Ex-GOP senator clears hurdle in crucial comeback bid as Republicans try to flip key Senate seat
Former Sen. John E. Sununu on Tuesday won the GOP Senate nomination in swing state New Hampshire, in a race that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber in the midterm elections. Sununu defeated former Sen. Scott Brown, the Associated Press reports, in the showdown to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman in the nation’s history elected governor and senator. Republicans haven’t won a Senate election in New Hampshire in 16 years, but they view the open Democrat-held seat as a top flip opportunity in the fight to hold their slim majority in the midterms. Sununu will now face off in the general election against four-term Rep. Chris Pappas, who topped socialist candidate and scientist Karishma Manzur, for the Democratic nomination. THESE 12 MIDTERM RACES WILL DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE SENATE “When it comes to standing up for New Hampshire, I take a back seat to no one. I’m not worried about reelection. I don’t — I’m not running for any other job. I don’t want to make anyone in Washington happy. I know that as your senator, I’ll have one job: stand up for the people of New Hampshire every single day,” Sununu told supporters at his victory celebration at the McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester, N.H. Sununu, the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and older brother to former Gov. Chris Sununu, is a former congressman and senator who is aiming to return to the Senate. President Donald Trump in February endorsed Sununu, a longtime GOP Trump critic, over Brown, one of Trump’s first-term ambassadors. Sununu was also backed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Brown charged in a Fox News Digital interview that Sununu’s “got 70 endorsements on his website, but he doesn’t have the president’s. He never talks about it. He’s embarrassed by it.” “I’ve had the MAGA base and a lot of those so-called traditional Republicans for almost over a year,” Brown highlighted. “Johnny came lately, and he’s here, and now he thinks everyone’s going to just vote for him. That’s not how it works. You got to go earn it.” DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Brown claimed that Sununu is “beholden” to Trump, Thune, the Senate leadership, and outside groups. “He owes them everything. He doesn’t work for the people of New Hampshire,” Brown charged. But Sununu told Fox News Digital, “I’ll have one job stand up for the people of New Hampshire every single day… I don’t need to make anyone in Washington happy. It’s all about our state, our communities, our economy, and our small businesses.” Asked by about Trump’s endorsement, Sununu didn’t mention the president’s name but highlighted his local endorsements, saying “we’ve received tremendous support in New Hampshire… we’ve got great momentum at the grassroots level.” Trump last week said he’d be heading out on the campaign trail to help fellow Republicans running in the midterms. Asked if he’d like Trump to join him on the Granite State campaign trail, Sununu answered, “I don’t need anyone from outside New Hampshire to campaign for me. I’ve said that from the very beginning.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The former senator also disagreed with the Trump administration’s trade war with neighboring Canada, saying “I don’t think it’s the right thing to pick a trade war with Canada. They’re a great trading partner for New Hampshire.” Republicans are facing a rough political climate heading into the midterms, due persistent inflation, high gas prices fueled by what polls indicate is an unpopular war with Iran, and Trump’s underwater approval ratings. But Sununu, who defeated Shaheen in 2002 to win election to the Senate but lost a rematch to her six years later, said he’s “focused on the right things, affordability, bringing down the cost of living on housing, health care, and energy, a reform agenda.”
ICE launches CDL fraud tipline as DHS highlights deadly crashes involving illegal immigrants
FIRST ON FOX — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is launching a new tipline for Americans to report suspected commercial driver’s license (CDL) fraud as the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on unqualified truckers following a series of deadly crashes involving illegal immigrants. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations announced the official CDL fraud tipline Tuesday, Fox News Digital learned. Americans can report suspected fraud by calling 866-347-2423. The new tipline comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have expanded efforts to identify illegal immigrants and other unqualified drivers operating commercial vehicles on American roads. OUT OF CONTROL, UNQUALIFIED ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKERS ENDANGERING KIDS ON US ROADS, INSIDER WARNS: ‘JUST MADNESS’ DHS pointed Fox News Digital to cases involving illegal immigrants who received CDLs from states including California, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania before later being involved in fatal crashes or arrested in connection with other alleged crimes. “Too many American lives have been lost or permanently changed because illegal aliens who have no business being on our roads have been granted CDLs,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE’S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY “ICE and our federal partners, including the Department of Transportation, will be cracking down on CDL fraud so that not one more American life is lost to a reckless illegal alien behind the wheel of a semi-truck. You can help save American lives and make our roads safer by dialing ICE’s new CDL fraud tipline today.” DHS also shared details behind several deadly crashes that officials say point to the concerns behind the Trump administration’s crackdown. DEADLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK CRASH EXPOSED FAILURES ON THE ROAD AND AT THE BORDER: KEY SENATOR In July, Michael Bon, an illegal immigrant from Haiti who DHS says had been granted a CDL by Massachusetts, allegedly caused a semi-truck crash that killed a Pennsylvania State Trooper. Another case cited by the department left four people dead in Indiana. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF KILLING NEWLYWED COUPLE IN OREGON CRASH ARRESTED BY ICE AFTER JAIL RELEASE Bekzhan Beishekeev, an illegal immigrant from Kyrgyzstan, swerved into oncoming traffic in February and caused a head-on collision that killed four people, according to DHS. The department said Pennsylvania had granted Beishekeev a commercial driver’s license before the crash. ICE arrested him that month. In Oregon, Rajinder Kumar, an illegal immigrant from India, jackknifed his trailer in November 2025 in a crash that killed a newlywed couple, according to DHS. The department said Kumar had been granted a CDL by California and was arrested by ICE in April 2026. REP. BRIAN MAST: I WANT UNSAFE TRUCKERS OFF OUR HIGHWAYS — AND AMERICA’S VETERANS IN THEIR SEATS And in Florida, Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, made an illegal U-turn in a tractor-trailer in August 2025, causing a crash that killed three people, according to DHS. The department said California had granted Singh a CDL. The tipline is the latest step in a broader federal crackdown on commercial trucking fraud and unqualified drivers. DOZENS OF ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCK DRIVERS BUSTED WITH LICENSES FROM DEEP BLUE STATES In August, DHS said the second wave of Operation Highway Shield removed more than 800 truckers from U.S. roads, including 51 illegal immigrants, during a three-day operation. A separate three-day operation in Oklahoma in October 2025 resulted in the arrests of 120 illegal immigrants, including 91 who were operating commercial vehicles with CDLs, according to DHS. DHS and DOT have also targeted fraudulent and illegal practices at CDL schools nationwide as part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown.
Rival court rulings leave Missouri’s congressional maps in limbo
Conflicting court rulings Tuesday left Missouri’s congressional map in legal limbo less than two months before the November general election, with litigation continuing over which districts will govern the state’s races. Earlier Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri’s emergency appeal seeking to revive the state’s revised Republican-backed congressional map, leaving in place the Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling blocking the map from being used in November. Kavanaugh acted alone and did not refer the application to the full Supreme Court. Later Tuesday, however, Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a 14-day temporary restraining order directing Missouri officials to use the revised congressional map while the federal case proceeds, setting up competing court orders over which districts should govern the November election. The Missouri Supreme Court had ruled last week that the revised map never legally took effect because a voter-backed referendum petition suspended the law pending a statewide vote, leaving the congressional districts adopted in 2022 in place for the November election. MISSOURI AG FILES PETITION ASKING SUPREME COURT TO REVIVE TRUMP-BACKED REDISTRICTING MAP Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene after the state Supreme Court’s ruling, arguing that the state faced an unprecedented situation after administering its primary election under one set of districts only to be ordered to use another for the general election. The revised map, backed by President Donald Trump and Missouri Republicans, was designed to make Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-area district more favorable to Republicans, with the goal of expanding the GOP’s congressional delegation from 6-2 to 7-1. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the referendum petition prevented the revised map from taking effect unless voters approve it, leaving the state’s 2022 congressional districts in place for the November election. In its emergency filing, the state told the Supreme Court only it could prevent “hundreds of thousands of voters” from being disenfranchised and ensure Missouri could hold “a timely and lawful federal congressional election.” Hanaway called the Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling “catastrophic” after filing the emergency appeal. MISSOURI HIGH COURT BLOCKS GOP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS; TRUMP BLASTS ‘RIDICULOUS’ RULING Opponents urged the justices to reject the request, arguing Missouri officials created the timing problem by waiting until after implementing the revised map in the primary to challenge the referendum. Calling the application “not a real emergency,” they argued the Supreme Court should not “reward the Secretary’s scheme to outsmart Missouri voters, Missouri law, and the Missouri Supreme Court” by allowing use of a map the state’s highest court concluded “is not the law and has never been the law.” Clark ruled that requiring Missouri to use different congressional maps for the primary and general elections “would wreak havoc on the fairness and orderliness of Missouri’s congressional elections,” calling into question the candidates nominated in the primary and the votes already cast. He said “widespread voter confusion would inevitably follow” if different maps were used. The temporary restraining order remains in effect for 14 days while the federal case proceeds. Despite the competing rulings, Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe and Hanaway said Tuesday evening the state would move forward using the revised congressional map. “Missouri is prepared to follow and comply with the federal district court’s order, which binds the state to using the map enacted by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Kehoe,” Hanaway wrote on X. GEORGIA REDISTRICTING BATTLE REVIVED AFTER APPEALS COURT OVERTURNS FEDERAL COURT DECISION Kehoe said the administration was “grateful for Chief Judge Clark’s decision to provide much-needed clarity for Missouri voters and the election process.” “With today marking the deadline for changes to the November ballot, the Missouri First Map will be used in the general election,” Kehoe wrote on X. “Voters and candidates deserve consistency, certainty, and not to have the rules changed between elections.” Attorneys representing the referendum supporters, however, appealed Clark’s temporary restraining order to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, leaving the legal status of Missouri’s congressional districts unresolved as the litigation continues ahead of the November election.
Mamdani drops massive 9/11 records trove as old claims about Ground Zero come under fire
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released more than 170,000 pages of records Tuesday that call into question public claims that the air around Ground Zero was safe to breathe following the 9/11 attacks. Mamdani’s office released an initial trove of approximately 170,000 pages of records, including documents found in 68 boxes at the Department of Environmental Protection in 2025 that date back to the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The records release comes just days before the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in which 2,977 people were killed. Thousands of people exposed to the toxic dust and debris after 9/11 have since died from illnesses associated with the attacks, while many more continue to suffer from health conditions, according to the World Trade Center Health Program and other health authorities. AMERICA’S HEARTLAND COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH 9/11 HISTORY AS 25TH ANNIVERSARY NEARS Then-EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman said in a Sept. 18, 2001, press release that monitoring results indicated the air near the World Trade Center was safe to breathe, following EPA assurances about environmental hazards dating to Sept. 13. “People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air,” Mamdani shared during a Tuesday press conference. The documents revealed that ten months after the terrorist attacks, traces of asbestos were found on the roof of a building located at 15 John Street, less than a mile from where the World Trade Center once stood. The records show that asbestos was detected at some locations at levels below applicable cleanup or exposure benchmarks and at others at levels that appeared to exceed them; health authorities have said there is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. Among the approximately 170,000 pages released through the online portal is a Feb. 28, 2002, memo from then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg‘s senior policy adviser, summarizing Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s concerns about indoor air quality in Lower Manhattan and warning that the city could face public-relations and legal problems over the cleanup. The memo laid out Nadler’s concerns that the Environmental Protection Agency had “handed over responsibility for measuring indoor air quality to the City” without putting in place oversight measures. The memo said the city had passed responsibility for indoor monitoring to property owners and noted that the Health Department had instructed residents to clean buildings with wet mops and rags. “If Nadler’s concerns are justified, we are not Informing people of the real health risks In lower Manhattan, the City may face major public relations problems and Is leaving Itself open to a barrage of lawsuits,” the memo, dated Feb. 28, 2002, stated. “At the least we should discontinue telling people to clean their apartments with wet mops and rags. We should be asking FEMA for funds to support Indoor cleanup.” AS AMERICAN PRIDE HITS A 25-YEAR LOW, A NEW 9/11 EDUCATION PLATFORM URGES THE NATION TO NEVER FORGET Among the clearest evidence of lingering asbestos contamination near Ground Zero was a finding at Stuyvesant High School, where testing later revealed elevated asbestos in auditorium carpeting. The school, located less than half a mile north of the World Trade Center, recorded what concerned parents described as “extremely high levels of asbestos” in its auditorium during testing in August 2002. Nearly a year after the attacks, testing of a carpet sample from the school’s auditorium using an EPA-recognized ultrasonication method found asbestos concentrations measured at roughly 2.5 million structures per square centimeter. For comparison, the EPA’s Lower Manhattan Test and Clean Program later called for professional cleaning when settled dust exceeded 5,000 asbestos structures per square centimeter. The Stuyvesant sample was roughly 500 times higher than that cleanup benchmark. I LOST MY WIFE ON 9/11. PLEASE LET THIS 25TH ANNIVERSARY BELONG TO THE FAMILIES The parents’ findings also reached city officials. A copy of the press release announcing the asbestos results was transmitted through the NYC Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Public Affairs on Aug. 7, 2002. In July 2002, more than 10 months after the attacks, the Independence Plaza North Tenant Association (IPNTA) wrote to the EPA arguing the agency’s cleanup of two Tribeca residential buildings had not gone far enough, while also urging broader environmental testing.” The work on this project has thus far been done in an unprotected, hence possibly dangerous manner, allowing the dust from the old carpet being torn up to seep into tenants’ apartments, under and around their doors,” Diane Lapson, the tenant association’s environmental chair, wrote in the letter. Lapson also criticized what she described as the EPA’s and New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection’s reliance on visual inspections to assess conditions at Independence Plaza’s buildings, including 310 Greenwich St. and 80 North Moore St., arguing the agencies should instead conduct more comprehensive testing. She urged officials to use ultrasonication to more reliably measure the amount of asbestos still in the buildings.” Based on the illnesses that have plagued IPN residents since 9/11 (constant respiratory, sinus, bronchial, skin rashes, eye infections, headaches, etc.), we believe there is a need to do a thorough cleaning of the entire complex. CBC CAVES ON 9/11 ‘TERRORISM’ GUIDANCE AS US, CANADIAN OFFICIALS UNLEASH CROSS-BORDER BACKLASH By September 2002, about two months after Lapson’s letter, the EPA announced that eight contracts had been awarded for asbestos cleanup throughout the downtown area including the ZIP code encompassing Independence Plaza North. But EPA litigation records show that asbestos contamination remained in some Lower Manhattan apartments months after the cleanup work began. Lori Mogol and Richard Zimbler, a couple who lived at Independence Plaza North, still had elevated levels of asbestos in their apartment as late as February 2003. Specifically, their dining room had more than double the EPA’s risk-based clearance level for asbestos, according to tests performed by their assigned contractor.
Fetterman leans on unlikely GOP ally as Dems sharpen their knives over explosive report
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is under fire over leaked texts with his staff in which he brushed off meetings with a children’s hospital and paralyzed veterans, but he is pushing back, calling the reports “smears” with support from his Republican Pennsylvania colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick. Fetterman broke his silence following a bombshell report based on leaked text messages between him and his staff that portrayed him as brushing off basic duties of being a senator, including meetings with constituents. Fetterman told CNN in a statement that “disgruntled” staffers had concocted the story, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, to knock his reputation. FETTERMAN FACES DEM REVOLT AS BOMBSHELL REPORT FUELS PUSH TO OUST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’ “Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous,” Fetterman said. “No matter how many smears or stories, I’m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania,” he continued. The lawmaker’s response follows an explosive report published last week that painted Fetterman as a politician more interested in appearing on Fox News to discuss Israel than meeting with constituents, including a group of paralyzed veterans from his state, and opting to blow off a funeral for slain police officers because it would have taken too long. While other Democratic members of the Pennsylvania delegation were furious with Fetterman, his fellow senator, McCormick, came to his defense. “These stories are the latest example of outrageously disloyal staff and forces on the Left using anonymous leaks to cancel my friend John Fetterman,” McCormick said on X. “They hate that he is an independent thinker who refuses to fall into line so they want to silence him.” WHY TRUMP, GOP ARE COURTING JOHN FETTERMAN, WHO INSISTS HE’LL REMAIN A DEMOCRAT Fetterman and McCormick share a unique relationship in a Congress that has grown increasingly partisan. They’re one of three Senate duos from a purple state, and Fetterman has vowed to not support an opponent when and if McCormick runs for re-election in 2030. “Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend,” Fetterman told reporters. They also launched a joint fundraising effort in July, called Common Ground PA, according to federal financial filings. DNC VICE CHAIR ATTACKS DEMOCRATIC SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: ‘YOU’RE A MESS’ And the pair spent Labor Day together, per a post from McCormick, where they toured Bell & Evans, a chicken processing company in Pennsylvania. “He and I will continue to work together to deliver for Pennsylvania by saving jobs at US Steel, passing a new law to make housing more affordable, securing $600 million to replace the Delaware River Bridge, and delivering critical funding to protect Presque Isle State Park,” McCormick continued. Still, members of the Pennsylvania delegation and beyond, including the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, are laying the groundwork to oust him. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., a progressive representing southwest Pennsylvania, charged that Fetterman’s behavior was “pathetic,” and said that “this man has no sense of duty.” Whether Fetterman mount a bid for re-election in 2028 remains to be seen. “He is not up for the high office he was elected to — and we in Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028,” Deluzio said on X.
Trump’s unusual role at midterm convention revealed as schedule goes public
EXCLUSIVE — DALLAS — With an eye toward energizing the GOP’s MAGA base, the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Tuesday announced the speaking order and times of this week’s first-ever GOP midterm convention, and President Donald Trump will be the Primetime headliner both nights. According to the list, which was shared first with Fox News Digital on the eve of the convention, the president will deliver Wednesday’s keynote address, which is tentatively scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET. Trump will return on Thursday evening at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas to close out the convention, with remarks after Vice President JD Vance gives the second night’s keynote speech. With less than two months to go until the midterm elections, Trump and Republicans are gathering in Texas for their historic confab as they aim to energize the party’s base ahead of key races that will determine whether the GOP keeps control of Congress. Supporters of the president traditionally do not turn out in robust numbers when Trump is not on the ballot. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Democrats and Republicans traditionally hold large nominating conventions during presidential election years. But Trump last year floated the idea of a similar gathering ahead of the midterms to showcase the signature policy achievements he and Republicans in Congress have produced over the past two years. The president called the convention “a truly Historic Event” and “a RALLY like none other!” when he announced it earlier this summer. The convention comes as Republicans face energized Democrats and stiff political headwinds as they defend their slim House and Senate majorities in the midterms. But Republicans are expected to paint a contrast, as they use the convention to spotlight the Democrats’ leftward lurch and tie the entire Democratic Party to far-left and socialist proposals. “The midterm election is about the future of our country. President Donald Trump and Republicans are fighting to launch the golden age of America while extreme liberal Democrats want to tear this country apart and create a liberal failed state with their out-of-touch and anti-American views,” RNC chair Joe Gruters argued in a statement to Fox News Digital. THESE 12 MIDTERM RACES WILL DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE SENATE Gruters emphasized that “the choice is clear in November and the American people will reject these liberal policies and deliver historic wins for Republicans across the country.” The DNC, which remains in debt and decided against holding a similar convention, sees the GOP confab as a chance to blast Republicans. “While everyday Americans struggle to pay their bills, fill up their tanks, or put food on the table, Republicans are hosting a multi-million dollar celebration to satisfy an aging and erratic Trump and tie vulnerable Republican candidates closer to his failed agenda,”,” DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer charged. Witmer argued that “Americans don’t want a ‘Trumpapalooza’ — they want lower costs and affordable healthcare.” The convention will also serve as the GOP’s closing argument heading into November. In the fight for the Senate majority, Republican candidates in some of the most crucial races will also address the convention. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the GOP nominee in Texas who is facing off against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the race to replace Republican Sen. John Cornyn, will speak on the first evening. So will former RNC Chair Mike Whatley, who is defending retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat in battleground North Carolina. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio, who is in a pitched fight with former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, will also address the crowd, as will Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, the Republican challenger taking on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in swing state Georgia. Former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, who is hoping to flip a Democrat-held open seat in the key Great Lakes battleground as he runs against far-left Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, speaks on Thursday evening. In the battle for the House, where the GOP holds a razor-thin majority, incumbents and candidates in competitive races will also be in the speaking spotlight. They include Reps. Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, and candidates Mike LiPetri of New York and Jay Feely of Arizona on Wednesday night. Among the House Republican incumbents and candidates in close races speaking on Thursday are Reps. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania and Mike Lawler of New York, along with nominees Greg Cunningham of New Mexico, Derrick Merrin of Ohio and Eric Flores of Texas. STATE OF PLAY: WHO’S UP AND WHO’S DOWN IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS Speaker Mike Johnson will speak on Thursday evening, according to the RNC schedule. Johnson’s Senate counterpart, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), is notably absent from the list of speakers released by the RNC. But a source familiar with the planning tells Fox News Digital that Thune will be in Dallas, with a full schedule that includes helping Senate candidates fundraise. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is running for a fourth term leading the Lone Star State, speaks on Thursday. So does Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the conservative firebrand who is not on the ballot this year but could make a second White House bid in 2028. Meanwhile, some of the biggest names in Trump’s Cabinet are scheduled to speak, including Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday evening, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who spearheaded the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, on Thursday evening.
Government land-grab agenda hits key Senate race as Dem backs property takeovers echoing Mamdani
Graham Platner’s replacement in the Maine Senate race suggested the government should be able to take over private property when necessary, appearing to echo socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s housing agenda. Troy Jackson, a Democrat running for the Senate, came under fire for suggesting the government should be able to take over private property when necessary. The comments drew fresh scrutiny to a candidate the Pine Tree State’s GOP chair previously dubbed “Maine’s Mamdani” to Fox News Digital, as debates over government intervention in housing and private ownership gain new attention. “It’s a major issue. The greed that’s happening right now in this country that people in mobile home parks are feeling is like something I’ve never seen,” Jackson told a small crowd of residents at Blueberry Ridge Mobile Village, one of several Maine trailer parks where concerns about costs, quality-of-life and ownership arose. MAINE DEMOCRATS CROWN TROY JACKSON AS PLATNER REPLACEMENT AS FRESH SCRUTINY CLOUDS SENATE RESET “The other thing that I do hear a lot about, too, is how [landlords] won’t do anything for services. And that is completely unfair and not right. And we have to make that change. I feel strongly that if needed, the state should be able to come in [and] take these places over. Some people will say that that’s insane,” Jackson told the residents in Wells, the town next to the politically-notable Kennebunkport. “But until the people get the chance to start a co-op or whatever, there should be a way to hold these, so that you don’t see private-equity coming in and making the killing on these parks.” PROPERTY OWNER ADVOCACY GROUPS PUSH BACK ON MAMDANI’S ‘RENTAL RIPOFF REPORT,’ PUBLIC DATABASE OF LANDLORDS During his visit, Jackson held up a mason jar of brown water a resident said came from their tap. Jackson said some residents saw their lot rental fees approach $850, adding he once lived at a mobile home park in Aroostook County and understands their plight. “I’m going to add my voice to that every damn day,” he said. “I just can’t imagine owning a home and feeling the threat that you do daily and getting the squeeze and not being able to afford that.” Jackson’s proposal echoes one of the more aggressive elements of Mamdani’s housing agenda: a willingness to use government power to wrest control of troubled properties away from private owners and toward tenants, nonprofits or community stewardship. MAMDANI RIPPED OVER ‘FREAK SHOW’ NEWS CONFERENCE WHERE EVICTION WAS DECLARED A FORM OF ‘VIOLENCE’ Like Mamdani, Jackson was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in his prior unsuccessful gubernatorial primary bid earlier this year. Mamdani’s Block by Block housing plan, released in May, calls for aggressive legal action against negligent landlords and says chronically neglected properties could be transferred to community land trusts, nonprofits or tenants. BERNIE-BACKED SOCIALIST WHO ALLIED WITH PLATNER COULD SUPPLANT HIM ON BALLOT “Through the Open-Door program and by supporting community land trusts, we will remove negligent owners and property managers of buildings suffering from chronic neglect or mired in foreclosure and shift ownership to responsible community stewards,” Mamdani said in June. While Mamdani’s more nationally-visible rent-freeze plans are materially different from Jackson’s considerations, they share a common thread: the government should intervene in the housing market when politicians believe pricing or practices are untoward. MAMDANI’S $22 BILLION HOUSING LUNACY PROPOSAL WILL SOCIALIZE THE SKYLINE That commonality led to Jackson being lambasted after the fact. “Another full-on Communist running for office,” said Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer [Ret.], a former intelligence officer, posted to X. “Troy Jackson is ready to violate the rights of Mainers because he feels that they make too much money engaging in free market commerce,” Shaffer tweeted. “Spoken here like the true Stalinist he is.” RESURFACED ASSAULT REPORT PUTS DEM SENATE NOMINEE IN GOP CROSSHAIRS: ‘GRAHAM PLATNER 2.0’ The Republican National Committee also caught wind of Jackson’s comments, tweeting through their rapid-response arm. “Troy Jackson wants the government to seize private property from Mainers,” they wrote. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Maine law already gives mobile home park residents a limited pathway to take ownership when a park is put up for sale. Under Title 10, Section 9094-A, a group of mobile home owners or a residents’ association has the first option to purchase the park and generally has 60 days after notice of an intended sale to submit an offer. Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson’s and Collins’ campaigns and Mamdani for comment.
Major blue state hospital pulls plug on controversial child transgender treatments after DOJ intervention
One of the largest hospitals in New York City will stop providing sex reassignment procedures to minors after entering an agreement with the Trump administration. Mount Sinai has provided sex reassignment services, which included hormonal therapy and surgeries, to thousands of transgender patients. In 2025, Mount Sinai’s Institute for Advanced Medicine reported that its providers saw 4,931 transgender and gender-diverse patients, but the exact number of minors receiving sex reassignment procedures has not been publicly disclosed, according to the hospital’s report. “The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable medical providers that violate federal law and endanger children through so-called gender-affirming care,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This agreement puts an end to these practices at Mount Sinai and provides meaningful relief for individuals who have already suffered harm.” LARGEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN US TO OPEN ‘DETRANSITION CLINIC’ AFTER $10M SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP DOJ, STATE The agreement includes a monetary penalty and requires Mount Sinai to dedicate $2 million to free medical care for people suffering harmful consequences from transgender treatments they received as children. The agreement comes as part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into hospitals providing such procedures to minors. “A growing number of hospitals, like Mount Sinai, have recognized the medical scandal of sex-rejecting procedures,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Civil Division said in a statement. “While we are grateful when we secure resolutions to end this discredited practice and protect children, we must not and will not rest in our pursuit of justice for the victims it has left behind.” Curbing sex reassignment procedures for minors has been a top priority under the Trump administration. JD VANCE CALLS ON DOJ TO PROSECUTE ALLEGED FRAUD IN TEEN TRANSGENDER TREATMENT Just a week after being sworn into office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” seeking to defund federal funding to gender reassignment procedure and directing the Justice Department to enforce the nation’s female genital mutilation laws, investigation drug-safety violations and potential parental rights violations. The Justice Department’s investigation examines potential violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act and other federal health care laws, including alleged fraudulent billing practices such as the use of false diagnosis codes to obtain payment from federal health care programs and private insurers, according to the department. The executive order also directed federal agencies to rescind or amend policies that rely on guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). WPATH, a professional association that develops standards of care for transgender and gender-diverse patients, is being sued by the Federal Trade Commission and several states, which allege the group made false and unsubstantiated claims about the safety, effectiveness and medical necessity of pediatric medical-transition services. The case is pending. COLORADO SUPREME COURT ORDERS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO RESUME GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS FOR MINORS WPATH’s medical guidelines served as the bedrock for Mount Sinai’s medical guidelines for transgender procedures, and Dr. Joshua Safer, Executive Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, has co-authored WPATH guidelines. The Justice Department did not release the details of the agreement with Mount Sinai but acknowledged that the hospital “remained cooperative, proactive, and solution-driven” at all times of the investigation. “The settlement is complex, but at its core reflects Mount Sinai’s commitment to safeguarding our patients’ confidential information and protecting our clinicians,” Mount Sinai said in a statement to the New York Times. Mount Sinai’s settlement is just the latest the Justice Department has reached with major hospitals providing transgender procedures. Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Connecticut Children’s Hospital have all agreed to halt youth transgender procedures all in the past couple of months. Fox News Digital reached out to Mount Sinai for comment.
Reporter’s Notebook: Dem rebels expose cracks in Jeffries’ House leadership
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, may retire from Congress next year with a reputation that is anything but gilded among his fellow Democrats. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., is seeking re-election in a competitive district. But some of her colleagues may consider “MGP” to be notorious if she returns to Capitol Hill in January. The House of Representatives is now out — again — until Sept. 14. That follows a six-week sabbatical over the summer. But were it not for Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, House Republican leaders may have had no other choice but to send members home early a few days ago. The duo committed something close to a parliamentary heresy, handing the GOP the necessary votes on a procedural matter to unlock the floor for the majority. Republicans lacked the votes to do it on their own – had Golden and Gluesenkamp not intervened. JEFFRIES THREATENS ‘SERIOUS RESPONSE’ AFTER DEMOCRATS HELP GOP ADVANCE ANTI-SOCIALISM VOTE However, the most schismatic betrayal was that neither one briefed Democratic leaders on what they planned to do. Congressional leaders from both sides are never pleased with members who stray from the party line. Especially on a procedural vote, which is almost always the responsibility of the majority to pass. But at the very least, leaders like to be clued in. They might give someone a pass if they understand the reasoning. “Did they give you a heads up that they were going to vote with Republicans on that rule?” asked Fox News’ Kelly Phares of House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass. “They did not. They surprised us,” answered Clark. Yours truly observed to Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., that in politics it’s always best to “stab someone in the front” rather than “in the back.” “There’s a lot to be said for that,” replied Kennedy. Let’s start with the nature of the dissent by Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez. Most major pieces of legislation in the House need what’s called a “rule” before the body can debate the measure. The House must debate and approve a “rule,” dictating how much time and what amendments would be in order. The House can’t debate a bill until it first OKs a rule. And except on rare occasions, the majority party is expected to carry the rule. It’s simply something the minority party rarely assists with – except in extreme circumstances. Last week, the House planned to debate a resolution to condemn socialism, green-light the SAVE America Act, maintain the number of justices on the Supreme Court at nine and consider a plan to help the nation’s lobster industry. The House adopted the rule, 210-208. However, five Republicans voted nay on the rule. It’s about the math. Those GOP defections would have killed the rule and frozen the floor for the rest of the week. In fact, the vote may have compelled House Republican leaders to cut everyone loose from Capitol Hill. The House was stalled considering any legislative traffic. TENSIONS ERUPT IN HOUSE HEARING AS GOP ADVANCES ANTI-SOCIALISM RESOLUTION WHILE DEMS RAGE: ‘SILLY SEASON’ But Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez voted yes, unlocking the floor for the remainder of the week. Democrats seethed at their colleagues for blindsiding them. “The two Democrats who have voted to move a procedural bill forward didn’t do the right thing,” said Kennedy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Clark and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., issued a rare, joint condemnation of the dissenting duo. They characterized the revolt “a significant breach of trust,” adding it “necessitates a serious response.” “It’s a mistake to vote against our caucus. We have to be unified,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa. Golden said he voted with Republicans so the House could pass the bill safeguarding Maine’s lobster industry. “It’s about protecting the working-class communities those men and women support. In my district, lobster fishing is the backbone of towns up and down the coast,” said Golden. “In some towns, 20 to 40% of residents hold a lobster license.” Political observers view the infighting as a misstep for the party ahead of November. “As a member, you should be able to communicate with your leaders and how you intend to vote,” said Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev. “Something was skipped along the way.” While some lawmakers blamed Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, others said this was the fault of Jeffries. Others put it on Clark. Still, there were those pinning this on the entire leadership team. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., knows something about his own members undercutting him. Republicans stripped McCarthy of the speaker’s gavel nearly three years ago. But the California Republican believes the problem with Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez falls on the shoulder of Jeffries. “You would know who would be the five to eight Democrats who would leverage that [vote],” said McCarthy. “You would have reached out to them.” One former Democratic aide noted that it wasn’t even what Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar said in their statement. But it was the very fact that a statement appeared. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., never would have sent a statement. Her leadership power was implicit. Everyone knew not to cross her. Or, if there was an issue, at least have a conversation. HOUSE CONSERVATIVES DERAIL GOP AGENDA IN SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWDOWN Jeffries has not been the House’s top Democrat in the majority. That could change if Democrats win the House this fall. But McCarthy argued the statement said a lot about Jeffries. “If Hakeem has to put out a statement that he’s strong, it’s a sign that he is weak,” said McCarthy. One senior House Democratic leadership source said rank-and-file members demanded accountability by Jeffries. Golden is done in January. Gluesenkamp Perez has repeatedly defied political gravity in a district which favors President Donald Trump. The source didn’t believe anything Machiavellian was afoot between Democratic leaders and Gluesenkamp Perez. But the source indicated that Gluesenkamp Perez tussling with the Democratic brass probably helps the Washington Democrat back home. Still, some Democrats
Families of 9/11 victims’ message to Mamdani: ‘Please do not come’ to memorial ceremony
A coalition of 9/11 family members, first responders, and elected officials gathered on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday to deliver a message to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani: stay away from this year’s Sept. 11 memorial service. “This mayor is not serving us,” Charles Wolf, who lost his wife on 9/11, said at noon news conference. “He’s serving himself. We are asking respectfully that he not show up.” “Even though there is going to be other politicians there, these are the politicians that helped us push beneficial laws through and literally held our hand during that time,” Wolf continued. “Mayor Mamdani has not shown any of that, none of it. He just wants to be there because he wants to be there.” “So we are asking him to respect the fact that that trauma is revived during the ceremony. It is a private ceremony. It is not a public ceremony. Mayor Mamdani, please do not come.“ TRUMP POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDS MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO 9/11’S ‘MAN IN RED BANDANA’ New York City Council Member Vickie Paladino, a staunch, outspoken conservative, said she was leading organizers and family members into City Hall to formally deliver petition with more than 101,000 signatures directly to the mayor’s office ahead of Friday’s 25th anniversary service. “I am demanding that he not show his face at that sacred ground,” Paladino said. “He does not belong there.” “We the people do not care for Zohran Mamdani – 101,000 names is not a drop in the bucket. Do not, Zohran Mamdani, take us New Yorkers for granted. We were there that day. The sky looked very similar to this. Stay put. Stay in City Hall and promote your propaganda.” Organized by Giovanni Galante — whose wife, Grace, was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks — the petition asks that the sacred anniversary remain a solemn, distraction-free day of mourning rather than a backdrop for political presence. “We don’t believe in what he believes in, and we really want us to be left alone,” Galante said. “This 25th anniversary is for victims and survivors to blend in and pray that day for all the families — not have a circus around us.” MAMDANI UNDER FIRE AFTER SYMBOLIC 9/11 PEN GOES TO FORMER AL QAEDA DEFENSE LAWYER The sentiment was echoed by other grieving family members who stressed that the Sept. 11 memorial service is a private, sacred space for victims’ relatives to gather in peace. “If we feel that we don’t want someone at our world-class memorial museum that’s sacred and hallowed, we feel that that person should respect our wishes,” said Monica Iken, whose husband, Michael, was killed in the attacks. “He didn’t go to the 20th. .. so I don’t know why he’s so adamant about going to this one when we just ask that he just respect us from 7 to 11 and let us have our mourning.” The objections stem directly from the mayor’s current policy positions, political associations, and key appointments, according to the speakers at the news conference. Cheri Sparacio, whose husband, Tom, was killed in the South Tower, said the petition was not about the mayor’s background or faith, but his public actions. She noted Mamdani’s appointment of chief counsel Ramzi Kassem — who previously represented individuals accused of terror ties — and his past ties to figures who have downplayed terror threats. “That is what we object to,” she said. NYC Council Member Joann Ariola, also a Republican, accused the mayor of attempting to deflect from the families’ concerns with performative announcements leading up to the event, rebuking the fact he has surrounded himself with advisers holding views hostile to core American values. “Other politicians will be there, no one will speak — it is about the survivors and about those who were murdered that day,” Ariola said. “Mayor Mamdani, for once, listen to your constituents and not your influencers and stay away from an event, a ceremonial commemoration of the lives that were lost on 9/11.”