❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to drop out of the mayor’s race, according to sources.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Eric Adams, Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement expected Sunday; election in New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I am the only one that can beat [Zohran] Mamdani,” said Eric Adams during a Sept. 5 news conference.

🎯IMPACT: Adams’s departure leaves a three-way race between Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa for NYC mayor.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to drop out of the mayor’s race on Sunday, according to sources cited by CBS News New York political reporter Marcia Kramer. This decision follows months of speculation regarding the mayor’s future in the race.

Adams’s departure sets the stage for a three-way contest between communist Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa. Polling data consistently showed Adams trailing far behind Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, Cuomo, running as an independent, and Sliwa, the Republican candidate.

In a press conference on September 5, Adams had dismissed rumors of his withdrawal, stating, “I am the only one that can beat [Zohran] Mamdani,” and referring to Mamdani and Cuomo as “two spoiled brats.” Despite his statements, sources now indicate he will exit the race, although his name will still appear on the November ballot.

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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The FBI has fired 15 agents linked to a 2020 kneeling incident during protests over George Floyd’s death.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: 15 FBI agents, FBI Director Kash Patel, and the FBI Agents Association.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The firings were announced on Friday, following a review of the 2020 incident in Washington, DC.

🎯IMPACT: The firings are part of an effort to address left-wing politicization within the FBI

The FBI has dismissed 15 agents tied to a 2020 incident where agents were photographed kneeling with protesters during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. The decision follows a months-long review of the event, which had drawn criticism from conservative media and some retired agents.

The FBI Agents Association criticized the firings, stating they violated the agents’ due process rights and undermined trust within the bureau. “Patel’s dangerous new pattern of actions are weakening the Bureau because they eliminate valuable expertise and damage trust between leadership and the workforce,” the association said in a statement.

The original incident occurred in Washington, DC, during the summer of 2020, when a group of agents knelt in an effort to de-escalate tensions with protesters. While the move successfully calmed the situation, it sparked internal controversy, and photos of the event led to backlash.

Following the incident, initial reviews determined no policy violations had occurred. However, earlier this year, FBI leadership reassessed the situation, resulting in reassignments and eventual firings. The bureau has not commented on the recent dismissals.

Friday’s actions are reportedly part of a broader effort to address what the Trump administration has called “woke” and politicized elements within the FBI. This includes a review of agents involved in cases disfavored by the current administration, such as investigations into the president and his allies.

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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors charged Howard Rubin with running a decade-long sex-trafficking operation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Howard Rubin, a retired financier, and his former assistant Jennifer Powers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Between 2009 and 2019, primarily in a Manhattan penthouse described as a “sex dungeon.”

💬KEY QUOTE: Rubin has been linked to George Soros, as he previously worked at Soros Fund Management and Bear Stearns.

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights allegations of abuse and misconduct tied to a high-profile financier with political connections.

Federal prosecutors have charged 70-year-old Howard Rubin, a retired New York financier, with orchestrating a decade-long sex-trafficking scheme that allegedly preyed on dozens of women. Authorities say the abuse largely took place in a lavish Manhattan penthouse outfitted as a “sex dungeon,” where women were brought under false pretenses and, in some cases, drugged or heavily intoxicated before being assaulted.

Rubin’s former assistant, Jennifer Powers, is also facing charges for her alleged role in recruiting women between 2009 and 2019. Prosecutors claim she acted as a gatekeeper, luring victims into Rubin’s circle where they were exploited under the guise of business opportunities.

According to the New York Post, Rubin’s Wall Street pedigree is notable: he previously served as a top manager at Soros Fund Management, the investment firm founded by billionaire George Soros, a major donor to Democratic Party causes. Before that, Rubin worked at Bear Stearns, where he built his reputation in mortgage-backed securities.

The case has drawn national attention not only for the salacious details but also because of Rubin’s high-powered financial ties. If convicted, both Rubin and Powers face decades in prison for what prosecutors describe as a calculated, exploitative, and long-running criminal enterprise.

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