WATCH: Trump DOJ vows to pursue ‘every single’ voting violation after NJ roll shocker
The Justice Department’s top Civil Rights official pledged the Trump administration will pursue every provable case of illegal voting under what she described as a “broken windows” enforcement strategy, marking a sharp shift from prior administrations as the DOJ intensifies scrutiny of voter rolls following revelations that noncitizens were registered to vote in New Jersey. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News Digital the department’s approach is to investigate every credible lead and prosecute every case supported by the evidence, rejecting what she described as the prior view that only widespread fraud or election-altering misconduct warranted federal action. The pledge follows revelations from Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill that thousands of noncitizens ended up on the state’s voter rolls through the motor-voter system. “What’s different, first of all, is the people in charge — and ‘people are policy’,” Dhillon said when asked why the DOJ under previous administrations often uncovered alleged election-related wrongdoing but rarely secured convictions. “[Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche] and I and the other fine career and political lawyers at the Department of Justice are dedicated to enforcing our federal civil rights laws. It is correct that in prior years, there has been this attitude that, unless there’s some kind of wholesale fraud, or it changed the outcome of the election, it isn’t going to get prosecuted, but that’s not our attitude.” NONCITIZEN EX-KANSAS MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES Dhillon said her prosecution philosophy follows a “broken windows” strategy, originally popularized by then-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, which focused on enforcing minor offenses to deter more serious crimes. “We need to go after every single one of these violations … I can’t talk about a lot of what we’re doing publicly, but activists and others are giving us leads. Local officials are giving as leads. And we are carefully running down each of these leads.” Dhillon emphasized prosecutors will bring charges only when supported by evidence that is “100% correct.” CALIFORNIA ACCUSED OF BLOCKING FEDERAL VOTER ROLL AUDIT AS DOJ ESCALATES PROBE OF ELECTION FRAUD CLAIMS “If one does not lead to a conclusion that that person voted illegally, and I’m glad I did my due diligence rather than shooting from the hip.” When noncitizens are found to have voted illegally, Dhillon suggested the DOJ will pursue penalties such as barring them from future naturalization. A former vice chair of the California Republican Party, Dhillon considered whether New Jersey’s figures could be extrapolated to other states, including California. “I think there are more than 400 [illegal votes cast in New Jersey] I’m willing to bet. New Jersey is a small state. I came from California where I lived for the last 25 years. I’m going to predict if I were in prediction market mode that the figures there are orders of magnitude higher,” she said. GOP ERUPTS OVER 6,600 NONCITIZEN VOTERS FOUND IN BLUE STATE AS SCANDAL DEEPENS: ‘WORSE THAN ANYONE EXPECTED’ “And the system is frankly rigged in such a way that officials don’t want know. People check off a box. Nobody checks whether people are citizens or not. And nobody checks duplicates. It’s a sloppy mess in most of the United States, and we Americans deserve better.” When asked about Dhillon’s comments regarding California, an official in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office said the Democrat does not administer elections, count or certify results and hopes vote tabulation can be completed faster following June’s marathon primary period. Newsom recently signed the state’s FY-2027 budget, which includes about $40 million for increased county staffing, technology upgrades and voter outreach, and approved a bill cutting the vote-count deadline from 30 days to 13. Fox News Digital reached out to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber for additional comment. Dhillon said the New Jersey situation underscores why other states should partner with the federal government and turn over their electronic voter data. Many Democrat-led states have balked at such requests and are being sued in turn. Dhillon said the national problem lies in automatic registration policies combined with a “flood of illegal aliens.” Dhillon said the DOJ sent “election monitors” to key Arizona counties during Tuesday’s primary and confirmed the agency will deploy federally trained monitors to several jurisdictions nationwide going forward. When asked what happens at the end of the five-day window her letter gives Sherrill and New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to respond with voter data, Dhillon said her staff has filed an additional pleading in an ongoing suit against Caldwell as to why turning over the rolls is necessary. “With respect to this five-day window, we’re looking for voluntary enforcement and what your viewers need to understand is that through a variety of court doctrines, there’s window. After which you can’t update the voter rolls,” she said, noting most states’ 90-day windows are closing. Meanwhile in Trenton, state Senate Oversight Committee member Joe Pennacchio sent a letter to Blanche asking the DOJ to not only probe voter rolls but the entire motor-voter framework blamed by Sherrill for the problems. The French vendor that provides the technology for the system pushed back on Sherrill on that front, saying the issues do not lie in their systems but in the Department of State. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “The People of New Jersey deserve more than empty assurances from the same government that oversaw this foreseeable failure,” said Pennacchio, R-Boonton. “They deserve an independent investigation that follows the evidence wherever it leads and provides a complete and transparent accounting of the facts so that any vulnerabilities that led us here can be fully and immediately remedied.” Asked about the new demand, Dhillon suggested it simply widens the net of scrutiny, remarking, “we’ll get to the bottom of it for sure.” Fox News Digital’s Hannah Brennan contributed to this report.
Secret Service offers glimpse into WHCA Dinner security after alleged Trump assassination attempt
The Secret Service is giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse inside the strategy to protect President Donald Trump and guests at Friday night’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner. The originally scheduled event in April was done before it even started after a crazed gunman bolted through a security checkpoint and was later accused of trying to assassinate the 47th president. “Our agency grows and adapts from every event we secure, and we have engaged with WHCA to ensure attendees are given timely information in the unlikely event on an emergency during the event,” Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service’s communications director, told Fox News Digital. Guglielmi noted that the Secret Service’s protection plan worked during the April 25 dinner when agents stopped Cole Allen of California after he allegedly descended from the 10th floor of the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the dinner is historically held, and attempted to breach security barriers. He allegedly fired one shot from a shotgun before tripping and falling, after which he was quickly detained. One Secret Service agent was shot and sustained minor injuries. FIRST ON FOX: WHITE HOUSE REVEALS WHO’S JOINING TRUMP AT CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER — AND WHO CAN’T ATTEND The rescheduled dinner is set for Friday night at the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue, which is housed inside the Old Post Office Tower and was previously owned by the president and called the Trump International Hotel. It’s the first time in decades that the annual WHCA Dinner is not being held at the Washington Hilton. Those attending the dinner will enter the ballroom through a door separate from the main lobby and entrance of the hotel. “Guests will see a visible police presence around the Waldorf Astoria hotel and there will be enhanced traffic closures due to proximity to major thoroughfares,” Guglielmi said. “All ticketed guests will go through airport-style magnetometer screening to enter the event.” “Roads immediately around the hotel will be closed Friday evening, and specifics about closures will be communicated in the coming days.” TRUMP URGES NEED FOR SECURE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM AFTER DINNER SHOOTING, SAYS HOTEL SETTING ‘TOUGH’ TO PROTECT Guglielmi added that exact arrival instructions will be communicated specifically to ticket holders, and that each ticket will be screened by event staff prior to Secret Service security. Notably, the dinner is significantly scaled-back from the usual event, which typically hosts 4,000+ guests inside one of the largest ballrooms in the District of Columbia — second only to the convention center Marriott Marquis. The Waldorf Astoria ballroom can host a maximum of 1,300 people for tight banquet seating. At the dinner, Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales, who was shot by the alleged gunman, will be awarded the President’s Award for Exceptional Service to the WHCA for his actions protecting Trump and event guests during the April attack. “The WHCA is deeply grateful that law enforcement officials prevented the armed suspect from entering the ballroom,” said Weijia Jiang of CBS News, who as president of the association presided over the April dinner. “Officer Gonzales played a significant role when he ran toward danger so that thousands of others could make it home safely. His courage stemmed from a dedication to service, which we are looking forward to honoring this week.” WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED TO TARGET TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO REVEALS According to a court filing in the proceedings against Allen, the alleged gunman boarded an Amtrak train on April 21 after purchasing a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to the nation’s capital, stopping in Chicago to change trains. While he rode, prosecutors say he “kept a running note on his phone of his observations and thoughts during his cross-country train journey.” His musings along the way, in tandem with what he wrote in a later manifesto, paint a picture of an unfocused person whose thoughts were “scattered,” as one former FBI behavioral analyst said, despite the gravity of the situation. While he traveled through the U.S. Southwest on the first leg of his trip, Allen made a note: “[t]he southwest desert in spring Distant wind turbines looming like snowy mountains across the hazy NM desert.” Of Chicago, where he would switch trains and board a second train to his final destination, Allen wrote that, “Chicago is cool; kinda like an Iowa small town was scaled up to LA size.” Of the sliver of southwestern Pennsylvania through which he would pass, he wrote that the “woods are awesome (look like vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks in spring apparently.” Allen arrived in Washington, D.C., early in the afternoon on Friday, April 24. He spent about 30 hours in the city before initiating his alleged attack. Surveillance video from the Washington Hilton hotel, also released by the Department of Justice, showed Allen apparently pacing through hallways, once entering the hotel’s fitness center and taking a look around before hastily exiting. Minutes before the attack, a pre-scheduled email from Allen was sent to his family and friends, explaining his actions, according to authorities. He allegedly acknowledged that his mission would likely severely harm him at the least, but never stated that he was willing to die for his cause. His motivations were political, and he painted himself as a savior of the oppressed. He apologized profusely to family, friends and everyone he had come in contact with on his cross-country trek. He noted that there were certain people he hoped wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire, and described himself as “friendly.” Allen remains in federal custody in Washington, D.C., while awaiting trial on four charges. Those charges are attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
Boasberg delivers fresh immigration setback to Trump in free-speech clash
Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s effort to deny visas to individuals it claims worked to perpetuate censorship against Americans. Boasberg, who has been a major judicial antagonist across President Donald Trump’s two administrations, handed down a decision earlier this month blocking the State Department from restricting visas for foreign officials and other foreign nationals considered responsible for or complicit in suppressing American free speech. He found that, while the federal government has a “legitimate interest in responding when foreign officials use sovereign power to suppress protected expression in the United States,” it is possible that the government is engaging in viewpoint discrimination, and thus violating the First Amendment, through its policy. “The policy, at its core, does not burden all speech about platforms, all research into content moderation, or all advocacy about online harms,” Boasberg wrote. “It presses its enforcement thumb against one side of the scale: the view that platforms should do more to moderate content, label disinformation, restrict abuse, share data with researchers, or take responsibility for the harms their systems amplify.” GOP LAWMAKERS URGE SUPREME COURT TO STRENGTHEN FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS FOR STREET PREACHERS “The Government, in other words, has not set itself against everyone who speaks about platform governance. It has set itself against those whose work favors more moderation rather than less,” he added. The State Department’s policy followed a Biden-era controversy where the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), which produced alleged “blacklists” of certain news websites, received funding from the federal government. Conservatives have argued that GDI’s ratings contributed to advertisers withholding revenue from conservative outlets and that federal support for the organization implicated free-speech concerns. The State Department’s policy paused by Boasberg restricted visa access to individuals involved with GDI and similar organizations. “The Trump Administration believes that aliens who are or were involved or complicit in censoring American citizens must face appropriate consequences,” a spokesperson for the department told Fox News Digital. “An American visa is a privilege, not a right. Specific questions about this lawsuit should be referred to the Department of Justice.” DC APPEALS COURT ORDERS JUDGE BOASBERG TO HALT TRUMP CONTEMPT PROBE OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS Boasberg has presided over several high-profile cases challenging actions by Trump’s second administration. He temporarily blocked the administration’s rapid deportation of Venezuelan migrants and ordered officials to preserve Signal messages in which senior national security officials discussed planned U.S. strikes in Yemen. The clashes have made Boasberg a target of Trump, who called for his impeachment. The Justice Department filed a misconduct complaint against him and accused him of overreach. Chief Justice John Roberts rejected impeachment as a response to an unfavorable ruling. Boasberg was first nominated to the federal bench by President Barack Obama in 2010. JUDGE ORDERS ICE TO FREE WISCONSIN MOSQUE LEADER OVER ‘SUBSTANTIAL’ FREE SPEECH CLAIM AFTER CRITICIZING ISRAEL “A visa is a privilege—not a constitutional entitlement,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., wrote of the decision on X. “The First Amendment protects the American people’s right to speak. It does not require the American people to admit foreign actors who work to restrict that speech.” The case against the State Department’s policy was initially brought by the Coalition for Independent Technology Research (CITR), a nonprofit organization representing academics and journalists. While Boasberg issued a stay temporarily preventing the State Department from enforcing its visa policy, he has not yet ruled on the merits of the case, meaning that the policy could still survive his court. Additionally, the State Department could still seek appellate review of his interim order blocking their policy. CITR and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment after being reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.
Blanche urged to investigate alleged foreign influence in fight against data centers
FIRST ON FOX: Lawmakers are calling on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to investigate alleged foreign influence in the nationwide campaign to block construction of data centers. A letter penned by Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, and signed by multiple GOP lawmakers claims foreign-linked organizations and advocacy networks are trying to block the centers to give Chinq a leg up in the artificial intelligence (AI) race. “We believe that the Chinese and also the Russians are colluding and working to make sure that the United States of America is not the leader when it comes to AI policy and development,” Gooden told Fox News Digital in an interview. “They are so sophisticated with respect to disinformation and manipulating our processes here in the United States against us.” MARXIST ORGANIZER LEADS CAMPAIGN AGAINST VIRGINIA AI DATA CENTER AS FOREIGN INFLUENCE CONCERNS MOUNT “We know historically, that they have funded [nongovernmental organizations] and nonprofits that don’t disclose donations,” Gooden added. “And then, they use these foreign funds against us and against our policy in a way that benefits them.” As AI demand accelerates, data centers have become essential to providing the computing power, electricity and infrastructure needed to process information and store massive amounts of data. However, proposed facilities often have faced opposition from critics who say they drive up utility costs and threaten the environment. This past January, a self-described “organizer” for the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Jack Tensley, testified before the Frederick County Planning Commission in Maryland against the construction of a data center in Virginia. TOP ENERGY GROUP WARNS WEALTHY FOREIGNERS ARE POTENTIALLY BANKROLLING ANTI-DATA CENTER CAMPAIGNS ACROSS US “My really big fear here is the security risk. We have infrastructure attacks and failures, cyberattacks that happen — I want to know if this puts a target on the back of Frederick County,” Tensley said. “I see a lot of risk here.” Tensley did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. In a social media post from Party for Socialism and Liberation Boston, the organization openly opposed data centers, saying the control of AI and data centers is in the hands of billionaires. HOUSE PANEL SUBPOENAS 3 LEFT-WING GROUPS IN PROBE OF $39M TIED TO MARXIST TYCOON NEVILLE SINGHAM “Workers are rising up across the country in a growing movement against the tech billionaires – from fights against data centers in hundreds of cities, to labor organizing at the world’s biggest tech corporations,” the post read. Neville Roy Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his tech company for $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, is known to fund pro-Chinese Communist Party groups that operate in the U.S. He has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, according to a Fox News Digital investigation. Singham now faces a grand jury investigation over his financial activity in the Southern District of New York, a probe that Blanche authorized. Fox News Digital has reached out to Singham, who has not been charged with any crime to date, repeatedly for several months but has not received any responses. The letter to Blanche cited reports from both the Bitcoin Policy Institute and OpenAI, both of which outlined the alleged role of foreign influence on campaigns against data center production. OpenAI said that “two clusters of ChatGPT accounts likely originating from China” were “banned after they used our models in support of apparent covert influence operations that promoted narratives in an attempt to manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI and wider tech policies.” The Bitcoin Policy Institute found that PSL has organized anti-data center campaigns in at least 14 states, opposing roughly $23.6 billion in AI investments. “Recent reports have also identified involvement of China-based tycoon Neville Roy Singham and his network of Marxist, communist, and socialist nonprofit organizations in influencing American AI discourse,” the letter to Blanche read. “A BPI report from last month also uncovered specific instances of a nationwide influence campaign to undermine the American AI supply chain being led by the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), an unincorporated political party that acts as ‘the political arm of the Singham network’ with ties to socialist governments like Cuba and Venezuela.” Fox News Digital asked the Justice Department if it was planning to respond to lawmakers or open an investigation but did not receive a response.
Fetterman trolls the Democratic Socialists of America as Israel kills Hamas terrorists: ‘Cry harder’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., an ardent supporter of Israel, trolled the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in a Thursday post on X. “Israel keeps killing Hamas members. @DemSocialists, cry harder,” he wrote, tagging the DSA. In a Thursday post on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) highlighted the elimination of several terrorists. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’D WELCOME FETTERMAN AS GOP EYES BIGGER SENATE MAJORITY “ELIMINATED: Abdallah Jahja, a terrorist in the Naval Force of Hamas’ military wing who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 Massacre,” the IDF’s post stated. The post added that “2 additional Hamas terrorists were eliminated,” including “Mohammed Al-Hawari, a cell commander in Hamas’ Zeitoun Battalion” and “Sabhi Saqallah, observation operative in Hamas’ Zeitoun Battalion.” “The terrorists advanced terror attacks targeting IDF troops & Israeli civilians,” the IDF added. SEN JOHN FETTERMAN PLEDGES TO BE ‘LAST MAN STANDING’ IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL Fetterman told Fox News Channel’s Kayleigh McEnany last week that “these DSA people are deeply anti-Israel” as well as “deeply anti-America.” The lawmaker said that he “will always be the last man standing within the Democratic caucus in the Senate that’s pro-unapologetically standing for Israel.” “Israel is our special ally, and I’m always proud to stand with Israel,” he said. FETTERMAN REVEALS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR HIM TO LEAVE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Fetterman indicated last week during remarks at the Hill Nation Summit that he would “leave” the Democratic Party if it were ever to officially become the “anti-Israel party.”
Trump turns to ‘zombie’ court after Boasberg pointed to it in deportation fight
The Trump administration is moving to deport an unnamed illegal immigrant suspected of terrorism through the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), which has never heard a single case. The Justice Department filed its first-ever application for a removal order with the court on July 15, marking the first attempt in the court’s nearly 30-year history to invoke a little-known law allowing the government to deport noncitizens suspected of terrorism through a specialized judicial process that relies on sealed classified evidence. If successful, the administration could revive what legal scholars have called a “zombie” court as a powerful new tool for removing suspected terrorists. “This Department of Justice will use every tool available to bring alien terrorists to justice and remove them from the United States, including by use of this court established by Congress in 1996,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The move also comes months after Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, D.C., pointed to the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court as an alternative for handling terrorism-related deportation cases while questioning the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. EXCLUSIVE: NEW YORK WOMAN WHO WISHED ‘EVERY DAY WERE OCT. 7’ CHARGED WITH FUNDING PALESTINIAN TERROR GROUP “In fact, Congress has an answer for us, doesn’t it? Because they created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court,” Boasberg said during a March hearing. “So if there’s a national security concern with having these hearings, whether via habeas or otherwise, you can always go to the ATRC, which would be a first, but that’s what it’s there for, right?” Boasberg made the comments while presiding over litigation challenging the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. He temporarily blocked the administration from using the wartime law for those removals while the courts determine whether Trump’s use of the statute is lawful. Boasberg also ordered deportation flights already in the air to return, setting off a high-profile legal battle between the administration and the judiciary. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, told Fox News Digital that it was about time the Justice Department took advantage of this special court. “I think it is a sign of negligence, frankly, of prior presidents that they did not use this special court, this special procedure that was specifically set up by Congress, so that they could quickly get aliens — aliens who were either terrorists or supported terrorist activities — out of the U.S.” von Spakovsky said. BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY The one-page sealed application contained virtually no information, leaving out the person’s identity, the alleged conduct, and the specific section of the anti-terrorism law the Justice Department cited. After hearing arguments from Justice Department officials, ATRC Chief Judge Joan N. Erickson, appointed by President George W. Bush, requested additional information before proceedings could continue. “The Court had questions about the nexus that the government alleges between the actions of the respondent and the specific sections and subsections it invokes with respect to those actions,” Erickson wrote. “The answers persuaded the Court that the Government could benefit from the opportunity for more thoughtful consideration,” Erickson continued. Erickson gave the Justice Department until Wednesday to respond with additional documentation. Congress created the ATRC through the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996. “From now on we can quickly expel foreigners who dare to come to America and support terrorist activities,” Clinton said at the bill’s signing. The court is made up of five federal district judges who serve five-year terms. It handles terrorism-related deportation cases where the government says its evidence cannot be made public because it would threaten national security. In those cases, the government provides the respondent with an unclassified summary instead of the classified evidence itself. DC APPEALS COURT ORDERS JUDGE BOASBERG TO HALT TRUMP CONTEMPT PROBE OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS At the time of the law’s passage, then Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., blasted the law. “You and me, Judge — me, the prosecutor; you, the judge — let’s deport him in a secret hearing, using secret evidence,” Biden said. “We know you did it, and we can’t tell you how we know. Now I think that is about as un-American as it gets.” According to the 9/11 Commission staff report, DOJ attorneys considered 50 cases by 1998 and another 50 over the next two years, but every one was rejected. Some terrorism-related cases moved forward through the regular immigration court system instead. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The Justice Department’s case before the ATRC comes as the Trump administration has repeatedly faced resistance from federal judges, who have blocked, delayed or narrowed key parts of its immigration enforcement agenda. Von Spakovsky said the Justice Department’s use of the ATRC could not only streamline terrorism-related deportation cases but also reduce interference from what he described as “rogue” liberal judges. “I think this court is a much stronger tool the Justice Department can use, and it’s going to make it much tougher for what I consider to be rogue judges to interfere with, and hopefully prevent, the removal of immigrants,” von Spakovsky said.
California mayor’s hot mic catches candid exchange after audience sends meeting off rails
A live microphone exposed a behind-the-scenes conversation between Sacramento’s mayor and vice mayor as they discussed whether disruptive protesters could be barred from future city council meetings after a heated immigration-related debate descended into chaos. “We should go over this disruptions thing, because if we want to ban somebody in the future, like to take them out, we have to point out specifically…” Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes is heard saying. “I know, but the city attorney said we can’t do that,” Mayor Kevin McCarty replied. “We did it last time,” Talamantes responded. GOP SENATORS RALLY AROUND NEW DHS PROPOSAL TARGETING SANCTUARY CITIES: ‘SHOULD PAY A PRICE’ “We can’t,” McCarty said, shaking his head. “I spent my first six months going over this. I wanted to give people, like, probation, like, you can’t come…” Talamantes then appeared to realize the microphone was still live and quickly reached over to switch it off before continuing the conversation, according to the publicly available city council livestream reviewed by Fox News Digital. The awkward exchange unfolded Tuesday after Sacramento City Council recessed and ordered the public removed from the chambers following repeated disruptions during a fiery debate over the city’s continued participation in a regional intelligence-sharing center. The confrontation escalated after Talamantes defended accepting federal funding for the Central California Intelligence Center, or CCIC, arguing Sacramento’s sanctuary city policies and immigrant protections made the city better suited to oversee the grant than other jurisdictions. “The city of Sacramento is a sanctuary city,” Talamantes said during the meeting. “If we don’t pass these dollars, other counties will apply for these dollars, they will get those dollars and we will have no safeguards to protect our immigrant communities here in Sacramento.” Dozens of speakers had earlier urged the council to reject the agreement, arguing the intelligence center could facilitate information sharing with federal immigration authorities and undermine Sacramento’s sanctuary city policies. Police officials repeatedly disputed those claims during the meeting, telling council members Sacramento does not share personal identifying information for civil immigration enforcement and complies with California’s sanctuary law, known as SB 54. DHS LAWYER SAYS UCLA ‘UTTERLY FAILED’ TO STOP PROTEST CHAOS AT LAW SCHOOL APPEARANCE As public comment grew increasingly heated, one speaker repeatedly demanded McCarty pay attention. “Kevin, I need your f—ing eyes. Kevin, listen to me. Stop being an a–hole, dude. Listen to your f—ing constituents,” the speaker shouted. Following Talamantes’ remarks, another round of shouting erupted inside the council chambers. WATCH: HEARING DERAILS AS PURPLE-HAIRED DEM POINTS FINGER, SCREAMS AT CHAIR TO PUT DHS CHIEF ‘IN HIS PLACE’ “You’re a pick-me b—-,” one attendee shouted at Talamantes, while others yelled, “Shame on you.” McCarty responded with what he described as a “final notice.” “This is the final notice,” the mayor said. “We’re going to continue with the deliberation, and if there’s any more outbursts, we’re gonna have to ask the audience to leave.” Seconds later, the disruptions intensified. “You can’t do this behind closed f—ing doors!” one attendee shouted. “We are the community,” another yelled. “You represent us. You are our f—ing audience,” another voice exclaimed as council members attempted to continue the meeting. Council officials then paused the meeting and cleared the chambers after repeated disruptions prevented deliberations from continuing. Following the meeting, McCarty said the private conversation focused on existing meeting procedures, not new restrictions. “Every Tuesday, Vice Mayor Talamantes and I are responsible for overseeing and ensuring transparent, accessible, and open Council meetings,” McCarty said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately, when meetings are repeatedly disrupted, we must discuss existing policies and rules to ensure Council meetings remain effective, orderly, and respectful for both the residents in attendance and the Councilmembers. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the public can access and engage safely without distraction or intimidation.” The Sacramento City Attorney’s Office declined to address McCarty’s reference to legal advice during the hot-mic exchange. “The City Attorney’s Office has no comment and will not be providing comment on this matter,” the office said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The city’s published meeting rules state that members of the public receive two minutes per agenda item and may speak on no more than four items during a meeting, limits intended to help the council conduct city business. The hot-mic exchange quickly drew criticism from some activists, who argued Talamantes appeared interested in silencing vocal opponents. Joshua Masias, a volunteer organizer with the Sac Immigration Committee, told The Sacramento Bee the conversation showed an authoritative approach toward members of the public. “It’s very authoritative how she wants to use her power,” Masias told the outlet. “It stuck out to me that she was the only one to try to silence the crowd.” Resident Leanna Hunt, one of the council’s most outspoken critics, also defended the protesters’ frustration. “I’m fed up,” Hunt told the Bee. “It’s not even a tactic — I’m just tired of being treated like we are an audience and that the king is deigning to see us peasants today and when the peasants are unruly, the king gets upset.” Fox News Digital reached out to Vice Mayor Talamantes’ office, Sacramento Police Department and the Sac Immigration Committee for additional comment.
Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman admits to sufficient facts in June drunken driving case
The leader of the Massachusetts Democratic Party was arrested during a traffic stop on alleged drunken driving charges last month and days later admitted to prosecutors there were sufficient facts to support a conviction, according to state court records. A judge on June 15 — two days after the traffic stop in the town of Southborough — continued the operating under the influence (OUI) liquor charge without a finding after Steve Kerrigan, chairman of the state’s Democratic Party, entered an “admission to sufficient facts,” a Massachusetts legal disposition in which a defendant acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to obtain a conviction, according to Westborough District Court records. In addition to the OUI charge, Kerrigan, 54, faced a negligent operation charge and a marked lanes violation. The negligent operation charge was dismissed, and he was found not responsible for the marked lanes violation. The judge sentenced Kerrigan to a year’s probation, suspended his driver’s license for 45 days, ordered him to pay $600 in fees and required him to complete an impaired driving education program. COLORADO DEMOCRATS FORMALLY CENSURE GOV POLIS OVER TINA PETERS COMMUTATION Kerrigan was elected chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in 2023. He was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, and previously served as an executive with the Democratic National Convention Committee. He also serves as president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center. According to a Southborough Police Department report, an officer stopped Kerrigan shortly after midnight on June 13, after observing his BMW traveling on or over the lane divider. The officer wrote that Kerrigan’s eyes appeared “glassy” and “bloodshot red” and that his speech was slow and slurred. The report states the officer could not detect the smell of alcohol because of what was described as an “overwhelming odor of cologne.” FLORIDA MAN ARRESTED FOR DUI AFTER TROOPERS ALLEGEDLY FIND 34 OPEN ALCOHOL CONTAINERS IN VEHICLE Kerrigan told the officer he was driving home from a restaurant and said he had consumed two beers around 6 p.m. before dinner, according to the report. Police administered field sobriety tests before Kerrigan provided a breath sample that registered a 0.089% blood alcohol content, according to the report. The legal blood alcohol limit in Massachusetts is 0.08%. Kerrigan acknowledged the incident in a statement provided to Boston.com through his attorney, Andrea Levy. “In June, I was pulled over for a marked lanes violation and blew a .089 on the breathalyzer,” Kerrigan said. “I regret and take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences and appreciate the Southborough Police Department and the Westborough Court for their professionalism and service.” The Massachusetts Democratic Party did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Rubio unveils visa restrictions targeting cybercrime networks
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals responsible for or complicit in cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime. “This policy targets individuals responsible for, or complicit in, cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, such as those involved in cyberscams, and sextortion,” Rubio said in a statement. Certain immediate family members of people covered by the policy may also be subject to the State Department’s new visa restrictions, according to Rubio. TRUMP LAUNCHES GOLD EAGLE TO HUNT CYBER FLAWS WITH AI President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this year titled “Combatting Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens” directs federal agencies to develop measures against foreign scam centers, transnational criminal organizations and cyber-enabled financial fraud. The administration, Rubio said, “is taking action to counter an unprecedented threat from online investment scams.” WHAT A SCAMMER SEES THE MOMENT THEY GOOGLE YOUR NAME “Often orchestrated by Chinese transnational criminal organizations, scammers have defrauded U.S. citizens of at least $10 billion in 2024 alone while fueling corruption, money laundering, and human trafficking,” the secretary said. “American children also have been specifically targeted by offenders operating overseas for sextortion scams, devastating families and futures,” he continued. Rubio said the administration is “deploying every tool at our disposal—sanctions, prosecutions, asset seizures, extradition requests, and international law enforcement cooperation—to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them.” “By restricting visa issuance to those who are responsible for or complicit in these criminal enterprises, we are sending a clear message: The United States will go after those who prey on our citizens,” he said.
Dem’s stunning ideal standard for immigration detention conditions resurfaces amid Texas senate bid
During a 2019 interview following a visit to border enforcement, James Talarico, candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, said he gauged the suitability of immigration detention facilities based on how he would treat his own family. “I think I was struck by the conditions these folks were being held in,” Talarico said. “When I first walked in, I looked at one of the security monitors and saw these things strewn around the floor, and I realized they were human beings being held in these tiny rooms. The standard I use is: would I allow my child, my parent, my grandparent to be held in one of these facilities? And the answer, after my visit, was a resounding no,” Talarico said. His resurfaced comments continue to raise questions about his views on border policy as he looks to flip a Republican-held Senate seat in Texas. PROGRESSIVE TALARICO KNIFES BIDEN’S OPEN BORDER, TRIES MODERATING STANCE ON KEY ISSUES IN TEXAS SENATE RACE During his campaign, Talarico has drawn scrutiny for walking a tightrope between traditionally Democratic criticisms on President Donald Trump’s border enforcement measures and appearing too soft on border policy. Like progressives in the party, Talarico has called on lawmakers to “tear down” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has characterized voter ID requirements as a method to rig elections and, in the past, even criticized President Barack Obama’s record on immigration. In one 2019 remark, Talarico famously called Obama the “deporter-in-chief.” His past comments have left some observers believing his record makes the case for him. “There is a very concerning pattern with James Talarico siding with pedophiles, criminal illegal aliens and cartels while slandering the brave men and women of law enforcement who keep Texans safe,” Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said in a statement, referring to detentions highlighted by the Department of Homeland Security. ICE ARRESTS 15 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH CONVICTIONS INCLUDING HOMICIDE, RAPE AND CHILD SEX CRIMES OVER WEEKEND “Talarico is a true radical and fully committed to defunding the police, knocking down President Trump’s border wall and welcoming millions of illegal aliens into America,” Kraft added. At the same time, Talarico has voiced concern about the government’s effective use of resources on the border and whether its investments are being reflected in its detention operations. He raised the issue in the 2019 interview. “How are we spending close to a billion dollars every year on border security when these border patrol agents told us firsthand they didn’t have the resources, basic logistical items that would help the situation better for them and for the people being held?” Talarico said. Talarico argued that poor standards don’t speak to individual facility needs but rather reflect broader problems with immigration enforcement. “This is not a matter of some bad apples at a Border Patrol station. This is a systemic problem that even the Border Patrol agents identified as something morally wrong and something that needed to be solved,” Talarico said in an interview. “I believe this is a statewide problem; this is a stain on all of our reputations. It violates a lot of the values we have as Texans.” Texas spent roughly $800 million on border security in 2019, according to the state’s legislative budget board. TALARICO MAKES STUNNING CLAIM ABOUT WHY HE THINKS TEXAS ELECTIONS AREN’T ‘FREE AND FAIR’ When pressed for more details about Talarico’s ideal detainment conditions a reality, his campaign pointed to his border security plan he recently unveiled and noted that he has also raised concerns about border security ineffectiveness under the Biden administration. “James supports stronger border security and safe, secure, and humane detention facilities. He’s the only candidate in this race to unveil a border security agenda endorsed by Republicans and Democrats that will add more border patrol agents and improve technology at the border to better detect threats. For too long, both parties have failed our border communities by grandstanding on the issue instead of finding real solutions. James is running for Senate to keep our country safe by deporting criminals instead of locking up moms, babies and small business owners who have been contributing to our economy for decades,” a campaign spokesperson said. Having secured the Democratic nomination, Talarico will face Republican nominee Ken Paxton in the Nov. 3 general election.