Northeast
'Vindictive': Democrat in tight Senate race blasted by GOP rival for swipe at McDonald's after Trump visit
GOP Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick slammed his opponent, incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., for “retaliating against McDonald’s” after former President Trump visited a location of the fast-food company in the Keystone State while on the campaign trail.
A trio of Senate Democrats — Casey, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden — on Monday issued a letter to the CEO of McDonald’s, castigating the company for reported price gouging, just one day after Trump worked the fryer at a franchise of the fast-food chain during a campaign event in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.
The trio’s letter accused the business of inflating prices on consumers to grow profits, sparking McCormick to slam Casey for using “vindictive pressure tactics, simply because he doesn’t like Donald Trump.”
“After President Trump’s wildly popular visit to the local Feasterville McDonald’s franchise, Bob Casey has stooped to a new low by retaliating against McDonald’s. This is just the latest in a string of anti-business attacks by Casey on Pennsylvania small businesses and employees. Casey is a liberal, partisan, career politician who knows his family dynasty is coming to an end, so he resorts to a vindictive pressure tactic, simply because he doesn’t like Donald Trump,” McCormick told Fox News Digital.
WOMAN SERVED BY TRUMP AT MCDONALD’S DRIVE-THRU REVEALS DETAILS BEHIND VIRAL EXCHANGE WITH FORMER PRESIDENT
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., left, and GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick. (Getty Images)
The senators’ letter, which did not cite Trump, was sent one day after the former president’s visit to a McDonald’s in Casey’s home state of Pennsylvania on Sunday.
“While McDonald’s is not the only fast food restaurant that has increased prices significantly in recent years, its dominant market position as the largest fast food chain in the United States has an outsize impact on American consumers,” the trio of senators wrote in their letter. “While working families are trying to make ends meet, McDonald’s and its corporate counterparts have continued to grow their profits.”
Casey’s campaign on Wednesday brushed off McCormick’s comment, arguing the longtime Democratic senator “will always fight against corporate greed.”
“While Connecticut hedge fund CEO David McCormick works to enrich himself and his billionaire backers, Sen. Casey will always fight against corporate greed to put more money in Pennsylvanians’ pockets,” Casey campaign spokesperson Kate Smart told Fox Digital.
TRUMP MAKES FRIES AT PENNSYLVANIA MCDONALD’S: ‘I’VE NOW WORKED FOR 15 MINUTES MORE THAN KAMALA’
Former President Trump and Dave McCormick shake hands during a campaign event in Reading, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 9. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)
The letter called on the McDonald’s CEO to address questions such as how the company makes pricing decisions on individual menu items, if McDonald’s provides guidelines to franchisees regarding pricing decisions and if McDonald’s executives received bonuses or other incentive-based compensation between 2020 and 2024.
McDonald’s hit back that the letter “demonstrates a lack of understanding of our franchise business model.”
“McDonald’s and our franchisees are committed to keeping prices affordable — from the everyday prices on our menu boards, to our popular $5 Meal Deal and other offers available locally or on the App. This letter demonstrates a lack of understanding of our franchise business model and contains contortions of facts and many inaccuracies. Take the components of the $5 Meal Deal with McChicken, for example — which would have cost 15% more in 2020 than they do today. That’s the opposite of price gouging. We will respond to the letter, and in the meantime, continue to show up for our customers and our communities,” McDonald’s told Fox News Digital in a comment Tuesday.
Former President Trump, speaks with Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania on Sunday. (Brooke Singman)
Casey pinning blame for inflation and economic woes on price gouging has been a common theme of his highly-anticipated re-election campaign, which shifted from a lean Democrat race to a toss-up by Cook Political Report in a last-minute update this week. Pennsylvania is viewed as the top battleground state this election cycle that will likely determine the outcome of the federal election, with political eyes also locked on the Senate race that pits Casey against McCormick.
LIBERAL MEDIA HAS MELTDOWN OVER TRUMP’S ‘FIRST DAY’ WORKING AT MCDONALD’S
“The corporations say your prices are up only because their costs are up,” Casey declared at the Democratic National Convention over the summer. “They are selling you a lie. It’s in the bag with the diapers. Prices are up because these corporations are scheming to drive them up.”
The McCormick campaign has hit back that the argument is hogwash, saying that prices have increased for consumers due to the federal government’s “wasteful” spending that was “rubber-stamped” by Democrats such as Casey.
Former President Trump works the drive-thru line at a McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Nearly all McDonald’s locations in the U.S. are individually owned franchises, including the one Trump visited on Sunday.
“I’ve now worked for 15 minutes more than Kamala at McDonald’s,” Trump said through the drive-thru window as he handed out orders.
PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RACE LABELED ‘TOSS UP’ IN LAST-MINUTE SHIFT BY TOP HANDICAPPER
“I love McDonald’s, I love jobs, I like to see good jobs. And I think it’s inappropriate when somebody puts down all over the place that she [Harris] worked at McDonald’s. It was a big part of her résumé that she worked at McDonald’s,” he added.
The McDonald’s that Trump visited is owned by Derek Giacomantonio, who told Fox Digital on Sunday that the franchise opens “our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community.”
KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE VOTER REGISTRATION DATA SHOWS INFLUENTIAL SHIFTS FAVORING GOP
“As a small, independent business owner, it is a fundamental value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community. That’s why I accepted former President Trump’s request to observe the transformative working experience that 1 in 8 Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s,” Giacomantonio said.
Former President Trump worked as a fry cook on Sunday at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, claiming he has now worked at the fast-food chain longer than Vice President Kamala Harris. (Brooke Singman)
“As a former crew member, I can attest this job is more than burgers and fries, but a meaningful pathway to opportunity. Local Pennsylvania franchisees like me are proud to provide more than 25,000 jobs across the state and I’m honored to showcase my restaurant and the incredible impact of the franchise business model here today,” Giacomantonio continued.
SCHUMER-TIED GROUP DROPS MILLIONS AGAINST TED CRUZ AS DEMS EYE PICKUP OPPORTUNITY IN TEXAS
Trump’s visit to the McDonald’s location has spurred outrage from Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who accused Trump of “laughing at” American workers by visiting the restaurant.
“You’ve got Donald Trump putting on a little McDonald’s costume, because he thinks that’s what people do,” Ocasio-Cortez said during a “Get Out the Early Vote” union event in Pennsylvania. “They’re not trying to empathize with us. They are making fun of us.”
Trump supporters have championed the McDonald’s visit as iconic, posting memes and photos of the former president in support of his re-election.
Fox News Digital reached out to the trio of senators regarding the letter but did not receive replies.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Read the full article from Here
Boston, MA
Officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6 say their struggles linger, 5 years after the riot – The Boston Globe
Gonell was one of the officers who defended the central West Front entrance to the Capitol that day as Congress was certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory and hundreds of Trump’s supporters broke into the building, echoing his false claims of a stolen election. Gonell was dragged into the crowd by his shoulder straps as he tried to fight people off. He almost suffocated. In court, he testified about injuries to his shoulder and foot that still bother him to this day.
“They have tried to erase what I did” with the pardons and other attempts to play down the violent attack, Gonell said. “I lost my career, my health, and I’ve been trying to get my life back.”
Five years since the siege, Gonell and some of the other police officers who fought off the rioters are still coming to terms with what happened, especially after Trump was decisively elected to a second term last year and granted those pardons. Their struggle has been compounded by statements from the Republican president and some GOP lawmakers in Congress minimizing the violence that the officers encountered.
“It’s been a difficult year,” said Officer Daniel Hodges, a Metropolitan Police Department officer who was also injured as he fought near Gonell in a tunnel on the West Front. Hodges was attacked several times, crushed by the rioters between heavy doors and beaten in the head as he screamed for help.
“A lot of things are getting worse,” Hodges said.
More than 140 police officers were injured during the fighting on Jan. 6, which turned increasingly brutal as the hours wore on.
Former Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger took over the department six months after the riot. He said in a recent interview that many of his officers were angry when he first arrived, not only because of injuries they suffered but also “they resented the fact that they didn’t have the equipment they needed, the training they needed ” to deal with the unexpectedly violent crowd.
Several officers who fought the rioters told The Associated Press that the hardest thing to deal with has been the effort by many to play down the violence, despite a massive trove of video and photographic evidence documenting the carnage.
Trump has called the rioters he pardoned, including those who were most violent toward the police, “patriots” and “hostages.” He called their convictions for harming the officers and breaking into the building “a grave national injustice.”
“I think that was wrong,” Adam Eveland, a former District of Columbia police officer, said of Trump’s pardons. If there were to be pardons, Eveland said, Trump’s administration should have reviewed every case.
“I’ve had a hard time processing that,” said Eveland, who fought the rioters and helped to push them off the Capitol grounds.
The pardons “erased what little justice there was,” said former Capitol Police Officer Winston Pingeon, who was part of the force’s Civil Disturbance Unit on Jan. 6. He left the force several months afterward.
Pushback from lawmakers and the public
Hodges and Gonell have been speaking out about their experiences since July 2021, when they testified before the Democratic-led House committee that investigated Jan 6. Since then, they have received support but also backlash.
At a Republican-led Senate hearing in October on political violence, Hodges testified again as a witness called by Democrats. After Hodges spoke about his experience on Jan. 6, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., asked the other witnesses whether they supported Trump’s pardons of the rioters, including for those who injured Hodges. Three of the witnesses, all called by Republicans, raised their hands.
“I don’t know how you would say it wasn’t violent,” says Hodges, who is still a Washington police officer.
It has not just been politicians or the rioters who have doubted the police. It also is friends and family.
“My biggest struggle through the years has been the public perception of it,” Eveland said, and navigating conversations with people close to him, including some fellow police officers, who do not think it was a big deal.
“It’s hard for me to wrap my head around that, but ideology is a pretty powerful thing,” he said.
Improvements in safety and support
As police officers struggled in the aftermath, Manger, the former Capitol Police chief, said the department had to figure out how to better support them. There were no wellness or counseling services when he arrived, he said, and they were put in to place.
“The officers who were there and were in the fight — we needed to make sure that they got the help that they needed,” Manger said.
Manger, who retired in May, also oversaw major improvements to the department’s training, equipment, operational planning and intelligence. He said the Capitol is now “a great deal safer” than it was when he arrived.
“If that exact same thing happened again, they would have never breached the building, they would have never gotten inside, they would have never disrupted the electoral count,” Manger said.
Pingeon, the former Capitol Police officer, said he believes the department is in many ways “unrecognizable” from what it was on Jan. 6 and when he left several months later.
“It was a wake-up call,” he said.
Pingeon, who was attacked and knocked to the ground as he tried to prevent people from entering the Capitol, said Jan. 6 was part of the reason he left the department and moved home to Massachusetts. He has dealt with his experience by painting images of the Capitol and his time there, as well as advocating for nonviolence. He said he now feels ready to forgive.
“The real trauma and heartache and everything I endured because of these events, I want to move past it,” he said.
Gonell left the Capitol Police because of his injuries. He has not returned to service, though he hopes to work again. He wrote a book about his experience, and he said he still has post-traumatic stress disorder related to the attack.
While many of the officers who were there have stayed quiet about their experiences, Eveland said he decided that it was important to talk publicly about Jan. 6 to try to reach people and “come at it from a logical standpoint.”
Still, he said, “I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that just because something happened to me and was a major part of my world doesn’t mean that everyone else has to understand that or even be sympathetic to that.”
He added: “The only thing I can do is tell my story, and hopefully the people who respect me will eventually listen.”
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Connecticut Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.
Those who want to play in Connecticut can enter the CT Lotto, Lucky for Life and Cash 5 games as well as play the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. There are also two drawings a day for the Play 3 with Wild Ball and Play 4 with Wild Ball games.
Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule. Here’s a look at Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
01-02-28-30-43, Lucky Ball: 07
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
12-13-16-20-32
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play3 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
Day: 5-3-3, WB: 7
Night: 1-8-1, WB: 9
Check Play3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play4 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
Day: 3-5-9-4, WB: 4
Night: 7-0-2-6, WB: 4
Check Play4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Connecticut Lottery prizes up to $599 can be easily claimed at any authorized CT Lottery Retailer without additional forms or documentation or by mail. For prizes between $600 and $5,000, winners have the option to claim by mail or in person at any CT Lottery High-Tier Claim Center or CT Lottery Headquarters. For prizes between $5,001 and $49,999, winnings must be claimed in person at the Connecticut Lottery headquarters or by mail. All prizes over $50,000 must be claimed in person at CT Lottery Headquarters. Winners are required to bring a government-issued photo ID and their Social Security card.
CT Lottery Claims Dept.
15 Sterling Drive
Wallingford, CT 06492
For additional details, including locations of High-Tier Claim Centers, visit the Connecticut Lottery’s claim information page.
When are the Connecticut Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 10:38 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 5: 10:29 p.m. daily.
- Play3 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
- Play3 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.
- Play4 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
- Play4 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Connecticut editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears: How to watch today’s NFL game, kickoff time, TV channel and more
What is next for San Francisco 49ers and who to root for Week 18
Can North Texas solve our housing price crisis?
Venezuela supporters join Cuban Americans in Miami show of solidarity
Officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6 say their struggles linger, 5 years after the riot – The Boston Globe
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
US Republicans back Trump on Venezuela amid faint MAGA dissent
Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s leader after Maduro’s capture? | CNN
Trump says US will ‘run Venezuela’ after seizing President Maduro in military assault | BBC News
He can make anything out of toothpicks (1983)
-
Entertainment1 week agoHow the Grinch went from a Yuletide bit player to a Christmas A-lister
-
Connecticut1 week agoSnow Accumulation Estimates Increase For CT: Here Are The County-By-County Projections
-
World6 days agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Southeast1 week agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
Business1 week agoGoogle is at last letting users swap out embarrassing Gmail addresses without losing their data
-
World1 week agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast
-
World1 week agoBest of 2025: Top five defining moments in the European Parliament