作者： root

House votes to force release of records on sexual harassment settlements involving lawmakers

2026-06-30 5:57 PM ET / CNN

By Annie Grayer

Updated Jun 30, 2026, 6:27 PM ET

The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, on June 18.

Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution to force the disclosure of records on confidential sexual harassment settlements on behalf of members Congress.

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie forced the vote, saying that he believes documents and information already turned over to lawmakers was not sufficient. The measure was approved with 420 votes and one GOP lawmaker voting present.

The Republican-backed effort is the latest attempt from lawmakers to respond to calls for more accountability and transparency on Capitol Hill regarding sexual misconduct, a push that has been supported on both sides of the aisle.

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights was already compelled to turn over settlement documents to Congress following a subpoena from GOP Rep. Nancy Mace earlier this year. Mace was the one lawmaker to vote present on the measure, telling CNN it was no different from her previous work.

“I already did this,” Mace said. “I subpoenaed the files in oversight in March and released them in May. It’s already been done.”

Even though the documents revealed taxpayers paid over half a million dollars in confidential congressional sexual harassment settlements dating back decades, Massie believes there is more for the office to publicize.

“I just feel like there’s something missing,” Massie said ahead of the vote, adding that he wants the office to clarify whether there are more records that can be turned over. The resolution from the GOP lawmaker calls for both that office and the House Ethics Committee to turn over information.

“If somebody thinks what I’m doing is redundant, then it’s an easy yes vote,” Massie told CNN.

From January 1, 1996, through December 12, 2018, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights approved 349 awards or settlements “to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices,” its general counsel said in a letter sent to House Oversight Chair James Comer previously obtained by CNN. Eighty of those cases were settled by a House or Senate office for a host of reasons. From that subset, seven cases led to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment.

The payments referenced in the letter used taxpayer money from a Treasury account that no longer exists as an option for lawmakers.

Following policy changes made in 2018 in the wake of the #MeToo movement, members could no longer rely on taxpayer dollars for settlements.

The House Ethics Committee announced in a recent statement that since the enactment of the new law, “the Committee has not been notified of any awards or settlements relating to allegations of sexual harassment by a member.”

墨西哥加利福尼亚湾海域发生6.1级地震

2026年7月1日 07:31 / 联合早报

墨西哥加利福尼亚湾海域发生6.1级地震。截至目前，暂无人员伤亡和基础设施受损报告。

新华社报道，墨西哥国家地震局星期五（6月30日）发布消息说，地震在30日下午1时45分发生，震中位于加利福尼亚湾海域，距锡那罗亚州瓜萨韦市西南约116公里，震源深度5公里。

根据墨国家民防协调局消息，锡那罗亚州多地有明显震感，瓜萨韦市部分公共建筑进行了预防性疏散。

墨西哥海军部海啸预警中心说，30日的地震未引发明显海平面变化，不会对港口运营及沿海地区居民造成威胁，因此未发布海啸预警。

墨国家地震局说，截至30日下午3时，此次6.1级地震已引发10次余震，其中最大一次震级为4.9级。

Taylor Swift’s history with Madison Square Garden, from talent competition to wedding celebration

June 30, 2026 / 3:46 PM EDT / CBS News

Taylor Swift is not shy about her love for New York City, referencing it in several lyrics — from the obvious “Welcome to New York” on “1989” to more subtle references like “Your heartbeat on the High Line” in the song “Cardigan.”

And on her fourth studio album, “Red,” Swift alludes to Madison Square Garden, the venue where she and Travis Kelce plan to host multiple wedding events this week, sources say.

In “The Lucky One,” Swift sings about a star who ultimately chooses a quiet life over fame, using the iconic venue as a symbol for the limelight:

“They say you bought a bunch of land somewhere

>

Chose the rose garden over Madison Square

>

And it took some time, but I understand it now”

But Swift doesn’t appear to be making the same choice as the subject of “The Lucky One.” She and Kelce plan to have a rehearsal dinner Thursday and a bigger celebration Friday at Madison Square Garden, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the security planning for the events.

Beyond her lyrics, Swift has had a decadeslong history with Madison Square Garden, performing there as early as 2003 and even celebrating her 30th birthday at the venue.

Here’s a look at her ties to the venue:

Knicks halftime show

Madison Square Garden welcomed Swift to New York in 2003 when she took part in a talent competition during halftime at a Knicks game. Swift sang “Lucky You,” an unreleased original song.

“I performed at the Knicks’ — at Madison Square Garden’s — Kids Talent Competition at halftime when I was 12 or 13,” Swift told TIME in a 2014 interview. “And ever since then I’ve had this kind of sparkly, magical opinion of Madison Square Garden and the Knicks, since they let me sing when I was a little kid.”

“I love you, New York,” Swift yelled to the crowd during her performance.

Tour stops

Swift had concerts at Madison Square Garden during two of her tours: “Fearless” in 2009 and “Speak Now” in 2011.

The venue wasn’t part of her later tours, as she needed larger spaces.

Taylor Swift performs at Madison Square Garden during the “Speak Now World Tour” on Nov. 22, 2011, (left) and during the “Fearless Tour” on Aug. 27, 2009 (right). Larry Busacca/Getty Images / Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Swift also made an appearance during one of Ed Sheeran’s concerts at the venue in 2013. The duo sang their song “Everything Has Changed.”

Taylor Swift joins Ed Sheeran on stage at his show at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 1, 2013. Anna Webber/Getty Images for Atlantic Records

Jingle Ball

Swift has performed in five of iHeartRadio’s annual Jingle Ball events at Madison Square Garden. The concerts typically take place in early December. In 2019, the show fell on Dec. 13, Swift’s 30th birthday.

“I had a choice,” Swift said on stage, according to Variety. “Where would I want to spend my 30th birthday? The answer is: you’re looking at it. This is the first show of the 30th year of my life.”

Radio host Elvis Duran presented Swift with a giant cake featuring images of her cats to celebrate her birthday.

Taylor Swift and Elvis Duran pose onstage during iHeartRadio’s Z100 Jingle Ball 2019 at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 13, 2019, Swift’s 30th birthday. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Taylor Swift performs during Z100’s Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7, 2012. D Dipasupil/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Knicks games

On top of her performances, Swift has sat in “celebrity row” at multiple Knicks games over the years.

In the 2014 TIME interview, Swift described former Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire and his then-wife, Alexis, as “the most normal people” at the Met Gala the years she attended.

“I talk with them and hang with them every time I’m there. So I’ve always had this sort of love of the Knicks, just because Amar’e is so cool,” she said.

Swift most recently appeared courtside at Madison Square Garden during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, in which the Knicks had an historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs.

Este Haim, Taylor Swift, and Mariska Hargitay cheer during Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026. Al Bello / Getty Images

U.S. announces new bank alert targeting powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel

June 30, 2026 2:51 PM EDT / CBS/AP

U.S. Treasury announced a series of sanctions and a new bank alert targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico’s most powerful criminal enterprise.

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on two Mexican men and nine companies involved in transportation, financial services and real estate, accused of being tied to a cartel-linked fuel theft ring intended to evade Mexican taxes while generating tens of millions of dollars annually for the cartel.

Additionally, Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network arm issued an alert to financial institutions that point out red flags of fuel smuggling from the U.S. into Mexico in schemes involving Mexican tax evasion.

“Today’s action highlights the extent to which Mexico’s cartels are expanding beyond traditional drug trafficking to generate revenue for their criminal organizations, which continue to traffic deadly drugs that kill Americans,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has acknowledged the New Generation Cartel’s presence in 21 of Mexico’s 32 states, surpassing the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, which is estimated to operate in 19 states. Last year, President Trump designatedthe Jalisco New Generation Cartel and five other Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Mexican authorities have in recent years seized million gallons of stolen diesel, gasoline and petroleum distillates from states bordering Texas. Organized crime taps pipelines and diverts fuel to service stations forced to buy from cartels or sell it directly in the streets.

U.S. authorities have even accused the Jalisco New Generation cartel of operating its own service stations.

U.S. Treasury announced a series of sanctions and a new bank alert targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. U.S. Treasury

Last month, a U.S. federal grand expanded the charges against the cartel’s second-in-command, known as “The Gardener,” accusing him of methamphetamine trafficking and conspiracy to launder money. Mexican drug kingpin Audias Flores Silva wasarrested on April 27in the western state of Nayarit in an operation by Mexican Navy special forces based on information provided by U.S. agencies.

Flores Silva was seen as a possible successor to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or”El Mencho,” who was killed in a dramatic military operation in February. The killing of “El Mencho” led to asurge of cartel violencewith a wave of attacks on businesses by cartel gunmen, vehicle burnings and road blockades that killed more than 70 people, including 25 National Guard members.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding rumors fuel millions in bets on prediction markets

2026-06-30 12:56 EDT / CBS News

By Jo Ling Kent Senior Business and Technology Correspondent
Journalist Jo Ling Kent joined CBS News in July 2023 as the senior business and technology correspondent for CBS News. Kent has more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of technology and business in the U.S., as well as the emergence of China as a global economic power.

Read Full Bio

The wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce could be just days away, and even though there’s no official confirmation of it happening, people are still betting millions on it.

Prediction markets, which are often used to bet on sports and politics, are now seeing an influx of action from Swifties. More than $2 million has been bet just on where the couple will tie the knot.

“Prediction markets are filling this void in our society of turning every single thing into a gambling contract,” said Jonathan Cohen, the gambling policy lead at the American Institute for Boys and Men. “When celebrities get married, people want to gamble on celebrities getting married.”

According to Kalshi, New York leads the way for the couple’swedding location.

Last week, CBS News confirmed with New York City Hall that an application was filed for an event in or around Madison Square Garden on July 3.

On Monday, several trucks were spotted with equipment labeled “Garden Party” being loaded into MSG – sparking more speculation that Swift and Kelce may be hosting some type of celebration there.

Kalshi says the superstar wedding has already generated more than $4.5 million in wagers.

As of early Tuesday morning, Kelce’s brother, Jason Kelce, is the top pick for groomsman at 94%, according to Kalshi. Other picks include Swift’s brother, Austin Swift, and Kelce’s teammate, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. As for bridesmaids, Swift’s childhood best friend, Abigail Anderson Berard, holds the lead at 85%.

This year alone, Kalshi has already seen $600 million in trading on entertainment markets, which is double the amount from 2025.

The company has also seen the number of female traders double in the past year.

“You sort of need to, like, have the exit velocity to break out of this sort of male space and maybe, just maybe, a Taylor Swift wedding, an event so clearly sort of in the female fan wheelhouse, could be the way to do that,” Cohen said.

Less than 40% of U.S. households can afford a starter home, study finds

June 30, 2026 / 1:39 PM EDT / CBS News

By Megan Cerullo Reporter, MoneyWatch
Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

Read Full Bio

Buying a first home remains out of reach for many Americans, with fewer than 4 in 10 non-homeowner households able to afford a typical starter home, a new LendingTree analysis found.

A typical starter home costs $200,000, with LendingTree defining entry-level homes as owner-occupied properties valued at the 25th percentile of the housing market. The analysis found that only 38% of households that don’t already own a home could afford one.

Starter homes tend to be smaller and require more repairs or updates than higher-priced homes, but they often provide buyers with their first opportunity to build equity. Without access to entry-level homes, some Americans may be missing out on what is considered to be one of the biggest wealth-building opportunities.

Another recent study found that 242 cities across the U.S. now have starter homes that cost at least $1 million. The number of cities where entry-level properties cost at least seven figures has tripled since 2020, Zillow said earlier this month.

Incomes falling short

Non-homeowners need to earn just over $62,000 to afford a starter home. Still, their median salary is $55,000, leaving an income gap of more than $7,000, or about 13%, according to LendingTree’s analysis.

Overcoming that deficit can be difficult to impossible, according to LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz.

“It’s safe to say that most people don’t get raises of $7,099 each year,” he said in a statement. “That means that bridging that gap might require a side hustle, a second job or other sacrifices. That’s tough, however, especially with how many other demands people already have on their time.”

The gap is even larger in some states. In California, for example, the median non-homeowner household earns $72,900, or $67,776 less than the $140,676 needed to afford the average $482,000 starter home, according to LendingTree.

“For so many, it feels completely out of reach,” Schulz said. “It’s a shame because homeownership can be a powerful wealth-building tool and a real stabilizing force for families. However, the numbers involved are so daunting that many people don’t see a realistic way to get into the market.”

Where starter homes are more affordable

In Rhode Island, the nation’s least affordable state for prospective starter-home buyers, just 16.5% of households can afford an entry-level home. Utah and Hawaii ranked second and third.

Southern states, by contrast, offer a more affordable path to homeownership for households that rank it as a top priority.

In Mississippi, nearly 62% can afford a starter home, followed by West Virginia (58%), Arkansas (54%) and Alabama (54%).

Edited by Aimee Picchi

Texas Senate race is dead even, poll finds

June 30, 2026 at 12:06 p.m. EDT / The Washington Post

The survey suggests Democrats have a chance to win a statewide contest in Texas for the first time since the 1990s.

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, left, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. (Danielle Villasana/LM Otero/Getty Images)

By Scott Clement

Democrat James Talarico is tied with Republican Ken Paxton in Texas’s closely watched U.S. Senate election, according to a New York Times-Siena University poll released Tuesday.

The survey suggests President Donald Trump’s unpopularity and Paxton’s past controversies are giving Democrats a chance to win a statewide contest in Texas for the first time since the 1990s.

Overall, the poll finds 47 percent of likely voters support Paxton, the state’s attorney general, while 47 percent support Talarico, a state lawmaker who earned a master’s degree in theological studies. Another six percent are undecided.

Trump won Texas by 14 percentage points, but the Times-Siena poll finds 53 percent disapproving of his job performance today, with 57 percent disapproving of his handling of the war in Iran and 60 percent disapproving of his handling “the cost of living.”

Texas voters clearly prefer Talarico to Paxton on a personal level: 51 percent say he has “the right kind of moral values,” and 56 percent say he “has good character,” compared with 39 percent who praise Paxton’s moral values and 38 percent who say he has good character.

In 2023, Paxton was impeached by the Republican-controlled state House on multiple charges of abuse of office, while the state Senate acquitted him.

Yet there are other signs Texas may revert to its Republican leanings by November, with likely voters saying they prefer Republicans control the U.S. Senate by a 50 percent to 44 percent margin.

The Times-Siena poll was conducted June 19-27 among a random sample of 656 likely voters in Texas, with live callers administering surveys in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. Sign up for The 7 newsletter.

Consumers need protection from AI agents, lawmaker says

June 30, 2026 3:22 PM EDT / CBS News

By Megan Cerullo Reporter, MoneyWatch

As artificial intelligence spreads across the U.S. economy, Sen. Mark Warner wants to rein in AI agents, the autonomous bots that can complete tasks for consumers, such as booking trips and shopping online.

The Virginia Democrat is supporting a first-of-its-kind draft bill — the Artificial Intelligence Access, Gatekeeper Exchange and Nondiscriminatory Transfer, or AI Agent, Act — that proposes privacy and security measures that he said would protect consumers and businesses from potential risks of using AI.

“As agentic AI transforms how Americans interact with technology, consumers deserve a real choice in the marketplace – and AI agents must be accountable to the people they serve,” Warner said in a statement on Monday. “This discussion draft is a major step toward building a clear federal framework that promotes innovation, protects consumers and ensures the United States continues to lead the world in emerging technology.”

The AI Agent Act proposes establishing rights and responsibilities for AI agents that access large online platforms, while also ensuring they act in a user’s best interest. It would also create a Federal Trade Commission registry of trusted AI agents to ensure that consumers don’t hand over their personal information to a bot that could put it at risk.

“An AI agent that has access to a user’s most sensitive data and access rights – including email, e-commerce accounts and credit cards – must behave in fiduciary-like manner to protect users,” a draft summary of the proposal states.

The measure would also require AI agents to protect users’ privacy and any data they collect, to act “in a user’s best interest,” and to protect businesses from being exploited by unauthorized AI agents.

Warner is releasing the draft bill to solicit feedback from stakeholders and the public before formally introducing it, he said.

The use of AI-powered shopping assistants could account for up to $385 billion of U.S. e-commerce sales by 2030, according to Morgan Stanley.

Edited by Alain Sherter

Mamdani-backed socialist in hot seat again over deleted posts praising communism, Marxism: ‘Crazypants’

2026-06-30T13:49:48-04:00 / Fox News

The deleted Twitter account called Karl Marx a ‘must read’ and complained libraries lacked Marxist literature

By Andrew Mark Miller, Kiera McDonald Fox News

Published June 30, 2026 1:49pm EDT

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399821003112

NY socialist nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier under fire over Marxist tweets

Chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports Democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier is facing scrutiny over deleted tweets praising Marxism, forcing elite party leaders to duck accountability while modern moderates like Senator John Fetterman demand answers over the party’s hard-left turn.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Socialist New York congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier is facing criticism over a deleted social media account that featured posts where she expressed support for communism, Marxist principles, and reverence for Soviet figures.

Avila Chevalier, backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), operated the Twitter account Darializabonet until it was deleted in June 2022. The account, according to CNN, called Karl Marx a “must read”, complained that libraries didn’t provide enough Marxist literature, and quoted convicted cop killer Assata Shakur.

“I just cannot get over the fact that the universe has foisted upon us the perfect illustration of literally every failing of capitalism and people are still like we can’t be communists cuz there won’t be enough types of soup,” a post retweeted by Avila Chevalier said.

Avila Chevalier, who has already faced criticism over deleted posts calling to abolish the police and discussing wiping her hands on an American flag, was widely slammed by conservatives and moderates both online and on television over the new CNN report.

MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS

Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Our party has become an orgy of socialism,” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said during a Fox News appearance and also posted on X, “Will Democrats continue to defend Crazypants or pretend, ‘Oh, I wasn’t really paying attention?’”

“It cannot be overstated just how radical Darializa Avila Chevalier is,” UPenn student Eyal Yakoby posted on X.

“Funny, I was told repeatedly on live TV that socialism and communism are totally different and in no way, shape, or form are these Democratic Socialists the same as communists,” CNN political commentator Scott Jennings posted on X.

MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST PRIMARY WINNER FOUNDED GROUP WHOSE GOAL IS TO ‘ERADICATE’ WESTERN CIVILIZATION

Darializa Avila Chevalier, U.S. Democratic House candidate for New York, speaks at a Get Out The Vote rally at Kings Theater in Brooklyn, New York, on June 18, 2026.(Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“‘Democratic Socialist’ is to the Communist what ‘National Socialist’ was to the Nazi,” reality TV star and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X.

“The enemy is inside the gates,” Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana posted on X. “Socialism/communism have killed more people than every other -’ism’ combined. Add in radical Islamism and you have an apocalyptic combination.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399816617112

Sen John Fetterman breaks down Democratic Party divide amid socialist surge

“These people are the vanguard of an America-hating wave of progressive lunatics.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Avila Chevalier for comment.

Avila Chevalier, despite her history of anti-American rhetoric, defeated the incumbent Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York’s 13th Congressional District Democratic primary on Tuesday. She is widely expected to defeat her Republican opponent in November in one of the bluest cities in the United States.

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

Egg producers reach federal and state settlement over allegations of price-fixing

June 30, 2026 / 2:30 PM EDT / CBS News

The Department of Justice and more than a dozen states have reached a proposed settlement with three of the country’s leading egg producers to resolve claims that the companies colluded to manipulate egg prices.

The agreement comes after an investigation by federal antitrust enforcers and state attorneys general alleged that Cal-Maine Food, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch coordinated to artificially inflate daily egg price quotations between June 2022 and March 2025, leading to higher prices for retailers and consumers.

The companies provide eggs to grocery stores, restaurants and retailers across the U.S., according to the Justice Department.

“We are proud that these settlements will keep egg prices competitive and keep money in the hands of consumers across the country,” Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine of the Justice Department’s antitrust division said in a statement on Tuesday.

As part of the agreement, the companies will be required to provide a combined 53 million eggs to food banks and community organizations in states party to the settlement and pay the states $3.3 million, according to a June 29 complaint filed by the Justice Department and states.

The complaint accuses Cal-Maine, Hickman’s and Versova of conspiring to submit bids to influence egg price quotations, creating the impression there was a greater demand than there actually was. The daily quotations from Urner Barry, a market reporting company, serve as a benchmark for the egg industry, shaping what retailers pay for eggs nationwide, according to the suit.

“Every year, billions of eggs are sold with prices based on Urner Barry’s price quotations,” the Justice Department said in its statement.

Cal-Maine, a Mississippi company that bills itself as the nation’s largest egg producer and distributor, denied any wrongdoing in a statement, calling the allegations “baseless.”

Iowa-based Versova said it is “pleased the U.S. Department of Justice investigation has been resolved without any finding of or admission of wrongdoing.”

Arizona-based Hickman’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Justice Department said the settlement, which must still be approved in court, will deter the companies from communicating with competitors to influence egg prices.

The cost of eggs has been a pain point for American shoppers in recent years. Prices hit record highs last year amid an avian flu outbreak that decimated the country’s poultry flocks. A carton of large Grade A eggs now sells for an average of $2.19, down from $6.23 in March 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

In its statement, Cal-Maine cited bird flu and the COVID-19 pandemic as the main drivers of volatility in egg prices. Versova also pointed to the bird flu and said it was not responsible for setting prices.

“Egg farmers in the United States don’t set the wholesale price of eggs, which are a commodity product,” Versova said in a statement. “At Versova, most of our eggs are sold on grain-based contracts, which means the price our customers pay fluctuates based on the costs of grain inputs for hen feed.”