Wisconsin town becomes first in the nation to pass referendum restricting AI data center development

A Wisconsin town became the first city in the nation to pass a referendum restricting artificial intelligence (AI) data center development after a vote Tuesday.

Port Washington residents voted overwhelmingly in favor (66%) of a ballot measure that would require city leaders to obtain voter approval before granting tax incentives exceeding $10 million to developers. 

The ballot measure came after Vantage Data Centers announced intentions to develop a $15 billion artificial intelligence campus in collaboration with tech giants OpenAI and Oracle in October.

The measure was developed by Great Lakes Neighbors United, a local grassroots organization that formed after the original Vantage Data Centers announcement. The organization released a statement celebrating the voting results.

KENTUCKY FAMILY SAYS IT TURNED DOWN $26M FROM AI GIANT TO KEEP FARMLAND THAT 'FED A NATION'

"Tonight, democracy worked the way it’s supposed to," Great Lakes Neighbors United member Christiane Le Jeune said. "Over 1,000 residents signed the petition that put this measure on the ballot, and tonight Port Washington voters spoke with one clear voice. The people deserve a seat at the table when their tax dollars are on the line."

While the measure will not affect the current deal with Vantage Data Centers, it places additional obstacles in the way of other developers, especially AI data organizations seeking tax incentives in the city.

AI EXECUTIVES PRAISE TRUMP'S STARGATE PROJECT: 'THIS IS A VERY LARGE INVESTMENT THAT AFFECTS ALL OF HUMANITY'

"We are not against development," co-founder Carri Prom said. "We are for development that the community understands, supports and has chosen together. Tonight proves that when citizens organize and engage, their voices can be heard."

Fox News Digital reached out to Vantage Data Centers, OpenAI and Oracle for comment.

The Vantage Data Centers project in Wisconsin was part of President Donald Trump's multibillion-dollar artificial intelligence infrastructure "Stargate" project that was announced shortly after his term began in January 2025.

MASSIVE AI STARGATE PROJECT UNDER TRUMP ADMIN REVEALS NEXT STEPS

The initial investment for the project was $100 billion, with plans to expand to $500 billion over the next four years. The first data center built under the initiative was in Texas with plans to expand into other states.

Amid concerns about rising energy costs for maintaining data centers, Trump met with several tech leaders who pledged they will generate their own electricity to save taxpayers money.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/UH16itx

Stephen A Smith shuts down 25th Amendment talk, says ‘that ain’t going to happen’

Stephen A. Smith pushed back on calls to invoke the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution against President Donald Trump on Wednesday, arguing critics are pursuing something that is not realistic.

"The 25th Amendment will not be executed," Smith said on his "Straight Shooter" podcast, telling Trump critics to "stop it."

He made the remarks while responding to several of the president's detractors — including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Gov. JB Pritzker, and Sen. Ed Markey — who all raised the possibility of removing Trump from office following some of the president's rhetoric during the Iran conflict.

MARK KELLY TRASHES TRUMP OVER IRAN, CLAIMS PEOPLE 'OFF THE STREET' WOULD DO BETTER THAN THE ADMINISTRATION

Smith acknowledged broader concerns surrounding foreign policy decisions but emphasized that understanding the context behind U.S. actions does not change the constitutional reality critics face.

"We get why Trump may have acted," Smith said. "We certainly get an insistence on opening up the Strait of Hormuz because, guess what, 20% of the world's oil goes through there. You can't have them dictating everything because oil prices are going to raise."

Smith turned directly to the feasibility of removing a sitting president through constitutional means, outlining the institutional barriers involved.

"To invoke the 25th Amendment, you’re going to have to get the vice president to sign off, the Republicans in the House to sign off, cabinet members to sign off, basically declaring him unfit," Smith said.

STEPHEN A SMITH SAYS SOME HAVE ‘A LOT OF DAMN NERVE’ FOR HAMMERING TRUMP ON IRAN AFTER FRETTING ABOUT COUNTRY

Smith also dismissed renewed calls for impeachment, pointing to prior efforts against Trump that did not ultimately prevent him from returning to office.

"You impeached him not once but twice," Smith said. "You got him as a convicted felon, you had the insurrection on January 6, but you forgot to address the fact that the Constitution allows a convicted felon to run for the presidency," he said.

Smith argued that political opponents are focusing on mechanisms that have already failed to produce their intended outcome.

"You got to beat them, and you didn’t do it," Smith said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Smith said he believes criticism of Trump has weakened critics' credibility in the eyes of the public.

"You can’t do anything to him … once that didn’t stop him from regaining his seat in the White House, you lost all credibility. Shut up."

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/Wi56AUO

House Dem leaders open door to 25th Amendment after rank-and-file push for Trump's removal

Talk of invoking the 25th Amendment is reemerging among House Democrats after more than a year of dismissing speculation they would seek to remove Trump from power for a third time.

Rather than quash the discussion, House Democratic leadership appears to be encouraging it.

On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., scheduled a Friday briefing on the 25th Amendment for his caucus to be hosted by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and House Judiciary Committee Democrats.

The announcement came after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, with administration officials hailing the success of Operation Epic Fury. Jeffries torched Trump’s threats issued earlier this week to wipe out Iran’s "civilization" and unleash "hell" on Tehran.

DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO GRIND SENATE TO A HALT TO FORCE PUBLIC IRAN HEARINGS

"Shockingly, Donald Trump threatened to escalate his war of choice in a profane Easter Sunday rant and to eradicate an entire civilization," Jeffries wrote in a "Dear Colleague" letter Wednesday. "We will continue to unleash maximum pressure on Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and join Democrats in stopping the madness."

Jeffries has notably stopped short of calling for Trump’s removal from power. Instead, he has pushed a resolution seeking to block the president’s war powers in Iran, which was blocked by House Republicans on Thursday.

However, his willingness to entertain the discussion comes after dozens of his members called for Trump’s impeachment or the invocation of the 25th Amendment following the president’s escalating warnings against Iran if its leadership did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his self-imposed deadline.

"It's time to invoke the 25th Amendment," Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., wrote on social media. "This maniac should be removed from office."

"He’s out of control and his  Cabinet and those around him must be loyal to the Constitution and invoke the 25th Amendment," Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said. "He must be removed."

REP SETH MOULTON: AMERICA DESERVES BETTER THAN TRUMP’S VAGUE IRAN WAR PLANS

Taking that approach is a much higher bar than impeachment and has never been used to involuntarily remove a sitting president. To be successful, Democrats would have to obtain buy-in from Republicans and the advisors closest to the president.

Specifically, the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet would have to agree that Trump is unfit for office. In the event Trump were to contest their assessment, two-thirds of the House and Senate would have to vote in support of that judgment.

Some Democrats have publicly admitted the 25th Amendment is likely to be a futile option, even if they agree that Trump should step aside.

"I’m getting a lot of traffic about the 25th Amendment after Trump’s mad rants," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said on social media Tuesday. "The president is facing serious mental decline; I’m with you on that."

"But unfortunately, invoking the 25th is not realistic right now, given his oddball Cabinet of sycophants and eccentrics, and Republican ‘spines of foam,’" he continued. "We’re going to have to buckle down and win this the old-fashioned way."

Democrats previously embraced the 25th Amendment to remove Trump in 2021 following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., steered a resolution calling for Congress to act through the lower chamber, but the Cabinet balked at the demand. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/PxCGOSH

Unity tested: Democrats face off over Israel and AIPAC dark money during DNC meeting

Democrats are united in their opposition to President Donald Trump and his unprecedented second-term agenda. 

But as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) huddles in New Orleans for its spring meeting, the party is once again coping with deep internal divisions over Israel's military actions and a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group's recent meddling in Democratic Party primaries.

The DNC's Resolutions Committee debated and held test votes Thursday on resolutions recognizing a Palestinian state, putting limits on military aid to Israel and taking aim at what one resolution calls the "growing influence" of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is best known by its acronym AIPAC, and other so-called dark money groups.

Two resolutions on placing conditions on military aid to Israel and recognizing a Palestinian state were referred to the DNC's Middle East Working Group. The resolution calling out AIPAC was defeated after the Resolutions Committee passed a broader resolution targeting all dark money groups. The nonbinding resolutions were among more than 100 on a range of issues that are being considered.

SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL DROPS AS DEMOCRATS TURN AGAINST KEY US ALLY: POLL

The resolutions were the latest face-off between DNC leaders who support Israel and a growing base of progressives who give Israel a thumbs down. One DNC committee member, speaking anonymously, called the resolutions "problematic" for the party.

The potential for divisive dialogue and verbal explosions over these issues comes eight months after similar showdowns at the DNC's 2025 summer meeting in Minneapolis.

This year's spring meeting also comes as a Pew Research national survey released this week showed that 80% of Democrats and independents who lean toward the party hold unfavorable views of Israel, up nearly 30 points since 2022. An NBC News poll conducted earlier this year indicated that 57% of Democrats held a negative view of Israel, up from 35% after Hamas killed roughly 1,200 people in a sneak attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023.

JOHN FETTERMAN CALLS OUT AOC'S 'CLUELESS' ANTI-ISRAEL COMMENTS IN MUNICH

But negative opinions have surged since Israel's ensuing military campaign in Gaza over the past two and a half years has resulted in more than 72,000 people being killed, according to health officials in the Palestinian territory. And Israel joined the U.S. in attacking Iran in a nearly month-and-a-half long war which polls suggest is unpopular with most Americans.

"Israel’s behavior has turned Americans against it," longtime DNC member James Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute and a critic of Israel, said in a social media post this week. "It seems that Americans don’t like folks using our money & weapons to commit genocide & steal Palestinian land."

The resolution criticizing AIPAC and other corporate-aligned spending in Democratic primaries was authored by Allison Minnerly, a DNC member from Florida who at last year's summer meeting grabbed a spotlight as she unsuccessfully pushed for a resolution urging an arms embargo on Israel.

DEMOCRATS FACE-OFF OVER ISRAEL AT KEY PARTY MEETING

After Minnerly's resolution was defeated, DNC Chair Ken Martin pulled his own resolution, which called for "unrestricted" aid to Gaza and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Martin then created the Middle East Working Group, which will meet for a fourth time at the spring meeting.

Some Democrats blame the party's support for Israel for their 2024 election setbacks, when they lost control of the White House and Senate and fell short in winning back the House majority.

Fox News reached out to the DNC and AIPAC for comment.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/Il3vsbY

Philadelphia parking garage collapse leaves 1 dead, 2 missing

A search and rescue operation is underway in Philadelphia on Thursday following a partial parking garage collapse that left at least one person dead and two missing, according to the city’s mayor. 

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said the incident unfolded Wednesday afternoon as the parking garage was under construction near 30th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue in South Philadelphia. 

"Our first responders moved immediately, and search and rescue operations are still underway. One life has been lost, and two individuals remain unaccounted for," Parker wrote on X late Wednesday. "We are not giving up, and we will not rest until everyone is accounted for." 

"This remains an active search and rescue scene. The immediate area, including the shopping plaza and surrounding stores, is closed, and there is no timeline yet for reopening," she added.

PHILADELPHIA MAN STABS PLANET FITNESS WORKER AFTER GETTING BANNED FROM GYM: POLICE

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said two other people were rescued at the site and treated at a nearby hospital, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia. He reportedly added that crews need to stabilize the parking garage before rescue efforts can continue. 

The garage was under construction for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and officials said all seven levels of its stair system were impacted by the collapse, FOX 29 reported. 

The station cited Parker as saying that eight permits were properly issued, and all inspections were up to date and that the collapse happened when a roof segment being installed by a subcontractor failed.

TERRIFYING MOMENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA AS ROAD COLLAPSE SUDDENLY SWALLOWS VEHICLES IN BUSY INTERSECTION

"Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is aware of a serious construction incident at our parking garage construction site on 3000 Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia," the organization told FOX 29. "We are prioritizing the safety of the construction workers at this time and working closely with the City of Philadelphia and our construction partners. We will share additional information as it becomes available." 

The identities of the deceased and missing were not immediately released.

"All of our prayers are with the family of the individual who has passed and the families of those we are still searching for tonight. I humbly ask all Philadelphians to join me in prayer for them," Parker said on X. 

"Lori and I are praying for those injured in the parking garage that partially collapsed in Grays Ferry today, for the family of the individual who was tragically killed, and for the families who continue to wait while first responders search for their loved ones," added Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who said his administration is in touch with officials on the ground in Philadelphia. 

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/bDKM9Eh

Spanberger ripped after taking credit for billions in investments secured under GOP predecessor: 'Pathetic'

Virginia's Democratic Governor, Abigail Spanberger, took credit for billions in economic achievements secured under her GOP predecessor, earning her backlash from Republican leaders and their representatives running the state before she got there. 

Spanberger touted signing legislation that authorized four separate investments from the aerospace, energy, and pharmaceutical industries earlier this week. The investments, according to a press release from Spanberger's office, would welcome 3,250 new jobs and $7.1 billion in business investment to the state. 

"From my very first day in office, I have been working to create a stable business environment so companies can hire, expand, and continue to invest in our Commonwealth," Spanberger said in her press release. "I am signing these bills into law so we can continue to grow Virginia’s economy and create opportunities for Virginians."

However, Spanberger's signature was effectively just a formality, as the deals she touted were part of Youngkin's broader push to spur economic development as governor of Virginia, which included a record of $156 billion in total CEO commitments during his term. As he was exiting office, the former GOP governor garnered more than the previous six gubernatorial administrations combined,  according to a press release from Youngkin's team.

BIDEN ALLY TELLS SPANBERGER TO EXIT ‘BUNKER’ AS EX-GOV RENEWS DEBATE PUSH

"She's trying to take credit for somebody else's work," former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares told Fox News Digital. "In grade school we call that cheating."

"The last three months have been nothing but horrible news for Virginians as Abigail Spanberger broke every single promise she made on the campaign trail and now has the lowest approval rating of any Virginia governor this century," added Youngkin spokesperson Justin Discigil. "Governor Youngkin is happy that Virginians are being reminded of some good news, even if it means Gov. Spanberger taking credit for the economic deals he secured for the Commonwealth."

Spanberger did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment on the matter. 

WHO IS ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, AND WHY DID DEMOCRATS CHOOSE HER FOR TO THEIR STATE OF THE UNION RESPONSE?

The four bills she signed, which with her signature authorized the awards, were announced during Youngkin's term as governor. 

The first, HB 1531, allocates $537 million to aerospace company Avio USA and is expected to create over 1,500 jobs. The award, according to public reports at the time, was announced in December 2025. The next bill, HB 799, will allocate $457 million and is expected to create over 825 jobs. This award was announced by Youngkin in September 2025. HB 800, allocating over $2 billion to pharmacuetical manufacturer Eli Lilly and expected to create more than 450 jobs to manufacture the active ingredient in major cancer, autoimmune and other advanced drugs, was announced in September 2025 as well. Meanwhile, rounding out the handful of investments touted by Spanberger this week was HB 1076, which invested $4 billion into pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and is expected to create around 500 jobs. That commitment was announced in October 2025.

"Attracting new businesses and jobs to Virginia is a core focus of my administration — and I’m proud of the hundreds of millions of dollars in investment we have already announced this year," Spanberger continued in her press release this week announcing the Virginia investments. "I look forward to continuing to work with legislators, local communities, and business leaders as we make clear that Virginia is the top state in the nation to grow or start a business."

In a background section of the press release, the announcement continues touting Spanberger's commitment to growing Virginia's economy.

FORMER VIRGINIA GOV GLENN YOUNGKIN HINTS AT POLITICAL FUTURE, SAYS HE'S 'CHOMPING AT THE BIT' AFTER EXIT

"My simple message for Abigail Spanberger is, to quote Elizabeth Warren, ‘You didn’t build that!’" Sean Kennedy, president of Virginians for Safe Communities, said. "Spanberger has to take credit for her Republican predecessor’s accomplishments bringing jobs to Virginia because her policies are actually raising taxes, killing jobs, and hiking energy costs. Spanberger has to play make believe that she is delivering on her affordability agenda to impress the 2028 Democratic Party kingmakers. I expect that Spanberger will nevertheless persist in her false claims."

Critics of Spanberger have questioned the moderate campaign message she campaigned on, as well as her economic strategy, which has included ushering in new taxes in the state despite campaigning on a message of affordability.

"Abigail Spanberger's first 100 days in office have been a disaster when it comes to economic development, argued Miyares, who lost to current Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones in November. Jones infamously called for the murder of his GOP rival, something that ultimately did not matter enough for voters as he and Spanberger came out victorious in November. 

"Three pillars of a good business environment is a good tax environment, a good regulatory environment and an environment that – from a litigation perspective – is not anti-business. Spanberger has already indicated and done a rash of bills that will make Virginia less competitive. Virginia does not compete by itself, we compete with 49 other sates, and Spanberger seems hellbent to hurt us with her tax, regulatory and litigation." 

Miyares added that he was aware of multiple Virginia businesses that former Governor Youngkin had recruited and were thinking about expanding in Virginia, but will no longer do so as a result of Spanberger's policies. 

He also pointed out that Spanberger "does not believe in energy abundance" despite touting energy infrastructure investments this week. "I find it in some ways laughable and pathetic what she is attempting to do," Miyares said.

"Abigail Spanberger inherited a $2.7 billion surplus and benefitted from hundreds of thousands of new jobs created under Republican leadership," the Virginia GOP added in February, in response to headlines about rising Virginia unemployment numbers. "Her and her Democrat allies are squandering it all in a matter of weeks while breaking every promise they made on ‘affordability.’"

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/BRSCrz4

JD Vance's task force flags nearly $6.3B in government contracts going to potentially fraudulent businesses

Fox News has learned Vice President JD Vance’s new anti-fraud task force has identified nearly $6.3 billion in government contracts that are going to potentially fraudulent businesses, marking a major milestone in the Trump administration's mission to slash wasteful spending contributing to the national debt.

The task force and General Services Administration are beginning to send out letters to nearly 400 businesses with government contracts that they believe could be fraudulent, who will have 30 days to prove to the task force that they have a physical address and are legitimate, as first reported by the Daily Caller.

A Vance spokesperson told Fox News the task force "will leave no stone unturned in the hunt for fraud."

"If fraudsters are robbing hardworking Americans of their tax dollars and services, we will find them," the spokesperson said.

SBA FREEZES OVER 100,000 CALIFORNIA BORROWERS IN SWEEPING $9B PANDEMIC FRAUD CRACKDOWN

The announcement comes less than a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the team, led by Vance as chairman.

The unit's mission is to target what the administration described as widespread exploitation of the American safety net by "illegal aliens, criminals, foreign gangs, bureaucrats," and non-governmental organizations.

The executive order argued certain states have embraced loopholes, allowing people to self-certify for benefits including as housing, food and medical care while refusing to implement basic fraud controls.

The order specifically highlights Minnesota as a primary example of "staggering fraud and waste," citing an alleged $250 million scam by nonprofit Feeding our Future, rampant Medicaid fraud, and a massive childcare fraud ring involving Somali immigrants accused of funneling stolen taxpayer funds to an African terror group.

The administration noted Minnesota and 20 other states previously sued the federal government to block basic eligibility reviews for food stamp enrollees.

Along with Vance, task force participants include Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/qe8j2Uv