Conservative firebrand cruises to primary win despite clash with Trump
Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., clinched her Republican primary after running unopposed to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District on Tuesday evening, setting herself up to pursue a fourth term. Despite notable clashes with House GOP leadership and President Donald Trump, Boebert emerged from her primary largely unscathed, separating herself from the three other Republicans who voted with Democrats to advance the Epstein Files Transparency Act. If reelected in the state’s Nov. 3 general election, she will be the only one remaining next Congress among fellow GOP rebels Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.; and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. Greene, a once-outspoken backer of the president, resigned her seat at the beginning of the year when the two split on foreign aid, government transparency and federal spending. THE REVOLT OF MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, NOW DONALD TRUMP’S FIERCEST CRITIC Although he’s presently still in office, Massie lost a primary bid to a Trump-backed challenger earlier this year. And Mace, who ran for governor in the Palmetto State, fell woefully short of capturing the GOP nomination after Trump declined to endorse her. Despite outlasting her fellow GOP colleagues, Boebert hasn’t fully escaped Trump’s wrath. The president noted that Boebert had changed districts to run for a considerably safer seat and appeared ready to test the waters against her. TRUMP THREATENS TO PULL BOEBERT ENDORSEMENT, CALLS CONGRESSWOMAN ‘WEAK MINDED’ OVER MASSIE SUPPORT “Is anyone interested in running against weak-minded Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s fourth congressional district?” Trump said in a post to Truth Social in May. “You remember Lauren moved to the district when it became obvious that she couldn’t win in her original congressional district. Boebert is campaigning for the worst ‘Republican’ congressman in the history of our country, Thomas Massie. Even though I long ago endorsed Boebert, if the right person came along, it would be my honor to withdraw that endorsement and endorse a good and proper alternative.” Boebert announced her decision to switch districts in December 2023, before her vote on the Epstein Files. Despite her disagreements with the White House, Boebert has said she remains an ally to Trump. “Below is my friend Thomas Massie,” Boebert said in a post to X, posting a picture of Massie alongside Trump. “He loves America and is fighting to save it. Also below is my friend and President Donald Trump. He’s put his life on the line to save this great country. I support both of these men. I’ve worked with both to preserve freedom and liberty. And if that makes you angry, bless your heart,” Boebert wrote.
Federal judge blocks blue state’s law prohibiting ICE agents from wearing masks on the job
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Virginia from enforcing a new law that would prohibit federal agents — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol — from wearing masks while carrying out enforcement operations, siding with the Trump administration in a dispute over federal authority. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne granted the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for a preliminary injunction, preventing the law from taking effect Wednesday while the legal challenge proceeds. The injunction will remain in place while the case is litigated. Payne found the federal government is likely to succeed on the merits because Virginia’s law attempts to regulate how federal officers enforce immigration laws, violating the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. MINNESOTA SENATE VOTES TO BAN ICE FROM WEARING MASKS, ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SUE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS The judge also found the government demonstrated it would likely suffer irreparable harm because enforcing the law could expose federal employees to “real risk of physical harm” while carrying out immigration enforcement duties. The ruling stems from a lawsuit the DOJ filed last week challenging two laws signed by Democrat Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger. The DOJ argued the measures would subject masked federal agents to criminal penalties and threaten agreements between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement. DOJ ESCALATES BLUE-STATE ICE STANDOFF AFTER STATES REFUSE KEY FEDERAL REQUEST “Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe, and they do not deserve to be doxed or harassed simply for carrying out their duties,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said when the lawsuit was filed. “Virginia’s anti-law enforcement policies regulate the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents,” he added. “These laws cannot stand.” The lawsuit argued Virginia was attempting to dictate how federal officers carry out law enforcement operations by restricting when they may wear face coverings, requiring them to display identifying information and placing conditions on cooperation agreements between local agencies and ICE. MINNESOTA SENATE VOTES TO BAN ICE FROM WEARING MASKS, ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SUE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS According to the DOJ, federal officers who violated Virginia’s mask and identification law could have faced a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both. The lawsuit names Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano as defendants. Payne’s order applies only to Virginia’s mask and identity law. The judge noted the Justice Department’s separate challenge to another provision governing immigration enforcement agreements will proceed on a different briefing schedule, with a hearing scheduled for Aug. 3. Spanberger, Jones and Descano have all taken steps to counter the Trump administration’s ICE agenda in Virginia. In February, Spanberger rescinded an executive order issued by former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin directing state law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Fox News Digital has reached out to Spanberger’s office for comment on the development. Fox News Digital’s Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.
Republican Party to host historic midterm convention in Dallas, Trump announces on Truth Social
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday to announce the Republican Party will host its very first “Midterm Convention” this fall in Texas. The two-day event, scheduled to take center stage on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 in Dallas, aims to celebrate the “great American comeback” and highlight the ongoing achievements of the administration’s America First Agenda, the president said. “It will be in Dallas, Texas — One of my favorite places in the World,” Trump wrote in the announcement. “It has never been done before, and will be a truly Historic Event.” MIDTERM ALARM BELLS: DEMOCRATS FACE STEEP FAVORABILITY DEFICIT DESPITE ELECTION GAINS In his post, the president touted a list of policy victories and economic milestones that will serve as the focal point of the convention, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security, as well as securing stronger borders and safer communities. BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY He also highlighted American energy dominance alongside dropping oil prices, progress on denuclearizing Iran, and driving affordability for Americans. “We are delivering on the promises that politicians talked about for decades, but never got done,” Trump wrote. The president said the “rally like none other,” will feature “lots of great entertainment” and spotlight the nation’s first responders, innovators, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and job creators. National political conventions, where party delegates from around the country formally nominate their party’s presidential candidates, normally take place during presidential election years. But with Republicans aiming to protect their narrow control of the Senate and their razor-thin House majority in this year’s elections, Trump announced last September that the GOP would hold a convention ahead of the midterms “in order to show the great things we have done” since recapturing the White House. The Republican National Committee in January approved a change to the party’s rules that would allow Chair Joe Gruters to convene a convention during a midterm election year. In a statement after Trump’s announcement on Tuesday, Gruters emphasized, “This historic Midterm Convention will highlight President Trump’s many accomplishments and unwavering commitment to restoring America. “This convention will be a Trumpapalooza, where we will showcase the America First agenda, which has delivered the largest tax cut in history and made communities safer. President Trump will unite Republicans around our shared vision, build momentum, and deliver an incredible convention for our Party,” Gruters added, as he repeated a description of the confab he first used in January. And Gruters told Fox News Digital earlier this year, “I think the President of the United States is our secret weapon.” But the president’s approval ratings remain well underwater, with many Americans giving him a big thumbs down on the job he’s doing with the economy and the issue of affordability. Democratic National Committee (DNC) Director of Rapid Response Kendall Witmer told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening, “The American people can’t afford their bills or to fill up at the pump because of Donald Trump, and Republicans’ response is to throw a multi-million dollar televised celebration for Trump that will only remind Americans of his failed promise to them and tie already flailing Republican swing-seat candidates to a historically unpopular president.” The DNC, which significantly trails the RNC in fundraising, last year considered a midterm convention, but earlier this year decided against going forward with holding what is an expensive event. Witmer emphasized that “Democrats are already hitting the trail and speaking directly with American voters about our plans to cut costs and make health care affordable.”
First lady cites memoir after Supreme Court upholds state laws reserving girls’ sports for biological females
First lady Melania Trump pointed to a passage from her bestselling memoir Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled that states may limit women’s and girls’ sports teams to biological females, saying the decision aligns with a position she has long supported. In a post on X, Trump highlighted a passage from Melania that was published months before the court’s landmark 6-3 decision, which held that states may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. “As many of you may know, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community. But we must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected,” the first lady wrote on X, pointing readers to page 156 of her memoir, “Melania.” U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES NEW TRANS ATHLETE FINDINGS AGAINST USA HOCKEY “The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion: ‘Under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, may schools maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females? … The answer is yes,’” Trump continued, citing the court’s decision. “America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes,” she added. “Respect everyone and keep girls’ sports fair. Both ideals are essential.” The first lady’s comments came just hours after the Supreme Court established a new nationwide precedent allowing states to maintain women’s and girls’ sports teams for biological females. U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES NEW TRANS ATHLETE FINDINGS AGAINST USA HOCKEY In the consolidated cases West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the justices ruled 6-3 in favor of West Virginia and Idaho, upholding state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity. Writing for the majority, the court held: “Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the States may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex.” The decision marks a major victory for supporters of so-called “Save Women’s Sports” laws, validating similar legislation enacted in 27 states in recent years. The ruling also clears the way for those states to continue enforcing the laws without the legal uncertainty that surrounded them while the cases moved through the courts. LAWYERS FIGHTING SJSU OVER VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL RESPOND TO FEDERAL TITLE IX PROBE FINDINGS Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey praised the ruling, calling it “a monumental victory for every female athlete who has ever competed, or dreamed of competing, on a fair and safe playing field.” Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador likewise hailed the decision, saying it confirmed states’ authority to “preserve fair competition and protect the opportunities that generations of women fought to secure.” The cases centered on West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act and Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, both of which had been blocked after legal challenges brought by transgender athletes. Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Trump taps acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling for permanent role pending Senate confirmation
President Donald Trump on Monday nominated acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to serve as U.S. labor secretary, sending his pick to the Senate for confirmation. If confirmed, Sonderling would formally assume the Cabinet post after leading the Labor Department on an acting basis since former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s departure in April. He would continue overseeing the department’s efforts to enforce federal labor laws, administer workforce programs and implement the administration’s employment agenda. “It is my Great Honor to announce that I am nominating Keith E. Sonderling, the outstanding Acting United States Secretary of Labor, to be permanent,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “Keith previously served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer and, during my First Term, worked at the U.S. Department of Labor as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. “Throughout his career, Keith has proven his dedication to delivering strong results for the Hardworking People of our Country, and I know he will do an incredible job in his new role,” Trump added. ACTING LABOR SECRETARY SONDERLING: A FAST-TRACK WAY TO GET A JOB WITHOUT COLLEGE DEBT Chavez-DeRemer left the Labor Department in April, when the White House announced Sonderling would serve as acting labor secretary. ACTING LABOR SECRETARY SONDERLING: A FAST-TRACK WAY TO GET A JOB WITHOUT COLLEGE DEBT Chavez-DeRemer’s departure came after a whistleblower complaint accused her of having an affair with a member of her security detail, drinking on the job, creating a hostile work environment and directing staff to perform personal errands at taxpayer expense. The Labor Department’s inspector general is investigating the allegations, which also include claims that Chavez-DeRemer’s husband made unwanted advances toward department officials and that family members routinely sent personal requests to young staffers, according to previous Fox News Digital reporting. ACTING LABOR SECRETARY SONDERLING: A FAST-TRACK WAY TO GET A JOB WITHOUT COLLEGE DEBT Reporting on the complaints indicates Chavez-DeRemer requested staff perform private errands for her and her husband, including picking up dry cleaning, purchasing wine and cleaning out the secretary’s closet, while allegedly using threats to ensure compliance. Meanwhile, other complaints alleged drinking on the job and keeping stashes of liquor around the office, according to the New York Post, which first reported the complaints in January. Chavez-DeRemer has denied the allegations. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Emotion and feelings: How Democratic Socialists’ congressional insurgency could come back to bite them
It’s a Democratic identity crisis. Democratic Socialists of America are on the charge, running hot off their wins in the New York Democratic primaries last week. Their victories in multiple Congressional seats – felling both Reps. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., and Dan Goldman, D-N.Y. – signals that the party is ready to move on from the same old, same old. Espaillat chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Goldman was a key House staffer during the first impeachment of President Donald Trump. “Even Dan Goldman’s not good enough for them,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Fox. “That is how radical it’s become.” MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALISTS LOOK TO TAKE NEW YORK PLAYBOOK NATIONWIDE AFTER PRIMARY VICTORIES Some moderate Democrats are trying to distance themselves from the left. “That’s not the same brand of politics that we have. We’re not those type of Democrats,” said Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., who represents a battleground district. “There’s a new group of Democratic Socialists who are socialists who are not commonsense Democrats. Who are not interested in getting things done. They’re interested in throwing bombs. Not actually solving problems,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J. LURCHING LEFT: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS Some Democrats are worried how far left candidates command more attention than those in the middle. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., worries that the outsized attention garnered by the left sends the wrong impression to voters. “What they don’t want is divisiveness. They don’t want screaming and yelling,” said McDonald Rivet. Mainstream Democrats feel trapped in the middle as the left – specifically the New York City left – wields an outsized media and political megaphone. “Those candidates would not have won in Virginia where I live,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va. Republicans believe they are primed to nationalize the midterms. Republicans can do that by highlighting the extreme views of Democratic Socialists who captured primary victories in New York City. The GOP wants to portray their opponents as veering left. “These are board-certified communists, right?” asked Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. “They want no police. They want no private property.” President Trump capitalized on the Democratic outcomes in his home city. “The Democrat party is in big trouble because this isn’t stopping with New York,” he forecast. VICTORIES BY MAMDANI-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES SPOTLIGHTS GROWING RIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY This shakeup has progressive leaders demanding transformation at the top. “You’re going to see, I think, people voting for new leadership and to change their representation,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. The Democratic Party tapped Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., to deliver their official response to President Trump’s 2025 State of the Union speech. Slotkin is a moderate who won in a battleground race in 2024 – even as the President prevailed in the Wolverine State. But during an appearance on SiriusXM, Slotkin insists on a Democratic Party management switch. “If people can’t understand that the game has fundamentally changed and they can’t adapt, then they need to let others,” said Slotkin. “The old models do not work for people.” Republicans believe House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is vulnerable after the DSA elected their candidates over his preferred picks in New York City. “I think Hakeem Jeffries’ friends and neighbors gave him a big middle finger,” said House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. “If you lose three elections in your hometown, that’s a pretty big slap in the face.” He added that Democrats “are going further and further to the left to the point where they are full-blown, card-carrying socialists.” And then there is the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, and in some cases, antisemitic take by some of these candidates. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, is a moderate Democrat from a swing district. He’s Jewish and one of the most pro-Israel Democrats in the House. “There are some on the left who use Israel the way that some on the right use immigrants or trans kids as a way to divide. And I think it’s terrible. It’s also just not what voters want us talking about,” said Landsman. HOUSE DEMOCRAT LASHES OUT WHEN GRILLED ON WHETHER SOCIALIST VICTORIES WOULD THREATEN DEM UNITY Yours truly tangled with Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. – who once chaired the House Democratic Caucus. I pressed him about what the party would do about some candidates “who are too far to the left.” “What does that mean? That’s your statement. Did the people of New York vote?” queried Larson. I assured him that they did. “Is that democracy?” asked Larson. “But if some of them are antisemitic,” I countered. “Is that a democracy?” continued Larson. “Will you stand by people if they have antisemitic views?” I followed up. Larson finally addressed my inquiry. His answer crystallized the schism the Democratic Party now faces. “I’m against antisemitism, if that’s your question,” Larson declared. The fact that Democrats are now facing this debate robs them of valuable time on economic issues. Landsman argued that voters would prefer candidates to stick to groceries and the price of gas. Gottheimer echoed Landsman on kitchen table subjects. “We should be focused on ways to actually solve problems like that. Not coming in here and using tea party tactics and trying to divide up the country and pray to socialist ideals,” said Gottheimer. So what is the party to do? DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB “They’re our nominees. We’re going to support them. We’re going to welcome them. They’re going to be part of our caucus and we’re going to unite behind Leader Jeffries,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Oversight panel. But that doesn’t address the fissures. It doesn’t address how voters may perceive the party. And it doesn’t establish if these new Democratic nominees will work on behalf of the party to raise money and advocate for Democrats across the board. Or, will they become professional bomb throwers – ala what the right has endured for a while. “It’s going to be a lot harder to get
Trump unloads after Supreme Court upholds late mail-in ballots in Mississippi
President Donald Trump on Monday blasted a Supreme Court opinion upholding a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots received up to five days after Election Day to be counted. The ruling in Watson v. RNC pitted Trump against some of the justices he appointed and dealt a blow to his push for stricter election rules by upholding Mississippi’s practice of counting late-arriving mail-in ballots. The decision also prompted a rebuke from one of the Republican senators Trump singled out in a scathing response, after the senator noted he already supports legislation requiring ballots to be received by Election Day. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump nominee, rebuked Republicans’ arguments in the case, writing that as long as Election Day is the statutorily required date on which a vote is submitted and that “election-day statutes do not set a deadline for ballot receipt.” Trump fired back hours later on Truth Social, calling the case a “tremendous loss” for voters’ rights and saying the ruling means Congress must moot it immediately by passing the SAVE America Act. SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY The bill, led by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, in the House and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in the Senate, would require nationwide voter ID and essentially ban no-excuse mail-in balloting. “It is more important than ever to pass the SAVE America Act,” he said. TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE SENATE DESPITE REPUBLICAN REVOLT “There is no excuse for a politician, or otherwise, to be against the above three requirements,” he said, citing voter-ID, proof-of-citizenship, and only distributing mail-in ballots to military members, the sick and disabled and those voters traveling away from their home precinct on Election Day. “There is only one reason to oppose — cheating,” he said, adding that the House approved the SAVE Act in three different iterations. “In a time when there is a powerful Communist movement taking place in our country, one more dangerous than World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, or Sept. 11, all Dumocrats (sic) and our five Republican Senate Hold Outs, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, and Mitch McConnell must vote to save our country.” WATCH: HAWLEY FUMES AFTER 4 GOP SENATORS HELP SINK TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID LAW Fox News Digital reached out to Senate leaders John Thune, R-S.D., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., as well as each of the senators Trump mentioned. Cassidy incredulously replied that the president may need to fact-check his missive, as the Louisiana Republican is a co-sponsor of the SAVE Act. “I don’t know which staffer misled you, but thank you for your attention to this matter,” Cassidy said, mimicking Trump’s signature statement-closer. Trump and Cassidy have sparred in other respects, but the two appear in agreement on the bill’s contents. However, Cassidy added that it is “irresponsible” to postpone a now-paused Housing bill signing until the SAVE Act is passed because people deserve “relief… for the high cost of housing.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Thune’s office declined further comment, while McConnell’s acknowledged receipt and said the former majority leader would share any comment if he has one in the interim. While Trump grouped all Democrats in opposition, one maverick member of the minority has signaled he would support a pared-down version that would require voter ID. “If the GOP wants real reform over a show vote––put out a clean, standalone bill and I’m AYE,” Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman said in a recent statement. “Keep it basic: PHOTO ID to vote. Stop turning this into a Christmas list and attacking vote-by-mail.” If the Senate were to approve the House-passed version of the SAVE Act, it could upend or at least moot parts of the Supreme Court’s Watson decision. Calls for the SAVE America Act’s passage mounted in the weeks before the decision as critics pointed to California’s ballot tabulation process after actor Spencer Pratt was overtaken by socialist Councilwoman Nithya Raman, D-Los Feliz, and eliminated from the runoff. Critics also cited the slow pace at which Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton were declared general election candidates for governor after a crowded primary.
WATCH: Bill Maher says Vance interview critics wouldn’t be happy unless he ‘punched him in the nose’
Liberal comedian Bill Maher dismissed backlash that he went too easy on Vice President JD Vance during their recent interview, arguing that critics wouldn’t have been satisfied unless the conversation had ended in a physical altercation. “They would never be happy unless JD Vance walked out and I punched him in the nose,” Maher told Fox News Digital. “That’s the only thing that would satisfy certain people.” He continued, “I don’t play that game. I like to actually talk to people.” BILL MAHER’S DIRE MIDTERM ELECTION WARNING TO DEMS AFTER ‘REALLY CRAZY’ SOCIALISTS WIN PRIMARIES Maher faced criticism after Friday’s episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher” interviewing Vance as some argued he failed to challenge the vice president aggressively enough on political issues. “For someone who spends every Friday night railing against the Trump administration, he treated its vice president with kid gloves,” an article in Variety claimed. The two discussed the rise of socialism in the Democratic Party after three far-left progressive candidates won in New York’s primary elections last week. They spoke on how that impacts the trajectory of both sides of the aisle heading into November’s midterms, with Maher even admitting his vote could flip Republican with the direction the Democratic Party has moved toward. BILL MAHER TELLS JD VANCE DEMOCRATIC RADICALISM ON ISRAEL AND SOCIALISM COULD PUT HIS VOTE ‘IN PLAY’ Maher walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Sunday night as he accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, where he spoke to reporters about his conversation with Vance. The comedian, whose political commentary has often put him at odds with Trump and other Republicans, said his opinion of the vice president didn’t change after his interview, as he “talks to these guys all the time,” referring to politicians and Republicans. He shared that his conversations with Republicans usually go well. “Everybody’s a monster till you talk to them,” he said in reference to his interviews with Republicans. He continued, “Are there things we’re never going to agree on? Yeah.” BILL MAHER CALLS OUT TRUMP’S ‘BULLS—‘ TRUTH SOCIAL POST ATTACKING HIM Maher pressed Vance during the interview on the Trump administration’s refusal to concede to losing the 2020 election, claiming it was “rigged” by fraudulent voting, interference and censorship in the election against former President Joe Biden. But Maher still commended Vance for coming on his show, sharing with Fox News Digital on Sunday that despite their disagreements, conversations with politicians like Vance don’t typically turn “hateful.” “They’re happy warriors,” he said in regards to Vance and other Republicans he has interviewed. “You hit them with three really, really hard-hitting things that say ‘you can’t keep doing it,’ and they just answer it,” Maher said. “They evade it. But they don’t hold it against you. It doesn’t turn hateful.”
Alito blasts latest SCOTUS ballot ruling as invitation to ‘voter fraud’ risks
Justice Samuel Alito cautioned on Monday that the Supreme Court’s decision to allow ballots received after Election Day to be counted could lead large sections of the public to view elections as illegitimate. While Alito had legal concerns with the majority’s ruling, arguing that they misinterpreted when the “electorate’s choice” occurs, he closed his dissent by issuing a practical warning. Allowing late-arriving ballots to determine the outcomes of elections long after Election Day will, according to Alito, severely damage the trust Americans place in their electoral system. “Not only is today’s decision inconsistent with statutory text, legal context, historical practice, and precedent; it also threatens to produce lamentable consequences,” he wrote. “The majority’s holding spawns a slurry of troubling election-law questions and risks further undermining Americans’ confidence in election integrity.” SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY Alito went on to describe a hypothetical scenario where the outcome of a presidential election hinges on a single state that allows late-arriving mail ballots to be counted. In the scenario described by the justice, one candidate leads by 15,000 votes on election night only for the opposing candidate to slowly gain votes and, a few days before electors are scheduled to vote, pull ahead by just under 100 votes. “If the apparent winner the morning after the election ends up losing due to late arriving ballots, charges of a rigged election could explode,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh also noted during the case’s oral arguments. Alito didn’t simply claim that the ruling could affect how people view elections; he argued that it could open the door for fraud. SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY “Today’s decision leaves open opportunities for voter fraud that may further undermine Americans’ faith in the integrity of this country’s elections. Diverse sources have recognized that mail-in ballots increase the potential for fraud,” Alito continued. “In 2005, a committee chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker found that absentee voting was ‘the largest source of potential voter fraud’ in American elections.” While instances of voter fraud carried out using mail-in ballots have been recorded, there is no evidence that widespread fraud occurred in the 2020 or 2024 presidential elections. Democrats, meanwhile, argue that allowing states to process ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive afterward, is essential to ensuring that all eligible voters have a say in who governs them. SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY “I’m relieved the Supreme Court is not interfering with Washington’s mail-in ballot system,” Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., wrote on X. “If you work a shift job, have young kids, or live out in the woods, you can’t just knock off for the day to go stand in line at a polling place. For decades, Washington’s secure vote by mail system has made it easy for these folks to participate in democracy and make their voice heard.” The majority, however, did not address whether allowing late ballots to be counted was good policy, stating that such a consideration is outside the scope of what the court has authority to rule on. “Finally, plaintiffs assert that requiring ballots to be received by Election Day protects election integrity and increases voter confidence in election results,” Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote. “As we have said time and again, however, policy arguments are properly directed to legislatures, not courts.”
Trump says he will ‘continue the fight’ after Supreme Court declines to review Carroll abuse verdict
President Donald Trump appeared surprised after the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not hear his appeal of a $5 million verdict that found he sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll and later defamed her. The high court declined to take up the case, leaving the $5 million judgment in place. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 inside a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room, awarding her $5 million. In 2024, another jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in a separate defamation case over Trump’s denials and attacks after she accused him. The justices did not provide an explanation for Monday’s decision. “Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to ‘review’ a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!),” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength.” TRUMP REQUESTS E JEAN CARROLL $83M JUDGMENT STAY FOR PENDING SUPREME COURT ACTION ON PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY “This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for,” he added, “and should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be!” Trump’s attorneys argued that the trial judge violated federal evidence rules by admitting the infamous Access Hollywood tape — in which Trump is heard bragging about grabbing women by their genitals — and by allowing the jury to hear from two other women who accused Trump of sexual assault, allegations he denies. Carroll’s lawyers countered that the women’s testimony was relevant because the allegations were highly similar, and they noted that Judge Lewis Kaplan’s evidentiary decisions aligned with legal precedents across the country. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS $83.3M E. JEAN CARROLL JUDGMENT AGAINST TRUMP “Today’s Supreme Court decision affirms once and for all the jury’s unanimous verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll. His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed, and today’s ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions,” said Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney. In a separate statement, Trump’s legal team stated: “The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes. President Trump will keep winning against Liberal Lawfare, as he continues to focus on his mission to Make America Great Again.” In his Truth Social post, Trump also accused New York state lawmakers of explicitly targeting him. “New York State created a Law, for an instant speck of time, going back many decades, in order to wrongfully ‘nab’ me,” he wrote. “It was tailor-made, and this Injustice cannot be allowed to stand!” The Associated Press contributed to this report.