Bill Gates to Testify on Epstein Relationship Wednesday

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Bill Gates to Testify on Epstein Relationship Wednesday

(, The Center Square) Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft, will testify before the U.S. House Oversight Committee in a closed-door hearing on Wednesday over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Gates is among several individuals brought in by lawmakers on the oversight committee to testify about their relationship with Epstein. Previously, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former president Bill Clinton were brought in to testify about Epstein.

Gates was mentioned various times throughout the U.S. Department of Justice’s release of documents associated with Epstein. He appeared with Epstein in estate photos released by the DOJ in December 2025.

Gates said he met with Epstein several times starting in 2011, after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 on charges of solicitation of prostitution with a minor.

“I was foolish to spend time with him,” Gates said in an interview. “I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him.”

In drafted emails from July 2013, Epstein claims Gates contracted a sexually transmitted infection. A spokesperson for Gates has denied claims in the email.

“While Mr. Gates acknowledges that meeting with Epstein was a serious error in judgment, he unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the horrible activities in which Epstein was involved,” the spokesperson said.

In February, Gates told a news outlet his meetings with Epstein were limited to dinners and that he regretted the time he spent with the deceased child sex offender. Gates has also denied Epstein’s financial involvement in his philanthropic endeavours.

“The foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created,” the Gates Foundation wrote. “At no time were financial payments made by the foundation to Epstein, nor was he employed by the foundation at any time.”

Epstein also claimed Gates asked him to facilitate illicit sexual encounters and purchase drugs.

House Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said lawmakers on the committee will interview individuals associated with Epstein over the next few weeks. Leon Black, founder of Apollo Global Management; Doug Band, former aide to President Bill Clinton; and Kathy Ruemmler, former White House counsel for President Barack Obama, will testify on their relationship to and knowledge of Epstein.

Gates will testify to lawmakers behind closed doors and his testimony will nto be immediately available to the public.

Talarico Silences Gay Jokes, But Female Exes Were Congressional Staffers

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Talarico Silences Gay Jokes, But Female Exes Were Congressional Staffers

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Rumors about James Talarico’s sexuality may be settled. The Texas Senate Democratic candidate has dated women. The catch? Both known partners were staffers in the Texas Legislature, raising questions about ethics.

Talarico, a Democratic member of the Texas House since 2018, is set to face Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in November. Paxton has long faced Democratic-led ethics-related allegations. But scrutiny is also now turning toward Talarico, amid questions over past relationships and workplace dynamics in government.

Talarico’s current girlfriend has been identified as Brianna Menard, his former chief of staff and longtime legislative aide, according to a Friday report published by Texas Scorecard.

Before his relationship with Menard, Talarico also dated Irma Reyes, a former executive director of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, which operates in the same legislative environment where Talarico serves.

Talarico’s campaign has claimed that his relationship with Menard did not begin until after she left his office, though questions remain.

Menard worked in Talarico’s office until 2023. Talarico said he has been in the same relationship for four years, which Texas Scorecard noted overlaps with Menard’s time working in his office.

Reyes claimed in a statement posted online that her relationship with Talarico ended five years ago. She has pushed back against media inquiries into her personal life, calling herself a “private citizen.”

“I will also not allow my private life to be taken advantage of by any journalist, political operative, or candidate. I intend to make no further statements regarding the 2026 campaign for US Senator from Texas,” Reyes added.

A photo posted by Talarico shows him sending flowers to Reyes for her birthday. Other posts appear to show Reyes and Talarico together on the opening day of the Texas Legislature.

Talarico’s campaign declined to answer questions about whether he had relationships with individuals beyond Menard.

The Texas Scorecard report comes amid fresh scrutiny of lawmakers over a wave of recent scandals involving staff relationships and sexual misconduct. Talarico has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Most recently, Democrat Eric Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race and resigned from Congress after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. Two of his accusers alleged he sexually abused them.

Tony Gonzales, the now-former Texas GOP congressman, admitted to an affair with a married staffer before resigning from Congress over the relationship. The staffer later died by suicide after her husband learned of it.

Meanwhile, two of Swalwell’s longtime Democratic pals, Sen. Ruben Gallego and Rep. Jimmy Gomez, are also facing congressional scrutiny and investigations over related misconduct allegations.

EXCLUSIVE: Read the Letters Investigators Sent Eric Swalwell in Campaign Finance Probe

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EXCLUSIVE: Read the Letters Investigators Sent Eric Swalwell in Campaign Finance Probe

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Headline USA has obtained and is publishing letters sent to former Rep. Eric Swalwell by California campaign finance regulators as part of an active investigation into payments made to criminal defense attorney Sara Azari, whom he retained amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct.

While the California Post first reported the probe, the letters themselves had not been publicly released until now. The missives came directly from the Fair Political Practices Commission and were addressed to Swalwell and his now-derailed campaign for governor of California.

The first letter was dated May 1 and written by Kendal D. Bonebrake, chief of the FPPC’s enforcement division. It centered on allegations that Swalwell’s campaign may have violated the Political Reform Act, though it did not specify which specific provision of California law.

In it, Bonebrake informed Swalwell that her division had “commenced a commission-initiated complaint regarding” his committee’s “potential violations of the campaign finance provision of the Act.”

Bonebrake cited a $40,000 payment made to Azari for legal expenses. Swalwell’s campaign categorized the payment as purported “professional services.”

Payments to Azari ultimately totaled roughly $300,000 through separate transactions, as first reported by the California Post.

“We are requesting information, including documentation, regarding the $40,000 payment,” Bonebrake wrote, mentioning Azari by name.

Azari is the attorney Swalwell hired after several women accused him of sexual misconduct. Among the accusers were two women who alleged Swalwell had sexually abused them.

Bonebrake wrote that her division would “review the information to determine whether or not to investigate the allegations.”

By late May, the agency had moved beyond its initial inquiry.

In a second letter dated May 28, Christopher Burton, an assistant chief in the FPPC’s enforcement division, noted that the agency had “commenced a commission-initiated investigation regarding your committee’s potential violations of the campaign finance provisions of the Political Reform Act.”

The second letter suggested the agency had escalated the preliminary probe to a formal investigation.

Burton’s letter came seven days after Swalwell’s campaign disclosed an additional $273,351 payment to Azari for “campaign legal compliance.”

Burton emphasized that the agency had not “made any determination about the possible violations” and noted that the letter served as a “courtesy.” He added that investigators may contact Swalwell directly to discuss the matter.

He directed Swalwell to speak with Vanessa Greer, a political reform consultant with the agency, if he had any questions or concerns.

Citing policy against commenting on ongoing matters, the FPPC declined to say whether the probe focused on Swalwell’s classification of the payments or his potential use of campaign donations for personal legal matters.

Swalwell did not respond to Headline USA’s request for comment sent to his campaign treasurer’s email.

Read the letters in full below.

Army Apache Helicopter Crashes Near the Strait of Hormuz

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Army Apache Helicopter Crashes Near the Strait of Hormuz

(Headline USA) A U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter crashed early Tuesday near the Strait of Hormuz, but President Donald Trump said the two crew members aboard were not injured in the incident near the strategic waterway that Iran has effectively closed during the war.

What caused the crash remains unclear in a Middle East still reeling after Iran and Israel exchanged fire the previous day in the biggest blow yet to the straining ceasefire in the Iran war. Iranian state television reported Tuesday the Israeli attacks killed at least two members of the country’s air defense units.

Since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28, the war has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world and made many basics, including food, more expensive. Officials have been unable to turn the April ceasefire into a deal to permanently end the conflict, particularly as Israel intensifies and expands its military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah.

Trump, speaking to journalists at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after watching the NBA Finals on Monday night, acknowledged the crash.

“The pilots are fine. Yeah,” Trump said. “Nobody injured. We are going to issue a report tomorrow. But the pilots are fine.”

The crash happened about 3:30 a.m. local Tuesday off the coast of Oman while on a patrol, the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a later statement. It said the crew had been rescued within two hours and were in stable condition.

AH-64 Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the American military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to pressure Tehran into reaching a deal. The helicopters have also been used by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones during the Iran war.

The New York Times first reported on the crash.

Trump insists an Iran deal is coming

Trump also expressed renewed optimism over negotiations with Iran.

“We have a good chance” of signing a deal in “two or three days,” Trump said. But he didn’t provide any details on why there was reason for new optimism. Trump has repeatedly predicted that a deal is near over the two months since the U.S. and Iran agreed to an initial ceasefire.

“We’re very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal,” the president said. “If we go and bomb — which we could do very easily if we want, and we spend another two or three weeks bombing — they’ll have nothing left whatsoever. But you won’t have the strait open for months.”

He added: “If we do the bombing, you know, a lot of people are going to be killed. Who wants to do that? I don’t.”

Mediators, led predominantly by Pakistan, have been trying for weeks to get a deal across the line. However, both Iran and the U.S. have taken hard-line positions.

The U.S. wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed still to be entombed in the country after American airstrikes in the 12-day war in 2025. But Iran is refusing that and demanding relief from sanctions. It also wants the release of frozen assets even before a final agreement is in place, something rejected by Trump.

Before Trump’s comments on negotiations, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Monday that Trump’s remarks so far on a possible deal “contradicted the agreed-upon sections, showing that (the U.S. is) neither seeking a ceasefire nor dialogue.”

The continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah remains a major Iranian priority as well. Lebanon’s army chief, Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, traveled to Pakistan on Tuesday. There, he met Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been a key figure in the Iran-U.S. talks.

Haykal’s visit comes as Lebanon’s government takes an increasingly hard line on Hezbollah, but remains unable to disarm the powerful militia. Hezbollah thanked Iran on Tuesday for attacking Israel “in defense of our Lebanese people,” suggesting that Lebanon’s government should take this opportunity to improve relations with Tehran.

Israel issues a warning for Tyre, Lebanon

Meanwhile Tuesday, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for Lebanon’s southern port city of Tyre, including the Christian quarter, which has so far been spared in the destructive airstrikes on the port city.

Last week, Israel warned the Christian neighborhoods in Tyre that it believed Hezbollah members were among them. Many Lebanese Shiite Muslims fled to those areas as Israeli strikes hammered the Mediterranean coastal area over the past two weeks.

After last week’s warning, the Lebanese army deployed to the Christian district of Tyre in an effort to prevent Israeli attacks there and to show that Hezbollah has no armed presence in the area. But Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson, posted on X on Monday that the Israeli military “will have to act against their terrorist activities in the neighborhood soon.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Dozens of U.S. lawmakers Demand Privacy Reforms as FISA Deadline Looms

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Dozens of U.S. lawmakers Demand Privacy Reforms as FISA Deadline Looms

(, The Center Square) Congressional leaders are desperate to renew the federal government’s authority to conduct mass electronic surveillance before the authority expires, but dozens of lawmakers in both chambers are bucking a long-term extension unless it includes significant reforms.

Dozens of Democrats and a significant handful of Republicans are insisting that any reauthorization of FISA Section 702, which expires June 12, contain protections for Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights.

Specifically, they want to require warrants for searches of Americans’ electronic data, which FISA Section 702 allows federal agencies to collect.

Republican privacy hawks had already voiced concerns over the issue, but President Donald Trump’s recent appointment of Bill Pulte as the new acting director of National Intelligence has united practically all Democrats against a clean FISA 702 extension as well.

Democrats particularly object to Pulte’s complete lack of intelligencer national security expertise, dubbing the former housing regulator an “unqualified” pick.

“To get to good faith negotiation [over FISA Section 702 reauthorization], the effort to elevate Bill Pulte as the acting director of National Intelligence should be reversed immediately,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Monday. “And then let’s see where we wind up at the end of the week.”

Echoing the sentiments of Democrats in the Senate, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, called Pulte’s appointment “the final straw.”

“Pulte has no business overseeing a warrantless spying program for Donald Trump, Democrats understand that,” Wyden posted Monday on social media. “I’ll be fighting like hell between now and June 12 to ensure Congress doesn’t cave and renew Section 702 of FISA without real reforms. Security and liberty aren’t mutually exclusive, and it seems like Congress is finally starting to understand that.”

Although Section 702 technically only authorizes federal intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance on foreign nationals of suspicion, Americans’ data is often swept up as well.

Not only can intelligence agencies store that data for up to five years, but federal agents can and do routinely search that data without obtaining a warrant, known as “backdoor searches.”

In one of the most infamous known cases, FBI agents scoured the data of 19,000 donors to a congressional campaign. Tens of thousands of American protestors or those simply suspected of “civil unrest” have also had their communications spied upon, and even some members of Congress had their data searched via Section 702, declassified documents show.

So far, the modest transparency reforms proposed by congressional leaders have failed to satisfy privacy hawks.

The Senate tanked a procedural vote Friday that would have allowed leaders to begin debate on a three-year extension. The proposed extension included some privacy reforms, but no warrant requirement.

“FISA is meant to target foreign adversaries, not give the federal government a backdoor into Americans’ communications,” Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., said over the weekend. “As Congress works toward the June 12 deadline, I will continue fighting for a warrant requirement and lasting reforms that protect the Fourth Amendment.”

Section 702 was enacted in 2008 to retroactively justify NSA secretly gathering personal electronic communications between U.S. and Afghanistan individuals for years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

With the current U.S.-Iran conflict heightening global tensions and domestic security risks, the Trump administration is arguing that lawmakers should avoid any reforms that could potentially hinder foreign intelligence gathering.

Monday marks the 100th day since the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, triggering the current conflict. Congress, which holds the power to declare war, never authorized the military hostilities.

Both the House and the Senate have bipartisanly passed respective War Powers Resolutions, but even if one clears both chambers, the Trump administration is unlikely to heed it.

Netanyahu and Trump Are at Odds Over the War they Started Together

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Netanyahu and Trump Are at Odds Over the War they Started Together

(Headline USA) Israel’s latest strikes on Lebanon and Iran have made clear that U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who started the war in lockstep, want different things.

Trump had publicly warned Israel not to strike Beirut in its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. When it did, on Sunday, Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles at Israel for the first time since the April ceasefire. Israel then struck Iran, with which Trump has been engaged in weeks of high-stakes negotiations.

The fighting has since died down, but the differences between the two leaders are likely to persist.

That’s because Trump, whose party faces elections later this year, wants to wind down an unpopular war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease gas prices. Iran says a full ceasefire in Lebanon is key to any deal.

Netanyahu, who also faces elections this year, is under pressure to stop Hezbollah’s attacks and prove that he is winning the war with Iran and its allies. He also needs to manage relations with Israel’s most important ally without appearing to kowtow to it.

Political considerations push in opposite directions

When the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, the allies appeared shoulder to shoulder.

Netanyahu said the goal was to degrade the Islamic Republic’s military, eradicate its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and topple its government. Trump announced the death of Iran’s supreme leader in the opening barrage and urged Iranians to “take back” their country.

But it soon became clear that while Trump was seeking a quick win — like the one he secured in Venezuela — Netanyahu wanted to vanquish Iran and its allies, even if it required an extended conflict.

As Iran withstood weeks of heavy strikes and kept the Strait of Hormuz closed, Americans and Israelis grew increasingly frustrated — but for different reasons.

In the U.S., the price of gas and other goods soared as even some erstwhile supporters accused Trump of breaking a campaign promise and plunging the U.S. into another Mideast quagmire. He has pushed back against those critics as rising anger threatens Republicans in November’s congressional elections.

In Israel, anger grew over Netanyahu’s failure to secure a lasting victory in the wars sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which happened on his watch. More than two years on, Hamas still rules part of Gaza, Hezbollah still fires rockets and Iran’s government and nuclear program remain intact, despite heavy losses.

Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon strains relations

The collision course runs through Lebanon, where fighting still rages between Israel and Hezbollah despite ceasefire announcements.

Iran wants Lebanon included in any wider regional truce, a demand Trump seems to have accepted in order to get a deal. Iran has threatened to attack Israel again if it keeps striking Lebanon.

Israel is determined to keep the theaters separate and continue its campaign in Lebanon, where it has occupied large swaths of the south, until the threat from Hezbollah has been eliminated.

The tensions spilled into the open last week, when Trump acknowledged holding a tense call with Netanyahu about Lebanon. He admitted to using expletives and calling the Israeli leader “crazy,” saying he’d grown frustrated that Israel’s war on Hezbollah threatened the Iran talks.

In a series of interviews, Trump made clear that he was not happy about Israel’s Sunday strike in Beirut, which came without warning and hit a residential building, killing two people and wounding 20, according to Lebanese authorities.

He then urged restraint from Israel after Iran launched its first barrage of missiles later that day. “I call all the shots,” not Netanyahu, Trump told the Financial Times.

Hours later, Israel bombed Iran.

Officials downplay differences

Trump had initially urged restraint in order to calm markets and keep negotiations from falling apart, according to a person familiar with the U.S.-Israel deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive conversations.

Israeli officials made the counterargument that the U.S. would not tolerate attacks without a swift response. The person added that it was also understood by both sides that not responding to the Iranian strikes would put Netanyahu in a difficult position politically.

Netanyahu has downplayed any perceived differences.

After the latest strikes, he told reporters in Hebrew that “Israel has a full right to self-defense, and we are exercising it to the extent necessary.”

“I say this to you, just as I say this, with appreciation and respect, in my good conversations with my friend, President Trump,” he added.

It’s unclear if there will be lasting damage

It’s not the first time that Trump has been publicly at odds with Netanyahu about a military operation.

In March, less than three weeks into the conflict, Trump was riled by Netanyahu’s decision to attack a critical Iranian gas field, which prompted Iran to retaliate against energy infrastructurein the Gulf.

“I told him, ’Don’t do that,’” Trump said at the time. “We get along great. It’s coordinated, but on occasion he’ll do something.”

While Trump publicly disagreed with the decision, two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment publicly said the U.S. was made aware of Israel’s plans ahead of the attack.

It’s unclear whether the latest dispute will cause lasting damage.

“It’s not so uncommon for the U.S.-Israel relationship to have these kinds of tensions. What’s so different right now is how publicly it’s playing out,” said Michael Singh, managing director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

He noted that Trump has had similar public spats with other heads of state, including close allies.

Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Israel’s Bar-Ilan and Reichman universities, said he doubted the rift seriously threatened the alliance. He said Netanyahu had been careful not to push things too far.

“If there was a big threat, like if Israel were to continue the war in Iran and drag the U.S. into it, that would have been a different situation,” he said. “But that is not happening.”

He noted, though, that there are still “basic disagreements between Netanyahu and Trump on Iran, Lebanon and Gaza” that remain unanswered.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Did Befuddled Biden Take Family to Wrong Restaurant?

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Did Befuddled Biden Take Family to Wrong Restaurant?

(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) With former first lady Jill Biden making the rounds for a new memoir and former first son Hunter Biden vying to become a social-media star, the family of former President Joe Biden is foisting its way back into the spotlight.

And Democrats seem none too thrilled by the reminder about their de-facto party leader.

A report last week from the New York Post’s Page Six gossip column suggested that the 83-year-old former president may have gotten confused while taking his family to a trendy new Italian restaurant in New York City, instead winding up at a random joint across the street.

“Biden was greeted by applause on his way into the restaurant, and by the time he left, a crowd had gathered,” Page Six reported. “They cheered him as he climbed into his car.”

The only problem: The restaurant in question was Fumo, which touts itself as a “neighborhood staple” at its nine Big Apple locations, with a $12 lunch special on pasta and a menu that boasts “crowd pleasers” like pizza and “fried mozz.”

Its Upper East Side locale lies directly across Second Avenue from Elio’s, a more high-end Italian alternative that includes fresh mozzarella made from water buffalo on its antipasto menu.

The mix-up reportedly prompted notorious liberal actress Jane Fonda — who was dining at Elio’s along with lifestyle guru Martha Stewart — to remark, “Doesn’t he know he’s supposed to be over here?”

Questions linger over whether Biden tried and was unable to secure a reservation at the more posh restaurant for a family event celebrating Dr. Jill’s book release. The staff at Elio’s said they were not expecting Biden while “scolding us for not having anything better to report on,” Page Six wrote.

Their Biden loyalties even prompted them to praise their cross-street rival, insisting that the Fumo location was “very popular” and was known for its artichokes. A review of the dinner menu by Headline USA was unable to identify any dishes that featured artichokes as a listed ingredient.

Jill Biden’s book release has riled some on the Left, in particular over her new claim that she thought her husband was having a seizure during his ill-fated June 27 CNN debate with Republican rival Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

Biden — who was long rumored to be in cognitive decline, despite his supporters’ insistence otherwise — delivered a dim performance that he initially attributed to illness and jetlag. But the failure proved to be the impetus for the Democrat establishment — led by former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — to force him out of the race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.

A recent CNN poll showed that Biden’s net favorability remains deeply underwater, making him the least-popular Democrat president of at least the past 50 years.

Biden himself interrupted one of his wife’s recent events to reveal that he plans a book release for September — just in time for early voting in the November midterm election.

Ben Sellers is a freelance writer and former editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/realbensellers.

JD Vance Adds a Chicken Coop to the VP’s Residence, Along w/ Baby Chicks

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JD Vance Adds a Chicken Coop to the VP’s Residence, Along w/ Baby Chicks

(Headline USA) Vice President JD Vance has added a chicken coop to his residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory, along with a dozen baby chicks whose new henhouse is designed to look like the Victorian home where the second family lives.

The coop, which features a round turret and faux slate roof, was donated by Carolina Coops, a North Carolina company that advertises “premium” coops that have amassed a social media following. The coop was custom-built for the residence and completed May 29, the company’s owner and founder said.

“It’s something I thought was amazing to do for this country,” Matthew DuBoise said in an interview. “It’s a place of history and a place of significance.”

The coop was built without taxpayer money, according to a person familiar with the project who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly. The residence hosted a family event over the weekend where local 4-H students taught other kids about the newly installed coup, the person said.

Vice presidents since 1977 have lived on the grounds of the 72-acre Naval Observatory, and many have left their own imprint on the property. Joe Biden added a heritage garden, Mike Pence’s wife, Karen, contributed beehives, and Kamala Harris’ updates included pink wallpaper in the house’s library. A heated swimming pool on the property was added by Dan Quayle in 1991.

Backyard chickens have seen a resurgence in American life in recent years. A 2025 survey by the American Pet Products Association found that 11 million U.S. households had them.

Vance’s new coop was first reported by The Daily Wire.

On the campaign trail in 2024, Vance often talked about the high price of eggs as an indicator of the inflation that he blamed on then-President Joe Biden. Vance joked about how many eggs his two young sons eat, once saying they “eat about 14 eggs every single morning.”

DuBoise said he told his team to design a custom coop that the Vances would fall in love with. His designer drew inspiration from the 19th century residence, recreating its round turret and green trim.

To cap it off, Vance and his family picked out 12 chicks to start their flock, he said.

DuBoise described it as an “American dream” moment to have his business chosen for the project. He oversaw the installation and offered advice to Vance, his wife, Usha, and their children. When Vance saw it for the first time, the vice president’s face lit up, DuBoise said.

“I couldn’t have been happier to see that excitement,” he said. “They’re just very, very happy, and I’m glad.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Hulk Hogan’s Death Was Natural, Police Say

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Hulk Hogan’s Death Was Natural, Police Say

(Headline USA) Professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died of natural causes last year, according a report by Florida police that formally closes the investigation into his death.

The Clearwater Police Department released a 72-page report on Friday summarizing an exhaustive review of statements, medical records, surveillance footage and a visual inspection of the body. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died last July 24 at age 71.

“There has been no evidence to indicate the death of Terry Bollea was anything other than natural,” the report said. “Through the course of the investigation, there has been no evidence to indicate any criminal wrongdoing related to his death. This case will be closed, and will be considered solved, non-criminal.”

According to the report, Hogan’s wife, as well as a home health aide and an occupational therapist, were all with Hogan at his home when he stopped breathing. His wife, Sky Daily Hogan, called 911, and then the trio performed CPR on Hulk Hogan until firefighters and paramedics arrived.

Family members told investigators that Hogan had been suffering from multiple heath issues in the weeks before his death, including leukemia, an irregular hearth rhythm, pneumonia and kidney failure. He had also undergone many hospitalizations and surgeries in the years before his death.

Early statements made by the occupational therapist to police led to speculation that Hogan’s death was related to damage done to his phrenic nerve during a recent surgery. But the occupational therapist later said that he was still rattled from performing CPR and was speaking out of turn.

The local medical examiner had concluded Hogan died from a heart attack and declined to perform a full autopsy. A private autopsy paid for by the family backed up the initial assessment, finding “no reasonable traumatic or terminal toxicologic contributions.”

Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history, known for both his larger-than-life personality and his wrestling exploits. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.

Hogan won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005 and reinstated there in 2018. He had been removed from the Hall of Fame in 2015 after he was recorded making racial slurs against Black people, for which he apologized.

A well-attended but private funeral service was held several weeks after Hogan’s death at a church in Largo, Florida.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Raman Edges Ahead of Pratt in Los Angeles Mayoral Race

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Raman Edges Ahead of Pratt in Los Angeles Mayoral Race

(, The Center Square) Election results for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt became uncertain Sunday evening after City Councilmember Nithya Raman edged past him.

Mayor Karen Bass remained securely in first place with 34.68% of the vote or 250,871 ballots from the June 2 primary, according to results shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office.

Raman reached 27.12% of the vote, or 196,198 ballots. That puts her at less than 1 percentage point ahead of Pratt, who had 26.69% or 193,085 votes.

Based on the results, Bass, a Democrat who served in Congress and the California Assembly, will be on the Nov. 3 ballot, but it’s uncertain whether Raman or Pratt will be the one opposing her.

Updates are scheduled through June 26. The next one is set for 4 p.m. Pacific time Monday.

About 150,000 ballots remain to be counted, according to media reports.

The Center Square reached out Monday to the campaigns for Bass, Pratt and Raman, but did not get an immediate response.

All three candidates are far ahead of the other 11 candidates, each of whom had less than 4% of the vote.

Pratt, a former reality TV star and Republican who lost his home to the devastating Palisades Fire in January 2025, has criticized Bass for her response to the wildfire. The mayor has been widely criticized for being in the African nation of Ghana for a presidential inauguration when the Palisades Fire started.

Pratt, who has a large following on social media and has received national attention, has also criticized Bass for poor responses to crime, homelessness and housing.

For her part, Raman, a Democrat who’s a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has said many Angelenos feel Los Angeles is headed in the wrong direction. It’s a point she stressed in an interview at her website, www.nithyaforthecity.com.

Bass’ campaign website, karenbass.com, gives the mayor credit for decreasing homelessness and building more housing.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks during a Capitol meeting in Sacramento about rebuilding after the Palisades Fire.

Mayor Karen Bass discusses rebuilding Los Angeles homes a year after the Palisades Fire during a meeting at the Capitol in Sacramento, Feb. 9, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of the Office of Mayor Karen Bass / Used with Permission.

President Donald Trump Monday said Raman’s rise above Pratt shows there’s election tampering. “No way this could have happened. Rigged Election!” Trump posted on his social media platform TruthSocial.

“Me trying to figure how votes get counted in LA,” Pratt posted on Instagram, next to a photo of Russell Crowe portraying math genius and Nobel prize winner John Forbes Nash Jr.  doing calculations on a window in the 2001 movie “A Beautiful Mind.”

The Center Square reached out Monday morning to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, but a spokesperson was not immediately available for a phone interview.

On its website, the office said, “Maintaining ballot security and voter privacy is our primary objective. Members of the public are welcome to observe and view the various election-related operations, but they will be required to sign in and must follow all observer rules and guidelines.”

The Ballot Processing Center is at 13401 Crossroads Parkway North, City of Industry.

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