Author name: RVM News

Third Innocent Bystander Shot in Brooklyn Within 48 Hours as Bullet Grazes Woman [WATCH]
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Third Innocent Bystander Shot in Brooklyn Within 48 Hours as Bullet Grazes Woman [WATCH]

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Another innocent New Yorker was caught in the path of gunfire Monday, becoming at least the third bystander shot in Brooklyn in less than 48 hours. The latest victim, a 52-year-old woman, was struck while simply walking down a neighborhood street, as reported by The New York Post.

Police said the woman was near the Glenwood Houses, a New York City Housing Authority complex in Flatlands, when a bullet grazed her left arm.

The shooting occurred around 1:10 p.m., bringing broad daylight violence to Ralph Avenue.

Three male suspects fled the area on scooters after the gunfire, according to law enforcement sources. Their rapid escape left police searching for answers while residents were once again forced to confront violence outside their homes.

First responders treated the wounded woman at the scene before transporting her to Brookdale Medical Center.

She was listed in stable condition, and police confirmed that she had no involvement in whatever confrontation led to the shooting.

The woman was simply in the wrong place when someone decided to open fire on a city street. That grim distinction offers little comfort in a borough where innocent residents have repeatedly paid the price for reckless criminals.

Police data recorded so far this year shows shooting incidents in the 63rd Precinct have dropped 60 percent compared with the same period in 2025. The precinct includes the location where Monday afternoon’s shooting unfolded.

That statistic is encouraging on paper, but percentages do not stop bullets or shield pedestrians walking past public housing. For the latest victim, the supposed improvement still ended with an emergency trip to the hospital.

Monday’s gunfire followed the horrifying death of Sofronie Hartzog, a mother of five who was struck by a stray bullet during a massive street brawl in Crown Heights. She later collapsed inside the bathroom of a nearby bar.

The deadly violence erupted around 2:23 a.m. Sunday, after a fight broke out among a crowd of roughly 100 people outside the Ooh La La Lounge. The establishment is located near Bergen Street and Howard Avenue.

During the chaos, an errant bullet struck Hartzog in the back and hit a 34-year-old man in the abdomen. Police said neither victim was an intended target, making them casualties of somebody else’s armed mayhem.

After being wounded, Hartzog managed to run inside the lounge before collapsing in a restroom. Emergency crews rushed her to Brookdale Medical Center, the same hospital that later received Monday’s wounded bystander, but doctors could not save her.

“They killed her, that’s what happened,” her grieving aunt, Melinda Hartzog, told The Post. Her words captured the brutal reality behind another burst of supposedly random city violence.

“She was the best person in the world,” the aunt said while describing the devastating loss. Hartzog left behind five children who will now grow up without their mother because gunfire erupted during a street fight.

Neighbor Jennifer Ortiz remembered Hartzog as a devoted mother who took pride in her children. Ortiz said the children were well behaved and that Hartzog regularly dressed them in nice outfits.

The two shootings, separated by less than two days, show how quickly street disorder can destroy families and wound residents who have nothing to do with the underlying conflict.

One woman survived with a grazed arm, while another never made it home to her five children.

Police continued searching for the three scooter-riding suspects connected to Monday’s shooting.

Residents deserve arrests, prosecution, and consequences, not another round of comforting statistics while armed suspects vanish down Brooklyn streets.

Portland Mother Barred From Child’s Graduation After Challenging Radical Gender Curriculum
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Portland Mother Barred From Child’s Graduation After Challenging Radical Gender Curriculum

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A Portland, Oregon, mother has filed a federal lawsuit against Portland Public Schools after she was barred from school property following her objections to curriculum and school policies involving gender identity, as reported by The New York Post.

Allison Roberts filed the lawsuit Wednesday against the school district and her child’s elementary school, according to the Liberty Justice Center, which is representing her in the case.

The dispute began last year at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School, where Roberts said she objected to the school replacing its traditional rainbow pride flag with an “Intersex-Inclusive Progress” version.

According to the Liberty Justice Center, Roberts believed the revised flag promoted political and ideological views that conflicted with her Christian faith.

Roberts said she supports “being immersed” in Portland’s gay community but objected to the inclusion of transgender-related messaging in the revised flag.

Her concerns expanded after she learned about an assignment given to her 11-year-old child called an “identity flower.”

According to the lawsuit, the assignment asked students to identify and discuss their gender identity with classmates and teachers.

Roberts said she was not given advance notice of the assignment. She subsequently sought a meeting with the school’s principal to discuss her concerns.

After what she considered an unsatisfactory response from school officials, Roberts wrote an open letter criticizing the school’s policies. She distributed the letter on a public sidewalk outside school property.

The situation later escalated following a heated exchange between Roberts and another parent. Roberts was subsequently issued a one-year trespass order that barred her from attending school events.

The order meant Roberts could not attend her child’s graduation ceremony.

When Roberts contacted the school seeking an explanation, she was reportedly told that the restrictions were connected to allegations of “harassment, intimidation, and threatening behavior.”

School officials also described the alleged conduct as part of a pattern of “animus and harassment targeting vulnerable members of [the] community.”

Roberts disputes the characterization of her conduct and contends that the school retaliated against her because of her criticism of its policies.

The Liberty Justice Center argues that Portland Public Schools violated Roberts’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by restricting her speech and retaliating against her for criticizing school policies.

The organization is asking a federal court to declare the actions against Roberts unconstitutional and to issue an injunction addressing the policies at issue.

The case also challenges the school district’s harassment policy. Timothy R. Snowball, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, said the organization intends to seek a preliminary injunction while the lawsuit proceeds.

“Our next step in the case will be filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to put a stop to these unconstitutional policies while the case moves forward. This motion will help protect not only Allison’s rights, but all affected families in Portland,” Snowball said.

The requested injunction would seek to prevent Roberts from facing further restrictions under the policies while the court considers the broader constitutional claims.

Portland Public Schools declined to comment to Fox News Digital about the pending litigation.

Roberts said she has received support from people in Portland as well as parents and grandparents elsewhere in the country.

“It has been heartening to see the outpouring of support from my local Portland community, and from parents and grandparents across the country,” she said.

“I never wanted things to get to this point. But knowing that I’m fighting this battle not just for my family, but for millions of American families, reassures me that bringing this suit is the right thing to do.”

The lawsuit now moves into federal court proceedings, where Roberts’ claims and the school district’s actions will be examined.

The dispute raises questions over how public schools handle controversial curriculum, parental objections, and speech by parents criticizing school policies.

For Roberts, the immediate dispute began with a school assignment and concerns over a flag.

It ultimately resulted in a one-year exclusion from school property and prevented her from attending an important milestone in her child’s education.

The Liberty Justice Center says its broader goal is to ensure that other Portland families do not face similar restrictions for challenging school policies.

Roberts is seeking relief through the federal courts, while Portland Public Schools has not publicly commented on the allegations because the case remains pending.

NJ School Athletic Director Accused of Prowling Outside Young Girl’s Bedroom Window [WATCH]
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NJ School Athletic Director Accused of Prowling Outside Young Girl’s Bedroom Window [WATCH]

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A New Jersey school district athletic director has been charged after police said he was recorded looking through the bedroom window of a young girl in Pennsylvania late at night, as reported by The New York Post.

Winfield Becker, 48, was identified by Plumstead Township police as the man allegedly seen outside the girl’s home in Cabin Run, Bucks County, at approximately 10:40 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2026.

According to police, the homeowner provided investigators with surveillance footage that allegedly captured Becker looking through the bedroom window. Authorities subsequently arrested him in connection with the incident.

Becker serves as athletic director for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District in New Jersey, according to the Trentonian.

The district is located in Mercer County, not far from Princeton, and serves more than 3,500 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, according to information cited from the district’s LinkedIn page.

The case has prompted the school district to notify parents, although officials emphasized that the alleged incident did not involve any students.

In a letter sent to parents, Hopewell Valley Regional School District Superintendent Rosetta Treece said Becker would be placed on a leave of absence.

The superintendent also made clear that the alleged conduct occurred outside the district’s schools and did not involve students.

The district’s response followed the arrest and allegations against Becker in Bucks County.

According to court records, Becker faces charges of loitering and prowling at night, along with a summary offense of harassment.

The allegations stem from the Aug. 6 incident in Cabin Run. Police said the homeowner’s surveillance system provided evidence that led investigators to identify Becker as the person outside the residence.

Authorities have not alleged that Becker entered the home. The charges instead concern his alleged presence outside the residence and his conduct involving the bedroom window.

Becker is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 8.

His attorney, Thomas Logan, disputed the allegations and said Becker intends to contest the case.

“We look forward to his appearance in court where he can vindicate his name against these baseless accusations.”

The incident has drawn attention because Becker holds an athletic leadership position in a New Jersey school district responsible for thousands of students. School officials, however, have said that no students were involved in the Pennsylvania incident.

The Hopewell Valley Regional School District serves communities in Mercer County, with its schools located near Princeton. Becker’s role as athletic director places him in a position working with students and school athletic programs, but the allegations described by Plumstead Township police concern activity at a private residence in Bucks County.

The district’s decision to place Becker on leave allows the school system to address the situation while the criminal case proceeds through the courts.

Police and prosecutors have not established Becker’s guilt through the charges. The allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and Becker is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The surveillance footage supplied by the homeowner is expected to be part of the evidence in the case. Investigators have relied on the video as they pursue the allegations involving Becker’s presence near the residence.

The charges of loitering and prowling at night and harassment are now scheduled to be addressed in court.

Becker’s Sept. 8 appearance will provide an opportunity for the defense to respond formally to the accusations.

For the school district, Superintendent Treece has told parents that the allegations did not involve students and that Becker will remain on leave while the matter moves forward.

The case remains pending in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Bug Panic Sends NJ Driver Into Oncoming Traffic, Killing Two Motorcyclists, Police Say
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Bug Panic Sends NJ Driver Into Oncoming Traffic, Killing Two Motorcyclists, Police Say

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A New Jersey woman was arrested after police said her vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic on a Pennsylvania road and struck a motorcycle, killing two people. Authorities said the driver became distracted after an insect flew through her open window, as reported by The New York Post.

Bernadette Cobb, 55, of Brick, New Jersey, was traveling east on a two-lane road in Luthersburg, Pennsylvania, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Aug. 12, 2026, when the incident occurred, according to a police affidavit cited by NJ.com.

Luthersburg is located roughly two hours northeast of Pittsburgh.

According to investigators, Cobb told police that she “freaked out” after noticing an insect inside the vehicle. She attempted to swipe the insect away and, according to the affidavit, accidentally “put[ting] her head down.”

As Cobb became distracted, her vehicle began drifting across the center of the roadway and into the lane carrying oncoming traffic, authorities said.

Cobb’s passenger attempted to intervene by grabbing the steering wheel and trying to bring the vehicle back onto its proper course.

The effort was unsuccessful, and the vehicle collided with a 2013 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

The motorcycle was carrying Anthony Sones, 34, and Miranda Wormuth, 30. Both died at the scene.

A GoFundMe established by Wormuth’s family described Sones and Wormuth as partners who had been together for 14 years.

Cobb was arrested at the scene and faces multiple charges, including homicide and involuntary manslaughter, according to the report. She later posted $100,000 bail.

The crash has prompted attention because investigators allege that a brief distraction behind the wheel preceded the fatal collision.

Police said the vehicle’s movement into the opposing lane ultimately placed it directly in the path of the motorcycle.

Cobb’s attorney, Brian Manchester, described the incident as a “tragic accident” and questioned the timing of his client’s arrest.

Manchester told NJ.com that Cobb had been handcuffed before an accident reconstruction examination had been conducted.

“We will defend her vigorously,” Manchester told the outlet.

The case remains subject to the legal process, and the charges against Cobb are allegations. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The incident occurred on a two-lane road in Luthersburg, where vehicles traveling in opposite directions share the roadway without the separation found on divided highways.

Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision, including the actions of the driver and passenger immediately before the crash.

The deaths of Sones and Wormuth have also prompted mourning among those who knew the couple. Their relationship had lasted 14 years, according to Wormuth’s family’s fundraising page.

Authorities have not indicated that Cobb intended to cross into the opposing lane. According to the police account, investigators believe the vehicle drifted after Cobb became distracted by the insect.

The case underscores the consequences that can follow even a brief loss of attention while operating a vehicle.

In this instance, authorities allege that the distraction caused Cobb’s vehicle to leave its lane and collide with the motorcycle carrying Sones and Wormuth.

Cobb’s $100,000 bail has been posted while the criminal case proceeds. Further proceedings are expected to address the charges and the evidence surrounding the Aug. 12 collision.

Drunken Ohio Couple Arrested After Cabin Invasion and Alleged Attack on Nine-Year-Old
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Drunken Ohio Couple Arrested After Cabin Invasion and Alleged Attack on Nine-Year-Old

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An Ohio couple was arrested Saturday after authorities said an argument aboard a cruise ship escalated into an alleged confrontation inside another family’s cabin, with a 9-year-old child among those struck during the incident, as reported by The New York Post.

Gannon Jacox, 29, and his girlfriend, Brooklyn Hicks, 28, were taken into custody Saturday evening at Port Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida, after the cruise ship returned to the port.

Port Canaveral is approximately 40 miles from Orlando International Airport.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey described the incident in a post on the sheriff’s office Facebook page, saying the couple had apparently been drinking and arguing loudly aboard the unidentified vessel.

According to Ivey, one of the family members asked the couple to quiet down. Authorities allege the request led to a confrontation outside the family’s cabin.

The sheriff said the couple then allegedly “pushed their way into the victim’s room,” where Jacox confronted two adults and their 9-year-old child.

“As a fight ensued, Jacox ends up hitting all 3 people (including the child), and Hicks was just swinging, hoping one would land,” Ivey wrote.

Authorities said none of the family members suffered serious injuries during the incident.

Ivey also addressed an injury sustained by Jacox during the altercation.

“Jacox got a pretty gross injury to his eye, that was either caused by one of the victims or friendly fire from the Haymakers his girlfriend was throwing!”

The sheriff said the confrontation began after the Ohio couple had been “apparently arguing loudly after taking advantage of some adult beverages.”

Ivey later attributed the incident to alcohol and what he described as poor judgment.

“It’s for sure the alcohol combined with an apparent lack of common sense!!” he wrote.

Jacox was charged with burglary with battery and child abuse without great bodily harm, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Hicks was charged with burglary with battery and battery-touch/strike.

Both were booked into the Brevard County Jail following their arrests.

Online jail records showed Jacox being held on a $31,000 bond, while Hicks was being held on a $6,000 bond.

The identity of the cruise ship involved was not immediately clear. Four cruise ships were scheduled to dock at Port Canaveral on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, according to the port’s published cruise schedule.

The vessels listed for that date were Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Treasure, and Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras and Carnival Freedom.

Authorities have not identified which of those ships was involved in the incident.

The arrests came after what Ivey described as an unnecessary confrontation that began with a dispute over noise. The sheriff used the case to issue a warning to cruise passengers about drinking and behavior in public.

“The moral of the story…if you can’t hold your liquor, then you definitely shouldn’t be out in public causing a scene like this and injuring random people, including a child!!” Ivey wrote.

“And if that memo is not clear enough for you, then you might want to stay your butt out of Brevard County!!”

Ivey also reminded residents and visitors that criminal conduct in the county can lead to arrest.

“You know the deal, folks, break the law in Brevard County and I promise you the lodge will have a reservation with your name on it!!” Ivey quipped.

The charges against Jacox and Hicks are allegations. The couple will be entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until they are proven guilty in court.

The case remains under investigation by authorities in Brevard County.

CNBC Torpedoes Democrat Economics as Hosts Laugh at Elizabeth Warren’s Hysterics [WATCH]
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CNBC Torpedoes Democrat Economics as Hosts Laugh at Elizabeth Warren’s Hysterics [WATCH]

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CNBC hosts Joe Kernen and Rick Santelli challenged Democratic criticism of the economy and specifically addressed Sen. Elizabeth Warren following the release of July inflation data and recent gross domestic product figures, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

The discussion took place after federal data showed consumer prices increased at a slower annual rate in July than they had in June.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index rose 3.4 percent over the 12 months ending in July, down from 3.5 percent in June.

Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, increased 2.5 percent over the year.

Prices increased 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in July. Shelter accounted for roughly two-thirds of the monthly increase, while energy prices declined 1.5 percent during the month.

Food prices increased 0.1 percent, with food-away-from-home prices rising 0.3 percent.

The July report came as policymakers continued to monitor inflation and consider the Federal Reserve’s next move.

Inflation remains above the Fed’s 2 percent target, although the July consumer-price figures showed some moderation from the previous month.

The latest GDP data also showed continued economic expansion.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported in its July 30 advance estimate that real GDP increased at an annual rate of 1.5 percent during the second quarter of 2026, following a 2.1 percent increase in the first quarter.

Consumer spending, investment and exports contributed to the second-quarter expansion, while lower government spending partly offset those gains.

Against that backdrop, Kernen discussed Democratic warnings about the economy and tariffs, including comments he attributed to Warren.

“The left and people that don’t like the president and don’t want things to work. And, you know, Senator Elizabeth Warren will come on and say, “Inflation’s out of control, and the economy is getting killed by what’s happening—by these tariffs.”

“This—3%, with the market at new highs—and, really, we haven’t seen inflation, you know, go back up to 3%. Maybe it will this week. Maybe we’ll see it. But none of these things—none of these horrible things—have happened, yet they still talk like they’re happening. It’s amazing.”

Santelli followed by questioning whether members of Congress should be relied upon for financial guidance.

“Well, the important—there’s an important lesson there: don’t pick a congressman to be your money manager. That’s what I would say. But, in the end, Congress has its own reasons to point out certain things. And the Democrats, of course, as you pointed out, really don’t want to see the current administration have some success. But there’s no doubt that this is some success. We’re seeing more horsepower. We’re seeing better equities. Inflation— inflation really hasn’t changed much in the last year or so.”

The economic data present a mixed picture rather than a single measure of economic performance. GDP continued to grow in the second quarter, but its 1.5 percent annualized pace was slower than the 2.1 percent growth recorded in the first quarter.

The BEA also reported that the price index for gross domestic purchases increased 5.7 percent in the second quarter, while the personal consumption expenditures price index increased 5.1 percent.

Inflation also remains higher than the Federal Reserve’s long-term objective.

The Federal Reserve’s July Monetary Policy Report said inflation measures had moved higher in recent months and noted that the personal consumption expenditures price index had risen 4.1 percent over the 12 months ending in May, with core PCE inflation at 3.4 percent.

The July CPI report nevertheless represented an improvement from June on the headline measure.

The 3.4 percent annual increase was the latest reading available as of Aug. 17, 2026, and followed June’s 3.5 percent increase. The next major GDP release, the second estimate for the second quarter, was scheduled for Aug. 26.

The latest numbers have consequently become part of the broader political argument over the administration’s economic policies, tariffs and inflation.

Democrats have continued to raise concerns about prices and economic policy, while Kernen and Santelli pointed to the continued expansion and the moderation in headline consumer inflation as evidence that some of the most severe forecasts have not materialized.

The data leave policymakers with a familiar challenge: inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s target, but the latest consumer-price report showed a slower annual increase while the economy continued to expand.

Exposed: Polls Touting Francesca Hong and Karen Bass Leads Were Completely Fake [WATCH]
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Exposed: Polls Touting Francesca Hong and Karen Bass Leads Were Completely Fake [WATCH]

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A polling company has acknowledged that surveys it released in two closely watched Democratic contests were not genuine election polls, saying the project was instead designed as an experiment to examine how political polling information could spread without independent verification, as reported by The Post Millennial.

Median Strategies released polling data concerning the Los Angeles mayoral race and the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary. The company later acknowledged that the figures were fabricated.

The revelation came Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, after the company told the Los Angeles Times that its polling operation was created as a “short-term social experiment.”

Los Angeles Chokes On Smoke As Newsom And Bass Sleepwalk Through Another Crisis

In the Los Angeles mayoral race, Median Strategies had reported that incumbent Mayor Karen Bass held an approximately 12-point advantage over Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman ahead of the November election.

The purported survey claimed to have collected responses from 560 Los Angeles voters between July 30 and Aug. 5. It also reported a margin of error of 4.1 percent.

Median Strategies later explained that the numbers were not the product of an actual voter survey.

“Median Strategies was created as a short-term social experiment to examine how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification. We are not seeking publicity or attribution for the individuals involved and are declining interviews.”

The supposed Los Angeles poll contained additional details about voters who had supported Republican candidate Spencer Pratt.

According to the published results, 16 percent of respondents said they had voted for Pratt, and 85 percent of those voters reportedly planned to support Bass.

Median Strategies’ accompanying analysis stated, “Faced with a choice between the incumbent and a Democratic Socialists of America-aligned challenger, most Pratt voters appear to be treating Bass as the more familiar, more moderate option rather than sitting out the race.”

Bass herself appeared to promote the polling results before the company acknowledged that the survey was fabricated. In a post that was later deleted, Bass wrote, “Doing the work, showing up, and gaining momentum. Let’s do this, LA!”

A spokesperson for Bass subsequently called for scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the bogus poll.

“This poll was reported on by a news outlet. Any bad faith attempts to influence elections should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The purported survey had been reported by outlets including the California Post, allowing the numbers to circulate beyond Median Strategies’ own social media accounts.

Median Strategies began posting publicly on social media Aug. 9. Its first post presented the company as an effort to address concerns over the credibility of political polling.

“Polling has a credibility problem. Ours is the fix: no partisan clients, no campaign or party money, numbers that go wherever the data takes them even when it’s inconvenient. Trustworthy polling, rebuilt.”

The company also released polling concerning the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary. That survey claimed socialist candidate Francesca Hong was leading by 20 percentage points.

Hong ultimately lost the Democratic primary.

Median Strategies acknowledged the discrepancy on Aug. 12, writing, “We got Wisconsin wrong- and by quite a margin too.”

The company’s subsequent admission concerning the Los Angeles polling clarified that the Wisconsin figures were also part of the broader experiment rather than a legitimate survey of voters.

The episode highlights the importance of independent verification when political polling is cited in news reports, campaign statements, or social media posts.

Polling results can influence perceptions of a race, affect fundraising and shape voter expectations, making the source and methodology behind such numbers particularly significant.

In this case, Median Strategies presented specific sample sizes, dates and margins of error for its Los Angeles survey before later acknowledging that the poll was not genuine.

The company said its purpose was to examine how purported polling could move through the political information system without verification.

The admission leaves the Bass and Hong polling figures without any basis as measurements of actual voter sentiment.

El Sayed Aide Melts Down Over Rogers Ford Cruise and Invokes KKK [WATCH]
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El Sayed Aide Melts Down Over Rogers Ford Cruise and Invokes KKK [WATCH]

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A campaign aide for Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed drew criticism Monday after comparing Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers’ campaign imagery to a “KKK cross burning” in a social media post, as reported by Fox News.

The dispute began after Rogers released a campaign video Sunday featuring himself riding in the passenger seat of a red antique Ford pickup truck.

Two American flags were attached to the vehicle’s tailgate as the truck traveled along a Michigan road.

Rogers posted the video on X while promoting the Woodward Dream Cruise, an annual automotive event in the Detroit area. Toby Keith’s “American Ride” plays during the video.

“Gotta love this American Ride! There’s no better way to do the Woodward Dream Cruise!” Rogers wrote in the post accompanying the video.

Mason Pressler, who serves as El-Sayed’s political manager in northern Michigan, responded on X by criticizing the visual presentation of Rogers’ campaign.

“Mike Rogers’ campaign has the aesthetics of a 1960s white flight suburb and a KKK cross burning,” Pressler said.

Rogers’ campaign quickly highlighted Pressler’s post and accused the El-Sayed campaign aide of equating a Michigan-made Ford truck with the Ku Klux Klan.

The Rogers campaign also added “Old Ford trucks” to a running list of things it says El-Sayed dislikes.

El-Sayed’s communications director, Roxie Richner, told Fox News Digital that Pressler’s statement did not represent the campaign’s overall position.

She pointed to Pressler’s X biography, which states that his posts express his own opinions.

Richner did not respond to a subsequent request for additional comment about Pressler’s post.

The dispute comes as El-Sayed and Rogers compete in a closely watched Michigan Senate race. El-Sayed, a progressive Democrat, has faced criticism from some Democrats over his political positions and associations.

During the campaign, El-Sayed has appeared with socialist streamer Hasan Piker.

The campaign has also drawn attention over El-Sayed’s positions concerning the Second Amendment and material previously published on his YouTube channel.

Among the issues raised by critics is an essay in which El-Sayed compared President Donald Trump with Osama Bin Laden.

El-Sayed has also faced questions about campaign contributions connected to employees of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. According to previous reporting cited in the campaign dispute, El-Sayed received more than $100,000 from 41 people who work for the organization.

CAIR’s status has been a subject of political dispute. The United Arab Emirates designated the organization as a terrorist organization, while Florida and Texas have formally designated or labeled CAIR in that context.

El-Sayed’s family has also drawn attention during the campaign.

His sister, Eman Abdelhadi, is a University of Chicago professor who was arrested last year after authorities alleged she spit on a police officer during an anti-ICE protest outside the Broadview, Illinois, immigrant detention facility.

The Senate contest is unfolding as Democrats compete in their primary while Republicans prepare for the general election fight.

A recent poll cited in the campaign coverage showed El-Sayed with a 15-point lead over Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary.

For Rogers, the antique Ford video was intended to connect his campaign with Michigan’s automotive heritage and the Woodward Dream Cruise.

For El-Sayed’s campaign, Pressler’s characterization of that imagery has now become a separate political controversy.

The incident also illustrates how campaign activity on social media can quickly become part of a broader political dispute, particularly in a closely watched Senate contest where candidates and their staffs are under scrutiny.

CNN Melts Down After Trump Humiliates Reporter, but Its Defense Has One Glaring Problem [WATCH]
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CNN Melts Down After Trump Humiliates Reporter, but Its Defense Has One Glaring Problem [WATCH]

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A dispute between the White House and CNN intensified Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, after President Donald Trump confronted CNN White House correspondent Kristen Holmes over a question she asked during an Oval Office event honoring a teenage lifeguard, as reported by Red State.

Trump had invited members of the White House press pool into the Oval Office while meeting with 16-year-old Ryder Williams, a California lifeguard who went viral on social media last month after rescuing a 10-year-old boy caught in extremely rough surf at a California beach.

The boy Williams rescued, Nathaniel Rai, 10, also attended the meeting. Trump presented Williams with a civilian honor recognizing his bravery during the rescue.

When reporters were given an opportunity to ask the president questions, Holmes moved away from the event’s focus on the young lifeguard and his rescue.

“Jon Ossoff said you would rather travel with your aide, Natalie Harp, and build the ballroom than do your job as president. What is your response?”

The question referred to a statement attributed to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and raised a personal allegation involving Trump and Natalie Harp, a White House aide.

Trump objected to the question and confronted Holmes during the exchange.

The confrontation quickly became a larger dispute between the administration and CNN, with Trump’s supporters criticizing Holmes’ approach and CNN defending its correspondent.

The Rapid Response 47 X account also criticized the reporter following the exchange. CNN subsequently issued a statement defending Holmes and rejecting the president’s criticism.

“Kristen Holmes is one of the most respected and accomplished journalists covering the White House. This afternoon, she did her job and asked the President of the United States a tough, relevant, and newsworthy question on behalf of the American people. Public officials are free to challenge reporting they disagree with, but personal attacks on journalists for asking questions are beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press. We stand firmly behind Kristen and reject these attacks in the strongest possible terms.”

The CNN statement framed the confrontation as an issue of press freedom and defended Holmes’ decision to ask the question.

The network did not address criticism that the question was inappropriate for the setting or that Holmes’ conduct allegedly conflicted with guidance for members of the White House press pool.

The White House Correspondents’ Association provides guidelines for journalists covering the president. Those guidelines call for members of the press pool to remain respectful and neutral while performing their duties.

The association also says “disruptive behavior is unacceptable” and instructs reporters to keep their coverage “fair, tasteful and objective” and to “stick to relevant facts.”

The exchange therefore raised two separate questions: whether Holmes’ question was appropriate during an event involving two children and whether her conduct met the professional standards established for members of the White House press corps.

Trump has frequently clashed with CNN and other news organizations during his political career, while CNN has repeatedly defended its reporters against criticism from the president and his administration.

Monday’s dispute added another chapter to that longstanding conflict.

What began as a brief opportunity for reporters to question Trump during an event celebrating a teenager’s act of bravery instead became a public confrontation between the president and a CNN correspondent, followed by a formal defense of the reporter from her network.

Williams’ meeting with Trump was intended to recognize his actions during the California beach rescue last month. Rai, the boy Williams rescued, was present alongside him at the White House.

The controversy surrounding Holmes’ question now threatens to overshadow much of the event, as the White House and CNN continue to disagree over the boundaries of aggressive questioning and appropriate conduct inside the Oval Office.

Bombshell Undercover Video Claims Minnesota Vouching Lets Alleged Hamas Members Vote Without IDs [WATCH]
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Bombshell Undercover Video Claims Minnesota Vouching Lets Alleged Hamas Members Vote Without IDs [WATCH]

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An undercover video operation in Minneapolis is drawing renewed attention to Minnesota’s voter-vouching system after activists said election workers indicated that people without identification could register and vote if another registered voter vouched for them, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Muckraker.org said Josh Rubin went undercover at several Minneapolis polling locations while posing as “Muhammad” and tested how election workers would respond to questions about the system. The operation specifically raised questions about whether the process could be used by foreign nationals or individuals claiming to belong to Hamas.

According to Muckraker, Rubin asked whether people described as alleged Hamas members who had recently arrived in the United States from Gaza could vote without identification if someone vouched for them.

“We put Minnesota’s voter “vouching” system to an extreme test by asking if it was okay to vouch for alleged Hamas militants who had recently come to America from the Gaza Strip,” Muckraker said.

The organization reported that election workers told the undercover investigator that a registered voter could vouch for multiple people. One worker stated, “You can vouch for 8 people,” and added, “If you’re vouching for [Hamas], they wouldn’t need to show anything.”

The video does not establish that an actual Hamas member voted illegally in Minnesota.

Rather, the undercover exchange was presented as a test of how election workers would handle a hypothetical voter described as being affiliated with the designated terrorist organization.

Minnesota law allows registered voters to vouch for individuals who need to establish their residence in a precinct.

According to language cited by the undercover operation, Minnesota Statutes § 201.061 permits a registered voter to sign an affidavit affirming that the voter knows another individual resides in the same precinct.

One registered voter can vouch for up to eight people.

James O’Keefe, who previously conducted an undercover operation involving Minnesota’s voter-vouching rules, said the latest investigation was intended to determine how the process works inside polling locations.

“Under Minnesota’s Statutes § 201.061, a registered voter can sign an affidavit affirming that they know another individual resides in the same precinct, allowing that person to register at the polls without presenting standard proof of residence. One registered voter can vouch for up to eight people,” O’Keefe said.

“We wanted to find out what this actually looks like inside a polling place and how far election workers would let us take it,” he said.

O’Keefe and Cam Higby previously entered Minneapolis polling locations as part of an undercover effort involving Muslim clothing.

O’Keefe wore a thobe, while Higby wore a black burka. That operation also focused on Minnesota’s voter-vouching procedures.

The earlier investigation drew a response from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat.

According to the report, Simon threatened O’Keefe, Rubin and Higby after their undercover activities and said law enforcement was reviewing their actions.

The latest video comes amid continuing debate over election procedures that allow voters to establish eligibility through alternatives to presenting standard identification documents.

Supporters of the vouching system say it provides a lawful method for eligible voters who lack conventional proof of residence to register.

Critics argue that the system deserves close scrutiny because it relies on one voter attesting to another person’s residence.

The undercover operation did not, by itself, demonstrate that Minnesota election officials knowingly permitted an ineligible person to cast a ballot.

It did, however, put the state’s vouching rules and the discretion of individual poll workers under renewed public scrutiny.

The controversy centers on a straightforward question that has become increasingly contentious in election administration: how much verification is enough when a voter arrives without standard identification or proof of residence?


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