Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner raised roughly $200,000 in the days following a New York Times report highlighting abuse allegations from three of his former girlfriends, even as critics challenge key elements of the working-class biography that fueled his political rise.  The fundraising haul came as Platner sought to reassure supporters that his campaign remains strong despite a series of damaging reports about his past. Speaking at a recent campaign rally, Platner argued that his personal history was being “weaponized,” to the applause of his supporters. “When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public, as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness, of recovery and accountability and growth, Maine had my back,” Platner said. “Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back.” Democrat politicians, such as Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), have attempted to strike a careful balance between supporting Platner and acknowledging the seriousness of the accusations against him. “No one should make excuses for his past relationships, some of which were toxic and volatile, and no one on our side should attack the women who came forward,” Khanna said. “You know why? Because Democrats believe in respecting the equality and the dignity of women, and we always will.” The comments stood in contrast to Platner’s own response to the claims. “These are the statements of someone who is politically motivated,” Platner said during an appearance on MSNOW. “I do expect the Republican party to fight as dirty as possible.” At the rally, Platner again denied the allegations.  “When politically motivated, serious, and false accusations are made against me, Maine, you have my back,” Platner said. The New York Times reported that three former girlfriends alleged physical abuse during their relationships with Platner, and said the Maine Democrat knew the meaning behind his controversial Totenkopf tattoo. Platner has denied the accusations, saying any claims about physical abuse or knowing the tattoo’s meaning are false. While Platner attempted damage control about his past, critics have continued to scrutinize his biography, which helped fuel his rise in Democratic politics.   At the same rally, Platner described how healthcare gave him the freedom to “start a business” and “make a living on the sea.” “My healthcare gave me freedom,” Platner said. “It gave me the freedom to take a risk, to start a business, and to sink my intellect and my physicality into mastering the skills necessary to make a living on the sea.” The Washington Free Beacon has challenged that portrayal, reporting that Platner borrowed $200,000 from his father to purchase his home and relies heavily on veterans disability benefits. The outlet also reported that the primary purchaser of oysters from Platner’s oyster farm is a restaurant owned by his mother. Graham Platner today falsely claimed to “make a living on the sea.” That’s not true. He lives almost entirely off his VA disability payments and he bought his house with $200,000 from his dad, as we’ve reported @FreeBeacon https://t.co/zD7DfJE2Vl pic.twitter.com/v76JLON2hz — Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) June 6, 2026 Platner has also frequently highlighted his experience serving as his town’s harbormaster. The Free Beacon reported that he held the position for approximately 18 months. In addition to these current allegations, other revelations show that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women while married and has an account on Kik, a messaging platform flagged by child safety advocates for being associated with sexual predators.

As California continues counting votes from this week’s primary elections, the Department of Justice has launched multiple investigations into potential election fraud and plans to audit the state’s voter rolls.   Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, announced the investigations Friday, saying his office is working with the FBI.  “We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and prosecute any violations of federal election law to the fullest extent,” Essayli posted on X. Essayli also said the Justice Department intends to audit California’s voter rolls.  “The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote,” he wrote. “This case is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.” Protecting the integrity of California’s elections is a top priority for my office. California’s election system has serious structural vulnerabilities. Universal vote-by-mail with no voter ID requirements creates conditions where fraud can go undetected and unpunished, eroding… — F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) June 5, 2026 A federal prosecutor also visited the Los Angeles County ballot processing center on Friday, according to NBC News. A county spokesperson told the outlet the prosecutor participated in a walkthrough of ballot-processing operations, which are open to public observation. The developments come as California election officials continue tabulating millions of outstanding ballots. President Donald Trump accused California Democrats of attempting to “steal” elections multiple times this week, citing the state’s lengthy vote-counting process. Two big races remain unresolved: the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral elections.  “Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday. With 68% of the gubernatorial vote reported as of Saturday morning, Democrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the November runoff in the general election with 26.78% of the vote. His opponent is still unknown, but Republican Steve Hilton narrowly trails Becerra with 26.35% support. Both were ahead of Democrat billionaire Tom Steyer, who is at 21.05%. Under California’s top-two primary system, candidates from the same party can advance to the runoff if they finish in first and second in the primary. In the Los Angeles mayoral election, incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass has been projected to advance to a runoff in the general election. As of Saturday morning, Bass has received 35.0% of the vote, with 71% of the vote counted. Republican challenger Spencer Pratt is still in second with 28.2%, ahead of far-left Democrat Nithya Raman, who has been closing in on Pratt in recent days. She currently has 24.9% support. In the L.A. mayoral race, two members of the same party can advance to the general election if neither receives more than 50% of the vote. Around three million votes have yet to be counted, and the state has 35 days for counties to process ballots, verify signatures, and let voters cure defective ballots.

An ex-Marine fought off four armed teenage robbery suspects in Maryland this week after one of them pointed a gun at him while he was working on his truck. The confrontation happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday in Oxon Hill, just outside Washington, D.C., according to reports. Video obtained by Fox News shows four hooded teens approaching Jheyco Borda as he worked on his vehicle. One of the teens allegedly demanded Borda’s keys, phone, and valuables while pointing a handgun at him. After a brief standoff, Borda grabbed the teen’s arm and threw him to the ground. The other suspects initially fled, but one returned and attempted to reengage before being tackled by Borda’s brother, who rushed in to help. According to Fox 5, the firearm discharged during the struggle and struck Borda’s truck.  No injuries were reported. Prince George’s County police later took all four teens into custody. Marines are trained to maneuver and escape from hostile situations through the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape schools. Borda had reportedly been trained in hand-to-hand combat.   The D.C. Witness reported that teen crime in the D.C. area has been on the rise. According to the outlet, “the percentage of homicides and non-fatal shootings perpetrated by youth aged 15-to-20 almost doubled in the three years from 2021 thru June 2024.”

Lego has unveiled a massive new model of Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica, a release timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the death of its chief architect, Antoni Gaudí. The set contains 12,060, making it the largest Lego set ever released, according to the company. “The new set captures the evolving story of Barcelona’s most iconic landmark, with the building steps mirroring the basilica’s actual construction sequence,” Lego said in the statement.  Lego Architecture Sagrada Familia revealed! 12060 pieces / $799.99 / £649.99 / 1st a November 2026#Lego #Legonews #Legoleaks #architecture #SagradaFamília pic.twitter.com/t3HrbmSP0s — Brick Built Blogs (@BlogsBrick) June 4, 2026 “The build begins with the foundational Apse and Crypt, moves through Gaudí’s original Nativity façade and the dramatic Passion façade, before rising into the grand naves, Western Sacristy and six iconic towers. The final stage brings the model together with the Eastern Sacristy and the Glory façade.” The release comes as the real Sagrada Familia approaches a major milestone of its own. Construction on the basilica began more than 140 years ago and has continued ever since. According to The Art Newspaper, Pope Leo XIV is expected to bless the newly completed Tower of Jesus on June 10, the centennial of Gaudí’s death. “The inauguration marks the symbolic completion of the church, though work is expected to continue for another decade,” according to the outlet. The Sagrada Familia is the latest religious landmark to receive the Lego treatment. In 2024, the company released a model of Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the world’s most renowned Catholic landmarks, during the reconstruction of the famous Paris church. The move signaled a willingness to create sets based on prominent religious sites. The new set was designed by Rok Žgalin Kobe, who has also worked on Lego versions of the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Trevi Fountain, and other architectural icons. The Sagrada Familia Lego set is available for preorder for $799.99 and is scheduled for release on November 1.  

Retailers are reporting a disturbing new trend affecting their bottom line, and they strongly suspect it has something to do with customers using GLP-1 drugs. According to the Wall Street Journal, businesses are noticing a higher return rate, which is being chalked up to people losing weight and needing to purchase smaller sizes. The number of purchasers sizing down has increased in each of the past three full calendar years, hitting a high of 14.6% in 2025, the outlet noted. “It’s becoming a real issue,” Farnam Elyasof, owner of the suit retailer FlexSuits, told the outlet. “It’s a loss for me.” He said he’s noticed an increase in the number of customers who purchase multiple sizes at once and then return most of them, likely due to weight-loss-related size changes. The outlet noted that between shipping, labor, and warehouse expenses, returns cost retailers a lot of money. There’s also the issue of reselling the item, which often needs to be discounted because it’s out of season.  Judith Somekh, co-founder of online retailer The Dress Outlet, has resorted to charging customers a 20% restocking fee to help slow the avalanche of returns in the age of Ozempic.  “We kind of force the customer, unless they have an excess amount of money, to do their research before they buy,” Somekh told the Journal. “Higher returns mean higher costs, and higher costs mean higher end-costs for the consumer. We obviously don’t want that.” Another online store owner said she’s been stocking smaller sizes because those are now selling better than ever.  Over the past few years, weight drugs have exploded in popularity, with brands such as Ozempic and Wegovy becoming household names as newer versions like Zepbound join the market and makers rush to come out with newer, more effective options.  The surge in prescriptions cannot be overstated. About 18% of American adults say they have taken a GLP-1 medication at some point, and roughly one in eight (12%) report currently using one. That number is only expected to grow as a pill form hits the market. But even with people being forced to give themselves weekly injections, the popularity of the shots keeps growing as waistlines continue shrinking. It’s not just clothing retailers feeling the loss. Snack food producers say purchasing is way down as their customers continue to eat less. Interestingly, tobacco and alcohol producers are also reportedly feeling the sting as users become less likely to continue addictive habits. “This modulation of the brain’s reward system extends beyond food, with early evidence suggesting benefits in reducing alcohol misuse, drug dependence, and even gambling,” Sophie Dix, head of medical affairs at MedExpress, told CNBC of GLP-1s last August. This has reportedly had an effect on compulsive shopping habits, which means the same customers making all those returns are purchasing fewer items in the first place. It all results in decreased revenues for retailers across the board.