West
California Democrats vulnerable after Schiff, LA mayor victims of crime: 'If they’re not safe, who is?'
Democrats could be more vulnerable in California with the growing crime issue plaguing even the state’s most notable lawmakers.
The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that some political strategists are noting how voters are becoming more concerned about crime ahead of the November election. The issue apparently grew after both California Senate candidate Rep. Adam Schiff and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass were victims of robbery and burglary, respectfully.
“Voters are thinking: You’ve got to be kidding me,” Darry Sragow, a longtime Democratic strategist, told the L.A. Times. “Adam Schiff isn’t safe, Karen Bass isn’t safe — if they’re not safe, who is?”
Rising crime could affect the more vulnerable swing districts in California, strategists warned. ((Photo By Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images))
Though the report called the crimes “ready-made fodder for Republican critics who often lambast California’s approach to public safety,” Mark Baldassare, the survey director of the Public Policy Institute of California, acknowledged that crime is “definitely one of the top issues on voters’ minds right now.”
CHINESE AMERICANS TURN ON SAN FRANCISCO DEMOCRATS OVER CRIME, EDUCATION: WSJ
Baldassare’s own research found that between December 2023 and February, likely voters considering crime as their most important issue rose from 8% to 12%. The growth was more prominent among independent voters, with 17% of them now rating crime as their top issue.
“The thing about crime is, it doesn’t take much — it just takes one or two things that people notice and makes them scared,” Baldassare said.
Republican strategist Rob Stutzman commented that while some positions, like the open Senate race between Schiff and Republican challenger Steve Garvey, could be safe, some House of Representative seats in swing districts could be affected. He remarked that some Democratic state lawmakers trying to push back against crime show that the issue is “clearly a vulnerability” ahead of the fall.
“The pendulum is swinging, and it’s dragging them with it,” Stutzman warned.
17% of California independent voters ranked crime as their biggest issue in February. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office and Schiff for a comment.
Since 2020, there has been a statewide rise in property crime and theft, with local critics attributing the increase to what they term “soft-on-crime” policies like Proposition 47 and 57. However, the issue has now caused a divide among Democrats in the legislature. Some are joining forces with Republicans to propose bipartisan bills aimed at curbing petty theft, while progressive lawmakers introduced their own alternative measures – dubbed Smart Solutions – that focus on providing additional services for offenders.
SAN JOSE MAYOR’S SECURITY GUARD ASSAULTED DURING ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW
Earlier this week, former L.A. district attorney Steve Cooley pointed out the irony that politicians like Schiff, who have previously enforced soft-on-crime policies, have now been victims of crime.
LA Mayor Karen Bass and Rep. Adam Schiff were victims of high profile crimes over the past month. (Getty)
“If the super majority Democrat legislature wants to really have a positive impact on crime, they should reverse some of their previous previously enacted reckless public safety laws that have dramatically negatively impacted public safety,” Cooley told Fox News Digital. “I just think it’s ironic that Adam Schiff, who endorsed George Gascon, very publicly and very enthusiastically, is a victim of a theft.”
Fox News’ Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
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New Mexico
‘West Wing’ actor Timothy Busfield accused of child sex abuse in New Mexico
New Mexico authorities have accused Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield, known for series “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” of child sex abuse.
A judge on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the 68-year-old actor on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and a single count of child abuse. The arrest warrant affidavit, reviewed by The Times on Sunday, accuses Busfield of inappropriately touching two child actors, who are brothers, during his tenure on the Fox crime drama “The Cleaning Lady.”
“The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions,” Fox and Warner Bros. Television said in a statement shared Sunday. “We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. … We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
Busfield, who was an actor, producer and director for “The Cleaning Lady,” allegedly sexually assaulted of one of the young actors multiple times during his tenure. According to the affidavit, one child actor said Busfield first touched his “‘private areas’” multiple times on set when he was 7 years old. The actor said that when he was 8 years old, Busfield touched him inappropriately again several times. He was “afraid to tell anyone because Tim was the Director, and he feared Tim would get mad at him,” the affidavit said.
The second child actor said that Busfield “started touching them for the first two years” of his time on “The Cleaning Lady,” which filmed in Albuquerque, according to the complaint. The investigator said both children said they did not speak out about their alleged encounters with Busfield out of fear or concern for him.
The actors’ mother, per the complaint, reported the alleged abuse to Child Protective Services in October 2025, claiming that Busfield sexually abused her children from November 2022 to spring 2024. Police began investigating the alleged abuse in November 2024 after receiving a request from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital.
According to the affidavit, the investigation also included interviews with the children’s therapists and doctors. One of the child actors, who disclosed the alleged abuse by Busfield to his therapist, has issues with bed-wetting “along with other behavior issues,” was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety and has suffered nightmares “about the director touching him,” according to the complaint.
The investigator also spoke to numerous cast and crew members of “The Cleaning Lady,” which was canceled in June after four seasons. The affidavit details the investigator’s conversations with production assistants, the studio teacher and Busfield.
Busfield, married to actor Melissa Gilbert, told the investigator that “Cleaning Lady” producer Warner Bros. Television notified him in the spring of 2025 of an investigation regarding complaints “about him from the boys.” When asked whether he had any physical contact with the two child actors, Busfield “said it was highly likely that he would have,” the complaint said. He suggested to the investigator that the boys’ mother might have sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her kids back for the final season,” according to the complaint.
Though Busfield confirmed the identities of the young actors to the investigator in his interview, he allegedly said later, “ ‘I don’t remember those boys’ ” and “ ‘I don’t remember overtly tickling the boys ever, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for me.’ ”
The complaint also details Warner Bros.’ investigation into Busfield’s alleged behavior. The studio started its investigation after receiving an anonymous tip in February 2025 from the SAG-AFTRA hotline regarding a December 2024 incident. Busfield allegedly entered the hair and makeup trailer and “kissed a minor male on the face as the minor was getting a haircut.” The complaint further alleged “there are pictures of Mr. Busfield, ‘tickling and caressing the head and body of minor boys.’ ”
Neither Fox or Warner Bros. immediately responded to a request for comment on Sunday, but a spokesperson for the latter told the New York Times it is “aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
Busfield received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Elliot Weston in the ABC drama “Thirtysomething” in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. He also appeared in “Field of Dreams,” “Little Big League,” “The Byrds of Paradise” and other titles. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role in “The West Wing” as Danny Concannon, a White House correspondent who strikes up a relationship with Press Secretary C.J. Clegg, played by Allison Janney.
In addition to television and film, Busfield is a stage actor and director. In 1991, Busfield and his brother Buck Busfield created the B Street Theatre, a nonprofit theater in Sacramento that first began as a touring theater group for children. He also pitched for baseball team the Sacramento Smokeys and was inducted into the Sacramento Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024.
Prior to the allegations from his time on “The Cleaning Lady,” Busfield was accused in 1994 of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old actor who appeared on “Little Big League.” He denied those claims and sued his accuser for defamation. The case ended in a settlement, with a judge ordering Busfield to pay the woman $150,000.
Oregon
Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase to enter transfer portal
Oregon is losing a second edge defender to transfer.
Blake Purchase will enter the transfer portal, he announced via X. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
“I want to start by thanking God for this journey and everything that has come with it,” Purchase told DenverSportsMedia.com. “Thank you to my family for the continued love and support they have given me. I’m forever grateful for these past three seasons at the University of Oregon. The lessons l’ve learned here will stay with me for a lifetime. Thank you to all the coaches who poured into me and helped me grow as both a person and a player. And to my teammates – the bonds we built are forever. You are my brothers for life.”
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Purchase had 32 tackles (4.5 for loss) with two sacks, one interception and one pass breakup this season. His 352 snaps on defense ranked 14th for UO this season.
Purchase had two tackles while redshirting last season and five tackles as a true freshman in 2023.
A four-star recruit out of Cherry Creek (Colorado) High School, Purchase was the No. 294 overall prospect and No. 34 edge defender in the class of 2023 in the 247Sports Composite.
Purchase will be the sixteenth scholarship player to transfer from UO this offseason, joining defensive backs Jahlil Florence, Dakoda Fields, Solomon Davis, Sione Laulea, Kingston Lopa and Daylen Austin, receivers Justius Lowe and Kyler Kasper, quarterbacks Austin Novosad and Luke Moga, offensive lineman Lipe Moala and running backs Jay Harris, Makhi Hughes and Jayden Limar. Oregon has 79 projected scholarship players in 2026.
Utah
5 vehicles hit exercise equipment on I-15 near Arizona-Utah border
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Five vehicles collided with a piece of exercise equipment on I-15 near the Arizona-Utah border on Friday, according to Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Department.
At around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 9, fire personnel responded to an incident involving five vehicles on I-15 Southbound at Mile Marker 17. Crews arrived on scene to find “slightly used exercise equipment” in the middle of the road, officials said.
A total of 14 people were involved in the collisions, though only one was taken to the hospital, St. George Regional, as a result.
“Please drive defensively; Keep your eyes on the road,” a social media post from Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire states.
No further information is available at this time.
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