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New audio reveals frantic moments after Forest Service workers are taken hostage in California wilderness

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:12:05 -0400

A California man accused of kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service biologists at gunpoint allegedly used one of his captive's cellphones to declare, "I've taken two fed biologists hostage," before demanding to speak with the FBI, according to newly unsealed federal court documents.

The new allegations, contained in an FBI affidavit filed after Friday's dramatic rescue, offer the clearest picture yet of the roughly 15-hour hostage ordeal that unfolded near Gumboot Lake in the remote Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Northern California.

Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son, Phoenix Henrichsen, allegedly took the two federal workers' hostage inside a trailer in a rural area near Mt. Shasta.

According to the affidavit, Joseph Henrichsen approached the biologists carrying what investigators described as an AR-15-style rifle, ordered them to raise their hands and zip-tied their wrists behind their backs before forcing them into the trailer.

The FBI deployed a hostage negotiator from Quantico to coordinate with local authorities. The authorities negotiated the hostages' release after hours of talks with the kidnappers.

HOFFA FAMILY URGES FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL TO KEEP INVESTIGATION OPEN AND 'NAME NAMES'

Investigators allege Henrichsen later removed one of the biologists from the trailer at gunpoint, placed her in a U.S. Forest Service pickup truck and drove several miles toward Lake Siskiyou while carrying the rifle.

Using the victim's cellphone, Henrichsen allegedly called a U.S. Forest Service ranger before leaving a voicemail for an acquaintance.

"I've taken two fed biologists hostage from the Forest Service," Henrichsen allegedly said in the message, according to the affidavit. "She's zip-tied, her hands are behind her ... and I've got live rounds ready."

Investigators say Henrichsen demanded an FBI investigator come meet with him before returning the victim to the trailer.

Federal investigators allege Henrichsen later repeated the process with the second biologist, repeatedly separating the victims during the ordeal.

FAMILY STOPPED ALLEGED CHILD KIDNAPPER AS POLICE SAY STAFFING SHORTAGE DELAYED RESPONSE UP TO 40 MINUTES

While Joseph Henrichsen drove away with one hostage in the government vehicle, prosecutors say Phoenix remained inside the trailer with the other victim.

After the rescue, one of the biologists told investigators Phoenix "kept watch" over the captives whenever his father stepped outside.

As local, state and federal law enforcement officers converged on the remote campground, Henrichsen allegedly began communicating with authorities over the Forest Service truck's radio, refusing repeated demands to release the hostages and surrender.

Negotiators with the FBI, including members of the bureau's elite Hostage Rescue Team from Quantico, Virginia, spent hours trying to peacefully end the standoff, according to the affidavit. Around 8:20 p.m., investigators say Henrichsen claimed he had a grenade and warned he would use it if officers did not back away.

During a Friday news conference, before the affidavit was unsealed, FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh said the situation remained volatile throughout the standoff.

"At any point, it could go from under control to very dangerous," Tosh said.

At the same briefing, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue described the massive, multi-agency response after authorities learned two U.S. Forest Service employees had been taken hostage near Gumboot Lake.

"It was a large incident, and I'd like to tell you it's probably the smoothest thing I've seen in many years," LaRue said, praising the coordination between local, state and federal agencies.

The standoff ended early Friday after hours of negotiations. According to the FBI affidavit, both hostages were released shortly after 1 a.m. Phoenix Henrichsen surrendered around 2:30 a.m., followed by his father about five minutes later.

Following the rescue, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz thanked the agencies involved in bringing the ordeal to a peaceful end.

"I am grateful beyond words that both of our Forest Service employees are home safe," Schultz said, calling the outcome "a testament to the skill and professionalism" of Forest Service law enforcement officers, the FBI, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office and other first responders.

"This was a frightening experience for everyone involved," he continued. "Their well-being continues to be our highest priority. We’re staying close to them and their loved ones, making sure they have the support and the space that they need after what they’ve been through."

Following the rescue, FBI Director Kash Patel praised the bureau's response in a post on X, saying FBI Sacramento crisis negotiators, the SWAT Team, the Evidence Response Team and the elite Hostage Rescue Team helped bring the dangerous standoff to a peaceful end.

"After nearly 10 hours of negotiations, the hostages were safely released — and subjects Joseph Henrichsen and Phoenix Henrichsen surrendered and were immediately taken into custody," Patel wrote.

"I am proud of the immediate and professional work of these elite FBI teams to assist our partners for a safe and successful resolution."

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the kidnapping triggered a massive law enforcement response involving local, state and federal agencies from across the country before negotiators secured the safe release of both victims.

Both Joseph and Phoenix Henrichsen are charged with two counts of kidnapping federal employees. If convicted, each faces up to life in federal prison.

Both defendants appeared in federal court Monday, where a magistrate judge ordered them detained pending further proceedings. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.

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A motive has not yet been identified. Investigators said Joseph Henrichsen initially communicated with negotiators before later refusing to cooperate as the hourslong standoff continued.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California told Fox News Digital the office is not providing additional comment and will not release recordings or transcripts of the hostage negotiations.

Fox News Digital has also reached out to attorneys representing Joseph and Phoenix Henrichsen for comment.

Lionel Messi’s wife celebrates his legendary career, tourists on hot springs & TikTok’s wild new challenge

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:45:33 -0400

OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column set to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m.

Greetings from the Wisconsin Northwoods!

My husband, our dog and I are on our annual pilgrimage up north to see the in-laws. And after I clock out today, we're headed to the Minnesota North Shore for some hiking, sightseeing and general Lake Superior viewing.

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Thank God that wildfire smoke cleared.

When I checked the Air Quality Index (AQI) — something I had never even remotely considered before this weekend, by the way — the area we're going to visit in Minnesota had something like a 600. Anything above 100 is considered unhealthy, I learned.

And knowing my Airbnb reservation was non-refundable, I was getting pretty nervous.

Fortunately, it looks like we're in the clear. Unless more fires start, of course. But let's hope that doesn't happen. For everyone's sake.

Grab yourself an ice cold Spotted Cow (if you know, you know) and settle in. It's Nightcaps time.

Whenever a sports season ends, there's this ongoing tradition where we all debate whether that sport's resident old guy is going to retire. Aaron Rodgers, LeBron James, and now... Lionel Messi.

Of course, he would have loved to go out with a second-consecutive World Cup win, but that's not how the cookie crumbled.

Messi shared a message on his official Instagram account before Argentina lost to Spain in the final, thanking his teammates, coaches and staff.

FIFA LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO BRAWL AFTER SPAIN DEFEATED ARGENTINA IN WORLD CUP FINAL

"The best thing about all these years has never been just the titles, but the whole journey. Sharing every day with this group, competing together, getting back up in difficult moments, and enjoying every step," Messi wrote.

"Thanks to each of my teammates, the technical staff and all the people who work every day to keep this National Team a family."

Ooh, cryptic! Does that mean this is his last World Cup? Will he suit up at the ripe young age of 43 in 2030?

I don't know. He didn't tell me.

But on Monday, Messi's wife, model Antonela Roccuzzo, shared a post that also sounded pretty final.

Allow me to translate for you: "You’ll always be the best," Roccuzzo wrote. "Not only because of your talent, but because you never stopped being yourself. Because no matter what happens, you never give up, you always fight to the end, and you give your all until the very last second."

She continued, "That strength, that mindset, and that way of getting back up time and time again are what make you unique."

In an interview earlier this year, Messi said: "I love playing football, and I'm going to do it until I can't anymore."

But you know how that worked out for Tom Brady's marriage. Maybe just don't let Antonela take any jiu-jitsu classes, just to be safe.

Check out these morons at Yellowstone

Three guarantees: death, taxes and wacky stuff going down in Yellowstone National Park.

Last week, we watched a grandpa (who was minding his own business) get launched several feet into the air by an angry bison.

Shoutout to the park, by the way, for sending out the warning a few days too late.

Anyway, that guy wasn't at fault. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Unfortunately, though, we do see a lot of dumbf—ery on the part of humans in our National Parks.

In the latest edition, check out these two tourists who decided to hop off the boardwalk and take a stroll across the Grand Prismatic.

In case you don't know, the Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world. It spans roughly 370 feet in diameter and reaches depths of over 121 feet.

And as the name "hot springs" suggests, it's HOT. Scalding hot. Last year, a bison tragically boiled to death after stumbling into one of Yellowstone's hot springs.

I feel bad for the bison. I wouldn't feel bad for these two.

Any of y'all ever do a HYROX? It's sort of like CrossFit except every competition has the exact same events/exercises.

One of my good friends from high school wants me to do the one in Nashville with her this winter. And considering I talked her into a 20-mile hike last year, I guess I owe it to her.

I suppose I should start training for it sometime soon. If, that is, we can even get tickets. Apparently there's a long line of people signing up to torture themselves in these HYROX races, so it's tough to get in.

I tend to say yes to physical challenges without truly thinking through what the training will entail. This is how I've been roped into multiple half marathons, bodybuilding competitions, a Ragnar Race, a couple Mammoth Marches and an OUTLAST trail race.

But if there's one endurance challenge I won't be partaking in, it's the '5 Guys Challenge.'

No, it has nothing to do with the burger chain and it's not the latest stunt by Bonnie Blue.

The 5 Guys Challenge — which, best I can tell, was created by guy on TikTok named @lukaslogss and his buddies — requires five fellas to collectively complete the following tasks: drink 5 gallons of milk, do 5,000 push-ups, throw 500 high fives, catch 5 fish, run a cumulative 50 kilometers, hit 500 3-pointers on the court and complete 5 video games.

Now my video game days ended with Mario Kart on N64, so what do I know? But completing an entire video game takes a REALLY long time, yes? I don't even think Mario can rescue Princess Peach on Super Nintendo in 24 hours.

Especially if he has to drink a gallon of milk, go fishing, run a 10K and do 1,000 pushups.

Absolute animals.

Let's open the mailbag.

📩 Email: amber.harding@outkick.com (Send your thoughts, stories, tips, rants and photos of your dog.)

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The USC Trojans continue to know nothing about the Trojans

Over the weekend, I wrote about USC Football's incredibly dumb Odyssey-themed hype post. They're obviously trying to capitalize on the popularity of Christopher Nolan's new movie — the one that follows Odysseus' 10-year journey home following the Trojan War.

The problem, of course, is that the Trojans lost the Trojan War. Spectacularly.

And this isn't even the first time the USC athletic department has gotten its ancient Greek literature confused. A couple of years ago they did a Trojan-Horse-themed hype video.

The Trojan Horse was not a good thing for the Trojans, either, FYI.

Richard M. writes: As an ancient history major, I really appreciated your column. As an Oregon Duck fan, I really appreciated your column.

One additional point about the Spartans, if I may. Sparta was not just part of the Greek army. The King of Sparta (Menelaus) was actually the one married to Helen when Paris came along and swiped her.

Gene in the Rock has a recommendation for the 'best dog ball ever'

We stumbled upon this ball at the dog park, and I'm quite sure whoever left it behind was missing it because it was gone the next day. I don't blame them, I would have gone back to retrieve it too. You don't normally think of sophisticated mechanical and materials engineering in the same sentence with a dog toy, but this ball had both.

The size of a tennis ball but the heft of a baseball for good distance, with outside grooves and a hollow center which make it bounce funny and not true. Obviously a material as dense as tire rubber, but so squishy that it's an irresistible chew toy. It's also apparently indestructible, because Lexi has been chomping hers as an all-day chewie for the better part of three weeks and the ball hasn't even noticed. She's got sharp adolescent teeth and loves to chomp, and we're used to her destroying even high quality Kong toys. This ball — except for some surface abrasion, it looks like it could have come straight from the package. In a word, if your k9bff is a ball chaser, this is the ball that has everything. I dunno if that's Rocky, but I'm sure the shoe fits plenty of your readers.

Took me a minute to track it down, all I knew from the ball itself was it came from an outfit called Chuckit. I was expecting it to be some specialty piece from Chewy for $27 a ball, but turns out they're 2 for $8 at Walmart. It's called a Rebounce, because it also turns out it's made from recycled materials. Yah, recycled into indestructibility. Oh, those engineers!

Amber:

As a ball enthusiast, my German Shepherd Rocky has many varieties — including an orange and blue Chuckit ball. But with a review like this, I guess I'll have to throw a Rebounce in my Amazon cart.

Leaping sheep dogs are a thing to behold

Drew in Katy, Texas, writes: I've seen some amazing moments of deer gracefully leaping fences. I've seen the dogs jump into the pools in competition. I never knew that there were dogs that leap like these.

I have no idea what breed this is. You sure don't have to get out and open agate for them to let them through a fence.

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Happy 6th birthday, Gus!

Chris L. writes: You did a little note awhile back about my dog Gus who is battling cancer. Back in October, we were told he had about 3-6 months even after the amputation and chemo. Well today the big guy celebrated his 6th birthday with a trip to the store to pick out a new toy. Here he is happily carrying his choice out of the store!

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Amber:

Go Gus! Keep on fighting, buddy.

Georgia running back suffers 'serious injuries' from ATV 'accident,' coach Kirby Smart says

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:45:10 -0400

A Georgia football player is being treated for "some serious injuries" after an "accident" earlier this month, head coach Kirby Smart said.

Smart told ESPN that running back Dante Dowdell was the victim of an ATV mishap.

Smart said the incident occurred "off-campus," and the injuries were "serious enough" to require treatment at two separate hospitals.

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"He's out of the really tough range, but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don't know what that looks like in terms of this year," Smart said.

Smart said Dowdell was being treated at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries and rehabilitation.

"He's just a tremendous kid [with a] great family. We're very supportive of them. Our players have been up there to see him. It's a really tough deal," Smart added.

"We’re praying for him and his family. We expect a full recovery, but the outlook right now is we’re waiting to see."

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ESPN said Dowdell was injured near his home in Picayune, Mississippi.

Dowdell is on his fourth stop in as many years of his college career, playing at Oregon in 2023 before transferring to Nebraska for the next season. Dowdell spent the 2025 campaign with Kentucky.

In his career, Dowdell has 1,264 yards on 272 carries in 30 games. He scored 12 of his 16 rushing touchdowns with the Cornhuskers, which was the fifth-most in the Big Ten that season.

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A healthy Dowdell figured to be behind Nate Frazier Jr. and Chauncey Bowens on the depth chart.

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Top Virginia Dem dinged for on-air correction of state's voter ID law; opponent demands answers

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:28:31 -0400

Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner's Republican challengers are seizing on the Virginia Democrat's on-air exchange over his opposition to the SAVE Act after a TV anchor corrected him on his own state's election laws.

Warner argued the SAVE Act — part of conservatives' election security push — could disenfranchise married women and others, while pointing to Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski's opposition as evidence of bipartisan concern.

"It's astonishing that a man who has spent nearly two decades representing Virginia in the United States Senate doesn't even know Virginia's own voter ID laws," Marine Reserves Lt. Col. David Williams exclusively told Fox News Digital Tuesday.

"If Senator Mark Warner can't get a basic fact about our elections right on national television, how can Virginians trust him to protect the integrity of those elections?"

TRUMP INTERVENES AS HOUSE GOP REVOLT PUTS SAVE AMERICA ACT AT CENTER OF SPENDING SHOWDOWN

Williams, an Iraq War veteran and former diplomat, said the SAVE Act is the "common-sense" move to secure America's elections without disenfranchising "legal vote[s]."

"If Senator Warner believes only American citizens should vote in American elections, he should join me in demanding an immediate vote on the SAVE America Act. If he won’t, Virginians deserve to know why."

On Sunday, ABC News anchor Jon Karl told Warner 80% of Americans, including 71% of Democrats, support nationwide voter ID. Warner replied that, "in Virginia, we have voter ID and photo ID – I have to show my …," trailing off as Karl cut in.

"That's actually not the case. I’m a Virginia voter," Karl said. "You don't need to show voter ID in Virginia. There are a wide range of things you can show for it."

MARINE VETERAN DAVID WILLIAMS LAUNCHES SENATE BID

Karl added that voters can still provisionally vote if they sign an affidavit.

Warner replied there are a variety of ways Virginians can legally vote, adding he found irony in some states purportedly accepting "NRA gun licenses" while rejecting student IDs.

The Virginia Department of Elections' list of acceptable forms of identification includes some that do not require photographs, such as a water bill.

Under Virginia law, election officers must ask in-person voters for identification, but acceptable forms include voter confirmation documents, utility bills, bank statements, government checks and paychecks, which do not need to include a photograph. A voter without acceptable identification can sign an ID Confirmation Statement under felony penalties and cast a regular ballot. Voters who provide neither must cast a provisional ballot.

"[C]ertain states will say we're going to let you show your NRA gun license, but you can't show your student ID. If you're going have a set of IDs, let's have it across the board as long as it comes from some official point," Warner said.

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Retired Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa, who is also seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Warner, echoed Williams' criticism.

"The biggest takeaway is that Mark Warner opposes the SAVE America Act, which is required to secure America’s defining democratic process: honest elections that reflect the will of legitimate voters," Mizusawa said in a statement.

"The question is why? He either knows that our current flawed elections are rife with fraud and likes it that way or chooses to stay ignorant, both to the detriment of the American people."

Fox News Digital reached out to Warner’s campaign for comment.

Mizusawa said that, if elected, he also would join fellow Republicans in supporting the SAVE Act and "finally secure our federal elections."

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Tech executive Kim Farington, the other candidate in the race, replied to coverage of Warner’s interview on X.

"You either still don’t know Virginia’s voter ID requirements after serving three terms, or you’re not telling Virginians the truth," Farington said.

The SAVE Act would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, a proposal Republicans say is needed to secure elections and Democrats argue could create new barriers for eligible voters.

Fox News Digital’s Brian Flood contributed to this report.

Police chief resigned after allegedly being caught having an affair with a suspect's wife

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:21:34 -0400

We've all heard the stories about a spark, a one thing leading to another scenario that takes two people not looking for romance on a journey to its front door anyway. It's a tale as old as time.

That's what is alleged to have taken place last year in Lake County, Florida, between a former police chief, who resigned in June after being placed on administrative leave in May, and a suspect's wife.

One day, Michael Giddens, then a lieutenant with Howie-in-the-Hills Police Department, is tracking down leads in a potential contractor fraud case. A few months later, he's facing allegations of sleeping with the suspect's wife.

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Investigations into those allegations by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Lake County Sheriff's Office found that while he didn't commit any crimes, Giddens did violate police and town policies.

FOX 35 Orlando reports that the results of the investigations were released last Thursday. They found that he violated policies regarding improper conduct, moral character, and sex while on duty.

It all started when Giddens opened a case against a man in December 2024 for potential contractor fraud. The man initially had conversations, according to the report, with the then lieutenant before he stopped responding.

Giddens is alleged to have reached out to the man's wife in March 2025 in an attempt to have her get in contact with the man. They met for lunch and continued to exchange text messages after that.

The report states that eventually their "relationship became more personal." The two allegedly met at hotels in the area while Giddens was on duty and had sex twice.

MARRIED OFFICER OFF FORCE AFTER HER ON-DUTY AFFAIR EXPOSED, WOMAN SLEPT WITH FUTURE SON-IN-LAW & THREE LOVES

The relationship burned out quickly, and by the end of 2025 they were no longer seeing one another because the man's wife had found someone new. Giddens was promoted to Chief of Police in October 2025.

Obviously, this promotion took place before the allegations of him inappropriately extending the long arm of the law were made.

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According to the report, there was a complaint made in November 2025 regarding Giddens and a potential ethics violation. Then in May 2026, the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills received an anonymous complaint.

That's when an investigation was launched. Giddens wrote in his resignation letter, according to FOX 35 Orlando, "While I have always maintained the highest standards of professional conduct, I refuse to allow my personal life to be used as a tool to distract from vital work of this agency."

That's a solid resignation. All the allegations about his personal life are just a distraction and he's not going to let that hold the agency back.

Japanese company unveils futuristic cooling box that blasts cold air at users in bizarre way to beat the heat

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:13:51 -0400

We're right in the molten center of summer, and that means people are doing whatever they can to stay cool.

In the U.S., that's pretty easy. Sit in your air-conditioned house, plug in a fan, go to a pool or, if you're truly at a loss, head to the library and pretend to be interested in reading books for an afternoon.

But over in Japan — the birthplace of such technological innovations as the Walkman, the Nintendo Entertainment System and used-panty vending machines — they've come up with a new solution that's completely ridiculous, unless you think sitting in a human refrigerator is normal.

15 SECURITY ESSENTIALS TO KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE FOR SUMMER TRAVEL

What you're looking at is a Do Hiemon "personal cooling box," and it is the future of cooling off... assuming there are no air-conditioned buildings, public pools, Gatorade coolers full of water, or hand-held fans anywhere within reach.

The 7-foot-tall, 3.9-foot-deep stainless steel box uses a jet to blast air, maintaining a temperature of 59 degrees while directing even cooler 41-degree air at the user's head and neck.

But it comes at a cost. It'll run you a cool 1.5 million Yen — or $9,200 — to get one of these puppies.

Sure, this gets the job done, but it's like saying, "You know how I can get all of these weeds out from between the bricks of my back patio? Dynamite."

It'll work, but it's overkill.

I just like that the genesis of this tech innovation was almost certainly someone opening their fridge on a hot day and being like, "Wait... what if we put people in this?"

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Which, by the way, you can climb into your own fridge for free.

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For legal reasons, I'm not recommending it, but you have free will, and nothing is stopping you from yanking the shelves out of your General Electric and cooling off for a few minutes.

While you're in there, pretend you're Indiana Jones surviving a nuclear test in that sequel with the aliens everyone hates.

Democrat New Jersey governor says thousands of noncitizens discovered on voter rolls, purged

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:09:23 -0400

New Jersey's Governor announced Tuesday afternoon that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote in her state — and some cast ballots in past elections.

Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that a "serious software error in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle System led to the registration of roughly 6,600 people who indicated that they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024, almost three years prior to my taking office."

"These individuals answered 'no' when asked on a keypad whether they were a U.S. citizen when applying for drivers' licenses and identification cards, but through no fault of their own, the system registered them anyway," according to Sherrill.

CALIFORNIA ACCUSED OF BLOCKING FEDERAL VOTER ROLL AUDIT AS DOJ ESCALATES PROBE OF ELECTION FRAUD CLAIMS

She stressed that while the "error" occurred under the previous administration, headed by Democrat Phil Murphy, she ordered her administration's attorney to look into the matter and remove the illegally-registered voters from the rolls.

"Our preliminary analysis shows fewer than 400 individuals who were newly registered for the first time because of the error voted," she said. "They were registered as Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated voters and were scattered across the state."

"I am appalled by the reckless failures that allowed this to happen and the lack of transparency shown by those in charge at the time," she said, emphasizing for the third time that the improper voting didn't happen on her watch.

NJ TAXPAYERS ON THE HOOK FOR $12M MORE AS DEM GOVERNOR PROTECTS ILLEGAL ALIENS BATTLING DEPORTATION

In the same message admitting that people in her state improperly voted, Sherrill then attacked President Donald Trump for what she described as spreading lies about the legitimacy of American elections.

An elected New Jersey official slammed Democrats for failing on the issue of election integrity.

"This is another example of Democrats failing to secure elections. If Democrats would embrace voter ID – which has broad public support – the MVC’s voter registration failures would have been corrected at the ballot box," said NJ Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Hackettstown. "New Jersey needs voter ID, because citizens deserve confidence in election results and Trenton Democrats have proven they do not respond to known problems in the voter rolls."

So did another state lawmaker.

"Our election integrity is built on a foundation of sand," said Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Boonton/Montville. You have illegals being given driver's licenses, really no precaution to tell whether or not they should be getting them. "[Sherrill] said, ‘oh, you, know, it was a mistake of 6,600. They specifically said they didn't want to vote, they didn't have the -- they did not register.' And in the meantime, 400 of them did, and … excuse my cynicism but, you know, this is the same administration through their sanctuary state policies and through their DMV policies that's created this whole mess, so for them to say 6,600 I would not be surprised if it's exponential to that number."

The Trump administration also weighed in.

"Democrats and their media allies have repeatedly said it is impossible for noncitizens to register to vote, let alone cast a ballot. Time and again, they have been proven wrong. As President Trump has said, there is nothing more important than the integrity of our elections," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. "And this latest incident underscores the absolute necessity of the SAVE America Act. American voters deserve to have confidence that our elections are safe and secure."

The Republican National Committee's spokesperson on election integrity similarly slammed the New Jersey governor for her classification of the issue.

"Mikie Sherrill says election integrity is 'fundamental to our democracy,' yet just last month the RNC and NJGOP uncovered hundreds of noncitizens on New Jersey's voter rolls and records of noncitizens voting in past elections," Ally Triolo told Fox News Digital.

"Every time Democrats say noncitizen voting is a 'non-issue,' voters learn about another case that proves otherwise. It's time to stop making excuses and pass the SAVE America Act.".

In June, Fox News Digital exclusively reported that noncitizens were registered to vote in the state over a period of years. Some of them voted in elections. Others, when attempting to become naturalized citizens, copped to being on the voter rolls and said they were registered by mistake.

The New Jersey Republican Party (NJGOP) and the Republican National Committee (RNC) requested voter rolls from all 21 counties in the Garden State and ultimately found multiple instances of noncitizens who were seeking naturalization asking to be removed from the rolls, claiming they were unknowingly registered to vote.

Most were registered as Democrats.

RNC LEGAL VICTORY CLEARS NORTH CAROLINA VOTER ROLL PURGE OF NONCITIZENS THROUGH JURY RESPONSES

In official letters viewed by Fox News Digital from Atlantic County, Superintendent of Elections & Commissioner of Registration Maureen Bugdon certified that noncitizens came to her asking to be removed.

"Please allow this letter to confirm that on today's date, the below referenced individual came before this office to confirm her registration and voter status," a typical letter read. "She relayed that she did not wish to be a New Jersey registered voter and does not understand how she became registered through the Department of Motor Vehicles, allegedly."

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Other documents showed noncitizens directly asking to be removed from the rolls through a state voter registration cancellation form.

When prompted about why they wished to be removed, the vast majority of the unknowingly registered voters checked a box labeled "other" and wrote that they were not citizens.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the latest revelations.

The FEC declined to comment, noting that its purview is federal elections.

Newsom admin faces questions over $6.2M diaper contract after touting 'competitive' process

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:12:23 -0400

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration on Friday released the contract behind the state’s $6.2 million diaper program after questions about the deal’s noncompetitive designation and a reported delay in making the agreement public.

The agreement with nonprofit Baby2Baby will provide families of newborns with 400 free diapers at participating California hospitals.

Newsom said in May that the deal went through a "competitive bidding process." However, the state’s contract database lists it as "NON-COMPETITIVELY BID," according to CBS California Investigates.

CONSERVATIVES FLIP SCRIPT ON NEWSOM AFTER HE DEMANDED 25TH AMENDMENT FOR TRUMP: 'PROPPED UP A VEGETABLE'

Instead of seeking formal bids, the state asked interested groups to submit information through a "Request for Information." The document said it was "not a solicitation" and that prices submitted would not count as bids, CBS California Investigates reported.

Newsom’s office pushed back on the report, saying 15 groups responded and were reviewed based on cost and their ability to make and distribute diapers.

"The governor was referring to the process being competitive in nature, which remains accurate," Newsom's office told the outlet.

The records reportedly did not include scoring sheets, rankings or clear evaluation standards.

ACTING AG TODD BLANCHE SAYS NEWSOM'S DOJ CLAIMS ARE NOT 'GROUNDED IN FACT'

Several applicants said they only learned they were no longer being considered when Newsom announced the Baby2Baby partnership, CBS California Investigates reported.

California’s 2025 budget exempted the program from normal bidding rules and other state review requirements, according to the outlet.

CBS California Investigates found more than two dozen similar exemptions in the state budget, covering over $1 billion in spending. About two-thirds never expire.

The state released the contract on July 17, 66 days after the outlet filed a public records request.

The governor’s office said the extra time was needed to "grant our legal team adequate time to process and work on these requests," according to CBS Investigates.

NEWSOM BLASTED BY SHERIFF IN HIS OWN BACKYARD OVER CALIFORNIA CRIME AS VICTIMS CRY FOUL

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CBS California Investigates reported that the agreement marks at least the third time Baby2Baby has received California funding without a competitive bid.

The nonprofit also has a connection to the Newsom administration. Baby2Baby co-CEO Norah Weinstein serves on the board of the California Partners Project, which was founded by first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, according to the outlet.

Newsom's office and Baby2Baby could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

Trump just expanded his tariff playbook with a powerful trade weapon no president has ever used

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:08:12 -0400

President Donald Trump is opening a new chapter in his playbook by invoking a tariff authority that no previous president has ever used, a move that could reshape future trade wars.

Trump used a little-known provision of the 1930 Tariff Act to impose 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods.

Known as Section 338, the nearly century-old law gives the president broad authority to impose duties on imports from countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. commerce. Its first-ever use by a U.S. president could establish a new legal blueprint for future trade disputes.

Canada, one of America's top trading partners, is the first country targeted under the long-dormant authority, with 50% tariffs covering exports ranging from wine and hockey sticks to cement, dairy products and furniture.

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In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the tariffs as the latest in a series of U.S. trade actions he said violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement while reaffirming Canada's commitment to negotiations.

The new duties are expected to take effect in the next 30 days.

"The significant thing is Trump uncorked a new tariff statute that has never been used and is pretty wide open in terms of the president's supposed power to impose tariffs," Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital.

"It's a lot more about what could be coming and the new uncertainty that just got injected into a multitrillion-dollar trading environment."

The law has taken on added significance since the Supreme Court ruled against the administration's use of emergency powers for Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, prompting new interest in alternative legal authorities.

Against that backdrop, Lincicome said Section 338 could provide a broader legal avenue for imposing tariffs than authorities that have faced legal challenges or carry greater procedural constraints.

Tariffs are taxes on imported goods that U.S. importers generally pay upfront. Businesses can absorb the costs or pass them on to wholesalers, retailers and consumers through higher prices.

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Lincicome said the limited scope of the tariffs may reflect political realities ahead of the midterms.

"The president knows that the midterms are just a couple months away and that Americans generally don't like tariffs because they associate them with affordability issues," Lincicome said.

David Clement, policy director at the Consumer Choice Center, argued the administration's latest move appears designed to preserve Trump's broader tariff agenda despite recent legal setbacks while increasing uncertainty for businesses.

"I would actually view this as almost like a last-ditch effort to try and keep some tariffs on the table," Clement told Fox News Digital. "All this means is that, for roughly $20 billion in imports, they're just going to pay more for them."

He said the bigger long-term risk is not the collapse of North American trade but businesses delaying investment because of the uncertainty surrounding future tariff policy.

Monthly tariff collections have more than tripled since Trump returned to office, rising from roughly $9 billion to more than $30 billion. The government collected $30.4 billion in duties in January, a 275% increase from a year earlier, bringing fiscal-year collections to $254.8 billion.

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Tariffs have been a defining feature of both of Trump's presidencies, with the president arguing they protect American industries, boost domestic manufacturing and strengthen the U.S. economy.

But with affordability remaining a defining issue ahead of the midterms, any tariff policy that raises consumer prices is likely to face renewed political scrutiny.

Georgia coach sounds off: If Congress won't act, SEC should just break away from NCAA and govern themselves

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:05:39 -0400

TAMPA, Florida - Kirby Smart took to the podium on Tuesday morning as the 'Dean of SEC coaches' who also is looking to take his team back to the College Football Playoff mountaintop against a backdrop filled with parity overtaking the sport.

While it's been four years since the Bulldogs have raised a national championship trophy, that isn’t a part of the current landscape of college athletics that worries the Georgia coach.

And, while he has been tasked with being the vocal leader of the SEC, he's also not shying away from some of the hardest topics currently plaguing the sport.

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But, when it comes to parity, Smart is not going to complain. If anything, Kirby has welcomed the changing landscape, in his own subtle way.

"I think it's great for the sport," Kirby mentioned. "More guys can get invited to the party, especially with the transfer portal..It's not a one team dominate program."

If you thought he was going to complain about this part of the problem in college sports, you don't know Kirby Smart. While there can be plenty of excuses made about why Georgia hasn’t played for a championship over the past three years, they at least are thriving with talent during the most chaotic time in the sport.

Kirby Smart supports SEC leaving NCAA if there aren't major changes: 'I'm not afraid to break away'

But no, that argument is not going to sit well with the fans in Athens. The fan base knows that Georgia should be competing every season for titles, and Kirby Smart is not running away from the skeptics, even if it fits the current narrative that the Bulldogs can no longer stockpile talent on the roster.

And while he's now the Godfather of the SEC, I don't know if he wants the job of being the new Nick Saban.

Kirby is actually smart enough to call out the problems in college athletics

You might not like him, or think he's soft on automobile incidents, but the Georgia coach has been around long enough for his opinions to actually mean something.

Kirby is also not a coach that is getting fired within the next decade, so his opinion actually means something to the school president and athletic director. And, when it comes to the current rule-structure, it's pretty easy to see how many problems need fixing.

The question is whether it will be Congress implementing the rules, or the SEC?

"Until we get governance and we have someone that actually has the power to make decisions, or we can make decisions within our own community, we're not going to have much control," Kirby Smart noted.

And, that's the Georgia head coach just speaking truth. While there are plenty of people that would rather see Kirby Smart just take care of his team, there has to be those willing to speak up on the current issues hurting college athletics.

This is also not a threat from Kirby Smart. If you don't think these coaches are speaking with each other every single day in some form or fashion, then you aren't living in reality. Whether it's the transfer portal, NIL, eligibility, or just standard everyday rulings across the sport, coaches in the SEC are filling up their group chat with questions.

Yes, that also includes Lane Kiffin stoking the fire every now and then.

But breaking away from the NCAA and creating their own rules might sound like a daunting task for a conference that some think are trying to buck the system. In reality, this is just the next move, if Congress cannot pass legislation to help curb the current issues overtaking athletics.

"Yeah, I've actually been saying that for a long time," Kirby Smart told reporters.

Can you blame the Big Ten or SEC for thinking this way? Better yet, what about the ACC and Big 12? How do you think some of those schools from other conferences outside the Big Ten or SEC felt on Monday when a report indicated Senators were discussing a 5-year period in which they'd have to go independent if they were changing conferences?

Exactly.

If Congress is going to filter out new provisions to the Protect College Sports Act on a daily basis to take the temperature of the fans, why can't conferences discuss enforcing their own rules. Yes, that's a rhetorical question.

Gunner Stockton is a man of few words, but Kirby Smart's leader

Sitting in the corner of the Tampa Marriott ballroom, surrounded by a plethora of reporters, Georgia's starting quarterback was soft with his tone, but committed with his words.

The spotlight is not something Stockton runs from. He embraces the chance to prove people wrong, even if his tone of voice doesn’t fully correlate with the opinion. But, if there is one thing that Kirby Smart has had at Georgia over his tenure, it's mostly-consistent quarterback play with a few stars along the way.

In this case, it's Gunner. And, even though he's upgraded his Ford pickup truck and put his old-school ride in the garage, he's the same southern boy that just loves playing football. For that, Kirby Smart is thankful.

As for being a leader on this Georgia football team, making sure to leave egos at the door before entering the locker room is the only way in which a team might thrive in this era of college athletics.

"I think Coach Smart does a great job with that," Stockton said of the environment around NIL. "If you're getting paid, not getting paid, whatever, Coach Smart always says the best players play. I think people have lost the fact of if you're on the field it doesn’t matter how much or how less you're getting paid, it ain't going to help you when you're playing football.

"I think the fact that Coach Smart has built a good culture at Georgia and I think he's the best head coach, and that's for a reason."

Once again, expectations are on the Bulldogs to deliver.

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In the case of Georgia, it's earned the pressure.

For Kirby Smart, he's earned a say in what the future of college athletics could at least look like.

America bashed as 'disgusting' fascist regime during progressive call with Abdul El-Sayed, Cori Bush

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:05:17 -0400

Several prominent Democrats were caught on camera participating in a progressive political video call which began with one speaker comparing America to a Nazi regime ruled by "dead-eye psychopaths" and "bloodthirsty imperialists."

Participants on the call, which was hosted by Progressive Victory in March, included Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., whose name has been floated as a possible presidential contender, and several Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed, Cori Bush and Darializa Avila Chevalier. A spokesperson for Khanna has since disavowed the speaker's comments and said Khanna was not on the call at the time the remarks were made.

The virtual event, which also featured controversial streamer Hasan Piker, was titled "Choose Your Fighter" and was meant to highlight progressive politicians opposing the ongoing conflict in Iran.

At the start of the call, organizers introduced left-wing podcaster Kyle Kulinski, who they called an "up and comer" in the movement. Kulinski launched into a diatribe in which he accused the U.S. and Israel of "creating the fourth Reich."

WATCH: HOUSE DEMS DODGE QUESTIONS ON SOCIALIST AGENDA THAT THREATENS TO ABOLISH KEY INSTITUTIONS

"These are genuinely repulsive, disgusting, wretched, depraved human beings, okay? They enjoy the pain and the violence and the suffering and the death and the destruction that they inflict on the rest of the world," Kulinski railed, adding, "It is absolutely accurate to compare these people to the worst criminals in history, to Mussolini, to Adolf Hitler."

Kulinski claimed that "we have descended into fascism" and that the U.S. is "governed by dead-eye psychopaths and sociopaths and bloodthirsty imperialists."

He asserted that "people need to come to terms with the fact that in this instance the U.S. government and the Israeli government, they are the terrorists … they are doing terrorism," adding that "if Iran is off the table as a regional power that means Hezbollah can’t be funded, Hamas can’t be funded, the Houthis can’t be funded, like the Shia crescent falls and then you have nothing but regional domination for Israel."

Kulinski also referred to the make America great again movement as "an imperialist fascist death cult," saying, "It’s time to take them down."

In response, a spokesperson for Canary Mission, an antisemitism watchdog, warned that Kulinski’s rhetoric evidences the growth of self-hatred for the U.S. on the part of the left.

"Kyle Kulinski's speech at Progressive Victory's online rally attended by prominent DSA and Democratic politicians indicates the hateful and anti-American ideas proliferating on the left," the spokesperson said.

"Support for terrorist regimes and historical revisionism has no place in American politics," the spokesperson continued, adding, "This level of extremism must be distanced from the Democratic Party."

Meanwhile, Benjamin Gilbert-Lif, deputy executive director of Progressive Victory, told Fox News Digital that "we stand by the comments made by Kyle Kulinski" and confirmed that "they reflect the views of our community and of the many Jewish members of our national Leadership."

DEM ‘EPSTEIN CLASS’ ATTACK BACKFIRES AS TOP CANDIDATES FUNDED BY EPSTEIN-TIED BILLIONAIRE

"We also question why anyone would consider the idea of a ‘Jewish State’ to be anything other than an explicit desire for an ethno-state," Gilbert-Lif added. "PV stands against all ethno-states and at Choose Your Fighter sought to uplift voices that would push for the region to peacefully transition to a secular, one-state democracy where Israelis and Palestinians can coexist without artificially imposed borders or legal preferences toward one ethnicity dividing them."

Sarah Drory, a spokesperson for Khanna, told Fox News Digital that "Ro Khanna has always believed America is an exceptional country and was not on at the time these remarks were made."

She said that the congressman "joined for 5 minutes to speak and left" and added that "he obviously disagrees with them."

Fox News Digital reached out to Bush, Sayed, Chevalier and Piker for comment.

Oliver Larkin, a progressive Democrat running for Congress in Florida whose campaign helped to organize the call, told Fox News Digital that the virtual event raised $40,000 for 20 "progressive anti-war candidates" nationwide.

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He also charged that "Congress must reassert its constitutional war powers and bring accountability to this dangerous, lawless Trump administration."

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Asked whether he stands by Kulinski’s statements, Larkin remarked, "The crimes of the Epstein class are depraved."

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He accused the Trump administration of "rather than enforcing U.S. and international law … continuing to fund an ongoing genocide."

Fox News Digital also reached out to the White House and DSA for comment.

Connecticut school board vice chair compares America's founding to Holocaust in viral July 4 post

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:58:30 -0400

A Connecticut school board vice chair is facing backlash after a social media post comparing America's founding and its 250th anniversary celebration to the Holocaust went viral online.

Vice chair of the West Hartford Board of Education LaToya Yagaloff — also known as LaToya Fernandez — wrote that celebrating America's independence was akin to celebrating atrocities because slavery remained legal after 1776, asking readers, "Would you celebrate the historic beginning of the Holocaust or other genocides and atrocities?"

In a July 3 post on Facebook, Yagaloff wrote, "Slavery in the US started in 1619. In 1776, when America gained its independence, it did not free its slaves. Exactly 250 years ago in 1776 Chattel Slavery was the legal foundation of the American Colonies. So yes Americas 250th may feel like a celebration to you… But to me it’s like celebrating a nightmare that built the country that created the conditions for White privilege that allow you to turn a blind eye and be annoyed that I even mentioned it."

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"Would you celebrate the historic beginning of the Holocaust or other Genocides and atrocities?!" Yagaloff continued. "Why can’t we all just be American on July 4th? Because we all were not even considered human on July 4th 17 76. Am I killing your buzz with my truth telling?? Good, time to sober up, cuz we need you conscious and well."

Her biography on West Hartford Public Schools' website says that her "educational leadership centers on closing opportunity gaps through culturally responsive teaching, community partnership, and academic excellence. She believes that when students see themselves represented, feel safe, and are encouraged to express their full identities, the entire community thrives."

On her personal website, Yagaloff says she "designed and implemented a social justice based common core aligned curriculum for students in grades k-5, this curriculum-built awareness and called upon students to advocate for equity and justice in their neighborhoods." She also says she served as a restorative justice coordinator for San Jose schools and worked in California for 13 years as a community activist and "Restorative Practices change agent."

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Yagaloff returned home to Connecticut in 2021 and became a restorative justice coordinator within the state, "providing trainings in juvenile detention facilities and DCF group homes to staff and youth."

In her personal bio, she says she became the City of Norwalk's first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, serves on the West Hartford Board of Education, and founded Beyond Circles, a restorative practices consulting organization.

The post, which was screenshotted and shared on X by Libs of TikTok, has drawn widespread criticism on social media as the nation just commemorated its 250th anniversary.

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"Someone should tell her who was actually selling Africans to the White slavers," another wrote. "Other Africans. Does she think that White men in wool suites went into the jungles to capture Africans? I think she needs to reread history."

On July 16, the West Hartford GOP shared a screenshot of Yagaloff's July 3 post and wrote, "The Democratic Vice Chair of the West Hartford Board of Education compared our country's 250th anniversary to a genocide and the Holocaust. These are the people entrusted with your children's education!"

In a Monday post on Facebook, West Hartford Democrats said in part, "We stand with LaToya Yagaloff. Full stop. The hateful campaign waged by the West Hartford GOP against BOE member LaToya Yagaloff has resulted in exactly what such targeted attacks invite: a flood of vile, racist, and misogynistic messages calling her the most degrading slurs imaginable. This is NOT acceptable political discourse. This is harassment. This is intimidation. Enough is enough."

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, LaToya Yagaloff said, "I stand by the heart of my message. My July 4th post was not written to diminish America, but to invite reflection on a historical truth that continues to shape how many Americans experience Independence Day."

"When the United States declared independence in 1776, chattel slavery remained legal," she continued. "Millions of enslaved Africans and their descendants were excluded from the freedoms being celebrated. That history is not an opinion — it is a fact. My post asked readers to consider why a day of national celebration can also evoke grief, reflection, and unresolved pain for many Black Americans whose ancestors were denied those very liberties."

"Some have interpreted one portion of my post as equating America's founding with the Holocaust," Yagaloff added. "That was not my intention. My point was to encourage reflection on how societies remember painful histories and to ask whether we can hold celebration and truth together. I believe we honor our nation not by avoiding difficult parts of our history, but by having the courage to confront them honestly."

"What has been especially heartbreaking is what followed," she said. "After being singled out publicly, I received a wave of racist and misogynistic harassment, including messages calling me the N-word and other degrading slurs. I welcome respectful disagreement and thoughtful debate. That is part of servant leadership. Racism, intimidation, and dehumanization are not."

"As a Marine Corps veteran, educator, Board of Education Vice Chair, and restorative justice practitioner, I have dedicated my life to bringing people together across differences," Yagaloff went on to say. "My work is rooted in the belief that truth and dignity must coexist. We cannot build reconciliation by denying history, nor can we create healing by dehumanizing those with whom we disagree."

"My faith teaches me that every person is made in the image of God and worthy of dignity," she continued. "My work in restorative justice teaches me that truth-telling is not the enemy of unity; it is often the beginning of it. Real reconciliation requires honesty, accountability, compassion, and the willingness to remain in conversation even when it is uncomfortable. I remain committed to serving my community with humility, integrity, and love."

"My hope is that this moment will encourage deeper conversations about our shared history and remind us that we can disagree without abandoning one another's humanity," Yagaloff added. "Patriotism is not the absence of criticism. It is loving your country enough to tell the truth about its past while believing in its capacity to grow."

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Fox News Digital reached out to West Hartford Public Schools, the West Hartford GOP and the West Hartford Democrats for comment.

Trump's DNI pick clears key hurdle, reviving path for nation's top anti-terror surveillance program

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:58:12 -0400

Senate Republicans quietly advanced President Donald Trump’s pick to run the nation’s intelligence agencies and placed Congress back on a path to restart a crucial counterterrorism tool.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., revealed that the panel voted U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton out of committee in a 9-8 vote during a closed-door session. That tees up a later confirmation vote for Clayton to serve as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

"Jay Clayton is a highly qualified nominee with a deep experience combatting a wide range of national security threats," Cotton said. "I’m pleased that the Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance his nomination to be Director of National Intelligence."

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The role was previously vacated by former DNI Tulsi Gabbard and then hastily filled on an interim basis by Trump with Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte, who Democrats railed against as an unqualified loyalist who would weaponize the intelligence community against the president’s enemies.

Clayton, who served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump’s first term, ended up becoming a victim of the political firestorm that surrounded Pulte.

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His first hearing was derailed by Trump, who demanded that the Senate confirm his replacement for the Southern District in New York and attach the SAVE America Act to must-pass legislation to reauthorize a key surveillance tool that has been inactive since June.

Clayton will now face a full confirmation vote in the Senate, where several Senate Democrats previously voted for him to be SEC chair.

TRUMP'S DNI PICK WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING AFTER TRUTH SOCIAL BOMB

But his hearing was dominated by questions about whether he would admit that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election and Trump had lost, which Clayton shrugged off as "theater."

That could play out on the Senate floor in the coming days, and he will need Democratic votes to clinch the nomination.

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Movement on his nomination could open up a path to reauthorizing the nation’s top counterterrorism tool, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was notably used to thwart a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert years ago.

Democrats derailed the process after Trump appointed Pulte, but with a new face leading the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies, Section 702 could soon see the lights come back on.

What does a realistically successful first year look like for head coach Lane Kiffin at LSU?

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:52:37 -0400

As SEC Media Days continue in Tampa, each program as well as their individual fanbases are starting to see a clearer picture about the expectations they will face for the 2026 season.

For schools like Texas and Georgia, the belief is that this year - as is the case with most years in Austin and Athens, respectively - is championship or bust, while other schools like Kentucky and Arkansas are breaking in first-year head coaches and are coming off lackluster campaigns in 2025.

One program that has a first-year head coach but is expected to compete for a national championship is LSU, who went out and acquired Lane Kiffin from SEC rivals Ole Miss.

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To be fair, those expectations always exist at a place like LSU, but when you marry them with a coach who took an SEC compatriot with far less resources to the College Football Playoff just one season ago, the spotlight only gets brighter.

Kiffin has done his best to try and temper the aspirations of Tiger fans, requesting patience during spring practice, but the public pricetag of this roster - rumored to be around $40 million - means there isn't a lot of room for error in the court of public opinion.

Whether that's fair or not remains to be seen, but let's discuss what a realistic and successful season looks like for Kiffin and the Bayou Bengals in year one.

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The aforementioned $40 million roster is definitely a factor in all of this, and it cannot be ignored, but plenty of the most expensive rosters in college football have failed to win national titles in the past.

Everyone remembers Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M's doomed 2022 season or Texas' lackluster campaign from just one year prior.

Those programs are both notorious for dumping big money into their football teams, so just having an expensive roster doesn't always mean immediate success.

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We also have to take into account the simple fact that the Tigers haven't made the College Football Playoff since 2019, when Ed Orgeron guided a star-studded LSU team to a 15-0 record and a national championship.

We are coming up on seven years since that historic season, and the Tigers don't have anything to show for their efforts in the meantime.

With that being said, anything but a Playoff appearance should be considered a failure for Kiffin and LSU in year one.

Fans expecting a national championship need to pump their brakes a bit, but there is no excuse for this team and coaching staff not to at least make the big dance in 2026.

The Tigers may very well boast one of the best coordinator tandems in the SEC in offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and defensive coordinator Blake Baker.

When you couple that with all the talent that is littered across this roster, including a consensus top-ranked transfer portal class this offseason, it's fair to expect this team to at least compete for top status in the SEC.

Making the CFP should be the goal in year one, and once you make the postseason tournament, you can recalibrate your expectations accordingly from there.

While it's fair for Kiffin to ask for patience, he needs to be more specific.

Patience with regard to winning the whole thing is warranted, but if the first-year head coach thinks an 8-4 season and an invite to the Gator Bowl will earn him an "atta boy" from the fanbase, he is sorely mistaken.

Kiffin isn't a stranger to the SEC. He knows the expectations are high, especially at a conference blue-blood like LSU.

The talent is abundant. The coaching staff is elite.

I expect the Tigers to compete for championships as long as Kiffin still resides in Baton Rouge, but I also don't expect a year one without any hiccups.

Even a demigod like Curt Cignetti needed a year to get his feet underneath him at Indiana.

Worry not, LSU fans. You hired the right guy.

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The only one who can stop Kiffin and the Tigers once this thing gets rolling is Kiffin himself.

That's as scary for other SEC fans to hear as it is for LSU fans.

Johnson scores commanding victory in fight to ram SAVE America Act through Democrat opposition

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:41:40 -0400

Speaker Mike Johnson's bid to end run Democrats' opposition to an election integrity bill backed by President Donald Trump survived a key House-wide vote on Tuesday.

It's a major victory for Republicans in a fight that Democrats have argued is about suppressing Americans' right to vote, while the GOP argues it is about enhancing Americans' confidence in the electoral process.

The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has faced significant headwinds in Congress despite having Trump’s full-throated support. While it passed the House, the legislation has struggled in the Senate, where at least several Democratic votes are needed to break a filibuster and advance to final passage.

JOHNSON'S STRATEGY TO BYPASS DEMOCRATS' SAVE ACT BLOCKADE SURVIVES KEY VOTE, HANDING GOP BIG WIN

But the new plan by Johnson, R-La., which would allow key parts of the bill to skirt Democrats entirely, survived a key test vote on the House floor Tuesday.

The House voted largely along party lines to allow for debate on a $95 billion budget bill that includes some $10 billion for states to implement voter ID laws and a proof-of-citizenship requirement in the voter registration process — both key points in the SAVE America Act.

It's part of a wider measure being passed via the budget reconciliation process.

GOP'S $95B DEFENSE PACKAGE SURVIVES CRITICAL HURDLE AMID FISCAL HAWK REVOLT

The reconciliation process allows the party in power to pass sweeping fiscal policy reforms without input from their opposition by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage to line up with the House’s simple majority requirement.

But there are strict guidelines for what can be in a reconciliation bill. Such legislation must deal with yearly federal spending and revenues, meaning issues that do not directly affect fiscal policy are generally excluded.

The remainder of the budget bill includes $73 billion for the U.S. war against Iran and $12 billion in aid for American farmers.

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The second chamber-wide step in the reconciliation process after Tuesday's successful vote is to pass a framework that directs the relevant committees to then craft details dealing with their allocated budgets. Those details are then put back into a single sweeping bill that must pass the House and Senate before getting to Trump’s desk for his signature.

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That framework is set to get a vote on Wednesday afternoon.

Whether it passes, however, is unclear. In addition to Democratic opposition, some GOP fiscal hawks are wary of the legislation's lack of spending cuts to offset the increase in the federal budget.

Jessica Chastain's new horror movie 'Other Mommy' drops a terrifying first trailer for fans

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:35:09 -0400

A terrifying trailer is out for Jessica Chastain's new movie "Other Mommy."

Basic info:

Plot: Bela, an eight-year-old girl living in a home with marital problems, confronts a sinister entity that comes out of her closet. The presence, whom she calls "Other Mommy," becomes increasingly threatening to her and her family.
Cast: Arabella Olivia Clark, Dichen Lachman, Jessica Chastain
Director: Rob Savage
Release date: October 9, 2026

'CRYSTAL LAKE' TRAILER REVEALS THE 'FRIDAY THE 13TH' ORIGIN STORY WITH LINDA CARDELLINI AS PAM VOORHEES

Trailer released for Jessica Chastain's new movie 'Other Mommy'

While horror might not be my favorite genre, there's no doubt a great horror movie can hit the spot. Take a look at the success of "Obsession" for proof of that fact.

The results can be exceptional when the genre is done correctly. Now, Jessica Chastain has a new horror movie on the way.

INSANE PREVIEW RELEASED FOR NEW A24 FILM 'ONSLAUGHT,' STARS ADRIA ARJONA AND REBECCA HALL

The trailer for "Other Mommy" was released on Tuesday, and it's already making waves.

What I can say without a moment of hesitation is that the preview is legitimately scary. Give it a watch below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

There was some significant buzz in the comments following the trailer dropping. One person wrote, "Don't know how the movie will turnout but I'll give props for making a compelling trailer."

Another added, "Sometimes, movies out of nowhere become one of the best."

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There's no question that was an absolute banger of a trailer, and now we wait to see if the movie meets the expectations the preview pushed up.

You can catch "Other Mommy" in theaters starting October 9th, and make sure to let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

US counterintelligence ‘way behind,’ post-9/11 record ‘extraordinarily negligent’, fmr Trump WH official warns

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:31:55 -0400

U.S. counterintelligence capabilities have fallen far behind threats from China and Russia, according to former White House national security advisor H.R. McMaster, who accused Washington of being "extraordinarily negligent" during the decades after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The counterintelligence threat is, like, way behind," McMaster warned during a House Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday examining how national security threats have changed in the 25 years since 9/11.

Committee Chair Rick Crawford, R-Ark., had asked whether the government’s intense post-attack focus on counterterrorism had diverted attention from hostile nation-states and left the country’s counterintelligence posture inadequate.

McMaster not only agreed, but issued a warning that Russia and China are taking advantage of America's guard being down as it focuses on terrorist threats more than global power nuclear rivals.

WALTZ WARNS OF CHINESE, RUSSIAN-FUELED ‘NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT’ LOOMING CLOSE TO US SHORES

He pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s effort to restore Russia’s global power and China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, which helped fuel Beijing’s economic rise. China then used those gains to expand its military, intelligence services and influence operations, using U.S. companies and U.S. private equity firms to "do all the battlefield artificial intelligence" for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in China, McMaster said.

"So, we were not only so behind. I think we were extraordinarily negligent in this period of time, and I think we're racing to catch up. And we have a lot of work to do," he continued.

The United States openly gave an invitation to its economy to Chinese actors seeking American intellectual property and technical expertise, according to McMaster.

"We’re being infiltrated by PLA scientists and others who are there to extract intellectual property, to extract know-how, apply it to gain commercial advantage but, importantly, to gain military advantage," McMaster said.

RUBIO WARNS AMERICA MUST 'STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE' AS CHINA WORKS TO SURPASS THE US WITH STOLEN TECH

McMaster also accused U.S. financial institutions and private-equity firms of investing in Chinese companies tied to Beijing’s military and cyber capabilities.

"What we were doing is actually underwriting our own demise by investing in Chinese companies," he said.

Other witnesses echoed McMaster’s warning and argued that institutions created after 9/11 remain too focused on terrorism to confront espionage, influence campaigns and cyber operations conducted by hostile governments.

Seth G. Jones, a national security expert, said organizations, including the National Counterterrorism Center, joint terrorism task forces and state fusion centers, helped improve information sharing after 9/11. But he said they are not sufficiently equipped to identify and disrupt state-backed operations inside the United States.

CALIFORNIA MAYOR ACCUSED OF SECRETLY WORKING FOR CHINA, SPREADING PROPAGANDA WHILE IN OFFICE: FEDS

Jones cited activities linked to China’s Ministry of State Security and United Front organizations.

"Most of our state and local entities don’t even know what to look for," Jones said. "I do not think we are prepared for this intelligence challenge inside of our own borders, and we don’t have the infrastructure to effectively deal with it."

Frank Cilluffo, director of the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University, testified at the hearing that the government must move beyond merely sharing information and begin coordinating operations with private industry and state and local authorities.

Cilluffo argued that the modern counterintelligence threat is no longer limited to traditional "spy versus spy" activity. Foreign intelligence services, he said, are increasingly targeting technology companies, infrastructure operators and other private organizations that possess valuable data and emerging capabilities.

"None of them went into business thinking they had to defend themselves against foreign intelligence services," Cilluffo said. "But that’s precisely what they’re doing today."

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The hearing was part of a bipartisan review of the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations and whether the intelligence community is prepared for newer threats, including artificial intelligence, cyberattacks, foreign influence operations, drones and economic coercion.

Americans tourists stabbed outside Athens' Acropolis as police detain suspect in apparent random attack

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:27:27 -0400

Two American visitors were injured Tuesday after a man armed with a knife attacked them near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, in what authorities believe was a random assault near one of the country's most recognizable tourist destinations.

The Associated Press reported that the victims, a 53-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman described by police as a Greek American couple, were walking along a pedestrian street near the Acropolis Museum and one of the entrances to the ancient archaeological site when they were attacked shortly after 8 a.m. local time.

Police said the man suffered a serious arm injury that required a tourniquet before he was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. The woman suffered a less severe leg injury, and authorities said neither victim's injuries were considered life-threatening.

89-YEAR-OLD MAN ALLEGEDLY OPENS FIRE WITH SHOTGUN IN GREEK CAPITAL, INJURING 4

Officers detained the suspect, identified only as a 60-year-old Greek man, at the scene. He was expected to appear before a prosecutor Tuesday to face formal charges.

Authorities have not identified a motive for the stabbing, though police said the suspect appeared to be suffering from psychological problems.

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Greek media reported the suspect had been brandishing a knife and threatening people before the attack, prompting a bystander to call police.

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The violence unfolded just after the Acropolis opened for the day.

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The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes the Parthenon and other ancient monuments overlooking Athens, attracts millions of visitors each year and is among Greece's most popular tourist attractions.

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Early morning visits at the historic site are especially common during the summer months, when tourists seek to avoid the intense midday heat on the exposed hilltop.

FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS

Greece is experiencing its first major heat wave of the season, with temperatures in Athens forecast to reach about 100 degrees and even higher in other parts of the country.

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Despite the attack, authorities did not close the Acropolis or the nearby museum, and both continued operating as normal throughout the day.

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Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or announced what charges the suspect will face.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Athens to confirm the victims' citizenship, determine whether consular assistance is being provided and request additional comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bison victim speaks out after wild attack: ‘They move faster than you could ever imagine’

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:20:22 -0400

After a terrifying bison attack at Yellowstone National Park left Carl Isom-McDaniel with a broken leg, the grandfather from Kendall, Washington is speaking out about the harrowing experience.

"We saw the bison and he was down. He wasn't showing aggression or anything like that until it picked a target. That target happened to be me," Isom-McDaniel said in a video taken from his hospital room at Bozeman Health, a hospital in Southwest Montana.

"They move faster than you could ever imagine," he added, referring to bison in general. "He just kept coming, and he was more aggressive. As soon as he got off that tree, he launched me in the air," said the grandfather, who was attacked on July 10.

YELLOWSTONE OFFICIALS DECIDE FATE OF BISON THAT LAUNCHED GRANDFATHER 8 FEET IN AIR

Isom-McDaniel was with his grandson at Bridge Bay Campground near Yellowstone Lake that evening.

"I didn't get bruises from him launching me in [the] air. It was the landing that [caused] the problem," Isom-McDaniel said.

The grandfather, said to be in his mid-60s, broke his femur in four places and underwent surgery. He's been recovering at the Montana hospital, according to several reports.

"It was definitely clear that he had a pretty painful injury. It's actually broken in multiple pieces," a doctor who treated Isom-McDaniel said in the Bozeman Health video.

YELLOWSTONE BISON ATTACK WITNESS BELIEVES MAN SAVED HIS GRANDSON BY TAKING BRUNT OF ATTACK

From the start, Isom-McDaniel's goal was to protect his grandson.

"It was like, you need to get up to the amphitheater. I will deal with this down here," the grandfather said, recalling what he told his grandson.

Photographer Mike McLeod, who witnessed the terrifying attack, said he believes Isom-McDaniel saved his grandson.

"Once I saw the victim in the air, I stopped filming and ran with some other men to haze the bison away and to render aid," MacLeod told Fox News Digital earlier in an interview.

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"It really felt to me like the grandfather kind of saved his grandson. [He'd] taken the brunt of the attack," he said.

"I got to him right away, and the first thing he asked is, 'How is my grandson?'" recalled MacLeod, a veteran.

The victim never lost consciousness during the attack despite suffering multiple broken bones, Fox News "America's Newsroom" reported.

"For some reason [the bison] had it in his head he was going to attack those two [people]," the photographer recalled.

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Reports indicate that neither Isom-McDaniel nor his grandson did anything to provoke the animal.

The bull had already charged a group of teenagers before stopping to wallow in the dirt near the campground.

"Less than even a minute after I started filming, the bison charged a bunch of teenagers that were at a safe distance," the photographer said.

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"They were all young and nimble, so they just scattered," he said.

"But they started yelling, 'Hey, everyone watch out. There's a bison.' ... There were a lot of campers in the camp."

Later, MacLeod feared the animal was about to gore the injured grandfather — prompting him to put down his camera and run toward the bison, yelling and waving his arms.

Other campground visitors assisted until the animal retreated.

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Isom-McDaniel said the hospital has been taking great care of him.

"I always felt safe and secure. I wasn't ever terrified," he said.

Kelly McGreal of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Melinda French Gates says it took 3 doctors to diagnose the condition she was suffering from

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:18:18 -0400

Melinda French Gates is speaking out about the challenges of recognizing perimenopause, saying she didn't receive the proper diagnosis and treatment until after seeing three different doctors.

She shared her experience with journalist Norah O'Donnell's new podcast "Healthful," which will be released on Wednesday.

French Gates, now 61, said she was in her early 40s when she began experiencing menopause symptoms, noting that she "kind of couldn't believe it," as reported by CBS News.

LOW TESTOSTERONE? HEGSETH SPARKS CONVERSATION AS DOCTORS REVEAL WARNING SIGNS EVERY MAN SHOULD KNOW

Later, the philanthropist and businesswoman would learn that many OB-GYNs receive little formal training in menopause care, which she says underscores a broader gap in women's healthcare.

French Gates shared that she was lucky enough to know the signs, thanks to input from older friends.

"But it was kind of unbelievable to me that, even in this, you know, unbelievably privileged situation I'm in, where I feel like I can get some of the best healthcare, it took me three doctors to really diagnose what I was going through and to get the right treatments for where I was," she said during the interview.

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"It wasn't because anybody was doing the wrong thing. It's because of what I now know, which is, only one-third of OB-GYNs in this country are trained in menopause."

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Supporting her claim, a national survey published in the journal Menopause in 2023 found that only about one-third of U.S. obstetrics and gynecology residency programs include a formal menopause curriculum.

More recently, a 2024 study found that OB-GYN, family medicine and internal medicine residents have low knowledge and low confidence in treating menopausal symptoms.

In a separate 2026 Kansas study, more than half of residents reported receiving fewer than five hours of menopause education — and the majority did not believe that residency fully prepared them to treat menopausal patients independently.

In a national survey of 2,000 women, only 25% said their healthcare provider had adequately informed them about perimenopause.

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Additional training in this area could help, researchers claim, as knowledge scores increased from 61% to 79% among those who received a structured curriculum.

About 1.3 million U.S. women reach menopause each year, according to The Menopause Society. Most begin perimenopause in their 40s, although it can start earlier.

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As perimenopause causes hormone levels to fluctuate, women can experience a range of symptoms. Some of the most common include irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes, vaginal dryness, brain fog and joint pain as hormone levels begin to fluctuate, according to Mayo Clinic.

Fox News Digital reached out to French Gates' representatives for comment.

Discriminatory 'shadow' review process locks White, Asian students out of California med school, DOJ alleges

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:17:58 -0400

The Trump administration has accused UC San Diego's medical school of illegally discriminating against White and Asian applicants in favor of admitting less qualified Black and Hispanic students, putting nearly $1 billion in federal funding at risk.

The findings stem from a months-long Justice Department Civil Rights Division investigation launched in March and come as the Trump administration intensifies its effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

According to a letter sent to the school by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the admissions committee used applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question to determine their racial and ethnic backgrounds, using the essays as a proxy for race in deciding who advanced in the admissions process. The investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants to UC San Diego Med were admitted at more than twice the rate of White applicants, even though White applicants, on average, had higher MCAT scores and GPAs.

"Rather than rely on MCAT scores or GPA, San Diego Med’s shadow application process unlawfully judged applicants for admission based on their race," Dhillon said in a statement. "San Diego Med’s blatant efforts to prioritize race are illegal, and we will end these practices."

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ZEROES IN ON UCLA FOR ALLEGED ILLEGAL DEI ADMISSIONS AS ELITE SCHOOL CRACKDOWN EXPANDS

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard that it is unconstitutional for colleges and universities to consider applicants' race during the admissions process, including any workarounds which would give any racial group a competitive advantage.

"The Court made clear that proxies for race also may not be used to discriminate, noting that 'universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today,'" the letter stated.

The Justice Department's findings echo allegations at the center of the Harvard affirmative action case, where plaintiffs argued that Asian American applicants with stronger academic credentials were admitted at lower rates than similarly qualified applicants from other racial groups.

In the UC San Diego investigation, the department concluded that Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at significantly higher rates than equally qualified White and Asian applicants, saying the disparities were too consistent to be explained by chance and that the university failed to provide evidence accounting for them.

IS ‘TRAUMA SHORTHAND FOR BLACKNESS’ IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS? REPORT SPARKS DEBATE

After the Supreme Court's ruling, the medical school's leadership remained committed to ensuring that minorities, also known as an underrepresented minority in medicine, are bolstered in the admissions process by giving considerable weight to how they respond to a personal account of what hardships they've had to overcome.

The Justice Department alleges that UC San Diego's admissions director, Brian Zeglen, devised a plan in June 2023, shortly after the Supreme Court ruling, to "bump up" dozens of applicants with lower MCAT scores and GPAs in an effort to enroll more underrepresented minority students while avoiding the appearance of using race in admissions.

Zeglen said minority applicants in the lowest tier, Group C, could be moved into Group B by giving greater weight to their personal essays.

CALIFORNIA PROFESSOR ARGUES NEED FOR 'OBJECTIVE MEASURES' AFTER STATE DROPS ACT/SAT REQUIREMENT

"[T]here are roughly 550 URM students that fall out of Group Band into Group C. Because of this, I would recommend that we purposely select some students from Group C," Zeglen wrote, according to documents obtained by the Justice Department.

Zeglen proposed moving up to 62 applicants with lower MCAT scores and GPAs into the interview pool through what he called a "bump up Group C." At this point, the admissions board would have access to the applicants' race.

With Zeglen's plan in place, Black applicants were admitted at a much higher rate than White applicants. In 2023, 6.18% of Black applicants were admitted compared with 2.45% of White applicants. In 2024, the admission rates were 5.25% and 2.1%, respectively, and in 2025 they were 5.14% and 1.96%.

The Justice Department found that admitted Black and Hispanic students consistently had lower median MCAT scores than admitted White and Asian students in the incoming classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025. In 2023, Hispanic students had a median MCAT score in the 80th percentile and Black students in the 88th percentile, compared with the 95th percentile for White students and the 94th percentile for Asian students.

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"San Diego Med' s internal documents, including communications among the admissions staff, confirm that San Diego Med intended to racially discriminate in favor of so-called underrepresented minorities, such as blacks and Hispanics," the Justice Department stated. "As a result of these practices, more qualified white and Asian students were denied admission to San Diego Med on the basis of their race."

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The Justice Department said it is seeking a voluntary agreement with UC San Diego to bring the medical school's admissions policies into compliance with federal law.

Fox News Digital reached out to San Diego Med's office for comment.

Ryan Clark makes first public comments via social media since being laid off from ESPN

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:13:32 -0400

Ryan Clark has spoken publicly for the first time since the news broke that he was being let go from ESPN.

Clark, 46, wished others who were laid off by ESPN on Tuesday well, empathizing with those who lost their jobs.

"Sending prayers and love to all those laid off today by ESPN. So many of you have poured your life into that company, & I know how’re you feeling right now," Clark wrote on X.

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"My hope is as this door closes another opens for you all. God bless!"

On Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Karl Ravech, who had been with the company since 1993, and NFL insider Tom Pelissero were being laid off.

Ravech had been ESPN’s lead play-by-play announcer for its baseball coverage, and called the Philadelphia Phillies-New York Mets game on Monday. ESPN purchased NFL Network in January, and just six months later, ESPN let go of Pelissero, who was a constant on NFL Network programming.

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Longtime SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, injury expert Stephania Bell, talk show host Bart Scott and NFL Network analyst Charles Davis were also laid off as well, according to Front Office Sports. Lloyd had been with ESPN since 1997, and Bell had been with the company for nearly two decades.

OutKick reported that ESPN has laid off Cam Newton. ESPN featured the 2015 MVP winner on "First Take" alongside Stephen A. Smith for two seasons.

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As for Clark, it is unclear if his contract expired or if he is being sidelined until his deal is up. He joined ESPN in 2015 and spent more than 11 seasons with the network. As his time at ESPN progressed, he became an increasingly polarizing figure.

ESPN’s talent lineup will look much different this upcoming NFL season, which will conclude with the network broadcasting its first Super Bowl.

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Texas real estate agent suspected in nearly 100-stab cold case posted global vacations before arrest

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:04:43 -0400

More than a decade after a Texas woman was found stabbed roughly 100 times in her apartment, a real estate agent is behind bars without bond, facing capital murder charges.

Mayra Velasquez, 42, was booked into the Tarrant County Corrections Center July 17 in the killing of Irasema Chavez, according to the Arlington Police Department and county jail records.

Chavez, 32, was found dead Jan. 20, 2012, inside her second-floor apartment in the 2700 block of South Collins Street. Investigators said there were no obvious signs of forced entry, raising the possibility that Chavez knew the person who killed her or willingly opened the door.

DNA CRACKS 40-YEAR COLD CASE MYSTERY WITH ARREST IN LIBRARY WORKER’S SAVAGE SLAYING: POLICE

Surveillance video obtained by KDFW-TV from the night before the grisly discovery showed a person wearing baggy clothing and a hoodie climbing the stairs to Chavez’s unit. The figure knocked, appeared to exchange words with someone at the door and was then allowed inside.

Police released the video in hopes the public could identify the visitor, but the shadowy image failed to produce the break detectives needed. The case eventually went cold.

FLORIDA WOMAN CHARGED WITH MURDER EVADING POLICE AFTER BODY FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE, SHERIFF SAYS

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Investigators did, however, recover blood from the crime scene that did not belong to Chavez.

In 2016, Arlington police worked with Virginia-based Parabon NanoLabs to analyze the unknown DNA. The company used DNA phenotyping technology to produce a composite predicting the person’s likely appearance, including long brown hair and Latino ancestry.

FORENSIC GENEALOGY UNMASKS COLD CASE SUSPECT AS STRANGLER, SEXUAL PREDATOR DECADES LATER: OFFICIALS

Still, no firm suspect emerged.

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The case gained new life in November 2024, when Arlington police brought it to the FBI’s Dallas Field Office and sought help from the bureau’s investigative genetic genealogy program. That process produced what authorities described as a significant lead earlier this year.

Detectives then gathered additional evidence and obtained a warrant for Velasquez, police said.

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Authorities have not released what evidence confirmed the genealogy lead, whether investigators obtained a direct DNA comparison from Velasquez or if she knew Chavez.

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Velasquez had worked locally as a real estate agent for years, posting property listings on her social media accounts.

Her Texas real estate license remained active as of Monday, and state records listed her with Pure Realtors LLC, KDFW-TV reported. Fox News Digital has reached out to the company for comment.

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Velasquez's social media account captured the real estate agent gallivanting on trips with family and friends following the alleged murder.

Photos showed her smiling on trips to Peru, Mexico, Paris and London.

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Tarrant County’s inmate database lists Velasquez’s charge as "capital murder by terror threat/other felony."

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Arlington police and the FBI are expected to address the arrest during a joint news conference Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. CST. Fox News Digital has reached out to Velasquez’s attorney for comment.

FBI nabs alleged $547M Medicare fraud fugitive overseas, third capture from 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:01:57 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The FBI has captured a fugitive accused of stealing more than half a billion dollars from Medicare and leading authorities on an international manhunt, marking the third arrest from the bureau's "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list.

Khalid Ahmed Satary, who was indicted in 2019 in the Southern District of Florida, was arrested overseas after spending nearly three years on the run, according to the FBI. Authorities said Satary violated the conditions of his pretrial release in 2022, prompting a federal arrest warrant.

"The arrest of Khalid Ahmed Satary and return to the U.S. is the third Most Wanted Fraudster capture from this FBI and our partners in just five weeks — continuing the historic run of success for this new initiative," FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital in a statement.

FBI CAPTURES $1.2B MEDICARE FRAUD FUGITIVE IN PHILIPPINES, SECOND ARREST FROM MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS LIST

Patel said Satary is accused of participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently billed Medicare for $547 million worth of expensive and medically unnecessary genetic tests between 2016 and 2019. According to the FBI, the scheme relied on deceptive marketing campaigns, illegal kickbacks and bribes to generate fraudulent Medicare claims.

"This defendant allegedly orchestrated a massive fraud scheme that preyed on thousands of elderly patients, deceiving them into undergoing expensive, medically unnecessary tests and fraudulently billing the government for more than half a billion dollars," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. "Thanks to the outstanding work of our partners at the FBI, this defendant was brought back from overseas to face justice in the United States. Our message to fraudsters is clear: If you steal from American taxpayers and exploit vulnerable patients, we will find and prosecute you, no matter where you are."

Patel said Satary "exploited a program dedicated to helping our most vulnerable and instead stole for himself."

The FBI said Satary was apprehended overseas through coordination with U.S. and international law enforcement partners and was expected to land in the United States Tuesday morning. He was scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday afternoon. The case is being handled by the FBI's Miami Field Office.

MINNESOTA MAN MARKS FBI'S FIRST ARREST FROM DOJ'S 'MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS' LIST

"This defendant is alleged to have engaged in a massive fraud scheme that preyed on elderly patients, duped them into taking expensive and unnecessary genetic tests, and billed the United States more than half a billion dollars," Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division said. "As today's arrest shows, there is no safe haven for fraudsters who seek to exploit vulnerable Americans or our Nation's critical health care programs."

Patel also linked Satary's arrest to the Trump administration's broader effort to combat fraud against taxpayers.

"This is just the latest example showing President Trump's and Vice President Vance's White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud will not be deterred in our mission to track down each and every fraudster who allegedly steals from American taxpayers," Patel said. "And it's yet another high-value target returned from overseas by this FBI — the 27th such transfer since June."

Satary's arrest marks the third capture since the FBI launched its Most Wanted Fraudsters list five weeks ago, an initiative aimed at locating and apprehending fugitives accused of large-scale financial crimes.

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Last month, Said Abdullahi Ereg, a former Minneapolis grocery and deli owner wanted on federal charges since 2024, surrendered to federal authorities after being added to the list. Prosecutors allege Ereg fraudulently obtained more than $4.2 million from the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A week later, the FBI arrested Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, in the Philippines after authorities said he spent nearly two years on the run. Kimble is accused of orchestrating a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud conspiracy.

Trump may have endorsed Darline Graham, but GOP Senate hopefuls aren’t backing down

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:00:00 -0400

As the starting gun in the Republican race to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is officially fired, the showdown is shaping up as the latest test of President Donald Trump's immense clout over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in party primaries.

On the eve of Tuesday's kickoff of a weeklong filing period for the Aug. 11 primary, Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed last week to fill the remainder of her late brother's term, announced in an interview on Fox News' "Hannity" that she's running for a full six-year term in the Senate.

Graham's announcement came three days after she met with Trump at the White House, and the president gave her his "complete and total endorsement" as he encouraged her to run.

But Trump's backing of Graham, while potent, isn't deterring other Republicans from jumping into the race.

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"South Carolina voters want to have a choice and not be told who they need to be voting for," Palmetto State-based Republican consultant Dave Wilson told Fox News Digital.

Veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams noted that "the Trump endorsement is a major boost for any candidacy, but it doesn’t necessarily give you a lock on the seat."

"Senate seats in South Carolina do not come up very often, and politics is all about timing. You’ve got to seize the opportunity when it presents itself," Williams told Fox News Digital. "If you’re an aspiring House member in South Carolina, this is your time to run, regardless of whom the president is supporting."

Republican Rep. Ralph Norman, who unsuccessfully campaigned this year for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in the race to succeed term-limited South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, announced his intention to run this past weekend.

WHAT DARLINE GRAHAM TOLD FOX NEWS' SEAN HANNITY

On Monday, Republican Rep. Russell Fry jumped into the race.

Businessman Mark Lynch, who lost to Lindsey Graham by nearly 30 points in last month's GOP Senate primary, also announced he'd take another shot at the Republican nomination.

Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette on Tuesday left the door open to running, writing in a social media post, "We need a strong, proven conservative to fill the shoes of a man who dedicated his life to serving the people and fighting for what South Carolina needs to support our businesses, our infrastructure, and our growing economy."

Wilson noted that "the president’s quick endorsement of Darline Graham was very symbolic."

But, he added, "We’re seeing in South Carolina that his [the president’s] endorsement didn’t carry as much weight as people thought it was going to."

Wilson was referring to Trump’s endorsement of Evette ahead of the GOP gubernatorial primary. Evette was the top vote getter in the primary but lost the ensuing runoff election against South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a landslide. Days before the runoff, with Wilson leading the public opinion polls, Trump made an 11th-hour endorsement of the attorney general in addition to his backing of Evette.

"People here in South Carolina saw that Trump's endorsement of Evette didn't put her over the top, and they feel like the Senate primary could also be up for grabs," a Republican operative who asked for anonymity to speak more freely told Fox News Digital.

Trump a week ago lauded Fry, a two-term congressman who represents the northeastern corner of South Carolina, as "very talented" and "very popular" and said he would be an "outstanding" contender for the vacant Senate seat.

Asked about Fry's decision to launch a Senate campaign in the wake of Trump's backing of Darline Graham, a source in Fry's political orbit told Fox News Digital, "This is really about giving voters a choice and not a coronation."

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Fry and Norman, both Trump allies in the House, are highlighting their support for the president.

"South Carolina doesn't need just another senator. It needs President Trump's strongest ally in the United States Senate. Make no mistake: I will be President Trump’s favorite U.S. Senator, and you will have a MAGA fighter you can count on," Fry wrote in a social media post as he announced his Senate run.

Fry described himself as a "MAGA warrior" in an accompanying video, which included pictures of him smiling alongside Trump.

Norman emphasized that he's "running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy!"

And pointing to Trump's top legislative priority, he noted, "I want to get the SAVE America Act passed in the Senate!"

Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Rick Scott of Florida, conservatives and staunch Trump allies in the chamber, both cited Norman's support for Trump's election reform bill as they went against the president and endorsed the congressman. Norman is also being backed by the political arm of the powerful conservative group Turning Point USA.

Graham does have the backing of heavy hitters in the Senate GOP, however, including Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who said, "Darline Graham is an excellent senator. She’ll continue to be an excellent senator, and she has my full support."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., however, is staying out of the race for now.

NANCY MACE REVEALS SENATE DECISION AS LINDSEY GRAHAM'S SISTER REDRAWS THE RACE

Thune said that Graham is a "strong candidate," and though she lacked elected experience, he noted she was "very accomplished in her own life."

"She has a right, like everybody else, to get in that race," Thune said.

Backed by Trump's endorsement and enjoying plenty of name recognition thanks to her well-known last name, pundits view Darline Graham as a frontrunner in the three-week sprint to the Republican primary. And the winner of the GOP nomination will be considered the clear favorite against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general election in the solidly red southeastern state.

Trump's endorsements aren't infallible, but his track record so far this cycle, albeit a couple of setbacks, is impressive.

But Williams noted, "There’s no downside for running. They’re all going to run as Trump Republicans, and they’re all going to flatter the president on the campaign trail."

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A well-known House Republican who has clashed over the past year with Trump decided against a Senate run. Rep. Nancy Mace, who ran unsuccessfully this year for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, announced on Monday that she wouldn't launch a Senate campaign.

On Tuesday, as first reported by Fox News Digital, Mace endorsed Norman.

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The filing period for the Senate primary ends at noon Eastern Time Tuesday, July 28.

If no candidate tops 50% in the Aug. 11 primary, a runoff election will be held among the top two voter-getters Aug. 25.

If no candidate reaches 50% of the vote, a runoff election would be held in late August.

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.