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Former Fever player responds to Sophie Cunningham by alleging Indiana harassment cover-up
The Indiana Fever are facing new scrutiny after former player Brianna Turner accused the organization of firing a male staff member over sexual harassment allegations during her time with the team, weighing in after Sophie Cunningham's comments on trans athletes.
Turner, a Fever player in 2025 and now with the Las Vegas Aces, made the allegations on X after Cunningham defended women's sports for biological females during an ESPN interview.
Cunningham said she wants to "protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."
Turner barked at Cunningham's claims, saying organizations like the Fever are a greater threat to the game than trans athletes. According to Turner, the Fever fired a male staff member after allegations of sexual harassment but instructed players not to discuss the matter publicly.
She madly defended trans inclusion, pointing to former WNBA player Layshia Clarendon, who was born female before later identifying as transgender.
"To date there's been one out trans player in the league. They caused zero problems," Turner wrote on X.
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Turner contrasted that with the alleged conduct of the fired staff member, adding, "That is an issue. Sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and racism are all issues."
The Indiana Fever released a statement Thursday in response to Turner's claims.
"Protecting our players and employees and maintaining a respectful, professional workplace is our top priority," the Fever said.
"Our policy is to take concerns seriously, investigate thoroughly, and act promptly when appropriate to protect the people in our organization and ensure everyone is treated with professionalism and respect."
The team concluded, "Fostering trust and safety in that process means we do not comment on personnel matters involving former employees."
It remains unclear whether the WNBA will review Turner's allegations.
As of Thursday, the league had not announced an investigation or publicly commented.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
California mayor's hot mic catches candid exchange after audience sends meeting off rails
A live microphone exposed a behind-the-scenes conversation between Sacramento's mayor and vice mayor as they discussed whether disruptive protesters could be barred from future city council meetings after a heated immigration-related debate descended into chaos.
"We should go over this disruptions thing, because if we want to ban somebody in the future, like to take them out, we have to point out specifically…" Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes is heard saying.
"I know, but the city attorney said we can't do that," Mayor Kevin McCarty replied.
"We did it last time," Talamantes responded.
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"We can't," McCarty said, shaking his head. "I spent my first six months going over this. I wanted to give people, like, probation, like, you can't come…"
Talamantes then appeared to realize the microphone was still live and quickly reached over to switch it off before continuing the conversation, according to the publicly available city council livestream reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The awkward exchange unfolded Tuesday after Sacramento City Council recessed and ordered the public removed from the chambers following repeated disruptions during a fiery debate over the city's continued participation in a regional intelligence-sharing center.
The confrontation escalated after Talamantes defended accepting federal funding for the Central California Intelligence Center, or CCIC, arguing Sacramento's sanctuary city policies and immigrant protections made the city better suited to oversee the grant than other jurisdictions.
"The city of Sacramento is a sanctuary city," Talamantes said during the meeting. "If we don't pass these dollars, other counties will apply for these dollars, they will get those dollars and we will have no safeguards to protect our immigrant communities here in Sacramento."
Dozens of speakers had earlier urged the council to reject the agreement, arguing the intelligence center could facilitate information sharing with federal immigration authorities and undermine Sacramento's sanctuary city policies.
Police officials repeatedly disputed those claims during the meeting, telling council members Sacramento does not share personal identifying information for civil immigration enforcement and complies with California's sanctuary law, known as SB 54.
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As public comment grew increasingly heated, one speaker repeatedly demanded McCarty pay attention.
"Kevin, I need your f---ing eyes. Kevin, listen to me. Stop being an a--hole, dude. Listen to your f---ing constituents," the speaker shouted.
Following Talamantes' remarks, another round of shouting erupted inside the council chambers.
"You're a pick-me b----," one attendee shouted at Talamantes, while others yelled, "Shame on you."
McCarty responded with what he described as a "final notice."
"This is the final notice," the mayor said. "We're going to continue with the deliberation, and if there's any more outbursts, we're gonna have to ask the audience to leave."
Seconds later, the disruptions intensified.
"You can't do this behind closed f---ing doors!" one attendee shouted.
"We are the community," another yelled.
"You represent us. You are our f---ing audience," another voice exclaimed as council members attempted to continue the meeting.
Council officials then paused the meeting and cleared the chambers after repeated disruptions prevented deliberations from continuing.
Following the meeting, McCarty said the private conversation focused on existing meeting procedures, not new restrictions.
"Every Tuesday, Vice Mayor Talamantes and I are responsible for overseeing and ensuring transparent, accessible, and open Council meetings," McCarty said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Unfortunately, when meetings are repeatedly disrupted, we must discuss existing policies and rules to ensure Council meetings remain effective, orderly, and respectful for both the residents in attendance and the Councilmembers. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the public can access and engage safely without distraction or intimidation."
The Sacramento City Attorney's Office declined to address McCarty's reference to legal advice during the hot-mic exchange.
"The City Attorney's Office has no comment and will not be providing comment on this matter," the office said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The city's published meeting rules state that members of the public receive two minutes per agenda item and may speak on no more than four items during a meeting, limits intended to help the council conduct city business.
The hot-mic exchange quickly drew criticism from some activists, who argued Talamantes appeared interested in silencing vocal opponents.
Joshua Masias, a volunteer organizer with the Sac Immigration Committee, told The Sacramento Bee the conversation showed an authoritative approach toward members of the public.
"It's very authoritative how she wants to use her power," Masias told the outlet. "It stuck out to me that she was the only one to try to silence the crowd."
Resident Leanna Hunt, one of the council's most outspoken critics, also defended the protesters' frustration.
"I'm fed up," Hunt told the Bee. "It's not even a tactic — I'm just tired of being treated like we are an audience and that the king is deigning to see us peasants today and when the peasants are unruly, the king gets upset."
Fox News Digital reached out to Vice Mayor Talamantes' office, Sacramento Police Department and the Sac Immigration Committee for additional comment.
ESPN's Adam Schefter weighs in on LeBron James' NBA future after Heat press conference post sparks buzz
LeBron James made it clear last month that retirement was not yet in his plans. The four-time NBA MVP said he plans to keep playing in 2026-27, but not with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sixteen years ago, James placed his free agency at the center of a nationally televised spectacle. "The Decision," a special tied to his work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, ended with James revealing he would leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
James left Miami in 2014 to return to his home state of Ohio, where he ultimately delivered the Cavaliers their first NBA title in 2016. He changed teams again in 2018, joining the Lakers.
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More recently, speculation has surfaced that James could be eyeing another return, this time to South Florida. Miami only fueled that talk earlier this week when it shared a since-deleted social media post linking to what was billed as the "LeBron James Introductory Press Conference."
A Heat team spokesperson later told ESPN the purported livestream event was not legitimate.
"I haven't read anything about, I haven't spoken to (anyone about it). But my guess would be where there's smoke, there's fire," ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter said in about the link in question.
Schefter’s comments aligned with the growing speculation that James could land in Miami alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo next season.
"Had a text that said just be ready for LeBron to go to Miami. I can read you the exact text," Schefter continued during a recent appearance on Philadelphia's 97.5 The Fanatic. "‘I’m hearing Bron is coming to the Miami Heat, just want to give you a heads up. You may want to check it out.’"
Schefter pointed to a tip he said he received on June 30, when reports first surfaced that James would consider playing his 24th NBA season away from the Lakers.
The Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers have also been linked to James.
James remained productive last season, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds across 60 games. He remains the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Tomi Lahren defends OutKick's ESPN scoop, torches Jemele Hill, backs Sophie Cunningham
Jemele Hill came after OutKick over our scoop on ESPN host Ryan Clark's departure.
Tomi Lahren answered with a blowtorch.
On Thursday, Lahren appeared on both "Tomi Lahren Is Fearless" and "America Reports." Across the two appearances, she addressed two of the week's biggest sports stories: Jemele Hill's outrage over OutKick's reporting and Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham doubling down Wednesday on her support for protecting women's sports from trans athletes after the WNBA media predictably lost (her) mind.
Lahren started with Cunningham, praising the Fever guard for refusing to retreat from what she called a matter of common sense:
Jemele Hill criticized OutKick after we broke the news of ESPN's latest layoffs before the network publicly announced them. Journalism, we're told, had finally gone too far.
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Hill called for OutKick's demise and said she'd need to be rushed to the hospital from laughter alone.
So, Lahren unloaded on Jemele.
WATCH:
OutKick founder Clay Travis summed up Tomi's response: "off the top rope!"
Even Stephen A. Smith has taken positions on women's sports that would've been unthinkable at ESPN just a few years ago.
Hill is still defending a media playbook her former industry keeps throwing away.
Meanwhile, Cunningham isn't backing down. Neither is OutKick.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman admits to sufficient facts in June drunken driving case
The leader of the Massachusetts Democratic Party was arrested during a traffic stop on alleged drunken driving charges last month and days later admitted to prosecutors there were sufficient facts to support a conviction, according to state court records.
A judge on June 15 — two days after the traffic stop in the town of Southborough — continued the operating under the influence (OUI) liquor charge without a finding after Steve Kerrigan, chairman of the state's Democratic Party, entered an "admission to sufficient facts," a Massachusetts legal disposition in which a defendant acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to obtain a conviction, according to Westborough District Court records.
In addition to the OUI charge, Kerrigan, 54, faced a negligent operation charge and a marked lanes violation. The negligent operation charge was dismissed, and he was found not responsible for the marked lanes violation.
The judge sentenced Kerrigan to a year's probation, suspended his driver's license for 45 days, ordered him to pay $600 in fees and required him to complete an impaired driving education program.
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Kerrigan was elected chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in 2023. He was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, and previously served as an executive with the Democratic National Convention Committee. He also serves as president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center.
According to a Southborough Police Department report, an officer stopped Kerrigan shortly after midnight on June 13, after observing his BMW traveling on or over the lane divider.
The officer wrote that Kerrigan's eyes appeared "glassy" and "bloodshot red" and that his speech was slow and slurred. The report states the officer could not detect the smell of alcohol because of what was described as an "overwhelming odor of cologne."
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Kerrigan told the officer he was driving home from a restaurant and said he had consumed two beers around 6 p.m. before dinner, according to the report.
Police administered field sobriety tests before Kerrigan provided a breath sample that registered a 0.089% blood alcohol content, according to the report. The legal blood alcohol limit in Massachusetts is 0.08%.
Kerrigan acknowledged the incident in a statement provided to Boston.com through his attorney, Andrea Levy.
"In June, I was pulled over for a marked lanes violation and blew a .089 on the breathalyzer," Kerrigan said. "I regret and take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences and appreciate the Southborough Police Department and the Westborough Court for their professionalism and service."
The Massachusetts Democratic Party did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Rubio unveils visa restrictions targeting cybercrime networks
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals responsible for or complicit in cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime.
"This policy targets individuals responsible for, or complicit in, cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, such as those involved in cyberscams, and sextortion," Rubio said in a statement.
Certain immediate family members of people covered by the policy may also be subject to the State Department's new visa restrictions, according to Rubio.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this year titled "Combatting Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens" directs federal agencies to develop measures against foreign scam centers, transnational criminal organizations and cyber-enabled financial fraud.
The administration, Rubio said, "is taking action to counter an unprecedented threat from online investment scams."
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"Often orchestrated by Chinese transnational criminal organizations, scammers have defrauded U.S. citizens of at least $10 billion in 2024 alone while fueling corruption, money laundering, and human trafficking," the secretary said.
"American children also have been specifically targeted by offenders operating overseas for sextortion scams, devastating families and futures," he continued.
Rubio said the administration is "deploying every tool at our disposal—sanctions, prosecutions, asset seizures, extradition requests, and international law enforcement cooperation—to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them."
"By restricting visa issuance to those who are responsible for or complicit in these criminal enterprises, we are sending a clear message: The United States will go after those who prey on our citizens," he said.
Trump DOJ withdraws subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists amid leak probe
The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas Thursday it had previously filed against three New York Times journalists as part of a leak probe.
The DOJ sought the grand jury testimony and phone records of Times journalists Tyler Pager, Julian Barnes, Eric Schmitt and Eric Lipton, all of whom had a byline on a report published earlier this month revealing President Donald Trump flew home from Turkey on his old Air Force One instead of the new Qatar-donated Boeing 747-8 he flew into the NATO summit amid security concerns, something Trump denied.
The Times report, citing anonymous sources, prompted a leak probe by the DOJ, hoping to target those who gave the Times journalists the sensitive information.
"Today’s proceeding was an important affirmation of our country’s commitment to a free press," New York Times Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David McCraw said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We are pleased that the government finally conceded that the subpoenas violated the law, but they should never have been issued in the first place. The Times and our journalists will continue to report and seek the truth without fear or favor. We will not be deterred in the face of tactics like these."
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Upon his departure from the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump flew out on his old Air Force One instead of the new one gifted to the administration by Qatar that he had previously used. However, the Times alleged the change was made due to the escalated military tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
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Trump dismissed any security concerns with the jet, instead posting on Truth Social that the Mildenhall stop was conducted so service members stationed on the base could view the new aircraft.
The subpoenas targeting the Times journalists sparked an outcry among critics, accusing the Trump administration of violating First Amendment rights.
The DOJ previously defended the subpoenas, highlighting the crime of leaking national security information while stressing that the Times journalists weren't the target of the probe.
"We value and appreciate the important role that the press plays in this country, but DOJ also plays an important role to make sure that the people entrusted with our nation's secrets do what they're supposed to do with that information, which means not sharing classified information," a DOJ spokesperson said at the time. "We recognize there may always be natural tension there, but we are not going to ignore the law and stop investigating the people who work in the administration and think it's okay to leak classified information impacting national security."
Fox News' Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
Scottie Scheffler addresses growing rivalry between Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau after The Open
The Open Championship just closed out the 2026 major championship season, and somehow one of the most unexpected winners in recent memory, Ryan Fox, hasn't been the story.
Instead? It's once again Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau was a lightning rod for criticism ahead of The Open when analysts Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee had harsh words for his approach. Faldo said he lacked the "strategy" to succeed in links golf, that he hits driver as far as he can and hopes for the best instead of trying to "thread" it down the fairway.
Chamblee had a broader complaint: He believes DeChambeau has spent more time chasing YouTube golf star Grant Horvat than trying to run down the best in the world, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. So how did Bryson respond? In the most Bryson way possible.
He immediately put himself in contention with a strong 3-under 67 first round. Afterward, he said in his media appearance that he had been very "strategic" when playing Royal Birkdale, a clear response to Faldo. Round two, however, was where he really became the center of attention.
After the round was completed, a seeming 4-under 66, rules officials brought DeChambeau back to the fifth hole, where they assessed him a two-stroke penalty for improving the area around his backswing. DeChambeau was furious, and apparently threatened to withdraw from the tournament in protest.
Some players, like Xander Schauffele, came to his defense. Scottie Scheffler also was adamant that the 32-year-old is not a "cheater."
One player who didn't come to his defense? Rory McIlroy. McIlroy was clear in his post-round comments that he doesn't care for DeChambeau and believed he deserved the penalty.
"I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson," he told reporters during the tournament. "I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.
"To hold the tournament hostage like that and to have all of us — players, volunteers, everyone — waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look," McIlroy said.
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"I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing," he added. "Again, it’s like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters. Hopefully, it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified, for sure."
This marked the latest entry in the budding rivalry between the two big names and big personalities in professional golf. They're on opposite sides of Ryder Cup battles. DeChambeau was one of the earliest and largest stars to depart for LIV Golf, while McIlroy became a sort of player spokesman defending the PGA Tour. McIlroy has never done a full 18-hole match on YouTube, while DeChambeau's made his channel into a behemoth, filming rounds with President Donald Trump and many others.
Ahead of this week's 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, Scheffler was asked whether he believes the rivalry is good for golf, and gave a typically incisive answer.
"I think golf's different in a sense of a lot of other sports because my biggest rival week in and week out is the golf course that we're playing," he told the media. "I mean, I could never stop somebody from doing anything in golf. I felt like when I played basketball there would always be rivalries in basketball because you're going to play defense against a person and that is much more personal in a sense like because I'm actively trying to stop...like if you and I were going to go out and play one-on-one, it would turn into a rivalry because I'm actively trying to stop what you're doing.
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"But in golf, we're always competing against ourselves on the golf course. I've never been a big fan of personal jabs. I don't think that rivalry is a big thing in golf just because, like I said, my biggest rivalry week in and week out is the golf course."
There have been a few instances of McIlroy and DeChambeau facing off with a tournament on the line, though they've never gone head-to-head in a Ryder Cup. Most of the rivalry seems to be McIlroy disliking Bryson for either his personality or his departure for LIV, and DeChambeau playing into it, because as he's put it, "rivalries are good" for golf.
Which is what makes the rivalry so fascinating. It's not competitive, it's personal. Scheffler and McIlroy have faced off in Ryder Cups, for example, yet there seems to be only mutual respect between the two.
One thing is certain, though: 2027 will be a fascinating season in the golf world. Between the potential collapse of LIV Golf, the (mostly) iconic venues hosting major championships and yet another Ryder Cup where both are guaranteed selections, this time back in Europe, there'll be plenty of opportunities for Rory and Bryson to face off.
Timothy Olyphant revealed the surprising truth behind his computer-free lifestyle
Call it an old-school approach.
Timothy Olyphant revealed he had to resurrect an old computer in an attempt to log on to the "SmartLess" podcast. Ultimately, he wound up using a friend's office to make the interview happen.
"I needed a computer," Olyphant, 58, told hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. "I guess you can't do your show if you don't own a computer."
As the hosts pressed him, Olyphant doubled down on his surprisingly low-tech lifestyle.
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"I got like a, you know, I got a phone and I got a thing," the "Justified" star said. "That's all you gotta do."
"I don't buy it," Bateman questioned. "You don't have, and you being an artist, you don't have an iPad with one of those little, one of those little stylist pen thingies?"
The "Five-Star Weekend" actor then explained that while he technically owned a desktop computer, it had been sitting unused long enough to become a project in itself.
"We went… I had a… we went and got out an old desktop computer that we still have in the house and plugged it in and started it up, and they were all USB things."
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The aging machine proved to be another obstacle. After digging out the outdated desktop and getting it running, Olyphant joked that appearing on the podcast required far more effort than expected.
"There's a lot of sacrifices that went into this guys," he admitted. "And don't get me wrong, I appreciate ... I'm super honored, and it is a pleasure to be here. I'm a big fan. I listen – I don't listen – but I read the transcripts. And the show's very good. Very, very, very good."
Bateman wasn't ready to let the conversation go, continuing to question Olyphant's aversion to computers.
"But wait, but Tim, you've never been tempted to buy a laptop or a desktop just to see the landscape out there, like all the different sites you can go visit to expose yourself to?" Bateman said.
"Felt condescending," Olyphant replied.
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Bateman then shifted the conversation to artificial intelligence, wondering whether Olyphant had any interest in the technology despite avoiding computers.
"All this talk about AI and stuff. Not curious to see what the fuss is about?" the "Arrested Development" actor added.
"But you can do all that on… on the little phones," Olyphant emphasized.
Olyphant landed his breakthrough role in 1999 with the cult crime comedy "Go." His performances in "Deadwood" and "Justified" cemented his star status. His other notable works include "Santa Clarita Diet," "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
Megan Rapinoe blames Trump for US Mens soccer team losing 'underdog' vibe in World Cup
Megan Rapinoe put blame on President Donald Trump for the U.S. mens soccer team's World Cup loss on Tuesday, saying the president's involvement killed the team's underdog vibe in the tournament.
"The Daily Show" host Desi Lydic asked Rapinoe about the red card given to U.S. player Folarin Balogun in their Round of 32 match, which was eventually suspended. Trump admitted to calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of the red card.
"How do you think that affected the men's team?" Lydic asked Rapinoe.
"Certainly not well, it didn't give them the boost, maybe, that they were thinking it would or that Trump was hoping that it would," she responded. "I don't know. It seemed like it kind of like, threw them off their game."
"But it didn't go well. They had, like, such a good vibe," she added. "I feel like they had, like, the underdog kind of vibe going. And then you-know-who got involved, and everyone was like, nope. No. We don't like it. And then, obviously, Belgium was like, 'No, we absolutely can't lose to this team now.'"
Rapinoe, who won two World Cup titles with the women's national soccer team, said she didn't know the rules and wasn't a referee.
"No other president in history could have pulled off the historic feat that President Trump delivered for the American people and the world. Thanks to his bold vision and decisive leadership, the 2026 FIFA World Cup generated billions of dollars in revenue, created a massive economic boost across host cities, and delivered a safe, secure, and seamless experience for millions of fans and athletes from around the globe. It will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest and most successful sporting events in history," White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital in a statement.
Rapinoe said during her podcast "A Touch More: The Beautiful Game," that Trump's involvement was a distraction.
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"I think the distraction got to the team for sure in some type of way. Whether it was, you know, this red card situation, whether it was being in a public discourse with this president, all of the, you know, shenanigans and chaos that comes with the feelings on both sides of that. Whether you agree with it or not it's — it's just like it's a lot to contend with," Rapinoe said.
"So, not only does this team not have like a core of older players who are used to that, but none of these players talk about anything ever, like for the most part," she continued.
"I think in men's football, just like in general, there's not a lot of players who are choosing to use their platform or to, you know, broaden their scope of pressure and responsibility," she said.
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The U.S. men's national team lost to Belgium in the Round of 16 match following the red card controversy.
Balogun told CBS after the loss that there was a lot of outside noise leading up to it.
"My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy, and I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves, because it is something that is so unique," Balogun told CBS in mid-July.
"The closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult. A lot of outside noise and that’s hard to avoid," he added.