Treasury Department Looks into Fraud in Minnesota

WASHINGTON (AP) – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday his Department is targeting businesses that people use to wire money to family members abroad as the Trump administration rachets up investigations into fraud within Minnesota’s Somali community. Details from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
President Donald Trump has targeted the Somalian diaspora in Minnesota with immigration enforcement actions and has made a series of disparaging comments about the community. He has said the state is “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.”

The new action was prompted in part by a series of fraud cases, including a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future accused of stealing pandemic aid meant for school meals. Prosecutors have put the losses from that case at $300 million.

Bessent has pointed to a report by conservative news outlet City Journal, which claimed that taxpayer dollars from defrauded government programs flowed to al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked militant group that controls parts of Somalia.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

ACLU Sues Trump Administration on Venezuela Boat Strikes

The Trump administration is facing a lawsuit seeking the immediate release of a memo providing the legal justification for U.S. military strikes on drug boats. Reporter Bernie Bennett has more.

VERBATIM:
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and the Center for Constitutional Rights. The Department of Justice, including its Office of Legal Counsel, Department of State and the Department of Defense, now named the Department of War, are listed as defendants.

In the lawsuit, the ACLU said it was “seeking the immediate release of a legal opinion authored by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), a component of the Department of Justice (DOJ), concerning the U.S. military’s authority to carry out lethal strikes on civilians in boats that the U.S. government asserts are carrying drugs.”

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Supreme Court May Expand Presidential Control

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court seems likely to expand presidential control over independent federal agencies, signaling support for President Donald Trump’s firing of board members. Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM: The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous 90-year-old decision that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members, or leave it with only its shell intact.

Chief Justice John Roberts referred to the decision known as Humphrey’s Executor as “a dry husk.”

Liberal justices warned that the decision sought by the administration would concentrate vast power in the president’s hands, robbing the agencies of expertise.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer defended Trump’s decision to fire Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter without cause and called on the court to jettison Humphrey’s Executor.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

——————-

Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett Runs for Senate

Democrat Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett launched a campaign Monday for the U.S. Senate in Texas, bringing national attention to a race that may be critical to Democrats’ hopes of reclaiming a Senate majority in next year’s midterm elections. More on this from Correspndent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Crockett, one of Congress’ most outspoken Democrats and a frequent target of GOP attacks, jumped into the race on the final day of qualifying in Texas. She is seeking the Senate seat held by Republican John Cornyn, who is running for reelection in the GOP-dominated state.

Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to wrest control from Republicans next November, when most of the seats up for reelection are in states like Texas that President Donald Trump won last year. Democrats have long hoped to make Texas more competitive after decades of Republican dominance.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

President Trump Invites National Guard Parents to White House

President Donald Trump on Sunday said he’s invited the family of a National Guard member fatally shot last week to the White House, saying he spoke to her parents and they were “devastated.” Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died after the shooting on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., while her seriously injured colleague, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, remained in critical condition.

The president said Sunday he’s discussed a White House visit for the parents of both members of the West Virginia National Guard. Both were deployed as part of Mr. Trump’s crime-fighting mission that federalized D.C. police.

In recent days, local vigils in West Virginia have honored the soldiers, including one Saturday evening at Webster County High School, where Beckstrom attended classes.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Republican Troy Nehls Retiring from Congress

Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas announced Saturday that he will retire from Congress after his term ends in 2026 to focus on family. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
The Texas Republican is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. He said on the social platform X that he called the President to inform him of his plans. Nehls added that he was endorsing his twin brother to succeed him in Congress.

Trever Nehls said on Facebook that he would run for the seat and “stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump.” Troy Nehls entered Congress in 2021 after about three decades in law enforcement and more than two decades in the Army Reserve.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Netanyahu Asks for a Pardon

TEL AVIV (AP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday asked the country’s president to grant him a pardon from corruption charges, seeking to end a long-running trial that has bitterly divided the nation. Details from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Netanyahu said the request would help unify the country at a time of momentous change in the region. But it immediately triggered denunciations from opponents, who said a pardon would weaken democratic institutions and send a dangerous message that he’s above the rule of law.

The prime minister’s office said in a statement that Netanyahu had submitted a request for a pardon to the legal department of the Office of the President, His office called it an “extraordinary request,” carrying with it “significant implications.”

The request comes weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel to pardon Netanyahu, turning to President Isaac Herzog during his speech to Israel’s parliament last month.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Trump Wants Normalized Relations Between Israel and Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has not been subtle about how badly he wants to see Saudi Arabia and Israel normalize relations. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
The President has talked up his push to extend his first term Abraham Accords – the project that formalized commercial and diplomatic ties between Israel and a trio of Arab nations – as key to his plan for bringing long-term stability to the Middle East as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues to hold.

The normalization push is expected to be high on the agenda when Mr. Trump hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday for talks during a pomp-filled White House visit.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Border Patrol Arrests in North Carolina

A top Border Patrol commander touted dozens of arrests in North Carolina’s largest city on Sunday as Charlotte residents reported encounters with federal immigration agents near churches, apartment complexes and stores. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
The Trump administration has made the Democratic city of about 950,000 people its latest target for an immigration enforcement surge it says will combat crime, despite fierce objections from local leaders and downtrending crime rates.

Gregory Bovino, who led hundreds of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in a similar effort in Chicago, took to X to document a few of the more than 80 arrests he said agents had made.

Bovino, head of a Border Patrol sector in El Centro, California, and other Trump administration officials have called their actions appropriate for growing threats on enforcement agents.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Simpson Estate Settles Suit with Fred Goldman

The O.J. Simpson estate has taken a key step toward paying Fred Goldman nearly 58 million dollars – nearly three decades after Goldman won a wrongful death judgment in a civil case against Simpson. More from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Malcolm LaVergne, executor of Simpson’s estate, has accepted Goldman’s creditor claim for $57,997,858.12, plus 30 years of accumulated interest, TMZ first reported Saturday.

Goldman’s son, Ron, was killed alongside Nicole Brown Simpson – O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife – on June 12, 1994. Simpson was acquitted of the murders in what became known as the “Trial of the Century.”

Bernie Bennett reporting.

The Dolphins Beat the Commanders

MADRID (AP) – Jack Jones had a fitting celebration after his overtime interception in the first NFL regular-season game in Spain. More from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

(POSSIBLE OUTCUE: It was the seventh – and final – international game this season, the most in one year for the NFL as it continues to expand globally.

VERBATIM:
The Miami Dolphins cornerback ran toward the sideline and stretched his arms wide after a twisting jump in front of his teammates. Jones was imitating Cristiano Ronaldo, the soccer great who used to celebrate like that at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium when he played for Real Madrid.

Jones intercepted Marcus Mariota on the first offensive play of overtime and Riley Patterson kicked a 29-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a 16-13 victory over the Washington Commanders.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Senate Votes to End the Shutdown

WASHINGTON – The Senate has voted 60 to 40 to end the longest running government shutdown in U.S. history. This update from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: ((STORY BEGINS WITH THE VOTE ANNOUNCEMENT))
The shutdown could last a few more days as members of the House, which has been on recess since mid-September, return to Washington to vote on the legislation. President Donald Trump has signaled support for the bill, saying Monday that “we’re going to be opening up our country very quickly.”

The Senate voted 47-53 along party lines not to extend “Affordable Healthcare Act” subsidies for a year. Majority Republicans allowed the vote as part of a separate deal with Democrats to speed up votes and send the legislation to the House.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

—————-

The Senate Plans a Vote to End the Shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate is drawing closer to a vote on legislation to end the shutdown on Monday.
Correspondent Bernie Bennett explains.

VERBATIM:
It is unclear when the Senate will hold final votes on the bill, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he hopes passage will take “hours not days.”

Thune said Monday morning as the Senate opened, “The American people have suffered for long enough. Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out.”

The legislation would still need to clear the House before the government could reopen. Speaker Mike Johnson urged lawmakers to start returning to Washington “right now” given travel delays, but he said he would issue an official notice for the House’s return once the Senate passes the legislation.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Syrian President Visits White House

WASHINGTON – Ahmad al-Sharaa (ahk-MAWD al SHAH-rah) will be the first Syrian president to visit Washington since the country’s independence in 1946. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
Since rebel forces ousted former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December, al-Sharaa has gone on a charm offensive to establish new ties with countries that had shunned Assad’s government after its brutal crackdown on protesters in 2011 spiraled into a 14-year civil war.

Al-Sharaa met with President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, where Mr. Trump announced that he would lift decades of sanctions.

The two men will meet again on Monday in Washington, where Syria is widely expected to officially join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Senate Advances Procedural Vote to End the Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON – The Senate voted 60-40 to proceed to a House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government, taking a big first step toward ending the government shutdown. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Democrats are coalescing around a bipartisan agreement to fund the government. Some, however, are still resisting.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer emerged from an evening caucus meeting telling reporters, “I’m voting no” on the new shutdown deal, as he walked on the Senate floor.

SENATE VOTE-schumer-a3-SUNpm (:03) “vote no”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the time has come to put the shutdown behind us.

SENATE VOTE-thune-a2-SUNpm (:13) “is now”

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

—————-

President Trump Attends Regular Season NFL Game

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) – President Donald Trump has become the first sitting president in nearly a half-century at a regular-season NFL game when he attended the Washington Commanders’ contest against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Details from Reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
House Speaker Mike Johnson was among those who joined President Trump in a suite at Northwest Stadium. Before the president’s arrival, he flew over the stadium in Air Force One. Only two other times did a president go to an NFL game during the regular season while in office: Richard Nixon in 1969 and Jimmy Carter in 1978. Mr. Trump became the first president at a Super Bowl while residing in the White House last February.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Speeding Car in Tampa Kills Pedestrians

A speeding car fleeing police slammed into a crowded bar early Saturday, killing four people and injuring 11 in a historic district of Tampa, Florida.

OUTCUE: Correspondent Bernie Bennett with that report.

VERBATIM:
The Florida Highway Patrol attempted to stop the vehicle but failed. The driver fled and eventually lost control and slammed into people outside the bar. Three people died at the scene, and a fourth died at a hospital. A 22-year-old suspect was arrested and faces multiple charges including vehicular homicide.

BBC Leaders Resign After Editing President Trump’s Remarks

The head of the BBC resigned Sunday after criticism of the broadcaster’s editing of a speech by President Donald Trump.
Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM: The BBC said that director-general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness both announced their resignations on Sunday.

Britain’s public broadcaster has been criticized for editing a speech then-President Trump made on Jan. 6, 2021, before protesters attacked the Capitol in Washington.

Critics said that the way the speech was edited for a BBC documentary was misleading and cut out a section where Mr. Trump said that he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Former NFL Commissioner Tagliabue Passes Away

NEW YORK (AP) – Paul Tagliabue, who helped bring labor peace and riches to the NFL during his 17 years as commissioner but was criticized for not taking stronger action on concussions, died Sunday from heart failure. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tagliabue’s family informed the league of his death in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Tagliabue, who had developed Parkinson’s disease, was commissioner from 1989, when he succeeded Pete Rozelle, to 2006. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of a special centennial class in 2020. Current Commissioner Roger Goodell succeeded Tagliabue.

News of Tagliabue’s death came shortly before seven games kicked off Sunday. The Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings held a moment of silence for Tagliabue and Marshawn Kneeland, the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive tackle who died on Thursday.

Tagliabue died Sunday from heart failure at 84 years old.

Americans Think Job Market Tightens

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans say they are increasingly concerned about their ability to find a good job, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll . Reporter Bernie Bennett has the details.

VERBATIM:
High prices for groceries, housing and health care persist as a fear for many households, while rising electricity bills and the cost of gas at the pump are also sources of anxiety, according to the survey.

Some 47% of U.S. adults are “not very” or “not at all confident” they could find a good job if they wanted to, an increase from 37% when the question was last asked in October 2023.

Electricity bills are a “major” source of stress for 36% of U.S. adults. Just more than one-half said the cost of groceries are a “major” source of financial stress, and about 4 in 10 said the cost of housing and health care were a serious strain. About one-third said they were feeling high stress about gas prices.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Trump’s Approval Rating on Israel Soars

WASHINGTON (AP) – More U.S. adults support President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict in Israel after he brokered a ceasefire deal in Gaza, a new AP-NORC poll finds. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has more on this.

VERBATIM: The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals that Preisent Trump’s apparent success on the world stage has not yet improved his overall standing at home. In interviews, even some of his voters said he needs to do more to address issues such as the economy, health care and immigration.

The poll was conducted Oct. 9-13, before the hostages and prisoners were freed in Israel, but after the ceasefire deal was announced.

In the new poll, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of the way Mr. Trump is handling his job as president overall, unchanged from September.

Bernie Bennett, Washington

The GOP Leads Congressional Approval Rating

WASHINGTON – Congressional Republicans’ approval rating outperformed their Democratic counterparts for the second time this year, according to the latest Fox News national survey. Bernie Bennett has this report.

VERBATIM:
Thirty-three percent of registered voters approve of the job Democrats in Congress are doing (66% disapprove), up 3 points from a near record-low 30% in March.

While their Republican colleagues garner a higher 38% approval rating (61% disapproval), that’s down 5 points from a record-high 43% six months ago.

The decline in congressional Republican approval comes from within: 76% of self-identified GOPers approve, but that’s down from 88% in March. And while congressional Democrats earn the approval from just 58% of self-identified Democrats, that’s up from 49% six months ago.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Russian Earthquake

MOSCOW (AP) – The U.S. Geological Survey reported a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck early Saturday near the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region. Bernie Bennett has this report.

OUT CUE: That’s correspondent Bernie Bennett reporting.

VERBATIM:
The quake’s epicenter was 69.3 miles east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and had a depth of 39 kms, according to the USGS.

There were no immediate reports of injuries of major damages.

Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula was hit by five powerful quakes – the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 – on July 20, 2025.

House-Defense Bill

On Wednesday, The House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, with a bipartisan amendment to repeal two laws authorizing the use of military force in Iraq. Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
The legislation, which authorizes funding and sets policy for the U.S. military, passed 231 to 196. Four Republicans opposed the bill while 17 Democrats joined the rest of the GOP in voting for it.

The AUMF amendment would repeal the 2002 Iraq War and 1991 Gulf War authorizations… as well as make it more difficult for presidents to bypass Congress on military actions.

Lawmakers voted 261 to 167 to pull the AUMFs, which critics say have been abused by presidents as they grant the commander-in-chief authority to use military force without issuing a formal declaration of war.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.