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George Floyd-era police watchdog chair charged with selling name to inmate who vowed to 'blow down' witness
The chair of Philadelphia's city-run police watchdog is accused of selling a witness' name in an attempted murder case to a man who threatened to "blow down the witness in broad daylight."
Hassan Bennett, chair of the Philadelphia Citizens Police Oversight Commission, faces charges after investigators say he sold a witness' name and an unredacted arrest report to a prison inmate in a domestic violence attempted murder case to Thomas Scott, who allegedly vowed to "blow down" the witness "in broad daylight." Bennett also works at the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
Investigators listened to prison calls and heard Bennett read Scott details from the arrest report in the attempted murder case, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said in a news release. Bennett also allegedly handed over the witness' full name.
Scott then asked Bennett for a copy of the paperwork, offering to pay him $500, officials said. The documents were sent to Scott, who sent them to various other people "in order to intimidate the witness in the open case," the district attorney's office said.
The district attorney's office said Scott was recorded saying he "was searching for the witness' location, that the witness needs to recant his statement."
LUIGI MANGIONE JUDGE SAYS JURORS WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS AFTER THREATS AND HARASSMENT OF WITNESSES
Officials say Scott was recorded saying "the whole purpose of his social media posts was to prevent the witness from coming to court."
Bennett, who now leads the Citizens Police Oversight Commission, a body formed after the 2020 protests over George Floyd's death, was convicted of second-degree murder in 2008. He was acquitted at a 2019 retrial, where one of the victims and a co-defendant testified that their earlier statements implicating him had been coerced by a then-homicide detective.
Both men face felony charges of intimidation of witness/victim, conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and bribery.
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National Police Association spokeswoman Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith told Fox News Digital that the incident should be a "cautionary tale" for other cities.
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"When you are given that much access to people's private information, and you are giving that much access to inside information, the city in this case needs to be very sure that he is someone who is ethical," Smith said. "Just because you have had a felony conviction overturned doesn't mean that you have the ethics necessary to handle this sensitive information."
"We believe that this entire commission in Philadelphia needs to be looked at, each person individually," she added.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said Bennett's alleged crimes are "serious" but "not a reflection on the work of the Citizens Police Oversight Commission or the Defender Association of Philadelphia."
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"I would like to be in a position to say that this defendant had no such involvement, but he did, and the evidence is strong," Krasner said.
DEM JUSTICES SLAP SOROS-BACKED PHILLY DA WITH POWER STRIP IN STUNNING DECISION: 'NOT RELIABLE'
In a statement, the Philadelphia Citizens Police Oversight Commission said Bennett is on leave.
"We recognize the seriousness of this matter. We will respect the legal process, refrain from commenting on legal allegations that are under investigation and take appropriate steps to protect confidential information," the commission said. "Our responsibility to the people of Philadelphia remains unchanged. We will continue our work to strengthen police accountability, promote transparency, and build public trust."
Fox News Digital reached out to Scott's attorney. Bennett could not immediately be reached for comment.
Doctors settle debate over drinking coffee on an empty stomach and potential health risks
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is a somewhat controversial practice, with claims circulating on social media that it spikes levels of the stress hormone cortisol and harms the gut, but some gastroenterologists say it's not harmful.
One social media post claimed that drinking coffee on an empty stomach can damage the lining that protects the gut from stomach acid, and in a post on TikTok, a medical professional advised against drinking coffee on an empty stomach, saying that it can cause a spike in cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys. It helps regulate the body's response to stress, and high or low cortisol levels can affect a person's health, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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"Coffee doesn't seem to cause major problems when you drink it on an empty stomach. Studies haven't really shown that it causes problems [with] your cortisol or blood sugar or any other kind of metabolic issues," Dr. Asma Khapra, a gastroenterologist at GastroHealth in Fairfax, Virginia, told Fox News Digital.
Cortisol naturally peaks in the morning, according to the Cleveland Clinic, so the "spike" in cortisol some people attribute to drinking coffee on an empty stomach might just be a natural process rather than a side effect of the coffee.
Consuming caffeine relaxes the muscular valve between the esophagus and stomach, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which can cause stomach acid to move up into the esophagus and possibly lead to heartburn.
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Both regular and decaf coffee trigger the release of stomach acid and gastrin, a hormone that regulates digestion.
This occurs whether a person has eaten, but without food, various symptoms can arise, such as nausea, burning in the abdomen, or the urge to use the bathroom, New Jersey-based gastroenterologist Dr. Douglas Weine told Everyday Health.
Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can activate the central nervous system and contribute to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and sleep issues, Weine added.
Everyone handles caffeine differently, and some are more sensitive to it than others.
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It is true that the body absorbs coffee and, therefore, caffeine more rapidly when the stomach is empty, the Cleveland Clinic says, although some people experience no negative side effects when consuming coffee on an empty stomach.
According to Khapra, "it shouldn't really cause too many GI symptoms."
"I think it's fine if you enjoy your cup of coffee on an empty stomach," she said, with the caveat that a large amount of cream, milk, sugar or other additives is not included.
The GOP reveals a fresh $100B talking point as the battle for Congress looms
EXCLUSIVE: With both parties vying to convince voters they have the better answer on the economy, Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler is pointing to $100 billion in support for local employers as proof that Trump’s policies are working.
"We just recorded our second consecutive year of getting $100 billion to Main Street businesses," Loeffler told Fox News Digital, crediting Trump’s tax cuts, deregulation and trade policies.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BUILT THE AMERICAN DREAM. DEMOCRATS WANT TO TAKE IT FROM YOU
The economic debate could help determine which party controls Congress, as both parties try to persuade voters their policies will improve household finances and business prospects.
Loeffler said the business owners she meets want to expand but need confidence that Washington will support long-term investment. They most often tell her they need more skilled workers, she said.
DSA-BACKED CANDIDATES ARE WINNING PRIMARIES AND THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA IS VERY DIFFERENT
"What they can’t tolerate is having Washington say that they’re gonna massively regulate them, massively tax them," she said.
The Small Business Administration said it guaranteed 62,205 loans worth $39.5 billion through its 7(a) and 504 programs in fiscal 2026, its third-highest loan volume on record.
The agency’s $100 billion total also includes private investment, disaster aid and business support.
The SBA said the 43-day government shutdown halted lending through its main loan programs for nearly two months, preventing an estimated $5 billion in financing over the fiscal year.
GIANNO CALDWELL: I fled California. Steve Hilton gives voters golden opportunity to stay
I lived in Los Angeles from 2017 until May 2020, two months into the LA shutdown, and by the end I barely recognized it. The city I had moved to for its energy and opportunity was starting to look like Gotham City. Tent cities spread across Los Angeles. Break-ins and violent crime climbed. When COVID-19 arrived, the people running California seemed far more interested in policing masks on the beach than policing the streets. So, I left for Miami because Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis governed his state with sanity.
I was blessed. I could leave. Millions of Californians can't, and they shouldn't have to.
Six years later, California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is giving Californians a reason to stay.
What was once a great state has turned into a hellhole for too many of its own citizens. Working families pay some of the highest gas prices in America, and have for over a decade, along with some of the highest housing costs anywhere. Small businesses are drowning in fees and regulation. Homeless encampments, open drug use and crime have become normal in a state that used to draw people from around the world. After 16 years of one-party rule in Sacramento, Californians deserve to ask a simple question: What are the results? Unfortunately, a state in decline.
Hilton has proven over and over again that he is the person voters should entrust to succeed Democrat Gavin Newsom as governor of California. I must admit, I am impressed by what he has done as a candidate. I've known Steve since our days together at Fox News. Even then, he wasn't interested in cable-news shouting matches. He wanted to talk about solutions, and that's exactly the candidate he has become.
NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHER
Just look at the campaign he's run. It has been focused and substantive. In an era when too many candidates run on slogans and grievance, Hilton has put real plans on the table. He wants no state income tax on the first $150,000 a Californian earns. He has a plan to get gas to $3 a gallon by eliminating the state gas tax, repealing the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and producing more of our own oil here at home.
On housing, he would streamline building codes and rein in the lawsuits under the California Environmental Quality Act that are routinely used to stop housing from ever getting built.
You can disagree with any one of those ideas. But you can't say he hasn't approached the issues with gravitas.
On top of that, he's outworked his opponent. Since the June primary, Hilton has campaigned all over California, while Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, has kept a low profile as if he doesn't have to compete for every vote. When the Los Angeles Times hosted a candidate forum this month, Hilton showed up and answered tough questions on homelessness, housing and climate. Becerra didn't attend.
HOUSING FIRST IS A DISASTER. I SAW SACRAMENTO'S HOMELESS CHAOS FIRSTHAND
Public safety is the work I've given my life to. As founder of the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety, I fight for victims and for communities left behind when leaders refuse to enforce the law. That work is exactly why I personally support Steve Hilton's candidacy, and why I believe he is the right choice for California.
Hilton has said plainly that crime in California is out of control and that a lack of consequences has demoralized police officers and residents alike. He is calling for a tougher approach to crime and stronger support for law enforcement. On homelessness, he would enforce the law against street encampments while expanding mental health and addiction treatment, so people actually get help instead of being left on the sidewalk.
And he has earned the endorsement of Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, the architect of Proposition 36, the tough-on-crime measure that nearly 70% of California voters passed to restore consequences for repeat theft and drug crimes. Sacramento has looked the other way on this for years. Hilton won't.
California's problems aren't red or blue. When you're paying six bucks a gallon, nobody's asking whether you're a Democrat or a Republican. Same goes for a young family priced out of a starter home, or a small business owner who gave up on Sacramento's rules.
STEVE HILTON BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR MAKING CALIFORNIA UNAFFORDABLE AFTER 16 YEARS OF UNCHECKED POWER
Hilton understands this better than most because of where he comes from. His parents fled communism in Hungary. He knows what it looks like when government grows so large that it stops serving the people and starts ruling them. That perspective is exactly what California needs after a decade and a half of Sacramento telling people what to drive, what they're allowed to build and how much more they'll have to pay for it.
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California has elected Republican governors before, from Ronald Reagan to Arnold Schwarzenegger, when voters were ready for a change. The polls say Hilton is the underdog. But I've seen enough elections to know the polls don't vote. People do.
I left California in 2020 because I didn't believe officials would ever change course. Steve Hilton has given me a reason to believe the Golden State can shine again. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Californians have a real choice. I hope they make it count.
REP BRIAN MAST: We are protecting our troops from having our own tech used against them
The key objective in economic warfare is to do more harm to your enemy than you do to yourself, and President Donald Trump is doing what every American president should do: putting America first and making sure the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cannot use our own resources against us.
Let’s be clear about what we are dealing with. The CCP is not our friend. It is a strategic adversary that wants to weaken the United States, challenge our military and place itself in leadership around the world. China is pouring resources into the technologies that will define the next generation of warfare. It wants more advanced weapons, better targeting systems, stronger cyber capabilities and every technological advantage it can get its hands on. And you better believe they will buy, cheat and steal their way to getting it, so in no way should we, the United States of America, be helping them get there faster.
For too long, American capital and expertise have found their way into Chinese companies developing technologies with military applications. And for anyone to argue that every part of China’s economy isn’t linked directly to the CCP military clearly hasn’t been paying attention. That is a serious national security failure. We should never allow our investments, our ingenuity or our world-class research to give the CCP an advantage over the United States.
TRUMP'S QUIET CHINA WINS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN XI'S EMPTY STATE VISIT
That’s why I couldn’t be happier to see the Trump administration propose new rules to put an end to Chinese infiltration. By strengthening restrictions on investments that could help build China's military-industrial base, the administration is taking meaningful action to protect the technologies that keep America strong. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the administration deserve a huge amount of credit for advancing these protections and working to ensure that American money does not end up strengthening our greatest foreign adversary.
The COINS Act was a great step forward to provide a stronger foundation for preventing American investment from supporting sensitive technologies in countries that threaten our national security. Now, we are making sure those protections have teeth.
CHINA IS BUILDING AN AI WAR MACHINE. WASHINGTON MUST WAKE UP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
We are closing loopholes, addressing the ways financial and professional services can help Chinese companies advance, and ensuring that restrictions keep pace with the technologies Beijing is trying to acquire.
Because this is not just about money. It is about American lives.
I served in the Army. I know what it means to put on a uniform and accept the responsibility of defending this country. To pray that our military is better and stronger than our enemy’s.
But our service members don’t get to choose whether the enemy they face has better technology. And we should never ask them to confront an adversary that we helped make stronger.
BEYOND KILLER ROBOTS: CHINA'S REAL AI THREAT TO AMERICA IS ALREADY HERE, EXPERTS WARN
Think about the consequences. Every technological advantage China gains can make it harder for our troops to detect a threat, defend against an attack, protect their communications or accomplish their mission and come home safely. When the CCP develops more capable weapons and more advanced military systems, it is our service members who may ultimately have to face them.
Our troops should never have to face a more powerful Chinese military because American dollars helped build it.
That is why we cannot afford to be careless about where American money goes. We cannot warn the American people about China's military buildup with one hand while allowing our capital and expertise to help finance it with the other. Protecting our national security means making difficult decisions, confronting uncomfortable realities and refusing to let short-term financial interests come before the safety of the American people.
We also need to recognize that this competition is about more than the next investment or the next regulation. It is about who will control the technologies that shape the future on and off the battlefield. Artificial intelligence (AI), advanced semiconductors, quantum computing and other critical technologies will determine economic strength and military power for generations to come.
CHINA ‘THROWING GASOLINE ON THE FIRE’ IN AI DATA CENTERS RACE, SAY LAWMAKERS
America has the talent, the resources and the ingenuity to lead that race. But we cannot win if we keep handing our advantages to the Chinese Communist Party. We have the responsibility to protect our breakthroughs, strengthen our defense industrial base and make sure American innovation serves American interests.
It’s for this very reason I have been so passionate about passing legislation to do these very things. During this Congress, we in the House Foreign Affairs Committee have been staunch supporters of codifying the president’s AI Action Plan with legislation such as the AI OVERWATCH Act, the MATCH Act and the Remote Access Security Act, to strengthen oversight of advanced AI chip exports, close loopholes in semiconductor equipment controls and prevent China from bypassing our safeguards through remote access to sensitive technology.
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We cannot let the CCP exploit gaps in our laws to get the chips, equipment and computing power it needs to strengthen its military. If we close one door but leave another wide open, China will always find a way through and it will mean dangerous consequences for the U.S. on the other side.
I applaud President Trump for taking action to protect America's technological edge and for recognizing that we cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to exploit our own success against us.
How to watch critical 2026 midterm election races in TX, OH, MI, WI, GA, IA, NV, ME and FL
Control of Congress is on the line Tuesday as voters decide pivotal Senate and House races across the country, while closely watched contests for governor will shape the political landscape in key states during President Donald Trump's second term.
Republicans are fighting to defend their congressional majorities as Democrats seek gains in battlegrounds from Texas and Georgia to Michigan and Maine. Open seats, vulnerable incumbents and competitive statewide races have put nine states at the center of the fight for power in Washington and state capitals.
With races stretching across multiple time zones, here are the key contests to watch, when polls close and how to follow live results as Election Night unfolds.
SENATE CONTROL IS A COIN FLIP — AND DEMOCRATS’ PATH RUNS THROUGH TRUMP COUNTRY
Texas voters face two major statewide showdowns, with Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton battling Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the Senate seat held by outgoing Republican John Cornyn, while GOP Gov. Greg Abbott seeks a historic fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
TRUMP WON THIS RELIABLY RED STATE BY DOUBLE DIGITS. NOW A DEADLOCKED RACE IS BRINGING HIM BACK
The Senate contest has emerged as an unusually competitive race in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988, pitting Paxton's conservative appeal and history of legal controversies against Talarico's campaign focused on political change.
Meanwhile, Abbott's reelection bid offers another test of Republican dominance, with border security, education and the economy shaping the fight over the state's future.
Ohio features a Senate rematch of sorts, with former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown seeking a return to Washington against Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill Vice President JD Vance's former seat. Brown is attempting a political comeback in a state that has shifted toward Republicans, while Husted seeks his first electoral victory for the Senate.
Husted's campaign also enlisted Ohio native and former NFL coach Jon "Chucky" Gruden for campaign appearances.
Voters will decide who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy facing Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's campaign recently pulled a controversial ad featuring Acton's estranged mother after criticism from fellow Republicans, including DeWine.
Michigan's open Senate seat could prove pivotal to the balance of power in Washington, with former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers facing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the contest to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The Senate race has grown increasingly contentious as Rogers and Republican allies have raised allegations about El-Sayed's family's purported ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, citing old social media posts by his half-sister. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the organization and publicly disavowed it, while independent fact-checkers have found no evidence establishing his personal affiliation.
The state also features a gubernatorial showdown between Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Rep. John James, testing whether Michigan voters will maintain Democratic control of the governor's office or turn to Republicans.
Wisconsin's open governor's race pits Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany against Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as voters choose a successor to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
The contest centers on the state's political direction, including taxes, public spending and education, after Crowley defeated progressive state Rep. Francesca Hong in a crowded Democratic primary.
Georgia offers two major statewide contests, with Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff defending his seat against Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a state Trump narrowly carried in 2024.
Ossoff's race will test whether Democrats can hold a Senate seat in a state that has delivered closely contested presidential and Senate elections, while the open governor's race between Republican businessman Rick Jackson and former Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will determine who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
Iowa voters will decide whether Republicans can retain two major offices in a state Trump carried comfortably in 2024. Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson faces Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Joni Ernst, while Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand faces Republican Zach Lahn in the open governor's race to succeed retiring longtime GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Although the Hawkeye State has shifted toward Republicans in recent election cycles, Democrats previously enjoyed sustained statewide success through figures including former Sen. Tom Harkin and former Gov. Tom Vilsack.
The contests will test whether Democrats can regain ground, with affordability, agriculture and state economic policy among the central issues.
Nevada's marquee contest features Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo seeking another term against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford.
The race will test whether Republicans can retain the governor's office in a state where Democrats have remained competitive in statewide elections, with housing affordability, education and public safety among the issues facing voters.
Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff, defeated incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022, with Ford now hoping to hit the jackpot in Carson City.
Maine's Senate race pits longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins against former Democratic state Senate President Troy Jackson in one of the country's most closely watched contests.
Collins is seeking another term in a blue-leaning state that supported Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Meanwhile, Jackson is attempting to turn Maine's Democratic presidential voting pattern into a Senate pickup after replacing Graham Platner, who withdrew as the Democratic nominee following a sexual assault allegation that he denied.
The contest will test Collins' longstanding crossover appeal and could have major consequences for the Senate's balance of power, as she remains New England's only Republican member of Congress.
Florida voters will choose a successor to term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, with Republican Rep. Byron Donalds facing former Republican congressman-turned-Democrat David Jolly.
The race presents a contest over the future of Florida's government, including affordability, immigration and the direction of state policy.
Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, appointed to the seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also faces DSA-affiliated Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon in a special Senate election, while competitive House contests could affect the national congressional picture.
As polls close across the country's biggest battlegrounds on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital will deliver live results, race calls and analysis of the contests that could determine control of Congress.
Viewers can watch live coverage on Fox News Go with a participating television provider or stream Fox News Channel through FOX One.
Fox News Channel's special "FOX News Democracy 26" coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, co-anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Dana Perino, Brit Hume, Harold Ford Jr., Bill Hemmer, Sandra Smith, Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity and other Fox News personalities will contribute throughout the evening.
The Fox News Decision Desk will provide race calls for House, Senate and gubernatorial contests, along with projections of which party will control each chamber of Congress.
FOX Business will simulcast Fox News Channel's Election Night coverage from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday. Trace Gallagher will lead overnight coverage, with a special early edition of "FOX & Friends First" beginning at 4 a.m.
On Fox News Digital, readers can follow a live Election Night blog featuring breaking developments, Fox News Power Rankings and Fox News Voter Analysis as polls close across the country.
The Fox News Elections Center will serve as a central destination for tracking results in Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Maine and Florida, as well as other key congressional and statewide races nationwide.
Signed-in users can also participate in "The Room," an interactive Election Night discussion experience featuring real-time commentary.
For additional election analysis, "Ruthless Live! Midterm Election Show" will stream from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on Fox News Digital and FOX Nation.
Listeners can tune in to Fox News Radio or use the Fox News app's "Listen" feature beginning at 7 p.m. ET, when Jared Halpern and Jessica Rosenthal kick off live radio coverage.
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More than 20 Fox News Channel and FOX Business correspondents will report from battleground states nationwide, while chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram will provide updates from Capitol Hill.
With control of the House and Senate at stake, Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital will provide continuing coverage as results emerge from the nine battleground states and beyond, including races that may remain undecided into Wednesday.
EJ ANTONI: Overseas wars put affordability on hold, but that’s only temporary
American families aren’t imagining it: we’ve had affordability problems since at least 2022. The situation was improving markedly throughout last year, right up until this February, but overseas conflicts reversed some of that progress. Once the wars with Iran and in Ukraine conclude, affordability will start to improve again.
The cost-of-living crisis started during the Biden administration when prices rose so much faster than earnings that people’s paychecks shrunk in terms of their purchasing power. Although the average American’s weekly paycheck grew roughly 17% during President Joe Biden’s term, it bought about 4% less.
For many families, that meant canceling vacation plans or being unable to buy a newer vehicle. For others, it meant having to put some necessities — like rent, prescriptions and food — on credit cards. Even when inflation came down, families were still facing high costs since inflation is the rate of price increases, not the prices themselves.
DEMOCRATS SAY THEY'LL MAKE LIFE AFFORDABLE. YOUR WALLET MAY DISAGREE
To add insult to injury, 40-year-high inflation prompted the fastest rise in interest rates in just as long. Not only did prices rise rapidly, but so did borrowing costs. That was a deadly one-two punch for homeownership affordability as higher home prices and mortgage interest rates combined to double the monthly payment on a median-priced home in just four years.
But affordability was improving after January 2025. Real (inflation-adjusted) weekly paychecks rose roughly 2% on average from January 2025 through February of this year. While not a windfall, it was still good progress and reversed half the cumulative losses from the Biden years as income growth outpaced inflation.
GEN Z IS WORKING HARD, BUT THE ECONOMY IS PUTTING THE AMERICAN DREAM OUT OF REACH FOR MANY
Tax and regulatory reform, along with sound energy policy, were spurring economic activity and wage growth while keeping inflation down. Then the Iran war broke out. Global energy markets specifically and supply chains broadly were severely disrupted, causing costs to skyrocket.
Oil prices quickly rose from $60 or $70 per barrel, depending on the market, to $100 or $120. Prices at the pump soon followed, but the energy shock is spilling over to more sectors of the economy with each passing day.
Energy is an input cost in every product and service consumers buy. Food at the grocery store was grown with diesel-powered tractors and fertilizer synthesized from natural gas. It was transported to the store on a truck, and maybe a train too, fueled by diesel. Prices for everything from airfares to plastics to manufactured goods are up because of the energy shock.
The reversal in progress on affordability is evident in housing too. Homeownership affordability hit a three-year high in February and, while still relatively low, marked a significant improvement from the record low in the Biden years. However, it’s fallen each month since then to the lowest level since July 2024 as interest rates ramped up.
THE OVERLOOKED WAY THE IRAN WAR IS MAKING GROCERIES, AMAZON PACKAGES AND NEW HOMES MORE EXPENSIVE
Those higher mortgage interest rates are also a result of the current energy shock. When fuel supplies began falling, energy prices rose, and that in turn drove inflation expectations higher. Interest rates followed as lenders demanded a higher return for the anticipated inflation.
And the disruptions are not just from the Middle East, but Eastern Europe too. Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have exacerbated the shortage of oil and petroleum products, especially diesel. The result was higher prices and lower real earnings.
AMERICA'S TRUCKERS ISSUE DIRE WARNING AS SOARING DIESEL COSTS THREATEN 'DOMINO EFFECT'
However, unlike the runaway inflation that peaked in 2022 at an annual rate exceeding 9%, today’s higher prices are not from the government devaluing the currency by spending, borrowing and creating too much money. Rather, this is an energy shock that is causing countless prices to rise.
The difference in causation means there’s a different solution and a better outlook too. The affordability crisis was easing significantly until the energy shocks hit, and those shocks came from overseas. There’s nothing wrong with the domestic fundamentals underpinning the American economy.
LEE ZELDIN: BIDEN'S ENERGY RULES COST BILLIONS. TRUMP'S EPA IS LOWERING COSTS
Investment is booming. The manufacturing sector is expanding at the fastest pace in at least four years. The private sector is adding jobs. AI is fueling productivity growth and earnings are still growing. Once the conflicts overseas are resolved, energy markets will begin to normalize and costs will start declining. Then the economy will be firing on all cylinders.
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Just as higher energy prices are pushing up costs everywhere else, so will lower energy prices put downward pressure on consumer staples everywhere. Likewise, inflation expectations will fall, dragging interest rates back down and improving homeownership affordability. Falling prices and rising earnings mean more breathing room for families.
None of this will happen overnight because supply chains take time to heal, but it’s crystal clear that once peace returns, affordability will follow. All the other pieces of the puzzle are already in place.
Mamdani says Trump agrees to grant visa so mother can attend funeral of teen killed in Bronx shooting
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that President Donald Trump has agreed to grant a visa to the mother of a teenage immigrant from Ghana who was shot and killed last week in the Bronx.
"The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away," Mamdani wrote Saturday on X. "Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
TRUMP LEAVES STAGE MID-SPEECH TO EMBRACE PARENTS OF 12-YEAR-OLD KILLED BY STRAY BULLET IN THE BRONX
Javits Frimpong, 15, was heading to school in a Bronx neighborhood shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday when he was shot in the abdomen, according to New York City Police.
He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. The incident remains under investigation.
"All of New York City is mourning this tragedy," the mayor said.
Frimpong arrived in the Bronx from Ghana a year ago to stay with his father and begin a new life in the U.S., according to U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.
TRUMP, MAMDANI SET TO MEET AGAIN ON MAYOR’S HOME TURF AFTER MONTHS OF POLITICAL WHIPLASH
"Our entire borough is mourning a young man who should have had his whole future ahead of him," Torres said. "Every child in the Bronx deserves to walk to school without fearing for their life, and no parent should ever have to endure what Javits’s father, Thomas, is enduring now."
Thomas Frimpong described his son as a quiet teenager. He told reporters that he learned just days before the shooting that his son was being bullied at school.
"It was the principal who told me," Thomas Frimpong said. "He said two guys are disturbing my son, so he has suspended the two guys. My son is at school. He’s innocent, so I call him. I talk with my son, he said 'Dad, I’m okay.'"
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on X that Ghanaian officials in New York are coordinating with local authorities, adding that the foreign ministry "will work tirelessly with U.S. authorities to ensure justice is secured."
He also said he welcomes Mamdani's intervention and Trump’s "timely decision" to grant a visa to the victim's mother.
"Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi’s pain as a loving mother is unimaginable and indeed everything must be done to ensure she is present to pay her respects," the foreign minister said.
The Ghanaian government "will take care of the full cost of Madam Adu Gyamfi’s travels and also stands ready to contribute towards a dignifying funeral," he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Philadelphia Eagles lose sixth straight as Washington Commanders score 27 unanswered points
The Philadelphia Eagles are in free-fall. After building an early 10-0 lead, Philadelphia gave up 27 unanswered points in a 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football.
Philadelphia started fast. Jake Elliott hit a 40-yard field goal, and Saquon Barkley scored on a three-yard run after a Washington turnover. The Eagles never scored again. Washington took over behind Jayden Daniels and kicker Drew Stevens.
Stevens hit a 56-yard field goal late in the first quarter, Daniels found Stefon Diggs for an eight-yard score in the second, and Stevens added a 39-yard kick before halftime to put Washington up 13-10.
Philadelphia has no answers without Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee looked like a backup all night, holding the ball, taking sacks, refusing to throw downfield and turning the ball over twice.
Without Hurts, Washington stacked the box and held Barkley to 30 yards on 13 carries.
The turning point came in the third quarter. Dorance Armstrong strip-sacked McKee, and Charles Omenihu recovered the fumble. Daniels hit Treylon Burks for 53 yards on the next play, setting up a 25-yard Stevens kick.
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When Philadelphia finally drove into scoring position in the fourth quarter, mental mistakes wiped it out. Elliott made an apparent 36-yard field goal to cut the deficit to three, but an illegal formation penalty on left tackle Jordan Mailata took the points off the board. Backed up five yards, Elliott missed wide right.
Washington closed it out. Stevens kicked a 42-yard field goal with 3:43 left. Commanders cornerback Rasul Douglas intercepted McKee on the next possession.
Rachaad White broke off a 33-yard run and scored from a yard out with 1:52 remaining, and Austin Ekeler ran in a two-point conversion to make it 27-10.
Daniels finished with 217 passing yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. Philadelphia has lost six straight games, falling to 2-6. Washington improves to 2-4-1, climbing out of last place in the NFC East.
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Collins accuses Schumer of pushing attack ads filled with 'outright lies' in tight Maine race
Sen. Susan Collins on Sunday blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party over what she described as a wave of false attack ads targeting her and other Republican candidates, saying she has never seen a campaign with "so many outright lies."
She made the remarks during an interview with Fox News on Sunday, just two days before Election Day in Maine, where she is seeking re-election in a closely watched race against Democratic rival Troy Jackson. According to the latest Fox News poll, the two candidates are tied at 49%.
Collins accused Democrats of following "Chuck Schumer's playbook," pointing to attack ads she said were nearly identical to those targeting other Republican lawmakers.
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"One of the outrageous, completely false ads against me had to do with Jeffrey Epstein. And it turns out, in talking to two of my colleagues who are in tough races, that they had virtually identical ads run against them. So this is part of Chuck Schumer's playbook," she said.
"There are a lot of differences between my opponent and me, but I've never seen a campaign with so many outright lies. It's very frustrating," she added.
Collins further accused Democrats of trying to shift the focus away from local issues and toward divisive national political battles.
"It's certainly an attempt by my opponent and Chuck Schumer and their allies to nationalize this race," she said.
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Turning to her own campaign, Collins portrayed herself as a bipartisan lawmaker willing to work across party lines, arguing that the Senate needs more centrists as moderates increasingly leave Washington.
"Unfortunately, a lot of them have given up and retired or decided they just didn't want to run again. And that's one reason I am running again," she said.
"We need more people who are willing to work across party lines. That is really important," she said.
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She also described herself as the "most independent senator on either side of the aisle," pointing to her voting record and saying her decisions are based on what she believes is right, rather than who occupies the White House or what President Donald Trump supports.
"There's this phony figure out there that I voted with President Trump 95% of the time. That's based on a sample of only 30% of the votes. If you look at a broader sample of 90% of the vote, that drops significantly to like 72%. And I voted against the president's policies 138 times," she said.
While Jackson previously told Fox News that he believes he has a "good shot" at defeating Collins, the longtime Republican senator touted strong voter support and said she is more optimistic than ever about her reelection chances.
"I'm feeling very optimistic based on the great response I get in visiting communities all over the state," she said.