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Mamdani Renews $1.86 Billion Hotel Shelter Contract Through '29

The administration of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has renewed a contract worth up to $1.86 billion that allows hotels across the city's five boroughs to provide emergency shelter for homeless individuals and families through 2029, the New York Post reported on Sunday.

The three-year agreement with the Hotel Association of New York City Foundation, which represents nearly 300 hotels, runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The contract enables the city to use hotel rooms as emergency shelter when needed to meet its legal obligation to house people seeking assistance.

A spokesperson for the city's Department of Homeless Services (DHS) said, "Over the last 15 years, DHS has faced numerous crises that forced it to rely on commercial hotels to temporarily house clients."

The spokesperson added, "DHS is focused not only on upholding New York City's right to shelter but improving outcomes for all the New Yorkers we serve. As such, we continue to work to transform the city's shelter system by opening new, high-quality shelters while gradually phasing out the use of commercial hotels for families with children."

City officials said renewing the contract would ensure sufficient emergency capacity while the shelter system transitions to more permanent facilities. Under New York City's right-to-shelter mandate, the city is legally required to provide shelter to anyone who requests it.

As of July 31, 82,929 adults and children were staying in New York City shelters, according to DHS.

"By exercising the renewal option of the agency's master contract with HANYC, DHS will be able to retain critical hotel capacity, as needed, while we work to bring more traditional capacity online, reduce reliance on hotels, and rightsize our shelter footprint over the coming years," the spokesperson said.

Officials emphasized that the contract authorizes up to $1.86 billion in spending, but said the city may not ultimately spend the full amount because hotels will only be activated as shelters when additional capacity is required.

New York City dramatically expanded its use of hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce crowding in congregate shelters and later relied on the same strategy during the migrant influx, when thousands of asylum seekers arrived in the city.

At the peak of that crisis, roughly 150 hotels, motels, and inns were converted into temporary shelters.

The Hotel Association of New York City Foundation said it secured the original contract in January 2025 after winning a competitive bidding process.

"It is a continuation of HANYC's well-documented role as a responsible stakeholder since the COVID crisis when the organization moved, pro bono, over 18,000 people from shelters to hotels on an emergency basis from May 2020 to December 2021," said Vijay Dandapani, the organization's chief executive officer.

In addition to the hotel contract, DHS awarded more than $87 million in contracts under its Integrated Commercial Hotels Program to provide on-site services for homeless residents staying in hotels.

Housing Works received a $47.2 million contract, while Neighbors 4 Neighbors was awarded $40.28 million to provide support services and assist homeless individuals and families with daily needs.

The city's continued reliance on hotels has drawn criticism from some who argue that removing thousands of hotel rooms from the commercial market contributes to high lodging costs in one of the nation's most expensive tourism markets.

Homelessness advocates, however, said the practice remains necessary while the city struggles with limited shelter and affordable housing capacity.

Brian Freeman ✉

Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

 

What Colorado Socialist House Nominee Says About Communism Is Raising Some Eyebrows

We're seeing some of the socialists making the various media rounds. 

Mostly that's a good thing, as we saw with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) national co-chair Megan Romer laying out all the crazy things that they believe in a recent Fox News interview. For anyone thinking this was harmless, that was a great wake-up call as to how unhinged and wrong these ideas are. 

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READ MORE: DSA Co-Chair Confirms Its Extreme Agenda in Stunning Admission on Live TV

Concerning Poll About Socialists in Democrat Party - Adam Schiff's Response Explains the Problem

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On Sunday, Colorado Democrat congressional nominee Melat Kiros, who is running for the 1st District, appeared on PBS' Firing Line program with Margaret Hoover. 

Kiros admits she's a socialist and DSA member, but Hoover asked, "Are you a communist?"

Kiros denied it. 

Hoover asked how she would tackle the criticism that some of the DSA members were communists, including half the leadership. 

Her reply hit the heights for ridiculousness. "Well, some members of the Democratic Party are proudly proclaiming themselves capitalists," she shrugged. "It's a big tent." 

"Until a self-proclaimed communist wins an election," she contended, "It's just noise from the Republican Party."

So let's see what she's admitted there. She has no problem being in the DSA with communists. 

She only thinks it's worth mentioning if the communist says he's a communist? If he/she is lying to fool you, it's cool? She's in an organization with communists, but apparently that's just "noise," not a comment on her bad choices and horrible policy.

Then what is that comment about capitalists? Communism is an evil ideology responsible for the deaths of millions. Meanwhile, capitalism has lifted billions out of poverty. 

Then she also claimed the "evidence" shows that socialism has proven to be the only system designed to deliver on the "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" outlined in the Declaration of Independence. 

The whole underpinning of our system is individual rights. That is completely at odds with socialism. 

What "evidence" to support what she's claiming? She doesn't put forth anything to support what she says in that clip. 

Then, too, as we see with some socialists like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, they smile a lot to look pleasant, as though there's no reason to question the unhinged things they have to say. 

It's a dangerous grin that hides the harm in the ideology. 

 

Bill Maher Makes His Audience Gasp Simply by Reading the DSA Platform Out Loud

Some prominent figures on the left have been slowly realizing for a while now that the Democratic Party they once knew has gone completely off the deep end. Add Bill Maher to the list.

Maher has commented in the past about how the left pilloried him from here to hell and back for the crime of breaking bread with President Trump. How they've refused to engage him in meaningful conversation. It was just weeks ago that he called out the Democratic Party for being taken over by communists. 

Not merely playing footsy with them. Letting them infiltrate the opposition party.

On a recent episode of his show, the longtime liberal host decided to prove the point by simply reading the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) platform and some choice quotes from its rising stars and allies out loud.

Line after line, the language tracked uncomfortably close to classic communist rhetoric about seizing private property and the means of production. It's material we've pointed out on these very pages time and again. But material that Maher is finally coming around to recognize on his own.

Mamdani-backed Candidate for NY-13 Darializa Avila Chevalier gets called out for her past comments: “Yes literally abolish the border”… “All deportation is wrong”… “F Kamala Harris."

CHEVALIER: "I'm not interested in relitigating the politics of my tweets." pic.twitter.com/jdNUeobWc3

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 4, 2026

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READ MORE: Democrats Reveal Radical Plans If They Seize Power, Trump Warns GOP Will Be ‘Dead’ If They Succeed

Ilhan Omar Waves Off State Dept Exposé on Her Daughter’s Communist Convoy: 'Waste of Ink'

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The Los Angeles studio crowd, not exactly a gathering of conservatives, responded with audible gasps. And when they weren't, there was nothing but awkward silence when he showed them repeatedly that the DSA candidates overrunning the Democrat party are, in fact, flat-out communists.

"Donald Trump has told one trillion lies, but when he says the Democratic Socialists of America are actually communist, that's not one of them. And it's not hard to prove it, just by quoting the DSA and their candidates," he forewarned. "It gives me no pleasure to have to do this."

"Not a week goes by where I don't read about some newly chosen, exciting new face in the Democratic Party. And then when that face opens its mouth, the Communist Manifesto or some other crazy s*** comes out," he continued. "Again, let's just read the quotes."

"The DSA platform says ...  you work as much as you are able, and no more than needed," Maher pointed out. "If that was any closer to Karl Marx's dictum, from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs, they'd be sued for plagiarism."

On and on this went. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani quoting Karl Marx exactly. Hasan Piker's views. Mamdani's aide, and socialist congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, literally discussing "seizing the means of production."

"I think they want to seize the means of production," he quipped. "Now maybe you missed that in school, or missed school altogether, but that's communism. That's communism, which we tried, and it doesn't work."

WARNING: Language

"People are actually getting elected now, who literally don't think we should have police, or prisons, or borders," the exasperated host said.

Maher proceeded to explain that his vote is "in play." It's shades of Elon Musk all over again.

 

"I'm not voting for anyone who thinks the wrong side won the Cold War, or cheers for the Intifada like it's the World Cup. It's so ironic, from the people who obsess about colonization. You know what's being colonized now?" he asked. "The Democratic Party."

If that holds true, his vote is not, in fact, in play.

Throwing the insane asylum's own quotes back at them is a very effective tool. It was no different in this segment. Nor was it any different when he did the same in another segment involving the disgraced Anthony Fauci.

“Fauci: ‘The nurses went absolutely wild to see me. They were squealing and laughing and clapping. It was something to behold.’” 

“Fauci: ‘Many print profiles and features on me. Ridiculous. Too many to count.’” 

“Fauci: ‘I’m such a valued spokesperson and a good communicator.’” 

WARNING: More Language

Even Bill Maher says Fauci’s diary is the “most embarrassing” release of anything he has seen since Anthony Weiner got caught sending a d*ck pic to a college student.

“He [Fauci] is just so susceptible to flattery.”

“And for the people who say Trump lives by people kissing his… pic.twitter.com/4B3yVpbff0

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) August 1, 2026

Maher went on to point out that similarly, rabid, lifetime Democrat strategist James Carville, also said he couldn't be part of a party this radical and removed from reality.

"I am NOT going to be in the same party as Hasan Piker! I can tell you that right now!" Carville said during an interview on Fox. 

How bad is it? Maher explains, "I would vote for Sarah Palin before this s***."

There are better candidates on the Republican side of the aisle to vote for in 2026 and 2028, Bill.

 

Sophie Cunningham Got Elbowed in the Jaw. Guess Who Got the Foul?

 I don’t watch the WNBA, but I will cover the circus because it’s produced by our mortal enemies: the woke Left. And yes, the WNBA has some players who are exciting, can work a room, and engage the media well. There are more than a few who can make this league relevant. Caitlin Clark is the face of the league, though they’ll never admit it because she’s not black and gay. Sophie Cunningham’s viral pointing incident with Phoenix Mercury’s DeWanna Bonner was insanely viral—there’s a moment for the league to capitalize on, but they fail miserably. A lot of this stems from the politics of the leaders and coaches, who think this league, which no one cares about, is some silver bullet for social justice causes. Ironically, it’s why these causes lose steam once the WNBA gets involved. 

Clark is a straight white player, so that’s anathema to the Left. Now Cunningham, also white and likely straight, doesn’t want men participating in women’s sports. She’s not just talking about the WNBA, you morons—a weak counterpoint that only the clueless and brain-damaged push. Somehow, being normal basketball players threatens the weird gay circus that is this league, and Cunningham paid for it, getting hit, elbow to the jaw—and she was called for the foul.

They called this as a foul on Sophie Cunningham by the way. pic.twitter.com/lByFvIeoRj

— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) August 3, 2026

Maybe the worst foul call of all-time pic.twitter.com/TycBpg6XN0

— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin) August 2, 2026

Holy crap. https://t.co/xnyJCLHy22

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 2, 2026

It's actually kind of crazy they have a league where every negative stereotype about black women and lesbians plays out for everyone to see. https://t.co/wHklIiyz1B

— Paul (@WomanDefiner) August 2, 2026

.@Riley_Gaines_ was just told she had to put this sign down. Because it has a name on it. pic.twitter.com/aCwbh0VYJe

— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) August 2, 2026

Clark, who's already been beat to crap every night, refused to divulge further into this issue:

Recommended

Caitlin Clark was asked about the controversy surrounding biological males in women’s sports.

She said leagues and governing bodies should find solutions, added that it isn’t discussed in the Fever locker room and declined to offer her personal view. pic.twitter.com/NJUPOZdeJR

— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) August 2, 2026

The Indiana Fever lost 100-108 to the Minnesota Lynx. It was a chaotic game where politics can get you thrown into a fire by the woke lesbians who have a talent for turning everything into a radioactive mess. Go to the Linc, go to Giants Stadium—there are obviously liberals and conservatives there just cheering for their team. You people attack those who are concerned about transgenders and protecting women's sports. No wonder you’re all alone in the cold, dark political wilderness. Well, that’s not true, you have annoying lefty gay men to keep you company, which is funny since people tell me both sides would like to strangle each other. Welcome to hell; thy name is Democrat. 

 What an absolute clown show league.

🚨 NOW: The transgender left is FURIOUS after Sophie Cunningham just posed for a pro-women's sports photo with RILEY GAINES

Cunningham is DOUBLING DOWN, the transgender cult will not coerce her into endorsing the destruction of girls' spaces! 👏🏻 @Riley_Gaines_ pic.twitter.com/78QPLZbdjf

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 2, 2026

— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) August 2, 2026

Remember the Female Wrestler Who Alleged Her Transgender Opponent Sexually Assaulted Her? Well...

 In December 2025, you saw the look on Kallie Keeler’s, 16, face: something was wrong. The female wrestler in the 190-pound class was facing a transgender opponent who was using unorthodox moves. They certainly were not mainstream moves, based on former wrestlers who’ve watched the tape. We covered this story in February: Keeler alleged she was being sexually assaulted, with her opponent pressing its fingers against her vagina. Brandi Kruse initially had the story:

 

Video taken by Kallie’s mom on December 6 captures the disgust and panic in Kallie’s face. She tries to mouth something to her mom: "Her fingers are in my (vagina)." 

Her mom can't make out what she’s saying and is on the wrong side of the mat to see what’s happening to her daughter. The referee is also out of the line of sight. 

"I don’t know what she said. I don’t know why her face looked like that," her mom can be heard saying to someone off camera. 

Traumatized and confused, Kallie decided to let her opponent pin her. 

"I just wanted the match to be over," the teen told me, her hands grasping together. I could tell she felt awkward even talking about it. 

After the match, Kallie immediately told her mom what happened. 

Above Video is from 6 months ago

[…] 

Two days after the match, Kallie’s parents emailed coaches at Rogers High School to find out what they intended to do about what happened. 

"This is a huge issue and something that is 100% not OK," her mom wrote. "The fact that this was done by a biological male who identifies as a female is an even bigger issue for me. Where do we go from here?" 

Kallie had also spoken to her coach personally about the incident.

"I told her how uncomfortable the match made me feel. She said she was looking into it." 

In a December 8 email response to Kallie's parents, her coach seemed to take the accusations seriously.

[…]

We emailed the Puyallup School District for comment on January 29. 

[…] 

The next day, the school reported Kallie's allegations to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office – nearly two months after district employees had a legal obligation to do so. 

Recommended

The Department of Education got involved later in February. Now, school officials in the Puyallup School District have been charged with neglecting to follow up on Keeler’s allegations. The arraignment hearing is set for later today. The transgender wrestler was not charged, citing the difficulty in prosecuting the case in court (via Tacoma News Tribune):

The principal and athletic coordinator of Rogers High School in Puyallup have been accused of a gross misdemeanor for allegedly failing to notify authorities after a wrestler reported that she had been sexually assaulted by her trans opponent during a match. Principal Jason Smith, 55, and athletic coordinator Peter Collins, 49, were charged July 21 in Pierce County District Court with failure to comply with the mandatory reporting law.

An arraignment hearing was set for Aug. 3 for the defendants to enter a plea to the charge. They have waived their right to appear. Collins’ defense attorney, Brett Purtzer, declined to comment on the allegations when reached by phone Friday, and he said Collins had no comments.

[…]

Prosecutors in June declined to file criminal charges against the athlete who the Rogers wrestler has said assaulted her. Prosecutors said possible charges would be too difficult to prove in court, in large part due to case law concerning consent in athletic contests. The individual’s identity as a transgender athlete has been a flashpoint in public debate over trans athletes in high school sports.

[…]

The Puyallup School District also is facing an investigation from the U.S. Department of Education over whether the district violated Title IX — which prohibits sex-based discrimination — by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girl’s sports and failing to adequately respond to allegations of sexual assault.

Former wrestlers who’ve watched the video said these incidents do happen, albeit with a frequency akin to checking a car’s oil. Also, when contact is made, the hands are immediately moved away, lest the wrestler be disqualified or called for a foul. 

S.C.: Darline Graham touts Trump’s agenda in political speech ahead of special Senate primary

U.S. Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) participates in a ceremonial swearing-in in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on July 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Facing a tight one-week deadline to win over South Carolina Republicans, United States Senator Darline Graham made her first campaign speech, sharing with hundreds of voters that entering politics was never her plan before her brother Lindsey Graham’s unexpected passing.

Graham (R-S.C.) is filling out the remainder of her late brother’s Senate term following his sudden passing on July 11^th from an aortic tear.

The special primary election for South Carolina, set for August 11^th, will determine the Republican nominee to replace Lindsey on the November general election ballot.

“I certainly never expected to be on this stage, giving this stump speech,” Graham said in the opening of her speech in Lexington. “I’ve never had any desire to be a politician. I’m here today because I’m answering President Trump’s call to serve. I want to stand up for South Carolina, and I want to fight for President Trump’s agenda.”

  

Graham acknowledged that while she had not spent decades in politics, she has a firm grasp on everyday life applications of federal policy, such as budgeting and health care.

“Lindsey was an expert on the federal budget, I’m an expert on the family budget,” she declared.

All nine hopefuls at Saturday’s event had five minutes to speak on stage, attempting to earn the crowd’s favor.

 

The other eight candidates were former Governor Mark Sanford, U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) U.S. Representative Russell Fry (R-S.C.), attorney Duke Buckner, businessman Mark Lynch, former Mayor Mark McBride, retired Air Force officer Glenda Gail Parker and entrepreneur Sam Shepherd.

 

California Blew $4B by Missing Train Procurement Deadlines

 The new CBS News investigation lands like a bucket of cold water on California’s high‑speed rail fairy tale. Records show the California High‑Speed Rail Authority repeatedly missed federally required train procurement deadlines. Those missed deadlines were a key reason the U.S. Department of Transportation pulled roughly $4 billion in grant commitments — money taxpayers thought would build something real, not empty promises.

The missing trains: procurement deadlines gone AWOL

The heart of the CBS finding is simple and embarrassing: CHSRA never signed the trainset contract it promised. The agency missed the contract deadline the federal grant required, missed a later court‑promised deadline, and today still lists the train contract date as “TBD.” That blank line mattered. The FRA’s compliance review flagged the missed rolling‑stock procurement as one of nine major failures and said the project had “no viable path” to meet its milestones. As Secretary Sean P. Duffy put it, federal dollars “are not a blank check.”

Why buying the trains isn’t a paperwork stunt

Buying trainsets is not like ordering office chairs next week. Rolling stock takes years to build, test and certify. If you delay procurement, you crush the schedule for delivery, testing and safety checks. The FRA made that point. Without trains on order, there was no realistic way to finish the project on time or on budget. Meanwhile, costs ballooned and the plan to link two big cities became a half‑baked Central Valley pet project that won’t save commuters much time.

Newsom’s blame game and the quiet dropped lawsuit

Governor Gavin Newsom blamed Washington and called the withdrawal “a political stunt.” California sued to challenge the rescind and then quietly dropped that lawsuit after missing the new deadline it promised a judge. That’s not a sign of principled resistance. It looks like political theater followed by an administration that couldn’t meet its own deadlines — and then walked away when the paperwork caught up with the excuses.

Accountability first, slogans second

Taxpayers deserve answers and real fixes, not finger‑pointing. If the project is worth doing, state leaders should put a credible, documented plan on the table, buy the trains on a realistic schedule, and show how billions already spent will become service instead of sunk cost. If they can’t, then stop asking for federal money and stop selling the public on a fantasy. The CBS investigation didn’t invent the problem — it simply showed where the blame actually sits. Now California needs an honest audit, real oversight, and leaders willing to trade political talking points for results.

Francesca Hong Took $57K From Hasan Piker, Democrats Panic

State Representative Francesca Hong’s late‑June livestream with controversial streamer Hasan Piker did more than spark headlines — it turned into cold, hard cash and a full‑blown intra‑party fight. Hong pulled roughly $57,000 from Piker’s show and about $92,000 total from two streamer appearances. That kind of small‑dollar money moves the needle in a tight primary. It also handed Republicans a fresh attack line in a swing state that could decide control of the governor’s mansion.

The livestream windfall — and why it matters

Fundraising is the fuel of campaigns, and Hong just found a high‑reach nozzle on the internet. Streaming platforms reach young, energized voters who are easy to ignore if you rely only on TV ads and dinners. But the host Hong chose is Hasan Piker, a polarizing figure with a history of inflammatory remarks on Israel and 9/11. The $57,000 haul from Piker’s stream isn’t pocket change. Still, money isn’t the only currency in politics — credibility and electability matter too, especially in Wisconsin.

Democrats upset and the Jewish caucus reaction

Not everyone in the party applauded the tactic. Local Democratic leaders and members of the Wisconsin Democratic Jewish Caucus raised alarms, accusing Hong of trading good judgment for a fundraising bump. One co‑chair warned that the move looked like “selling out” Jewish voters for donations. Hong’s campaign replied that appearing on a platform is not an endorsement of everything a host has said and that hate has no place in Wisconsin politics. Fine — but nuance rarely survives a 30‑second ad or a late‑night cable hit.

What Hong is betting on — and what she’s risking

Hong says she is simply trying to meet voters where they are. She framed the streams as outreach that brings previously untapped voters into the fold. That’s a plausible argument if your primary goal is turning out the base. But she also doubled down publicly, appearing with Representative Ilhan Omar and accepting praise from Piker on the trail. In a purple state where suburban moderates and Jewish communities matter, those associations give Republicans clear, simple messaging: vote for fringe allies or vote for stability. Guess which message plays easier on a statewide TV spot?

Bottom line — electability beats viral applause

Politics is a results business. If Francesca Hong wins the Democratic primary, that $92,000 and the energized online base will look smart — until the general election ads roll. If she loses, the streams will be remembered as the moment Democrats handed Republicans a tidy list of talking points. Republicans like U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany are already sharpening their lines. The smart move for Democrats would be to build digital outreach without letting controversial influencers define the campaign. Until then, Wisconsin voters will decide whether livestream likes beat the sober test of winning a whole state.

 

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