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Federal government shutdown sparks blame game in crucial race for governor
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MADISON, N.J. – EXCLUSIVE: The nation’s capital isn’t the only battlefield in the blame game between Democrats and Republicans over the first federal government shutdown in seven years.
The verbal crossfire is also playing out on the campaign trail in New Jersey, which is home to one of only two elections for governor across the nation this year.
Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli, in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital, pointed fingers at his Democratic rival, Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
After Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman, charged in a statement that «Washington Republicans have once again shown they’re willing to turn their backs on the American people in order to blindly follow Donald Trump’s demands,» Ciattarelli criticized his opponent in the combustible, competitive, and high-profile ballot box showdown.
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Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee for governor in New Jersey, takes part at a candidate forum at Fairleigh Dickinson University, on Oct. 1, 2025 in Madison, N.J. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News)
«There’s nothing my opponent won’t blame on President Trump. As I like to say, if you get a flat [tire] today, it’s President Trump’s fault,» Ciattarelli argued, in a sit-down interview after taking part in a candidate forum hosted by Fairleigh Dickinson University.
With neither Trump and the Republican majority in Congress, nor congressional Democrats willing to lower the temperature, the government shut down early Wednesday morning.
BLAME GAME OVER SHUTDOWN INTENSIFIES
Democrats insisted that any agreement to prevent a government shutdown, or now to end the shutdown, must extend tax credits for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) beyond the end of this year. Those credits, which millions of Americans rely on to reduce the costs of health care plans under the ACA, which was once known as Obamacare, are set to expire unless Congress acts.
But most Republicans oppose the extension of the credits and argue that the Democrats’ demands would lead to a huge increase in taxpayer-funded healthcare for immigrants who entered the country illegally.
Sherrill, along with every other House Democrat except Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted against a GOP stopgap measure that would have temporarily averted the shutdown.
A closed sign stands in front of the National Archives on the first day of a government shutdown, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson – AP Photo)
Ciattarelli, pointing to his rival’s vote in Congress, said, «I do know that there’s a bipartisan group of congresspeople that are trying to keep the government open. My opponent has decided not to be part of that bipartisan group, and she voted no. And so here we are.»
Sherrill, who has repeatedly linked Ciattarrelli to Trump, placed the shutdown blame squarely on Trump’s shoulders, writing in a social media post, «This is precisely the extreme MAGA agenda that @Jack4NJ wants to bring to NJ.»
TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER THIS CRUCIAL RACE FOR GOVERNOR
And taking aim at congressional Republicans in a statement from her House office, Sherrill argued that «instead of working with Democrats to lower costs, protect health care, and support working people, Washington Republicans bent the knee to Donald Trump, shutting down the government in the process.»
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey responds to questions during the first general election debate with Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli. Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Lawrenceville, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
With just over one month to go until Election Day in New Jersey — and early voting taking place Oct. 25-Nov. 2 — a new Fox News poll indicated Sherrill holding an upper single-digit lead over Ciattarelli.
But Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker and a certified public accountant who started a medical publishing company before getting into politics, touted that «the energy is off the charts, and the fact that I’m being endorsed by Democratic mayors around the state says a whole lot about people wanting change here in the state of New Jersey.»
Hours into the shutdown, the Trump administration announced the freezing of billions of dollars in federal funding for two infrastructure projects, including the Gateway Project, which would build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York.
Sherrill quickly slammed the move and pointed fingers at Ciattarelli. She pledged to «fight tooth and nail to complete this essential infrastructure project for New Jersey. Jack Ciattarelli will not. He’s refused to name a single area where he disagrees with Trump.»
But Ciattarelli campaign senior strategist Chris Russell shot back in a statement, saying, «Make no mistake, Mikie Sherrill owns this shutdown and is responsible for any negative impacts on [the] Gateway tunnel project and other NJ priorities.»
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The two candidates will face off next week in their second and final debate before voters head to the polls in the election to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
Asked about his debate game plan, Ciattarelli said he would «be very, very specific with policy proposals that fix our problems here in New Jersey, and point out every single time she doesn’t answer the questions.»
Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, left, shakes hands with Democratic candidate for governor Mikie Sherrill, right, before a debate on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Lawrenceville, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey run on a party ticket and Democrats on Wednesday were spotlighting a comment by the GOP lieutenant governor nominee Jim Gannon, the Morris County Sheriff, in a debate earlier this week that «taxes are on the table.»
Asked about his running mate’s comment, Ciattarelli emphasized that «there will be no tax increases under Governor Ciattarelli. And I would put forth a very specific plan on how to decrease the income tax and the property tax here in New Jersey.»
The race was rocked last week after a New Jersey Globe report revealed that Sherrill’s military records indicated that the United States Naval Academy blocked her from taking part in her 1994 graduation amid the cheating scandal.
Sherrill claims that Ciattarelli is going on a «witch hunt» over her improperly released military records, which raised questions about her possible involvement in a cheating scandal that rocked the U.S. Naval Academy three decades ago.
«He has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, if you will. He’s now trying to divert from that,» Sherrill told reporters on Tuesday following a campaign event in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey.
Ciattarelli and his campaign are calling on Sherrill, who went on to pilot helicopters during her military career after graduating from the Naval Academy, to release her military records to explain why she was prevented from attending her graduation ceremony.
But a separate report from CBS News revealed that the National Personnel Records Center, which is a branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, mistakenly released Sherrill’s improperly redacted military personnel files, which included private information like her Social Security number, to a Ciattarelli ally.
«To have a guy I’m running against, it will stop at nothing, it will stop at nothing, who will illegally obtain records. It’s just beyond the pale,» Sherrill, who served as a federal prosecutor before winning election to Congress, charged last week.
The National Archives, in a letter last week, apologized to Sherrill, saying the improper release was due to a government worker’s error over a legal records request.
Following the breach of the records, Sherrill’s campaign sent cease-and-desist letters to the National Archives and to Ciattarelli’s campaign, as well as to Ciattarelli’s top strategist, Chris Russell and Nicholas De Gregorio, who is described by Sherrill’s team as «an agent of the campaign working at the direction of» Russell.
The Sherrill campaign on Monday launched a digital ad taking aim at Ciattarelli.
«They broke the law to attack a veteran,» the narrator in the spot charged.
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Asked about the ad, Ciattarelli charged in his Fox News Digital interview that Sherrill «did something at the Naval Academy that caused them to punish her. She wasn’t allowed to participate in the graduation. Her name is not listed in the commencement exercise program. She was, in fact, punished. She needs to come clean on what she did to be punished by the Naval Academy.»
And asked about the release of her military files and criticism from Democrats of possible dirty tricks, Ciattarelli said «somebody filed a Freedom of Information Act request, and it was fulfilled by the National Archives. And so it’s all a smokescreen. The information that came out of there is what the National Archives provided, but this is a smokescreen and spin on what really took place at the Naval Academy, and that’s her punishment.»
government shutdown,governors,gubernatorial,elections,2025 2026 elections coverage,new jersey,donald trump,campaigning
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Israeli military arrests Greta Thunberg, flotilla activists after intercepting dozens of boats
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Israeli naval forces intercepted 39 vessels from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Thursday, detaining dozens of activists — including international climate activist Greta Thunberg and several European lawmakers, The Associated Press reported.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set out across the Mediterranean with more than 40 boats carrying about 500 activists, was the largest yet to attempt to break Israel’s blockade of the enclave, according to the AP.
The flotilla has since been reduced to a single vessel still headed toward Gaza. Organizers with the Global Sumud Flotilla said on X that the boat was last tracked only a few miles off Gaza’s coast before contact was lost. Activists told the AP that they believed the flotilla’s size would make it harder for Israeli forces to intercept every vessel.
Photos and surveillance footage captured the moment Israeli soldiers in helmets and night vision goggles boarded the flotilla. A photo from Israel’s foreign ministry showed Thunberg, the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, accompanied by soldiers following the interception. Israeli officials said those detained included Thunberg, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and European Parliament member Rima Hassan, according to the AP.
ISRAEL CLAIMS GRETA THUNBERG’S FLOTILLA SEEKING TO BREAK GAZA BLOCKADE HAS HAMAS TIES, CITES DOCUMENTS
Climate activist Greta Thunberg sits near an Israeli soldier after Israeli naval forces intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla. (Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs )
Israel’s foreign ministry said on X that the activists were «safe and in good health» and would be transferred to Israel to be deported to Europe.
«The Hamas-Sumud provocation is over,» the Israel’s foreign ministry said in a post on X Thursday. «None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded in its attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade. All the passengers are safe and in good health. They are making their way safely to Israel, from where they will be deported to Europe.»
«One last vessel of this provocation remains at a distance,» the post added. «If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented.»
ITALY’S MELONI SAYS GAZA FLOTILLA RISKS ESCALATION, COULD ‘BLOW UP’ POTENTIAL CEASEFIRE DEAL
Israeli forces stormed a Global Sumud Flotilla vessel on Oct. 2, 2025, as the boat attempted to sail toward Gaza. (Global Sumud Flotilla via AP)
News of the interception also drew condemnation and sparked demonstrations in cities including Rome, Naples, Istanbul, Athens and Buenos Aires, the AP said. Italy’s largest trade union announced a one-day general strike for Friday in protest, while more rallies were expected across the globe on Thursday, the outlet added.
Anti-Israel activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, before the vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces. (Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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The flotilla is part of a series of international efforts to challenge Israel’s blockade, which has been in place since 2007 after Hamas took control of Gaza. Previous attempts by activist flotillas to break the blockade have largely failed and sometimes sparked deadly clashes, including during the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla raid.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Global Sumud Flotilla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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El éxodo de la ciudad de Gaza está desbordando los esfuerzos de socorro, según las agencias de ayuda
Palestinos huyen hacia el sur de la Ciudad de Gaza el 24 de septiembre de 2025. En medio del ataque terrestre del ejército israelí contra la Ciudad de Gaza, la enorme afluencia de gazatíes que huyen hacia el sur ha sobrecargado aún más los servicios humanitarios, que, según organizaciones de ayuda, eran insuficientes incluso antes de la llegada de muchos miles más. (Saher Alghorra/The New York Times)Actitud
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Media bashes Trump admin messaging for pinning shutdown on Dems, White House fires back
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EXCLUSIVE: The White House responded to various reports that President Donald Trump’s administration is breaking federal law by including commentary that blames Senate Democrats for the government shutdown in out-of-office emails and letters furloughing federal employees.
A number of reports suggested that including partisan messaging in official emails and communication channels could be a violation of the Anti-Lobbying Act, which prevents federal funding from being used in lobbying efforts.
«The Trump Administration is committed to sharing the truth with the American people, and it’s simply a fact that the Democrats shut down the government,» White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. «Democrats opposed the clean CR that they supported just 6 months ago and 13 times under the Biden Administration because they want free health care for illegal aliens.»
President Trump’s White House denied claims that blaming Democrats for the shutdown breaks federal law. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
WHITE HOUSE PREPARES FOR ‘IMMINENT’ FEDERAL LAYOFFS AFTER DEMOCRATS FORCE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
«And now, the Democrats are upset the Administration is sharing the truth — they are desperately trying to lie to the American people because they know their shutdown is hurting families and workers around the country,» Jackson added. «Unfortunately for the Democrats, facts are facts.»
Atop the Department of Justice website, a red banner reads: «Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated.»
Fox News Digital obtained a DOJ memo which was sent to all employees of the agency outlining the plan for furloughing federal employees in the event of a shutdown, stating DOJ «has contingency plans in place for executing an orderly shutdown of activities that would be affected by any lapse in appropriations forced by Congressional Democrats.»
The Department of Justice sent out an internal memo blaming Democrats for the shutdown and detailing what furloughing employees would look like. (DOJ)
JOHNSON SAYS SCHUMER HANDED TRUMP ‘KEYS TO THE KINGDOM’ WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DECISION
«Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands,» the memo continues. «A funding lapse will result in certain Department activities ceasing due to a lack of appropriated funding, and designated pre-notified employees will be furloughed subject to certain laws and regulations.»
On visiting the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website, a pop-up appears on the center page reading that reads: «The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.»
Reports also suggested that the administration may be in violation of the Hatch Act, a federal law that prevents tax dollars from being spent in a partisan or politically biased manner, as a result of the messaging.
The HUD website directs blame to Democrats for the government shutdown. (HUD)
SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS, WHO DOESN’T AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS
Legal expert Andrew Cherkasy, co-founder of Golden Law, Inc. and former Air Force JAG, told Fox News Digital that «the Hatch Act does not apply to the President or Vice President. It does apply to most other federal employees.»
«The law is intended to prohibit government officials from using their official authority to interfere with, or affect elections,» Cherkasky explained. «The President of the United States and his agents under his authority have an unquestionable constitutional right to speak directly to the American people about what is happening in their government and who is responsible for it.»
The Hatch Act, which was signed into law in 1939, is enforced by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and is also designed to keep federal employees from influencing or interfering with elections while working in any official capacity.
A demonstrator holds a sign protesting the government shutdown at the James V. Hansen Federal Building on Jan. 10, 2019, in Ogden, Utah. (Natalie Behring/Getty Images)
BLAME GAME: GOP SPOTLIGHTS ‘SCHUMER SHUTDOWN’ WHILE DEMS LASH OUT AT REPUBLICANS AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS
«For years, unelected bureaucrats and left-leaning agencies openly leaked, editorialized, and interfered in policy debates without consequence,» Cherkasky told Fox. «The Hatch Act does not prohibit the President from holding democrats accountable for shutting down the government.»
The Biden Administration also partook in messaging that pushed certain legislation. Biden’s Office of Management and Budget issued a statement regarding the Right to IVF Act last June, stating: «When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade nearly two years ago, it paved the way for Republican elected officials’ extreme, out-of-touch agenda, which has eroded access to reproductive health care for families across the country.»
The Obama Administration issued similar messaging in 2013 specifically blaming Republicans for a government shutdown threat, saying «House Republicans are pushing the Government toward shutdown.»
The federal government entered a partial shutdown at midnight Wednesday morning after a bill that would fund the government through Nov. 21 failed in the Senate.
Senate Democrats pushed for Obamacare subsidies that were set to expire to be included in the legislation, and reportedly felt sidelined in negotiations surrounding government funding.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., attends a news conference about the government shutdown, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Despite a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate, the spending bill requires 60 votes to pass in the Senate, meaning some Democrat senators will need to break ranks with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to prevent the bill from failing.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
white house,donald trump,government shutdown,democrats senate,chuck schumer
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