Blue city mayor ripped for comments after felon allegedly kills woman on train
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, is facing criticism over her response to the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was riding a Blue Line train in the North Carolina city when she was stabbed in a random attack.
In a statement sent by Lyles’ representatives to WCNC Charlotte, the mayor started out by offering “thoughts and prayers” to Zarutska’s family before discussing possible mental health issues for the suspect, Decarlos Brown, a felon with a lengthy criminal record.
“This is a tragic situation that sheds light on problems with society’s safety nets related to mental health care and the systems that should be in place,” Lyles said in the statement. “While I do not know the specifics of the man’s medical record, what I have come to understand is that he has long struggled with mental health and appears to have suffered a crisis. This was the unfortunate and tragic outcome.”
CHILLING VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE UKRAINIAN REFUGEE STABBED TO DEATH ON CHARLOTTE LIGHT RAIL
The mayor later added that incidents like the stabbing of Zarutska should “force us to look at what we are doing across our community to address root causes. We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness and mental health.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Lyles’ office regarding her statement and the resulting criticism but did not immediately receive a response.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed Lyles and accused her of trying to hide “the ugly truth” from the American people.
“This monster had a track record longer than a CVS receipt, including prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, and larceny,” Duffy wrote in a post on X. “By failing to properly punish him, Charlotte failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians. This is totally unacceptable!”
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Rep. Brenden Jones, a Republican who represents the area, scolded Lyles after she issued a separate statement thanking those in the media for not reposting or sharing footage of the attack out of respect for Zarutska’s family.
“Charlotte’s Democrat mayor thanking the media for staying quiet about a tragic death shows exactly how Democrats in big cities try to cover up their crime problem,” Jones wrote on X.
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South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, a Republican, warned residents of his state to “beware traveling to Charlotte while Mayor Lyles remains in office.”
He called for the mayor to resign in the wake of her response to the attack.
“We don’t need more ‘compassion’ for sick and twisted criminals,” Norman said in a statement. “They need jail sentences. And this one needs the death penalty. Mayor Lyles should resign. Her statements of concern for this assailant make her unfit to lead a major city.”
Lyles was not the only North Carolina leader to face backlash over a statement regarding the murder. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, was scolded by the White House over a statement in which he called for increased police presence. While the Trump administration has pushed to increase law enforcement presence in major cities as a means to combating violent crime, a White House press secretary said Stein was putting the blame on the wrong people.
“He was arrested 14 times. The police did their jobs. You did not. And shame on you for trying to shift the blame,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson wrote on X in response to Stein’s statement.
Lyles appeared to change her messaging on Monday afternoon after scrutiny over her earlier statements. In a letter to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, Lyles wrote that the attack revealed “a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates.”
“Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety. We need a bipartisan solution to address repeat offenders who do not face consequences for their actions and those who cannot get treatment for their mental illness and are allowed to be on the streets. We have partnered before on legislation like North Carolina’s pre-trial integrity act, and we stand ready to partner again at the local, state, and federal level,” Lyles said.
The mayor also announced that the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) security personnel would be re-deployed for a stronger presence on the platforms of the line on which the deadly attack occurred.
Video from CATS shows Zarutska, 23, boarding the Lynx Blue Line just after 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22. Zarutska, wearing her pizzeria uniform, sits in front of a man in a red hoodie and begins scrolling on her phone. The man then gets up after a few minutes, pulls out a knife and stabs Zarutska.
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Brown is charged with first-degree murder, according to a Mecklenburg County arrest warrant. The charging text specifies that he “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did of malice aforethought kill and murder Iryna Zarutska” on Aug. 22, 2025.
Records obtained by Fox News Digital showed that Brown has a history of arrests going back more than a decade, including convictions for larceny and breaking-and-entering in 2013, and a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon that sent him to prison for more than six years.
Brown was released in 2020 but remained on parole until 2021, and subsequent charges against him included communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system earlier this year. Police said Brown and Zarutska did not know each other and that the attack was random.
Judge who let NC stabbing suspect walk free before refugee murder faces scrutiny
FIRST ON FOX: Republican members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation are calling for the removal of a state judge who released a man now accused of stabbing a Ukrainian refugee to death on a Charlotte train.
All 10 House GOP members from the Tar Heel State signed a letter urging formal proceedings to remove Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes. They cited her decision earlier this year to release Decarlos Brown “based solely on his ‘written promise’ to appear for a future court date.”
Brown is now charged in the Aug. 22 stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, who fled Ukraine in 2022 after Russia’s invasion.
Republicans argued Stokes ignored Brown’s lengthy record when she freed him without bail.
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They argued that the release “was made despite Brown’s extensive criminal history, which included at least 14 prior arrests for serious offenses such as possession of a firearm by a felon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and physical assault of his sister.”
Brown, who was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia, had been charged with a misdemeanor in January after calling 911 and demanding responding officers investigate “man-made” materials inside his body controlling him, according to KATV.
He called 911 again after being angered by the police’s refusal, and was subsequently arrested and charged with a misdemeanor, according to the outlet.
But the homeless man’s case is now the latest example being held up by Republicans of big cities having too lax a justice system in dealing with crime, including on mass transit.
It comes amid broader partisan divisions over the merits of President Donald Trump deploying the national guard to major cities in order to deal with violent crime.
“Ms. Zarutska’s murder was not only a profound personal tragedy but also a direct result of a failure of judicial responsibility. By releasing a repeat violent offender on nothing more than his written promise to appear, Magistrate Stokes displayed a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice,” the lawmakers, led by Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., wrote.
DEM GOVERNOR BREAKS SILENCE ON MURDER OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEE AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH
“Her decision has undermined public confidence in the judicial system and exposed the community to wholly preventable harm.”
Zarutska had fled Ukraine in August 2022 after Russia launched its invasion of the sovereign country. The attack appears to have been unprovoked, as Zarutska had been sitting in front of Brown on a train while on her way home from work, according to local reports.
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“[W]e urge you to commence formal removal proceedings against Magistrate Teresa Stokes. We further request that the Court conduct a thorough review of her prior bond determinations to assess the full extent of misconduct,” the letter said.
“North Carolinians deserve to know that those entrusted with judicial authority exercise it with diligence, responsibility, and regard for the safety of the community.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the North Carolina Judicial Branch for comment but did not hear back by press time.
Israeli forces announce airstrike against Hamas leaders on foreign soil
Israel’s military targeted senior Hamas leadership in Qatar with an airstrike on Tuesday.
“The IDF and ISA [Shin Bet] conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin were the two targets of the Israeli strikes, Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst said Tuesday, citing initial reports. Israeli officials told Fox News Digital that the U.S. was informed in advance of the strikes.
“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel. Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” the IDF added.
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“The IDF and ISA will continue to operate with determination in order to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacre,” it also said.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack in a statement obtained by Fox News.
“The State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the cowardly Israeli attack targeting the residential headquarters of several members of the Hamas Political Bureau in the Qatari capital, Doha,” the statement said.
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“The Ministry affirms that security agencies, civil defense, and relevant authorities immediately began responding to the incident and taking the necessary measures to contain its consequences and ensure the safety of residents and surrounding areas,” the spokesperson said. “This criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar.”
Al-Hayya recently was involved in talks for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the remaining hostages being held by the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas.
Zaher Jabarin is responsible for Hamas’ finances and is a key player in the terrorist organization’s West Bank operations. He reportedly was involved in the negotiations as well, although his role was less prominent.
“Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued a temporary “shelter-in-place order” in the wake of the strikes. It later lifted the warning.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said on X, “I commend our security forces for this courageous and precise operation.”
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“There is no hiding place for terrorists, and we will continue to pursue them everywhere,” he added.
Nearly a million jobs disappear from data after Labor Dept admits to overestimating
The Labor Department on Tuesday published the preliminary estimate of its annual benchmark revision to nonfarm payrolls, which showed the U.S. economy added significantly fewer jobs than previously reported.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published its first estimate of the annual benchmark revision, which lowered its estimate of employment by about 911,000 jobs over the April 2024 to March 2025 period.
BLS goes through the benchmarking process each year to incorporate more accurate data from state unemployment records that are published quarterly along with business birth and death records into its estimates.
The process yields a more complete and accurate picture of the labor market than the agency’s monthly surveys that are used to create the jobs report, and serves as a means of mitigating the non-response and reporting errors that accumulate month-to-month.
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The BLS’ benchmark revision reflects how much those monthly jobs reports overstated or understated actual job growth from April 2024 to March 2025.
The data released Tuesday serves as a preliminary estimate of the benchmark revision, while the final benchmark revision will be incorporated into the BLS’ January 2026 jobs report to be released in February next year.
Within the downward revision of 911,000 jobs in the preliminary estimate, private payrolls were reduced by 880,000 jobs, while government employment was lowered by 31,000 jobs.
The trade, transportation and utilities category saw employment revised downward by 226,000 jobs – including 126,200 in retail trade and 110,300 in wholesale trade – losses that were partially offset by gains of 6,600 jobs in transportation and warehousing and 3,700 jobs in the utility sector.
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Employment in the leisure and hospitality sector was lowered by 176,000 jobs under the revision.
Professional and business services employment was revised down by 158,000 jobs, while the information sector’s job gains were pared back by 67,000 and financial activities by 39,000 jobs.
Manufacturing jobs were reduced by 95,000 jobs, while construction employment was reduced by 29,000 jobs. Mining and logging jobs were cut by 4,000 in the revision.
Private education and health services employment was reduced by 35,000 jobs, and other services accounted for a decline of 51,000 jobs.
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BLS noted that its preliminary estimate of the benchmark revision reduced employment by 0.6% over the April 2024 to March 2025 period. Over the last 10 years, BLS’ annual benchmark revisions on average increased total employment by 0.2%.
Last year, the BLS’ preliminary benchmark revision for the April 2023 to March 2024 period suggested a downward adjustment to employment of 818,000 jobs – the largest since 2009.
When the BLS released its final revisions for that period with the January jobs report earlier this year, the downward revision was smaller at 589,000 fewer jobs than initially reported.
The report comes after President Donald Trump fired then-BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer following the release of a weaker than expected July jobs report, which revised employment in May and June downward by 258,000 jobs.
Trump claimed that the jobs report was “rigged” and accused McEntarfer of politically manipulating jobs data in advance of last year’s election.
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The BLS revisions did little to change the market’s expectations for the Fed to cut interest rates next week. The probability of a 25-basis-point cut ticked slightly higher from 89% yesterday to 92% today, while the odds of a larger 50-basis-point cut ebbed from over 10% to 8% in that period, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
LPL chief economist Jeffrey Roach noted that the benchmark revision pulled down average monthly jobs gains over the April 2024 to March 2025 period from 147,000 to 71,000.
“The labor market appears weaker than originally reported. A deteriorating labor market will allow the Fed to highlight the need to ease rates. Investors should expect the Fed to officially start the rate-cutting campaign at the next meeting. Solid household wealth is keeping the middle and upper-income consumer afloat but has the economy in an a-typical business cycle,” Roach explained.
Clinton’s message to Epstein revealed as GOP slams Dems for ‘cherry-picking’
The House Oversight Committee has released another tranche of files related to Jeffrey Epstein on Monday night, which includes a message from former President Bill Clinton in the late pedophile’s infamous “birthday book.”
The surprise document dump by the GOP-led panel came hours after Epstein’s estate turned materials over to House investigators, pursuant to a congressional subpoena.
Among the documents released by the committee is the reported book compiled by Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell for the late pedophile’s 50th birthday.
What appears to be an entry by Clinton praises Epstein’s “childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference, and the [illegible] of friends.”
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The book also appears to include entries by former Epstein attorney Alan Dershowitz and President Donald Trump, though the White House and the president himself have vehemently denied its veracity on multiple occasions.
“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X, specifically in reference to a Wall Street Journal story that first mentioned allegations of Trump writing in the book.
Fox News Digital also reached out to Clinton’s office for comment.
Epstein and Clinton were known to have a cordial relationship, and Clinton is known to have flown on Epstein’s plane on numerous occasions.
Neither he nor Trump have been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, however.
The birthday book included a letter from Epstein’s mother, Pauline Stolofsky Epstein, who wrote that she’d been “very busy reminiscing since Ghislaine asked me to write about you.”
“Jeff[,] you have been a good son since day one and we have been proud of you ever since,” Epstein’s mother wrote.
She continued, detailing fond childhood memories of Epstein’s life, from his early childhood to his young adult years.
“I recall you refused to sleep unless I read a story from Grandma’s Golden Book that she bought for 25c,” she wrote. “At PTA meetings I begged your teachers to improve your handwriting.”
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“At age 21 Cosmopolitan magazine featured you as ‘Bachelor of the Month,” she added. “Today you still hold that title.”
Stolofsky also referenced or the Yiddish word for joy, in relation to Epstein’s deceased father.
“Jeff, I’m so sorry that Dad can’t share the we have regarding your achievements,” she wrote. “He would have been overjoyed reading the article about you in the New York Magazine.”
The birthday book also includes a picture of Epstein holding up a large, fake check for $22,500, with what appears to be Trump’s signature.
Beneath the photo, the book reads, “Jeffrey showing early talents with money +women! Sells ‘fully dedicated’ <redacted text> to Donald Trump for $22,500. Showed early ‘people skills’ too. Even though I handled the deal I didn’t get any of the money or the girl!”
The book features hundreds of photos, including pictures of Epstein as a child and a teenager, as well as formal school photos and pictures of him hanging out with friends.
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The book also contains pictures of Epstein shirtless, Epstein embracing women and what appears to be a redacted photo of him and Maxwell laughing in a pool. The photo is censored around her body, implying that she was swimming topless.
Among the suggestive photos are pictures of mating lions and zebras, along with photos of women in revealing bikinis.
A picture of a woman in a bikini is also included with the caption, “Visiting you down in Palm Beach. Can’t get a second of privacy with you and a camera around ha ha!”
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters when asked about Trump’s entry in the book, “I’m told that it’s fake.”
The entry under Dershowitz’s name references a news article that he took credit for influencing, perhaps in a joking manner, changing the focus from Epstein to Clinton.
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“Dear Jeffrey, as a birthday gift to you, I managed to obtain an early version of the Vanity Unfair article. I talked them into changing the focus from you to Bill Clinton, as you will see from the enclosed excerpt. Happy birthday and best regards,” the entry said.
Dershowitz has also consistently denied wrongdoing as it relates to Epstein.
A cartoon drawn underneath, that was not attributed to anyone, shows a man at a bar with the caption, “I’ve come to the conclusion that I should be thinking less about money and more about naked women, and biomathematical research.”
Other entries in the “birthday book” appear to be Epstein during various stages of his life.
Another entry appeared to make a joke about Epstein being a U.S. intelligence asset. Below a photo of Epstein next to a woman with her face redacted reads a note, “He is the boyfriend of [redacted]…We think he works for the CIA.”
A photo on another page shows a young Epstein in front of what appears to be a store counter, with the accompanying caption, “Are you sure this will make my ‘winkie’ grow?”
The tranche of documents released by the House Oversight Committee also includes details of Epstein’s last will and testament, what appears to be an address book of contacts, and details of his 2007-2008 non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern Florida.
HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RELEASES THOUSANDS OF EPSTEIN DOCUMENTS
In a statement upon the files’ release, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., criticized Democrats for earlier releasing only the portion of the files that included Trump’s name – and asserted that the president was not implicated in any wrongdoing.
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“It’s appalling Democrats on the Oversight Committee are cherry-picking documents and politicizing information received from the Epstein Estate today. Oversight Committee Republicans are focused on running a thorough investigation to bring transparency and accountability for survivors of Epstein’s heinous crimes and the American people,” Comer said.
“President Trump is not accused of any wrongdoing and Democrats are ignoring the new information the Committee received today. The Committee will pursue additional Epstein bank records based on this new information. Democrats must decide if their priority is justice for the survivors or politics.”
The release comes a day before former Obama administration Attorney General Loretta Lynch was set to appear before Comer’s panel for a closed-door deposition on Epstein. The deposition has since been postponed pending further negotiations with Lynch’s counsel.
Left-wing group caught in ‘outsourcing justice’ scheme with progressive DAs
FIRST ON FOX: A little-known consulting firm is quietly steering the policies and messaging of dozens of progressive prosecutors nationwide, according to a searing report exclusively obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF), a pro-police nonprofit based out of Virginia, is publishing a report Tuesday alleging that a liberal group focused on criminal justice reform called the Wren Collective has helped guide and shape the offices of at least 40 progressive prosecutors across 22 states on their “policies, public communications, and legal decisions,” according to the report exclusively obtained by Fox Digital titled, “Outsourcing Justice.”
The report outlines the influence — both direct and indirect — that the Wren Collective has allegedly had in both the campaigns and subsequent policy priorities for certain district attorneys, including at least 40, whom the report alleges held cozy relationships with the group, such as joining weekly meetings to talk communication strategy, heeding advice on specific policy issues or even signing a non-disclosure agreement over a DA’s professional relationship with the group.
The Wren Collective is a for-profit organization founded in 2020 by Jessica Brand, a Texas-based attorney who serves as the group’s executive director. Its aim is to “replace ineffective and often disingenuous solutions to crime and safety with solutions that support victims,” according to the website, and is bolstered by a team of policy and legal experts who “design, promote, and defend policies and practices grounded in evidence and compassion.”
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But the report in question alleges a certain level of influence exerted by the group that goes beyond its stated priorities.
Among other things, the report accuses the group of engaging in an “influence-peddling operation,” in part by increasing the access and engagement that certain donors or “well-connected” activists had with the district attorneys’ offices in question, arguing that it “demonstrates that these elected prosecutors’ actions are shaped not by their own ideas or by those of voters and local stakeholders,” but are instead pursued “at the behest” of a certain few.
The LELDF report found that since 2015, there have been roughly 100 progressive district attorneys elected to office across the country, with Wren Collective staffers allegedly “embedded” in at least 40 of the offices, based on documents researchers compiled via Freedom of Information Act requests and other public documents showing a cozy relationship between the group and liberal prosecutors.
The report identified “hatchlings” of the Wren Collective – which LELDF defined as left-wing DAs tied to the consultancy group – such as former San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin, former Los Angeles DA George Gascon, and Travis County, Texas, DA Jose Garza.
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“Based on public information requests (totaling over 50,000 pages of emails and text messages), campaign finance filings, and tax documents, this study demonstrates [how] a handful of left-wing social justice organizations, with significant ties to campaign donors, hold immense influence over these prosecutors through The Wren Collective’s consulting service,” the report alleges.
The report pointed to one email exchange in particular that “explains it all,” and shows the alleged cozy ties between the group and the services it can provide to prosecutors.
An email sent in June 2020 by a Wren Collective attorney to Multnomah County (Portland) DA-elect Mike Schmidt and his policy advisor included two justice-related model policies on how to abolish bail and reduce jail populations that the group “wrote for Virginia commonwealth attorneys,” as well as a lengthy list of examples of how the group could help the incoming DA.
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“In addition to assistance with staffing issues, office organization, and communications support during policy roll-out and in times of crisis, we have written and could help with policies in the following areas:
1. Bail
2. Diversion/Declination
3. Intake
4. Probation
5. Plea guidelines
6. Fines and Fees
7. Prosecutions related to policing
8. Brady (related to officer misconduct) and “do not call” or exclusion lists
9. Conviction integrity or sentencing review units
10. Juvenile transfer
11. Felony and Misdemeanor case backlog”
The email continued, according to the report, highlighting that the Wren Collective assists DAs in such matters “without any billing or publicity” while adding “these policies will be yours, not ours.”
All in, the report includes documents from 23 open records requests, out of a total of 65 requests made, alongside publicly available documents and previous FOIA documents to “cross-reference names and communications to build out a list of 40 progressive prosecutors who themselves or their staff communicated regularly, and substantively directly with The Wren Collective or Jessica Brand on policy, communications, and legal strategy.”
Brand defended the Wren Collective’s work in an emailed comment to Fox News on Monday when asked about the report, while critiquing LELDF for publishing the report.
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“Wren has spent five years proudly working with prosecutors and law enforcement on policies that reduce crime and improve community safety. I have not seen the report, but Wren’s work is no secret and they could have just gone to our website, which makes clear what we do. Our team is also regularly quoted in major media outlets about our work. It is strange that, when there are major mental health challenges in law enforcement and a recruitment crisis, this organization wants to focus on Wren and what LEDLF surely knows is common practice – among conservative and progressive organizations alike who work with these offices – rather than how to help officers,” she said.
On crisis communications, the Wren Collective allegedly helped shape former Loudon County, Virginia, Commonwealth Attorney Buta Biberaj’s handling of the high-profile sexual assault case on a female student in an Ashburn high school by a biological male student. The case became national news in 2021 when the girl’s father, Scott Smith, railed against the school’s failure to protect his daughter during a school board meeting and was subsequently seen in viral footage dragged out of the meeting by law enforcement officials.
A Circuit Court judge booted Biberaj from an appeal case stemming from Smith’s arrest due to “concerns” over “impartiality” in September 2022, with the Wren Collective swooping in to assist Biberaj with communication strategy shortly after, documents included in the report allege.
“I hope you’re doing okay,” a Wren Collective staffer wrote in an email on Sept. 19, 2022, and addressed directly to Biberaj, the LELDF report found. “We saw the news around the Scott Smith case and were wondering if you would like some communication support? Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you at this time.”
Biberaj agreed, according to the report, and set up a time to talk with the group. The prosecutor, whose campaign was backed by a PAC funded by liberal donor George Soros, lost her 2023 re-election effort to Republican Bob Anderson.
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In another jurisdiction, the LELDF report found that Travis County, Texas, District Attorney Jose Garza’s office entered a non-disclosure agreement with the Wren Collective’s Jessica Brand in 2022, according to a copy of the document reviewed by Fox Digital and included in the report.
Garza is another Soros-backed DA who has repeatedly come under fire from conservatives and police officers for alleged soft on crime policies, including an alleged “war on cops” that hit a fever pitch last year when an Austin officer was sentenced to two years in prison after fatally shooting a man wielding a knife in 2019.
“This document is executed between the Wren Collective and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. The Wren Collective, an organization fiscally sponsored by the Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), contracts with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office to provide policy and communications support for the office for a one year period,” reads the document, which was signed by Brand and one of Garza’s deputies.
“Any information or materials involved in the professional engagement between these parties is confidential, and may not be disclosed by Wren to any third party without the office’s permission. Wren agrees to keep all materials provided by the office secure. Wren also acknowledges that, as a consultant of the office, it is governed by the same ethical and professional responsibility rules as is the office,” the NDA continued.
Later that year, Brand reportedly led Garza’s preparation for a CNN interview, according to email records reported in the report.
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The Wren Collective has also taken a role in the campaigns of certain progressive prosecutors and their allied political action committees, which are often tasked with fundraising and reaching out to donors to solicit, either directly or indirectly, large campaign contributions on behalf of certain campaigns.
The report alleges that the group also serves as a campaign consultant for the prosecutors and their allied PACs, including helping provide candidates with “public and media communications,” such as press releases, op-eds, and interviews.
Fox News Digital reached out to Garza’s office, as well as contacted Biberaj, Schmidt and Boudin in their post-DA roles.
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The report concluded that many of the newly minted DAs enter their roles green and are in need of guidance when Wren staffers lend their expertise – but the advice is more than just broad suggestions.
“Those neophytes – who have never been prosecutors or run an organization before winning their races – turn to outside groups for guidance, including many of the same groups that funded their campaigns,” the report found.
Bears QB’s controversial attire steals spotlight as Vikings snatch late victory
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams ignited a debate on social media with his uniform as he stepped onto the field on Monday night to play the Minnesota Vikings.
Williams, the second-year NFL player, was spotted with a gray undershirt underneath his Bears jersey.
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The piece of equipment appeared to divide the internet while Chicago lost to Minnesota, 27-24.
For Williams, it was a tale of two halves. He had Chicago up four points at halftime and it appeared that he was going to take over and lead the Bears to a victory.
The offense punted the ball twice while the defense came through with a pick six from cornerback Nahshon Wright. In the fourth quarter, the Bears missed a field goal following an 11-play, 44-yard drive and punted two more times after that.
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The lack of scoring allowed J.J. McCarthy to get the Vikings back into the game. He engineered three touchdown drives. And while Williams threw a touchdown pass to Rome Odunze to bring the game to within three points, they barely had any time left when they got the ball last.
Williams was 21-of-35 with 210 passing yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown.
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“We said going into Week 1 that the team that would make the least number of mistakes would win the game, and unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of that,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. “We made too many there late in the game, myself included. There were a number of things that I could have done better.”
Country singer, wife share news of newborn daughter’s death in emotional post
Drake White and wife Alex announced the loss of their daughter, Della Elizabeth White, in a joint message shared on social media Sunday.
“On Sunday, August 31st our precious daughter, Della Elizabeth White, went peacefully to be with Jesus,” they wrote on Instagram. “We are so thankful for the holy moments God gave us with her.”
The “Faith” singer comforted his wife as she cradled their daughter in the hospital in an image shared along with the Bible verse, “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
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Della was born at 29 weeks, weighing three pounds, 3.5 ounces, and the little girl was 13.25 inches long when she was born, the couple confirmed.
She was born on Aug. 31 at 8:52 a.m. and “peacefully went to be with Jesus” at 9:12 a.m.
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“The Lord has been so near and close to us during this difficult time,” they shared online. “He has held us up and sustained us through it all. We are heartbroken and soul tired, but we know we will get through this difficult time with the strength, peace, and joy that only our Heavenly Father can provide.”
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“May Della be held in the arms of Jesus until we see her again someday.”
The couple included two additional Bible verses: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:18.”
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“I am dying from my grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Misery has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands. -Psalm 31:10, 14-15.”
The couple, who celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary in June, have a two-year-old son, William Hawk.
They confirmed to People magazine in May that they were expecting their second child following fertility struggles.
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“We were able to conceive through IVF and had our frozen embryo transfer in March. We found out we were pregnant 10 days later and are due in November.”
‘Vegas is dying’: Sin City’s buffets fading fast as trendy food halls take over
Las Vegas’ famous buffets have long been a tourist staple, but now they’re facing a trendier contender on the Strip.
Food halls offer a different draw, serving decadent dishes in a cafeteria setting with a myriad of options.
Many of the city’s staple buffets have been replaced by food halls in recent years. In 2020, Rio’s Carnival World Buffet closed down before reopening as Canteen Food Hall in Jan. 2024.
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ARIA Buffet also shuttered in March 2020, reopening as Proper Eats Food Hall in 2022. The Big Top Food Court at Circus Circus replaced a small portion of the venue’s buffet, opening in Nov. 2021.
Digital creator Samiya Jakubowicz, a Las Vegas local, shared the scoop on the food hall scene with Fox News Digital.
Jakubowicz, who posts under the handle @socialsami, said the Sin City buffets “are a dying breed.”
“There are only a few left on the Strip, and honestly, COVID was the turning point that really sealed that,” she said.
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“But even before that, Vegas was shifting toward more upscale dining and food halls were starting to take over.”
The main appeal of food halls, the influencer said, comes down to trendiness and ease.
“You don’t need a reservation, they bring in well-known restaurants and chefs from all over, and you can get a bunch of different food options and price points all in one place,” she said.
“At the end of the day, food halls are basically just cooler, trendier food courts.”
“The vibe also feels a lot younger and cooler, which makes them a fun spot to hang out.”
Jakubowicz said the era of free drinks and cheap buffets in Sin City “is over.”
“It’s also the current hot topic right now — everyone claiming ‘Vegas is dying’ due to the prices,” the influencer acknowledged.
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“Personally, I was never really a huge buffet or all-you-can-eat girlie, but I do love trying a little bit of everything, so food halls are kind of perfect for that too. I love grabbing a bunch of dishes to share with whoever I’m with.”
She recommended the Block 16 Urban Food Hall at the Cosmopolitan, as well as Via Via Food Hall at the Venetian and Promenade Food Hall at the Fontainebleau.
“During the pandemic, interest in buffets continued to decrease while the costs of operating one increased.”
“Resort’s World has so much variety at their food hall, and honestly, Durango’s off-Strip food hall might be one of the best,” she added.
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“At the end of the day, food halls are basically just cooler, trendier food courts.”
There is an important caveat, though. Jakubowicz said food halls aren’t cheaper.
But, she said, there is “way more variety, you can decide your own price point, better quality and a much more fun social atmosphere … so people think it’s worth it.”
Clique Hospitality founder Andy Masi told Fox News Digital the vision behind Proper Eats was to match the Strip’s eclectic dining scene.
“Proper Eats Food Hall at ARIA offers everything from a slice of pizza and a gourmet burger to Judy Joo’s iconic fried chicken sandwich, fresh sushi and Parm’s famous meatballs,” he said.
Every dish is priced under $20, with a $59 all-you-can-eat menu on weekends, Masi said.
Patrick Miller, CEO of Rio Hotel & Casino, told Fox News Digital the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge factor in the decision to convert the buffet area.
“During the pandemic, interest in buffets continued to decrease while the costs of operating one increased,” the executive said.
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“With Canteen, we’ve managed to offer guests the same selection of flavors with a higher emphasis on quality [food] at an affordable price point that is made fresh to order, rather than sitting under a heat lamp.”