Anthropic’s moral compass architect suggested AI overcorrection could address historical injustices
One of Anthropic’s artificial intelligence (AI) philosophy architects argued that intentional discrimination could be a way to combat stigmas on topics of race and gender. In a 2023 paper authored alongside a number of other AI researchers, Amanda Askell, a philosopher hired by Anthropic to develop their AI’s moral compass, argued companies might benefit from a kind of overcorrection toward stereotypes. But, the paper explained, that would require human input on how to modify its answers. “Larger models can over-correct, especially as the amount of [human input] training increases. This may be desirable in certain contexts, such as those in which decisions attempt to correct for historical injustices against marginalized groups, if doing so is in accordance with local laws,” Askell wrote. PALANTIR’S SHYAM SANKAR: AMERICANS ARE ‘BEING LIED TO’ ABOUT AI JOB DISPLACEMENT FEARS The comment referred to an experiment on how Anthropic’s models dealt with the race of students. “In the discrimination experiment, the 175B parameter model discriminates against Black versus White students by 3% in the Q condition and discriminates in favor of Black students by 7% in the Q+IF+CoT condition,” the paper notes, referring to one AI trained without human corrections and a second one trained with the help of input. Askell was joined by four other authors: Deep Ganguli, Nicholas Schiefer, Thomas Kiao and Kamilė Lukošiūtė. The paper’s contents have surfaced as AI companies increasingly wrestle with the ethics their models are trained on — the presuppositions and moral determinations that inform its outputs. It also highlights the challenges engineers face in training models on human content while simultaneously trying to leave behind certain human behaviors. The question of ethics has forced Anthropic in particular into the spotlight in recent weeks. The company made headlines earlier this year for clashing with the Department of War over restrictions that prevent its technology from being deployed to conduct lethal operations. HUGH GRANT MOVIE SLAMS AI; DIRECTOR WARNS ‘IT MIGHT KILL US ALL’ It also comes as Anthropic decided to withhold its latest model, Mythos, citing fears that it proved too effective at finding cyber vulnerabilities that could wreak havoc in the hands of hackers. Amid questions of AI application, Anthropic has marketed its flagship AI, Claude, as the “ethical” AI choice. “Our central aim is for Claude to be a good, wise and virtuous agent, exhibiting skill, judgment(sic), nuance and sensitivity in handling real-world decision-making,” Claude’s constitution reads. STANFORD PROF ACCUSED OF USING AI TO FAKE TESTIMONY IN MINNESOTA CASE AGAINST CONSERVATIVE YOUTUBER To get a better sense of what that means in practice, companies like Anthropic have turned to researchers like Askell. On her website, Askell described her role as refining the way an AI thinks. “I’m a philosopher working on finetuning and AI alignment at Anthropic. My team trains models to be more honest and to have good character traits and works on developing new finetuning techniques so that our interventions can scale to more capable models,” Askell wrote. PENTAGON’S AI BATTLE WILL HELP DECIDE WHO CONTROLS OUR MOST POWERFUL MILITARY TECH She previously held a similar position at OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, focusing on AI safety. The 2023 paper, written two years after she joined Anthropic, noted that encountering discrimination in AI models shouldn’t come as a surprise. “In some ways, our findings are unsurprising. Language models are trained on text generated by humans, and this text presumably includes many examples of humans exhibiting harmful stereotypes and discrimination,” the paper reads. But it noted that AIs seem to be able to adjust their outputs even without clarification of what discrimination means. “Our results are surprising in that they show we can steer models to avoid bias and discrimination by requesting an unbiased or non-discriminatory response in natural language.” Askell and Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Supreme Court liberals side with Clarence Thomas on Taliban suicide bomber lawsuit, 3 others dissent
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a lawsuit brought by a U.S. Army veteran injured in a Taliban suicide bombing to proceed, vacating a lower court ruling that had dismissed it. Winston Tyler Hencely, a former U.S. Army specialist, suffered a fractured skull and brain injuries when a Taliban operative working for a military contractor blew up a suicide vest at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in 2016. The majority opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, rejected a broad “battlefield preemption” theory that would have blocked state-law claims tied to combat activities. Thomas — joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson — wrote that military contractors are not automatically shielded from liability when their conduct was not authorized by the military — even in war zones. JUSTICE THOMAS WARNS PROGRESSIVISM IS A THREAT TO AMERICA IN RARE PUBLIC REMARKS “We vacate the judgment of the Fourth Circuit and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion,” Wednesday’s decision says. “In 2016, a Taliban operative working for respondent Fluor Corporation, a military contractor, carried out a suicide-bomb attack at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. After then-Army Specialist Winston T. Hencely confronted him, the bomber detonated his suicide vest,” the opinion explains. “As a result of the injuries he received, Hencely is now permanently disabled.” “In an effort to recover damages for his injuries, Hencely sued Fluor, bringing state-law tort claims for negligently retaining and supervising the attacker. According to Hencely and the United States military, Fluor’s conduct was not authorized by the military and even violated instructions the military had given it as a condition of operating on the base,” the opinion notes. Justice Samuel Alito, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh dissented. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
‘Illegals first’: Senate Republicans blast Schumer’s gambit to force vote on protecting Haitian migrants
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wants to extend protections for Haitian migrants, and Republicans say it’s a perfect example of him putting the interests of illegal immigrants over Americans. Schumer fast-tracked a House-passed bill that would extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of Haitian migrants for three years earlier this week onto the Senate schedule. Whether it actually makes it to the floor is ultimately up to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. The top Senate Democrat’s desire to pass the legislation in the Senate comes at an inflection point for both the protected status of Haitian migrants and a funding battle started, in part, over immigration operations in the country. HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP TO SHIELD HAITIANS FROM DEPORTATION Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who led negotiations for Senate Republicans to try to strike a compromise deal to end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, told Fox News Digital, “I’m so glad that he is prioritizing people who are not American consistently.” “What about the countless Americans that have died at the hands of illegal aliens? I mean, the fact that you’re literally trying to defund the organization that is tasked with keeping our streets safe, our borders secure, keeping Americans — allowing Americans to go home to their families at night,” Britt said. “It’s just totally, his priorities are completely and totally off.” While Schumer is trying to extend the protected status of Haitian migrants, DHS is still shut down over disagreements on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) funding. SENATE TAKES FIRST STEP TO FUND ICE, BORDER PATROL IN BID TO CUT DEMS OUT OF THE FUNDING PROCESS The legislation made it through the House last week after 10 Republicans bucked President Donald Trump and joined Democrats to shield more than 350,000 Haitian nationals from deportation. The TPS program allows foreign nationals whose home countries face humanitarian crises or dangerous conditions to temporarily live and work in the United States without fear of deportation, but it does not provide a pathway to citizenship. Schumer noted on the Senate floor earlier this week that Haitian migrants became a political flash point during Trump’s campaign, in which he claimed that a community of Haitians in Ohio were eating pets. SENATE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL IMMIGRATION FUNDING PLAN WITH $140 BILLION PRICE TAG AS GOP AIMS TO SPEND LESS “Despite ongoing violence, gang violence, civil instability, terrible medical infrastructure, and poor food access in Haiti,” Schumer said, “Trump directed Kristi Noem to strip Haitian immigrants of their TPS, their Temporary Protected Status, disregarding the process Congress set into law.” Trump tried to revoke the program for Haiti and argued that because conditions have improved in the country, granting Haitians legal protections runs counter to American interests. But his administration’s effort is currently snarled in the courts. And if it were to make it to a vote, Republicans plan to swiftly kill it. When asked whether the bill stood a chance in the upper chamber, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, flashed a zero sign by connecting his index finger and thumb. “Zero point zero,” Moreno told Fox News Digital. “Schumer is all illegals first, it’s crazy.”
WATCH: Sen Warren unloads on Trump’s Fed nominee Kevin Warsh in explosive hearing showdown
Sparks flew on Capitol Hill as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., accused Federal Reserve nominee Kevin Warsh of being a potential “sock puppet” for President Donald Trump. Warsh, tapped by Trump in January to lead the Federal Reserve, faced a two-and-a-half-hour confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. If confirmed, he would take the helm of the world’s most powerful central bank, shaping interest rates, borrowing costs and the financial outlook for millions of American households for the next four years. WHO IS KEVIN WARSH, TRUMP’S PICK TO SUCCEED JEROME POWELL AS FED CHAIR? In her opening remarks, Warren sharply criticized Warsh’s record and questioned his independence, arguing he is “uniquely ill-suited for the job as Fed chair” and warning he could give Trump influence over the central bank. She accused Warsh of enabling Wall Street during the 2008 financial crisis, which fell during his tenure as a Federal Reserve governor when he served from 2006 to 2011. “In our meeting last week, we discussed the 2008 financial crash, where 8 million people lost their jobs, 10 million people lost their homes and millions more lost their life savings,” Warren said. “Giant banks, however, got hundreds of billions of dollars in bailouts… and he said to me that he has no regrets about anything he did.” She added that Warsh “worked tirelessly to arrange multibillion-dollar bailouts” for Wall Street CEOs, with nothing for American families. The hearing grew more tense as Warren pivoted to ethics concerns, pressing Warsh over his undisclosed financial holdings and questioning him over links to business dealings connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The two spoke over each other and raised their voices in a heated exchange on Capitol Hill. WARSH’S $226 MILLION FORTUNE UNDER SCRUTINY AS FED NOMINEE FACES SENATE CONFIRMATION Sen. Elizabeth Warren: The Fed has been plagued by deeply disturbing ethics scandals in recent years. It’s critical that the next chair have no financial conflicts — none. You have more than $100 million in investments that you have refused to disclose. So let me ask: do the Juggernaut Fund or THSDFS LLC invest in companies affiliated with President Trump or his family, companies tied to money laundering, Chinese-controlled firms, or financing vehicles linked to Jeffrey Epstein? Kevin Warsh: Senator, I’ve worked closely with the Office of Government Ethics and agreed to divest all of my financial assets. Warren: Could you answer my question, please? You have more than $100 million in undisclosed assets. Are any of those investments tied to the entities I just mentioned? It’s a yes-or-no question. Warsh: I have worked tirelessly with ethics officials and agreed to sell all of my assets before taking the oath of office. Warren: Are you refusing to tell us if you have investments in vehicles linked to Jeffrey Epstein? You just won’t say? Warsh: What I’m telling you is those assets will be sold if I’m confirmed. Warren: Will you disclose how you plan to divest these assets? The public might question your motives if, for example, someone who profits from predicting Fed policy cuts you a $100 million check as you take office. Warsh: I’ve reached a full agreement with the Office of Government Ethics and will divest those assets before taking the oath. Warren: I’m asking a very straightforward question. Will you disclose how you divest those assets? Warsh: As I’ve said, I’ve worked with ethics officials. Warren: I’ll take that as a no. In a separate exchange, Warren invoked Trump’s past statements about the Fed and challenged Warsh to prove his independence in real time. She insisted that Warsh answer whether he believes Trump won the 2020 presidential election and if he would name policies of the president with which he disagrees. The hopeful future Fed chair dodged the question and said he would remain apolitical, if confirmed. THE ONE LINE IN WARSH’S TESTIMONY SIGNALING A BREAK FROM THE FED’S STATUS QUO Warren: Donald Trump has made clear he does not want an independent Fed. He has said, “Anybody that disagrees with me will never be Fed chairman.” He’s also said interest rates will drop “when Kevin gets in.” Let’s check out your independence and your courage. We’ll start easy. Mr. Warsh, did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election? Warsh: Senator, we should keep politics out of the Federal Reserve. Warren: I’m asking a factual question. Warsh: This body certified the election. Warren: That’s not what I asked. Did Donald Trump lose in 2020? Warsh: The Fed should stay out of politics. Warren: In our meeting, you said you’re a “tough guy” who can stand up to President Trump. So name one aspect of his economic agenda you disagree with. Warsh: That’s not something I’m prepared to do. The Fed should stay in its lane. Warren: Just one place where you disagree. Warsh: I do have one disagreement — he said I looked like I was out of central casting. I think I’d look older and grayer. Warren: That’s adorable. But we need a Fed chair who is independent. If you can’t answer these questions, you don’t have the courage or the independence.
Schlossberg unveils plan to crack down on ‘new frontier’ of AI putting the ‘squeeze’ on consumers: ‘Harbinger’
FIRST ON FOX: NEW YORK, N.Y. — As thousands of New York City residents prepare to hit the road to leave town for Memorial Day and summer travel, Democratic House candidate Jack Schlossberg is calling for an investigation into the way rental car companies, and potentially other industries, are using artificial intelligence. Schlossberg, the only grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to look into reports that Hertz began using AI last year to scan cars for rental damages, prompting warnings that consumers could end up being overcharged. “AI is being used in consumer-facing financial products, and Hertz is using AI to scan for microscopic damage on cars, invisible to the human eye, to charge people with fees for damage that they might not even be aware of, they have no opportunity to dispute, and the FTC should act here to investigate whether or not this constitutes an unfair trade practice,” Schlossberg told Fox News Digital outside a midtown Manhattan Hertz location. Schlossberg’s concerns stem in part from a report from The Drive where a Hertz customer at a location using the technology said he was notified minutes after dropping off his car that a 1-inch scuff on the driver’s side rear wheel resulted in a $440 charge that included $250 for the repair, $125 for processing and a $65 administrative fee. FROM CAMELOT TO ‘OUTSIDER’: JFK’S GRANDSON SHAKES UP NYC HOUSE RACE TAKING AIM AT GATEKEEPING DEM ‘MACHINE’ The report claims the situation for the customer got even worse when he tried to dispute the charges, and the company’s chatbot did not offer a way to reach a live representative, instead routing the issue for review at a later time. Hertz has been partnering with Israel-based Uveye to deploy AI-scanning technology at airport locations over the past year and uses cameras and machine learning algorithms to scan returned cars in hopes of improving the “frequency, accuracy, and efficiency” of the process and phase out the need for manual inspections, Car & Driver reported. Schlossberg is calling on the FTC to take four actions, adding that if elected to Congress in New York’s 12th District he would move to enshrine them into federal law: conduct a full investigation into Hertz’s use of AI-driven damage detection, determine whether the practice constitutes an unfair or deceptive act under federal law, establish clear guidelines for the use of AI in consumer-facing financial decisions, and ensure that consumers have a transparent, fair and accessible process to dispute charges. ‘GODFATHER OF AI’ WARNS MACHINES COULD SOON OUTTHINK HUMANS, CALLS FOR ‘MATERNAL INSTINCTS’ TO BE BUILT IN “I think that this is a harbinger of what’s to come,” Schlossberg said. “This is the new frontier of corporate fine print because AI is being used in ways we couldn’t imagine to price gouge, price fix, jack up prices on consumers without their consent, and basically just squeeze every nickel and dime out of consumers that they possibly can. And sometimes this can be unfair.” “We have elected officials in New York City who quietly work for the AI industry — meanwhile, like in the case of Hertz, consumers are being taken for a ride,” Schlossberg’s campaign said in a Wednesday press release first obtained by Fox News Digital, adding that “innovation must not come at the expense of the consumer.” A Hertz spokesperson pushed back on Schlossberg’s concerns in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying, “Digital vehicle inspections bring precision and transparency to a historically manual and inconsistent process while also enhancing the safety, quality, and reliability of our fleet. They protect customers from being charged for damage that didn’t occur during their rental while enabling faster, fairer resolution when it does.” The company added, “Since launching over one year ago, we’ve been listening, learning, and improving based on customer feedback — increasing communication, enhancing awareness at digital inspection locations, and strengthening our support channels. We’re committed to building upon the progress we’ve made to continue providing our customers with a more consistent rental experience and safer fleet.” A company spokesperson also told Fox News Digital that customers are not charged for damages invisible to the human eye and are provided comprehensive reports that include before-and-after photos that can easily be discussed with a customer care team via email, phone or chat. Schlossberg told Fox News Digital that his announcement in mid-April is intended to “get ahead of the peak season booking” as New Yorkers plan their Memorial Day weekend trips and should be aware of the potential pitfalls of renting a car within the landscape of emerging AI technology. The FTC declined to comment. Schlossberg is running as a Democrat in a crowded primary on June 23 to represent New York’s 12th Congressional District in Congress, where the winner is widely believed to be in the driver’s seat to win the general election in one of the most heavily Democratic districts in the country.
‘Stop this insanity’: Angel mom rips Newsom, Dems for bill to use taxpayer dollars for illegals’ defense
California Angel Mom Agnes Gibboney, who lost her son in an illegal alien-involved shooting, is blasting Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Democrats over a proposed bill that would use taxpayer dollars to fund legal defense for immigrants facing deportation. She urged voters to “stop this insanity.” State lawmakers are considering a proposal that would expand access to taxpayer-funded legal representation for immigrants facing deportation proceedings. The measure would build on existing state programs by creating a framework to provide attorneys to adults in immigration court, regardless of legal status, with priority given to those in detention. This comes as California, and other sanctuary states across the country, are facing increasing pressure and scrutiny from the Trump administration for allegedly prioritizing illegal aliens over citizens. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Gibboney, whose son, Ronald, was shot and killed by an illegal alien, ripped into Newsom and California Democrats over the bill. She claimed that it is further proof that they care for illegal immigrants more than citizens. “My son was murdered,” she said. “Not one politician has ever contacted me. Not one politician said, ‘I’m so sorry that this previously deported criminal illegal alien shot and killed your son.’ Not one of them.” NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION ALLEGEDLY KNEW OF $2B CALIFORNIA BUDGET ERROR FOR MONTHS: REPORT Gibboney said that since losing her son in 2002, she sent Newsom “many, many emails,” and “never once did I get a response, not even from his office, much less from Newsom.” Newsom has not signaled whether he would sign the bill into law. He previously signed legislation that created and expanded a state-funded legal aid program to ensure legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children in deportation proceedings. Ronald da Silva, 29, the son of a law enforcement official, was shot and killed by an illegal immigrant gang member while standing in his driveway. Gibboney asserted that “Newsom doesn’t care about citizens of this country, about legal immigrants like myself. He cares about free votes from illegal aliens.” Regarding the legal defense bill, Gibboney said she is “outraged.” “California is about three to 400 billion, with a ‘B,’ dollars in debt. How is that possible? How much more can you milk us citizens?” she railed. Meanwhile, for citizens, she said, “everything has gotten worse” under Newsom. ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE GETTING TAXPAYER-FUNDED BOOB JOBS AND SEX CHANGE OPS IN NEWSOM’S CALIFORNIA, WATCHDOG SAYS “We have the highest tax in the entire country, we have the highest cost of living, the most homeless,” she said, adding, “We are number one on everything, and nothing number one in good things, it’s always on the bad things.” “We taxpayers keep paying more and more each year for taxes just so our government, actually Gavin Newsom, can hand it out and squander our tax dollars and give it to illegal aliens.” The bill, introduced by Democratic Assembly member Mia Bonta in February, advanced out of two Assembly policy committees and is currently under review in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. In addition to Gibboney, the bill has garnered significant outrage, including from the American Border Story, a group that advocates on behalf of the families of victims of migrant crime. Earlier this month, the group condemned the measure as “a grave affront to Angel Families across the country who have suffered immeasurable loss at the hands of foreign criminals.” The group asserted that the bill “actively incentivizes illegal immigration and directly undermines the progress achieved by the Trump administration since the President’s second inauguration.” At the same time, the bill has been lauded by some, such as Abraham Bedoy, manager of California policy and government affairs for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Bedoy said in a March statement that “increasing immigrant legal defense is critical to address the mass deportations, unprecedented numbers of people held in detention, and indiscriminate arrests devastating families, communities, and our economy across our state.” He called the measure “another important step in our state’s strong trajectory towards universal legal representation.” DOJ SUES NEWSOM OVER CALIFORNIA MEASURE GIVING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COLLEGE TUITION BENEFITS While the bill does not explicitly outline all its exclusions, existing California policy suggests some immigrants with certain criminal histories could be excluded or deprioritized under any expanded program. California has already moved to limit state-funded legal aid in certain immigration cases, particularly for individuals with serious or violent felony convictions. Bonta, who represents the Oakland area, framed her bill as ensuring “every Californian’s right to a fair hearing.” In a March statement, Bonta’s office said the bill “builds on” her earlier bill to expand access to counsel for unaccompanied minors and other young immigrants in removal proceedings. That bill was signed into law by Newsom last year. “Every person deserves their day in court, with a lawyer by their side. In California, thousands of our neighbors are being swept into one of the most complex legal systems in the country, often in a second language, without an attorney or a fair shot,” she said in a March statement. She decried the Trump administration’s “mass deportation machine,” saying it is “accelerating that injustice.” “[The bill] represents California’s chance to stand up for our values: a commitment to due process, dignity, and the principle that justice shouldn’t depend on what you can afford,” said Bonta. Gibboney, however, said California should “use that money appropriately.” “Use it for our education, which is failing… Use it for the veterans for better healthcare and for the seniors for better healthcare,” she suggested. She urged Newsom to “recall his oath of office is to serve us, the public, we the people, not those that broke into our country and came here illegally.” “Ronald was my firstborn and only son. He was 29 years old, a father of two. They were 8 and 10,” she shared. “The media usually doesn’t talk about that kind of family separations, six feet of dirt in a coffin. But they talk about the ones that are deported to their country, where they
House Democrats demand Kash Patel take alcohol test under penalty of perjury after Atlantic report
House Democrats are launching an investigation into FBI Director Kash Patel following a bombshell story from The Atlantic alleging he had “alarmed colleagues” with excessive drinking and erratic behavior. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and House Judiciary Democrats are demanding that Patel complete a 10-question test identifying “hazardous drinking behaviors” under the penalty of perjury. “These glimpses of your relationship to alcohol would be alarming to see in an FBI agent; for us to see them in the FBI Director himself is shocking and indicative of a public emergency,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Patel late Tuesday evening. Patel has vigorously denied the allegations in The Atlantic story and said Tuesday he has “never been intoxicated on the job.” LEFT-WING GROUP CHASES PROOF OF KASH PATEL’S ALLEGED ‘EXCESSIVE DRINKING’ AS DEMS EYE FBI DIRECTOR’S OUSTER “I can say unequivocally that I never listen to the fake news mafia, and as when they get louder, it just means I’m doing my job,” he added, during a joint press conference with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Raskin also sent a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, demanding that he require Patel to testify under oath in person if he does not provide the requested information. The missive is likely to fall on deaf ears, with a spokesperson for the committee Republicans slamming the letter as “unserious” in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Crime is down to record-low levels. Criminals are behind bars, and America is safer thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Director Patel,” the spokesperson said. “This is just another unserious effort from anonymous sources and partisan actors to attack the President and his Administration.” Democrats’ probe comes after Patel on Monday sued the outlet and Sarah Fitzpatrick, the story’s author, for $250 million in a defamation lawsuit alleging “actual malice.” KASH PATEL CALLS ‘BULLS**T’ ON SWALWELL IN HEATED EXCHANGE OVER EPSTEIN FILES The story, relying completely on anonymous sourcing, cited several officials detailing an alleged “emotional outburst” Patel had after being logged out of his computer. The outlet also reported officials alleging several instances of the FBI director engaging in copious drinking that led to difficulties waking him up. “Defendants are of course free to criticize the leadership of the FBI, but they crossed the legal line by publishing an article replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office,” the lawsuit states. The Atlantic released a statement defending its reporting and argued Patel’s lawsuit is “meritless.” Trump administration officials have publicly defended Patel following the viral story. Blanche told reporters Tuesday that he had “a lot of concerns” with the report’s anonymous sourcing, but said he had not read it. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Atlantic that “Director Patel remains a critical player on the administration’s law and order team.” Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment.
Minnesota allows ‘happy hour’ in nursing homes under new law easing alcohol restrictions
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill Tuesday allowing nursing home residents to drink alcohol, clearing the way for “happy hour” in senior living facilities. Previously, Minnesota law barred facilities from organizing events that included alcohol without a liquor license. The new “Grandparents’ Happy Hour” law allows nursing homes and assisted living facilities to serve alcohol without one. The measure also updates the state’s liquor laws, allowing some cities to issue licenses and easing rules for certain businesses, including nursing homes and University of Minnesota facilities. Walz announced the bill in a post on X, encouraging seniors to enjoy a drink. STATE OFFICIALS AND DAYCARE MANAGER PUSH BACK ON VIRAL VIDEO FRAUD ALLEGATIONS IN MINNESOTA “Living in a nursing home shouldn’t mean giving up everyday freedoms,” Walz wrote in a post on X. “I just signed a bill allowing seniors living in nursing homes to consume alcohol – so that everyone can enjoy happy hour!” The law requires staff serving alcohol to be at least 18 years old, and facilities are responsible for ensuring residents do not overindulge. The bill drew attention during the legislative session, largely due to Anita LeBrun, an 88-year-old resident of an assisted living facility whose support went viral. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO WALZ, FREY OVER ALLEGED IMPEDING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT “My friends and I love happy hour, just like many of you do, I am sure,” LeBrun said before the House Commerce, Finance and Policy Committee last month. “Over a shared drink, we get to reminisce about parts of our lives, military service, raising a family, the loss of a friend, and celebrating the golden phase of our lives too,” she said. LeBrun also told a state Senate committee that living in an assisted facility “doesn’t mean that we should have fewer freedoms than anyone else.” BIDEN-ERA HEALTH OFFICIALS QUIETLY URGED LIMITING ADULT ALCOHOL INTAKE AS TRUMP TAKES REINS FOR NEW GUIDANCE She later appeared on “Fox & Friends,” describing social gatherings with snacks and music where residents previously had to bring their own alcohol due to restrictions. While policies vary, senior living communities in many states allow residents to drink or host informal social hours. Minnesota’s rules stood out because they limited how facilities could organize and serve alcohol in communal settings. “This bipartisan bill increases independence and safety under clear regulations, while ensuring residents are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve—including the ability to get together for happy hour,” Walz said in a statement. As the bill was considered, industry advocates said it would preserve small routines that support quality of life. “Ultimately, the ‘free the happy hour’ bill is about restoring a fundamental expectation — that moving into a senior living community does not mean giving up one’s autonomy,” LeadingAge Minnesota, an industry group that represents senior living providers, said in a statement last month. Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Bardolf contributed to this report.
Top California Dem running for office tied to Chinese school accused of US diploma scandal
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, who is running for lieutenant governor, is facing blowback for promising jobs and internships to students at a China-based boarding school accused of committing diploma fraud in conjunction with a California school district, after the school’s founder poured tens-of-thousands of dollars into her campaigns. Pegasus California School, based in Qingdao, China, was the subject of a probe completed in February by California education officials in Riverside County, following concerns that the Val Verde Unified School District was illegally issuing diplomas to Pegasus’ China-based students. It also identified other potential concerns related to Pegasus and California education officials working for the district and the California Department of Education, indicating there was evidence of them engaging in potential fraud, misappropriation of funds and other illegal fiscal practices. The audit concluded that investigators found “a pattern of favors, official acts, promises, and payments” leading to the California Department of Education’s ultimate approval of a pilot program that allowed wealthy Chinese students to obtain a U.S. high school diploma overseas. Meanwhile, a post on the school’s website shows Ma visiting in 2023, telling students, parents and teachers there that she would be able to help the enrollees at the school get jobs and internships back in the U.S. The same post on the school’s website heralded Ma’s visit as evidence of “the California government’s recognition and attention to Pegasus,” which became a sister-school to California’s Val Verde Unified School District in 2016 and started its pilot program issuing California diplomas a year later. “Fiona chose Pegasus as the only school to visit in China, which shows the California government’s recognition and attention to Pegasus,” Pegasus bragged in the now-archived post from its website. CHINESE EDUCATOR WITH SEVERAL CCP TIES COZIES UP TO TOP NEW YORK DEMOCRATS: ‘OUR OLD FRIEND WHO LISTENS’ It then included an excerpt from Ma: “I am honored to come to Qingdao Pegasus California School today to see many students perform and communicate with them. If they want to intern in California, they can come to me, I will provide some internship and employment opportunities.” Steven Ma, who is unrelated to Fiona Ma but is Pegasus’ founder, directly contributed over $13,200 to her campaigns for State Treasurer and Lt. Gov., according to California campaign finance records dating back to 2021. The Pegasus founder’s college-admissions consulting firm, ThinkTank Learning Inc. also contributed $23,800 to Ma’s campaigns since 2010, according to state campaign finance records. TRUMP ADMIN SENDS WARNING TO CALIFORNIA AS TRANS ATHLETE ADVANCES IN STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP Fox News Digital reached out to Ma multiple times for comment on her visit to the China-based school, and to the Val Verde school district itself to inquire whether it was aware of Ma’s visit, but did not receive a response. Business Insider released a scathing report in 2021 calling out the Pegasus California School for its improper relationship with the Val Verde Unified School District, which Business Insider argues spurred the recently completed audit into Pegasus by California education officials. The China-based school, according to Business Insider, was charging up to $34,000 a year for students to enroll and, despite drawing on Val Verde resources, it functioned as a private boarding school. The school’s own website describes itself as an “independent” international school that uses a “fee payment and registration” framework for students after gaining admission, similar to how private schools in the U.S. operate, according to a Fox News Digital review. A February 2018 Memorandum of Understanding between the China-based boarding school and Val Verde, reviewed by Fox News Digital, indicated that in return for receiving diplomas and teachers from the United States, ten students from the Val Verde school district would be afforded the opportunity to travel to China and attend Pegasus for 10 days at the cost of $300 a student. It also laid out an exchange program for students at Pegasus to visit schools’ in California. While the audit does not appear to identify any clear direct repayment from Pegasus to Val Verde itself, it does highlight travel, consulting opportunities, scholarships and other perks, like “great publicity,” that benefited officials and the district more than its own students. Meanwhile, Pegasus was allegedly telling its students and parents that it could guarantee them admission to one of the top 100 universities in the U.S., and if that didn’t happen, they would get a complete tuition reimbursement. A 2019 Memorandum of Understanding, included in the California audit, showed the University of California – Riverside even made a commitment that students who met certain academic thresholds would “receive a UCR scholarship.” Following the completion of the audit from Riverside County officials in February, announced publicly in March by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Gomez, the California Department of Education issued a cease-and-desist demanding Pegasus terminate official statements on its website claiming it was founded in 2016 with the department’s “blessing and support.” “California Business and Professions Code Section 17533.6 makes it unlawful for a non-governmental entity to use a state government name in a manner that could reasonably be interpreted or construed as implying connection, approval or endorsement by the state government,” stated the March cease-and-desist. “The above statement on your website could reasonably be interpreted or construed to imply that the California Department of Education is connected to, approves or endorses Pegasus California School. You are on notice that the California Department of Education is not connected to, does not approve and does not endorse Pegasus California School.”
Democrats win Virginia redistricting fight, threatening Republican House majority
Democrats scored a major victory Tuesday when Virginia voters narrowly passed a congressional redistricting referendum that could give the party a significant boost in the battle for the U.S. House of Representatives majority in this year’s midterm elections, The Associated Press reported at 8:49 p.m. ET. The ballot measure gives the Democrat-controlled Virginia legislature — rather than the state’s current nonpartisan commission — temporary redistricting power through the 2030 election. It could result in a 10-1 advantage for Democrats in Virginia’s congressional delegation, up from their current 6-5 edge. The referendum, which follows President Donald Trump’s push for rare but not unheard-of mid-decade redistricting in Republican-led states, would give the Democrats four additional left-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms as the party tries to win back control of the chamber from the GOP, which currently holds a razor-thin majority. Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who in many ways became the face of her party’s push to pass the ballot initiative, said in a statement that “Virginia voters have spoken, and tonight they approved a temporary measure to push back against a President who claims he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress.” “Virginians watched other states go along with those demands without voter input — and we refused to let that stand. We responded the right way: at the ballot box,” the governor said. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB And Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin emphasized that “Virginians refused to let Trump play games with Americans’ right to fair representation.” But Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said that “Virginia Democrats can’t redraw reality. This close margin reinforces that Virginia is a purple state that shouldn’t be represented by a severe partisan gerrymander. That’s exactly why the courts, who have already ruled twice to block this egregious power grab, should uphold Virginia law.” And Hudson predicted, “Even under this map, Republicans will hold our majority based on our record cleaning up Democrats’ mess and a historic war chest to litigate the Democrats’ failures.” Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Jeff Ryer said in a statement, “I know we are disappointed by tonight’s result. Evidently, a sufficient number of Virginians trusted the blatantly dishonest language the Democrats placed on the ballot to make our Commonwealth the most severely gerrymandered state in the nation.” The standalone spring referendum capped months of political crossfire and court battles, sky-high early voting turnout and tons of national attention and money poured into the ballot box showdown. Even though a majority of voters gave the ballot initiative a thumbs-up, it still faces legal challenges. The Supreme Court of Virginia allowed the referendum to move forward after a lower court struck it down. But legal challenges to the referendum, filed in part by the Republican National Committee, the NRCC and the state GOP, remain unresolved and are still before Virginia’s highest court. Former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who was one of the leaders of the GOP effort against the Democrat-backed referendum, took to social media on Tuesday night to “urge the Virginia Supreme Court to rule against this unconstitutional process that will disenfranchise millions of Virginians.” Youngkin, at his final campaign stop in northern Virginia on the eve of the election, told supporters “it’s the most partisan map in America.” Pointing to the Democrats, Youngkin charged, “What they are doing is immoral.” Teaming up with Youngkin to crisscross the state in leading the GOP opposition to the ballot initiative was former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, who told the crowd the Democrats’ map is one that “you draw when you’re drunk with power.” BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of their final election eve rally, Miyares charged that “Democrats want to take away the voices of millions of Virginians and gerrymander the state.” Youngkin, pointing to the duo’s relentless campaigning in recent weeks, said, “What we’re hearing over and over and over again is Virginians want fair maps. And what the yes vote represents are unfair maps.” And the two Republicans reiterated their charge that the referendum was an “unconstitutional power grab” by Spanberger and the Democrats who control the state legislature. As Youngkin and Miyares spoke in Leesburg, Trump took to the airwaves on a popular Virginia-based conservative talk show and later teamed up with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to urge voters to defeat the referendum. Pointing to congressional Democrats, Trump warned that “if they get these additional seats, they’re going to be making changes at the federal level.” SPANBERGER FACES ‘BAIT AND SWITCH’ BACKLASH AHEAD OF CRUCIAL ELECTION Democrats countered that the redrawing of the maps was a necessary step to balance partisan gerrymandering already implemented by Republicans in other states at Trump’s urging. “By voting yes, you have the chance to do something important — not just for the commonwealth, but for our entire country,” former President Barack Obama said in a video released Friday on the eve of the final day of early voting. “By voting yes, you can push back against the Republicans trying to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms. “By voting yes, you can take a temporary step to level the playing field. And we’re counting on you.” The video by Obama was the former president’s latest effort for the referendum. He had previously appeared in ads released by Virginians for Fair Elections, the Democrat-aligned group working to pass the ballot initiative. OBAMA GOES ALL IN ON HIGH-STAKES REFERENDUM THAT MAY IMPACT MIDTERM ELECTIONS But Virginians for Fair Maps, the leading Republican-aligned group opposing redistricting, used past comments by Obama against political gerrymandering in its ads opposing the referendum. “Because of things like political gerrymandering, our parties have moved further and further apart, and it’s harder and harder to find common ground,” the former president said in an old clip showcased in the spot. Republicans pointed