Top prosecutor in Eastern District of Virginia resigns amid dispute over James
Fox News has learned U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert resigned on Friday after sources said the White House gave him the option to resign or be fired.
Siebert’s perceived unwillingness to bring local charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of Trump’s top political nemeses, was the main reason for his ouster, according to multiple sources who spoke to Fox News.
Siebert, who has worked in the Eastern District of Virginia since 2010, has not yet been confirmed in the Senate and was on track to be.
NY AG’S OFFICE HIRES ATTORNEY THAT REPPED HUNTER BIDEN TO DEFEND LETITIA JAMES AGAINST FRAUD ACCUSATIONS
A housing and finance banker familiar with the investigation into James told Fox News the mortgage fraud case against her is viable and that she is under scrutiny for, in at least one instance, declaring an investment property she owns as her primary or secondary residence, which would give her better loan terms.
The Eastern District of Virginia is one of the most closely watched U.S. attorney’s offices in the country, known in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks for successfully prosecuting Zacarias Moussaoui, who is serving life in prison for his role in planning the attacks.
The Eastern District of Virginia has since been a go-to office for high-profile national security and counterterrorism cases.
ABC News first reported on the Trump administration’s plans to fire Siebert.
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U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin was given authority by Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the investigation of James. Martin’s one-time nomination to be D.C. U.S. attorney was withdrawn this year amid concerns from certain Republicans about his lack of experience.
In a letter to Martin last month, James’ attorney Abbe Lowell said he did not think Martin was “conducting a serious investigation or review of ‘mortgage fraud,’ and that, despite the lack of evidence or law, you will take whatever actions you have been directed to take to make good on President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s calls for revenge for that reason alone.”
Fox News reached out to James’ attorney for comment. The White House, DOJ and Siebert declined to comment.
AOC says Charlie Kirk’s beliefs were ‘ignorant’ and ‘uneducated’ on House floor
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Friday opposed a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated Sept. 10 during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University.
In a speech on the House floor, Ocasio-Cortez claimed the resolution was introduced on a “purely partisan basis, instead of uniting Congress.”
After condemning Kirk’s murder, she noted the resolution “brings great pain to the millions of Americans who endured segregation, Jim Crow and the legacy of bigotry today” and tore into the late 31-year-old’s ideology.
“We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was, a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act that granted Black Americans the right to vote was a mistake, who, after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, claimed that ‘some amazing patriot’ should bail out his brutal assailant and accused Jews of controlling ‘not just the colleges – it’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it,'” Ocasio-Cortez said.
58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK
“His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans — far from the ‘working tirelessly to promote unity’ as asserted by the majority in this resolution.”
The resolution described Kirk as a “devoted Christian,” “dedicated husband” and a “loving father” of two, explaining his founding of Turning Point USA and commending his personification of the First Amendment.
It resolved the House of Representatives to condemn Kirk’s assassination and all forms of political violence; commended law enforcement for catching Kirk’s alleged killer; extended condolences to Kirk’s family; honored Kirk’s life, leadership and legacy; and called upon all Americans — regardless of race, party affiliation or creed — to “reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.”
‘FEARLESS’ TOUR TAKES CHARLIE KIRK’S FREE SPEECH MISSION TO COLLEGES NATIONWIDE
In addition to Ocasio-Cortez, 57 other Democrats voted against the resolution, including Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Maxine Waters of California.
However, 95 Democrats voted to adopt the resolution, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.
Here is a breakdown of public comments Kirk made regarding the topics Ocasio-Cortez mentioned in her dissent.
AOC CLAIM: Charlie Kirk was “a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act that granted Black Americans the right to vote was a ‘mistake'”
During a Feb. 2, 2024, podcast episode with “Fearless” host Jason Whitlock, Kirk acknowledged his ideas about the Civil Rights Act and its role in American society were “provocative,” thanking Whitlock for the opportunity to further explain.
“It’s an awful provocative conversation I started. I stand by it, and I appreciate the opportunity. I mean this sincerely, Jason — to explain it. There’s even some people on the right that have been just throwing insults, and they would never have me on the show to explain it.”
Kirk went on to say he extensively researched what the Civil Rights Act was, what it tried to accomplish, how it was sold to the American people at the time and how it is perceived now by the modern academic consensus.
“At the time, of course, there were legislative priorities that needed to be done by the federal government to stop bitter segregation — I’ve always held that,” Kirk said. “The American people thought they were getting minor legislative adjustments to say that segregation based on race is evil and wrong. In reality, what they got was the birthing of a permanent deep state of bureaucrats that were looking for racism where it didn’t exist, eventually with affirmative action, quotas and hiring practices expanded beyond race into LGBTQ-type issues.
“What the Civil Rights era really birthed was this idea that it’s the federal government’s job not just to say that discrimination is wrong, but to actively go against any sort of disparate outcome and try to even the score under the guise of equity.”
ANTI-TRUMP VOICES PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK’S LEGACY AFTER ASSASSINATION, SAY HE WAS DOING POLITICS ‘THE RIGHT WAY’
Kirk went on to discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech, saying he “100% bought into” the need for equality, but adding he believed the Civil Rights Act was expanded further than the initial intention.
“At the time, a majority of Americans wanted to see an end to desegregation,” he said. “They didn’t want to see new segregation put forward in eventually anti-White hiring practices, affirmative action or the entire federal bureaucracy having racial hiring quotas.
“Eventually, you look around and you have the left defending Black-only dormitories at hundreds of universities across the country, Black-only graduation ceremonies. … You look back to the Civil Rights Act and you say maybe we overreached and built something we didn’t intend, a federal Leviathan in the form of anti-racism.”
WATCH: CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL PODCAST EPISODE
AOC CLAIM: After Paul Pelosi’s violent assault, Charlie Kirk claimed ‘some amazing patriot’ should bail out his brutal assailant
In an Oct. 31, 2022, episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” titled “A Naked Smear of MAGA,” Kirk discussed the Oct. 28, 2022, attack against Nancy Pelosi’s husband, saying directly, “I’m not qualifying it, I think it’s awful.”
David DePape, a Canadian citizen living in the U.S., was sentenced to life in prison in 2024 after attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, causing two head wounds and injuries to his right arm and hand.
DePape, who Kirk described in the episode as someone who was “not sane,” admitted to devising a plot to hold then-Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she did not admit to allegedly telling “lies” about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. She was not home at the time of the attack.
Kirk’s comments about “bailing out” DePape were in relation to the concept of disparity within cashless bail policies.
Under cashless bail policies, a suspect who is arrested for a crime is released before a trial without having to pay bail or bond. The fees were put in place to ensure suspects do not flee and incentivize them to make scheduled court appearances.
While many liberal jurisdictions have enacted the policies, critics claim cashless bail puts the public at risk and enables repeat offenders.
“I’m not qualifying [the attack], I think it’s awful,” Kirk said. “It’s not right. But why is it that, in Chicago, you’re able to commit murder and be out the next day? Why is it that you’re able to trespass, second-degree murder, arson, threaten a public official, [and receive] cashless bail? This happens all over San Francisco, but if you go after the Pelosis … you’re [not] let out immediately. Got it.”
CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS ‘CONTROVERSIAL,’ ‘PROVOCATIVE’ IN MEDIA’S ASSASSINATION COVERAGE
Kirk went on to question why DePape was still incarcerated in San Francisco, a Democratic stronghold that had cashless bail policies in place at the time of Paul Pelosi’s attack.
Just a few months prior to the assault, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced her office established a policy that would seek cash bail in certain misdemeanor cases, claiming bail “unfairly penalizes those with less financial means and disproportionately affects defendants of color.”
“Why is the conservative movement to blame for gay, schizophrenic nudists that are hemp jewelry makers, breaking into somebody’s home?” Kirk said while discussing DePape’s ideology. “Why are we to blame for that exactly, and why is he still in jail. Why has he not been bailed out? By the way, if some amazing patriot out there in San Francisco or the Bay Area wants to really be a midterm hero, someone should go and bail this guy out. I bet his bail is like 30[,000] or 40,000 bucks. Bail him out and then go ask him some questions.”
WATCH: CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL EPISODE
Kirk went on to wish Paul Pelosi a quick recovery and condemned the attack a second time.
“So, look, I wish him the best. I wish him a speedy recovery,” Kirk said. “No one should have to encounter that sort of violence.”
AOC CLAIM: Charlie Kirk “accused Jews of controlling ‘not just the colleges – it’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it.'”
In an Oct. 26, 2024, episode of the “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast, Kirk claimed Jewish donors have been the No. 1 funding mechanism of radical, open-border neoliberal quasi-Marxist policies, cultural institutions and nonprofits.
“This is a beast created by secular Jews,” Kirk said. “Now it’s coming for Jews, and they’re like, ‘What on Earth happened?’ It’s not just the colleges. It’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it.”
Kirk, a longtime supporter of Israel, later argued in a Nov. 16, 2023, episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show,”titled “Elon Musk Smashes the Digital Narratives,” that some Jewish organizations and donors, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), helped fund “anti-White” or “cultural Marxist” ideas aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement or Diversity and Equity Inclusion (DEI).
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He noted he does not believe all Jewish people are anti-White, specifying that he did “not like generalizations.”
“I don’t like generalizations,” Kirk said in the episode. “Not every Jewish person believes that. But it is true the Anti-Defamation League was part and parcel with Black Lives Matter. It is true that some of the largest financiers of left-wing anti-White causes have been Jewish Americans. They went all in on woke, and it wasn’t just ADL. It was some of the top Jewish organizations in the country that have done that. In fact, we have seen this with the recent retreat of Jewish donations that are no longer going to be administered to colleges.”
Kirk added that, after the October episode, critics labeled him antisemitic, clarifying he was “glad that Jewish Americans are reconsidering their financing of cultural Marxism, and people misunderstood it intentionally and slandered us as being antisemites.”
While “Cultural Marxism” has been used as an antisemitic phrase, commentators have been known to use it without antisemitic intent.
Trump unveils $1M ‘Gold Card’ visa program, says it could generate $100B for US
President Donald Trump on Friday announced the “Trump Gold Card,” which will allow individuals and corporations to receive rapid residency in the U.S., is now available for purchase with a starting price of $1 million.
The card features a portrait of the president, the Statue of Liberty and the American flag underneath a gold background, with “Trump Gold Card” stamped on the left side.
“For far too long, we have had millions of Illegal Aliens pouring into our Country, and our Immigration System was broken,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “It is beyond time that the American People, and American Taxpayers, are benefitting from our LEGAL Immigration System.”
FOREIGN TRAVELERS SOON TO PAY ‘VISA INTEGRITY FEE’ TO VISIT THE U.S. COSTING $250
Individuals are now able to purchase the card for $1 million, and corporations will later be able to purchase a card for $2 million.
“We anticipate THE TRUMP GOLD CARD will generate well over $100 Billion Dollars very quickly,” Trump wrote. “This money will be used for reducing Taxes, Pro Growth Projects, and paying down our Debt.”
Interested parties can apply for the “exclusive privileges” on the official website, trumpcard.gov.
TRUMP TOUTS ‘WORKER-FIRST’ ECONOMY ON LABOR DAY AS INTERNET SPECULATION OF HIS WHEREABOUTS SPIRALS
According to the site, applicants will submit their documents and pay a nonrefundable processing fee, triggering an accelerated probe by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
From there, officials will conduct an in-depth background check and vet the potential cardholder.
Once an applicant is approved, a Trump Gold Card will be available for use throughout all 50 states and territories. Card carriers will be given lawful permanent resident status as an EB-1 or EB-2 visa holder.
POPULAR DESTINATION MAY EXPAND ‘GOLDEN’ VISA PERKS, OPENING MORE DOORS FOR WEALTHY
The website notes that the Trump Gold Card status acts as a visa and may be revoked due to national security and other risks.
The administration also plans to roll out the Trump Platinum Card, which will allow individual applicants to live in the country for up to 270 days per year without being subject to taxes on non-U.S. income. It will take the place of travel visas.
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While the platinum card has not yet been released, the website notes applicants should join the waitlist immediately, as they will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Johnny Carson clip about ‘danger’ of late-night lecturing goes viral amid Kimmel drama
A famous clip resurfaced of legendary late-night host Johnny Carson defending his right to avoid bringing up “serious issues” on his talk show, arguing there is a danger in hosts like him being too self-important and swaying the public.
Carson was a prolific television host and comedian, best known for hosting “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” from 1962 to 1992. He became a cultural icon with his clever wit, at-ease interviewing style and his aid in launching the careers of numerous stars. Remembered as the “King of Late Night,” Carson is widely considered the gold standard for modern late-night talk show hosts.
In the resurfaced clip from 1979, “60 Minutes” interviewer Mike Wallace voiced a critique made by some at the time that Carson would “never take a serious controversy,” which Carson had an immediate answer for.
JAY LENO CRITICIZES MODERN LATE-NIGHT COMEDY FOR ALIENATING HALF THE AUDIENCE WITH PARTISAN POLITICS
“Now, tell me the last time that Jack Benny, Red Skelton, any comedian, used his show to do serious issues. That’s not what I’m there for. Can’t they see that?” Carson replied. “Why do they think that just because you have a ‘Tonight Show,’ that you must deal in serious issues?
“That’s a danger. It’s a real danger. Once you start that, you start to get that self-important feeling that what you say has great import. And you know, strangely enough, you could use that show as a forum. You could sway people. And I don’t think you should as an entertainer.”
CBS HOST POURS COLD WATER ON LIBERAL OUTRAGE TO COLBERT CANCELLATION, SAYS LATE-NIGHT INDUSTRY IS ‘BROKEN’
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The clip has gone viral as many debate the decline of late-night talk show viewership, particularly as many of its hosts, such as Jimmy Kimmel of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” have become preachy about their personal politics in recent years.
CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert and Kimmel have raised money for the Democratic Party in recent years and made their programs openly supportive of its causes.
Colbert’s show will go off the air in May, reportedly because it was hemorrhaging money.
Kimmel’s show was suspended by ABC this week after the host’s controversial remarks about the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk that suggested he was a MAGA supporter rather than a leftist. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggested it could take action before two major local ABC affiliate owners announced they were preempting Kimmel’s program and forced Disney’s hand.
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Keith Olbermann unleashes vulgar tirade on Stephen A Smith for Kimmel criticism
Former ESPN and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann extended his torrent of controversial social media attacks this week, this time taking aim at current ESPN star Stephen A. Smith.
Smith weighed in on ABC’s decision to indefinitely pull Jimmy Kimmel off the air for recent remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, during an episode of his podcast on Thursday. Smith criticized his Walt Disney Corporation colleague Kimmel.
“Where was the joke? Because you’re a late-night host — and obviously that has a comedic attachment to it. Where was the joke? Obviously, it wasn’t anything funny about that,” Smith said of Kimmel’s joke that got him pulled off the air.
Olbermann condemned Smith for criticizing Kimmel, suggesting the sports pundit is “prostituting himself to the right wing.”
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“Just adding to what has been true for years: [Stephen A. Smith] is a f—ing idiot. And now he smells money prostituting himself to, and collaborating with, the right wing,” Olbermann wrote in a post on X.
Olbermann has been under scrutiny in recent days for a controversial X post targeting Kirk and Sinclair Broadcast Group criticizing Kimmel.
Olbermann responded to Sinclair’s statement, which said that Kimmel’s suspension from his ABC late-night show was “not enough.”
Sinclair called for ABC to air a remembrance for Kirk in lieu of Kimmel’s show after the conservative influencer was shot and killed last week.
“Burn in hell, Sinclair,” Olbermann wrote on X. “Alongside Charlie Kirk.”
Social media users slammed Olbermann’s post.
The former MSNBC talking head continued to share thoughts about the Kimmel situation. He referenced the remarks that led to Kimmel’s discipline, posting that “Nothing Jimmy Kimmel said was untrue.”
LIBERALS RAGE AS ABC PULLS JIMMY KIMMEL OFF AIR FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN COMMENTS
On Monday, Kimmel accused conservatives of reaching “new lows” in trying to pin a left-wing ideology on 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson, even though prosecutors reaffirmed those ties in Tuesday’s indictment.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
Smith, while criticizing Kimmel’s attempted joke, expressed sympathy for the “comedian” but still insisted Kimmel’s antagonism toward President Donald Trump is not “wise.”
“To hear the news of Jimmy Kimmel being taken off the air, I was not happy about it. Not at all,” Smith said. “Because I do think he’s a good man. I do think his heart is in the right place. I do think he’s done an incredible service to the ABC and Walt Disney family spanning decades.
“I certainly hope that ultimately he ends up back on the air, and if he doesn’t end up back on the air, I hope he lives a very long and well and prosperous life.
“Having said all of that, that doesn’t mean I’m not entitled to say that what transpired between him and [President Donald Trump] didn’t appear to be the wisest move in the world.”
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Kimmel’s comments came one day after both FBI officials and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said that Robinson held a “leftist ideology” and was increasingly radicalized in recent years. It was also revealed that he had a romantic relationship with a transgender partner who was biologically male and transitioning to female.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed last week while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. Thousands of people have mourned his death in vigils across the U.S.
Kirk’s funeral is set for Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.
Nashville Hall of Famer dead at 57 following plane crash in North Carolina
Grammy-winning country songwriter Brett James, known for penning hits like “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “When The Sun Goes Down,” has died in a plane crash in North Carolina. He was 57.
“A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 18. Three people were on board,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital.
The FAA confirmed that the plane was registered to James under his legal name, Brett James Cornelius. It’s unclear whether he was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash.
COUNTRY SINGER CONNER SMITH RETURNS TO THE STAGE FOLLOWING TRAGIC CRASH THAT LEFT ELDERLY WOMAN DEAD
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed his death, as well as the deaths of two other individuals aboard the plane, according to The Associated Press.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident.
The plane took off from Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport before crashing under still-undetermined circumstances in the woods of Franklin. Authorities have yet to release additional details regarding the cause of the crash.
James’ illustrious career spanned decades, as he became one of the most successful and beloved songwriters in Nashville.
He worked on more than 500 songs recorded by artists like Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban and Meghan Trainor.
James’ first major success was in 2001 when his song “Who I Am” was recorded by Jessica Andrews and hit No. 1 on the country charts.
RISING COUNTRY STAR CANCELS MULTIPLE SHOWS TO GRIEVE AFTER FACING MISDEMEANOR CHARGE IN DEADLY NASHVILLE CRASH
His writing continued to dominate with songs like “Jesus, Take the Wheel”, which not only earned Carrie Underwood a Grammy but also became an anthem of modern country music.
Underwood shared an emotional tribute to her longtime friend, as she admitted James’ death is “unfathomable.”
“The loss of Brett James to his family, friends and our music community is too great to put into words,” she wrote on Instagram.
The former “American Idol” winner continued to reflect on their cherished memories together. “Brett was the epitome of ‘cool,'” she explained, as she recalled how he’d effortlessly arrive at her cabin on his motorcycle, his hair impeccably styled despite the ride.
She also remembered their shared moments of laughter over his rendition of “Cowboy Casanova,” a song of hers that he wrote. She said that the song “should’ve sounded ridiculous coming from a macho dude like him, but somehow, he even made that cool.”
Underwood also spoke of James’ love for God. She remembered their shared moments of worship, singing together at church, particularly the songs they wrote about Jesus.
“My favorite songs to sing of ours are the ones that he or we wrote about Jesus because the thoughts and feelings behind them are so genuine and pure. I won’t ever sing one note of them again without thinking of him.”
She concluded her tribute, “Brett’s passing is leaving a hole in all of us that I fear won’t ever go away. It will forever be a reminder that this life is but a moment…we have to make the most of each day we’re given here on earth. Each day is a gift … Love you, man. I’ll see you again someday.”
James additionally co-wrote “Blessed” for Martina McBride and “Out Last Night” for Kenny Chesney, among numerous other chart-toppers.
In 2020, James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The official social media page for the organization shared a heartfelt tribute to the country songwriter following the news of his death.
“We mourn the untimely loss of Hall of Fame member Brett James (‘Jesus Take The Wheel’ / ‘When The Sun Goes Down’), a 2020 inductee who was killed in a small-engine airplane crash on Sept. 18.”
In 2020, James recorded his own album. He previously explained to the Grand Ole Opry, “At my stage in life, I’m not going to write about driving around in pickup trucks, chasing girls. It needed to feel more classic, lyrically. They all wound up being love songs, but hopefully love songs with a twist, that haven’t all been written before.”
James was born in Oklahoma City and moved to Nashville to pursue music after leaving medical school. His songwriting career skyrocketed, and he quickly established himself as one of the most influential writers in Nashville.
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Jason Aldean took a moment during his Thursday night concert at Pinnacle Bank Arena to pay tribute to his late friend.
“This next song is one of those early ones that really helped define my career and let people know who we were and what we were about,” Aldean said in a video shared on his X account. “We got a little bit of sad news tonight right before we came on stage. A longtime friend of ours, the guy that wrote this song, we found out today died in a plane crash in North Carolina.”
“He also wrote this next song, which ended up being one of the biggest songs of my career,” Aldean pointed out. “So tonight we want to send this out to our friend that we lost tonight, our boy Mr. Brett James.”
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Aldean additionally shared on X, “Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James tonight. I had nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life. Honored to have met him and worked with him.”
He also wrote the song “I Hold On” for country star Dierks Bentley, who shared a heartfelt tribute to James.
“When I sing that song live, I’m always thinking of my dad, but I also think about that day we wrote it,” Bentley posted on Instagram with a photo of the two. “He just got it, just lit into it. It was one of the first times we wrote and I decided to drop the most meaningful and necessary idea of a song I had on him, because I felt like God was telling me to do so. Our friendship and that song changed my life. Prayers for his family.”
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Just months before his untimely death, James shared a heartfelt moment with his loved ones. On June 16, he was all smiles as he posted a family photo.
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“Such an amazing Father’s Day!!” James captioned the Instagram post.
James is survived by his wife, Sandra Cornelius, and their children.
Cowboys’ newest defensive star arrested two days before signing with team
NFL veteran Jadeveon Clowney was arrested Sept. 12 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, two days prior to signing with the Dallas Cowboys.
Clowney, 32, was arrested for trespassing and failure to identify, both misdemeanors charges, according to WSOC-TV 9.
Clowney was trying to park in a lot that was closed to parking but proceeded to park there despite being told that parking was not allowed, according to police reports.
The three-time Pro Bowl defensive end signed with the Cowboys just two days after his arrest. Owner Jerry Jones announced the team had signed Clowney following the team’s thrilling overtime victory over the New York Giants in Week 2.
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Clowney spent last season with the Carolina Panthers. In 14 games, all starts, he recorded 5½ sacks with 46 tackles and nine tackles for loss.
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The Panthers signed Clowney to a two-year, $20 million contract in March 2024 but released him in May 2025 after just one season.
Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, will enter the 12th season of his career. The Cowboys are the seventh team he has played for.
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After being drafted by the Houston Texans, he spent five seasons there, one with the Seattle Seahawks, one with the Tennessee Titans, two with the Cleveland Browns, one with the Baltimore Ravens and one with the Panthers.
In 140 career games, Clowney has 409 total tackles, 58 sacks, one interception, nine fumbles recoveries (three for a touchdown) and 108 tackles for loss.
The Cowboys (1-1) next play the Chicago Bears (0-2) at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
House Republican staffer dead after heartbreaking incident in Texas
Regina Santos-Aviles, a staffer for Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, passed away after an “accident” in which she caught on fire at home Saturday.
Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado noted that there had not been any sign “of foul play.”
“It was an accident,” the woman’s mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, said, noting her daughter had sustained burns, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
The outlet also reported that Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mario Rangel said, “Dispatch advised of an individual who was on fire.”
NEW UVALDE BODY CAMERA VIDEO CAPTURES PARENTS PLEADING WITH OFFICERS DURING 70-MINUTE DELAY
While the call got canceled as crews were en route, four firefighters responded since the residence was near the station, Rangel noted, according to the outlet.
“When we arrived, we learned of a fire behind the residence that had been put out with a fire extinguisher,” he said, according to the outlet. “At the same time, EMS personnel were attending to a female who had suffered burns. She was transported by EMS and, at some point, flown to a San Antonio hospital.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the fire department on Friday.
STUDENT EXPELLED AFTER BEING CAUGHT ON VIDEO ACTING OUT CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION AT TEXAS STATE VIGIL
“We are devastated by the loss of Regina Santos-Aviles, who was a valued member of our team and an extraordinary community leader,” Gonzales told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The contributions she made to her beloved Uvalde community and the surrounding area will never be forgotten.”
Santos-Aviles had served as regional district director for the congressman, her LinkedIn profile indicates.
In a Uvalde Police Department press release Monday, Delgado noted, “Our agency has conducted an initial review of this incident as part of the ongoing investigation, and we are coordinating with the Medical Examiners Office, Uvalde EMS, as well as the DPS Texas Rangers Office in order to complete the investigation, retrieve records, and other related information, which may take some time.
FOUR CHARGED IN TEXAS WITH SMUGGLING CHILDREN ACROSS BORDER WHILE POSING AS PARENTS
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“Once again, our heart goes out to the victim’s family and all those affected by this loss,” Delgado said. “At this point, there is still no indication of foul play. As is our standard procedure, all unattended deaths are thoroughly investigated.”
‘It was my idea’: Hollywood icon strips down at 78 for daring forest scene
Glenn Close is not afraid to bare it all for the camera.
During a recent interview with AARP’s Movies for Grownups, the 78-year-old actress shared she wasn’t nervous about appearing fully nude in her new film, “The Summer Book.”
“It was my idea,” she revealed. “I thought that’s something she would do when no one else is around. In Finland, they’re much more used to nakedness than we are.”
In the scene, her character takes a walk in the forest fully nude. She later joked that, after completing the scene, “I didn’t want to put my clothes back on. It felt so good.”
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Based on the novel of the same name, written by Tove Jansson, “The Summer Book” tells the story of Sophia, a little girl who spends every summer at her family’s home in Finland.
The film follows her first trip back to Finland since the death of her mother and centers around her relationship with her grandmother, played by Close, as they help each other grieve.
“I thought that’s something she would do when no one else is around. In Finland, they’re much more used to nakedness than we are.”
The Academy Award-nominated actress became a grandmother for the first time earlier this year, when her daughter, Annie Starke, welcomed her first child, Rory, in February. The family all live together in Montana, where Close moved in 2019.
“One of the reasons we live here is because we can raise [Annie’s son] surrounded by nature,” she told AARP. “He’ll know that property like the back of his hand, and he’ll know the changing of the seasons. He’ll know how things grow. He’ll get respect for wildlife, he’ll build his secret places, and it will sustain him through life, as my childhood did, my early childhood running around the Connecticut countryside.”
Close first spoke about her life in Montana in 2021 to Mountain Outlaw magazine, explaining she never used to feel homesick before moving to “Bozeman, Montana, but has now “come to realize how much I dread going away.”
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She also told the outlet she is working on creating a lasting legacy for her daughter and grandchildren.
“When I was little, I got solace in nature, and that has never changed,” Close said. “I always tried to create that same potential for my family, especially now to come back here and be with my siblings and have a piece of land outside of town that will always be here for my daughter and her children.”
When speaking to The Wall Street Journal in January, the “Fatal Attraction” star shared that all of her siblings live nearby and that she is happy in her “modest 1892 brick house,” where she can stand on her porch and look at “the mountains and say hi to neighbors.”
She is also looking to build a second home about 30 minutes outside of town.
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“It’s going to be my Zen farmhouse and our family sanctuary,” she said. “In back will be a stone cottage, reminding me of the best years of my childhood.”
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