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Virginia Democrat who helped lead state’s redistricting push also played part in killing it
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A top Virginia Democrat’s support for his state’s redistricting referendum ironically backfired after a judge he previously appointed helped torpedo his party’s bid to redraw the state’s congressional districts.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who endorsed the referendum and appeared at pro-referendum events, gave $100,000 to the campaign behind Virginia Democrats’ redistricting effort, which voters approved in April. On Friday, a judge Warner appointed when he was governor in 2002, D. Arthur Kelsey, was among the four justices who voted to strike the referendum down on constitutional grounds. In fact, Judge Kelsey authored the 4-3 prevailing opinion.
The voter-approved ballot measure was poised to give Democrats a major advantage heading into November’s midterm elections, and they vastly outspent Republicans in their bid to get it passed. However, Kelsey wrote in the prevailing opinion that the sequencing in which Democrats held the referendum vote violated the state’s Constitution, which requires an intervening election between the state legislature’s mandatory first and second passage of the proposed constitutional amendment.
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Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., arrives to the Capitol Visitor Center for a briefing about Iran on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Warner, who was the Governor of Virginia from 2002 until 2006, previously appointed Kelsey, then a Circuit Court judge, to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Kelsey served two terms before a GOP state legislature elevated him to the state’s Supreme Court, where Kelsey has been serving since 2015.
When Warner appointed Kelsey to the Virginia Court of Appeals in 2002, he praised the then-Suffolk circuit judge as having shown «a keen intellect, a strong work ethic and a commitment to equal justice,» according to a report from Virginia Lawyers Weekly at the time.
«Although I had not met Judge Kelsey before this process began, I have spoken to him at length, reviewed his numerous opinions and consulted with those who know him well,» Warner added in 2002.
Following the ruling by Virginia’s Supreme Court, Warner put out a statement in a news release saying he respected the decision, but added that «it’s impossible to ignore that more than three million Virginians already cast their ballots on the amendment and deserved to have their voices heard.»
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Fox News Digital reached out to Warner to inquire whether he felt the ruling was fair, but a spokesperson for the senator only referred Fox News Digital to the news release with his public statement.
Justice D. Arthur Kelsey speaks during the investiture ceremony of Chief Justice Cleo E. Powell, the first African-American woman Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court, inside the chamber of the Supreme Court of Virginia, on March 2, 2026, in Richmond, Virginia. (Mike Kropf-Pool/Getty Images)
«Donald Trump assumed he could tilt the playing field and lock in political advantage before a single ballot was cast. But Virginians are paying attention,» Warner also said in his public statement. «They want leaders who will protect their rights, defend their freedoms, and actually focus on lowering costs and getting things done. Democrats will still show up this November, we will still compete everywhere, and when the votes are counted, Virginians will send a strong message about the kind of leadership they want.»
The prevailing opinion written by Kelsey said that Democrats’ proposed map would have replaced Virginia’s current 6-5 congressional split «with a highly partisan gerrymandered map» expected to create a 10-1 advantage for a single party.
Kelsey went on to highlight that under Democrats’ proposed new map, roughly 47% of Virginians who voted for one political party during the last congressional election would end up being represented by just 9% of Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, while 51% of Virginians who voted for the other major political party would be represented by 91% of Virginia’s congressional delegation.
Signs urged early voters to vote yes or no in the Virginia redistricting referendum at the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Friday she was «disappointed» with the Supreme Court’s decision and, along with other Democrats, blasted the state’s High Court for invalidating the will of voters.
«More than three million Virginians cast their ballots in Virginia’s redistricting referendum, and the majority of Virginia voters voted to push back against a President who said he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress with a temporary and responsive referendum. They made their voices heard,» Spanberger said after the ruling.
«I am disappointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia’s ruling, but my focus as Governor will be on ensuring that all voters have the information necessary to make their voices heard this November in the midterm elections because in those elections we — the voters — will have the final say.»
democrats elections, midterm elections, abigail spanberger, governors, virginia
INTERNACIONAL
Donald Trump anunció que un bombardeo estadounidense abatió a “Niño Guerrero”, el líder del cártel criminal Tren de Aragua
El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, afirmó este viernes en un mensaje que, bajo su dirección, el Comando Sur estadounidense (SOUTHCOM) ejecutó un ataque cinético, rápido y letal en Venezuela que eliminó a Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias el “Niño Guerrero”, líder del Tren de Aragua, organización calificada por el mandatario como “una de las más sanguinarias del planeta”.
“Durante mi campaña, me comprometí a expulsar a estos monstruos de nuestro país y a hacer justicia a las familias de sus víctimas, incluyendo a la pequeña Jocelyn Nungaray, de 12 años, a Laken Reilly, de 22, y a muchísimas otras personas”, afirmó vía Truth Social.
La publicación en redes sociales estuvo acompañada por un video de 10 segundos que muestra una vista aérea de un edificio, con el techo de color verde, rodeado de vegetación poco antes de una explosión que genera una nube de humo. En las imágenes no se distingue claramente a ninguna persona.
El inquilino de la Casa Blanca también señaló que, “con esta acción, las Fuerzas Armadas de los Estados Unidos han hecho justicia para ellos, sus familias y sus seres queridos”. Recordó que al inicio de su administración designó al Tren de Aragua como Organización Terrorista Extranjera, deportó a miles de criminales y declaró la guerra a los cárteles.
Trump sostuvo que, antes de su regreso al cargo, la administración de Joe Biden “abrió la frontera sur a millones de delincuentes ilegales” y permitió que el grupo cometiera crímenes en territorio estadounidense.
“Esta acción se coordinó estrechamente con nuestros amigos en Venezuela, con quienes mantenemos una excelente relación”, subrayó en relación a los nuevos vínculos entre Washington y Caracas tras la captura, el 3 de enero pasado, del ex dictador venezolano Nicolás Maduro.
Según Trump, los terroristas del cártel “ya no tienen refugio seguro en Venezuela ni en ningún otro lugar” y bajo su liderazgo, Estados Unidos “encontrará a estos despiadados asesinos y narcotraficantes en cualquier momento y lugar”.
El Tren de Aragua surgió como una entidad delictiva entre 2004 y 2005 en la cárcel de Tocorón, en Venezuela. Por entonces, el gobierno de Hugo Chávez había declarado la emergencia carcelaria ante el aumento de la violencia en el sistema penitenciario, pero las medidas no lograron impedir el crecimiento del grupo criminal.
Con el tiempo, los reclusos fueron acumulando poder a través de negociaciones con el régimen de Maduro, el uso de la violencia y el pago de sobornos, lo que derivó en la creación del sistema de pranatos (pranes), líderes dentro de las prisiones. Estos grupos carcelarios se organizaron en estructuras más grandes conocidas como trenes, dando lugar a formas de gobernanza paralelas.
“Niño Guerrero ha estado involucrado en actividades delictivas durante más de dos décadas y ha expandido el Tren de Aragua, transformándolo de una pandilla carcelaria dedicada a la extorsión y el soborno a una organización con creciente influencia en todo el hemisferio occidental. El 11 de julio de 2024 , el Departamento de Estado ofreció una recompensa de hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que condujera al arresto y/o la condena”, sostuvo el Departamento del Tesoro de EEUU en un comunicado de prensa el 17 de julio de 2025.
Entre 2015 y 2018, el Tren de Aragua se consolidó como la mayor de las 19 megabandas delictivas que operaban en Venezuela, lo que contribuyó a que la tasa de homicidios alcanzara niveles récord en el país.
La Fundación TAEDA e IBI Consultants destacaron en un informe conjunto en 2025 que aunque la estructura del Tren de Aragua es vertical y cuenta con líderes claramente definidos, las órdenes y decisiones se transmiten de manera general, permitiendo que cada división territorial las ejecute según su propio criterio.
Esta flexibilidad, junto con la dispersión de la migración venezolana a lo largo de la región y la porosidad de las fronteras de Venezuela y países vecinos tras la pandemia, facilitó que la organización estableciera una red ilegal centrada en el narcotráfico y el tráfico de personas, lo que impulsó su expansión por América Latina a partir de 2018.
El Tren de Aragua se expandió a Perú, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia y otros países de Latinoamérica, generando preocupación entre autoridades, ciudadanía y medios por su versatilidad delictiva y la ambición de controlar múltiples territorios.
Hoy, la organización es considerada una de las bandas criminales extranjeras más poderosas de la región y la que interviene en más actividades ilícitas. Obtiene millones de dólares a través de extorsiones, secuestros, trata de personas, narcotráfico, explotación sexual y asaltos, entre otros delitos.
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The Kennedy Center board on Friday asked a federal appeals court to temporarily block a judge’s order requiring references to President Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the institution’s signage and official materials, as signage bearing Trump’s name remained visible on the building’s facade late Friday afternoon.
In an emergency motion filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the board requested both a stay pending appeal and an immediate administrative stay, arguing that physical changes to the building should not occur before appellate judges review the dispute.
The filing asks the court to issue an administrative stay by 7 p.m. Friday.
Fox News Digital observed Friday afternoon that Trump’s name remained mounted on the Kennedy Center facade as of 5:30 p.m. ET, with scaffolding erected around portions of the signage.
Earlier Friday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper denied the board’s request to pause enforcement of his ruling while the appeal proceeds, finding that the defendants had not demonstrated either a likelihood of success on appeal or irreparable harm.
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People watch construction workers build scaffolding near the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, D.C. The Kennedy Center board sought an emergency appeal to block a court order requiring the removal of Trump’s name, but a judge denied the request. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The Kennedy Center board argued in its emergency filing that removing and potentially reinstalling signage would force it to incur costs that could not be recovered if it ultimately prevails on appeal.
The board also argued that removing Trump’s name could impair fundraising efforts and create public confusion if the Center’s name changes again following a successful appeal. The motion further contends that the case raises significant questions regarding the board’s authority and whether Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, had standing to bring the lawsuit.
The latest filing stems from Cooper’s May 29 ruling that Congress, not the Kennedy Center board, has authority over the institution’s name. The judge ordered the removal of Trump’s name from physical signage, digital materials and official branding and directed the Center to comply within 14 days.
BOARD VOTES KENNEDY CENTER TO BE RENAMED ‘TRUMP-KENNEDY CENTER,’ LEAVITT SAYS
Construction workers build scaffolding near the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, D.C., on Friday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
In a lengthy opinion, Cooper wrote that the Kennedy Center’s governing statute «makes crystal clear» that the institution is to be named for President John F. Kennedy and cannot be formally renamed through unilateral board action.
The judge concluded that Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name and that only Congress can change it.
The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by Beatty, who serves as an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board.
Following the May 29 decision, Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi said the board intended to appeal.
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Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, speaks near scaffolding at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Friday, as construction workers work nearby. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«We will review the decision carefully though the reality remains — the Center requires an urgent and significant restoration — a truth that even the plaintiff acknowledges,» Daravi told Fox News Digital at the time.
«With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place, and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy.»
Beatty praised the ruling, saying in a statement that the Kennedy Center «belongs to the American people, not to Donald Trump.»
Trump’s name was added to the venue in December after a unanimous vote of the board. Signage bearing the president’s name was installed above the existing Kennedy Center lettering shortly afterward.
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As of Friday afternoon, the appeals court had not publicly ruled on the emergency request, leaving unresolved whether Trump’s name would remain in place beyond the court-ordered compliance deadline.
The emergency appeal asks the D.C. Circuit to preserve the status quo while it considers the board’s broader appeal of Cooper’s ruling.
The White House and a representative for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this reporting.
kennedy center, federal judges, donald trump, congress, appeals, federal courts, politics
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