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Platner ally Troy Jackson locks down delegates as top rivals for Democratic Senate nomination drop out
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson appears to have locked up enough delegates to win the abbreviated race to replace now ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in the high-stakes showdown to face off with longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Delegates aligned with Jackson won the vast majority of the 500 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday and Sunday as Maine's 16 counties held two days of delegate selection for next weekend's nominating convention. And Jackson's top two rivals for the nomination, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah, a former top public health official, dropped out of the race on Sunday.
"In November, Mainers will defeat Susan Collins, and we will take back our Senate seat from the billionaires and corporations who think they own it," Jackson said in a social media post Sunday evening.
While the delegates on Jackson's slate are not required to support him at next weekend convention, he is in an extremely strong position to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Collins in what's expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle that's among a dozen nationwide which will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority. The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47.
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A fifth-generation logger and a one-time conservative Republican who became a Democrat over two decades ago, Jackson came in third place last month in Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
On Saturday, in the race to replace Platner, Jackson-aligned delegates won more than 90% of the slots, including all 149 in Cumberland County, Maine's most populous county and home to the state's largest city, Portland.
"Yesterday was an unbelievable huge step, but our work is not finished — not even close," Jackson said Sunday morning. And the winning streak of Jackson-aligned delegates continued throughout the day.
The 500 delegates elected this weekend will join 101 delegates coming automatically from the Democratic State Committee. All 601 will vote for the Senate nominee at next Saturday's convention in Bangor, Maine.
Bellows, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, exited the Senate sprint on Sunday morning.
"Donald Trump’s attacks on our democracy are only accelerating, and the best way that I can serve our state and country at this moment is by focusing exclusively on my role as Secretary of State," Bellows said in a statement that didn't mention Jackson.
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Shah, a former director the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023 who later served as principal deputy director of the federal CDC during then-President Joe Biden's administration, and who came in second in last month's Democratic gubernatorial primary, dropped out Sunday evening and backed Jackson.
"To Maine Democrats: Susan Collins will not be defeated without a united Democratic Party. And we cannot unite without treating one another with respect," Shah wrote in a statement. "No matter whom you supported in this race, I urge us all to remember that in the weeks ahead."
Jackson, in a social media post, thanked Shah and urged, "Now it's time for all of us to come together, build the broadest possible coalition, and defeat Susan Collins. Let's get to work."
Another Senate candidate, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban, also announced a campaign suspension on Sunday.
MAINE DEMOCRATS RALLY BEHIND PLATNER'S PLATFORM IN SPRINT TO REPLACE HIM
Along with Platner, Jackson had the support of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont as he ran for governor, and he is currently backed by 'Our Revolution,' the group born in 2016 out of Sanders' first presidential campaign.
Jackson, similar to Platner, is running on a progressive and populist platform aimed at working-class voters. He backs raising taxes on billionaires, the universal healthcare system known as "Medicare-for-all," abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he opposes military aid to Israel at a time that Democrats are increasingly divided on support for America's longtime Middle East ally.
Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who was backed by Sanders soon after he launched his bid last August, saw his campaign quickly catch fire. Two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who was heavily recruited by longtime Democratic Senate leader Sen. Chuck Schumer to run for the Senate, suspended her campaign this spring after trailing Platner in fundraising and in the polls.
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But even as Platner steamrolled the Democratic establishment and crushed the competition last month to capture the nomination, he had already been forced on defense in the wake of a slew of scandals.
Platner dropped out earlier this month, amid calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to immediately exit the race following an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the report but stepped aside.
While Jackson was among those who quickly called on Platner to end his bid in the wake of the rape allegation, he had previously campaigned alongside Platner and made the case that he was the best candidate to continue the fight for the progressive and populist agenda.
"This movement has always been bigger than one person. It's about taking on a system rigged against working people, fighting for ‘Medicare-for-all,’ strong unions, higher wages, reproductive freedom, and an economy where billionaires and corporations finally pay their fair share," Jackson said last week during a Our Revolution virtual town hall, as he pointed to Platner supporters.
At last week's first debate among the replacement candidates, Jackson pointed to Platner and said, "That's the thing that I think Graham did the best: talked about fighting against the health care industry and the prescription drug industry to make sure that people in this state and this country have affordable, quality health care."
Young airman killed in heavy equipment accident at California Space Force base
A 23-year-old airman from North Carolina died Thursday following a heavy equipment accident at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, officials announced Friday.
The airman was identified as Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna, a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Pavements and Equipment Flight, according to the base’s Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs office.
The unit maintains critical infrastructure, including roads and airfields, that supports Vandenberg’s launch, test and range operations under the U.S. Space Force, officials said. The base is responsible for launching satellites into polar orbit and conducting intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
Eneluna was operating heavy equipment when it rolled down an embankment, according to the base. No other personnel were injured in the incident.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna, a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron," Vandenberg Space Force Base said in a statement.
"A1C Eneluna served with honor, humility, and an unwavering commitment to his teammates and the mission. His loss is felt across our Vandenberg family."
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The official cause of death has not yet been determined by the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Office. Units at Vandenberg are supporting a Safety Investigation Board review into the incident.
According to the base, Eneluna was from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and also spent part of his childhood in the Philippines.
He joined the military on March 5, 2024, and arrived at Vandenberg in August for his first duty assignment, where he became part of the unit’s "Dirt Boyz" team, a group of pavement and heavy equipment specialists.
US SERVICE MEMBER KILLED IN IRAQ AS TROOPS RECOVER UNIDENTIFIED REMAINS IN JORDAN: CENTCOM
"During his assignment at Vandenberg, he earned the respect and admiration of those around him through his positive attitude, tireless work ethic, and willingness to help others," the base said.
"He made a lasting impression on his teammates through his character, dedication, and genuine care for others," U.S. Space Force Col. James T. Horne III, commander of Space Launch Delta 30 and Vandenberg Space Force Base, said in a statement.
Eneluna’s squadron commander added that the young service member exemplified the qualities of an outstanding Airman.
"He brought out the best in everyone," U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Seth Poulsen, 30th CES commander, said. "He was always ready to work, always willing to help, and always had a positive attitude. He truly represented what it means to be an Airman."
Mass shooting rocks crowded downtown Tucson district, leaving 10 wounded
At least 10 people were wounded in a mass shooting in downtown Tucson, Arizona, early Sunday morning after a gunman opened fire in a crowded entertainment district, according to officials.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released, allegedly tried to flee the scene before he was shot by a responding police officer, the Tucson Police Department (TPD) said. He was taken to a local hospital in life-threatening condition.
No deaths were reported, but nine victims suffered gunshot wounds, according to Mayor Regina Romero. Police said the victims sustained gunshot wounds primarily to their extremities, including their arms and legs.
GUNFIRE SHATTERS TORONTO LATIN STREET FESTIVAL, LEAVING AT LEAST 2 DEAD AND MULTIPLE WOUNDED
"Last night, Tucson experienced another serious and senseless act of gun violence," Romero said in a statement Sunday. "A shooter recklessly began shooting in a crowded area striking nine people before being stopped by a Tucson Police Officer."
Police said the shooting unfolded around 2 a.m. in the 100 block of East Congress Street, a downtown area known for its bars, restaurants and nightlife.
Officers patrolling nearby reportedly heard multiple gunshots and immediately responded on foot, where they encountered a man running from the scene.
TOLEDO POLICE NAME SUSPECT KA NYE TAYLOR IN FESTIVAL SHOOTING THAT INJURED 12, HUNT SECOND GUNMAN
After the suspect allegedly ignored repeated commands from officers, a uniformed officer fired his weapon, striking the fleeing suspect, TPD said.
Police took the suspect into custody and rendered first aid before Tucson Fire Department personnel transported him to a local hospital.
Responding officers also provided emergency medical aid to several victims before firefighters arrived. All the victims were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
No officers were injured in the incident.
"Thanks to the quick actions and excellent care provided by our firefighters and police officers, all victims were stabilized and taken to the hospital where we are hopeful they will all recover," Romero said.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. TPD will also be conducting a separate investigation to determine if any policy violations occurred.
The Democratic mayor also condemned the shooting and pointed to what she described as Arizona's weak gun safety laws.
"Easy access to guns and Arizona’s weak gun safety laws have continued to put all of us at risk," Romero said. "From requiring universal background checks to extreme risk laws to funding violence prevention there is more lawmakers can and should do."
Pima County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Angel Reese exits game with injury after posting pathetic stat line against former team
Angel Reese’s eventful weekend ended with an injury and one of her worst performances of the season.
The Atlanta Dream star left Sunday afternoon’s game against her former team, the Chicago Sky, after her left leg appeared to give out as she attempted a layup early in the fourth quarter.
Reese fell to the floor after missing the shot, briefly got back to her feet and then went down again. She eventually returned to Atlanta’s bench, but the Dream ruled her out for the remainder of the game with a left leg injury.
But Reese wasn’t playing particularly well before leaving the game.
And that's actually putting it kindly.
The 24-year-old finished with eight points and five rebounds in 20 minutes. She shot an abysmal 3-of-13 from the field, missed her only three-point attempt and committed three turnovers. She finished with a minus-7 rating in Atlanta’s 93-91 victory. Her minus-7 was the worst mark among Dream players, and she committed three fouls.
Not good.
In addition, Reese grabbed just one defensive rebound. Four of her five boards came on the offensive end, including two "mebounds" where she grabs her own rebound after missing a short shot.
That’s become a familiar part of the Angel Reese experience.
ANGEL REESE GIVES ATLANTA DREAM REBOUNDS AND ATTENTION, BUT HER OFFENSE IS STILL A PROBLEM
She is unquestionably one of the best rebounders in women’s basketball. She also regularly pads those totals by collecting misses around the basket, including her own.
On Sunday, even that wasn’t enough to make the box score look respectable.
Reese entered the game averaging 15.7 points and a league-leading 11.8 rebounds per contest. She had recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds against Toronto on Friday, her league-leading 17th double-double of the season.
She followed that performance by missing 10 of 13 shots against the team that traded her during the offseason.
The rough outing wasn’t caused by the injury, either.
Reese had already logged 20 minutes before getting hurt 14 seconds into the fourth.
Again, the injury is unfortunate. There’s nothing funny about a player getting hurt, and the hope is that Reese avoided anything serious.
After the game, Dream head coach Karl Smesko said Reese was in "great spirits celebrating with her teammates."
According to WNBA reporter Wilton Jackson, Smesko noted that Reese "wanted to go out there and keep playing" but that he "didn't feel comfortable with it because she looked like she was in a lot of pain."
Despite the injury, it's hard to look past just how bad Reese was prior to getting hurt.
Fortunately for the All-Star forward, her teammates bailed her out.
Atlanta led by as many as 22 points before allowing Chicago to erase the deficit. The Dream led by one point when Reese exited.
Atlanta guard Jordin Canada made a game-winning layup as time expired and the Dream escaped with a 93-91 victory over the 9-17 Sky.
The Dream improved to 16-10 and Reese is now 2-0 against the Sky since Atlanta acquired her for two first-round draft picks in April.
Still, this wasn’t exactly the revenge performance Reese probably envisioned against her former team.
She had more missed shots (10) than either points (8) or rebounds (5). She also turned the ball over three times and committed three fouls before hurting her leg.
The good news for Atlanta is that they don't play again until July 29, which gives Reese plenty of time to recover. The bad news is that the WNBA All-Star Game is on July 25 and the league certainly prefers that Reese plays in that game.
Say what you will about Reese, but she's arguably the second-biggest draw in the league after Caitlin Clark. Despite this poor performance, there's no question Reese adds intrigue to the All-Star Game.
Hopefully, she recovers in time to play.
Bulldog's drowning sparks police probe at dog resort marketed as the 'Disneyland for dogs'
A California couple says what should have been a routine pickup at a dog daycare marketed as the "Disneyland for dogs" ended in heartbreak after they were told their beloved English bulldog had drowned while in the facility's care.
The heartbreaking incident has prompted a police investigation and an apology from Camp Canine, which acknowledged in a public statement that it "failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe."
Bruce, a 1-year-old English bulldog owned by Chris and Ashley Merz of Ventura, died Thursday while in the care of the Santa Barbara boarding and daycare facility.
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The Santa Barbara Police Department told Fox News Digital that officers responded to the business in the 800 block of East Montecito Street at approximately 4:45 p.m. Thursday following a report of a dog drowning.
During the initial investigation, officers interviewed Bruce's owners as well as employees who were present when the incident occurred.
"The Santa Barbara Police Department is committed to a thorough investigation into this matter," the department said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The case is actively being investigated by our Criminal Investigative Unit and Animal Control Team."
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According to Ashley Merz's mother, Alison Genet, who spoke with local outlet Noozhawk, Bruce is believed to have drowned sometime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The family says they were never notified about his death before arriving to pick him up around 3:30 p.m.
Genet told the outlet the family was instead informed of Bruce's death when they arrived at Camp Canine.
Bruce had attended Camp Canine and trained there for about six months, according to Genet.
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She said English bulldogs are not natural swimmers and that Bruce was typically placed with small or medium-sized dogs because of his size. However, she said he somehow ended up in the large-dog yard, which contains two unfenced pools.
According to Genet, Camp Canine's owners acknowledged Bruce was not supposed to be in that yard but were unable to explain how he ended up there.
A GoFundMe created by Ashley's sister, Savannah, to help cover Bruce's cremation, memorial expenses and legal costs alleges the family's pain was compounded by how the incident was handled.
"What was meant to be a normal day at Camp Canine turned into tragedy when their dog drowned while in the facility's care," the fundraiser states.
"The pain was compounded by the way the situation was handled—they were not contacted when the incident occurred, and only learned of their dog's passing later that day when they arrived to pick him up."
The fundraiser also alleges Bruce's body was returned to his owners in "a storage container in the trunk of a vehicle" and says the family later learned he had not been transported to an emergency veterinary hospital before they were notified.
"My sister and brother-in-law are now left grieving the unimaginable loss of a beloved family member, while trying to understand exactly what happened that day," Savannah wrote.
Camp Canine, which says it has served the Santa Barbara area for 40 years and describes itself on its website as the "Disneyland for dogs," publicly apologized Saturday in a statement posted to Instagram.
"There are no words that can fully express the heartbreak we feel following the tragic loss of a beloved dog while in our care earlier this week," General Manager Jayne Sigman wrote.
"A family entrusted us with a cherished member of their family, and they are now living with an unimaginable loss because we failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe.
"We are profoundly sorry. Our hearts are with them as they grieve, and we know that no words can lessen the pain they are experiencing."
The facility said it has temporarily suspended daycare operations while it reviews its facility, safety procedures and emergency response protocols.
"It is our responsibility to learn from this loss, to make meaningful changes, and to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again," the statement continued. "That work has already begun."
Fox News Digital reached out to Camp Canine for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
President Trump steals part of spotlight as Spain celebrates World Cup title over Argentina
The World Cup final on Sunday provided a tense, low-scoring finish to a memorable tournament held across the United States.
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the World Cup, but President Donald Trump ended up sharing plenty of the spotlight after joining the trophy ceremony.
Trump, alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, walked to the stage, drawing a mix of cheers and boos as he greeted Spain's players before the trophy presentation.
Trump was briefly part of Spain's team photo as the players hoisted the trophy before Infantino stepped in and suggested he move aside. Trump also appeared in Chelsea's Club World Cup trophy celebration earlier this year after the final in New Jersey.
WATCH:
Trump has become a familiar sight at many of the nation's biggest sporting events during his second term. As previously reported by Fox News' Ryan Gaydos, Infantino had welcomed Trump to take part in the trophy ceremony following the tournament's conclusion in the United States.
Trump arrived aboard Marine One before making his way to the stadium.
FIFA REPORTEDLY WILLING TO LET TRUMP HAND WORLD CUP TROPHY TO WINNING CAPTAIN AT METLIFE STADIUM
The FOX broadcast found Trump before the match with a Taylor Swift-at-Chiefs-games kind of focus.
Seated near Trump's luxury suite were Spain's King Felipe VI, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Spain captured its second men's World Cup title, denying Argentina a fourth that would have tied Italy for second-most all time behind Brazil's five. It was also likely Lionel Messi's final World Cup appearance. Fittingly, Spain conceded just one goal throughout the tournament.
What most viewers enjoyed about this American-set tournament was the heightened stardom of many of the sport's biggest stars. Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Lionel Messi dominated headlines throughout the tournament.
That's how you host a World Cup!
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
ISIS poised to exploit historic US Iraq exit, terror group 'actively waiting in the gaps,' expert warns
The Islamic State is quietly rebuilding as the United States prepares to complete its withdrawal from Iraq, raising fears the terror group could exploit a security vacuum, a regional security expert warned Sunday.
With U.S. forces leaving by Sept. 30 and as Baghdad tries to rein in Iran-backed militias, Iraq could also be entering its most dangerous period since ISIS seized Mosul in 2014, according to counterterrorism expert Dr. Omar Mohammed.
"ISIS is waiting actively in the gaps, as it historically always has," Mohammed, author and researcher with the George Washington University Program on Extremism, told Fox News Digital.
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"The question is not whether American forces leave Iraq in September; that timetable is set. The question is what leaves with them."
"The militias claim the ISIS threat in order to keep their weapons, while ISIS recruits from the grievances that the militias create," Mohammed explained.
"That is exactly the dynamic that hollowed out Mosul before 2014, when the city was caught between a sectarian security apparatus and the insurgency it fed."
After preparing for years, ISIS captured Mosul, about 250 miles north of Baghdad, over a decade ago. Iraqi security forces collapsed and fled the city.
The group built underground networks through assassinations, extortion, intimidation and infiltration before launching its offensive. ISIS seized U.S.-made weapons and hundreds of millions of dollars before leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the group's self-proclaimed caliphate.
At the time, Mohammed launched "Mosul Eye," a blog that secretly documented life under ISIS rule, exposing its operations and offering intelligence to U.S. forces.
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Mohammed’s story is chronicled in Mosul Eye: A Scholar's Clandestine War Against ISIS, out July 21 from Skyhorse Publishing, with a foreword by Pope Francis and an introduction by retired Gen. David Petraeus.
Iraqi forces, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, went on to recapture Mosul in July 2017. When the U.S. combat mission ended in 2021, ISIS continued operating in parts of Iraq and Syria.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has said it will continue working to dismantle ISIS networks and prevent the terror group's resurgence.
But, citing Iraqi intelligence estimates, Mohammed said the number of ISIS fighters in neighboring Syria has increased from around 2,000 to as many as 10,000 since the collapse of Bashar Assad's government in 2024.
Mohammed also said the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, an umbrella organization integrated into Iraq's security forces, was never disbanded after ISIS's territorial defeat.
He estimated the force has about 238,000 members, receives billions of dollars in government funding and includes factions with close ties to Iran that operate outside the Iraqi government's direct control.
Now Baghdad is trying to bring armed factions, including Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, under full state control.
"Sept. 30 is not one deadline; it is two," Mohammed said, referring to the simultaneous U.S. withdrawal and the domestic disarmament push.
"The militias and ISIS are not separate stories; they are deeply interdependent. Each actively justifies the other. Both forces thrive in the unstable spaces the central state cannot hold."
The U.S. withdrawal also follows a 2024 U.S.-Iraq agreement that envisioned ending the mission in Iraq by 2025 while continuing support for anti-ISIS operations in Syria through September 2026. Mohammed warned against repeating past complacency.
"Mosul did not fall in 2014 because ISIS was strong. It fell because everything that would have detected its strength—presence, attention, honest reporting from the ground—had been withdrawn in the years before, while the world's eyes were elsewhere."
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Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s White House meeting July 14, where it was announced remaining U.S. troops would leave Iraq, drew condemnation from Tehran.
According to Iran International, Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei , called al-Zaidi's trip "regrettable" and claimed it damaged Iraq's dignity.
Mohammed said Iran's influence inside Iraq is important to Tehran after U.S. strikes degraded parts of its proxy network.
"Iran's strategic calculation matters more now than at any point in a decade because Iraq is essentially what Iran has left," Mohammed said. "So the regime's real fear is not resurgence. It is irrelevance."
Tehran fears an Iraq where the government successfully disarms the militias, U.S. forces leave on Baghdad's terms rather than Iran's, and no active security crisis remains to justify armed groups operating outside full state control, he said.
"That said, what happens across the wider region after September will not be decided by anyone's stated intentions or diplomatic promises," Mohammed added.
"I have seen what a city pays when that judgment is wrong. Whether ISIS grows large enough to frighten Iran, or stays just large enough to serve it, will be one of the defining questions of the year after the withdrawal," he warned.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Hunter Biden calls Merrick Garland the 'greatest mistake' made under the Biden administration
Former President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, called the appointment of Merrick Garland as U.S. attorney general the "greatest mistake" his father made in office while appearing on the "I've Had It" podcast on Sunday.
During the show, host Jennifer Welch attacked Garland and the Department of Justice under him for not charging President Donald Trump and for investigating Hunter Biden. She asked Hunter Biden for his opinion on what she described as "capitulation by Democrats" to Republicans for pushing Garland in the first place.
"One of the things that pisses me off is the Merrick Garland DOJ and the not prosecuting of Trump. And that they prosecuted you," Welch said in part when teeing up her question.
"My take is this, and removing myself from it as much as I can, my personal feelings, is the single greatest mistake of my father's administration was the leadership of Merrick Garland," Hunter Biden said.
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He added, "The reason that we are in the situation that we're in right now can almost... by the way, the buck has to stop with my dad. He was the president and he chose him. Now, once he chose him, he played by the, you know, a higher standard than the Marquess of Queensberry rules. He played by the Constitution and the tradition that the president will never, you know, particularly since Nixon, involve himself in any decision-making as relates to anything at the Department of Justice. So, I guarantee you there was a division between church and state there."
Hunter Biden added more blame to Garland for failing to prosecute Trump for any role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, claiming that it was a "planned conspiracy" through the Trump administration to undermine the 2020 election.
"[I]f Merrick Garland had started a completely 100% legitimate investigation rather than thinking like let's not fan the flames… did you not watch what I watched? Did you not see the people storming the Capitol of the United States of America, beating cops and running congressmen and senators literally out of the building? You didn't see that? You didn't see a president and know that it was a concerted and planned effort on their part beginning all the way back from the day before the election when they knew they were going," Hunter Biden said.
Both Welch and Hunter Biden also described Garland as a "moderate" and suggested that he was only selected by President Biden to appeal to Republicans and as a favor after former President Barack Obama previously pushed him for Supreme Court justice.
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"Obama picks this milquetoast candidate. Your dad is a decent man, felt bad about what happened to Merrick Garland. And he played integrity politics. Like, well, 'I'm going to make him whole and make him attorney general.' And then Merrick Garland gets there, and he's like, 'Well, we can't upset these crusty White Republicans,'" Welch said.
"Massive mistake," Hunter Biden said.
Hunter Biden was previously under investigation since 2018 under President Donald Trump's first term. However, he was later pardoned by his father for any offense he "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024 during his final weeks in office.
Unsecured metal pipes impale California sedan in terrifying highway crash
A driver narrowly escaped a terrifying crash Thursday after unsecured metal pipes from a nearby pickup truck pierced through the back of the driver’s sedan on a Southern California highway.
The incident occurred on a highway in Orange County when a white pickup truck carrying the cargo collided with a gray sedan, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Santa Ana Area Office said Thursday.
"After investigation, it was determined the white pickup truck loaded with metal pipes crashed into the gray sedan," CHP Santa Ana said in a statement.
"After the initial impact, the unsecured metal pipes from the pickup truck were propelled forward, into the sedan, and through the sedan’s rear window."
Photos released by the agency showed the gray sedan with at least six long metal pipes lodged through the shattered rear windshield, narrowly missing the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Officials said the driver thankfully escaped the two-vehicle crash with only minor injuries.
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CHP used the incident as a warning to motorists about the dangers of unsecured cargo, noting that road debris contributes to hundreds of deaths nationwide each year.
"Unsecured cargo causes crashes every year, leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries nationwide," the agency said. "When a load isn’t properly secured, everyone on the road is at risk."
The agency reminded drivers to properly secure all cargo before hitting the road, using equipment such as ropes, netting, bungee cords or straps. Officials also advised motorists to use sturdy tarps or covers to prevent debris from falling out and to avoid overloading vehicles.
According to data released last year by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road debris was a contributing factor in roughly 53,000 crashes annually between 2018 and 2023. Those crashes resulted in an average of about 5,500 injuries and 72 deaths each year.
Bill Maher claims Donald Trump felt 'betrayed' by him with 'silly' feud after cordial 2025 dinner
"Real Time" host and comedian Bill Maher claimed on Sunday that President Donald Trump feels "betrayed" by him after they continued to feud following their cordial dinner in 2025.
During an interview on ABC's "This Week," Maher discussed recently accepting the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, where Trump serves as the chairman. Ahead of the award ceremony, Maher and Trump traded several barbs after it was reported that the Trump administration initially attempted to stop him from receiving the award.
"I love that, you know, he takes the game seriously. Like no, ‘I’m going to block this guy.’ I respect the move," Maher said on his "Club Random" podcast in April. "But I know that on June 28, it's going to happen. We're going to be at the Kennedy Center, and I couldn't be more appreciative, honestly."
After finally accepting the award, Maher addressed his ongoing fight with Trump, arguing that it stemmed from the fact that he refused to agree with Republicans after meeting with Trump last year.
"He was just mad at me because I went to his house for dinner with no guarantee that I would leave – guarantee? It was never in the cards that I was ever going to come over to their – his side," Maher said. "You know, it's better to just talk and go through this."
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During the interview, anchor Jonathan Karl pointed out that Maher had previously faced backlash for meeting with Trump, and Maher ultimately stood by the decision.
"I reported honestly that it, no, it wasn't a terrible experience at all from a guy who has done some terrible things," Maher said.
Karl remarked that Trump's attacks against Maher have seemed to grow worse since the dinner.
"Yes, because now he feels betrayed, which is silly because there was never a deal. It was only set up as, instead of shouting at each other, talk to each other," Maher said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Though Maher was adamant in his political stance against Trump, he admitted during the interview that he could see himself voting for a Republican like Vice President JD Vance in 2028 if his opponent is supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
"My vote is in play because it can’t be Trump running, so I’m not living in communist America," Maher said.