Democrats around the country, including California&#8217;s Gavin Newson, are up in arms over spikes in gas prices caused by President Donald Trump&#8217;s war against Iran. 
Missing in their condemnations is any acknowledgement that nobody is better at spiking gas prices than Democrats.
An analysis of AAA gasoline prices found that drivers in states led by Democrats are paying an average of 41 cents more than drivers in Republican states. Blue states currently average about $4.78 per gallon while red states average $4.37 per gallon
Drivers are hit by the blue-state premium regardless of whether the United States is at war with Iran or not. 
States such as California, Washington, Oregon, and New York have implemented various carbon pricing systems, low-carbon fuel standards, emissions mandates, or cap-and-trade programs that place additional costs on fuel producers and refiners. 
Consumers in those states often see those carbon emission fees reflected at the gas pump as producers pass the costs on alongside already high state taxes. California charges a $0.70 tax per gallon of tax, Illinois $0.66, Washington $0.59 with the rest trailing from there with a majority of these states having automatic increases for inflation. 
Leading the pack is California, where gas is currently $6.14 per gallon. The price is driven up by massive taxes, and costly green initiatives that make high gas prices inescapable for drivers.
Economist Severin Borenstein of UC Berkeley&#8217;s Haas School of Business Energy Institute <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/california-gas-tax/3862685/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a> that California&#8217;s gas is over a $1.50 higher than the national average “due to the higher taxes we have, the environmental fees we have and that we use a cleaner burning gasoline.”
California law requires that the only fuel allowed is California Reformulated Gasoline, a highly regulated gasoline blend that is more expensive.
Yet Newsom has used the increase caused by unrest in the Middle East as a political cudgel against Trump. Earlier this year he said that the “average price of gas is up 50 cents nationally since Trump launched his war with Iran — the fastest spike at the pump in years.” 
“No amount of spin from Trump and his lackeys can cover up the fact that Americans shelled out an extra $1.5 billion for gas this past week because of his disastrous war with Iran,” Newsom said.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray, who represents Washington, home of the second-highest gas prices in the country, <a href="https://x.com/PattyMurray/status/2047764846876262883">said</a> last month, &#8220;Gas prices and energy prices are surging. Trump wants to totally defund programs that help drive down costs.&#8221;
She added that the Trump administration has blamed Joe Biden’s clean energy policies for causing price increases, saying, “I guess I missed the part where Joe Biden declared war on Iran.”
Washington has a 55 cent tax on every single gallon of gas, and also has strict mandates for special blends of fuel that are more expensive.
When it comes to energy prices, Democrats regularly fight against initiatives that would make things cheaper for consumers.
New York&#8217;s Kathy Hochul, for example, blocked a new pipeline from being built that would dramatically reduce costs for energy in her state.
The American Energy Alliance says &#8220;residents are stuck with higher natural gas prices due to having to import natural gas from overseas as a result of regulatory restrictions preventing the construction of much-needed pipeline infrastructure.”
Hochul was backed by liberals in the U.S. Congress, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Their statement lists concerns about &#8220;environmental justice,&#8221; &#8220;climate goals,&#8221; and &#8220;marine ecosystems,&#8221; without mentioning cost of living.
“This project, which would bury 17 miles of fracked gas pipeline under the ocean floor in ecologically sensitive waters near Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula, poses significant and far-reaching implications for public health, environmental justice communities, climate goals and marine ecosystems,” they <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/nyregion/house-democrats-hochul-gas-pipeline-nyc.html">said</a>. 
Yet Hochul and other top Democrats in New York are slamming Trump for the Iran war.
&#8220;War with Iran and tariffs are driving up gas prices across the state,&#8221; Hochul said. “ New Yorkers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the mess Washington Republicans created.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) similarly <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2054235351665775040">argued</a> last week that “Americans are paying over $4.50 a gallon for gas because Trump refuses to end this war.&#8221;

Inflation Resurgence Squeezes US Voters As Prices Rise

Why Blue States Always Pay More For Gas

California

Democrats

Donald Trump

Gas Prices

Gavin Newsom

Kathy Hochul

New York

Thousands of Long Island Rail Road workers walked off the job Saturday morning, marking the end to failed negotiations and the start of a strike that could derail the nation&#8217;s busiest commuter rail system.
Five unions representing half the LIRR&#8217;s workforce — about 3,500 people in all — <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/nyregion/lirr-strike.html">began the strike</a> at midnight, the first in 32 years. The walkout comes after three years of failed negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that controls commuter rail lines and the New York City subway system.
As of Saturday morning, the LIRR — which serves around 300,000 passengers a day — is <a href="https://www.mta.info/article/lirr-strike-may-2026">shut down.</a> The MTA&#8217;s website encourages riders to work from home, noting that the strike &#8220;will cause severe congestion and delays&#8221; and &#8220;have a devastating impact&#8221; on riders, many of whom use the railroad to commute to work in Manhattan.
Unions and the MTA failed to come to an agreement on annual raises and healthcare premiums for workers. The unions requested a retroactive 9.5% pay increase to cover the past three years, on top of a 5% increase for 2026. MTA chief Janno Lieber told the New York Times that the agency was willing to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/nyregion/lirr-strike.html">increase pay</a> for LIRR workers, but that union leaders refused its offer, pushing instead for concessions Lieber says would &#8220;implode&#8221; the agency&#8217;s budget.
Union leaders say that LIRR workers have not received a raise since 2022 and are grossly underpaid. But these union members made $136,000 on average in 2025, making them some of the highest-paid rail workers in the country.
<div id="attachment_1096597" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1096597" class="size-large wp-image-1096597" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2275969310-865x576.jpg" alt="" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2275969310-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2275969310-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2275969310-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2275969310.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
The Trump administration reportedly attempted to broker an <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lirr-new-york-commuter-rail-strike-union-a9b20b5de53a944c9da4263d289a845f">11th-hour compromise</a>, to no avail. The Department of Labor has been without a leader for around a month following <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-exits-after-misconduct-probe">scandal-ridden</a> Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer&#8217;s departure.
The Labor Department has yet to comment on the strike. Union leaders, meanwhile, are trumpeting the strike with characteristic bravado.
“The LIRR owns this strike,&#8221; Teamsters President Sean O&#8217;Brien said in a statement. &#8220;Union workers have sacrificed so much for the railroad for years while consistently bargaining in good faith for a fair contract.&#8221;
&#8220;Hundreds of thousands of commuters rely on our members’ labor every day,&#8221; O&#8217;Brien added. &#8220;The LIRR is stranding passengers while denying wages, benefits, and respect to &#8230; hardworking union members.&#8221;
“This strike would not have happened if the MTA and LIRR offered our members the reasonable terms the government recommended multiple times. But management refused,” Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen President Mark Wallace said Saturday. “We hope LIRR gets serious soon to avoid further unnecessary disruptions for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. They know where to find us when they’re ready: on the streets.”
“The L.I.R.R. is more stable now than it has been for generations,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “The decision by some unions to strike over demands that would threaten that progress is reckless.”
Hochul&#8217;s bête noire, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, posted on X late Friday that he was &#8220;continuing to closely monitor the ongoing contract negotiations involving the LIRR.&#8221;
The MTA will begin operating free shuttle buses to make up for the strike on Monday, though the agency warns that the buses are not enough to make up for the railroad. The New York Yankees are set to face the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, an event that would ordinarily generate heavy railroad traffic.
On Friday, the New York State Comptroller&#8217;s Office said that the shutdown could cost the New York metro area <a href="https://www.osc.ny.gov/press/releases/2026/05/dinapoli-estimates-lirr-strike-could-cost-61-million-daily-lost-economic-activity">$61 million a day</a> in lost economic activity. That number could increase if the strike stretches into Memorial Day weekend.

Long Island Rail Workers Strike In First Walkout Since 1994

Thousands Stranded As Union Strike Shuts Down Nation’s Busiest Railroad

Railroads

Unions

Zohran Mamdani

Governor Kathy Hochul&#8217;s (D-NY) attempts to paint herself as more moderate — ahead of November&#8217;s election — have hit a roadblock in the form of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s socialist policies.
After months of negotiations, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has agreed to hand Mamdani $4 billion in an effort to plug a $5.4 billion budget gap partly created by his costly campaign promises.
Hochul sourced the money from $2.2 billion in pension restructuring, $508 million from delaying smaller class sizes in public schools, $202 million offsetting recurring spending obligations, $150 million in additional state aid, and $361 million from actions not yet announced.
&#8220;I see this as a win,&#8221; Mamdani said. &#8220;A win to ensure that the city is back on firm financial footing. It&#8217;s doing so by taxing the rich and by creating a fair relationship with Albany.&#8221;
Hochul, up for reelection this year, previously told voters she would not raise taxes. And while she has not raised income taxes, she and Mamdani co-created a pied-à-terre tax — an additional tax for non-state residents with a second home worth more than $5 million in New York City — which is projected to bring in $500 million and will make up part of the $4 billion Hochul promised to Mamdani.
&#8220;This is what a results-driven, responsible partnership looks like,&#8221; Hochul said, adding that she&#8217;s &#8220;proud to work with Mayor Mamdani to deliver for working New Yorkers.”
Presenting his 2027 fiscal budget, Mamdani said, “This executive budget represents far more than a collection of numbers and investments. It is evidence of a new era of government in our city. One that can balance both ambition and fiscal responsibility. One that can invest in housing, childcare, libraries, parks, schools, and climate resiliency. One that refuses to kick structural challenges down the road for someone else to have to solve later.&#8221;
Mamdani attributes his budget shortfall to former Mayor Eric Adams’ underfunding of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdanis-127b-budget-plan-relies-on-property-tax-increases-and-raiding-rainy-day-fund">$7.54 billion</a> in areas such as cash assistance, rental assistance, shelter, and due process cases.
The new mayor has also implemented expensive programs such as free childcare for children ages two to four. The mayor had to backtrack on his promise for free buses due to a lack of funding.
Mamdani did not explain how coming up billions of dollars short in his proposed budget amounted to &#8220;fiscal responsibility,&#8221; nor did he acknowledge that pulling the additional $4 billion dollars for New York City would kick a number of structural challenges down the road for New York state. In 2025, the state faced a $34.3 billion cumulative budget gap through fiscal year 2029, but unlike New York City, the state is not mandated by law to balance its books.
New York City has been required to balance its budget since the 1970s, when lawmakers passed the Financial Emergency Act in September 1975. The measure aimed to avert default and bankruptcy after the city spent years financing daily operations with short-term borrowing. New York State currently has the <a href="https://reason.org/transparency-project/gov-finance-2025/state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second-highest</a> state debt, with over $233 billion.

US-MAMDANI-FISCAL-BUDGET

‘Moderate’ Governor Caves To Mamdani’s $4 Billion Demands

Are New York bagels and pizza about to deflate?
A new bill moving through Albany could change how some of the state&#8217;s most iconic foods are made, but supporters say the impact on quality will be insignificant.
The proposed legislation, called the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, would ban potassium bromate, a flour additive often used to improve dough texture, which has been linked to cancer in some studies. The bill cleared both the state Assembly and Senate in late April and now heads to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul&#8217;s desk.    
“While the use of food additives to enhance the shelf life, taste, or texture of various commercial food products is nothing new, the science behind the health effects of increased consumption of such additives is shedding new light on just how dangerous some of them can be,” the bill memo says, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/06/us-news/new-york-could-ban-common-ingredient-found-in-pizza-and-bagels-over-health-concerns/">per</a> The New York Post. “This legislation protects New Yorkers from three of the most pervasive and harmful food additives.”
State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D), one of the bill’s sponsors, <a href="https://people.com/new-york-senate-passes-bill-to-ban-potassium-bromate-11967407">told</a> People it addresses gaps in federal oversight.
 “Our federal food safety system has major gaps that expose people to unnecessary health risks when they eat food in our country,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I love New York pizza in particular, but the Italians seem to be doing just fine making pizza for the last more than three decades now without potassium bromate.&#8221; 
&#8220;The retailers and restaurants will have plenty of time to use up their stock of flour and get alternatives,&#8221; he added. The outlet noted that small businesses have three years to comply once the proposal becomes law.
&#8220;This is not gonna harm any retailer. It&#8217;s not gonna harm anybody who wants a good bagel,&#8221; Kavanagh added. &#8220;We don&#8217;t think this is gonna have any meaningful effect on people&#8217;s ability to make food they wanna make or buy food they wanna buy, and we don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s gonna have any meaningful effect at all on the affordability of food.&#8221;
Another co-sponsor of the bipartisan bill insisted that the measure would not affect the quality of the food.
“Any substance that is linked to cancer has no place in our food, period,” State Sen. Cordell Cleare (D) said. “Other countries have banned potassium bromate without any diminution in the quality of flour-based products and the same will happen in New York.”
If signed into law, the bill would also force companies to disclose all ingredients, including listing any that qualify as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) food ingredients. Kavanagh said the bill would remove &#8220;secrecy around chemicals that are added to our food,” adding that greater transparency will help consumers make more informed choices. 
The proposal is similar to efforts in California and aligns more closely with regulations already in place in the European Union.

pizza

A Major Pizza And Bagel Ingredient Could Soon Be Banned

Food

Pizza

An aide for New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, a New York City council member, and a retired NYPD sergeant are all tied to a federal bribery investigation involving migrant shelter contracts, according to the Associated Press.
Edouardo St. Fort, a former NYPD sergeant, was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/farah-debbie-louis-edouardo-st-fort-bribery-c8037a7eb9f332b8a35e9cd05a59d119">arrested</a> in Massachusetts Tuesday. Prosecutors allege he was involved in a scheme connected to contracts awarded to provide services at the shelters.
Three others were arrested as part of the probe, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/farah-debbie-louis-edouardo-st-fort-bribery-c8037a7eb9f332b8a35e9cd05a59d119" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the AP.
A March 19 search warrant also names Council Member Farah Louis, a Democrat representing part of Brooklyn; her sister, Debbie Louis, who serves as Hochul’s assistant secretary of New York City intergovernmental affairs; and Edu Hermelyn, the husband of state Assemblyman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who is also chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
The sisters were not among the arrested, the AP reported.
Authorities are seeking information on whether the accused received improper payments tied to contracts issued to BHRAGS Home Care Inc., the AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/farah-louis-debbie-louis-edu-hermelyn-brooklyn-democratic-73fdb7398a718efbadd5e0a9c0b4f519" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Monday. The nonprofit group expanded its services to include emergency migrant shelters in 2022 and subsequently received more than a dozen contracts. St. Fort&#8217;s company, Fort NYC Security, provided security at the shelters as a subcontractor for BHRAGS and another nonprofit serving the city&#8217;s homeless population, Bronx Family Network Inc.
Five of the six contracts handed to St. Fort&#8217;s company were issued on an emergency basis, allowing the city to bypass competitive bidding requirements, the AP reported.
Debbie Louis was placed on leave last week after Hochul got wind of the probe, a spokesperson for the governor said. Sources <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/30/us-news/federal-prosecutors-investigating-nyc-council-member-hochul-aide-for-taking-bribes-to-help-migrant-shelter-provider/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post that the probe does not involve Louis&#8217; role in the governor&#8217;s office or state funds.
St. Fort has been indicted on charges including conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, and violating a law prohibiting interstate travel for unlawful activities, according to the AP.
New York City was hit with an influx of more than 200,000 migrants during the Biden administration as millions were ushered across the southern border and released en masse. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott bused some of the migrants to New York in an effort to put pressure on sanctuary cities and draw attention to their policies. As a result, the city was forced to scramble to find housing for the newly arrived migrants, flipping hotels into shelters and erecting a tent facility on Randall’s Island to accommodate the influx.

New York City Honors Juneteenth Holiday

Bribery Probe Hits Dem Governor’s Inner Circle Over Migrant Shelter Deals

Immigration

New York Governor Kathy Hochul took to a fireside chat this week to essentially beg the wealthy &#8220;captives&#8221; she’s already chased away to come back and fund her socialist fever dreams.
Sitting down with Nick Reisman at the Politico New York Agenda summit, Hochul finally <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-hochul-participates-fireside-chat-politico-summit?utm_source=chatgpt.com">admitted</a> what conservatives have been saying for years: high taxes actually drive people away.
Imagine that.
After years of treating the state’s high-net-worth residents like an ATM with an infinite balance, Hochul is suddenly &#8220;conscious of the fact that I need people who are high-net-worth to support the generous social programs that we want to have in our state &#8230; cut me the checks, if you want to be supportive, but maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded.&#8221;
Translation? The piggy bank is empty, and the people who used to fill it have realized that Florida doesn&#8217;t have a state income tax or a Governor who views them as &#8220;captives.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Kathy Hochul making a weak plea for wealthy people who have left New York (to red states like Florida) to come back to pay their high taxes to fund failing (unaccountable) social programs: 
“I need people who are high net worth to support the generous social programs we have in… <a href="https://t.co/7quhsFyWyn">pic.twitter.com/7quhsFyWyn</a>
&mdash; Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWhitlock/status/2034243619616391649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Remote work changed everything,&#8221; Hochul lamented, sounding like a jailer who accidentally left the cell door unlocked. &#8220;There were people who could only work in an office in Manhattan &#8230; and they were captives to our state. They were going to stay. We saw that that’s not the case.&#8221; She even admitted that Wall Street is eyeing Texas — not because of the personalities involved, but because of the cold, hard math. &#8220;They’re not going there because they have a nicer governor&#8230; they’re going there because of the tax rate.&#8221;
Despite this moment of clarity, Hochul’s solution isn&#8217;t to cut spending or scale back the &#8220;generous&#8221; programs that caused the crisis. Instead, she’s asking &#8220;patriotic millionaires&#8221; to &#8220;cut me the checks&#8221; and suggests a recruitment drive in the Sunshine State. &#8220;Maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded,&#8221; she said.
Good luck with that. Why would anyone trade a cabana in Palm Beach for a &#8220;late night call&#8221; from a New York politician demanding money?
The governor also spent a significant amount of time whining about the Trump administration, blaming the former President for everything from the price of gas to her own inability to meet radical climate goals. She admitted that her administration’s green energy mandates are &#8220;scaring the crap out of everybody&#8221; with skyrocketing utility costs, yet she continues to push an &#8220;all-of-the-above approach&#8221; while begging for &#8220;breathing room.&#8221;
Ultimately, Hochul is a leader in denial. She wants the &#8220;generous&#8221; spending of a socialist utopia but is realizing — far too late — that Margaret Thatcher was right: eventually you run out of other people’s money.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul

Hochul Begs Rich New Yorkers To Return From Florida, Admits High Taxes Chased Them Away

Florida

New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a new law on Friday that would ban local police departments from working with the federal government to enforce immigration laws.
Hochul, who has recently condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpeoM879718">said</a> at a press conference that she would seek to end participation in a federal program that grants local police power to enforce immigration laws. Hochul called her proposal the &#8220;Local Cops, Local Crimes Act,&#8221; arguing that ICE should not &#8220;expect local law enforcement to team up with them because we have other responsibilities.&#8221;
&#8220;We are called to act in this moment of tyranny,&#8221; Hochul said.
&#8220;So today, with this proposal, we&#8217;re sending a strong message to ICE,&#8221; she added. &#8220;You will not weaponize local police officers against their own communities in the state of New York. You will not use our police technology to track people who have done nothing wrong. You will not throw innocent people into our jails.&#8221;
Hochul&#8217;s proposal targets <a href="https://www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g">ICE&#8217;s </a>287(g) program, which establishes agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies and allows ICE to deputize those officers. The program also allows ICE to use local police facilities for immigration enforcement. If Hochul&#8217;s proposal becomes law, New York would become the seventh state to ban the agreement with ICE, joining California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Connecticut.
The Democratic governor accused the federal government of abandoning its responsibility to pursue public safety &#8220;lawfully, transparently, and with humanity.&#8221;
&#8220;In every corner of our state, New Yorkers are feeling traumatized and stunned as they watch federal agents carry out unspeakable acts of violence in a country they no longer recognize,&#8221; Hochul said, surrounded by New York officials, such as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
&#8220;For weeks, our eyes have been turned to the horrors unfolding on the streets of Minneapolis,&#8221; she added, accusing federal immigration agents of &#8220;murder&#8221; in the shooting of anti-ICE demonstrators Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Hochul said her announcement on Friday was in response to Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey&#8217;s &#8220;call&#8221; for leaders throughout the country to stand up to ICE.
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, a current Nassau County executive, ripped Hochul after her announcement, calling her &#8220;the most pro-criminal governor in the United States who has a callous disregard for the safety of our communities and victims of crime.&#8221;
&#8220;By banning local law enforcement partnerships with ICE, Hochul is allowing dangerous criminals to return to our neighborhoods. That ends when I’m Governor,&#8221; Blakeman added.
Hochul&#8217;s effort to push back against ICE operations in New York comes as the Trump administration seeks to negotiate with Democratic leaders for greater cooperation on immigration enforcement, especially in major cities such as Minneapolis and New York City. Zohran Mamdani, New York City&#8217;s newly elected democratic socialist mayor, is also strongly opposed to any cooperation with federal immigration agents on arresting and deporting illegal immigrants in the Big Apple.
Democrats doubled down on their opposition to President Donald Trump&#8217;s massive deportation push after Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Good were shot and killed by federal agents this month.

Kathy Hochul Seeks To Ban Local Police Agreements With ICE, Says She Must Act In ‘Moment Of Tyranny’

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A federal judge appointed by then-President Joe Biden ruled Tuesday that New York can proceed with implementing a law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver&#8217;s licenses.
U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci determined that the Trump administration, which sued over New York&#8217;s &#8220;Green Light Law&#8221; in February, failed to prove that the law preceded federal authority and that it either illegally discriminates or regulates against the federal government, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-green-lights-new-yorks-drivers-license-law-128667860" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ABC News.
New York Attorney General Letitia James celebrated Tuesday&#8217;s ruling, arguing that the state law promotes safety.
&#8220;As I said from the start, our laws protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I will always stand up for New Yorkers and the rule of law,&#8221; James said of the ruling.
The &#8220;Green Light Law&#8221; allows illegal immigrants to use foreign passports or driver&#8217;s licenses issued in other countries to obtain New York driver&#8217;s licenses, according to ABC.
Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj2WZfv8nIA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the lawsuit in February, slamming Empire State officials for choosing &#8220;to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens.&#8221;
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The first Trump administration tried to pressure New York to change the law, which was introduced in 2020, by preventing New Yorkers from enrolling in the trusted traveler programs that allow for quicker processing at airports, ABC reported.
At the time, then-Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to give the feds limited access to state driving records, but still kept Immigration and Customs Enforcement from seeing records of illegal immigrants who applied for the licenses.
The governor at the time, Andrew Cuomo, offered to restore federal access to driving records on a limited basis, but said he wouldn’t let immigration agents see lists of people who had applied for the special licenses available to immigrants who couldn’t prove legal residency in the U.S. The administration ultimately restored New Yorkers’ access to the trusted traveler program after a brief legal fight.

New York Governor Hochul Joins Catholic Charities Turkey Distribution Ahead Of Thanksgiving

Judge Strikes Down Trump’s Effort To Stop New York From Giving Illegal Immigrants Driver’s Licenses

<div>
The Trump administration “paused” five offshore wind leases on Monday over concerns that they would interfere with military radars.
Specifically, the federal government cited “clutter” from the motion of the “massive turbine blades” and the “highly reflective towers,” according to a press release from the Interior Department.
“The prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Monday.
“Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers. The Trump administration will always prioritize the security of the American people,” he continued.
Burgum said that “ONE natural gas pipeline supplies as much energy as these 5 projects COMBINED.”
The Interior Department said that its pause will affect the Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1 leases. All of the wind projects are along the East Coast. Vineyard Wind 1, Sunrise, and Revolution Wind are located off the coast of New England, and Empire Wind is off the coast of New York.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) slammed the decision by the administration, saying that they “will look for any excuse to continue its assault on clean energy — and the thousands of good-paying jobs these projects bring — but there is no credible justification for this stoppage.”
“The real threat to national security is in undermining our energy independence,” Hochul continued. “We are working with other impacted states to review every available option to get these projects back on track.”
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President Donald Trump has been a fierce advocate against wind power as a source of energy and instead favors natural gas, oil, and nuclear power.
“Windmills are an economic and environmental disaster. I don’t want even one built during my Administration,” he posted to Truth Social in January. “The thousands of dead and broken ones should be ripped down ASAP. Most expensive energy, only work with massive government subsidies, which we will no longer pay!”
In an August post to Truth Social, he also voiced his opposition to solar power.
“Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS. THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY! We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!! MAGA,” the president wrote, which prompted the Solar and Storage Industries Association to respond on X, <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2025/08/21/trump-revives-attacks-on-renewable-energy-as-solar-surges-00517166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a> reported at the time.
“The real scam is blaming solar for fossil fuel price spikes,” the association stated. “Farmers, families, and businesses choose solar to save money, preserve land, and escape high costs of the old, dirty fuels being forced on them by this administration.”
</div>

Operational wind turbine of South Fork Wind Farm in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island

Trump Admin Pauses Five Wind Turbine Projects Over ‘National Security Risks’

Doug Burgum

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Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was seen as a formidable challenger to incumbent New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, abruptly suspended her gubernatorial campaign Friday and is taking a step back from politics.
&#8220;While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress,&#8221; Stefanik <a href="https://x.com/EliseStefanik/status/2002121519342793163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">wrote</a> on X.
Stefanik&#8217;s choice stems from the unexpected entry of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman into the Republican primary for governor, a move Stefanik says would inevitably lead to a costly and ultimately unnecessary primary battle.
Blakeman jumped into the primary despite a phone call from President Trump warning him against challenging Stefanik, whom the president endorsed emphatically earlier this year.
&#8220;[W]hile we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,&#8221; Stefanik said.
With her congressional term ending in 2027, Stefanik hopes to focus her attention on motherhood and other personal goals.
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&#8220;And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. I believe that being a parent is life&#8217;s greatest gift and greatest responsibility,&#8221; Stefanik said. &#8220;I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don&#8217;t further focus on my young son&#8217;s safety, growth, and happiness &#8211; particularly at his tender age.&#8221;
The Harvard grad was once considered a rising star in the Republican Party and even a potential running mate for President Trump in 2024, but Stefanik has had a challenging year.
Stefanik gave up her leadership position and her spot on the House Intel committee earlier this year to accept the position of U.N. ambassador — only for the offer to be rescinded after Trump feared losing her House seat in the ensuing special election, eating into the Republicans&#8217; razor-thin House majority.
&#8220;I am incredibly grateful to the people of New York&#8217;s 21st District for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress. Thank you to my dedicated staff over the past decade. I am proud of the significant results that we successfully delivered for the hardworking families in our district and across America,&#8221; Stefanik concluded. &#8220;It has been a tremendous professional honor to serve as your Congresswoman over the past eleven years.&#8221;

Elise Stefanik

ELECTION SHOCK: Elise Stefanik Drops Out Of New York Governor’s Race

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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) are <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/17/us-news/elise-stefanik-demands-answers-from-kathy-hochul-about-qatar-funded-curriculum-in-nyc/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_social_handle_id=17469289&amp;utm_social_post_id=626155842&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">pressing</a> New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to explain why New York City public schools are using curriculum and instructional materials funded by Qatar and what they describe as “malign domestic actors.” The GOP lawmakers argue that the New York City Department of Education has refused to release materials related to the September 11 attacks and the October 7 Hamas massacre, leaving Hochul as the only authority able to compel transparency.
“The [NYC] DOE has refused to provide copies of teaching materials that twist the narratives of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, in Israel,” Stefanik and Comer wrote in a letter obtained by the New York Post.
The lawmakers zeroed in on $1 million from Qatar Foundation International flowing to P.S. 261 in Cobble Hill and P.S./I.S. 30 in Bay Ridge, as well as on materials from Bridging Cultures, run by Dr. Debbie Almontaser, who is also the head of the Muslim Community Network (MCN). Stefanik and Comer allege MCN has a history of downplaying Islamist violence, opposing funding for the National 9/11 Memorial &amp; Museum, and vilifying anyone highlighting radical Islam’s role in the attacks. Bridging Cultures has conducted workshops on the Hamas attacks, which the lawmakers say “erases Israeli suffering.” Combined, MCN and Bridging Cultures have collected at least $14.7 million from New York City since 2014.
“The NYC DOE partnered with Bridging Cultures to train teachers on how to speak to students about 10/7, the war in Gaza, and the anti-Israel protest movement,” Stefanik and Comer said.
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Stefanik and Comer demanded that Hochul provide contracts, copies of the curriculum, and explanations for these partnerships. Hochul’s office dismissed the letter, saying Stefanik “misunderstand[s] how New York’s education system and mayoral control operate.”
The row escalates Stefanik’s attack line against Hochul ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial race. She has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stefanik-slams-hochuls-cowardly-silence-after-mamdanis-endorsement-of-9-11-apologist">slammed</a> Hochul for supporting incoming NYC Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who endorsed Palestinian activist Aber Kawas for the State Assembly.
“Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani and now owns his latest public endorsement of radical activist Aber Kawas for New York State Assembly, a proud terrorist sympathizer and denigrator of the United States,” Stefanik said in a statement. “Kawas notoriously blamed America for 9/11 that claimed the lives of thousands of New Yorkers, citing the United States&#8217; ‘system of capitalism,’ ‘racism,’ ‘white supremacy,’ and ‘Islamophobia’ as justification for the terrorist attacks that killed New Yorkers. It is clear that Mamdani owns and controls the Worst Governor in America, Kathy Hochul, as she cowardly remains silent on the anti-American and antisemitic filth spewed by the incoming Mayor and his endorsed candidates. Kathy Hochul must condemn Mamdani’s endorsement of Kawas immediately.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)

Stefanik Demands Hochul Explain Qatar-Funded NYC School Curriculum

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James Comer

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Citing the Founding Fathers, New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that she would sign a bill allowing doctors to prescribe fatal drugs to patients if they have a prognosis of less than six months to live.
In an op-ed <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/hochul-approves-aid-in-dying-21246206.php">published</a> in the Albany Times-Union, Hochul said that she reached a deal with New York lawmakers on legislation that would legalize assisted suicide. Hochul’s announcement comes after a diverse coalition of Christian, conservative, and disability-rights advocates has urged her to veto the legislation.
“Two and a half centuries ago, our founding fathers established a vision of a country based on limited government and broad individual rights that together protect rights of speech, worship, privacy and bodily autonomy,” Hochul wrote. “This is the context in which I have considered the Medical Aid in Dying Act, a bill to allow suffering terminally ill individuals with less than six months left to live the right to medical aid to speed up the inevitable.”
The Democrat-controlled legislature passed assisted suicide legislation over the summer, but Hochul asked lawmakers to make a few revisions. She claimed these revisions would “protect family members, caregivers and doctors” and “ensure” the legislation is “not misused or broadly applied.”
She said lawmakers had agreed to these revisions and would amend the bill to include them once they returned in January. Hochul then said she would sign the legislation.
“I have come to see this as a matter of individual choice that does not have to be about shortening life but rather about shortening dying. And I do not believe that in every instance condemning someone to excruciating pain and suffering preserves the dignity and sanctity of life,” she wrote.
Hochul’s announcement was condemned by the New York State Republican Party, which said it was a “profound moral failure.”
“At a moment when New Yorkers are struggling with isolation and mental health crises, she is choosing to tell the most vulnerable among us that their lives are expendable,” <a href="https://nygop.org/nygop-statement-on-hochul-signing-assisted-suicide-bill/">said</a> New York GOP Chair Ed Cox. “This is not compassion, it’s abandonment. True leadership defends life, dignity and hope, even when it’s hard.”
Cox urged New Yorkers to back Republican gubernatorial candidate Elise Stefanik, who he said “believes every life has value and who will fight relentlessly for families, the disabled and the voiceless.”
A joint statement from the Bishops of New York State condemned Hochul’s decision.
“We are extraordinarily troubled by Governor Hochul’s announcement that she will sign the egregious bill passed by the legislature earlier this year sanctioning physician-assisted suicide in New York State,” they said. “This new law signals our government’s abandonment of its most vulnerable citizens, telling people who are sick or disabled that suicide in their case is not only acceptable, but is encouraged by our elected leaders.”
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Another group that opposed the legislation was the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide. This included groups like the Center for Disability Rights, Democrats for Life of New York, and New York Families Action.
“Even with changes, this legislation would still single out disabled and terminally ill New Yorkers for radically different treatment than other individuals experiencing suicidal ideation,” they said. “It would still transform physicians into facilitators of suicide. It would still undermine medical transparency by requiring false reporting on death certificates.”
New York would become the 13th state, in addition to Washington, D.C., to pass laws legalizing assisted suicide. Earlier this month, Illinois legalized assisted suicide after Democrat Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill that was advanced to his desk on Halloween.

‘Moral Failure’: Hochul Slammed After Citing Founding Fathers To Support Assisted Suicide

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