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LA business leader says crime, wildfire fallout fueling Pratt surge as voters seek change: ‘People are angry’
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SANTA MONICA, CA — A business leader and former city council candidate is reacting to Spencer Pratt’s surge in the Los Angeles mayoral race by pointing to crime, the recent wildfires, and the inhospitable business climate as the reason why voters are discontent with the status quo.
«I think a lot of people are concerned about what’s happening, they really don’t know how to fix this, and I think the crime, the homelessness, the addiction, all the above behaviors of what’s happened in our city as politicians that are causing this, I think a lot people are seeing that,» John Putnam, the president of Putnam Brands & Putnam Accessory Group, told Fox News Digital.
«And I think Spencer’s actually bringing the light in a real way. He’s pretty basic with his delivery of his issues and I think that’s resonating a lot. Even if you don’t want to vote for him, you’re listening, though and I think that’s resonating with a lot of people.»
Putnam, a former candidate for Santa Monica City Council in 2024, told Fox News Digital that even though his town of Santa Monica doesn’t vote for LA mayor, the winner’s platform will have a «trickle down» effect all across the county.
SPENCER PRATT ENTERS LA MAYOR RACE, ACCUSES CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF ‘CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE’ OVER FIRE RESPONSE
John Putnam, president of Putnam Brands and Putnam Accessory Group, told Fox News Digital that Spencer Pratt is «bringing the light» to LA. (Fox News Digital ; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
«California’s got a big issue, but the city, especially where we live, Santa Monica is a byproduct of what’s happened in Los Angeles and across the world,» Putnam said. «In Santa Monica alone, we’re a people driven economy. 80% of our revenue comes from outside this city. We need revenue being generated from people that are coming here to visit.»
Putnam’s company, which he has run for 40 years, is based near downtown Los Angeles and he told Fox News Digital that it’s clear when you drive around the city that the business climate is being significantly handcuffed by crime, homelessness, high taxes, and other factors.
«It costs so much to operate a business here,» Putnam said. «Out of 250 cities that were surveyed a few years ago, Santa Monica came in number one of being the most expensive place to do business and that’s because of all the regulation, all the other aspects.
RESIDENTS IN EXCLUSIVE ENCLAVE DEMAND DEM MAYOR ACT ON CRIME SURGE
Television personality and Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt visited «Fox & Friends» at Fox News Channel Studios on Jan. 28, 2026, in New York City. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
«But on top of that, if you can’t create an inviting environment and a safe environment and a clean environment, there’s no hope. I mean, the bottom line, there is zero hope in that arrangement. So we have to do something quickly and the pain is there. We just as voters, hopefully will determine what we have to do to change that.»
Crime has been a highly talked-about issue in the mayoral race between Pratt, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, and progressive Councilwoman Nithya Raman. Putnam says that over the past few years, crime has gotten worse overall, despite statistics that say specific violent crimes are down.
«There’s all sorts of stats, it’s worse, everyone’s trying to sugar coat it in different ways, but the stats are out there, they’re saying crime is down, I think violent crime is down across the country, but all this petty stuff is happening,» Putnam said.
SPENCER PRATT ANNOUNCES LA MAYOR RUN ON ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PALISADES FIRE THAT DESTROYED HIS HOME
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass toured the downtown business district of Pacific Palisades on Jan. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles as the Palisades Fire continued to burn amid strong Santa Ana winds. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)
«It’s come in all neighborhoods. I mean you know it’s down in the south side of Los Angeles, east. It’s everywhere. You know even here in Santa Monica, we’re definitely being victims of this behavior of crime, and the drug addiction that’s running rampant in our city that’s causing this kind of criminal activity doesn’t really satisfy anyone. It doesn’t protect us. It doesn’t make us feel safe and it doesn’t help our community just to grow.»
Roughly a year and a half ago, the Los Angeles area was devastated by wildfires in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades that killed 31 people. The Palisades fire crept within a few miles of Putnam’s home in Santa Monica and destroyed more than 6,000 structures, including Pratt’s home.
Putnam told Fox News Digital that the fires, and criticism of Bass’s preparedness and response, is «definitely a point of every conversation» with Los Angeles residents as only a handful of homes have been rebuilt.
«People are feeling left out, they’re not feeling like they’re being helped,» Putnam said. «I mean, their whole town, Altadena and Palisades were just destroyed. Beyond that, you had nail salons, you have all these hair salons, you had restaurants, these people are homeless from their businesses, their income and they aren’t getting the love and the attention they deserve, we need to come together and help those people.»
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LA council member Nithya Raman is also running against Republican Spencer Pratt for governor of Los Angeles. (Eric Thayer / Getty Images)
«That’s what’s frustrating. I think people are angry, but also just really concerned. And I think this is really, Spencer’s really done a good job of bringing that out and letting people know this is not acceptable and we have a choice here.»
Pratt will face off in the mayoral primary on Tuesday night against Bass and progressive city council member Nithya Raman in an election where the top two candidates will move on to the November general election; however, if a candidate receives 50% of the vote, they become the next mayor outright.
issues, local, primary results, state and local primaries, homeless crisis
INTERNACIONAL
Vance takes lead selling Trump’s Iran gamble as Rubio, Hegseth and Ratcliffe cede spotlight on fragile deal
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Vice President JD Vance arrived in Switzerland this week as the Trump administration’s most visible defender of a fragile Iran memorandum of understanding, even as officials moved to tamp down reports of internal concern over whether Tehran can be trusted to follow through on nuclear concessions.
«If it doesn’t happen, I’m blaming JD Vance. If it does happen, I’m taking full credit,» joked President Donald Trump this month of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran.
The MOU, signed last week, has not resolved the core dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, but instead opened a 60-day negotiating window aimed at turning broad commitments into enforceable terms — leaving Vance to defend a framework that supporters call a diplomatic opening for sustained stability in the region and skeptics fear could give Tehran room to stall.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe have been central to previous high-profile foreign policy missions, Vance spent last week as one of the administration’s chief public advocates for the Iran deal, repeatedly fielding questions about the negotiations during a media blitz for his new book.
JD VANCE REVEALS DETAILS OF US-IRAN DEAL, ADDRESSES WHETHER TAXPAYER MONEY WILL GO TO TEHRAN
Trump addresses the media alongside United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, US Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick , US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent during a closing press conference at the G7 summit. (Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
A senior U.S. official told Fox News Digital earlier this month that there was a «split» inside the administration on support of the Iran MOU but wouldn’t say which officials did not support the decision. The talks have been fragile for weeks, with the MOU serving less as a breakthrough than a temporary framework while U.S. officials continue to wrestle with whether Iran can be trusted to follow through on nuclear commitments.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly emerged as a key intelligence leader who expressed doubt about the intelligence behind the Iran deal to Trump and other senior officials, Axios reported. Rubio and Hegseth also reportedly held reservations, while Vance and other officials advocated for the MOU, according to the outlet.
The CIA did not comment when asked by Fox News Digital if Ratcliffe was skeptical about the deal.
A second senior U.S. official told Fox News Digital that Trump officials were all aligned in supporting the deal and viewed it as the appropriate path forward.
While a White House official added that Vance emerged as a lead negotiator because Trump tasked him with the role from the outset, arguing his position as vice president gives him the stature to bring key players from countries such as Qatar and Pakistan to the negotiating table.
When asked about the reports of an alleged «split,» the White House fired back that the MOU meets all the previous requirements expressed by the administration and the president would only sign a «good deal.»
«President Trump listens to all opinions on any given issue — but everyone understands he is the final decisionmaker,» a White House official told Fox News Digital.
RUBIO, RATCLIFFE TO DELIVER CLASSIFIED IRAN BRIEFING TO ‘GANG OF EIGHT’ AHEAD OF TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION
Vice President JD Vance took questions from reporters during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
While Ratcliffe has historically kept a more reserved role as CIA chief, Rubio and Hegseth have embraced the spotlight repeatedly during high-level missions, hosting press briefings and posting on social media – even sharing memes surrounding major policy wins.
Rubio has publicly backed the MOU, but his support has been noticeably more restrained than his advocacy for past foreign policy efforts. The secretary has reposted clips of the deal signing and Vance’s media appearance discussing Iran, but has not directly made a statement. His latest post on X was congratulating Colombian President-Elect Abelardo De La Espriella on his victory.
Rubio was also part of the president’s delegation in France at the G7, seen standing behind him during Trump’s sideline presser on the deal. Rubio did not make any comments during the press conference.
Hegseth also has remained active on social media during the NATO summit, posting updates on alliance-related meetings and highlighting various War Department initiatives, while notably refraining from commenting directly on the Iran agreement.
His last public remarks directly addressing U.S.-Iran relations came more than a month ago on May 5 during a Pentagon briefing alongside Caine. Hegseth discussed Project Freedom, which was a strike against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure – separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury.
Since then, Hegseth’s public appearances have focused largely on NATO and defense diplomacy, including bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts and engagements with leaders from Italy, Singapore, South Korea and Ecuador.
READ IT: THE FULL TEXT OF THE US-IRAN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
CIA Director John Ratcliffe meets with officials in Havana, Cuba, on May 14, 2026, to discuss intelligence matters. (CIA)
The framework has come under fire from conservatives and liberals alike who have drawn comparisons to former President Barack Obama’s JCPOA, a politically toxic benchmark for many Republicans that the president and Vance have rejected in public remarks.
During an appearance on Fox News’ «The Five» last week, Vance argued the JCPOA comparison stems from a misconception because the proverbial carrot-and-stick positions from the Obama-era deal have been reversed.
The Pentagon doubled down on their backing of the Iranian deal when asked by Fox News Digital if there were any doubts.
«Of course, Secretary Hegseth supports the Peace Deal with Iran and all of President Trump’s objectives,» Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell told Fox News Digital when asked if there was any friction about the Iran agreement.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott offered Fox News Digital administration a similar statement backing the Iran deal.
«Secretary Rubio and the entire administration is 100% in lockstep behind President Trump. The President has taken unprecedented action to prevent the Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon, making the U.S. and the entire world safer,» Pigott said.
Rubio is heading to Geneva Monday after Vance has already been engaged in discussions with Iranians alongside Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff since Sunday.
HEGSETH ONCE WARNED AGAINST ENDLESS WARS. NOW HE’S LEADING TRUMP’S STRIKE-FIRST DOCTRINE
Rubio, Hegseth and Ratcliffe have previously been at the center of some of the Trump administration’s most significant foreign policy engagements and achievements, from high-stakes talks with Vladimir Putin in Alaska to G7 summits and NATO conferences.
Vance’s absence from Trump’s January Mar-a-Lago announcement following the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro drew notice at the time, particularly as Rubio, Hegseth, Ratcliffe, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and senior adviser Stephen Miller appeared alongside the president for the administration’s victory-lap moment.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Office of the Vice President for comment.
Vance stayed late into the night Sunday evening to push the deal to the finish line in an attempt to get nuclear inspections to start as soon as possible.
«It’s funny, we were trying to call some of the inspectors last night around two in the morning. As you can expect, not many people are answering their phone at two in the morning,» said Vance Monday.
«I expect that will happen at the minimum this week, but we think even some of those conversations with the inspectors and with the IAEA could happen as soon as today,» Vance added.
Fox News Digital’s Charles Crietz contributed to this report.
pete hegseth, cia, iran, jd vance, marco rubio
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) says it has opened an investigation into a New York City coffee shop after it blasted Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., in a social media post, saying it should not have served him, and he should never come back due to his support of Israel.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said the DOJ has opened an investigation into the Poetica Coffee Shop in Brooklyn.
Dhillon says the department is aware of the «denial of service taunts» directed at Goldman and says federal law prohibits public accommodations, including coffee shops, from discriminating against patrons based on race, religion, or national origin. Dhillon says the alleged denial of service could violate federal anti-discrimination law and says enforcement action is possible.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Poetica Coffee said it issued a refund to Goldman after learning that he had stopped by the location with his young daughter. The shop added that it would have simply turned Goldman away if staff had recognized him at the time.
SMOOTHIE KING FIRES EMPLOYEES WHO REFUSED TO SERVE CUSTOMERS OVER TRUMP SWEATSHIRT
Rep. Dan Goldman, D, N.Y., was criticized by Poetica, a left-leaning coffee shop in Brooklyn, which called scolded him over his support for Israel. (Dan Goldman)
«Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?» the post stated, referring to Goldman’s support for Israel and accusations that the Jewish state has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza.
«See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between,» the post continued. «Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away. We issued you a refund—we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways). Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica.»
A Brooklyn, N.Y., coffee shop refunded a purchase made by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., over the weekend over his support for Israel, saying the company doesn’t serve «genocide enablers.» (Getty Images; Google Maps)
In a statement on social media, Goldman said he was disappointed by the shop’s remarks.
«I’m sorry to see this post,» he said. «The barista could not have been nicer to my 7-year-old daughter and me—allowing her to use the bathroom even though we had not purchased anything. I made sure to buy a coffee in return for her kindness. I hope you at least make sure she gets the tip that she deserved.»
In response, the shop said it was the barista’s idea to refund Goldman’s purchase. The poster added that they will be voting against Goldman, who faces a Democratic primary challenge from former city Comptroller Brad Lander.
DEMOCRATIC REP FEARS PARTY TURNING ANTISEMITIC PROTESTERS INTO ‘MARTYRS’ IN BATTLE AGAINST TRUMP DEPORTATIONS
Fox News Digital has reached out to Goldman and the coffee shop, as well as the offices of New York State Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
«No comment. We stand against genocide,» a staffer told the New York Post.
The shop’s social media post was quickly criticized online.
Mark Treyger, the CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, said the incident warrants a review under city and state human rights laws.
MAMDANI IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER FIRST VETO DERAILS BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM: ‘DISAPPOINTED’
Poetica Coffee in Brooklyn, N.Y., criticized Rep. Dan Goldman, N.Y., over his support for Israel. (Dan Goldman)
«Turning a cup of coffee into a Jewish identity litmus test is an affront to the law, our values, and every New Yorker who rejects discrimination,» he wrote on X. «If an identifiable Jewish customer walks into a coffee shop wearing a kippah or Magen David, are they expected to first disclose their views on Middle East policy before being served?»
The incident appears to contradict the opening statement on Poetica Coffee’s website by its owner, Parviz Mukhamadkulov, an Uzbek immigrant who opened his first location in 2020.
«In practice, it looks like a café where the door doesn’t close on anyone, where tea gets poured before anyone asks who you are,» the website states. «The guest is sacred because the act of welcoming is how a community keeps itself intact.»
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., stands outside the Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey, on May 28, 2026. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital.)
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The shop also claims on its site that «whoever walks through the door is treated with unconditional dignity.»
«Not as a customer. Not as a transaction. As someone who arrived and deserves to be welcomed,» the site reads.
new york, coffee, anti semitism, zohran mamdani, judaism
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