2023 – Page 211 – Texas Weekly Online

Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo sued by sexual harassment accuser: Here’s what you need to know

One of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s accusers filed a lawsuit in Albany Wednesday claiming he repeatedly sexually harassed her. Brittany Commisso began working for Cuomo in 2017. Her lawsuit comes under the Adult Survivors Act, which extended the period of time individuals could file a sexual harassment claim from the time an incident allegedly happened. According to CBS, Commisso’s time limit expired Thursday at midnight. Cuomo resigned as governor in August 2021 following sexual misconduct allegations by Commisso and several other women. He has denied the allegations. CUOMO FOLLOWS WELL-USED PLAYBOOK BY SCANDAL-PLAGUED POLITICIANS: DENY WRONGDOING, WAIT IT OUT Commisso’s lawsuit alleges “continuous sexual harassment” and retaliation by Cuomo and seeks monetary damages against the former governor. Commisso’s allegations led to a criminal charge against Cuomo that was eventually dismissed last year at the request of Albany County District Attorney David Soares, who described her as credible but said he couldn’t prove the case. CUOMO EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT COMES FORWARD, ALLEGES NY GOVERNOR ‘BROKE THE LAW’ In a statement to the press, Cuomo’s attorney, Rita Glavin, said Commisso’s claims in the lawsuit “are provably false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation.” “Ms. Commisso’s transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail. We look forward to seeing her in court,” the statement said. WHO IS CUOMO ACCUSER BRITTANY COMMISSO? Commisso was identified as “Executive Assistant No. 1” in Attorney General Letitia James’ 2021 report accusing Cuomo of sexually harassing 11 women, including current and former state employees, from 2013 to 2020, in violation of state and federal law. Commisso testified that Cuomo grabbed her rear while they took a selfie in the executive mansion in 2019, and that in 2020 he reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast. In her testimony, Commisso said Cuomo routinely talked about her physical appearance and repeatedly made sexually suggestive comments when she worked with him at the executive mansion in Albany. She said he would also ask about her divorce and whether she had ever had sex with other men during her marriage. In 2019, Commisso said Cuomo put his hand on her backside while guiding her through the executive mansion. In December of that same year, she said she was with Cuomo at the executive mansion when he asked her to take a “selfie” with him. She said as they were posing for the photo, Cuomo moved his hand “onto my butt” and rubbed it for “at least five seconds.” Fox News’ Jessica Chasmar and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Anti-Israel protesters disrupt Black Friday shopping to call for Palestinian uprising: ‘Intifada revolution’

Anti-Israel protesters rallied across the country Friday in an attempt to disrupt Black Friday shoppers, with some calling for a Palestinian uprising in the Middle East. The protests took place in heavily trafficked areas across multiple cities, including New York City, Los Angeles and Boston despite the ongoing cease-fire between Israel and Hamas terrorists that saw an exchange of hostages being held in Gaza. “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution!” protesters gathered in Lower Manhattan’s Washington Square Park chanted. Calls for an intifada, or civil uprising, have become increasingly common in anti-Israel protests since the brutal Oct.7 Hamas attack that saw more than 1,200 people murdered, including children and babies. BIDEN UNSURE WHEN AMERICAN HOSTAGES WILL BE FREED BY HAMAS: ‘WE DON’T KNOW’ According to the New York Post, protesters called for those in attendance to rebel against Black Friday by boycotting companies and disrupting shoppers, as well as shouting antisemitic statements, such as, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Multiple reports said the protest consisted of about 2,000 people, and that another 1,000-2,000 protesters also gathered near Macy’s flagship store just 16 blocks north on 34th street. Protesters in Los Angeles converged on The Grove, a popular shopping district just south of Hollywood, to, according to one report, “make it clear that there will be no business as usual until Palestine is free.” Police monitored the protesters as they marched through the area and disrupted traffic. FORMER OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH NYC FOOD CART VENDOR In Boston, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Puma flagship store in a popular shopping area to criticize the company’s ties to Israel, according to local NPR station WGBH. The outlet cited the company in stating that it provides Israel’s national soccer teams with branded equipment for international competitions. The protests come just one day after anti-Israel activists disrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York by chanting and singing “Palestine will be free” while others glued themselves to the street along the parade route.

‘Special Report’ spotlights energy matters: China adds massive amounts to oil inventories

The Energy Department is asking for bid prices to add around 3 million barrels to the strategic petroleum reserve. Administration officials say the additional oil will begin to be added in January. It’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the nearly 300 million barrels President Biden has released since he took office. While the U.S. stockpile was declining, China was adding to its reserves. “I think China is looking ahead at the future and seeing that geopolitically, economically, there’s a great deal of uncertainty and volatility in the world,” American Exploration and Production Council CEO Anne Bradbury said. In November 2021, President Biden announced the U.S. and other countries would release millions of barrels from their oil stockpiles. At the time, even China had said it would tap its reserves. “They all agreed to release additional oil from the reserves, and China may be doing so as well,” Biden said in December 2021. EXPERTS RAISE ALARM AFTER BIDEN STRIKES AGREEMENT WITH CHINA TO SHUT DOWN FOSSIL FUELS It appears China never sold from its reserves after Biden’s remarks. “We have no evidence to show that China drew down its strategic reserves in conjunction with the November 2021 strategic draw,” Managing Director of Clearview Energy Partners Kevin Book said. “The reason probably has something to do with China’s own perception of its security. They probably didn’t want to put themselves at any more risk.” BIDEN’S WAR ON OIL DRILLING THREATENS TO KILL HIS OWN GREEN ENERGY GOALS: ‘A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY’ China’s National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said at the time that the sales would occur close to the Lunar New Year. That fell on Feb. 1 in 2022. On Feb. 4, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing for the Winter Olympics. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was just 20 days away. As Russian troops gathered at the Ukrainian border, the White House threatened sanctions against financial institutions. The administration pushed back against concerns China could help Russia avoid the sanctions. “China may want Russia as its junior partner for gas or cheap oil. But let’s not pretend it’s anything else,” White House Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh said during the announcement. Days later, the invasion officially began, prompting U.S. economic sanctions against Russia. By March, the U.S. had added oil sanctions. The European Union reached an agreement in May, announcing it would back most Russian oil by the end of 2022. By then, the U.S. and allies had agreed to release millions of barrels from their reserves over several months to combat high prices. Meanwhile, China was buying and stockpiling cheap oil. US SEIZED NEARLY 1 MILLION BARRELS OF IRANIAN OIL BEING SMUGGLED TO CHINA “When Putin weaponized energy, basically it sent a shock wave to Europe, our allies, and we weren’t able to help them because we weren’t energy secure ourselves,” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said. European Union member states are mandated to have at least 90 days of crude oil in reserves. After the drawdowns, nearly half of European countries fell below their 90-day target. “The EU is really ground zero for supply disruptions over the last couple of years as they try to wean themselves off of Russian oil and natural gas,” Bradbury said. “The strategic reserves are critical, and they’re going to continue to be critical moving forward.” The U.S. sold some of its reserves to China. The Energy Department announced Unipec America Incorporated purchased nearly 1 million barrels. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China International United Petroleum and Chemical Co. Ltd. “China loves a bargain,” Book said. “They are the biggest oil importing country in the world. And when they can save a barrel, they’re probably going to save a barrel. When they can save money on a barrel, they’re probably going to do that too.” China does not disclose how much crude oil flows in or out of its strategic reserves, but analysts point to an increase in imports from cheap sellers like Russia and Iran. Trade data reveals China could be sitting on a massive stockpile of oil. “China depends on imported energy for about 25% of the energy it consumes. So having energy in reserve when you’re that dependent on imports is extremely important,” Book said. Data from S&P Global estimates China’s crude oil inventory, which compromises its commercial and strategic petroleum reserve, could be more than 1.1 billion barrels. “We know that Russia and China are working together and that China has very few qualms about purchasing Russian oil and about putting its own energy security first and foremost,” Bradbury said. China imports cheap oil from countries facing U.S. sanctions, like Russia and Iran. Imports from Russia increased by nearly 23% in the first half of 2023 to more than 2 million barrels per day. China is Iran’s top customer, buying an estimated 1 million barrels per day in 2023. Iranian oil is often relabeled as originating from countries like Malaysia, the UAE or Oman to avoid sanctions. However, oil market experts say China’s oil strategy has had little impact on the overall market. “It doesn’t directly affect the global market in the sense that the oil price essentially reflects the global supply and demand balance,” Book said. “If China didn’t buy the oil from Russia and Venezuela and Iran, then maybe somebody else would.”

Biden challenger goes all in on presidential campaign, won’t run for re-election to Congress

Democrat presidential candidate and Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips is going all in on his effort to beat President Biden in the race for their party’s 2024 nomination. In a Friday interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune, the three-term congressman and millionaire businessman said he would not be running for re-election to the House of Representatives, arguing that a return to Congress after challenging Biden would be “both unproductive and uncomfortable.” Phillips said it was time to “pass the torch” to another candidate, citing his intention to still be in the presidential race beyond Minnesota’s June filing deadline to run for office. BIDEN UNSURE WHEN AMERICAN HOSTAGES WILL BE FREED BY HAMAS: ‘WE DON’T KNOW’ “It would be irresponsible to continue to string both my constituents along and the other candidates who both have entered the race and who might be interested in entering the race,” he said. In a post on X following the interview, Phillips said serving Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District was “the most joyful experience” of his life, but that it was “time for change.” “Our best days are yet to come!” he added. TOP DESANTIS BACKER RESIGNS FROM SUPER PAC AMID INTERNAL TURMOIL: ‘UNTENABLE’ ENVIRONMENT In a separate statement, Phillips described serving alongside his colleagues as “an honor of a lifetime,” and described part of his tenure as “some of the darkest days in our nation’s history.” Phillips’ announcement comes just days after he angered some fellow Democrats with a dig at Vice President Kamala Harris, who he said voters had no faith in to succeed Biden should such a situation arise. “I hear from others who know her a lot better than I do that many think she’s not well positioned,” Phillips said of Harris, in an interview with The Atlantic. “She is not well-prepared, doesn’t have the right disposition and the right competencies to execute that office.” PRO-TRUMP CANDIDATE BEATS MODERATE DEM IN UTAH SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL LAST SEAT IN US HOUSE He also said that “Harris’ approval numbers are even worse than Biden’s,” before adding, “It’s pretty clear that she’s not somebody people have faith in.” Phillips issued an apology to Harris on Wednesday, explaining that his comments were not reflective of his “personal experience” with the vice president, and that he respects her. His challenge to Biden is expected to be a long shot in the race for the White House despite concern over the president’s age and his ailing poll numbers compared to former President Donald Trump, who leads the primary polls on the Republican side. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Biden unsure when American hostages will be freed by Hamas: ‘We don’t know’

President Biden said on Friday that he was unsure when any American hostages being held by Hamas terrorists would be released after none was included in the group freed on the first day of the group’s cease-fire with Israel. “We don’t know when that will occur, but we’re going to expect it to occur,” Biden said while addressing the release of hostages from his vacation in Nantucket, Massachusetts. “We don’t know what the list of all the hostages are and when they will be released, but we know the numbers that are going to be released, So, it’s my hope and expectation it will be soon,” he added. FORMER OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH NYC FOOD CART VENDOR He went on to say that he didn’t know the condition of the Americans still in captivity or whether they were still alive. The release of hostages comes after Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day cease-fire during which the terrorist group agreed to release 50 women and children taken in the October 7 attack on Israel in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Two dozen hostages were released on Friday, including 13 Israelis, 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino citizen. The group was released into the care of Red Cross personnel, who were seen carrying those rescued via ambulance from Gaza into Egypt. MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL SUSPENDS HATE CRIME TASK FORCE MEMBER CLAIMING BABIES MURDERED BY HAMAS WERE ‘FAKE’ The Israeli hostages were transported to Israel to receive care at various hospitals and are now accompanied by Israeli Defense Forces Special Forces. According to U.S. intelligence, approximately 10 Americans are being held hostage by Hamas. Israeli leaders have vowed to resume the war once the cease-fire lifts. WATCH: WHITE HOUSE ISSUES BRUTAL RESPONSE TO BIDEN’S ‘INAPPROPRIATE’ NICKNAME GIVEN BY ANTI-ISRAEL CRITICS “Israel will continue its war on Hamas, and we will not stop until we achieve our two main goals, overthrowing the rule of Hamas and returning all the abductees back to us, safe and sound,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Friday as he toured Israel’s ravaged border areas with his counterparts from Portugal and Slovenia. To date, there have been more than 1,200 Israelis reported killed by Hamas, while the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health is claiming that nearly 13,000 civilians have been killed from Israeli military activity in Gaza. Fox News’ Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.

No American hostages freed by Hamas on day one of cease-fire with Israel

Two dozen hostages were released by the terrorist group Hamas, but no American was released on the first day of the cease-fire with Israel. Thirteen Israelis, plus 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino citizen, were released Friday into the care of Red Cross personnel, who were seen carrying those rescued via ambulance from Gaza into Egypt. The Israeli hostages were transported to Israel to receive care at various hospitals and are now accompanied by Israeli Defense Forces Special Forces. A U.S. official told Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson that the U.S. is “glad to see this process moving forward.” “We are doing all we can, including to secure the release of Americans,” the U.S. official said. “We are focused on it hourly.” HAMAS RELEASES 13 ISRAELI HOSTAGES, 11 OTHERS AS CEASE-FIRE HOLDS Despite playing a key role in negotiating the cease-fire that has allowed the exchange of hostages, the U.S. has not seen any of its citizens currently held by Hamas freed. According to U.S. intelligence, approximately 10 Americans are being held hostage by the terrorist group. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a four-day cease-fire during which the terrorist group will release 50 women and children taken in the October 7 attack on Israel in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. ISRAELI SPOKESMAN’S SHOCKED FACE GOES VIRAL OVER BIZARRE QUESTION ABOUT HOSTAGE DEAL: ‘LEFT ME SPEECHLESS’ Israeli leaders have vowed to resume the war once the cease-fire lifts. “Israel will continue its war on Hamas, and we will not stop until we achieve our two main goals, overthrowing the rule of Hamas and returning all the abductees back to us, safe and sound,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Friday as he toured Israel’s ravaged border areas with his counterparts from Portugal and Slovenia. To date, there have been more than 1,200 Israelis reported killed by Hamas, while the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health is claiming that nearly 13,000 civilians have been killed from Israeli military activity in Gaza. Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo, Lawrence Richard, Elizabeth Pritchett and Louis Casianio contributed to this report.

Kamala Harris roasted for Thanksgiving pic: ‘Is that a gas stove?’

Vice President Kamala Harris faced criticism on social media after sharing a post of her and second husband Doug Emhoff posing next to a gas stove on Thanksgiving despite the Biden administration’s proposal earlier this year advocating for the ban of gas stoves. “From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving,” Harris posted on X. Several conservatives pointed out the gas stove in the photo. “Is that a gas stove?” Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., responded. Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and America First activist Laura Loomer also posted about the observation. MORE THAN TWO DOZEN DEMOCRATS JOIN GOP IN OPPOSING BIDEN GAS STOVE BAN GOP LOOKS TO RESCUE GAS STOVES FROM BIDEN’S ‘EXTREME’ BAN The Biden administration previously claimed they planned to ban gas stoves after U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s top leader, Richard Trumka Jr., told Bloomberg “a ban on gas stoves is on the table” over health concerns. “This is a hidden hazard,” Trumka told Bloomberg. “Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.” Trumka later said it would not apply to existing stoves, but only to new products. That idea was scrapped, but it was followed by a proposed Department of Energy (DOE) regulation that would impose tough new energy efficiency standards for gas stoves. The House of Representatives approved an amendment in March – with help from several Democrats – that would prevent the DOE from implementing strict new regulations on gas stoves that most stoves on the market today would not be able to meet. The House voted 251 to 181 in favor of the amendment from Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., to a larger energy policy bill, and 29 Democrats voted with the GOP. ENERGY DEPARTMENT PROPOSES TIGHTER EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR GAS, ELECTRIC STOVES AND OVENS About 38% of American households, or roughly 40 million, use natural gas to cook in their homes. The White House and vice president’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Year: 2023