Critic of embattled Dolton, Illinois mayor sees business destroyed by ‘suspicious' fire: officials
"The fire is suspicious in nature," Dolton Deputy Fire Chief John Calhoun told WGN. "We do have the fire marshal out here currently with our [mutual aid] arson team."
The fire began at approximately 6 a.m. on Tuesday and was quickly elevated to a three-alarm response. While no one was injured, the building was completely destroyed, FOX 32 Chicago reported.
A smaller fire was also reported at the same location last week, according to WGN.
Man Charged With Murder After Blaze He Allegedly Set Kills Chicago Fire Captain
The location was raided by the Illinois Secretary of State police last year as part of a stolen car investigation, according to WGN. Officials previously told the outlet that 10 of 50 vehicles parked on the property were involved in auto theft investigations, with the owner, Lawrence Gardner, reportedly claiming he uses the facility to rent parking spaces.
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The Illinois Secretary of State and Dolton Fire Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
'Super Mayor' Tiffany Henyard Skips Dolton Meetings As Controversial Tenure Nears Quiet End
Gardner reportedly was a frequent critic of outgoing Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Gardner previously claimed he was being retaliated against by Henyard for not offering his support, according to WGN.
Gardner did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Henyard, who critics have dubbed the "worst mayor in America," has been the subject of numerous allegations throughout the years. The self-described "super mayor" came under fire last month for failing to show up to four consecutive village board meetings after losing her bid for re-election in February.
Feds Subpoena Dolton, Illinois Records Tied To Ousted 'Super Mayor' Tiffany Henyard's Boyfriend
In 2024, the FBI served subpoenas at Dolton Village Hall amid ongoing claims of corruption, but Henyard was not served. She has also faced sexual assault allegations and scrutiny surrounding her cancer charity.
Following her loss to Mayor-elect Jason House, authorities issued a federal subpoena after launching a criminal investigation tied to a development project involving land owned by Henyard's boyfriend, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
House and Henyard did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report. Original article source: Critic of embattled Dolton, Illinois mayor sees business destroyed by 'suspicious' fire: officials
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The Hill
25 minutes ago
- The Hill
The left is trying to use international ‘lawfare' to shut down Musk and X
Elon Musk had three recent posts on X that are worth noting if you are opposed to censorship and cancellation. The first was two cartoon panels with the question, 'How do you tell who's telling the Truth?' The next panel offered the answer: 'The ones trying to silence other people are the ones lying.' Just prior to that, Musk had reposted a post that reads, 'President Trump's State Department has announced it is coming to the defense of Elon Musk's X after France labeled it an organized crime group and opened a criminal investigation. The State Department's DLR [the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor] stated, 'As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X's proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an 'organized crime group.' Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United States will defend the free speech of all Americans against acts of foreign censorship.'' And just prior to that, Musk reposted a post from the conservative activist Mark Kern: 'There is a full on attack on the Internet by the UK and EU, disguised as 'for the children.' The ID requirement is affecting even Discord users and X users. It is full on dystopian as they ramp up police to arrest people for speech.' Below that is a link to a Telegraph article with the headline 'Elite Police Squad to Monitor Anti-Migrant Posts on Social Media.' Multiple people I have spoken with in the U.S., the U.K. and the EU believe that Musk and his X platform represent the greatest single threat to the far left and its goal of pushing its narratives unchallenged across the globe. One way the left now seems intent on stopping Musk and X is by mimicking the various 'lawfare' schemes rolled out against then-candidate Donald Trump prior to the 2024 election, which many Trump supporters saw as an unethical attempt to force him out of the race. While that 'lawfare' tactic failed — thanks in large part to Trump taking it head-on, day after day, while exposing it for what it was — activists in Europe and elsewhere believe the strategy can be refined and hardened for use against Musk and X in an attempt to intimidate, censor or silence them. Lest we forget, back in 2023, the European Union opened a probe into X for alleged 'failure to counter illegal content and disinformation.' Ah. The catch-all accusation frequently used by the intelligentsia on the left: 'disinformation.' Recall the draconian COVID-19 dictates from the left enacted to combat 'disinformation'? Here is a January headline from ABC News: 'EU politicians warn against Elon Musk's incursions into European politics.' Of course, Musk might rightfully retort that his 'disinformation' and 'incursions' were not only protected free speech, but simply ways to point out severe double-standards and harmful policies that were having an adverse effect upon the majority of the citizens of those nations. I wrote a piece for this site a year ago titled ' Could Elon Musk actually be arrested and X cancelled?' I highlighted calls for Musk to be arrested for stating his opinions while anticipating that the personal animus directed against him, X and the internet by certain individuals and groups in Europe advocating for censorship and cancellation could grow. It now seems that I was correct. All of which raises an obvious question:Why do so many on the left want to prevent people around the world from gathering as much information as possible on their own, then coming to their own conclusions based on their own research? Do they fear people thinking for themselves? Do they fear their own constituents, customers and neighbors? Open minds open doors. I have always believed it imperative to listen to those I may disagree with. What if I am wrong and they are correct? What if they show me a truth I refused to believe out of ignorance, intolerance or indoctrination? Aren't I the one getting a gift — one I could not receive if their voices were censored or canceled? Alarmingly, many on the left in Europe — as well as in the U.S. — don't seem to share my belief that we need to listen to those we disagree with. Note this April headline from The New York Times: 'E.U. Prepares Major Penalties Against Elon Musk's X.' The opening paragraph of the article spells it out: 'European Union regulators are preparing major penalties against Elon Musk's social media platform, X, for breaking a landmark law to combat illicit content and disinformation, said four people with knowledge of the plans.' Once again, the left rolls out 'illicit content and disinformation' against Musk, X and the internet. Of course, millions around the world who are against censorship and cancellation and strongly in favor of free speech might say this is a transparent attempt by some on the left to intimidate and censor a site and voices that expose their continual failures to billions of people around the world. One person's 'disinformation' is another's 'irrefutable truth.' Don't hide behind censorship. Let the people think for themselves.
Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Elon Musk Spent Millions to Get Back in Donald Trump's Good Graces
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Elon Musk made donations totaling $15 million to three super PACs supporting Donald Trump and the Republicans after his very public falling out with the president, but all before he announced his plans for the new "America Party." Newsweek reached out to the White House and Musk via X, SpaceX, and Tesla for comment by email outside of normal business hours on Saturday morning. Why It Matters Musk and Trump formed a fast and mutually beneficial friendship in the runup to the 2024 presidential election, with Musk bankrolling Trump's campaign to the tune of at least $250 million and helping him secure victory against then-Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Trump then positioned Musk as the point person for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), giving him free rein to look into the federal government to cut back on "waste, fraud, and abuse" and bring down spending across all departments. However, their relationship took a turn as pressure mounted against Musk, with Tesla suffering significantly due to his role in the Trump administration, and ultimately Musk left his post to return to the private sector. Musk, who called himself Trump's "first buddy," also publicly criticized the administration-backed "One Big Beautiful Bill," which aims to extend tax cuts, increase immigration enforcement, and end consumer incentives for electric vehicles. Trump and Musk then started to taking shots at each other—through the press and via their respective social media platforms—culminating in a very public falling out in June. Musk accused Trump of withholding the release of the Epstein files because he was allegedly named in them, and Trump threatened to cut Musk's contracts with the federal government. Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks is seen in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30 in Washington, D.C. Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks is seen in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30 in Washington, To Know Following their public feud, which occurred in the first week of June, Musk appeared to try and make amends with the president by donating $5 million to each of three super PACs related to Trump and the Republicans. The Daily Mail first noted the donations in a report on Friday, but Newsweek verified through Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings that Musk donated $5 million each to MAGA Inc., the Senate Leadership Fund, and the House Leadership Fund. All three donations were made on June 27, which is about a week before he then declared he would create his own political party—the America Party. Musk's last donations were made to the AMERICA PAC, which included a roughly $27 million donation on June 30, according to the filings. He has also donated to the reelection campaign for Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Barry Moore of Alabama, although those were only a few thousand dollars each. This was also around the time that Musk heavily criticized the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which he said was "political suicide" to pass and warned it would add trillions to the national debt. Musk decided to create the America Party after holding a poll on X on July 4, in which he asked users: "Should we create the America Party?" as a way of creating "independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system." The poll received 1.25 million votes, with 65.4 percent saying "Yes," which Musk greeted with enthusiasm, writing: "By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waster & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy." As a foreign-born U.S. citizen, Musk cannot run for president, but he could bankroll other candidates, which he could do with a third party. He wrote in a separate X post that if he did make a new party, he would focus on capturing two or three Senate seats and eight to 10 seats in the House of Representatives in order to have impact on legislation. Trump criticized Musk's decision to start a third party, writing on Truth Social at the time, in part: "I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks. He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them. The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS." What People Are Saying President Donald Trump in his last Truth Social post to mention Elon Musk, which was on July 24, wrote: "Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon's companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before! The better they do, the better the USA does, and that's good for all of us. We are setting records every day, and I want to keep it that way!" Elon Musk in his last X post to mention Donald Trump, which was on July 8, wrote: "How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won't release the Epstein files?" What Happens Next? It remains unclear if Trump and Musk have had any direct communication following their war-of-words in June. This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Politico
26 minutes ago
- Politico
Senate aims to land deal on Trump nominees
The path to an agreement has had false starts, with senators believing they were close, only to have hopes of a deal quickly unravel. But senators, who were supposed to leave town on Friday until September, also believe exhaustion could help fuel possible momentum. 'I think tempers are a little short. It's time to go home. If you were coaching this team you would probably say, guys we're taking practice off today,' said Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). Schumer met with Thune on Friday night and gave him a new offer, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss private negotiations, but as of Saturday morning Democrats had not yet heard back. The general contours of the deal that Senate leadership has been negotiating with the White House have Democrats agreeing to speed up dozens of the president's nominees, in exchange for the administration agreeing to unfreeze some agency funding or give Democrats other policy wins. 'I think we're set up to create a pathway for success here,' Thune said Saturday. Trump indicated in a Truth Social post earlier this week that he wanted all of his more than 150 nominees currently awaiting Senate confirmation cleared, and that the Senate should stay in town until that is done. But GOP senators believe they've talked him down from that position. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a Trump ally, spoke at length with Senate Democratic staff on the floor on Saturday. After walking away he was called over to update a group of GOP colleagues and could be heard loudly explaining, 'We're close. … Thank God.' Republicans will have a closed-door conference lunch on Saturday where leadership is expected to update their members. In addition to talking through a potential deal with Democrats, Republicans will also discuss changing the rules via the 'nuclear option,' a simple majority vote, to speed up nominees. A rules change isn't expected to come to a head until this fall, but with senators stuck in the building and tempers running high it remains under discussion.
