Here’s what Trump wants to do to reshape the federal government during the shutdown
The federal government partially shut down early Wednesday after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on a funding package. In the lead-up to the midnight deadline to pass a budget package, President Donald Trump warned the administration could make “irreversible” changes to the federal workforce, most notably through a new wave of fresh layoffs. The president has underscored that he and his allies did not want the government to shut down, but that it opened the door for some “good” that could come from it. Senate lawmakers failed to reach a spending agreement in time for the end of fiscal year 2025 Tuesday, after a short-term extension of fiscal year 2025 funding, aimed at keeping the government open through Nov. 21, passed the House mainly along party lines earlier in September. GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AFTER CONGRESS DEADLOCKS ON SPENDING DEAL Democrats expressed frustration at being shut out of spending negotiations and over the GOP bill’s exclusion of enhanced Obamacare subsidies that were first enacted in 2021 under President Joe Biden. Those subsidies, a COVID-19-era measure, are set to lapse at the end of 2025 unless Congress takes action, Fox News Digital has reported. Republicans have since pinned the shutdown blame on Democrats, arguing they refused to fund the budget as an attempt to reinstate taxpayer-funded medical benefits for illegal immigrants through Democrat lawmakers’ continuing resolution, which would include extending the expiring Obamacare tax credits. Democrat leadership have balked at the claims, throwing their own jabs at Trump and Republican lawmakers as the culprits behind the shutdown and squashing claims they want to provide healthcare to illegal immigrants. TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE DEMANDS AGENCIES MAP OUT MASS LAYOFFS AHEAD OF POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN “They say that undocumented people are going to get these credits,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday. “That is absolutely false. That is one of the big lies that they tell.” Trump said during various public remarks Tuesday, as the countdown to the midnight deadline dwindled, that though he did not want a shutdown, it presents him with the opportunity for the administration to carry out layoffs as part of a continued mission to slim down the federal government and snuff out overspending and fraud. “We don’t want it to shut down because we have the greatest period of time ever,” Trump said from the Oval Office Tuesday. “I tell you, we have $17 trillion being invested. So the last person that wants it shut down is us.” “Now, with that being said, we can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” he continued. A shutdown does not hand a president new powers, but instead concentrates discretion to the White House and Office of Management and Budget over what the executive branch continues operating or ending. SPEAKER JOHNSON FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM LEADERS WITH STAUNCH WARNING AGAINST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Under the Antideficiency Act, a federal law that guides the government through shutdowns, federal agencies are not permitted to spend funds, the Government Accountability Office outlines, except for a limited set of missions, such as performing constitutional duties. The executive branch is charged with interpreting those exceptions. Office of Management and Budget Director “Russell Vought become very popular recently because he can trim the budget to a level that you couldn’t do any other way,” Trump continued Tuesday. “So they’re taking a risk by having a shutdown because, because of the shutdown, we can do things medically and other ways, including benefits. We can cut large numbers of people.” Later that day, Trump again said that he did not want a shutdown to unfold, but that “a lot of good” could come from it in order to weed out government overspending, noting “we’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected.” “A lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” he said. “We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want, and they’d be Democrat things. But they want open borders. They want men playing in women’s sports. They want transgender for everybody. They never stop. They don’t learn. We won an election in a landslide.” SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS, WHO DOESN’T AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS Vought declared an imminent government shutdown Tuesday evening ahead of the deadline, pinning blame on “Democrats’ insane policy demands, which include $1 trillion in new spending.” “It is unclear how long Democrats will maintain their untenable posture, making the duration of the shutdown difficult to predict,” he wrote in a memo Tuesday. “Regardless, employees should report to work for their next regularly scheduled tour of duty to undertake orderly shutdown activities.” Vice President JD Vance joined the White House press briefing Wednesday and predicted that it wasn’t “going to be that long of a shutdown,” but that people will need to be laid off. “We’re going to have to make things work,” he said. “And that means that we’re going to have to triage some certain things, that means certain people are going to have to get laid off. And we’re going to try to make sure that the American people suffer as little as possible from the shutdown.” Vance added that the administration was “not targeting federal agencies based on politics” for layoffs. “We’re in a shutdown, that causes some problems,” he said. “The troops aren’t getting paid. There’s nothing that we can do about that while the government is shut down. But there are essential services that we want to make sure as, as much as possible, they still continue to function. That is the principle that’s driving us forward during the shutdown.” Anticipated layoffs and program cuts amid the shutdown follow Trump’s ongoing mission to gut the federal government of fraud, corruption and overspending, which first hit the nation’s radar in the early days of the administration when Trump launched
NYU blocks Oct. 7 campus talk by Jewish conservative, citing security concerns
Backlash is mounting against New York University after its law school decided to block an on-campus event with conservative Jewish legal analyst Ilya Shapiro, which was scheduled for the anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The university’s Federalist Society chapter had planned to host Shapiro for a midday discussion, but the event was canceled after NYU administrators stepped in. The group was asked to host Shapiro on a different date due to “security reasons” and because the university said it was anticipating “an increased likelihood of demonstrations and protests connected to the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 incidents in Gaza,” according to emails shared with Fox News Digital. The request was later turned into a refusal to permit the event during the week of the Oct. 7 anniversary. AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION, COLLEGES ADDRESS CONCERNS OVER CAMPUS EVENT SAFETY “This is not a decision based on the proposed program or speaker but rather based on an obligation to provide enhanced security generally on campus during that week as well as resource commitments we have already made,” stated a Sept. 17 email from Megan McDermott, NYU’s associate dean for academic and faculty affairs. “For the sake of clarity and for future planning purposes, I do not know that anyone has any information suggesting that your proposed event would be subject to disruption or protest specifically related to the anniversary of the October 7th hostage taking.” Shapiro had planned to discuss his upcoming book at the NYU event, in which he posits that the nation’s top law schools have been captured by an illiberal and ideological regime that fosters radicalism and supports ideological conformity over open debate and inquiry. This shift, Shapiro argues, weakens cultural and institutional guardrails protecting free speech on campuses. “There could not be a more on-the-nose example of weak university officials in the face of a heckler’s veto than this farce,” Shapiro said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I’d be happy to give NYU’s dean a copy of my book so he can ‘do the work’ of learning how to be an effective and principled leader.” A spokesperson for NYU’s law school, Michael Orey, told Fox News Digital that NYU “did not cancel” the Federalist Society event, but rather “requested” they find another date to host Shapiro. “We did not cancel an appearance by Mr. Shapiro. When the students organizing the event requested a classroom on Oct. 7, they were informed that we could not accommodate them on that date, and we subsequently suggested alternative dates,” said Orey. “Mr. Shapiro is welcome to come speak here at NYU Law and has appeared here in the past. We remain willing to work with students to find a time for him to do so in the future.” PROFESSOR FIGHTING DISMISSAL FOR CALLING CHARLIE KIRK A ‘NAZI’ HANDED LEGAL WIN, FUELING FREE SPEECH DEBATE “I was grateful to the NYU students for inviting me to discuss my book and the crisis in higher education. I’ve enjoyed speaking there in the past and was looking forward to a lively discussion of important issues,” Shapiro said. “But alas the law school administration caved to the threat of bigoted protest—God forbid there be a conservative Jewish speaker on October 7.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Shapiro posted on X that the Federalist Society will instead host Shapiro at an off-campus location, alongside two federal judges and the former head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Nadine Strossen.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump’s peace plan could stop the Gaza war — or topple Netanyahu
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… –Supreme Court keeps Fed’s Lisa Cook in role for now, agrees to review case -Social Security, airports, military: How are you affected during a government shutdown? -White House memo says Democrats’ plan could spend $200B on healthcare for illegal immigrants A 20-point peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump this week could finally conclude the nearly two-year war in the Gaza Strip and see the return of the 46 hostages still held by Hamas. But it could also mean an end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s time in the Israeli government’s top job. Hamas still needs to agree to the plan that Netanyahu accepted on Monday, which would ultimately end Israel’s military operation, disarm Hamas and pave the way for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip under a Palestinian governing body overseen by an international coalition headed by Trump…Read more DEMS FORCE CUTS: White House prepares for ‘imminent’ federal layoffs after Democrats force government shutdown ‘IT’S NOT TRUE’: Vance brings receipts to target Dems on healthcare benefits for illegal aliens SHUTDOWN SHOUTOUT:’Have Dems lost their boogeyman’? Winsome Sears blasts Spanberger’s silence on shutdown after months of DOGE slams DOUBLE STANDARD: 13 times Democrats voted for a short-term continuing resolution under Biden ‘BEST EVER’: Maverick House Republican in Trump’s crosshairs touts record campaign cash haul HOSTAGE POLITICS: Government shutdown continues as Senate Dems block GOP funding bill for 3rd time DEFENSE PLAN: How James Comey’s indictment could go south for the DOJ SUMMER’S BIG HAUL: Back-to-back highs: August and September bring in $62.6B in tariff revenue FULL STOP: Trump administration halts $18B in NYC transit funding over DEI concerns amid government shutdown PROSECUTOR SLAMMED: Virginia AG flames opponent for supporting sex-change ID law he blames for latest pedophile cases END OF AN ERA: Patel cuts ties Comey’s FBI made with ADL as organization faces backlash for TPUSA criticism JUDICIAL SMACKDOWN: Federal judge disqualifies acting Nevada US attorney from handling cases MONEY FOR MIGRANTS: Fed audit, emergency Medicaid undercut Dems on illegal immigrant health coverage CONSPIRACY CLAIM: Ciattarelli campaign rips ‘lying’ Dem opponent amid new National Archives investigation FLIP FLOP MAYOR: ‘The View’ co-host presses Mamdani on whether he’s apologized to officers over ‘defund the police’ claims GUNFIRE HORROR: Inside Dallas ICE facility in aftermath of sniper attack that killed two detainees Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
First bipartisan shutdown negotiations surface on Capitol Hill after funding bill blocked again
Bipartisan talks on reopening the government began to materialize less than a day into the shutdown, with Republicans and Democrats trying to find a middle ground on expiring Obamacare tax credits. The federal government entered its first full day of a shutdown on Wednesday, and so far neither side of the aisle is willing to buckle as the hours ticked by. Still, in the middle of Senate Republicans’ third attempt to pass the House GOP’s short-term funding extension, a group of nearly a dozen senators huddled on the floor in the first public display of negotiations so far. “There are glimmers of hope, and I think they’re bipartisan,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who was in the huddle. WHITE HOUSE MEMO SAYS DEMOCRATS’ PLAN COULD SPEND $200B ON HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS The conversations on the floor came as Republicans demanded that Democrats yield and provide the votes to reopen the government, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., doubled down on his position that Democrats wouldn’t budge without “serious” movement on Obamacare premium subsidies. “Donald Trump and Republicans have barreled us into a shutdown because they refuse to protect Americans’ healthcare,” Schumer said. “It’s clear that the way out of this shutdown is to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to address the looming healthcare crisis that faces tens of millions of American families.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appears willing to slowly chip away at Senate Democrats through a de facto war of attrition and plans to bring House Republicans’ bill to the floor for a vote again and again. The Senate will be out on Thursday to observe Yom Kippur but is expected to return Friday and possibly vote into the weekend on the continuing resolution (CR) that would reopen the government until Nov. 21 to give lawmakers more time to finish work on the dozen spending bills needed to fund the government. Thune told Fox News Digital that he expected to talk to Schumer “in the next day or two.” GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES AS SENATE DEMS BLOCK GOP FUNDING BILL FOR 3RD TIME “He’s indicated that he’s interested in doing that,” Thune said. “I’m not sure what we’ll achieve by that, but I think there are, I mean, things seem to be moving on their side. We just keep telling them to ‘give us — open up the government, and we’ll get on with regular business.’” Thune and Senate Republicans have argued that Senate Democrats’ rejection of the GOP’s CR is hypocritical, given that when former President Joe Biden was in office, Schumer and his caucus routinely voted for “clean” extensions — like the GOP’s current proposal. But the issue for Democrats was multifaceted. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was among the many lawmakers holding a confab on the Senate floor, and while he didn’t divulge full details of the private talks, he said a major issue for him was about ensuring that a “deal is a deal.” GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AFTER CONGRESS DEADLOCKS ON SPENDING DEAL “Anything we agree to, because it’s not a clean CR if the president will tear it up tomorrow,” he said. “In the past, we voted for clean CRs, but the president has shown that he’ll take the money back.” Among the options tossed around in the huddle were a 10-day funding extension once floated by Schumer, which he quickly shot down earlier this week, or passing the Republican plan to actually give lawmakers time to negotiate a solution to the expiring tax credits. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said there were no high-level discussions quite yet, but that any path forward had to be “enforceable.” “The bottom line here is that I sense real concern among my Republican colleagues about what happens to the people they represent if we go off the cliff on the Affordable Care Act,” he said, referring to Obamacare. And Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., who helped facilitate the conversation, said it’d be “great” if lawmakers were able to get something figured out before the Nov. 21 deadline in the GOP’s bill, but that he and other Republicans were still pushing Democrats to support their legislation. “It’s not like there’s anything that they should be objecting to with regard to what’s in the existing bill,” he said. “This is their hostage, and we’re just telling them, ‘Look, we’ve got support on the other side to fix the issues that you have a concern about, but it’s going to take time to negotiate those through.’”
National Guard now in place for Oregon amid ‘chaos, death and destruction’: Trump
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the National Guard is now in place in Portland, Oregon, reiterating the administration’s commitment to restoring law and order in the city amid protests against immigration enforcement. In a Truth Social post, Trump said that as he determined on Saturday, when he activated the Oregon National Guard, “conditions continue to deteriorate into lawless mayhem.” “Our GREAT Federal Law Enforcement Officers have not been able to enforce the Laws in Oregon,” the president wrote. “ANTIFA and the Radical Left Anarchists have been viciously attacking our Federal Law Enforcement Officers, men and women who are simply doing their job, protecting Federal Property, and enforcing Federal Immigration Laws and the Rule of Law. “We will never allow MOBS to take over our streets, burn our Cities, or destroy America. The National Guard is now in place, and has been dedicated to restoring LAW AND ORDER, and ending the Chaos, Death, and Destruction! We are a Nation of LAW, and we will PREVAIL.” PORTLAND SET TO SEE TRUMP CRIME CRACKDOWN RECKONING AFTER 2020’S HUMILIATING VIOLENCE SPREE A memo Monday by the Oregon Military Department confirmed 200 service members will be mobilized under Title 10 federal authority for operations in the Portland area, following a request for support from the Department of War, according to a FOX 12 Oregon report. The state National Guard called the mission straightforward: “protect federal facilities and the federal employees working in them.” “I need everyone to understand the command relationship with this particular mission,” Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold wrote in the memo. “I know some of you may have strong feelings about this mission. That’s okay. You are citizens first, but you’re also service members who took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and follow the orders of the President and the Governor. “That oath doesn’t come with an asterisk that says, ‘only when I agree with the mission.’ We don’t get to pick and choose.” TRUMP VOWS ‘FULL FORCE’ AS HE PLANS TO SEND TROOPS TO PORTLAND AMID ANTI-ICE PROTESTS Gronewold added he knows “some people in Oregon won’t understand or won’t support this mission.” “Some might even be hostile about it. But we’ve been through tough situations before,” he wrote. “We are professionals who do our duties, regardless of how it’s received. … We don’t serve because it’s easy or popular. We serve because it’s our duty and because we took an oath.” For those mobilizing, leaders said to take care of their families and “be smart” on social media. “Don’t post about unit movements, mobilization details, or operational information,” Gronewold wrote. “Please don’t get into political arguments online while wearing the uniform or identifying yourself as a member of the Oregon Guard. Understand you represent something bigger than yourself, and the public is watching.” PORTLAND MAYOR WARNS CITY TO FIX HOMELESS PROBLEM BEFORE TRUMP ‘DEPLOYS BULLDOZERS’ The memo came days after Portland Mayor Keith Wilson fired back at the administration, claiming the president would “not find” lawlessness in the city, and alleging video footage showing violence in Portland was “recycled” from five years ago. “If President Trump came to Portland today, what he would find is people riding their bikes, playing sports, enjoying the sunshine, buying groceries or produce from a farmers’ market,” Wilson said. “We’ve had hard conversations, and we’ve done important work in the years since that footage was taken, we reformed our public safety system.” Since June, protests have erupted near an ICE facility in Portland, leading to the building being vandalized with anti-ICE graffiti and violent clashes between protesters and federal agents. Video footage obtained by Fox News Digital showed protesters in August rolling out a guillotine, lighting fires and forcing law enforcement to disperse the crowd with munitions. Portland, a sanctuary city since 2017, has resisted federal immigration enforcement and ignored warnings from Attorney General Pam Bondi that the city’s sanctuary policies undermine U.S. interests. The City of Portland did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Dems in the hot seat after Obamacare’s spiking premium costs torpedo their narrative
Democrats are accusing Republicans of wanting to inflate Affordable Care Act premiums amid the ongoing federal government shutdown debate as critics argue it’s proof that the program was not sustainable to begin with. One reason for the shutdown centers around the “enhanced” tax credits for Affordable Care Act premiums as the subsidies, which started in 2021, are set to end this year, according to KFF. “If you live in these states, your ACA premiums are about to jump: SD – Up 235% LA – Up 150% WV – Up 387% WY – Up 382% TN – Up 320% MS – Up 314% AK – Up 346%,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., posted on X. GOP ACCUSES DEMS OF RISKING SHUTDOWN TO RESTORE ‘ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HEALTHCARE’ “Republicans are fighting to make sure this happens to their own constituents,” she added. “If Congress doesn’t extend ACA enhanced premium tax credits, 20 million Americans will see a dramatic rise in premium costs, and another 4 million people will lose their coverage completely,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, posted on X. “My Republican colleagues need to come to the table so that we can prevent this disaster,” she added. However, subsidies being used to lower costs sparks concerns about the longevity of the Obama-era policy. Brian Blase, the president of the Paragon Health Institute and a former advisor on the White House’s National Economic Council, countered a claim made in a post from Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., that “Republicans are intentionally skyrocketing your premiums.” “1. Premiums went up because of the ACA 2. Large subsidies were put in place to offset enrollees’ costs. 3. During COVID, there were subsidy add-ons. Democrats scheduled them to expire after 2025. 4. The original large subsidies will still be in place,” Blase explained. “The premium increase will hit regardless of what Congress does. That is an unfortunate feature of how Obamacare is working. The question is the share that should be paid by taxpayers,” he continued in another X post. “Pouring more subsidies on insurers entrenches the status quo & means higher premiums & prices.” HOUSE DEMOCRATS THREATEN SHUTDOWN FIGHT TO PROTECT OBAMACARE PERKS “Subsidizing phantom enrollees, people with high incomes, people enrolled in several programs, outright fraud, and insurance companies, thereby raising the costs for *everyone* to cover the fact that every predicted problem with Obamacare was realized,” conservative commentator Mary Katharine Ham posted. The government shutdown began Wednesday at midnight and a GOP-backed attempt to temporarily reopen the government failed in the Senate later in the day. “Democrats are fighting to extend expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies they passed under Joe Biden with zero Republican support,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted in an X thread on Wednesday. “These subsidies are responsible for tens of billions in improper and fraudulent payments.” “The pool of people eligible for Obamacare subsidies vastly increased, with insurance companies being the ultimate beneficiaries. Dishonest brokers were incentivized to recruit—or invent—as many people as possible, each new signup bringing with it thousands in taxpayer dollars,” the senator continued. DEMS NOT BUDGING ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DEMANDS AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES TRUMP MEETING, JEFFRIES SUGGESTS Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday told “Fox and Friends” that he will work with Democrats on extending insurance subsidies for Obamacare “after they’ve reopened the government.” “You can’t reward this exercise in hostage taking, which is what we would be doing if we allow the government opening to be conditional on the Democrats’ policy disagreement,” Vance said. “That premium support program doesn’t even expire until next year. So why are you shutting down the government on October 1 because of a program that doesn’t even expire for another few months,” he continued. “Let’s talk about it, let’s negotiate, let’s do what you do in Washington, D.C.” “The government shutdown has occurred because Senator Chuck Schumer is holding the funding process hostage. The continuing resolution would have allowed the government to function while we finish the appropriations process in a bipartisan way,” Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., posted on Wednesday. “The longer Senator Schumer plays games, the greater the damage to national security, service members, and veterans. I urge my Democrat colleagues to adopt the House-passed bill, which would immediately reopen the government.”
Lawmaker reveals how Des Moines schools chief registered to vote despite illegal status
After illegal alien Ian Andre Roberts was discovered to be registered to vote in Maryland, Republican state Delegate Lauren Arikan, a member of the Maryland Freedom Caucus, outlined how she believes it happened. Arikan explained that Maryland allows illegal aliens to obtain drivers’ licenses, making the state a “hot spot” for people looking to “legitimize their presence” in the U.S. “We do give driver’s licenses to people who are here illegally. The Freedom Caucus always opposes it, but that is the policy of the state of Maryland. And, so, it’s very easy for somebody to apply and to register to vote, even though they shouldn’t,” she explained. Maryland grants illegal aliens living in the state what are called “non-compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards” that, despite being valid in the state, are not federally compliant. ILLEGAL ALIEN ARRESTED BY ICE FOUND REGISTERED AS ACTIVE DEMOCRAT VOTER IN BLUE STATE In obtaining these licenses through the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), Arikan said that any individual, even illegal aliens, can check a box to register to vote. Instead of having established processes to verify U.S. citizenship and voting eligibility, Arikan said the state relies on registrants to attest that they are eligible. The result, she said, is that someone like Roberts “could simply attest that he was eligible to vote in the United States, and the state of Maryland would allow him to register when he went to get a driver’s license.” “He would not have to really provide any other proof that he is lawful other than he would provide a local address,” she said. Roberts was arrested by ICE last week on a fugitive warrant. He was working as the superintendent of public schools in Des Moines, Iowa, despite having illegal weapons possession charges and a final order of removal filed against him. IOWA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ARRESTED BY ICE, FACING PRIOR WEAPONS CHARGES, ALLEGEDLY FOUND WITH LOADED HANDGUN After his arrest, the Maryland Freedom Caucus blew the whistle on Roberts having an active voter registration in Maryland and being registered as a Democrat. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Jared DeMarinis, Maryland State Board of Elections administrator, described a process similar to the one described by Arikan. He said that though an individual “may not commit perjury in order to become a registered voter,” when an individual registers to vote, election officials “rely on the information that is provided by the voter, or, in some cases, information provided by the voter to other state agencies, for the verification of eligibility.” Despite this, DeMarinis assured that Maryland’s voter registration list maintenance process “is a secure and verified method.” He also noted that, according to Maryland law, it is not a crime to unintentionally register to vote despite not being eligible. He added that “the right to vote is a sacred right that has been expanded through sacrifices of many before us” and “this office will not disenfranchise a voter based upon partial or unsubstantiated evidence.” DEMOCRATS SILENT ON ILLEGAL ALIEN REGISTERED TO VOTE IN BLUE STATE Concerning Roberts’ case, DeMarinis said that a review of information available through Maryland’s Public Information Act “did not show any voting history for any individual with the name Ian Andre Roberts in Maryland.” The statement further said that, due to Maryland law protecting personal identifying information from disclosure, SBE “cannot and will not publicly announce whether media reports about the individual in question is or is not or was or was not a registered voter in Maryland.” In response to these statements, Arikan told Fox News Digital she is “extremely concerned” about “the insinuation that a person could accidentally register to vote as a Democrat in the state of Maryland.” “That is not my experience with the system at the MVA, which asks you under penalty of perjury if you’re eligible and then asks you which party you would like to register with,” she said. DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ACCEPTS SUPERINTENDENT’S RESIGNATION AFTER ICE ARREST “That’s not accidental. Someone willingly entered that information, whether it was Mr. Roberts himself or an employee of the MVA, we need to know,” she added. “If an employee is registering people to vote illegally, that is another problem. “They have been yelling for years that this is impossible, that they are on top of the voter rolls, that folks who are here illegally cannot register to vote. They’re not doing it. They’re not voting. It’s not possible. And now it comes out that it’s entirely possible. And, indeed, it is occurring,” said Arikan. “It’s absolutely the tip of the iceberg. I think it could be huge,” she added. “And we’re going to keep digging until we get to the bottom of how many folks we could be looking at on our voter rolls still who are not eligible to vote in the United States.” Fox News Digital reached out to Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s office for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Kamala Harris book reveals marital rift with Doug Emhoff during campaign
Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ new book, “107 Days,” pulls back the curtain on her relationship with the first second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, recounting a scandal that rocked the early days of her short-lived presidential campaign and the fight that united them ahead of Election Day. Soon after former President Joe Biden suspended his re-election campaign, The Daily Mail reported that Emhoff’s first marriage ended following an affair with his children’s nanny. Emhoff confirmed the affair soon after the news broke last year, and, in the book, Harris lamented that “hurtful and degrading comments are, sadly, part and parcel of running for office these days.” “Where it crosses the line is when opponents go after family members,” Harris wrote. “Of course, I knew about this. Doug had told me about it when we were dating. We disclosed it during my vetting for VP.” Harris applauded her husband, whom she introduced in her book as “My Dougie,” for handling it “like the mensch that he is, issuing a statement taking responsibility and expressing regret.” KAMALA HARRIS MENTIONS MICHELLE OBAMA ONLY THREE TIMES IN 300-PAGE BOOK. HERE’S WHAT SHE SAID “Sadly,” Harris said, families are not off limits when running for president. Later in the book, Harris described “one of those fights that every married couple had,” just weeks before Election Day, after Emhoff repurposed an anniversary present for her birthday and then didn’t hear her shouting for a towel from the bath. KAMALA HARRIS PLAYS UP COZY RELATIONSHIP WITH HILLARY CLINTON AS WEDGE WITH BIDEN WIDENS “I called Doug to ask him to bring me one. No answer. He was in the other room, watching the Dodgers eliminate the Mets in the playoffs. He couldn’t hear me over the television. I called his phone,” Harris wrote in the book. When Emhoff answered casually, asking, “What’s up?” she described it as a “bridge too far,” prompting a fight fueled by the stress that “had finally gotten to both of us.” The former vice president said she was “looking forward to a special evening with Doug” on her birthday and was hoping he had planned something. “Doug had been keeping his own grueling schedule and had flown in from a campaign event in Michigan. He was tired and pre-occupied,” Harris said, while complaining that he hadn’t put any thought into the hotel they were staying at that night or what they would have for dinner. “It turned out to be a bland establishment whose red-and-black decor looked like it hadn’t been redone since the ’70s. The only distinguished feature of the room was its larger size, but the curtains were broken,” Harris complained in her book. Harris said her husband “stopped the argument cold,” reminding the presidential candidate, “We can’t turn on each other.” “With the hits coming from every direction, we have to stay united,” Harris wrote. “Back-to-back, swords raised against all outside attacks. We had to protect each other, be each other’s pillars of strength, givers and receivers of patience and unconditional love.” Like many political couples, unconfirmed rumors have swirled since she lost the election that Harris and Emhoff could get divorced. But after their fight, Harris described how she started to find notes on her pillow “in Doug’s chicken scratch, telling me how much he loved me.” The day after Harris’ birthday, her social secretary, Storm Horncastle, told Emhoff, “Mr. Second Gentleman, you have to fix this,” Harris wrote. “She handed him a set of note cards. She’d numbered them one through five, for the nights we’d be apart through the end of the campaign. She instructed him to write a note on each one,” Harris wrote. Emhoff has two children from his first marriage, Cole and Ella, who famously refer to the former vice president as “Momala.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Harris said her best friend introduced them, admitting she “had kissed a lot of frogs before fate” brought her Emhoff. She described in the book how “politics isn’t built for male spouses.” “In D.C., there are long-standing social structures and well-understood roles for wives. Not for the very few husbands,” she said in the book. Harris’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the divorce rumors.
Virginia AG candidate Jay Jones convicted of reckless driving, calls it ‘mistake’
Democratic candidate for Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is facing mounting scrutiny after records revealed he was convicted of reckless driving in 2022. The incident, in which he was barreling 116 miles per hour down Interstate 64 in New Kent County, happened roughly one year after Jones’s first campaign for attorney general. Per the Richmond Times-Dispatch, court records show Jones was cited by Virginia State Police after being clocked at nearly double the posted speed limit. RETIRED UFC STAR JON JONES EXONERATED AFTER NEW MEXICO PROSECUTORS DROP CHARGES IN TRAFFIC CASE Under Virginia law, reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine, and license suspension. Jones was ultimately convicted of the charge, paid a fine, and fulfilled additional court requirements. There is no indication he served jail time. Following reports of the conviction, Jones told Fox News Digital the incident was a “serious mistake.” “Several years ago, I made the mistake of speeding, for which I am regretful,” Jones said in a statement. “I accepted responsibility for my actions, paid the fine, and fulfilled my responsibility to the court, which was accepted by the New Kent County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the judge,” Jones added. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS CHOOSE NOMINEE TO CHALLENGE GOP ATTORNEY GENERAL JASON MIYARES In a statement issued to Fox News Digital, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares blasted Jones and said he was “alarmed by reports of Jay Jones recklessly endangering lives.” “Instead of taking accountability for his actions, it appears that my opponent submitted a letter to the Court stating that he performed 500 hours of ‘community service’ for his own Political Action Committee, which is not a charitable organization under the Virginia Code, to dodge potential jail time,” Miyares added. The speeding revelation arrives just weeks before Virginians head to the polls in a competitive statewide election, creating what some analysts are calling an “October surprise” in the 2025 Attorney General’s race. VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS PICK RADIO HOST TO RUN ALONGSIDE WINSOME SEARS IN RACE TO REPLACE YOUNGKIN Jones, 36, is a Norfolk native and graduate of William & Mary and the University of Virginia School of Law. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2018 to 2022, representing the 89th District, and previously worked in the Office of the Attorney General. Voters will decide on November 4 whether Jones can overcome the controversy and unseat Miyares. “Our laws are not suggestions,” said Miyares. “This new information raises serious, troubling questions about Jay Jones’ judgment, his ability to uphold the law, and, ultimately, his qualifications for Attorney General.”
Supreme Court keeps Fed’s Lisa Cook in role for now, agrees to review case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to review President Donald Trump‘s effort to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and will allow her to remain in her spot on the board until oral arguments can be heard in January, the court said — delivering a long-awaited update on a high-profile case, and one expected to have significant political and economic implications for the nation’s central bank. The update comes roughly two weeks after Trump officials appealed the case to the high court for emergency review. Oral arguments are expected to be closely watched, given the unprecedented nature of the case, and the seismic shift that any ruling could have on U.S. economic decisions. In appealing the case to the Supreme Court, lawyers for the Trump administration argued that the Fed’s “uniquely important role” in the U.S. economy only heightens the government’s and public’s interest in reviewing the case. COOK’S POTENTIAL EXIT HANDS TRUMP GREATER SWAY OVER FED BOARD SHAPING US MONETARY POLICY “Put simply, the president may reasonably determine that interest rates paid by the American people should not be set by a governor who appears to have lied about facts material to the interest rates she secured for herself — and refuses to explain the apparent misrepresentations,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said Thursday in the appeal. The review of Cook’s case is significant. Trump’s attempt to fire Cook marked the first time in the bank’s 111-year history that a president has ever attempted to remove a sitting governor from Fed — a stridently independent body whose members are shielded by law against political pressures. The court’s decision to take up the case comes weeks after U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb issued a preliminary injunction last month blocking Trump from firing Cook from the Fed while the case continued to play out in court. She ruled that Trump had failed to satisfy the stringent requirements needed to remove a sitting Fed governor “for cause,” and that Cook could not be removed for conduct that occurred prior to her appointment to the Fed. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit voted 2-1 in September to to deny Trump’s request for intervention, prompting the administration to kick the case to the Supreme Court for emergency review. The Supreme Court update comes as Trump has for months pressured the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates, in a bid to help spur the nation’s economic growth. LAWYERS FOR COOK, DOJ TRADE BLOWS AT HIGH-STAKES CLASH OVER FED FIRING But his attempt to fire Cook for alleged mortgage fraud violations, which she has denied, has teed up a first-of-its-kind court clash that could have profound impacts on the Fed. Cook’s lawyers have argued that Trump’s attempt to fire her well before the end of her 14-year term is an attempt to install a nominee of his choosing and secure a majority on the Fed board. Cook sued Trump in late August for his attempt to fire her, arguing that his removal violated her due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, as well as her statutory right to notice and a hearing under the Federal Reserve Act, or FRA — a law designed to shield members from the political whims of the commander in chief or members of Congress. The Supreme Court has sided with Trump on similar cases in the past. The Supreme Court in May allowed Trump to proceed with the provisional firings of two independent board members — National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox and Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris — two Democrat appointees who were abruptly terminated by the Trump administration. But even that decision sought to differentiate these boards from the Fed, which they stressed was a “uniquely structured, quasi-private entity that follows in the distinct historical tradition of the First and Second Banks of the United States.”