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DOJ demands 865K Detroit ballots, threatening possible legal action
Michigan is among states doubling down on rejecting Trump administration investigations and oversight into elections, claiming protection of the right to vote, potentially setting up a battle that could escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Justice Department is demanding roughly 865,000 ballots and hundreds of thousands of related election records from the Detroit area’s 2024 election, threatening to seek a court order if the materials are not turned over within 14 days.
In an April 14 letter to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon asked for "all ballots (including absentee and provisional), ballot receipts, and ballot envelopes" from the November 2024 federal election, saying the department was acting under federal records-retention law and investigating whether election laws were followed.
Dhillon wrote that the request was based on a "history of fraud convictions and other allegations" in Wayne County and warned that failure to comply "may result in the United States seeking a court order for production of such records."
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"Here @theJusticeDept, ensuring election integrity is a paramount duty," Dhillon wrote Sunday on X, sharing the video of her appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo. "Many states fail to clean noncitizen & deceased people from their voter rolls, and under my leadership, @CivilRights will continue working to ensure that ONLY eligible American citizens vote in our elections!"
Dhillon added her investigations seek to "ensure accountability for the outrageous weaponization of the deep state against President Trump and his team."
"It must never be repeated!" she concluded.
WITHIN MINUTES OF TRUMP SIGNING VOTER DATABASE ORDER, DEM STATES THREATEN LAWSUITS
The demand marks the latest step in a broader push by the Trump administration to scrutinize election procedures in key swing states after earlier moves involving 2020 ballots in Georgia and election records in Arizona.
Democrat officials in Michigan blasted the request as baseless and politically motivated.
"If this administration wants to bring this circus to our state, my office is prepared to protect the people’s right to vote," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told The Washington Post.
FBI SUBPOENAS 2020 ARIZONA VOTING DOCS AS FEDERAL PUSH INTO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION WIDENS
The Justice Department’s request covers ballots, ballot envelopes and ballot receipts in Wayne County, which includes Detroit.
Nessel wrote in a separate letter that the department is seeking about 865,000 ballots and that the request was directed to the wrong office because the ballots are held by 43 municipal clerks, not the Wayne County clerk.
In her letter, Dhillon cited three voter-fraud cases and repeated allegations raised in a 2020 lawsuit against Detroit and Wayne County over absentee-ballot handling. That suit was later dismissed, with a judge finding the allegations were not credible.
DOJ SUES 5 MORE STATES, DEMANDING ACCESS TO VOTER ROLLS: 'WE WILL NOT BE DETERRED'
Nessel argued that Dhillon's request is a "fishing expedition" that goes too far back in state election history, and the past findings of fraud in 2020 were not widespread, claiming the "the process worked" in rooting out fraud.
Further investigation will be "an unwarranted intrusion into Michigan elections," she added, and would put an undue burden on elections officials before the Aug. 2 primary, which more than three months away.
"Any form of federal interference in Michigan’s elections, including any attempt to seize election records, will be closely scrutinized," she warned.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called the request a "poorly disguised attempt to justify more doubt and misinformation about our elections," while Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson described it as the administration’s "latest attempt to interfere in our elections," according to the Post.
The Post report of Michigan's letter to Dhillon came hours after her appearance on Fox News, where Dhillon laid out the work of the DOJ and the obstruction it faces from Democrat-run states like Michigan.
"I've requested the voter rolls from all states and the District of Columbia," Dhillon told Bartiromo. "About a third of the states have voluntarily complied with us or reached settlements with us, and we've run some of those records.
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"I'm suing 29 states and the District of Columbia for their refusal to give us the voter rolls to which the attorney general or the acting attorney general is entitled under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. We're doing that to make sure that states are in compliance," she said. "And guess what? States are not in compliance, even those ones who want to do so."
Dhillon noted that in the DOJ's investigation into the states that have cooperated with transparency to her requests, "we found at least 350,000 dead people currently on the voter rolls in those jurisdictions."
ELECTION INTEGRITY GROUPS PRESS SUPREME COURT TO REQUIRE BALLOTS BY ELECTION DAY
"And we've referred approximately 25,000 people with no citizenship records to Homeland Security to look at, you know, dig into that further and see the extent to which people voted," she continued. "I'm in touch with voting rights activists who are showing me information about people who have voted, who are not American citizens."
"So the left told us, this never happens. And it's a myth," Dhillon continued. "It definitely happened just recently, someone was indicted in Minnesota, of all places, for voting without being a citizen."
Minnesota, Dhillon noted, "has a weird vouching law that allows citizens to vouch for each other's citizenship."
"That's crazy and inconsistent with the Help America Vote Act, and we're not going to rest until we complete this project," Dhillon said.
Joseph Duggar’s own words could come back to haunt him in child molestation case: experts
Joseph Duggar may face one of the most damaging forms of evidence in court — his own admission — after investigators said he acknowledged impure intentions in discussions about alleged contact with a minor.
Duggar is set to appear in court Monday in the ongoing criminal case against him.
A Florida affidavit, obtained by Fox News Digital, revealed that the case against the former reality TV star may hinge not just on a victim’s account, but on his own words. According to investigators, Duggar admitted to inappropriate contact with a minor during both a confrontation with the victim’s father and a subsequent recorded call coordinated with law enforcement, acknowledging his "intentions were not pure."
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani emphasized the admission could be "highly relevant and damaging" to any defense put forth by Duggar's team.
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"It is evidence of intent, the victim, and the timing of the alleged abuse," Rahmani told Fox News Digital. "His lawyers will try to argue that it is too vague and attenuated and try to get it excluded on that basis. I don't think they will be successful because the statement was made in the context of Duggar also admitting to inappropriate touching under a blanket. A judge is unlikely to separate the two statements, and this is why pretext calls like this can be so powerful if they lead to incriminating evidence."
Duggar, who starred with his parents and siblings in TLC's "19 Kids and Counting," was arrested on March 18 in Arkansas. His arrest came after authorities interviewed a 14-year-old girl who claimed Duggar had inappropriately touched her several times on a family vacation when she was nine years old.
Florida Judge Brantley Clark ordered the reality TV star held on $600,000 bond after he pleaded not guilty during his first appearance in Bay County Court on March 31. He posted bail later that day.
AMY DUGGAR KING SAYS JOSEPH DUGGAR'S ARREST EXPOSES FAMILY'S 'TOXIC SYSTEM' THAT 'BREEDS SECRECY'
The affidavit filed in Bay County outlined more specific allegations about the interactions during that 2020 trip.
"During the vacation, the defendant asked the victim to sit on his lap, numerous times," the document read. "The victim would sit on the defendant’s lap. The defendant would cradle the victim with his arms. As the vacation continued, the defendant would ask the victim to sit on the couch beside the defendant. The defendant covered the parties with a blanket."
WATCH: JOSEPH DUGGAR IS BOOKED IN JAIL AS HE FACES A CHILD MOLESTATION CHARGE
According to the investigation, the alleged victim, who was nine-years-old at the time, claimed Duggar inappropriately touched her genitals and her thighs.
"The victim stated the defendant’s hand was outside of her underwear when these incidents occurred," the affidavit said. "The victim stated this made her feel uncomfortable and confused. The victim stated the defendant eventually approached the victim and apologized for his actions. The incidents stopped occurring after the defendant apologized for his actions."
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Legal experts explained Duggar's own words in the affidavit could become a key point of contention as the case moves forward.
"‘My intentions were not pure’ is the kind of statement prosecutors love because they can frame it as a confession without the defendant ever fully confessing," criminal defense attorney Duncan Levin told Fox News Digital. "It gives them language they can put in front of a jury and say, in effect, he told you himself. But from a defense standpoint, that phrase is still frustratingly vague."
WATCH: AMY DUGGAR KING REACTS TO JOSEPH DUGGAR ARREST, ALLEGES ‘TOXIC SYSTEM’
"It is not a clear admission to a criminal act," Levin, who previously defended Harvey Weinstein, added. "It could reflect shame, sinful thoughts, or inappropriate intent, but criminal cases are supposed to turn on proof of conduct, not ambiguous language. The defense strategy would be to argue that prosecutors are trying to turn a morally charged but indefinite statement into something far more specific than it actually is, and to insist that the state prove the charged conduct with concrete evidence rather than asking jurors to fill in the gaps."
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While the admission of impure intentions when it comes to a minor child might convict Duggar in the court of public opinion, one legal expert noted there's a different standard when it comes to the courtroom.
"The public hears language like this and frequently forms conclusions about guilt before any evidence is presented," Tom Maronick told Fox News Digital. "However, a jury is held to a different standard. The legal system operates on facts, statutory elements, and provable evidence, not public sentiment or emotional interpretation."
"A single ambiguous statement, unsupported by corroborating criminal conduct, represents a significant gap between accusation and conviction," the criminal law attorney said. "That distinction is essential in criminal defense."
Duggar's defense strategy will likely focus on two things: the context in which the statement was made and how it was obtained, according to Maronick. The lawyer noted the statement could be suppressed in court if it was obtained through leading questions, a prolonged interrogation, or coercive tactics.
"Beyond that, the core argument is straightforward, saying something is fundamentally different from doing something," Maronick explained. "Intent language without proof of actual criminal conduct falls short of what is required for conviction."
Paleo diet leader bans 'caveman' label, says healthy eating plan widely misunderstood
As more and more Americans look to cut ultra-processed foods, a paleo diet leader says many are already moving in that direction.
Trevor Connor, CEO of The Paleo Diet, a company founded by the diet's creator Dr. Loren Cordain, said many people who cut ultra-processed foods are effectively following a paleo-style diet.
The paleo diet is an eating approach based on foods believed to have been consumed before modern agriculture. Its name is a reference to the Paleolithic era.
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It means focusing on whole foods like vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, nuts and seeds — all with minimal processing.
The diet discourages participants from eating grains, legumes, dairy and ultra-processed versions of food.
Connor, based in Boulder, Colorado, told Fox News Digital the paleo diet is not an all-or-nothing eating plan.
"I've always said, if everybody moves toward the paleo diet, and they never use the term 'paleo diet,' I'm absolutely fine with that," he said. "And that's what is going on right now."
Ultra-processed foods have been the subject of intense scrutiny for their potential negative effects, including hindering weight loss and raising the risk of chronic disease.
"Dr. Cordain did an analysis and [found that] 70% of the food ... we eat now has been introduced in the last 200 years, and our bodies just haven't had time to get used to that," said Connor.
The paleo diet "is basically getting a lot of these ultra-processed foods out of your diet."
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"Those are new, and our body just can't handle them," he said.
Long known as the "caveman diet," the paleo diet has invited skeptics who accuse the diet of promoting a primitive, meat-heavy way of eating — but Connor strongly rejects that label.
"I have one thing that I've absolutely banned at the company, and it's the term 'caveman,'" he said.
"I hate the term. I think it gives the wrong connotation of some brutish guy with a club living in a cave who just eats nothing but raw meat."
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Instead, Connor believes the diet is achievable and increasingly in line with how many Americans are already eating.
"If you get ultra-processed foods out of your diet, and particularly if you get ultra-processed [foods] and a lot of the processed foods out of your diet, you are necessarily eating a paleo diet," he said.
"So that is the direction that we're seeing everybody moving, and I'm absolutely loving it."
While he welcomed the shift, he said the typical Western diet remains a major concern.
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"The message I will have for everybody ... [is] the Western diet is about as unhealthy a diet as you can possibly eat," he said.
"So any improvement is good improvement."
Connor added, "If I hear somebody moving from a highly processed Western diet to ... [a] Mediterranean diet or a healthy plant-based diet, I'm generally going to go, ‘Good for you.'"
Even if the paleo diet seems difficult, he warned against extreme dieting, recommending instead that people start with frozen produce and healthier cuts of meat — and generally keep it simple.
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"I always tell everybody it is about steady improvement. It is not about [going] cold turkey. You're generally gonna fail at that," he said.
Connor, a former cycling coach who has worked with Olympic-level athletes and later studied under Cordain, the paleo diet founder, said he views dietary changes in a similar way.
"You don't take the brand-new athlete and say, 'Here's my Olympic athlete's plan, go do that.' It's not gonna work for them," he said.
"And diet is very much the same thing. If you are moving from a Western diet to a healthier approach, get the beginner plan."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for its take on the paleo diet.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate claims Israel 'just as evil' as Hamas
Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, insisted that Israel is "just as evil" as the terror organization Hamas on Sunday.
"You said the Israeli government is evil, do you think they’re just as evil as Hamas?" CNN's Manu Raju asked El-Sayed on "Inside Politics."
"Yes, killing tens of thousands of people makes you pretty damn evil," El-Sayed answered. "It’s not how evil is this one versus that one — Hamas: Evil, Israeli government: Evil. We can say both."
El-Sayed added that he "absolutely" considers Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be a war criminal for Israel's actions during its war with Hamas.
"When you conduct a genocide, you’re a war criminal," El-Sayed said.
Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for comment.
El-Sayed, who is currently running in the Democratic primary for Michigan's open Senate seat in the 2026 midterms, has faced controversy in recent weeks as some of his old comments have resurfaced.
In July 2025, El-Sayed suggested during a town hall that political leaders need to do a better job to "understand" the motivation behind terrorists.
"I also think we need to be curious about why those things happen in the first place, like, [what] drives somebody to want to commit such a heinous act," El-Sayed said. "I have to be a student of people's pain. Like, that's, that's what I did in medicine. That's what I try to do in politics. Like, what, what happens when people are in pain?"
He has also drawn backlash for campaigning with far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who has made his own share of inflammatory comments over the years. Among them included Piker's claim that Hamas was "a thousand times better than the fascist settler colonial apartheid state" of Israel.
He doubled down on the comparison during an episode of "Pod Save America."
"I've also said I'm a harm-reduction voter," Piker said. "I'm a lesser evil voter and, therefore, I would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time because I'm looking at the situation as a paramilitary organization that has a political party as well, a political bureau as well that is entirely comprised not as an alien force but of orphaned children that have, you know, had their parents killed by an apartheid state that has been dominating the lives of Palestinians for 80 years at this point and have done a genocide at this point as well."
El-Sayed has defended associating with Piker.
BMW puts humanoid robots to work building EVs
BMW Group has spent years testing automation, but this latest move feels different. Instead of robotic arms locked in cages, the company is now using humanoid robots that move through factories more like people. After a successful pilot in Spartanburg, South Carolina, BMW is bringing that same idea into its Leipzig, Germany, factory, where it is testing robots in real production environments. This time, it is partnering with Hexagon Robotics to introduce a new generation of AI-powered machines. Unlike many robot demos you see online, this one is already being tested inside a real production environment.
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BMW's earlier pilot used Figure 02 humanoid robots for a very specific task. They handled the precise positioning of sheet metal for welding on the BMW X3 production line. That task may seem small, but it plays a key role in keeping production moving smoothly. Precision work like this can easily slow things down or create bottlenecks. According to BMW, those robots helped contribute to building more than 30,000 vehicles. Because of that success, the company now feels confident about expanding the concept. Instead of limiting testing to one plant, BMW is moving forward with its iFACTORY initiative in Leipzig, where EV production is already a major focus.
The new robots, called AEON, come from Hexagon Robotics. They are designed to work inside active factory environments without constant human direction. They rely on AI-based motion control, which helps them move through complex spaces. At the same time, built-in sensors allow them to understand their surroundings in real time. Because of that, they can adjust their actions on the fly instead of following fixed instructions. Hexagon refers to this as "Physical AI." In simple terms, the robot can make decisions based on what it sees around it. As a result, the robot does not stop when something unexpected happens. Instead, it adapts and keeps working. That marks a clear shift from traditional factory automation.
BMW executives have made it clear that this is not about replacing people overnight. Instead, the goal is to test what actually works in real production environments. Michael Nikolaides, who oversees BMW's production network, says these pilot programs help the company refine how AI-powered robots learn on the job. He goes on to point to a broader vision, saying: "Digitalization improves the competitiveness of our production, here in Europe and worldwide. The symbiosis of engineering expertise and artificial intelligence opens up entirely new possibilities in production." There is also a practical reason for the humanoid design. Factories are already built for human workers. Because of that, a robot that can use the same spaces and tools is much easier to integrate than one that requires a complete redesign.
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For years, humanoid robots felt more like something you saw in those social media demo videos than something you would trust on a real factory floor. Yes, they looked impressive, but they struggled in real environments. That is starting to change. Factories are still unpredictable. Parts do not always arrive in the exact same position. Workers move around constantly, and tools and materials shift throughout the day. Because of this, traditional robots often struggle since they rely on tightly controlled conditions. AI-powered humanoid robots can handle that kind of variability. They move around people and equipment without stopping. They adjust when parts are slightly off, and they work in spaces built for human workers. That level of flexibility is what sets this new wave of AI-powered robotics apart from earlier forms of automation.
Even if you never step inside a factory, this shift still matters. For one, it could change how cars are built, whether they are electric or gas. When production speeds up, costs can come down over time, which could affect what you pay for your next vehicle. At the same time, factory jobs are likely to change. Some repetitive or physically demanding work may move to robots. In many cases, that means people shift into roles focused on oversight, maintenance or more skilled tasks. Step back for a second, and you can see this is a sign of where AI is headed next. It is no longer limited to apps on your phone or software on your computer. Now, it is starting to show up in the physical world in ways you can actually see and interact with.
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BMW is not the only company testing humanoid robots, but it is one of the first to bring them into real production environments. That is a big shift from the testing phase most of us are used to seeing. The fact that these robots are already helping build tens of thousands of vehicles shows that this is moving beyond early trials. It is starting to become part of how factories actually run. Where this goes next is still an open question. If the technology keeps improving, you could see more of these robots show up in factories and warehouses over time.
So here is the bigger question. How do you feel about humanoid robots working alongside people in factories? Would you trust them to help build the car you drive? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Guardians catcher Austin Hedges pops question to girlfriend on field in heartwarming proposal after win
What’s better than a hard-fought win on the diamond? Putting one on your beloved’s finger, if you ask Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges.
Hedges not only helped the Guardians defeat the Baltimore Orioles, 8-4, on Sunday – he got engaged to his girlfriend, Lexi Dickson, at Progressive Field.
Hedges got down on one knee on the grass, as a message flashed across the Jumbotron at the stadium in Cleveland, while his teammates were watching. Dickson was shocked and emotional, eventually telling Hedges, "Yes!" before hearing cheers from those looking on.
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Hedges told reporters that he’s had the ring for his girlfriend of almost two years since spring training, but he didn’t have this plan until "only a couple weeks ago."
"I was really hoping we won the game," he told Cleveland.com. "I was going to do it regardless, but I really wanted to win that game to make it extra special."
The message on the video board read, "Lexi, will you marry me?" which prompted Hedges to get down on one knee.
"There were a lot of nerves, a lot of nerves," Hedges, 33, explained. "I’m always nervous for baseball games… and just trying to stay present, knowing that there were some activities after. But it’s a special day. Special to be able to soak it all in."
Dickson, sporting a black, custom jacket with Hedges’ number and pictures of her now-fiancé on the back, flashed her ring around for Guardians players and friends and family, who took pictures on the field.
It wasn’t the best of days for Hedges at the plate, going 0-for-4, though he did have a run scored. But a win to move to 13-10 on the season is all that matters to him at the end of the day.
As for the after party, Hedges and Dickson were planning a low-key Sunday night to decompress after such an adrenaline-filled afternoon.
"Go to dinner and then just have a night to ourselves and enjoy it," Hedges said the plan was.
That’s probably the right move for Hedges, who has the Houston Astros coming to town to start a three-game series at Progressive Field on Monday night.
But he and Dickson get a chance to enjoy their first night as an engaged couple in the next chapter of their baseball love story.
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Lutheran minister and House candidate under fire after recounting her part in satanist couple's wedding
Democratic House candidate Sarah Trone Garriott's campaign is on the defensive after a resurfaced video showed her recounting her role in the marriage of a pair of satanists while serving as a minister-in-training.
Trone Garriott, a Lutheran minister running in a battleground House district in November’s midterm election, participated in the wedding of a satanist couple in 2006 while serving as an intern pastor in a West Virginia parish.
Nearly two decades later, she delivered remarks for the Des Moines Storytellers Project, where she reflected that the marriage of two satanists in the church offered a "spiritual lesson" about love.
"He asked me to pick the Scriptures," Trone Garriott said on stage in 2023, referring to the senior pastor. "Irritated, I flipped through the Bible. Should I pick something with Satan in it to make them feel more at home?"
'PAGAN' OUTREACH, WICCAN PRAYER DEFENSE COULD HAUNT DEM IN BATTLEGROUND RACE
"Eventually, I just put the bookmark in at 1 Corinthians 13," she continued. "If you have ever been to a Christian wedding, you’ve probably heard this Scripture. All they would get from me was [a] basic Lutheran wedding."
"When the Apostle Paul wrote these words, he certainly never had in mind a small town in West Virginia, two satanists and a Lutheran pastor in training," Trone Garriott said. "But Paul knew people, and people haven't changed that much over the centuries. It is hard to love one another. We often need to be reminded how."
Trone Garriott is vying to unseat Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, for a "toss-up" congressional seat in the southwestern part of the state. Throughout the campaign, she has been criticized for expressing beliefs that Republicans have argued do not align with the Christian faith she represents.
"She's made it clear that the values Iowa families live by every single day are the ones she's running against," Nunn previously told Fox News Digital.
At the 2023 love-themed storytelling event, Trone Garriott chose to spotlight her "first wedding" with the satanist pair.
She recounted that the couple had shown up under the mistaken belief they had to be married in a church and proceeded to interrogate their Christian beliefs.
"These people could barely stand us. They didn’t believe in or really have any respect for what mattered to us," Trone Garriott said.
The senior pastor went ahead and married them anyway, with Trone Garriott reading the words, "Love is patient; love is kind" over them.
Though Trone Garriott expressed initial concern about the wedding, by the end of the ceremony she spoke tenderly about the man with a pentagram tattooed on his face.
"Was he getting teary?" Trone Garriott asked during her remarks. "They had a lot of baggage between the two of them, but there was no denying how they were looking at each other."
At no point in her speech did Trone Garriott suggest that she or the senior pastor had asked the couple to reject satanism.
"So what happened to that couple? I have no idea," Trone Garriott reflected. "We never saw them again."
Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Trone Garriott’s campaign told Fox News Digital, "As a minister in training, Sarah followed the direction of her supervising pastor and had no control over who walked through the church’s doors — it was her job to minister to everyone, including people she does not share beliefs with.
"Like so many Iowa Christians, Sarah’s faith calls her to love thy neighbor, and she follows Jesus’ example of embodying his grace for everyone," the spokesperson added.
A source familiar with the campaign disputed that Trone Garriott helped marry the satanist couple, because she was not ordained until 2008.
But Trone Garriott’s own words and actions during the ceremony appeared to acknowledge her active role in the wedding.
"This was going to be my first wedding," Trone Garriott reflected in her remarks.
The resurfaced video comes as Trone Garriott’s beliefs have been heavily scrutinized in the contest for the swing seat.
In a 2023 speech, she expressed discomfort with public displays of Christianity and defended seeking out non-Christian prayers at the statehouse as a member of the state Senate.
Trone Garriott wrote an op-ed in 2025 calling out Christian lawmakers who protested a Wiccan-led prayer, arguing, "Jesus engaged with pagans."
The National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republicans’ campaign arm, sharply criticized Trone Garriott’s past in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Her record shows a clear pattern of rhetoric and decisions that contradict her own faith, raising serious questions about her judgment and values," NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle said. "If she’s willing to blur those lines, Iowans can’t trust her to stand up for them."
Top Democrat governors are hoping to ride their records to the White House. Can they?
The midterms are quickly approaching, and while political pundits are focused on the battle for the U.S. House and Senate, a handful of governors’ races could have a significant impact on 2028.
Governors serve as the chief executive of their state, with broad authority to enforce laws, oversee state agencies and manage the executive branch. Those agencies shape everything from education to healthcare, business regulation, public safety, infrastructure and public health. This November, Americans in 36 states will head to the ballot box to decide who holds that power — and they should choose carefully.
Although state politics is often overshadowed by Washington, D.C., nothing quite shapes American daily life like what happens at the state level — and the governor sits at the center of it all.
Voters should pay close attention to the gubernatorial races in Illinois, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Democratic Govs. JB Pritzker, Wes Moore and Josh Shapiro are all seeking re-election while quietly auditioning for 2028. The Democrat Party’s bench of possible contenders consists primarily of current or former governors — a notable shift from recent years of nominating candidates from Capitol Hill.
With California Gov. Gavin Newsom widely seen as the early Democratic frontrunner for 2028, he’s not facing voters this cycle, so the races in Illinois, Maryland and Pennsylvania may be the most important referendum voters get on the Democratic governing model for the next two years. Their records in office offer a preview of how they might actually govern should they win the nomination.
On the economic front, high taxes and a complex regulatory environment have defined these states — and delivered poor results for the people who live there. With nearly 280,000 regulatory restrictions on the books, Illinois has the fourth most burdensome regulatory code in the nation.
Maryland, as the state with the fourth most burdensome income tax system, ranks among the bottom five worst states for tax competitiveness. Pennsylvania ranks third-worst for childcare freedom, behind only New York and Vermont, raising costs for working families.
THE DEMOCRAT JAMES CARVILLE THINKS IS WORTH WATCHING IN 2028 WILL SURPRISE YOU
Across all three states, the overall tax and regulatory burdens have made it increasingly expensive just to stay put, and residents are starting to vote with their feet. IRS data shows taxpayers in all three states are fleeing to lower-tax havens, taking billions in income with them.
The candidates’ records on education fare no better. All three governors have shunned the growing support for school choice and alternative education options — choosing instead to bow to politically connected teachers’ unions over the best interests of students and their families.
Pritzker's first budget proposed gutting Illinois’ only school choice program, and in 2023 lawmakers let it expire entirely — stripping nearly 10,000 low-income children, most of them Black or Hispanic, of their scholarships. In Pennsylvania, Shapiro campaigned on supporting school choice but eventually caved to union pressure and vetoed a $100 million scholarship program he had personally backed — abandoning the low-income families he had promised to help. Moore acted similarly. In 2023, he attempted to cut funding for Maryland’s BOOST Scholarship program, which helps low-income kids attend private schools.
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On energy, all three governors have pursued regressive green energy agendas that have come at a steep cost for consumers. Illinois electricity prices rose roughly 15% in a single year — more than double the national average — while Maryland residents have seen rates climb significantly since 2020.
Pennsylvania tells a similar story: despite being a state blessed with abundant natural gas and coal resources, electricity rates have increased 46% since 2018, driven by green energy mandates, complex permitting and the shutdown of baseload plants — leaving the average Pennsylvanian paying $210 more annually than the national average. And Shapiro shows no signs of reversing course. If his energy agenda advances, Pennsylvania families could see their annual electricity costs nearly double from $1,717 in 2023 to $3,471 in 2035.
These records matter beyond the borders of Illinois, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Governors’ races rarely get the national attention they deserve, but this cycle is different. Names like California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky’s Andy Beshear are all part of the 2028 conversation, alongside Pritzker, Shapiro and Moore. For the first time in years, governors’ races offer a window into what we could see in 2028.
Pritzker, Shapiro and Moore will spend the coming months making the case that their states are better off under their leadership. Their constituents — and a country sizing up the next generation of Democratic contenders — should take a close look to see whether that case holds up.
After Supreme Court blow, Trump admin launches $166B tariff refund portal
The Trump administration on Monday launched a new system to begin refunding $166 billion in tariffs to U.S. importers after the Supreme Court ruled the levies unlawful earlier this year.
The system, known as CAPE, will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue consolidated electronic payments to importers, streamlining what would otherwise be a complex, entry-by-entry refund process.
"It’s essentially a fast track for processing refunds," said Reed Smith partner Michael Lowell, adding that importers will need to file claims, but the process should be straightforward.
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"Customs is estimating that refunds will be processed within 60 to 90 days after submission," he added. "If importers file as soon as the system opens, refunds could begin flowing by mid-June to mid-July."
The rollout marks the first phase of the refund effort, meaning not all importers or tariff categories will be eligible right away.
The refunds stem from a February Supreme Court decision that struck down the tariffs, setting the stage for what could become one of the largest repayment efforts in U.S. history.
Many businesses are expected to rush to file claims to get back billions they paid under the now-invalid tariffs.
Tariff revenues hit record highs after "Liberation Day" duties, underscoring the scale of payments now being returned to importers.
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Tariffs function as a tax on imports, with U.S. companies often absorbing the upfront costs and passing them along through higher prices for wholesalers, retailers and ultimately consumers. As a result, households and businesses can face increased costs on goods ranging from electronics to raw materials.
Still, trade experts say the broader use of tariffs is far from over.
"Tariffs are not going anywhere. That’s clear. It’s a central component of the administration’s economic and trade policy," said Reed Smith partner Michael Lowell.
Lowell pointed to the administration’s swift move to impose new tariffs under a separate legal authority known as Section 122 following the Supreme Court’s ruling, noting those measures are already facing legal challenges.
"The administration has tools available to it that it is actively using to impose tariffs on certain imports from certain countries," Lowell said. "Tariffs are here to stay, at least for the balance of the Trump administration."
He added that tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term largely remained in place through the Biden administration, underscoring their staying power across administrations.
Lowell also said companies should take steps now to prepare for continued uncertainty.
"We are advising companies to deal with the issues up front in their contracts, have very explicit terms around who's responsible for the tariff, how refunds will be processed if we continue to see tariffs that are invalidated and refunds associated with them," he said.
High salt intake linked to faster memory decline in one group, study finds
Excess salt intake has long been linked to higher blood pressure, but now a new study has also tied it to quicker cognitive decline in certain groups.
In a six-year study of more than 1,200 older adults 60 and older, Australian researchers found that higher baseline dietary sodium intake was associated with faster decline in "episodic recall" in men, but not in women.
"Episodic recall is a type of memory used to recall personal experiences and specific events from one’s past, such as where you parked your car or your first day of school," according to study author Samantha Gardener, Ph.D., a research fellow in neuroscience at the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia.
"We did not see any relationship between the amount of sodium consumed and memory decline in females," she told Fox News Digital.
The finding suggests that sodium intake may be a modifiable risk factor for memory decline in older males.
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While males did report consuming a greater amount of sodium than females, which could explain why the increased cognitive decline was only observed in males, it could also be due to their higher diastolic blood pressure, according to Gardener.
"Elevated blood pressure is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and sodium plays a key role in blood pressure regulation," she said.
The research relied on data from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study of aging. The findings were published in the Neurobiology of Aging.
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"This study adds to the evidence that high-sodium diets may affect more than blood pressure," New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
"These study findings are a good reminder that sodium intake matters for brain and heart health, especially for adults who already eat more than recommended."
"While excess sodium may impact cognition, it is important to note that this was a longitudinal observational study, meaning it can show an association but cannot rule out other potential factors like overall diet quality, physical activity or other comorbidities," Palinski-Wade noted.
Also, the participants reported their sodium intake via a food frequency questionnaire, which could be subject to recall error, the researchers pointed out.
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As sodium exposure was measured only at baseline, changes in intake over time were not captured by the study. It also only included sodium content in foods and beverages, and did not include salt added during cooking or at the table.
The participants were mostly Caucasian, which means the results may not apply to other populations.
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"We were not able to identify why sodium intake is having this effect, and this will be researched in the future," Gardener told Fox News Digital.
"These findings are preliminary, and further investigation is required to evaluate how sodium intake could be incorporated as one modifiable lifestyle factor aimed at delaying Alzheimer’s disease onset."
The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day for adults, which is equivalent to roughly 1 teaspoon of table salt.
Typical high-sodium foods in the U.S. diet include pizza, sandwiches and burgers, deli meats, and chips, crackers and salty snacks.
Other high-sodium foods in the grocery store include canned foods, salad dressings, deli meats, cheeses and condiments, according to Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist in North Carolina.
Up to 80% of sodium intake comes from processed foods, she noted.
"Replacing one processed snack – such as beef jerky, olives, salted nuts, pretzels and bagged potato or corn chips – with an unprocessed snack is a great place to start," Freirich, who also was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.
Healthier, unprocessed snacks include fruit, lightly salted nuts, carrots and hummus, or lower-sodium versions of chips, she said.
"Replacing a few fast food meals with food prepared at home is also an excellent way to reduce your sodium intake by thousands of milligrams," the expert advised.
Palinski-Wade echoed that the majority of sodium in the diet doesn’t come from the salt shaker, but from ultraprocessed and prepared foods.
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"Read the labels, monitor your intake, and fill your diet with foods that promote heart health, including whole fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, and lean proteins," she advised.
Successfully lowering sodium intake can reduce the risk of not only high blood pressure and cognitive decline, but also kidney and cardiovascular disease, the experts agreed.