Kash Patel announces arrest of suspected ShinyHunters co-conspirator after FBI jobs portal breach
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that agents arrested another suspected co-conspirator linked to the ShinyHunters hacking group earlier this week during the bureau’s investigation of a cybersecurity incident involving its jobs website. The arrest is the latest in a series of FBI actions against the hacking network in recent days, according to Patel, who said investigators are pursuing additional leads and evidence. “Earlier this week, our agents in the field arrested another suspected co-conspirator of the ShinyHunters group, the group believed to be responsible for the recent FBIjobs.gov incident, which occurred on a platform managed by a third-party vendor,” Patel said in an Oct. 9 statement. FBI INVESTIGATES AFTER SHINYHUNTERS HACKERS CLAIM THEFT OF AGENTS’ PERSONAL DATA Patel said the FBI is working with its partners to dismantle the group and its associates. “This arrest demonstrates the strength and reach of our efforts to protect Americans from cybercrime. We will continue to work closely with our partners to disrupt what’s left of the ShinyHunters group and their associates, no matter where they operate.” ShinyHunters, a criminal hacking and extortion group, previously said it obtained sensitive personal information belonging to FBI employees and applicants through the bureau’s jobs portal. 16-YEAR-OLD ALLEGEDLY LED RANSOMWARE GANG BEHIND HUNDREDS OF ATTACKS The group said it stole information belonging to nearly all FBI agents and people who applied to work for the bureau, Reuters previously reported. A sample of data shared with the outlet contained agents’ names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, assignments and, in some cases, names of family members. The FBI previously said it was investigating whether the breach originated within its own systems or through a third-party provider supporting FBIJobs.gov. The extent of the alleged breach has not been independently confirmed. Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent and CEO of Media Rep Global Strategies, previously told Fox News Digital the distinction between stolen personnel information and access to classified investigative systems is critical. FBI HACK CLAIM RAISES FEARS OVER SENSITIVE PERSONAL DATA “There is a meaningful difference between somebody obtaining personnel information and somebody gaining access to classified investigative systems,” Pack said. “Based on what we know right now, there is no indication they have the keys to the kingdom.” A representative for the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump names Leavitt successor after weeks of speculation — and she’s no stranger to MAGA
President Donald Trump tapped a trusted ally from the company behind his Truth Social platform to become his next White House press secretary Friday, naming attorney and television commentator Katie Zacharia to succeed Karoline Leavitt. Two White House officials confirmed the selection to Fox News Digital before Trump publicly announced the appointment on X. Zacharia, an attorney and frequent television commentator, currently serves as senior communications adviser to Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the president’s social media platform, Truth Social. She will succeed former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “It is my Great Honor to have just appointed, as Press Secretary, Katie Zacharia. Katie currently serves as Senior Communications Advisor to Truth Social (Trump Media & Technology Group), where she has been outstanding!” Trump wrote Friday afternoon. KAROLINE LEAVITT JOINS FOX NEWS AS CONTRIBUTOR AFTER LEAVING WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ROLE Zacharia celebrated the appointment in a post on X, thanking Trump for what she called the “distinguished privilege” of serving as White House press secretary. “Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime,” Zacharia wrote. “President Trump has shown America that we can be great again, and he works to effectuate that greatness every single day. His confidence is a true privilege, and his leadership is a blessing to this country.” Zacharia said her focus would be on communicating the administration’s accomplishments to the American public while working with reporters across the country. “The work ahead is to continue delivering strong results for our Country and communicating to the American people the major wins that this Administration is making every single day,” she wrote. “I look forward to working with the White House press corps, and with reporters across the country, to get that record out.” She also acknowledged the expectations that come with succeeding Leavitt. “Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting,” Zacharia wrote. Zacharia previously served briefly as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security following the departure of Tricia McLaughlin, who had served as press secretary under former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. KAROLINE LEAVITT HEADS FOR WHITE HOUSE EXIT AS SPECULATION BUILDS OVER WHO TRUMP PICKS NEXT “Katie is a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax. She was previously involved in my Campaigns, assisting in key Swing States, where we won 7 out of 7. She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning,” said Trump. “She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA! I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, the Media, the American People, and my Administration. Katie is replacing the fabulous Karoline Leavitt, who did a fantastic job as Press Secretary. Good luck Katie,” he added. A 41-year-old mother of four, Zacharia has been married to her husband Tyler since 2011. He is a producer known for projects like the 2019 film “The Irishman” and 2025 movie, “Roofman.” Zacharia notes on her Instagram that her husband has also worked with Angel Studios on “David,” “Brink of War” and “Young Washington.” WHITE HOUSE PLANS GUEST HOSTS FOR PRESS BRIEFINGS WHILE KAROLINE LEAVITT TAKES MATERNITY LEAVE Since Leavitt’s departure, there have been only two formal White House press briefings — one with Vice President JD Vance and one with Attorney General Todd Blanche. The White House adopted a rotating lineup of top Trump administration officials to lead press briefings while former press secretary Karoline Leavitt was on maternity leave over the summer. “Katie has been an effective champion of MAGA movement and America First policies – and most importantly clearly has [the] trust of President Trump,” former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer told Fox News Digital. “Anyone who has not met her yet will quickly see that she is a genuinely kind person who will work well with the press corps, unlike the first press secretary who came across as an angry leprechaun at times,” Spicer added. Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicked off the rotation, followed by Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. Rather than relying on a single deputy press secretary, the administration tapped high-profile officials to field questions from reporters on the president’s agenda. Names previously floated as potential replacements for Leavitt included former Trump attorney and current Justice Department adviser Alina Habba, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, principal deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, former Pence communications director Katie Miller, White House communications director Steven Cheung and Breitbart Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle.
Marco Rubio announces sweeping financial sanctions against the International Criminal Court
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that the Trump administration is imposing sweeping financial sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), a body the president has sought to dismantle throughout his second term. To date, the administration has sanctioned 17 individuals with ties to the ICC, including judges and prosecutors. The latest move marks the first time the U.S. has gone after the institution itself. “Our message is clear: The United States and the American people are not subject to the jurisdiction of this fake ICC,” Rubio said in a pre-recorded video message released Friday morning. “Both parties agree on this, but only President Trump has the resolve to take the action needed to end this threat once and for all.” This comes hours after this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a former ICC judge. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SANCTIONS SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR ‘ABUSES OF POWER’ In a statement Friday, the Netherlands-based court strongly condemned the U.S. sanctions as “an assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order.” “This measure targets an independent judicial institution, created by treaty and entrusted by 125 States Parties with investigating and prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression,” the ICC added. “It is an attempt to obstruct the course of justice and to prevent the Court from doing what it was created to do.” ICC President Tomoko Akane, who was personally sanctioned by the Trump administration in August, said the court will continue to operate despite the new penalties. In announcing the sanctions, Rubio argued the ICC believes it has the authority to prosecute American service members operating overseas and even U.S. Border Patrol agents. There is no evidence the court has sought to investigate or prosecute Border Patrol agents, though Rubio previously raised that possibility in July. WORLD COURT PROSECUTOR WHO WENT AFTER NETANYAHU FOR WAR CRIMES SUSPENDED OVER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT The administration’s concerns about U.S. personnel are not entirely hypothetical. In 2017, an ICC prosecutor sought authorization to investigate alleged war crimes committed by U.S. military and intelligence personnel in Afghanistan. ICC judges initially rejected the request, but that decision was overturned on appeal in 2020, allowing the investigation to proceed. The court’s prosecutor later de-prioritized alleged crimes involving U.S. personnel to focus on alleged crimes committed by the Taliban and ISIS-K. Under the new sanctions, any ICC assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen, while Americans, U.S. businesses and banks are generally barred from conducting transactions with the court. The sanctions will not go into effect immediately. The Treasury Department has given the ICC a 180-day general license to maintain its operations, giving the court time to address U.S. concerns. ICC TURNS ‘BLIND EYE’ TO TOP WORLD THREATS WHILE TARGETING AMERICANS, TRUMP ADMIN SAYS “Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC. And we expect our allies, many of whom are part of the ICC and that rely on American service members for their defense, to rein in this rogue court,” Rubio said. “If they do not, the United States will continue its campaign to dismantle the ICC piece by piece until Americans are threatened no longer.” One of the other major grievances the administration has with the ICC is its decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024. The ICC argued both officials were responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza during Israel’s military response to the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in 2023. Both men have denied wrongdoing. In a February 2025 executive order authorizing sanctions against ICC officials, President Donald Trump called the arrest warrants “baseless” and said the court overstepped its authority since Israel was not an ICC member. The ICC maintains that it can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states when they are accused of qualifying crimes committed on the territory of a state that has accepted the court’s jurisdiction.
Dem scrambles to change tune on trans athletes as Trump targets past record: ‘Annie Trannie’
A South Carolina Democrat running for U.S. Senate who previously opposed legislation restricting transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports is now emphasizing her opposition to biological males participating in female athletics as President Donald Trump targets her record ahead of the midterm elections. Trump took aim at Annie Andrews, a pediatrician challenging Republican Sen. Darline Graham, in a series of Truth Social posts this week, dubbing her “Annie Trannie” and accusing her of supporting transgender policies that are out of step with South Carolina voters. The president also shared an attack ad accusing Andrews of supporting biological males competing against female athletes. “Annie Andrews is for they/them, not for our values, not for South Carolina,” the ad said. But Andrews pushed back in an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, arguing that her positions have been misrepresented. “I don’t support biological men playing in women’s sports and I don’t support gender surgery on minors,” Andrews said. Her comments stand in contrast to her public opposition to South Carolina’s 2022 Save Women’s Sports Act, which restricted transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s school sports. At the time, Andrews called the legislation “shameful” and “actively harmful,” raising questions about how she reconciles her past opposition to the law with her current campaign position. DEMOCRATS ARE CHANGING THEIR TRANSGENDER MESSAGE. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’RE JUST FLIP-FLOPPING As passed, the bill required interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural and club teams sponsored by public schools and colleges to be designated as male or female-coded. It then closed women’s teams to male students and similarly closed men’s sports to women — unless the school did not have a designated women’s team. Private schools competing against public schools were required to follow the same rules. It also allowed students harmed by a violation to sue schools. Andrews’ social media post at the time garnered resurfaced attention as she launched her 2026 Senate bid, attracting pressure from Republicans. “Annie “Trannie” Andrews is running against our wonderful Darline Graham for the Senate in South Carolina,” Trump wrote in one post. “Annie Trannie is not, in particular, as it pertains to representing the Values of the Great People of South Carolina — She is in favor of Transgender for Everyone, Open Borders, Defunding the Police, High Taxes, a Weak Military, and will absolutely fight to take your guns away — In other words, she is against our Great Second Amendment! Trannie is not for South Carolina, and South Carolina must show, in the upcoming Election, that it is not for her,” Trump added. In her interview with Fox News Digital, Andrews dismissed Trump’s barb, calling it a distraction from the issues central to voters in South Carolina. “And in regards to the name-calling, if calling me names is going to lower gas and diesel prices here for so many hardworking South Carolinian families, if it’s going to lower grocery prices or somehow make healthcare more affordable then he can call me all the names he wants but I don’t think that’s a path to solution so I’m going to stay focused on what I can do to help folks in South Carolina,” Andrews said. Andrews did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment on whether her statements reflected a change in stance. She also did not expand on what had drawn criticism for the Save Women’s Sports Act. TALARICO CAMP SAYS HE OPPOSES TRANS ATHLETES IF UNSAFE OR UNFAIR BUT ACCUSES POLITICIANS OF BULLYING STUDENTS At least one Republican onlooker, National Republican Senatorial Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia, believes her remarks speaks poorly of the message she’s presenting to voters. “Annie Andrews’ blatant lies show just how desperate she is and how little she thinks of South Carolinians. But nothing Andrews says or does will change her far-left record,” Puglia said in a comment. This isn’t the first time Andrews has received Republican criticisms for what they view as retreats from trans policies. In 2022, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., called out Andrews for, in her view, trying to walk back her opposition to H. 4047, a bill that would “prohibit the performance of a medical procedure or the prescription or issuance of medication, upon or to a minor, that is intended to alter the appearance of the minor’s gender or delay puberty, with exceptions; to create criminal penalties; and for other purposes.” Andrews said she opposed the bill in a post to X, calling it “dangerous,” only to later say that she opposed trans procedures for minors. “She called thewww.youtube.comwww.youtube.com legislation to ban that kind of surgery dangerous. She called that legislation an attack on our youth. And it wasn’t until we called her out on it that she decided that she’s now not for something that she was very publicly in support of just last year. And so it’s really hard to play hide and seek from your public comments, because once you tweet it, it’s on their public record forever. And that’s how we discovered it,” Mace told Fox News Digital at the time. Notably, she isn’t the only Democrat who in recent weeks has received attention for seeming shifts in her position over transgender policies. Fellow Democrats like Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., and Sarah Trone Garriott, a congressional candidate in Iowa, have all been forced to reiterate their positions as Republicans have highlighted their records on the subject. WATCH: BATTLEGROUND DEMOCRAT CALLED IOWA A ‘BACKWATER’ OVER TRANSGENDER ATHLETES BAN In Kaptur’s case, she described how she had “voted with Republicans to keep transgender ideology out of our schools” despite voting against a women’s sports bill. Similarly, Davis voted “present” on that same women’s bill while later claiming that women should have “safe and fair space” in sports. And Garriott, who cast a vote against a ban on biological men in women’s locker rooms, clarified her stance earlier this year, stating that “I oppose letting men in women’s locker rooms.” Those statements reflect broader trends in public opinion showing consensus on trans athlete
Trump says Rogers ‘completely obliterated’ El-Sayed in debate
President Donald Trump said that Michigan GOP U.S. Senate candidate former Rep. Mike Rogers “obliterated” Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed in a Thursday night debate. “Mike Rogers, the great American Patriot and Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, completely obliterated Mohammad El-Sayed in the big debate tonight. If this was a fight they would have stopped it,” the president declared in a Truth Social post issued shortly after midnight on Friday. “Mohammad is a Jihadist lunatic who hates our Country, the Black People of Detroit, and wants to see the U.S. fail. Short on Stature, Patriotism, and Truth, Mohammed’s statements have been loaded up with lies and deceit. I won Michigan BIG, and know that Mike Rogers, a total winner, is the man for you!!!” Trump added. MICHIGAN SENATE DEBATE ERUPTS INTO PERSONAL ATTACKS AS ROGERS, EL-SAYED CLASH OVER ISRAEL, IRAN AND MORE El-Sayed’s campaign and the White House did not immediately respond for comment to Fox News Digital. Trump has endorsed Rogers, who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from early 2001 until early 2015. Trump also backed Rogers in 2024, but the GOP candidate lost the 2024 Michigan U.S. Senate race to then-Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin. EL-SAYED’S SCATHING OBAMA CRITIQUE RESURFACES AHEAD OF JOINT CAMPAIGN RALLY In part of a Wednesday Truth Social post, the president wrote, “Mohammed El-Sayed is a terrible Candidate for the Dumocrats. While his opponent, Mike Rogers, is an extremely good one, Mohammed goes back to the days of the Jihad. He is a RADICAL Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer, and no different from his best friend, America Hating Hasan Piker.” UNEARTHED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS CONTRADICT EL-SAYED’S ‘CAPITALIST’ NARRATIVE El-Sayed, whose full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, declared in a statement on Thursday, “He knows my name is Abdul. He says it every day. But he’s not just attacking me. He’s attacking all of us. He thinks so low of us. He thinks he can use my name and my faith to distract us from the suffering his policies are inflicting on us at the pump, at the grocery store, and at the doctor’s office. He thinks we don’t know any better. It’s time for change.”
Trump sets up committee to investigate Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations
President Donald Trump has set up a committee to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations she made false statements on mortgage documents, the same accusations Trump has cited for over a year in a bid to remove her from office. Trump attempted to remove Cook in August 2025, triggering a lengthy legal battle that culminated in the Supreme Court blocking her firing in June 2026. In a 5-4 ruling, the court ruled she had not been given adequate time to respond to the allegations against her. This newly-formed committee appears to be the process the White House has settled on to give Cook a chance to advocate for herself, as she will be allowed to submit a written statement ahead of her first scheduled hearing on Nov. 5, 2026. WHO IS LISA COOK? THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR AT THE HEART OF THE SUPREME COURT’S TRUMP-FED SHOWDOWN Her statement must be received by the committee at least three days ahead of the hearing, which will unfold at the White House and will last no more than four hours, according to a notice dated Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, but released on Friday by the Trump administration. At the hearing itself, Cook will be able to “present argument, written evidence, and written witness statements regarding the evidence and allegations,” the White House said. In turn, lawyers with the Department of Justice will question her. The hearing will be closed to the public but will be transcribed. EXPLAINED: HOW LISA COOK’S THREE HOME LOANS BECAME CENTRAL TO TRUMP’S FIGHT OVER HER FEDERAL RESERVE SEAT Three White House staffers, including National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett, will serve as members of the committee. Hassett was one of Trump’s top picks to replace Jerome Powell as Fed Chair before he ultimately settled on Kevin Warsh. The White House said it expects Cook to submit another written statement after the hearing, after which the committee will make a recommendation to Trump on whether there is adequate cause to remove her from her post. The White House revisited its effort to fire Cook in August, sending her a letter informing her that Trump was once again considering terminating her. This time, Cook was given 21 days to respond. Her attorneys submitted a letter to the White House on Aug. 26 denying that she had committed mortgage fraud. The White House alleged that Cook claimed homes in Atlanta and Michigan as her primary residence on separate mortgage agreements and later rented out the Atlanta property. Cook’s attorney said the Atlanta designation was an inadvertent mistake, arguing that she sought financing for it as a vacation home and consistently identified Michigan as her “primary” or “permanent” residence.
Denver, Boulder ignored ICE detainers for migrants with child abuse, assault arrests, House GOP report reveals
FIRST ON FOX: A blue state’s law enforcement officials are keeping illegal immigrants accused of violent crimes out of the reach of federal authorities, a new report claims. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, released new findings Friday in its investigation into sanctuary jurisdictions and their impact on law enforcement across the country. The latest is a 25-page report that accuses top prosecutors in Denver and Boulder of helping illegal immigrants evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while also revealing for the first time the names and graphic charges against some of those whom House GOP investigators say are being shielded from President Donald Trump’s federal crackdown. Both the district attorneys for Denver and Boulder pushed back against Republicans’ accusations. JIM JORDAN SUBPOENAS BLUE STATE DAS ACCUSED OF ‘PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS Among the list is “Fernando Barrios-Ramirez, a Venezuelan national arrested for sexual assault on a child,” the report said. Denver District Attorney John Walsh told Fox News Digital, “Unfortunately, in Barrios-Ramirez’s case, we were prevented from pursuing a decades-long sentence by ICE, who deported Barrios-Ramirez to Mexico over our objection, effectively setting him free.” Walsh said his office prosecuted other cases listed in the report as well. Another alleged criminal Denver is accused of ignoring an ICE detainer for is Juan Andres Holguin-Mendez, a Mexican national whose “criminal history also includes arrests for willful cruelty to a child, DUI, malicious mischief, possession of a controlled substance, trespassing, disturbing the peace, and evading a peace officer.” Holguin-Mendez was arrested for damage to property, the report said. A Venezuelan national named Diego Cano-Diaz with multiple alleged protective order violations was “arrested for aggravated assault with a weapon, resisting arrest, and assault,” the report said. At least four illegal immigrants were arrested due to alleged domestic violence in Denver but also had their ICE detainers ignored, the report said. WATCH: DEM DEMANDS ‘ONE CASE’ WHERE SANCTUARY CITIES DIDN’T TURN OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS; DHS PROVIDES LIST In Boulder, “Mario Hernandez-Quiroz, a Mexican national arrested for child abuse and failure to appear,” was among those whose ICE detainer was ignored. Ignoring an ICE detainer does not necessarily mean law enforcement released the accused back onto public streets. It does, however, delay potential federal deportation proceedings to ensure the accused does not stay in the U.S. DHS BOSS REVEALS OVAL OFFICE PLAN TO ‘WITHHOLD FUNDING’ FROM SANCTUARY CITIES AFTER AGGRESSIVE NEW YORK BUST But the report did accuse district attorneys in Denver and Boulder of helping illegal immigrants suspected of criminal acts to evade ICE, including being more lenient with their treatment in order to avoid federal immigration proceedings — in effect, accusing them of letting more undocumented criminals back onto the streets. For instance, House GOP investigators said they obtained internal documents that show the Denver Sheriff’s Department provided written explanations in a suspected illegal immigrant criminal’s preferred language that said they have “the right to refuse to speak to federal immigration authorities.” DENVER MAN’S ESCAPE EXPOSES CHILLING TREN DE ARAGUA KIDNAPPING PLOT THAT LANDS TRIO IN PRISON The report also accused Denver officials of providing insufficient notice when they do notify ICE about suspected illegal immigrant criminals. An example highlighted in the report involved a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member, about whom ICE was given “between one and two hours’ notice to take him into custody.” The suspected gang member, Abraham Smith Gonzalez, was subsequently released, the report said, and “as a result, when ICE officers attempted to arrest Gonzalez outside a Denver jail in 2025, he assaulted one officer.” The report also accused both Boulder and Denver prosecutors of weighing immigration consequences when pursuing charges against an individual. DOJ ACCUSES MARYLAND OF ‘ACTIVE AND DELIBERATE EFFORT’ TO PREVENT DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: LAWSUIT “In Boulder, District Attorney Dougherty prohibits information sharing with ICE,” the report said. “Before President Trump even took office in January 2025, Dougherty emailed Boulder defense attorneys to remind them of his office’s pro-illegal alien policies, including his office’s consideration of collateral immigration consequences.” An excerpt that the report noted is part of Boulder County District Attorney’s Office guidance stating that attorneys “consider the immigration and other collateral consequences to a defendant in recommending dispositions.” Both Denver and Boulder encourage suspected illegal immigrants to not cooperate with ICE unless a judicial warrant is presented, the report said. ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING CHILDREN AFTER FAIRFAX COUNTY RELEASE: DHS Dougherty in Boulder has already been targeted by Jordan’s probe, with the Ohio Republican subpoenaing Dougherty and accusing him of failing to sufficiently cooperate. He told Fox News Digital in response to the report, “This report is a political stunt to sway voters before the midterm elections. My responsibility is to do justice, enhance public safety, and fight for victims. I’m not going to be distracted by political theatre or intimidated into abandoning my responsibility to protect the community and uphold the law. I am proud of our amazing and dedicated staff. They work incredibly hard to uphold the best interests of Boulder County and Colorado. It is my privilege to work alongside the outstanding women and men in the District Attorney’s Office.” Dougherty’s office also accused committee Republicans of “intentionally” misrepresenting one individual’s case in its report that was not mentioned in this article. “Under the Republicans’ approach, Contreras would have been released to ICE and immediately deported. That would have been a violation of state law. Also, Contreras would be free in another country with no consequences for his criminal conduct, the harm to the victim, and the risk he poses to the community,” the office said. “Under Boulder County’s approach, the Sheriff complied with state law and, ultimately, Contreras was held fully accountable by the prosecutors in our office and sent to state prison for eight (8) years. When he completes that sentence, he will then face deportation.” Walsh told Fox News Digital, “The men and women of the Denver District Attorney’s Office work tirelessly every
Radical anti-Trump language riddles California voter guide on high-stakes ballot measure
A California ballot measure on voter identification provides voters with guidance replete with far-left jargon, including a dig at “MAGA billionaires,” that has turned heads online. Proposition 39 is a citizen-led effort, organized by a group called Californians for Voter ID, that submitted 1.3 million signatures in favor of the ballot initiative in March — far outpacing the required nearly 875,000 signatures in order for it to be adopted as a ballot measure. Californians are slated to vote on the voter ID initiative in November. If approved, it would require a government-issued identification card or number to vote in person or by mail. It would also require election official to verify U.S. citizenship. But the language explaining the proposition from those who oppose the measure in the California voters guide has been flagged online for its highly political nature. SEN MARK WARNER CALLED OUT IN ABC INTERVIEW FOR INACCURATE VOTER ID CLAIMS Groups that support the initiative are allowed to argue in favor of it on the ballot, while groups opposed are allowed to do the same on the ballot. “No on Prop. 39,” begins the arguments section on the ballot initiative. “This would advance Trump’s voter suppression agenda by adding costly, unnecessary barriers that could block eligible California voters, expose personal information to identity theft, and waste hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars.” “Don’t let MAGA billionaires decide which voters count. Vote No,” it concludes. Opponents of the measure are listed as the ACLU California Action, Common Cause and the League of Women Voters of California. INSIDE HOUSE REPUBLICANS’ PLAN TO END RUN DEM OPPOSITION AND PASS TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID The summary section of the ballot measure in the guide states the expected financial impact should the measure take effect. “Costs of between tens of millions of dollars and low hundreds of millions of dollars each year to implement new voting requirements,” it says. A third section titled “What Your Vote Means” also features language describing the ramifications of voting “yes” or “no” on the initiative. “A YES vote on this measure means: Voters would be required to present additional identifying information to elections officials each time they vote,” it says. The voter guide explains that a “no” vote means “[a] voter’s identity would continue to be established with the voter’s signature.” Groups advocating in favor of the measure include the Transparency Foundation, Latino American Political Assn, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. “Yes on Prop. 39 gives California a BIPARTISAN solution for VOTER ID,” their argument section says. “Supported by a solid majority of Democratic, Independent and Republican voters. Increases trust and confidence in our elections.” WATCH: BLACK BISHOP CALLS VOTER ID ARGUMENT ‘DEEPLY INSULTING’ AFTER EXPLOSIVE NONCITIZEN REGISTRATION REPORT A Pew Research study released in 2025 shows that 83% of Americans back voter ID. “It is so dark that this is the level of discourse in the OFFICIAL California voters guide,” said X user Daniel Keller, who first posted a screenshot of the ballot language. Others agreed with that sentiment, like a user named David Masten, who said: “Democracy is a farce in California.” “Good God,” user Brad Pierce put it simply. Early voting is already underway in California, as Election Day on Nov. 3 rapidly approaches. If Proposition 39 is approved, the measure would require voters to present a government-issued ID when voting in person, while mail-in voters would be required to provide the last four digits of a government-issued ID number that matches the one they designated during voter registration. It would also require election officials to use government data to verify U.S. citizenship and publish annual reports showing the percentage of registrations verified for citizenship in each county of the state. The California State Auditor would also be required to conduct regular audits of compliance with the new voter ID and citizenship requirements. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and California Gov. Gavin Newson’s office, but did not hear back at time of publication.
‘Thrill killer’ and desert executioner — meet the dozens of criminals Dem AG backed for parole: ‘No brainer’
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford voted to support clemency for several convicted murderers, including men responsible for the kidnapping and execution-style killing of a teenager, the “thrill killing” of a Pizza Hut worker and the beating death of another victim with a cinder block. Ford is currently facing backlash over his clemency bid for a convicted killer who took the life of a pregnant woman while out on bail for a series of armed robbery attacks on Vegas tourists. Now, a Fox News Digital review of state pardon hearings that took place during Ford’s nearly eight years as attorney general show him supporting clemency for dozens of other violent offenders, with some convicted killers receiving reduced sentences, pardons or earlier parole eligibility while others had their requests denied. Ford is running to be Nevada’s next governor, seeking to oust incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. His race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive gubernatorial elections of the cycle. Unlike governors in most states, Nevada’s governor cannot unilaterally grant pardons or commute prison sentences, with those decisions instead resting with the state’s Board of Pardons Commissioners, made up of the governor, attorney general and Nevada Supreme Court justices. JOE LOMBARDO CRUISES PAST SIX GOP CHALLENGERS TO SECURE NEVADA REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION Since becoming the state’s attorney general, Ford has voted to pardon or significantly reduce the sentences of 30 people convicted of murder, Fox News Digital found. While Lombardo has joined Ford on some of these votes, the Democrat broke with the Republican in supporting mercy for some of the most brutal killers. Ford, for example, supported a convicted kidnapper and murderer eligible for parole when Lombardo voted against him. Michael Cu, the convict in question, kidnapped a 16-year-old in 1996, forced him to drive out to the desert, then killed him execution-style — all to steal the rims off his car. The victim was shot seven times with a rifle, with the fatal shot being fired at nearly point-blank range into his head. “Mr. Judge I would like to tell you these people, I don’t want them to be free,” the deceased’s mother pleaded with the judge at Cu’s sentencing in March 2000. “There’s a lot of people outside, a lot of mothers outside … I’m afraid because I have more children.” Cu could eventually make it back onto the streets after the board commuted his sentence, making him eligible for parole in 2035 — though his release would still require approval from the state’s parole board. Ford has made his experience as Nevada’s top law enforcement official a focal point of his gubernatorial campaign. ABBOTT SPOTLIGHTS NO-SHOW TALARICO, LAUNCHING TEXAS-SIZED CRIME CRACKDOWN “As Attorney General, Ford has worked with federal and local law enforcement to prosecute criminals and protect our communities,” his campaign website reads. “He’s gone after corporate landlords who are illegally jacking up prices, taken on big drug companies, prioritized putting child predators in jail, battled fentanyl being trafficked across our borders, and fought to keep dangerous untraceable ghost guns off of our streets. He ended a decades-long rape kit back log and has prosecuted human traffickers who threaten the safety of our communities.” Republicans may seize on some of Ford’s pardon votes to challenge the image he’s cultivated of a crusader for public safety. While Ford offered no substantive remarks in most of the pardon hearings, he occasionally had something to add. “I gleefully vote yes for this motion,” he said, explaining his June 2022 support to make a man who killed someone in an armed robbery when he was 15 eligible for parole. Ford talked to the man, Shaquille Hazelwood, on the importance of the moment and advised him to live up to the faith the state was placing in him. He called his decision to grant parole eligibility to an individual who stabbed a 17-year-old to death a “no-brainer” in September 2025. Ford sponsored the hearing where witnesses spoke to the character of the murderer, Bobby Thomas. Ford also supported a commutation for Anthony Amati, whom police and prosecutors described as a “thrill killer,” in a June 2025 decision that allowed the convicted murderer to become immediately eligible for parole. Amati was convicted of ambushing a 22-year-old Pizza Hut worker as he walked a co-worker home. The co-worker, who was at the trial, testified that Amati and his friends “cackled … laughed like it was a big joke” and jumped around while firing multiple bullets into the victim. Deputy District Attorney Christopher Lalli argued at the time that Amati should never be eligible to walk free because his crime was a “thrill killing … for the mere pleasure of it.” Amati became immediately eligible for parole following the board’s decision, although his release was not guaranteed. HOUSE DEMOCRAT BLASTED AFTER EARLY RELEASE LAW FREED INMATES LATER CHARGED WITH MURDER Ford also supported clemency for Arlander Givens, who beat his victim to death with a cinder block and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms, but the board ultimately denied his application, Fox News Digital found. Other convicted killers Ford voted to grant clemency included a murderer involved in a carjacking, a man who stabbed a 17-year-old to death over a basketball game and another who lured his victim into his home with the promise of a drug deal before shooting him dead, Fox News Digital found. GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE VOWS TO PARDON COP CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER IN DEATH OF FLEEING SUSPECT Lombardo and Ford did vote together for leniency in some cases. For instance, the duo both voted to pardon a man found guilty of masterminding a contract killing after he was exonerated by DNA evidence. Ford’s office and his gubernatorial campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
Talarico disappearance has Dem volunteers worrying and Trump asking, ‘What is going on?’
President Donald Trump and Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton are raising questions about Democratic challenger James Talarico’s whereabouts after the candidate spent nearly two weeks away from the campaign trail, as new reporting reveals concerns about his absence among members of his own volunteer network. Talarico, who is challenging Paxton in Texas’ closely watched Senate contest, has not appeared at an in-person campaign event since late September, citing a case of the flu. The prolonged absence has prompted attacks from Republicans, including Trump, who questioned Talarico’s whereabouts during a Wednesday campaign rally in San Antonio and later on his social media platform Truth Social, calling the Texas Democrat “MISSING IN ACTION.” “TalaFREAKo has been missing for 12 days! Now, after looking for him throughout all of Texas, and beyond, probably even weirder places than anyone would think possible, he put out a statement that he has the ‘flu.’ 12 days is a long time to rid yourself of the so-called flu bug,” Trump wrote Wednesday. “What’s going on? We need a Senator that’s a proven Champion like one that has been, without question, the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and one of the Greatest in the U.S.A.” PAXTON VENTS OVER LACK OF CAMPAIGN CONTROL AS DC ESTABLISHMENT HE ONCE BATTLED COMES TO HIS AID Paxton similarly questioned his opponent’s absence, asking supporters at Wednesday’s rally, “Where is James Talarico?” “If it’s as tight as they claim it is, and he’s got a lead the way they claim that he is, and you’re a billionaire writing these big checks right now to Talarico, wouldn’t you want an ROI, like a return on your investment?” conservative radio host Ben Ferguson questioned on “The Will Cain Show” Thursday. “Why have we not gotten transparency from his campaign? What is really going on? Why did a guy disappear after doing an interview where he didn’t look like he had the flu?” Talarico’s absence comes during the final stretch of Texas’ closely watched Senate race, with Election Day less than a month away. The Democrat’s last publicly documented in-person campaign event in Texas was Sept. 26, when he held a news conference in Carrollton addressing rising gasoline prices and the war in Iran, according to CNN. Talarico subsequently attended a private fundraiser in New York and participated virtually in a Sept. 30 business forum, where he said he had been diagnosed with the flu at a Dallas urgent care facility the previous evening. Talarico has Type 1 diabetes, which puts him at greater risk of developing serious flu complications, according to the CDC. His campaign has said Talarico expects to return to in-person campaigning this weekend ahead of a publicly scheduled CNN town hall on Oct. 14. The campaign also cited “more than 100 public events” Talarico has already done. TEXAS VOTERS HAVE PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT WHETHER LONE STAR STATE COULD TURN BLUE “I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail, and so I want to keep everybody safe,” Talarico explained, adding he did not want to risk spreading the illness to vulnerable individuals. “Ken Paxton has been ignoring Texans this entire campaign, and his priorities are clear: he doesn’t answer to the people of this state — he answers to his billionaire megadonors and special interests,” campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, the New York Post reported Thursday that leaked messages from a private Slack channel showed members of Talarico’s volunteer network discussing his prolonged absence, with one expressing concern that he could lose momentum. “I think it’ll be fine. It’s [j]ust conservatives blasting him. I’m just worried about him losing momentum,” a Talarico campaign volunteer wrote in a group chat with other volunteers, featuring nearly 4,000 people, according to The Post. “But I 100% expect him to make a comeback at the CNN [t]own hall that’s a given.” “It’s a buncha people that don’t actually want him to be out touring that are causing a stink. No one’s genuinely upset,” another volunteer wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to the Talarico campaign for additional information on where the candidate is recovering and when this weekend he will reappear on the campaign trail but did not receive a response by the time of publication. “I would much rather have my candidate rested and have any ailments out of the way now than down the stretch, because if they’re sick two weeks before the election, they’re still going to be on the road which means it’s only going to get worse. So let them heal up and get their strength back,” veteran Texas-based Democratic strategist Ed Espinoza told Fox News Digital. “Even though Talarico’s off the trail, he’s still on the airwaves,” Espinoza added, referring to the campaign’s significant ad spending in Texas. “He’s got plenty of money to get his message out.”