Governor’s office under fire for ‘imagination’ response to video of Venezuelan gang members
Democrat governor of Colorado Jared Polis dismissed outrage over a video showing what appears to be armed Venezuelan gang members in an apartment building as “imagination” despite significant evidence.
Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky fired back after the governor’s denial, saying “I am so disappointed.”
In a statement shared to the New York Post, Polis’ spokeswoman Shelby Wieman claimed, “The Governor has already let the Mayor know that the State is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed.”
COLORADO MAYOR SPEAKS OUT AFTER VIDEO OF ARMED VENEZUELAN GANG IN APARTMENT GOES VIRAL: ‘FAILED POLICY’
“But, according to police intelligence this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky’s imagination,” added Wieman.
The video below shows several armed men in an Aurora, Colorado apartment that some say has been taken over by members of Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang.
City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky has been at the forefront of this issue, including evacuating several residents from an armed gang-occupied apartment building on Wednesday.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Jurinsky fired back at Polis, asking “My question back to the governor is, is this also a figment of the Romeros’ imagination? And the other resident that I helped to get out of there, and the other residents that I am going to continue to get out of there?”
Spokeswoman Shelby Wieman responded to Fox News Digital, saying “[Governor Polis] hopes that the city council members in charge stop trashing their own city when they are supposed to keep it safe.”
VIDEO SHOWS ARMED GANG AT TROUBLED COLORADO APARTMENT BUILDING BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER BY MIGRANTS
“We know violent crime in Aurora went down between 2022-2023, fully expect the data will show further declines for 2024, and the recent misinformation campaign threatens actual criminal investigations and could hurt the climate for small businesses in Aurora,” Wieman concluded.
According to reporting from the New York Post, more than 40,000 migrants have arrived to the Denver area since December 2022.
“The situation is real but it also needs to be put into context so that the reputation of an entire city of over 400,000 residents is not adversely impacted by what has occurred in several isolated apartment buildings owned by the same out-of-state slum lord,” said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital.
“There are people behind this that are solely, playing politics,” said Danielle Jurinsky. “That is so sad to me because they’re real human beings, just like the Romeros suffering on the other side of those doors, living behind four deadbolt locks and a door brace and living in fear every day in these complexes.”
“It is very promising that across the board, people are really seeing what is happening,” said Jurinsky. “Video footage is only undeniable for our governor in Colorado. Everybody else across the country is seeing this for themselves.”
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The Aurora Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Social media erupts over VP Harris’ latest ‘word salad’ during interview
Conservative activists and media outlets took to X to share their thoughts on a clip of CNN’s interview with Vice President Kamala Harris as she explained why her policy positions have changed since she took over the Democratic ticket for president.
In the clip of the interview, which will air Thursday night on CNN, anchor Dana Bash asked, “Generally speaking, how should voters look at some of the changes that you’ve made? … Is it because you have more experience now, and you’ve learned more about the information? Is it because you were running for president in a Democratic primary? And should they feel comfortable and confident that what you’re saying now is going to be your policy moving forward?”
“Dana, I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” Harris replied.
“You mentioned the Green New Deal. I have always believed, and I’ve worked on it, that the climate crisis is real, that it is an urgent matter to which we should apply metrics that include holding ourselves to deadlines around time. We did that with the Inflation Reduction Act,” Harris continued.
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“Gobbledygook,” conservative commentator Steve Guest posted on X. “The definition of a deadline is ‘the latest time or date by which something should be completed’.”
Noah Rothman, senior writer at the National Review, referenced her comments as “rambling.”
Charles C. W. Cooke, a British-American journalist, called the clip an “instant classic.”
“Undefeated. She’s still got it—even as the nominee,” he said.
The X account for The Blaze referred to the comment as “word salad” — a term Republicans frequently use to describe Harris’ media engagements.
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Harris continued, “We have set goals for the United States of America and, by extension, the globe, around when we should meet certain standards for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as an example.”
“That value has not changed. My value around what we need to do to secure our border. That value is not changed,” she said.
39 DAYS: KAMALA HARRIS HAS YET TO DO FORMAL PRESS CONFERENCE SINCE EMERGING AS DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE
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“I spent two terms as the Attorney General of California prosecuting transnational criminal organizations, violations of American laws regarding the passage, illegal passage of guns, drugs, and human beings across our border. My values have not changed,” she said.
Trump pledges universal coverage for IVF treatment — and tax break for new parents
Former President Trump pledged during a campaign rally in Michigan Thursday that if he wins a second term, he would mandate free in vitro fertilization treatment for women.
“I’m announcing today in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment,” Trump told the crowd at Alro Steel in Potterville, Michigan. “Because we want more babies, to put it nicely.”
IVF treatments are notoriously expensive and can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single round. Many women require multiple rounds, and there is no guarantee of success.
“And for the same reason, we will also allow new parents to deduct major newborn expenses from their taxes,” Trump said.
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Trump’s announcement, which was short on details, comes after the Republican nominee has faced intense scrutiny from Democrats for his role in appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, sending the issue of abortion back to the states.
Trump has tried to present himself as moderate on the issue, going as far as declaring himself “very strong on women’s reproductive rights.”
In an interview with NBC before Thursday’s rally, Trump signaled support for changing Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which limits the procedure before many women even know they are pregnant.
Trump, in the interview, did not explicitly say how he plans to vote on the ballot measure when he casts his vote this fall. But he repeated his past criticism that the measure, signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, is too restrictive.
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“I think the six weeks is too short. It has to be more time,” he said. “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.”
Trump had previously called DeSantis’ decision to sign the bill a “terrible mistake.”
Late fitness guru Richard Simmons’ toxicology report released
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released Richard Simmons’ full autopsy report on Thursday, which showed that he had prescription drugs in his system at the time of his death.
“Toxicology studies performed on postmortem specimens revealed the presence of diphenhydramine, trazodone, and zolpidem,” the official report, obtained by Fox News Digital, stated.
“These do not appear to have contributed to the cause of death,” it explained.
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Simmons’ official cause of death was a “sequelae of blunt traumatic injuries. Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease is listed as a contributing condition,” per the medical examiner’s report.
The fitness guru, who was known for his “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” workout videos, died on July 13, the day after his 76th birthday. Simmons’ longtime rep, Tom Estey, confirmed his death to Fox News Digital at the time.
“Toxicology studies performed on postmortem specimens revealed the presence of diphenhydramine, trazodone, and zolpidem. These do not appear to have contributed to the cause of death.”
An LAFD spokesperson told Fox News Digital that first responders were dispatched for the cardiac arrest of a 76-year-old man at Simmons’ Los Angeles home, without identifying Simmons. The patient was pronounced dead at the scene of natural causes, LAFD said.
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The day before his death, Simmons thanked fans for all the birthday wishes, writing in part on social media, “I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life!”
The former fitness coach, who stepped away from the spotlight 10 years ago, told People magazine ahead of his birthday that he was “grateful” to be “alive for another day” following his skin cancer diagnosis.
Simmons said he planned to blow out a candle to mark the occasion, but “the candle will probably be on a zucchini. You know, I’m a vegetarian.”
“I am grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day,” he continued. “I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”
In March, Simmons revealed to his followers he had been diagnosed with skin cancer. He took to Facebook to detail the moment he found out about the diagnosis and the procedure he underwent in an attempt to remove the cancer cells.
Simmons announced his diagnosis a day after worrying fans with a social post in which he said he was “dying.”
“I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying,” he wrote at the time.
He continued, “The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.”
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His rep confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time that he was not dying, and the post was meant to be inspirational.
Simmons was born on July 12, 1948, in New Orleans and later moved to Los Angeles, where he lost more than 100 pounds before opening up The Anatomy Asylum gym in Beverly Hills in 1974.
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After decades in the limelight, Simmons suddenly stopped teaching at his workout studio in 2014 and retreated from public life altogether. His disappearance sparked a podcast titled “Missing Richard Simmons,” as well as numerous conspiracy theories alleging he was being held hostage in his Hollywood Hills home by his housekeeper.
State officials are urging parents and teachers not to use terms like ‘daughter’
The Vermont Department of Health is advising educators and families to forego the terms “son” and “daughter” when speaking to students.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the department suggested using what they referred to as “inclusive language for families” in the new school year.
“Equity in the classroom is an essential piece of a productive and healthy learning environment,” the post read.
The department advised using the terms “child” or “kid” instead of saying “daughter” or “son,” suggesting they are more “gender-neutral” words.
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Libs of TikTok, a prominent, right-wing social media account known for reposting far-left content that often entails anti-LGBTQ themes, shared a screenshot of the guidelines saying “yes, this is real.”
“The Vermont Department of Health says to stop using the terms ‘son’ and ‘daughter’ in order to be more inclusive. This erosion of the meaning of words and the dismantling of family as the building block of society is wrong. Christians must stand for truth and not give in on these issues,” the Dansbury Institute, a group of issue-based, nonpartisan churches that focuses on public policy issues, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
LOUISIANA GOVERNOR ISSUES BACK-TO-SCHOOL ORDER BANNING CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN K-12 PUBLIC CLASSROOMS
Asked about the post, the Vermont Department of Health told Fox News Digital that the guide was “intended to encourage using inclusive language when you don’t know someone’s family situation. “
The state’s health department promotes a “health equity glossary” involving similar rhetoric on its website.
The glossary, reviewed by Fox News Digital, defines gender as “social, psychological, and/or emotional traits, often influenced by societal expectations, that classify someone as man, woman, a mixture of both, or neither” and says it is “socially constructed.”
The site also defines “internalized racism” as a “set of private beliefs, prejudices, and ideas that individuals have about the superiority of whites and the inferiority of people of color.”
The health department says the term “white” is “a social and political, rather than biological, construct” and links to a 2016 video on “The Surprisingly Racist History of ‘Caucasian’ | Decoded.”
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The glossary also defines “white privilege” as “unquestioned and unearned sets of advantages, entitlements, benefits and choices that people have solely because they are white.”
Paris Hilton defends herself after parenting police call out her latest move
Paris Hilton was called out by the parenting police over water safety once again after she didn’t put a life jacket on her son Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum during a recent outing at sea.
On Wednesday, the 43-year-old reality star shared a TikTok video of the 1-year-old as he explored a luxury Sunreef catamaran she and her husband Carter Reum chartered while they were vacationing in France last month.
“Watching Phoenix explore the world has been so special to me! I am so grateful to be a #SlivingMom,” Hilton wrote in the caption of the clip, which was set to Ed Sheeran’s 2014 hit song “Photograph.”
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In the video, Phoenix happily wanders around the catamaran while wearing a burgundy shirt and matching shorts as the watercraft cruised over waves. The toddler walked across the deck, crawled on the mesh netting over the water and called out “Mama” as he climbed down a couple of steps.
After Hilton uploaded the video, several of her followers took to the comments to express concern that Phoenix was not wearing a life jacket during the excursion.
“Momma, please have him wear a life jacket always on a boat!! Stuff happens. That’s why they’re called accidents. With love,” one fan wrote.
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“My anxiety not seeing him in a life jacket! Can never be too safe on the water!” another follower added.
“Please from one mom to another…life jacket!” one social media user chimed in.
“Walking on the net over the open water terrified me,” another fan commented, adding a string of emojis of monkeys covering their eyes.
“Not me having a small heart attack bc I didn’t realize there was a net and it wasn’t just water. Adorable little guy! Glad he’s safe. I just woke up sooo…” a TikTok user wrote.
“we are all here for the life vest advice right? Beautiful boat, beautiful life, still safer with the jacket,” another follower cautioned.
On Thursday, Hilton responded to the critics as she explained she and Reum had stayed close to their son while he was exploring the boat, and Phoenix was not in any danger during the outing.
“Hey Mamma’s, thank you for the advice & always caring about my #CutesieCrew It’s a big boat & my husband and I are following him around everywhere & watching like hawks. My babies are my world!” she wrote in the comments section.
Hilton and Reum, who married in November 2021, also share 9-month-old daughter London.
This is not the first time the media personality has faced backlash over her parenting skills.
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In May, Hilton shared a TikTok video in which she was seen playing with Phoenix in the water, but all eyes were on the safety vest incorrectly fastened backward around her baby son’s body.
As followers swarmed to the comments section to slam Hilton for improper usage, the DJ quipped, “Oops,” and she reassured her fans she had full control over the situation.
“Hey momma just a tip from another puddle jumper mom i think it’s on backwards. But i love this video pure joy,” wrote one fan.
PARIS HILTON’S ‘WILD’ NIGHTS WITH BRITNEY SPEARS AND LINDSAY LOHAN: ‘THE HOLY TRINITY’
The “Simple Life” star replied to the social media user, writing, “Oops! Thank you! I never let him out of my arms. Thought it was backwards too, I said that to the person who I bought it from & they said it was on right. But thank you so much for letting me know.”
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Earlier that month, Hilton faced intense criticism after posting a video of her kids improperly harnessed into forward-facing car seats.
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However, Hilton later shared an updated post to reassure her fans that she had taken their advice to heart.
In a Tiktok video, Hilton showed off her updated “Sliving Mom Van” with her “cuties crew,” which included Phoenix and London.
The socialite’s children were now properly facing backward and strapped in correctly.
“Thanks for the mom advice, I’m new to this,” Hilton wrote.
Hilton and Reum announced the birth of their son via surrogate in February 2023. Last Thanksgiving, the couple revealed they also welcomed a daughter with help from a surrogate.
Before welcoming Phoenix, Hilton exclusively told Fox News Digital she “cannot wait” to finally be a mom.
“We talk about it every single day,” she said of her conversations with Reum. “I’m just trying to figure out the time in my schedule because I have so many projects happening, and I just launched my media company, 11:11 Media. So there’s a lot happening, but that is definitely one of my top priorities.”
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Israeli archaeologists uncover rare ancient seal that confirms biblical account
Archaeologists in the City of David National Park in Israel have discovered a rare stone seal from the first temple period – one of the oldest finds since the start of excavations in the country, affirming the biblical role of Jerusalem 2,700 years ago.
“The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem, and is executed at the highest artistic level,” Dr. Yuval Baruch and Navot Rom, excavation directors, said in a press release.
Baruch touted the piece as evidence of reading and writing abilities on a wider scale than previously thought during the period.
“Contrary to what may be commonly thought, it seems that literacy in this period was not the realm only of society’s elite,” Baruch argued. “People knew how to read and write – at least at the basic level, for the needs of commerce.”
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“The figure of a winged man in a distinct Neo-Assyrian style is unique and very rare in the glyphic styles of the late First Temple period,” he added. “The influence of the Assyrian Empire, which had conquered the entire region, is clearly evident here.”
The seal depicts a winged genie in the style of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, which the excavating team argued showed the influence of the empire in the region in the 7th and 8th centuries. The press release said the “figure raises one arm forward, with an open palm; perhaps to suggest some object it is holding. On both sides of the figure an inscription is engraved in paleo-Hebrew script – “LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu.”
The release continues that, “The name Yehoʼezer is familiar to us from the Bible (Chron. I 12:7) in its abbreviated form – Yoʼezer, one of King David’s fighters,” while also stating that “in the book of Jeremiah (43:2), describing the events of this very period, a person is mentioned with a parallel name, ʼAzariah ben Hoshʼaya. The two parts of his first name are written in reverse order to the seal owner’s name, and his second name is the same, appearing in its abbreviated form. This writing form in the text fits the name on the newly discovered seal and it is thus appropriate for this time period.”
Ze’ev Orenstein, director of International Affairs for the City of David Foundation, told Fox News Digital that “This singular find joins the list of countless archeological discoveries in the City of David – the historic site of Biblical Jerusalem – affirming Jerusalem’s Biblical heritage.”
“It similarly serves as yet another affirmation of the thousands-of-year-old bond rooting the Jewish people in Jerusalem – not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact,” he said.
Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist and Assyriologist Dr. Filip Vukosavovic declared the discovery “extremely rare and unusual” and marks the first time such an artefact was found in Israeli and regional digs.
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“Figures of winged demons are known in the Neo-Assyrian art of the 9th-7th Centuries BCE, and they were considered a kind of protective demon,” Vukosavovic said of the object.
The experts determined that the seal’s owner would have chosen this specific depiction as the insignia because he may have felt it “belonged to the broader cultural context.”
“In recent years, the archaeological evidence is increasing – especially in the City of David excavations and at the base of the Temple Mount – and instructive regarding the extent of the Assyrian culture’s influence in our region, and especially in Jerusalem,” Baruch said.
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The researchers believe the object was worn as an amulet around the neck of a man who held a senior position in the Kingdom of Judah’s administration. They based their conclusion on the presence of a hole drilled through the piece, likely to allow it to be worn on a string and the high artistic level required to produce the piece.
Israeli Minister of Heritage Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu praised the piece as a “spectacular and unique find” that “opens another window for us into the days of the Kingdom of Judah … and attests to the administration’s international connections.”
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“In doing so, it demonstrates the importance and centrality of Jerusalem already 2700 years ago,” Eliyahu said. “It is impossible not to be moved by such an unmediated and direct encounter with a chapter of our past, a time in which the First Temple stood in all its glory.”
The City of David team will put the seal on public display next week in Jerusalem for two days during the annual research conference, with viewings on Sept. 4 and 5.