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Hasan Piker sings mocking 'We Are Charlie Kirk' song at live podcast show
Far-left streamer Hasan Piker was seen and heard singing the meme song "We Are Charlie Kirk" at a stop of his "Fear& LIVE" tour over the weekend, drawing a strong reaction online.
Leading a cheering crowd, Piker sang, "We are Charlie Kirk, we carry the flame. We'll fight for the Gospel, we'll honor his name," while his co-hosts could be seen laughing on stage. At one point, Piker could appear to be heard saying it was one of the most surreal moments of his life.
Piker, in addition to his streaming on Twitch, co-hosts the weekly comedy and pop culture podcast "Fear&," along with three others. Their live show is on a West Coast swing that began Friday in San Francisco, where the video appeared to be shot, according to a photo Piker shared online of him and his co-hosts.
The song, thought to be AI-generated, was released on Sept. 18, 2025, shortly after Kirk's assassination in Utah. It is in the style of a Christian power ballad, with lyrics like, "He spoke the truth when the cost was high / He lived for Jesus, unafraid to die."
WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS
It is frequently used online in memes to mock Kirk and conservatives.
Piker, who has become a political lightning rod for his controversial rhetoric and hard-left views, quickly went viral with the song that appeared to be mocking Kirk, who was revered by many on the political right for his founding of Turning Point USA and work in Republican politics.
"Hasan Piker is engaging in pure, unadulterated evil," Turning Point spokesman Andrew Kolvet wrote on X. "Whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. Proverbs 17:5."
"He’s just a trash human being. Piker was supposed to debate Charlie Kirk a few days after he was assassinated. Piker actually talked about how much the shooting shook him. Now, he’s mocking it all for the pleasure of his loser fans," the Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross wrote.
"[Hasan] Piker making fun of Charlie Kirk on stage… absolutely disgusting," another account wrote.
Piker appeared to make a nod to the song after the show, posting a photo of the show with the caption, "carried the flame tn." One of the song's lyrics is, "We carry the flame."
FLORIDA SOCIALIST ANGIE NIXON SAYS SHE DOESN'T ‘REALLY KNOW’ HASAN PIKER
Piker also reposted an account going after his critics, which read, "The same conservatives crying over Hasan singing a meme song were openly celebrating the murder of American citizens. These people don’t care about anything."
Kirk founded the conservative group Turning Point USA as a teenager and was known for his viral debates on college campuses, in addition to becoming a close ally of President Donald Trump and was a key figure in his 2024 re-election. Kirk also previously debated Piker on socialism.
Piker's influence over the Democratic Party as democratic socialists are ascendant in the 2026 cycle has become one of the top media stories of the cycle. He has campaigned alongside several prominent candidates, including Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
Deshaun Watson booed by Browns fans, fires back after poor outing opens door for Shedeur Sanders
Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns fan base weren’t shy about showing their disdain for each other Saturday, even as the quarterback is locked in a competition with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job.
So Watson is effectively fighting a two-front war now.
Browns fans don't like that Watson has delivered only 19 touchdown passes in 19 games during his $230 million contract. They don't like that his time with the team has been punctuated by a suspension, a season-ending shoulder injury, a season-ending Achilles injury and another Achilles injury that kept him out all of last season.
Watson is not their guy even though he's on their team.
And in Watson's first game at Huntington Bank Field since 2024, he heard it from the fans as they booed him lustily.
"It sucks," coach Todd Monken said of the fan reaction.
Watson, meanwhile, made it clear that if Browns fans don't like him, the feeling is mutual.
"It's a disrespectful thing," Watson said of the fan reaction. "So, yeah, I mean, I'm going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that.
"Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt. So what does that have to do with anything about performance when a person gets hurt, especially for your own city?
"And they cheer."
Watson said he's tried to earn the love of the Browns fans. He thought being effectively away with injuries, doing charity work in town and working hard to get back on the field would endear him to the fans.
"I guess it hasn't," he added. "So that's why I say it's more, it's personal. It is what it is and there's only so much you can do to change that."
That's a huge problem for Watson right now. But that's not his only issue.
The fans who dislike him get an opinion from their seats and then they go home and nothing else happens. But Monken decides who will win the starting quarterback job between Watson and Sanders.
And he thinks it is all definitely about performance.
"They don't want to get booed, it's about playing good football," Monken said. "Let's play good quarterback. Let's play good on offense, play good as a team, and then you don't have to worry about all that.
"When we play good football, everybody will be fine."
So who played "good" this game? It was Sanders over Watson.
The statistics clearly leaned to Sanders who completed 9 of 11 passes for 74 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception. Sanders started the game and played the entire first half, mostly with Cleveland's backups against Buffalo's backups.
Then Watson took over in the third quarter and played with second- and third-string guys against Buffalo's second- and third-string defenders, and he struggled. He completed 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and threw an interception.
Watson may have collected more boos than passing yards.
Monken, with the help of other leadership within the Browns organization, wanted to pick a starter by the start of next week. That timetable is uncertain now.
Watson only half-jokingly said that if he earns the job, he’ll feel like he’s playing 17 away games this coming season based on the reaction from Browns fans. That won’t necessarily happen because Monken said Sanders offered "a lot there to like" with his performance.
"He plays with a certain amount of confidence," the coach added. "He has gotten a lot better at getting rid of the ball. He wants to make a play."
And he didn't get booed by Browns fans, for what it's worth.
Connecticut police officers shot, suspect killed after attempted arrest sparks hectic chase
Two Connecticut police officers were shot, and a suspect was killed, after an attempted arrest led to a car chase and exchange of gunfire near Hartford late Friday, authorities said.
Hartford police officers were investigating what the department described as illegal activity at about 11:07 p.m., when a male suspect ran from the scene.
An officer chased the suspect and attempted to take him into custody. During a struggle, the officer felt what he believed was a gun in the suspect's waistband, according to Hartford police.
The suspect managed to get into a car and drive away, prompting officers to chase him through the city as information about the vehicle was shared with surrounding police departments.
The chase eventually reached Webster Court in Newington, a town south of Hartford near the Rocky Hill town line.
After the suspect got out of the car, there was an exchange of gunfire that left two officers wounded and the suspect dead, police said.
The wounded officers were identified as Hartford Police Officer Alex Diaz and Rocky Hill Police Officer Jon Escobar.
Both officers were taken to a hospital following the shooting and were later released, according to local authorities.
NYPD OFFICER SHOT, GUNMAN KILLED AFTER ARMED BARRICADED STANDOFF IN BROOKLYN: POLICE
Hartford police said Diaz was released from the hospital Saturday and was recovering at home.
A gun was recovered at the scene, police said.
Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect or provided additional details about the activity Hartford officers were investigating before the attempted arrest.
The circumstances surrounding the exchange of gunfire, including which officers fired their weapons, remain under investigation.
The Connecticut Office of Inspector General is investigating the use of deadly force.
Hartford police referred Fox News Digital's questions about the investigation to the Office of Inspector General.
The Office of Inspector General did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Sydney Sweeney sizzles in Wonder Woman corset costume as she soaks up summer romance with Scooter Braun
Sydney Sweeney is turning up the heat with her superhero alter ego.
The "Euphoria" star channeled iconic "Wonder Woman" actress Lynda Carter as she and boyfriend Scooter Braun turned a lakeside escape into a superhero-themed affair in her latest social media post.
The Instagram carousel offered a peek at the couple's summer getaway, with Sweeney posing in a Wonder Woman-inspired corset costume and coordinating headband alongside Braun in his Superman getup.
SYDNEY SWEENEY AND SCOOTER BRAUN TAKE THEIR RED-HOT ROMANCE TO THE STREETS OF NEW YORK
Carter, of course, played the iconic DC Comics superhero in the popular TV series from 1975 to 1979.
In one video, Sweeney, 28, balanced on an inflatable water obstacle course as Braun, 45, rode a jet ski nearby. Other snapshots showed the couple swimming, soaking up the sun and singing karaoke.
Sweeney gave fans a glimpse of the playful outing on Saturday, Aug. 22, captioning the post, "Camp '26," alongside a superhero emoji.
SYDNEY SWEENEY POSES IN LINGERIE FOR RACY NEW MIRROR SELFIE PHOTOS
The playful getaway comes as Sweeney and Braun continue to put their relationship front and center.
SYDNEY SWEENEY FIRES BACK AT 'EUPHORIA' CRITICS WITH PROVOCATIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PHOTOS
Earlier this summer, Braun gave fans another glimpse of their relationship during a New York City date night, filming the pair as they rode Citi Bikes.
"When you’re in bed at 11pm and your girl says 'I’ve never been to Times Square….'" he wrote alongside the video.
The music executive also captured Sweeney grabbing a bite at Shake Shack during the outing.
Braun has made no secret of his feelings for the actress.
During an appearance on the "Second Thought" podcast, he described Sweeney in glowing terms.
"I've met an extraordinary woman, kind and generous and smart and real and down to earth," he said.
He also called their relationship "one of the biggest surprises ever."
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The pair first fueled romance speculation after being photographed together in 2025. They were spotted at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos' wedding in Venice, Italy, and continued to make appearances together into 2026.
Sweeney and Braun made their relationship Instagram official May 1 after attending Stagecoach together.
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"cowboy kind of weekend," Sweeney captioned the photos.
The relationship began months after Sweeney called off her engagement to film producer Jonathan Davino in March 2025.
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Braun was previously married to entrepreneur and activist Yael Cohen. Their divorce was finalized in 2022, and they share three children.
Sweeney, meanwhile, has continued to skyrocket to fame in Hollywood since breaking out on HBO's "Euphoria" and earning critical attention for her work on "The White Lotus."
Alex Palou takes pole for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix with a chance to lock up the championship
After months of build-up and anticipation, we now know who will lead the field to green in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
That honor — in what could be the only running of this race — goes to four-time series champion Alex Palou.
After an interesting day of practice that saw drivers familiarizing themselves with the tricky, seven-corner Freedom 250 Grand Prix Circuit around the streets of Washington, D.C., it was time to bolt on some red alternate Firestone tires for some high-speed runs.
In the first group — which had some serious heavy-hitters in it — several drivers clipped the wall, including Marcus Ericsson, Rinus VeeKay and Will Power.
The big stunner was Ed Carpenter Racing's Alexander Rossi, who made an early exit after looking solid all day long.
Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood topped the group with a 56.773, followed by Meyer Shank Racing's Marcus Armstrong and Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou, who can clinch a fifth career IndyCar title if he leaves the District of Columbia with a 163-point lead in the standings.
Unusually, the fastest time, which belonged to Team Penske's David Malukas, would not have been fast enough to get into the second round had he been in the first group.
DRIVERS JOSEF NEWGARDEN AND KYLE KIRKWOOD TALK INDYCAR'S 'ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME' FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX
Scott Dixon looked like he was on the verge of topping the group, but his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson brought out a red flag, throwing out Dixon's lap.
In the second round, Kirkwood topped the group with a 56.829 and moved on with Scott McLaughlin, Alex Palou, Marcus Armstrong (who hit the wall out of Turn 7 on his fastest lap), David Malukas and Christian Rasmussen, who turned in a really strong performance to get into the Fast 6, which features single-car qualifying.
All six drivers opted for red alternate tires with Kirkwood's team opting to run first.
On his run, the Jupiter, Florida, native had a moment into Turn 1 but held it together and finished the lap. His 57.466 was well off his fastest times of the day.
Next was Alex Palou, who seemed to have his car on the absolute limit into the first corner, but managed to drop a 56.899, beating Kirkwood by four tenths.
And that was the time that stood.
Palou — with a chance to lock up the title — will start from pole on Sunday alongside Kirkwood in second, followed by McLaughlin and Rasmussen on row 2.
Now it all comes down to a grueling 250 miles around the National Mall.
Trump plan taps US firms to fight foreign cybercrime
Most of the time, when I warn you about cybercriminals, I focus on how you can stop them before they get into your accounts or steal your money. Now the U.S. government wants to take the fight closer to some foreign criminal organizations behind cyber-enabled crime. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum that creates a framework for vetted private U.S. companies to conduct cyber operations against certain foreign criminal groups. The federal government would direct and oversee those operations.
The memorandum allows two broad types of activity. Companies could secretly collect intelligence from targeted computer systems. With federal approval, they could also manipulate, disrupt, deny access to, degrade or destroy systems and digital infrastructure that targeted criminal organizations control. So, what could these companies actually do, and what could this new approach mean for you?
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FRAUD EXPERT WARNS AI IS HELPING CRIMINALS OUTPACE THE GOVERNMENT: 'DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS'
Cybercrime continues to cost Americans staggering amounts of money. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received 1,008,597 complaints in 2025, with reported losses reaching $20.877 billion. Those losses were up 26% from 2024. The White House says foreign-based criminal organizations are responsible for sophisticated campaigns involving ransomware, phishing, financial fraud and impersonation scams targeting Americans and U.S. interests.
Technology is making some of those attacks increasingly difficult to recognize. As I've previously reported, AI is helping criminals create more convincing impersonation scams and other cyberattacks. Stolen personal information can also keep circulating after the original crime. That is one reason identity theft victims may find themselves targeted again. The new program is designed to give the federal government another way to pursue certain foreign criminal organizations involved in cyber-enabled crime.
[EMBARGO] META LEADS LARGEST-EVER ANTI-SCAM OPERATION WITH FBI AND DOJ, RESULTING IN 63 ARRESTS
The memorandum establishes two broad types of operations that participating companies could conduct under federal authority. One is called a Cyber Surveillance Operation. That can involve secretly accessing targeted computer systems to collect information or intelligence. The memorandum says these operations are carried out with the intent to remain undetected and may involve accessing systems without authorization from the owner or operator.
The second is called a Cyber Effects Operation. Those operations can manipulate or disrupt information systems. They can also deny access, degrade systems or destroy information and infrastructure controlled through those systems. However, this does not give private companies permission to start hacking suspected criminals on their own.
Companies participating in the program must be accepted by the government and enter into contractual agreements with either the Department of Justice or Department of Homeland Security. Operations conducted through the program must happen on behalf of the federal government and under its supervision.
The program's DOJ and DHS executive directors must review cyber operations packages and provide written approval and direction before a participating company can act. Companies will also face vetting requirements. Those standards can examine technical proficiency, past cyber operations, facility security, personnel vetting and reliability. The rules must allow both large companies and smaller companies that may be better suited for specialized operations to participate.
DOJ or DHS may also require a participating company to maintain a bond or escrow account of at least $1 million. The money could be forfeited if the company violates its contractual agreement. The memorandum does not identify any companies that will participate.
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The program isn’t written to target anyone suspected of committing a cybercrime. The memorandum defines the targets as Cyber-Enabled Transnational Criminal Organizations, or CE-TCOs. These are foreign groups that conduct cyber-enabled crimes against the U.S. government, Americans or U.S. interests.
The definition excludes organizations that are an institutional part of a foreign government or wholly operated under a foreign government's direction. That boundary is important because the operations being authorized can be highly intrusive.
The memorandum includes safeguards for operations that accidentally move outside their approved boundaries. If a participating company discovers that an operation has unintentionally targeted a U.S. person, a system located in the United States or a system controlled by a U.S. person, it must stop the operation. The company must also carry out required minimization procedures and immediately notify the National Coordination Center, which must notify the Justice Department.
Operations involving a U.S. person or other constitutional, federal law or international law concerns must also go through a Justice Department review and receive any required authorization before approval. There is another major restriction involving what the memorandum calls a Critical Outcome. An operation reaches that threshold if it is likely to result in loss of life or serious injury, or rise to the level of a use of force or armed attack under international law. The DOJ and DHS officials running the program are not allowed to approve operations that would produce those Critical Outcomes. The public memorandum does not spell out what would happen beyond that point.
The memorandum creates the framework for the program, but many of its operating procedures still need to be established. Program leaders have 60 days from Aug. 12 to develop rules governing how it will operate. Those procedures must address company eligibility, targeting, legal review, reporting and federal oversight. Participating companies must also be evaluated for continued participation at least once every year.
Within 180 days, program leaders must produce a status report for the White House homeland security adviser and the National Cyber Director. Additional reports are required annually after that. So, the overall framework is now in place. The detailed rules governing how these operations will actually work are still being developed.
You do not need to sign up for anything or change a setting because of this new policy. The potential impact is happening much farther behind the scenes. The program would give the federal government another way to pursue certain foreign cybercriminal organizations. Approved operations could gather intelligence or disrupt systems and infrastructure controlled by those groups.
At the same time, participating private companies would be carrying out powerful cyber operations under federal direction. How those operations are controlled will depend heavily on the procedures now being written. For you, your own cybersecurity habits remain as important as ever. If you suspect someone has already gotten into one of your devices, here are the steps I recommend taking if your computer has been hacked.
I've spent years showing you how to defend yourself when cybercriminals come after your money, identity or devices. What catches my attention here is the government's attempt to put more pressure on some of the foreign criminal organizations carrying out these attacks. If federal officials approve operations that disrupt criminal infrastructure or produce useful intelligence, those efforts could add another layer to the defensive steps Americans already take. There are also plenty of reasons to watch how this develops. Secretly accessing or disrupting somebody else's computer systems can have serious consequences if an operation reaches the wrong target. The memorandum requires federal approval, legal review and operational safeguards. Now I want to see what the final rules look like and how closely federal officials supervise participating companies once operations begin.
Would you feel safer knowing vetted U.S. companies could help the government disrupt foreign cybercriminals, or does giving private companies this kind of role make you uneasy? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Massachusetts fishermen land 1,260-pound blue marlin, just short of world record
Two Massachusetts fishermen spent three hours fighting to reel in what they at first thought was a shark, but turned out to be likely the largest Atlantic blue marlins ever caught off the East Coast.
Damon Stacco said the day started off with no luck, then after he and client Walter Chapman loaded up the boat with yellowfin tuna, he saw a fin while fishing roughly 100 miles off Cape Cod.
A "huge dorsal," he wrote on his Instagram page. "Am I really seeing this? Four feet high but pointed. A blue hue flashed beneath it. Pecs? Holy s--- it's a marlin! The fin dissappeared [sic] when I screamed. I dropped back the rod beside me and the tip bounced. Line ripped from beneath my fingers."
TENNESSEE ANGLER LANDS MONSTER 15-POUND LARGEMOUTH BASS THAT SHATTERS STATE RECORD HELD SINCE 2015
He told reporters he at first thought the fish was "too big" to be a marlin.
"Well, it’s official," he wrote on Instagram on the Wednesday catch, explaining that the fish weighed in at 1,260 pounds on an IGFA certified scale in Falmouth.
8-YEAR-OLD BOY REELS IN BIZARRE SURPRISE DURING WEEKEND FISHING TRIP AT PENNSYLVANIA LAKE
He called it a "gift from the Gods and new blue marlin Mass. state record and possibly for the Western Atlantic."
It was also just 142 pounds short of the world record, which was a 1,402 Atlantic blue marlin caught off Brazil 34 years ago.
Stacco said Chapman did most of the work on his charter boat, Castafari, joking that his job was to "drive the bus around and yell at people."
8-YEAR-OLD BOY REELS IN BIZARRE SURPRISE DURING WEEKEND FISHING TRIP AT PENNSYLVANIA LAKE
Walt Golet, director of the University of Maine Pelagic Fisheries Lab, said the catch in waters off Massachusetts is even more remarkable because the water is too cold most of the year.
Golet estimated the fish might be 25 to 30 years old as its head was taken to his lab for confirmation.
SHARK WEEK ADVISORY AS WARMING SEAS PUSH BLACKTIPS FARTHER NORTH ALONG EAST COAST
"I don’t suspect there will be a whole lot of blue marlin caught in the Atlantic in general that are going to top 1,200 pounds for the next several years," he said.
Stacco said the fish also left some holes in the boat’s transom, which he called "war marks."
Chapman, who is also a lifelong fisherman, said the meat would be divided among about a dozen people.
"I wasn't going to eat a 1,200-pound fish all by myself," he said.
Mark Ruffalo fires back at Paramount over 'appalling' antisemitism accusation tied to Ellison merger criticism
Actor and activist Mark Ruffalo hit back against accusations that his criticism of the Ellison family's proposed Warner Bros. Discovery merger amounted to antisemitism, responding to Paramount in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest," Ruffalo said Saturday.
"Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people. This critical and necessary dialogue is then dishonestly framed as being anti-Israel. To be clear, my views come from my own political convictions and should never be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people, for whom I have deep love and respect. Everything I know about acting, activism, and humanism has been profoundly shaped by the Jewish friends, colleagues, and loved ones who have been integral and family throughout every point of my life," he added.
The Marvel actor's remarks came after a Paramount spokesperson accused Ruffalo of injecting "antisemitic tropes" into what it described as a corporate dispute. The accusation came after Ruffalo reposted video remarks of Paramount board member Safra Catz appearing to tout the "really profoundly scary technologies" the Larry Ellison co-founded company Oracle used to assist the Israeli military following the Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.
Ruffalo wrote of Oracle, "This is the company that Larry Ellison is using to fund his son David's Warner Bros acquisition."
"These 'really profoundly scary technologies' will most likely be merged into one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and one day used on you. Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle," he added in part.
A spokesperson for Paramount fired back, writing, "[The company is] troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute," according to Variety.
ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE REACHES DEADLIEST LEVEL SINCE 1994, NEW GLOBAL REPORT FINDS
"Words like ‘genocide’ and ‘apartheid,’ applied to a corporate transaction, aren’t just wrong — they’re a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe."
The spokesperson added that the company does not "tolerate prejudice of any kind, against anyone."
The Marvel actor's response to the company on Saturday went on to discuss the "real consequences" of the merger, both for the people who would feel its immediate effects as well as the country at-large.
"Scrutinizing the Ellisons, including Oracle’s business built on data, surveillance technology and government contracts, and the serious threat to editorial freedom and the loss of a livelihood for thousands of families, is fair and necessary," he said.
"The $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions has never been fully explained to the public. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for serious national security review, and regulators still haven’t given the public a real answer. Until they do, the merger shouldn’t move forward. Now is the time to dive boldly into all these issues, not step back or concede."
The potential merger at the center of the dispute is being challenged by a coalition of 12 state attorneys general, and the companies have agreed not to close the deal until June 1, 2027, or until after a court decision on the states' claims, whichever comes first.
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, trailblazing GOP senator who broke barriers for women in Congress, dead at 94
Former Republican Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker of Kansas, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without previously having a husband serve in Congress, died Friday at 94.
Her son, Bill Kassebaum, told The Associated Press that she died of natural causes.
"She loved Kansas. She loved people from Kansas and representing Kansas for 18 years in the U.S. Senate," he told AP. "She was an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party."
Kassebaum Baker won election to the Senate in 1978 and served three terms before leaving office in 1997. The daughter of former Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, the Republican Party's unsuccessful 1936 presidential nominee, she built a reputation as a moderate Republican willing to break with her party.
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Her election brought immediate national attention. By the time she announced her retirement, she was one of eight women serving in the Senate and the only woman chairing a Senate committee.
Kassebaum Baker also developed a reputation for working across party lines. A landmark 1996 health insurance law bore her name alongside that of Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Her political independence occasionally put her at odds with conservatives. She supported an assault weapons ban backed by then-President Bill Clinton and said the vote generated the angriest mail of her Senate career.
Kassebaum Baker remained highly popular in Kansas, winning re-election with 76% of the vote in 1984 and 74% in 1990.
She married former Republican Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee in 1996, shortly before leaving the Senate. It marked the first marriage between a man and woman who had both served in the Senate.
Howard Baker, who served as President Ronald Reagan's chief of staff and later as U.S. ambassador to Japan under President George W. Bush, died in 2014.
Kassebaum Baker continued public service after leaving Congress, including serving on a bipartisan commission on campaign finance reform during the Clinton administration.
Later in life, she increasingly broke with the Republican Party's direction and endorsed Democrats in several Kansas races, including Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
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She also called for President Donald Trump's impeachment following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
"This just has gone too far," she told Kansas City's KMBC at the time.
Despite her decades in national politics, Kassebaum Baker maintained a close identification with Kansas.
Before leaving for Japan during her husband's ambassadorship, she reflected on what she would miss.
"All I can say is, I will miss the Kansas prairie," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Flock Safety CEO calls for national 'compromise' amid camera sabotage and public revolt
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley addressed balancing privacy and safety amid Americans' oversight concerns in an interview Saturday with Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany.
From destroyed camera poles to viral signs blocking surveillance lenses, Americans are pushing back against neighborhood surveillance cameras.
Automated license plate readers, known as Flock cameras, are used by law enforcement in dozens of states to record vehicle data that can aid criminal investigations, but residents in communities with the cameras have raised concerns about privacy and potential misuse by law enforcement.
The pushback has even reached Capitol Hill, where Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., proposed banning the technology outright and Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., has pushed to cut federal funding for local installations.
LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS ARE TRACKING DRIVERS EVERYWHERE
Speaking on "Saturday in America," Langley argued the technology is vital for safety and called for compromise.
"When people talk about just one of these, privacy or safety, they're prioritizing the wrong thing, and what we have to prioritize as a country is compromise," Langley told Fox News. "How do we have our safety, and how do we balance privacy?"
SIGNALTRACE CAN LINK DEVICE SIGNALS TO YOUR CAR
Flock Safety’s website describes the tools as "technology that helps communities deter crime, respond to emergencies, and investigate safety incidents." The company's website states that it aims to balance public safety and privacy.
Some opponents have taken their concerns directly to the cameras. Earlier in August, Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl reported on a man in St. Petersburg, Florida, who held a "Down with the Flock" sign in front of a camera lens as a form of peaceful protest.
"My biggest concern is I don’t want people to know where I go and when I go. That’s my business, not anyone else’s," Carl Gunn told McNicholl.
Flock cameras have also been reported vandalized or stolen in New York, Minnesota, California and Illinois. Langley said the issue is not so black and white, noting that Flock has helped law enforcement in over a million investigations and helped locate more than 10,000 missing people.
LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS AT HOME DEPOT AND LOWE’S SPARK PRIVACY FEARS
He said the company is focused on ensuring the technology is used for good, including by recommending seven-day data retention limits and holding those who misuse the system accountable.
"Today, it is too often that in Flock and in other technologies, there's no regulation. There's no accountability, and we think that's wrong," Langley said.
"We announced changes that required auditing, that required using our audit assistance tool, which detects abnormal behavior, and we're calling on state regulators to focus less on banning this type of technology and more [on] holding our law enforcement community accountable," he said.