Top progressive Jayapal slammed by fellow House Dems for downplaying Hamas rape accusations
The top progressive lawmaker in the House is being criticized by fellow Democrats for downplaying Hamas terrorists’ reported sexual violence against Israeli women. Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., was accused of trying to find a moral equivalence between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) during a Sunday television interview. “Hamas terrorists raped Israeli women and girls. The only ‘balanced’ approach is to condemn sexual violence loudly, forcefully and without exceptions. Outrageous for anyone to ‘both sides’ sexual violence,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., wrote on X Sunday evening. Credible accounts of rape and brutal sexual assault are beginning to surface in the wake of Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which saw roughly 1,200 men, women and children killed in their homes and elsewhere. There are also concerns over whether sexual violence is still being carried out on the dozens of Israelis still held hostage by Hamas. ISRAEL RESUMES BOMBARDMENT OF GAZA AFTER CEASE-FIRE WITH HAMAS ENDS Jayapal was asked about progressive women’s silence on the issue when the same group is historically among the most vocal about matters of sexual violence. “I mean, I don’t, I don’t know that that’s true. I think we always talk about the impact of war on women, in particular,” Jayapal said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” adding that she has condemned Hamas since Oct. 7. Then she added, “We have to remember that Israel is a democracy. That is why they are a strong ally of ours. And if they do not comply with international humanitarian law, they are bringing themselves to a place that makes it much more difficult strategically for them to be able to build the kinds of allies to keep public opinion with them. And frankly, morally, I think we cannot say that one war crime deserves another. That is not what international humanitarian law says.” PENTAGON CONFIRMS 74TH ATTACK ON US TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST SINCE OCT. 17 When the host pressed her on accusations of rape by Hamas against Israelis, Jayapal shot back, “I already answered your question.” “I said it’s horrific, and I think that rape is horrific. Sexual assault is horrific. I think that it happens in war situations. Terrorist organizations like Hamas, obviously are using these as tools,” Jayapal said. “However, I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians – 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children.” Her comments were also criticized by Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., who did not directly name Jayapal but said on Sunday night, “Rape and sexual violence against Israeli women calls for nothing less than unequivocal condemnation.” UNITED NATIONS SLAMMED FOR SILENCE OVER HAMAS RAPES, MUTILATION AND MURDER OF ISRAELI WOMEN, CRITICS SAY “Israel did not invade Palestinian homes and rape and sexually violate Palestinian women. Hamas did invade Israeli homes and did rape and sexually violate Israeli women,” Torres said. “There is no ‘balance’ or ‘both sides’ or ‘moral equivalence’ here. Period.” Jayapal herself has been a leader on the left on the issue of sexual violence against women, including during the “Me Too” movement. In 2017, she was one of the lawmakers who led the charge calling for a fellow Democrat, then-Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, to resign over allegations of sexual assault. She has also led legislation aimed at ending forced arbitration for survivors. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Her Sunday comments were slammed by another fellow Democrat, the daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “Do not minimize, excuse, ‘balance’ or ‘both sides’ sexual assault – that is victim blaming we have spent decades trying to undo in the laws, the courts and the hearts and minds of the people,” Christine Pelosi wrote on X. Fox News Digital has reached out to Jayapal’s office for comment.
17 governors call on Biden, Yellen, congressional leaders to prevent foreign adversaries from buying US land
FIRST ON FOX: Seventeen governors are calling on federal leaders, including President Biden, to prevent foreign adversaries like China from buying U.S. land, Fox News Digital has learned. Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is leading a letter, with 16 of her fellow GOP governors, to Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and congressional leaders in both chambers to tackle the growing issue of China buying American land, including farmland. “Numerous governors and state legislatures have taken action to protect our citizens from the imminent national security threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” the governors wrote. VIEWS ON CHINA AS ‘ENEMY’ OF THE US GROW, MANY SUPPORT MILITARY BUILDUP TO DETER TAIWAN INVASION: SURVEY “But national security demands a national response from national leaders,” they continued. “The responsibility is now with you – follow the lead of our States and prevent CCP amassing of American lands.” The governors noted that it “is no secret the communist regime in China is acquiring swaths of real property throughout the United States” and that very recently, a subsidiary of a Chinese-controlled company “bought two hundred and seventy acres of land in Green Charter Township, Michigan, not far from the Camp Grayling National Guard facility.” “Unfortunately, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States declined to block – or even review – this plainly alarming transaction,” the governors wrote. The Republican state executives said that “states have stepped into the breach to protect this country’s most valued resource” – the American people – while the Biden administration “has failed to address the threat at hand.” TOP SENATOR PUSHES BAN ON ALL CHINESE PURCHASES OF US LAND: ‘NOT ONE MORE INCH’ The leaders also noted that “a bipartisan group of eleven states” enacted “foreign ownership laws” and that Arkansas “became the first state in the country to act under such a law” by ordering Syngenta Seeds – an agricultural company owned by the China National Chemical Corporation, or ChemChina – to divest 160 acres of land in the Diamond State. “For too long, we have allowed dangerous and adversarial governments to infiltrate our country. Our States will tolerate such allowances no longer. The Biden Administration must reckon with the fact that such entities are plain threats to our national security, our farmers, and our citizenry.” “This is especially true since the CCP enacted a law in 2017 requiring Chinese citizens abroad to collaborate with Chinese security officials on intelligence work – no questions asked,” the governors warned. The governors said they “are heartened to see some in Congress advance legislation which would mitigate this threat” and encouraged “Congressional action to codify our stance into federal law.” The Republicans also urged the Biden administration “to use all available tools to prevent the continued acquisition of American lands by adversarial foreign governments” until Congress passes legislation addressing the growing issue. “This is not about where anyone is from. Our states welcome Chinese Americans and anyone else who has escaped foreign oppression for American freedom,” the governors wrote. “This is about where your loyalties lie.” “We simply cannot trust those who pledge allegiance to a hostile foreign power,” the governors warned. The letter was sent to Biden and Yellen, as well as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, Treasury and the offices of Johnson, Jeffries, Schumer and McConnell for comment. Joining Sanders on the letter are Republican Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Brad Little of Idaho, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Governor-elect Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Jim Justice of West Virginia, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming. The governors’ letter comes as Americans’ attitudes toward China sour. The number of Americans who view China as an “enemy” of the U.S. is growing, while a majority support a buildup of American military personnel to deter a potential invasion of Taiwan, the annual Reagan National Defense Survey has found. According to the survey, 77% of Americans view China as an enemy, while just 15% view the nation as an ally. That number is a drastic change from 2018, when the survey found 38% of Americans viewed China as an ally, and 55% as an enemy. A majority of Americans (51%) also view China as the greatest threat facing the nation, up from 43% last year and 21% in 2018. Meanwhile, the number of those viewing Russia as the greatest threat is falling, with just 24% viewing the nation as such, down from 31% last year following its invasion of Ukraine. Fox News Digital’s Brandon Gillespie contributed reporting.
Florida GOP Chairman Christian Ziegler claims innocence, will not resign over rape allegation
Florida GOP Chairman Christian Ziegler says he will not resign over a woman’s allegation that he raped her, telling supporters in an email that he is innocent. Ziegler sent the statement to state Republicans on Saturday, saying that he and his wife, Bridget Ziegler, are being targeted because they are “such loud political voices,” according to The Associated Press. “We have a country to save and I am not going to let false allegations of a crime put that mission on the bench as I wait for this process to wrap up,” wrote Ziegler, 40. A longtime GOP activist, Ziegler ascended to the state party’s top post in February. A complaint against Ziegler was filed with the Sarasota Police Department on Oct. 4, stating that the alleged sexual battery occurred inside a woman’s Sarasota home on Oct. 2. DEMOCRATS CALL FOR RESIGNATION OF FLORIDA GOP CHAIRMAN CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER AMID SEXUAL BATTERY ALLEGATIONS The accuser reportedly “told him over Instagram messages that she was distraught and ‘terrified’ of him after their encounter and unable to work,” according to Politico. However, Ziegler’s wife, who co-founded the conservative group Moms for Liberty which has led a campaign with Gov. Ron DeSantis dealing with education in Florida schools, told police that she, the victim and her husband had consensual sex together over a year before the alleged crime occurred, Politico states. According to text messages cited in the affidavit, the woman and the Zieglers had planned to again have group sex on Oct. 2, but the woman backed out after Bridget Ziegler “couldn’t make it.” FLORIDA TEACHER’S ASSISTANT ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY SLAPPING MIDDLE SCHOOLER INSIDE CLASSROOM The woman said she found Ziegler in her apartment’s hallway later that day and that he pushed her inside and then raped her. In text and phone conversations monitored by investigators, Ziegler offered the woman “financial help” before becoming suspicious that they were being recorded. In a Nov. 2 interview with detectives, Ziegler said the sex was consensual and that he had recorded it. He said he deleted the video, then recovered it after the rape allegation surfaced. DeSantis said last week that while Ziegler is innocent until proven guilty, he should resign to avoid becoming a distraction to their party. Ziegler’s attorney, Derek Byrd, previously released a statement to FOX 13 Tampa Bay acknowledging the reports of the investigation, saying that Ziegler has fully cooperated with the police requests. “We are confident that once the police investigation is concluded that no charges will be filed and Mr. Ziegler will be completely exonerated,” Byrd said in a statement. No charges have been filed against Ziegler, but the Sarasota Police investigation remains open. Fox News’ Stepheny Price and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US senators to be briefed on Ukraine this week amid heated negotiations on emergency aid
The Senate will have a classified briefing on Ukraine, Israel and the Biden administration’s $106 billion request for an emergency national supplemental package on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET, sources familiar told Fox News Digital on Friday. The meeting comes as tensions are rising on Capitol Hill as the two chambers must come to a consensus for an emergency aid package. Deliberations have revolved around border security, Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan for several weeks, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that a vote on the package would occur as early as this week. Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., want to keep Ukraine and Israel aid tied together. Meanwhile, the House passed a $14.3 billion Israel-only aid package earlier this month that also included steep cuts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). GEORGE SANTOS EXPELLED: WHAT HAPPENS TO HIS HOUSE SEAT? But that package likely won’t pass the Democrat-controlled Senate, nor get the White House’s approval without funding to help Ukraine. The White House’s supplemental request, which was sent to Congress in October, includes $61.4 billion for Ukraine, $14.3 billion for Israel (with $10.6 billion allocated for military aid), $13.6 billion for some border measures such as speeding up asylum processing, and significant investments in Indo-Pacific security assistance, totaling around $7.4 billion. Additionally, there’s $9 billion earmarked for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza. Meanwhile, the House and Senate both passed a temporary spending patch in September to keep the government funded until next year that did not include continued funding for Ukraine, even though Biden requested it.
Ramaswamy calls George Santos ‘insane and pathological liar,’ but says expelling him from Congress was ‘wrong’
GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy said that although George Santos appears to be “insane and a pathological liar,” expelling the disgraced Republican from Congress at this stage “was wrong.” Ramasawmy argued that Santos’s future in Congress should have been decided by the voters during next year’s election – or by his colleagues in the House only in the case of a criminal conviction. The decision of whether Santos can serve “belongs to the voters” and whether “he’s a criminal belongs to the courts,” Ramaswamy said in a statement posted on X, arguing that the expulsion “sets an awful precedent for the future” and “opens a Pandora’s Box that will surely be exploited the next time MTG [Marjorie Taylor Greene] or Matt Gaetz or whoever else in either party pokes the uniparty bear.” “This George Santos guy has some serious problems, and I’d live a good life if I never met the guy. Probably most of us would. But I think it’s wrong that he was expelled without putting it to the voters or without running it through the court process,” Ramaswamy said in a video message. “The judicial system determines guilt. The guy’s been indicted. Let that play itself out. Anybody since the Civil War who has been expelled – it’s only been two people – both of them were convicted in a court of law before their fellow congressmen got them out.” SANTOS VOWS TO FILE ETHICS COMPLAINTS AGAINST MULTIPLE LAWMAKERS HOURS AFTER EXPULSION FROM HOUSE “As ugly as politicians are, and I think many of their behaviors are God awful, ugly, some of them downright criminal, we have a system for dealing with who serves in Congress. It’s this thing we call elections in our country,” Ramaswamy said. “We have them every two years. For Congress, there’s another one next year, just like there was one last year. So, if it has to be outside of that normal democratic process, it better darn well be a court of law that’s found somebody guilty. Now, this guy has been expelled, and he does seem like a pathological liar and everything else if what’s printed in the press is to be believed. That being said, this sets a terrible precedent.” Ramaswamy pointed to the case against Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who was indicted in September for allegedly accepting thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold bars and a Mercedes, as part of an alleged corruption scheme to benefit the Egyptian government. “Now that they can use this for George Santos, they can use this for anybody,” Ramaswamy said. “This should be up to the voters and to the courts,” Ramaswamy said. “Not to a bunch of fellow congressmen to overrule – to override – the Democratic will of the people. And that may not be a popular position right now, but I think it’s important that somebody speak the truth, not just when it’s easy, but when it’s hard.” RAMASWAMY SWIPES ‘GOP ESTABLISHMENT’ IN IOWA FOR SUPPORTING CO2 PIPELINES AS PART OF CLIMATE ‘HOAX’ After Santos’ ouster from the House, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa, notably renewed his call for the Senate to vote to expel Menendez, deeming the criminal allegations against the New Jersey senator “more sinister” than the charges against Santos. Santos’ fabrications about his Jewish ancestry, attending college and a lucrative career on Wall Street were first exposed by the New York Times in late December 2022, after he had already won his election, but before he was sworn into Congress. By January, Santos refused calls to resign from his own local Nassau County GOP. In May, Santos was first indicted in connection to various alleged fraud schemes, including applying for and receiving COVID-19 unemployment benefits and pocketing campaign contributions used to pay down personal debts and buy designer clothing, and making false statements to the House regarding his earned income. Through a superseding indictment announced by the DOJ in October, Santos was also charged with allegedly stealing people’s identities and making charges on his own donors’ credit cards without their authorization and lying to the FEC about the financial state of his campaign by falsely inflating reported receipts with non-existent loans and contributions that were either fabricated or stolen. Santos survived the first two efforts to expel him, but the lawmakers ultimately voted him out last week on the third try in the wake of a damning House ethics report that found the freshman congressman “used campaign funds for personal purposes” and “engaged in fraudulent conduct,” among other allegations. Santos, who afterward said he would not seek re-election, was said to have spent some campaign funds on the illicit subscription service OnlyFans, Botox injections and other expenses.
Virginia Mayor Levar Stoney enters 2025 race for state governor
Democratic Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced Monday that he will run for Virginia governor in 2025. In a campaign video announcement, Stoney said he wants all Virginians to have a fair shot at success. RICHMOND STARTS DISMANTLING CONFEDERATE STATUES FROM CITY LAND AFTER MAYOR’S ORDER “That’s why I’m running for governor. For families like mine that just need an opportunity. For kids like me who will thrive in school if they just get the right chance,” he said. “And for parents like my dad who work multiple jobs and still struggle to live a secure, middle-class life.” Stoney was the first in his family to graduate high school and college. He served as the first Black Secretary of the Commonwealth and is now in his second term as mayor. In the video announcement, Stoney touts his efforts to improve residents’ lives by improving the city’s finances, improving roads, building new schools and reducing the poverty rate. In the Democratic primary, Stoney will face Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer who has cultivated an identity as a bipartisan consensus builder over three terms in Congress, who announced her bid for governor last month. RICHMOND POLICE CHIEF RESIGNS AS TENSIONS ESCALATE IN VIRGINIA CAPITAL Former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn announced in October that she would not make a bid for governor and will instead run next year to represent the competitive northern Virginia congressional seat being vacated by a fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is term-limited since the Commonwealth prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms. While no Republicans have announced a bid yet, Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are seen as likely contenders. Outgoing Republican state Sen. Amanda Chase, who lost a June primary and ran unsuccessfully for her party’s nomination for governor in 2021, has also said she may run.
DASH FOR CASH: Biden to crisscross country for campaign fundraisers with Steven Spielberg, James Taylor
President Biden is kicking off December with a series of top-dollar fundraising events with celebrities across the country. Biden will start with a concert fundraiser featuring James Taylor in Massachusetts on Tuesday, with front-row tickets selling for $7,500 per seat. After two more events in Boston, Biden will fly to Los Angeles for another concert fundraiser, this one featuring Lenny Kravitz. Director Steven Spielberg is expected to be among the hosts for the Los Angeles event, in addition to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Barbra Streisand and a slew of other celebrities. Biden’s campaign has yet to announce the official location for the James Taylor event, with announcements saying the location would be revealed “36–48 hours before the event.” ‘BAD OMEN’ FOR BIDEN THAT MOST DEMOCRATIC VOTERS UNHAPPY WITH ECONOMY: REPORT The Los Angeles event will be at the home of interior designer Michael Smith and his partner James Costos, who had served as former President Obama’s ambassador to Spain. “We are overwhelmed by the enthusiasm. We don’t do many events, but when we do, we do it out of a great passion,” Smith told The Associated Press. BIDEN’S SUPPORT FROM GEN Z ERODES AS AGE BECOMES CRITICAL ISSUE: ‘HE’S OUT OF TOUCH WITH BASICALLY EVERYBODY’ Biden also has fundraising stops in Maryland and Pennsylvania, where he will appear with Gov. Wes Moore and Gov. Josh Shapiro, respectively. Several of the events are expected to rake in millions for Biden’s campaign on their own. As of the last fundraising reporting deadline at the end of September, Biden and his party reported $91 million cash on hand. He is helped by the fact that, as the party’s leader, he has entered into a joint fundraising agreement with the Democratic National Committee, as well as state parties. Biden, now 81, faces a major lack of enthusiasm from Democratic voters. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., announced his candidacy in a symbolic challenge to Biden. Biden’s age is a concern for Democratic voters, with his support dwindling especially among young voters. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
After school voucher bill falls apart, supporters and opponents get ready for future fights
The Texas House’s vote to block education savings accounts disappointed voucher advocates and likely spelled doom for additional public school funding. Both bands say they’ll keep pushing for their priorities during next year’s primary elections and the 2025 legislative session.
New Uvalde school shooting documentary and investigation reveal details of law enforcement’s flawed response
The “Inside the Uvalde Response” film and related reporting by The Texas Tribune, ProPublica and FRONTLINE analyze one of the most criticized mass shooting responses in recent history and show real-time insight into officers’ thoughts and actions.
NY gov drops plan to overrule local zoning amid Dem fears for 2024 elections
New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed she is dropping an initiative to pass legislation mandating the Empire State expand its housing growth in individual communities as Democrats head into an election season that could prove contentious. “I’ll work with [the Legislature], but I also have so many priorities, I’m not going to head down the same path we did last year with the exact same plan, in a year that is an election year for members,” Hochul said Thursday at an unrelated event, according to City & State. Hochul is readying to release her agenda for 2024, but pursuing legislation that would mandate housing construction will not make the cut, sources previously told City & State. Housing was a cornerstone of Hochul’s agenda after she was elected to four years in office in 2022. Hochul attempted to rally the legislature to pass her “New York Housing Compact” earlier this year, which aimed to build 800,000 new homes and affordable housing over the next decade. The plan would have handed the state new authority to override zoning laws in towns that did not want to comply with expanding housing options. CRISIS IN NEW YORK: 94-YEAR-OLD VET STRUGGLES TO MOVE ON AFTER NURSING HOME EVICTS HIM, REPLACED BY MIGRANTS The legislation would have required 3% growth in housing across municipalities in the southern portion of New York over three-year cycles, and 1% growth in housing upstate in three-year cycles. If the increase in housing was not met in the municipalities, developers would be able to work with state leaders to execute housing expansions. The plan, however, failed in the legislature this spring, after lawmakers, most notably in New York City suburbs, railed against Albany having a say in how municipalities build and regulate housing. Lawmakers and the governor were unable to come to an agreement, and the initiative was tabled. “It was an ill-conceived idea by the governor, and I’m excited that the residents stood together with our elected officials,” Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin, for example, told CBS News in April after the proposal’s failure. AOC CASTIGATED FOR CALLING NEW YORK CITY UNAFFORDABLE FOR WORKING-CLASS AS EDITORIAL BLAMES HER POLICIES New York-based Democratic strategist John Tomlin told Fox News Digital that there are “without a doubt” political considerations at play in the decision, which comes ahead of 2024’s election season. “The suburbs of New York are battlegrounds. There are very different places in the Hudson Valley, as well as Long Island that could sway control of the House, as well as important races in those areas for the State Legislature, and those are the areas in particular, that opposed many elements of the governor’s Housing Compact,” Tomlin said. “As a result of that, I think she has determined that… there is certainly not a political benefit to pushing for those policies,” he said. New York Democrats are working to regain six congressional seats this coming election cycle, which could help sway which party controls the U.S. House. Hochul, who became the Empire State’s first female governor when disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped down amid sexual harassment allegations, is also fresh off a contentious gubernatorial race against former Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin in 2022. Hochul ultimately was elected to a four-year term, capturing 52.9% of the vote to Zeldin’s 47.1%. NY REPUBLICANS BLAST DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR’S HOUSING PLAN AS ‘RADICAL’ POWER GRAB: ‘DANGEROUS PRECEDENT’ A spokesman for the governor said last week that housing is a top issue for Hochul, and she has focused on her executive action power to address affordable housing concerns following the legislation’s failure. “Like 73% of New Yorkers, Governor Hochul believes housing affordability is a major problem,” Avi Small, a spokesperson for the governor, told City & State. “The housing crisis is pushing New Yorkers out-of-state to places like Connecticut and New Jersey that have built thousands more homes over the last decade than New York has.” “That’s why Governor Hochul proposed the boldest plan in a generation to drive down housing costs by building more supply. After the Legislature flatly rejected it and failed to introduce a viable alternative, Governor Hochul refocused her efforts on sweeping Executive Action that took effect in July,” Small added. Communities outside of New York City especially railed against the proposal, with some mayors noting that the high cost of housing in New York is a serious issue, but Albany forcing small towns to increase their housing was the wrong approach. “An overwhelming majority of Mayors in Albany agreed that the State as a whole could use more housing and most importantly more affordable housing and are quite supportive of this laudable goal. The problem lies in its execution and the sledgehammer, punitive approach,” Bronxville, New York, Mayor Mary Marvin wrote in a column to the community in February. Bronxville is a small village in Westchester County that totals one square mile of land and is home to just over 6,000 people. The mayor explained that under the proposal, Bronxville would have been forced to build 75 new housing units by 2027, “or we lose all control over our local land use laws.” NEXT ON DEMS’ HIT LIST: THE SUBURBS Tomlin said that in areas on Long Island or Westchester County, “the issue of local control” is “very politically potent” and that local leaders do not want the state coming in to “determine one thing or another about a town.” He added that the issue cuts across the political aisle, and sparked the ire of both Democrats and Republicans. Hochul’s spokesman continued that the governor is now focused on using her executive powers to address housing issues until the legislature “is ready” to hold serious discussions. NEW YORK GOV. HOCHUL ANNOUNCES PLANS TO BAN GAS HEATING IN NEW HOMES, BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED IN NEXT FEW YEARS “Until the Legislature is ready to come back to the table with a serious approach to build more housing in New York, the Governor is focusing on using her executive powers to