President Donald Trump pressured the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee to end a longstanding practice in the Senate to expedite his nominations to district courts and U.S. attorneys offices, but the lawmaker isn't budging.Trump late Tuesday night demanded that Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, "have the courage" to end the "blue slip" tradition in the Senate, which effectively gives senators the ability to veto district court and U.S. attorney nominees in their home states.KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUTS PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERSHe charged that the practice was "probably unconstitutional," and lamented that a president would "never be permitted to appoint the person of his choice" because of it."Chuck Grassley, who I got re-elected to the U.S. Senate when he was down, by a lot, in the Great State of Iowa, could solve the Blue Slip problem we are having with respect to the appointment of Highly Qualified Judges and U.S. Attorneys, with a mere flick of the pen," Trump said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.TRUMP'S CDC PICK CONFIRMEDBUT HER PRO-VACCINE STANCE MAY CLASH WITH RFK JR.'S AGENDA"Democrats like Schumer, Warner, Kaine, Booker, Schiff, and others, SLEAZEBAGS ALL, have an ironclad stoppage of Great Republican Candidates," he continued.The 91-year-old Grassely, who has been a member of Congress since 1975 and in the Senate since 1981, handily beat his previous opponent by over 12 points three years ago.The longtime lawmaker addressed Trumps comments during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday that he was surprised to see the president "go after me and Senate Republicans over what we call the 'blue slip.'"WOUNDED VET CONFIRMED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS ROLE AS GOP SLAMS DEMS FOR SLOW-WALKING TRUMP PICKS"Now, to people in the Real America not here in Washington, D.C., an island surrounded by reality the people in Real America don't care about what the 'blue slip' is, but, in fact, it impacts the district judges who serve their communities and the U.S. Attorneys who ensure law and order is enforced," Grassley said. "I was offended by what the President said, and I'm disappointed that it would result in personal insults."Trumps fury comes as Senate Republicans are working to ram as many of his nominees through Senate Democrats blockade as possible. Currently, lawmakers are working on a deal to get more low-hanging fruit nominations, like ambassadors, through in a large group rather than eating away at floor time.One instance where Democrats have opted to block some of Trumps nominees came earlier this year when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., used his blue slip privileges to nix Trump's U.S. Attorney nominees for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York."Donald Trump has made clear he has no fidelity to the law and intends to use the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney offices and law enforcement as weapons to go after his perceived enemies," Schumer said at the time."Such blatant and depraved political motivations are deeply corrosive to the rule of law and leaves me deeply skeptical of Donald Trumps intentions for these important positions," he said.

Steve Ricchetti, a longtime Democratic operative and lobbyist, is sitting down with House Oversight Committee investigators Wednesday.Hes known as a member of former President Joe Bidens inner circle who reportedly played a key role in downplaying concerns, both public and private, about the ex-commander-in-chiefs mental fitness for office.Ricchetti also reportedly helped craft Bidens historic letter announcing the end of his 2024 re-election bid that July, according to the New York Times.RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBEBut long before that, Ricchetti graduated from Miami University in Ohio and got a Juris Doctor from Virginias George Mason University.His first major role in electoral politics came when Ricchetti served as executive director for the Senate Democrats campaign arm, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, from 1990 to 1992.Ricchetti then worked for former President Bill Clinton as a congressional liaison from 1993 to 1996 and then again as White House deputy chief of staff for operations from 1998 to 2001.During that second stint, he played a critical role in wrangling House Democrats during the GOPs impeachment proceedings against Clinton.In between and in later years, Ricchetti enjoyed a lucrative career as a lobbyist, even founding the lobbying firm Ricchetti Inc. with his brother in 2001.His work with Biden began in 2012 when Ricchetti was appointed to be counselor to the vice president during the Obama administration one of several ex-lobbyists appointed to that White House, despite former President Barack Obamas vow not to hire K Street operatives. He was soon elevated to be Bidens chief of staff in late 2013.Ricchetti also chaired Bidens 2020 campaign before playing a critical role in his administration, where he acted as part of a small "Politburo" of close advisors who helped control the White House, Axios reporter Alex Thompson and CNN host Jake Tapper wrote in their book "Original Sin.""In terms of who was running the White House, its a small group of people that have been around," Thompson told the PBS program "Washington Week" earlier this year.Several members of Ricchettis family also notably had roles in the Biden administration; two of his sons and his daughter worked for the Treasury, State Department, and in the White House, respectively.At the time, the White House argued they got the jobs on their merits rather than their fathers closeness to Biden.Ricchetti also reportedly played a key role in dismissing concerns about Bidens mental health.Two weeks after Bidens disastrous debate against current President Donald Trump, the New York Times reported that Ricchetti got into a "shouting" argument with Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., after the latter called to express concerns about Bidens political viability.GOP LAWMAKERS CLASH OVER STRATEGY TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CRISISU.K.-based outlet The Times reported that Ricchetti "sounded like a mob boss" in a conversation with actor George Clooney days before the Hollywood star and longtime Democratic donor penned an explosive op-ed calling for a new 2024 nominee in early July 2024.And multiple outlets have reported that Ricchetti also denied any concerns about Bidens mental acuity in an off-the-record conversation with an unnamed reporter at an unnamed outlet that almost ran a story shining a light on concerns about Bidens mental health.Ricchetti is the seventh ex-Biden aide to speak with investigators in House Oversight Committee Chair James Comers probe into whether White House officials covered up signs of Bidens decline.

The New York Times was accused of "journalistic malpractice" on Tuesday after admitting an emaciated child displayed on the front page as evidence of famine in Gaza was actually suffering from a grim preexisting condition unrelated to the conflict with Israel.The ordeal began Friday when a grim image of a malnourished infant was splashed across the Times front page with the somber headline, "Young, Old and Sick Starve to Death in Gaza: There Is Nothing."The photos caption noted the boy was "born healthy," and the accompanying story about the hunger crisis in Gaza reaching "new and astonishing levels of desperation" focused on Palestinians dying from starvation. Among them was Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, an 18-month-old whose father was "killed last October when he went out to seek food," according to the Times.NY TIMES GRAPPLES WITH LIBERAL OUTRAGE OVER ITS MAMDANI COLLEGE APPLICATION REPORTSocial media users quickly noticed that Mohammed was the same boy who had previously been featured by other media outlets because he was living in Gaza with a significant preexisting disorder, a fact that was not mentioned in the Times viral front-page story.After ignoring requests for comment for multiple days, the Times finally addressed the major omission on Tuesday with an editors note."This article has been updated to include information about Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, a child in Gaza suffering from severe malnutrition. After publication of the article, The Times learned from his doctor that Mohammed also had pre-existing health problems," the editors note stated.The admission was buried underneath the lengthy story that had already circulated for more than four days and critics didnt believe enough remorse was expressed by the newspaper.NY TIMES ADDRESSES BACKLASH OVER REPORT ON NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE MAMDANI'S COLLEGE APPLICATIONFormer Times opinion editor Adam Rubenstein blasted his former employer."If you read carefully, this is an admission of a remarkable deception. They ran a story about malnutrition but didn't include the context that the malnutrition is not caused by a lack of food, but by a pre-existing condition, a disease that affects the child's ability to thrive," Rubenstein reacted on X."I.e. in effect, they buried the actual story of the child's malnutrition to tell a different story of the malnutrition. Why? You can answer that," Rubenstein continued. "And -- it should be noted: If the original story was fit to print on the front page of the paper, so is the updated one with a clear editors' note."Journalist David Collier, who noted the Times and other outlets disseminated the misleading photograph on Sunday, wrote the "revelation raises serious issues of media integrity."The story, which essentially painted Mohammed as one of the faces of the hunger crisis plaguing Gaza since Israel ended a two-month cease-fire in mid-March, featured distressing quotes from the boys mother, such as, "I look at him and I cant help but cry."Many others took to social media to scold the Times once the paper's public relations team shared the editor's note:A New York Times spokesperson provided additional comment when reached by Fox News Digital."Children in Gaza are malnourished and starving, as New York Times reporters and others have documented. We recently ran a story about Gazas most vulnerable civilians, including Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, who is about 18 months old and suffers from severe malnutrition. We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated ourstoryto add context about his pre-existing health problems," Times spokesperson Nicole Taylor said."This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation," Taylor continued. "Our reporters and photographers continue to report from Gaza, bravely, sensitively, and at personal risk, so that readers can see firsthand the consequences of the war."NY TIMES PUBLISHED MAMDANI COLLEGE APPLICATION STORY TO AVOID GETTING SCOOPED BY CHRISTOPHER RUFO: REPORTThe Times also provided a link to allow readers a chance to read the updated story without a subscription.HonestReporting, a pro-Israel outlet, uncovered that another Gaza boy, reportedly Mohammeds brother, is standing in the background of other images of the child, appearing to be in significantly better condition."Time and again, they have run with unverified images and unchecked claims. No due diligence. No questions asked. Because these stories fit the narrative they want to tell that Israel is waging a war against a helpless civilian population," HonestReporting wrote. "Muhammad has a medical condition. He is not simply a victim of starvation, and the image has been presented in a misleading and incomplete way."The Times did not immediately respond when asked for a follow-up comment on criticism of the editors' note.Fox News Digital's Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has filed a lawsuit against a lobster festival in Maine, calling the steaming of lobsters "egregiously cruel."PETA filed the lawsuit on July 24 against the Maine Lobster Festival and the City of Rockland, asking the court to stop the steaming of lobsters. The group said the judge should declare the event a "public nuisance.""Today, PETA filed a lawsuit against the Maine Lobster Festival and the City of Rockland in Knox County Superior Court over the city-endorsed events egregiously cruel method of steaming thousands of lobsters alive in what PETA contends is a violation of Maine law prohibiting the torture and torment of animals," the group wrote.PETA filed the lawsuit with the Knox County Superior Court.MAINE FISHERMEN SUPPORT JORDON HUDSON AFTER HE ADVOCACY DURING PAGEANT: 'TOGETHER, WE PERSEVERE'It asked the court to "issue a permanent injunction prohibiting the steaming of live lobsters on public lands."According to the lawsuit, the festival prevents individuals from enjoying Harbor Park and other nearby areas.In the lawsuit, PETA argued that people should be able to enjoy the area "without being forced to witness extreme animal suffering as approximately 16,000 live lobsters are illegally tormented and killed at the festival each year."PETA DISTRIBUTES VEGAN WIENERS OUTSIDE NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING CONTESTPETA Foundation Director of Litigation Asher Smith said the event amounts to "municipally supported cruelty.""PETA is pushing to end these horrific displays and restore compassionate Rockland residents ability to enjoy Harbor Park year-round," Smith said.In a statement shared with the Penobscot Bay Pilot, the Maine Lobster Festival and Rockland Festival Corporation denied the allegations."We are aware of the lawsuit filed by PETA and take any public concern seriously. However, the methods we use to prepare lobster at the festival follow widely accepted and legal culinary practices that have been in place in homes, restaurants, and seafood festivals across the globe for generations," the groups wrote. "While we appreciate PETA's concerns, there is no conclusive scientific consensus that lobsters feel pain in a way comparable to mammals. They do not have a brain capable of processing pain."Fox News Digital reached out to PETA, Maine Lobster Festival and the City of Rockland for comment.

Laura Dahlmeier, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has died at the age of 31 as a result of her injuries from a mountaineering accident earlier this week.The German biathlete was struck by falling rocks in northern Pakistan in the Karakoram mountains.Early rescue efforts were made to locate Dahlmeier but were unsuccessful due to inclement weather and further risks of falling rocks - the remote location of the incident made efforts that much more difficult.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"The news about the passing of two-time Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier in a terrible mountaineering accident is deeply shocking for all of us in the Olympic Movement. She lost her life in her beloved mountains," IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a statement."Laura made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win sprint and pursuit gold at the same Games edition. She will be remembered forever. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time."According to Dahlmeier's management, the accident took place at an altitude of nearly 19,000 feet.A Pakistani government spokesperson said she "was taken away by locals from the landslide site," per Reuters.CHINESE SWIMMING PRODIGY MAKES DEBUT ON WORLD STAGE AT JUST 12 YEARS OLDDahlmeier surprisingly stepped away from professional competition in 2019. She cited the diminishing of her overall passion for playing sports in her retirement announcement."After an unbelievably tough season with lots of highs and lows, I no longer feel the 100 percent passion that is needed for professional sports. This is why, after some long thought, I decided to end my active biathlon career," Dahlmeier said in 2019, at the age of 25.She earned gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, where she made history as the first female biathlete to win a sprint and pursuit double at the same Games. She also won seven world championships.Dahlmeier is also an Olympic bronze medalist. She finished in third place in the 15km individual event at the 2018 Games.Fox News' Chantz Martin contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

President Donald Trump described the Russiagate allegations against former President Barack Obama and members of his administration as "serious treason" on Tuesday during an interview.During a conversation on "Pod Force One," host Miranda Devine brought up Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's allegations against Obama. Gabbard accused his administration of promoting a "contrived narrative" that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump, which led to a sprawling collusion investigation that dominated his first term in office."What they've done is so bad for this country. And it really started right at the 2016 election," Trump claimed of Gabbard's findings. "And there's a difference when you know it and when you know it, and it's all written down for you. I mean, it's all there. It's right there. The orders, the memos, the whole thing. It's right there."The president went on to call out Obama, who has denied the allegations. Trump also discussed Hillary Clinton and the "terrible things she did with the Steele Dossier."OBAMA DENIES TRUMP'S BIZARRE ALLEGATIONS' THAT HE WAS RUSSIAGATE RINGLEADER IN RARE STATEMENT"Obama, what he did was terrible. What [John] Brennan did, and [James] Clapper, and [James] Comey, and all these lightweights, I mean, they're stupid people, actually. But what they did, and so unnecessary, and they made it really hard," he said.After more discussion, Trump said it was up to Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue charges, claiming the DNI findings showed "serious treason." Gabbard and administration proponents say the files show the administration purposefully manufactured a false collusion narrative, while critics say they merely shed light on intelligence operations but don't prove a treasonous conspiracy."Well, I just want to be fair. Ultimately, it's up to Pam, I think she's doing a great job as attorney general, it's up to her and her group. But they did a lot of bad things. I mean, I would say it was treason. It was treason. They made up all these stories, just fake stories, and yeah, I would say it was serious treason and hurt the country and put the country in danger. You know, they did, on the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, they lied unbelievably," Trump said.Devine asked about Obama possibly having presidential immunity and whether it felt like it was justice that Clapper and Comey would need to "lawyer up."OBAMA ADMIN 'MANUFACTURED' INTELLIGENCE TO CREATE 2016 RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTS SHOW"Clapper lied to Congress. Comey lied to everybody. Brennanyeah, Brennan, who was maybe the worst in the group. These are all bad. These are low lives. These arethese are losers. And you know, I've been beating them for 10 years," Trump said.Obama's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Brennan told MSNBC earlier this month that he was "clueless" as to why he would be investigated after Fox News Digital reported he could be prosecuted for alleged wrongdoing in the Trump-Russia collusion probe.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREClapper reacted to the allegations during an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins on July 23. Clapper said the allegations were "patently false and unfounded.""After eight-and-a-half years of this. And I don't know of an intelligence product that was more scrutinized, more investigated than that product was, by numerous people. It's very disconcerting. It really is. And I take seriously when President of the United States accuses me of being a participant in a treasonous conspiracy, which is ridiculous," he told Collins.Other officials named in Gabbard's allegations did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter in early July.Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

Alexa Bliss made her stunning return to a WWE ring at the Royal Rumble back in February.Bliss came out in gear that reminded fans of her work with the late WWE star Bray Wyatt. The jacket read "Fiend 4 Ever," and she carried the doll that was used as a prop during their famous segments a few years ago. Windham Rotunda, Wyatt's real name, died during Bliss hiatus from pro wrestling.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe Wyatt Sicks formed in the wake of his death. The eerie faction began to haunt WWE wrestlers in 2024, and two members currently hold tag-team gold.With Bliss return, fans have wondered whether she could have some involvement with them."I always have the same answer to this because I truly believe it," she told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "Windham always said, Alexa and I will always be connected and when it happens and when we reconnect, its gonna be something big. So, whether thats with the Wyatt Sicks or something else, I dont know. Maybe we get a different side of Charlotte (Flair). I dont know. Its WWE, you never know whats going to happen.HULK HOGAN 'PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO DO WHAT WE LOVE,' WWE STAR ALEXA BLISS SAYS"I think it would be something fun to explore at some point. Right now, Im having a lot of fun tagging with Charlotte and seeing where that dynamic goes. But obviously, Im still always going to have a piece of Bray with me with the jacket and the skirt and the character and just kinda keeping it in that same vein in case that doesnt happen. I think it would be something really cool to see, but you never know."Bliss is set to vie for the womens tag-team championship with Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam against Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez.Bliss is a three-time tag champion already. She won gold twice with Nikki Cross and another one with Asuka.SummerSlam is set to take place Saturday and Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

President Donald Trump signed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act into law Wednesday, cementing a partial claims program aimed at preventing veterans from losing their homes to foreclosure.The new partial claims program under the Department of Veterans' Affairs' (VA) Home Loan Program will allow veterans who are late on mortgage payments to tack on those payments to the tail end of their loans.Additionally, the partial claims program seeks to replace the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program created in 2024 under the Biden administration, but that the Trump administration nixed in May.Under the VASP program, the VA bought up delinquent VA loans from mortgage servicers, adjusted the loans and then offered borrowers a fixed 2.5% interest rate for the duration of the loan.But the VASP program faced scrutiny from Republicans, who decried that it was established without input from Congress and claimed it jeopardized the entire VA home loan guarantee program and would be costly for taxpayers. Altogether, the VA estimated that it purchased more than 17,000 home loans totaling more than $5.48 billion dollars under VASP.The House passed its version of the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act in May, while the Senate passed its version of the measure in July."This bipartisan and bicameral legislation will assist veterans who are facing financial hardships and provide VA with a tool to better help veterans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The VA Home Loan Program provides one of the best benefits VA has to offer, and has helped veterans and their families build home equity since its inception in 1944," House and Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs leaders said in a joint statement on July 16.This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

The New York Mets retired David Wrights No. 5 earlier this month, and star shortstop Francisco Lindor had a front-row seat to the ceremony.Lindor, 31, said it was "so cool" to see Wrights number retired.The five-time All-Star talked to Fox News Digital about Wrights special day, and what it would mean to him if he were one day named captain."It was so cool, being here now for five years, I have had the opportunity to see Keith Hernandez, Doc, Strawberry, and now David Wright's number gets retired. This one was definitely special the way the people praised him, the way the people loved him, and it was cool to see the fans with their signs that he played the right way. That is pretty cool," Lindor told Fox News Digital last week ahead of Miracle Treat Day at DQ.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"It was special to see him, how much he put into this franchise, and how the fans were giving back to him."Lindor is a logical choice to be the next captain of the Mets, and Wright spoke highly of the star shortstop prior to his jersey retirement ceremony."I love Francisco Lindor," Wright said via Sports Illustrated. "Ive gotten to know him over the last couple of years. I recently found out that he played hurt at the end of the season with a hand injury, and nobody knew about it. He never said anything because he wanted to be out there grinding it out with his guys."METS' FRANCISCO LINDOR PARTNERS WITH DAIRY QUEEN FOR 'MIRACLE TREAT DAY' IMPACTING CHILDREN'S HOSPITALSLindor said if he were named the fifth captain in Mets history, he would not take it lightly."(Captaincy is something) I wouldnt take for granted and something I wouldnt take lightly, that would be a great honor," Lindor said.The two-time Gold Glover said that if he were named captain, he would not change how he goes about himself."It would be an honor and a privilege, I wouldnt change the wayI am, I would be doing the same thing, I just would continue to walk the path that they set, and just being like I like said it, a huge privilege, a huge honor," Lindor said.The 31-year-old star shortstop is once again having another strong season for the Mets. Lindor has a .251 batting average with 20 home runs, 59 RBI, and 17 stolen bases while playing outstanding defense.Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, John Franco, and Wright are currently the only four players to be named captain in the franchises history.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

FIRST ON FOX: An official in the University of Iowa's Division of Student Life openly admits in a new undercover video obtained by Fox News Digital that she and others at the university are actively "finding ways to operate around" state and federal directives intended to end the practice of reverse discrimination in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).The official, Drea Tinoco, assistant director for Leadership and Student Organization Development at the University of Iowa, pointed out in the undercover recording how in early spring the university's leaders began directing an end to DEI initiatives and policies.However, as Tinoco points out, that didn't stop her or others at the school from continuing to advance the discriminatory measures. "We're essentially finding ways to operate around [the bans], so that was our solution. We were like, Oh, okay, we cant use that word? Okay "civic engagement."' I think that's a lot of what we're doing, it's like, Oh, okay, we're not allowed to use this word. Oh, okay. We're just going to do this,'" Tinoco can be heard saying in the video. "That's why you're not going to see DEI listed on any University of Iowa website but there have been transitions and things that they've done, so they're not like getting rid of certain things."UNIVERSITY RUNS DAMAGE CONTROL AMID CONCERNS IT HIDES ILLEGALS, UPHOLDS REVERSE DISCRIMINATIONThe University of Iowa is just the latest school in a salvo of others that have come under fire recently over attempts to rebrand their DEI initiatives in order to skirt state or federal directives ordering them to be terminated.Last week, Fox News Digital also obtained undercover footage showing that, despite state and federal orders aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives, school officials at Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee described a deliberate strategy to rename, repackage and quietly preserve these controversial programs under new labels like "access and engagement" and "belonging and community.""It definitely is still here, it definitely still exists," Tinoco can be heard saying on the undercover recording. She also suggests her superiors are supportive of defying orders to dismantle DEI policies at the university, and says that when collaborating with other schools in the state, the University of Iowa staff are typically the most "combative" when it comes to standing in the way of getting rid of DEI policies.'LOVE BREAKING RULES': RED STATE DEAN OUSTED AFTER ADMITTING ON HIDDEN CAM SHE WAS SECRETLY PUSHING DEI"On behalf of my office. We are, we're still going to talk about DEI. We're still going to do all the DEI things. My assistant dean is a Black woman, and I could not imagine her being like, Okay guys. Yeah. We're just not going to talk about DEI anymore,'" Tinoco says on the video recording."I have yet to be told, like 'Dre, you can't say DEI.' And I'm still going to say it," she adds.During the recording, Tinoco also discuses "loophole[s]" at the university to advance DEI, which she says can be done through student groups that are protected on account of freedom of association rights."I will say personally, like I am proud of the fight,"Tinoco said of her and others' efforts to fight against state and federal anti-DEI directives. Meanwhile, Tinoco can be heard on the recording disparaging the school's Board of Regents for being White, and calling Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who signed anti-DEI legislation into law back in May, "coo-coo bananas."EXPERT REVEALS HOW COMPANIES ARE REBRANDING 'TOXIC' DEI POLICIES TO SKIRT TRUMP-ERA BANS: 'NEW WRAPPER' In response to this article, Reynolds told Fox News Digital that she would be referring the matter to Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird for her review as it pertains to the state's anti-DEI laws."Imappalled by the remarks made in this video by a University of Iowaemployee who blatantly admitsto defying DEI restrictionsI signed into law on May 9, 2024," Reynolds said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I already issued a letter to the Board of Regents on January 23, 2025, reminding university representatives to comply, not only with state law, but an executive order signed by President Trump ending implementation of DEI policies at public institutions."The university responded by insisting it holds its faculty to the highest standards of compliance and any deviation from such compliance "is taken seriously," a spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital, indicating the school would be launching an internal investigation probing the matter.The university added that it "will take all necessary steps to ensure university policies and procedures as well as state and federal laws are being fully upheld."