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Year: 2023

Lawmakers demand answers from AP, Reuters amid accusations their journalists knew about Hamas attack

Lawmakers demand answers from AP, Reuters amid accusations their journalists knew about Hamas attack

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., is asking the Associated Press and Reuters to answer questions about their journalists’ knowledge of the October 7th Hamas attack after Israel accused the outlets of having a forewarning of the terrorist strike that killed over 1,200 people.  Lawler, along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, are penning letters to the news outlets demanding answers about any possible knowledge they may have had prior to the Hamas attack, which the outlets previously denied. “That these journalists would knowingly not share this information, and in the process save thousands of Israeli and Gazan lives, is simply beyond the pale,” said Lawler.  ISRAEL SETS ITS EYES ON SOUTHERN GAZA AS IDF MOPS UP HAMAS REMNANTS IN NORTHERN GAZA CITY After a report from Honest Reporting raised ethical questions about why some AP and Reuters journalists were at the site of attack shortly after the atrocities occurred, the Israeli government’s press office director, Nitzan Chen, accused the outlets of being “alongside Hamas terrorists, documenting the murder of Israeli civilians, lynching of soldier and kidnappings to Gaza,” according to a letter obtained by Politico.  Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said that if the allegations are true, and the journalists “had prior knowledge of this deadly attack, yet said nothing, is morally repugnant and need to be thoroughly investigated.” “It’s not enough to just verify the authenticity of images – these outlets have a moral obligation to ensure they aren’t being used as pawns to spread Hamas propaganda,” said McCaul.  However, the Associated Press and Reuters are denying any involvement. The Associated Press said “the first pictures AP received from any freelancer show they were taken more than an hour after the attacks began. No AP staff were at the border at the time of the attacks, nor did any AP staffer cross the border at any time.”  Reuters also asserted that their staffers were “not on the ground at the locations referred to in the Honest Reporting article.” ISRAEL, HAMAS AGREE ON TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA STRIP, RELEASE OF 50 HOSTAGES Nonetheless, Lawler wants the news organizations to “come clean” so that the lawmakers can “get to the bottom” of the events that occurred in the early hours prior to the terrorist attack.  “These companies must come clean about any involvement or advance notice their contractors or employees may have had of the October 7th massacres,” said Lawler. “It should not be hard for both news outlets to provide answers, and we must get to the bottom of this. We demand the truth.” McCaul added that the outlets should “ensure their reporting is independent and impartial.” The AP pointed to its previous response to the allegations when reached Wednesday by Fox News. Fox News has reached out to Reuters for comment.

Virginia Democrats reveal 2024 agenda after Youngkin, GOP fall short in midterm election

Virginia Democrats reveal 2024 agenda after Youngkin, GOP fall short in midterm election

Abortion and gun control are the top priorities for Virginia Democrats heading into the new year after their election wins earlier this month. Bills and resolutions to ensure abortion access and ban so-called assault weapons were filed Monday as Democratic leaders set the agenda for the 2024 legislative session. Democrats propose increasing the state’s minimum wage and automatically restoring voting rights for convicted felons who have completed their sentences. Del. Don Scott, the new speaker of the House and first Black man to hold the office, said the upcoming legislative session will move Virginia forward. “I am especially glad to see the resolution to start the process of codifying the automatic restoration of rights,” Scott said in a news release. “With this, we are sending a message that there is no room for the spirit of Jim Crow that has plagued our Commonwealth for far too long.”  YOUGKIN FALLS SHORT IN HIS MISSION TO WIN TOTAL GOP CONTROL OF VIRGINIA STATE LEGISLATURE If the resolutions for abortion access and restoring felons’ rights pass the legislature, it would be the first step in a lengthy process to amend the state constitution. The amendments would then need to pass the legislature during a second year, and then be put to voters for approval in a state referendum, according to The Associated Press.  House of Delegates Majority Leader Charnlele Herring, who sponsored the abortion resolution, said Democrats were keeping a promise made throughout the 2023 campaign cycle.  DEMOCRAT SEEKS RECOUNT IN RAZOR-THIN VIRGINIA HOUSE RACE “It has become all too clear that without constitutional protection, access to reproductive healthcare is at risk for the Commonwealth,” Herring said. Bills filed in both the House and Senate would make buying, selling or transferring an assault firearm a Class 1 misdemeanor, subject to up to 12 months in jail. The bills use an existing state definition of “assault firearm,” which covers semiautomatic, center-fire rifles and pistols that use magazines holding more than 20 rounds of ammunition or are “designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock.” The state Senate passed a similar bill earlier this year, but it died in the House, which was then controlled by Republicans. VIRGINIA SENATE NAMES CAUCUS LEADERS FOR UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION Democrats retained control of the state Senate and flipped the state House of Delegates from Republicans in the Nov. 7 election. The elections grabbed national attention, as Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin campaigned for several GOP candidates in what came to be viewed as a barometer ahead of next year’s 2024 elections and a test of Youngkin’s political strength.  Two years ago, Republicans in Virginia won elections for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general — their first statewide victories in a dozen years – and they flipped the House. The victories in a state that had trended blue over the previous decade energized Republicans nationwide. This year, however, Democrats successfully campaigned on preserving abortion access and Youngkin, who advocated for a 15-week abortion restriction, lost the argument with voters. Now, he must contend with a Democratic-controlled legislature that will stymie his conservative agenda for the remainder of his term.  Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.