The Republican Governors Association is dishing out an additional $1.5 million to boost Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee facing off against former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger in November's ballot box gubernatorial showdown.The new funding from the RGA, the top group that supports Republicans in races for governor, comes after explosive revelations in Virginia's attorney general race that the GOP is aiming to leverage up and down the ballot.Democratic Party attorney general nominee Jay Jones has acknowledged and apologized for texts he sent in 2022, where he compared then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert to mass murderers Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot, adding that if he was given two bullets, he would use both against the GOP lawmaker to shoot him in the head.Jones has been in crisis mode since the texts were first reported last Friday by the National Review, and a chorus of calls from Republicans urges Jones to drop out of the race.DEMOCRATIC VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE CANCELS EVENTS AMID CONTROVERSYEarle-Sears, who trails Spanberger in all the latest public opinion polls in the race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, is hammering her Democratic rival for not calling on Jones to drop out of the race.The Earle-Sears campaign launched a new ad, which was first reported on Tuesday by Fox News Digital, that aims to link Spanberger to Jones and calls on voters to "reject the insanity" and "vote Republican."TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER IN THESE 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS"Its clearer now than ever that this race isnt about Republicans versus Democrats. Its common sense versus violence," said Peyton Vogel, a spokesperson for Earle-Sears campaign, in a statement to Fox News. "The RGA understands whats at stake here in Virginia, and their support will help us stand strong against Abigail Spanbergers ticket of rage."The boost in funding by the RGA, first reported by Politico and confirmed by Fox News Digital, now matches the roughly $5 million investment by the rival Democratic Governors Association (DGA) to Spanberger. But the RGAs infusion of cash is still far short of the nearly $11 million the group spent four years ago to help elect Youngkin.Earle-Sears and Spanberger face off in a debate on Thursday evening, and it's expected the controversy over Jones' three-year-old texts will be discussed.Virginia, along with New Jersey, are the only two states to hold gubernatorial showdowns in the year after a presidential election and the contests traditionally grab outsized attention and are viewed as political barometers ahead of the following year's midterm elections.DGA Communications Director Sam Newton, asked for a comment, argued that "Winsome Sears is running a disastrous campaign."Newton went on to say that "Instead of desperate spin to try to bail out a losing campaign, the RGA should ask Donald Trump a simple question: why does he still refuse to endorse or campaign with Sears?"HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE 2025 ELECTIONSJones, who has apologized for the texts, has not held a campaign event since Friday evening.Most Virginia Democrats, including the Commonwealth's two U.S. senators, have condemned Jones' comments, but have stopped short of urging him to drop out of the race.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a DGA vice chair who takes over as chair next year, told Fox News Digital that the text was "absolutely inappropriate."I condemn political violence in all forms and the type of language that would discuss or promote political violence," the governor emphasized in an interview in New Hampshire.But asked about GOP calls for Jones to end his campaign, Beshear said, "I dont know enough about that situation."Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed reporting.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., got into a tense confrontation with two Democratic senators outside his office on Wednesday as anxiety runs high on Capitol Hill on Day 8 of the government shutdown.Sens. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., gathered reporters outside Johnson's office in a bid to publicly pressure the House speaker to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., who won a special election last month to fill her late father's seat.Johnson appeared to catch the Democrats by surprise when he crashed their media gaggle."Reopen the government so we can get back to work," he said in response to Gallego asking about Grijalva's swearing-in.GOVERNMENT LIMPS DEEPER INTO SHUTDOWN CRISIS WITH NO DEAL IN SIGHTGallego retorted, "This excuse just keeps on moving.""We're happy that she got elected. She's filling her father's seat. That's fantastic. We have a long tradition here and a process of how we administer the oath to a member," Johnson said despite the Democrats' attempts at interruption."We're going to do that as soon as we get back to work, but we need the lights turned back on, so we encourage both of you to go open the government."Gallego shot back that Johnson was keeping the House out of session in a bid to delay a vote on forcing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files on the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein."You just don't want to vote on the Epstein discharge petition," Gallego said.Johnson called the comment "totally absurd," adding, "You guys are experts at red herrings and distraction. It has nothing to do with Epstein. The House Oversight Committee is working on the Epstein files right now."Gallego called that an "excuse," prompting more back-and-forth between the men."OK, you see, this is a publicity stunt. Let me tell you what's happening. The House Oversight Committee is working on the release of the Epstein files. They are some of the biggest bulldogs in Congress, and the Republican and Democrat sides are working on that aggressively," Johnson said.Gallego asked, "So why are you blocking her then?""I'm not blocking her. I just told you," Johnson said.At one point, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., joined the fray, telling the senators, "With all due respect, you voted multiple times to keep the government shut down, OK? The Republican members from Arizona voted to keep government open. So don't sit here and try to lecture us about whether or not we did our job. We did our jobs. You did not."SCHUMER'S SHUTDOWN HOLDS AS SENATE DEMS BLOCK GOP BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT"Get your people in and stop covering up for the pedophiles," Gallego said after more back-and-forth.Lawler responded, "There's nobody covering up for pedophiles, so knock it the hell off."Kelly, meanwhile, interjected multiple times that Democrats were fighting to extend enhanced ObamaCare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year without congressional action.The standoff occurred just as Senate Democrats blocked the GOP's federal funding bill for a sixth time, extending the ongoing government shutdown.The House passed a bill to extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal funding levels through Nov. 21 to give lawmakers more time to create a longer-term deal for FY 2026 spending.But Democrats, furious at being sidelined in federal funding talks, have largely said they'll reject any deal that does not include an extension of the expiring ObamaCare subsidies.Grijalva won her race on Sept. 23.The House has not been in session since Sept. 19, and Johnson has signaled the chamber would not return until Senate Democrats agree with the GOP's funding plan.

Most of us think of a salon shampoo as a moment of relaxation, when we get to lean back and let the stylist wash and rinse our hair.But for a very small number of people, that innocuous posture can set off a cascade of vascular injury known as beauty parlor stroke syndrome (BPSS).BPSS refers to strokelike events triggered by hyperextension or rotation during hair-washing or other activities, which can compress or tear the vertebral arteries in the neck.TENNIS CHAMPION MONICA SELES REVEALS INCURABLE DISEASE AS DOCTOR SHARES WHAT TO KNOWThe term was popularized in 1993, when New York neurologist Michael Weintraub described five case reports of patients who developed symptoms following salon shampoo treatments.A recent review published this year in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine identified 54 documented cases of BPSS over nearly five decades, drawn from 22 studies. Among those, 42 cases started in beauty salons, eight in dental settings and four in other contexts.Most affected patients (roughly 80%) were women, with ages ranging from teenagers to seniors.A 2018 review in Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine stated that BPSS occurs when the neck is held in an extreme backward or twisted position during a wash or treatment, stretching or compressing the vertebral arteries that run along the spine to the brain.SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS COULD WARN OF MS MORE THAN A DECADE BEFORE DIAGNOSIS, STUDY FINDSIn rare instances, that posture can cause a tear in the artery wall, called a dissection, which may then form a clot and block blood flow to the brain.The same review describes how even minor structural issues, such as bone spurs (osteophytes) in the cervical vertebrae, can worsen compression and increase risk. In effect, a casual tilt of the head can briefly limit blood supply to key parts of the brain stem and cerebellum.Symptoms typically appear during or within several days of a triggering posture, according to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine review.Common warning signs include dizziness, vertigo, neck pain or visual disturbances. More serious cases may lead to weakness, numbness or speech difficulties.Diagnosis usually involves MRI or CT angiography to confirm arterial dissection. As with other stroke types, doctors often treat patients using antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs, though some require vascular stenting or surgery, experts say.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTERHealth researchers writing for the American Council on Science and Health in New York City emphasize that BPSS is highly uncommon and largely known from isolated case reports rather than population data.MORE IN HEALTH NEWSEven so, the Pro Beauty Association in Arizona advises stylists to provide neck support like rolled towels or cushions, and to allow clients to sit more upright during washes.Experts also recommend that clients speak up immediately if they feel neck strain or dizziness.

An Indiana man accused of stabbing a 69-year-old at a gas station has ignited outrage after records revealed a staggering criminal history nearly 100 prior arrests with little to show in the way of punishment.Courtney Boose, 41, was arrested after the alleged gas-station stabbing, according to the Lawrence Police Department and Fox 59, which reported that Boose has been arrested 99 times over the years on charges ranging from theft and trespassing to battery.Despite that record, court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show hes never served a day in state prison.BLUE CITY ERUPTS AS 91-TIME FELON TRIES TO DODGE PRISON, WEASLE INTO REHAB AFTER CRASHBooses long paper trail through Marion County courts paints a picture of a man repeatedly cycling through the system.Public filings list dozens of convictions and dismissals spanning more than two decades, mostly low-level felonies and misdemeanors such as theft, criminal trespass and panhandling. Even when convicted, Boose typically received short county-jail terms or time served.One 2019 case included a battery resulting in bodily injury charge, which was later dismissed in a plea deal, and a conviction for misdemeanor theft that earned Boose just two months behind bars.In 2020 and again in 2022, he pleaded guilty to felony trespass and was sentenced to county jail time already served, court records show.BLUE CITY CRIME CRISIS: REPEAT OFFENDER STRIKES AGAIN AFTER CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDERIndianapolis Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Rick Snyder blasted the situation as proof that repeat offenders are "being turned back onto the streets faster than officers can arrest them.""This is exactly what weve been warning about," Snyder said on "The Hammer and Nigel Show" on 91.3FM WIBC.Prosecutors recently downgraded Booses latest charge from attempted murder to aggravated battery, a level three felony, reducing potential prison exposure from up to 40 years to a maximum of 16. He is being held at the Marion County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Fox News Digital has reached out to Marion County for comment."Whats the number of times where somebody in a black robe says, 'You know what, I dont think this guy is getting it'?" Snyder asked.Critics argue Booses record highlights problematic "catch-and-release" justice, where habitual offenders face little deterrent. In deep-blue San Francisco, residents protested Troy McAlister's bid to swap prison time for a drug rehabilitation program just years after he allegedly plowed down two pedestrians."91 felonies, 2 deaths, No more chances," signs read outside San Franciscos Hall of Justice. "Judge Begert chooses politics over public safety. Justice NOW."The case of McAlister, 50, has long been a lightning rod of restorative justice reform, forcing elected officials to confront whether policies meant to show compassion to offenders put the public at risk.McAlister was on parole on Dec. 31, 2020, when he allegedly drove a stolen car while intoxicated, ran a red light, and killed Hanako Abe, 27, and Elizabeth Platt, 60."Troy McAlister has been charged with 91 felonies over the course of his multi-decades career here in San Francisco, and we don't think that someone should be given infinite chances to ultimately correct course," Scotty Jacobs, director ofBlueprint for a Better San Francisco, told KTVU-TV.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a new interview that he hopes his anti-censorship bill will receive bipartisan support after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was briefly suspended by ABC parent company Disney after remarks he made about Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin."Censorship is wrong, regardless of whos doing it," Cruz told The Wall Street Journal.Cruz stood out among Republicans by criticizing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr for threatening action against Kimmel last month after the liberal comedian's comments."Jimmy Kimmel has mocked me so many times," Cruz said during his podcast after Kimmel's suspension. "The corporate media they are dishonest. They are liars. I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was [suspended]. But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying, 'We don't like what you, the media, have said, we're going to ban you from the airwaves' that will end up bad for conservatives."JIMMY KIMMEL SUGGESTS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN WAS ONE OF THE MAGA GANG DESPITE REPORTS OF LEFTIST LEANINGS"Perhaps that poses an opportunity for us to work together in a bipartisan way," Cruz told the Journal.Cruz said he was willing to appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to discuss the proposal, though he told the paper he doesnt find Kimmel or other late-night hosts funny due to their frequent focus on President Donald Trump.The Texas senator jabbed at Kimmel during the interview, saying the host's ratings prior to his brief suspension meant his podcast was "kicking Kimmels a-- every week."JIMMY KIMMEL IN LATE-NIGHT RETURN SLAMS FCC CHAIR FOR FREE SPEECH PIVOT"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has seen its ratings drop significantly over the past decade. The program averaged 2.4 million viewers in 2015 and has trended downward since, with 2.2 million in 2016 and 2017, 2.1 million in 2018, 1.9 million in 2019 and 1.8 million in 2020. By 2021, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" managed only 1.5 million nightly viewers.Kimmels 2025 average viewership of 1.6 million is down 37% from 2015. The decline is even more severe among adults ages 25-54, the advertiser-coveted demographic.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" averaged nearly 1 million viewers in the key 25-54 demographic in 2015 but dropped to just 261,000 in 2025 a 72% decline over the decade.Kimmel's show saw a short-lived ratings bump following his return from suspension.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.

One of the proudest moments of my life was the first time I ever laced up my boots, put on my uniform and raised my right hand to swear my oath to the Constitution as a member of the Illinois Army National Guard.I cherished every day that I got to wake up and call myself a United States soldier. And it is precisely because I love our military so deeply that I refuse to let a five-time draft-dodging coward abuse it for his own gain and to our countrys detriment.At Quantico last week, President Donald Trump the same man who insists on rebranding the Pentagon as the "Department of War" told top military leaders that he wants to use American cities as "training grounds" for our troops. TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYS 200 TROOPS TO ILLINOIS FOR FEDERAL PROTECTION MISSION AMID PROTESTSLet that sink in: the commander in chief wants members of the Department of War to "train" against the same citizens they swear an oath to protect. Last month, he announced Chicago would "find out why its called the Department of WAR." And this week, hes making good on his threats: Trump has now forced hundreds of National Guardsmen into Chicago.For months, Trump has fabricated claims of chaos and crime on American streets to justify false claims that there is a "need" to deploy troops into our cities against local officials wishes. First to Los Angeles, then Washington, D.C. and he isnt stopping there, hes also attempting to deploy troops to Portland. Over the weekend, however, a federal judge that Trump appointed blocked his efforts to deploy troops there twice because, in his own handpicked appointees words, his claims about why they are needed were "untethered to facts."Another way to put that is that hes lying.In just the past week in Chicago, weve seen Trumps agents detain innocent Americans, deny citizens their right to legal representation, zip-tie children, arrest elected officials, ransack apartment buildings and injure journalists. And in recent weeks, theyve shot two people, leaving one a father of two young children dead,making dubious and unsubstantiated claims about why they felt the need to use lethal force.Its obvious what Trump is doing. Hes targeting and punishing the cities who dare push back against him the ones who are willing to call the president what he really is:a wannabe emperor with no clothes, no courage and certainly no moral compass.And while hes currently targeting blue cities with his lies,if these deployments are not stopped, there will be nothing to stop him or any future president from doing this to anyone, anywhere, for any made-up reason.PRITZKER SUES TRUMP TO BLOCK NATIONAL GUARD ACTION IN ILLINOISLets be clear: Ordering our troops to intimidate the very Americans they sacrifice every day to protect does nothing to make our nation safer.Policing Americans in their own communities is not the National Guards job. They cant make arrests, and theyre not adequately trained to carry out police duties in urban environments. These deployments are simply another unwarranted, unwanted and unjust move from Trump straight out of the Authoritarian 101 textbook, further jeopardizing civil rights while distracting our troops from executing their core mission of keeping our families safe from the actual adversaries who wish us harm.We know Trumps actions arent about "law and order."If this 34-time convicted felonactuallycared about law and order, he wouldnt flagrantly and seemingly gleefully refuse to coordinate with state and local officials. He wouldnt be taking our troops away from their training missions just to do his personal bidding, forcing our heroes to stand on the side of the street picking up trash instead of using their time preparing to protect our nation in case of future conflict.He wouldnt literally defund the police by freezing and slashing federal dollars that help hire, train and equip law enforcement.But he did. All of those things, instead of supporting and expanding proven violence and crime prevention strategies that prevent retaliatory escalation.PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP ORDERING 400 MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD TO ILLINOIS, OREGON AND OTHER LOCATIONSTrump is wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to terrorize law-abiding citizens and legal visa holders who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights.And hes diverting federal resources and agents away from operations that investigate drug cartels and gun traffickers, from missions that identify and disrupt terrorist plots and from actions that protect our families from cyber-attacks to do it.I drove past some of the National Guardsmen who have been mobilized on the way to work today. I felt for them.Because when they raised their right hands and took their oaths, they didnt do so to help a draft dodger dodge not just wars but his own personal scandals, too.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONThey signed up to defend Americans right to free speech not to intimidate Americans from that act of speaking out.They were willing to die to defend this country not to defend one mans ego.Los Angeles did not ask for this. Washington, D.C., did not ask for this. Portland did not ask for this. Chicago did not ask for this. Our servicemembers do not deserve this.And it is because I respect our military so deeply that I refuse to stay silent as it is disrespected and abused by a man who was never brave enough to serve himself.I cannot and will not let him keep giving our troops the middle finger taking them from their families and their missions, while eroding the hard-won trust and confidence theyve earned from the American public over generations.These days, I may no longer be wearing my Army uniform, but it still hangs proudly in my Senate office. Now, I spend a lot of my time seated under the great, beautiful Capitol Dome rather than beneath my Black Hawks main rotors.But my core mission is still the same as when I was in the National Guard: to keep America as strong and safe as she should be.If only Donald Trump cared about doing the same.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM SEN TAMMY DUCKWORTH

Sophie Cunningham said last week that she would likely not watch any of the WNBA Finals in order to distance herself from the "toxicity" of the league this past season. On Tuesday, theIndiana Fever guard confirmed she hadnt watched the first two games of the series.Cunningham was surprised to learn that the Las Vegas Aces had taken a 2-0 lead over her former team, the Phoenix Mercury, when discussing the Finals during the latest episode of her podcast,"Show Me Something.""Hell no. I havent watched a lick of theWNBA. I dont know whats going on. I talked to my teammates the day that we did exit interviews and all that. I need a cleanse. Im booking vacations," she said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"I really just do need a break from it. Good luck to whoevers going to win, I honestly dont care who wins this Finals. And I dont Ill be quiet. Im stopping myself."Last week, Cunningham indicated that she would likely not watch the Finals, citing the "drama-filled" season she and her Fever teammates had to endure."I dont even know if Im going to watch. Im over it. I need a break from the toxicity of the WNBA. Its been a drama-filled season for multiple reasons," she said. "Im drained."FEVER STAR SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM CONTINUES CONDEMNATION OF WNBA COMMISSIONER: CATHY, NO ONE CARESIn addition to the number of injuries that plagued the Fever, including Cunninghams own season-ending injury, the veteran guard was among the several WNBA players to publicly call out the league andCommissioner Cathy Engelbert over concerns about officiating and the ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations."Im just tired of our league. They need to step up and be better. Our leadership from top to bottom needs to be held accountable. I think there are a lot of people in positions of power in the WNBA, who they might be really great businesspeople, but they dont know s--- about basketball. And thats gotta change," Cunningham said during her exit interview last week."I think its pretty shameful that she always makes it about her, Cathy, when it should have nothing to do with her," she added about Engelbert.Despite her disappointment with the leadership in the league and officiating this past season, Cunningham spoke highly of her first season in Indiana."Our locker room was so close-knit and so fun and just so full of love that, like, Ive never been a part of a locker room like that, ever, and it was awesome. It was also the season from hell because of the injury bug, but through it all Im grateful. I think the relationship and the memories this team created is going to be one for a lifetime."Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Republicans have relentlessly blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for shutting down the government to appease the Democratic Party's progressive wing, as Zohran Mamdani maintains the lead in New York City's mayoral race and buzz swirls regarding Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's political ambition.As the government shutdown drags into its second week, the political blame game continued Wednesday. Republicans continue to rail against "Schumer's shutdown," while Schumer blames President Donald Trump and Republicans for shutting down the government."This shutdown is nothing more than political cover for Chuck Schumer and the Democrats," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Wednesday. "They are worried about the Marxist flank in the Democrat Party. The Marxists are about to elect a mayor in New York City. That's Chuck Schumer's state, and he's terrified that he's going to get a challenge from his far left."Axios reported last month that Ocasio-Cortez is gearing up to run for Schumer's Senate seat or for president in 2028, prompting Republicans to accuse Schumer of maintaining a red line on continuing resolution (CR) negotiations in order to appease his party's progressive wing.KENNEDY SAYS SCHUMER 'NERVOUS AS A PREGNANT NUN' AS SOCIALIST WING TIGHTENS GRIP AMID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNA continuing resolution (CR) is an extension of current federal funding levels aimed at giving lawmakers more time to hash out a longer-term deal on the next fiscal year's government spending.BLAME GAME: REPUBLICANS CLAIM SCHUMER FORCED SHUTDOWN 'BECAUSE HES TERRIFIED' OF AOC PRIMARY CHALLENGEWhile the House passed a Republican-backed CR, that bill has stalled in the Senate, having failed multiple times as Democrats continue to insist on pairing any CR with an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are poised to expire at the end of 2025.Republicans have accused Democrats of holding Americans and the government hostage over partisan demands, while Democrats warned that the GOP would be responsible for hiking healthcare costs for millions of Americans if the enhanced COVID-era subsidies are allowed to expire."Real lives of real people are being disrupted so that Chuck Schumer can show the far-left Marxists in his party that he's having some kind of tantrum and fighting Donald Trump because he's afraid of the far-left part of his political base," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Wednesday.And Johnson charged that Schumer is a "very far-left politician" but that he isn't "far enough left for the communists."Schumer, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has refused to endorse Mamdani, the self-described Democratic socialist who shocked the political establishment when he secured New York City's Democratic nomination for mayor in June.Mamdani's political success has exposed an ideological and generational rift within the Democratic Party following devastating losses up and down the ballot in 2024.Meanwhile, Republicans have pointed to Mamdani's success as proof of the party's far-left progression, with Trump labeling Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic" and, more recently, "My little communist."If elected next month, Mamdani, who easily secured endorsements from progressive champions, Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., plans to raise taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New York City voters to pay for campaign promises like free buses, rent freezes and city-run grocery stores.For his part, Mamdani said Trump and Republicans shut down the government "because theyre determined to strip healthcare from millions of Americans, to enrich the billionaires they serve, to continue the assault on our rights."Republicans have painted Schumer as the face of the government shutdown, but it wasn't long ago he faced opposition from those within his own party for voting to keep the government open.Ocasio-Cortez called Schumer's decision to vote in favor of the GOP-backed CR to avoid a government shutdown in March a "tremendous mistake."Flash forward several months, Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., blamed Schumer on Tuesday for shutting down the government "because he's scared of a primary challenge from AOC and a challenge to his position in Senate leadership.""Chuck Schumer has chosen to cower to the radical side of the Democratic Party instead of coming to the table with a solution," Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, also told reporters Tuesday.Despite Republicans blaming Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader continues to blame Trump and Republicans who he said "won't negotiate to address the health care crisis the American people are facing."Schumer, Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's comment requests.

Tensions erupted on Capitol Hill Wednesday as two members of the House of Representatives got into a screaming match on the eighth day of the 2025 government shutdown.Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., outside the latter's news conference over a bipartisan compromise on enhanced ObamaCare subsidies, a key flashpoint in the fight over federal funding.He also taunted Jeffries about whether he would endorse democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City which Jeffries did not answer."First of all, I don't answer to you. You don't even answer to yourself," Jeffries responded.SENATE STALLS ON SHUTDOWN VOTE AMID WARNING FURLOUGHED WORKERS MAY LOSE PAYThe heated exchange began with Lawler challenging Jeffries to sign onto bipartisan legislation extending COVID-19 pandemic-era enhancements to ObamaCare subsidies for one year.Those subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025 without congressional action, and Democrats have been demanding that the issue be addressed before they would agree on a federal funding bill to end the shutdown."We've got a one-year extension, why don't you sign on right now?" Lawler asked.Jeffries responded angrily, "Did you get permission from your boss? Did your boss Donald Trump give you permission?""He's not my boss," Lawler replied.The two men spoke over each other for nearly five minutes, both accusing the other's party of derailing the government."You're an embarrassment," Jeffries said, before confronting him for voting for President Donald Trump's massive policy bill, the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act."I voted for a tax cut bill that gave the largest tax cut to Americans in history including, by the way, the average New Yorker getting a $4,000 tax cut. Are you against that?" Lawler asked.Jeffries responded, "You're embarrassing yourself. The largest cut to Medicaid in American history you voted for that."The House Democratic leader pointed his finger into Lawler's chest, telling him, "You're not going to talk to me, and talk over me, because you don't want to hear what I have to say. So why don't you just keep your mouth shut?""Oh, is that the way to talk?" Lawler retorted.They continued debating the merits of the Republicans' policy bill, though Lawler repeatedly tried to ask Jeffries if he would sign onto the temporary ObamaCare extension.Jeffries then shifted the conversation to accusing House Republicans of remaining in their districts during the government shutdown something Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., urged them to do in order to keep the focus on D.C. on Senate Democrats refusing the GOP's funding bill.SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRM MORE THAN 100 TRUMP NOMINEES AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES"You wanted Republicans to be here, I'm here," Lawler said. "And by the way, you can pass an [Affordable Care Act] extension right now. Sign onto this bill."Jeffries asked, "Mike, is your boss Donald Trump behind it?"He argued it would take more Republicans than those signed onto the legislation to get it passed in the House as the fight further devolved into insults."Are you mathematically challenged, bro?" Jeffries asked.Lawler said, "No, I think you are. You have 215 Democrats."The fight came hours after Johnson confronted a pair of Senate Democrats outside his office who were demanding the Republican leader swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz.Senate Democrats rejected the GOP-led funding bill for the sixth time on Wednesday, all but guaranteeing the shutdown will extend into a ninth day.The House passed a bill to extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal funding levels through Nov. 21 to give lawmakers more time to create a longer-term deal for FY 2026 spending.But Democrats, furious at being sidelined in federal funding talks, have largely said they'll reject any deal that does not include an extension of the expiring ObamaCare subsidies.

Police in Santa Rosa are investigating the fatal shooting of a manager of a prominent San Francisco strip club who was found on a California roadway early Friday, Oct. 3.Shortly before 6:30 a.m., the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive man lying in the road near the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Officers found a deceased man with an apparent gunshot wound.The Sonoma County Coroners Office later identified the victim as Mark Calcagni, 60, a longtime Santa Rosa resident and a manager at the Condor Club. Authorities said Calcagni was found about 350 feet from his home.BLUE CITY FELON WITH VIOLENT HISTORY ARRESTED IN DEADLY TRAIN PLATFORM STABBING AFTER PAROLE RELEASE: REPORTPolice confirmed that no arrests have been made and no suspect or weapon has been located. While investigators say the public is not believed to be in immediate danger, the person or persons responsible remain at large.MAN ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MURDER AFTER WOMANS BODY FOUND AT REMOTE CALIFORNIA CAMPSITECalcagni was well known in San Franciscos nightlife scene, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, serving as general manager of the Condor Club a North Beach landmark often described as the nations first topless bar. He also managed Vanity San Francisco, another nearby adult entertainment venue.Wolfgang Welch, who recently took over management duties at Vanity, described Calcagni as a larger-than-life figure and a respected presence in the citys adult entertainment industry."He became one of the Mount Rushmores of Broadway," Welch told the Chronicle.ARMY VETERAN ARRESTED AFTER WEEK-LONG MANHUNT FOLLOWING DEADLY MONTANA BAR MASSACRE THAT KILLED 4 PEOPLEThe Condor Club confirmed the death of its general manager to Fox News Digital, expressing "profound sorrow and deep shock.""It is with profound sorrow and deep shock that we confirm the tragic death of our beloved general manager, Mark Calcagni," the statement read. "Mark was more than our manager he was the heartbeat of Condor Club and an integral figure in the North Beach and San Francisco nightlife community."The club said Calcagnis "dedication, leadership and passion over many years shaped who we are today," adding, "We feel the weight of loss not only within our organization but throughout the broader North Beach and San Francisco nightlife communities he helped shape and uplift."The SRPDs Violent Crimes Investigations Team, along with forensic technicians, spent several hours at the scene Friday collecting evidence. Investigators are now calling on the public to help piece together what happened.Detectives are especially interested in any surveillance or dashcam video that may have captured suspicious activity in the area around the time of the shooting.A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered by the Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Fund for information leading to an arrest.Anyone with details related to the case is urged to contact the SRPD tip line at (707) 543-3590.