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Qdoba removes jalapenos from restaurants as CDC warns of salmonella outbreak in 27 states

August 5, 2026 / 7:38 PM EDT / CBS News

Restaurant chain Qdoba has followed Chipotle in removing jalapenos from its locations amid a salmonella outbreak that has affected at least 27 states, according to health officials.

The Mexican fast-casual restaurant said Wednesday it was cooperating with public health authorities as they investigate the outbreak linked to jalapeno peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico. The peppers were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to wholesale and restaurants, including Qdoba and Chipotle, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed jalapenos from all our restaurants at this time,” The San Diego-based Qdoba said in a statement. “We take any report involving guest health seriously and are committed to responding appropriately based on the facts and guidance from public health authorities.”

At least 345 people across 27 states have been sickened with the strain of Salmonella Javiana linked to the jalapenos, 36 of whom been hospitalized, the CDC said Thursday. No deaths have been reported.

The majority of cases are in Colorado and Minnesota, with each reporting at least 110. Other cases have been reported in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The CDC said the Food and Drug Administration was working to determine if the jalapenos went to grocery stores. The CDC urged consumers to check with the place of purchase to confirm the source of their jalapeno peppers.

Coast Citrus Distributors agreed to recall the remaining product implicated in the outbreak, the FDA said.

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On Tuesday, Chipotle announced it pulled jalapeños linked to the salmonella outbreak in Minnesota and said that it has replaced the peppers with product from another grower.

The Minnesota Department of Health said of the 84 Minnesotans interviewed as part of its investigation, 75 reported eating at Chipotle. The agency said the customers ate at the restaurant between June 14 and July 14, with most eating there between June 24 and July 2.

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within eight to 72 hours after exposure, according to the Mayo Clinic, which said most healthy people recover within days to a week without treatment.

Edited by Faris Tanyos

Aki Nace and Aimee Picchi contributed to this report.

Senate confirms new CDC director as diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak sweeps US

August 5, 2026 3:13pm EDT / Fox News

The party-line Senate vote to confirm Dr. Erica Schwartz comes as a Cyclospora outbreak from contaminated lettuce spreads across the country

By Alex Miller, Fox News

The Senate confirmed the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as viral outbreaks wreak havoc across the country, and as lawmakers worry whether they’ve found someone to stand up to President Donald Trump’s top health official.

The upper chamber confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the next CDC director on Wednesday along party lines. Her confirmation comes as a Cyclospora outbreak, commonly known as the diarrhea parasite, carves its way across the U.S. from contaminated lettuce.

Schwartz is the latest person to lead the agency during Trump’s second term in a position that has seen nearly a half dozen different names and faces helming the nation’s disease-fighting outfit.

CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK: IS IT STILL SAFE TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS? HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW

The Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control.(Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

She almost didn’t make the cut for a full confirmation vote.

Lawmakers on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee grilled Schwartz on whether she would actually stand up to the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his position on vaccines.

Notably, HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., who proved the decisive vote to confirm Kennedy last year, didn’t buy whether she would just take orders or make scientific and medically-based decisions.

TRUMP BLASTS SEN BILL CASSIDY AS ‘DISLOYAL DISASTER,’ PUSHES CHALLENGER JULIA LETLOW IN LOUISIANA GOP PRIMARY

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When pressed during her initial committee hearing whether she would buck orders that were politically motivated, Schwartz told Cassidy, “The Secretary will absolutely allow me to be CDC director.”

“I feel like I’m having to go after this question a little bit more firmly than I feel like I should,” Cassidy said. “You can be CDC director and just take orders. We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization.”

That changed, though, and Schwartz cleared her committee test. Cassidy, who has used his newfound freedom to test the waters against the administration after being ousted by a Trump-backed opponent in his primary, said that the agency “needs someone who understands that the way to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases is to reassure the public that vaccines are safe and effective.”

TRUMP SURGEON GENERAL PICK SPARKS BACKLASH, SPLITS MAHA MOVEMENT

A massive surge in Cyclospora cases means people may be mistaking this parasitic foodborne infection for a standard summer stomach bug.(iStock)

“I’m confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not,” he said.

Schwartz, who served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term, is not the first CDC director to be confirmed during this Congress.

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The first was Susan Monarez, who lasted only a month in the role.

Monarez received glowing praise from Trump during her confirmation process, but was swiftly booted from the position over what appeared to be a disagreement with Kennedy over vaccines.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

Blanche confirmation for Trump attorney general a ‘work in progress’ after defection

2026-08-05T17:28:43.304Z / Reuters

By David Morgan and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff

August 5, 2026 5:28 PM UTC Updated 2 hours ago

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche attends a press conference in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 5, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Todd Blanche, faced renewed uncertainty over his U.S. ​Senate confirmation on Wednesday after Republican Senator Susan Collins said ‌on Tuesday she would vote against him, leaving the former Trump personal lawyer with little margin for error.

With Republican Senator Mitch McConnell out indefinitely, Blanche ​can afford only one more Republican defection. Senators Bill Cassidy ​and Lisa Murkowski, who previously expressed reservations about his ⁠nomination, declined to comment on their vote on Wednesday. A small ​number of other senators have also expressed concern about Blanche’s nomination.

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Blanche, ​now serving as acting attorney general, persuaded Republican holdouts John Cornyn and Thom Tillis to support him by pledging in writing that Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was ​dead and that a related tax-immunity deal applied only to past ​tax returns. Both arose from a settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the ‌IRS.

Questions ⁠remain about whether the fund could later be revived and why the president deserves a deal from his own administration that could personally save him millions of dollars

Senate Republican Leader John Thune said ​he wants to confirm ​Blanche before ⁠the chamber leaves Washington for a month-long recess scheduled to begin this week. A vote could come ​in a matter of days.

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“We’re having conversations with ​folks, the ⁠small number of people who will be undecided in this, and I’m hopeful we’ll get there,” Thune told reporters on Wednesday. “But again, it’s ⁠a ​work in progress, and we’re not there ​yet.”

A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Dem drops US Senate bid, leaving independent candidate as lone challenger to incumbent GOP Sen Mike Rounds

August 5, 2026 2:19pm EDT / Fox News

Julian Beaudion said he will not support either of the remaining candidates

By Alex Nitzberg Fox News

Sen Mike Rounds reflects on Lindsey Graham’s impact, shares personal anecdotes

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., commemorates the life and legacy of his colleague Lindsey Graham, sharing personal anecdotes from their time together at the NATO summit.

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Julian Beaudion, the Democratic candidate who was challenging Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, announced he is dropping his election bid, a move that leaves independent candidate Brian Bengs going head-to-head against the incumbent lawmaker.

“As many of you know, we experienced a devastating house fire while continuing to navigate significant personal financial hardship,” Beaudion explained in part of a lengthy statement issued Tuesday. “Through it all, my wife, Inkka, and our daughters have shown incredible strength. They have sacrificed more than anyone should ever be asked to sacrifice for a campaign. Today, my first responsibility is to them.

“After the fire, an opponent and those associated with the opponent, hit my family and I with intimidating threats to drop out of this race,’ he said in the statement.

“Those attacks were personal and never about politics. The mental and physical safety of my family is my priority and for this reason alone, I step aside. This is a time for my family to heal and for South Dakota voters to choose a Senator. Not a time for me to talk of specific threats and attacks. But rest assured that time will come.”

GOP GOVERNOR SURVIVES CHALLENGE FROM BITCOIN EVANGELIST IN GUBERNATORIAL RUNOFF

U.S. Senate candidate Julian Beaudion speaks during the McGovern Day Dinner hosted by the Democratic Party June 5, 2026, at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls, S.D.(USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

Beaudion said he will not back either of the remaining candidates in the contest.

“Let me be clear, I will not be endorsing or supporting Brian Bengs in this race,” he noted. “Likewise, I cannot support Senator Mike Rounds.”

TRUMP ENDORSES GOP SENATOR YEARS AFTER ASSERTING ‘I WILL NEVER ENDORSE THIS JERK AGAIN’

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., during votes in the U.S. Capitol June 17, 2026.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Bengs, who ran for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in 2022 but lost to GOP Sen. John Thune, said in a post on X, “I commend Julian Beaudion’s patriotic decision to make this a two-person race and put South Dakota first. Now South Dakotans who want to vote against Washington’s cost-raising agenda and corruption can come together regardless of party. Let’s look forward to November and retiring Big Money Mike Rounds.”

South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Shane Merrill said in a statement, “Julian would have made an outstanding U.S. Senator for South Dakota.”

REPUBLICAN WHO REPORTEDLY DROPPED OUT DEFEATS TRUMP’S PICK IN KEY SWING-DISTRICT PRIMARY

U.S. Senate candidate Brian Bengs speaks during a Democratic rally Nov. 7, 2022, at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls.(USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

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“Every city, town, and reservation he’s visited, people truly felt like they were being heard. Julian is the kind of leader we need in Congress. He is fair, understanding and open minded. That is why he would have won in November. While I am saddened that he is leaving the race, I respect his decision to focus on his family. Thank you Julian for your dedication to the people of South Dakota,” Merrill noted.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

Exclusive: Grieving mom reveals deadly cost of illegal immigration as daughter’s killer seeks parole

2026-08-05 13:45 EDT / Fox News

Hailey King, 18, suffered fatal injuries when hit by a truck going 36 mph over the speed limit in Fayetteville, Arkansas

By Peter Pinedo Fox News

Published August 5, 2026 1:45pm EDT

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FIRST ON FOX: After her 18-year-old daughter, Hailey King, was run over by an illegal immigrant driving a truck 36 mph above the speed limit, Angel Mom Kathy Hall promised her dying daughter she was “never going to stop fighting for justice for her.”

In an interview obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital from advocacy group The American Border Story, Hall recounted her daughter’s grisly killing, which, she said, launched her crusade to make sure that no other parents and children undergo the same fate.

While riding a scooter with a friend in Fayetteville, Arkansas, King was hit from behind by a speeding truck driven by illegal alien Sergio Rodriguez. According to Hall, her daughter was on her way home for dinner. Upon impact, King was thrown onto the hood of the truck. Hall said Rodriguez continued driving, swerving into another lane and sending King headfirst onto the street. King suffered a brain stem hemorrhage, inner and outer cranial hemorrhages, a burst spleen and a lacerated liver. She died shortly after the Nov. 7, 2016, incident, leaving behind her 2-year-old daughter, Brooklyn.

Hall said Rodriguez was sentenced to 17 years in prison for manslaughter, battery and leaving the scene of a crime. After just one and a half years, Hall said she was notified that Rodriguez had become eligible for parole, forcing her to repeatedly relive her trauma each time she goes to court to testify against his release.

EXCLUSIVE: DHS HONORS ANGEL FAMILIES DURING NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS WEEK, CALLS CRIMES ‘COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE’

Hailey King (pictured) died at age 18 in November 2016 after she was ran over by illegal immigrant Sergio Rodriguez in a hit-and-run incident in Fayettville, Arkansas.(Courtesy of The American Border Story)

Hall said that authorities showed up at her door the night of the incident and told her, “You need to come with us to the hospital.”

She said they took her to her daughter’s hospital room where she found her “sitting up at a kind of an angle and her eyes were wide open. But she was like staring off into space.”

“I knew right when I looked at her that she was gone,” said Hall. “So, I sat down with her and talked to her and told her how much I love her. Told her I was never going to stop fighting for justice for her… and then her heart stopped.”

Besides King, Hall said that her daughter’s friend, Osmin “David” Gutierrez, was “trapped underneath the truck for over a mile” as the illegal immigrant continued driving. She said that “when sparks started happening, [Rodriguez] pulled into an apartment complex. And when he did, David’s torso was – his legs detached, [and he] was left in the driveway screaming for his life.”

“He was still conscious,” she said.

Gutierrez died two years later from a blood clot resulting from his lost legs.

FAMILY SHATTERED AFTER 3-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ALLEGEDLY BLEW THROUGH STOP SIGN, ROILING HOUSE RACE

Left: Hailey King and her siblings, left to right: Shawntay, Hailey, James and Nickolas. Right: Hailey, left, and her mother, Kathy Hall, right.(Courtesy of The American Border Story)

Despite her promise, Hall said getting justice for her daughter has been a “hard long road.” After the incident, Hall said Rodriguez “disappeared for three days” before police found him. When he was apprehended, Hall said Rodriguez was released on bond in less than an hour.

She believes that Rodriguez was “protected every step of the way” during the trial process while she and her family “were treated like we were the criminals when we’d go into court.”

Despite his immigration status, Hall said a decision was made not to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She said she was told that “if we would have informed ICE that he was here and he was illegal, that they would have just picked him up and taken him down to Texas and sent him back and he would have never had to deal with the death of [her] daughter.”

At the time, Hall said the family felt this “was kind of putting us in a rock and a hard place.”

“It’s so confusing to be there and say, ‘OK, do I want him to be deported right now or do I just want him to spend time either way and get him out?’” she said. “We had no idea, you know, a choice like that. What kind of decision do you make?”

‘SLAP ON THE WRIST’: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER’S SENTENCE IGNITES OUTRAGE AFTER CRASH KILLED 3

Angel Mother Kathy Hall looks on at the gravesite of her daughter Hailey King, who was killed in 2016 at age 18 by an illegal immigrant.(Courtesy of The American Border Story)

Due to parole hearings, Hall said that she and her family “have to relive this right now every two years.”

“As soon as the pain dulls a little bit, you have to go back through the whole thing preparing to try to keep him behind bars again,” she said. “My daughter, the only thing she did wrong that day was being on the back of a scooter coming home for dinner. She didn’t deserve this.”

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“She doesn’t deserve for her daughter to not know who she is and how much she loved her. She doesn’t deserve any of it, and she deserves to have the justice I promised to her as she was dying,” Hall continued, concluding, “I’ll never stop fighting; I’m going to do everything I can to keep my promise to her.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Fayetteville Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Washington County Circuit Court for comment.

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

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Schumer claims victory as Senate moves to avert shutdown; GOP says he got played

August 5, 2026 2:07pm EDT / Fox News

Senate takes major step toward avoiding shutdown as bipartisan deal holds

By Alex Miller Fox News

Tensions rise in Washington over a potential government shutdown by Oct. 1.

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The Senate quietly moved its solution to halt a government shutdown through another key step as the tenuous truce between Republicans and Democrats continues to hold.

In the midst of a hectic, albeit open-ended and uncertainty-laden schedule, the upper chamber advanced its continuing resolution (CR) unanimously on Wednesday.

While not the final vote, it’s a strong sign that neither side wants to thrust the federal government into uncertainty as the midterms near.

It marks a sharp departure from the shutdown politics of the last year and follows Senate Republicans’ hand-wringing for months that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would once again lead his caucus to the brink and shut the government down for political gain.

DEMOCRATS BLINK AS SCHUMER HELPS GOP CLEAR KEY SHUTDOWN HURDLE

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference after Senate Democratic policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., June 23, 2026.(Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

For now, that’s not happening.

And Schumer is saying that Democrats have wanted to keep the lights on in a bipartisan manner all along.

He contended that the CR, negotiated between the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, was a major victory for Democrats, particularly for its design to “stave off Trump’s disgraceful effort to withhold federal grants from vital projects.”

“I mean, what kind of country is this? You have two identical projects, one in a red state and one in a blue state funded the same way, same clean record,” Schumer said. “He cancels the blue state one and says the red state one is OK.”

TRUMP ADMIN PAUSING OVER $1B IN MEDICAID PAYMENTS TO MINNESOTA, CALIFORNIA OVER FRAUD, COMPLIANCE CONCERNS

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Trump administration are pushing for more control over federal grants, which critics like Schumer and others warn could be used as a political cudgel to dictate which states do and don’t get a flow of federal dollars.

If the CR passes and is signed by Trump, it will pause that rule change until Dec. 11, when the stopgap expires.

But Republicans say it’s not quite the victory Schumer thinks it is.

BOMB-THROWER DEM MAKES SHOCKING PROMISE TO KICK SCHUMER TO CURB DURING SENATE DEBATE

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., is urging the Senate to craft the SAVE America Act into a budget reconciliation bill passable by a simple majority instead of the 60-vote filibuster.(Anna Moneymaker/Pool/AFP)

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., countered that Schumer may think he won with the deal, but, in reality, it just delayed the inevitable for the White House’s plans for grant-funded projects.

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“I think he’s going to go back to his base and say, ‘I got the OMB rule killed,’” Kennedy said. “Well, he didn’t. I mean, I’ve talked to OMB Director Russ Vought, and the president this morning about that, and the rule can be ready by Dec. 11. So, no harm, no foul.”

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

US halts avocado export inspections in Mexico’s Michoacan over security alert

2026-08-05 19:42:43 UTC / Reuters

By Reuters

August 5, 2026 7:42 PM UTC Updated 26 mins ago

Crates filled with freshly-picked avocados sit at a plantation before being exported to the U.S., in Periban, Mexico January 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ivan Arias Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

MEXICO CITY, Aug 5 (Reuters) – The United States has suspended avocado export inspections in Mexico’s Michoacan state after a security alert on ​Wednesday, potentially delaying shipments from the country’s top producing region ‌to its biggest market.

Mexico’s avocado producers and packers association, APEAM, said in a statement that the U.S. government had temporarily halted activities in Michoacan, disrupting the ​work of USDA regulatory personnel who verify compliance with export ​requirements at authorized packinghouses.

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Those inspections are required for avocados destined ⁠for the United States, meaning any prolonged suspension could slow or ​temporarily halt shipments from Michoacan, a key supplier to the U.S. ​market.

Mexico is on track to ship roughly 1.2 million metric tons of avocados to the United States in 2026, as strong demand from its top export market ​helps drive total Mexican avocado exports to a record 1.31 million ​metric tons, according to USDA data.

The United States accounts for nearly 90% of Mexico’s ‌avocado ⁠exports by volume, making it by far the country’s largest foreign market.

APEAM said only fruit received on Tuesday in the presence of a USDA official could be processed for now. Fruit received or unloaded on ​Wednesday could be ​unloaded but ⁠not processed, it said, and no export shipments were authorized during the day.

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Michoacan Governor Alfredo Ramirez said state ​officials were in contact with the U.S. embassy ​and working ⁠with U.S. and Mexican security authorities to restore operations as soon as possible.

He said the suspension was a preventive step by the U.S. government ⁠to ​protect its employees.

Similar disruptions to inspections occurred ​in 2022 and 2024 due to security concerns, opens new tab. Michoacan has long struggled with organized crime and ​gang violence.

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Newborn “cocaine hippo” linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar is rescued in Colombia

August 5, 2026 / 1:25 PM EDT / CBS/AFP

Authorities in northwestern Colombia said they rescued a newborn hippopotamus found alone by fishermen on the banks of a river and showing signs of malnutrition.

Colombia has around 200 so-called “cocaine hippos” living in the wild, according to the Environment Ministry, all of which descended from a colony brought to South America by slain cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar.

Fishermen found the small hippo separated from its mother and hidden in the bushes along the riverbank in a rural area of the Puerto Nare municipality in Antioquia, said Javier Valencia, director of the regional environmental authority, in a statement on Tuesday.

Veterinarians treated it for “advanced dehydration and malnutrition,” according to a statement.

After being stabilized, the animal was transferred to a hippo sanctuary at Hacienda Napoles, the estate previously owned by Escobar and which is now a theme park.

Authorities in northwestern Colombia said they rescued a baby hippopotamus found alone by fishermen on the banks of a river and showing signs of malnutrition. Colombia government

Escobar imported four hippos in the 1980s for his private zoo at the hacienda.

After the Medellin cartel leader’s death in 1993, the animals escaped and settled along the banks of the Magdalena River, where they have disrupted the ecosystem and even attacked local residents.

Independent journalist Audrey Huse, who has lived in Colombia for years, previously told CBS News that because the hippos roam freely, they end up killing fish and threatening endemic species like manatees, otters and turtles.

“Because they have no natural predators here, as they would in Africa, the population is booming and it’s affecting the local ecosystem,” Huse said. “Because they are such large animals, they consume considerable amounts of grassland and produce significant waste, which then poisons the rivers.”

They are now considered an invasive species and are destabilizing native ecosystems, prompting the government this year to approve a plan to cull around 80 of them after attempts to curb their reproduction through sterilization failed.

The government previously arranged for the possible transfer of hippos to overseas sanctuaries. But the cost of deporting the hippos is also expensive — an estimated$3.5 million.

It is the largest hippo colony outside Africa.

Controversial socialist chef flip-flops on abolish the police, says she’s ‘serious about public safety’

Hong previously asserted police ‘exist to uphold white supremacy’ and said ‘I support defunding the police’

August 5, 2026 1:00pm EDT / Fox News

By Peter Pinedo Fox News

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong defends her past controversial social media posts during an interview on ‘America’s Newsroom.’ Dana Perino grills the Democratic socialist candidate on her calls to defund the police, abolish the Senate, and eliminate ICE. Hong argues the comments require context and emphasizes her commitment to supporting working-class families across Wisconsin.

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Controversial chef and democratic socialist candidate Francesca Hong has reversed her position on defunding and abolishing the police, saying in a recent podcast interview that she has become “serious about public safety.”

Hong is a Wisconsin Democratic lawmaker perhaps best known for her 2020 call to “cancel Thanksgiving” because of its colonial history. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and a leading Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor.

In an episode of “Pod Save America” released on Tuesday, Hong was asked about her 2020 tweets in which she wrote that “police exist to uphold white supremacy” and “I support defunding the police as a first step towards abolishing the police.” The podcast host asked her, “I’m wondering how your views on policing have evolved since 2020?”

In response, Hong said, “My views have only become stronger in that I’m serious about public safety and I will not abolish the police.”

SOCIALIST FRANCESCA HONG STRUGGLES TO EXPLAIN CALL TO ‘CANCEL THANKSGIVING’ AS POST RESURFACES

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong listens to Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speak before being introduced during a campaign rally on Aug. 2, 2026, in Milwaukee. Hong, a democratic socialist in the state legislature, has seen an uptick in recent poll numbers.(Joshua Lott/Getty Images)

“My views are that people are struggling right now and need basic needs met, and I want to focus on stopping violent crime and giving law enforcement the resources and the training that they need, but ensure we are also holding accountable law enforcement that does not follow the law,” she added.

Pressed on whether she still believes police exist to uphold White supremacy, Hong answered quickly, “No.”

Hong was then asked, “What has changed in your thinking since you posted that in 2020?”

She answered, “I’ve had more conversations with people who are more directly connected to the problems and have learned that it is most important for a public servant like myself to make sure we’re looking at sensible, practical solutions that will help keep communities safe.”

LEFT’S LATEST SOCIALIST DARLING DRAGGED OVER ‘WHITENESS’ COMMENTS PULLING IN HER OWN FAMILY: ‘WEIRDO RACISM’

Rep. Ilhan Omar and influencer and left-wing political commentator Hasan Piker stand with Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong during a campaign rally for Hong on Aug. 2, 2026.(Joshua Lott/Getty Images)

“When you talk to people who are most justice impacted, a mother who lost a child to police violence, people who have contended with injustices in historically marginalized communities, but just also looks like making sure we are implementing solutions and helping change the material conditions of people’s lives,” she said.

During the interview, Hong also characterized her previous statement fantasizing about a “world without prisons” as “more aspirational.”

Critics have argued that Hong has a history of expressing controversial progressive takes, with former X posts resurfacing in recent weeks.

In 2019, she wrote, “I ate two bites of my kid’s cheeseburger at a Culver’s in black river falls and told him they ran out of ice cream. Mostly just wanted to leave bc I was on the verge of a anxiety attack… to many old white people who didn’t think we spoke English.”

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong.(Matthew Ludak for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

In another since-deleted post, Hong wrote, “Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621. If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women, so be it.”

In a recent CNN appearance, Hong was asked, “Do you still believe that Thanksgiving should be canceled?”

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“I’m a chef, and one of the first meals that I made that was for the community when I was 16 years old was a Thanksgiving meal,” Hong responded. “But Thanksgiving is also a time that’s incredibly painful for many people in our communities. And so, I think there, I wanted to make sure that people understood that there are multiple views, but views can evolve.”

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US Justice Department raises antitrust concerns over proxy advisers

2026-08-05 17:08:35 UTC / Reuters

By Jody Godoy

August 5, 2026 5:08 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Shadows are cast on a sign at the Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 23, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Aug 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday rescinded decades-old guidance to a shareholder proxy advisory business, ​citing significant antitrust concerns over consolidation in the industry.

U.S. ‌President Donald Trump has called for an antitrust probe of proxy advisers Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass, Lewis & Co, which help mutual fund companies and other ​big institutional investors decide how to vote at corporate ​elections. The two companies dominate the market for proxy advisory ⁠services.

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The DOJ announced it withdrew a 1987 letter telling ​ISS that its business model of advising investors on corporate governance ​and shareholder votes did not raise antitrust concerns at the time.

A spokesperson for ISS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

ISS, which ​was founded in 1985, had sought an opinion from the ​DOJ on whether its business model followed antitrust law. ISS said it would ‌advise ⁠pension funds and other investors on corporate governance, the DOJ said.

ISS had said it would not “provide advice or engage in discussions with respect to the corporate operations or business activities, such ​as the purchase, ​production or ⁠sale of goods or services, of any company,” the DOJ said.

That statement is no longer true, ​the DOJ said as ISS now advises companies, ​not just ⁠their shareholders, on executive pay and corporate governance.

The advisers have long been under fire from conservative groups and Republican political leaders over their ⁠power ​to guide large swaths of the market, ​and their expressions of support for environmental, social and governance proposals.

Reporting by Jody ​Godoy in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Cynthia Osterman

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