Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 47

SF Giants’ bats come up small vs. Padres as losing skid hits four games: ‘It’s just not happening, and its frustrating’

SAN FRANCISCO – With the Oracle Park crowd roaring after Dominic Smith lined a single to right and extended his MLB-best 15-game hit streak, San Francisco had runners at every station with one out in the sixth inning.

Mired in a three-game losing skid and trailing by a trio of runs, the Giants just needed one hit, one player, to create a spark against the Padres.

Instead, as they have often done during a miserable post-All Star break stretch, the bats came up empty when it counted. Patrick Bailey and Heliot Ramos each popped up to end the threat.

“Very frustrated, because you know, we have the one where the bases are loaded, one out and we get a chance,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We can’t get anybody home, so similar theme.”

San Francisco fell 5-1, the team’s fourth consecutive defeat, and 12th loss in its last 13 home games.

Heliot Ramos did not mince words after another poor team performance that also saw him go 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. Following his inning-ending whiff in the second, Ramos was seen snapping his bat over his right knee.

“It’s just not happening, and its frustrating,” Ramos said. “I don’t know what to tell you , but honestly it’s just not happening, and we have to get it done.”

The dugout watches the final outs of the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

The Giants, who had 10 hits, were just 3 for 10 with a runner on second or third on Tuesday night, with the team also coming up empty with runners on the corners in the fifth inning. It was another instance of offensive ineptitude for a team that entered the game 10 for 78 with runners in scoring position over their last dozen home games.

Robbie Ray made his 25th start of the season, entering the day ranking in the Top 10 in innings pitched, ERA, batting average against and strikeouts.

He had a shaky first inning though, allowing a single – albeit one that was lost by recently called-up Tyler Fitzgerald playing his first MLB inning in right field – a double, and bringing Manny Machado home from third on a balk. It was Ray’s first balk since his rookie season as a member of Detroit in 2014.

Ray (9-6) finished with seven hits allowed, four strikeouts and one walk issued in six innings, throwing a season-high 113 pitches.

“You’re just saving the bullpen, and giving your team a chance to win deeper in the game,” Ray said.

Wilmer Flores’ infield single slow roller didn’t make it out of the infield, but stayed fair and away from Padres fielders long enough to tie the game in the bottom of the first.

But Jose Iglesias entered the game with zero home runs on the season and answered in the top of the second with a 2-run homer. That became a 4-1 Padres lead in the fourth inning when Jake Cronenworth lined a single to right and scored Ramon Laureano.

Jackson Merrill slugged his ninth home run of the season in the eighth inning to put the finishing touches on the Giants (59-61) defeat. San Diego improved to 68-52 and pulled into a tie with the Dodgers for first place in the NL West.

Casey Schmitt was a rare bright spot, going 4 for 5 and scoring the Giants only run of the night. But otherwise, the game led to another postgame trying to figure out what went wrong in a ballpark that the Giants are now 29-30 in.

Kai-Wei Teng, who won Saturday after pitching five innings of scoreless relief, is expected to start against San Diego’s Nick Nick Pivetta on Wednesday in the series finale as the visitors look to complete the sweep.

San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee (51) heads to first base on his single against the San Diego Padres in the fourth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Casey Schmitt (10) throws to first base for an out on a hit by San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado (13) in the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) heads to the dugout next to San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin after striking out against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Dominic Smith (7) hits a single against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Casey Schmitt (10) scores off of a single hit by San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores (41) against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores (41) hits an RBI single against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

VA hospitals are finding it harder to fill jobs, watchdog says

By BEN FINLEY

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Government-run medical centers serving the nation’s veterans have reported an increase in severe staffing shortages, with many hospitals having trouble filling jobs for doctors, nurses and psychologists, according to an independent watchdog for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Tuesday’s report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General is based on surveys from late March and early April that were taken at 139 Veterans Health Administration facilities. Severe staffing shortages are not necessarily an indication of vacancies but refer to particular occupations that are difficult to fill.

The surveys were taken just weeks after it was reported in early March that the VA had planned to cut 80,000 jobs — out of 484,000 — through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. The VA later reduced the figure to nearly 30,000 jobs to be cut by this fiscal year’s end on Sept. 30.

President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday that the surveys are unreliable because they do not reflect actual vacancies, which VA officials said were in line with historical averages. But Democratic lawmakers warned that veterans won’t get the health care they need as VA positions become harder to fill.

The surveys reflected a 50% increase in the reporting of severe staffing shortages for specific jobs, both for clinical occupations that include doctors and psychologists and for non-clinical jobs that include police and custodial workers.

Nearly all of the facilities — 94% — reported a shortage for medical officer occupations that include doctors, while 79% reported shortages for nurses. The report noted that severe shortages for medical officers and nurses have been identified every year in the report since 2014.

Pete Kasperowicz, the VA’s press secretary, stressed in an email that the report is not based on vacancies and is therefore “not a reliable indicator of staffing shortages.”

“The report simply lists occupations facilities feel are difficult for which to recruit and retain, so the results are completely subjective, not standardized and unreliable,” Kasperowicz wrote.

He said that vacancy rates for doctors and nurses are 14% and 10%, respectively, which he said are lower than most other health care systems and in line with “normal VA historical averages.”

But Jacqueline Simon, policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, said the surveys reflect the Trump administration’s profound hostility toward the federal workforce and what she said are its plans to ultimately privatize the VA.

“This is a deliberate effort to incapacitate and to undermine veterans’ support for and approval of the care they receive in VA hospitals and clinics,” Simon said. “They’ll have to wait much longer for appointments. There won’t be specialists available. They’ll have no choice but to go to the private sector.”

Simon also noted the VA’s announcement last week that it was terminating collective bargaining agreements for most VA bargaining-unit employees, which could further hurt recruitment.

The VA said in a news release that the move will “make it easier for VA leaders to promote high-performing employees, hold poor performers accountable, and improve benefits and services to America’s Veterans.”

But U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said in a news release Tuesday that the Trump administration has made it harder for public servants to do their jobs “and ultimately harder for veterans to get the care they’ve earned.”

“We also know from recent jobs reports that applications to work at the VA are plummeting,” said Warner, a Democrat who represents the veteran-dense state of Virginia. “How do skyrocketing staffing shortages and declining applicant pools make it more ‘efficient’ for veterans to access the care and services they deserve? The answer is: they don’t.”

Andrew Cuomo swipes at Zohran Mamdani over a classic New York topic: rent

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — Andrew Cuomo is demanding that his opponent in New York City’s mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, vacate his rent stabilized apartment, while pushing a longshot proposal that would bar other middle-class renters from accessing much of the city’s housing.

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“I am calling on you to move out immediately,” Cuomo wrote in a widely-viewed social media post this weekend, casting Mamdani as “a very rich person” occupying an apartment that could otherwise be used by a homeless family.

The line of attack drew tens of millions of views online and revived a long-standing debate about who should have access to New York’s highly sought-after rent stabilized units, which make up roughly 40% of the city’s rental stock and are currently open to people of all incomes.

It also illustrated the rhetorical lengths that Cuomo is willing to go to as he mounts an independent bid for mayor against Mamdani, a democratic socialist who defeated him handily in the Democratic primary on a platform that centered on affordability and freezing rent on stabilized units.

Mamdani, who earns $143,000 annually as a state legislator, has said he pays $2,300 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in Queens that he shares with his wife — a living situation that Cuomo called “disgusting.”

By contrast, Cuomo, a multimillionaire who previously served as the state’s governor, spends roughly $8,000 monthly on an apartment in Midtown Manhattan that he moved to last year from Westchester County, a wealthy suburb.

In recent weeks, the 67-year-old Cuomo has adopted a more aggressive social media presence, earning both praise and mockery for his use of millennial internet-speak and repeated references to his opponent’s “privilege.” Mamdani’s mother is a successful independent filmmaker and his father is a Columbia University professor.

On Monday, Cuomo went a step further, releasing a formal proposal, which he dubbed “Zohran’s Law,” barring landlords from leasing vacant rent stabilized units to “wealthy tenants,” defined as those who would pay less than 30% of their income toward the existing rent.

FILE – New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, file)

The rent regulation program, which caps how much landlords can raise rent each year on roughly 1 million apartments, does not currently include any income restrictions — something opponents have long pushed to change.

While the average rent stabilized household makes $60,000 annually, it is not uncommon for middle- or higher-income New Yorkers to live in the units, which sometimes rent for several thousand dollars per month.

But Cuomo’s idea drew swift skepticism from some housing experts, who noted the cap would, by definition, mean all new tenants of rent stabilized units would give up a substantial portion of their income.

“The idea that we should only have people living in apartments they can’t afford seems to be setting people up for failure,” said Ellen Davidson, a housing attorney at The Legal Aid Society. “It’s not a proposal from somebody who knows anything about the housing market or New York City.”

The Real Estate Board of New York, a landlord group whose members overwhelmingly backed Cuomo in the primary, did not respond to an inquiry about whether they supported the proposal. But in an email, the group’s president, James Whelan, said that the “benefits of rent regulation are not well targeted” and that some form of means testing should be considered.

Under state law, hikes on rent-stabilized units are decided by an appointed board, rather than landlords.

“Rent stabilization has never been means tested because it’s not an affordable housing program, it’s a program about neighborhood stability,” said Davidson, the housing attorney, adding that the proposal would likely present a “bureaucratic nightmare.”

A spokesperson for Cuomo’s campaign, Rich Azzopardi, said in a text message that “the ultra wealthy and privileged should not be taking advantage of a program meant to aide working New Yorkers,” adding that the income threshold standards would fall under the same system that governs the city’s other programs for low-income housing.

Mamdani’s spokesperson, Dora Pekec, said the proposal proved that Cuomo was both desperate and out of touch.

“While Cuomo cares only for the well-being of his Republican donors, Zohran believes city government’s job is to guarantee a life of dignity, not determine who is worth one,” she added.

SF Giants send Whisenhunt to Sacramento, ask Tyler Fitzgerald to play new position

SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants have sent their top pitching prospect back to Triple-A Sacramento after a couple of poor starts. 

Left-handed pitcher Carson Whisenhunt gave up three solo home runs in his last outing against the Nationals, a 4-2 defeat on Saturday that handed the 24-year-old his first loss. 

With Landen Roupp expected to come off the injured list Friday, and Kai-Wei Teng having pitched a gem in his last game, San Francisco manager Bob Melvin said it was a logical decision. 

“Roupp will throw a bullpen tomorrow, and pitch on Friday,” Melvin said before Tuesday night’s game against the Padres. Roupp has been out since July 25 with right elbow inflammation.

The Giants, who entered Tuesday with a 59-60 record, called up Tyler Fitzgerald before the second game of the pivotal three-game series. Fitzgerald was the Opening Day second baseman in San Francisco, but started in right field for Sacramento on Monday.

Fitzgerald is getting his first shot at defending in front of Oracle’s difficult right field wall on Tuesday night.

“Maybe it’s going to be a challenge, and I know that coming in there could be some mistakes,” said Fitzgerald. “But I’m not going to get worried about it. I’m not going to come in here scared. I’m just gonna give it my 100%, and good or bad, whatever happens, I can try to live with that.”

Fitzgerald has played a few games in center field and a handful of other ones in left with the Giants in addition to all over the infield. 

The right-handed batter gave the left-handed Drew Gilbert — the former Mets prospect also recently promoted to San Francisco — the night off against San Diego’s lefty starter Nestor Cortes. 

Fitzgerald said he feels much healthier than he did early in the season, when he was dealing with a back injury.

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“Getting healthy and getting my confidence back,” Fitzgerald said when asked what he focused on in Sacramento, calling his return to Sacramento a “fresh start.”

In 32 games in Triple-A, Fitzgerald batted .260 with a .336 OBP with two home runs and 15 RBI. He put up a .227 average in 63 games in San Francisco.

Whisenhunt, 24, yielded the three homers in his most recent start, but the 2022 first-round draft pick also struck out five and induced 19 swings-and-misses, including 11 with his signature changeup.

“I didn’t have my best stuff,” said Whisenhunt, who accumulated a 5.02 ERA in three starts. “The home runs, I left them pretty much middle of the plate.”

Melvin and the Giants have already pinpointed an area for him to improve upon: locating his fastball. 

“Everybody knows about his changeup,” Melvin said. “Nowadays there’s so much information, whether it’s attacking a hitter or a pitcher and knowing what his strengths are, and he found that out pretty quickly.”

National Guard rehearsed show of force against immigration raid protesters, general testifies

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — National Guard troops repeatedly rehearsed their role in an operation at a Los Angeles park intended as a show of force against undocumented people and those protesting the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, a deputy commanding general testified Tuesday.

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Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, who commanded Guard troops in Los Angeles, was testifying at a trial to determine whether the Trump administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act when it deployed the soldiers and U.S. Marines to Southern California this summer. The 1878 law generally prohibits a president from using the military to police domestic affairs.

Sherman said the deployment of federal agents on horseback and on foot to MacArthur Park in a neighborhood with a large immigrant population was initially planned for Father’s Day, June 15. But the operation was moved to July 7 after he raised concerns the park could be crowded, he said.

“We assessed that there could be a large amount of people in the park (on Father’s Day), which could quickly overwhelm Border Patrol,” Sherman testified.

Sherman said the decision to shift the timing of the operation came after discussion among the National Guard, the U.S. Northern Command, the Border Patrol, Department of Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth and Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

The Guard troops were deployed to protect the perimeter and were instructed only to exit their vehicles if there was a direct threat to federal agents, he said.

FILE – Federal agents stage at MacArthur Park, July 7, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

All troops remained in their vehicles during the brief but mighty show of force. Sherman said the operation took just 20 minutes because it had been rehearsed multiple times. The Department of Homeland Security hasn’t said if anyone was arrested.

Sherman testified during the second day of a three-day trial on whether President Donald Trump’s deployment of 4,700 armed forces to Los Angeles following protests over immigration raids this summer violated the Posse Comitatus Act. All but about 300 Guard troops have since left Los Angeles.

Sherman testified that he also raised concerns that military vehicles would be stationed along Wilshire Boulevard, which traverses the park, instead of staying in the perimeter during the so-called “Operation Excalibur.”

After he raised his concerns, Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol’s El Centro sector chief in charge of the immigration crackdown in Los Angeles, questioned his loyalty, Sherman told the court Monday.

On July 7, federal agents, many of them in tactical gear, walked and rode their horses around the park, which was nearly empty because word had spread of a potential raid.

LA Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom called it a political stunt and spectacle meant to intimidate the city’s immigrant communities.

FILE – Federal agents stage at MacArthur Park, July 7, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

Trump has pushed the bounds of typical military activity on domestic soil, including through the creation of militarized zones along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Monday, the president said he was deploying the National Guard across Washington, D.C., and taking over the city’s police department in hopes of reducing crime, even as the mayor has noted crime is falling in the nation’s capital.

California is asking Judge Charles Breyer to order the Trump administration to return control of the remaining troops to the state and to stop the federal government from using military troops in California “to execute or assist in the execution of federal law or any civilian law enforcement functions by any federal agent or officer.”

Troops were in LA to provide security, US lawyer says

Eric Hamilton, a deputy assistant attorney general, said in his closing statement Tuesday that the troops did not break the Posse Comitatus Act because they were not enforcing federal law and were deployed “for a purely protective function.”

“The president federalized guardsmen and also deployed the Marines after multiple days of violent attacks on federal law enforcement officers and federal property. The deployment was a response to that violence and a recognition that federal law-enforcement officers and federal buildings needed additional protection,” Hamilton said.

California says Trump administration broke the law

California Deputy Attorney General Meghan Strong told the court the Trump administration the troops went beyond providing protection to federal agents and federal buildings. The troops, she said, set up roadblocks and perimeters that restricted civilian movement, blocked access to public streets, detained civilians and engaged in a militaristic display of force in a public park.

The Trump administration, she said, broke the law and used the army to illegally enforce civilian law, and operate as a single force with federal immigration officers who often don military garb.

“Defendants have used that army to pervade the activities of civilian law enforcement and strike fear into the hearts of Californians,” Strong said. “In doing so, defendants have disregarded America’s deep-rooted policy against military execution of the laws and the Posse Comitatus Act prohibitions.”

Trump’s nominee to oversee jobs, inflation data faces shower of criticism

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the agency that produces the nation’s jobs and inflation data is typically a mild-mannered technocrat, often with extensive experience in statistical agencies, with little public profile.

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But like so much in President Donald Trump’s second administration, this time is different.

Trump has selected E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to be the next commissioner at the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Antoni’s nomination was quickly met with a cascade of criticism from other economists, from across the political spectrum.

His selection threatens to bring a new level of politicization to what for decades has been a nonpartisan agency widely accepted as a producer of reliable measures of the nation’s economic health. While many former Labor Department officials say it it unlikely Antoni will be able to distort or alter the data, particularly in the short run, he could change the currently dry-as-dust way it is presented.

Antoni was nominated by Trump after the BLS released a jobs report Aug. 1 that showed that hiring had weakened in July and was much lower in May and June than the agency had previously reported. Trump, without evidence, charged that the data had been “rigged” for political reasons and fired the then-BLS chair, Erika McEntarfer, much to the dismay of many within the agency.

Antoni has been a vocal critic of the government’s jobs data in frequent appearances on podcasts and cable TV. His partisan commentary is unusual for someone who may end up leading the BLS.

For instance, on Aug. 4 — a week before he was nominated — Antoni said in an interview on Fox News Digital that the Labor Department should stop publishing the monthly jobs reports until its data collection processes improve, and rely on quarterly data based on actual employment filings with state unemployment offices.

The monthly employment reports are probably the closest-watched economic data on Wall Street, and can frequently cause swings in stock prices.

When asked at Tuesday’s White House briefing whether the jobs report would continue to be released, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration hoped it would be.

“I believe that is the plan and that’s the hope,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt also defended Antoni’s nomination, calling him an “economic expert” who has testified before Congress and adding that, “the president trusts him to lead this important department.”

Yet Antoni’s TV and podcast appearances have created more of a portrait of a conservative ideologue, instead of a careful economist who considers tradeoffs and prioritizes getting the math correct.

“There’s just nothing in his writing or his resume to suggest that he’s qualified for the position, besides that he is always manipulating the data to favor Trump in some way,” said Brian Albrecht, chief economist at the International Center for Law and Economics.

Antoni wrongly claimed in the last year of Biden’s presidency that the economy had been in recession since 2022; called on the entire Federal Reserve board to be fired for not earning a profit on its Treasury securities holdings; and posted a chart on social media that conflated timelines to suggest inflation was headed to 15%.

His argument that the U.S. was in a recession rested on a vastly exaggerated measure of housing inflation, based on newly-purchased home prices, to artificially make the nation’s gross domestic product appear smaller than it was.

“This is actually maybe the worst Antoni content I’ve seen yet,” Alan Cole of the center-right Tax Foundation said on social media, referring to his recession claim.

On a 2024 podcast, Antoni wanted to sunset Social Security payments for workers paying into the system, saying that “you’ll need a generation of people who pay Social Security taxes but never actually receive any of those benefits.” As head of the BLS, Antoni would oversee the release of the consumer price index by which Social Security payments are adjusted for inflation.

Many economists share, to some degree, Antoni’s concerns that the government’s jobs data has flaws and is threatened by trends such as declining response rates to its surveys. The drop has made the jobs figures more volatile, though not necessarily less accurate over time.

“The stock market moves clearly based on these job numbers, and so people with skin in the game think it’s telling them something about the future of their investments,” Albrecht said. “Could it be improved? Absolutely.”

Katharine Abraham, an economist at the University of Maryland who was BLS Commissioner under President Bill Clinton, said updating the jobs report’s methods would require at least some initial investment.

The government could use more modern data sources, she said, such as figures from payroll processing companies, and fill in gaps with surveys.

“There’s an inconsistency between saying you want higher response rates and you want to spend less money,” she said, referring to the administration’s proposals to cut BLS funding.

Still, Abraham and other former BLS commissioners don’t think Antoni, if confirmed, would be able to alter the figures. He could push for changes in the monthly press release and seek to portray the numbers in a more positive light.

William Beach, who was appointed BLS commissioner by Trump in his first term and also served under Biden, said he is confident that BLS procedures are strong enough to prevent political meddling. He said he didn’t see the figures himself until two days before publication when he served as commissioner.

“The commissioner does not affect the numbers,’’ Beach said. “They don’t collect the data. They don’t massage the data. They don’t organize it.”

Regarding the odds of rigging the numbers, Beach said, “I wouldn’t put it at complete zero, but I’d put it pretty close to zero.’’

It took about six months after McEntarfer was nominated in July 2023 for her to be approved. Antoni will likely face stiff opposition from Democrats, but that may not be enough to derail his appointment.

Sen. Patty Murray, a senior Democrat from Washington, on Tuesday slammed Antoni as “an unqualified right-wing extremist” and demanded that the GOP chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, hold a confirmation hearing for him.

Associated Press Staff Writers Paul Wiseman and Stephen Groves contributed to this story.

Former aide to Eric Adams pleads guilty to soliciting straw donations for mayor’s campaign

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — A former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded guilty Tuesday to soliciting straw donations in a case tied to separate corruption charges against Adams that the Trump administration ultimately decided to drop.

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Mohamed Bahi, who served as City Hall’s chief liaison to the Muslim community, admitted in federal court that he helped solicit the illegal donations for Adams’ mayoral campaign from employees of a Brooklyn construction company at a December 2020 fundraiser.

“I understood that the Adams campaign would then seek matching funds for those donations,” Bahi told a judge, adding that he knew the employees would be reimbursed and “that it was wrong.”

Bahi, 41, was originally charged in October with witness tampering and destroying evidence as part of a sweeping federal investigation into Adams, culminating in the indictment of the mayor on charges of accepting bribes and campaign contributions from foreign interests in a separate fundraising scheme.

At the time, prosecutors said it was “likely” that others would be charged as part of “several related investigations.”

Then, in February, the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to drop the charges against Adams, arguing the case was interfering with the mayor’s ability to assist in President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

The remarkable intervention prompted protests and resignations from several top prosecutors, including the interim U.S. attorney in Manhattan, who accused Adams of striking a quid pro quo with Trump.

Adams has adamantly denied any wrongdoing and pledged to continue his re-election campaign on an independent ballot line.

But even as the mayor no longer faces legal consequences, it has remained an open question how prosecutors will handle the web of investigations into his inner circle and campaign apparatus.

They have not provided any information about the status of other cases, including investigations that resulted in federal agents seizing phones last fall from the city’s police commissioner, multiple deputy mayors and other close advisers to Adams.

The owner of a separate construction company, Erden Arkan, pleaded guilty in January to funneling illegal campaign contributions to Adams. He is scheduled for sentencing later this week.

Bahi will be sentenced on Nov. 17 on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum prison sentence of five years.

Bahi and his lawyer declined to comment as he left the courtroom Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney in Manhattan did not respond to an emailed inquiry.

A spokesperson for Adams also did not return messages seeking comment.

CLASSIC CAR WEEK PHOTOS: Small, but mighty automotive treasures

A wooden sculpture of a driving wheel and dashboard, made by Jim Raeder, owner of Raeder Works from Boise, Idaho. The artist, whose family roots are in both architecture and teaching came to Monterey nearly 50 years ago and has returned for its Classic Car Week events ever since. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)A painting by Lyn Hiner, who creates retro and vintage car paintings. Inspired by a lifelong love of European cars sparked by her father, she says the growing number of women in the field only adds to the camaraderie of sharing a passion with car lovers from around the world. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)Will Elkadi of What’s Up Monterey and Ben Horton of Horton’s Books host the second year of their rebranded Automobilia Collector’s Expo. Though the name is new, the event marks its 21st year as a hub for automotive art, books, and memorabilia. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)Logan Gray talks with a visitor about Vintage Motorbooks, the business he's run since 1975, combining his love of cars and literature. The longtime exhibitor first came to Monterey with his father in the 1950s, and he's attended the automobilia expo for years. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)Hundreds of Classic Car Week attendees make their way to the Automobilia Collector's Expo in Seaside each year to check out unique trinkets, books, gear and art. All the items are related to the automotive industry with many pieces on display being decades old. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)Will Elkadi of What’s Up Monterey and Ben Horton of Horton’s Books host the second year of their rebranded Automobilia Collector’s Expo. Though the name is new, the event marks its 21st year as a hub for automotive art, books, and memorabilia. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)Show Caption1 of 6A wooden sculpture of a driving wheel and dashboard, made by Jim Raeder, owner of Raeder Works from Boise, Idaho. The artist, whose family roots are in both architecture and teaching came to Monterey nearly 50 years ago and has returned for its Classic Car Week events ever since. (Photo by Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)Expand

Mexico expels 26 cartel figures wanted by US authorities in deal with Trump administration

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MARÍA VERZA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mexico has expelled 26 high-ranking cartel figures to the United States in the latest major deal with the Trump administration as American authorities ratchet up pressure on criminal networks sending drugs across the border, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

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The cartel leaders and other prominent figures were being flown from Mexico to the U.S. on Tuesday, the person said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation that was still ongoing.

Those being handed over to U.S. custody include Abigael González Valencia, a leader of “Los Cuinis,” a group closely aligned with notorious cartel Jalisco New Generation or CJNG. Another person, Roberto Salazar, is accused of participating in the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, the person said.

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office and Security ministry confirmed the transfers, which were carried out after a promise from the U.S. Justice Department that prosecutors would not seek the death penalty in any of the cases.

It’s the second time in months Mexico has expelled cartel figures accused of narcotics smuggling, murder and other crimes amid mounting pressure from the Trump administration to curb the flow of drugs across the border. In February, Mexico handed over to American authorities 29 cartel figures, including drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985.

Those transfers came days before 25% tariffs on Mexican imports were to take effect. Late last month, President Donald Trump spoke with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum and agreed to put off threatened 30% tariffs for another 90 days to allow for negotiations.

Sheinbaum has shown a willingness to cooperate more on security than her predecessor, specifically being more aggressive in pursuit of Mexico’s cartels. But she has drawn a clear line when it comes to Mexico’s sovereignty, rejecting suggestions by Trump and others of intervention by the U.S. military.

The Trump administration made dismantling dangerous drug cartels a key priority, designating CJNG and seven other Latin American organized crime groups foreign terrorist organizations.

Abigael González Valencia is the brother-in-law of CJNG leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, a top target of the the U.S. government. He was arrested in February 2015 in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco and had been fighting extradition to the United States since then.

Alongside his two brothers, he led “Los Cuinis,” which financed the the founding and growth of the CJNG, one of the most powerful and dangerous cartels in Mexico. CJNG traffics hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries and is known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption.

One of his brothers, José González Valencia, was sentenced in Washington’s federal court in June to 30 years in a U.S. prison after pleading guilty to international cocaine trafficking. Jose González Valencia was arrested in 2017 under the first Trump administration at a beach resort in Brazil while vacationing with his family under a fake name.

Verza reported from Mexico City

Horoscopes Aug. 11, 2025: Chris Hemsworth, experience is the best teacher

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alyson Stoner, 32; Chris Hemsworth, 42; Ben Gibbard, 49.

Happy Birthday: Experience is the best teacher. Broaden your horizons and embrace what life offers, and your options will expand, giving way to a clear winner. Rise to the occasion, and head in the direction that feels most suited to absorb where you are in life and the lessons necessary to take you on a unique journey that plants your feet firmly on the ground. Take advantage of what comes your way. Your numbers are 2, 13, 21, 28, 34, 43, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Dedicate more time to health, fitness and diet. Walk away from temptation and those who indulge. Utilize intelligence and practical applications to deter others from infiltrating your space, integrity and plans, and you can build a safe and secure lifestyle. Practice what you preach, and take the road that leads to personal victory. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Work behind the scenes. Get everything sorted out before engaging in talks or giving anyone a hint as to your agenda. The less interference you encounter, the better off you’ll be. Take a moment to assess your appearance and make any necessary adjustments before stepping into the spotlight. Romance is on the rise. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Adjust, adapt and fine-tune what unfolds around you. Leave no room for error or give someone else the authority to make choices for you. Your journey is to satisfy your needs and to accomplish your goals. Spend time and money on self-improvement, or save for something you long for. Choose a healthy lifestyle, not indulgence. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Choose to make a difference. Speak on behalf of those who can’t, and engage in functions and events that represent your beliefs and life goals. Your mission to enjoy your preferred lifestyle requires your attention and dedication to ensure you achieve your goal. Personal improvements will enhance your confidence. Romance is in the stars. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Use your intelligence along with the energy and power necessary to get you to your destination. Take a unique approach to learning, researching and making life choices that point you in the right direction. Engage in talks and participate in groups that encourage you to satisfy your needs. Follow your passion; don’t look back. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep busy, be helpful and accommodating, and show interest in people, situations and concerns you face in your community. Being part of the solution will bring you closer to others who share your concerns. Play the numbers game, and do your part to ensure you maintain the safety and security that puts your mind at ease. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A change will energize you. Review your schedule, and create a timetable that meets your needs. Striking a balance between work and play can enhance your emotional and mental wellness. Distance yourself from anyone interfering in your life choices. Put health first, and say no to anyone tempting you with indulgent or extravagant pastimes. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Live, learn and leave the past behind. Execute plans with passion, and engage in events that allow you a platform to promote and market your skills. Utilize your strengths, knowledge and experience to demonstrate your dedication and professional attitude to anyone questioning your credibility. Travel and educational pursuits will pave the way to new beginnings. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stop letting emotions and ego interfere with your domestic responsibilities. Devise plans that you can implement yourself if necessary. Let your actions lead the way and your results speak for you. Financial gain is apparent if you put in the time, effort and ingenuity. Embrace life and whatever projects you take on with enthusiasm. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Pay attention to shared expenses and joint ventures. Refuse to let someone’s attitude toward money compromise your financial well-being. When worry sets in, alter your position to secure your assets. Keep your options open and maintain backups to ward off potential loss. Someone will offer pretenses to keep you guessing. When in doubt, say no. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take care of debt and open a discussion with someone who can offer expert advice. Finding solutions instead of evading important issues will ease your mind and give you hope for a brighter future. An opportunity to use your talents, skills and experience in a lucrative manner is apparent. Keep your opinions and offers legitimate. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take the plunge and sign up for something that intrigues you, or join forces with someone trying to achieve similar dreams. Network, broaden your connections and gain ground by exploring what’s possible with your skills and experience to improve your life. Take a greater interest in how you look, feel and present yourself to others. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are extraordinary, powerful and intelligent. You are creative and sensitive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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