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WATCH: Spanberger knocked for ‘bait and switch’ hypocrisy as popularity plummets amid redistricting fiasco
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EXCLUSIVE: One of the Democratic Party’s top rising stars, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, is coming under increasing fire as critics accuse her of pulling a «bait and switch» on voters by abandoning her affordability promises in favor of tax increases on «just about anything that moves.»
A new ad released by Unleash Prosperity on Monday slammed Spanberger over her affordability promises as Virginia Democrats propose new taxes on everyday expenses like dry cleaning, gym memberships and pet care. Unleash Prosperity’s ad puts it bluntly, saying, «Virginia can’t afford this.»
The governor has not publicly supported or signed the measures. A statement by the governor’s office sent to Fox News Digital on Monday emphasized that Spanberger did not sign the tax bills into law «because the General Assembly never passed them, and the bills never reached her desk.» The statement said that Spanberger has «remained laser-focused on addressing high costs for Virginians.»
However, Spanberger has supported a broader set of revenue measures since taking office, including proposals targeting digital services and business activity, as part of an effort to fund priorities such as education and healthcare.
TRUMP BLASTS SPANBERGER AHEAD OF VIRGINIA MEETINGS, SAYS STATE FACES TAX BASE EXODUS LIKE NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA
Abigail Spanberger while campaigning for governor in Fairfax Virginia, on June 26, 2025. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
Steve Moore, an economist who co-founded Unleash Prosperity, told Fox News Digital that while Spanberger cashed in on Virginians’ worries over prices, she «raced out of the gate with all of these very liberal policies, including tax increases on just about anything that moves in Virginia.»
Moore said Democrats across the country should take Spanberger’s decline as a «warning» ahead of 2028.
There has been much buzz around Spanberger and her gubernatorial victory last year, which resulted in Republicans being ousted from power in Virginia. The Democratic Party selected her to give its response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, further evidencing her stardom.
Yet, despite the Democrats elevating her and even floating her as a presidential or vice-presidential pick, Moore said Virginians have been «shocked about that,» explaining why her approval ratings have «absolutely plummeted.»
«She has seen one of the swiftest declines in her popularity in the first six months in office that I’ve seen in many years of politics,» Moore said.
Forty-six percent of Virginians disapprove of her job performance, while 47% approve, according to a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll. Compared with Virginia governors from both parties since 1994, Spanberger has the highest disapproval rating at this point in her term.
In contrast, predecessor Gov. Glenn Youngkin had a 54-39 job approval rating at this point in his term, with the highest favorability going to Democrat Mark Warner – now Virginia’s senior senator – at 78-20.
Moore called Spanberger’s tumbling ratings «the price for her bait-and-switch tax hike on Virginia residents and small businesses.»
DEMS WHO RAN ON AFFORDABILITY NOW FACE BACKLASH AS COSTS CLIMB IN NY, VIRGINIA
Scouts march in a parade for Gov. Abigail Spanberger. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
«She campaigned on affordability, and nearly on day one in office, she and Virginia Democrats in Richmond endorsed a catalog of left-wing tax increase proposals on everything from dry cleaners to dog groomers, which make Virginia look like California,» he said.
«Spanberger promised to be a pro-business moderate Democrat,» he went on, quipping, «Maybe she should be known as ‘Scam-Berger.’»
Moore said Spanberger’s quick decline in the polls does not bode well for the Democratic Party’s hopes of taking back the White House in 2028.
«Spanberger is not alone,» he explained. «We’re seeing that with a lot of Democrats around the country; they run as moderates and as soon as they get in, they move to the extreme left.»
«You’re seeing Democrats who are governors and mayors across the country who are advancing very liberal pro-tax policies that are anti-business. And I think it’s a very tough agenda for Democrats to run with in 2028 on the national picture,» he went on.
«That should be a warning signal to Democrats across the country.»
VIRGINIA DEMS TAKE TAX HIKES INTO OVERTIME, TARGET FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUES
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and President Donald Trump, who has criticized the governor’s tax policies and warned of a potential business exodus. (Marvin Joseph/Getty Images; Brendan Smilowski/AFP)
Last week Trump took a similar line of criticism against Spanberger ahead of meetings in the state. He warned in a Truth Social post that her policies are triggering a tax base exodus similar to New York and California.
«She is adding so many Taxes, a Food and Beverage Tax, Digital Services Tax, Utilities Tax, and more,» Trump wrote. «It has lost its Energy, Vitality, and Strength. People are leaving that would never have even thought of doing so!»
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Spanberger’s office slammed criticisms of the governor raising taxes as «misinformation.»
«The volume of misinformation — spread across social media and repeated in press coverage — made a clarification necessary. The facts are straightforward,» the statement said. «Governor Abigail Spanberger did not sign dozens of tax bills into law — because the General Assembly never passed them, and the bills never reached her desk.»
The office added that «in the opening months of her administration, Governor Spanberger has remained laser-focused on addressing high costs for Virginians» and is «also working alongside legislators and local communities to attract new capital investment.»
Spanberger has also pushed back on the criticism herself. In a post on X, she said Trump and his allies were mischaracterizing her policies.
«The president and his allies are talking about taxes that our state legislature never even voted on and I certainly didn’t sign,» she wrote. «Why? Because if they don’t flood the zone with fake news about fake taxes, people might hear about the bills I am signing to lower energy costs, strengthen our schools, make housing more affordable, and bring billions of dollars of business investment to Virginia.»
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A Spanberger spokesperson added that businesses have announced «more than $500 million in new investment in the commonwealth since Governor Spanberger took office in January,» while accusing Trump of focusing on politics instead of economic stability.
«The ballgame changed when the President — whose been busy raising costs for Virginians by starting a reckless war that has skyrocketed inflation and driven gas prices up to $4 — strong-armed states into drawing more Republican congressional seats that he asserted he was ‘entitled’ to before the midterms,» the governor’s spokesperson said. «As prices rise in Trump’s economy, Governor Spanberger will continue her work with both parties to address the high housing, healthcare and energy costs that Virginians are feeling.»
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
democrats elections, abigail spanberger, governors, virginia, taxes
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Blanche turns the tables on Comey indictment critics: ‘Rest assured’ case goes beyond Instagram post
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche insisted Sunday that the indictment against former FBI Director James Comey rests on more than just an «8647» Instagram picture, saying new evidence would come to light in court to support the government’s claim that Comey’s post amounted to a criminal threat against the president.
Blanche provided the remarks during a «Meet the Press» interview as he was grilled about the credibility of the high-profile case and whether it was politically motivated. The charges hinge on whether prosecutors can prove the former FBI director’s intent, a key legal threshold. Blanche signaled the Department of Justice will present broader evidence in court to support the charge while rejecting claims the prosecution was driven by Trump’s past clashes with Comey.
«You prove intent like you always prove intent,» Blanche said. «You prove intent with witnesses. You prove intent with documents, with materials. … This is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that the grand jury collected over the series of about 11 months.»
The term «86» is understood as slang to get rid of someone or something, rooted in restaurant usage for an unavailable item or refused customer. Prosecutors allege that, paired with «47» — a reference to Trump as the 47th president — Comey’s post amounted to a threat.
HOW JAMES COMEY’S INDICTMENT COULD GO SOUTH FOR THE DOJ
Former FBI Director James Comey is vowing to fight the charges against him, with his attorney saying the former FBI director «vigorously denies» the allegations and plans to contest the case in court. (Cheriss May/NurPhoto)
Blanche noted that threatening the president was a common criminal charge. But he said the DOJ does not prosecute everyday mentions of «8647,» such as paraphernalia featuring the numbers being sold on Amazon, and that other factors were in play in Comey’s case.
«Rest assured that the career assistant United States attorneys in North Carolina, the career FBI agents, the career Secret Service agents that investigated this case didn’t just look at the Instagram post and walk away. … So I am not permitted to get into the details of what the grand jury heard or found,» Blanche said. «But rest assured that it’s not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted.»
The DOJ brought two charges against Comey in federal court in North Carolina last week alleging an Instagram post he made last year of seashells on the beach amounted to a threat to harm or kill Trump.
The post prompted an outcry from social media users, who accused Comey of threatening Trump, his longtime political nemesis, leading Comey to immediately delete the image and issue an apology. Comey said at the time he did not realize the number «86» was associated with violence.
FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY MEETS WITH SECRET SERVICE AFTER CONTROVERSIAL ’86 47′ POST
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C., following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded by announcing that U.S. Secret Service would investigate the post, and Comey voluntarily met with federal agents at the time for an interview, though no charges were brought.
The case marks the Justice Department’s second recent prosecution of Comey, after a separate indictment alleging he lied to Congress was tossed on procedural grounds. The DOJ is appealing that decision.
Blanche was also questioned over whether Comey was charged because Trump explicitly called for the DOJ to bring criminal charges against him and other political foes in a Truth Social post last fall, calling them «guilty as hell» and saying «JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!»
«Do the American people think that nothing was done on those cases until President Trump posted that Truth in September?» Blanche asked. «No, these are ongoing investigations.»
James Comey posted a photo on Instagram showing him standing on a beach. (Fox News)
The latest indictment against Comey has faced widespread criticism as Democrats and some Republicans argue the charges present a free speech problem and do not rise to the «true threat» standard established by the Supreme Court. Comey’s attorney said in court that he plans to ask the judge to toss out the charges because they were selective and vindictive. Still, the DOJ and Trump allies are standing firmly behind the charges as they warn critics to wait to hear evidence before jumping to conclusions.
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Comey’s arraignment is slated for May 11 in Greenville.
Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ and Comey’s lawyer for comment.
attorney general, in court, fbi, james comey, justice department
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La Corte de Constitucionalidad ordena ajustes inmediatos en procesos de acogimiento y adopción infantil en Guatemala
La Corte de Constitucionalidad (CC) de Guatemala estableció un nuevo hito jurídico al declarar, mediante el expediente 7745-2024, la inconstitucionalidad de dos disposiciones clave del Reglamento 40-2010 sobre el acogimiento familiar.
La resolución exige a los Juzgados de Niñez priorizar que los menores permanezcan en un entorno familiar y ordena al Consejo Nacional de Adopciones (CNA) adaptar sus procedimientos para favorecer la permanencia de los niños en vínculos afectivos ya consolidados. El objetivo central de este fallo, según la CC, es fortalecer el derecho de niñas, niños y adolescentes a crecer en familia y evitar la institucionalización que afecta su bienestar integral.
La Corte de Constitucionalidad, en su análisis del Reglamento 40-2010, eliminó dos restricciones fundamentales. En primer lugar, consideró inconstitucional el plazo máximo de seis meses para el acogimiento familiar.
Este límite temporal, al ser rígido, impedía un análisis individualizado y contravenía el principio del interés superior del niño. Con ello, no se consideraban las necesidades y el contexto concreto de cada menor, lo que podía conducir a decisiones que no favorecían ni su estabilidad ni su salud emocional. De acuerdo con el Diario Soy2502
En segundo lugar, la resolución suprimió la prohibición de adopción por parte de las familias de acogida. El fallo reconoce que los lazos afectivos generados durante el periodo de acogida constituyen un elemento esencial en la garantía de una familia permanente para los niños declarados en situación de adoptabilidad.
La Corte de Constitucionalidad sostuvo que ignorar estos vínculos resultaba en una restricción injustificada y que su eliminación era imprescindible para asegurar el pleno ejercicio de los derechos de la niñez guatemalteca.
Según la publicación de Soy502, la decisión obliga de manera inmediata al Consejo Nacional de Adopciones a suprimir cualquier barrera administrativa que impida que las familias de acogida participen en los procesos de adopción y exige a los juzgados de niñez evaluar cada caso de forma individual, asegurando así que los menores permanezcan en familia y evitando su institucionalización prolongada.
Referencia a estándares internacionales y desarrollo infantil
Lo resuelto por la Corte de Constitucionalidad se enmarca en los compromisos asumidos por Guatemala en materia de derechos de la niñez, recogidos en la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño y las Directrices de las Naciones Unidas sobre modalidades alternativas de cuidado.
Según estos instrumentos, el acogimiento familiar debe ser priorizado sobre cualquier forma de institucionalización, y toda medida de protección ha de basarse en el interés superior del niño mediante evaluaciones caso por caso.
Especialistas en desarrollo infantil citados en la normativa internacional respaldan plenamente esta orientación. La evidencia muestra que una infancia en entorno familiar favorece la construcción de un apego seguro y reduce los riesgos de ansiedad, depresión y afectaciones emocionales.
También se observan mejoras en el desarrollo cognitivo y en la salud física respecto a los menores que permanecen en instituciones. Por el contrario, la institucionalización prolongada se correlaciona con consecuencias adversas en el desarrollo integral de niñas, niños y adolescentes.
Con este precedente, el sistema de protección de la niñez en Guatemala se enfrenta a la exigencia de eliminar toda restricción normativa o administrativa que dificulte la integración de los menores en familias de acogida con posibilidad real de adopción.
El Consejo Nacional de Adopciones debe modificar con carácter urgente todos los procedimientos implicados, mientras que los juzgados de niñez deberán fundamentar sus decisiones en evaluaciones individualizadas.
El fallo de la Corte de Constitucionalidad redefine el marco del acogimiento familiar y obliga a una transformación inmediata en los procesos administrativos para que el derecho de la infancia a vivir en familia tenga prevalencia absoluta sobre cualquier criterio procedimental o temporal. *Con información del Diario Soy502
Corte de Constitucionalidad,Guatemala,adopción,acogimiento familiar,niñez,derechos,familia,reforma legal,justicia,Infobae
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