GOP Senate hopeful sounds alarm after alleged Mall of America terror plot thwarted
Republican Senate nominee Michele Tafoya says people in her home state of Minnesota “feel under a level of threat” after the FBI arrested an 18-year-old who allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and discussed carrying out a mass shooting at the Mall of America. Tafoya, who is aiming to flip a Democrat-controlled open Senate seat as she faces off against Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in the midterm elections, praised authorities in an X post, writing, “Thank you to @FBIMinneapolis and law enforcement for stopping a potential mass-casualty attack.” But she also pointed to the midterms as she argued, “This November, the choice is clear: law and order or more of the same. Common sense or chaos.” Authorities said Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud had been under investigation for nearly two years before he was arrested on the spot after buying an AK-47-style rifle, magazines and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee. FBI: MALL OF AMERICA TERROR PLOT THWARTED “This was a radicalized young man who needed to be watched,” U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said Wednesday at a news conference. Rosen added that agents “were able to detect a threat and disrupt it before the defendant carried out his intention to kill, in his words, maybe 30 to 60 people.” Mohamud, according to an FBI agent’s sworn complaint, repeatedly affirmed in chat messages to the informant that he intended to attack and kill non-Muslims at the mall on Oct. 24, the date of a scheduled Hmong arts celebration. The Hmong are an ethnic group from East and Southeast Asia with a large community in Minnesota.” Tafoya, in a Fox News Digital interview, said, “I hear a lot of concerns from Minnesotans on the campaign trail about crime, and no matter what form that crime takes, Minnesotans know that they feel under a level of threat that has increased lately here in Minnesota. “And in the last week and just today, we saw the arrest of an 18-year-old … American citizen to Somali parents arrested for … planning a terrorist attack at the Mall of America,” Tafoya said, as she referred not only to the thwarting of the terror plot, but also a recent spate of gang gun violence tied to what some in local law enforcement say are members of “the Somali American community.” DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB “He basically stated that he wanted to take out anyone who was not a Muslim. He also noted that the Mall of America is owned by people who are Jewish,” Tafoya added. “Again, he is of Somalian descent, and terror is alive and well. And thank God we averted this massive crisis.” Flanagan, in a statement on X, wrote, “I’m relieved that a horrific attack on Minnesota was prevented and grateful for the actions of law enforcement.” Fox News Digital reached out to Flanagan’s campaign for more reaction to the terror plot arrest and to Tafoya’s comments but didn’t receive a response at the time this article was published. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, wrote in a statement, “I’m grateful for the heroic work of law enforcement that prevented a mass shooting and terrorist attack at the Mall of America. This shows why we continue to need major coordinated investments in anti-terrorism and local law enforcement to stop attacks like these.” MIDTERM MATH: THE THREE FORCES THAT COULD STOP A DEMOCRATIC BLUE WAVE Klobuchar, who is running to succeed retiring Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, emphasized, “Our state must take terrorism and violent crime head on, working with our federal law enforcement and local police departments to keep Minnesotans safe.” Her Republican rival in the gubernatorial showdown, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, also praised authorities. “I’m grateful for the work of federal and local law enforcement that stopped this potentially catastrophic ISIS-inspired terrorist plot. It’s frightening to know that a young person could be led down this path,” Demuth wrote on X. “It’s fortunate that we have law enforcement officials and members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office that were able to do the work necessary to prevent a terrible act of mass violence from taking place in our community.”
Critical House race that could decide control of Congress hits home stretch as GOP rep warns what’s at stake
PRAIRIE CITY, Iowa — Iowa’s 1st Congressional District is shaping up to be one of the closest races in the country as Republicans try to hold their razor-thin majority in the House. Fox News Digital spoke to Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks about her pitch to keep the seat in GOP hands and what Democrats taking back control would mean. “Common sense over crazy. This is just common sense over crazy communism,” Miller-Meeks told Fox News Digital about her opponent, former Democratic state Rep. Christina Bohannan, who Miller-Meeks said is “perfectly in alignment” with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Miller-Meeks accused Bohannan, who the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has labeled a “DEI queen,” of supporting progressive priorities during her time in the Iowa House that aren’t in line with where the majority of Iowa voters stand. HOUSE GOP BILL MOVES TO CLOSE WHISTLEBLOWER GAPS EXPOSED BY MINNESOTA MEDICAID FRAUD SCANDAL “My opponent has not supported law enforcement. She tries to hide where she is on open borders. She has voted against every single tax cut while she was an Iowa legislator and said that the working family’s tax cut was dangerous and would get rid of all of it,” Miller-Meeks said. “Then she talks about in her campaign ads supporting tax cuts for the middle class. She also supported keeping boys in girls sports and boys and girls locker rooms.” Miller-Meeks, who spoke to Fox News Digital at a Department of Agriculture roundtable talking to farmers about their needs and the Trump administration’s efforts to lower burdensome farming regulations, said, over the next month until the election, her campaign will continue to “make sure that we’re serving Iowans, that were out meeting with constituents answering their questions, coming before them and being available and doing the great constituent work that we’ve always done and showing the contrast.” The incumbent congressman touted her record of working to bring in a massive steel mill in recent months, creating manufacturing jobs, helping farmers through ethanol and biodiesel policies, improving water quality and supporting conservation. DEM IN KEY SWING RACE MISSED NEARLY HALF HER STATE HOUSE VOTES WHILE TAKING TAXPAYER SALARY: ‘NO SHOW’ Voters across the country, including in Iowa, have expressed frustration with the economy, the cost of gas and diesel and the Iran War. And while Miller-Meeks acknowledged the concerns, she’s making the case that putting Democrats back in power isn’t the answer because they would roll back the work that has been done by Republicans. “There’ll be no relief coming,” she said. “They already said that they would get rid of all those policies.” Miller-Meeks said the Democratic Party as a whole has moved further left and will attempt to “get rid of” Republican-led measures she credited with making U.S. steel production more competitive and benefiting states like Iowa. “Our bill on opening up energy production here in the United States did bring gasoline prices and diesel prices down at the first of the year,” Miller-Meeks explained. She added that if Republican policies had been put in place during the Biden administration, “we would have already had more biodiesel, which would have helped bring down diesel prices.” The congresswoman argued Republicans will fight to preserve policies that lower energy, housing, healthcare and prescription drug costs, create jobs and root out fraud, waste and abuse that cost taxpayers millions. “It’s not just making prices affordable, but it’s also increasing wages and increasing jobs and good-paying jobs,” she said. “We have certainly done that with the policies that we’ve put in place that the Democrats would get rid of.” WATCH: BATTLEGROUND DEMOCRAT CALLED IOWA A ‘BACKWATER’ OVER TRANSGENDER ATHLETES BAN Miller-Meeks also mentioned several proposals she led targeting fraud in government programs following the Feeding Our Future scandal, which raised many questions about accountability among state leaders. The Medicaid Whistleblower Protection Act would establish federal protections nationwide for Medicaid workers who report early warning signs of fraud, and the WALZ Act would require the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General to open investigations into any program that sees a 10% or greater increase in total payments over any six-month period within a fiscal year. “Tackling corruption inside the government, inside government agencies or in members of Congress or the administration, we’re gonna continue to do that and work to serve Iowans and the American people,” she said. This will be Bohannan’s third time running for Congress against Miller-Meeks after narrowly losing by less than a percentage point in 2024. The race is rated a “toss up” by Cook Political Report, reflecting Democratic momentum and broader headwinds facing Republicans in a midterm election shaped by President Donald Trump’s approval ratings and economic concerns. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Bohannan defended her positions, writing Miller-Meeks’ “siding with drug companies, data centers, billionaires and party leadership at every turn” is “self-serving.” “What’s crazy is pretending to represent your constituents when you’re bought and sold. I’ll always put Iowa first. That’s common sense,” Bohannan said.
DHS proposes massive $70K fee for foreign students seeking work authorization
A proposed rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would implement new fees for international students seeking temporary employment in their field of study, an effort the agency says is aimed at reducing the flow of cheap labor into the U.S. Under the proposal, F-1 visa holders would be charged a $70,000 fee for an initial optional practical training (OPT) authorization, as well as a $30,000 fee for any subsequent extension. “Optional practical training was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labor or a prize for those who game the system,” a DHS spokesperson said. “DHS is upskilling OPT to require foreign students to justify their worth to employers. American workers should not have to compete against a program that has been turned into a pipeline for cheap foreign labor.” EXCLUSIVE: ‘PHANTOM EMPLOYEES’ SCANDAL SPURS GOP CRACKDOWN ON $36B INCENTIVE FOR COMPANIES TO BYPASS AMERICANS OPT allows eligible foreign students to work part time while enrolled in school and full time for a set period after graduation at a cost of around $500. To participate, students must work in a field directly related to their majors, receive a recommendation from a designated school official (DSO) and obtain employment authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). TRUMP ADMIN’S FRAUD CRACKDOWN TARGETS FOREIGNERS ACCUSED OF INFILTRATING US FEDERAL PROGRAMS Graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields can qualify for an additional 24-month extension. DHS said the proposed fee structure comes in response to widespread fraud and abuse identified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). According to the agency, certain schools, DSOs, employers and F-1 students have exploited existing regulations through illicit arrangements, including non-compliant worksites and “pay-to-stay” visa schemes. The agency maintains that the rule change would force educational institutions to exercise “greater oversight and selectivity” before recommending students for the program. However, the proposal is expected to face immediate legal hurdles. OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE TORPEDOES TRUMP’S BID TO PROTECT US JOBS BY REFORMING CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRATION POLICY “Don’t Panic: DHS has no authority to slap a $70k fee on international students,” Doug Rand, director of the Talent Mobility Fund, an organization advocating to attract foreign STEM talent, wrote on LinkedIn. “Let’s not overreact — this proposed rule isn’t going to fare well in the courts, just as the $100k H-1B fee and other restrictionist policies have been struck down.” The proposed rule will be subject to a public comment period before any final implementation.
Anti-Israel groups rally across US on October 7 anniversary, chanting ‘long live the intifada’
NEW YORK — On the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, nonprofits and a number of anti-Israel organizations mobilized and rallied for demonstrations across the country, with some waving Palestinian flags, chanting “long live the intifada” and lauding the Hamas-planned ambush that killed more than a thousand civilians. A number of demonstrations took place in New York, California and other states – with nonprofits in the Singham network organizing and staging larger rallies set for this weekend, intentionally scheduled on and around the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack. At 12:30 p.m., organizers from the NYU Students for Justice in Palestine staged a walkout in Washington Square Park as part of their “NYU WEEK OF RAGE,” where they said in a social media post they remain “steadfast in our commitment to Palestinian liberation.” DUKE REINSTATES STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE AFTER SUSPENSION OVER ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS Separately, anti-Israel demonstrators arrived at the gates of Columbia University at 2 p.m., where encampments and riots embattled the campus for years after Oct. 7, 2023. As students filtered in and out of the gates, now guarded by heavy security, demonstrators from The Columbia Intifada and others chanted “globalize the intifada” through a megaphone. Columbia University has previously told Fox News Digital that the Columbia Intifada is not officially associated with the Ivy League school. At 4 p.m., some of the same groups who were protesting at Columbia traveled to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office at City Hall, with Palestinian flags flying and chants echoing throughout the Financial District of Manhattan. FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE COUNTERS HASAN PIKER’S UT AUSTIN EVENT WITH HER STORY OF SURVIVAL Mamdani weighed in on the anniversary earlier on Wednesday morning, saying “we grieve alongside our many friends and neighbors” who are dealing with the loss experienced on Oct. 7, 2023, before blasting Israel for an “ongoing genocide in Gaza.” “The suffering did not begin nor end that day,” Mamdani posted to X. “It instead continued through the Israeli government’s devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza, in which it has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians — including more than 21,000 children.” On Mamdani’s schedule for the anniversary of Oct. 7, he is set to meet with “Palestinian New Yorkers” following a vigil for the Israeli victims of the Hamas attack. MAMDANI ROASTED FOR STAYING TIGHT-LIPPED ON ‘WAR CRIMINAL’ PEZESHKIAN AFTER RAGING ABOUT NETANYAHU In California, Students for Justice in Palestine UCLA mobilized at Bruin Plaza on the Los Angeles campus, echoing similar messages to separate groups across the country. Agitators at UC Davis celebrated the terrorist attack, calling for “glory to the resistance” and referring to Oct. 7 as the “anniversary of the al-Aqsa Flood.” Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is the military code name given by Hamas for the attack three years ago. UC BERKELEY SLAMMED AFTER ANTI-ISRAEL GROUP HOSTS FAILED SUICIDE BOMBER AS GUEST EVENT SPEAKER: ‘CESSPOOL’ On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists stormed into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, converging on a music festival in a surprise ambush that killed roughly 1,200 people. The attackers abducted more than 250 people and took them into Gaza as hostages, triggering a conflict that remains ongoing. The coordinated, organized events held Wednesday shed light on the protest infrastructure that has fueled many of the anti-Israel protests since October 2023, with Singham-backed groups like the People’s Forum and CodePink consistently in attendance. On Tuesday, the People’s Forum collaborated with Shut it Down 4 Palestine to prepare for a separate protest that will take place on Saturday in Washington Square Park “to stand against three years of continued genocide in Gaza,” according to their social media post. INTEL EXPERT SAYS SINGHAM NETWORK IS MORE THAN A NONPROFIT SCANDAL—IT’S A SECURITY THREAT A Fox News Digital investigation revealed Singham has donated $22.44 million to the People’s Forum Inc. Last month, CodePink, which was founded by Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, marched alongside communist and Marxist groups in protest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speaking at the United Nations General Assembly. Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his tech company for $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, according to a Fox News Digital investigation. These groups regularly organize and participate in anti-ICE, anti-Israel and pro-Iran demonstrations. The Southern District of New York, one of the country’s most powerful districts for federal prosecutions, opened a grand jury probe into Singham’s finances in June. He has yet to be charged with any crime. HOW CODEPINK CO-FOUNDER MEDEA BENJAMIN’S FAMILY FOUNDATION BECAME A MAJOR FUNDER OF LEFT-WING ACTIVIST GROUPS Trauma psychologist Dr. Orli Peter, who founded the Israel Healing Initiative, a nonprofit that has been providing high-tech trauma treatment for people impacted by the Oct. 7 attack, told Fox News Digital that the demonstrations across the country “manipulate the public,” weaponize the anniversary, and detract from the mourning of Jewish people. “Demonstrating while Jews are mourning on Oct. 7 weaponizes the anniversary,” Peter explained. “It serves two purposes for the activists: One is to manipulate the public by interrupting the mourning before empathy settles on Jewish suffering and responsibility points to Hamas.” “The other is to show power over the mourners, telling them, ‘Even in your grief, in your memory, in your most vulnerable day, we can invade,” she added.
DNC lawsuit accuses Trump administration of diverting $20M in federal funds for ‘propaganda’ ads
The Democratic National Committee is suing the Trump administration, alleging it illegally diverted $20 million in federal funds to produce and broadcast partisan political advertisements. The ad campaign was designed to boost Republican prospects in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections and shore up President Donald Trump’s approval ratings, a move the DNC argues constitutes unlawful “publicity or propaganda,” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit claims President Donald Trump personally directed the campaign, violating the longstanding statutory ban on using federal appropriations for “publicity or propaganda purposes.” REPUBLICAN PARTY TO HOST HISTORIC MIDTERM CONVENTION IN DALLAS, TRUMP ANNOUNCES ON TRUTH SOCIAL “President Trump’s political propaganda ads are an attempt to resuscitate his historically low approval ratings and avoid widespread Republican defeats in the 2026 midterm election,” the lawsuit states. “The President has nationalized the midterm election, made himself the center of a two-day ‘midterm convention,’ and repeatedly directed voters to ‘pretend that I am on the ballot.’” The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) transferred the funds from money authorized under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to court filings. 2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGAN The OMB approved reallocating the funds into a U.S. Customs and Border Protection line item designated for “Commemorative Events,” according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also notes that congressional committee reports explicitly restricted that line item to line-of-duty death memorials, agency anniversaries and commendation ceremonies. The lawsuit highlights mounting pressure on Republicans, noting that polling numbers have dropped in traditional battlegrounds as well as in typically conservative states, which leaves Democrats “poised to take control of Congress, governor’s mansions, and state legislatures around the country.” MADURO CLAIMS IMMUNITY, ASKS JUDGE TO DISMISS DRUG-TRAFFICKING CHARGES AGAINST HIM AND HIS WIFE Among the ads flagged in the filing is one featuring President Trump touting the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In another spot, Trump directly addresses the audience: “With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state. We will expel the warmongers from our government. We will drive out the globalists; we will cast out the communists, Marxists and fascists.” A third ad explicitly asks viewers to “pretend I’m on the ballot” to drive turnout. The lawsuit also targets ads featuring high-ranking administration officials praising Trump, including War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. FOX NEWS POLL: AS ECONOMIC PAIN DEEPENS, DISAPPROVAL OF TRUMP HITS NEW HIGH “Donald Trump is misusing millions of taxpayer dollars to fund pure propaganda ads in a last-ditch attempt to save Republicans in November, so we’re suing him,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. “As gas and grocery costs rise and his approval numbers continue to crater, this president has stooped to taking money from a fund intended for memorials for Americans killed in the line of duty to promote his failed policies. “Americans deserve better than to have their hard-earned tax dollars used for Trump’s illegal schemes.” SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES The lawsuit asks the court to declare that the Trump administration and affected federal agencies unlawfully produced and aired the advertisements using congressionally appropriated funds and seeks an immediate injunction to block further use of taxpayer dollars for the campaign. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
100-shot Somali gang gun battle rocks Minnesota as sheriff warns ‘we’re in trouble’
Violence tied to Somali-American gangs in the Twin Cities metro erupted in recent days, with law enforcement recovering nearly 100 casings after a gunfight captured on a resident’s surveillance camera — as officials warn they need help to contain the problem before it escalates. The warning follows a burst of violence across several Twin Cities suburbs — including a Bloomington shootout that left nearly 100 shell casings and another shooting in Eden Prairie — as law enforcement says the incidents have entered a retaliation cycle and officials race to disrupt the groups before the violence evolves into more entrenched drug- and money-driven crime. “We have the opportunity to fix it,” Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said of a surge in Somali gang violence across the Twin Cities — but warned authorities could be facing a much more difficult problem if the groups escalate the resources they use. 3 DEAD, INCLUDING SUSPECTED GUNMAN, AND 3 OFFICERS INJURED IN MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING “It’s early. Once they evolve into drugs, we’re in trouble. Once they evolve into money, more money, we are in trouble,” said Fletcher, whose county is anchored by St. Paul and runs along the west bank of the Mississippi River. Fletcher estimated that about 300 juveniles are involved and said part of the problem lies in the Somali gangs’ relative novelty to local law enforcement and what he characterized as a reluctance to aggressively prosecute offenders across the river in Minneapolis. TRUMP’S LAW-AND-ORDER BLITZ MARKS ONE YEAR WITH EYE-POPPING HAUL OF SUSPECTS, GUNS IN BLUE CITY “We need more people focused on this problem. Because 50 kids in this 300 need to go to jail, 25 need to be prosecuted by the feds for RICO and and another 25 need to be prosecuted at the local level. Take 50 of the most active out of the mix, and we will see dramatic changes,” he said. He ascribed some of the reticence to neighboring Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, saying she has not been sufficiently “aggressive” in prosecuting such offenders. FEDERAL JUDGE REFERS PHILADELPHIA DA LARRY KRASNER TO DOJ FOR POSSIBLE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION “One of the misconceptions is that somehow when you prosecute people, put them in jail that you’re destituting them to some terrible life. This is how kids get corrected,” he said. Moriarty’s office pushed back on the assertion, with spokesman Daniel Borgertpoepping saying the neighboring communities are “looking for solutions” and that Moriarty’s prosecutors “communicate daily with law enforcement [and] will participate in any group that moves us toward sustainable public safety.” “The way we approach prosecution of violent crime is consistent regardless of the race or ethnicity of those involved,” Borgertpoepping said. Meanwhile, residents across the metro region expressed outrage to local officials over the violence and what they described as a growing threat to public safety. Jared Scribner, a resident of nearby Edina, criticized officials for calling the issue “gun violence” and demanded they “confront what is happening even when the facts are politically uncomfortable.” Scribner said violence associated with the gangs erupted at a local homecoming event and at a park. MEMPHIS MOM SAYS TRUMP BROUGHT PEACE TO STREETS AS DEMOCRATIC DA BATTLES TASK FORCE OVERSIGHT “We don’t need more virtue signaling, yard signs, DEI initiatives, or community conversations that lead to nowhere. We need competent government, accountability, and safe neighborhoods,” he said, also blaming Moriarty’s office for “refu[sing]” to properly address the issue. He also suggested officials have sometimes generalized the ethnicity of those involved, remarking that it “feels more comfortable for some people to say East African. I don’t even know that that’s a fair term, because 98% of these gang members are Somalians.” In nearby Bloomington, where about 100 casings were recovered from the scene of a late-night firefight that appeared to involve automatic weapons, Police Chief Booker Hodges took a confrontational tack toward the suspects who remained at large — while warning they do not fit the typical stereotype of gang members. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “They’re coming from two parent homes, living in apartment buildings with $3,500 a month rent, driving Beamers and Mercedes. They’re not dealing with money. There’s no drugs in the house. They’re purchasing legal firearms,” he said. “To those of you who did this shooting, you know that I know that you know that I that we know who you are. So my suggestion is: you turn yourself in. Let’s stop playing these games with you running around out here doing all this stuff,” Hodges warned — as the violence draws national attention.
Nicolás Maduro and his wife expected to face new charges related to alleged torture of Americans
Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife could face new charges Thursday tied to the alleged torture of Americans. The additional charges are expected to be announced in Manhattan federal court, according to Fox News’ David Spunt and Jake Paronich. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald is expected to speak after a 10:30 a.m. hearing. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro, already face drug trafficking charges following their January capture by U.S. forces. Both have pleaded not guilty to those charges. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Unearthed clip exposes how far Talarico was willing to go on raising taxes during COVID era
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the Senate in Texas, once pressed Democrats to consider cuts to healthcare benefits a nonstarter — regardless of the consequences for the state’s finances. The remark came during a podcast interview in which Talarico discussed how Texas might balance its budget amid COVID-related shortfalls. He feared Republicans would look for savings in healthcare services. “I don’t care where you get the revenue. I don’t care what taxes you have to raise,” Talarico said in a 2020 appearance with Texas Rising, a progressive YouTube channel focused on political engagement among younger voters. The resurfaced moment adds to the pile of past statements dealing with gender, immigration and fiscal management, complicating the political calculus for Talarico as he aims to convince voters in Texas that he could represent a Republican-leaning constituency, even as a Democrat. TALARICO SAYS HE ‘MISSED THE MARK’ AS HE BACKTRACKS ON CONTROVERSIAL WOKE STATEMENTS At the time, Texas was facing a bleak financial outlook. The pandemic had crippled key sections of the state’s regular revenue streams. As oil demand crashed nationally, tax revenue that would normally come from hotels, bars and restaurants also faced steep reductions. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar projected a $4.6 billion shortfall. “The economic contraction associated with COVID-19 has resulted in revenue collection this fiscal year that is much lower than our earlier projections,” Hegar said in a statement. “This estimate also assumes that restrictions on businesses and individuals will be lifted before the end of this calendar year and that economic activity will strengthen.” As a part of the COVID response, Texas ordered most agencies to look for ways to cut their spending by 5% in the 2020 – 2021 budget. In a letter, Governor Greg Abbott largely shielded Health and Human Services (HHS) from the reductions, sparing the state’s Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the foster care program and disability services, among others. Even so, $2.6 billion of HHS’s budget remained subject to cuts, according to the agency’s estimations. That left the Health and Human Services Commission with a target of $132,716,600 in cuts. ‘FAKE’ MODERATE TALARICO’S TEXAS SURGE TESTS PAXTON IN FIGHT TO HOLD CRUCIAL GOP SENATE SEAT Despite the reduced figure, Talarico blasted the idea of making spending reductions geared towards healthcare. “You’re not going to make our students and our teachers — you’re not going to make the sick and the elderly pay for this pandemic we are not going to balance our budget off of the most vulnerable people in this state,” Talarico said. He argued that Democrats should create a similar kind of stigma against cuts to HHS as the one surrounding raising taxes. “Sometimes you get the reaction in the capitol that’s an unreasonable position to take. But the other side of the aisle has already taken revenue increases off the table. They’ve done a good job of making certain options taboo, so I think our coalition, not just Democrats but progressives, and anybody with a functioning heart should be able to make cuts to health and education taboo and take them off the table,” Talarico said. The moment has brought on criticisms from at least one Republican onlooker. “High-tax Talarico never saw a tax hike he didn’t love in the Texas Legislature, and he is promising to continue that if elected to the Senate. James Talarico will raise taxes on every Texan to fund his radical agenda of taxpayer-funded sex changes for kids and free healthcare for illegal immigrants,” Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee said in a statement to Fox News Digital. As he wages his bid for U.S. Senate, Talarico has advocated for an expansion of U.S. health policy. On his website, Talarico has called for universal eligibility for Medicare, to regulate medical debt and expand veteran care. His views on Medicare, which overlap with many other progressives in the party, have prompted criticism from Republicans who believe such an expansion would cripple the federal budget with cost. Skeptics of the plan have argued for years that such an expansion is too expensive and does little to address existing inefficiencies in the American healthcare system. In 2019, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., took to the Senate floor to blast the idea, calling it a straitjacket solution that would undermine healthcare quality. “The [Congressional Budget Office] projects in its report on a single-payer plan that government spending on health care would increase substantially. They go on to say to cover the massive cost of government-run care, income taxes would have to at least double. Income taxes, American families — at least double,” Barrasso said. SHOCK POLL: TALARICO TIES PAXTON IN TEXAS SENATE RACE, THREATENING GOP STRONGHOLD Talarico’s campaign did not address questions on whether his designs for healthcare are shaped by the national deficit, but noted that his plan includes increases in taxes on the country’s top earners. “James supports making billionaires pay their fair share so we can cut taxes for middle class Texans and fund healthcare for working families — which is why he has unveiled plans to end special tax handouts to corporations and billionaires to help fund healthcare, while proudly voting for the largest property tax cut in Texas history to make sure middle class families get a break,” the Talarico campaign told Fox News Digital. “Ken Paxton has worked to enrich himself and his billionaire mega-donors, amassed 15 properties on a taxpayer-funded salary, and was impeached by his own party for his corrupt abuse of office.” Having cleared the party primary, Talarico will face off against Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton in the state’s Nov. 3 general election.
Amy Klobuchar calls for major anti-terrorism investments after alleged Mall of America plot
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic nominee for Minnesota governor, praised law enforcement Wednesday after the FBI arrested an 18-year-old man accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at the Mall of America. “I’m grateful for the heroic work of law enforcement that prevented a mass shooting and terrorist attack at the Mall of America,” she said in a statement. “This shows why we continue to need major coordinated investments in anti-terrorism and local law enforcement to stop attacks like these. Our state must take terrorism and violent crime head on, working with our federal law enforcement and local police departments to keep Minnesotans safe.” Klobuchar, who has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2007, is running against Republican Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the November gubernatorial election. MALL OF AMERICA TERROR PLOT THWARTED, SUSPECTED ISIS SYMPATHIZER ARRESTED, FBI ANNOUNCES Her statement came after federal authorities announced the arrest of Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, who investigators say pledged allegiance to ISIS and discussed carrying out a mass shooting at the Mall of America. According to federal court documents, Mohamud allegedly spent months discussing plans for an attack before buying an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI employee Tuesday. The rifle had been rendered inoperable, though the ammunition was live. FBI Director Kash Patel said Mohamud “allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans.” PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING ISIS ATTACK ARRESTED WITH RIFLE AND 190 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION: DOJ President Donald Trump also praised the FBI’s handling of the case while speaking to reporters Wednesday. “I did hear about it. And they did a great job. The FBI did a great job,” Trump said. Mohamud is charged with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition while knowing or having reasonable cause to believe they would be used to commit a felony and federal crime of terrorism. Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Florida GOP hopeful on backing Trump in Iran: ‘This is about ending a long war, not starting a war’
For GOP congressional candidate Dan Green, the military confrontation with Iran isn’t the start of a new war — it’s the long-overdue resolution of a conflict that began in 1979. Drawing on his own military tours in Iraq, the Navy veteran running in Florida’s 9th Congressional District argues that America is finally settling decades-long strife with Tehran, even as he faces a tough domestic battle over inflation, kitchen-table economics and a 10-year Democrat incumbent in the newly redrawn Orlando-based suburban district. “I think one thing to know about Iran is that they’ve been at war with us since the 1970s, when they seized our embassy in Tehran and they took our Americans hostage. So to me, this is about ending a long war, not starting a war. “Whether it’s the Marine Corps barracks in the ’80s when Iran bombed those, the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and also with my tours in Iraq, the Iranians were killing a lot of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. TOP DEM LEGAL BOOGEYMEN TEE UP ‘BATTLE ROYALE’ IN RED STATE’S REDISTRICTING CRUSADE “So, the question is, what’s the butcher’s bill you’re willing to tolerate of dead Americans? And we also know they plotted to kill and assassinate our president. “So, to me, this has been a long time coming, but I think what we really need to focus on is how do we get a successful termination of this conflict and stability back in the Middle East?” Green is running in a district that voted for President Donald Trump by a large margin in 2024, yet the Republicans face headwinds as inflation and energy prices remain a persistent preoccupation for voters. Yet, he remains confident in the appeal of the GOP brand, compared to the Democratic alternative. “I think the Democrats have a huge problem right now. I don’t think they know what they’re really about,” Green said. “As you know, they have a democratic socialist wing that is rising in power throughout their party, and a lot of moderate members are finding they have to make peace with that, or even liberal members as well.” He continued: “We’ve got a lot of members getting elected now across the country who are democratic socialists who believe in this radical ideology, who want to frankly destroy our Constitution in so many ways: they want to abolish the U.S. Senate, they want to bring back woke ideology, transgender ideology, and higher taxes. So I think in some ways we know what they are going to bring, but it’s not a good future.” GOP CHALLENGER TEARS INTO DEM’S ‘MODERATE’ IMAGE: ‘VOTES WITH THE SQUAD 90% OF THE TIME’ Florida’s 9th District, like much of the state, contains a large Latino population, which has been pivotal in shifting the state from purple to red. Green argues that while Republicans must appeal to voters on kitchen table economics, ultimately they need to be the party that upholds the rule of law. “I think Americans of all backgrounds, regardless of race or ethnicity, are concerned about the cost of living these days. What we’ve been campaigning on is making America affordable again,” Green said. “So these kind of kitchen table issues of grocery prices, gas prices, property insurance rates — they resonate irrespective of background, I would say. “But the cornerstone of our republic is the rule of law, making sure we adhere to it and we follow it. There are ways of being compassionate with how we do that. There are ways of implementing that law more effectively. At the end of the day, we’re either a nation of laws or we aren’t. And so we need to do what’s required to make sure the law is enforced.” The 9th District, which stretches from Orlando to the south, has a distinctly conservative bent, which Green argues will enable him to compete against the advantages of incumbency. FLORIDA GOP NOMINEE BLASTS 20-YEAR DEM INCUMBENT AS A ‘SOCIALIST’ RUBBER-STAMP WITH ’PRECIOUS LITTLE TO SHOW’ “My opponent is an incumbent and sometimes with that come some advantages; name ID, access to greater resources,” Green said. “But I think the district fundamentally is a conservative district and I think even non-party-affiliated members who aren’t Democrat or Republican tend to be conservative. “So I think we have a lot of great strength in this district for our campaign. I have worked in the military, I can put a plan together, and we’re executing a good campaign plan to take the seat back and flip it from blue to red.” Finally, Green said he believes Soto’s votes on economic policies will be key to building a contrasting vision for the voters of the 9th District. “Well, he’s been re-elected from a portion of our district, not the rest of the district. Most of the district has never voted for him or really seen him,” Green said. “To me, you’ve got a decade of not solving our district’s problems. “He has voted against eliminating taxes on Social Security. He’s voted against eliminating taxes [on] overtime. He’s voted against eliminating tax on tips. To me, when you have the sort of affordability issue right now, those are not the right votes to take for this district. His values are also not aligned with our voters, as well. “You know, he voted to not prohibit transgender care. He’s also not done anything to stop insider trading for 10 years… and also, frankly, the democratic socialists are taking over the Democratic Party. You know, a vote for him is a vote for them, and I think that’s not what this district wants.”