Midwest
Sherrod Brown pitches himself as blue-collar populist while raking in cash from Hollywood celebrities
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Former Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown pitches himself as a blue-collar populist fighting for Ohio workers – but his campaign cash shows Brown is quietly leaning on West Coast megadonors from Hollywood.
Brown, who according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, has received at least $1.2 million from actors, producers, writers, industry executives and a slew of others who live in wealthy California zip codes associated with the film industry, will attend another Hollywood fundraiser this week hosted by the CEO of Sony Pictures, Tom Rothman, and his wife, Jill.
The fundraiser was confirmed by Puck News, which noted that the invite suggests a $10,000 donation to Brown’s campaign for those who attend.
EX-DEM SENATOR’S PAC SPLURGES ON LUXURY PERKS WHILE SKIRTING HEFTY TAX BILL AHEAD OF POTENTIAL COMEBACK BID
Former Sen. Sherrod Brown during the National Urban League’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Awards Gala on July 19, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Unique Nicole/Getty Images)
Several of the Hollywood elites who have forked over cash to support Brown include “The West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin, comedian Will Ferrell, actor Jeff Bridges, actor Michael Douglas, actor Danny DeVito and actress Elizabeth Banks.
When Donald Trump won his first election in 2016, Sorkin lamented the day following his win that “the Klan won last night.” Meanwhile, Bridges said he had to go through a “grieving process” after Trump’s 2024 victory, while Douglas recently said at a film festival in Italy that he was “embarrassed” by the U.S. under Trump.
In a video announcing his intention to run to retake his lost Senate seat in 2026, Brown positioned himself as a fighter for the working class, while slamming billionaires and wealthy people.
“Everywhere you look, costs are too high for Ohio’s working families. While billionaires and corporations get record-high tax cuts, Ohioans can’t catch a break. I’m fighting back,” Brown said in a Monday post on X.
UNEARTHED FEC RECORDS EXPOSES VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR’S HYPOCRISY ON TAKING CASH FROM BILLIONAIRES
The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson)
In October, Brown also touted in a press release how his campaign’s third-quarter fundraising haul “was powered by an army of grassroots donors.” However, Brown’s Q3 fillings showed that 74% of his disclosed donations originated from out of state, with nearly 40% from liberal havens like California, New York, and the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region, according to The Ohio Press Network.
Brown lost his Senate seat to GOP challenger Bernie Moreno in 2024. His loss followed Brown’s attendance at another big-money fundraiser in the Hollywood Hills that took place while Ohio residents were still reeling from the aftermath of a dangerous chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.
Sen. Sherrod Brown leaves the Capitol on Feb. 27, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
If selected as the Democratic Party’s candidate, Brown’s likely GOP opponent would be Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, who was appointed to fill Vice President JD Vance’s seat after he left for the White House. A 2026 special election will decide who will serve out the remainder of Vance’s term, which lasts until 2029.
Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Brown, but did not receive a comment in time for publication.
Fox News Digital’s Houston Keene contributed to this report.
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Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have been subpoenaed by the DOJ
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is seen Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis.
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The Justice Department has issued grand jury subpoenas to multiple government officials in Minnesota, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, expanding the agency’s probe alleging that Minnesota officials conspired to impede law enforcement amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her have also been subpoenaed. NPR has not yet confirmed reports that other state and local leaders have also been issued subpoenas.
Frey’s subpoena requires him to appear in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on Feb. 3. The mayor accused the federal government of weaponizing its power to intimidate local leaders.

“We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with,” he said in a statement.
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino appeared with ICE leader Marcos Charles in a news briefing criticizing Minnesota leaders and defending the work of immigration officers.
“They’re everyday people doing a very hard job, trying to enforce the immigration laws in an environment where local and state politicians have been spreading rhetoric that dehumanizes these officers and agents,” Charles said.
Protesters in Minnesota have roiled against Immigration and Customs Enforcement after one of its agents shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Macklin Good earlier this month.
“Less than two weeks ago, federal agents shot and killed a Minnesotan in broad daylight,” Ellison said in a statement. “Now, instead of seriously investigating the killing of Renee Good, Trump is weaponizing the justice system against any leader who dares stand up to him.”
During a White House press briefing Tuesday, President Trump discussed ICE tactics and Good’s shooting.
“They’re going to make mistakes. Sometimes ICE is going to be too rough with somebody, or, you know, they’re dealing with rough people,” Trump said. “Are they going to make a mistake sometimes? It can happen. I feel terribly. I felt horribly when I was told that the young woman who was, who had the tragedy. It’s a tragedy. It’s a horrible thing.”

Ellison said the DOJ is asking for records and documents related to his office’s work regarding federal immigration enforcement. He pointed out that this action comes shortly after his office sued the Trump administration over ICE’s tactics in the region.
“Let’s be clear about why this is happening: Donald Trump is coming after the people of Minnesota and I’m standing in his way,” Ellison said. “I will not be intimidated, and I will not stop working to protect Minnesotans from Trump’s campaign of retaliation and revenge.”
NPR has reached out to the White House for comment on the DOJ subpoenas, but has not yet received a response
Indianapolis, IN
IU lands back in Indiana with extra carry-on: A national championship
IU, Curt Cignetti lands in Indianapolis following CFP championship win
Curt Cignetti offered a wave and a small smile after disembarking a charter plane from Miami to Indianapolis.
The Indiana Hoosiers flew back to Indianapolis on Jan. 20 with one additional carry-on: a national championship trophy.
One by one as the sun was setting, the players on the IU football team disembarked a United charter flight at the Indianapolis International Airport and boarded a handful of coach buses to take them the rest of the way back to Bloomington, where celebrations will continue into the coming days and weekend. Some players wore shorts as they stepped out into the bitter Indiana cold while others were bundled up in pajama pants.
Starting quarterback and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza had on shorts and a pair of shiny gold headphones as he exited with his team.
And less than 24 hours after he led his team to a perfect 16-0 season and the first national championship in program history, IU football head coach Curt Cignetti, known for his dour expressions, offered a wave and a slight smile to a small crowd of local media as he walked the short distance to the bus.
Though there was no iconic trophy lift as the team exited the plane, the hardware will be arriving in Bloomington soon enough.
A handful of fans used some savvy flight tracking skills to find the team’s flight and braved the cold to see a glimpse of the buses leaving the private charters terminal on the north side of the airport.
Karen and Mel Fletcher from Greenwood staked out a spot outside the airport as they waited for the team to land and head to Bloomington. Between the two of them, the couple had three kids graduate from IU, and the pair have been waiting decades for a national championship.
“We came out early and just hopefully, we could see them,” Karen Fletcher said.
The Fletchers had high praise for the Hoosiers as the motorcade passed by.
“It was a great team, a great bunch of guys. Fantastic coach. And they did it,” Karen Fletcher said.
Alysa Guffey writes business, health and development stories for IndyStar. Have a story tip? Contact her at amguffey@usatodayco.com or on X: @AlysaGuffeyNews.
Cleveland, OH
Temperatures could dip to sub-zero in Cleveland this week. When’s the last time that happened?
Oh the weather outside is … freezing. Actually, it’s much colder than that.
Temperatures in northeast Ohio are expected to peak at a high of 16 degrees on Tuesday, with a low of 9 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Wind chills dipped between -15 and -20 degrees this morning and are expected to remain near-zero or slightly below into the evening. The sub-zero temperatures forced a number of Cleveland-area school districts to close on Tuesday.
Later this week, air temperatures in Cleveland could reach as low as -4 degrees on Friday night, according to NWS’ extended forecast.
When’s the last time that happened? Perhaps to no surprise, the last time temperatures dropped below zero in Cleveland was just last year, in late January.
Air temperatures in Cleveland reached a low of -5 degrees on January 22, 2025, with a high of only 16 degrees. The day before, temperatures peaked at 10 degrees with a low of -3 degrees. Those were the only two days last year that air temperatures reached sub-zero in Cleveland.
Going even further back, the coldest day in Cleveland on record was -20 degrees on Jan. 19, 1994. The high that day was a balmy -3 degrees.
Official air temperature records in Cleveland have been recorded at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport — located about 14 miles southwest of downtown Cleveland — since 1938. Prior to that, records were kept near Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland.
Below-zero temperatures can also create problems inside your home: Freezing and bursting pipes. The American Red Cross suggests opening cabinet doors underneath the sink in your kitchen and bathroom to help warmer air circulate around the plumbing, cleveland.com’s Julie Washington and Megan Sims previously reported.
Veterinarians also recommend pet owners take precautions to keep their four-legged friends warm amid the unusually cold temperatures.
“Frostbite and hypothermia are the two biggest threats facing pets in cold weather, which is made worse with temperatures less than zero degrees,” Beth Malinich, doctor of veterinary medicine at the Animal Hospital of Fairview Park, told cleveland.com.
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