Author name: Keith Burns

Chris Murphy Confronted Live on CNN Over Americans Going Hungry Due to Schumer’s Shutdown
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Chris Murphy Confronted Live on CNN Over Americans Going Hungry Due to Schumer’s Shutdown

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CNN’s Jake Tapper questioned Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut on Sunday about whether Democrats are prepared to let food assistance funding lapse in order to secure an extension of Obamacare subsidies, as the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month.

The exchange took place on “State of the Union,” where Tapper asked Murphy directly if Democrats were willing to let the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) run out of money as part of their push to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.

“Funding for food stamps is expected to run out at the end of this week,” Tapper said.

“This is happening because Democrats have not agreed to vote to fund the government without the Republicans making concessions to seriously change health care policy. So is this a trade-off you’re willing to make and continue to make, letting some Americans go hungry until these Obamacare subsidies get extended?”

Murphy declined to give a yes-or-no answer, instead accusing Republicans of blocking bipartisan negotiations.

“We’re shut down right now because Republicans are refusing to even talk to Democrats about a bipartisan budget bill,” Murphy responded.

“As you know, the reason we didn’t shut down for four years when Joe Biden was president was because Democrats negotiated with Republicans, and every single one of those short-term or long-term funding bills included both Democratic and Republican priorities. So the government shut down because Republicans have done something unprecedented: they have refused to talk to Democrats about a bipartisan budget.”

Democrats have refused to back any funding deal that omits an extension of Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has led his caucus in blocking every Republican proposal to reopen the government since the Oct. 1 shutdown began, insisting that any bill must include the continuation of the health care subsidies.

Murphy defended the Democrats’ position by citing the potential impact on health care costs.

“One of our priorities is pretty simple: making sure that premiums don’t go up by 75% for 22 million families this fall,” Murphy said.

“Now, the reality is, if they sat down to try to negotiate, we could probably come up with something pretty quickly.”

The White House and congressional leaders have held several meetings since the shutdown began, but no agreement has been reached.

President Donald Trump canceled a planned meeting with top Democratic lawmakers shortly before the Sept. 30 funding deadline, though the two sides later met at the White House.

The talks ended without progress, leaving most federal operations unfunded.

During the interview, Murphy also referenced the administration’s recent $20 billion foreign aid package to Argentina, arguing that the same amount could be used to resolve the shutdown and restore government funding.

“The president just announced $20 billion going to bail out the Argentinian economy. For $20 billion, we could open the government back up, that’s enough money to relieve a lot of pressure from these premium increases,” he said.

“We could get this deal done in a day if the president was in D.C. rather than overseas. We could open up the government on Tuesday or Wednesday, and there wouldn’t be any crisis in the food.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides aid to more than 40 million Americans nationwide.

Without congressional action, SNAP will lose funding on Nov. 1, prompting at least two dozen states to warn that they will suspend benefits if the shutdown continues.

The ongoing impasse marks the second-longest government shutdown since 1981.

Republican lawmakers have introduced multiple measures to reopen the government and provide temporary funding for critical programs, but all have been blocked in the Senate.

Schumer and Democratic leadership have maintained that no deal will move forward without the inclusion of the ACA subsidy extension and other Democratic priorities.

As of Sunday, Senate negotiations remain at a standstill, leaving food assistance recipients, federal employees, and millions of Americans uncertain about how long the shutdown will continue.

Former Dem Senator Says Biden Allies Threatened His Family Over Build Back Better Vote
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Former Dem Senator Says Biden Allies Threatened His Family Over Build Back Better Vote

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Former Senator Joe Manchin said he was the target of an organized, months-long pressure campaign led by well-funded groups aligned with then-President Joe Biden to force his support for the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better bill in 2021.

Manchin made the disclosure during an appearance Thursday on the All-In Podcast, where he described receiving repeated death threats, harassment, and protests near his home and family during negotiations over the massive spending package.

“I told him, I said, ‘Mr. President, I’m sorry, man, I can’t get there.’ And they tried for eight months to beat up on me. I mean, I had to have security,” Manchin said.

The former West Virginia senator, who left the Democratic Party and became an independent before retiring, said the campaign escalated to the point that Capitol Police escorted him to and from work for his protection.

“It’s pretty intense, but I can tell you one thing: when every day the Capitol Police call you and say your death threats are serious right now — ‘We’ll meet you down where you live, and we’ll bring you to work, and we’ll take you back home’ — you know things are pretty serious. I never wanted to know the extent, but I knew they were serious,” Manchin said.

He added that the threats extended to his family.

“Then one time they said, ‘This is really getting serious now, because now we got things — they know where your children go to school, they know where your grandchildren are, where your kids live.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is crazy.’”

Co-host Chamath Palihapitiya asked what the pressure campaign looked like in practice.

“Because it’s not just the President exactly as you write in the book — it’s people showing up at your house. It’s people with little kayaks with protest signs around your boat. It’s pretty intense,” Palihapitiya said.

Manchin confirmed that the protests outside his Washington, D.C. houseboat were coordinated and sustained.

“It was not random. It was well planned,” he said.

He described how paid activists in kayaks circled his residence on the Potomac River for hours at a time while others demonstrated near his office.

The senator’s resistance to the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better proposal eventually forced the White House and congressional Democrats to scale down the bill dramatically.

The final version, renamed the Inflation Reduction Act, passed at roughly $740 billion — one-fifth of the original size.

The legislation was signed into law in August 2022, but its passage followed intense intraparty conflict.

Manchin’s refusal to endorse the original proposal made him the focal point of public criticism from progressive activists and organizations that supported the administration’s agenda.

Manchin told the podcast that the hostility he faced was not organic but orchestrated by major Democratic-affiliated groups.

“None of these acts were spontaneous,” he said.

“It was all part of a well-crafted plan to pressure me into going along with the President’s agenda.”

Reports from that period support Manchin’s account of sustained protests. In November 2021, climate activists from the group Third Act Movement surrounded his vehicle in a parking garage.

The group, founded earlier that year, focuses on environmental activism and opposition to fossil fuel funding.

Capitol Police data shows the rise in political threats nationwide.

In September 2025, the agency reported handling approximately 14,000 threat assessment cases annually, reflecting the growing prevalence of harassment and intimidation directed at public officials.

Manchin’s account adds new details to the behind-the-scenes tensions that defined the Democratic Party’s legislative battles during Biden’s term.

His description of the pressure campaign — and its impact on his security and family — has renewed discussion about political coercion and the methods advocacy organizations use to influence elected officials.

Bernie Sanders Admits Trump Did ‘Better Job’ Securing Border, Criticizes Biden
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Bernie Sanders Admits Trump Did ‘Better Job’ Securing Border, Criticizes Biden

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Sen. Bernie Sanders broke sharply with his party this week, praising President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement while criticizing former President Joe Biden’s handling of the southern border, as reported by Fox News.

During an appearance on The Tim Dillon Show, Sanders said Trump “did a better job” securing the border and urged Democrats to return to an enforcement-based immigration approach.

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks to the crowd duirng his “Fighting Oligarchy” speaking event Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 at The Englert Theatre in Iowa City, Iowa.

“So long as we have nation-states, you’ve got to have borders,” Sanders said. “If you don’t have any borders, then you don’t have a nation.”

The Vermont independent continued:

“Trump did a better job. I don’t like Trump, you know, but we should have a secure border, and it ain’t that hard to do.”

The comments, aired in the Wednesday podcast episode and widely shared on X and YouTube, drew immediate attention from both sides of the political spectrum. The Republican National Committee’s research division posted the clip within hours of the broadcast.

“Biden didn’t do it,” Sanders added, referring to border enforcement. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you that overall [Biden] did a good job — it was not.”

Sanders’ remarks came as he promoted his new book, Fight Oligarchy, and fielded questions from host Tim Dillon about the direction of the Democratic Party. The episode marked one of the senator’s most explicit critiques of his own party’s immigration policies.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show that migrant encounters reached a record 2.47 million in fiscal year 2023 — a sharp increase from roughly 458,000 in President Trump’s final year in office.

Sanders cited the ongoing crisis as evidence of failed leadership on both sides of the aisle, saying the U.S. has the “technology and manpower” to secure the border but lacks the political will to act.

Sanders’ tone reflects a major departure from his previous stance. During his 2020 presidential campaign, he dismissed the notion of a border crisis and accused Trump of “demonizing immigrants.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at Erie High School in support of the Harris/Walz presidential campaign in Erie on Oct. 26, 2024.

In a Fox News town hall in March 2020, Sanders said he “would not close the borders” during the COVID-19 pandemic, calling such policies “xenophobic.”

In January 2019, as President Trump made a televised address calling for urgent border action, Sanders responded by saying “we don’t need to create artificial crises.”

The senator’s latest comments suggest a shift toward acknowledging the scale of the border problem. His statement that it “ain’t that hard” to secure the border echoed arguments long made by conservatives who have pushed for stronger enforcement and physical barriers.

Sanders’ office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for further comment.

Federal Prosecutor Fired After Sending Files Related to Letitia James Probe
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Federal Prosecutor Fired After Sending Files Related to Letitia James Probe

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A federal prosecutor in Virginia who reportedly opposed bringing bank fraud charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James has been dismissed after allegedly mishandling sensitive materials related to the case, according to an internal report.

Beth Yusi, a career attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, was terminated earlier this month.

Yusi, who joined the Department of Justice in 2010, had been based in the Norfolk office before her firing.

According to CNN, an internal email indicated Yusi allegedly forwarded investigative files containing James’ personally identifying information to her private email account.

The report stated that federal officials viewed the alleged action as a security breach involving protected case information.

Several media outlets reported that Yusi’s termination also followed internal disagreement over how to handle the bank fraud investigation involving James.

Yusi reportedly pushed back against pressure from within the Justice Department to move forward with criminal charges.

The former assistant U.S. attorney had authored an internal memorandum stating that there was insufficient evidence to establish probable cause for a bank fraud prosecution against James.

The case involves allegations that James made false statements to a financial institution in connection with her 2020 purchase of a property in Norfolk, Virginia.

Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that Yusi’s firing was based, at least in part, on her alleged mishandling of sensitive investigative materials.

They said the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility is reviewing her conduct.

Lindsey Halligan, interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, was reportedly concerned about possible leaks of confidential case details to the press.

Halligan has overseen the prosecution of James since the investigation began.

“Ms. Yusi is a well-respected prosecutor, a leader among her peers, and a consummate professional with nearly two decades of experience,” Yusi’s attorney, Margaret Donovan, told CNN.

Donovan denied any wrongdoing by her client and disputed the claim that Yusi ever transferred protected materials outside government channels.

“She has no record of any such email and has never used her personal email account for any portion of any investigation,” Donovan said.

Letitia James appeared in federal court in Norfolk on Friday, where she pleaded not guilty to both charges against her.

The indictment, filed by Halligan’s office, accuses James of committing bank fraud and making false statements to obtain a mortgage loan for a Norfolk property.

Prosecutors allege James purchased the home in 2020 using a $109,600 loan and signed mortgage documents declaring she would be the “sole borrower to occupy and use the property.”

However, investigators say James used the residence as a rental investment instead of occupying it as required under the loan terms.

According to the indictment, James also signed a “second home rider” to qualify for more favorable mortgage conditions, saving approximately $19,000 in costs and interest.

If convicted on both counts, James faces a potential sentence of up to 60 years in prison and fines totaling as much as $2 million.

The case remains ongoing in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, with pretrial motions expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Neither the Justice Department nor James’ legal team has commented further on the firing of Yusi or the allegations surrounding the handling of case files.

Fetterman Says Democrats ‘Lost the Plot’ When Harris Called Trump a ‘Fascist’
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Fetterman Says Democrats ‘Lost the Plot’ When Harris Called Trump a ‘Fascist’

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Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said Wednesday that the Democratic Party “lost the plot” when then–Vice President Kamala Harris labeled President Donald Trump a “fascist,” arguing that such rhetoric alienated voters and damaged her election prospects, as reported by The New York Post.

“When Vice President Harris referred to President Trump as a ‘fascist’ … I knew absolutely we lost the plot at that point,” Fetterman said during an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-PA, speaks at a rally with Tim Walz at the York Expo Center.

Fetterman explained that calling President Trump a fascist also insulted the millions of Americans who voted for him.

“If you call the president or someone like a fascist, you are effectively calling the people who are going to vote for him … then they must be fascist too … or they support fascism and those things. And that is just not true.”

The Pennsylvania Democrat said that kind of divisive language hurt the party’s ability to connect with voters who may not share all of its views but still care deeply about the country.

He pointed to Harris’s remarks as a moment that signaled to him that Democrats had drifted away from productive political discourse.

“I don’t know why — and I have always refused to say that,” Fetterman said when asked about other Democrats who echoed Harris’s comparisons of Trump to Adolf Hitler.

He also connected the use of inflammatory rhetoric to real-world violence, including the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk last month.

“I refuse to do those kinds of things because that kind of extreme kinds of rhetoric makes it easier for those kinds of extreme kinds of actions — even like what happened to poor Charlie Kirk,” he said.

Fetterman said that he personally knows and respects many Americans who supported President Trump and rejected the notion that they are extremists.

“I happen to know and love a lot of people that voted for the president and they are not fascist, they are not Nazis, they’re not trying to destroy the Constitution and all those things,” Fetterman said.

“They just happen to have different priorities and they love our country in the same ways that Democrats do as well.”

Fetterman’s comments come as Democrats continue to assess internal divisions following Harris’s defeat in the 2024 presidential election. His remarks mark one of the most direct rebukes of the party’s messaging from within its own ranks, particularly as he called out Harris by name for alienating voters with what he described as reckless and counterproductive language.

JB Pritzker Defends and Shrugs Off Democrats’ Violent Texts About Opponent’s Children: ‘People Make Mistakes’
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JB Pritzker Defends and Shrugs Off Democrats’ Violent Texts About Opponent’s Children: ‘People Make Mistakes’

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Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker defended Virginia attorney general nominee Jay Jones on Thursday after newly leaked text messages appeared to show Jones fantasizing about the deaths of a Republican opponent’s children.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Pritzker addressed the controversy surrounding the Democratic candidate, who allegedly made violent comments about then-Republican Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family in a 2022 text exchange with Republican House Delegate Carrie Coyner.

The messages, first reported by National Review, have drawn bipartisan criticism.

Waukegan Illinois United States July 7th 2020 Illinois Governor JB Pritzker visits Waukegan to encourage people to fill out their census form which affects how much federal cash the state will get.

“I think the text that I think everybody points to, he’s [Jones has] apologized about that. People make mistakes. They do,” Pritzker told Bret Baier.

“It’s one thing if someone’s doing it repeatedly, right? If you’re making comments repeatedly that are like that, no doubt, that was an offensive thing to write.”

Pritzker also acknowledged donating $20,000 to Jones’ campaign before the texts surfaced, but said the contribution did not influence his defense of the candidate.

“I mean, that was before anybody saw the text, but it doesn’t matter,” Pritzker said.

“The point is, if he wasn’t apologizing about it, if he didn’t feel bad, and if he hadn’t stood up and said, ‘This is not how I really feel.’ I think everybody says, you know, things along the way, particularly in politics, you know, when you’re getting attacked that you probably shouldn’t have said.”

The leaked 2022 text exchange showed Coyner warning Jones to stop making violent statements about political opponents. “It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them,” Coyner wrote, according to National Review.

Jones reportedly brushed off the warning with a “Lol” and “Ok, ok.”

In another message, Coyner confronted Jones directly: “You were talking about hopping [sic] Jennifer Gilbert’s children would die,” referring to the wife of then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert.

Jones allegedly responded, “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy. I mean, do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they’re breeding little fascists? Yes.”

The remarks, which circulated online this week, drew widespread condemnation from Republican officials, including President Donald Trump, who weighed in on Truth Social Thursday evening.

“It has just come out that the Radical Left Lunatic, Jay Jones, who is running against Jason Miyares, the GREAT Attorney General in Virginia, made SICK and DEMENTED jokes,” Trump wrote.

“If they were jokes at all, which were not funny, and that he wrote down and sent around to people, concerning the murdering of a Republican Legislator, his wife, and their children.”

Jones has not denied sending the messages but has issued an apology through his campaign, calling them “regrettable” and “not reflective” of his current views. Despite that apology, the controversy has threatened to overshadow his campaign and renewed criticism over his judgment.

Adding to Jones’ challenges, National Review also reported Wednesday that he is under investigation for allegedly misrepresenting his community service hours tied to a reckless driving conviction. Jones was convicted in 2022 after police cited him for driving 116 mph in a 70 mph zone.

Court records show he was ordered to complete 1,000 hours of community service. Investigators are reviewing claims that he counted volunteer work through his own political action committee and the NAACP Virginia State Conference toward fulfilling that requirement.

Jones is running against Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who has not commented directly on the latest controversy but has emphasized maintaining “honor and integrity” in public office.

As Jones faces mounting scrutiny, Pritzker’s defense of the embattled nominee has drawn mixed reactions within his own party, with some Democrats distancing themselves from Jones while others have echoed Pritzker’s call for forgiveness.

Scott Jennings: Democrats Too Scared of Their Base to End Shutdown, Brings Receipts
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Scott Jennings: Democrats Too Scared of Their Base to End Shutdown, Brings Receipts

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Concerns are growing within the Democratic Party that the far-left faction of its base has become increasingly unmanageable, with some lawmakers reportedly fearing political and even physical consequences if they compromise on reopening the federal government.

Political commentator Scott Jennings highlighted the issue during a CNN appearance, citing reports of Democrats hesitant to support a continuing resolution, or CR, to fund the government.

Jennings said one Democratic senator privately acknowledged that members are afraid to vote for a deal out of fear of backlash from their own base.

“If they stop holding the government hostage, they could easily walk in there tonight, pass the CR, give us seven weeks. The president brings everybody together. And my strong belief is that they would wind up negotiating on a number of issues, and they would come to an agreement,” Jennings said.

He continued, “A Democrat senator anonymously said none of us want to vote to open the government because ‘we’d face the guillotine.’ That’s their words from our base.”

Jennings’ comments come amid mounting frustration from both sides of the aisle over the shutdown impasse.

Lawmakers have struggled to agree on a temporary spending measure, even one similar to those that have routinely passed in previous years.

Republicans have pushed for what they describe as a clean CR, extending government funding while negotiations continue on broader fiscal priorities.

Democrats, meanwhile, have appeared divided over whether to back such a measure, with some citing pressure from far-left activists demanding hardline stances on social and budgetary issues.

In recent months, reports and internal statements have surfaced suggesting that many Democratic lawmakers fear backlash from within their own ranks.

According to party insiders, members of the progressive wing have accused more moderate Democrats of being unwilling to “fight hard enough” for left-wing policy goals.

The rhetoric from some activists has alarmed party strategists.

Over the summer, Democrats reportedly acknowledged that certain segments of their base have adopted increasingly militant rhetoric, suggesting that “there needs to be blood” for meaningful political change.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also addressed the escalating tensions on Wednesday, criticizing Senate Democrats for prioritizing fundraising efforts over negotiations to reopen the government.

Scalise specifically called out Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia for collecting campaign donations during the shutdown.

“Sen. Jon Ossoff is raking in millions in donations while refusing to vote for a clean CR,” Scalise said, adding that the Democratic Party has been “hijacked by radicals, including communists and socialists.”

Scalise argued that the refusal to pass a short-term funding measure demonstrates how deeply the Democratic Party has been influenced by its most extreme activists.

The GOP leader noted that Democrats have supported similar resolutions in the past but are now avoiding action amid growing pressure from their left flank.

The government shutdown, which continues to affect federal operations and worker pay, has become another flashpoint in the broader ideological struggle within the Democratic Party.

Analysts say the tension reflects a growing disconnect between the party’s leadership and its most outspoken grassroots members.

The standoff has left President Trump and congressional Republicans urging Democrats to break the deadlock by supporting a clean CR to keep the government open while budget talks continue. So far, no bipartisan path forward has emerged.

As the shutdown drags on, questions remain about whether Democratic leadership can regain control of its message — and its base — in time to reach an agreement.

Florida Files Supreme Court Case After Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver Kills Three
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Florida Files Supreme Court Case After Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver Kills Three

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The State of Florida has filed a lawsuit directly with the U.S. Supreme Court against Washington and California, accusing both states of violating federal law by issuing Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) to illegal immigrants who are not legally qualified to operate commercial vehicles.

The 73-page complaint, filed this week by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, alleges that the two sanctuary states have “openly defied federal safety and immigration standards,” creating widespread risks on America’s highways.

The lawsuit follows a fatal highway crash in Florida in August that killed three people.

The driver accused of causing the collision, 37-year-old Harjinder Singh, was an illegal immigrant from India who held a Washington-issued CDL despite failing multiple exams, including a post-crash English proficiency test.

According to the filing, Singh attempted an illegal U-turn across a Florida highway, blocking several lanes and causing a minivan to collide with his truck.

The crash resulted in three fatalities. Investigators found that Singh could only identify one of four road signs and answered just two of twelve questions correctly on an English Language Proficiency (ELP) exam administered after the crash.

Records show that Singh failed thirteen prior driving tests before Washington’s Department of Licensing granted him a full-term CDL in July 2023. In 2024, California also issued him a non-domiciled CDL despite his ineligibility under federal law.

“The result was three fatalities,” Florida’s complaint states. “Washington and California authorized illegal immigrants without proper training or the ability to read road signs to drive commercial motor vehicles,” in violation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standards.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has taken additional action in response to the case, announcing that the Trump administration will withhold $40 million in federal funding from California for failing to comply with federal English-language and CDL verification requirements.

Duffy criticized sanctuary states for disregarding federal safety standards and placing unqualified drivers on the road.

“Washington State improperly issued the driver a full-term CDL. Asylum seekers or illegal aliens are NOT allowed to receive this!” Duffy wrote in a public statement following the crash.

“States MUST FOLLOW THE RULES. If they had, this driver would NEVER have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us.”

He added that the Department of Transportation has initiated a full audit of state CDL programs and will move to cut federal funding from states that continue to license illegal immigrants.

“The failures here are despicable,” Duffy said. “Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier.”

Florida’s lawsuit also cites Washington’s 2019 “Keep Washington Working Act,” which prohibits state agencies — including the Department of Licensing — from inquiring about a driver’s citizenship or immigration status.

Between 2018 and 2025, Washington’s DOL issued CDLs to 685 individuals who failed to provide proof of lawful presence in the United States, the filing claims. The department acknowledged the oversight following Singh’s crash but has not repealed the sanctuary statute.

Washington’s enforcement of English-language requirements has also been minimal. Over a three-month period in 2025, state inspectors conducted more than 6,000 commercial vehicle checks but disqualified only four drivers for failing English proficiency tests.

Florida’s complaint draws parallels between Singh’s case and the Skyline CDL School scandal, in which an investigation revealed that unqualified applicants obtained CDLs through a bribery network in Auburn, Washington, and Vancouver, Oregon.

State documents from that case found that 80 percent of the school’s graduates failed re-testing requirements, and several drivers had never been properly examined.

Attorney General Uthmeier’s complaint argues that sanctuary policies in both states conflict with federal law, which requires states to verify both citizenship and English-language competency before granting CDLs.

“The sanctuary laws are expressly preempted,” the complaint asserts, calling Washington and California’s actions a “public nuisance” that endangers drivers across the nation.

Florida is asking the Supreme Court to declare both states’ sanctuary CDL laws unconstitutional, prohibit them from issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants, and order compliance with all federal verification and English-language regulations.

The lawsuit also seeks reimbursement for Florida’s legal costs and expenses associated with increased enforcement caused by noncompliance in other states.

“The policies of Washington and California have endangered the traveling public and cost lives,” Florida’s filing states. “Their defiance of federal safety and immigration standards has forced law-abiding states to bear the burden of additional inspections, enforcement, and preventable tragedies.”

Hillary Clinton Attacks Trump’s Privately Funded White House Ballroom Project
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Hillary Clinton Attacks Trump’s Privately Funded White House Ballroom Project

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized President Donald Trump’s plan to build a new ballroom at the White House, calling it an act of destruction despite the project being entirely privately funded and costing taxpayers nothing, as reported by Fox News.

Clinton took aim at the project on Tuesday, posting on X that “it’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.”

Her post included a screenshot of a Washington Post article titled, “White House begins demolishing East Wing Facade to build Trump’s ballroom,” along with a photo of demolition work.

The ballroom project, which began construction on Monday, is designed to modernize the East Wing of the White House and add a new event space capable of hosting state functions and diplomatic gatherings.

According to the White House, the initiative will not use any public funds and is fully financed through private donations.

“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” President Trump said on Truth Social.

“Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized as part of this process and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!”

“For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!”

Trump added. “The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly. This Ballroom will be happily used for generations to come!”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in July that the ballroom will cost approximately $200 million and span 90,000 square feet. The space will accommodate up to 650 seated guests and allow the United States to host major events without temporary tents.

“The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said. “The new ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition.”

Several Democrats joined Clinton in denouncing the project. New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim posted a photo of his family near the construction site, writing, “We didn’t need a billionaire-funded ballroom to celebrate America. Disgusting what Trump is doing.”

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren also took to X, writing, “Oh you’re trying to say the cost of living is skyrocketing? Donald Trump can’t hear you over the sound of bulldozers demolishing a wing of the White House to build a new grand ballroom.”

Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta added, “Republican math. Can afford: Trump ballroom, $40 billion Argentina bailout, massive tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Can’t afford: health care for Americans, SNAP for struggling Americans, tax relief for middle class families.”

The ballroom project follows several high-profile renovations under the Trump administration, including an overhaul of the White House Rose Garden and the installation of two 88-foot-tall American flags on the White House lawn, both completed without taxpayer expense.

President Trump Praises Winsome Earle-Sears, Calls Virginia GOP Candidate ‘Excellent’ Ahead of Election
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President Trump Praises Winsome Earle-Sears, Calls Virginia GOP Candidate ‘Excellent’ Ahead of Election

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President Donald Trump voiced his support for Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, calling her an “excellent” candidate ahead of the state’s upcoming gubernatorial election against Democrat Abigail Spanberger.

While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump was asked if he planned to issue a formal endorsement in the race.

The President said he has not been heavily involved in the Virginia election but expressed confidence in Earle-Sears and criticism toward her opponent.

“I think the Republican candidate is very good, and I think she should win because the Democrat candidate’s a disaster,” Trump told reporters.

“I think the Republican candidate is excellent, and I think the Democrat candidate is a disaster.”

Trump went on to mention the candidates’ recent debate, saying he believed Spanberger “couldn’t answer the most basic question.”

He also tied energy policy to both the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, predicting higher prices under Democrat leadership.

“A big thing with that race and also the race in New Jersey, is going to be energy,” Trump said.

“Both of the Democrats are going to drive the energy prices through the roof — through the roof. Your energy is going to double and triple. If the Republican gets elected, your energy is going to be coming down by 70, 80 percent. Thank you very much, everybody, vote Republican.”

Reporters also asked Trump about Jay Jones, the Democrat nominee for Virginia attorney general, following remarks Jones made during a debate with current Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Jones had said he could not “wait to see Donald Trump in court and protect Virginia to put us first,” while calling on Miyares to “prosecute the president.”

Asked to respond to those comments, Trump described Jones as a “third-rate intellect.”

“He’s a third-rate intellect,” Trump said. “He’s a guy … I’ve never seen anybody say what he said — that he wanted to kill his opponent’s children, he wanted to kill his opponent. I can’t imagine anybody voting for Jay Jones.”

The President was referring to text messages obtained by the National Review in which Jones made violent remarks about Virginia Republican leaders.

According to the outlet, on August 8, 2022, Jones sent messages to Virginia House Delegate Carrie Coyner (R) in which he imagined a hypothetical scenario involving shooting two dictators or former Virginia Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert (R), writing that he would shoot Gilbert twice.

Later text messages between Jones and Coyner reportedly included comments about Gilbert’s family, with Jones writing about “Gilbert’s children dying in the arms of their mother.”

The messages surfaced as Jones faced scrutiny during his attorney general campaign, with Republican leaders citing them as evidence of unfit character for statewide office.

Trump’s remarks mark one of his first public comments about the Virginia gubernatorial and attorney general races this cycle.

Earle-Sears, who made history in 2021 as Virginia’s first Black woman elected statewide, has emphasized lowering taxes, strengthening energy independence, and boosting small business growth.


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