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Former Swalwell ally says longtime friendship with him ‘clouded my judgement’ as rumors swirled in DC
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One of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s, D-Calif., closest friends in Congress said their tight-knit relationship «clouded his judgment» regarding rumors that swirled about the ex-lawmaker for years in Washington, D.C.
«Eric Swalwell lied to all of us,» Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said at an impromptu press conference in his office. «He lied to the most powerful people in this country and they trusted him. They trusted him with some of the most sensitive spots in our government, whether it was on Judiciary Committee, Intel Committee, impeaching Donald Trump.»
«And that clouded my judgment, my friendship with him,» he continued. «Our family’s friendship together with him clouded my judgment. And I was wrong. I deeply, deeply regret that.»
SWALWELL OUT AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AFTER 13 YEARS IN CONGRESS
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., demanded that the Trump administration refund billions in tariff revenue following President Donald Trump’s stinging Supreme Court loss. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It’s a sharp pivot for Gallego, given that the two had a familial-like relationship. Just last week, Gallego defended Swalwell online against allegations of misconduct, which he later said he regretted.
Their kids went to baseball camp together, they babysat one another’s children, and Gallego even jumped on board as national chair for Swalwell’s failed 2020 presidential bid.
But after a bombshell report from the San Francisco Chronicle alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted a former staffer, his former friend is no longer sticking up for him.
SWALWELL’S ‘BEST FRIEND’ IN CONGRESS TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS TORPEDO HIS POLITICAL CAREER
Rep. Eric Swalwell spoke during a press conference on committee assignments for the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 25, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
In the days since that report surfaced, five people in total have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct or rape.
Gallego, while heaping blame on Swalwell and apologizing to his alleged victims, maintained that he had no knowledge of the alleged behavior. He noted, however, that rumors had circulated about Swalwell — and other past lawmakers — in the nation’s capital for years.
When pressed on the nature of those rumors, Gallego said Swalwell was «flirty,» but nothing along the lines of the allegations that sank his gubernatorial bid and congressional career — nor activity that «I would say would rise to the occasion that I would be able to, you know, not talk to his wife the next day and be able to look her in the eye.»
When allegations began to surface online at the onset of Swalwell’s gubernatorial run, Gallego said Swalwell «manipulated» him into believing it was a smear campaign similar to the one used against him during his 2024 Senate race against Kari Lake.
PELOSI, CALIFORNIA DEMS SLAM SWALWELL OVER BOMBSHELL SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS: ‘INDEFENSIBLE’
Lonna Drewes, alongside attorney Lisa Bloom, spoke during a news briefing on April 14, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California, where Drewes alleged that former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., drugged and sexually assaulted her during a 2018 encounter after offering professional mentorship. Swalwell has denied the allegations. (Myun J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
«He knew I came off a horrible race where I had to answer to my family. I have to answer accusations to best friends, to my kids. And he fed into that,» Gallego said. «He fed into it and I fell for it like everyone else. I fell for the lies. I regret it, but that’s what happened.»
The two spent significant time together — on official and private trips, on each other’s campaigns, and within the halls of Congress.
When asked how it was possible that neither he nor other lawmakers who had known Swalwell for years — including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. — were aware, Gallego said «he became very good at being a predator.»
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«And he clearly preyed on these women in different positions. And he became extremely proficient at lying to us, lying to his family, lying to his community,» Gallego said. «You know, the nature of his job allowed him to travel. And we just did not fully understand … There’s just no way we could have seen any of this.»
Facing expulsion and a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of his conduct, Swalwell officially resigned from Congress on Tuesday.
While he apologized to his family and constituents, he doubled down against the accusations leveled against him.
«I will fight the serious false allegations made against me,» Swalwell wrote in his resignation letter. «However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.»
maxine waters, congress, sex crimes, eric swalwell, investigations
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Woman objected to trans sex offender roommate — then she was sent back to prison, legal group says
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FIRST ON FOX: A woman was allegedly sent back to a federal prison after objecting to rooming with a biological male sex offender at a Rhode Island halfway house, according to a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital.
The conservative America First Legal asked the Bureau of Prisons on Monday in a public records request, obtained by Fox News Digital, for information about the re-incarceration of Sarah Cavanaugh, who had been serving out the remainder of her sentence at Houston House, a halfway house in Rhode Island operated by the nonprofit Community Resources for Justice.
The request raised concerns about whether Bureau of Prisons contractors were complying with President Donald Trump’s day-one directive that agencies make sure biological men are not detained in women’s prisons, part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten policies surrounding transgender people.
«Men should not share intimate spaces with women; this includes in our federal prisons,» Emily Percival, AFL senior counsel, said in a statement. «The BOP has a duty to provide for the safekeeping, care, and protection of federal inmates.»
BLUE STATES CALLED OUT BY WOMEN’S GROUP FOR IGNORING RISKS POSED BY TRANSGENDER INMATES
An activist holds a transgender pride flag. (Alexander Pohl/NurPhoto)
Percival accused the Bureau of Prisons of «[shirking its] duty when it allowed its contractor to send a woman back to prison after she raised concerns with sharing a room with a biological male convicted of a heinous sex crime.»
Cavanaugh, who had been sentenced to about six years in prison in 2023 for a stolen valor conviction, was transferred to Houston House by the Bureau of Prisons after the agency determined she was a good candidate for the move. While there, Cavanaugh learned last August that she would be assigned a new roommate named Haley Lynn Rose, according to AFL’s records request. After searching the name online, Cavanaugh discovered the individual was named Anthony Ninfo, a male who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2024.
Cavanaugh raised concerns with staff, expressing discomfort about sharing a room with a man convicted of a sex offense, AFL’s filing said. Staff told her to follow up with the facility’s management, but the following day she was instead given an accusatory incident report charging that she had violated conditions of being at the halfway house, according to AFL.
The incident report said, according to AFL, that Cavanaugh created «a hostile environment for the [transgender felon], and [overstepped] boundaries by inquiring about the gender identity, genitalia, charges, and room assignment of another Houston House resident.»
TRUMP IS RETURNING SANITY TO THE GENDER CONVERSATION
The report stated that «asserting [sic] preferences regarding room assignments is inappropriate.»
WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES – JULY 3: Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters building in Washington D.C., United States on July 3, 2023. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
As a result of the incident, Cavanaugh’s placement at the halfway house was revoked, and she was returned to prison for six months, AFL said.
The legal group wrote in its complaint that the alleged incident was at odds with Trump’s executive order titled «Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,» which states that only two sexes exist and that inmates must be separated by sex.
The case comes amid ongoing legal challenges from civil rights groups over the implementation of Trump’s order. While some provisions have faced lawsuits, courts have allowed certain aspects affecting prison housing policies to move forward.
President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on March 31, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)
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Citing the Freedom of Information Act, AFL asked the Bureau of Prisons for records related to staff interactions with Cavanaugh, the incident report issued to her, actions taken against her, and the Bureau of Prisons’ contractual relationship with Houston House.
The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not provide more information on Cavanaugh because of privacy reasons.
«For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the BOP does not release information regarding the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual,» a BOP spokesperson said. «However, we can share that the BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our population, our employees, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities.»
Fox News Digital reached out to the Houston House and Community Resources for Justice for comment.
administration, fox news, sex crimes, housing, fox news investigates
Las Fuerzas Armadas de Estados Unidos anunciaron el lunes por la noche que llevaron a cabo un ataque contra una embarcación en el Caribe que, según afirmaron, transportaba droga, en una operación que dejó dos hombres muertos.
El Comando Sur de Estados Unidos (SOUTHCOM) informó a través de un mensaje en la red social X que “bajo el mando del general Francis L. Donovan, la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta ‘Southern Spear’ (Lanza del Sur) llevó a cabo un ataque cinético letal contra una embarcación operada por organizaciones terroristas designadas”.
En el mismo comunicado, el organismo militar precisó que “dos narcoterroristas hombres murieron durante la operación”. También indicó que ningún integrante de las fuerzas estadounidenses resultó herido ni sufrió daños durante la acción.
Según la versión oficial, la embarcación fue identificada a partir de información de inteligencia. El Comando Sur sostuvo que el bote “transitaba por rutas conocidas de tráfico de drogas en el Caribe” y participaba en operaciones de narcotráfico.
Desde el inicio de estos operativos, las fuerzas estadounidenses ampliaron su presencia en el Caribe y posteriormente extendieron las acciones hacia el océano Pacífico. En ese período, las intervenciones dejaron un saldo de alrededor de un centenar de personas muertas, según los datos mencionados en los cables.
La operación “Lanza del Sur”, impulsada por el Comando Sur y lanzada en septiembre de 2025, marcó un cambio en la estrategia regional de Estados Unidos. Bajo la dirección del general Francis Donovan, la campaña amplió su área de acción a Centroamérica, Sudamérica y el Caribe.
Washington sostiene que el objetivo de esta iniciativa es aumentar la presión sobre redes de narcotráfico que, según sus denuncias, mantienen vínculos con el régimen venezolano y fueron designadas oficialmente como “organizaciones terroristas”.
La utilización del concepto de “narcoterrorismo” para referirse a estas redes profundizó el debate sobre la legitimidad de los ataques. La discusión se intensificó tras la captura del ex dictador Nicolás Maduro el 3 de enero de 2025, un hecho que se produjo en paralelo a la expansión de las operaciones.
A pesar de esa detención, las acciones militares continuaron y registraron un crecimiento geográfico sostenido. Con el paso de los meses, la actividad dejó de concentrarse exclusivamente en el mar Caribe y alcanzó también aguas del Pacífico oriental.
La administración de Donald Trump impulsó la creación de una fuerza autónoma de combate basada en inteligencia artificial para operar en América Central, Sudamérica y el Caribe, con el objetivo de desarticular redes narcoterroristas y actuar ante crisis provocadas por desastres naturales de gran magnitud.
La iniciativa, promovida por el Comando Sur de Estados Unidos (SOUTHCOM), constituye un paso relevante en la incorporación de nuevas tecnologías a la estrategia de defensa y a la presencia militar estadounidense en la región, según informó el propio organismo.
La unidad funcionará como un comando especializado en sistemas autónomos y semiautónomos, con un enfoque multidominio. El proyecto apunta a enfrentar tanto al crimen organizado transnacional como a los efectos de fenómenos naturales cada vez más frecuentes e intensos, de acuerdo con evaluaciones del Centro de Monitoreo de Desastres de la ONU.
El jefe del SOUTHCOM, general Francis L. Donovan, definió el alcance de la misión al señalar que será “desarticular y debilitar las redes narcoterroristas y de cárteles, y responder a crisis que ponen en peligro la vida causadas por desastres naturales a gran escala”, y remarcó el carácter dual de la nueva fuerza.
El comando indicó que el rasgo central de esta iniciativa reside en la capacidad de los sistemas autónomos para operar en entornos hostiles, obtener información en tiempo real y ejecutar acciones coordinadas sin intervención directa de operadores humanos.
En paralelo, el Departamento de Defensa presentó el Grupo de Guerra Autónoma de Defensa (DAWG, por su sigla en inglés), una unidad orientada a integrar inteligencia artificial y capacidades autónomas en la planificación y ejecución de operaciones militares dentro del área de responsabilidad del SOUTHCOM. Según lo comunicado, este modelo podría extenderse a otros comandos estadounidenses si demuestra resultados en el terreno.
(Con información de EFE)
Defence,International Relations,Defense,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy,South America / Central America
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Explosion at a fireworks plant in China kills at least 21 people, injures dozens more: report
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An explosion at a fireworks factory in a central Chinese province killed at least 21 people and injured 61 others, according to state media.
The blast happened at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, a city administered by Changsha in Hunan province, on Monday afternoon, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported.
The plant was operated by Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co. in Liuyang, which is under the jurisdiction of Hunan’s capital, Changsha. Liuyang is home to a hub for fireworks manufacturing, state media China Daily reported.
MASSIVE FIRE DESTROYS UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA LABORATORY BUILDING: ‘TOTAL LOSS’
Fire crews work to put out a fire after an explosion at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, Hunan Province of China. (Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
Aerial footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed white smoke still billowing on Tuesday in parts of the area, with facilities collapsed or damaged and debris scattered around.
Nearly 500 firefighters, rescuers and medical personnel responded to the scene, according to the South China Morning Post. People in danger zones were evacuated because of what authorities described as high risks posed by two black powder warehouses at the site.
An explosion at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, Hunan Province of China, killed at least 21 people and injured 61 others. (Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for «all-out efforts» to save injured victims and to search for people who remain unaccounted for, Xinhua reported. He called on authorities to probe the cause and pursue serious accountability. Xi also ordered effective risk screening and hazard control in key industries and the strengthening of public safety management.
Xi often issues «important instructions» to local officials after deadly accidents and disasters, according to reports.
CREWS RESPOND TO MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS AT FIREWORKS FACILITY IN CALIFORNIA
Fire rescue forces carry out rescue operations after an explosion at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, Hunan Province of China. (Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
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Authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the blast, and unspecified «control measures» were taken against those in charge of the company.
In an effort to avoid additional accidents during the search for survivors, rescuers adopted measures such as spraying and humidification to eliminate potential hazards. Robots were also used to assist with the search and rescue operation.
china, world, fires disasters, disasters, xi jinping
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