Politics
Adams' friend pleads guilty in straw donor scheme involving New York City mayor's 2021 campaign
A longtime friend of New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded guilty on Monday to charges related to a scheme to obtain tens of thousands in funds from the Democrat’s 2021 campaign.
Dwayne Montgomery, a former NYPD inspector, pleaded guilty to the alleged straw donor scheme, New York Daily News reported, citing a Manhattan District Attorney’s Office spokesperson.
Though details of the plea agreement were not immediately available, Adams was asked about Montgomery’s guilty plea during an unrelated press conference Monday.
“Dealing with the question around Dwayne Montgomery, the DA is handling that case,” Adams said, referring to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
NYC MAYOR BUILDS HEFTY LEGAL WAR CHEST TO BATTLE FBI INVESTIGATION
New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during media availability at City Hall on Jan. 2, 2024. Adams has not been accused of wrongdoing in a straw donor investigation by the Manhattan district attorney. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“I think the DA clearly reported that there was nothing our campaign did that was a part of what was done wrong. And I say let the DA handle this issue, situation.”
Adams asserted a “level of scrutiny” his campaign staffers took in calling between 16,000-17,000 donors, informing them both verbally and in writing that contributions “had to be your money.”
“It was in writing. People had to read it before they signed the donor form or after contributing online. Then I added an additional layer of spending of thousands of dollars on a compliance attorney who matched signatures, who matched information, and made sure things were done with a level of scrutiny that deserved,” Adams explained. “And we returned back tens of thousands of donations that did not follow that muster. And so the campaign did its job. We did the review that we’re supposed to review. And I’ve always told you from the beginning, I’m confident that I know we did the internal scrutiny we’re supposed to do.”
The mayor has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection to the Manhattan district attorney’s probe.
Fox News Digital reached out to Bragg’s office for comment on Monday regarding Montgomery’s plea.
Two of Montgomery’s co-defendants, brothers Shahid and Yahya Mushtaq, pleaded guilty in October to participating in the scheme. As part of their agreement, the Mushtaqs would cooperate with Bragg’s investigators as their investigation in the scheme remained ongoing, according to the Daily News.
Other co-defendants in the case are Shamsuddin Riza, Millicent Redick, Ronald Peek, and Ecosafety Consultants, Inc.
Court documents allege that the co-defendants engaged with each other between August 2020 and November 2021 to fraudulently obtain tens of thousands of dollars in matching funds for Adams’ 2021 New York City mayoral campaign by submitting falsified campaign contribution forms to the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office is investigating an alleged straw donor campaign scheme involving Eric Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
ADAMS’ OFFICE LASHES OUT AT FBI EMPLOYEE WHO MIGHT HAVE ‘IMPROPERLY LEAKED DETAILS’ OF NYC CORRUPTION PROBE
Prosecutors alleged it was part of the conspiracy for Montgomery, Riza, Peek and others to provide funds for and to reimburse straw donors, to coordinate the campaign contributions of the straw donors through fundraiser events, and to instruct other conspirators on how to structure and disguise straw donor contributions to avoid detection.
Meanwhile, Adams has built a hefty war chest over the past several months amid reports he is at the center of an ongoing FBI investigation.
Adams, who has clashed with the White House on President Biden’s immigration policies as New York City grapples with the influx of more than tens of thousands of migrants from the southern border, has so far not been publicly accused of any wrongdoing as the FBI continues its investigation into alleged corruption at City Hall to benefit the Turkish government.
Mayor Eric Adams attends Police Commissioner Edward Caban’s “State of the New York Police Department” address on Jan. 31, 2024. Adams has denied any wrongdoing amid corruption probes. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In a statement in January, Adams’ longtime campaign compliance attorney confirmed that, “The Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust has drawn strong support in a short amount of time, raising more than $650,000 since it was formed just two months ago,” Fox News Digital previously reported.
The mayor started the legal defense trust in mid-November after the FBI searched the home of Adams’ chief campaign fundraiser, 25-year-old Brianna Suggs. Federal agents seized two laptop computers, three iPhones and a manila folder labeled “Eric Adams,” according to the New York Times.
The FBI raid prompted Adams to suddenly return from Washington, D.C., ahead of planned visits at the White House and Congress related to the migrant crisis’ impact on the Big Apple.
The bureau is probing whether Adams’ 2021 campaign conspired with the Turkish government and others to funnel money into its coffers. FBI agents also approached Adams directly after a Manhattan event later that month, seizing the mayor’s electronic devices, including at least two cellphones and an iPad, in carrying out a search warrant, the Times reported.
The FBI also searched the homes of Rana Abbasova, an aide to Adams at City Hall, and Cenk Öcal, a former Turkish Airlines executive who served on the mayor’s 2021 transition team, according to Daily News.
Politics
McCarthy says Trump will use ‘everything he can’ to force Senate action on SAVE America Act
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
As infighting over the SAVE America Act throws congressional Republicans into disarray, President Donald Trump’s bid to get the stalled election bill across the finish line gained one notable ally.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told Fox News Digital that he supports the election integrity measure and indicated that Trump should continue to use every available tool to pressure the Senate to pass it.
“He’s going to try everything he can to make sure he passes that through,” McCarthy said in a brief interview outside the U.S. Capitol.
The ex-speaker’s comments came after Trump abruptly called off a signing ceremony Wednesday for a bipartisan housing bill to pressure the Republican-controlled Senate to act on the SAVE America Act.
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs Reading Regional Airport in Reading, Pa., on June 23, 2026. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
IRATE REPUBLICANS ACCUSE TRUMP OF HANDING DEMOCRATS A WIN AFTER BLOWING UP HOUSING PACKAGE
The move surprised Republican lawmakers, some of whom were praising the bill’s passage at a press conference when Trump’s Truth Social post broke.
But Trump has repeatedly cast the election measure — requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections and voter identification requirements — as his top legislative priority.
The legislation’s momentum, however, has slowed in the upper chamber, where Republican leadership insists the votes aren’t there amid widespread Democratic opposition. Senate Republicans have also been unwilling to eliminate the legislative filibuster, which requires a 60-vote threshold to pass the legislation.
Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy speaks during a ceremony honoring President Ronald Reagan on the 115th anniversary of his birthday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Feb. 6, 2026. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group)
TRUMP CALLS MAIL IN VOTING CORRUPT AS SENATE BEGINS DEBATE ON SAVE ACT REQUIRING VOTER ID
Amid the SAVE standoff, a group of conservative lawmakers effectively shut down the House floor in an effort to force Senate action on the election bill.
But the Senate recessed Wednesday for two weeks over the July 4 holiday, leaving the measure in limbo until lawmakers return.
The conservative-led blockade sparked fierce backlash, with several members inside the GOP conference telling Fox News Digital the move risked torpedoing their own legislative agenda.
Meanwhile, the House has also yet to pass a version of the legislation incorporating several of the president’s priorities, including a mail-in voting crackdown and provisions banning men from competing in women’s sports and child sex change procedures.
Trump has not indicated whether he will sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, despite the likely existence of a veto-proof majority.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Thursday that the housing bill had been transmitted to the White House for Trump’s signature following a meeting with the president.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters in the U.S. Capitol on June 10, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Trump now has 10 days to sign the package or veto it. If he does nothing, the legislation automatically becomes law at the end of the 10-day period.
Politics
Trump budget request omits funds for L.A. fire relief, prompting criticism from senators
WASHINGTON — California’s two Democratic senators on Thursday criticized the Trump administration after it requested $87.6 billion from Congress to address some of the nation’s most “urgent needs” but omitted funding for victims of last year’s Los Angeles wildfires.
“Donald Trump’s desire to punish Los Angeles and the state of California for not voting for him, means once again that thousands of Angelinos are left watching this administration fight for anything but them, their businesses, and their communities,” Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff said in a joint statement.
“These fires did not discriminate based on party or political preference. Neither should this administration,” they added.
The omission is the latest strain in a yearlong standoff between California leaders and the Trump administration over federal disaster aid, and it comes after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger met with President Trump at the Oval Office in April to request the funding.
At the meeting, Trump signaled his commitment to working with local officials to help with disaster recovery efforts. The officials asked for $16 billion that would be split between the city and county. The money would consist primarily of disbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency flagged for communities hit by the fires, part of a $33.9-billion wildfire relief funding request made by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Two months later, those talks have yet to yield results sought by local leaders.
The budget request, submitted by the Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday, mostly seeks funding for the Pentagon to address costs related to the Iran war. It also includes $11.1 billion in economic assistance for American farmers, $1.4 billion to address the Ebola virus outbreak in Central Africa, $500 million to support “ongoing efforts to complete restorations and construction projects” across the nation’s capital and $1 billion to boost the pensions of workers at General Motors that were cut as a result of the automaker’s bankruptcy.
“I urge the Congress to take action on these important and urgent requests as soon as possible,” White House budget director Russell Vought wrote in a letter addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
Vought said the administration was open to discussing “additional relief for other urgent matters.” The White House did not immediately respond when asked why the budget request did not mention the Eaton and Palisades disaster relief funds.
State leaders, including Newsom, have repeatedly accused the Trump administration of stonewalling billions in wildfire aid. The governor visited Washington in December to meet with lawmakers, including three who serve on the Senate and House appropriations committees, to push for the funding.
The governor also attempted to meet with FEMA about the matter, but said his request was denied. Newsom, a political foe of Trump’s, would not say whether he had attempted to meet with Trump to talk about the recovery efforts.
Politics
Trump administration pledges $150M in aid, deploys Navy warships after deadly Venezuela earthquakes
Secretary Rubio details US aid to Venezuela after earthquakes
Secretary Rubio, in Manama, Bahrain, outlines the comprehensive U.S. government response to the devastating back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela. He confirms immediate deployment of search and rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian assistance, emphasizing the urgency to save lives. Rubio reiterates President Donald Trump’s commitment to supporting Venezuela and collaborating with international partners on recovery efforts and long-term stability.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Following a catastrophic set of earthquakes that left at least 235 people dead in Venezuela, the Trump administration has activated a government-wide humanitarian response, pledging $150 million in aid and deploying U.S. Navy warships to assist in life-saving rescue operations.
The rapid mobilization Thursday comes after back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes rocked northern Venezuela roughly 120 miles west of Caracas Wednesday night.
The rare earthquake “doublet” injured more than 940 people and turned the state of La Guaira into a disaster zone, while forcing the closure of the damaged Simón Bolívar International Airport, according to Venezuela’s Health Ministry.
US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA’S IMPACT
Rescuers search for victims in a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. (Manaure Quintero / AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday it is mobilizing $150 million in aid, which includes $50 million in new bilateral awards for relief partners on the ground — such as Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services and World Vision — along with a $100 million contribution to a United Nations humanitarian pooled fund.
To spearhead efforts on the ground, the State Department has deployed a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team alongside two highly specialized urban search-and-rescue teams from fire departments in Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California.
U.S. WARSHIPS TO PATROL INTERNATIONAL WATERS AROUND VENEZUELA AS TRUMP VOWS TO STOP CARTELS
Members of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department’s international urban search and rescue team (USA-2) prepare to leave for Venezuela, in Pacoima, Calif., Thursday. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said it is surging assigned U.S. military forces to the region, directing the USS Fort Lauderdale and the USS Billings to Venezuela to back the State Department-led operations.
The USS Fort Lauderdale will serve as a “floating command center” with a flight deck to support heavy-lift helicopters and a well deck to launch landing craft, according to SOUTHCOM.
Meanwhile, the agile USS Billings will provide critical support close to the shorelines to accelerate the disaster response missions.
U.S. SOUTHCOM said it has directed USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) and USS Billings (LCS 15) to Venezuela to support State Department-led U.S. government relief operations in Venezuela. (@Southcom/X)
SOUTHCOM said it is also sending rotary-wing aircraft, which will provide critical life-saving airlift support, transporting U.S. government response personnel, search and rescue teams and partners during relief operations.
Amid the crisis, the State Department emphasized that the safety of U.S. citizens remains the administration’s highest priority.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. The Department of State is working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens and their families in the affected areas,” officials wrote in a statement. “The United States remains steadfast in its commitment to helping Venezuela recover from this devastating disaster and will continue to explore additional ways to provide meaningful assistance during this critical time.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
U.S. citizens in Venezuela are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and can contact the State Department 24/7 at 202-501-4444 for emergency assistance.
Family members in the U.S. seeking information on loved ones can call toll-free at 888-407-4747.
-
Los Angeles, Ca59 minutes agoWatch Project Angel Food's 'Lead with Love' telethon on KTLA
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoMetro Detroit weather forecast, June 26, 2026 — 4 p.m. Update
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoNewlyweds celebrate Pride-themed weddings inside SF City Hall as parade preparations underway
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoAll Dallas restaurants firing up specials for July 4th and America’s 250th
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoHelping Venezuela: State Department deploys Miami-Dade search-and-rescue team
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoPhotos: Norway takes on France in high-powered World Cup matchup in Foxborough – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours ago
Denver Transplant Games sets Guinness World Record for mos living donors, recipients in one place at one time
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoHow to watch Egypt vs. Iran World Cup match in Seattle