20 Republicans vote with Democrats to reverse key Trump executive order
Twenty House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a bill reversing President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking most federal unions on Thursday.
The bill was led by Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, who got a vote on his measure by filing a discharge petition. It’s designed to force a vote on legislation over the wishes of leadership provided it gets support from a majority of House lawmakers.
The bill, called the Protect America’s Workforce Act, is aimed at repealing a March 2025 executive order by Trump.
The final vote passed 231 to 195, with all the “no” votes coming from Republicans.
6 HOUSE DEMOCRATS EXPLAIN BREAKING WITH PARTY TO END SHUTDOWN
Trump’s order blocked collective bargaining with unions at an array of federal agencies, including parts of the departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice and Energy.
It also affected workers at the departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Treasury, Health and Human Services (HHS), Interior and Agriculture.
During debate on the bill Thursday afternoon, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said undoing Trump’s executive order was akin to encouraging “more work-from-home policies for our federal employees,” which he said Americans voted against when they elected Trump and Republicans to lead in Washington.
“It is important to remember that public sector unions are fundamentally different from their private sector counterparts,” Comer also argued. “In fact, none other than Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a major champion of private sector unions, believed that public sector unions made no sense.”
“In the private sector, unions represent workers and sit across the bargaining table from representatives of business owners. However, federal unions are not negotiating with a profit-seeking corporation. They are negotiating with the public’s elected representatives.”
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said, “Union bosses love this bill for one reason, and that’s because it protects their telework perks, it shields them from accountability, and gives them effective veto power over a duly elected president with a mandate to clean up a bloated federal bureaucracy.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., argued, “Collective bargaining is essentially the freedom to negotiate the best possible work environment.”
“I’m thankful for this bipartisan effort to restore collective bargaining rights for more than 1 million public servants that are part of our federal government,” Jeffries said.
Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., who said his district was home to thousands of federal workers, argued that restoring collective bargaining rights for those workers is “a lifeline that ensures fair wages, safe workplaces, and the basic dignity that every worker deserves,” including corrections officers and people who work with veterans and seniors.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., also appeared on the House floor to debate in favor of the bill, arguing, “These are career public servants, many of them veterans who show up every single day to serve our country. Every American deserves a voice in the workplace, and that includes the people who keep our government running and open.”
Discharge petitions are rarely successful in the House but have been used more frequently this year as Republicans grapple with a razor-thin majority.
58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK
In Golden’s case, five House Republicans had signed onto the petition along with 213 Democrats — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Bresnahan, Don Bacon, R-Neb., Lawler and Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.
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A vote to advance the bill won support from 13 Republicans on Wednesday night, setting it up for the Thursday vote.
That number grew early on Thursday afternoon during another procedural vote to set up final passage, with 22 Republicans voting to push the bill to its final step.
To be successful, however, the measure would still have to be taken up successfully in the Senate and get signed into law by Trump.
Tyler Robinson shows up in court for first time amid secrecy, security concerns
PROVO, Utah – The man accused of assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday, nearly three months after he was taken into custody.
The hearing marks the most significant step in the case so far and comes amid growing concerns from media outlets and from Kirk’s widow about the increasing secrecy surrounding the proceedings.
Tyler Robinson, charged with aggravated murder and multiple related felonies in Kirk’s fatal shooting during a Sept. 10 event at Utah Valley University, has appeared via video or audio from jail in previous court hearings. Since then, much of the case has unfolded behind closed doors, prompting a coalition of media organizations, including Fox News, to demand greater transparency.
ERIKA KIRK PUSHES BACK AT ONLINE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT HUSBAND’S DEATH
Security measures were increased at the Utah County Court on Thursday ahead of Robinson’s hearing, with only one way in and out for members of the public, and armed security guards were seen throughout the building. The main entrance to the courthouse was zip-tied shut. A Utah County Sheriff’s Office armored SWAT vehicle arrived at the courthouse ahead of the hearing, with several law enforcement vehicles.
Robinson appeared in a dress shirt, tie and slacks. He showed little emotion as the hearing began but was seen smirking at one point. His parents and brother were there as well, his attorney said in the courtroom. When the hearing began, Judge Tony Graf immediately moved the court into closed session and kicked the public out of the room.
After approximately two hours, the court was reopened for the media to return. Graf ruled that removing camera access would be “disproportionate,” and ordered that cameras be positioned away from Robinson following concerns that the suspect’s shackles could be visible.
Prosecutor Christopher Ballard urged the judge to clarify the court’s pretrial publicity order, arguing that its reference to “witnesses” is overly broad and could restrict speech.
Defense attorney Richard Novak countered that the order is neither vague nor unconstitutional, saying it only impacts the conduct of lawyers who already have a duty to identify and advise potential witnesses. Novak said the defense has no trouble complying with the order and asked the court to deny the state’s request for clarification.
Toward the end of the hearing Graf granted the state’s request for clarification, ruling that the term “witness” in the publicity order “applies to all witnesses who are part of the prosecution and defense teams,” including anyone the parties “have a good faith belief will be called to testify,” and said that the order “regulates the behavior of attorneys” on both sides.
As the parties were presenting their cases, Robinson was seen looking down. His father was seen taking notes while sitting in court, with his mother dabbing her eyes.
Next, the court turned to a separate motion from a coalition of news outlets seeking limited intervenor status so they can be notified of future attempts to seal records or close proceedings. That coalition requested that prosecutors and defense attorneys be required to give advance notice whenever they seek to seal filings or restrict public access so that those limits can be challenged before taking effect.
Attorneys for the media argued that Utah law permits access, while the defense urged the judge to define the media’s scope.
We don’t want the chaos that is out in the media, in this courtroom,” defense attorney Staci Visser said. “So whatever this court can do to prevent that is what we’re asking.”
Graf said he will take additional time before deciding what portions of a recent closed hearing can be released to the public, telling the courtroom he must “be narrow in my approach” and would “rather do it right and take more time than to be rash and miss the mark.”
The judge scheduled a virtual hearing for Dec. 29 at 10 a.m. MT for rulings on the publicity order and media intervention, followed by an in-person hearing on Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. MT with Robinson expected to appear. The next major date after that is Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. MT, also in person, with Robinson present.
Ballard asked the court to formally recognize Erika Kirk as the case’s victim representative, saying she had filed the appropriate request and saying that “we don’t have an alleged victim, we have an alleged perpetrator.” Defense attorney Kathy Nester did not object, and Graf granted the request, officially designating Kirk’s widow as the victim’s representative.
This court will recognize Miss Erika Kirk as the designated victim representative in this case.
Legal analyst and California-based trial attorney Roger Bonakdar said the dramatic shift in transparency has been striking from the start.
“It has been pretty odd that the information tap was at full blast for a little while and now it’s completely shut off,” he said. “It’s really kind of inconsistent with how you see cases move forward typically.”
Bonakdar said authorities were unusually forthcoming early in the investigation, releasing details that prosecutors typically hold back.
ERIKA KIRK REJECTS ARGUMENT GUN VIOLENCE WAS THE ROOT PROBLEM THAT LED TO CHARLIE’S ASSASSINATION
“When they first arrested Tyler Robinson, the information tap was at full blast,” he said. “They told us that they had audio recordings from Tyler Robinson and a purported confession. They told us that there was video footage from a local fast food restaurant. They were very, very almost oversharing in the beginning.”
WATCH: Expert calls secrecy in Charlie Kirk murder case ‘pretty unique’
But he said that openness abruptly ended.
“Now they’ve shut that tap off and they’re saying you can’t even come to court and hear about what we’re doing when most of it’s probably procedural,” he continued.
CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: LEGAL EXPERT UNPACKS DEFENSE CHALLENGES AND WHY EVIDENCE SECRECY COULD BE CRUCIAL
Because prosecutors proceeded by indictment rather than complaint, he noted, the public will not see a preliminary hearing, and substantive evidence may only emerge if the defense files certain motions months down the road.
The push for transparency intensified after both sides jointly moved to classify the audio and transcript from a closed Oct. 24 hearing as “private.” That session focused on courthouse-security questions and how Robinson should appear in court going forward.
Media organizations argued the public has a right to know when records are being sealed and to challenge those limitations in real time.
ONE MONTH AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER, KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED
WATCH: Erika Kirk sends message to Tyler Robinson ahead of court hearing
Erika Kirk voiced concerns last month about the shrinking visibility around the case. She questioned why the suspect is being shielded from cameras when her husband was killed in front of a crowd.
“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,” she told Fox News’ Jesse Watters in an exclusive interview. “There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there.”
During an appearance on “Will Cain Country” on Thursday, Erika Kirk had a message for Robinson ahead of the hearing.
“I have nothing to say to him,” Kirk said. “Do I forget what he did? No. Do I let that absorb and consume me? No. But I have nothing to say to you. You murdered my husband. I have to tell my daughter every day and explain to her why daddy’s not coming home. Why am I going to waste my breath?”
Bonakdar said her reaction is understandable, explaining, “Erika’s sentiments are readily understandable. She’s a grieving widow and, you know, our hearts all go out to her.”
JAIL’S TIGHT LEASH ON CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN ALL ABOUT ‘SAFETY,’ NOT SILENCING, EXPERT SAYS
At the same time, he said the court is under immense pressure given the political and national significance of the case.
“This process has become complicated because of how significant Charlie was,” he said. “This is a very politically charged case. There are very high emotions in this case. And there’s also issues of tainting the jury pool.”
He explained that judges must balance the First Amendment rights of the media with the need to preserve the integrity of the trial, saying, “Court proceedings are supposed to be open and public… but you do have some real issues with how the public is going to access this information as to the consequences for the integrity of the trial.”
TAXPAYER COST FOR SUSPECTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN’S DEATH PENALTY CASE PREDICTED BY UTAH COMMISSIONER
The court has imposed strict guidelines on how Robinson was to be shown on Thursday. He could not be photographed or filmed in shackles and was only to be depicted while seated. Images of his family members were prohibited, and reporters were to comply with the court’s decorum order.
These restrictions mirrored earlier rulings, including the postponement of a prior hearing after disputes over whether Robinson could appear in jail attire and how that might influence public perception.
ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN WANTS TO DITCH JAIL CLOTHES FOR UPCOMING COURT APPEARANCES
Bonakdar said such concerns are rooted in fairness.
“Courts oftentimes will prohibit the media from depicting the defendant in shackles or in jail clothing because it creates this inference of guilt,” he explained.
Appearing restrained, he said, can lead jurors to view a defendant as dangerous or guilty before any evidence is presented. Still, he noted the restrictions may have limited impact in such a widely covered case.
PROSECUTORS PLAN TO ‘DIRTY UP’ KIRK SUSPECT TYLER ROBINSON TO SWAY JURY TOWARD DEATH PENALTY: FMR US ATTY
“Anybody who does a Google search will know… at some point it may be an exercise in futility. Is the damage already done?”
Robinson’s limited physical appearances have raised questions as well. Bonakdar said the most likely explanation for keeping him on video is security.
“They’re gonna say that Tyler Robinson is a security risk… he’s at risk for being hit by someone who wants to seek revenge,” he said. While he acknowledged the reasoning, he added that it is “very clearly a deviation from the norm.”
ERIKA KIRK RECALLS LAST MOMENTS WITH CHARLIE BEFORE HIS ‘HORROR MOVIE’ MURDER, ADDRESSES ASSASSINATION VIDEO
WATCH: Street clothes at center of Tyler Robinson court case
Despite public frustration with the pace of the case, Bonakdar said the timeline is typical for a homicide case, particularly one in which prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty.
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“The timing of the case is actually very consistent with the severity of the allegation,” he said. Murder cases “move very slowly,” he added, especially when prosecutors proceed by indictment rather than complaint.
Deadly plunge caught on camera as man climbs over railing to retrieve pickleball
Video shows the horrifying moment a pickleball player fell to his death after climbing over a safety rail to retrieve a ball at a sports center in Malaysia.
CCTV footage acquired by Newsflare shows the 32-year-old player leaping over a safety rail at a Kuala Lumpur pickleball facility on Dec. 2.
The video then shows him jumping onto mesh netting that covered an open gap, but it tore under his weight and he plunged three stories.
Other players rushed to the railing before heading to the first floor. When they reached him, they learned he had died, according to Newsflare.
DAD FINDS 13-YEAR-OLD SON DEAD AFTER 200-FOOT FALL FROM BLUFF INSIDE POPULAR NATIONAL PARK SITE
“The deceased was playing pickleball on the third floor and he had climbed over the court’s fence to retrieve a ball and fell to the lower floor,” Wangsa Maju district police chief Mohamad Lazim Ismail said in a statement obtained by Newsflare. “The case has been classified as sudden death.”
Officials at the Playa Racquet Club, where the incident occurred, expressed their condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones.
WEALTHY CALIFORNIA TOWN BANS PICKLEBALL OVER NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM PADDLES HITTING BALLS
“We are deeply saddened by a tragic incident that occurred at our TREC facility, which resulted in the loss of a life,” the officials said. “At this time, we ask for understanding and compassion as we respect the privacy of the family and loved ones affected.
“We kindly urge the public to refrain from speculation while the appropriate authorities carry out their investigation,” club officials said.
WHAT IS PICKLEBALL? HOW TO PLAY, WHAT YOU NEED AND HOW TO FIND A COURT NEAR YOU
Pickleball is a sport that blends tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It was invented in 1965 by three dads looking for a fun family activity.
Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum gathered on Bainbridge Island, near Seattlenear Seattle, where they had access to an abandoned badminton court. They began using ping-pong paddles to volley with a perforated plastic ball over the net.
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They ended up with some random equipment, which led to the birth of pickleball.
Omar’s ex flaunts ‘dirty dandy’ lifestyle as Trump revives marriage claims
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s second husband has emerged online, referring to himself as a “dirty dandy” on Instagram while showing off a fun-loving lifestyle in South Africa, according to reports.
Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, 40, who spent time abroad after leaving the U.S., is now believed to be in Johannesburg, where he has been chronicling his time there, the New York Post reported.
The outlet revealed social media posts showing him wearing a visitor’s badge at the University of the Witwatersrand and enjoying upscale venues as he documents his day-to-day life.
ILHAN OMAR SAYS SHE’S FRUSTRATED SINCE SOMALIS ARE ALSO VICTIMS IN ‘FEEDING OUR FUTURE’ SCAM
Elmi’s reappearance also coincided with President Trump pushing his allegation the Minnesota politician had supposedly married her brother to avoid U.S. immigration laws.
At a Pennsylvania rally Tuesday, Trump repeated his accusation that Omar married her brother for immigration purposes,
“She married her brother in order to get in, right?” he told supporters. “She married her brother. Can you imagine if Donald Trump married his sister? Beautiful. She’s a beautiful person.
“If I married my sister to get my citizenship, do you think I’d last for about two hours or something less than that? She married her brother to get in. Therefore, she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out.”
OMAR ALLIES TIED TO MASSIVE MINNESOTA COVID MEAL FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING SOMALI COMMUNITY
Trump also expanded on the allegation in an interview with Politico, saying he didn’t “want to see a woman that, you know, marries her brother to get in and then becomes a congressman and does nothing but complain. All she does is complain, complain, complain, and yet her country’s a mess.”
Omar has always denied the accusation while her marital history, particularly her 2009 civil marriage to Elmi, has fueled debate since she entered public office.
ILHAN OMAR SAYS THERE ARE FEW UNDOCUMENTED SOMALI MIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY
Born in Somalia and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2000, Omar entered a religious marriage with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2002.
In 2009, she legally married Elmi, a British citizen, despite maintaining her religious union with Hirsi and continuing to have children with him.
Omar and Elmi separated in 2011 and did not legally divorce until 2017, according to reports.
ILHAN OMAR PRESSED TO EXPLAIN HOW FRAUD IN MINNESOTA GOT ‘SO OUT OF CONTROL’
She married Hirsi in a civil ceremony before divorcing him and marrying political aide Tim Mynett in 2020.
Meanwhile, Elmi has pursued an academic career in recent years.
According to the University of Bristol’s research directory, he earned a Ph.D. and has served as a research assistant focused on gender studies, queer theory, decolonization and international development.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Ilhan Omar and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi for comment.
Veteran Dem strategist slams rising liberal star for breaking key political rule
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville spoke about Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s bid for the Senate in Thursday’s episode of his podcast, arguing she tends to break a key rule of politics.
“Politics War Room” podcast co-host Al Hunt argued Crockett throwing her hat into the ring for the Texas Senate is good news. He argued that the most likely Democratic candidate to win would be state Rep. James Talarico, saying, “If he ends up running against Ken Paxton, I like those odds.”
Carville said he feels more optimistic about Texas than he has in a long time.
“I’ll address the issue of Jasmine Crockett,” Carville said. “First of all, it seems like she’s well-educated. It seems like she’s got a lot of energy. But she, to me, she violates the first rule of politics, and that is, in politics, you always make it about the voters and never about yourself.
CROCKETT SPENDS EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF CAMPAIGN CASH ON THIS
“You listen to her talk. It’s a lot more about herself than it is the voters.”
He warned that Crockett lives in a district that favors Democrats by 24 points, arguing it would be far better for her to try to rally Democrats in districts that slightly favor Republicans.
“You can stay in Congress as long as you want,” Carville suggested. “You can get all the hits. You can get all the clicks. You can get on all of the TV shows. You can get in as long as you’re polemic, but you’re not helping very much.”
He went on to argue that a perfect example of Democrats making unforced errors would be Tennessee’s 7th district, where Aftyn Behn was considered a poor choice of candidate in an election where Republicans were unusually vulnerable.
Carville joked that it was as if Democrats had “gone into a lab” to “design the worst candidate that we could possibly run in Tennessee 7.
BIG WIN FOR TRUMP, GOP, AS SUPREME COURT GREENLIGHTS NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP IN TEXAS
“We would pick somebody who said they didn’t like country music. We could pick someone that said they don’t even like where they live. We could pick someone that said they wanted to pay for gender-affirming surgery for prison. We could pick someone that said, ‘We want to defund the police.’ Actually, we picked that person. We actually did. And even there, she cut the margin from 22 to nine.
“But we know what wins elections,” Carville concluded. “We just do. And what wins elections is not sitting there talking incessantly about yourself. Winning elections is not how many clicks you get or how much overnight fundraising you do. Winning elections is being part of framing issues and understanding where people are coming from, and I don’t think Congressman Crockett is very good at that. I’ll be very frank.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Behn and Crockett and did not receive an immediate response.
Wisconsin student’s cause of death confirmed after vanishing on late-night walk from bar
Officials have announced a cause of death for Wisconsin graduate student Eliotte Heinz, whose body was found floating face down in the Mississippi River days after she vanished during a walk home from a bar in July.
The La Crosse County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Heinz’s cause of death as drowning and her manner of death as an accident, according to a new autopsy report obtained by Fox News Digital on Thursday morning.
The 22-year-old Viterbo University student vanished around 2:30 a.m. on July 20 while walking home from Broncos Bar in La Crosse, Wisconsin, after a night out with friends.
Her body was found three days later, just before 10:30 a.m. on July 23, by a fisherman in the river near Brownsville, Minnesota — more than a dozen miles from where she was last seen, authorities said.
FISHERMAN FOUND WISCONSIN GRAD STUDENT FACE DOWN MISSISSIPPI RIVER DAYS AFTER MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
There was “no gross evidence of trauma,” according to the autopsy report, which noted that there were no indications of foul play, physical assault or inflicted harm.
Toxicology tests showed Heinz had no drugs in her system, though she tested positive for alcohol. She had 193 mg/dL of ethanol in her system, according to the report, which is roughly a 0.19% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
According to health experts, a BAC of 0.19% is associated with severe impairment to gross motor skills, speech, vision and reasoning. For comparison, the standard legal limit for driving is 0.08%.
Heinz was last seen walking along the Mississippi River waterfront at about 3:30 a.m. and later spotted on surveillance footage heading toward her apartment, which was less than a mile away.
The owner of a marina bar near the location where Heinz’s body was spotted told Fox News Digital in July that the young fisherman found the body face down and wrapped in duckweed. The body could be seen from the shore.
WISCONSIN STUDENT ELIOTTE HEINZ’S MISSISSIPPI RIVER DEATH REIGNITES SAFETY CONCERNS IN COLLEGE TOWN
Jonathan Strike, who lived in Heinz’s apartment building, told Fox News at the time that Heinz had only moved in a few months ago, but her kindness radiated in the community.
“Very sweet, quiet girl,” Strike said. “[She] always said ‘Hi’ every time she walked by. Ever since she moved in, [she] always made an attempt to be as friendly as she can be, even with my dog jumping all over everybody. It’s just heartbreaking.”
Heinz’s family released a statement to Fox News Digital in July remembering the 22-year-old as a “beautiful person.”
“She was smart, funny, caring, and loved fiercely by us. We don’t know why we were so blessed to have her as a daughter, or why we are unable to keep her,” it read, in part. “She is amazing and would have continued to amaze us. We are devastated that she is no longer with us. Our family will forever have a missing piece.”
“Eliotte’s walk home is finished. Unfortunately, our family’s walk down this new hard path is just beginning. We love you Eliotte,” the statement concluded.
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The University of Wisconsin River Watch, a program started in 2006 to prevent alcohol-related accidental drownings, reported that eight college students drowned in the Mississippi River as a result of excessive drinking between 1997 and 2006.
Delivery driver caught on camera allegedly tainting food order
Viral footage has captured the moment a DoorDash delivery driver may have pepper-sprayed a customer’s order during a delivery in Evansville, Indiana, according to local authorities and the company.
The incident occurred early Sunday morning and appeared to be a random attack that reportedly caused a couple excruciating pain.
Doorbell camera footage shows a woman with purple hair dropping off an Arby’s order, seemingly taking a photo, then discreetly spraying the bag with an irritant before slipping the spray back into her jacket pocket and leaving.
Local officials told Fox News Digital Wednesday that authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the incident.
DRUG-LACED CANDY DISGUISED AS KIDS’ TREATS FUELS NEW HALLOWEEN SAFETY WARNING FOR PARENTS: POLICE
“The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a reported incident in which a food delivery driver allegedly sprayed an irritant substance onto a customer’s order before leaving the residence,” Sheriff Noah Robinson said.
“During the early morning hours of (Dec. 7), deputies responded to a local home after the occupants became ill shortly after consuming their delivered meal. The individuals reported experiencing burning sensations in their stomachs, throat, mouth, and nose and later discovered video footage showing the delivery driver spraying a substance onto the food bag prior to departure.”
GUATEMALAN NATIONAL FREED WITHOUT BAIL IN THC GUMMIES CASE THAT SENT 12 MIDDLE-SCHOOLERS TO THE HOSPITAL
Resident Mark Cardin told local media WFIE that he and his wife did not realize the food had been tampered with until they began eating.
“I noticed my wife had started eating, and she started choking and gasping,” Cardin said. “After she had a couple bites of her food, she actually threw up.
“I had a look at the bag and seen that there was some kind of spray or something. The bag had been tampered with. So, I pulled up my doorbell camera and seen that the lady who dropped the food off had actually tampered with it on purpose for some reason.”
In several posts on Facebook, Cardin added that he did not know the driver, suggesting that the attack was random, adding she had already blocked him on the DoorDash app after the delivery.
He described the incident to WFIE as terrifying, noting they could have unknowingly ingested something far more dangerous.
“It’s horrific,” Cardin said. “We assume it’s pepper spray. That’s more than likely what it is, but now, in this day and age, it could’ve been anything. It could’ve been rat poison. It could’ve been fentanyl. I mean, my wife could’ve been dead.”
FAMILY OF 6-YEAR-OLD STABBED TO DEATH ‘SICKENED’ BY SUSPECT’S EARLY PRISON RELEASE
Carbin told WFIE that DoorDash has since refunded his order.
DoorDash told Fox News Digital Wednesday it has terminated the employee.
“We have zero tolerance for this type of appalling behavior,” a DoorDash spokesperson said. “The Dasher in question has been permanently removed from the platform, and our team is standing by to support law enforcement with any investigation.”
The identity of the delivery driver has not been confirmed, and no arrests have been made, officials said.
The sheriff’s office also said it is coordinating with DoorDash as the investigation moves forward.
Anyone with information relevant to this case is asked to contact the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office.
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Mark Cardin declined a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Arby’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Former MSNBC host pushes claim that ‘Jingle Bells’ mocked Black Americans
Former MSNBC host Joy Reid took issue with a popular Christmas carol, reposting a video that describes the beloved tune as racist. The now-viral clip has renewed scrutiny of the carol’s past, as the academic whose research the video is based on says that wasn’t her intent.
In the video, a man in festive attire stares at a plaque in Medford, Massachusetts, where James Lord Pierpont is believed to have written what became known as “Jingle Bells.”
The video makes the argument that the song’s early performances were used to “mock” Black people. It goes on to discuss Pierpont’s history using racialized dialect and slurs in other works. The clip also notes that the writer later fought for the Confederate Army in defense of slavery.
“This is where a racist Confederate soldier wrote ‘Jingle Bells’ to make fun of Black people,” reads the first caption on screen.
JOY REID’S ‘FAR-RIGHT’ TAKE ON TRANS WOMEN IN FEMALE LOCKER ROOMS LEAVES CONSERVATIVES STUNNED
The video says that Pierpont was strapped for cash and wrote the original version, “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” for performances where White actors in blackface caricatured Black people “trying to participate in winter activities.”
Reid, who lost her MSNBC show “The ReidOut” earlier this year, reposted the clip to her 1.3 million Instagram followers, writing, “Lord have mercy.” The video cites a 2017 Cambridge University Press paper titled “The Story I Must Tell: ‘Jingle Bells’ in the Minstrel Repertoire.”
“The legacy of ‘Jingle Bells’ is, as we shall see, a prime example of a common misreading of much popular music from the nineteenth century,” writes author Kyna Hamill in the study.
JOY REID WARNS THAT TRUMP COULD TRANSFORM US MEDIA TO ‘NORTH KOREA’-STYLE PROPAGANDA MACHINE
“Its blackface and racist origins have been subtly and systematically removed from its history,” she added.
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However, Hamill has repeatedly said her work is being misrepresented and that she never claimed “Jingle Bells” was written as racist mockery. She maintains her research focuses on the performance history of the song and where it originated, not on Pierpont’s intent in composing it.
“I never said it was racist now,” Hamill told the Boston Herald in 2017, adding that she was not looking to dictate what songs are sung at Christmas.
Food and drinks that you should skip when you’re sick, according to doctors
As we approach winter — and all the illnesses that come with this time of year — many Americans are looking for proactive measures to protect their health.
Between loading up on citrus fruits and eating fresh vegetables, it’s worthwhile to build up a healthy immune system to protect against germs.
But when you’re hit with a cold or the flu, which foods will help you recover — and which ones will make the illness worse?
RESEARCHERS SAY MILLIONS DITCHED BREAD FOR NO REASON — HERE’S WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING
Fox News Digital spoke with medical experts about the worst foods to eat while you’re sick — many of which are common choices.
Check out four items to avoid — and what to choose instead.
1. Spicy foods
You may be tempted to eat spicy foods while your taste buds are weakened, but experts advise against it.
Dr. Michael Ednie, a Florida-based doctor and registered dietitian, said spicy foods are a mixed bag.
While capsaicin has anti-inflammatory properties, it can worsen throat irritation and coughing, in addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, he said.
Spicy foods “are a double-edged sword.”
“Capsaicin, the active component in chili peppers, can trigger temporary nasal decongestion through its effects on TRPV1 receptors, providing symptomatic relief from stuffiness,” Ednie said.
“The decision to consume spicy foods during a cold should be individualized based on symptom profile and GI tolerance.”
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Will Bulsiewicz, a South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and author of “Plant Powered Plus,” said spicy foods “are a double-edged sword.”
“They can temporarily open nasal passages and ease congestion, but they can also irritate a sore throat [and cause] reflux [and] nausea,” he said.
2. Alcohol
This may be the most obvious immunity threat on the list — and for good reason.
Alcohol impairs the immune system through several mechanisms, said Ednie, including disrupting communication between immune cells and damaging the gut barrier — both of which can trigger widespread inflammation.
Alcohol also worsens dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which can be especially dangerous during illness.
“Alcohol is a triple threat in a bad way — it suppresses immune cells, dehydrates the body and disrupts the gut barrier,” Bulsiewicz said.
“Not to mention that just one drink can mess up your sleep,” he said. “Bottom line: Alcohol forces your body to fight on two fronts — the virus and the metabolic and immune disruption from the alcohol itself.”
3. Fried, greasy foods
You may be tempted to grab a bag of chips or some french fries as comfort food. Experts urge otherwise.
Fried and greasy foods “slow gastric emptying, trigger visceral hypersensitivity and promote intestinal inflammation,” said Ednie. “All of these mechanisms can exacerbate nausea, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea in someone who is already sick.”
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Nausea, bloating, reflux and constipation are “not helpful while feeling ill,” he added.
These “disruptions of our gut rhythm impact our microbiome more than we’d like,” he said.
“Lighter, easier-to-digest foods are the way to go.”
4. Sugary drinks
Except for electrolyte-packed drinks like Gatorade, sugary drinks should be off your radar when you’re sick.
Sugary drinks can weaken your immune response and increase inflammation, which may slow recovery, Ednie said.
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Bulsiewicz added that these types of drinks dehydrate you, “which is the opposite of what you need when you’re fighting an illness.”
“Sugary drinks spike your blood sugar, disrupt your gut barrier and slow your immune system — it’s like hitting the brakes on your body’s recovery,” he said.
Healthy alternatives
Someone who is feeling sick should focus on foods that are “gentle, hydrating and supportive of immune function,” said Jessica Mack, a New York-based wellness expert and former occupational therapist.
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“Examples include warm broths, herbal teas, electrolyte-rich beverages, simple grains like oatmeal or rice, bananas, applesauce, berries, citrus fruits, leafy greens and lean plant-based proteins such as lentils or tofu,” she said.
Coconut water and diluted fruit juice can hydrate the body in place of sugary beverages, Mack added — and tea is always a great option.
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“Prioritizing simple, nourishing and easy-to-digest foods — while avoiding items that increase inflammation or deplete hydration — supports the body’s natural recovery process and may help shorten the duration of illness,” she said.