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Minnesota Senate candidate wears hijab in visit to Somali market as fraud scandal unfolds
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Minnesota Lt. Gov. and U.S. Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan was seen on a Somali TV station wearing a hijab at a mall, as a widespread fraud scandal implicating some Somalis plagues the state.
«The Somali community is part of the fabric of the state of Minnesota,» Flanagan said, looking into the camera.
For Muslim women, wearing a hijab is typically a sign of obedience to God and worn to show modesty.
Flanagan has previously stated that she is Catholic and says on her campaign website that her «view on immigration is grounded in her Catholic faith.»
ILHAN OMAR DEFENDS MEALS ACT DESPITE TIES TO MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME
Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor and Senate hopeful, is facing backlash over her progressive activism and outreach amid the state’s sprawling fraud controversy. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The lieutenant governor is challenging two other Democratic candidates in the primary race to fill the seat of outgoing Democratic Sen. Tina Smith. Former Democratic presidential candidate and current Sen. Amy Klobuchar serves as the other senator from the state.
Flanagan’s far-left views also prompted her to wear a «Protect Trans Kids» shirt with a knife on it in August in a viral video telling parents: «When our children tell us who they are, it’s our job as grown-ups to listen and believe them.»
Minnesota Rep. and House Republican Whip Tom Emmer also weighed in on Flanagan wearing a hijab, calling the act a «stunt.»
«Peggy Flanagan and Angie Craig are battling it out in an attempt to win over the far-left radicals in the Twin Cites,» Emmer told Fox News Digital. «Anyone with common sense sees right through this stunt.»
In 2022, federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota began probing a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future, an organization which fueled what the Justice Department said is one of the largest pandemic relief fraud schemes in history.
Gov. Tim Walz’s state and the Somali community are drawing scrutiny amid a sweeping federal probe into billions in alleged pandemic relief fraud. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
‘EPICENTER OF FRAUD’: MINNESOTA’S EMPTY STOMACHS, FAKE AUTISM THERAPY AND A SCANDAL THAT COULD TOP $2 BILLION
Since the investigation began, $250 million in fraudulent claims have led to 78 individuals charged as part of what prosecutors say is a sizable $9 billion fraud scheme.
Many of the individuals charged come from the Somali community in Minnesota.
More than 400 Minnesota state employees spoke out about the issue, pointing fingers at former vice presidential candidate and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz for negligence in acting on warnings and indicators of fraud and retaliation against whistleblowers who attempted to expose the scandal.
LAWMAKERS PROBE SBA LOANS LINKED TO MINNESOTA’S $9B FRAUD SCANDAL: ‘RECKLESS DECISION MAKING’
A street sign for «Somali St» is pictured with Riverside Plaza in the background in Minneapolis’ Cedar–Riverside neighborhood. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)
Walz has been pushed to address the issue on several occasions, admitting in a New York Times interview that the programs may have been overly generous.
«The programs are set up to move the money to people,» Walz said last month. «The programs are set up to improve people’s lives, and in many cases, the criminals find the loopholes.»
Walz set up a new anti-fraud task force as part of a crackdown. «The message here in Minnesota is if you commit a crime, if you commit fraud against public dollars, you are going to go to prison,» he told the Times.
The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into Walz’s handling of the relief program at the beginning of December.
«This massive amount of fraud is affecting and impacting every citizen of Minnesota because they’re having to cut services because so much of the money for social programs was wasted and defrauded by this Somali population,» House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Fox News’ «America’s Newsroom» earlier this week.
Comer plans to subpoena testimony and records, setting the stage for a potential blockbuster hearing.
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President Trump blasted Minnesota leaders over the fraud scandal, ending deportation protections for Somali nationals and declaring the abuse of taxpayer funds «over.» (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump took swift action when the news broke and terminated deportation protections for Somali nationals living in Flanagan’s state «effectively immediately» in November after news of the fraud scandal broke.
«Send them back to where they came from,» Trump posted to Truth Social. «It’s OVER!»
Fox News Digital reached out to Flanagan and Walz but did not receive responses.
Fox News’ Adriana James-Rodil contributed to this report.
minnesota fraud exposed,tim walz,somali immigrant community,minnesota
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Qué pasará si Estados Unidos lanza una invasión terrestre en Irán: analistas opinan y la respuesta no es buena
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FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., said an alleged Iranian state actor recently targeted him with a phishing scheme disguised as a television interview request, in what he described as an apparent effort to access his personal email account.
«A skilled impersonator created something appearing just like Newsmax to attempt to do an interview with me,» Fine told Fox News Digital in an interview, explaining that his staffer began interacting with the message in email, as the office normally does, before realizing «the links didn’t work.»
The phishing scheme was allegedly designed to gain access to his personal Google account, Fine explained.
TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON’ IRANIAN SLEEPER CELLS IN US
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The incident comes after President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran in February, sparking an ongoing battle that the president has said will end in a matter of weeks as tensions continue flaring. The Trump administration argued Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities posed an urgent threat ahead of the U.S. and Israel launching joint strikes.
Fine said he did not «think the timing was coincidental» and that the alleged cyberattack occurred «literally the day after combat operations began.» The episode underscores heightened concern among U.S. intelligence officials about potential cyber and physical threats tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict, particularly against high-profile political figures.
The FBI confirmed earlier in March that an Iran-linked hacker group known as the «Handala Hack Team» breached Director Kash Patel’s personal email account. A bureau spokesperson said in a statement at the time that while the compromised information was «historical in nature» and contained no government data, the FBI had taken all «necessary steps to mitigate potential risks.»
According to Fine, he learned about the alleged cyberattack aimed at him when U.S. Capitol Police contacted him and said the outreach likely originated from an Iranian state actor.
Fox News Digital reviewed a copy of the correspondence, showing its email was spelled «news-max.org.»
Correspondence to Fine, also reviewed by Fox News Digital, confirmed that USCP said they had information that the outreach to Fine’s office could have originated from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and that the police wanted to set up a call with the FBI Cyber Task Force to further examine the matter.
DHS REMAINS UNFUNDED AS IRAN SLEEPER CELL FEARS SPIKE NATIONWIDE AMID SECURITY WARNINGS
FBI Director Kash Patel listens during the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
«They proactively reached out to us,» Fine said, adding that he then reported the incident to the FBI and was told by the bureau that agents were «familiar with these actors in Iran.»
The FBI declined to comment. A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that when the incident happened, the FBI was able to connect with Fine and opened an investigation into the matter. The status of the probe is publicly unknown.
Fine emphasized that he felt targeted by Iran and noted a broader surge in threats against him, including verbal threats and what he said was a recent separate incident of an impersonator approaching his home.
«I was clearly targeted. It wasn’t random,» Fine said, asserting that he was «the most visible Jewish Republican politician in America.»
A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran. (AFP/Via Getty Images)
MYSTERY DRONES FLY NEAR DC-AREA MILITARY BASE AS IRAN TENSIONS ESCALATE
Fine said that while he does not believe the alleged attackers could have gathered much information from his Google account based on his limited use of it, «the worst-case scenario is … they might be able to track my actual location,» which he said made him fear for his life.
Fine described the incident as «very stressful.»
Fine, a self-described «Hebrew Hammer» known for his staunchly pro-Israel positions, has advocated aggressive military action in Gaza and praised Trump’s joint offensives with Israel in Iran.
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Fine, in a statement shortly after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, characterized the mission as one rooted in saving western civilization.
«We are with you, Mr. President. We will cut off the head of the snake of Muslim terror, Bring lasting peace to the Middle East, And save the Iranian People. Bombs away,» Fine said. «The Muslim terrorists that run Iran have just indiscriminately fired rockets not just at the Jews of Israel, but 700,000 Americans who live there, 180,000 Christians who live there, at the ‘Dome of the Rock,’ the third holiest site in Islam, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, site of Jesus’s crucification. We are fighting back against this evil.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsmax, Google and USCP on Tuesday for any additional comment.
iran, war with iran, fbi, congress
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Exclusive: Sara Netanyahu warns of surging antisemitism and importance of Jewish-Christian alliance
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EXCLUSIVE: Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned about the growing dangers of antisemitism and attempts to undermine the relationship between Christian and Jewish communities.
Her remarks followed her four-day visit to the U.S. for the «Be Best» First Ladies’ Summit, attending at the invitation of First Lady Melania Trump.
In exclusive comments to Fox News Digital, she said extremist elements on both the far left and right continue to promote antisemitism despite the historical record of where it leads and are seeking to undermine Israel and divide support within the Christian community.
«Israel has never had a prime minister like my husband, who during every visit to the United States makes it a point to meet with leaders of the Christian community, embrace them, listen to them, and maintain a close and genuine relationship as true partners and friends,» she told Fox News Digital.
CHRISTIAN PASTORS, INFLUENCERS JOIN 1,000-STRONG ISRAEL MISSION BACKING JEWISH STATE, FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM
Sara Netanyahu, giving a speech at the State Department in Washington D.C. in March 2026. (GPO)
«Their courage in standing firm against the enemies of Israel is worthy of appreciation. They are our [unofficial] ambassadors, and I hope our partnership will continue to grow and strengthen,» she added.
Netanyahu said that in July, Israel hosted the president’s close adviser and White House Faith Office head, Paula White-Cain, for a special event attended by both her and the prime minister, which was broadcast to millions of Christian viewers worldwide.
Following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, killing of 1,200 people in Israel, antisemitism surged globally, including in the U.S.
Sara Netanyahu was raised in Israel by her parents, Shmuel and Hava Ben-Artzi. Her father, a Bible scholar and educator, instilled in her an appreciation for the Jewish people’s historical connection to the land of Israel.
Pastor Paula White-Cain, spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump meets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at Daystar’s «Together As One» event in Jerusalem, as part of a visit organized by Niv Jacobi, President of The Meaning Channel. (Felipe Volokita, The Meaning Channel.)
«The Holocaust was a moment in history that cannot and will not be repeated,» Netanyahu told Fox News Digital, against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Israel military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose leaders have repeatedly threatened to commit genocide against the Jewish state.
Post-Oct. 7 attacks include the May 2025 killing of two Israeli Embassy staff in Washington by Elias Rodriguez, who allegedly shouted «Free Palestine!» upon arrest, and a June attack by Mohamed Sabry Soliman that wounded 12 at a pro-Israel rally, later killing one victim.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUES HARVARD OVER ALLEGED FAILURE TO PROTECT JEWISH AND ISRAELI STUDENTS, SEEKS BILLIONS
Incidents also rose after Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28, described by Netanyahu as a preemptive move against Iran and its terror proxies.
President Donald Trump (L) poses for a photo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and his wife Sara Netanyahu during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago estate, in Palm Beach, Florida, United States on July 26, 2024. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO) / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Investigators said Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, accused of attempting a March 12 attack on a Michigan synagogue, was radicalized by Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, a federal probe last month found some faculty «legitimized and amplified antisemitism» during protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Encampments spread on campuses, often demanding divestment from Israel-linked institutions and Jewish organizations.
On March 20, the Trump administration sued Harvard, alleging it failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students and enabled antisemitism.
«We are in an existential war — a war of good versus evil — against a force that seeks to destroy Israel and the world,» she said.
«Leaders of the Iranian regime have publicly burned the flags of Israel and the United States. They have called Israel the ‘Little Satan’ and America the ‘Great Satan.’»
She continued, «Israel has never had a better friend than Donald Trump. Together with the [Israeli] prime minister, they are reshaping the Middle East and creating an opportunity for a new future for the entire free world,» she added.
Sara Netanyahu meet with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at the U.S. Senate, March 2026. (Niv Jacobi )
During her U.S. visit, Netanyahu met with multiple first ladies, delivered a speech at the U.S. State Department, held talks with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., engaged with technology and AI companies and hosted a large meeting with parents of children serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
MELANIA TRUMP WELCOMES HUMANOID ROBOT TO WHITE HOUSE FOR HISTORIC AI SUMMIT
Netanyahu attended the «Be Best» First Ladies’ Summit, a global technology conference of first ladies hosted by Melania Trump, focused on expanding access to distance-learning technologies for children and teenagers.
Netanyahu, a child psychologist who works three times a week at the Jerusalem municipality, has immersed herself in the issue.
First Lady Melania Trump with Sara Netanyahu at The Be Best initiative in Washington D.C., March 2026. (Shmulik Almany )
The visit also carried economic implications, leading to expanded dialogue with Microsoft and Meta at the global level.
Netanyahu told Fox News Digital that companies expressed interest in advancing investments worth tens of millions of dollars to implement advanced AI models for remote learning among children and youth — particularly in Israel, where educational continuity has been disrupted by the security situation.
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«Israel is a leading country among advanced Western nations — in morality, values and certainly technology. Israeli innovation impacts people around the world every day in fields such as cybersecurity, fintech and agriculture. We contribute our knowledge and build strategic partnerships that bring Israel closer to its allies,» she said.
«There is strong appreciation for Israel worldwide, and when countries recognize our contributions, they choose partnership over extremism and hatred,» Netanyahu concluded.
anti semitism, israel, melania trump, national security, benjamin netanyahu
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