INTERNACIONAL
Dead voter allegation fuels concerns about voting safeguards as blue state official turns herself in
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Illinois GOP Chairman Bob Grogan is calling on a Democratic Waukegan city official to resign after prosecutors said she submitted her dead mother’s vote-by-mail ballot, a case conservatives say exposes broader concerns about mail-in voting and voter-roll safeguards even though the ballot was caught before it was counted.
A Waukegan, Illinois alderman, Sylvia Sims Bolton, turned herself on Wednesday after prosecutors said she submitted her dead mother’s vote-by-mail ballot during a March primary election, which has resulted in two charges, including one Class 4 Felony.
According to the Office of the State’s Attorney in Lake County, Illinois, a vote-by-mail ballot for Mary Sims, Bolton’s late-mother, was issued in the first tranche of ballots to go out from the Lake County Clerk’s Office in February. Just days later, however, the same office processed the cancellation of Mary Sim’s voter registration after receiving a notification of her passing from the Illinois Department of Public Health via the state’s Board of Elections voter registration system.
After the ballot was dropped by Bolton at an official ballot drop box, it went through the county’s established security and verification protocols, which flagged that the voter’s death record was processed prior to the ballot being submitted and ultimately spurred the sheriff’s office investigation leading to the charges against Bolton.
PA WOMAN CHARGED WITH TRYING TO REGISTER DEAD PEOPLE, INCLUDING OWN FATHER, TO VOTE
A picture of the Illinois state flag is seen next to Illinois alderman, Sylvia Sims Bolton’s mugshot. (Getty Images/Lake County State’s Attorney Office)
«A dead person voting, that you’re actually aware that they’re dead, is the easiest voter fraud to find. It’s like somebody leaning over the cash register and grabbing the cash out of the till,» Grogan told Fox News Digital. «But the complicated stuff, the behind-the-scenes stuff, that’s something that is harder to find … This is a one-off incident and if fraudsters do it right, it could be many, many more votes like this.»
Election integrity advocate Jason Snead, who runs the Honest Elections Project, added that the Bolton case «plainly shows that voter fraud occurs.»
«Mail ballots are especially vulnerable, which is why they should be secured, should never be mailed without a specific request from the voter, and should always be verified before they are tabulated. This case also shows how essential it is to maintain clean voter rolls,» Snead said. «Had the list maintenance process been slower, it is possible this illegal vote would have been counted before the fraud was discovered. Unfortunately, too many states—particularly blue states—actively resist commonsense safeguards, which begs the question: how many other illegal votes have slipped through the system?»
A press release from the Lake County State’s Attorney Office indicated that «all ballot envelopes» get reviewed through automated systems designed to flag irregularities that may require additional review.
Readability issues due to barcode problems, ballots being submitted for the wrong election, ballots that were previously rejected, and ballots associated with a canceled voter registration record, are all examples of irregularities that might be flagged. Other, less obvious irregularities, include whether a ballot is overweight or underweight.
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Poll workers process ballots at an elections warehouse outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 8, 2022. (Ed JonesAFP via Getty Images))
The investigation into Bolton, who represents Waukegan’s Ward 1, began in March, and she turned herself in Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for Rinehart’s office. She has been charged with one count of Mutilation of Election Material, a Class 4 felony, for allegedly knowingly falsifying election material, and one count of Disregarding Election Code, a Class A misdemeanor.
If convicted on the felony count, Bolton could face one to three years in prison, though Illinois law also allows probation or conditional discharge for Class 4 felonies. The election-material charge also carries a five-year ban on public employment after completion of the sentence. A Class A misdemeanor conviction carries less than one year in jail and a possible fine.
According to the State’s Attorney’s office, the investigation by law enforcement officials «did not uncover any facts linking these allegations to her city duties,» adding that she «is not charged with official misconduct.»
A vote-by-mail ballot drop box is shown alongside Waukegan alderperson Sylvia Sims Bolton, who was charged after authorities alleged she submitted a ballot in her deceased mother’s name during Illinois’ 2026 primary election. (Getty Images and City of Waukegan)
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Officials in the State’s Attorney’s office also noted that they were not aware of any previous investigations related to individuals trying to use the vote-by-mail system to cast a ballot on behalf of deceased individuals.
Fox News Digital reached out to Bolton and her attorney but Fox News Digital did not receive a response in time for publication.
«This case shows the importance of having a well-funded, independent Clerk’s office that also has state-of-the-art technology,» State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement to Fox News Digital. «Clerk Vega and his team followed national best practices in order to detect and report this crime. We must say loudly to people that if you improperly vote for others, you will be caught, investigated, and prosecuted.»
illinois, investigations, voting, elections state and local, voter fraud concerns
INTERNACIONAL
Investigators believe Iranian hackers are likely behind cyberattack on Minnesota water systems: report
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U.S. investigators believe a cyberattack that targeted dozens of water systems in Minnesota this week likely was orchestrated by Iranian hackers, a report said.
Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) said the «coordinated cyberattack targeted operational technology at more than 30 Minnesota community water systems» on Sunday and Monday, but the Minnesota Department of Health is «not aware of any active requests from Minnesota cities to have their residents modify their drinking water usage.»
U.S. and state officials and others familiar with the incident told The New York Times that Iranian hackers were likely behind the cyberattack.
The newspaper reported that three state officials briefed on an investigation into the cyberattack said the tradecraft used and the absence of a ransom demand led analysts to initially determine Iran was involved. Officials also cautioned that the assessment could change as more data is collected by investigators, according to the newspaper.
«The FBI is aware of recent public reporting around Water and Wastewater sectors. The FBI and our interagency partners are fully engaged to protect critical infrastructure and we remain well-equipped to protect against cyber threats of all varieties,» the FBI said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday.
IRAN-LINKED HACKERS TARGET US MEDICAL TECH COMPANY
A water tower is seen Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Plymouth, Minn. A cyberattack targeted operating technology at more than 30 water systems in Minnesota, including Plymouth’s, earlier this week, state officials said. (Ellen Schmidt/AP)
The newspaper reported that the hackers targeted infrastructure used to manage and monitor water towers operated by municipal governments.
The mayor of the city of Braham, Nate George, said on Monday, a «plant operator found that the water tower was calling for water, but the well was not operating.»
«After learning that similar problems were occurring in at least four other Minnesota communities, Braham staff determined that the plant’s computerized control system had been compromised,» he continued.
«Public works isolated the affected system, restored a backup, and restarted the plant within approximately 90 minutes. While the plant was offline, residents continued receiving water from the city’s water tower. City administration temporarily requested that residents conserve water to prevent the tower’s limited supply from being exhausted,» George added.
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, MNIT noted that «the investigation remains active, and Minnesota has not attributed the activity to a specific actor.»
MNIT said it «continues to collaborate with federal, state, local, Tribal, and private-sector partners to investigate the attack, support affected communities, and strengthen the security of Minnesota’s critical infrastructure.»
«Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure require a coordinated, whole-of-government response,» John Israel, MNIT Assistant Commissioner and Minnesota Chief Information Security Officer, said in a statement. «MNIT is working side by side with our partners to share intelligence, support affected communities, and help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future attacks.»
LIVE UPDATES ON IRAN WAR: TRUMP ANNOUNCES HAMAS DISARMAMENT DEAL WHILE SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES RED SEA DEFENSE COALITION
A woman is seen holding an Iranian flag during a religious ceremony during Eid al-Adha on May 26, 2026, in Qom, Iran. Iran is believed to be behind recent cyberattacks in Minnesota, a report said. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
Israel told the Times that the breach was first detected Sunday and that hackers targeted 36 municipal water systems.
«Minnesota was one of the early detectors of this, but we’re seeing that this same threat activity has likely been occurring in other states throughout the nation,» he was quoted as saying.
Nick Andersen, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) acting director, told the newspaper that the agency was aware of «multiple potential incidents affecting local water utilities.»
In the days leading up to the incident, CISA issued an advisory warning U.S. organizations of «ongoing Iranian-affiliated cyber activity targeting internet-connected operational technology (OT) devices.»
«Iranian cyber actors continue to target U.S. critical infrastructure, and the FBI is committed to identifying, disrupting, and imposing costs on those responsible,» Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division said in the advisory.
A water tower in Plymouth, Minn. (Ellen Schmidt/AP)
It stated that a «group of Iranian-affiliated actors» has «targeted devices spanning multiple U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, including Water and Wastewater Systems, Energy and Government Services and Facilities, to include local municipalities.»
minnesota, cybercrime, hackers, iran, midwest, us
INTERNACIONAL
Lídia Jorge: “Cuanto más sofisticadas son nuestras sociedades, más fácilmente aceptan ser conducidas como rebaños”
La escritora portuguesa Lídia Jorge, galardonada con el Premio Camões 2026 —el máximo reconocimiento de las letras en lengua portuguesa— y el Premio Estatal Austriaco de Literatura Europea, afirmó que “la literatura no anuncia la destrucción del mundo, intenta impedirla”. La autora de Misericordia y La costa de los murmullos hizo estas declaraciones en una entrevista concedida al diario El Mundo durante el Festival literario BABELL, celebrado en Oporto.
El Premio Camões, instituido en 1988 por los gobiernos de Portugal y Brasil con una dotación de 100 mil euros, le fue otorgado por unanimidad del jurado, que destacó “el diversificado conjunto de su obra y la gran contribución para el enriquecimiento del patrimonio literario y cívico-cultural de la lengua portuguesa”. El Premio Estatal Austriaco, entregado el lunes 28 de julio en el marco del Festival de Salzburgo, se suma a una trayectoria que incluye el Premio Médicis al mejor libro extranjero publicado en Francia en 2023, el Premio FIL de Literatura en Lenguas Románicas de Guadalajara en 2020 y el Premio Pessoa en 2025.
A sus 80 años, la escritora portuguesa se mantiene ajena a la solemnidad que suelen imponer los premios. “Los premios no se conceden a mi esencia. Se conceden a mi sombra”, afirmó. Y añadió: “Ningún premio puede alterar la humildad con la que uno se enfrenta al lenguaje”. Nacida en Boliqueime, en el Algarve, en 1946, Lídia Jorge debutó en la ficción con El día de los prodigios en 1980, obra que marcó un punto de ruptura con el realismo documental dominante en la literatura portuguesa de la época.
En la entrevista publicada por El Mundo, Jorge reflexionó sobre la paradoja que define a las sociedades contemporáneas: el avance material convive con un retroceso moral. “He visto dos movimientos simultáneos: una mejora extraordinaria de las condiciones materiales de la existencia —la medicina, la comunicación, la ciencia, la exploración espacial— y, al mismo tiempo, un proceso inquietante por el que volvemos a comportarnos como una manada”, señaló. “Cuanto más sofisticadas son nuestras sociedades, más fácilmente aceptan ser conducidas como rebaños”.
Esa tensión ha ocupado buena parte de su obra. Desde La costa de los murmullos —novela que reconstruye la guerra colonial en Mozambique desde la perspectiva de una mujer— hasta Los memorables, sobre los protagonistas de la “Revolución de los Claveles” de 1974, Lídia Jorge ha construido una cartografía de las grandes fracturas de Portugal y de Europa. “Me siento testigo de una época y prefiero pensar que mis libros son testimoniales antes que históricos”, declaró.
La autora también abordó el estado de las democracias occidentales con una mirada que rechaza tanto el catastrofismo como la complacencia. “Lo que me preocupa es que algunos hayan llegado a la conclusión de que hay que abolir la democracia cuando lo que necesitamos es lo contrario: reforzarla, devolverle credibilidad”, dijo. Para ella, el problema no radica en el sistema democrático en sí, sino en su relación con un modelo económico que “ha dejado de servir a una distribución justa de la riqueza y que cada crisis fortalece a quienes ya concentran el poder”.
Europa, tema recurrente en sus ensayos y artículos, aparece en su pensamiento no como una institución política sino como una conciencia moral compartida. Citó a Ortega y Gasset, que retomaba a San Agustín cuando le preguntaban qué era Europa. “No necesitamos definir Europa, la sentimos”, sostuvo. “Sabemos por qué no queremos volver a la guerra, por qué desconfiamos de ciertos modelos de poder como el ruso o el estadounidense y por qué seguimos buscando una forma de convivencia que vaya más allá del nacionalismo”.
Entre 2021 y 2026, Jorge formó parte del Consejo de Estado portugués, donde sucedió al filósofo Eduardo Lourenço. Fue, según explicó, un servicio que aceptó “con gusto porque exigía pensar constantemente en el presente del país y en los grandes asuntos internacionales”. El Consejo reúne en Portugal no solo a políticos, sino también a científicos, músicos, juristas y escritores, una práctica que la autora consideró natural para cualquier ciudadano.
Su última novela, Misericordia (2022), supuso para ella una aproximación inédita a la materia autobiográfica. En la entrevista con El Mundo, Jorge la describió como “un intervalo, no un final”, y la conectó con una idea del crítico literario Frank Kermode: “Las narraciones sobre el apocalipsis no hablan del deseo del fin del mundo, sino del intento de impedirlo”. La protagonista del libro llega a preguntarse si la pandemia será el fin de todo y descubre, precisamente entonces, un deseo intenso de seguir viviendo.
Esa voluntad de seguir escribiendo, de seguir buscando, es quizás la constante más firme en su trayectoria. “Yo escribo porque no entiendo las cosas”, confesó. “Multiplico los personajes porque, hablando entre ellos, saben más que yo sola. Y, aun así, nunca alcanzo del todo aquello que busco”. A los 80 años, con el Premio Camões recién recibido, la escritora mantiene intacta esa insatisfacción productiva: “Sigo creyendo que el próximo libro estará más cerca de ese libro que llevo toda la vida intentando escribir”.
[Fotos: cortesía João Barata]
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For months, President Donald Trump has fixated on one legislative priority. Now, its repeated failure may be costing Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., the president’s support.
Trump has badgered Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, his missing legislative crown jewel, turning support for the bill into a loyalty test.
Thune has become the target for those irritated that the bill hasn’t moved in the Senate. For months, Trump largely spared him from criticism over the bill’s stalled progress. That appears to have changed.
The hairline fractures in their relationship stem from Thune doing what few Republicans are willing to do: tell Trump no.
GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN
Congressional Republicans, President Donald Trump and the GOP base want voter ID turned into law, but one barrier stands in the way: the political reality of the Senate. (Leon Neal/Getty Images; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
«Well, that’s too bad for him,» Trump said when asked about Thune not having the votes to move the SAVE America Act. «I mean, that’s too bad for him and too bad for the Republican Party.»
«He’s got the votes,» he continued. «He should get it done. He should be able to get it done.»
And, though he’s backed him before, Trump appeared to waver in his support of Thune when asked if he was the right man for the job.
«Well, we’re going to find out, and I’ll let you know,» Trump said.
TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS
On his way to and from the Senate floor, Thune was pressed on Trump’s comments. When asked about Trump wavering on him as the leader of the Senate GOP, Thune signaled it wasn’t up to him.
«I don’t know what you say on that,» he said. «That’s a decision made by my colleagues.»
He also pushed back on the president’s assertion that Republicans could pass the SAVE America Act.
«That must be a different form of math,» Thune said.
Thune has repeatedly argued Republicans simply don’t have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act, a position that has increasingly put him at odds with Trump. A bloc of Republicans has never supported the legislation, while Senate Democrats overwhelmingly oppose it, leaving Thune without the votes.
TRUMP DEMANDS THUNE KEEP SENATE IN SESSION UNTIL SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSES
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he hopes the next Senate shows more independence from President Donald Trump while crediting Senate Majority Leader John Thune with steering Republicans through a difficult political landscape. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
«I think it’s wrong to blame Thune for this — Senator Thune,» Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. «This is not his fault.»
Still, Thune has moved major legislation backed by the president and has the Senate on a record pace for nominee confirmations, all while dealing with vulnerable Republicans taking tough political votes and Democrats who are bound to kneecap Trump’s agenda at every turn.
«I hope that the next Congress, the people with the election certificates as U.S. senators who actually make that decision, show some independence and courage,» Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. «And recognize that Thune has helped navigate an almost impossible scenario to navigate with this president.»
The legislation has been tested several times in a variety of forms, and has never gotten the needed votes to pass. And Thune has said the votes aren’t there to nuke the filibuster, which Trump has pushed for throughout his second term.
Even as Trump publicly questions Thune, the Senate GOP leader intends to seek another term as the top Republican.
Leadership is elected internally by Senate Republicans, not by the president. Thune came out of a crowded field to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., battling Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., to get the top spot in the Senate GOP.
And his colleagues, so far, have his back.
Scott, who ran against Thune, told Fox News Digital that he had no intention of running for the top gig in the Senate again. He also noted that even though he wanted it, it’s a difficult profession to take on.
«John’s a smart guy,» Scott said. «He is working really hard. So I think he shouldn’t — you know, it’s tough to be the leader.»
«We’ve got a lot of issues we haven’t addressed, so it’s hard,» he continued. «I assumed it was gonna be hard.»
politics, donald trump, john thune, senate elections, republicans elections
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