,” Ingle said. “The President will leave his imprint on this historic race in a way that only he can.” RACER STING RAY ROBB GEARS UP FOR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX: ‘THIS IS MORE THAN JUST AN INDYCAR EVENT’ Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., whose home state is also the country’s motorsports capital, said the event made her proud of her fellow Hoosiers. “For 250 years, Americans have been willing to take risks and innovate, and compete, and dream bigger. And, you know, Indycar racing certainly is a testament to that through motorsports, through excellence in manufacturing, and ingenuity — and Indiana certainly embodies that tradition,” Houchin told Fox News Digital. INDYCAR DRIVER GRAHAM RAHAL REFLECTS ON OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE AT FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX: ‘ICONIC MOMENT’ Houchin also revealed that she got an up-close-and-personal preview of the event by riding in one of the cars for a fast lap around the track. “I mean, it was incredible. You go down that first straightaway, and it’s so fast that you almost lose your stomach for a second. It is thrilling to take one of those turns and see the U.S. Capitol there. It was really special,” she said. INDYCAR STAR ALEX PALOU REFLECTS ON WHITE HOUSE, OVAL OFFICE VISIT WITH TRUMP: ‘INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE’ Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took point on the race’s organization. “What’s more American than fast cars racing through the streets of our nation’s capital? If that doesn’t make you proud to be an American, I don’t know what will,” Duffy told Fox News Digital. “The Department of Transportation was proud to help bring President Trump’s one-of-a-kind vision to life this weekend for an unforgettable celebration of America’s talents, innovation and drive for excellence. At 250 years, freedom doesn’t just ring — it revs!” TRUMP TOUTS INDYCAR DRIVERS’ ‘SPECIAL’ ABILITY AT FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX SHOWCASE, SEEMINGLY ENDING HOT DEBATE Trump previewed the event in July. Standing outside the White House, he spoke alongside Penske Corporation founder and chairman Roger Penske, the company’s president, Bud Denker, and Duffy. “Unprecedented events will take place next month right here in our nation’s capital. On Aug. 22 and 23,” Trump said at the time. INDYCAR ANNOUNCES START TIME FOR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX ON THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON, DC “It will be an awesome display of American patriotism and raw horsepower ingenuity. You’re going to see cars at the level that they’ve never been at before, with cars racing more than 190 mph and even higher than that down Pennsylvania Avenue,” he continued. Trump also thanked Duffy for helping to make the race happen. HERE ARE 5 DRIVERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON AS INDYCAR HITS THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON FOR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX “But what Sean Duffy has done with these incredible, brilliant people is really amazing. It’s going to be a sight for the ages,” he said. “It really will be something special, and they’re going to go all around the National Mall at speeds that are not quite, if we did that during the regular day, I think people would be put in jail, perhaps for the rest of their lives.” When remarks concluded, one of the IndyCars demonstrated a pit stop. All four tires on the vehicle were changed, and its gas tank was filled in less than six seconds as the president and media looked on in awe. The event, which begins at 1 p.m. ET, offers free general admission and is open to the public.
‘Barbaric’ abortion provision fuels Christian push to crack down on Dem governor
A Catholic organization is pressing Massachusetts bishops to act against Democratic Gov. Maura Healey after she signed a new law that will eliminate the state’s previous restrictions on abortions after 24 weeks, making Massachusetts the 10th state to permit the procedure up to birth. “To weaponize Catholic virtues, to weaponize Christian virtues in the defense of something so egregiously contrary to the faith is a new moment in the political landscape and in the way in which bishops should deal with politicians,” CatholicVote president and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt told Fox News Digital. CatholicVote is urging Massachusetts bishops to determine whether Healey, who is Catholic, incurred automatic excommunication under canon law and, if so, formally declare it. In a letter to the bishops, Reinhardt argued that Healey should be considered an “accomplice” in abortion under Catholic canon law and that her actions warrant formal discipline. The law, signed by Healey in mid-August and set to take effect Nov. 8, will allow abortions beyond the state’s previous restrictions based on a physician’s professional judgment, reigniting a decades-old fight over how Catholic leaders should respond to Democratic politicians whose support for abortion rights conflicts with Church teaching. LATE-TERM ABORTION TAKES FRONT SEAT AS BLUE STATE RUSHES TO EXPAND ACCESS BEFORE SESSION ENDS While Catholic politicians have repeatedly faced condemnation, warnings and calls for consequences, formal discipline from bishops has been uneven — a divide that CatholicVote says Healey’s latest move should force Church leaders to confront. “We’ve seen generations of Catholic politicians now claim this same exception,” Reinhardt said, referring to politicians who say they are personally opposed to abortion while supporting abortion rights. “It gave cover for too many years and now that cover is no longer possible.” NEONATOLOGIST SOUNDS ALARM OVER MASSACHUSETTS ABORTION LAW ALLOWING PROCEDURES UP TO BIRTH: ‘VERY DISTURBING’ Bishop Robert Barron, who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, sharply condemned the new Massachusetts law and the celebration surrounding its signing. “Please understand what this means. A fully-formed child, moments before exiting the birth canal, can be eviscerated, chopped into pieces, have its head crushed or skin burned off,” said the bishop in an X post. “What I found particularly gross was the reaction of the entirely female crowd around the female governor of Massachusetts as she signed this barbaric provision into law,” he said, referencing those surrounding Healey during the signing. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reposted the bishop’s comments, highlighting, “They were clapping and cackling with delight because what can only be called infanticide can now be practiced with impunity in their state” along with “[microphone emoji] dropped.” Barron’s condemnation reignited a broader conversation over whether Catholic bishops should move beyond public criticism and impose consequences on Catholic politicians who champion abortion rights in defiance of Church teaching. TEXAS DEM NOMINEE JAMES TALARICO INVOKES FAITH TO DEFEND ABORTION RIGHTS, ‘THE BIBLE IS SILENT ON ABORTION’ “It’s left entirely to the bishops,” Reinhardt said, adding that when politicians are allowed to publicly take positions “so contrary to the faith,” it “creates confusion for people in the pews.” Both Reinhardt and Barron referenced previous examples invoking former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s 1984 Notre Dame speech. At the time, Cuomo said that Catholic politicians could personally accept the Church’s opposition to abortion without necessarily imposing that belief through civil law. WHAT MY SON’S ULTRASOUND TAUGHT ME ABOUT ABORTION — AND MASSACHUSETTS IGNORES “We’ve seen generations of Catholic politicians now claim this same exception,” said Reinhardt. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was barred from receiving Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone in 2022 because of her public support for abortion rights. “It’s certainly a tool that bishops have in their legislative disciplinary toolbox, which is to say, you know, actually you’ve found yourself in a state of grave sin because you’ve publicly advocated for this so I can no longer give you the Holy Sacrament,” said Reinhardt. Fox News Digital reached out to Healey’s office and Massachusetts Catholic bishops for comment.