Meet the new ‘Squad’: The next generation of Trump-era progressive congressional candidates
Galvanized by President Donald Trump’s sweeping second-term agenda, a new generation of progressive Democrats is working to redefine the party’s future. The original “Squad,” a group of young, left-wing lawmakers, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 as a referendum on Trump’s first term. Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office and Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, a new wave of progressive candidates is emerging across the country. The next generation of progressive leaders includes some recognizable names, like mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani, the “Mamdani of Minneapolis” Omar Fateh, U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow and progressive congressional candidates Kat Abughazaleh and the “AOC of Tennessee” Aftyn Behn. SQUAD 2.0: MEET AMERICA’S NEXT WAVE OF RADICAL DEMOCRATS SHAPING THE PARTY’S FUTURE Others, such as Saikat Chakrabarti, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Justin Pearson, are gaining national attention as discontent among young Democrats grows with each day of the Trump administration’s second act. YOUNG PROGRESSIVES LOOK TO ZOHRAN MAMDANI, AOC AS FUTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY – UNDER ONE CONDITION Saikat Chakrabarti arrived on the political scene during the rise of the first “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, challenging House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for her congressional district in San Francisco next year — a seat she has held since 1987. After 38 years in Congress, Chakrabarti said Pelosi “no longer has the strength for the current fight,” and it’s 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. 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 deportation mandate led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 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. 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. Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson garnered national attention in 2023, just months after taking office, when he was expelled from his Republican-led legislature for protesting a mass shooting in Nashville that killed three 9-year-olds and three adults. Pearson was expelled alongside state Reps. Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson, who became known as the “Tennessee Three.” Voters re-elected Pearson weeks later with 94% of the vote. He co-founded Memphis Community Against Pollution, a climate justice non-profit. Pearson has been endorsed by fellow congressional candidate Chakrabarti’s former PAC, “Justice Democrats,” in his campaign for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District. Pearson also secured an endorsement from “Leaders We Deserve,” a super PAC founded by former DNC vice chair David Hogg, who created a rift in the Democratic Party when he vowed to invest millions to support young, progressives challenging older, incumbent Democrats he said were “asleep at the wheel.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, El-Sayed and Pearson but did not immediately receive a response. A Pelosi spokesperson declined to comment.
Ciattarelli gains momentum in New Jersey governor’s race as polls narrow sharply
SADDLE BROOK, N.J. – With Election Day fast approaching, the Republican nominee in one of only two races for governor in the nation this year is fired up. “Championship teams finish strong,” Jack Ciattarelli told a crowd of supporters jam-packed into a diner in this northern New Jersey town earlier this week. “Let’s win this race.” Ciattarelli, who’s making his third straight run for Garden State governor and who nearly upset Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago, has good reason to be confident. In a state where registered Democrats still outnumber Republicans despite a GOP surge in registration this decade, two new public opinion polls released this week indicated Ciattarelli narrowing the gap with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the race to succeed the term-limited Murphy. THE POLITICAL BOMB TRUMP EXPLODED IN THE NEW JERSEY SHOWDOWN FOR GOVERNOR The slightly fresher of the two surveys, a Fox News poll conducted Oct. 10–14, put Sherrill at 50% support among likely voters, with Ciattarelli at 45%. Sherrill’s 5-point advantage was down from an 8-point lead in Fox News’ September survey in New Jersey. New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold gubernatorial showdowns in the year after a presidential election, and the contests traditionally grab outsized attention and are viewed as political barometers ahead of the following year’s midterm elections. CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING And this year, they’re being viewed to a large degree as ballot-box referendums on President Donald Trump’s unprecedented and combustible second-term agenda. While Democrats have long dominated federal and state legislative elections in blue-leaning New Jersey, Republicans are very competitive in gubernatorial contests, winning five out of the past 10 elections. And Trump made major gains in New Jersey in last year’s presidential election, losing the state by only six percentage points, a major improvement over his 16-point deficit four years earlier. Ciattarelli, interviewed by Fox News Digital Wednesday in Bayonne, New Jersey, noted that he “made big gains” in his 2021 showing “in Hudson County and Passaic County,” two long-time Democratic Party strongholds. “And the President did very, very well in ’24 in those very same counties. And if you take a look at who’s been endorsing me, including some very prominent Democrats here in Hudson County, people want change,” Ciattarelli emphasized. But Ciattarelli is also aiming to energize Republican base voters in what’s likely to be a low-turnout election. Multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that Trump will hold tele-rallies with Ciattarelli ahead of Election Day. Trump’s teaming up with Ciattarelli may help energize MAGA supporters, many of whom are low propensity voters who often skip casting ballots in non-presidential election years. And on Wednesday, Ciattarelli was joined at his diner stop, where there was an overflow crowd of a couple of hundred people outside, by Vivek Ramaswamy, the MAGA rockstar who is running for governor next year in his home state of Ohio. Ramaswamy, the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and conservative commentator who pushed an “America First 2.0” platform as he ran for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination before ending his bid and becoming one of Trump’s top supporters and surrogates, told Ciattarelli, “We’re going in Ohio next year, but you’ve got to pave the path this year. We’re counting on you.” ONLY ON FOX: RAMASWAMY SAYS GOP VICTORIES IN THE 2025 ELECTIONS WOULD ‘SET THE TABLE’ FOR BIGGER WINS IN 2026 Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, commenting on why Republicans feel bullish about the New Jersey showdown, raised concerns. “New Jersey is the best place, probably, for Donald Trump to actually stop the Democratic momentum — or at least minimize the Democratic momentum that we’ve seen throughout this year,” Martin said in a Politico interview. But the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is confident of a Sherrill victory next month. “As numerous polls show her holding a strong lead and earning more than 50% of the vote, Mikie Sherrill is rising to meet the moment in this incredibly competitive race,” DGA Spokesperson Izzi Levy told Fox News. “It’s clear that Mikie has the momentum, and that New Jersey voters are all-in to reject Ciattarelli for a third time this November.” While Trump isn’t on the ballot, he’s loomed large over the New Jersey gubernatorial election. At last week’s second and final debate, Sherrill charged that her GOP rival had “shown zero signs of standing up to this president. In fact, the president himself called Jack 100% MAGA, and he’s shown every sign of being that.” Asked whether he considered himself part of the MAGA movement, Ciattarelli said he was “part of a New Jersey movement.” CIATTARELLI WELCOMES TRUMP’S HELP IN FINAL STRETCH IN BATTLE FOR NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR When asked to grade the president’s performance so far during his second term, Ciattarelli said, “I’d certainly give the president an A. I think he’s right about everything that he’s doing.” “I think that tells us all we need to know about who Jack Ciattarelli’s supporting. I give him an F right now,” Sherrill responded, as she pointed to New Jersey’s high cost of living. The race in New Jersey was rocked a couple of weeks ago by a report that the National Personnel Records Center, which is a branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, mistakenly released Sherrill’s improperly redacted military personnel files, which included private information like her Social Security number, to a Ciattarelli ally. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS But Sherrill’s military records indicated that the United States Naval Academy blocked her from taking part in her 1994 graduation amid a cheating scandal. The showdown was jolted again last week after Sherrill’s allegations that Ciattarelli was “complicit” with pharmaceutical companies in the opioid deaths of tens of thousands of New Jerseyans, as she pointed to the medical publishing company he owned that pushed content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain. This week, Trump set off a political hand grenade
Anti-Israel radicals from ‘global intifada’ movement join ‘No Kings’ protests
New York City organizers embedded in the global intifada to destroy the state of Israel moved Friday to join the controversial “No Kings” protests planned for today, despite the peace deal reached between Israel and Hamas. “UAW Labor for Palestine” and “NYC Labor for Palestine” quietly posted a call-to-action for the “Palestine Labor Solidarity Contingent” to meet Saturday at 11 a.m. at Duarte Square at the corner of Grand Street and Canal Street in midtown Manhattan and then flow into the #NoKings protests planned to protest President Donald Trump. They’re not alone. Around the country, anti-Israel blocs are slotting themselves into the “No Kings” protests as a “Palestine Contingent” and “Socialist Contingent,” positioning their messages “front and center,” as Seattle activists put it, “from Providence to Palestine.” ‘NO KINGS’ ORGANIZER DISCOURAGES VIOLENCE FOLLOWING COAST-TO-COAST ARRESTS The alignment underscores a strategic pivot in the global intifada’s next phase, experts say, carrying the anti-Israel message into any high-energy civic protest, even after Hamas agreed to a ceasefire by linking “Free Palestine” to domestic fights like ICE, police and “fascism.” Billionaire donor George Soros is reportedly funding many of the organizations leading the “No Kings” protests, like Indivisible, whose co-founders, Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, received a $3 million two-year grant last year from Soros’s Open Society Foundations for “social welfare activities.” Details about the “Palestine Contingent” weaving into the “No Kings” protests raises new questions about the way big Democratic donors like Soros are funneling nonprofit dollars into a professional protest industry that is fractious, divisive and partisan, potentially in violation of tax and nonprofit laws. ‘NO KINGS’ MOVEMENT AND WHAT IT WANTS: INSIDE THE MESSAGE DRIVING SATURDAY’S NATIONWIDE PROTESTS Behind the emotion and patriotic imagery of the protests, a Fox News Digital investigation revealed that the movement’s polished “pro-democracy” branding masks a coordinated network of Democratic tax-exempt nonprofits and labor unions, political action committees, coalitions and for-profit protest consultants that include some of the most virulent activists against Israel, including self-declared socialist groups like the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Democratic Socialists of America and Students for a Democratic Society. According to a public database of the protest’s organizers, compiled by the Pearl Project, a journalism initiative, the protest’s “partners” include 265 mostly nonprofit organizations, including some anti-Israel groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, exploiting their nonprofit benefits to wage a political war against the sitting president. Their nonprofit status shields them from paying taxes on most of their total annual revenues of $2.9 billion, even while they engage in partisan work they aren’t supposed to be doing. Critics say they are allegedly skirting, if not violating, tax and nonprofit laws. Event organizers didn’t return requests for comment. “They call it ‘No Kings,’ but what they’ve built is an empire of tax-exempt organizations doing the Democratic Party’s work on the taxpayer’s dime,” said Jennica Pounds, a computer scientist who runs a platform, DataRepublican.com, following the money on these organizations. “They are using every excuse in the book, from immigration to Israel, to rage-bait America. There is nothing ‘charitable’ about their professional protest enterprise, and they should be investigated for fomenting so much hate in America behind the shield of ‘charity work.’” Already, Trump has said that he has directed the Justice Department to investigate possible violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has opened an investigation that follows the money to anti-Israel groups, including some of the groups who will be bringing their protest signs to the “No Kings” demonstrations. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, “The Trump administration and the Republican Congress are committed to countering this network of left-wing violence.” Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson called the protests a “hate America rally.” Indeed, on June 14, at the “No Kings” protest in Philadelphia, activists from the “Palestinian Contingent,” including activists from the Council on American-Islamic Relations and Democratic Socialists of America, hissed as a woman sang the national anthem. “Booooo! Boooooo!” they yelled, covering their faces in keffiyehs, carrying Palestinian flags and heckling bystanders, “Zionist!” While organizers insist the movement transcends party lines, its structure tells a different story. The protest network’s official “partners” include 24 Democratic political action committees that make no secret of their partisan agenda, dedicated to electing Democratic politicians. Among them are the mega-organizing groups Indivisible Action, Hollywood Democrats and the Democratic National Committee’s Washtenaw County Democratic Party in Michigan, Westside Democratic Headquarters in Los Angeles, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club in northern California, 504 Democratic Club and College Democrats of America. The motto of Field Team 6, another political action committee, is “Register Democrats. Save the World.” However, those PACs are just one layer of a much larger partisan infrastructure. About one-third, or 79 groups, behind the “No Kings” protests hold 501(c)(3) status, meaning their donors receive tax deductions while the groups face strict restrictions to do “charitable” work, not political work. They are supposed to be nonpartisan. Yet most have clearly stated political agendas. On its donation page, one of the protest partners, “Build the Resistance,” states a partisan mission to “fight against autocracy, fascism, and donald [sic].” Donations go to Oil and Gas Action Network, a 501(c)(3) that reported $1.9 million in revenues in its last tax filing. Another 100 are 501(c)(4) political nonprofits that may do limited lobbying but still cannot devote themselves primarily to political work. Meanwhile, 24 are 501(c)(5) labor union nonprofits, like the labor unions marching against Israel in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, that also have limits on the amount of political work they can do. It’s clear that the protests are all about politics. The protest’s own internal online “toolkit” mentions Trump 12 times and describes the mobilization explicitly as a direct stand against “the Trump administration,” “Trump and his enablers,” “President Trump’s authoritarian takeover” in a partisan-centered campaign. In Rhode Island, the “Free Palestine Contingent” activists will march “FROM PROVIDENCE TO PALESTINE” to “FIGHT FASCISM! FIGHT GENOCIDE.” It connects the battles against ICE law enforcement officers and the battles of Palestinians, noting, “Military occupations and
Republicans torch anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests, say Dems fear angering leftists in shutdown fight
Republican lawmakers have spent the week sharpening their attacks on Saturday’s nationwide day of protests against President Donald Trump, which many GOP leaders dismissed as “Hate America” rallies. Cities across the country are expected to see hundreds of thousands of people come out for the “No Kings” movement, and several congressional Democrats have even said they will attend. Republicans have seized on the protests as a product of far-left activism, while at the same time arguing Democrats have held firm against the GOP’s plan to end the government shutdown in a bid to please that far-left base. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox Business Network he hoped that Democratic leaders who attended would be more willing to accept the GOP’s plan after the demonstrations were over — but he did not sound overly optimistic. SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES “It’ll be a collection of wild leftist policy priorities, and that’ll be on display for the whole country. After that’s over, I hope there’s a few Democrats over here who will come to their senses and return to governing the country,” Johnson said. “Right now, I don’t think — it’s my assumption and all of ours that they would not make that concession before that rally’s over because they don’t want to face the angry mob. I mean it’s sad, but that’s where we are.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., dodged a question on whether he would attend one of the rallies on Friday, telling reporters, “I haven’t finalized my schedule for the weekend given, you know, the sensitivities around the government shutdown. I’m still very hopeful that Republicans will decide to show up for work so we can get the government back open.” “But I support the right of every single American to participate in the rallies that are going to take place this week and showing up to express dissent against an out-of-control administration,” he said. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would attend one of the protests, as did House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, predicted more top Democratic figures would go but, like Johnson, signaled hope that they would acquiesce to Republicans’ demands when it was over. “My guess is if they don’t want a primary from the left, they’ll probably find a way to sneak it into their schedule. The real question that’s going to be is, do they have the fortitude after Saturday to come back and open up the government?” Nunn told Fox News Digital earlier this week. 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK “They should be doing it today. But if they feel like they’ve got to appease their base, then they better come to Jesus on Sunday and figure out a way to help them get back to the business of taking care of the American people.” House GOP leaders also criticized the rallies at nearly every one of their daily shutdown press conferences this week. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Friday that Schumer was “more concerned” with “impressing the ‘Hate America’ rally crowd that’s coming up here tomorrow than he is about not solving all of our problems tomorrow.” And House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Tuesday of the rallies’ place in the shutdown fight, “The rumor is that they can’t end the shutdown beforehand, because a small but very violent and vocal group is the only one that’s happy about this.” “If they shut it down beforehand, then they’ve got to deal with that group beforehand. If they make it through that, then at least they’ve made it through their Hate America rally, and then they can get this thing done,” Emmer said. The House passed a bill to keep the federal government funded at current levels through Nov. 21, called a continuing resolution (CR), mostly along party lines last month. It’s since failed 10 times in the Senate, with a majority of Democrats rejecting any spending deal that does not also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies that will expire at the end of this year without congressional action.
Poisoned promises: Camp Lejeune families still wait for justice decades after toxic water scandal
Decades after Marines and families at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune bathed and drank in poisoned water, the law meant to bring them justice has stalled. The 2022 Camp Lejeune Justice Act — intended to finally allow victims their day in court — has instead become mired in legal backlogs and procedural fights. As medical bills mount from lifetimes of chronic illness and loved ones pass away, families say Washington’s delays have turned a promise of justice into yet another bureaucratic waiting game. They’re now calling on Congress to pass the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act, which would guarantee victims the right to trial and ensure their claims are heard. BANNED CHEMICALS FOUND IN AMERICAN SHAMPOO, SUNSCREEN AND TAMPONS ACROSS MAJOR BRANDS Donna Harris was born and spent her early childhood on the North Carolina Marine Corps base. She believes she’s been paying for it ever since. After years of drinking and bathing in contaminated water, Harris has battled asthma and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) — a rare blood disorder — lost her left kidney and faced both breast and uterine cancer. “I’m just wondering where the next cancer is going to come,” she said. “That’s how I live every day.” Her mother, who lived on base in the 1960s, suffered four miscarriages. Her sister later died from kidney disease. From the 1950s through the late 1980s, drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with toxic chemicals — including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride — leaked from fuel tanks and improper waste disposal. Estimates from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) suggest that up to one million Marines, civilian workers and their families were exposed over decades. Although contamination was first detected in the early 1980s, the most polluted wells weren’t shut down until 1985. Veterans and families spent years reporting high rates of rare cancers, birth defects and chronic diseases, only to face a long fight for recognition and care. Federal investigations later found that military and health officials were slow to act, even after learning the water was unsafe. When the contamination first became public in the mid-1980s, Marine officials blamed a nearby dry-cleaning shop for leaking chemicals into the groundwater. But federal investigations later found multiple sources, including leaking fuel tanks, chemical dumps and industrial solvent disposal across the base. Bob Quinter, a fighter pilot who survived being shot down five times during the Vietnam War, never imagined that the greatest danger he faced would come from his own base. After being stationed at Camp Lejeune for eight years in the 1970s and ’80s, Quinter was diagnosed with recurring kidney cancer in 2011. “No one had any idea of the toxic exposure,” he said. Still, strange smells loomed in the air on base from time to time. Quinter recalled a friend who served as the base adjutant warning him in the early ’80s that “a major issue on base would soon come to light — and its reach would prove devastating.” “It’s sort of like a betrayal from the Corps,” Quinter said. HIGHER CANCER RATES LINKED TO WWII RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN MIDWESTERN CREEK Both of his daughters have suffered multiple miscarriages, and at least half a dozen fellow Marines from his time on base later developed serious illnesses they believe are tied to their exposure. “Marines, by their nature, tend to be positive and not worry about the bad parts of their service,” Quinter added. “So it’s something that comes up sort of off the cuff, and then we move on to some old sea story that everybody would rather hear.” Originally, injury claims related to Camp Lejeune had a filing deadline of 1997 — long before many victims even knew about the contamination. When Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022, victims felt a wave of relief. Harris learned that her breast cancer qualified as a covered condition and filed a claim to help pay for radiation and surgery. “I reached out and was approved for any out-of-pocket medical costs,” she said. She meticulously submitted every receipt and record. “That was in April of 2022,” Harris said. “And I’ve not seen a dime. They care until they don’t.” Her 93-year-old father, who will soon attend the Marine Corps Ball in his dress blues, appears to have escaped the illnesses that ravaged others in the family. “I asked him, I said, ‘Daddy, why didn’t you get sick?’ He said, ‘I never drank the water.’” It’s believed that the water on site affected up to one million people before authorities cut off the poisoned supply. Now, victims and families are urging Congress to ensure that the Camp Lejeune law actually opens the door to jury trials or fair mediation rather than leaving claims stalled in administrative limbo. The most important goal, they say, is simply to get into court — to have their cases move forward rather than remain buried in procedural bottlenecks. They’re also asking lawmakers to expand the capacity of the court system so that more cases can be heard and resolved efficiently. Beyond compensation, they want acknowledgment: public recognition that the government knew what was happening and failed to act, and an honest accounting of how that negligence destroyed lives. By law, Camp Lejeune claims are first handled by the Navy’s Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG), which must review each case before victims are allowed to sue in federal court. The Navy JAG office and the Department of Justice could not be reached for comment. There is growing bipartisan support behind new legislation to fix the system. More than 60 members of the House of Representatives and over 10 senators now back the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act, introduced by North Carolina Republicans Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Rep. Greg Murphy — but the bill has not yet been scheduled for a vote. Michelle James, whose husband died in 2019 after years of illness she believes was
Bill Ackman jumps into NYC mayoral fight, says Sliwa must drop or ‘we are toast’
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is escalating his commentary on the New York City mayoral race, claiming Republican Curtis Sliwa’s refusal to exit has pushed democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani to a 90% chance of victory, according to prediction market data. Ackman, the founder of Pershing Square Capital, argued that Sliwa staying in the race is helping Mamdani secure the win. On Friday, Ackman posted new Polymarket odds on X showing Mamdani near 90%, well ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Sliwa. “It was not Zohran Mamdani’s debate performance. It was Curtis Sliwa’s statement after the debate that he is not leaving that has tipped the odds to 90% for Mamdani,” Ackman wrote on X. Sliwa had said he would not drop out after the most recent debate. FINAL STRETCH: MAMDANI’S LARGE LEAD SHRINKING AS CUOMO GAINS GROUND IN NYC MAYORAL RACE Ackman’s remarks mark a rare public foray by a high-profile investor into a local election. A spokesperson for Pershing Square told Fox News Digital there was “no additional comment beyond Ackman’s posts.” Ackman has supported Cuomo’s independent bid and earlier in the week urged Sliwa to exit the race to give Cuomo “a better shot.” Sliwa is not backing down. His campaign, in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, rejected the idea that Ackman or any donor should influence the race. “Billionaires aren’t going to decide the outcome — it’s the voters. It’s the people. Let the people decide,” said Maria Sliwa, the candidate’s spokeswoman. “Cuomo lost the primary as a Democrat. He’s running as an independent. Curtis is on a major party line just like Mamdani. If anything, Cuomo should drop out, not Curtis.” She said Sliwa has always planned to stay in the race to give Republicans a choice. “This race won’t be decided by millionaires, billionaires or professional politicians. It will be decided by the voters on Nov. 4.” Sliwa’s refusal to exit has become a flashpoint in the campaign. Ackman and others say a one-on-one matchup between Cuomo and Mamdani would be more competitive. NEW POLL REVEALS MAMDANI’S LEAD IS SHRINKING AS CUOMO GAINS GROUND IN NYC SHOWDOWN Some polls suggest Cuomo could close the gap without Sliwa in the race. But Sliwa’s team and several analysts question whether his voters would support Cuomo. Appearing Friday morning on “Sid & Friends in the Morning” on WABC radio, Cuomo accused Sliwa of playing spoiler and warned Republicans that staying loyal to Sliwa could hand the election to Mamdani. “Curtis cannot win,” Cuomo said. “No Republican voted to put Curtis on the ballot. No Democrat voted to put Curtis on the ballot. He was put on by the party bosses — the Republican county chairs — because he is a spoiler. And they want Mamdani to win.” Cuomo argued that GOP leaders are backing Sliwa for strategic reasons, not to win City Hall. “They’ll take Mamdani and run him around the country saying, ‘Look at how crazy this Democratic Party is — they elected a 33-year-old socialist who’s anti-cop, anti-business, antisemitic.’ It’ll help them politically, but it’ll kill the city,” Cuomo said. He added that voters who support Sliwa are effectively helping Mamdani. “You vote for Curtis, just save yourself the time and vote for Mamdani,” Cuomo said. “He’s the candidate of the Republican Party chairs. And what Republicans are going to have to decide is whether partisan loyalty is more important than loyalty to the city.” FOX NEWS POLL: UNHAPPY WITH NYC’S DIRECTION, VOTERS FAVOR MAMDANI FOR MAYOR BY A WIDE MARGIN Cuomo also attacked Mamdani’s public safety policies, warning, “You defund the police, you close Rikers — he’s talking about releasing 7,000 people from Rikers when it closes. There are no new jails. There will be a mass exodus from this city. It will never be the same.” The 2025 NYC mayoral race has drawn national attention. Mamdani, 33, is a socialist state assemblyman from Queens who upset Cuomo in the Democratic primary. If elected, he would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, and he has the backing of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Cuomo, 65, is running as an independent four years after resigning as governor. He is trying to frame himself as a centrist who can beat Mamdani. Since Mayor Eric Adams dropped out, Cuomo has gained ground in polling. Sliwa, 69, is best known for founding the Guardian Angels patrol group and has built his campaign around crime and quality-of-life issues. He won 27% of the vote in the 2021 mayoral race. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ackman’s involvement has sparked renewed interest in Polymarket, a prediction site where users bet on political outcomes. The contract for the NYC mayoral race has already passed $190 million in trading volume, one of the largest for a local U.S. election. Ackman’s posts have fueled speculation and a surge in trading activity. Voters head to the polls Nov. 4. Polymarket did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
President Donald Trump commutes former New York GOP Rep. George Santos’ prison sentence
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Friday that he commuted the sentence of disgraced former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., after several campaign finance violations. “George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump wrote. “I started to think about George when the subject of Democrat Senator Richard “Da Nang Dick” Blumenthal came up again…. This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!” President Trump added. “George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY.” FORMER CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS DELIVERS ‘GLAMOROUS’ FAREWELL BEFORE GOING TO PRISON: ‘THE CURTAIN FALLS’ Santos had reported to serve his sentence in federal prison at the end of July earlier this year, with a theatrical X post in which he wrote, “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed.” The former representative pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos was assessed the maximum sentence in April by U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert. Seybert also ordered Santos to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000 in fraud proceeds. Santos “traded in his integrity for designer clothes and a luxury lifestyle,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said in a statement at the time. The former representative and his campaign treasurer had doctored donor reports to qualify for national Republican Party funding, including falsely reporting a $500,000 loan from Santos when he had under $8,000 cumulatively in his accounts. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE URGES TRUMP TO COMMUTE GEORGE SANTOS’ FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCE: ‘FAR WORSE OFFENSES’ According to the DOJ, Santos made unauthorized charges to fund both campaign and personal expenses from stolen donor credit card information, including those from “victims he knew were elderly persons suffering from cognitive impairment or decline.” He also used a fake political fundraising company to solicit tens of thousands of dollars which he spent on “designer clothing.” Santos flipped New York’s third congressional district in 2022 for the GOP despite falsifying his biography, including claiming his family had ties to 9/11 and the Holocaust that were debunked at the time. Santos was expelled by the House of Representatives in December 2023, after a scathing ethics report, making him the sixth member of Congress in history to have been removed. In Santos’ July X post, he added, “I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Good luck George, have a great life!” the President concluded.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Bolton pleads not guilty
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -FBI arrests alleged pro-Hamas Oct. 7 attacker living in Louisiana -Millions expected to flood streets at ‘No Kings’ protests targeting Trump across all 50 states –Thune slams Schumer’s ‘kingmaker’ politics, refuses to ‘kiss the ring’ in shutdown talks Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday to all 18 counts related to the improper handling of classified materials after surrendering to federal authorities in Maryland. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan explained the charges to Bolton and asked if he understood them and the potential penalties of up to 10 years per count and a maximum fine of $250,000 per count. “I do your honor,” Bolton said during his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Md…Read more RATE AND SEE: Fed’s Miran downplays impact of Trump’s tariffs on growth, inflation F-BOMB: Trump says Venezuela’s Maduro doesn’t want to ‘f*** around’ with the US ‘BAD BLOOD’: Trump says ‘tremendous bad blood’ between Zelenskyy, Putin delaying peace deal despite Middle East momentum BLUE SLIP BLUES: Trump rips ‘stupid and outdated’ Senate tradition blocking US attorney nominees WEAPONS SWAP DEAL: Zelenskyy pitches Trump on Ukraine drone-for-Tomahawk missile exchange as president weighs escalation concerns TRUMP CARD: EXCLUSIVE: Karoline Leavitt slams Hakeem Jeffries as ‘stone-cold loser’ after he attacks her as ‘demented’ DIGITAL DAMAGE: Deleted posts urging violence haunt Democratic Senate hopeful in Maine race RIGHTS IN LIMBO: Government shutdown is putting gun owners rights at risk, House Republicans warn AG SPEAKS OUT: Jason Miyares touts record on crime, fentanyl as Jones scandal roils Virginia race SENATE SABOTAGE: Trump’s US attorneys in blue states face legal challenges that could upend key prosecutions SPACE RACE REDUX: Musk ally Jared Isaacman makes comeback bid for NASA administrator role after May withdrawal: report VIOLENCE EXPOSED: Lawyers guild’s alleged ties to Antifa spark call for DOJ probe NO ‘CHAOS’ ALLOWED: Abbott orders Texas National Guard to Austin in advance of ‘Antifa-linked protest’ FOLLOW THE MONEY: Soros foundation helping fund anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests nationwide MILLIONS EXPECTED: ‘No Kings’ movement and what it wants: Inside the message driving Saturday’s nationwide protests POLITICAL VIOLENCE: Democrats’ ‘unity’ dinner draws backlash over anti-Trump ‘86 47’ sign linking MAGA to Nazis RULES FOR ME: Hochul’s office silent when pressed if she sticks by ‘no one is above the law’ belief amid AG’s indictment TRUST DEFICIT: Mamdani ripped by rivals for unpopular stance during fiery NYC debate YOUR HONOR: Who is Judge Chuang, the Obama appointee assigned to John Bolton’s case? Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Dem judge in hot seat after DHS exposes ‘whole new level’ of activism, sheltering illegal immigrant
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump Department of Homeland Security is criticizing a Democratic judge for taking “activism to a whole new level” by harboring an illegal gang member who just pled guilty to illegally possessing firearms and destroying evidence. Federal authorities arrested Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a Venezuelan national who illegally entered the country in 2023 during the Biden administration, in February at the home of former Dona Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose Luis “Joel” Cano, 67, and his wife Nancy Ann Cano, 68. Based on his tattoos and social media activity showing firearms as well as distinctive hand signs and clothing, the Justice Department believes Ortega-Lopez is a member of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan transnational criminal group recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration. This month, Ortega-Lopez pled guilty to illegally possessing firearms and conspiracy to destroy evidence. DHS FLIPS SCRIPT ON MEDIA NARRATIVE WITH NEW DETAILS ABOUT ILLEGAL TEEN ARRESTED BY ICE: ‘SAFETY THREAT’ Commenting on the plea, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the judge’s action is part of a wider pattern of “sanctuary politicians” subverting U.S. law to harbor criminal illegal immigrants. “Time and time again, we see sanctuary politicians and activist judges like Jose Cano shield criminal illegal aliens – in this case, a suspected GANG MEMBER, from arrest and removal from the country,” McLaughlin wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital. She added that “Judge Cano, a magistrate judge, takes activist judge to a whole new level—having this criminal illegal alien live in his home with him.” “Ortega-Lopez, a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member who pled guilty to illegally possessing firearms and conspiracy to destroy evidence, should never have been released into the country by the Biden Administration,” she said. “This disgusting behavior is wildly unacceptable and is no longer tolerated under the Trump Administration. We are putting the safety of the American people first.” TRUMP’S WAR ON CARTELS ENTERS NEW PHASE AS EXPERTS PREDICT WHAT’S NEXT A senior DHS official also told Fox News Digital that the agency “will not let the Democrats’ government shutdown prevent our law enforcement officers from executing the critical mission of securing our nation from the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” Federal agents received a tip in January that Ortega-Lopez was living with other illegal immigrants on a property belonging to Cano, who was still a judge at the time, and his wife. Authorities seized four guns during a Feb. 28 search of the property. The four guns, along with three cellphones belonging to Ortega-Lopez, were seized, and he was arrested. During the search, Ortega-Lopez was allowed to make a phone call before being taken to the Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC). He told the agents that the phone he wanted to use was not among the devices recovered. Video calls from DACDC later showed Nancy Cano holding a black iPhone believed to be Ortega’s fourth phone, prosecutors said. ‘LIVING LABORATORY’: TRUMP ADMIN URGED TO LOOK TO SOUTH AMERICA FOR LESSONS ON FIGHTING MIGRANT GANGS During a March 7 call with Ortega-Lopez, Nancy Cano allegedly used the device to contact someone named “Michelle” via WhatsApp before facilitating a FaceTime call between Michelle and Ortega-Lopez using her personal phone. In an April 20 call, Nancy Cano and Ortega-Lopez discussed deleting his Facebook account, which he allegedly used to share incriminating content, including gang affiliations and images with guns. On April 24, federal agents searched the Cano home to locate Ortega-Lopez’s missing phone. During questioning, Judge Cano admitted smashing the device with a hammer five weeks earlier because he believed it contained incriminating photos and videos of Ortega-Lopez with guns and throwing it into a dumpster, according to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP FROM DEPORTING MEMBERS OF TREN DE ARAGUA GANG A forensic analysis of the recovered phones revealed messages linked to Ortega’s alleged criminal activities, including links with the Tren de Aragua gang and images of him with guns, authorities said. Judge Cano resigned his position in March, and he and his wife were arrested on April 24. They were released on $10,000 bonds and are facing up to 15 years in prison each for evidence tampering and conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Fox News Digital reached out to the Canos’ attorney for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Mamdani sparks online frenzy over response to whether he endorses NY Gov Hochul: ‘Humiliating’
NEW YORK, N.Y. – New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani sparked a political firestorm on Thursday night when he declined to endorse Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul on a debate stage despite her previously endorsing him. “It’s a decision that should be made after this general election,” Mamdani said during a debate with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa when candidates were asked to raise their hand if they supported the governor. “So my focus is on November,” Mamdani told reporters on Friday when asked about his non-endorsement. “I am less than three weeks away from the election that we have been building this campaign towards for more than a year, and that’s why I haven’t made any endorsements beyond November.” TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FIERY NYC MAYORAL DEBATE: ‘HE LITERALLY HAS NEVER HAD A JOB’ The comment from Mamdani came as a surprise to some given the fact that Hochul endorsed Mamdani last month after facing pressure from many within her party to get on board with the leading candidate in the New York City mayoral race. “New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers,” Hochul said during her endorsement announcement. “That’s @ZohranKMamdani.” Mamdani’s comment on the debate stage drew a strong rebuke from the Republican running against Hochul along with many who chimed in on social media suggesting that Hochul made a miscalculation endorsing Mamdani. “Degrading and humiliating,” GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, widely expected to run against Hochul for governor, said about Mamdani’s decision not to publicly endorse Hochul. NYC COUNCILWOMAN WHO GREW UP UNDER COMMUNISM SOUNDS ALARM ON KEY MAMDANI POSITIONS: ‘DANGEROUS SITUATION’ “Jihadist and terrorist sympathizer Commie Mamdani’s team threatened @kathyhochul with a primary if she didn’t bend the knee and endorse him,” Stefanik continued. “Hochul quickly caved, and now wears his Defund the Police, Antisemitic, Communist platform.” “New Yorkers know how politically weak Hochul is. Mamdani confirmed it last night by refusing to endorse her,” Stefanik added. In a press release, Stefanik referred to Hochul as the “biggest loser” in the debate, given that none of the three candidates said they support her. “Zohran Mamdani REFUSES to endorse Kathy Hochul for reelection even after she endorsed him,” a Republican National Committee account posted on X, along with a clown emoji. “LMAO,” GOP Congressman Mike Lawler posted on X. “No one believes @GovKathyHochul should be reelected.” Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s campaign for comment.