A non-English speaking bus driver killed five people and injured 44 after crashing into stopped traffic along I-95 in Virginia early Friday morning.
The driver, Jing S. Dong, is a Chinese native with U.S. citizenship who received a commercial driver’s license from New York in 2024, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English,” Duffy wrote on X. “If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus.”
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Update on the tragic bus crash in Virginia:
Five people are dead, including a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, after the driver of a motorcoach slammed into stopped traffic on I-95. <a href="https://x.com/FMCSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FMCSA</a> Administrator Derek Barrs and our investigators are on the ground at the crash… <a href="https://t.co/NWPBd9aLPr">pic.twitter.com/NWPBd9aLPr</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/2060474587071074381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Dong was allegedly driving the motor coach from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, when he failed to stop for slowing traffic and rammed into a Chevrolet Suburban, causing a chain reaction of at least six vehicles, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/30/us-news/virginia-bus-crash-that-killed-5-involved-non-english-speaking-driver-who-got-license-in-ny-says-sean-duffy/">reported</a>.
The driver of the Suburban, a 25-year-old woman from Massachusetts, was killed. After the bus slammed into it, the Suburban hit an Acura occupied by a family of four, killing 45-year-old Dmitri Doncev, his 44-year-old wife Ecaterina, their 13-year-old daughter, and 7-year-old son. The young family&#8217;s vehicle caught on fire after the collision, the Post reported.
“With broken hearts, we share the devastating loss of our beloved brother and his family in the tragic accident on South I-95 in Virginia early this morning,” Iuri Doncev, Dmitri Doncev’s brother, said on Facebook.
The Department of Transportation is investigating how Dong received his license from New York.
“Our investigators are reviewing New York licensing records, training documentation, and the driver’s history,” Duffy said. “Any company, trainer, or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny.”
Earlier this year, an illegal immigrant with a CDL from California allegedly caused a multi-car pileup that killed two people and injured five others, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-blue-state-license-accused-of-causing-fatal-multi-car-pileup">reported</a>.

Bus Crash

Chinese-Native Bus Driver Who Can’t Speak English Causes Pileup That Kills Young Family

Car Crash

Death

New York

Sean Duffy

Virginia

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is not apologizing, saying he has no regrets about introducing President Donald Trump at a rally last week, and pushing back against criticism that his appearance created division in the team&#8217;s locker room.  
The second-year QB addressed the controversy after his appearance at the &#8220;Fighting For American Workers&#8221; event, which promoted Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), garnered national attention. He described introducing the president as &#8220;a unique opportunity.&#8221;
“I’ve always loved this country,&#8221; Dart said on Friday. &#8220;I have extended family members who have fought in wars. I have two uncles who have retired from the Air Force Academy and served themselves. And I even have a great-grandfather who served as Secretary of the Treasury at some point. So, the president position has always been a position that I’ve well respected regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party.”
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Jaxson Dart issues a detailed statement on his decision to introduce Donald Trump and the impact that it has had on the Giants and his teammates <a href="https://t.co/HOdT0rkJdL">pic.twitter.com/HOdT0rkJdL</a>
— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) <a href="https://x.com/SNYGiants/status/2060432187489432026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I can honestly say that I love every single one of my teammates,&#8221; he added, &#8220;regardless of politics, regardless of religious beliefs, regardless of anything that may be different between us. I love them. They know exactly what kind of person I am.&#8221;
One of the most notable reactions came from Giants teammate Abdul Carter, who reposted video of Dart&#8217;s appearance on X, saying, “Thought this sh*t was AI, what we doing man.” Carter later deleted the post.
The teammates later spoke privately.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want him to say he&#8217;s sorry. Stand on what you believe in,&#8221; Carter said. &#8220;But it can&#8217;t be a problem when I stand on what I believe in. That&#8217;s all that matters to me. As long as we have that understanding, it&#8217;s all good.&#8221;
Following the conversation, the two embraced and appeared to put the disagreement behind them. 
The Giants held a team meeting Wednesday, allowing Dart to address any tensions directly with his teammates. Team leaders Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Jameis Winston were among those involved in moving the Giants forward. Carter was unable to attend due to a prior commitment.
Dart&#8217;s appearance with Trump also generated debate across sports media.
ESPN&#8217;s Stephen A. Smith referred to Dart as the &#8220;face of the franchise&#8221; and said he had created unnecessary tension within a team composed of players from diverse backgrounds.
Jemele Hill, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, defended Carter&#8217;s initial reaction, arguing that his perspective as a black Muslim helped explain why he objected to Dart appearing alongside President Trump.
“Let’s not do that thing where we’re trying to pretend this isn’t what it looks like. Abdul Carter is a Black man and a Muslim and given the things that Trump has said about/done when it comes to both groups, it’s fair (and also not surprising) that he has a problem with it.”
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Let’s not do that thing where we’re trying to pretend this isn’t what it looks like. Abdul Carter is a Black man and a Muslim and given the things that Trump has said about/done when it comes to both groups, it’s fair (and also not surprising) that he has a problem with it. <a href="https://t.co/OUY7ZxHUOc">https://t.co/OUY7ZxHUOc</a>
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) <a href="https://x.com/jemelehill/status/2058276199613538448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

President Trump Speaks On Tax Law In Competitive New York District

NFL’s Jaxson Dart Gives First Response To Trump Rally Backlash

Donald Trump

New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to seize neglected properties from landlords and transfer them to new ownership groups. 
“For buildings that have suffered chronic neglect, we will work to transfer ownership to responsible stewards. Stewards that include community land trusts, non-profits, or even the tenants themselves,” Mamdani said. “When necessary we will take aggressive legal action to remove negligent owners and property managers.” 
&nbsp;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1101969 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-1.05.08-PM-477x576.png" alt="" width="477" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-1.05.08-PM-477x576.png 477w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-1.05.08-PM-248x300.png 248w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-1.05.08-PM-768x927.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-1.05.08-PM.png 1204w" sizes=" (max-width: 477px) 100vw, 477px" /></div>
Mamdani did not detail how the city would legally seize or transfer ownership of privately held properties. One possible mechanism is New York City’s controversial <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/property/property-in-rem-forclosure.page">Third Party Transfer (TPT)</a> program, which allowed the city to foreclose on distressed buildings whose owners owed back property taxes or water charges and had accumulated significant housing code violations before transferring them to nonprofit housing groups or tenant organizations. 
Under the program, landlords who failed to resolve violations or pay city debts could face foreclosure proceedings initiated by the city. Once the city gained control of a property, ownership could then be transferred to nonprofits, community land trusts, or tenant groups.
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NOW: Mamdani says his admin will transfer ownership from bad landlords to non-profits.
“For buildings that have suffered chronic neglect, we will work to transfer ownership to responsible stewards.
Stewards that include community land trusts, non-profits, or even the tenants… <a href="https://t.co/YHhzGWPgWh">pic.twitter.com/YHhzGWPgWh</a>
— Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) <a href="https://twitter.com/breccastoll/status/2059289647688106237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Critics argued the policy enabled the government to strip owners of valuable equity through aggressive code enforcement and foreclosure actions.
The TPT program was paused in 2019 after backlash from property-rights advocates and elected officials. The New York City Council is currently considering legislation that could <a href="https://www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/09/third-party-transfer-reform-city-council-landlords-property/">restart</a> the program. 
Mamdani said his “rental rip-off” hearings were instrumental in shaping his housing agenda. The Daily Wire attended the first hearing in Brooklyn and spoke with tenants paying well below-market rents in stabilized apartments who urged Mamdani to freeze rents while also demanding repairs and building improvements from landlords.
Mamdani’s latest housing proposal appears aimed at balancing those competing pressures.
On Tuesday, Mamdani also appeared to backtrack on his campaign promise to impose a blanket rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments. Under his revised proposal, some exempted landlords would still be allowed to impose a one-time rent increase on vacant units even if a rent freeze is enacted. 
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/mamdani-says-these-nyc-landlords-will-be-exempt-from-his-rent-freeze-ee53180c?mod=hp_lead_pos5">reported</a> that dozens of landlords could qualify for the exemption. Rent-stabilized apartments are currently subject to a 3% cap on annual rent increases for one-year lease renewals.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Interview

Mamdani Wants To Decide Who Deserves To Keep Their Property

Housing

New York City

Politics

Property Rights

Renters

Zohran Mamdani

A Democrat lawmaker who narrowly won a congressional seat in an Upstate New York swing district last election has ties to a far-Left distillery that supports radical transgender groups. 
Financial records show that Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY) has invested in a Washington, D.C., distillery called <a href="https://www.republicrestoratives.com/">Republic Restoratives</a> that donates a portion of its profits to Advocates for Trans Equality, an activist group dedicated to fighting the Trump administration’s crackdown on transgender ideology. This group <a href="https://transequality.org/news/get-facts-truth-about-transition-related-care-transgender-youth">supports</a> puberty blockers for kids and argues that “young people deserve privacy” when considering gender surgeries. 
Riley has invested between $1,001 to $15,000 in Republic Restoratives, a woman-owned and crowdfunded distillery, <a href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2024/10068019.pdf">according</a> to his latest available financial disclosure. His new financial disclosure won’t be made available until August 13, 2026, after he filed for an <a href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2025/30026706.pdf">extension</a> in April 2026. 
Republic Restoratives <a href="https://shop.republicrestoratives.com/products/civic-pride">offers</a> a “Civic Pride” Vodka that it describes as “our rainbow-washing clap back.&#8221; Some of the proceeds from sales of the activist beverage go toward Advocates for Trans Equality. 
“We were tired of seeing giant corporations with spotty records on LGBTQ rights wrap their products in rainbows every June,” the distillery says. “This gold-medal-winning spirit helps fund the fight for dignity, safety, and justice for our trans siblings.”
Advocates for Trans Equality recently <a href="https://action.transequality.org/a/voteno2616protectstudents">campaigned</a> against a House <a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20260427/RCP_H2616_H2617_xml.pdf">proposal</a> that would ban schools from hiding a student&#8217;s so-called gender identity from parents and keep gender ideology out of the classroom. 
The distillery also raises money for other transgender groups. In June 2025, Republic Restoratives <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RepublicRestoratives/posts/pfbid0ksD31JPWES1zbwNUTm33u7Kc1Rjf6q3Ci6LWQPumqZXhZgGngfGJPiBvMiazrUDrl?rdid=SwLwsNPvJ0LTRwk6">said</a> that it had raised over $5,000 for “trans lives.” 
“Pride’s not a month — it’s a mission. When major brands bailed, when SCOTUS doubled down on hate, when trans kids were told they don’t belong, you didn’t flinch. You funded resistance,” the distillery posted on Facebook a few days after the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-upholds-tennessees-ban-on-transgender-drugs-for-children">upheld</a> a Tennessee law protecting kids from transgender procedures. 
“Together, we’ve already raised over $5K for trans advocacy. Now, every Trevor Project Pack sends support where it’s needed most- queer youth in crisis,” the distillery added. 
Funds from sales of the Trevor Project Pack <a href="https://shop.republicrestoratives.com/pages/trevor-project-packs">went toward</a> the Trevor Project’s 24/7 LGBTQ crisis phone line. The organization “supports gender-affirming care as an evidence-based practice to support” <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/research-briefs/gender-affirming-care-for-youth/">gender</a>-confused young people. 
<div id="attachment_1100263" style="width: 2483px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1100263" class="size-full wp-image-1100263" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM.png" alt="" width="2473" height="977" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM.png 2473w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM-300x119.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM-1024x405.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM-768x303.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM-1536x607.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-2.08.10-PM-2048x809.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2473px) 100vw, 2473px" />Republic Restoratives.</div>
Riley’s record in Congress backs up his association with pro-transgender groups. He <a href="https://www.congress.gov/votes/house/119-1/12">voted</a> against a proposal to block school athletic programs from allowing males onto female teams. He also <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025249">voted against</a> an amendment that would keep bathrooms on military bases separate on the basis of sex. 
Riley defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Marcus Molinaro for the seat in 2024 by about 8,000 votes, less than two percentage points. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is targeting the seat in 2026. 
“Creepy Democrat Josh Riley is more interested in forcing taxpayer-funded sex changes on kids than delivering on what Upstate New Yorkers need: lower costs and safer streets,” spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole told The Daily Wire. “Riley’s priorities are backwards, and voters will kick him to the curb in November as a result.” 
Running for the Republican nomination are New York state Senator Peter Oberacker, endorsed by the NRCC, and long-shot candidate Alexander Portelli.

Rep. Josh Riley

Democrat’s Financial Ties To Gender Mutilation Of Kids

2026 Midterms

Transgender

U.S. Politics

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

Gas Prices

Gavin Newsom

Kathy Hochul

New York Giants defensive lineman Abdul Carter is taking major heat after posting publicly to criticize teammate Jaxson Dart for introducing President Donald Trump onstage at a New York rally Friday night.
“thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man,” Carter posted on X, after clips of Dart standing beside Trump exploded across social media.
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thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man <a href="https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv">https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv</a>
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) <a href="https://twitter.com/1NCRDB1/status/2058138900187545756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The reaction immediately sparked backlash from conservatives and NFL fans, many of whom accused the rookie defender of disrespecting both Trump and his own teammate over what many viewed as a patriotic moment.
“If your QB wants to support the President, he’s allowed to,” one user wrote under Carter’s post. “Your head coach is a huge Trump fan also, and so is more than half the league. The Left injected their woke bullsh*t into sports for decades, and you didn’t say sh*t. You know nothing of the world.”
Another user blasted Carter even more directly: “lol you’re about to find out that he’s the franchise and you’re not bud,” the commenter wrote. “Also your new coach voted for Trump too. Grow up and get over it. If you voted for kamala who wants our tax dollars to pay for weirdos sex change surgeries, that’s your business bro but not everyone is dumb.”
Others went even further, with some bringing up Carter’s past legal controversy involving an alleged altercation with a tow truck driver during his college years: “The reason I never wanted the Giants to draft you was because I read the police report where you beat the tow truck driver within inches of his life. You are a complete psychopath. It was hard enough to look past the Muslim thing. You can’t sack the QB to save your life and you sleep in meetings. Total bust. Good riddance. At least Jaxson is a Christian American who loves America.”
The viral reaction came shortly after Dart joined Trump onstage at a rally supporting Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), where the rookie quarterback warmly introduced the president before Trump praised him as a future “hall of famer.”
Carter, a former Penn State star selected third overall by the Giants in last year’s NFL Draft, has openly embraced his Muslim faith and made headlines during draft night after wearing traditional Islamic clothing on the red carpet.
“Just paying homage to what got me here,” Carter said at the time. “Just praying to God, praying to Allah, you know, dressing like Muslims. That’s what got me here.”
At Friday’s rally, Trump praised the rookie quarterback moments after Dart introduced him to the crowd.
“I want to thank Jaxson Dart,” Trump said. “This is going to be a Hall of Famer in my book.”
Dart&#8217;s appearance at the rally was brief. He led the crowd in a chant for the Giants and then introduced the president, making no political statement.

Muslim NFL Player’s Post Criticizing Pro-Trump Teammate Backfires

President Trump

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart gave President Donald Trump a warm welcome on Friday as the president prepared to deliver an economic address at a rally supporting Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY).
“Without further ado, I’m grateful and honored and pleasured to introduce the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, President Donald J. Trump,” Dart said. 
After shaking Dart&#8217;s hand, Trump praised the Giants QB.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New York Giants QB <a href="https://twitter.com/JaxsonDart?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaxsonDart</a> introduces <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in New York! 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/TEAB4TWneG">pic.twitter.com/TEAB4TWneG</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2057910338838724716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
“I want to thank Jaxson Dart. This is going to be a Hall of Famer in my book. Thank you, thank you Jaxson. You have a lot of talent.” 
Trump then turned his attention to New York and the stakes surrounding Lawler&#8217;s competitive House district.
“We gotta straighten this place out,&#8221; Trump told the crowd. &#8220;But I’m thrilled to be back into this incredible state with the proud hardworking patriots of Rockland County.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;A very special hello to a place that I really do love — it&#8217;s called New York!&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/X2cavDCxF5">pic.twitter.com/X2cavDCxF5</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2057911915293098146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
Rockland County is part of Lawler’s swing district, the 17th Congressional District, which went blue for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election despite electing a Republican congressman.
 According to new analysis from the National Journal House Power Rankings, Lawler’s seat ranks as the “6th most vulnerable” Republican-held district in the House ahead of the midterms. Political strategists view the district as a potential deciding factor in the battle for House control.

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Brings NFL Rising Star QB On Stage At New York Rally

Rally

A New York judge on Monday tossed out key evidence found in the backpack of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the heart of Manhattan.
Judge Gregory Carro ruled that evidence obtained from Mangione’s backpack when he was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s must be suppressed, including a magazine, cellphone, passport, computer chip, and wallet. 
A gun and notebook that prosecutors say connect Mangione to Thompson’s murder will still be allowed as evidence at the trial, which is set to begin on <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/luigi-mangione-due-court-ruling-backpack-evidence-ceo-killing-case-2026-05-18/">September 8 and last about six weeks</a>. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW VIDEO: Cameras inside the courtroom capture the moment New York State Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro announces that some key pieces of evidence seized from Luigi Mangione’s backpack during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald&#8217;s are inadmissible at trial, while some of it… <a href="https://t.co/dTbrR8dcYw">pic.twitter.com/dTbrR8dcYw</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2056385258858197203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
The ruling is a partial win for Mangione’s defense team, who argued that the search of the backpack without a warrant violated his constitutional rights.
&#8220;At the hearing, Altoona law enforcement officers repeatedly attempted to justify their warrantless search of Mr. Mangione&#8217;s backpack &#8230; instead, all these officers demonstrated was an utter disregard for a defendant&#8217;s constitutional rights and a shocking ignorance of basic search and seizure caselaw,&#8221; Mangione&#8217;s attorneys wrote in a state court filing, <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/judge-decide-throw-key-evidence-luigi-mangione/story?id=133018432">according to ABC News</a>. 
The prosecution argued the officers acted &#8220;in deliberate and painstaking fashion&#8221; while searching the backpack. 
&#8220;At every step, the Altoona officers responded to this unexpected and alarming situation reasonably,&#8221; Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote in a court filing. 
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company’s annual investor conference. 
Shell casings retrieved from the scene had the words “deny,” &#8220;defend,&#8221; and “depose” written on them, according to the New York Police Department. The words found on the shell casings have been connected to a 2010 book that was critical of the health insurance industry. Mangione’s fingerprints allegedly matched those found on a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper recovered near the murder scene, and the gun recovered from his backpack was matched to shell casings found at the scene.
The killing sparked a massive, nationwide five-day manhunt, which ended with Mangione&#8217;s arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, which is more than 200 miles from Manhattan. At the fast-food chain, police found a loaded gun magazine in his backpack. A subsequent inventory search of the bag at the Altoona police station turned up a firearm, suppressor, and what appeared to be a manifesto, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-drops-fight-for-death-penalty-in-luigi-mangione-assassination-case">The Daily Wire previously reported</a>. 
Mangione pleaded not guilty to the federal and state murder charges. In January, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed two of the four charges, including use of a firearm to commit murder, which made him eligible for the death penalty.
Garnett said she dismissed the charges “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death,” The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> at the time.
Behind bars, Mangione has amassed a following of mostly Left-wing advocates angry with the American healthcare system. A legal fund supporting his <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/judge-decide-throw-key-evidence-luigi-mangione/story?id=133018432">defense has surpassed $1.5 million</a>.
Mangione, if convicted of all charges, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Supporters line up ahead of Luigi Mangione ruling <a href="https://t.co/uGw13E4Y1d">https://t.co/uGw13E4Y1d</a> <a href="https://t.co/SaYxZuazon">pic.twitter.com/SaYxZuazon</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2056381879767417182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>

Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Scores Another Win As Judge Tosses Out Key Evidence

Court

Crime

Judge

News

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

NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) &#8211; Harvey Weinstein&#8217;s third trial in New York over allegations he used his Hollywood clout to prey upon and sexually abuse women ended in a mistrial on Friday, after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on a charge he raped the aspiring actress Jessica Mann.
Weinstein, 74, is expected to remain behind bars due to his convictions in other cases.
Weinstein was a top Oscar-winning film producer until sexual misconduct allegations led to his downfall and fueled a wider social movement that encouraged women to come forward with accounts of sexual abuse by powerful men.
His most recent trial centered on Mann&#8217;s allegation that Weinstein raped her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 while Mann resisted and repeatedly said &#8220;No.&#8221;
It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors would seek to try the case for a fourth time.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office brought the case, said his office was disappointed but respected the jury system.
&#8220;We will consider our next steps in consultation with Ms. Mann,&#8221; Bragg said in a statement.
Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside the courthouse that he would encourage prosecutors to drop the case, saying nine jurors voted not guilty and three voted guilty.
&#8220;In my view they were lucky to have won over three jurors,&#8221; Agnifilo said of the prosecutors.
Mann said she told the truth but did not clearly indicate how she wanted to proceed.
&#8220;I deserve justice,&#8221; Mann said in a statement.
FIRST CONVICTION OVERTURNED
Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to one count of third-degree rape and has denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex. His lawyers have argued that Mann fabricated the rape allegation after regretting that her consensual romance with Weinstein failed to advance her film career.
At his first trial in New York in 2020, Weinstein was convicted of raping Mann and assaulting onetime production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. But the state&#8217;s highest court overturned the conviction and Weinstein&#8217;s 23-year prison sentence after concluding he did not get a fair trial.
A Manhattan jury then convicted Weinstein of sexually abusing Haley at a trial in June 2025, but found him not guilty of assaulting former model Kaja Sokola.
That jury deadlocked on the third-degree rape charge accusing Weinstein of assaulting Mann, leading Justice Curtis Farber to declare a mistrial on that count.
The retrial began in April.
&#8216;HOPELESSLY DEADLOCKED&#8217;
During their third day of deliberations on Friday, jurors sent Farber a note saying they were deadlocked. The judge urged them to keep trying to reach a verdict.
Farber said outside the presence of the jury that it was clear they were &#8220;hopelessly deadlocked&#8221; and that there was no reason to keep them any longer.
He told lawyers for both sides to return for a hearing on June 25.
Juror Josh Hadar, 57, told reporters outside the courthouse that he voted not guilty over what he said were &#8220;contradictions&#8221; in Mann&#8217;s testimony.
Weinstein was also convicted of rape in California in 2022 and is serving a 16-year prison sentence. He is appealing that conviction and sentence.
The Miramax studio co-founder will face up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced for abusing Haley.
(Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Rod Nickel and Bill Berkrot)

Former Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Supreme Court for the retrial of his rape case, in New York City

Disgraced Hollywood Mogul’s Latest Rape Trial Ends Without Verdict

Alvin Bragg

Courts

Harvey Weinstein

Hollywood

MeToo

Rape

U.S.

NEW YORK, May 13 (Reuters) &#8211; A New York man was found guilty on Wednesday of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government after a trial over federal prosecutors&#8217; allegations that he operated a &#8220;secret police station&#8221; on behalf of Beijing in Manhattan&#8217;s Chinatown neighborhood.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said Lu Jianwang, 64, should have alerted the U.S. Attorney General that he was a Chinese agent when he helped open the so-called police station in 2022. They also said he helped China&#8217;s government locate a pro-democracy activist living in California.
Lu was arrested in April 2023. He had pleaded not guilty to the three felony charges he faced: conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent, acting as an unregistered agent of China, and obstruction of justice.
A jury in Brooklyn federal court reached the verdict after a weeklong trial. Lu faces up to 30 years in prison.
&#8220;May today’s verdict send a message to other foreign agents–the FBI maintains its unwavering resolve to reveal and disrupt the clandestine operations of adversarial nations,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle in an announcement of the verdict.
The Justice Department has in recent years been ramping up probes into what it calls &#8220;transnational repression&#8221; by U.S. adversaries such as China and Iran to intimidate political opponents living in the United States.
CHINA CALLS CHARGES FABRICATED
China&#8217;s government has called the charges in the case &#8220;fabricated&#8221; and part of an effort to smear the country&#8217;s image. Beijing has said there are centers outside China run by local volunteers, not Chinese police officers, that aim to help Chinese citizens renew documents and offer other services.
In her opening statement on May 6, prosecutor Lindsey Oken said Lu &#8211; a naturalized U.S. citizen &#8211; had ties with Chinese law enforcement and met with officials who tasked him with opening the station during a trip to China in 2022.
Oken said Lu ran the station out of a nondescript office building in Chinatown. She said he started out by helping Chinese nationals living in New York with renewing driver&#8217;s licenses, which alone is a crime if not disclosed to the U.S. government.
Oken said Lu also agreed to help the Chinese government locate a pro-democracy activist living in the United States. Prosecutors did not allege that the activist was harmed.
John Carman, a lawyer for Lu, said his client agreed to open the center to help Chinese nationals who were unable to travel to the country to renew documents due to the COVID pandemic. But Carman said Lu was not tasked by the Chinese government to do so.
A co-defendant arrested alongside Lu, Chen Jinping, pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiring to act as an unregistered Chinese agent.
The arrests followed a 2022 investigation published by Spain-based advocacy group Safeguard Defenders that reported China had set up overseas &#8220;service stations,&#8221; including in New York, that illegally worked with Chinese police to pressure fugitives to return to China.
&nbsp;
(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Karen Sloan; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

FILE PHOTO: Lu Jianwang arrives at Brooklyn federal court during his trial in New York City

Chinese Agent Found Guilty In NYC ‘Secret Police Station’ Case

China

Communist China

Police

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

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