EXCLUSIVE Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan says President Donald Trump's social media attacks criticizing his move from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party validates his major switch in political affiliations."Failed former Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, of Georgia, is a total loser," Trump wrote early Friday on his Truth Social platform.The president charged that Duncan was "never able to get anything done, all he ever did was complain. We didnt want him in the Republican Party any longer, so Im told he became a Democrat. Good riddance Geoff. You dont even have a chance!!!"Asked about the criticisms, Duncan told Fox News Digital in an exclusive national interview hours later, "I think he's making my case for me that the Republican Party no longer wants to love their neighbor. There's nothing in that tweet or Truth Social post or whatever that shows any sort of attitude that I want to be a part of."FORMER LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN ABANDONS GOP TO JOIN DEMOCRATIC PARTY"So I wish him the best of luck. I hope he figures out how to run this country better than he is now for the next couple of years. But I'm proud to not be a Republican, especially with him at the tip of the spear," Duncan highlighted.In announcing his decision, Duncan cited several policy issues that played a part in his decision to change parties, including health care, Medicaid, gun safety, immigration and poverty.He wrote that his time in office taught him thebest way to "love my neighbor" is through public policy.Duncan told Fox News, "I find it easier to love my neighbor as a Democrat It's not a perfect landing spot, but it gives me a better opportunity each day when I wake up to love my neighbor."GEORGIA GOP EXPELS FORMER LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN FROM PARTY, CITING ALLEGED DISLOYALTYDuncan, a former healthcare executive and minor league baseball player, served in Georgia's legislature for four years before running and winning election as lieutenant governor in 2018. He decided against seeking re-election in 2022.After leaving office, Duncan who was a vocal GOP critic of Trump's repeated efforts to reverse his razor-thin November 2020 election defeat in battleground Georgia to former President Joe Biden worked towards what he said was "healing and rebuilding a Republican Party that is damaged but not destroyed."Duncan endorsed Biden in the 2024 presidential race and later supported Vice President Kamala Harris after she replaced Biden at the top of the Democrats' 2024 ticket. Duncan spoke in a high-profile speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last August.The Georgia Republican Party expelled him from the GOP earlier this year."Neither party is hitting it out of the park. You don't have to look any further than the stats to see that Republicans have their issues. Democrats certainly have their issues," Duncan told Fox News. "I've tried this reform thing before on the Republican side, and Donald Trump has sucked the life and future out of the Republican Party, in my opinion."Duncan's old boss, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election next year. Duncan confirmed to Fox News that he's considering a 2026 run for governor."My family and I are certainly not ready to make that big of a decision right here, right now. But it is something that we're considering for sure. I mean, my phone has continued to ring for months on end, from Democrats, independents and even some folks on the right that want us to consider this," Duncan said.Asked about his timetable, Duncan said "2026 is coming like a freight train. And certainly, if this is a decision that we go forward with, it'll have to be within, within a few months."Duncan emphasized that "if Democrats, especially in Georgia, want to be successful, they're going to have to live in the middle and not the fringes. They're going to have to have a moderate slate of candidates that are able to use common sense to provide their leadership. And I think there's a gravitational pull in that direction."Nearly half-a-dozen Democrats in Georgia have already launched gubernatorial campaigns, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who later worked in the Biden administration.Pointing to the two leading Republicans running for governor, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and state Attorney General Chris Carr, Duncan said "I hope we're able to sit back and find a Democratic candidate that can win the governorship and not allow a governor Trump to show up for four years in the state, because that's exactly what's going to happen.""The Republican slate is going to be dominated by whoever Donald Trump endorses, and that person is going to be a sock puppet for Donald Trump," Duncan argued. "And no Georgian wants that. No Georgian wants the inconsistencies of Donald Trump to manage how their kids are educated, how their streets are kept safe and how government interacts with those that need it the most."Looking ahead to next year's elections, when Georgia will once again be in the national spotlight, Duncan said "Georgia is going to continue to be the political center of the universe, as we watch the Senate race shape up. As we watch this governor's race shape up. I do think Georgia has an opportunity to lead the rest of the country, and I hope we take advantage of that."Fox News' Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Vice President JD Vance struck a conciliatory tone on Friday after touching down in London when he told reporters the U.S. and U.K. may disagree on strategy when it comes to ending the war in Gaza, but they "share" the same goal of peace."We have no plans to recognize a Palestinian state," Vance said ahead of a meeting with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy. "I don't know what it would mean to really recognize a Palestinian State, given the lack of a functional government there."Obviously, it's not an easy problem to solve, or it would have already been dealt with," he added, noting the need to not only eradicate Hamas but to end the humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip. "But we share, I think, that focus and that goal."We may have some disagreements about how exactly to accomplish that goal, and we'll talk about that today," Vance added.ISRAEL SECURITY CABINET APPROVES PLAN TO OCCUPY GAZA CITYBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in late July a major shift in UK policy toward Israel and said that if Jerusalem does not agree to a ceasefire by September, it would recognize a Palestinian state a status that Israeli leaders have long objected to.Starmers warning, which echoed similar positions taken by France and Canada, was in direct response to growing frustration with Israel over its continued military operations and the dire humanitarian situation that Palestinians have been facing for months.Though the U.K.s approach to dealing with the escalating situation runs counter to President Donald Trumps position when it comes to recognizing a two-state solution, Trump has also increasingly expressed his concern over access to food aid and the "real starvation" there.It is unclear how the U.S. will be increasing its involvement to help with food aid, but the Trump administration has distanced itself from its top allies when it comes to Israels military operations in Gaza, with Trump telling reporters on Monday that it was "pretty much up to Israel."NETANYAHU VOWS TO TAKE FULL CONTROL OF GAZA STRIP, LIBERATE PEOPLE FROM HAMASIsraels security cabinet on Friday approved a plan formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy Gaza City despite international pushback.But Netanyahu countered any immediate geopolitical outcry in a post on X and said, "We are not going to occupy Gaza - we are going to free Gaza from Hamas."Gaza will be demilitarized, and a peaceful civilian administration will be established, one that is not the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, and not any other terrorist organization," he added. "This will help free our hostages and ensure Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future."The plan is still expected to be met with international condemnation, but it's not the only issue at the top of Western minds as Vance and Lammy meet on Friday."We have a lot to discuss. There's a lot going on in the world," Vance said. "Of course, the situation in the Middle East, the situation with Ukraine and Russia. There's a lot of news there and a lot of things to update each other on."Apart from the major international security concerns, the duo are also expected to address economic partnerships, which could include recent U.S. tariff announcements.

Boston's sanctuary sheriff was arrested Friday on federal charges after allegedly leveraging his elected position to extort $50,000 from a cannabis executive who was seeking state approval to open a dispensarya scheme FBI Director Kash Patel called a betrayal of public trust.Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins, 67, who oversees more than 1,000 employees in the Boston-area, was handcuffed Friday morning in the Southern District of Florida after a federal grand jury indicted him on two counts of extortion under color of official right, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts."When someone entrusted with enforcing the law is accused of breaking it for personal gain, it undermines the publics trust in every honest officer who wears the badge," Patel told Fox News Digital. "The FBI will pursue corruption at every level, because no one is above the law. The people of Suffolk County, and the country, deserve leaders who serve them, not themselves."SUSPECTED ICE FACILITY ATTACKERS ARRESTED IN BLUE CITY, CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING FEDERAL OFFICERSTompkins was appointed sheriff of the Suffolk County Sheriffs Department (SCSD) in 2013, elected in a 2014 special election, and later re-elected to serve successive six-year terms.He made headlines in 2019 after booting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents out of the county jail, signing an eviction notice that required hundreds of illegal immigrant detainees to be moved out within 60 days, according to a report from the Boston Herald.FLORIDA EX-SHERIFF ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY RUNNING ILLEGAL GAMBLING HOUSE THAT GENERATED MILLIONSAccording to court documents, a cannabis company applied in 2019 for a retail dispensary license in Boston through the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). To meet the states Positive Impact Plan (PIP) requirement, the company partnered with the sheriffs department, which agreed to screen and refer graduates from its re-entry program for work at the dispensary's retail store.The companys partnership with SCSD was formalized in a letter signed by Tompkins in 2019 and submitted with its dispensary license application in 2020. The cannabis commission approved the license in 2021 and renewed it in 2022 and 2023, with the company citing the partnership to meet the PIP requirement in each application.To raise capital for an initial public offering (IPO) and expand as a publicly traded company, executives sought multimillion-dollar investments from institutions and other high-net-worth investorsnot the general public, according to court documents.By mid-2020, the company was preparing for its IPO by producing audited financial statements, hiring attorneys and obtaining additional financing.Prosecutors allege Tompkins pressured the cannabis executive for stock, reminding the executive he had helped the company in its licensing efforts. The executive feared Tompkins might exploit his position as sheriff to undermine the partnership with the department, putting both the license and the companys planned IPO in jeopardy.PATELS IMMIGRATION PUSH AT FBI YIELDS 10,000 ARRESTS SINCE JANUARYIn October 2020, the company asked Tompkins for an updated partnership letter to submit with its license renewal application, according to court documents. Within a month of signing the letter, and after alleged pressure on the executive, Tompkins obtained a pre-IPO stake in the company.Prosecutors claim that in November 2020, Tompkins wired $50,000 from his retirement account to an account controlled by the executive, purchasing nearly 29,000 shares at $1.73 each. Following a reverse stock split, he held about 14,400 shares valued at $3.46 each.Once the company launched its IPO in 2021, the stock value jumped to $9.60 per share, increasing the value of Tompkins $50,000 purchase of 14,417 shares to $138,403.By May 2022, the value of Tompkins stock had dropped thousands of dollars below his $50,000 investment, but he allegedly demanded a full refund. The executive agreed, issuing five checks between May 2022 and July 2023.Prosecutors claim some checks were marked as "loan repayment" and "[company] expense" at Tompkinss direction to disguise the nature of some of the payments.US ATTORNEY FOR MASSACHUSETTS SAYS INTERFERENCE WITH ICE OPERATIONS IS 'DISTURBING,' THREATENS ARRESTSU.S. Attorney Leah Foley wrote in a statement that elected officials, particularly those in law enforcement, are expected to be ethical, honest and law-abiding, "not self-serving.""His alleged actions are an affront to the voters and taxpayers who elected him to his position, and the many dedicated and honest public servants at the Suffolk County Sheriffs Department. The people of Suffolk County deserve better," Foley wrote. "Public corruption remains a top priority for my administration, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who uses their position of trust and power for their own gain."FBI Boston special agent in charge Ted Docks added the act was "clear-cut corruption."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"From his very first day as Suffolk County Sheriff, Steven Tompkins sought to portray himself as a man of the peoplea principled public servant and reformer, devoted to the cause of justice. Thats why its beyond disappointing that hes now accused of gaming a system instituted in the interests of public safety and fair play," Docks wrote in a statement. "We believe what the Sheriff saw as an easy way to make a quick buck on the sly is clear-cut corruption under federal law. The citizens of Suffolk County deserve better, not a man who is accused of trading on his position to bankroll his own political and financial future. Public servants must be held to the highest of ethical standards, and those falling short will be rooted out."Tompkins, who faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each count, will appear in Boston federal court at a later date.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled toIllinois on Friday to call out Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, accusing both Democrats of "being obstructionist" when it comes to getting criminal illegal immigrants off the streets.Noem, speaking in a Chicago suburb, highlighted the recent ICE arrests of a Mexican illegal immigrant convicted of predatory sexual criminal assault against a victim under the age of 13, a Polish national convicted of attempted murder and aggravated domestic battery and an illegal immigrant from Micronesia with three DUI convictions."These individuals would still be out on our streets today committing crimes and attacking people and harming them and hurting our children if Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson had their way. Because their choice has been routinely over and over and over again to release these criminals back on the streets," Noem said."The debate over so-called sanctuary policies has real consequences and has consequences for our law enforcement officers, but also for the families that live here and the businesses that are just trying to provide for their community," she added.BONDI DOJ NAMES AND SHAMES 35 SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS THAT PUT AMERICAN CITIZENS AT RISKRepresentatives for both Pritzker and Johnson did not immediately respond Friday to requests for comment from Fox News Digital."I'm here today because the elected leaders in this state of Illinois are ignoring the law. In fact, they're being obstructionist when it comes to getting dangerous criminals off of their streets," Noem also said. "They are deciding the dangerous criminals that are murderers, rapists, money launderers, have committed assault, that are trafficking children are more important than the families that live in the communities here." NOEM WARNS OF UNPRECEDENTED THREAT LEVEL FOR ICE AGENTS, BLAMES 'LIES' FROM DEMOCRATS"That includes Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson and others who have worked so hard to protect these dangerous criminals. They'd rather be a sanctuary state and continue to put those individuals above American citizens, American citizens who built this country, who have raised their families here for generations," Noem added.Noem also told reporters Friday that "In just the last seven months, ICE has issued over 1,664 detainers in Chicago alone," marking a"106% increase" over what was issued during the Biden administration. "Unfortunately," she said, "Chicago and its leadership has only honored 8% of those."

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Carlos Gimenez, the lawmaker who fled the Castros' communist regime as a youth, put forward a resolution Friday to boot "Squad" member Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., from the Homeland Security committee for violating her oath of office.The resolution cites Ramirez's comments in Spanish during an event in Mexico City earlier this week, in which she declared, "I am a proud Guatemalan before I am an American.""I was born in Cuba and exiled from my homeland shortly after the communist takeover," Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital on Friday, just before he filed the bill during the House's brief pro-forma session."Everything I am, I owe to this exceptional country of limitless opportunities that paved the way for a Cuban refugee like me to become a firefighter, fire chief, city manager, county commissioner, county mayor, and yes, even a member of Congress."LONE CUBAN-BORN REP AMPED UP TO SEE NATION LIBERATED, AFTER EMOTIONAL RETURN 64 YEARS IN THE MAKING"Only in America," said Gimenez, who is the only Cuban-born member of Congress.While an immigrant himself, Gimenez said that when a fellow lawmaker "openly declares allegiance to a foreign nation" over the U.S., they lose the right to be in certain positions in the federal government."It is not only unacceptable, it is disqualifying for service on a committee tasked with securing our homeland," he said.Gimenez also serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, chairing its maritime and transportation subcommittee.EXCLUSIVE: VENEZUELAN OPPO LEADER JOINS CUBA-BORN REP TO LAUD TRUMP AFTER BIDEN'S MADURO OIL DEAL CANCELEDBlowback continued online throughout the week, with actor James Woods quipping, "Well, okay then, Hasta La Vista."Conservative commentator Matt Walsh added that Ramirez should be arrested.Ramirez' office directed Fox News Digital to a statement on the blowback the Chicagoan received after her comments south of the border.The statement said, "Republican commentators" and the social media presence for the Department of Homeland Security wrongly attacked her for "showing pride in her multi-cultural, multi-ethnic heritage."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPRamirez said she is a U.S. citizen by birth and that the attacks over the past days were "a weak attempt to silence my dissent and invalidate my patriotic criticism of the nativist, White supremacist, authoritarians in government. It is the definition of hypocrisy that members of Congress, who betray their oath each day they enable Trump, are attacking me for celebrating my Guatemalan-American roots."Ramirez added that "no one questions" her many colleagues who celebrate their Irish ancestry, or others of similar Caucasian descent."I am the daughter of immigrants and the daughter of America. I am both Chapina and American. I am from both Guatemala and Chicago, Illinois."

Surveillance video of what led to Sha'Carri Richardson's arrest has been released.In the video from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport on July 27, originally obtained by TMZ Sports, Richardson is seen approaching her boyfriend, Christian Coleman, from out of the frame and appears to grab his backpack from behind. Richardson appeared to grill Coleman and nudged him before shoving him into a wall, nudging him more later on.The two appeared to exchange words while walking toward security, with Richardson still nudging him and appearing to reach for his face.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMAn officer at the airport was notified by a Transportation Security Administration supervisor of a disturbance between Richardson and Coleman, according to the police report, via The Associated Press.Coleman declined to be a victim in the case, a police report said, and he made it very clear that he wants to move on from the "sucky situation."In fact, Coleman believed the arrest was too far."I don't feel like she should have been arrested. I mean people have discussions and emotions and stuff like that. She has things that she needs to work on for herself, of course. So do I, so do you,so does everybody. But I'm the type of guy who's in the business of extending grace, and mercy and love," Coleman told reporters this weekend.TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING TASK FORCE FOR 2028 OLYMPIC GAMES IN LOS ANGELES"I look at situations like this, take a step back, analyze it self-mentally, and then just try to see what you can do to be your best self Shes a human being, and a great person. We've been good teammates all year She has a lot of things going on, a lot of emotions and forces going on inside of her that not only I cant understand, but nobody can. Shes one of one. And Im one of one too."The incident occurred just days before the United States Track and Field Championships. Richardson missed qualifying for the 200-meter final by one-hundredth of a second. She has a bye in the 100-meter after winning the world title in that event two years ago.Both Coleman and Richardson won gold at the world championships in 2023 for the 4x100 meter. Coleman also won the event in 2019 as well as the 100-meter. Richardson also won the 100 at the 2023 world championships in Budapest, Hungary, and finished with the silver medal in the event at the Paris Games last summer. She also helped take the 4x100 relay to an Olympic gold.This wasn't Richardson's first controversy at an airport. The track star was booted off a plane in January 2023 after a dispute with a flight attendant who she said spoke to her in a disrespectful manner.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Transparency is the focus of new proposed legislation when it comes to the coatings that are added to produce before the grocery-store items are sold to Americans.Focusing on fruits and vegetablestreated with a shelf-life-extending coating, Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., introduced HR 4737, known as the Apeel Reveal Act, in the House.The bill targets product coatings from companies to provide labeling that discloses the use of the coating.AMERICA'S DAIRY FARMERS AND ICE CREAM PRODUCERS AGREE TO QUIT USING ARTIFICIAL COLORS"We should know what we're eating transparency is essential for making healthy choices," Stutzman wrote on X."My Apeel Reveal Act gives Americans the clarity they deserve when deciding what to feed themselves and their kids."Apeel Sciences, an industry leader in the space, said it agrees with Stutzman that "every consumer deserves to know where they can find safer, higher-quality, fresher produce in their grocery stores.""Our plant-based, edible coatings help keep produce naturally fresh for longer, reduce food waste and lower grocery costs for American families," Apeel said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital."Our products are among the safest and most rigorously tested on the market."Apeel said its ingredients are "plant-based simple fats called mono- and diglycerides, baking soda and citric acid" and "common, naturally occurring food ingredients found in the edible peels, pulp and seeds of fruits and vegetables that also have a long history of safe use."Apeel reiterated that its products have an Apeel logo or sticker.They "remain the only post-harvest food coating brand most consumers can name," the California-based company said.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleAll coating materials must be composed of substances "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS).They must be produced under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Good Manufacturing Practices for food ingredients and packaging.The company says on its site, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) affirms mono- and diglycerides as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). This GRAS designation means that a panel of qualified experts considers mono- and diglycerides safe for consumption under the conditions of their intended use, including their application to fruits and vegetables as well as use in many other everyday foods."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERThe purpose of the new bill is "to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the disclosure of certain product coatings used on fruits and vegetables, and for other purposes," HR 4737 says.It also says, in part, "In this subsection, the term 'covered product coating' means a coating that is directly applied to a fruit or vegetable to extend the shelf life of the fruit or vegetable. Such term includes Apeel Sciences product coatings, including Edipeel and Organipeel."Apeel's coatings, according to the company and others, have "demonstrably reduced waste saving 166million pieces of produce, conserving 1.8billion gallons of water, and preventing over 64 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson warns that finances in the nation's third most populous city have "reached a point of no return."The mayor said this week that the city will need to take steps to deal with looming budget shortfalls and that key systems that Chicago provides, including education, housing, health care and transportation, are "woefully underfunded."Eight-hundred miles to the east, there are concerns in the nation's most populous city that if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins the election in November as New York City's next mayor, the city could be headed for a fiscal abyss similar to the crisis half a century ago, when it came close to bankruptcy.CHICAGO TRIBUNE WARNS 'HALLOWEEN COMES EARLY ' AS CITY FACES SHORTFALLSIncumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the 2025 race for New York City's Democratic Party mayor nomination and who is running for re-election as an independent, struck a deal with the city council on a roughly $116 billion budget for fiscal year 2026."There are no perfect budgets. But we have come a long way, and this one gets pretty close," City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said at a press conference announcing the deal in late June.CUOMO FLIPS SCIPT ON MAMDANI IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACEBut the 33-year-old Mamdani, who is the polling frontrunner over Adams, former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and two other contenders in November's general election, is running on an expensive platform to tackle affordability and inequality in one of the nation's most expensive cities.Mamdani grabbed national attention in late June after topping Cuomo and nine other candidates in the Democratic Party primary, as he took a big step towards becoming the first Muslim and first millennial mayor.Mamdani, a Ugandan-born state assemblyman from the New York City borough of Queens, is proposing to eliminate fares to ride New York City's vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) "tuition-free," freezing rents on municipal housing, offering "free childcare" for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores.There are concerns that the significant spending increases to pay for Mamdani's proposals, along with the possibility of revenue shortfalls, could put a strain on New York City's budget.And at the center of Mamdani's proposals to pay for his pricey plans is a "millionaire's tax," which critics say will spur ultra-wealthy New York City residents to flee.Mamdani's agenda has given Republicans plenty of fodder to use to go on offense, as they spotlight his "socialist" policies and try to anchor him to Democrats facing challenging re-elections next year. President Donald Trump has gone further, accusing Mamdani of being a "communist."And Mamdani's rivals in November's mayoral election are also taking aim at him.Adams has said Mamdani is making "false promises" that will hurt low-income New Yorkers. And the mayor argues that Mamdani's proposal to set up government-run supermarkets will "devastate the local bodegas and local stores."Cuomo, as he proposed his own plan to address affordability in New York City, said on Thursday that Mandani is "proposing a theory of socialism that has never worked anywhere.""What is the best answer to affordability? It is business development. It is opportunity. It is jobs. It is economic growth. It is not anti-business socialism," Cuomo said as he asked and answered his own question.Firing back, Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec claimed that "trusting Andrew Cuomo to address New Yorks affordability crisis is the equivalent of tasking an arsonist with putting out a fire he created this crisis.""Trusting Andrew Cuomo to address New Yorks affordability crisis is the equivalent of tasking an arsonist with putting out a fire he created this crisis," Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement.

Sami Sheens night out with friends nearly turned into a nightmare.The 21-year-old daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen claimed in a TikTok this week that she "almost got sex trafficked" while hanging out with friends in a restaurant parking lot late Monday night."We didnt leave until midnight we were outside taking photos we were there for five minutes," Sami explained.DENISE RICHARDS' HUSBAND FILES FOR DIVORCE, MONTHS AFTER SHE REVEALED HE HELPS RUN HER ONLYFANS ACCOUNTThe OnlyFans model continued to share how the situation escalated quickly."Out of nowhere, this man comes up to us asking for money," she said. After telling him that she didn't have any cash, she claimed that he didnt back off and kept asking if she could send him money through apps like Zelle or Venmo.Another man appeared and Sheen said her instincts immediately kicked in."The second I saw this man, I had the worst feeling in my stomach like get the f--- away from him right now," she remarked.She said that the man started asking if she spoke Spanish and saying other things she couldnt understand, then reached into his back pocket."I reach into my purse and pull out my pepper spray. I opened that b----, and he saw that he started to pull a card out," Sami alleged.Without hesitation, she and her friend bolted for her vehicle.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSDENISE RICHARDS ACCUSES ESTRANGED HUSBAND OF ABUSE AND DEATH THREATS IN RESTRAINING ORDER FILING"We immediately book it and get into my car locked the doors."Later, she and her friend reviewed photos taken that night. She said she realized then that the man had been watching them the entire time."He was just staring at us," she said, as she showed photos of the alleged individual in her TikTok.Samis warning to her followers: trust your gut."Im usually very aware of my surroundings and I did not notice this man," she admitted. "This is your sign to be even more aware"Reps for Sami did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERHer fans flooded the comments section, showing support."ALWAYS trust your gut!" one comment read.Another person suggested that she should "check your car for a tracker.""Good for you for trusting your instincts! You are always right! Your pics prove it! Scary!" a fan reacted.

Many of the Texas Democrats who fled the Lone Star State to Democrat-stronghold states amid a Republican redistricting effort are complying with the political stunt out of fear of being primaried by "someone even crazier" within the party, Republican Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain told Fox News Digital in a Thursday interview."If they were to come back, they would lose in a primary to someone even more socialistic than they are," Cain told Fox News Digital in a Thursday Zoom interview. "So yeah, they're actually there out of fear, not out of fear of the Republican legislation, but out of fear of their own people. And so they'll continue to sit out of state at their own detriment, all because of the fear of being primaried by someone even crazier than they are.""I can tell you that many of them don't want to be there. They know that ultimately they're going to lose, but because their party's run by a bunch of crazies, they have to be there," he continued of the Democrats who left the state ahead of Monday.Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers fled Texas for liberal bastions such as Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to prevent a quorum for a special session as state lawmakers prepared to vote on a redrawn congressional map for the state ahead of the 2026 midterms.State lawmakers have reported they plan to be absent from the state until the end of August, when the special session ends.ABBOTT, PAXTON LAUNCH LEGAL BLITZ ON FLEEING DEMOCRATS IN REDISTRICTING SHOWDOWNTexas law requires at least two-thirds of lawmakers in either chamber be present to proceed with legislative matters, with the Democrat minority party currently holding 62 seats in the Texas house to the GOP's 88.The Texas House has been at a standstill since the Democrats fled over the weekend. Six Democrats are in the Austin area this week, Cain explained, meaning six more Democrats are required before the body can reach a quorum.Cain said that he heard three additional Democrats are in the Houston area and likely "taunting" Republicans to potentially arrest them over their absence."They're older members, and they're kind of taunting us to arrest them with the idea that who would arrest grandma? It's kind of a clever play by the Democrats," he said.Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows signed arrest warrants for the absent Democrats on Monday, following the state House approving of such warrants and Gov. Greg Abbott calling on the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest the "delinquent Texas House Democrats." The arrest warrants are largely viewed as symbolic as they only apply to those within state lines.TEXAS RESIDENTS SAY THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR DEMS FLEEING STATE TO AVOID VOTESen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) reported Thursday that the FBI agreed to his request to help assist in locating the whereabouts of the derelict lawmakers as Republicans work to reach a quorum upon the Democrats' returns."I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas," Cornyn said in a Thursday news release. "We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities."Cain told Fox Digital that Republicans are doing "everything in our power" after Democrats fled the state, including launching investigations into potential bribery. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation Wednesday into former presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke's nonprofit, Powered by People, over claims it was helping fund the Democratic exodus from the state, which he described as a political bribe."They're being investigated for potential bribery," Cain told Fox Digital. "And the Attorney General has launched an investigation into Beto O'Rourke's organization for bribery as well. I'll tell you, under the Texas Penal Code, offering or accepting or knowingly doing a benefit to an elected official in exchange for their vote or some kind of discretionary action, like showing up to work, is considered bribery here in Texas. And it kind of looks like that and we need to launch an investigation."In response to the investigation, O'Rourke described Republicans in Texas as "thugs" who are attempting to "steal our country" and accused Paxton of bribery himself.TEXAS DEMS ALSO SKIPPED TOWN IN 2021 TO AVOID A VOTE, AND SEVERAL CAUGHT COVID-19 IN DCDemocratic governors, such as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, have since opened their proverbial doors to the Texas Democrats who fled the Lone Star State.Cain remarked the irony is not lost on him that the Democrats fled to states that have long histories embracing gerrymandered voting lines."The irony of this entire walkout, of course, they go to states that are some of the worst gerrymandered states that we've seen."We're now being able to expose and show the world the maps of these hypocrites. And they also call themselves brave. But as to quote Governor Greg Abbott, they're very un-Texan, Texans don't run from a fight," he continued.TEXAS DEMOCRATS FLEE STATE TO BLOCK TRUMP-BACKED REDISTRICTING VOTE IN DRAMATIC LEGISLATIVE MOVETexas lawmakers have used quorum breaking as a political strategy going back to 1870, and last unfolded in 2021, when Democratic state lawmakers fled to Washington, D.C., out of an attempt to block the passage of voting and election integrity legislation, as well as the 2004 walk-out also over redistricting.Cain said history shows such stunts have not proven fruitful for Democrats."Democrats lost seats every time they came back might be a hint that the voters don't appreciate those things. We also still passed the legislation. So it's really a costly, futile move whereby it's just pure theater, a chance to go and fundraise, but really they're not standing up for democracy at all. Rather, they're just being pure obstructionists and obstructing the will of the people that have elected them," he said.President Donald Trump has encouraged redistricting in Texas, including remarking on Tuesday that efforts to redistrict in Texas could lead to the GOP picking up five seats."In California, its all gerrymandered," Trump said during an interview with CNBC Tuesday. "And we have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats."For Cain, redistricting in Texas is needed as its demographics have shifted since 2020, when the state last redrew its voting maps."Over the last few years, Texas has drastically changed, our population has tremendously changed, not just from the open border policies of Joe Biden, but also because of our great economic conditions that have caused people to flee California and Illinois and Boston to come and want to live here. In order to reflect that population change, we need to update our map," he said.Fox News Digital's Diana Stancy and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.