Pittsburgh’s progressive mayor faces stiff challenge from ‘old guard’ in primary
Pittsburgh’s mayoral race has not been competitive on a partisan level since the 1930s, but all eyes are on which way the Steel City goes in Tuesday’s primary election as the Democratic Party faces a crossroads. Incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey, seen as the more progressive choice in the race, is facing stiff competition from Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor, himself the son of a Democratic mayor of Pennsylvania’s second-largest city. Gainey, the city’s first Black mayor, has at times cast himself on the national stage as a critic of President Donald Trump and his agenda, while also working to attract new business to Pittsburgh — including the 2026 NFL Draft. The draft is estimated to bring a $200 million economic boost to the area, according to a source familiar. He previously pledged not to cooperate with federal ICE operations and has also called Trump’s budget cuts a “direct attack on working families” and the economy of Western Pennsylvania. GOP WINS FIRST PHILADELPHIA STATE SENATE SEAT IN 28 YEARS, AS RED GAINS IN BLUE AREAS CONTINUE “ICE is not going to end the situation of a failed immigration policy. What it’s going to do is create more situations where people feel scared, where people don’t feel safe,” Gainey said in January – a sentiment which earned the rebuke of another Pittsburgh politician, U.S. Sen. David McCormick, R-Pa. “Gainey needs to follow the law and the lead of some other Democratic mayors working to keep our cities safe,” said McCormick, according to WTAE. Gainey’s campaign has highlighted the mayor’s efforts to increase community policing and mental health professionals to assist in police response, while O’Connor also claims the mantle of the pro-police candidate. Under Gainey, the city ranks first in state population growth and has increased its affordable housing by 1,600 units. Working with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Gainey secured $600 million for downtown revitalization and improvements to the city’s iconic Point State Park. “Thanks to our people-powered movement, our campaign has all of the momentum in this race. We’ve proven again and again since 2021 that when we come together — across race, across class, religion, age, across every line that’s ever been used to divide us — we are unstoppable,” Gainey said in a statement. On the other side, O’Connor has support from some Republican donors, as well as the “old guard” Democratic base, according to The New York Times. PA SEN MCCORMICK THANKS CASEY FAMILY FOR DECADES OF SERVICE AS DEMOCRAT DECLINES TO CONCEDE “This is an election about Pittsburgh, about how we get our city back on the right track. It’s laughable to make arguments about progressive/not progressive. The outside groups that are meddling, I guarantee you – they haven’t looked at the records of either one of us,” O’Connor told the paper. O’Connor’s campaign has also shown support for the resourcing of the police and his own plan to revitalize the downtown area. He has also received large outside contributions from groups like Common Sense Change Action and Democracy Wins, according to the Post-Gazette. On the Republican side, retired Police Det. Tony Moreno – who lost to Gainey last cycle – is running in the GOP primary against clothier Thomas West. The city has not had a Republican mayor since Mayor Charles Kline and Mayor John Herron in 1933. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On the other side of Pennsylvania, the third-largest city – Allentown – visited multiple times by both Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 sweeps due to its “swing” congressional district — will also be holding a primary Tuesday. Like Pittsburgh, Allentown was historically an industrial center and home to both progressives and “old guard” Democrats. Mayor Matt Tuerk, like Gainey, faces a challenge from a conservative Democrat – Councilman Ed Zucal — in another swing-state test of which wing of the Democratic Party is gaining prevalence. That city’s last Republican mayor, Bill Heydt, left office in 2002 and died in April at 86. Fox News Digital reached out to O’Connor via the controller’s office and a campaign email, but he could not be immediately reached for comment.
Biden’s sad prostate cancer diagnosis: Unanswered questions and MAGA attacks
Put aside politics for a moment, which I know is basically impossible in this supercharged environment. There is no way not to feel sympathy for Joe Biden as a human being after his prostate cancer diagnosis was made public on Sunday. He has a serious, life-threatening disease. I have plenty of medical questions about why Biden and his doctors waited so long to treat this particularly “aggressive” form of cancer until it spread to his bones. This is inexplicable to me. Now the Stage 4 cancer can’t be cured, though it could possibly be contained. Was this part of the coverup of Biden’s dramatic decline in mental acuity, as documented in the new book “Original Sin”? How would voters have reacted if they had known that not only was Biden too old and feeble to run for a second term, but also had cancer? BIDEN BATTLING ‘MOST AGGRESSIVE TYPE’ OF PROSTATE CANCER WITH BONE METASTASIS, MEDICAL EXPERT SAYS But on a personal level, Biden’s life has been marked by tragedy, from the car accident that killed his first wife and daughter to the brain cancer that claimed his son Beau – which is why he announced a “Cancer Moonshot” as president. Look, I’ve known Joe Biden for 40 years, and whatever you think of his politics, he’s a likable guy. I covered him as Senate Judiciary chairman. As vice president, he once sent my then-8-year-old daughter a handwritten note after she wrote a poem about them sharing the same birthday. He used to love talking to reporters. He would throw parties for the press and run around with a super soaker, spraying little kids. That was then. But by 2023, he had no business running for president again, not when aides were debating whether he’d need a wheelchair in a second term, according to the Jake Tapper-Alex Thompson book. Many Democrats are angry that he’s reemerged in a rehab tour, wishing the 82-year-old man would just get off the stage. The former president put out a photo with his wife yesterday, saying: “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places.” Dr. Zeke Emanuel said on “Morning Joe” yesterday that the cancer has “been around for a very long time in President Biden – years… It is a little surprising to many of us oncologists that he wasn’t diagnosed earlier… He probably had it at the start of his presidency in 2021.” But none of this matters to the far-right types, many of them based in Florida. POLITICAL WORLD REACTS TO FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN’S ‘AGGRESSIVE’ CANCER DIAGNOSIS: ‘INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT’ Conservative influencer Roger O’Handley, writing under the name DC Draino (“America First”), wrote a screed that was retweeted or liked 10,000 times: “Some people seem to forget that he is a career criminal who almost destroyed America.” According to Mediaite, another far-right commentator, Brenden Dilley (Warlord Dilley, “media personality”), says: “In order to believe the Biden cancer diagnosis, you have to first believe that Biden and his family would willfully tell you the truth about anything. In order for that to happen, you have to be f—ing retarded.” His solution: “Stage 5 prostate cancer.” In other words, death. Presidential adviser Laura Loomer called this “a PR strategy to shame the Democrats who are coming out with a book about the cover up of Biden’s health crisis.” Breanna Morello, a self-described “independent journalist”: “They want all the Monday morning shows talking about it because Jake Tapper has a book to sell. It’s a PR move.” What these and other posts have in common is the lack of even a milligram of compassion for Joe Biden as a human being. Biden is evil, everything he does is evil, and if he dies, good riddance. THE GREAT BIDEN COVERUP: AIDES DEBATED WHETHER TO PUT THE PRESIDENT IN A WHEELCHAIR I find this inexplicably sad – win-at-all-costs politics is so all-consuming that human life is meaningless. Even President Trump dropped his usual attacks on his onetime opponent: “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family and we wish Joe a fast and speedy recovery.” See, that wasn’t so hard. Elon Musk, who’s faded from the news, shared a post from Clint Russell, who tweets as Liberty Lockdown (“a podcast for those who demand freedom”):: “So the plan was to run Biden, lie about his cancer and dementia, get him back in the WH, and then have him immediately step aside so Kamala’s reign of terror could begin. “All while trying to jail or kill DJT. Just making sure we’re all on the same page, here. These people are evil.” MEDICAL EXPERT ‘ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED’ BY TIMING OF BIDEN’S PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS Musk responded with a “bullseye” emoji in a dart board. JD Vance, for his part, sought a middle ground: “Look, I mean, first of all, of course, we wish the best for the former president’s health. But hopefully he makes the right recovery. Look, I will say, whether the right time to have this conversation is now or at some point in the future. We really do need to be honest about whether the former president was capable of doing the job.” Taylor Lorenz, who worked for the New York Times and Washington Post before going independent, was joyful about Biden’s news: “Hopefully he rots in hell and rests in piss.” I have defended her at times, but this is beyond appalling. Lorenz has disgraced herself. Then again, she cheered when UnitedHealtcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered on the street, and refused to criticize the alleged shooter. What about his family? Too bad. Just zero regard for human life. SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES Now is it likely that some on the left will celebrate once Trump passes, which I don’t see happening until after he’s
House GOP channels ‘Nighthawks’ as they try to pass Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
House Republicans are channeling Edward Hopper this week as they try to pass President Trump’s big, “beautiful bill.” Hopper is known for “Nighthawks,” one of the most iconic paintings in American history. The 1942 painting depicts four people in a diner in the middle of the night. A deserted streetscape commands the foreground. Two men – heads festooned with fedoras – sit separately at the counter, nursing coffee. One of the men has a cigarette tucked between his index and middle fingers. He’s positioned next to a woman with scarlet hair and a red dress. She appears to holding a bite of a doughnut or sandwich, studying it as though it were a rare artifact. She seems to debate whether she should eat it. A young counterman – attired in white with a crisp envelope hat – leans downward in search of glassware or dishes hidden underneath. It’s the dead of night. Everyone is distant and detached. Even the couple – even though they sit side-by-side – don’t look at each other. In Nighthawks, everyone appears as though they’re just trying to make it through the night to dawn. It’s kind of what House Republicans are going through this week. ‘DEAD OF NIGHT’: DEMS ACCUSE GOP OF COWARDICE OVER LATE-NIGHT VOTES ON TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL’ BUDGET BILL The House Budget Committee convened at 10:26 p.m. ET Sunday night to advance the tax cut and spending reduction package after a hiccup stalled the measure Friday afternoon. At 10:39 p.m. ET, the committee approved the bill 17-16 – with four House Republicans voting “present.” The next stop is the House Rules Committee, the final parliamentary way station before depositing a piece of legislation on the floor. At 12:31 a.m. ET Monday, the Rules Committee announced it would prep the bill for the floor – with a meeting at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. That session could last all day Wednesday. Literally. The Energy and Commerce panel met for 26 consecutive hours last week to prepare its section of the budget reconciliation measure. The Ways and Means Committee huddled all night long. The group of House Republicans pushing to state and local tax for high-tax states (known as SALT) scheduled a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for 9 p.m. ET Monday. And it’s entirely possible that the House could be debating or even voting on the measure late Thursday, the wee hours of Friday morning or even Friday night. This is how Capitol Hill rolls when there’s a big piece of legislation on the clock. The hours are late. The meetings are long. Lawmakers convene different sessions whenever they need to – just to get the measure across the finish line. HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHERE THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ STANDS, AND WHAT HAPPENS SUNDAY IN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE The only difference between the halls of Congress now and “Nighthawks” is that the coffee fueled the figures in the painting until dawn. It was 1942. But this is 2025. Edward Hopper would know nothing of Celsius or Red Bull. There’s an actual parliamentary reason as to why the Budget Committee met so late on Sunday night after its stumble on Friday afternoon. And there’s a method to the Rules Committee’s 1 a.m. madness on Wednesday. Let’s rewind. The Budget Committee tried to blend the various provisions from nearly a dozen House committees into one unified legislative product midday Friday. That effort came up short. A total of five Budget Committee Republicans voted nay. They groused about spending cuts, green energy tax credits and the timeframe of work requirements for those on Medicaid. Four of the five GOP noes were truly opposed. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Penn., voted nay so he could order a re-vote. Rules allow a member on the winning side of an issue (in this case, the nays), to ask for another vote later. Smucker supported the plan. But he then switched his vote to nay to be on the winning side. That teed up a possible re-vote. REPUBLICANS READY LATE-NIGHT SESSION ON TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ AFTER GOP MUTINY “Calling a vote moves the process forward. I think it’s a catalyst,” said Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Tex., after the failed vote Friday. The Budget Committee then announced it would convene at 10 p.m. ET Sunday. This is where things get interesting: The key here was for the Budget Committee to finish its work before midnight Friday. Once it got rolling, the process would only consume 15 or 20 minutes. The Budget Committee approved the plan 17-16 with four Republicans voting “present.” “We’re excited about what we did,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who was one of the GOPers who voted nay Friday. But Norman still wasn’t excited enough to vote yes on Sunday night. He voted present. “There’s so much more that we have to do to rein in government and rein in the costs and the deficits,” said Norman on FOX Business Monday. But regardless, the measure was out of the Budget Committee before the witching hour on Sunday. And then came the Rules Committee announcement – just after midnight on Monday – about a session at 1 a.m. Wednesday to ready the “big, beautiful bill” for the House floor. There are several reasons House Rules Committee Republicans decided to huddle at 1 a.m. et Wednesday. Let’s begin with the parliamentary one. HOUSE REPUBLICANS FACE DOWN DEM ATTACKS, PROTESTS TO PULL ALL-NIGHTER ON TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The Budget Committee wrapped up just before midnight Sunday. The rules allow Democrats two full days to file their paperwork and viewpoints after that meeting. So, they had all day Monday and all day Tuesday. The Rules Committee needs an “hour” to announce its formally meeting. So, the “official” announcement of the Rules Committee meeting on Wednesday will go out just after 12:01:01 a.m. ET Wednesday. That triggers a 1 a.m. ET meeting on Wednesday. Here are the other, more practical reasons. Republicans need all the time they can get. There
Texas gang members sentenced for human smuggling after high-speed border chases
Two South Texas gang members have been sentenced for human smuggling, following a series of high-speed chases at the border that involved one of the gang members crashing his car into the Rio Grande and swimming to Mexico to escape. A Monday statement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the two human smugglers, Juan Miguel Regalado, 28, and Samuel Grajeda Jr., 21, are members of “Puro Tango Blast,” a local Texas gang. The two were sentenced on May 15 after being convicted of conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants, following an investigation by ICE, U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector and the Texas Department of Public Safety. U.S. District Judge John Kazen imposed a 66-month sentence for Regalado, while Grajeda previously received a 30-month imprisonment as well as a consecutive six months for violating the terms of his supervised release for a previous alien transporting conviction. Both must also serve three years of supervised release. Both men admitted to involvement in the human smuggling conspiracy. PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TEEN OFF EASY AFTER 90-MPH CRASH THAT KILLED 24-YEAR-OLD WOMAN According to the ICE statement, the investigation began April 20, 2024, when a group of suspected illegal aliens entered a green Tahoe in a sector of the border just north of Laredo, Texas. The statement said that Regalado was driving and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, during which “multiple individuals jumped out of the vehicle.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Driving up to 100 miles per hour, Regalado crashed the Tahoe into the Rio Grande and then proceeded to escape by swimming across the river to Mexico. Authorities continued to monitor the area over the next several months. In November 2024, another group of illegal aliens entered a white Ford Taurus parked in the area. Authorities followed the vehicle until another vehicle, a black Mercedes, cut them off. ICE said that the two vehicles were driven by Grajeda and Regalado. DEM’S IMMIGRATION REFORM PLAN ADDS BORDER PATROL AGENTS, OFFERS SELECT MIGRANTS PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP A traffic stop of the Ford Taurus led to another vehicle pursuit in which Grajeda crashed into a bystander’s vehicle. Law enforcement eventually discovered the Ford Taurus abandoned in a north Laredo neighborhood. Authorities then found four illegal aliens and Grajeda and Regalado within the vicinity of the abandoned vehicle. Both gang members are currently in custody. Craig Larrabee, ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge, said that “these sentences reflect the serious consequences awaiting those who engage in human smuggling and endanger public safety.” Larrabee said that “Tango Blast gang members put countless lives at risk during these reckless pursuits” and that “through strong collaboration with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we remain committed to dismantling violent criminal organizations and protecting our communities.”
‘Project Homecoming’ launches with first flight of 64 illegal immigrants accepting $1,000 to self-deport
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted its first self-deport operation, dubbed “Project Homecoming,” with a charter flight on Monday from Texas, and made stops in Honduras and Columbia, taking 64 illegal immigrants who chose to self-deport back to their home countries. DHS said in a post on X that all participants who chose to leave the U.S. were offered the same benefits as any illegal alien who self-deports using the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App. “They received travel assistance, a $1,000 stipend, and preserved the possibility they could one day return to the United States legally,” DHS said. DHS also shared a video of the events leading up to the first flight, showing families preparing to leave Houston, where they were greeted and offered food, games and stuffed animals for their children. TRUMP SIGNS EO OFFERING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ‘EXIT BONUS’ IN FIRST-EVER SELF-DEPORTATION PROGRAM Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the first ever self-deportation program which incentivizes illegal immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. on a free flight and with a cash bonus. “Project Homecoming” authorizes government-funded flights and offers money to illegal immigrants who are willing to self-deport. When Trump announced the signing of the order in a post on Truth Social, he said the program would end up saving taxpayers “billions and billions” of dollars. DEMOCRAT FLOATS WORK VISA SUGGESTION IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP ADMIN’S $1,000 SELF-DEPORTATION OFFER “We are making it as easy as possible for illegal aliens to leave America. Any illegal alien can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out of our country,” Trump said. “Illegals can book a free flight to any foreign country as long as it’s not here. You can go anywhere you want.” DHS said days before the executive order was signed that migrants would be offered a $1,000 stipend each to leave. The department said this will be 70% cheaper for American taxpayers, as it currently costs DHS, on average, over $17,000 to arrest, detain, and deport someone. “This deportation bonus will save American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars,” Trump said. DHS UNLEASHES POSSIBLE MONEY-SAVING MEASURE FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS TO SELF-DEPORT: ‘SAFEST OPTION’ Illegal immigrants are encouraged to use the CBP One app to arrange their deportations. The same app under the Biden administration was used to expedite migrants from scheduling appointments at official ports of entry before they were paroled into the U.S., which was discontinued on the first day of Trump’s second term. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem shared a post about the first “Project Homecoming” flight on X, advising those in the country to take advantage of the program. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home,” Noem wrote. “If you don’t, you will be subjected to fines, arrest, deportation and will never be allowed to return. If you are in this country illegally, self-deport NOW and preserve your opportunity to potentially return the legal, right way.” Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
DOJ launches investigation into blue state city over alleged race-based hiring
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is launching an investigation into the City of Chicago for allegedly engaging in a pattern of discrimination based on race, which is a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, sent a letter to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday to notify him that an investigation into civil rights violations was being opened. “Our investigation is based on information suggesting that you have made hiring decisions solely on the basis of race,” Dhillon wrote. “In your remarks made yesterday at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, you highlight[ed] the number of Black officials in [your] administration.” Johnson was a guest at the Apostolic Church of God, when he responded to critics who claim he only talks about hiring Black people. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL, LAW JOURNAL FOR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION “No, what I’m saying is, when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet,” he said. Johnson went on to list top officials in his administration, emphasizing their race. For example, Johnson said his deputy mayor of business and economic neighborhood development is a Black woman. Other positions filled by Black women that Johnson spoke about include the deputy mayor of infrastructure, the budget director and the commissioner of the department of planning and development. AG BONDI LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO DEI ADMISSIONS POLICIES AT STANFORD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS Johnson also highlighted the chief operations officer and senior advisor as both being positions held by Black men. “You then said that you were ‘laying’ these positions ‘out’ to ‘ensure that our people get a chance to grow their business,” Dhillon wrote to Johnson. “Considering these remarks, I have authorized an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above. “If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions,” she added. RUMP DOJ SLAPS ILLINOIS, CHICAGO WITH LAWSUIT OVER SANCTUARY LAWS Dhillon stressed that no conclusions have been made on the matter, and she welcomed his assistance with the investigation. Johnson’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the investigation. The Chicago mayor has made race-based comments in the past. After President Donald Trump was elected to a second term, Johnson claimed during a news conference that the new president is a threat to Black families in his city. “His threat is not just towards new arrivals and undocumented families. His threats are also against Black families,” Johnson said. “We’re going to protect Black folks, Brown folks, Asian folks. The City of Chicago will be better, stronger and safer despite who’s in the White House.” Fox News’ Patrick McGovern and Elizabeth Heckman contributed to this report.
‘Dead of night’: Dems accuse GOP of cowardice over late-night votes on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill
Following news that the House Rules Committee will convene at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning to take the next steps in advancing President Trump’s “big, beautiful” budget bill, Democrats are accusing Republicans of cowardice for advancing the monumental bill “in the dead of night.” The House Budget Committee reached an initial consensus to pass the bill to the Rules Committee late Sunday evening, after gaveling in at approximately 10:00 p.m. The Rules Committee must now take up the matter to set out the rules for debate and markup that are expected to take place next in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives. Shortly after, the House Budget Committee passed the bill in a late-Sunday night vote, the House Rules Committee announced it would be considering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The announcement, followed by the late-night Sunday vote, has stirred up criticism from Democrats who argue the late-night legislative sessions are the result of GOP cowardice. “Republicans are scheduling votes in the DEAD OF NIGHT on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’ They advanced their bill last night at 10:30PM. The next vote is scheduled for 1AM on Wednesday. Why hide?” questioned Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. “Maybe because this bill rips away health care from babies, new moms, and seniors.” NEW PROJECTION SIGNALS GOOD NEWS FOR FAMILIES, WORKERS IN TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The legislative negotiations over the GOP’s budget bill have circulated around what federal programs, or funding, will need to be cut in order to extend the president’s tax cuts from his first term, which are set to expire. Among those cuts are new provisions to federal healthcare programs, like Medicaid, which Democrats have slammed as a move to take away public healthcare programs from those who need them the most. “Republicans know that their efforts to take away health care from millions of Americans is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that the effort to enact the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, which will literally take food from the mouths of children, veterans and seniors, is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that providing billionaire donors with a massive tax break for people, like Elon Musk, and at the same time, exploding the deficit by trillions of dollars is deeply unpopular,” the Democrats’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during a Monday afternoon press conference. “That’s why Republicans are going to try to advance this bill in the dead of night at 1 a.m. in the morning.” HAROLD FORD, JR. ARGUES TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CUTS ONLY THE RICHEST PEOPLE’S TAXES Republicans, however, have indicated their hope to pass their new budget bill by Memorial Day, and, in order to do that, the lengthy reconciliation process Republicans are using to get the bill passed must move quickly as the date is fast approaching. As a result of the looming Memorial Day deadline, Republicans appear to be moving the bill forward as quickly as possible, and, to do so, it is reportedly requiring the House Rules Committee to convene early Wednesday morning. “Under the rules, Budget Dems get two calendar days to file minority views after last night’s markup. That could take until midnight Tuesday. Rules then has a one hour notice requirement, hence starting at 1 am,” political commentator Brendan Buck said on X, citing someone with expert knowledge of the legislative process. BUDGET OFFICE WITH ‘FUNDAMENTALLY PROGRESSIVE ROOTS’ USED BY DEMS AS LATEST TOOL IN ANTI-TRUMP RESISTANCE But that hasn’t stopped Democrats from claiming Republicans are engaging in late-night votes to somehow keep the budget bill process out of the limelight. “Remember when Republicans said late-night sessions were ‘not what the country needs or deserves’ during the American Rescue Plan? Now they’re getting ready to make dramatic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP so they can give tax breaks for billionaires – in the dead of night,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said following news of the Wednesday morning Rules Committee session. “Hypocrisy on full display.”
Texas bill pushes strictest social media ban for minors in the nation
A bill making its way through the Texas Legislature would ban minors from accessing popular social media apps and websites in an effort to curb what a lawmaker says is an addictive and “harmful product.” Republican state Rep. Jared Patterson’s measure, House Bill 186, passed the Texas House with bipartisan support last month and appears poised to be pushed through by the state Senate en route to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Patterson said the bill came about by speaking with multiple committees and with parents who have young kids about the effect that popular social media sites like X, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat have on children. These committees and conversations came during the last two interims in the state Legislature that studied the issue of social media and minors. “Learning more about it, we really came to the realization that this is the most harmful product that our kids have access to in terms of its addictive nature,” Patterson said. NEW TEXAS LAW TAKES EFFECT REQUIRING PARENTAL APPROVAL FOR CHILDREN TO CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS Bill 186 would ban minors from signing up for accounts on social media, require parental consent to download applications, and place warning labels about the dangers of social media. Websites that allow users to create content and share it will be considered a social media platform and thus be banned from minors. However, websites containing news and sports will be accessible for minors. While Texas isn’t the first state to put some restrictions on minors’ access to social media platforms, it right now would be the strictest. As of June 2024, there are 10 states that have age restriction laws on social media for minors, according to the Age Verification Providers Association. SNAPCHAT ‘OPENLY DEFYING’ LAW, ALLOWING KIDS ACCESS TO HARMFUL ADDICTIVE CONTENT: FLORIDA AG Currently, only Florida has laws banning minors from using social media, but its laws are not as strict as the proposed Texas Bill 186. Florida’s age restriction is currently 14 years old, while Texas’s proposed limit would be for those under the age of 18. However, Patterson said the age restriction isn’t set in stone. “We’ll see what happens with the Senate. When [the bill] left the House, people under the age of 18 will be prohibited from social media. There was broad bipartisan support when the bill left the Texas house,” Patterson said. “[The Senate has] every right to adjust it to whatever it needs to get out of that body.” MOMS FOR LIBERTY CO-FOUNDER SAYS CONGRESS’ LATEST BILL TO PROTECT KIDS ONLINE HAS SERIOUS LOOPHOLE Regardless of what changes are made, Patterson said he still feels strongly that protecting children is the No. 1 priority and that parents will realize just what exactly is happening. “It starts with the understanding that these parents don’t stand a chance against these algorithms,” he said. “It also starts with parents understanding that these apps aren’t for friends sharing information with friends; they are built to harvest data and get people hooked on their products.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Patterson said Texas will continue to “stand in the gap and protect these kids, even when these social media companies refuse to show up. “They refuse to answer for the harm they’ve caused, and they don’t even care to answer questions in a public forum about what they’ve done to our kids.”
Federal charges filed against Dem congresswoman following confrontation at ICE facility
Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba is charging Rep. LaMonica McIver for her alleged misconduct toward law enforcement in front of Delaney Hall earlier this month, but she is dismissing the trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement,” Habba said in a post on X on Monday. In a letter posted with the comment, Habba announced that after extensive consideration, she was dismissing charges against Baraka. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was charged with class C misdemeanor trespassing at the facility, which is privately operated by the GEO Group, last week, and he had his first court appearance on Thursday, which Habba personally attended. BLUE STATE ICE FACILITY RAMPS UP SECURITY WITH NEW BARRICADES AMID CLASHES WITH PROTESTERS “We believe that I was targeted in this,” Baraka said outside the courtroom after his appearance. Baraka and three congressional lawmakers – McIver, Robert Menendez Jr., and Bonnie Watson Coleman were outside the ICE facility last week with a group of protesters when the gates opened to allow an ICE bus in. All four officials then allegedly rushed through the gates past security, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security. “If it was a typical U.S. citizen, and they tried to storm into a detention facility that’s housing dangerous criminals or any person at all, they would be arrested,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told “Fox News Live” host Kevin Corke Saturday. “Just because you are a member of Congress or just because you’re a public official, does not mean you are above the law. DEM LAWMAKERS DEFEND ‘STORMING’ OF ICE FACILITY, SAY TRUMP ADMIN IS ‘LYING AT ALL LEVELS’ However, McIver and others allege that “ICE created chaos” and instigated the situation. “The way we were treated at Delaney Hall is almost unbelievable. ICE shoved me, manhandled [Watson Coleman], and arrested [Baraka]. They disrespected us and tried to stop us from conducting the oversight we’re elected to do. But we’ll never back down in our fight for what is right,” McIver posted to X last week. The arrest came as activists had been calling for access to the facility for days, which is a privately run facility that was revamped as an immigration detention facility this year. The city says that the facility is operating without a valid certificate of occupancy, whereas the GEO Group maintains that they are in full compliance with city laws. DHS SAYS ‘ARRESTS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE’ AFTER NEW JERSEY HOUSE DEMS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ‘STORMING’ ICE FACILITY CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE After another protest that went right up to the gates of Delaney Hall, large yellow barricades were placed in front of its entrance with signs warning against trespassing on private property. Fox News Digital reached out to McIver’s office for comment.
Navy’s former second-in-command convicted in historic corruption case
A retired four-star admiral who once served as the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer, was convicted of bribery and other conspiracy charges, making him the most senior member of the U.S. military ever convicted of committing a federal crime while on active duty. Following a five-day trial, retired four-star Adm. Robert P. Burke, 62, was found guilty on Monday of a scheme to direct lucrative contracts to a training company in exchange for a $500,000-a-year job after leaving the Navy, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. Burke is facing up to 30 years in prison for his role in the scheme to direct contracts potentially worth millions of dollars to a New York City-based company that offered training programs to the Navy. “When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro wrote in a post on X following the conviction. RETIRED NAVY ADMIRAL CHARGED WITH BRIBERY FOR ALLEGEDLY OFFERING GOVERNMENT CONTRACT IN EXCHANGE FOR JOB “Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the perpetrators, no matter what title or rank they hold,” Pirro continued. Burke, who served as vice chief of naval operations, was once the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer. According to court documents and as the evidence proved at trial, from 2020 to 2022, Burke was a four-star admiral who oversaw U.S. naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, co-CEOs of a company not named by the DOJ, allegedly participated in the scheme to get a government contract in exchange for offering Burke a position with the company. The company provided a training program for a small part of the Navy from 2018 and 2019, before their contract was terminated. FORMER US ARMY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST SENTENCED FOR SELLING SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS TO CHINESE NATIONAL The company was told by the Navy not to contact Burke, but the three met in Washington, D.C., in July 2021 and Burke allegedly agreed to use his influence to get the company a sole-source contract and urge other Naval officers to use the company for a more widespread training program that Kim estimated would be worth “triple digit millions.” In December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award the company a $355,000 contract to train Naval personnel under his command in Italy and Spain and made an unsuccessful attempt to convince a senior Naval commander to give them another contract. “There was no connection between this contract and his employment. The math just doesn’t make sense that he would give them this relatively small contract for that type of job offer,” Burke’s defense attorney, Timothy Parlatore, previously told Fox News Digital. Burke allegedly implied that he had no role in awarding the contract, and that his discussions with Kim and Messenger didn’t start until after the contract started. ‘FAT LEONARD’ MASTERMIND BEHIND LARGEST CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN US MILITARY HISTORY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS Both Kim and Messenger were arrested in May 2024 and were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery and could face 20 years in prison. Parlatore told Fox News Digital that they are “obviously disappointed by the verdict,” but said “this is a result of the fact that the jury did not get to hear the whole story.” “The investigation was very poorly conducted. It was conducted by the exact same investigator who completely screwed up the Fat Leonard case,” Paralore said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “They didn’t do any research and so you have an incompetent and unethical, corrupt investigator relying upon the word of a known liar, building this terrible case. And ultimately, the only way that they could bring it to a conviction was to only present certain evidence to the jury,” Paralore continued. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.