Senate in limbo as Thune eyes long haul until shutdown ends
The Senate is in for a rare weekend session as the chamber remains in limbo while lawmakers try to find a way out of the government shutdown. Behind the scenes, appropriators are cooking up a trio of spending bills to attach to the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), along with an extension to the bill that would, if passed, reopen government until December or January. But the package was not ready for primetime Saturday, and no votes were held. Instead, Senate Republicans spent hours railing against Obamacare and Senate Democrats’ desire to extend the expiring premium subsidies on the floor. When the package does hit the floor, Senate Democrats, as they’ve done 14 times previously, are likely to block it. It all comes as the upper chamber is scheduled for a week-long recess to coincide with Veterans Day. DEMS BLOCK GOP BILL ENSURING FEDERAL WORKER, MILITARY PAYCHECKS CONTINUE DURING SHUTDOWN Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., now wants to keep lawmakers in town until the shutdown ends. When asked if there would be a vote on the plan, Thune said it would be ideal to have the package on the floor, but “we’ve got to have votes to actually pass it.” Republicans are reticent to put the CR out again just to see it fail. “I’ve been talking all morning with some of the folks that are involved with the meeting, and I think we’re getting close to having it ready,” Thune said. “We just need to get the text out there.” The spending package, however, is just one piece of the puzzle to reopening the government. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus, freshly emboldened by sweeping Election Day victories earlier in the week, are sticking by their newly released plan that would extend the expiring Obamacare subsidies by one year and create a bipartisan working group to negotiate next steps after the government reopens. But Senate Republicans immediately rejected the idea; Thune called it a “non-starter,” while others in the GOP were angered by the proposal. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said he would appeal to President Donald Trump and his administration to slash funding from “pet projects” in blue states and cities to pay federal workers as the shutdown drags on. SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES “The idea that you’ve got a bunch of kamikaze pilots trying to burn this whole place down because they’re emboldened by an election where Democrats won in Democrat areas is totally insane,” he said. Senate Democrats were largely unsurprised that Republicans rejected the offer, however. “I know many Republicans stormed out of the gate to dismiss this offer, but that’s a terrible mistake,” Schumer said. Thune and his conference have, throughout the course of the 39-day shutdown, said they would only deal with the subsidies after the government reopened and have offered Schumer and Senate Democrats a vote on a bill addressing the healthcare issue once the closure ends. “I’m not surprised,” Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said. “They don’t want to help people with their healthcare.” But Republicans countered that a simple extension of the enhanced subsidies, which were modified under former President Joe Biden during the COVID-19 pandemic, would funnel money straight to insurers. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., has been in talks with Senate Democrats on a path forward, particularly through jump-starting government funding with the impending trio of spending bills. THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE After Schumer unveiled Democrats’ plan, she charged that “since Obamacare came into effect, look who’s gotten rich? It’s not the people.” “They’re talking about the people’s premiums and have … they have taken it to the companies that are actually making the money off of it? They’re not,” Britt said. “So, I look forward to hearing why in the world they want to continue these profits and not actually help the people they serve.” Senate Democrats, however, contend that their offer was fair. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., argued that there were some in the caucus that wanted to do a multi-year extension, while others wanted to go beyond just the enhanced subsidies. He reiterated his frustration that the core of the issue, from his perspective, was that neither Schumer nor Thune would sit down and negotiate. “We made a really simple, really scaled-down offer that could get the government up and operating and [is] really good for them politically,” he said. “I just still don’t understand why they won’t accept the offer.”
Pelosi earned more than $130 million in stock profits, return of 16,930%, during time in Congress: report
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and husband Paul Pelosi have raked in more than $130 million in stock profits over the course of her congressional career, a report said. That’s a return of 16,930% over nearly four decades representing California, according to the New York Post. The figure comes as Pelosi, 85, announced this week she will not be seeking re-election after completing her current term in 2027. Fox News Digital has reached out to Pelosi’s office for comment. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREEN PRAISES NANCY PELOSI’S ABILITY TO GET HER AGENDA PASSED, WISHES GOP COULD DO THE SAME Before entering office in 1987, Pelosi and her husband reported between $610,000 and $785,000 in stocks in their portfolio, the Post said, citing a financial disclosure form. Those stocks reportedly included Citibank and companies that are no longer publicly traded. Over time, that portfolio has soared in value to $133.7 million today, the Post reported, citing estimates from Quiver Quantitative. The newspaper said the profit of 16,930% exceeds the 2,300% that the Dow Jones had during the same time period. NANCY PELOSI’S CRITICS CELEBRATE RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT The Pelosis are now worth an estimated $280 million, according to the Post. Pelosi announced Thursday that she would not be seeking re-election. “There has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, ‘I speak for the people of San Francisco.’ I have truly loved serving as your voice in Congress, and I’ve always honored the soul of Saint Francisco — ‘Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.’ The anthem of our city,” Pelosi said in a video. “That is why I want you, my fellow San Franciscans to be the first to know I will not be seeking re-election to Congress,” she said. “With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative as we go forward.” Pelosi has been a power player in U.S. politics for decades, having served as House speaker from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Rachel Wolf and Fox News’ Peter Doocy contributed to this report.
Biden claims ‘Democratic Party is back’ after election, says late son ‘should have been the president, not me’
Former President Joe Biden told Nebraska Democrats Friday their party “is back” after a series of sweeping election wins last week and also accused President Donald Trump of destroying the Constitution and cutting health care and food assistance for millions of Americans. Biden, 82, speaking at the Nebraska Democratic Party’s Ben Nelson Gala in Omaha, also urged Republicans to end the ongoing government shutdown and said his late son, Beau Biden, should have been president instead of him. “The Democratic Party is back. That’s not hyperbole,” Biden said. “Did you see the election results?” CHUCK TODD SAYS BIDEN’S PRESIDENCY WAS SO ‘WEAK AND INEFFECTIVE’ IT MADE PEOPLE GO BACK TO TRUMP Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J. and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., won gubernatorial races in their respective states, while democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani scored a stunning victory to become New York City’s next mayor. The wins came a year after former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Trump. Harris was propelled to the top of the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket after Biden backed out of the race following a blistering debate performance against Trump. “Well, the American people are sending a message, a message to Trump and to his crowd,” Biden said, accusing the president of trampling on democracy and working for the rich. “I just want you to know you work for us, Mr. President. We don’t work for you,” Biden said. “You work for us, not just billionaires and millionaires. You know, this is democracy. And the fact of the matter is that there are no kings in democracies. None. None. But you act in a way that embarrasses the nation.” Biden said Trump and the GOP were cutting healthcare programs and driving up costs, adding that more than 300 rural hospitals in America, including two in Nebraska, are expected to shut down. BIDEN PRAISES LATE-NIGHT HOSTS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST TRUMP ‘KNOWING THEIR CAREERS ARE ON THE LINE’ “Folks, I’ve never said this my whole career. I think it’s immoral. It’s un-American. It’s flat-out wrong,” Biden said. Biden, who had a bandage on his head, referred to his own battle with cancer and praised the healthcare workers who have been treating him. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer earlier this year. “I know what cancer research means. Cancer. It’s every family. It hit my family hard, just as so many of yours,” Biden said. “When the love of my life, my oldest son, the attorney general of the state of Delaware, who should have been the president, not me, volunteered to go to Iraq for a year, didn’t have to, came back with Stage 4 glioblastoma because he lived in a burn pit just like those guys did on 9/11, and he died.” Biden also took aim at Trump’s plans to build a new ballroom at the White House after bulldozing the East Wing, calling it “the perfect symbol of his presidency.” “When I left the presidency, President Trump was going to take a wrecking ball to the country, but I had no idea it would be an actual wrecking ball,” Biden said. “Anyone see what he’s done to the East Wing of the people’s house? Trump has taken a wrecking ball not only to the people’s house, but to the Constitution, to the rule of law, to our very democracy.” He also accused Trump of “deliberately making hunger worse” and claimed “one in five children go to bed hungry every night.” He mocked Trump for holding a “Great Gatsby” themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago while cutting food aid for millions, saying it showed “who he is.” “On Friday, everyone dressed up like the rich folks they are from the roaring twenties, and on Saturday he cut assistance to 40 million Americans,” Biden said. The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Social media erupts after far-left mayor gives victory speech in foreign language: ‘Humiliating’
Newly re-elected Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey is facing backlash from conservatives for giving a victory speech in Somali and saying that Minneapolis welcomes Somalians. In a video of the speech posted online, Frey can be seen leading chants in Somali as the crowd responds and applauds. Popular conservative influencer Paul Szypula ripped into the progressive mayor, writing, “The pandering here is insane.” “Mayor Jacob Frey, as he won reelection, spoke almost a minute in Somalia then said Minneapolis belongs to Somalia,” said Szypula. MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR’S RACE ADVANCES TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING AFTER NO CANDIDATE REACHES 50% In a second round of nonpartisan ranked-choice voting, Frey narrowly defeated a challenge from socialist Minneapolis state Sen. Omar Fateh. Fateh is the first Somali American and first Muslim to serve in the state senate. Fateh had the backing of the Twin Cities’ chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who represents Minneapolis in the U.S. House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., who was former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate last year and is up for re-election next year, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., endorsed Frey’s campaign this year. While speaking with a crowd of Somali residents after his victory, Frey repeatedly thanked the crowd in Somali. ILHAN OMAR ERUPTS AT OWN PARTY FOR RENEGING ON SOCIALIST CANDIDATE’S ENDORSEMENT: ‘INEXCUSABLE’ “To the great people of Minneapolis, and I say that very intentionally, because no matter where you are from, Minneapolis should be a place where you are proud to call home,” he said. He then proceeded to list off a number of Somalian regions, saying, “Whether you are from Bosaso or Mogadishu, whether you are from Hargeisa or Garowe, whether you are from Beledweyne or southwest, Minneapolis is a place where you come to seek prosperity, where you come to raise your family.” “Here is what this election means, this election means this is a moment for unity, where the entire Somali community can come together and say, ‘This is our people, this is our city, we are united behind each other,” he said. Conservative pundit Gerry Callahan slammed Frey’s speech, saying, “This is an American politician, raised in America, educated in America, ostensibly representing Americans, prostrating himself in front of bunch of foreigners. Could be the most humiliating thing I’ve ever seen.” Podcaster Matt Walsh also chimed in, writing, “As I have said many times now, politicians in this country should be required by law to speak English when addressing the public in an official capacity. There should never be a time when Americans can’t understand what their elected leaders are saying.” MINNEAPOLIS BECOMES FIRST MAJOR US CITY TO ALLOW MUSLIM CALLS TO PRAYER AT ALL HOURS Nick Sortor wrote, “I don’t know how large ICE’s presence in Minneapolis is, but it needs to be much, MUCH larger.” Fox News Digital reached out to Frey’s team for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. This is not the first time Frey has garnered criticism over Somali-language political messaging. He was also widely criticized in September for releasing a campaign ad in Somali. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, commented on the ad, saying, “This must be stopped.” Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., also reacted to the ad, posting a disapproving gif. Kari Lake simply wrote, “WTAF?” which is an acronym for “what the actual f—.” Having entered office in 2018, Frey was elected to his third term as Minneapolis mayor on Tuesday. He is best known for marching with protesters during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, which were particularly destructive in Minneapolis, the city in which George Floyd died. Frey was also seen kneeling and weeping by Floyd’s casket at a memorial service.
Dem House hopeful vows to help working class despite record of hiking taxes
FIRST ON FOX: A Tennessee Democratic state representative running for Congress, who has been likened to Zohran Mamdani, claims she is running to make life better for the working class, but her voting record tells a different story. Tennessee state Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-District 51, who is running to replace outgoing Congressman from Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, Mark Green, voted no last year on a bill that would have resulted in a $400 million tax cut for certain Tennessee small businesses, including potential refunds of up to $1.5 billion. Behn also rallied against Republican’s H.R. 1, the so-called “one, big beautiful bill,” which extended Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts that, without, could’ve meant a nearly $4,000 increase for taxpayers in her district. Meanwhile, earlier this year, Behn voted against a statewide budget bill that would have added tens-of-millions to the state’s rainy day fund, which would have effectively padded the state’s coffers so that in times of low-revenue taxes won’t need to be increased so much. That same budget bill would have also allocated millions for volunteer fire departments, senior centers, emergency medical services, teacher bonuses and other public safety funding. TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER SPECIAL ELECTION PRIMARY IN DEEP-RED CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT “A pissed-off social worker, Aftyn has seen firsthand how broken systems fail the very people they’re meant to protect,” Behn’s campaign website reads. “She’s now running for Congress after the so-called ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ passed — a giveaway to the wealthy that codified the largest transfer of wealth from working people to the rich in American history.” However, according to estimates from the Tax Foundation, if Trump’s 2017 tax cuts had expired, residents in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, whom Behn wants to represent, would have seen an increase in their taxes of approximately $3,717 per taxpayer. “To win, Democrats need to focus on what really matters: making life more affordable for working people,” Behn said after the bill’s passage. “Washington Republicans did the opposite by passing this #BigBullsh–Bill. Gutting healthcare and giving handouts to billionaires.” TENNESSEE SUED OVER LIMITED ACCESS TO EXECUTIONS AS MEDIA DEMAND TRANSPARENCY Even the New York Times has admitted that independent analyses showed Trump’s 2017 tax cuts “have consistently found that a large majority of Americans would owe less because of the law.” Last year, Behn also voted against a bill that the Tennessee General Assembly Fiscal Review Committee estimated would provide over $1.5 billion in tax refunds for small business owners in the state. It also would have reduced a combined yearly tax burden for Tennessee business owners of about $400 million. Simultaneously, Behn voted against Tennessee’s 2025-2026 fiscal year budget that included a big increase to the state’s rainy day fund, which is used by state governments during periods of low revenue. The same budget bill also included community funding for services like volunteer fire departments, emergency medical services and rescue squads, senior centers, teacher bonuses, school security and more. During Behn’s time in the state legislature, she also worked to repeal the grocery tax in Tennessee, claiming it would put money back into the pockets of hard-working Tennesseans year-around. However, according to Republicans, the move would create a business enterprise tax, raising taxes on small businesses by about $800 million. Fox News Digital reached out repeatedly to Behn’s campaign for comment but did not hear back. “Aftyn Behn’s policies would skyrocket the cost of living even more for hardworking Tennesseans,” Behn’s Republican opponent, Trump-backed Matt Van Epps, said. “Aftyn has repeatedly voted against tax cuts and proposed new taxes, taking more money from your pocket. I’ll always fight to lower taxes and bring down costs so that working families can get ahead.” In local media reports, Behn has been compared to New York City mayor-elect and self-proclaimed socialist Zohran Mamdani and the Dickson County Democratic Party described Behn as “our very own AOC of TN,” in a reference to U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. “His message is one of helping working families across New York, my message is one of helping working families across Tennessee,” Behn said about Mamdani during the appearance on CNN. “We need to go back to pocketbook issues, especially in states like Tennessee where people are living unaffordable lives and suffering as a result of Republican policies.”
Trump urges Senate Republicans to redirect funds from Obamacare-backed insurers, pay Americans directly
President Donald Trump has urged Senate Republicans to abolish Obamacare and reroute federal health care spending directly to individual Americans. In a Truth Social post Saturday morning, Trump wrote: “I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over.” DEMOCRATS HOLD THE GOVERNMENT HOSTAGE OVER SUBSIDIES AMERICANS DON’T WANT “In other words, take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per Dollar spent, the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World, ObamaCare.” The post marks Trump’s latest push to revive his long-running campaign against the Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare, a centerpiece of former President Barack Obama’s domestic legacy. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT LOWERING HEALTHCARE COSTS, BUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING IT Trump and Republicans have renewed their criticism of the program amid the government shutdown, arguing it drives up costs and enriches insurance companies at taxpayers’ expense. Trump spent much of his first term trying to repeal the law. Obama and Democrats argue it made health care more available and affordable for millions of Americans. Congress remains deadlocked over government funding, with health-care programs and insurer subsidies among the major budget sticking points fueling the shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday told reporters Thursday that he would not commit to holding a vote on extending COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year without congressional action. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had been floating a vote on such an extension in exchange for Democrats voting to end the shutdown. The issue of enhanced Obamacare subsidies has been a matter of debate within the GOP, with some Republicans in more moderate districts calling for at least a year-long extension to give lawmakers time to create a new healthcare deal in its place. Trump also once again called on Republicans to end the filibuster, the procedural rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation. “Unrelated, we must still terminate the Filibuster!” Trump wrote.
Patriot or ‘Pathetic RINO’? Maverick Republican Thomas Massie trades ‘America First’ label for ‘America only’
Rep. Thomas Massie — a Republican fiscal hawk facing a President Donald Trump-backed primary challenger in Kentucky — has previously described himself as “America First,” but now he says he thinks that he’s “America only.” “I am tired of sending money overseas,” he told Fox News Digital during an interview on Thursday. “I am tired of favoring foreign beef over U.S.A.-grown beef,” he continued. “I’m ready to be America only. And I think all congressmen should be that way.” Massie gave Trump a mixed review, saying that the president is America First on “some” fronts. REP THOMAS MASSIE REMARRIES AFTER WIFE’S DEATH LAST YEAR: ‘PLEASE PRAY FOR US’ “But when it comes to the beef, he is not America first. When it comes to sending money overseas to Ukraine and Israel,” Massie said, “I think he needs to get back to his campaign promises and put America first. Because we’re not gonna make America great again by sending our money overseas.” Massie noted that his “biggest disagreement” with both the Trump administration and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is the increase in spending. “I mean, I thought we were conservatives. Why are we spending more this year than Joe Biden spent in his last year? Actually, we’re spending about $200 billion dollars more,” he said, adding that the consequence “is inflation and higher interest rates.” “And people are feeling that. You can’t gaslight them,” Massie added. “You can’t tell them that things are getting cheaper when they’re not getting cheaper.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesman Kush Desai accused Massie of “Fake Math.” TRUMP SAYS MASSIE IS ‘GONNA BE HISTORY’ AS ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ JUMPS FINAL HURDLES TO PASSAGE “Here are the facts: President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut Act cut mandatory spending by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years, and the budget deficit from April to September of this year is down a staggering 40% compared to last year, when Joe Biden was president,” Desai declared in the statement. “Instead of Fake Math, Thomas Massie should reflect on how he betrayed his voters and hardworking Americans when he voted with every Democrat against the biggest tax cut for working families in American history, including no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime pay, increased child tax credits, and permanence for the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts,” he added. Massie said his other disagreements with what has been happening in D.C. are “secondary” to the spending issue. “I would say, we need to follow through on some of our campaign promises. For instance, release the Epstein files,” he said. MAVERICK HOUSE REPUBLICAN IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS TOUTS RECORD CAMPAIGN CASH HAUL Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., have been spearheading a bid to force a House vote on a proposal that would compel the release of materials pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein. Their discharge petition has amassed 217 of the 218 signatures needed to force the vote, but Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who has said she will sign on, has still not yet been sworn in to office more than six weeks after winning a special election in Arizona. Johnson “has tried every which way he can to avoid this vote,” Massie claimed, asserting that the speaker has not sworn in the Democrat because she “represents the 218th signature I need to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.” Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office for comment. RAND PAUL PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR MASSIE AGAINST TRUMP-BACKED CHALLENGER: ‘I’M GOING TO HELP HIM’ Massie, who owns cattle himself, said the president has “sort of gut punched the cattle ranchers and… livestock farmers” in the U.S. During remarks aboard Air Force One last month, Trump indicated the U.S. was considering buying beef from Argentina to drive down prices. Days later Reuters reported that a White House official indicated that the administration was quadrupling the nation’s low-tariff imports of beef from the South American nation. Increasing the tariff rate quota to 80,000 metric tons will allow Argentina to send greater quantities of the product to America at a lower rate of duty, according to the outlet. The president has Massie in his political crosshairs — he has repeatedly reviled the congressman on Truth Social. In a post on Monday, Trump referred to Massie as “a Weak and Pathetic RINO” — a pejorative acronymn that stands for “Republican in name only.” He also called the congressman “a totally ineffective LOSER,” while expressing his support for primary challenger Ed Gallrein, who Trump is backing in the race. SCOOP: TRUMP-BACKED FORMER NAVY SEAL LAUNCHES GOP PRIMARY CHALLENGE AGAINST MASSIE Even as the president tries to convince voters in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District to reject Massie, the lawmaker said that he does not regret endorsing Trump ahead of the 2024 election, noting that former Vice President Kamala Harris would have been a total “disaster.” Massie initially backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the GOP presidential primary, but DeSantis dropped out and backed Trump, and Massie later endorsed the Republican juggernaut as well. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “And I’m glad that President Trump won,” he said. Trump has “done a lot of good things,” he said, adding that many of them have been carried out via executive order, and he thinks Congress should vote on more of the issues so that the president’s moves are not simply “temporary actions.” Asked whether he’d have any interest in potentially running for president himself, Massie said that he is not interested.
Progressive-backed candidate convicted in man’s killing wins city council election
A Maine woman who previously served time as a convicted killer was elected to serve on a local city council on Tuesday night, causing a stir on social media in the process. Angela Walker was elected to the Bangor city council, New York Post reported, more than 20 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of a man named Derek Rogers in 2002. The manslaughter conviction stemmed from a fight where Walker was allegedly called a racial slur derogatory toward Native Americans and the man who said it, a Canadian tourist named Derek Rogers, was later found beaten to death and suffocated with sand, according to news reports. Walker ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter, along with her brother, and perjury, earning a sentence of 10 years in prison. WHAT JAY JONES’ VICTORY MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS AND THE ‘NEW ERA OF VIOLENT RHETORIC,’ ACCORDING TO EXPERTS Although Walker was sponsored by a progressive group, she is not affiliated with a political party and will serve a three-year term along with three others who were elected to the council. News of Walker’s election quickly spread on social media with popular conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok sharing it with her 4.5 million followers. “Meet Angela Walker,” LibsofTikTok posted on X. “She was just elected to Bangor, Maine City Council. She was previously convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years for kiIIing a tourist, allegedly because he called her a ‘racist’ name. He was found severely beaten and suffocated with sand stuffed down his throat.” HOUSE GOP PROBE TARGETS SOROS-LINKED GROUPS OVER ALLEGED ANTIFA FUNDING TIES “Um, wut?” GOP Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X. “Unfortunately, Jay Jones is not the floor,” Dhillon Law Group Associate Jesse Franklin-Murdock posted on X. “There is a genuine bloodlust on the left, and voters are all too happy to let it out [in] the ballot box.” “New progressive paradigm: The more mentally ill, the more popular,” Grabien founder Tom Elliott posted on X. “WTH is going on? Democrats simply don’t care what their politicians do,” conservative influencer Paul A. Syzpula posted on X. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Walker told the Bangor Daily News, “I want people to see that it’s possible that we can change.” “That’s my past. I don’t live there anymore and I’m a different person,” Walker added about her conviction. Fox News Digital reached out to Walker for comment. Democrats have been facing heavy criticism this week for electing Jay Jones as Virginia’s next attorney general even after it was revealed he fantasized in 2022 text messages about shooting former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert in the head while also suggesting that harm should come to that Republican’s young “fascist” children.
Trump’s own SCOTUS picks could wind up hurting him on tariffs
The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a case centered on President Donald Trump’s use of an emergency law to enact his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs, and even Trump-appointed justices appeared skeptical of the administration’s arguments. Several questions from conservative justices, particularly Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, suggested uncertainty about allowing Trump to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact his steep 10% tariffs on most imports. A ruling against the administration would deliver a major blow to Trump’s signature economic policy. The IEEPA law gives the president broad economic powers in the event of a national emergency tied to foreign threats, and Trump declared the trade deficit such an emergency to impose tariffs via executive order earlier this year. But the law does not mention the word “tariffs” or “taxes” — a major sticking point in both this week’s oral arguments and the lower court’s earlier review of the case. Most of the justices’ questions focused on a single phrase in the law — the power to “regulate importation” during a national emergency — and whether that phrase grants Trump the authority he claims. Several justices seemed wary of a reading that could hand Congress’ Article I power over revenue and taxation to the executive branch. SUPREME COURT TO WEIGH TRUMP TARIFF POWERS IN BLOCKBUSTER CASE This included Trump’s appointees, who appeared to struggle with separation-of-powers issues that could vastly expand presidential authority — not only for Trump but for his successors as well. Barrett, in particular, pressed U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer on this, asking: “Can you point to any other place in the code or any other time in history where that phrase — together with ‘regulate importation’ — has been used to confer tariff-imposing authority?” Gorsuch later asked Sauer about his “theory of the Constitution” and “major questions doctrine,” indicating concern about separation-of-powers issues and granting too much power to the executive. TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT FOR URGENT RULING ON TARIFF POWERS AS ‘STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER’ “What would prohibit Congress from abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce or declare war to the president?” Gorsuch asked Sauer. Sauer repeatedly argued that a “regulatory tariff” is not a tax and that the power to raise revenue was “only incidental,” even as the White House has celebrated that Trump’s tariff revenues exceeded $100 billion this year. Challengers, including private entities and Democratic-led states, argue that Congress must clearly state when it wants presidents to have the authority to implement tariffs. In court filings, they pointed to laws such as Section 232 (national security trade measures) and Section 301 (retaliation for unfair trade) as times when Congress expressly gave tariff powers to the president. By contrast, IEEPA has been used for embargoes, asset freezes and licensing but never across-the-board tariffs. The last time the Court permitted a delegation of tariff powers to the president, in Algonquin SNG v. FEA (1976), it relied on Section 232 because Congress put that authority plainly in the statute. Challengers say there is no comparable language in IEEPA. The liberal justices on the Court signaled that without clear words from Congress, IEEPA cannot provide Trump with tariff authority. After a previous Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright v. Raimondo (2024), courts no longer give federal agencies the benefit of the doubt when interpreting vague laws. And under the “major questions” doctrine referred to by Gorsuch and other justices, large, economy-wide actions like Trump’s tariffs need a plain, specific grant from Congress. JONATHAN TURLEY: SUPREME COURT RULING ON TRUMP TARIFFS COMES DOWN TO A NUMBERS GAME Court watchers and legal experts said after arguments that a Trump administration win could be more difficult than expected, though each cautioned it is hard to draw conclusions from roughly two hours of oral arguments — a fraction of the total time justices spend reviewing a case. Jonathan Turley, a law professor and Fox News contributor, said in a blog post that the justices “were skeptical and uncomfortable with the claim of authority, and the odds still favored the challengers.” “However, there is a real chance of a fractured decision that could still produce an effective win for the administration,” Turley added. SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO CONFRONT MONUMENTAL CASE OVER TRUMP EXECUTIVE POWER AND TARIFF AUTHORITY Jack Goldsmith, a former assistant attorney general in the George W. Bush administration, did not go quite as far. “I think that it is fair to say that the justices the government needs to win the case — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — asked the government very hard questions that did express skepticism about important elements of its case,” Goldsmith said in a New York Times interview. “But they also asked the other side very hard questions. I do not think any of these three tipped off their hands definitively. I did not find anything terribly surprising in the questions.” Brent Skorup, a legal fellow at the CATO Institute, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement that members of the Court seemed uncomfortable with expanding presidential power over tariffs. “Most justices appeared attentive to the risks of deferring to a president’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute and the executive branch ‘discovering’ new powers in old statutes,” Skorup said. “The justices were skeptical and uncomfortable with the claim of authority, and the odds still favored the challengers. However, there is a real chance of a fractured decision that could still produce an effective win for the administration.” The case is Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (consolidated with Trump v. V.O.S. Selections). A ruling is expected by late June.
Socialist wave spreads coast to coast as progressive Democrats rally around Zohran Mamdani’s NYC win
New York Democrats embraced socialism when they elected Zohran Mamdani to lead the nation’s largest city, but the verdict is still out on whether New York City’s shift to the left is an outlier or the beginning of a broader political realignment. From California’s redistricting success to gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats dominated the most closely watched contests of 2025 – results that could be considered a referendum on President Donald Trump’s sweeping, second-term agenda. As Mamdani rises to political fame, a slate of fellow progressives are vying to ensure that his victory signals the beginning of a new era in progressive politics. SQUAD 2.0: MEET AMERICA’S NEXT WAVE OF RADICAL DEMOCRATS SHAPING THE PARTY’S FUTURE Aftyn Behn, a former healthcare community organizer and current Democrat state representative, recently secured the Democratic nomination to represent Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. The Dickson County Democratic Party described Behn as “our very own AOC of TN,” referring to “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., according to The Tennessee Star. On her campaign website, Behn describes herself as a “pissed-off social worker” who was inspired to run for the House of Representatives after Congress passed Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this year. Behn is running in Tennessee’s special election on Dec. 2 to replace Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., who retired from Congress earlier this year. Kat Abughazaleh, 26, is the progressive Gen Z candidate running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District next year. She was indicted on federal charges in October after protesters allegedly attacked an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle outside a Chicago suburb facility in September. Viral videos of Abughazaleh obstructing the ICE vehicle and being shoved the ground by an agent outside the Broadview ICE facility on Sept. 19 became flash points in the divisive debate over Trump’s deportation rollout. Abughazaleh is a former journalist and activist who frequents protests outside the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. She has accused Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of perpetrating “crimes against humanity.” Abughazaleh garnered national attention earlier this year for questioning why it’s controversial that illegal immigrants should have access to taxpayer-funded healthcare. “I don’t have health insurance, and I’m running for Congress,” the young progressive’s campaign website reads. Saikat Chakrabarti arrived on the political scene during the rise of the “Squad,” running Ocasio-Cortez’s successful 2018 congressional campaign and then serving as her chief of staff. The progressive met Ocasio-Cortez when he launched “Justice Democrats,” a political action committee committed to recruiting a new generation of leaders. Now, Chakrabarti has become the generational candidate himself. Earlier this year, he announced his campaign to challenge House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for her congressional district in San Francisco. On Thursday, Pelosi announced her intention to retire from Congress at the end of next year, teeing up an already competitive Democratic primary expected with state Sen. Scott Wiener also in the race to replace Pelosi. Chakrabarti said it was time for “totally new leadership” in Washington, D.C. His policy platform includes a long list of progressive promises, including Medicare for All, a wealth tax on the ultra-rich, millions of units of housing, a ban on congressional stock trading and an end to military funding to Israel. During a phone interview, Chakrabarti told Fox News Digital that his main focus is fixing the “underlying economic anxieties that most Americans are facing” — the same “plan for bold, sweeping economic change” that landed Trump back in the White House last year and was successful for Mamdani this year. Chakrabarti’s said a new generation of candidates, like himself, have been inspired to run since witnessing “the complete failure of the Democratic political establishment.” “I think the people are feeling that the Democratic Party, the establishment, is just sort of weak and slow moving and unable to face the moment,” he added. Chakrabarti’s first campaign commitment, according to his website, is to stop Trump’s “authoritarian coup.” The congressional candidate described Trump’s ICE-led deportation rollout as “a flagrant violation of our constitutional rights and the freedom of speech and everything we hold dear in this country.” When asked if the party is moving to the left in response to Trump’s second term, he said, “It’s not really a left versus right thing.” “I think people are looking for real solutions to the problems. People are looking for a change to the system, and I don’t think Donald Trump is doing it, but that’s what Donald Trump articulated in his campaign.” Overall, Chakrabarti said voters are “very sick and tired of corruption” and the “old guard” that he described as only looking out for themselves, rather than their constituents. Chakrabarti congratulated Mamdani’s win in a social media post on Tuesday, telling his followers that Mamdani won because he stood for “real, bold change.” “That’s what we’re doing here in San Francisco,” Chakrabarti said, comparing his own campaign to Mamdani’s. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is one of several progressive candidates vying for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat next year. “Abdul literally wrote the book on Medicare for All,” according to his campaign website. He wrote “Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide,” explaining how the U.S. healthcare system can provide affordable care to all Americans. El-Sayed led Detroit’s Health Department after its bankruptcy and restructured Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services. In 2020, he helped President Joe Biden craft policies to help lower prescription drug prices. He believes in abolishing medical debt and that students deserve debt-free and tuition-free two-year apprenticeship programs or a four-year college education. Abdul El-Sayed celebrated Mamdani’s success on social media this week, when he wrote, “Yesterday, voters reminded us how big America can be.” Graham Platner is challenging Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in 2026. He is a Marine and a U.S. Army veteran and an oyster farmer. On Nov. 4, he said he would not be mourning the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney. “As a veteran of the Iraq war, I am going to say: No, not this time.”