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Graham Platner claims voters concerned over trans athletes are 'manipulated by billionaires'
Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner suggested that opposition to transgender athletes in female sports was a result of an "out-of-state billionaire" agenda.
Last week, Platner spoke on Slate's "Death, Sex & Money" podcast where he was asked by host Anna Sale about the topic being an ongoing issue for Democratic politicians such as Maine Gov. Janet Mills. Platner admitted that it's an issue that he can't take "seriously" because he considers it "propaganda."
"It is this whole campaign is funded by a billionaire not from Maine...The anti-trans campaign in Maine," Platner said. "It's funded by an out-of-state billionaire to make sure that we have this discussion, and we don't talk about raising his taxes. That's why it exists."
As an example, Platner recalled wrestling girls in high school in 2003 and "nobody cared" at the time.
"There was no uproar. And that's wrestling. That's about as like actual violence," Platner said, though he added he "won" all the fights he had with girls.
"So your response is you are being manipulated by billionaires by asking me about this instead of asking me about access to rural healthcare?" Sale asked.
"Quite literally," Platner responded.
DEMOCRATIC MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER CONFRONTED BY MS NOW HOST ABOUT TATTOO CONTROVERSY
A referendum to bar biological male athletes in female sports will be on the Maine ballot this November following the efforts of the Protect Girls Sports in Maine organization last month.
Maine became the focus of transgender women in sports after Mills sparred with President Donald Trump over his threats to cut off federal funding if she refused to follow his executive order protecting girls' sports.
"We'll see you in court," Mills responded.
TEEN CALLS MAINE'S STANCE ON WOMEN'S SPORTS 'HEARTBREAKING' AS DOJ ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT
In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said, "We get it’s hard for Democrats to admit that there’s no logic or common sense to letting biological men play in women’s sports, but conjuring up made-up conspiracy theories isn’t making them seem any less crazy."
Fox News Digital also reached out to Mills' office for comment.
Platner has faced several controversies ahead of his Senate primary campaign. In October, he revealed a skull tattoo on his chest that resembles the "Totenkopf," a symbol of the SS, or Schutzstaffel, under Adolf Hitler.
He's also come under scrutiny for old social media posts where he referred to himself as a "communist" and argued that if people "expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history."
Trump predicts political future for boxer Jake Paul, offers 'complete and total endorsement' at Kentucky rally
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has long been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, the president returned the favor, offering his "complete and total endorsement" should Paul choose to pursue political office.
The two were later seen doing Trump's signature dance in a TikTok video posted by Paul himself.
Trump delivered the initial comments at a political rally in Hebron, Kentucky, at a logistics and transportation company.
Though Paul has voiced support for Trump’s second term, he has not said he plans to run for office.
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Still, Trump suggested Paul’s next act may not be in the ring but on the campaign trail.
"I’m going to make a prediction that you will be, in the not-too-distant future, running for political office," Trump said. "You have my complete and total endorsement."
After taking the stage, Paul praised the president for instilling in him the courage to "never back down from a fight."
"What Mr. Trump has taught me is courage. We never back down from a fight, even if they’re much bigger than you, much, much bigger than you," Paul said. "I feel all the local Kentuckians feel the same way. You guys have that fight. You guys have that swag."
Paul said he grew up a few hours from Verst Logistics, the host company for the Kentucky rally, and called for similar factories to open nationwide.
Trump told the crowd he initially hesitated when Paul invited him onto his podcast during his time in office.
"His local podcast is big stuff, and he’s big stuff," Trump said. "This guy has guts."
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Vikings emerge as 'overwhelming favorite' to land Kyler Murray after Cardinals release: report
Kyler Murray’s time with the Arizona Cardinals is officially over after the team released him at the start of the new league year Wednesday.
Murray is now a free agent who can speak with any team who may want his services in 2026 and beyond. But it looks like one team is going to be heavily pursuing the former No. 1 overall pick.
The Minnesota Vikings, despite having 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy entering his third season with the club, are the "overwhelming favorite" to sign Murray, according to ESPN.
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McCarthy, who didn’t play his rookie year due to a season-ending injury in the preseason, got his first taste of regular-season NFL football in 2025. But McCarthy struggled despite a 6-4 record in 10 games. Injuries cost him time yet again.
With McCarthy’s status uncertain in Minnesota, it appears head coach Kevin O’Connell and the rest of the organization are looking for a veteran who could possibly step in while McCarthy develops.
Murray could be that signal-caller after a roller-coaster seven-year tenure with Arizona, going 38-48-1 in 87 games. He apologized to Cardinals fans last week, confirming the team’s intentions to release him despite still owing him $36.8 million in guaranteed money from his five-year, $230.5 million extension he signed in 2022.
ATHLETICS GM ‘ALWAYS OPEN’ TO KYLER MURRAY REUNION AHEAD OF EXPECTED CARDINALS RELEASE
"To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you," Murray wrote on X. "I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77-year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.
"I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it. Godspeed."
Murray, 28, has had an up-and-down NFL career thus far, and injuries and inconsistent play have been a storyline he couldn’t shake despite games when he proved why the team loved him as the first overall pick.
Last season, Murray went 2-3 in his five games, throwing for six touchdowns and three interceptions before a foot injury knocked him out the rest of the way. Jacoby Brissett, who figures to take over as the team’s starter in the second year of the two-year deal he signed last offseason with the franchise, took over for Murray and thrived despite what the record said. He threw for a career-high 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Cardinals, though, finished 3-14, and the franchise went in a different direction and fired head coach Jonathan Gannon. Mike LaFleur, who served as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator, is his replacement heading into 2026.
Early in his Cardinals tenure, Murray was a player to build around after making back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2021, the latter of which he threw for 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 423 yards with five scores on the ground. He also rushed for 819 yards with 11 rushing scores in 2020, a part of his game that made him so electric.
Injuries, though, have hampered Murray’s career, including a torn ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 season that resulted in him missing nine games in 2023. Then, after a full 17-game season in 2024, he injured a foot.
With quarterback-needy teams like the Miami Dolphins (Malik Willis) and New York Jets (Geno Smith) already filling their depth chart earlier this week, the Vikings seem to be the best option if Murray is looking for a fresh start with a chance to make the playoffs.
It’s also worth noting the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t have a starting quarterback for next season as they seemingly await word on what Aaron Rodgers wants to do in 2026.
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Deep-sea treasure hunter freed after decade behind bars for refusing to reveal gold location
Tommy Thompson, a deep-sea explorer who spent more than a decade in federal custody for refusing to disclose the location of a cache of gold coins from a historic shipwreck, was released from prison.
Thompson, 73, walked out of a federal correctional facility Wednesday after a judge ruled that his continued incarceration had lost its "coercive effect."
For the better part of ten years, Thompson had remained behind bars, asserting that a lapse in memory regarding the whereabouts of 500 missing gold coins recovered from the S.S. Central America, the "Ship of Gold" that sank in 1857 off the coast of South Carolina.
"Your honor, I don’t know if we’ve gone over this road before or not, but I don’t know the whereabouts of the gold," Thompson once told the judge in 2020. "I feel like I don’t have the keys to my freedom."
YELLOWSTONE TREASURE HUNTER SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR DIGGING UP GRAVEYARD
Thompson’s downfall began long after his 1988 triumph, when he used a robotic thresher to recover gold from the Atlantic floor.
While the discovery was a feat of engineering, it sparked a series of lawsuits from the investors who funded the expedition and insurance companies claiming rights to the treasure.
In 2012, after being ordered to appear in court to account for the missing coins, which were valued at the time at approximately $2.5 million, Thompson vanished. He was captured in 2015 by U.S. Marshals at a Florida hotel, where he had been living as a fugitive under an alias.
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Since 2015, Thompson had been held in civil contempt, facing a $1,000-per-day fine and a cell until he "purged" the contempt by cooperating. He consistently maintained that the coins were held in a trust in Belize and that he no longer possessed the specific records or memory to retrieve them.
Thompson has remained locked up even though federal law generally limits jail time for contempt of court to 18 months. In 2019, a federal appeals court rejected his bid for an appeal.
While Thompson is now a free man, he remains under court supervision. His release does not absolve him of the $3.3 million in accumulated fines, nor does it end the civil litigation from investors who claim they were defrauded.
Dwight Manley, a California coin dealer who bought and sold nearly the entire fortune, said Monday that Thompson paid a heavy price over what he said amounted to a business dispute.
"Going to prison for 10 years over a business dispute is not America," Manley told the AP. "People kill people and get out in half the time."
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ax-wielding suspect subdued by teen military recruit's MMA takedown in car wash clash caught on video
An ax-wielding Florida man allegedly stormed toward two teen brothers closing an Ocala car wash Sunday night, before being quickly overpowered by the eldest brother, an 18-year-old MMA-trained military recruit.
Video released by the Marion County Sheriff's Office allegedly showed the suspect, later identified as Bryce Thayer, 36, approaching car wash workers Leodan Pino, 18, and his 16-year-old brother, as they were closing for the night.
Officials said that when Thayer was told to leave the property, he became "irate" and approached the brothers "in a threatening manner" while wielding an ax.
"I was locking up all the doors and I heard some screaming, someone yelling something," Pino told FOX 35 Orlando. "… He's obviously not in the right state of mind. … He walks up to the tunnel, and that's when I tell him, ‘You have to leave, man. You got to leave.’"
VIRAL VIDEO SHOWS WHATABURGER STAFF FENDING OFF ATTACKER WITH TRASH CAN, FRY BASKET
Pino said that is when Thayer allegedly pulled out an ax that was clipped to his backpack and pointed it at him.
Footage showed Pino lunging at Thayer, as his younger brother yanked the ax away from him.
"Once he lowered, that's when I shot the take-down, and I got on top of him and I controlled the situation," said Pino, who is trained in mixed martial arts (MMA). "Once I realized he wasn't letting go, that's when I threw a couple elbows, until he was incapacitated. … I got him to his back, put him in a body triangle, held a rear naked choke on him and waited until the cops got there."
ARMED HUSBAND CONFRONTS SUSPECTED FLORIDA KIDNAPPER AFTER WIFE IS FOLLOWED HOME
Thayer's mugshot showed heavy bruising to the face, supposedly incurred during the struggle.
Pino, who recently enlisted in the military, said "he got what he deserved."
During Thayer's subsequent arrest, a search revealed he had a glass pipe used for methamphetamine, according to the sheriff's office.
He is charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to jail records. He is being held on an $11,000 bond.
Jail records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Thayer was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff's Office four times since May 2024, on charges including:
Pino said he is "very thankful that God gave me the opportunity and gave me the strength to be able to control that situation."
"I'm thankful that I was the one closing on my brother and no one else was because I'm not too sure if any other of my coworkers would have done the same thing as I would have," he said. "… I'm just happy that I was able to protect my brother."
'Unprecedented' agreement releases emergency oil reserves as gas prices spark concerns
After deliberating and assessing the global oil market situation in the face of Middle Eastern conflicts stemming from the United States' attack on Iran, a cohort of 32 different developed nations agreed to make an "unprecedented" move to help address "oil market challenges."
The International Energy Agency (IEA) held an emergency meeting at its Paris headquarters Tuesday, with energy representatives from the cohort of G7 countries, to "assess market conditions," which IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol says "have been significantly affected by the conflict in the Middle East."
Following that meeting on Thursday, the 32 member countries of the IEA unanimously agreed to collectively release the largest quantity of emergency oil reserves they ever have as a coalition, amounting to 400 million barrels.
"The oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale, therefore, I am very glad that IEA Member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size," Birol said following the announcement about the release of the emergency oil reserves. "Oil markets are global, so the response to major disruptions needs to be global too."
President Donald Trump touted the IEA agreement during remarks in Kentucky Wednesday afternoon, saying the move "will substantially reduce oil prices."
Before the outbreak of war with Iran, oil was trading in the range of $60 to $70 a barrel, but prices soared after the conflict began, with crude oil futures reaching upward of $115 a barrel on Monday – the highest level since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. However, some experts suggest that the market is correcting itself already from an initial scare that the conflict in the Middle East would have a major impact on oil prices.
"The market realized that maybe things aren't that bad – the U.S. is having incredible military victories, President Trump is saying, 'Hey, you know what, the war is probably not going to be going on that long.' And even some signals that the world doesn't have to just sit and stand and take it," said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group and a FOX Business contributor.
The members of the IEA hold emergency stockpiles of over 1.2 billion barrels, and a further 600 million barrels of oil industry stocks. This coordinated release of an unprecedented amount of oil will be the sixth in its roughly half-century history. Previous collective action was taken in 1991, 2005, 2011 and twice in 2022.
TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY REVEALS WHAT LED TO BREAKDOWN IN IRAN TALKS BEFORE OPERATION EPIC FURY
The previous record for the largest collective action was the latest release of emergency oil stocks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In combination, the two actions, which took place in March and April 2022, respectively, amounted to a release of 182.7 million barrels, according to the IEA.
President Trump said repeatedly this week during remarks to the press that the war in Iran would be over shortly, but stopped short of providing an exact timeline.
In his comments to the press Wednesday, President Trump quipped that "We don't want to leave early, do we?"
"We gotta finish the job, right? Over the past 11 days, our military has virtually destroyed Iran," Trump said. "It's a tough country."
Iran's ongoing retaliatory attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime choke point for oil transportation, has led to questions about what they will do to prices at the pump. Trump Cabinet official, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, scoffed this week at claims that the Trump administration was caught off guard by how much Trump's military actions have impacted the oil market and responded to questions about the impact of attacks on the Strait of Hormuz.
"As you know better than anybody else, it's a global market, so we could be producing more, or other countries could be producing more, but it all goes into one vat where we get the prices from," said Fox News' Brian Kilmeade. "So if the Strait of Hormuz presents a challenge, how could you circumvent that challenge?"
In response, Burgum slammed Iran for "holding the entire world hostage economically by threatening to close the strait."
"President Trump has made it very clear the consequences if they try to do that," he continued. "There's a lot of options between ourselves and our allies in the region, including our Arab friends in the region, to make sure that those straits remain open and energy keeps flowing through the global economy."
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink argues US-Iran conflict won't derail economy as gas prices surge
BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink insisted the United States’ war with Iran will not have lasting economic consequences, even as oil prices continue to surge nationwide.
"Do I believe the war is going to be lasting a long time? No," Fink told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. "Do I believe oil is going be reverting back to where it was? Maybe even lower."
Fink joined "Special Report" Wednesday, where he discussed how artificial intelligence and the war in Iran are affecting the economy. He also addressed whether so-called "woke" corporate initiatives have proven to be a failed experiment.
Turning first to market volatility, Fink explained why short-term impacts on energy prices do not alarm BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.
"It creates uncertainty, and uncertainty creates fear," he said of the war with Iran. "But that being said, the $14.5 trillion of money we manage, most of it is very long-dated. I don't pay much attention to the short-term volatility."
Fink’s comments come as energy markets roil amid conflict in the Middle East.
Gasoline prices have surged 20% since the U.S. attacked Iran Feb. 28, causing intensifying pain at the pump. The national average currently sits at $3.58 per gallon for regular gasoline, compared to $2.94 before the U.S. struck Iran, per AAA.
Despite the recent spike, Fink argued that oil prices could fall even lower once the war ends and if Iran reenters the global market.
"If the outcome of the war is a neutralized Iran, and they are allowed to be selling … oil products into the market again, I mean there's probably a great probability that oil is gonna be below 50," he said.
Fink cautioned investors against making drastic moves during the U.S.-Israel-led war with Iran, arguing that the volatility could create opportunities.
TED CRUZ SHUTS DOWN EXTENDED IRAN WAR TALK, SAYS IT'S 'NOT IRAQ' AMID OIL PRICE SPIKE
"We have seen many people pulling out of the market. And, to me, that is the wrong outcome," Fink argued. "In fact, I've been getting so many texts, ‘What should I do?’ And I said, ‘Buy more here.’ This is a good long-term opportunity."
The CEO went on to address whether "woke" initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) were failed experiments for BlackRock.
"The pendulum moves all the time," Fink said.
EXILED IRANIAN WARNS REGIME WAS 'AGGRESSIVELY PATIENT THREAT WAITING TO POUNCE' ON AMERICA
"Do I believe the pendulum five years ago was too far? Yes."
BlackRock began rolling back its DEI initiatives last February, citing "significant changes to the U.S. legal and policy environment related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) that apply to many companies, including BlackRock."
Fink said he feels "more pragmatic" today than he did five years ago and noted that society has moved into a "better position" of increased pragmatism.
Baier continued to press Fink on whether BlackRock pushed its corporate clients too far to a certain side.
"Do you think BlackRock pushed some companies a little bit further left than you thought?" Baier asked.
"It was never our intention because our job is to be … I gotta be a fiduciary to everybody who gives us money," Fink responded.
CNN reporter deletes post falsely calling Mamdani ‘target of political violence’ in latest foul-up
CNN was slammed a third time Wednesday over its botched coverage of an alleged ISIS-inspired terror attack in New York City last weekend.
Pennsylvania residents Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were charged with material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and use of a weapon of mass destruction after they allegedly tossed explosive devices toward law enforcement and anti-Muslim demonstrators outside Gracie Mansion on Saturday protesting Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere marveled at a phone call Mamdani reportedly had with Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who told MS NOW, "As someone who's had to deal with political violence, I know it can take a toll." Shapiro's own mansion was set on fire in a suspected terrorist attack on the first night of Passover last year.
"Shapiro last called Mamdani last year to express concern over the now-mayor's comments on Israel and anti-semitism. This conversation with now a fellow target of political violence was a different type of call," Dovere reacted on X.
CNN BOTCHES NEW YORK TERRORIST ATTACK COVERAGE, FORCED TO ISSUE MULTIPLE CORRECTIONS
Critics rushed to slam the post's framing of Mamdani being the target of the attack carried out by Balat and Kayumi.
"It is almost unreal how much you and your network are pushing the 'Mamdani was the target', even after several published corrections, and a correction from your own primetime panel host stating the same," Versus Media Podcast host Stephen L. Miller reacted.
"Mamdani wasn’t a target of the violence in New York City this weekend. Two ISIS-inspired terrorists threw one potentially deadly IED at anti-Islam protesters & dropped another at the feet of police. Mamdani was not targeted in any way, shape, or form. This is a lie. This is CNN," Just The News correspondent Jerry Dunleavy wrote.
"As a reminder, no one attacked Mamdani. No one. ISIS-linked terrorists tried to blow up right-wing provocateurs. Yet, through sheer force will, the press narrative is that Mamdani was the 'target,'" The Hill columnist T. Becket Adams said.
After Fox News Digital sent an inquiry to CNN, Dovere deleted the post and issued a correction.
"I want to correct something I posted earlier on X, which inaccurately implied that Mayor Mamdani was the target of political violence in last week’s ISIS inspired attempted terror attack in New York City," the CNN reporter wrote.
"Law enforcement officials have said the two terror suspects threw improvised explosive devices at an anti-Islam demonstration and a counterprotest near Mayor Mamdani’s home Saturday, but did not say that he was the target. I apologize for the error and have deleted the original post."
This wasn't the first time CNN journalists offered a warped framing of the terror attack.
On Tuesday, the network deleted a social media post that oddly portrayed the terror suspects as teenagers who could have simply enjoyed nice weather.
"Two Pennsylvania teenagers crossed into New York City Saturday morning for what could’ve been a normal day enjoying the city during abnormally warm weather," the now-deleted post said. "But in less than an hour, their lives would drastically change as the pair would be arrested for throwing homemade bombs during an anti-Muslim protest outside of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s home. Here's what we know so far."
HERO NYPD OFFICERS HONORED FOR FOILING ALLEGED ISIS-INSPIRED TERROR PLOT NEAR GRACIE MANSION
CNN followed up with this explanation on X: "A post regarding the two individuals arrested for throwing homemade bombs outside of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s home failed to reflect the gravity of the incident thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting. It has therefore been deleted."
Later that night, CNN host Abby Phillip falsely told viewers that the terror attack attempt was "against" Mamdani.
"Two Republicans say Muslims don’t belong here after an attempted terror attack against New York’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the House speaker, Mike Johnson, says nothing, really, to condemn those comments," Phillip said, appearing to trip over her words as she went to a commercial break.
During Phillip's program, CNN political commentator Ana Navarro similarly remarked on the "attempt against Mayor Mamdani," which received immediate pushback from Republican guest Joe Borelli.
"To be clear, the attack wasn't on Mayor Mamdani," Borelli told Navarro. "It was attacking protesters, people protesting Mamdani. To frame it as an anti-Muslim attack would actually completely reverse what happened. Someone who shouted ‘Allah Akbar’ threw a bomb that didn't go off at the protesters."
The next morning, Phillip walked back her own comment, writing, "I want to correct something I said last night. The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by ISIS inspired attackers was thrown into a crowd of anti-Muslim protestors and not specifically targeted at Mayor Mamdani. That wording was inaccurate and I didn’t catch it ahead of time. I apologize for the error."
Both of the terrorist suspects are U.S. citizens. One suspect’s parents are naturalized U.S. citizens from Turkey, while the other suspect’s parents are naturalized U.S. citizens from Afghanistan.
House Oversight Committee demands depositions from Bondi and Lutnick in Epstein probe
The House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein wants U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to appear in 30 days for a deposition in a bipartisan push to uncover the extent of the disgraced financier's network and the Trump administration's handling of the case, Fox News has learned.
The committee also wants Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to appear for a deposition "within the next ten days," a source close to the committee said.
Fox News was told last week that Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wanted Lutnick to appear within 10 days, then, potentially this week.
NEW DETAILS EXPOSE HOW A FORMER TOP TRUMP OFFICIAL GOT CAUGHT IN EPSTEIN'S WEB OF INFLUENCE
The committee voted to subpoena Bondi last week, but Comer has not issued that subpoena.
Multiple sources with the Republican Party told Fox News there was some disappointment with Bondi. One Republican lawmaker said "the Senate" may begin to dig deeper into Epstein if it doesn't receive more information from Lutnick and Bondi soon.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Justice and Commerce departments.
Lawmakers have pressed for greater transparency into the department’s handling of the investigation into Epstein and his associates and the Trump administration's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
EPSTEIN VICTIMS USE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL TO PRESSURE PAM BONDI OVER WITHHELD FILES
Some have questioned whether Bondi is doing all she can to release documentation on Epstein in accordance with the 2025 law.
It requires the Justice Department to release any documents and files related to its investigation into the disgraced financier without revealing the identities of any of his victims. The Trump administration has so far released thousands of documents related to Epstein.
Lutnick is one of several high-profile people in business, entertainment and politics whose name has come up in the trove of Epstein files being released by the federal government.
He appeared in photos with Epstein, prompting scrutiny on the businessman-turned-Trump administration official.
Lutnick has denied having had any improper ties related to Epstein.
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind and Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
Dem lawmaker disputes police bodycam amid reports he said he was above the law: ‘On top’ or ‘on time’
A Democratic Maryland state lawmaker is disputing reports that he said he was "on top" of the law during a contentious police encounter amid a custody dispute, saying he said he was "on time" to drop off his child instead.
The footage of Maryland Delegate Caylin Young was captured on New Year's Eve after officers responded to a Baltimore home during a dispute between the lawmaker and the mother of his child, which was first reported by Fox 45.
"This is the second time we have met before, Mr. Diaz. How are you today?" Young said to one of the officers, according to the footage.
"I’m Delegate Young. I know, I’m a local elected official," he said.
Young tried explaining his custody arrangement with his child's mother to the officers. He said he was dropping his child off at the proper time agreed upon, contending that there was no need for her to call the police.
Moments earlier, the woman told the officers Young had refused to return their 2-year-old child to her home during a phone call. She also said Young had an "emotional outburst" a day earlier.
"So, he’s refusing to bring him back," the child’s mother told the officers in the video. "Yesterday, he had an emotional outburst. He ripped off my doorbell."
"You have it on camera?" asked Lopez.
"Yeah, I have it on camera," the woman replied.
She told officers she had not reported the incident to police the day it occurred.
As time went by, the exchange between Young and the officers grew tense. At one point, he exited his vehicle as it was running with the child still inside, prompting an officer to tell him to turn it off.
"The child is in the car, sir, and the car is on. The engine is on. You cannot walk away from the car," the officer said.
The child's mother then tells the officers that Young, who once served as Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's director of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, serves in the state legislature.
Moments later, the officers then tell her that Young thinks he's above the law because of his tone with them.
"Sir, keep your mouth shut," Young told one officer during the exchange.
"You bring the attitude here, not me," the officer replied.
"I have followed the law. I’m not above the law," Young said. "Don’t ever accuse me of being above the law unless and until I break the law."
"I don’t think I’m above the law. I’m on top," he said, according to local news reports.
In a news release Wednesday, Young pushed back on the factual nature of his words.
"My actual words to the officers were: "I’m not above the law, I’m on time," he said. "Stating 'I am on time' was a direct, factual defense of my adherence to the rules.
"Law enforcement was called to the scene over a disagreement regarding the specific arrival time for a custody exchange," he added. "I was explaining to the responding officers that I had arrived early and was in full, strict compliance with the court-ordered schedule. Stating ‘I am on time’ was a direct, factual defense of my adherence to the rules.
"To digitally alter or misrepresent that clear statement to sound like 'I'm on top' —stripping away the entire context of a timeliness dispute to falsely portray me as arrogant or above the law — is a gross violation of journalistic ethics and a textbook example of actual malice," Young continued before demanding an apology and retraction.
Less than a day after the confrontation, Young was accused of punching a woman in the chest in a separate incident, the news outlet reported.
The charges against him in that case were dropped. Fox News Digital has reached out to Young.