Connect with us

INTERNACIONAL

Spanberger’s ‘unconstitutional’ push to redefine presidential elections makes voters ‘NULL AND VOID’: critics

Published

on


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

One of the Democratic Party’s rising star governors, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, is being slammed for signing a bill to award the state’s presidential electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote.

Advertisement

The bill signed by Spanberger adds Virginia to the National Popular Vote Compact, an interstate agreement between states to award the entirety of their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. Virginia Republicans railed against the bill, arguing it makes the state’s votes «NULL AND VOID.»

This comes as Spanberger, who was recently selected to deliver the Democrats’ response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, has seen her approval ratings plummet. Critics have accused her of abandoning her centrist campaign message to advance far-left policies.

Criticisms of Spanberger erupted anew after news broke that Spanberger had approved the bill. The Virginia Republican Party posted on X that «fake Moderate Spanberger just signed a bill to render Virginians’ vote for president NULL AND VOID!»

Advertisement

SOROS-BACKED GROUP AMONG LIBERAL ORGS PUMPING EYE-POPPING CASH INTO VIRGINIA GERRYMANDERING EFFORT

A 4th grader works on an election-themed art project at Heather Hills Elementary School in Bowie, Md., on Oct. 22, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

The GOP said that under the bill, «all of Virginia’s Electoral College votes will go to the winner of the national popular vote — no matter who wins the popular vote in our Commonwealth.»

Advertisement

The party called the move «an unconstitutional assault on our democracy.»

However, Spanberger won praise from groups that oppose the Electoral College. Stand Up America, a progressive voting rights organization, hailed the move, with Executive Director Christina Harvey calling it «an important step forward for representative democracy.»

«Virginia has set another powerful example for other states of how to stand up for representative democracy even as they come under increasing pressure from the Trump administration,» said Harvey, adding, «The presidency should be won by the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide—not just the right combination of battleground states.»

Advertisement

She said, «this brings us one step closer to a system where Americans’ votes for President and Vice President count equally, no matter where they live.»

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact operates on a conditional trigger that keeps the law dormant until it can guarantee a victory for the national popular vote winner. While member states pass the legislation individually, the compact only activates when the total electoral weight of all participating states reaches a majority of the Electoral College, at least 270 electoral votes.

With Virginia officially joining, the compact currently sits at 222 electoral votes, meaning it remains 48 votes short of the threshold.

Advertisement

SPANBERGER DENIES ‘DEAL’ WITH SWING-DISTRICT DEMOCRAT AS GERRYMANDERING CLAIMS ABOUND STATEWIDE

Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond during inauguration ceremony

The Virginia State Capitol during the inauguration ceremony of Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger in Richmond on Jan. 17. State Democratic lawmakers have introduced more than 50 new tax or tax increases to the legislature for things like dog walking, deliveries and dry cleaning. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Until that 270-vote mark is met, the law has no effect, and member states continue to award their electors based on their own internal state results.

National Popular Vote, the organization advancing the compact, also celebrated Virginia being added, saying in a statement that the compact «will guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.»

Advertisement

Patrick Rosenstiel, a spokesperson for National Popular Vote, told Fox News Digital he is «grateful» to Spanberger and the Virginia Legislature, saying «their support builds critical momentum for our movement to give 63 percent of American voters what they want, a national popular vote for President.»

«With Virginia’s 13 electoral votes, the National Popular Vote Compact is 48 electoral votes short of reaching the 270 required to activate it,» Rosenstiel noted, adding, «We’ll continue our state-by-state work until the candidate who wins the most popular votes is elected president and every voter is treated equally in every presidential election.»

The group noted that similar bills have been introduced in Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Nevada.

Advertisement

Under the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, no voter will have their vote cancelled out at the state-level because their choice differed from plurality sentiment in their state. Instead, every voter’s vote will be added directly—without distortion—into the national count for the candidate of their choice. This will ensure that every Virginia voter is relevant in presidential elections moving forward.

Spanberger has also recently been accused by former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin of «illegal and unconstitutional» gerrymandering amid her push to redraw Virginia’s congressional maps.

Virginians will vote April 21 on Spanberger’s redistricting referendum, a move that Youngkin said would give Democrats 10 of the state’s 11 congressional seats.

Advertisement

Spanberger signed hundreds of bills passed by the majority-Democratic legislature on Monday. She also vetoed a few bills relating to unregulated skill-gaming machines and a proposed Fairfax County casino and sent back dozens with proposed amendments.

VIRGINIA DEM ADMITS REDISTRICTING PUSH AIMS TO ‘STOP TRUMP’, NOT ABOUT ‘FAIRNESS’

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaking at a podium

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger responds to President Donald Trump’s, unseen, State of the Union. (Steve Helber/Reuters)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertisement

Among the bills that Spanberger signaled support for with proposed amendments was a slate of new restrictions on gun ownership, including a ban on «assault weapons,» as well as restricting law enforcement from assisting with immigration enforcement.

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office for comment.

Advertisement

democrats elections, abigail spanberger, governors, virginia, the electoral college

Advertisement

INTERNACIONAL

From rally gunfire to White House shooting, threats against President Trump continue to mount

Published

on


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Saturday’s shootout between the Secret Service and a deranged gunman near the White House marked the latest in a growing series of threats and security incidents involving President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, intensifying concerns about political violence.

Advertisement

As investigators continue piecing together the incident, authorities said Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland, approached a Secret Service checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW at about 6 p.m. local time, removed a weapon from his bag and opened fire on posted officers.

GUNMAN DEAD AFTER OPENING FIRE NEAR WHITE HOUSE CHECKPOINT, SECRET SERVICE SAYS

A 21-year-old man armed with a revolver was killed after exchanging gunfire with Secret Service agents near the White House gates, President Trump said. (Obtained by the New York Post)

Advertisement

According to a senior administration official with direct knowledge of the incident, Best — who allegedly had prior encounters with the Secret Service and a history of mental health issues — fired about three shots toward the executive mansion before he was taken down by Secret Service agents.

The shooting comes just weeks after another armed suspect rushed the entry point of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.

Authorities identified that suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen, of Torrance, California, who traveled to the nation’s capital armed with multiple weapons and carrying a manifesto outlining his intent. Investigators also said Allen shared anti-Trump rhetoric on social media and allegedly expressed hostility toward Christians in online posts reviewed by law enforcement.

Advertisement

WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED TO TARGET TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO REVEALS

Cole Allen running past Secret Service agents

Cole Allen allegedly ran past Secret Service agents in an attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump. (US Attorney Pirro)

According to investigators, Allen intended to target senior Trump administration officials attending the annual event before being stopped by law enforcement outside the Washington Hilton.

The alleged WHCA plot came less than two years after Trump survived two separate assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign, incidents that dramatically reshaped security operations around the president and other top officials.

Advertisement

In July 2024, a gunman opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing Trump’s ear, killing one rally attendee and injuring others before Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect. Federal investigators later described the shooting as one of the most serious security failures in decades.

TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN ACTED ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVE PERSIST

Just months later, an armed suspect was discovered near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in what investigators described as a second assassination attempt. Prosecutors alleged the suspect had positioned himself near the course with a rifle before being spotted by Secret Service agents.

Advertisement

The heightened security posture has continued since those incidents.

In February, Secret Service agents fatally shot a 21-year-old man carrying a shotgun and gas canister outside Mar-a-Lago while Trump was in Washington. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an «unauthorized entry» through the north gate of the resort as another vehicle was exiting. The man was identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina.

Beyond those incidents, federal officials have repeatedly warned about a broader rise in threats targeting Trump and current and former administration officials, including dangers linked to extremist rhetoric, online radicalization and foreign adversaries such as Iran.

Advertisement

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AFTER FATAL SHOOTING AT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE: OFFICIALS

An aerial view of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 10, 2022. (Steve Helber/AP)

Security concerns have also extended beyond Trump himself, with repeated swatting incidents, online death threats and increased protection measures for judges, prosecutors, and public officials connected to politically charged investigations and events.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertisement

Taken together, the incidents have heightened concerns inside federal law enforcement and the intelligence community about the escalating risk of political violence ahead of another contentious election cycle.

white house, homeland security, donald trump, national security, investigations, assassinations murders

Continue Reading

INTERNACIONAL

El Salvador: Un agente municipal falleció tras accidente vial en el centro de San Salvador

Published

on


La tragedia ocurrió cuando un microbús ignoró la luz roja y embistió al trabajador en plena jornada en el centro capitalino (Foto cortesía PNC)

Un agente del Cuerpo de Agentes Metropolitanos murió la mañana de este domingo tras ser embestido por un microbús de la Ruta 11 (que transita desde el distrito de San Marcos hacia el Centro de San Salvador), informó la Policía Nacional Civil. El choque ocurrió en la intersección de la 3ª Avenida Norte y 3ª Calle Poniente, del centro histórico de San Salvador. La víctima falleció en el lugar.

La Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) informó que el conductor del transporte público, Luis Enrique H. M., de 34 años, no respetó el semáforo en rojo y no tenía licencia de conducir.

Advertisement

Según las investigaciones preliminares de la Policía Nacional Civil, Hernández Martínez conducía el microbús de la Ruta 11 cuando impactó al agente del Cuerpo de Agentes Metropolitanos. La PNC indicó que el conductor se pasó el semáforo en rojo y que no portaba licencia de conducir al momento del incidente.

Momentos más tarde, la página de prensa de la alcaldía de San Salvador Centro compartió una nota de pésame por el fallecimiento de la víctima, identificada como Julio César Magaña Tobar: “Lamentablemente perdió la vida en el cumplimiento de su labor de proteger a los ciudadanos de San Salvador Centro. Expresamos nuestras más sinceras condolencias a su familia, elevando nuestras oraciones por su eterno descanso”.

Las autoridades revelaron que el responsable del percance ignoró señales de tránsito y carecía de documentación para conducir (Foto cortesía PNC)
Las autoridades revelaron que el responsable del percance ignoró señales de tránsito y carecía de documentación para conducir (Foto cortesía PNC)

El Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial reporta un incremento en el número de víctimas fatales en siniestros viales durante los primeros meses de 2026, con un total de 592 fallecidos entre el 1 de enero y el 23 de mayo, siendo los motociclistas y peatones los grupos más vulnerables. Según el informe anual, la Policía Nacional Civil registró 9.292 siniestros viales y 6.280 lesionados en el mismo periodo, lo que representa un aumento de 25% en muertes y 26% en personas heridas respecto al año anterior.

El análisis del Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial indica que los motociclistas encabezan la lista de víctimas fatales entre los usuarios vulnerables, con 259 decesos en lo que va del año. Los peatones también figuran entre los grupos de mayor riesgo, con 216 fallecidos, mientras que los ciclistas suman 13 muertes. Los datos, recogidos por la Policía Nacional Civil, muestran además que la cifra total de fallecidos superó en 117 casos el registro del mismo periodo de 2025.

Advertisement

De acuerdo con el Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial, la distracción del conductor es la principal causa de muertes, con 202 víctimas fatales. La velocidad excesiva provocó 139 decesos, seguida por la invasión de carril con 78 y la inexperiencia con 42. Entre las causas que generan mayor siniestralidad general también figuran no guardar la distancia reglamentaria y el irrespeto a las señales de tránsito.

El reporte anual señala que los siniestros viales aumentaron en 1.260 casos respecto a 2025, con un promedio diario de 65 incidentes. Las lesiones también crecieron, con 1.284 personas más afectadas y un promedio de 44 lesionados cada día. El tipo de incidente más frecuente corresponde a colisiones, con picos los días viernes y sábados, seguidos por choques y atropellos. Los “siniestros de características especiales” incluyen caídas de pasajeros, incidentes por derrames de aceite o caída de árboles, y hechos provocados por animales en la vía.

El incidente reavivó el debate sobre los controles hacia los conductores en rutas urbanas. La historia detrás del hombre que perdió la vida en una mañana común permanece repleta de preguntas.
El incidente reavivó el debate sobre los controles hacia los conductores en rutas urbanas. La historia detrás del hombre que perdió la vida en una mañana común permanece repleta de preguntas.

Según el informe del Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial, la cantidad de detenidos por conducción peligrosa alcanzó 892 personas, un aumento del 11% respecto al año anterior. El análisis también muestra que las infracciones vinculadas a la invasión de carril y la distracción al volante son determinantes tanto en lesiones como en fallecimientos.



corresponsal:Desde San Salvador, El Salvador

Advertisement
Continue Reading

INTERNACIONAL

Mass tanker blackout rattles Gulf ahead of 1.35M-barrel oil transfer amid US-Iran talks: firm

Published

on


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Maritime tracking transmissions collapsed near the UAE’s main oil hub, rattling Persian Gulf shipping hours before President Donald Trump announced progress was made on a bilateral peace deal with Iran, according to an AI maritime firm. 

Advertisement

Maritime intelligence firm Windward AI first detected the blackout in Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions near Fujairah, suggesting heightened electronic warfare, jamming, deliberate AIS shutdowns and intense cyber interference near the key UAE oil port.

«Fujairah goes dark: AIS transmissions collapse after Iran’s PGSA announcement,» Windward warned in a post shared on X.

«Vessels are still in the area. They are loading less, and a meaningful number have gone dark,» the firm said.

Advertisement

GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: ‘HEIGHTENED RISK’

A tanker sits at the Port of Fujairah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran limits marine traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. (Reuters/Amr Alfiky/File Photo)

As Trump announced that an Iran deal was «largely negotiated» and would see a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Fujairah went on to move 1.35 million barrels of crude Sunday aboard a single tanker bound for South Korea.

Advertisement

«Today, May 24, the port moved 1.35 million barrels, a single VLCC, destined for South Korea,» Windward said before reporting a tense, ongoing «ceasefire posture» and blockade footprint quickly being set into place.

«One cargo doesn’t mark a return to baseline, but it’s the first signal of flow resuming out of Fujairah since the announcement,» Windward said.

Ahead of the barrel transfer, Trump had stated that Washington and Tehran had «largely finalized» a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement. He posted an AI-generated image depicting exploding IRGC fast boats in the strait.

Advertisement

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END

A cargo ship sailing in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz

A cargo ship sails in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)

Iran responded directly by continuing to declare the strategic maritime choke point stays under Tehran’s absolute control.

«We reaffirm that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under full Iranian administration and sovereignty, even in the event of reaching any future agreement,» Iran’s official military spokesperson, Ibrahim Al-Fiqar, said in a statement shared on X.

Advertisement

«The Islamic Republic emphasizes that the authorities to determine transit routes, timing, and issuance of maritime licenses are an absolute sovereign right exclusively in the hands of Tehran.»

The tanker blackout, crude transfer activity and movement toward a U.S.-Iran deal accelerated following the launch of Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority on May 20.

Overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, the PGSA functions as a sovereign regulator by requiring ships to submit vessel, cargo, insurance and crew details — along with mandatory payments — for «safe passage» through the strait.

Advertisement

Regional analysts told Fox News Digital that, ahead of deal progression, Iran’s territorial claims had even been stretching beyond its own waters into areas tied to Oman and the UAE.

US EYES IRAN FAST BOATS WITH ‘KILL’ TACTICS TESTED IN VENEZUELA DRUG-BOAT STRIKES

An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboat sailing in the Persian Gulf near Bushehr nuclear power plant

An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboat sails in the Persian Gulf near the Bushehr nuclear power plant during a marine parade marking Persian Gulf National Day in Bushehr, Iran, on April 29, 2024. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital that enforcement «relies on the IRGC Navy’s asymmetric playbook.»

Advertisement

«This includes fast boats, drones, radar tracking, coastal missiles and selective intimidation rather than constant physical interdiction,» Vatanka said.

«Tehran wants Gulf states and major importers to gradually accept Iranian oversight of Hormuz as a new geopolitical reality,» he added.

While nuclear issues are dominating the current negotiations amid reports of a 60-day ceasefire, the PGSA has quickly emerged as an economic leverage tool threatening global oil and shipping markets.

Advertisement

«Now Hormuz is Iran’s main non-nuclear leverage tool,» Vatanka said as the PGSA he claimed gives Tehran a «mechanism to pressure rivals, favor allies and normalize IRGC oversight of one of the world’s most critical energy routes.»

According to Vatanka, the system was functioning as a wartime extortion mechanism.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertisement

«Ships submit cargo and crew data for approval, while reports point to quiet ‘facilitation payments,’ preferential treatment for friendly states and uncertainty for everyone else,» Vatanka warned.

«Iran keeps the penalties deliberately vague. Noncompliant ships risk delays, harassment, drone surveillance, IRGC interception or denial of safe passage — enough pressure to encourage compliance without outright closing the strait.»

Advertisement



wars, conflicts, us navy, iran, trade

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Tendencias