Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Thursday that she will skip next month&#8217;s Michigan Democratic Party convention because she fears being harassed, adding another flashpoint to a party increasingly divided over Israel and antisemitism during a bitter U.S. Senate primary.
Speaking during a <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/30/nessel-says-she-wont-attend-michigan-dems-convention-over-safety-concerns/">roundtable</a> discussion with Jewish leaders and community members, Nessel said she no longer feels safe attending the party&#8217;s August 29 convention in Lansing after what she described as repeated harassment.
&#8220;I feel like my presence isn&#8217;t going to be welcome. I don&#8217;t want to get chased around. I don&#8217;t want to get harassed. I don&#8217;t want to get yelled and screamed at. I don&#8217;t want to get booed off the stage, irrespective of what I&#8217;m saying,&#8221; Nessel said. &#8220;And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen because it&#8217;s been happening to me.&#8221;
Nessel also criticized Democratic Party leadership for failing to adequately respond to concerns she said she had repeatedly raised about individuals who have targeted her, warning that antisemitism on the political Left has become a growing problem within the party. 
&#8220;I will speak as a member of the Democratic Party here in Michigan, that some things have changed,&#8221; Nessel said. &#8220;This cannot continue, and the fact of the matter is, we have to be able to be a society where we can have intelligent discourse and debate about ideas without people being threatened, and certainly without people carrying out those threats.&#8221;
Her comments come as Michigan Democrats are engaged in one of the country&#8217;s most closely watched Senate primaries, with the party&#8217;s ideological divide over Israel increasingly spilling into public view.
Left-wing candidate Abdul El-Sayed has embraced some of the Democratic Party&#8217;s most vocal anti-Israel activists during the campaign, including <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hasan-piker-michigan-senate-race-abdul-el-sayed/">campaigning</a> with far-Left political streamer Hasan Piker. Third Way, a center-left think tank, <a href="https://x.com/ThirdWayTweet/status/2036484738022596671?s=20">condemned the partnership</a>, calling Piker &#8220;anti-American, anti-women, anti-western and antisemitic&#8221; and arguing he should be &#8220;pushed to the fringe, not welcomed onto the stage.&#8221; El-Sayed dismissed the criticism in an interview with <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2026/03/25/michigans-el-sayed-unfazed-by-backlash-against-upcoming-campaign-event-with-hasan-piker/">Michigan Advance</a>, portraying it as an attack from establishment Democrats and &#8220;corporate-funded think tanks.&#8221;
Former Senate candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/influential-democrat-drops-out-of-primary-in-key-senate-battleground?trueLinkId=6JvjPnkjnAeCumQ6ZN%2BoGpNLJEFZ07Awl5KNTB6i2A1L44xz%2BMg08Mz8M%2BYvzzUKo9coheltLMaAYibfZ9nbDQ%3D%3D&amp;trueLinkTs=1783452774&amp;trueLinkExpiry=43200">Mallory McMorrow</a> has also acknowledged antisemitism within the Democratic Party, recounting an incident at the Democratic National Convention in which, she said, an attendee shouted an antisemitic slur at her Jewish husband while he was walking with their five-year-old daughter. 
&#8220;There is,&#8221; McMorrow <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2026/05/mcmorrow-says-dems-have-an-antisemitism-problem-during-mich-senate-debate/">replied</a> when asked whether antisemitism was a problem within the party. &#8220;That is terrifying,&#8221; she added.
El-Sayed, by contrast, argued that antisemitism and Islamophobia both stem from &#8220;the scourge of white supremacy&#8221; before pivoting to criticism of U.S. support for Israel. 
&#8220;We can walk and chew gum at the same time,&#8221; El-Sayed said. &#8220;It should not mean that we allow our money to subsidize apartheid and genocide.&#8221;
Responding to Nessel&#8217;s decision not to attend the convention, Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Derrick Honeyman said the party remains committed to ensuring the gathering is safe for all attendees. 
&#8220;We reject antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hateful conduct,&#8221; Honeyman said. &#8220;We are working diligently with stakeholders, elected officials, and party membership to prepare for our August convention and look forward to welcoming Michigan Democrats to the Lansing Center on August 29.&#8221;

2024 Democratic National Convention TW

Jewish Democrat AG Won’t Attend Party’s Convention Due To Safety Concerns

2026 elections

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Abdul El-Sayed

anti-Israel

Anti-Semitism

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Democratic Party

Election

Hasan Piker

Michigan

Michigan Primary

Primary

Senate

Senate Democrats

As newly released diary entries have thrust Dr. Anthony Fauci back into the spotlight, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed&#8217;s own pandemic-era podcast offers a glimpse into just how closely he aligned himself with the former White House adviser.  
El-Sayed had hosted a podcast sporadically since 2019, but just seven days into the COVID-19 pandemic, he ramped up production to two episodes a week focused on the virus and public health policy. A review of the episodes by The Daily Wire found that El-Sayed repeatedly praised Fauci, defended his handling of the pandemic, and echoed many of his positions while attacking the former NIH official&#8217;s critics.
In a 2021 <a href="https://www.crooked.com/podcast/a-second-opinion-with-dr-anthony-fauci/">interview</a> with Fauci, El-Sayed described him as the “face of infectious disease science and medicine dating back all the way to the first outbreak of HIV/AIDS in the 80s.” 
“Throughout the pandemic, his honesty, candor, and stubborn insistence on science have been a source of confidence and comfort for many of us,&#8221; El-Sayed said while introducing Fauci. &#8220;Even if it’s meant he’s become a lightning rod for trolls on the right.” 
The “trolls on the right” comment seemed to be describing Fauci critics like Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).
On Wednesday, Paul and Fauci met again in Congress after Paul released pages from Fauci&#8217;s diary that he says contradict the former COVID adviser&#8217;s public messaging on the virus&#8217;s origins, his views of political figures including President Trump, and his preoccupation with media attention and fame. 
During the 2021 interview, El-Sayed used the podcast episode to accuse Paul of putting politics ahead of science. Fauci agreed.
“Though he should know better, Dr. Senator Paul has chosen feeding red meat to his political base over following the science that he trained on,” said El-Sayed. “We were fortunate that Dr. Anthony Fauci was there to check him every single time.&#8221;
He lamented that &#8220;the country’s top infectious disease expert has to routinely spar with another doctor in the Senate over basic science around getting vaccinated or wearing a mask in the pandemic.”
El-Sayed also argued that Paul and other vaccine skeptics had exploited what he called the evolving nature of scientific guidance.
“People like Rand Paul and the legions of vaccine resisters they inspire have exploited a peculiar aspect of this pandemic,” El-Sayed said. “The fact that all of us are trying to interpret changing science in real time.”
Like Fauci, El-Sayed built much of his public profile during the pandemic by presenting himself as a physician and public health expert while advocating for some of the country&#8217;s most aggressive COVID mitigation measures. In 2021, he pushed for Michigan to go back under another statewide lockdown, suggested fining businesses that attempted to open, and criticized Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis for allowing kids to return to school without mask mandates.
The pandemic also elevated El-Sayed&#8217;s national profile. In addition to his podcast, he made frequent television appearances and later became a CNN contributor.
El-Sayed, who earned a medical degree but has never completed a residency or obtained a medical license to practice medicine, is now seeking Michigan&#8217;s open U.S. Senate seat.
Fauci&#8217;s diary resurfaced this week as he appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. During Wednesday&#8217;s hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times while answering questions about the diary entries and his handling of the COVID pandemic.
Former President Joe Biden issued Fauci a preemptive pardon during the final hours of his presidency.

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Could Americans Be Voting For Fauci 2.0 Without Realizing It?

Anthony Fauci

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Abdul El-Sayed has campaigned on reaching across the religious divide with an appeal to Christians and Muslims alike, and he boasts that over two dozen Christian leaders back his bid to replace Michigan Senator Gary Peters. Those leaders include a pastor who suggested conservative activist Charlie Kirk deserved to be shot and the senior pastor of a church that hosted a drag event for kids.
El-Sayed, who once <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/24/next-obama-abdul-el-sayed-first-muslim-governor-michigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hoped</a> to be America&#8217;s first Muslim governor, is locked in a competitive primary race with Democrat Rep. Haley Stevens. While many of his positions on topics from abortion to so-called &#8220;gender-affirming care&#8221; directly conflict with the Bible, that has not deterred some Christians from backing his campaign.
Included among El-Sayed&#8217;s supporters is Larry Davis, the pastor of Christian Tabernacle Baptist in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Davis, who believes that President Donald Trump faked the multiple assassination attempts, had no kind words for Charlie Kirk after his murder.
“He is being held as a hero. We shouldn&#8217;t be happy that he got killed. But we shall embrace that you REAP what you SOW,” Davis <a href="https://www.facebook.com/logosmediator/posts/pfbid02RVYALdHTR2JVwFz7KctircVUXk8dE2xCjZSq5asDDfvxwyncGSWZuKQh5sXwvGJBl">posted</a> on Facebook alongside an anti-Kirk meme the day after the popular conservative activist was gunned down at an event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
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<div id="attachment_1142261" style="width: 872px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1142261" class="size-full wp-image-1142261" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.26.27-AM.png" alt="" width="862" height="920" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.26.27-AM.png 862w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.26.27-AM-281x300.png 281w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.26.27-AM-540x576.png 540w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.26.27-AM-768x820.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 862px) 100vw, 862px" />Larry Davis Facebook.</div>
In another post, Davis shared a clip of Kirk criticizing DEI and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/logosmediator/posts/pfbid0Jajkv4JjjFt7QpvXLSt6CKcjc1Jwe8bySvguuSjNNpV8BRWAZgMWrVmXsK5qXkaxl">asked</a>, “Would you give a racist out of his own mouth the medal of freedom.”
On September 19, the pastor again spread his message that Kirk reaped what he sowed.
“No man should take it on himself to take the life of another. But the scriptures says be not deceived God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man show [sic] that shall he also reap,” Davis said alongside an AI-generated image of Kirk and Jesus Christ.
The Daily Wire sent a message to Davis to ask about his support for El-Sayed. His church, which has no listed email address, did not answer multiple phone calls.
Pastor Terrance Johnson, another religious leader who endorsed El-Sayed, shared a similar animus toward Kirk. He suggested that he was not sad about Kirk’s assassination because he was a “racist bigot.”
“You will accept a black man refusing to mourn his own father but you wil [sic] not accept a black man refusing to mourn a racist bigot because….. We all know why,” Johnson posted in a long screed quoting Tupac song lyrics a day after Kirk’s killing.
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When someone commented on his post, “is this the heart of Christ,” Johnson responded by saying, “what is the heart of Christ.”
In another post, Johnson claimed that ICE was equivalent to the Ku Klux Klan.
“So ICE is the KKK rebranded. Still wearing mask it’s just that the badges are now out instead of being hid under the sheets,” he said.
Johnson’s Church, Second Missionary Baptist Church in Monroe, Michigan, recently <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Da5Kv7hgwwr/">hosted</a> El-Sayed for an event. In a Facebook post, the church <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1008191515327976">said</a> the event was for the Democrat to share “why he’s running for office.”
During the appearance, El-Sayed claimed to attendees that he was the only candidate who could “guarantee you healthcare” and attacked America’s history as “sordid,” according to a video posted by the church.
“We just commemorated 250 years. And I know there&#8217;s a lot of sordid history in those 250 years, but I also know what my life would have been had I been born in a place that I was supposed to be born. But for an accident of history, I get born here,” El-Sayed said. “Are we willing to put ourselves back in to correct that system so that the next 250 look a lot better than the last ones did?”
“It is the many versus their money. We got a choice. Do we want them to come in and buy an election?,” he added.
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<div id="attachment_1142273" style="width: 1581px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1142273" class="wp-image-1142273 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.46.01-AM.png" alt="" width="1571" height="1115" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.46.01-AM.png 1571w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.46.01-AM-300x213.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.46.01-AM-812x576.png 812w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.46.01-AM-768x545.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-10.46.01-AM-1536x1090.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1571px) 100vw, 1571px" />Facebook: Second Missionary Baptist Church.</div>
“Second Missionary Baptist Church of Monroe does not endorse or oppose any political candidate or party,” the church posted on July 17. “Our prayer is that every voter takes time to seek wisdom, research the candidates, and make an informed decision at the ballot box.”
Another pastor backing El-Sayed’s campaign is the ultra-woke Nathan Dannison of Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, which recently hosted a “queer prom” for adults and youth that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FountainStChurch/posts/pfbid0jKRtWoLiCbmbVCfLggmD7JiVrBDH99WCEtbi8S6THySZAqP78MAx7cNLHYGJnvt1l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">featured</a> “12 drag performances.”
Dannison, who recently <a href="https://nathandannison.substack.com/p/preaching-about-psychedelics">said</a> that psychedelics have been part of his “spiritual discipline” for the last twenty years, said that abolishing ICE is a baseline position any candidate supported by him needs to take. In recent Facebook posts, Dannison has defended El-Sayed over his strong anti-Israel positions.
Dannison <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nscottnorth/posts/pfbid0keXseMToK1b6q7uxnda7z8Ad6MyDkAPSG3F3zWYwC48srDutvR1FUFNtJqCGpGcvl">said</a> that he’s “pretty horrified by a lot of the anti-Abdul posts I&#8217;m seeing from center-left Michigan voters that are obviously mashing the ‘fwd:fwd:fwd’ button or the copy-pasting ad copy from astro-turfed emails/sms/etc from defense lobbyists.”
“Dr. El-Sayed is not antisemitic. To the contrary, one of the reasons I support him is because he understands the real and present dangers facing Jewish Americans who are being blamed for foreign policies and wars that have absolutely nothing to do with their religion and history in this country,” he added.
Fountain Street Church <a href="https://fountainstreet.org/justice/choice-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raises funds</a> for women to end the lives of their unborn children and says it is “proud to be the State&#8217;s longest standing abortion fund.”
Other pastors backing El-Sayed’s campaign included Detroit Rev. Horace Sheffield III of New Destiny Christian Fellowship and Rev. Keith Whitney of Sanctuary Fellowship Baptist Church.
Sheffield, who unsuccessfully <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Horace_Sheffield">ran</a> for Congress in 2014 and <a href="https://www.horacesheffield.com/projects/)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> in the anti-white documentary “White With Fear,” sells anti-Trump t-shirts on his ministry website that say “I will take Biden in a wheel chair over Trump standing up.”
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<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-1142979 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.37.41-AM.png" alt="" width="1250" height="974" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.37.41-AM.png 1250w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.37.41-AM-300x234.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.37.41-AM-739x576.png 739w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.37.41-AM-768x598.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px" /></div>
Whitney is the <a href="https://www.mosesaction.com/boardmembers/blog-post-title-one-gd3dr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">president</a> of Moses Action, an advocacy group that pushes for left-wing criminal justice reform and <a href="https://www.mosesaction.com/reproductive-freedom-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supported</a> a ballot initiative to make the right to end the life of your unborn child a constitutional right.
“Throughout black history, government officials — most of them white men — have made decisions about black women’s bodies and health that have been harmful, traumatizing, and often deadly. Granting our current lawmakers the ability to dictate personal health decisions feels like a dangerous step backwards,” the group said in a statement.
Several of the pastors listed on El-Sayed’s campaign website, including Bishop Alan Evans and Pastor Parris McMurray, appear to be affiliated with the Church of God In Christ, Inc. The denomination <a href="https://www.cogic.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/SOLife-Resolution-11_12_19-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adopted</a> a &#8220;sanctity of life” resolution in 2019 that “abortion is the killing of the innocent” and describes abortion as “genocide.”
The denomination did not respond to questions about its pastors endorsing the pro-abortion El-Sayed.
El-Sayed wants to codify the right to an abortion in federal law and suggested he will fight back on efforts to crackdown on abortion pills.
“Everyone has the right to make personal decisions about their healthcare,” his campaign <a href="https://abdulforsenate.com/priority/medicare-for-all-the-path-to-a-healthier-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> says. “That includes reproductive and gender-affirming care. I’ll fight to codify the rights once protected by Roe v. Wade into federal law.”
Earlier this month, El-Sayed earned the endorsement of the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity, which said it supported his emphasis on “affordability” and “human dignity.” It did not respond to questions about El-Sayed leftist advocacy on social issues.
“Pastors attend to their communities in the best and worst of times, and their support is about trusting me to show up in those moments with them,” El-Sayed said. “Together, we’re building a Michigan that brings people together across faiths, regions, and backgrounds in the work of offering dignity, opportunity, and respect for every Michigander.”
The Democratic primary is on August 4.

Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Holds Rally In Detroit With Sen. Bernie Sanders And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Meet The Christian Pastors Who Endorsed Pro-Trans Muslim Abdul El-Sayed

Abortion

Christianity

Islam

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As Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed campaigns for the U.S. Senate, his calls during the COVID-19 pandemic for renewed lockdowns, business fines, and expanded vaccination are likely to face scrutiny. 
During his failed 2021 campaign for Michigan governor, El-Sayed said he would have ordered another statewide shutdown to slow the spread of COVID.
“There’s no question,” El-Sayed <a href="https://www.pbs.org/video/apr-23-2021-rep-david-lagrand-off-the-record-mzyrt1/">said</a> when asked whether, as governor, he would shut the state down. “If you look at where the science and where the science has been. The CDC itself has suggested that we ought to shut things down. And we know that shutdowns in the past have been successful whether it was in the Spring or the Fall. This is a responsibility.” 
El-Sayed proposed what he described as a two- to three-week &#8220;pause&#8221; and said that if businesses did not comply, they should face “a very annoying but real fine.” 
“I get that people are sick of this but it’s the right thing to do to stop the spread of this contagious variant of the virus. What is the alternative?” 
He also argued that systemic racism and poverty contributed to challenges in distributing vaccines in cities such as Detroit.
“We know the biggest challenge to delivering public health in a community like Detroit, because of systemic racism and poverty it creates, is the last mile problem,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You can offer a vaccine in places…but we all now that is not really where people actually live and we got to get them out to people’s doorstep.” 
To address vaccine hesitancy, El-Sayed proposed working with trusted community leaders, including pastors and neighborhood organizations.
&#8220;What I’d like to see, right, and this is a big lift, right, is more focus on taking on the vaccine hesitancy, whether it’s a block club captain or a local pastor and thinking about that last mile problem by putting vaccines on wheels and getting them out into people’s communities,” he said. 
During the pandemic, El-Sayed also launched a twice-weekly podcast to keep listeners informed about COVID-19 and public health policy. At the time, he described himself as “a physician and former city health commissioner,&#8221; while also serving as a CNN contributor focused on public health issues. 
El-Sayed&#8217;s current Senate platform includes support for Medicare for All, codifying abortion rights, and expanding access to so-called &#8220;gender-affirming care.&#8221; His campaign has not specified whether he supports El-Sayed did not specify if he supports &#8220;gender reassignment surgeries&#8221; for children.

Bernie Sanders Continues His “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour In Detroit With Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed

El-Sayed Pushed For Renewed COVID Lockdowns, Fines For Businesses That Defied Them

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Elections

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The Trump administration announced Monday that it is taking enforcement action against two public school districts accused of concealing students&#8217; gender identity information from parents, warning the districts could face lawsuits and the loss of federal funding for violating federal privacy law.
The Department of Education said it has partnered with the Justice Department to pursue enforcement against Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland. It also gave Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan until August 10 to explain why similar action should not move forward. 
The investigations center on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which guarantees parents access to their children&#8217;s education records. The Trump administration argues that school policies directing staff to withhold information about a student&#8217;s gender identity or social transition from parents violate those protections.
&#8220;As a mother and a grandmother, it is unconscionable that any school district would hide the most sensitive information about children in their care from their own parents,&#8221; Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/trump-administration-cracks-down-school-districts-secretly-transitioning-students-and-hiding-it-parents">statement</a>. &#8220;This is not only an affront to basic moral principles, but also to parents&#8217; rights under federal law.&#8221;
&#8220;Today, ED and DOJ are putting districts on notice that we will use every tool available to hold them to account for this egregious behavior,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Under the Trump Administration, ED and DOJ are working together to vigorously uphold parents&#8217; federal protections, and we will work to ensure that no parent is ever kept in the dark about important matters relating to their children.&#8221;
According to the Education Department, its Student Privacy Policy Office received complaints from parents in Anne Arundel County who discovered their daughter was being referred to by male pronouns at school. The parents said they learned about the situation only after receiving an email from school staff.
When the parents sought information about what the school described as their child&#8217;s &#8220;gender transition,&#8221; the principal allegedly refused to provide details while an assistant principal declined to turn over relevant records, prompting the federal investigation. The Education Department said Anne Arundel County improperly classified information about a student&#8217;s so-called &#8220;gender identity&#8221; as confidential medical information that could not be shared with parents. The agency said those practices unlawfully prevented parents from exercising their rights under FERPA.
The action comes weeks after the same parents <a href="https://www.thebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/arundel-schools-transgender-children-policies-lawsuit-6BKCHH25O5HP7FLPPGNF7RQFWU/">filed a federal lawsuit</a> against the district with representation from America First Legal, the conservative organization founded by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The lawsuit claims school officials socially transitioned their daughter by using a masculine name and pronouns without notifying or obtaining consent from her parents. The Education Department said it is working with the Justice Department&#8217;s Civil Rights Division to pursue enforcement against the Maryland district, including potential judicial proceedings and termination of federal funding.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the administration intends to aggressively enforce the law. &#8220;School districts that hide information from parents are violating federal law,&#8221; Dhillon said. &#8220;FERPA is not optional, and any districts that attempt to bypass or distort its requirements should expect immediate federal action.&#8221;
Additionally, the administration found Ann Arbor Public Schools&#8217; policy requiring employees to conceal a student&#8217;s &#8220;transgender status&#8221; from parents likely violates FERPA. Federal officials also questioned the district&#8217;s practice of maintaining records related to a student&#8217;s &#8220;gender identity&#8221; in a separate filing system. 
The Education Department said the cases build on a broader effort by the Trump administration to strengthen parental rights. Earlier this year, the department launched statewide investigations into policies that allegedly concealed students&#8217; &#8220;gender identity&#8221; from parents and issued a finding against the California Department of Education over the use of secret &#8220;gender support plans&#8221; and hidden student records.
In March 2025, the department sent a nationwide <a href="https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/sites/default/files/resource_document/file/Secretary_Comb_SPPO_DCL_Annual%20Notice_0.pdf">letter</a> reminding state education officials that concealing a child&#8217;s &#8220;gender identity&#8221; from parents was a priority enforcement issue under FERPA.
FERPA violations can ultimately result in the loss of federal education funding, though that penalty has historically been used sparingly.

Transgender Symbol and Pencils With The Color of Lgbt Flag

Trump Admin Takes Action Against School Districts Hiding ‘Transgender Status’ From Parents

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Haunting new 911 audio captures the frantic moments after a caller reported a house full of smoke after a Michigan father who had allegedly been unfaithful shot his wife and six children and set their home ablaze.
“Grand Haven Township for a residential fire at 14936 Riverside Trail,” a dispatcher is heard saying on the audio obtained by <a href="http://foxnews.com/us/dispatch-audio-released-michigan-family-murder-suicide-troubled-family-secrets-emerge#&amp;_intcmp=fnhpriver_2">Fox News</a>. “White smoke coming out of the window. House is full of smoke seen from the outside and smells electrical.” 
A Grand Haven home matching the address in the 911 audio is a sprawling 4,103-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom property estimated to be worth about $760,000, <a href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/14936-Riverside-Trl-Grand-Haven-MI-49417/74229129_zpid/">according to Zillow.</a> The home, last sold in 2019, boasts an upgraded interior and a backyard pool surrounded by a private wooded area.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A Michigan mother of six had just returned from a trip to China with her two adopted daughters — calling it one of the &#8220;funniest and coolest&#8221; experiences of her life — when her recently laid-off husband shot and killed the entire family before setting the house on fire and… <a href="https://t.co/ySnzjYnXGD">pic.twitter.com/ySnzjYnXGD</a>
— Fox News US (@FoxUSNews) <a href="https://x.com/FoxUSNews/status/2082436410909626403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
On the morning of July 24, firefighters entered the home near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan to search for victims, only to discover a horrific scene inside.
Police said Kristopher Karolkiewicz, 47, used a handgun to fatally shoot his wife, Amanda Karolkiewicz, 39, and the couple’s six children before taking his own life. Authorities have not released the identities of the couple’s children, who included four boys, ages 5, 11, 12, and 15, and two 11-year-old girls. Two of the children had been adopted into the family. The medical examiner determined all eight died of gunshot wounds.
To outsiders, the family looked like something out of a Hallmark movie. But new details reveal a marriage falling apart and a mother of six living in fear.
Amanda posted under the Reddit username &#8220;MandyK1179,&#8221; under which she detailed her troubled marriage and accused her husband of infidelity, according to The Detroit News. The Holland Sentinel said it independently verified the account by matching details about the couple, including where they lived, their ages, and their occupations.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-reddit-posts-that-surfaced-after-a-michigan-family-tragedy?author=Gus+Wilson&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=The+Reddit+Posts+That+Surfaced+After+A+Michigan+Family+Tragedy">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported on one Reddit post in which Amanda lamented that her husband had a thing for office interns.
“I was the intern at the company we both worked for. He was divorced and older than me… fast forward ten years and five kids, he was cheating with the intern again- the same age I was when I was the intern,” she wrote in the ‘As One After Infidelity’ subreddit. “I was five babies in, and was actually not in bad physical shape, but I was in the trenches of little kids, and just couldn’t be who I was before.”
According to the posts, Amanda also wrote that she was “terrified” and would not have remained married if not for their children.
The account further alleged that Kristopher’s infidelity led the couple to marriage counseling and therapy. 
“I don’t feel bad still. He towers over me and destroyed me mentally,” the account commented two years ago, describing the time she shoved her husband after learning of his affair. “It felt like I was being assaulted and needed to fight back. I think it’s a fight or flight thing.”
In one May 2024 post, she said: “We have six kids, so the idea of leaving is insanely terrifying,” <a href="https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/07/28/michigan-mom-posts-about-marriage-struggles-years-before-murder-suicide-as-family-says-make-it-make-sense/">according to Detroit&#8217;s WDIV</a>.
Just weeks before the murder-suicide, Amanda posted multiple TikTok videos of trips she took to Canada and China earlier this month with her boys and two adopted daughters.
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mandykarolk/photo/7663032209799990542?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7627692178450105870">One video,</a> dated July 16, shows her dressed in a traditional Hanfu style of clothing, along with her two daughters, in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province. 
<div id="attachment_1144623" style="width: 477px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1144623" class="wp-image-1144623 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2-467x576.jpg" alt="" width="467" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2-467x576.jpg 467w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2-243x300.jpg 243w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2.jpg 584w" sizes=" (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px" />Photo credit: @[mandykarolk]/TikTok.com</div>“By far one of the funniest and coolest experiences of my life! What an awesome experience with my precious daughters,” she wrote. “We are so proud of their Chinese heritage.”
The mom of six and dedicated teacher shared a video of the family’s July 4 celebration at Stony Lake in Michigan. The video shows a quick glimpse of the stone-faced father lighting a firework. <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mandykarolk/video/7655129358817905933">Another TikTok video,</a> dated June 24, shows Amanda getting ice cream with her boys in Quebec, Canada, writing: “The most delicious, produced-to-order ice cream — unlike anything we have ever eaten!” 
Police believe the fire was intentionally set in multiple locations throughout the interior of the home. The family’s pets also died from the fire or smoke inhalation. Authorities said they do not believe any suspects remain at large.
“This is far more than a news story. The situation personally impacts dozens, if not hundreds, of people in the county,” said Capt. Jake Sparks with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.

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911 Audio Reveals Frantic Response To Michigan Family Murder-Suicide

Crime

News

True Crime

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has criticized &#8220;greedy landlords&#8221; and proposed cracking down on corporate ownership of housing, owns three rental properties with his wife, including two overseas properties inherited through her family.  
Financial disclosures show the couple&#8217;s three rental properties are valued at up to $1 million, with two located in Dubai and India and another in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
El-Sayed said the Dubai and India properties were inherited from his wife&#8217;s parents and are jointly owned by family members. Together the two properties are valued at up to $500,000 and each generate up to $15,000 in annual rental income, according to his financial disclosures. The couple&#8217;s Ann Arbor rental property is also valued at up to $500,000 and generates up to $15,000 annually.
When questioned about the foreign rental properties, El-Sayed suggested racism could be at play. 
“People that pay attention to properties that literally my wife’s family inherited and put in their and all of their kids’ names and then sold. … I wonder why they are so focused on foreign properties for somebody with a name like mine. Do you think it might fit within a well-worn trope? I don’t know,” he said. 
Despite earning rental income himself, El-Sayed has criticized &#8220;greedy landlords&#8221; while campaigning on a housing platform that would crack down on corporate ownership of housing.
Financial disclosures also show El-Sayed and his wife earned $686,069 in 2025, placing them among the top <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/socialist-backed-dem-who-ripped-wealthy-cracks-states-top-1-tax-returns-show">1%</a> of Michigan&#8217;s highest earners. His campaign website argues that “extreme wealth is an existential threat to our economy and our democracy and it demands a crisis-level response.” 
Asked whether he considered himself a millionaire, El-Sayed responded, “Well, if you take my assets and her, my wife’s assets together, then I guess they add up to something like that,” El-Sayed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eSvWfT0ChA">said</a> in late June. “But my career has never been about trying to maximize on money. Otherwise, I would have just gone and been a surgeon.” 
Recently, he argued he had no problem with millionaires, just billionaires. 
&#8220;So a lot of folks are like, ‘Well, Abdul, you know, you just don’t want people to get rich.’ No! I don’t begrudge anyone their millions,&#8221; El-Sayed said at a campaign event. &#8220;But I do begrudge everyone their billions.&#8221; The campaign event was with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 
El-Sayed has spoken at multiple Democratic Socialists of America events over the years, though he denies being a member or a socialist. The group argues that workers create economic value while corporate owners capture an outsized share of the profits. The organization has backed significantly higher taxes on top earners, including a 70% marginal income tax rate on earnings above $10 million — a proposal that Ocasio-Cortez has also championed. 
El-Sayed <a href="https://abdulforsenate.com/priority/money-in-your-pocket/">supports</a> aggressive tax policies of his own, with his campaign website stating he supports taxing long-term capital gains over $1 million at the same rate as ordinary income. The tax code taxes all capital gains held longer than a year at a maximum of 20%. El-Sayed&#8217;s new tax rate would follow the marginal income tax rate — even rising as high as 70% if the Democratic Socialists of America succeed in changing the tax code.
Capital gains taxes had the same top tax rate as ordinary income in 1988, 1989, and 2000. Supporters of lower capital gains taxes argue higher taxes disincentivize investment while lower taxes encourage investment, leading to economic growth.

Abdul El-Sayed Slams ‘Greedy Landlords.’ He Owns Three Rental Properties.

Democratic Socialists Of America

Wealth Tax

A Michigan mother who authorities say was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/father-kills-wife-6-children-sets-home-on-fire-in-apparent-murder-suicide">killed</a> alongside her six children in an apparent murder-suicide documented years of marital problems in Reddit posts that surfaced after the tragedy.
Authorities say Kristopher Karolkiewicz, 47, fatally shot his wife, Amanda Karolkiewicz, 39, and their six children before taking his own life and setting the family&#8217;s home on fire. 
According to The <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2026/07/27/grand-haven-township-couples-marriage-fraught-issues-mandy-karolkiewicz-reddit-account/91070671007/">Detroit News,</a> Amanda posted under the Reddit username <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/MandyK1179/?screen_view_count=3&amp;ext-referrer=SEO">MandyK1179</a>, where she wrote extensively about her marriage and alleged her husband&#8217;s infidelity. The <a href="https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/crime/2026/07/27/amanda-karolkiewicz-wrote-of-infidelity-red-flags-on-reddit/91062005007/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=true&amp;gca-epti=z11xx15p115550c115550e007100v11xx15d--97--b--97--&amp;gca-ft=38&amp;gca-ds=sophi">Holland Sentinel</a> reported that it independently verified the account by matching details about the couple, including their residence, ages, and occupations.
The account, which spanned roughly three years, initially described the marriage as  “living in a Hallmark movie.” Later posts painted a dramatically different picture, including allegations that Kristopher had an affair with an intern. 
“I was the intern at the company we both worked for. He was divorced and older than me… fast forward ten years and five kids, he was cheating with the intern again- the same age I was when I was the intern,” she wrote in the ‘As One After Infidelity’ subreddit. “I was five babies in, and was actually not in bad physical shape, but I was in the trenches of little kids, and just couldn’t be who I was before.”
According to the posts, Amanda also wrote that she was “terrified” and would not have remained married if not for their children.
The account further alleged that Kristopher&#8217;s infidelity led the couple to marriage counseling and therapy. 
“I don’t feel bad still. He towers over me and destroyed me mentally,” the account commented on the page two years ago. “It felt like I was being assaulted and needed to fight back. I think it’s a fight or flight thing.”
The couple had been married for 17 years before the apparent murder-suicide. 
Authorities have not announced a motive and said the investigation remains ongoing.

The Reddit Posts That Surfaced After A Michigan Family Tragedy

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Another far-Left socialist bartender running for governor in the American heartland is giving Democrats a fresh headache as the party reels from deep ideological divisions and mounting financial woes.
Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is leading the crowded field in Wisconsin&#8217;s Democratic gubernatorial primary in a race Republicans see as ripe for a flip.
In the mold of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), the state representative&#8217;s <a href="https://francescahong.com/policy/">Left-wing platform</a> calls for a sweeping expansion of government into everyday life, including abolishing ICE, imposing a one-year moratorium on data centers, creating government-owned grocery stores, and providing universal childcare and paid leave for all.
Hong also supports legalizing marijuana to fund high-speed broadband and backs a state-run development bank, a 32-hour workweek with no reduction in pay, restoring voting rights to felons, and dramatically reducing the role of prisons and police, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/a-democratic-socialist-bartender-rattles-party-elite-in-run-for-wisconsin-governor-3fe159c0">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
“It&#8217;s so stressful to get by these days, and I know a lot about stress. I work in restaurants,” Hong said in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMPU_oRquM8&amp;t=1s">campaign launch video</a>. “I&#8217;m a service worker, community organizer, and a mom. I work for a living, always have, still do.” 
“The system is rigged. I&#8217;m running for governor to fix it. For years, we&#8217;ve been told that doing better is impossible. Well, let me tell you, that&#8217;s bullsh*t,” she added. 
Hong also <a href="https://x.com/FrancescaHongWI/status/1360704499883536385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">called</a> for abolishing the U.S. Senate in a February 2021 social media post. In a statement to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/dsa-co-chair-mocked-proudly-confirming-socialists-want-abolish-senate-national-borders-prisons">Fox News</a>, Hong&#8217;s campaign denied that she had ever called for eliminating the upper chamber: &#8220;Rep. Hong has never called for abolishing the U.S. Senate. Tiffany cannot produce a single statement where she did, because it doesn&#8217;t exist.&#8221;
The leftist populist platform has resonated with much of the Wisconsin Democratic base, triggering a last-minute scramble among establishment leaders who fear that nominating a socialist in a state that President Trump won could hand the governor&#8217;s mansion to Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, the expected GOP nominee.
<a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/democratic-primary/2026/wisconsin">Recent polling</a> shows Hong with a double-digit lead over established politicians, including former <a href="https://evers.wi.gov/Pages/Newsroom/About_Mandela.aspx">Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes</a> and Milwaukee County Executive <a href="https://www.crowleyforwi.com/">David Crowley</a>, who suspended his gubernatorial bid before reviving it two weeks later with the backing of outgoing Democratic Governor Tony Evers. 
“The Republican Governors Association is bankrolling millions right now, not to attack a Democrat, but to boost one, because they&#8217;ve decided which Democratic nominee they can beat in November,” Crowley <a href="https://www.crowleyforwi.com/">said</a>, explaining his decision to get back into the race. 
“That is a five-alarm warning sign. We cannot let the GOP choose the Democratic nominee for governor of Wisconsin,” he added. 
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/wisconsin-democrat-david-crowley-dirt-mcgirk-twitter-rcna588646">NBC News</a> recently uncovered old social media posts linking Crowley to a pseudonymous X account called &#8220;Dirt McGirk,&#8221; which the outlet said featured racist, sexist, and homophobic posts between 2010 and 2014. Crowley insisted other people had access to the X burner account and condemned the derogatory posts. 
The August 11 primary will test the appeal of democratic socialists in the industrial Midwest, following a string of victories in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Denver. <a href="https://polymarket.com/event/wisconsin-governor-democratic-primary-winner">Prediction markets</a> overwhelmingly favor Hong to win the primary.  
A similar battle is playing out right next door in the U.S. Senate race in Michigan, where Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens is working overtime to fend off a stronger-than-expected challenge from leftist Abdul El-Sayed, who is leading in most polls.
The contentious race took an unexpected turn when a black Farmington school board member backing Stevens urged El-Sayed to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/black-democrat-tells-muslim-senate-candidate-to-stop-speaking-arabic?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Black+Democrat+Tells+Muslim+Senate+Candidate+To+Stop+Speaking+Arabic">stop embracing</a> his Muslim identity on the campaign trail.
“The other candidate seems to be … doesn’t work a room. You have to know how to work the room. Don’t come out speaking only Arabic,” Angie Smith said at a Stevens campaign event. “Don’t come out with your Arabic music on. Represent everyone.”
“You know, I’m the mother of a lesbian. I’m Puerto Rican and Cherokee, with a grandfather that was a white man from Ireland. Represent us all. Don’t just represent one ethnicity or one race,” she added.
The Democratic Party&#8217;s heartburn, spilling out of deep-blue cities and into purple battleground states, comes as the cash-strapped DNC sinks <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flat-broke-dnc-meltdown-sparks-panic-on-the-left?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=DNC+Chair+Has+Phone-Hurling+Tantrum+As+Party+Melts+Down+Over+Midterm+Cash">deeper into internal turmoil</a>.
DNC chairman Ken Martin is descending into fear and “a growing sense of paranoia” about his job security, The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flat-broke-dnc-meltdown-sparks-panic-on-the-left?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=DNC+Chair+Has+Phone-Hurling+Tantrum+As+Party+Melts+Down+Over+Midterm+Cash">New York Times reported</a> on Sunday. The chairman — responsible for fundraising, party operations, and campaign infrastructure — is “relying on a vanishingly small circle of people he trusts.” 
And for good reason. 
Heading into the midterms, the financial gap between the parties is striking. President Trump has amassed a $400 million war chest, the RNC has another $130 million available, and the DNC is reportedly about $2 million in debt, according to The New York Times.
“This is not sustainable,” said MS NOW host Joe Scarborough. “Anyone who cares about the Democratic Party — including Ken Martin — would say ‘Enough.’ The DNC is flat broke. This must change now.”

Untitled design – 2026-05-28T104054.501

A New Socialist Bartender Is Giving Democrat Elites Headaches

Democrats

Francesca Hong

Midterms

Rustbelt

Socialism

Wisconsin

The final Democratic Senate debate before next week&#8217;s Michigan primary was overshadowed Monday night by Abdul El-Sayed&#8217;s recently leaked comments about putting the head of an &#8220;ogre&#8221; on a pike, as rival Rep. Haley Stevens argued the far-Left candidate was more interested in national political fights than representing Michigan.
The confrontation came just hours after <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/27/el-sayed-backlash-leaked-comment-michigan-senate-01012659">leaked audio</a> from a donor call thrust El-Sayed into a new controversy, giving Stevens fresh ammunition just one week before the August 4 primary. 
Stevens opened the debate by accusing El-Sayed of pursuing political celebrity rather than public service. &#8220;Abdul is running for celebrity,&#8221; Stevens said. &#8220;Republicans are propping up his campaign, and Mike Rogers just the other day said in a secret phone call that he makes it easier for him to win, that he&#8217;s the one he wants to run against.&#8221;
&#8220;Look, this isn&#8217;t about the D.C. or New York influencer crowd. This is about putting Michigan first,&#8221; she added.
Later, moderator Roop Raj confronted El-Sayed about the leaked audio, noting that many Democrats had taken offense to his comments about putting an &#8220;ogre&#8221; on a pike. &#8220;Do you regret any of the comments that you&#8217;ve made?&#8221; Raj asked. El-Sayed declined to directly apologize, instead arguing he has consistently urged civility among his supporters.
&#8220;I took to Twitter last week and said that the tone in which people talk about my opponent is unkind,&#8221; El-Sayed said. &#8220;I asked anybody who supported me to not talk about her that way.&#8221;
He then sought to clarify that the &#8220;ogre&#8221; remark was not directed at Stevens but at Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman. &#8220;I was referring to a guy named John Fetterman, who&#8217;s a senator from Pennsylvania, who has done terrible things, got elected on a set of values, and is now completely throwing those values in the mud,&#8221; El-Sayed said.
El-Sayed quickly pivoted back to one of his core campaign themes, accusing Stevens of benefiting from millions of dollars in outside spending tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). 
&#8220;When we talk about unkindness, I also just want to speak to the fact that, on behalf of my opponent, UDP — another name for AIPAC — has been running attack ad after attack ad after attack ad on my character,&#8221; El-Sayed said.
Stevens responded by using the controversy to reinforce a broader critique of her opponent, arguing that his own recorded remarks showed he was preoccupied with national political ambitions rather than Michigan.
&#8220;There was something else that was revealed in the phone call,&#8221; Stevens said. &#8220;He said that he&#8217;s not going to be able to get much done, that he&#8217;s not focused on policy for the first two years that he is in the United States Senate, that he&#8217;s going to be focused on national politics.&#8221;
Pressed again on civility, Stevens pointed to El-Sayed&#8217;s past remarks about prominent Michigan Democrats. 
 &#8220;Only he can account for saying that Whitmer is &#8216;bought and paid for,&#8217; or that &#8216;no one cares about Debbie Stabenow,&#8217; or that Mallory McMorrow &#8216;isn&#8217;t smart enough,'&#8221; Stevens said.
El-Sayed again argued the race should focus less on personalities and more on the influence of wealthy donors and special interests. 
&#8220;I told you at the outset that my opponent was going to make this race about me and her,&#8221; El-Sayed said. &#8220;But this is about you,” referring to Michigan Democratic voters.
The sharp exchange briefly gave way to one of the night&#8217;s lighter moments after El-Sayed clarified the &#8220;ogre&#8221; remark referred to Fetterman rather than Stevens.
&#8220;Thank you for clarifying that you didn&#8217;t call me an ogre,&#8221; Stevens quipped.
&nbsp;

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Michigan Dems Spar At Debate Over Whether El-Sayed Called Opponent An ‘Ogre’

2026 election

American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)

campaign funds

campaigns

Debate

Debates

Democratic Debate

A West Michigan father reportedly killed his wife and six children before setting their home ablaze and taking his own life in a gruesome murder-suicide that police described as an “unspeakable tragedy.”
On the morning of July 24, deputies assisting the Grand Haven Township Fire Department responded to a house fire near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. As smoke engulfed the home, firefighters entered to search for victims, only for law enforcement to discover a horrific scene inside.
Authorities said Kristopher Karolkiewicz, 47, used a handgun to fatally shoot his wife, Amanda Karolkiewicz, 39, and the couple’s six children before taking his own life. Police have not released the identities of the victims’ children, who included four boys, ages 5, 11, 12, and 15, and two 11-year-old girls. Two of the children had been adopted into the family. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death for all of the victims to be homicides from gunshot wounds.
<div id="attachment_1144623" style="width: 477px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1144623" class="wp-image-1144623 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2-467x576.jpg" alt="" width="467" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2-467x576.jpg 467w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2-243x300.jpg 243w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4525_720-2.jpg 584w" sizes=" (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px" />Photo credit: @[mandykarolk]/TikTok.com</div>“This is far more than a news story. The situation personally impacts dozens, if not hundreds, of people in the county,” said Capt. Jake Sparks with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Ottawa County investigators share update on murder-suicide that killed couple, 6 kids" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AmUwvjUiVQw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Our hearts go out to those families, the neighbors, the coworkers, the teachers, the students of Grand Haven Public Schools, and the friends of the victims. This is an unspeakable tragedy that we may never completely understand why it happened,” he added. 
Police believe the fire was intentionally set in multiple locations throughout the interior of the home. The family’s pets also died from the fire or smoke inhalation. Authorities said they do not believe any suspects remain at large.
“The investigation at this point shows that this was a murder-suicide, with the fire being started after the murders,” Sparks said at a Monday press conference, noting investigators do not know the exact circumstances leading up to the tragedy. “We believe that this incident could have started, you know, the night before, and then carried over into the morning.” 
Sparks added that the basement floor of the house was more damaged than the main floor. 
Just weeks before the murder-suicide, Amanda Karolkiewicz posted multiple TikTok videos of trips she took to Canada and China earlier this month with her boys and two adopted daughters.
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mandykarolk/photo/7663032209799990542?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7627692178450105870">One video,</a> dated July 16, shows a beaming Karolkiewicz dressed in a traditional Hanfu style of clothing, along with her two daughters, in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province. 
“By far one of the funniest and coolest experiences of my life! What an awesome experience with my precious daughters,” she wrote. “We are so proud of their Chinese heritage.”
The mom of six shared a video of the family’s July 4 celebration at Stony Lake in Michigan, which shows a quick glimpse of the stone-faced father lighting a firework. <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mandykarolk/video/7655129358817905933">Another TikTok video</a> dated June 24 shows the mom getting ice cream with her boys in Quebec, Canada, writing: “The most delicious, produced-to-order ice cream- unlike anything we have ever eaten!” 
Back in April, the family took a spring break beach trip, according to Amanda’s <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mandykarolk/photo/7625820447916952846">TikTok page</a>, which featured photos of her with her husband, Kristopher.
Mandy Karolkiewicz was a dedicated teacher, her parents said in a <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2026/07/27/sister-of-one-of-victims-of-grand-haven-township-family-dead-public-not-to-believe-theories/91061528007/">statement</a> to The Detroit News. 
“Our daughter Mandy was a kind and devoted soul who loved her family and her students,” the statement said. “We treasured every moment we had with her and her six children, and words cannot adequately express our devastation.”
“We pray for God’s peace and comfort as we grieve their deaths and honor their lives.”
<div id="attachment_1144625" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1144625" class="wp-image-1144625 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4524_720-461x576.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4524_720-461x576.jpg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4524_720-240x300.jpg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/img_4524_720.jpg 575w" sizes=" (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" />Photo credit: @[mandykarolk]/TikTok.com</div>

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A 17-year pension dispute that could leave taxpayers on the hook for a $1 billion bill may take center stage during President Donald Trump’s visit to General Motors on Monday. 
In June, the president asked Congress to restore pensions for Delphi, a former part of General Motors, after over 5,000 employees lost retirement benefits following the company’s bankruptcy. Former Delphi salaried employees have spent nearly two decades lobbying lawmakers to restore their pensions through a proposal that would transfer roughly $1 billion from the U.S. Treasury to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, which insures thousands of private pension plans across the country.
With Trump formally asking Congress on June 24 to restore the pensions, his visit to General Motors on Monday could add public pressure to revive the nearly two-decade effort. Trump will be speaking at General Motors in Milford, Michigan, at 3:00 p.m. 
Attorneys for the salaried workers argue that Delphi’s salaried retirees were unfairly singled out. Hourly union employees at Delphi received their full pensions because General Motors agreed to take on their liabilities under General Motors’ 2009 bankruptcy agreement with the government. However, most salaried employees didn’t have the same protection and they argue that employees who earned similar pensions at the same company should not receive drastically different retirements based on their union status. 
When Delphi spun off from General Motors in 1999, GM negotiated agreements with its unions promising to make up any pension benefits not covered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation if Delphi&#8217;s pension plans were terminated. However, because GM was forced by law to negotiate with unions during the spinoff, salaried employees, who were non-union, did not receive those same benefits or negotiations. 
Attorneys for the salaried employees argue that when the Obama administration oversaw GM’s bankruptcy in 2009, it approved a restructuring plan that protected the union employees but left the non-union employees behind. Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH) argues that the federal government “picked winners and losers.” 
Opponents of the proposal argue that taxpayers should not be responsible for restoring benefits that exceeded the federal pension insurance program&#8217;s guarantees. During House debate on the legislation, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2022-07-27/html/CREC-2022-07-27-pt1-PgH7211.htm#:~:text=Another%20bailout%20of%20failing%20pension%20plans">warned</a> that &#8220;more pension bailouts set a damning precedent.&#8221; 
&#8220;By topping up one plan, Congress will be pressured and expected to top up the remaining 5,000 terminated plans and every future terminated plan.&#8221; Foxx said, &#8220;In case anyone has forgotten, we work for hardworking taxpayers in this country.&#8221; She compared topping off the pension plans to handing “out money like candy.” 
Rachel Greszler, a Senior Research Fellow from Advancing American Freedom, says many of the employees requesting the government to top off their pensions already receive six-figure annual retirement incomes. She warns a congressional bailout could set &#8220;an unjust and costly precedent at taxpayers&#8217; expense.&#8221;
Greszler noted <a href="https://advancingamericanfreedom.com/memos/myth-vs-fact-delphi-pension-bailout">in a recent memo</a> that there are thousands of similar pension plans out there that have been terminated, and a Delphi bailout could create a precedent that results in a hundred billion dollar snowball effect.
Congress requires private employers with defined-benefit pension plans, like Delphi, to pay annual insurance premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in exchange for pension coverage. 
Because Congress designed the corporation to insure pensions up to statutory limits, it does not guarantee every pension promise an employer makes, such as the early-retirement supplements that Delphi promised a portion of its employees. As a result, about 5,700 of Delphi&#8217;s 20,000 salaried pension participants saw their benefits reduced because their pensions exceeded the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation&#8217;s maximum guarantee or included early-retirement supplements. 
Before Trump prompted Congress in June, Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-D) introduced legislation to restore the pensions. The legislation was not passed, leading to Michigan representatives coming together to author legislation to extend health care tax credits for Delphi salaried retirees.
“Through no fault of their own, thousands of Michigan Delphi retirees were robbed of the retirements they earned. They did everything right — worked hard, played by the rules, saved. Now that they are retired, they shouldn’t have to go back to work to afford to see a doctor,” said Rivet.
The legislation was co-authored by Rivet and Michigan Democratic Rep. and current Senate candidate Haley Stevens, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Rep. Turner.

Trump’s Michigan Visit Could Shine Spotlight On A $1 Billion Pension Controversy

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