Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones becomes latest victim of ‘swatting’ incident: ‘I will not be intimidated’
Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Wednesday became the latest victim to be targeted in a “swatting” incident, he said. The Republican tweeted Thursday that his home was “swatted” the previous night and a bomb threat was called in to his office. “Let me be clear – I will not be intimidated by those attempting to silence me,” Jones wrote. “We will put an end to this madness. We are in full compliance with law enforcement, and I am confident that those responsible will be brought to justice and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 2 GOP LAWMAKERS TARGETED IN CHRISTMAS DAY SWATTING CALLS AS POLICE INVESTIGATE “Swatting” involves calling 911 and faking an emergency that draws a response from law enforcement, typically a SWAT team. In recent weeks, a growing number of politicians have been targeted in swatting incidents. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has been a victim of the move multiple times, has vowed to introduce legislation “to make it easier for law enforcement to arrest and prosecute these criminals.” Other recent victims have included Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., and Ohio State Representative Kevin D. Miller. Earlier this month, the nonprofit group Secure Community Network (SCN) documented nearly 200 swatting incidents over 24 hours targeting Jewish facilities across dozens of states. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Nikki Haley clarifies Civil War ‘was about slavery,’ and individual freedom was ‘the lesson’
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is cleaning up comments she made about the U.S. Civil War after catching heat from both sides of the political aisle. Haley faced a backlash from the White House and fellow Republicans on the campaign trail after she declined to mention slavery as the reason for sparking the U.S. Civil War during a town hall event on Wednesday. “I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run — the freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do,” she said. TRUMP JR SAYS HE’D GO TO ‘GREAT LENGTHS’ TO PREVENT THIS REPUBLICAN FROM JOINING DAD’S CAMPAIGN “It was about slavery,” President Biden posted on X with a clip of Haley’s comments. “Yikes,” the campaign of fellow GOP candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote. Haley has since clarified that she believes the Civil War was sparked by slavery but that the “bigger issue” was determining the role of government in people’s lives. She further addressed the issue during a press gaggle with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu on Thursday. “I think everybody thinks that the Civil War was about slavery. It was more, what’s the bigger issue of it?” she explained to Fox News’ James Levinson. “You know, we went through 80 years of that, and we know that people were struggling with ‘What’s the role of government? What’s the role of individual freedom?’ And the lesson we should take away from the Civil War is, yes, never allow slavery to happen again. But what does that mean for government and the role of individual freedom?” “We want every person to have the freedom of speech, religion, to live their life without anyone doing anything to hamper that,” she said. “That’s what this was about. So, if it required clarification of saying, yes, the Civil War was about slavery, I’m happy to do that.” “But look, I know it very well,” she added. “I fought and took down the Confederate flag in South Carolina. I am very aware of what that is. But for us to move forward as a country, what’s the lesson in it? And the lesson is every person deserves freedom, and we have to always fight for it every single day.” Sununu also chimed in, saying Haley’s comments were “spot on.” “Spot on. That’s it. The Civil War is about slavery,” he told reporters. “She acknowledged it. Moving on.” While Haley received some backlash for her initial comments, not everyone joined in the pile-on, with some conservatives arguing it was a “gotcha” question. “She couldn’t have actually handled it better,” Fox News host Griff Jenkins said on “Fox & Friends.” “And in that moment, I think she handled it quite well, considering, and didn’t give in to what would clearly, as you point out, a gotcha question.”
Can Mexico alone curb the flow of migrants to the United States?
Every day thousands of people try to cross Mexico’s border to enter the United States. Migrant crossings at the US-Mexico border have hit an all-time high. More than 10,000 people entered the United States every day this week. The crisis is putting President Joe Biden under pressure as he heads into an election year. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Mexico to ask for support in keeping migrants within its borders. The two countries have reached an agreement to keep border crossings between the two countries open after temporary closures. But how can this be achieved? And how will the issue of immigration play out politically inside the US? Presenter: Laura Kyle Guests: Rebekah Wolf – Senior advocacy strategist at the American Immigration Council, a non-profit organisation Leon Fresco – Immigration lawyer and former deputy assistant attorney general in charge of Immigration at the US Department of Justice Maureen Meyer – Vice president for programs at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights advocacy organisation Adblock test (Why?)
US presidential hopeful Haley fails to say slavery caused Civil War
The GOP presidential contender later amended her response to a question from an attendee at a campaign event. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has come under fire after failing to mention slavery when asked about the causes of the US Civil War, in which a coalition of pro-slavery southern states attempted to secede from the US. At a campaign event on Wednesday evening, Haley was asked about the causes of the Civil War by an attendee. Democrats and political rivals slammed her response, which she has since amended. “In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you answer that question without mentioning the word ‘slavery’,” the attendee remarked on Wednesday after Haley gave an answer focused on “how government was going to run”. The former South Carolina governor has since clarified her response. “Of course, the Civil War was about slavery,” Haley said on Thursday in an effort to correct the omission. Haley’s rivals pilloried her answer, with US President Joe Biden posting a video of her response on social media with a caption reading “It was about slavery.” “If Nikki Haley can’t answer this basic political 101 question and then it takes her over 12 hrs to sloppily attempt to clean it up, she just isn’t ready for the bright lights of the nomination process,” wrote David Polyansky, an adviser to fellow GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. While a substantial consensus exists among historians that slavery was the primary driver of the US Civil War, which took place from 1861-1865, claims to the contrary remain popular among US conservatives, especially in the southern states. Those divisions have emerged more clearly in recent years. As debates about the legacy of racism take place across the country, symbols of the Confederacy, for which the maintenance of slavery and white supremacy was a primary impulse, have become sites of contention. Such symbols include monuments commemorating figures from the Confederacy, many of them erected during periods of anti-Black violence long after the end of the Civil War, and the flag of the Confederacy, which Haley was previously criticised for calling a sign of “heritage”. In 2015, however, she signed a bill removing the Confederate battle flag from the site of the South Carolina state capitol, after a white supremacist named Dylann Roof gunned down nine Black churchgoers in a bloody attack. Roof had posted photos waving the Confederate flag and visiting Confederate heritage sites. Haley said he had “hijacked” the flag, while others suggested that his racist attack was a faithful continuation of the ideals embodied in the Confederacy. Adblock test (Why?)
Dozens of people killed as Israel carries out strikes across Gaza
Israeli forces attack cities, towns and refugee camps, killing up to 80 people and forcing thousands more to flee. At least 20 Palestinians have been killed, including women and children, when an Israeli strike hit a residential building near Kuwait Specialty Hospital in Rafah as the besieged Gaza Strip reeled from a barrage of attacks throughout the day that killed dozens. “The air strike has completely flattened the residential building that is full of displaced people,” Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum said, reporting on the aftermath of the Israeli strike on Thursday near Kuwaiti hospital. “Until now, rescue operations by the ambulances and civil defence teams continue to pull the people from under the rubble.” Palestinian authorities said on Thursday that at least 50 people had been killed as Israel bombards every corner of Gaza, where more than 21,320 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 90 percent of the population displaced. Israel has stepped up attacks across the length and breadth of Gaza, targeting Beit Lahiya, Khan Younis, Rafah and Maghazi on Thursday despite global outrage and calls for a ceasefire amid the mounting death toll. Palestinians in the besieged enclave said they have nowhere safe to flee. Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesman for Gaza’s Ministry of Health, said on Thursday that more than 200 people had been killed in 24 hours with entire families wiped out. More than 55,000 Palestinians have been wounded since Israel launched a military offensive in the wake of Hamas attacks on October 7 in southern Israel, which killed nearly 1,200 people – the country’s deadliest attack since its founding in 1948. Israel’s assault on Gaza has become one of the most destructive in modern history, enacting an enormous humanitarian toll and drawing accusations of a campaign of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians. An Israeli official on Thursday blamed the high death toll in the Christmas Eve attack on the Maghazi refugee camp on improper munitions. More than 70 people were killed in the attack, which caused a global outrage. Nearly three months into the fighting, Hamas fighters continue to put up stiff resistance against Israeli forces, including in northern Gaza, where continuous Israeli strikes have left the area unrecognisable. An Israeli siege has also severely restricted access to food, fuel, water and electricity, and UN officials have said an estimated 25 percent of people in Gaza are starving. “It’s already hard enough as it is, finding your daily meal, finding drinkable water, with this amount of people gathered in one city,” Gaza resident Mohammed Thabet told Abu Azzoum after the strike in Rafah. “Being this close to the Egyptian border in the far south of the Gaza Strip, people feel like they have nothing else they can do, like you just have to wait and hope for the best.” Asked if he felt safe in southern Gaza, Thabet said, “After everything we saw, not at all. There is nowhere safe in Gaza.” The United States has played an indispensable role in Israel’s war, providing it with weapons packages and strong diplomatic support as Israel comes under growing pressure to bring the fighting to an end. Israel has promised to press on, widening its offensive and pressing farther south into areas where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. Adblock test (Why?)
U.S. Department of Justice says it’ll sue if Texas enforces new law punishing illegal border crossing
The state has until Jan. 3 to say it won’t arrest people accused of unauthorized entry from Mexico. If not, the Biden administration will sue, saying immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.
California, blue state AGs support DOJ in Biden censorship case
The state of California is leading a charge of 23 Democrat-led states arguing the Supreme Court should overturn a “sweeping” decision that banned the government from coordinating with social media companies to censor Americans. In a brief submitted to the high court, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his blue state colleagues support Biden’s Justice Department in arguing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit’s “sweeping” decision in the case of Missouri v. Biden. That case stems from a lawsuit brought by Republicans in Missouri and Louisiana that accused high-ranking government officials of working with giant social media companies to censor speech on topics that included Hunter Biden’s laptop, COVID-19 origins and the efficacy of face masks. The 5th Circuit ruled administration officials “likely violated” the First Amendment and issued a preliminary injunction banning the government from communicating with big tech platforms about user content. BIDEN AGENCY ‘LIKELY’ VIOLATED FREE SPEECH BY WORKING WITH BIG TECH TO CENSOR ELECTION CONTENT: COURT Bonta argued to the high court that if the decision is upheld it “could chill the ability of government agencies to engage productively with the private sector to protect the public online.” “Social media is a daily source for news and information across the country,” Bonta said in a press release. “The Fifth Circuit’s decision, which blocks virtually any outreach to social media platforms about content moderation by numerous federal government agencies and officials, is extraordinarily sweeping and threatens efforts to address threats to public health and safety.” FBI MET WEEKLY WITH BIG TECH AHEAD OF THE 2020 ELECTION, AGENT TESTIFIES Judge Terry A. Doughty ruled in a July 4 order that if the allegations made by the Republican AGs were true, “the present case arguably involves the most massive attack against free speech in United States’ history. “In their attempts to suppress alleged disinformation, the Federal Government, and particularly the Defendants named here, are alleged to have blatantly ignored the First Amendment’s right to free speech,” Doughty said. BIDEN DOJ TO FIGHT COURT ORDER THAT BLOCKED FEDS FROM COLLUDING WITH BIG TECH TO CENSOR SPEECH But Bonta and his colleagues argued that “maintaining open lines of communication between the government and social-media companies on topics such as extremist violence, child safety, and consumer protection is mutually beneficial, furthers the public interest, and fully comports with the First Amendment.” The AGs argued the 5th Circuit’s decision didn’t properly assess how helpful the government can be to social media platforms in addressing consumer fraud schemes and other related concerns. They also argue that collaborating with the platforms to protect children from online harms is a vital practice.
US-Mexico migration talks included benefits of ‘regularizing’ illegal immigrants living in US
A meeting this week between top U.S. and Mexican officials to discuss the ongoing migrant crisis included talks about “regularizing” illegal immigrants living in the United States, officials said on Thursday – quickly sparking a furious reaction from House Republicans, who called it “unconscionable.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas were among the officials in the U.S. delegation to Mexico City and met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday. The meeting came amid a historic crisis at the border, with December on track to shatter records for migrant encounters. In the joint statement, the countries affirmed their commitments to “orderly, humane and regular migration” and stressed their efforts to tackle “root causes” of migration, disrupt human smuggling and promote private investment while also investing in “ambitious development programs” in the region. LIBERAL MAYORS PUSH BIDEN FOR EMERGENCY DECLARATION, ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO DEAL WITH MIGRANT CRISIS But the statement also said that officials discussed the “benefits” of granting some form of legal status for illegal immigrants already in the U.S., including those protected by the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) — an executive order signed by President Barack Obama, which shielded some illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors. “The delegations also discussed the benefits of regularizing the situation of Hispanic migrants who have been undocumented for several years and the DACA beneficiaries, who are a vital part of the US economy and society,” the joint statement said, adding that the delegations will meet again in January. The Biden administration has previously called for a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. when it unveiled its sweeping immigration reform legislation in 2021. The package failed to pick up Republican support, in part due to the inclusion of the amnesty, but the administration has continued to promote it as a solution to the ongoing migrant crisis. In a statement on Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the talk of legalization in the meeting. “At a time when America is experiencing the worst border crisis in our nation’s history, it is unconscionable to hear the Biden Administration’s announcement that Secretaries Mayorkas and Blinken discussed with the President of Mexico amnesty for illegal immigrants,” he said. “The United States must focus on policies that deter — not attract — people attempting to come here illegally, and the smugglers who profit from the catastrophe at our border.” “This development further demonstrates the Administration has no real intention of solving the humanitarian disaster and immediate national security crisis their policies have created. President Biden needs to stop vacationing and take immediate steps to stop the flow of illegal immigration into our country. Our nation’s security and sovereignty depend upon it, and the American people demand it,” he said. With the raging crisis at the southern border, attention in Washington has largely turned to increasing restrictions on asylum. The Biden administration, which has touted its efforts in tackling root causes and expanding “lawful pathways” has also said it is increasing “consequences” for illegal entry, including additional use of expedited removal and a new asylum rule restricting some claims. MIGRANT CRISIS INCREASING STRAIN ON BORDER OFFICIALS, IMMIGRATION COURTS WITH MASSIVE NUMBERS The administration has also requested $14 billion for border funding as part of its supplemental funding request to Congress. Republicans have demanded that the package include restrictions on the use of humanitarian parole and stricter asylum standards — something the administration has reportedly been open to, but which has met with resistance from some Democrats. Some Senate Democrats have previously said that any policy changes at the border would have to be accompanied by a legal pathway for illegal immigrants — although such a demand would likely be a non-starter for many Republicans. NOVEMBER SAW NEARLY QUARTER OF A MILLION MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AMID NEW BORDER SURGE Meanwhile, Fox News reported this week that during the four-day Christmas weekend, there were more than 35,000 migrant encounters, and since December 1, there have been over 250,000 migrant encounters at the southern border — meaning December could break the monthly record for encounters set in September (269,735). It comes at the end of a record-setting 2023, which has seen records for daily and monthly migrant encounters broken multiple times. Another migrant caravan including thousands of migrants has also been making its way through southern Mexico. Fox News’ Griff Jenkins contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics: Haley’s Civil War fallout
Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. What’s Happening? -Rep. Tlaib calls Israeli PM Netanyahu a ‘genocidal maniac’ -Chris Christie launches first major ad blitz against Trump -Liberal mayors call for national emergency to combat migrant crisis Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley caught heat from both sides of the political aisle after she declined to mention slavery reason U.S. Civil War. At a town hall Wednesday, the former U.N. ambassador was asked what about “the cause” of the Civil War, to which she joked: “Well, don’t come with an easy question or anything.” “I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run — the freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do,” she continued in part. The questioner expressed shock that Haley didn’t mention slavery in her answer, and clips of the exchange began circulating widely. President Biden’s X account ridiculed Haley, and fellow presidential contender Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign picked up on it as well. On Thursday, Haley suggested that the question came from an unfriendly “Democratic plant,” since the questioner declined to give his name. She also defended her comments, and said that everyone knows the cause of the Civil War was slavery. “Everybody thinks that the Civil War was about slavery,” Haley told Fox News during a press gaggle after a campaign event Thursday. She added that as former governor of South Carolina who helped take the Confederate flag from the state capitol, she is well aware of history. “But for us to move forward as a country, what’s the lesson? And the lesson is every person deserves freedom and we have to always fight for it every single day,” Haley said. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton jumped into the fray with a take of his own: “The Civil War started because the American people elected an anti-slavery Republican as president and Democrats revolted rather than accept minor restrictions on the expansion of slavery to the western territories,” he said on X. ‘ELECTRIFY EVERYTHING’: Biden declared an all-out war on home appliances in 2023 …Read more MORE AID: U.S. to send $250 million to aid Ukraine, warning that Congress would have to approve any additional funds …Read more ‘NOT DOING ENOUGH’: Dem lawmaker calls out Biden administration for listening to immigration activists more than border communities …Read more SWATTED: MTG pledges crackdown on ‘swatting’ hoax as GOP senator becomes latest target …Read more VANDALISM: Democrat Ritchie Torres speaks out after anti-Israel activists leave bloody baby Jesus doll outside his office …Read more ON THE BALLOT: Colorado GOP includes Trump on 2024 ballot following Supreme Court appeal …Read more PUSHING BACK: Chris Christie takes aim at Trump in first major ad blitz of 2024 campaign …Read more GREENER PASTURES: Colorado congresswoman moves to run in district being vacated by Rep. Ken Buck …Read more ANOTHER ONE: Georgia lawmaker appointed to judgeship, triggering special election for House seat …Read more JUMPING SHIP: Democrats switch over to Republican Party in key swing state …Read more ‘IT BAFFLES ME’: NYC mayor getting silent treatment from Biden over migrant crisis …Read more NEVER MET HIM: James Carville responds to Fetterman insults about his relevancy …Read more ‘FIGHTING TERRORISM’: Former MSNBC host decries ‘rural rage’ …Read more HOLLYWOOD DIVIDED: The celebs who faced backlash for controversial takes on Israel-Hamas War …Read more FRACTURED POINTS OF VIEW: How the Israel-Hamas war divided and inflamed newsrooms in 2023 …Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Riley Gaines puts heat on Republican Ohio governor to sign ban on transgender surgery for minors
Former college swimming star Riley Gaines called out the Republican governor of Ohio over a lack of action on a bill that would ban gender-reassignment treatment for minors. “Governor [Mike] DeWine of Ohio has had the SAFE Act (protects women’s sports & child mutilation) on his desk to sign into effect since the 15th,” the Independent Women’s Forum ambassador wrote Wednesday. “He hasn’t signed it yet. He has 2 more days to sign before it becomes law without his signature. Why the hesitation, [Governor DeWine]?” PROTESTERS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER VANDALIZING TABLE AT RILEY GAINES’ SPEECH AT PENN STATE The Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act passed Ohio’s GOP-dominated state legislature this month. It would stop doctors from prescribing gender-altering treatment to or performing sex reassignment surgeries on minors. The bill also bans transgender women and girls from participating in female sports leagues. DeWine’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Gaines’ statement from Fox News Digital. PROFESSOR APPEARS TO TAKE SHOT AT RILEY GAINES IN MESSAGE TO STUDENTS BEFORE PENN STATE EVENT Speaking to local outlet WKYC after the bill passed, DeWine called the debate over transgender youth a “very contentious issue” and said, “Other states have dealt with this issue as well, but ultimately, my decision will be based on one thing – and that is what I think is in the best interest of the children that will be impacted by this law.” According to Ohio state law, DeWine has until Friday to decide whether to sign or veto the bill, otherwise it automatically becomes law on its own. TRANS INCLUSION IN WOMEN’S SPORTS BECOMES HOTTER TOPIC IN 2023 Laws or policies banning gender transition-related health care for minors have passed in 22 states as of November 2023, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Court injunctions are preventing that from going into effect in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Indiana. Gaines became a national-level activist on the issue after facing transgender UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships. She also testified at the Ohio State House in November in favor of the SAFE Act.