California Republican leaders appeared to mock Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fiery response to a critical analysis of his handling of the Golden State’s homelessness crisis, saying that any increase in homelessness is not admirable.
State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones criticized Newsom, calling the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s year-end Homelessness Assessment Report an indictment of his capabilities.
“Gavin Newsom literally lost track of the $27 billion he spent on the homeless crisis,” Jones said, citing the report as listing California first in homelessness, with an increase of 3% to 187,000.
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“Today’s HUD report makes it clear that instead of solving the problem, Newsom’s endless spending ‘solution’ has only made it worse,” said Jones, R-San Diego.
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In a recent statement, Newsom’s office indicated the state “distributed $24 billion to local governments to address homelessness through numerous state programs.”
“All that money is accounted for,” the statement continued, appearing to reference the funds Jones had claimed were “lost.”
“The audit showed that previously not all state programs required locals to report how those dollars improved homelessness for the most recent years and lacked data to compare the effectiveness of one program versus another. That’s been fixed.
“This administration has added strong accountability and reporting requirements for local governments that receive state funding. Any notion that we don’t know where the money went is preposterous, and that’s not what the audit reported,” the statement said.
The report also cited that Illinois, Wyoming, Hawaii and Colorado were the states where family homelessness doubled or worse.
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A statement from the Republican caucus of the California State Assembly keyed into Newsom’s recent thorough defense against an op-ed in the outlet CalMatters that made similar criticisms.
“In case you missed it, Governor Newsom’s office threw a tantrum over a column… that broke down his history of failure on homelessness,” the caucus, led by Assemblyman James Gallagher of Yuba City, collectively wrote.
The CalMatters op-ed claimed Newsom’s handling of the homelessness crisis will be a key point of attack for his prospective 2028 Democratic presidential primary challengers if he chooses to seek higher office then.
The column cited Newsom as saying “what’s happening on the streets has to be a top priority,” and reported he indicated a willingness to hold local officials accountable as well.
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“People have to see and feel the progress and the change…” Newsom said, according to the column.
Gallagher’s caucus then cited Newsom’s response to the column, which consisted of a series of pointed posts.
“Given the sheer population size of California, to talk about homelessness without any of the broader context or how this administration’s efforts compare to the prior is a disservice to Californians, plain and simple,” Newsom’s office’s account wrote on X.
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“As the Governor has said many times, the work is far from over and urgency and results at the local level are needed more than ever. It’s why new accountability tools have been put in place, for quicker results. It’s also a longer-term effort — through implementation of Prop 1, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, the just approved BH-Connect waiver all of which are aimed at addressing the systemic issues of homelessness but not yet fully online.”
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Newsom’s office also posted that unsheltered homelessness grew four times faster during the waning years of Gov. Edmund “Jerry” Brown’s administration than under his.
“The number of unsheltered homeless increased by 13.83% during the Newsom Administration (2019-2023), compared to an increase of 51.79% in the five-year period prior to the administration (2015-2019),” the post read.
California’s 14% homelessness increase in 2023 also fell below the national increase of 21%, the governor’s office added in the statement released just before this year’s numbers.
In 2024, California saw a homelessness increase of 3%, according to a weekend statement released by Newsom’s office. The rate bests 40 other states, the release said.
Assembly Republicans responded to Newsom’s original comments.
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“Since the governor is committed to gaslighting on this issue, we’ll state the obvious: an increase of 20% is not progress,” their statement read.
City of San Francisco workers remove a homeless encampment in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco, on Aug. 1.(David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Jones, the Senate minority leader, cited Friday that he co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to change California’s homelessness policies and focus on “compassionate enforcement” of encampment violations.
One of his proposals from this past term, which did not make it to Newsom’s desk, focused on existing state law deeming “lodging” in a public or private place without permission to be disorderly conduct.
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The bill would have delayed any indictment on that count for 72 hours after first notice and imposed a “state-mandated local program” for homeless individuals in those situations.
In a separate statement, Newsom said no American should be without a place to call home:
“Homelessness continues to rise and increase at ever-higher numbers nationwide, but we are seeing signs of progress in California,” he said.
“We have turned the tide on a decades-long increase in homelessness – but we have more work to do. California‘s plan is ambitious and challenging but the data is proving that it is not impossible: our strategies are making a positive difference.”
Data also showed other large-population states like New York, Florida, Illinois and Texas also suffered a higher growth in unsheltered homelessness than California’s, which the governor’s office said was under one percent.
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Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun came into Ohio State’s rematch against Oregon in the Rose Bowl with a point to prove and each did just that.
Burke wanted to prove that his showing in the last meeting was nothing more than just a bad day and a better performance was on the horizon. The result was being targeted just once with no catches on his way to a Pro Football Focus grade of 70.1.
Igbinosun didn’t take lightly the way the Ducks’ receiver spoke of his ‘weaknesses’ heading into the College Football Playoff matchup. He allowed four catches on five targets but for only 45 yards and a score. He posted a grade of 65.3
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Here’s how the rest of the defense graded:
(PFF grades every player on every play and uses a scale of 0-100, with higher grades indicating better play. PFF has explained its grades this way: 100-90 elite; 89-85 Pro Bowler; 84-70 starter; 69-60 backup; 59-0 replaceable. In other words, it’s similar to how we would match up percentages with traditional letter grades in school.)
Utah Jazz (8-25, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (21-15, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Orlando, Florida; Sunday, 6:30 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Magic -6.5; over/under is 212
BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Jazz take on the Orlando Magic in a non-conference matchup.
The Magic have gone 13-4 at home. Orlando is the top team in the Eastern Conference in team defense, allowing 103.4 points while holding opponents to 46.4% shooting.
The Jazz are 6-13 on the road. Utah allows the most points in the Western Conference, giving up 119.2 points while allowing opponents to shoot 48.2%.
The Magic score 105.6 points per game, 13.6 fewer points than the 119.2 the Jazz allow. The Jazz are shooting 46.1% from the field, 0.3% lower than the 46.4% the Magic’s opponents have shot this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Suggs is shooting 41.0% and averaging 16.4 points for the Magic.
John Collins is averaging 17.9 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Jazz.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 4-6, averaging 100.5 points, 40.0 rebounds, 23.2 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.7 points per game.
Jazz: 3-7, averaging 116.8 points, 46.0 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.2 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Gary Harris: out (hamstring), Paolo Banchero: out (oblique), Jalen Suggs: out (back), Anthony Black: day to day (back), Franz Wagner: out (oblique), Moritz Wagner: out for season (knee).
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Jazz: Jordan Clarkson: day to day (plantar ), Taylor Hendricks: out for season (fibula).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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Throughout the span of Denzel Washington’s illustrious career, the legendary actor has continued to make a major impact in Hollywood.
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As the 69-year-old actor received his 11th Golden Globe nomination for his work in “Gladiator II,” he set a new record, becoming the Black actor with the most nominations in the history of the awards show. He was previously tied for the record with legendary actor Sidney Poitier.
Washington has been nominated for best performance by a male actor in a supporting role for his portrayal of Macrinus in the action film.
Meanwhile, Washington has left fans buzzing in 2024 with a number of surprising moves. From teasing his retirement to becoming a minister and everything in between, here’s a look at the Hollywood star’s year of surprises.
‘GLADIATOR II’ STAR DENZEL WASHINGTON HAS AWKWARD ENCOUNTER WITH KING CHARLES
Hollywood actor Denzel Washington made major headlines in 2024 from receiving his 11th Golden Globes nomination to sparking retirement rumors.(Kevin Winter/Getty Images for WarnerMedia)
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Washington hinted at his Hollywood exit after wrapping up several movie projects.
In November, the Academy Award-winning actor announced on Australia’s “Today” show that he’s nearing the end of his Hollywood career.
“For me, it’s about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career,” Washington said.
“I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’m gonna make — probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.”
He went on to discuss his upcoming roles, including in Shakespeare’s “Othello” on Broadway. Washington first portrayed the character when he was 22 and has plans to play Othello for the third time in a film adaptation.
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Washington hinted at his Hollywood exit after he plans to wrap up several movie projects.(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Washington additionally booked a couple of other projects, including a role as Carthaginian general Hannibal in an upcoming Netflix project, collaborating with director Steve McQueen on a film and having a part in the third “Black Panther” movie.
The actor announced that he’s also going to play the character King Lear in another movie.
“After that, I’m going to retire,” Washington remarked.
While Washington sent his passionate fans into a tailspin with his retirement rumors, he clarified his comments days after the “Today” interview.
“I didn’t say I was going to go into retirement,” he told BuzzFeed. “I said that it has to be a level of interest for me. I’m more interested in getting behind the camera, so that’s about five years out.”
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“It’s very difficult. And I may have used the word ‘retire,’ but I look at life in three sections: you learn, you earn, you return. I’m in the return part of life.”
DENZEL WASHINGTON APPEARS TO LASH OUT AT FANS IN HEATED EXCHANGE IN NYC
Washington appeared to have a heated exchange with fans attempting to take his picture and ask for his autograph outside New York City’s Museum of Modern Art.(Getty Images)
Last year, Washington appeared to have a heated exchange with fans attempting to take his picture and ask for his autograph outside New York City’s Museum of Modern Art.
In October, the “Training Day” actor attended a film benefit honoring Samuel L. Jackson.
While Washington arrived in good spirits and paused to take some photos for and with fans, his evening took an awkward turn as he lashed out.
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As he was walking in, Washington quickly turned around and approached a group of fans seeking autographs.
In video obtained by Fox News Digital, Washington can be heard saying, “Put this down. I heard you. You talk about showing love … respect me.”
WATCH: DENZEL WASHINGTON APPEARS TO LASH OUT AT FANS IN HEATED EXCHANGE IN NYC
“We always do,” one fan responded.
“I said, ‘I’ll see you when I get out.’ Which part of that don’t y’all understand?” Washington said.
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“Or not, or not! We can do it another way. I can do it both ways, y’all,” he added before walking inside.
It’s unclear what led to the exchange.
DENZEL WASHINGTON BECOMES A MINISTER AS HOLLYWOOD ACTOR ADMITS YOU ‘CAN’T TALK’ ABOUT RELIGION IN INDUSTRY
In December, Washington took on a new role in his life as he received his minister’s license.(Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the Hollywood actor can add ministry to his impressive resumé.
In December, Washington took on a new role in his life as he received his minister’s license.
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Washington was baptized by Bishop James Pullings Jr. at the Kelly Temple in New York City.
“It took a while, but I’m finally here … If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you,” Washington said, according to a video shared online. “The sky literally is the limit.”
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Esther Renee Burns Pullings, the bishop’s wife, shared photos of the moment on Facebook.
“A beautiful service we had today at The Historic Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ,” she captioned the photos. “We witnessed our Bishop James Pullings Jr. baptizing now Minister Denzel Washington today To God Be The Glory!”
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Washington previously admitted you “can’t talk” about religion in the industry.
“When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my lord and savior,” the “Gladiator II” star wrote for Esquire. “I’m unafraid.”
Denzel Washington has been open about his faith.(Tiziana Fabi )
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“I don’t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it — you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town,” Washington added.
“I’m free now. It’s not talked about in this town. It’s not talked about … It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe. There’s no such thing called Hollywood anyway. What does that even mean? That, to me, means a street called Hollywood Boulevard,” he wrote.
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Washington landed his breakthrough role in the medical drama “St. Elsewhere,” in 1982. He earned multiple nominations for his work on the show and eventually was able to break into film.
Washington is known for films such as “Fences,” “The Book of Eli,” “Cry Freedom” and “Malcom X.”
WATCH: ‘GLADIATOR II’ STAR DENZEL WASHINGTON APPROACHES KING CHARLES IN AWKWARD ENCOUNTER
Washington additionally had a memorable moment with King Charles III during the “Gladiator II” premiere.
In November, King Charles greeted the “Gladiator II” cast at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London.
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During the meet and greet, cast members, including Washington, Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal, along with director Sir Ridley Scott, met King Charles one by one. However, Washington appeared nervous when he met the royal monarch.
“I didn’t know if I was supposed to grab your hand or not,” Washington smiled as he gave Charles a handshake.
Washington had a memorable moment with King Charles III during the “Gladiator II” premiere.(Gareth Cattermole/Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“I’m just an awful … I’m a lovely man, you’ll see,” Washington said, as he stumbled on his words. “I’m a lovely chap.”
King Charles continued the exchange and said to Washington, “You’ve been in so many films, it’s fantastic.”
Washington graciously replied, “Thank you, thank you.”
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Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
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