Trump considers legal action against Michael Wolff and Epstein estate after latest document release
President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against author Michael Wolff and the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, insisting a newly released trove of Epstein-related files clears him of wrongdoing. Trump was aboard Air Force One during a flight to Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday when he responded to a reporter’s question about the more than 3 million Epstein-related records and personal emails that the Justice Department released Friday. “It looked like this guy, Wolff, was a writer, was conspiring with Epstein to do harm to me,” Trump said. “I didn’t see it myself, but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it’s the opposite of what people were hoping, you know, the radical left, that Wolff, who’s a third-rate writer, was conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to hurt me, politically or otherwise, and that came through loud and clear.” Trump said there was a high likelihood that he would sue Wolff and the Epstein estate “because he was conspiring with Wolff to do harm to me politically. That’s not a friend.” EXCLUSIVE: EPSTEIN EMAILS RELEASED BY DOJ SAYS NO CRIMINAL OR INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT BY TRUMP In one March 2016 email between Epstein and Wolff that Fox News Digital reviewed, Wolff is encouraging Epstein to come up with an “immediate counter narrative” to James Patterson’s book about him, “Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy.” “You do need an immediate counter narrative to the book,” Wolff writes. “I believe Trump offers an ideal opportunity. It’s a chance to make the story about something other than you, while, at the same time, letting you frame your own story.” “Also, becoming anti-Trump gives you a certain political cover which you decidedly don’t have now,” Wolff continues. SCHUMER ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF EPSTEIN FILES ‘COVER-UP’ AMID DOCUMENT DISPUTE In a February 2016 email previously released, Wolff had suggested to Epstein that the disgraced financier is the “bullet” that could end Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Regarding the latest Epstein document dump, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News Digital on Friday that “in none of these communications, even when doing his best to disparage President Trump, did Epstein suggest President Trump had done anything criminal or had any inappropriate contact with any of his victims.” Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Senate Republicans push for House GOP rebellion against funding package, voter ID legislation
A pair of Senate Republicans are pushing their House counterparts to reject the Trump-backed shutdown deal unless it includes Homeland Security funding and election integrity legislation. Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, are calling on House Republicans to push back against the Senate-passed funding package, which includes bills to fund five agencies, including the Pentagon, as a partial government shutdown continues. They contended that the package needs to be retooled, and must include a modified version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act, dubbed the SAVE America Act, and the Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, which was stripped out after Senate Democrats threatened to blow up the government funding process. HOUSE DEMOCRATS MUTINY SCHUMER’S DEAL WITH WHITE HOUSE, THREATENING LONGER SHUTDOWN Doing so could extend what was expected to be a short-term shutdown. Scott said congressional Democrats would “NEVER fund DHS” and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He voted against the package twice, arguing that the spending levels would further bloat the nation’s eye-popping $38 trillion national debt, and that the billions in earmarks betrayed Republicans’ previous vows of fiscal restraint. “If House Republicans don’t put the DHS bill back in, add the SAVE America Act and remove the wasteful earmarks, Democrats win,” Scott said. “We must protect our homeland, secure our elections and end the reckless spending NOW!” HOUSE CONSERVATIVES THREATEN EXTENDED SHUTDOWN OVER ELECTION INTEGRITY MEASURE Lee also rejected the package in the Senate because of earmarks. He also agreed with Scott, and pushed for his SAVE America Act, which he introduced alongside Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, to be included. “To my friends in the House GOP: Please put DHS funding back in, then add the SAVE America Act,” Lee wrote on X. The updated version of the SAVE Act would require that people present photo identification before voting, states obtain proof of citizenship in-person when people register to vote and remove noncitizens from voter rolls. But their demands run counter to the desire of President Donald Trump, who brokered a truce with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to strip the DHS bill following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti during an immigration operation in Minneapolis in order to ram the funding package through the Senate. GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AGAIN AFTER DEMOCRATS REVOLT OVER DHS FUNDING And any changes to the deal, like including the SAVE America Act or adding the DHS bill, would send the package back to the Senate, where Schumer and his caucus would likely reject it. That would create a back-and-forth between the chambers that would further prolong what was meant to be a temporary shutdown. Their demands also place House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in a precarious position, given that several House Republicans want to extract concessions from congressional Democrats. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is already leading a charge to include the SAVE Act in the funding package. Johnson will have to shore up any resistance among his conference, given that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., made clear to the speaker that any attempt to fast-track the legislation on Monday, when the House returns, would fail.
What Trump’s next pick to lead the Federal Reserve means for your wallet
No institution has more influence over what Americans can afford than the Federal Reserve, one most people rarely follow but feel every month in their finances. That influence isn’t always obvious. The Fed doesn’t decide what groceries or cars cost, but it does determine how expensive it is to borrow money to pay for them. And right now, borrowing is costly. High interest rates mean larger monthly payments on mortgages, car loans and credit cards, even if the sticker price of a home or vehicle hasn’t changed. That makes the Fed’s leadership especially consequential. On Friday, President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to succeed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a move that could alter how aggressively the central bank approaches interest rates. TRUMP NOMINATES KEVIN WARSH TO SUCCEED JEROME POWELL AS FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR. Trump has blamed Powell for not cutting rates more aggressively, even as he has repeatedly described the economy as strong. Historically, rate cuts have usually been reserved for times of economic weakness, not growth. That disagreement over rates has real-world consequences. For many Americans, the effects are most visible in the housing and auto markets, two of the biggest expenses for most families. You’re not paying more because the home or car suddenly costs more. You’re paying more because the money to buy it does. Those elevated borrowing costs are acting like a form of second inflation, pushing mortgages, car loans and credit card bills to levels that stretch household budgets thin. That’s why everyday life can still feel more expensive. Prices may not be climbing as quickly anymore, but the cost of paying for big purchases continues to rise. THE PRICE OF BUILDING A HOME KEEPS CLIMBING — AND UNCERTAINTY ISN’T HELPING Economists say affordability will not meaningfully improve until the Fed begins cutting rates and keeps them low long enough to ease pressure on long-term borrowing. That backdrop has become a political liability for Trump, who campaigned on restoring affordability and easing household financial strain but now faces growing voter skepticism over whether those promises are materializing. A recent Fox News poll underscores the stakes. When voters were asked what President Donald Trump’s top priorities should be, nearly four in 10 cited either the economy overall (19%) or prices (17%). Affordability concerns are also giving Democrats an early edge in the generic congressional ballot, which asks voters which party they would support in their U.S. House race this November. While largely hypothetical at this stage, the question offers an early baseline for the coming election, according to Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who said the poll is an early read, not a forecast. “We ask about it at this point simply to get a sense of how short-term forces might play out in the general election,” Shaw said. YEAR IN REVIEW: HOW PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ECONOMIC AGENDA IS SHAPING UP SO FAR Democrats leaned heavily on affordability themes in state and local elections this fall, and it paid off. In places like Virginia, New York and New Jersey, where voters have been squeezed by high housing costs and utility bills, Democratic candidates seized on Trump’s early economic moves, including his trade policy, to argue that his policies were worsening the affordability crisis rather than easing it. They promised to rein in energy costs, expand affordable housing and protect middle-class wages, a message that resonated with voters and, analysts say, reflects a broader trend. In an economy where many still feel stretched thin, the party that speaks most directly to people’s pocketbooks often wins. The Fed’s decision about rate cuts will shape the economy’s trajectory and how affordable life feels for millions of Americans in the new year.
Potential Walz successor unleashes on state’s sanctuary policies: ‘The rule of law matters’
EXCLUSIVE: Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Patrick Knight slammed Gov. Tim Walz and other leading Democrats, saying the state is “cratering” under their leadership as they treat the law like a “buffet.” In an interview with Fox News Digital, Knight criticized the sanctuary policies in his state, saying, “The law is not a buffet table where you just pick and choose which laws you’re going to enforce today and which laws you’re going to ignore.” “The rule of law matters,” he said. A Marine veteran of 20 years and a former manufacturing CEO, Knight is one of nearly a dozen candidates running for the Republican nomination to succeed Walz in the Minnesota governor’s mansion. TIM WALZ ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘ORGANIZED BRUTALITY’ IN IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN, SAYS ICE TACTICS ARE ‘UN-AMERICAN’ His decision to run comes as the state is reeling from a recently exposed massive fraud scandal, involving state programs, that is believed to have cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The fraud crisis, which saw heavy involvement from Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community, prompted a federal immigration crackdown that has in turn sparked widespread unrest. Two anti-ICE activists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, have been killed by federal officers during confrontations with law enforcement. Addressing these deaths, Knight said, “The loss of any life is tragic, and there should be a full and transparent investigation with both the state and the federal government participating and let the facts drive the accountability.” Knight went on to say that for too long the people of Minnesota have been “the ones picking up the pieces” left by irresponsible state and local leadership. “Things could have been easier as they are in other states,” he said. “When the federal government, in a reasonable manner, enforces immigration law and the city and state cooperate, that’s when it works. It’s when egos get involved and political theatrics get involved where it spins out of control.” DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THREATENING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “When Gov. Walz testified before Congress, he stated openly that he would, the state would cooperate with ICE. And then, two weeks later, he is at the University of Minnesota Law School graduation where he is calling ICE the ‘modern day Gestapo.’” Connecting this to a broader pattern of Walz and other Minnesota politicians prioritizing politics over the people, saying, “Minnesota is cratering on the fundamentals.” “We’re just going on the wrong way on every, not just some, every fundamental. Crime, education, economy, affordability, not to mention good governance,” he said. “For the past six years, we’ve just been the center of political theater. We just can’t escape it, and I think Minnesotans are tired of it, I certainly am, and we need to just focus on fixing the basics, the fundamentals.” Knight frames his platform around a five-point plan he jokingly titled the “big, beautiful, basic, boring” plan that focuses on the economy, affordability, education, rule of law and building a smaller, more efficient state government. LEAVITT SAYS TRUMP SPOKE TO WALZ, DEMANDS MINNESOTA ‘WORK TOGETHER PEACEFULLY’ WITH ICE: ‘LET COPS BE COPS’ His argument is that the North Star State has lost its way and now needs to move away from the excitement of the current political climate to focus on the basics and ending the fraud. “It’s a cultural issue that needs to be changed and it starts at the top.” “I say it’s a simple fix,” Knight concluded. “Get a strong, competent governor.”
Dems score big in typically red Texas district that Trump easily won in 2024
Democrats notched another special election upset Saturday after Taylor Rehmet won a Texas state Senate race in a district long dominated by Republicans. Rehmet, a labor union leader and Air Force veteran, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist, in the Fort Worth-area district. With nearly all votes counted, Rehmet led by more than 14 percentage points, and The Associated Press projected him as the victor. “This win goes to everyday working people,” Rehmet told supporters. The result marked another strong showing for Democrats in special elections this cycle, fueling party claims that voters are pushing back against Republicans during President Donald Trump’s second term. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin called the outcome “a warning sign to Republicans across the country.” WHY 2026 SHOULD TERRIFY REPUBLICANS AFTER TENNESSEE SPECIAL ELECTION The seat opened after longtime GOP Sen. Kelly Hancock resigned to take a statewide post. Republicans had held the district for decades, and Hancock won four terms with little opposition. The district is even more Republican than its home county of Tarrant. Trump won the county by five points in 2024, but carried the district with a 17-point victory. Trump weighed in on the race Saturday, urging voters to back Wambsganss on social media and praising her as a strong supporter of the MAGA movement. Rehmet, however, benefited from heavy national Democratic backing, including support from the DNC and veterans group VoteVets, which said it spent about $500,000 on advertising. DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST SAYS TENNESSEE NOMINEE WAS ‘FRINGE OF A FRINGE,’ DOOMED PARTY’S CHANCES Rehmet, who works as a machinist, campaigned on lowering costs, protecting jobs and supporting public education. Democrats have gained momentum in elections since Trump returned to the White House, winning high-profile races in Virginia and New Jersey in November and special elections in Kentucky and Iowa. Even in a recent Tennessee House special election, Republicans won by a slimmer margin than expected. Rehmet’s term will run only until January. He must win the November general election to hold the seat for a full four-year term. Republicans will still maintain a comfortable majority in the Texas Senate,. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump says Iran ‘seriously talking to us’ as military ships head to Middle East
President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Iran is negotiating “seriously” with the U.S., stressing that he hopes an “acceptable” deal can be brokered. The president’s comments were made as he reportedly weighs options on a possible military strike on Iran amid widespread protests and a violent crackdown in the country. When asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One whether he had decided on a strike against Iran, Trump responded, “I certainly can’t tell you that.” “But we do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction,” he added. “I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable.” IRAN WILL RETALIATE ‘WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE’ IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS The president then sidestepped a question about whether Tehran would be emboldened if the U.S. opted not to launch strikes on Iran, saying, “Some people think that. Some people don’t.” “You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons,” Trump said. “They should do that, but I don’t know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us.” Trump has said the U.S. will not share military plans with Gulf allies while negotiating with Iran, even as U.S. naval forces surge into the region. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CALLED ‘NUMEROUS’ TIMES TO MAKE DEAL AS CARRIER ENTERS MIDDLE EAST WATERS Speaking with Fox News Channel senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich on Saturday, Trump said, “We can’t tell them the plan. If I told them the plan, it would be almost as bad as telling you the plan — it could be worse, actually.” “But, look, the plan is that [Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something,” Trump continued. “Otherwise, we’ll see what happens. … We have a big fleet heading out there, bigger than we had — and still have, actually — in Venezuela.” On Sunday, the speaker of Iran’s parliament said the Islamic Republic now considers all European Union militaries to be terrorist groups after the bloc declared the country’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terror group over its crackdown on nationwide protests. Iran again invoked a 2019 law to declare other nations’ militaries terrorist groups following the United States’ designation of the Guard as a terror organization that year. The announcement by Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guard commander, comes as the Islamic Republic also planned live-fire military drills for Sunday and Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade passes. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
House GOP’s already fragile majority to further shrink after Democrats’ ballot box victory
Democrat Christian Menefee, a former attorney for Houston’s Harris County, has won a special congressional election in a left-leaning congressional district in Texas, which has been vacant for nearly a year. The Associated Press reports that Menefee defeated former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, a fellow Democrat, in Saturday’s runoff election to fill the seat left vacant when Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner died last March. Menefee’s victory means the Republicans’ razor-thin House majority — they currently control the chamber 218-213 — will shrink by one seat when Menefee is sworn in to Congress. DEMOCRATIC TAKEOVER FEARS SOAR AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS CLING TO FRAGILE MAJORITY Sylvester, a former longtime state lawmaker, served two terms as Houston mayor before winning election to Congress in 2024, to fill the seat of the late longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. While Texas has redrawn its congressional maps for the 2026 midterms, as part of the high-stakes redistricting battle between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats, the special election used the state’s current district lines. The addition of another lawmaker into the House Democrats’ ranks will give Republican leadership in the chamber further headaches. “They’d better be here,” House Speaker Mike Johnson recently said of his members. “I told everybody, and not in jest, I said, no adventure sports, no risk-taking, take your vitamins. Stay healthy and be here.” DEMOCRATIC TAKEOVER FEARS SOAR AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS CLING TO FRAGILE MAJORITY And House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office confirmed it is advising members that “outside of life-and-death circumstances,” they expect Republican lawmakers to be on Capitol Hill. Three other special congressional elections are on tap this year. Eleven candidates are running in the Feb. 5 Democratic Party primary in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. The seat was left vacant after now New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down after winning November’s gubernatorial election in the Garden State. The winner of the Democratic primary will face off with Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the only Republican to file for the special election, which will be held on April 16. The suburban district in northern New Jersey leans to the left, with Sherrill winning re-election in 2024 by 15 points, the same margin she carried the district in November’s gubernatorial showdown. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE EXODUS THREATENS JOHNSON’S GRIP ON POWER AS OVER 40 MEMBERS HEAD FOR EXIT But then-Vice President Kamala Harris won the district by just eight points in the 2024 presidential election, giving the GOP some hopes of possibly flipping the seat. A whopping 22 candidates, including 17 Republicans, are running in a special election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, in the race to succeed former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The MAGA firebrand and one-time top Trump House ally four weeks ago stepped down from Congress a year before her term ended. According to Georgia state law, all the candidates will run on the same ballot. If no contender tops 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two finishers will take place on April 7. The district in northwestern Georgia is solidly Republican, with Greene winning re-election in 2024 by nearly 30 points and Trump carrying the district by 37 points. Primary Day in California for the 2026 elections is scheduled for June 2, and this year it will also include a primary for the special election in the state’s 1st Congressional District, in the race to fill a seat left vacant following the recent unexpected death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. The general election will be held on Aug. 4. The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican. Similar to Texas, California is also altering its congressional maps as part of the redistricting wars, but the special election will be held under the current district lines. The White House and congressional Republicans criticized the decision by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to not hold a special election to fill LaMalfa’s seat until August, six months after the late congressman’s death. But Democrats similarly complained about Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas not scheduling the special election to fill Turner’s seat until eight months after the late lawmaker died. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this story.
White House touts Trump’s ‘bold vision’ for towering Independence Arch for America 250
President Donald Trump is pushing plans for a massive triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., a project the White House says will become one of the most iconic landmarks in the world as critics warn the structure could visually dominate nearby memorials, including the Lincoln Memorial. The White House defended the proposal in a statement to Fox News Digital, describing the monument as a central part of Trump’s legacy and vision ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. “The Arch is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said. “President Trump’s bold vision will be imprinted upon the fabric of America and be felt by generations to come. His successes will continue to give the greatest Nation on earth — America — the glory it deserves.” The renewed attention follows reporting by The Washington Post, which said that Trump has expressed a preference for an Independence Arch that could rise as high as 250 feet, a scale that would dramatically alter the skyline near Arlington Memorial Bridge. PHOTOS: THE MAKING OF TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, A LOOK AT THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS For comparison, the White House stands roughly 70 feet, while the Lincoln Memorial rises to about 100 feet. A 250-foot structure would tower over both. Trump fueled fresh speculation earlier this month when he shared a series of renderings of a classical triumphal arch on his Truth Social account on Jan. 23. The images showed multiple design variations inspired by classical European-style arches like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, featuring massive columns, wide central openings and ornate detailing. The president has also displayed scale models of the proposed monument at White House events in recent months, showcasing his personal involvement in shaping the project’s design and placement. TRUMP ADMIN DEFENDS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM AS NATIONAL SECURITY MATTER Trump has publicly discussed the idea since late last year, when he said construction on an Arc de Triomphe-style monument commemorating America’s 250th anniversary could begin within two months. Trump said construction had not yet begun but suggested the project would move quickly. “It hasn’t started yet. It starts sometime in the next two months. It’ll be great. Everyone loves it,” Trump told Politico during a phone call from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. “They love the ballroom too. But they love the Triumphal Arch,” he added. The monument would be funded privately, using leftover donations from the White House ballroom project, Fox News Digital previously reported. Key details surrounding the project have not yet been finalized. The White House has not released specifics on the monument’s cost, approval process, exact location or final height, and construction has not yet begun. Some architects and historians cited by The Washington Post have raised questions about placing a monument of that scale near Memorial Circle, saying it could affect historic sightlines, and the character of the area. Fox News Digital’s Alex Koch and Amanda Macias contributed to this reporting.
Criminal illegal immigrant allegedly rams ICE vehicle in Minnesota as attacks on agents surge
A criminal illegal immigrant was detained Saturday after allegedly ramming his car into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle in Minnesota, according to federal authorities. Tranquilino Sixto-Anorve, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was arrested after allegedly striking an ICE vehicle and a civilian car Saturday morning in St. Paul, officials said. According to ICE, Sixto-Anorve has multiple DUI convictions and was being targeted for arrest because his criminal history indicated he was a “public safety threat.” “This ramming highlights increased risks our brave men and women of ICE face amid hostile rhetoric and actions from anti-ICE agitators and politicians,” ICE said in a statement. CONVICTED PEDOPHILES, SEX PREDATORS ARRESTED IN MINNESOTA IMMIGRATION SWEEP WITHIN THE LAST 24 HOURS A spokesperson with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Sixto-Anorve entered the country illegally at an unknown date and location. Sixto-Anorve is in ICE custody. The incident comes amid heightened concern over illegal immigration and reports of anti-ICE agitators attempting to violently disrupt federal law enforcement operations. VIRAL VIDEO SHOWS ICE AGENT TELLING AGITATORS THEY’RE DISRUPTING ARREST OF CHILD SEX OFFENDER IN MINNESOTA DHS said earlier this month that ICE officers are facing a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks. According to DHS, from Jan. 21, 2025, to Jan. 7, 2026, ICE officers experienced 66 “vehicular attacks,” compared to two during the same period the previous year. ICE also arrested an illegal immigrant in San Antonio, Texas, earlier this month whom the agency said “weaponized” his vehicle by ramming two ICE vehicles and nearly running over an agent. ‘SCOURGE’ OF SEXUAL PREDATORS, VIOLENT CRIMINALS BEING REMOVED FROM MINNEAPOLIS STREETS DESPITE BACKLASH Cuban illegal immigrant Robyn Argote Brooks is accused of ramming two ICE vehicles in a San Antonio parking lot in an attempt to evade arrest during a targeted vehicle stop, according to DHS. Video of the incident shows Brooks driving a sedan that was boxed in by agents’ vehicles when he allegedly defied law enforcement commands and suddenly reversed, narrowly missing an agent and striking a federal SUV. After unsuccessfully accelerating into the larger vehicle, Brooks then sped forward into another ICE sedan positioned in front of him, continuing to accelerate as agents attempted to stop him. The confrontation ended when an agent broke through the driver-side window and pulled Brooks from the vehicle to place him under arrest. Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment. Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Mamdani taps ex-con to lead NYC jails as Rikers remains under federal oversight
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday appointed an ex-con-turned prison reformer as commissioner of the Department of Correction as his administration pushes a rehabilitation-focused overhaul of corrections. Stanley Richards, who did time in the 1980s for robbery, will be the first former inmate to serve as corrections commissioner. “Stanley will make history in this role as the first ever formerly incarcerated person to serve as commissioner,” Mamdani said. “I will turn to Stanley as we work to build a city where justice is at the heart of our corrections system,” the mayor added. Richards was convicted of robbery in the late 1980s and served roughly two and a half years on Rikers Island before spending an additional four and a half years in state prison, according to reporting from Gothamist and NY1. He was released in 1991. MAMDANI APPOINTS CONVICTED ARMED ROBBER TO PUBLIC SAFETY TRANSITION TEAM In his first remarks as commissioner, Richards aligned himself closely with Mamdani’s vision and rejected what he described as a punishment-centered approach to incarceration. “Today we turn the page and we start a new era under Mayor Mamdani,” Richards said. MAMDANI SIGNALS DISBANDING NYPD PROTEST UNIT, CALLS FOR HIGHER TAXES ON TOP 1% AMID BUDGET RECKONING Richards also pointed to his experience within the correctional system, including serving as first deputy commissioner of programs and operations at the Department of Correction and as vice chair of the Board of Correction’s Task Force to Close Rikers. The appointment comes as New York City’s jail system remains under heightened federal scrutiny. Earlier this week, a federal judge appointed an outside remediation manager to oversee reforms at Rikers Island after years of violence, staff shortages and federal court findings that city leadership failed to fix conditions inside the jails. Rikers was originally set to be demolished by August 2027 by former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Asked whether he had spoken with the remediation manager, Mamdani said his administration had already been in contact and emphasized cooperation. “My administration has, and we look forward to working with the remediation manager on improving conditions in our city’s jails, both for those in custody and for correction officers,” Mamdani said. The appointment has drawn caution from the union representing correction officers, which warned that safety must come before political ideology. In a statement, Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio said the jails “cannot and will not operate as safely as possible if the concerns of our members are brushed aside,” adding that Richards must demonstrate a commitment to “putting safety and security before any political ideology.” Whether Richards’ reform-focused background will translate into improved safety and order inside New York City’s jails remains an open question as he prepares to take over the troubled system. Mamdani’s office confirmed with Fox News Digital that Richards’ first day in office will be Feb. 16.