Happy New Year 2025

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NFL fans intervene after restaurant owned by Eagles’ CJ Gardner-Johnson’s mom hit by unwarranted bad reviews

Del Johnson watched from Florida as confetti fell on her son, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and his teammates after the Philadelphia Eagles routed the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

The Eagles safety’s mother was in Cocoa Village, Florida, not New Orleans for the big game. She was there because she also had something to celebrate — the opening of her second restaurant. However, the celebratory mode was short-lived due to an influx of negative Yelp reviews for Johnson’s other establishment, Kings Grill in Rockledge, Florida.

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Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, #8, celebrates after winning Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

The spike in poor reviews began shortly after Gardner-Johnson took aim at Chiefs star Travis Kelce.

“Should’ve stayed with that thick s— ,” Gardner-Johnson captioned an Instagram Stories post. The caption seemed to reference Kelce’s former romance with Kayla Nicole, who attended this past Sunday’s big game and celebrated the Eagles victory on the Caesars Superdome turf.

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Fans of singer Taylor Swift, who are often referred to as “Swifties,” appeared to be responsible for at least the initial stream of bad Google reviews and negative Yelp reviews for the Kings Grill. Swift has made numerous appearances at Chiefs games over the past two seasons and is currently dating Kelce.

“I have friends who were sending me the screenshots,” Delatron Johnson told TMZ Sports. “They were going, ‘Oh my god, look at this!’ And the first thing everyone said was, ‘the Swifties have attacked.’

“Yes, we’ve seen all the reviews. The joke is really on the Swifties and everyone entertaining the reviews because Kings Grill is closed.”

The unfavorable reviews were later removed and Yelp placed an “unusual activity alert” on the restaurant’s page which “temporarily disabled the posting of content.”

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, #8 of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Travis Kelce, #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs, face off in the first quarter during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

“This business recently received increased public attention, which often means people come to this page to post their views on news. While we don’t take a stand one way or the other when it comes to this incident, we’ve temporarily disabled the posting of content to this page as we work to investigate whether the content you see here reflects actual consumer experiences rather than the recent events,” the post read.

A Yelp spokesperson added that “moderators” would eventually “clean up the page so that it reflects firsthand consumer experiences.”

“For Yelp to remain a useful resource to the community, reviews must be based on a genuine, firsthand experience with the business,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Due to the increased activity we detected on the business page, Yelp’s User Operations team worked quickly to temporarily disable the posting of content to the page and placed an Unusual Activity Alert on Tuesday, February 11. When we see the activity dramatically decrease or stop, our moderators will clean up the page so that it reflects firsthand consumer experiences.”

Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, #8, practices before Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Some Eagles fans took notice of the flood of negative reviews Johnson’s restaurant received and showed their support by leaving a considerable number of positive reviews for the establishment.

Supporters of other NFL teams also came to Johnson’s aid.

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“Saints fan here, thank y’all for getting CJ a ring. Kinda sad that people are trying to attack this place because the Chiefs are sorry. I’m sure the food and service here are great though so gonna easy 5 star. Go birds I guess,” a New Orleans Saints fan wrote. Gardner-Johnson spent the first three years of his NFL career with the Saints.

A Las Vegas Raiders fan suggested the restaurant had top-notch service. “Service was on point thank you! Food was on point thank you! Ambiance was on point thank you! #RAAAIIIDERSSSS,” the Raiders fan wrote.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 12, 2025
‘Playing with the courts’: Trump admin hit with dozens of suits after years of president condemning ‘lawfare’

President Donald Trump’s court battles have not ended now that he’s back in the Oval Office — instead, dozens have piled up against his administration as Democrats and activists vow to fight Trump and his policies in the judicial system.

Trump faced four criminal indictments during the interim of his first and second administrations, which landed accusations of “lawfare” on the national stage as Trump maintained his innocence and slammed the cases as efforts by the Democratic Party to hurt his political chances for re-election during the 2024 cycle. Despite the left-wing efforts to ensnare Trump in a web of legal cases, Trump was re-elected president — with a resume that now includes “convicted felon” and a famous mugshot frequently displayed on pro-Trump apparel.

Upon Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20, he has issued near-daily executive orders and actions to shift the federal government to fall in line with his “America First” policies, including snuffing out government overspending and mismanagement, banning biological men from competing in women’s sports, and deporting thousands of illegal immigrants who flooded the nation under the Biden administration.

Trump has signed more than 60 executive orders, in addition to other executive actions, as of Tuesday, which has resulted in at least 49 lawsuits against Trump and his administration, Fox News Digital has found.

‘ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY’: LEGAL EXPERTS SHRED NY V. TRUMP AS ‘ONE OF THE WORST’ CASES IN HISTORY

New York Attorney General said she is “prepared” to ask the judge to seize former President Donald Trump’s assets if he cannot pay the $354 million judgment handed down in his civil fraud case. (ABC News/Screenshot | Brendan McDermid-Pool/Getty Images)

The lawsuits come as Democratic elected officials fume over the second Trump administration’s policies, most notably the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is investigating various federal agencies in the search of cutting government spending fat, corruption and mismanagement of funds.

“Right now, we’re going to keep focus on the need to look out for everyday New Yorkers and everyday Americans who are under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda that is trying to cut taxes for billionaires, donors and wealthy corporations and then stick New Yorkers and working-class Americans across the country with the bill,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in January.

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“That’s not acceptable,” he said. “We are going to fight it legislatively. We are going to fight it in the courts. We’re going to fight it in the streets.”

President Donald Trump has signed more than 60 executive orders, in addition to other executive actions, as of Tuesday, which has resulted in at least 49 lawsuits against Trump and his administration. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

“We are gonna be in your face, we are gonna be on your a–es, and we are going to make sure you understand what democracy looks like, and this ain’t it,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said at a protest over DOGE and its chair, Elon Musk, earlier in February.

With just over three weeks back in the Oval Office, at least 49 lawsuits have been filed against Trump or the federal government over Trump’s policies and executive actions. Among the list of plaintiffs are a handful of groups that brought forth suits against Trump in previous years, most notably New York Attorney General Leitita James, as well as labor unions and left-wing advocacy groups.

James, a former city council member in New York and public defender, launched her run for New York attorney general during the 2018 cycle, while emphasizing that if she were elected she would aggressively pursue legal charges against Trump.

HOW TRUMP, AG BONDI CAN PERSUADE DEMOCRATS TO ABANDON LAWFARE

“I’m running for attorney general because I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president when our fundamental rights are at stake,” James declared in September 2018. “From the Muslim ban, to efforts to deport immigrants, to denying transgender students the ability to choose whatever bathroom they want, rolling back regulations to protect our planet, colluding with foreign powers, putting profits over people, dividing us in ways we haven’t seen in generations.”

“And what is fueling this campaign, what is fueling my soul right now, is Trump and his abuses, abuses against immigrants, against women, against our environment. We need an attorney general who will stand up to Donald Trump,” she said during a debate in August 2018.

James won her election that year, about two years into Trump’s first administration, and took a victory lap while vowing to expose the “con man.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James launched her run for New York attorney general during the 2018 cycle, while emphasizing that if she were elected she would aggressively pursue legal charges against President Donald Trump. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation)

James brought forth a civil fraud suit against Trump, the Trump Organization and its senior leadership in 2022, frequently sitting in the courtroom throughout the proceedings, and celebrated the prosecution of Trump in the Manhattan criminal trial over the 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump was ordered to pay a $454 million civil fraud judgment in James’ lawsuit against him, which is currently on appeal.

All in, James said back in November 2024 that her office took nearly 100 legal actions against Trump’s first administration — vowing to restart the efforts during the second administration.

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“We did not expect this result, but we are prepared to respond to this result. And my office has been preparing for several months because we’ve been here before,” James said following Trump’s election win in November 2024. “We faced this challenge before, and we used the rule of law to fight back. And we are prepared to fight back once again because, as the attorney general of this great state, it is my job to protect and defend the rights of New Yorkers and the rule of law. And I will not shrink from that responsibility.”

So far in 2025, James has spearheaded at least five legal actions against the Trump administration, including leading a coalition of state attorneys general to sue the federal government to halt DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department’s internal systems, as well as another lawsuit related to the Trump admin slashing grant funding to research institutions and universities.

“As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law,” James said of the DOGE suit. “President Trump does not have the power to give away Americans’ private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress. Musk and DOGE have no authority to access Americans’ private information and some of our country’s most sensitive data. I am taking action to keep our information secure, and to prevent any unconstitutional freeze on essential funding that Americans rely on every day.”

Trump slammed New York as the “most corrupt State in the Union” in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, calling on even-handed judges and elected officials to crush the “lawfare” in the Empire State.

“We need great Judges and Politicians to help fix New York, and to stop the kind of Lawfare that was launched against me, from falsely valuing Mar-a-Lago at $18 Million Dollars, when it is worth, perhaps, 100 times that amount (The corrupt judge was replaced by another judge, only to be immediately put back on the case when the Democrat political leaders found out that a change of judges was made. It has become a great embarrassment for the New York Judicial System!),” he posted to Truth Social, referring to James’ civil fraud case against Trump.

Labor unions that previously sued the first Trump administration are also back in court. (Jabin Botsford/Pool via USA TODAY NETWORK)

“To a woman that I had no idea who she was, making a FAKE and ridiculous accusation, to a ‘case’ that was made up by a corrupt and highly conflicted Judge in order to criminally attack me for political purposes,” he continued, referring to two-year E. Jean Carroll court cases.

Labor unions that previously sued the first Trump administration are also back in court, including the American Federation of Teachers suing over DOGE’s access to private information at the Education and Treasury departments, and the American Federation of Government Employees suing the administration in at least two cases related to DOGE and federal employment policies under the 47th president.

“We wouldn’t bring so many lawsuits if they wouldn’t break the law so often,” Andrew Huddleston, American Federation of Government Employees’ director of communications, told Fox News Digital when asked about the lawsuits.

TRUMP HAS HIGHER APPROVAL RATING THAN AT ANY POINT DURING FIRST TERM: POLL

While the American Civil Liberties Union — which took at least 400 legal actions against the first Trump administration — filed a lawsuit against the second Trump administration earlier in February regarding an executive order that prevents transgender and nonbinary individuals from changing their passports to reflect their gender identity and not their biological sex.

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Another nonprofit, the State Democracy Defenders Fund, recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of FBI agents who investigated Trump-related cases in an effort to block the DOJ from releasing their names. The State Democracy Defenders Fund previously was involved in other Trump-related cases, including filing an amicus brief in January advocating that Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan sentence Trump in the Manhattan case just days ahead of his inauguration.

President Donald Trump repeatedly seethed that “lawfare” was running amok of American politics, including, left to right, former Special Counsel Jack Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis. (Getty Images)

Ahead of taking office, Trump repeatedly seethed that “lawfare” was running amok of American politics, frequently targeting James, Merchan, as well as former special counsel Jack Smith, Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and others.

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“They’re playing with the courts, as you know, they’ve been playing with the courts for four years,” Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago after Congress had certified his election win in January. “Probably got me more votes because I got the highest number of votes ever gotten by a Republican by far, actually, by a lot. And, you know, we had a great election, so I guess it didn’t work. But even to this day, they’re playing with the courts and their friendly judges that like to try and make everybody happy… It’s called lawfare. It’s called weaponization of justice.”

February 12, 2025
Who gets hit hardest by steel and aluminum tariffs?

MGA Entertainment CEO Isaac Larian says Donald Trump is a great president while expressing some concerns over tariffs on The Claman Countdown.

President Donald Trump on Monday is expected to sign new executive orders imposing higher tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the U.S., opening a new front in his trade war that could spur retaliation.

Trump’s actions would impose new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. on top of existing tariffs on those metals, escalating his efforts to reshape trade policy.

Tariffs, which are taxes on imports, increase costs for importers who typically pass some or all of those costs onto their customers. In the case of steel and aluminum, U.S. companies rely heavily on imports and the higher costs could hurt manufacturers and, in turn, consumers.

“The American economy has far more steel-users than steel-producers, meaning the tariffs will put far more manufacturing jobs in jeopardy than they create,” Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation, told FOX Business. “Looking at steel, jobs that use steel in the production process outnumber jobs that produce steel 80 to 1.”

TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON MEXICO AND CANADA WILL INCREASE PRICES FOR CONSUMERS; EXPERTS OFFER DETAILS

President Trump signaled that he will sign an order raising steel and aluminum tariffs by 25%. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)

She noted, “Manufacturers from automakers, farm equipment, household appliances, and machinery used in oil extraction, the construction industry, and the beverage and cutlery industry all use metals as part of their production process.”

“When we apply tariffs, we increase the cost of both imported metals and domestically produced metals, which increases the cost of production in the United States for all these downstream industries. We should expect a net decrease in manufacturing employment and production as the direct result of higher tariffs,” York said.

WHAT ARE TARIFFS, HOW DO THEY WORK AND WHO PAYS FOR THEM?

U.S. companies rely heavily on imports and the higher costs could hurt manufacturers and, in turn, consumers. (Ty Wright/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)

Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told FOX Business that cars and housing are likely to be the two hardest-hit sectors given that they account for about two-thirds of steel usage.

“If you’re in the market for a new car or a new house, expect to pay a couple hundred dollars more for an average-size car, and several thousand dollars more for a house,” Young said, adding that higher prices on new cars will cause used car prices to rise too as priced out buyers look for cheaper alternatives.

He added that aluminum tariffs will also raise car and house prices, as well as companies in the beverage industry like Coca-Cola, Pepsi and breweries. Other everyday items made with aluminum that are likely to see prices rise include bicycles, appliances and furniture.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CHINA, CANADA AND MEXICO?

U.S. manufacturers may face higher costs due to increased tariffs on steel and aluminum. (Andrew Magnum/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)

About one-fourth of all steel used in the U.S. is imported, with most of it coming from neighboring Mexico and Canada, or from close allies in Asia and and Europe, such as Japan, South Korea and Germany.

Although China is the world’s largest steel producer and exporter, very little is sent to the U.S. because of 25% tariffs imposed in 2018 that shut most Chinese steel out of the market. The country exported 508,000 net tons of steel to the U.S. last year, which accounted for 1.8% of American steel imports.

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The U.S. is more heavily reliant on aluminum imports, with about half of all aluminum used coming from imports. The vast majority of U.S. aluminum imports come from Canada, which exported 3.2 million tons of aluminum to the U.S. last year – an amount more than double the next nine countries.

Reuters contributed to this report.

February 10, 2025
McDonald’s takes massive sales hit from E. Coli outbreak

Former McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner analyzes the state of fast food industry as the U.S. economy slows on ‘The Claman Countdown.’

McDonald’s sales took a significant hit in its latest quarter due to an E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions that killed one person and sent over two dozen to the hospital.

CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts during an earnings call on Monday that sales at U.S. stores slipped 1.4% during the fourth quarter, which was largely attributed to the “impact of the E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions on our Quarter Pounders.”

The company reported revenue of $6.39 billion, missing Wall Street estimates of $6.44 billion.

Federal health officials declared that the outbreak was “closed” in December, after illnesses emerged in late October. There were 104 confirmed cases of the E. coli O157:H7 strain across 14 states, with hospitalizations climbing to 34. Four victims had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). One death was linked to the outbreak early on, the CDC said.

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The raw onions served as a topping on Quarter Pounders were found to be the likely source of the outbreak after beef was ruled out. The agency said it has completed inspections at the Colorado processing plant of Taylor Farms, which supplied recalled onions to McDonald’s, and an unnamed onion farm in Washington state.

A Quarter Pounder hamburger is served at a McDonald’s restaurant. (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Upon discovery of the outbreak, McDonald’s removed Quarter Pounders from the menu at 900 of its restaurants in the impacted areas and stopped purchasing onions processed at Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility.

Executives said that the company had been seeing “strong sales” during the first few weeks of October before the outbreak emerged.

In the fourth quarter, while there was slightly positive traffic at U.S. stores, the company said customers were spending less. Part of the issue was that its Quarter Pounder was “a high margin” item, according to executives.

Kempczinski said the E. coli impact is now “localized to the areas that had the biggest impact.”

A sign is posted in front of a McDonald’s restaurant on April 28, 2022, in San Leandro, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

“Think about that as sort of the Rocky Mountain region. That was really the epicenter of the issue. And that continues to be down versus where we were heading into that impact,” he said, adding that the impact is contained to that region.

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The company expects to have fully recovered from the food safety issues by the beginning of the fiscal second quarter.

Following the outbreak, executives said the company invested in “value, affordability and obviously in digital offers to get consumers back” and regain trust.

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MCD MCDONALD’S CORP. 308.59 +14.26 +4.84%

McDonald’s plans to further enhance its value programs in the first quarter “to ensure that we are offering industry leading value and with good value at the foundation.”

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Still, CFO Ian Borden told analysts that its approach to 2025 “reflects the current environment of softer, declining restaurant industry traffic in the U.S. and many of our larger markets.”

February 10, 2025
Target hit with class action suit claiming they mislead investors over DEI policies

Former Target vice chairman and Toys ‘R’ Us CEO Gerald Storch says it’s not the role of companies to get ’embroiled’ in politics and controversy on ‘Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street.’

Target was hit with a class action lawsuit Friday after shareholders alleged the national retailer misled investors about the risks of its DEI initiatives, which led to consumer boycotts and its stock price to tank.

The class action suit, led by the City of Riviera Beach Police Pension Fund, alleges that Target misused investor funds for “political and social goals,” and duped investors into buying stock at “artificially inflated prices.” The suit claims that Target made fraudulent public statements regarding the board overseeing the risks of its DEI initiatives, and the executives and board misled investors about the risks those programs posed.

Target’s stock price plummeted 22% on November 20, 2024, destroying nearly $16 billion in market cap in a single day after the retailer reported disappointing earnings. The dive in prices, came after Target became embroiled in a nation-wide controversy surrounding its DEI and Pride initiatives.

TARGET HOLDS ‘EMERGENCY’ MEETING OVER LGBTQ MERCHANDISE IN SOME STORES TO AVOID ‘BUD LIGHT SITUATION’

Target’s new Pride adult one piece swimsuit featuring “tuck-friendly construction” and “extra crotch coverage.” (Brian Flood/FOX Business / Fox News)

The retailer faced severe backlash in 2023 after they sold “tuck friendly” female-style bathing suits and mugs displaying the term “gender fluid” as part of their Pride store displays. Target executives were forced to hold an emergency meeting as they feared consumer backlash would lead to a “Bud Light” situation. Target’s sales fell 5.4% in the quarter ending Jul 2023, the first time its sales dropped in six years, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that Target’s board only oversaw the risks of not adopting DEI and ESG initiatives, and was only concerned with backlash from the left. The left-wing backlash Target was concerned with was not authentic, the suit alleges, and was instead associated with nonprofit “stakeholders” that the store was actively working with to adopt DEI mandates which were detrimental to the business. The suit claims that the so-called risks posed by these nonprofits was little more than a pretext to establish DEI mandates in the first place.

Additionally, Target’s CEO Brian Cornell and board failed to disclose the “known risks” of the store’s 2023 and 2024 pride campaigns, the lawsuit alleges.

TARGET CONFIRMS ‘ADJUSTMENTS’ TO PRIDE PLANS AFTER LGBTQ MERCHANDISE CAUSED ‘THREATS’ TO EMPLOYEES

Target sales suffered after a controversy erupted over its Pride merchandise. (Getty Images)

“This deceit, through misleading statements in the Company’s public filings, including its 10-Ks and proxy statements, caused Target’s investors to purchase Target stock at artificially inflated prices and to unknowingly support Target’s Board and management in their misuse of investor funds to serve political and social goals,” the filing stated.

Target allegedly had executives implement their DEI initiatives who had “disabling” conflicts of interest. Senior executive Carlos Saavedra and Vice President and Chief Food and Beverage Officer, Rick Gomez both held positions at the LGBTQ rights organization GLSEN. The lawsuit alleges that these roles imposed “conflicting duties” on the executives.

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The lawsuit claims investors were duped. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“Target’s chief diversity officer also indicated her personal commitment to advancing “racial equity” for its own sake, even if it was “provocative,” and singled out “white women” for special obligations to this cause,” the lawsuit claimed.

The company announced it was rolling back its DEI programs in January. In response, organizers of the Twin Cities Pride Festival have announced that the retailer is no longer welcome at the parade.

February 5, 2025
Stacey Abrams-founded voter activist group hit with mass layoffs after record-breaking ethics fine

A nonprofit voter engagement group founded by high-profile Georgia perennial candidate Stacey Abrams reportedly suffered dozens of layoffs two weeks after facing a six-figure state ethics fine for campaign finance violations.

Scores of workers at the New Georgia Project (NGP) have been laid off since Dec. 27, with a dozen more being pink-slipped at the end of January, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

The group describes itself as a “nonpartisan effort to register, civically engage, and build power with the New Georgia Majority… the growing population of Black, brown, young and other historically marginalized voters.”

It received attention for helping Democrats flip Georgia in 2020 – when Republicans lost both the presidency and its two Senate seats within three months’ time.

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A sign welcomes travelers to the Peach State at the I-20 East Welcome Center near Tallapoosa, Georgia, on Oct. 3, 2022. (Charlie Creitz)

NGP could not be reached by phone and did not respond to a comment request through its contact form.

However, a GoFundMe for affected employees set up by NGP policy director Stephanie Ali described the layoffs and said those subject to the latest round had only three days’ notice.

The GoFundMe description said the NGP “has stated these reductions in force (RIFs) are due to economic downturns, reductions in fundraising in an ‘off’ election year, and other contributing factors.”

Last month, the state ethics commission found both the organization and its political action fund unlawfully performed work for Abrams’ 2018 gubernatorial bid while failing to report donations and expenditures.

The Georgia Ethics Commission probed the groups and discovered more than $7 million combined was raised for Abrams – a former state House minority leader from Atlanta – and others that cycle.

It administered a Peach State record $300,000 fine via a settlement that involved admission of 16 examples of illegal activity, according to Atlanta News First.

The panel also found that the groups stepped out of legal bounds in connection to a 2019 voter referendum aimed at expanding transit services in Gwinnett County, Georgia’s second-most populous county after Fulton, which includes Atlanta.

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Abrams founded the NGP in 2014, but told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she left the group in 2017 when she decided to run against now-Gov. Brian Kemp.

“The setbacks at NGP are disappointing, and my thoughts are with those laid off,” she told the paper’s “Politically Georgia” vertical. “Regardless of [NGP’s] structure, I will never stop believing in the mission of ensuring every Georgian can make their voice heard.”

After Abrams’ departure, Ebenezer Baptist Church Rev. Raphael Warnock led the group until 2019. Fox News Digital reached out to the now-Democratic U.S. senator for his reaction.

Cody Hall, a senior advisor to Kemp, told Fox News Digital he wondered: “What did Stacey Abrams know and when did she know it?”

“Abrams founded NGP, her people ran it for years, and we’re all supposed to believe she knew nothing? Give us a break,” Hall said.

“Everything we said for the last 10 years about Abrams and her organization was true.”

When asked for comment, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones slammed Abrams for using “activists in the mainstream media to try to pull the wool over Georgians’ eyes.”

The likely future candidate for higher office added Abrams was “embarrassed” by Kemp two cycles in a row and is “embarrassed again” that her group’s “illegal grift is being exposed.”

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“The people of Georgia are good judges of character, and the liberal national media are not. Stacey Abrams will go down as one of the biggest frauds in the history of Georgia politics, but I have no doubt the media will learn nothing from this,” Jones said.

“We as Georgia Republicans must stay ready to defeat whoever the next Marxist grifter is in 2026.”

Georgia’s Republican Senate President John F. Kennedy called the NGP news “the tip of the iceberg” for Abrams.

“How many more millions will she fleece from donors to enrich herself or skirt campaign finance rules until the spigot turns off?”

Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II, a Democrat, declined comment.

According to Atlanta’s FOX affiliate, NGP helped 55,000 Georgians register to vote, more than 80% of whom were Black and 40% were ages 18-25.

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 [email protected].

February 3, 2025
XX-XY Athletics looks to redefine mainstream in 2025, eyeing women’s sports star signings and hit viral ads

XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey weighs in on the company’s ‘Save Girls Sports’ shirt being labeled as ‘transphobic.’

The startup sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics, founded by former U.S. gymnast and Levi’s executive Jennifer Sey, crossed seven figures in profit in its first 10 months in 2024, she told FOX Business in an exclusive interview.

Sey isn’t trying to compete with Nike for sportswear supremacy by any means. She recognizes the difference in resources between her company and the industry juggernauts. She’s simply taking up all the real estate that those companies have refused to compete for – activist apparel for women athletes opposed to trans inclusion in their sports and locker rooms.

Election year 2024 saw that issue ignite a sprawling counterculture movement. Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, considered one of the pioneers of the movement with her lawsuit against the NCAA over having to face Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA championships, was Sey’s first brand ambassador.

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Former Levi Strauss & Co. Brand President Jennifer Sey discusses Australia’s new ‘right to disconnect’ law and reacts to transgender golfer Hailey Davidson competing on the women’s tour on ‘Varney & Co.’

Since then, the company has launched an NIL program. That roster added prominent Mountain West volleyball players Brooke Slusser and Sia Liilii, and Gaines’ younger sister Neely Gaines, a gymnast at the University of Kentucky.

But Sey is honest about what her brand, and cause as a whole, is missing so far.

“There isn’t a top-tier competitive female athlete or coach that has stood up for the protection of women’s sports,” Sey said. She added that women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova is one example of a star who has, but isn’t actively competing.

“We don’t have any currently-competing top-tier athletes who have spoken out. I think that’s an illustration of how far we have to go. It should be normal for them to stand up and say ‘I will fight for the protection of women’s sports,’ and yet they haven’t, because I think a lot of them are afraid of being called terrible names.”

Former Levi Strauss & Co. Brand President Jennifer Sey discusses holiday spending numbers and debt and reacts to Olympic boxer Imane Khelif being named as a contender for the AP female athlete award.

For Sey, all of the women athletes who have signed with her brand so far had no reservations about taking on the backlash that might come with it. And that’s because each of them had already been aligned with the cause of protecting women’s sports before signing.

But she thinks that can change in 2025 and beyond, and is aiming to do that. She already has her pitch for them.

“I would say, ‘You have enjoyed tremendous success as a female athlete, tremendous opportunity. Don’t you want to ensure that girls and young women in future generations have that same opportunity? It is impossible if we don’t keep women’s sports female.’”

But Sey also knows there are financial barriers to this.

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Former Levi Strauss & Co. Brand President Jennifer Sey says women are silenced when they speak out about the trans athlete issue on ‘Varney & Co.’

“I’m not going to pretend I can offer what Nike offers or even what a Vuori offers [financially],” Sey said about pitching potential brand ambassadors who are on the fence about joining her cause. “But I take great solace and courage myself in knowing I’m standing up and doing the right thing, and you will grow with us, and you will know that you stood and did the right thing and protect women’s sports for future generations, and you will have financial opportunity that comes with our growth.”

“But I’m not going to sit there and pretend I can compete with Nike as far as what I’m going to pay them, we’re 10 months old… but we will grow.”

Sey says she is keeping a close eye on some potential star athletes who she knows are “secretly on her side.”

“We know there are women secretly on our side who haven’t been brave enough yet,” Sey said. “We’re waiting patiently for their courage and to do the right thing.”

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For Sey, a step toward attracting that talent was taken on Sunday, when the company launched its latest video advertisement. The “Real Girls Rock” ad portrays the brand’s ambassadors, who have stood up for women’s sports, facing vulgar hate comments and witnessing liberal media outlets berate them as “transphobic.”

It tackles the mainstream’s taboo around the brand head on, and uses it as a powerful marketing prop. The ads are set to run on the respective podcasts hosted by Michele Tafoya, Megyn Kelly and Riley Gaines. The goal is to get the ad to go viral.

“With virility comes increased business, as we reach out to more people and bring new people into the fold and into the brand, that helps us grow our business.”

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February 2, 2025
NBA players Rudy Gobert, Mouhamed Gueye nearly hit by falling debris during game

Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert and Atlanta Hawks big man Mouhamed Gueye narrowly avoided serious injury on Monday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The two men were walking off the court at the end of the first quarter when a piece of debris fell from the jumbotron high above the court. Gobert seemingly felt the piece drop past his head as he walked off the floor. His Timberwolves teammates seemed to be in awe.

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Minnesota Timberwolves mascot Crunch holds an umbrella over center Rudy Gobert during his interview after a game with the Atlanta Hawks at Target Center in Minneapolis, Jan. 27, 2025. (Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images)

The center talked about the incident after the game.

“It (happened) right in front of me. I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” he told reporters, via FOX 9.

Neither player was injured in the incident.

Minnesota was able to build upon the eight-point lead it had after the first quarter and win the game, 100-92. Gobert had 18 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Anthony Edwards led the team with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists.

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Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert responds during an interview after the Atlanta Hawks game, Jan. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images)

Gueye had four points and four rebounds in 19 minutes of action. De’Andre Hunter had 35 points off the bench for the Hawks. Clint Capela added 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch wasn’t exactly happy with how his team won. Atlanta got back into the game after outscoring Minnesota 31-20 in the third quarter.

“That was a totally unacceptable second half of basketball. If we’re trying to be a team, we’re trying to go where we’re trying to go, that’s not good enough,” Finch said.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert dunks against the Atlanta Hawks, Jan. 27, 2025. (Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images)

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Minnesota improved to 25-20 with the win but are just 12-10 at home. Atlanta fell to 22-24 and 11-14 on the road.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 29, 2025
Graham says Republicans must get border czar Tom Homan funding: ‘Hit a wall’

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned that congressional Republicans must expedite funding for President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan to continue his mass deportation plan, or else they could “own another attack on this country.”

Graham made appearances on NBC and CNN Sunday shows advocating for two separate bills – a $100 billion border package, and a second $200 billion bill centered on “national security.”

As deliberations in both chambers continue, Graham cautioned Republicans against taking too long to reach a consensus. He said Homan needs immediate funding to further execute his mass deportation strategy, including to increase the number of detention beds from 41,000 to approximately 150,000, to hire more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, finish the border wall and secure new technology.

HOMAN WARNS DAILY MIGRANT ARRESTS WILL ‘STEADILY INCREASE’ AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS NONVIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIENS

Sen. Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, speaks during a confirmation hearing for Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) nominee, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“This whole debate in the Republican Party, do you need one bill or two right now? Right now, Tom Homan needs more money to hire ICE agents. He needs more money to finish the wall to increase bed space,” Graham told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He doesn’t have the tools necessary to carry out this plan that President Trump gave him until Congress appropriates more money.”

Graham argued that the tax debate could wait until the end of the year, but Congress cannot delay funding for the border given the national security implications.

“So to my Republican colleagues, we’ve hit a wall here. We’re not building a wall. We’ve hit a wall,” Graham told CNN. “We need to appropriate money to Tom Homan so he can do what President Trump promised. And if we delay that – the taxes expire in December, we got plenty of time to deal with that – I worry that we’re going to own another attack on our country. I worry that we’re delaying this plan that President Trump ran on if the Congress doesn’t give his administration, Tom Homan, the money to do the plan that he promised, that President Trump promised. We need to come together quickly on this, in my view.”

Tom Homan speaks during the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

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“We need more money for Tom Homan. I’m for deporting illegal immigrants here who are criminals. Most people are. The public’s with him. But if you don’t get new money into the system, Tom Homan can’t do his job,” Graham added. “We need more bed space. We need to finish the wall. But I think the signature issue for Donald Trump was to get a handle on illegal immigration, and he’s off to a good start. We just need to help him in Congress.”

In an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Graham doubted that Homan was interested in deporting close to the approximately 11 million people in the U.S. illegally. As host Kristen Welker noted Trump has signaled potentially being interested in cutting a deal related to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for people who were brought into the United States illegally as minors, Graham said the Trump administration’s focus with deportations appeared to remain on criminal illegal immigrants. He cited how there are about 1.4 million illegal immigrants “who’ve had their case fully adjudicated, and they’re still here,” and there are “about 680,000 convicted of serious crimes.”

Graham said Homan needs more congressional funding to hire ICE agents. (Getty Images)

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“Here’s the question for the Republican Party. We talk about doing this, but we don’t have the resources. We haven’t given the Trump team the resources. Tom Homan, the border czar, said yesterday, ‘without money from Congress, I can’t do this’,” Graham said, adding: “Give Tom the tools he needs to execute a mass deportation strategy to deal with a mass illegal immigration problem created by Biden,” Graham told NBC. “Without new money, he cannot do this.”

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.

January 26, 2025
Commanders will hit Jalen Hurts ‘like a running back’ if Eagles deploy him on designed runs, coach says

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts finished the regular season with 630 rushing yards. Hurts’ running ability is a key part of the Eagles’ offense, but it remains unclear how much of a threat his legs will be in this weekend’s NFC championship game.

Hurts appeared to tweak his knee during last week’s divisional round playoff game when he was awkwardly pulled to the ground as he was sacked by a Los Angeles Rams defender. The Eagles signal-caller entered the blue medical tent after the Eagles punted the ball, but he returned to the huddle on Philly’s ensuing offensive possession.

Although Hurts did not miss a play in the 28-22 win over the Rams, his movement appeared to be limited for the remainder of the game.

The Eagles will meet the Commanders in the conference title game Sunday, and Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said Hurts’ possible limitations won’t prevent his unit from playing an attacking style.

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Jalen Hurts (1) of the Philadelphia Eagles scrambles to avoid a tackle attempt by Andrew Adams of the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field Dec. 4, 2022, in Philadelphia. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

The Eagles’ offensive scheme typically calls for a few designed quarterback runs a game. If Hurts does run from the pocket at any point this Sunday, Whitt plans to make the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback pay.

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“We’ve had a number of these guys that we’ve had to prepare for,” Whitt told reporters Thursday. “The one thing is, is if he’s going to run the ball, and if the coordinator makes the decision for him to run the ball, we’re going to treat him like a running back, and we’re going to hit him that way.

“So, that’s their decision if they want to get him hit the way he gets hit. If they don’t, they’ll keep him in the pocket. So, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is sacked in the end zone for a safety during the third quarter by Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Neville Gallimore (92) in an NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field In Philadelphia Jan. 19, 2025. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

Hurts ran for 39 yards and a touchdown when the Eagles met the Commanders in Week 11. When the NFC East divisional foes met for a second time in the regular season, Hurts left with a head injury after a 13-yard run. He did not return to the lineup, and the Eagles lost, 36-33.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on the field during warmups before a game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

“Every team is going to try to tackle Jalen like a running back,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “He’s running with the football. They’ll try to tackle him. We ultimately are cautious with how we use him and how we think about each play because we know how important it is to have him out there.

“I wouldn’t expect anything else. Jalen knows how to take care of himself. We know how to help him do that as well as far as the scheme goes.”

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Hurts practiced Wednesday, although he was listed as a limited participant. The Eagles are favored to win the NFC title game. If the Commanders do pull off the upset, Jayden Daniels would be the first rookie quarterback in history to start in the Super Bowl.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 24, 2025