Maine offers free public university tuition to Lewiston shooting victims, families
Maine’s public university system is offering free tuition to family members of those who died and to those who were injured in the deadliest mass shooting in state history, officials said Wednesday. The Lewiston Strong Tuition Waiver program covers more than 80 people. It also creates a fund that the public can donate to that will cover other post-secondary educational expenses. The Oct. 25 shootings left 18 people dead after a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and a restaurant. LEWISTON, MAINE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION COMMISSION SEEKS TO OBTAIN GUNMAN’S MILITARY RECORDS The program was announced by Gov. Janet Mills, University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy and trustees. It expanded on a call from Mills to create a scholarship fund for people affected by the shootings. “Through their boundless generosity, Maine people are demonstrating that our state will stand by those who were injured and the families of those who were killed in the months, years and decades to come,” said Mills, a Democrat. The people covered by the program include spouses and biological, adopted and step-children of the 18 people killed, officials said. Officials also said the 31 Maine residents who were injured in the shootings will also be covered. In-state tuition and fees in the University of Maine System average around $10,200 this academic year.
Federal appeals court questions Texas’ new school library regulations
House Bill 900 seeks to rid school libraries of inappropriate books by requiring book vendors to rate materials. A legal challenge says the law is too vague and broad.
Court filings reveal secret agreement between Biden admin, eco groups seeking to tear down key power source
A group of House lawmakers representing the Pacific Northwest made public a court-approved confidential mediation between the Biden administration and environmental groups pushing to remove four hydroelectric dams in Washington to protect salmon. The document, which until now hasn’t been made public, was drafted on Nov. 2 as part of an agreement in which activist groups agreed to pause their litigation against the federal government. The groups have argued in favor of breaching the four federally-managed dams amid declining salmon populations in the lower Snake River, which winds through Idaho and Washington before feeding into the Columbia River and then into the Pacific Ocean. “It is imperative that our constituents, whose livelihoods depend on the Columbia River System, have a comprehensive understanding of this document’s contents so they can anticipate and prepare for the wide-ranging impacts that will inevitably be felt across the region should the commitments detailed in this document be realized,” the lawmakers led by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., wrote to President Biden on Wednesday. “Additionally, as Members of Congress representing the Pacific Northwest and tasked with oversight of the Executive Branch, it is our duty to ensure any actions committed to as part of this agreement do not circumvent by any means the congressional authorization that would be required to execute certain proposed provisions, such as the removal of certain dams,” they continued. MAJOR US POWER SOURCE FACING EXTINCTION THANKS TO RED TAPE, SPARKING CALLS FOR REFORM In the letter – which included the confidential mediation document the lawmakers recently obtained – Rodgers, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, asked a series of questions about the Biden administration’s intentions with the agreement. For example, the mediation states “the science is clear, and now so must be our path forward.” The lawmakers questioned what exactly “the science” was and which scientific reports the federal government has used to come to its conclusions. BIDEN ADMIN PLAN TO RELEASE PREDATOR NEAR RURAL COMMUNITIES FACES WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION: ‘A HUGE THREAT’ “We agree that business as usual – and the consequential disappearance of salmon and other native fish populations in the Columbia River Basin – is unacceptable,” the mediation states. “And while there is still time to save these fish, there is no time to waste.” It further notes that Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., released recommendations last year to quickly deploy green energy in the region to account for lost power were the four dams to be torn down. The document later notes the region must account for power to replace energy services currently provided by the dams. In recent years, multiple government and private reports have determined that breaching the dams would have a dramatic negative impact on energy production, climate goals and transportation in Washington. The dams were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers primarily to ensure the Snake River was passable for barge transportation. However, since then, the main benefit has been their reliable clean energy output. They still provide about 8% of the state’s electricity, enough to serve millions of residents, and have a large total capacity of 3,000 megawatts. Removing the dams would also likely chip away at U.S. climate goals since their energy production would likely need to be replaced by fossil fuel alternatives. According to federal data, replacing hydropower generated by the dams with natural gas generation would increase carbon emissions by up to 2.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of 421,000 passenger cars. INTERNAL DOCS SHOW BIDEN ADMIN WAIVED TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS TO BOOST OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT “Our organizations have repeatedly looked for ways to find common ground with the plaintiffs’ concerns during the mediation process, submitting numerous inputs, documents, and studies,” said the executive directors of Northwest RiverPartners, the Public Power Council, and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, which collectively represent power utilities, ports, agriculture companies and other businesses dependent on the dams. “Instead of working with all interests, the U.S. Government chose for months to hold secret negotiations and refused to share any details with us, let alone allow our participation,” they continued. “It is not surprising, then, that this proposal turns its back on over three million electricity customers as well as the farming, transportation, navigation, and economic needs of the region. By purposely excluding our respective organizations from the negotiations, literally millions of Northwest residents were deprived of fair representation in this process.” According to Northwest RiverPartners, the mediation document goes “well beyond creating a roadmap for breaching the lower Snake River dams, establishing a plan that could demolish the capabilities of the entire Federal Columbia River Power System.” In addition to the impacts on energy and climate ambitions, industry groups have argued that removing the four Snake River dams would disrupt the economy and harm agriculture exports. The river system notably feeds the largest U.S. wheat export gateway. Aided by the dams, barges traveling along the Columbia River system carry about 60% of Washington’s annual wheat exports and a staggering 40% of the nation’s total wheat production. In a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Earthjustice, one of the plaintiffs involved in the case and mediation, said it couldn’t comment on the documents made public earlier in the day. “Unless we hear differently from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, it remains against the rules for us to share anything in this DRAFT & CONFIDENTIAL document,” Earthjustice spokesperson Elizabeth Manning said. “So no, we cannot comment on the agreement,” she added. “Again, this is customary in mediation, and all parties to this litigation – including plaintiffs, defendants and all intervening parties – are bound by the same confidentiality rules.” According to court filings, the parties involved in the case may request a multiyear pause on litigation to allow for the implementation of the package as soon as Dec. 15, 2023. The White House Council on Environmental Quality didn’t
Gavin Newsom denounces ‘evil’ Hamas organization after Oakland residents defend terrorist group
Gov. Gavin Newsom broke his silence Wednesday after a viral video of an Oakland, California, city council meeting showed residents defending Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group responsible for more than 1,700 deaths in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. “Hamas is a terrorist organization. They must be called out for what they are: evil,” the California Democrat posted on X, formerly Twitter, in response to the video. The Oakland City Council was debating an amendment to a proposed resolution calling for a cease-fire by Israel in the conflict with Hamas. The proposed amendment — which was voted down — condemned Hamas, the group that took responsibility for the deadliest day of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. HAMAS TRANSFERS 10-MONTH-OLD ISRAELI HOSTAGE, FAMILY TO SEPARATE PALESTINIAN TERROR GROUP IN GAZA: IDF The resolution was met with opposition from several Oakland residents who testified before the council. One resident featured in the video said, “Calling Hamas a terrorist organization is ridiculous, racist, and plays into genocidal propaganda that is flooding our media and that we should be doing everything possible to combat.” Another resident complained that “to condemn Hamas is very anti-Arab racist.” Yet another added, “the notion that this was a massacre of Jews is a fabricated narrative” and called the resolution “bald propaganda.” STORIES OF TORTURE, TORMENT REVEALED BY ISRAELI CHILDREN KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS One man said that hearing Israelis condemn Hamas is “like listening to a wife beater complain when his wife finally stands up and fights back.” ‘I WILL BE HAUNTED FOREVER’: ISRAEL’S HORRIFIC VIDEO OF HAMAS ATROCITIES LEAVES VIEWERS SHOCKED AND SICKENED “Hamas is a resistance organization that is fighting for the liberation of Palestinian people and their land,” another resident said.
Ramaswamy’s New Hampshire-based political director joins Trump campaign
A campaign official for Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has joined Team Trump, Fox News Digital has confirmed. Brian Swensen, Ramaswamy’s New Hampshire-based political director, has taken a new job with the Trump campaign and is a close ally to Trump senior adviser Susie Wiles. Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that Swensen’s responsibilities, which have been “pretty much exclusive” to the campaign’s New Hampshire operation, have been absorbed in recent months by senior adviser Mike Biundo, a longtime GOP strategist and veteran of the Trump 2016 campaign who joined the Ramaswamy campaign earlier this year. RAMASWAMY SWIPES ‘GOP ESTABLISHMENT’ IN IOWA FOR SUPPORING CO2 PIPELINES AS PART OF CLIMATE ‘HOAX’ McLaughlin told Fox News Digital “We love Brian” and “wish him the best.” She also rejected the notion that Swensen’s exit indicates a “death knell” for the Ramaswamy campaign. “This is a positive move for all parties,” McLaughlin said. RAMASWAMY LAUNCHES $1 MILLION AD BUY IN EARLY PRIMARY STATES BLASTING POLITICIANS ‘LEADING US INTO WORLD WAR III’ Former President Trump maintains a commanding lead in the GOP primary in both national and state polls. The latest Fox News national poll released earlier this month showed him with a whopping 62% while Ramaswamy came in at 7% — behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 14% and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s 11%. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News Politics: A Squad divided
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: – Senator Schumer shares the isolation, fear, felt by American Jews – Black voters in South Carolina feel the Democrat Party has failed them – Dem run cittydrop six figures repainting BLM mural amid rising crime The House of Representatives’ Tuesday votes on reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and condemning the terrorist group Hamas showed some division among members of the far-left “Squad.” The vote was nearly unanimous in support of Israel. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich, and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., were the only members of the radical eight-person group to not vote in favor of the resolution centered on Israel’s existence. Tlaib was the only House member to vote “present,” while Bush didn’t vote. After the vote, Tlaib told Fox News Digital in a statement about H. Res. 888 that “both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live with democracy, safety, peace, and human dignity.” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie was the only “no” vote. He said he didn’t support the resolution because it “equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism” and that expanding the definition of antisemitism to include criticism of Israel is “not helpful.” ‘BAD OPTICS’: Biden admin quietly waived key taxpayer safeguard to boost green energy project …Read more ‘METAPHOR ALERT’: White House Christmas tree takes a fall …Read more ‘MUST BE CONSISTENT’: Dem senators tell WH any further assistance to Israel should align with interests …Read more CONGRESS SHOWDOWN: GOP leaders to convene to discuss border, Ukraine and Israel aid …Read more ‘DEEP FEAR’: Schumer gives impassioned Senate speech describing isolation felt by Jews …Read more ‘ONE STOP SHOP’: House GOP rolls out a website about the Biden impeachment inquiry …Read more LET THEM WATCH: Top Oversight Democrat slams GOP for keeping Hunter Biden hearing out of public view …Read more RACING TO 2024: House GOP eyes election security overhaul as 2024 heats up …Read more BATTLE FOR IOWA: Pro-DeSantis super PAC reportedly brings on aide from former rival to lead new effort …Read more ‘CAN’T BE BOUGHT’: Former NFL player announces run for newly drawn AL congressional district …Read more WARNING BELLS: Black voters in South Carolina feel Democratic Party has ‘failed them’ …Read more DON’T BE DUMB: CIA reminds staff about social media posts after CIA officer shares pro-Palestinian image …Read more 100% GREEN ENERGY: Michigan Gov Whitmer green-lights massive green energy expansion …Read more ‘INHERITED’: Chicago mayor pins blame for migrant crisis on predecessor Lightfoot …Read more ‘WAIT NO LONGER’: Florida grand jury calls for radical action on migrant crisis …Read more DNA COLLECTORS: Conservative groups put pressure on Congress to ban contracts with CCP-linked biotech company …Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Texas Gov. Abbott says state will continue to send migrants to sanctuary cities until Biden acts on border
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas will keep bussing migrants from the state to sanctuary cities until the Biden administration takes measures to secure the southern border. Despite criticism from Democrats, Abbott has said the bussing program has provided much-needed relief to border towns in Texas, which are often overwhelmed by the number of migrants coming into the country from Mexico. “Texas will bus migrants to sanctuary cities until Biden secures the border,” Abbott posted Wednesday on X. “Our mission provides vital relief to border towns.” WHITE HOUSE FUNDING REQUEST INCLUDES $14 BILLION FOR BORDER AS CRISIS HITS NEW RECORDS According to the governor, Texas has bussed more than 12,500 migrants to Washington D.C.; 25,000 to New York City, 20,000 to Chicago, 3,200 to Philadelphia, 7,400 to Denver and just over 1,000 to Los Angeles. Officials in those Democrat-led cities have sharply criticized Abbott for sending buses filled with migrants to their cities with little or no notice. Abbott has argued that so-called sanctuary cities have the luxury of disingenuously claiming to welcome illegal immigrants without having to actually face the influx that border towns deal with on a daily basis. New York has been especially hit hard as residents have voiced anger at city officials over the matter. BORDER AGENTS ACROSS US ASKED TO VIRTUALLY PROCESS MIGRANTS AMID SURGE AT SOUTHERN BORDER: REPORT In one case, a 94-year-old Army war veteran was evicted from his nursing home, which now houses migrants for free. “I felt horrible,” Frank Tammaro recently told Fox News. “It’s no joke getting thrown out of a house.” “I do get upset when I see them handing out all this money and all these things, and I’m paying taxes and getting kicked out,” he added. “I’ve never got anything from the city. Or the state.” The city is expanding assistance to asylum seekers to help them complete applications for asylum, work authorization, and other programs — as the city continues to grapple with a migrant crisis that has led to massive budget cuts. Texas has initiated its own border security measures, such as a new state law that will increase penalties for human smugglers and criminals who operate stash houses as well as barriers on the border and stepped up border enforcement. Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz, Megan Myers and Teny Sahakian contributed to this report.
Speakers at Oakland City Council meeting defend Hamas, some deny Oct. 7 atrocities
Pro-Palestinian supporters in Northern California defended Hamas during a city council debate on a resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire with some even denything the atrocities committed by the terror group on Oct. 7. The Oakland City Council unanimously passed the resolution 8-0 in a special meeting as hundreds of people spoke on the issue amid nearly five hours of public input. The resolution, which was introduced by Councilmember Carroll Fife, also demands the release of all hostages, unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the restoration of critical infrastructure like water, electricity and food. “I want Jewish children to live as much as I want Palestinian children to live,” Fife said. LIBERAL MSNBC HOST MEHDI HASAN’S HISTORY OF CONTROVERSIAL RHETORIC IN SPOTLIGHT AMID HOSTILE COVERAGE OF ISRAEL Israel has targeted Hamas since its terrorist fighters killed around 1,200 people, including children, on Oct. 7. Israeli forces have since declared war on Hamas and have bombarded the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the group. Before the vote, the council voted 6-2 to reject proposed amendments by member Dan Kalb that specifically condemned killings and hostage-taking by Hamas. The motion was met by boos and angry shouts from the packed chamber. Some public speakers argued that a number of atrocities committed by Hamas, according to Israeli and U.S. officials, actually didn’t occur. NEW YORK DEMOCRAT SLAMS HARVARD STUDENTS FOR BLAMING ISRAEL FOR HAMAS ATTACKS: THERE ARE NO ‘BOTH SIDES’ “There have not been beheadings of babies and rapings,” one woman told the council. “Israel murdered their own people on Oct. 7.” “The notion that this is a massacre of Jews is a fabricated narrative,” another woman said, who accused the Israel Defense Forces of killing many of the children murdered during the attack. “To hear them (pro-Israel supporters) complaining about Hamas violence is like listening to a wife-beater who complains when his wife finally stands up and fights back,” one man said. Another speaker called those who support the condemnation of Hamas “old White supremacists” while another said calling Hamas a terrorist group was “racist” and plays into “genocidal propaganda.” Many of the pro-Palestinian speakers accused Israel of colonizing the Palestinian territories and creating an apartheid system that oppresses Palestinians. “We’ve seen the targeting and massacring of civilians, of health care facilities, of hospitals and ambulances,” said one speaker, who identified herself as a recent medical school graduate. “Silence in the face of oppression and genocide, I don’t think, is an acceptable response.” A pro-Israel speaker said Hamas isn’t interested in peace. “Hamas has no interest in co-existence,” he said. Hamas and Israel were in the midst of a temporary cease-fire through Wednesday. On Tuesday, it released the latest batch of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
California ‘refugees’ to bash Newsom at DeSantis press conference ahead of ‘Hannity’ debate
Ahead of Thursday’s highly-anticipated debate between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will hold a press conference earlier in the afternoon to hear from California “refugees” who fled the Golden State for Florida. Among those featured will be a Vietnam veteran named Jay Berman, who lived in Southern California for 40 years before moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, because of high crime and vagrancy. Berman is now, according to DeSantis’ office, enjoying Florida’s low cost of living and can now afford to semi-retire without worrying about finding new clients. Another featured speaker will be Julie Gebhards, who home schools her children in Lithia, Florida. She is said to have left California after becoming disillusioned with the state’s education curriculum, particularly “pornographic material” in schools. Former New York police officer Steve Grossi will also speak at the press conference. Grossi moved to California to start over, but instead was met with homelessness and worried about his kids’ safety. He returned east and resides in Tallahassee, Florida. CHICAGO’S SOCIALIST-BACKED MAYOR SHIFTS THE BLAME FOR MIGRANT CRISIS ROILING CITY The press conference will also feature Noah and Kelsey Howard, who moved to Milton, Florida, because of DeSantis’ law enforcement recruitment program. The couple, who recently welcomed a newborn, left California because of the state’s high cost of living. Another couple, Ross and Jean Coulombe, moved to Bagdad, Florida, from California, after the Ross’ business was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic and Newsom’s Draconian measures that followed. DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, and Newsom — who Republican critics charge is running a shadow campaign for the White House even though he repeatedly stomps on such speculation as “ridiculous” — will face off Thursday in a debate moderated by Fox News’ prime-time opinion host Sean Hannity. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Protesters fly massive George Santos balloon outside Capitol demanding his expulsion
A group of progressive protesters popped a massive balloon outside the Capitol on Tuesday depicting scandal-ridden Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. The 15-foot-tall balloon depicts Santos in a suit and in his bare feet with the words “full of lies” inscribed on a red tie. The balloon was flown by members of MoveOn, a progressive nonprofit group that is calling for Santos to be expelled from Congress. THIRD TIME THE CHARM: WILL GEORGE SANTOS SURVIVE THE LATEST MOVE TO OUST HIM FROM THE HOUSE? About a dozen MoveOn members helped pop the balloon, with many of them also carrying red signs that read “Expel Santos” and “Expel Santos he’s full of lies.” The protest came as a renewed effort to oust the embattled congressman is underway. The House will likely vote in the coming days on a measure to expel Santos for his myriad of alleged misdeeds, including campaign finance abuses. Santos has survived two other efforts to oust him from Congress in recent weeks but the third time may be the charm for lawmakers who believe Santos is unfit to serve. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE DEMOCRATS’ GAMBIT TO EXPEL SANTOS – OR EMBARRASS THE GOP The House sidetracked two previous efforts to expel Santos – never directly casting a ballot on his worthiness to be a House member. Those who opposed the plan to expel Santos weren’t necessarily defending him. They noted that a court has never convicted Santos of alleged wrongdoing. Prior to Thanksgiving, the House Ethics Committee hadn’t completed its investigation into the conduct of Santos. But the report has now been made public, finding Santos “used campaign funds for personal purposes” and “engaged in fraudulent conduct,” among other allegations. Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution grants each body of Congress the ultimate authority over who is sworn in, rules of proceedings, and how to discipline and “with the Concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.” The Santos balloon is similar in style to one that depicted former President Trump as a baby. That balloon was popped in London in 2019 and became a symbol of protesters’ disdain for the president as he visited British leaders. Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.