Tag: elections state and local

NYC Board of Elections worker says ‘not my job to report anyone’ when asked about registering non-citizens

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A New York City Board of Elections worker said it is not his job to report anyone when asked about processing registrations for non-citizens, hidden video footage shows.

According to undercover video captured by Muckraker, in which its reporter attempted to pose as a non-citizen, a worker said he would process applications for non-citizens.

“Once in a while … we have people come in here … and they register, they weren’t a citizen,” the worker told the reporter.

When the reporter claimed to the worker that he was a green card holder from Canada, he was told he needed to be a citizen.

OHIO UNCOVERS OVER 1,000 NONCITIZENS ‘APPEARING’ REGISTERED TO VOTE, SENDS CASES TO DOJ FOR PROSECUTION

A New York City Board of Elections worker said it is not his job to report anyone when asked about processing registrations for non-citizens. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I wouldn’t fill it out,” the worker said. “You gotta be a citizen to fill it out.”

“We can’t stop you from submitting the application,” he added, warning that people have had “legal situations” in which non-citizens attempted to register.

When the reporter responded that he really wanted to register, the worker again said it was up to him if he wanted to fill out an application.

ELECTION INTEGRITY GROUPS PRESS SUPREME COURT TO REQUIRE BALLOTS BY ELECTION DAY

The election worker cautioned against filling out an application to register to vote, but said he would not stop someone from submitting one. (iStock)

“I can’t tell you what to do. If you want to fill it out, fill it out. But everything is clearly stated, especially at the bottom. It says American citizen. So I’m letting you know, if you fill that out, and you’re not [a citizen]. If it comes back to you, it comes back to you. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” the worker said, appearing to warn the reporter again of legal consequences.

“But we accept anything that comes over the counter,” he continued.

Asked if he would report him if he submitted an application, the worker said he would not report anyone.

The election worker said he would not report non-citizens attempting to register to vote. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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“That’s not my job to report anyone,” he said. “My job is just to collect the application and submit it to the department.”

In New York, it is illegal for non-citizens to register to vote. A previous measure that aimed to allow non-citizens to vote in local municipal elections in New York City was ruled last year to be unconstitutional.

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February 17, 2026
Spencer Pratt announces run for LA mayor on one-year anniversary of Palisades fire that destroyed his home

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Spencer Pratt announced on the one-year anniversary of the start of the Palisades Fire that he plans to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

Pratt, whose home burned down during the fires last year, made the announcement during a “They Let Us Burn!” protest in the Pacific Palisades near the remains of his home Wednesday.

“On Jan. 7, 2025, [his wife] Heidi [Montag] and I lost our home. We lost every material possession we own. My parents lost their home too and, with it, decades of memories lost inside those walls,” Pratt emotionally told the crowd on Wednesday, calling it the “worst day of my life.”

The 42-year-old noted he grew up in the Palisades, “thinking that my two boys would grow up here just like I did with that same hometown feeling. Then, right before my eyes, that future that I envisioned burned to the ground.”

LA MAYOR BASS POINTS FINGERS WHEN GRILLED ON AFRICA TRIP AMID BOTCHED WILDFIRE RESPONSE

Spencer Pratt announced on the one-year anniversary of the start of the Palisades Fire that he plans to run for mayor of Los Angeles. (Spencer Pratt/Instagram; MEGA/GC Images)

Pratt, a frequent critic of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom, said the most “heartbreaking” part of the last year was the “realization that all of this was preventable.”

The former “The Hills” reality star accused the state of letting “brush grow wild” in Topanga State Park for 50 years without wildfire maintenance and creating a “hostile” insurance environment that prompted carriers to drop them before the fires.

Spencer Pratt announces he’s running for mayor of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, on the first anniversary of the Palisades Fire. (Backgrid)

“I have realized that the city I love is being managed into the ground by people who don’t have the courage to actually lead,” he said. “Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles, and I’m done waiting for someone to take real action. That’s why I am running for mayor. And let me be clear, this just isn’t a campaign. This is a mission.”

LA MAYOR BASS CONCEDES AFRICA TRIP WAS ‘ABSOLUTELY’ A MISTAKE AMID BOTCHED WILDFIRE RESPONSE

After making his announcement, Pratt posted a photo of himself with his signed paperwork to run for mayor, writing, “Yes, it’s official. Papers are filed and campaign is open: mayorpratt.com.”

Since losing his home, Pratt has been vocal on social media, accusing city and state leaders of mismanagement, corruption and “criminal negligence” in their response to the fires.

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Former reality television star Spencer Pratt, who lost his home in the Palisades fire, has been an outspoken critic of California leaders over their management of the wildfire recovery efforts. (MEGA/GC Images)

In January 2025, Pratt and Montag sued the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power over the destruction of their home.

The “Hills” alums filed the suit Jan. 21, 2025, along with 20 other property owners, blaming the city and the utility company for the damage.

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Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag at a “They Let Us Burn!” rally in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, 2026. (Backgrid)

Republicans have also launched a congressional investigation into the fire response.

“When people are like, ‘How do you feel about Republican senators opening a congressional investigation into the Palisades?’ I’m just happy anyone is investigating why the people who paid almost $700,000,000 in taxes, to these people who are employees, aren’t being questioned in front of every judge, jury, investigator, cop, sheriff, detective,” Pratt said last year.

Spencer Pratt surveying his property after his home was destroyed. (Spencer Pratt Instagram)

He was also joined in the Palisades by U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, who toured the damage amid delayed rebuild permits.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Pratt, Newsom and Bass for comment.

“It’s no shock that in advance of his imminent book release, a reality TV ‘villain’ who once staged a fake divorce to boost ratings and spent the last summer spewing post-fire misinformation and disinformation to pump up his social media following, would now announce he’s running for Mayor,” Douglas Herman, Bass’ campaign strategist, told Fox News Digital.

A spokesperson from Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital in part, “Topanga State Park is within LA city limits. By law, the fire response is the responsibility of the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD), not the state. Parks is not a firefighting agency and does not direct fire response.”

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The governor’s office said, “With respect to the origin of the fire, the U.S. Department of Justice has determined that it was intentionally set by an out-of-state arsonist who was arrested in Florida. The governor expects the suspect to be held fully accountable under the law.

“Gov. Newsom has been focused on stabilizing and modernizing California’s home insurance market, especially as climate change drives more severe wildfire risk.”

The spokesperson added that California insurance rates “remain below the national average and significantly less than some other states.”

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January 7, 2026
Social media erupts after Cuomo, Mamdani rip each other during final debate: ‘Unmasked’

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Reactions to Wednesday night’s New York City mayoral debate were heavily focused on the candidates’ efforts to attack each other for alleged personal scandals, such as former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s sexual harassment allegations and Zohran Mamdani’s links to radical politics.

The candidates’ decision to relentlessly criticize each other amid their final chance to make a pitch to voters did not go unnoticed on social media. While each candidate received support and criticism all around, Cuomo’s response to a question from Mamdani about what he would say to victims who have accused him of sexual harassment was frequently highlighted.

“I just want to go on-record and say I have never in my life seen somebody get their a– whooped at a debate this m—er f—ing bad,” political content creator and podcast host Brian Baez said.

“Mamdani just detonated the debate,” podcast host Brian Allen added. “He looked Cuomo dead in the eye and invoked Charlotte Bennett; one of the 13 women Cuomo allegedly harassed, saying she was in the audience but couldn’t speak because Cuomo’s lawyers ‘hounded her.’”

‘TIME FOR A CHANGE’: OUTSIDE 30 ROCK, NEW YORKERS TRADE CHANTS AND ARGUMENTS DURING TENSE MAYORAL SHOWDOWN

From left, Mayoral candidates Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (Angelina Katsanis, Pool/AP Photo)

“Charlotte Bennett is a NY hero,” posted New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, referring to one of Cuomo’s accusers. Lander was arrested in June for allegedly assaulting a federal immigration officer, but those charges were ultimately dropped. He was also a candidate for NYC mayor before losing to Mamdani in the primary. Lander also posted a video of a crowd cheering when asked if they thought Mamdani won the debate.

Meanwhile, one of Cuomo’s accusers, Karen Hinton, was present at the debate Wednesday night, after which she hit the spin room and explained how Cuomo’s response about what he would say to women like her proved Cuomo lacks the “moral compass” to be mayor.

“I am one of these women. I have been legally abused by Andrew Cuomo for years after being harassed as his staffer,” another accuser, Lindsey Boylan, said on X. “Now he wants to be mayor.”

Cuomo’s decision after the debate to skip the spin room with reporters, instead jolting straight to the New York Knicks game where he was pictured sitting next to incumbent New York City mayor Eric Adams, was also a focus on social media following the debate.

But, altogether, reactions to Cuomo’s performance were not entirely negative. And reactions to Mamdani’s performance were not entirely positive – especially from Republicans.

TRADING BARBS FROM LIGHT-HEARTED TO VICIOUS, MAYORAL CANDIDATES MAKE FINAL APPEAL TO NEW YORKERS

“If Andrew Cuomo had brought the energy to this campaign that he’s bringing to this debate, he would not be fighting for his political life right now,” Actor and director Tom Brennan added Wednesday night.

“Andrew Cuomo is crushing Zohran Mamdani at the Mayoral debate tonight,” wrote pro-Israel activist Uri Cohen on X.

“I will say that both Cuomo and Sliwa are absolutely tearing Mamdani apart at this debate,” added New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.

U.S. Ambassador Designate to the United Nations Elise Stefanik (left) during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on February 26, 2025 in Washington, DC; Right: New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani visits “The Story With Martha MacCallum” at Fox News Channel Studios on October 15, 2025 in New York City. (Photos by: (Left) Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; (Right) John Lamparski/Getty Images))

Stefanik argued in her analysis of the debate, which she posted on X, that Mamdani came across as a phony throughout the night.

“Mamdani’s wind up doll routine is getting unmasked for the Communist jihadist he is,” Stefanik said Wednesday. “Notice Mamdani cracks with only very minor follow ups.”

Cuomo did not hold back on targeting Mamdani over alleged controversies that have embattled his campaign during Wednesday night’s debate. Cuomo blasted the self-proclaimed socialist over his lack of experience, ties to radical politics, and past radical comments about law enforcement, Israel and the situation in Gaza.

Among those controversies was an alleged picture Mamdani took with a hard-lined Ugandan lawmaker who has pushed policies of imprisoning people for being gay, which Mamdani posed for while taking a break from the campaign trail to visit his home country of Uganda for a wedding.

Cuomo also hit the controversy over whether Mamdani adequately supports Jewish New Yorkers, pointing to actions he has taken and remarks he has made, such as support for the phrasing “globalize the intifada” and “from the river to the sea.” One of the people who Mamdani has tried to distance himself from as a result of such radical rhetoric is podcaster Hasan Piker, who said on X after the debate: “bro this new york jews are terrified of the muslim mayor who has the majority opinion on israels genocide sh— is so god—-n tired and frankly, racist.”

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani (R) Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa (L) and Independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo participate in the second New York City mayoral debate at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens, New York, on October 22, 2025. (Photo by HIROKO MASUIKE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Laura Loomer, a close Trump ally and former failed GOP congressional candidate, jumped on the criticism of Mamdani over his alleged antisemitism on Wednesday night after the debate.

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“Zohran Mamdani’s most outrageous lie tonight came when he said he would take antisemitism seriously, saying, ‘I have heard from Jewish New Yorkers about their fears about antisemitism in this city. And what they deserve is a leader who takes it seriously,’” Loomer’s podcast “Loomer Unleashed” posted on X and was later shared by Loomer herself on X.

“This quote is laughably false, as Zohran’s own X account shows he supports BDS legislation,” the “Loomer Unleashed” quote concluded.

Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa mainly got praise on social media for his performance without a ton of criticism. He is widely considered to be significantly behind Cuomo and Mamdani in the polls.

“Curtis Sliwa has the courage of a lion. No doubt he’d make a great mayor, and he demonstrated as much in tonight’s debate,” former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday night.

Minority leader of the New York City Council’s Republican delegation, Joann Ariola, said, “hands-down” Sliwa was the winner of the debate.

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October 23, 2025
Sparks fly as Cuomo, Mamdani tear into each other during fiery debate: ‘Toxic energy’

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Front-runners for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo, wasted little time attacking each other on alleged personal scandals they have been involved in during a Wednesday night debate between the pair and GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani and Sliwa took the opportunity during Wednesday’s debate to drill down on past sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, the former governor of New York, ahead of an impeachment inquiry that preceded Cuomo’s 2021 resignation. Cuomo was also hit by Mamdani over accusations he has – while in public office – failed to meet with Muslim constituents and only began doing so amid pressure from his mayoral campaign, and over his alleged poor handling of the COVID-19 virus in New York after Cuomo was party to issuing guidance forcing nursing homes and long-term care facilities to admit COVID-19 positive patients.

Meanwhile, Cuomo did not hold back on targeting Mamdani over alleged controversies that have embattled his campaign. Cuomo blasted the self-proclaimed socialist over his lack of experience, ties to radical politics, and past radical comments about law enforcement, Israel and the situation in Gaza.

FBI AGENTS FROM ’93 WTC ATTACK BLAST MAMDANI FOR EMBRACING RADICAL IMAM

All three candidates for NEw York City governor debated Wednesday night. From left to right: Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis-Pool/Getty Images)

“My main opponent has no new ideas. He has no new plan. … He’s never run anything, managed anything. He’s never had a real job,” Cuomo said of Mamdani during the debate. Cuomo also branded Mamdani as someone who has proven to be “a divisive force in New York,” pointing to past incidents that have garnered Mamdani heat from critics.

One of those incidents included a picture he took with a hard-lined Ugandan lawmaker who has pushed policies of imprisoning people for being gay, which Mamdani took while taking a break from the campaign trail to visit his home country of Uganda for a wedding. Cuomo also hit the controversy over whether Mamdani supports Jewish New Yorkers, as his critics have claimed he is anti-Israel pointing to statements he has made, like “globalize the intifada.”

Cuomo also accused Mamdani of disrespecting Italian-Americans after a video of him surfaced giving the middle finger to a statue of Christopher Columbus, while also pointing to criticism the self-proclaimed socialist candidate has garnered from 9/11 first-responders after posting a photo with a Muslim cleric who served as a character witness for the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks.

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FIERY NYC MAYORAL DEBATE: ‘HE LITERALLY HAS NEVER HAD A JOB’

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (left) shakes hands on the debate stage with Democratic Party candidate for New York City mayor (right) Zohran Mamdani. Cuomo is running as an Independent after lsoing to Mamdani in the primary election. (Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/AP)

“You have been a divisive force in New York, and I believe that’s toxic energy for New York. It’s with the Jewish community. It’s with the Italian-American community – when you give the Columbus statue the finger. It’s with the Sunni Muslims when you say decriminalize prostitution, which is Haram. It’s the Hindus,” Cuomo continued. “Then, you take a picture with Rebecca Kadaga, deputy Prime Minister of Uganda. … She’s known as Rebecca ‘Gay Killer.’ … You’re a citizen of Uganda. You took the picture. You said you didn’t know who she was. It turns out you did. How do you not renounce your citizenship or demand BDS against Uganda for imprisoning people who are gay just by their sexual orientation? Isn’t that a basic violation of human rights?”

Mamdani shot back that his politics have remained “consistent” and that they are built on a belief in human rights for all people, including LGBTQ+ folks. Had he known Kadga’s role in drafting legislation to imprison gay folks, Mamdani said, he never would have taken the picture.

“This constant attempt to smear and slander me is an attempt to also distract from the fact that, unlike myself, you do not actually have a platform or a set of policies,” Mamdani shot back at Cuomo before introducing his own claims about the former governor regarding past accusations of sexual harassment.

MAMDANI RIPPED BY RIVALS FOR UNPOPULAR STANCE DURING FIERY NYC DEBATE: ‘YOU WON’T SUPPORT ISRAEL’

New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo slammed his democratic socialist opponent Zohran Mamdani during Wednesday’s debate for a variety of alleged scandals he has been involved in. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty; Angelina Katsanis/Getty)

“Mr. Cuomo. In 2021, 13 different women who worked in your administration credibly accused you of sexual harassment. Since then, you have spent more than $20 million in taxpayer funds to defend yourself, all while describing these allegations as entirely political,” Mamdani said while attacking Cuomo Wednesday night.

“You have even gone so far as to legally go after these women. One of those women, Charlotte Bennett, is here in the audience this evening. You sought to access her private gynecological records. She cannot speak up for herself because you lodged a defamation case against her. I, however, can speak. What do you say to the 13 women that you sexually harassed?”

Cuomo, in 2021, was accused of multiple incidents of sexual harassment that preceded his resignation as governor that year. A subsequent report from New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed Cuomo “sexually harassed multiple women from 2013 through 2020,” while in January 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had reached a nearly $500,000 settlement with Cuomo’s executive office over one of the claims. However, no criminal charges were ever filed against Cuomo, with some district attorneys citing insufficient evidence.

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Cuomo defended himself against Mamdani’s accusations, noting the cases were eventually dropped, before returning to questions about Mamdani’s alleged past.

Meanwhile, Sliwa didn’t skip an opportunity to slam Cuomo over the sexual assault allegations either, saying early in the debate during a discussion about homelessness that Cuomo “fled” the governor’s office amid an impeachment inquiry that was investigating him.

“Andrew, you didn’t ‘leave.’ You fled from being impeached by the Democrats in the state legislature,” Sliwa began before getting into the homelessness issue, earning him a round-of-applause from the audience.

“‘Leave?’ You fled!” Sliwa continued to applause. “But let’s get back on topic.”

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October 22, 2025
Northern California voters weigh in on Prop 50 redistricting fight

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CHICO, Calif. – Voting began this week for a statewide special election that would drastically alter California’s congressional map. Proposition 50, or Prop 50, could add as many as five Democratic-held seats in Congress in time for the 2026 midterms.

The measure asks California voters to temporarily allow the legislature to decide the state’s district maps through 2030, after which the power would return to the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission. If Prop 50 wins, it could leave as a few as four Republican-held seats across the state after 2026.

Recent polling shows Prop 50 will likely pass. Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats say Prop 50 is a necessary countermeasure to Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas.

ABBOTT SIGNS TEXAS REDISTRICTING MAP INTO LAW, SECURING MAJOR GOP VICTORY AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

The entrance to California State University, Chico. (Amalia Roy)

However, UC Davis Professor Jim Adams warned a win for the Democrats in the short term could have negative long-term consequences.

“I think that even if Prop 50 does help the Democrats win a handful of additional seats in California, by winning the battle in California, the Democrats may make themselves lose the war nationally,” Adams told Fox.

Adams, a Democrat, said he agrees with Prop 50 supporters that he wants to see something done to curb Republican redistricting efforts in other parts of the country.

TRUMP-BACKED MAP VICTORY IN MISSOURI COULD TRIGGER REDISTRICTING BATTLES IN THESE STATES

“There is certainly a visceral satisfaction for the Democrats in feeling that Proposition 50 helps them to fight back. I don’t question the Democrats need to fight back. The question is, are they fighting smart with Proposition 50,” he added.

Prop 50 has the potential to spark political backlash, not only within California Republicans or independents in 2026, but on a national scale during the presidential election in 2028.

If Prop 50 passes, California’s northern districts risk going from mostly red to completely blue after the midterms.

The downtown area of Chico, California. (Amalia Roy)

Chico, California, sits in Republican-held District 1, which is represented by Rep. Doug LaMalfa. It’s one of the districts targeted in Prop 50. The proposed map would likely flip the district by pulling in voters from closer to the more Democrat-leaning Bay Area.

In 2024, President Donald Trump won Butte County by about 3,000 votes over then-Vice President Kamala Harris. On the streets of downtown Chico, that political split showed when asking voters their feelings on Prop 50.

VOTING UNDERWAY IN 2025 ELECTION THAT MAY DETERMINE IF REPUBLICANS HOLD HOUSE IN 2026 MIDTERMS

Don Tarman and Martin Bettencourt both said they support the proposition, adding that it’s a reaction to Trump’s presidency.

“We agree with Gavin Newsom that Trump is trying to sway the election for the House. He picked up supposedly five votes in Texas. We’ll see how the vote comes out when we get to the election. But yeah, we’re not Trump fans. I think Gavin Newsom is trying to fight back a little bit,” Tarman said.

Bettencourt said he doesn’t typically support redistricting, but this is “a different time.”

“I don’t like redistricting. I think it’s mean to the voters. I think they take away power from them, because they move it around and adjust it,” he said. “I think we’re in kind of a different time, so we’re reacting off the top of the ticket, which is the president, and we have to do what we have to do to compensate for that until we get someone better in a position of power.”

A ballot box sitting outside the Butte County Library, Chico branch. (Amalia Roy)

Jim Henderson and Eleanor Engelbrecht are among those who don’t agree with the proposition – both of them saying that redistricting in California is not an ideal response to the efforts in Texas.

“When say they do it in Iowa, then do we have to have Oregon do the same thing and the next thing you know everything is being gerrymandered? It’s unfortunate the governor of Texas didn’t recognize that this wasn’t an appropriate way of dealing with the elections, but he made his decision, and I don’t think we should feel compelled to say, well, if you’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it also,” Henderson said.

Engelbrecht said the country is going through enough change and things need to just “settle.”

“Right now, we’re going through a lot of change already, and I don’t think this is the time we need to be, I don’t know, dusting and cleaning really. I think that we really need to let things settle. I think where our country is at right now, there’s a lot of divide already, and I think really this comes down to defending fair elections,” she said.

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If Prop 50 passes, there will likely be a legal battle. California Republicans are already filing lawsuits against the measure.

Amalia Roy joined Fox News in 2025 as a Multimedia Reporter based in Phoenix.

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October 10, 2025
Virginia AG calls Dem prosecutor’s actions ‘weaponized incompetence’ in scathing report

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Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares released a 33-page report on Friday chronicling what he said were systemic violations of public policy and trust by Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.

Descano, an elected Democrat, has been under fire for purportedly lax prosecutorial discretion, including in cases involving transgender people and most recently an abduction by a repeat offender at the Fair Oaks Mall near John Foster Dulles International Airport.

In that case, Caceres Jaldin allegedly scooped up a 3-year-old girl who got separated from her parents at the mall’s playground, before the guardians caught up with him on another floor of the complex.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin lambasted Fairfax officials and separately asked Miyares to investigate their handling of Jaldin, who had just been released from prison. Jaldin has been charged in 30 instances since 2016, according to local outlet FairfaxNow, which also reported Descano dropped two charges of “malicious wounding” last year.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS 26-YEAR-OLD MAN GRABBING TODDLER FROM MALL PLAY AREA BEFORE ARREST FOR ABDUCTION

Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, left; Virginia AG Jason Miyares, right. (Marvin Joseph/Getty Images; Bill O’Leary/Getty Images)

Descano also faced criticism over Fairfax’s handling of a jogger’s rape on the W&OD Trail — a popular path linking Purcellville and Washington, D.C. — after the arrested suspect was revealed to have a lengthy history of sexual assaults and had recently been released from custody.

In 2022, the police chief in Herndon – where the alleged assault also occurred – told FOX-5 that Descano’s office downgraded a felony indictment to a misdemeanor in a case relating to the man allegedly choking one of their officers.

“Justice isn’t optional,” Miyares, a Republican, said Friday. “And our laws are not suggestions.”

“Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano has betrayed the rule of law and the very people he swore to protect, turning prosecutorial discretion into deliberate, weaponized incompetence,” said Miyares, who is running for reelection against former Del. Jerrauld “Jay” Jones, D-Norfolk.

Miyares said Descano took an oath to uphold the law and protect victims in Fairfax County — home to George Washington, George Mason, Richard Bland Lee and other historic figures.

VIRGINIA AG RELEASES FINDINGS OF INVESTIGATION INTO ROANOKE COLLEGE TRANS SWIMMER INCIDENT

In his report, Miyares took particular aim at Descano’s policy prohibiting enforcement of some mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes, and relaxing or ignoring cash bail requirements for recidivists.

The report alleged Descano “repeatedly commit[ed] Brady and discovery violations” – with Brady referring to requirements to present known exculpatory evidence to the defense – and engaged in “raw prosecutorial incompetence.”

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As for alleged violations of the state constitution, Miyares found that Descano may have violated Article I Section 8A, regarding denying crime victims all rights guaranteed in law.

Fox News Digital reached out to Descano’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

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September 26, 2025
Winsome Earle-Sears rebukes Spanberger plan to undo Virginia’s ICE pact: ‘This is not hard’

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EXCLUSIVE: Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears rebuked a plan announced Wednesday by her 2025 gubernatorial opponent Abigail Spanberger to rescind an executive order that gives law enforcement and jailers authority to work with ICE in particular circumstances.

“Well, we know she won’t be able to do that because she’s not going to win,” Earle-Sears quipped in a Wednesday interview.

“The people of Virginia are going to vote for me because [Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s order is] common sense and is keeping them safe. They have been safe since we’ve been in office,” she said.

Earle-Sears said she and Youngkin have overseen a one-third drop in statewide crime, and she dismissed Spanberger’s remarks — first made in a Virginia Mercury interview — as “dangerous ideas” that are “all theory; no practical usage.”

VIRGINIA LEADERS REBUKE RACIST SIGN TARGETING GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WINSOME EARLE-SEARS: ‘REPULSIVE’

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. (Getty Images)

Youngkin’s order sought to “maximize collaboration” with DHS and “us[e] all available methods to facilitate the arrest and deportation of inadmissible and removable criminal illegal immigrants.”

To that end, Earle-Sears said Spanberger’s pledge ignores major developments in the battle against illegal immigrant gangs and the like.

“The number three MS-13 [was captured] right here in Manassas under her nose in her former neck of the woods,” Earle-Sears said of Salvadoran national Henrry Josue Villatoro-Santos, who is alleged to be a top ranking member of the transnational gang.

Villatoro-Santos, 24, was arrested in March in Dale City – a middle-class suburb along I-95 between Fredericksburg and Washington – in an operation overseen by the FBI’s Manassas Field Office from the other side of Prince William County.

Spanberger previously represented the area in Congress – in a seat now held by Democrat Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, the twin brother of high-profile Trump impeachment figure Alexander Vindman.

In breaking the news earlier Wednesday, Spanberger said, “I would rescind [Youngkin’s] executive order, yes.”

Spanberger said the Youngkin-Sears effort pulls local law enforcement away from their regular duties and wrongly encourages the state to dabble in federal roles.

DNC HIRES NEW TOP EXEC WITH LONG HISTORY OF PUSHING RACIAL GRIEVANCES, LEFTIST IDEOLOGY

The Democrat called the U.S. immigration system “absolutely broken” and said allowing cops to help “tear families apart [is] a misuse of … resources.”

Earle-Sears said officials in Richmond cannot focus on economic development and other top concerns of Virginians unless those constituents live in a safe environment.

Therefore, she said, separating themselves from DHS is counterproductive and “dangerous” to both the citizenry and the federal agents conducting the immigration operations.

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The Republican nominee emphasized that she, too, is an immigrant — stressing that she came to the U.S. legally — and contrasted her story with that of many illegal immigrants arrested with criminal records, noting that her family came from Jamaica in search of opportunity and a better life.

“These criminal illegal immigrants, they come here for an opportunity to prey on us, and they prey on the very population that they’re a part of,” she said.

“We don’t want that.”

Youngkin also responded to the news, asking rhetorically if November’s “choice could be any more clear.”

“In her very first act as governor, [Abigail Spanberger] promises to turn Virginia into a sanctuary state for dangerous illegal immigrants,” Youngkin said on X.

“[Earle-Sears] promises to keep dangerous criminals off our streets,” the term-limited governor said.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

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August 28, 2025