Advocates demand justice after US protester killed in Israeli gunfire
Washington, DC – The fatal shooting of a 26-year-old Turkish American protester in the occupied West Bank has sparked fresh calls for the United States to demand accountability from Israel’s armed forces. But advocates say justice for US citizens killed by Israeli soldiers has long proven elusive, with many accusing the administration of President Joe Biden of applying a double standard to Israel and its military. Friday’s shooting claimed the life of 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a dual US and Turkish citizen who was taking part in a demonstration against an illegal Israeli settlement on Mount Sbeih in Beita, a town south of Nablus. During the protest, witnesses said an Israeli soldier shot Ezgi Eygi in the head, and she collapsed in an olive grove. She later died of her wounds at Rafidia Hospital in Nablus. Palestinian American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was among the first US officials to respond to the killing, and she called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to “do something to save lives”. Blinken himself was asked about the killing at a news briefing later in the day, where a journalist pressed him on the military aid the US continues to provide to Israel. “I just want to extend my deepest condolences, condolences of the United States government, to the family of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi,” Blinken responded. “We deplore this tragic loss.” He said the Biden administration would “gather the facts” and “act on it” as necessary. “I have no higher priority than the safety and protection of American citizens, wherever they are,” Blinken added, echoing a similar statement made by US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew. .@SecBlinken: Do something to save lives! https://t.co/2g4hKCa330 — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) September 6, 2024 Elusive justice? But advocates have questioned the US government’s commitment to American safety overseas, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories. They pointed to a string of high-profile killings by Israeli forces that they say Washington has not sought accountability for. Earlier this year, for instance, an off-duty Israeli police officer and a settler opened fire and killed 17-year-old US citizen Tawfiq Ajaq near his ancestral village of al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya in the West Bank. An investigation into the case is ongoing. In 2022, an Israeli sniper also shot US citizen and Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was reporting at the time in the West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military later admitted its soldier fired the fatal bullet but deemed the killing an accident and declined to punish any individual involved. While the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened an inquiry nearly two years ago, it too has offered no updates or resolution. That same year, 78-year-old Palestinian American Omar Assad died after being detained by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near his home in Jiljilya. The US ultimately declined to cut funding to the soldiers’ unit, despite its track record of abuses. Other examples stretch back more than a decade. In 2010, teenager Furkan Dogan, another dual US and Turkish citizen, was killed when Israeli commandos boarded a ship trying to deliver aid to Gaza. And in 2003, an Israeli soldier driving a bulldozer crushed Washington resident Rachel Corrie to death as she protested the destruction of Palestinian homes. Her name is Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, and she’s not the first US citizen to be killed by the IDF whilst peacefully protesting Israel in Palestine, or whilst simply doing her job there. From Rachel Corrie to Shireen Abu Akleh, this sad list is growing. https://t.co/yOxTAxNpNq — Monica Marks (@MonicaLMarks) September 6, 2024 White House reaction In the case of Friday’s killing, the Biden administration indicated it would rely on Israel to look into the incident. “We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident,” White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said. He added that the administration was “deeply disturbed by the tragic death”. For its part, the Israeli military issued a statement saying its forces had “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces who posed a threat to them”. It said it was looking into reports “that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area”. Israel is one of the US’s closest allies in the Middle East, and critics fear that has led to a reticence towards pursuing justice in cases in which its soldiers appear to be at fault. On Friday, for instance, the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) underscored the lengthy delays in seeking accountability. “For years, American Muslim and Palestinian-American organisations have been calling for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to address crimes against Palestinian-Americans killed by Israeli government and adjacent actors,” Robert McCaw, CAIR’s government affairs director, wrote in an open letter. A double standard The US was the first country to recognise Israel as a country in 1948, and it has maintained tight relations with its government ever since. Washington provides $3.8bn in military aid to the country each year. That number has increased since Israel’s war in Gaza erupted in October, with the Biden administration pledging additional weapons and support. The war started with an attack on southern Israel by the armed group Hamas. About 250 people were taken captive during the attacks, and some have since been killed in Gaza. Among them was Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old US citizen. Advocates on Friday questioned whether the Biden administration would pledge to seek the same accountability in Ezgi Eygi’s case as it had in Goldberg-Polin’s. “There was — rightfully — outrage and sadness when an American hostage was killed last week in Gaza,” Yohan Lieberman, the co-founder of IfNotNow, an American Jewish advocacy organisation, wrote on the social media platform X. But Lieberman wondered whether the same outrage would greet Ezgi Eygi’s death. “Will [Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris] even acknowledge her?” he asked. Political analyst Omar Baddar also pointed
Is there a ’60-day rule’ in the US elections? What to know in 500 words
EXPLAINER Trump falsely claims the Justice Department is hamstrung in the lead-up to November’s vote as he stares down two federal cases. Former President Donald Trump has said the Department of Justine has a “60-day rule” that prevents it from taking certain law enforcement actions against candidates in the run-up to a United States election. If Trump’s statement were correct, it would have wide-ranging implications as he stares down two federal indictments: one in Washington, DC, for efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and another in Florida for allegedly hoarding classified documents. Friday marks 60 days until the presidential election on November 5. So what are the facts behind the claim? What did Trump say? Trump invoked the “60-day rule” while responding to an updated indictment filed last month in the federal election case in Washington, DC. “It is DOJ policy that the Department of Justice should not take any action that will influence an election within 60 days of that election – but they just have taken such action,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Others have since echoed that criticism. Last week, Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, questioned federal prosecutors in the Florida case about whether holding a trial before the election would violate the rule. Legal experts, however, have rejected that position. And Jay Bratt, a federal prosecutor in the Florida case, told Cannon that, since Trump had already been charged, no rule or norm would be violated. So what was Trump talking about? Trump was referring to an unwritten — and admittedly vague — guideline that Justice Department officials have adopted over the years. A 2018 report from the Justice Department’s inspector general clearly states: “No Department policy contains a specific prohibition on overt investigative steps within a particular period before an election.” Still, it noted that many officials have adhered to “a longstanding unwritten practice to avoid overt law enforcement and prosecutorial activities close to an election, typically within 60 or 90 days of Election Day”. The report probed the decision by former FBI director James Comey to reopen an investigation into Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s emails just 11 days before the 2016 election. Comey later said avoiding actions that could impact the election was a “very important norm”. Does Trump have any recourse? No. Because the guideline is unwritten, it is a best practice rather than a legal requirement. When and how the guideline applies is up to department officials. Legal scholars have further argued that Trump cannot claim he was being treated unfairly because the guideline only applies to major actions, like the filing of brand-new indictments. Because Trump had been indicted long before the 60-day window, the guideline would theoretically not apply to the ongoing federal proceedings in Washington, DC, and Florida. The guideline is also not valid for Trump’s upcoming sentencing in New York or the pending trial in Georgia: Both of which are state-level proceedings, whereas the guideline is strictly federal. Finally, Trump may need to check his math. Even if he were correct about the rule, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed the updated indictment on August 27. That is 70 days out from the November 5 vote. Adblock test (Why?)
Manipur: All schools in state to remain closed today due to…
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh condemned the incident, saying that it ‘is an act of terrorism’ for drones to drop bombs on people and security personnel.
Mayorkas: Texas’ immigration policies have wreaked havoc and disorder
The U.S. Homeland Security Secretary specifically called out the state’s policy of busing migrants to cities in other parts of the country.
Alan Dershowitz leaves Democratic Party, cites DNC: ‘I was disgusted’
Prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz announced his departure from the Democratic Party, citing several “anti-Jewish” lawmakers that make up the ranks of the party and the recent Democratic National Convention in which Vice President Kamala Harris became the party’s presidential nominee. Speaking with radio host Zev Brenner on “Talkline with Zev Brenner,” Dershowitz cited the DNC, which he said gave legitimacy to anti-Israel speakers, and anti-Israel protesters outside the gathering. “It was the most anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, anti-Zionist convention I’ve experienced,” he said. “I was disgusted at the Democratic National Convention. Absolutely disgusted.” FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE PLEADS FOR DEAL ‘WITH SATAN’ BEFORE BIDEN, HARRIS ENTER SITUATION ROOM “I am no longer a Democrat. I am an Independent,” he added, noting that he wouldn’t reveal whom he was voting for president until possibly after Nov. 1. “I want to see how they deal with Iran. I want to encourage the current administration to support Israel.” The Harvard Law professor emeritus said his departure from the party was a long time coming and that he gradually resigned over time. “Alot of things pushed me in that direction,” he said. Dershowitz noted Harris’ failure to preside over a joint session of Congress during an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played a big role in his decision. Some Democrats skipped Netanyahu’s speech as a form of protest. NETANYAHU MOURNS DEATHS OF SIX HOSTAGES RECOVERED IN GAZA, VOWS TO ‘SETTLE ACCOUNTS’ WITH HAMAS Ultimately, it was the convention that was held in Chicago last month that pushed him over the edge, he said. He named Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, who he said were anti-Israel, and Rev. Al Sharpton, who has been accused of antisemitism in the past. In addition, there were anti-Israel protesters outside the gathering who called for the destruction of Israel, he said. “That’s not my party,” Dershowitz said. The Democratic Party has seen a sharp split within its ranks following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. Some members of the party have refused to condemn the terror group and have blamed Netanyahu for Israel’s military response. Many Democrats have called for a ceasefire and urged Israel to use restraint while neglecting to hold Hamas and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terror group based in Lebanon, in Israel’s north, to the same standard.
Trump accepts largest police union endorsement, blasts Harris as a ‘defunder’: ‘Kamala’s crime wave’
The nation’s oldest and largest police organization endorsed Donald Trump Friday, saying there is “zero doubt” they want him in the White House for a second term, while the former president blasted his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, as a “defunder” of law enforcement, and vowed to end “Kamala’s crime wave” if elected. Trump traveled to North Carolina Friday to speak at a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police and accept their endorsement, calling it an “honor.” The organization also endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020. “Public safety and border security will be important issues in the last months of this campaign,” FOP National President Patrick Yoes said. “Our members carefully considered the positions of the candidates on the issues and there was no doubt—zero doubt—as to who they want as our President for the next four years: Donald J. Trump.” TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE BLASTS SECRET SERVICE ‘FAILURE’ Yoes said that during Trump’s first term, he “made it clear he supported law enforcement and border security.” “In the summer of 2020, he stood with us when very few would. With his help, we defeated the ‘defund the police’ movement and, finally, we are seeing crime rates decrease,” he said. “If we want to maintain these lower crime rates, we must re-elect Donald Trump.” Yoes said FOP leadership met with Trump—but said a similar meeting was not offered by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. FLASHBACK: HARRIS TRIED TO DEFUND BORDER PATROL AGENTS, SLASH ICE BUDGET “As the nation’s oldest and largest law enforcement labor organization, the FOP’s presidential endorsement is one of the most sought-after endorsements by candidates running for the presidency,” Yoes said. “The FOP is the number one voice of America’s law enforcement. We have a responsibility to our members, to the 800,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the United States, and to the communities they serve to do our part in determining the direction in which our country will head.” Yoes said Trump, during his first term, “provided our nation with strong, effective leadership.” “Now that he is seeking election to a second term, we intend to help him win it,” Yoes said. Trump touted the endorsement Friday afternoon during an event with members of the Fraternal Order of Police. “It’s an honor to be here. This is a big endorsement for me…It’s an honor,” Trump said. “I’m thrilled to be back with the incredible heroes and patriots of the Fraternal Order of Police, an incredible group and a group that’s highly respected all over the country.” KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTED ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ IN 2020 RADIO INTERVIEW, BEFORE BIDEN CAMPAIGN SAID OTHERWISE Trump added: “To all of the law enforcement men and women here today, I respect you so much. I admire you, and as your president, I will always back the blue as I did.” Trump blasted his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris as a “defunder.” “I back to blue more than any other. I was not a defunder like Kamala. She was a defunder. She was a ten year defunder. When you, when you want to defend for ten years, that’s the end of that one,” Trump said. He joked: “I think I could leave right now, and you say there’s no way that we’re not voting for that guy.” “I consider you in this room to be America’s finest,” Trump said. “You’re all over the country, all over from the country, all over the place. And, we really appreciate you being here.” Trump said law enforcement officers just want to “see our country, be safe and prosperous, and we want to love our country.” KAMALA HARRIS CALLED FOR REMOVING COPS FROM SCHOOLS TO FIGHT RACIAL ‘INEQUITIES’ IN 2019 INTERVIEW “We know all about you and the great job that you do. And, the people of this country respect you greatly for it. So I just want to thank you on behalf of everybody,” Trump said. “Under the Harris regime, 99% of law abiding citizens suffer while criminals run free and our country is plagued into literally third world conditions. In many ways, we’re a third world country, but we’re going to clean that up real fast,” Trump said. “I’m here today to declare that we do not have to live this way. And when I’m President of the United States, we are not going to take it anymore.” Trump said that there has been a 43% increase in violent crime since the Biden-Harris administration came into power, including a 58% increase in rape and an 89% increase in aggravated assault. “And under Comrade Kamala, assaults on police officers are up a minimum of 32% and many of them are not reported. And if they are reported, they’re not taken down. And shootings of our police officers are up by over 16%,” Trump said. “The day I take office is the day that Kamala’s crime wave comes to an end. It’s a crime wave in our country. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
Reporter’s Notebook: Why foreign policy might matter
Which of these things is not like the others? The economy. The border. Abortion. Foreign policy. The first three are issues many voters consistently tell pollsters are the subjects most important to them in 2024. Foreign policy? Dwarfed by the others. In fact, recent Fox polling shows that foreign policy decisions were the most important subjects to only 3% of registered voters surveyed in Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona. Foreign policy only climbs to 4% when Fox asked the question nationally. So why care about foreign policy in a race like the one between Vice President Harris and former President Trump? The importance of foreign policy as a determining factor in the race for the presidency rises and falls. Vietnam wore on the public consciousness in the late 1960s. It drove former President Lyndon Johnson away from seeking re-election in 1968. The Iranian hostage crisis certainly didn’t help former President Carter as he stumbled in 1980. It’s believed that former President Reagan scored a boost from improving America’s image on the global stage. Staring down the Soviets certainly enabled Reagan to cruise to victory in 1984. Former President George H.W. Bush seemingly received no benefit for the 1991 Gulf War nor the fall of the Eastern Bloc in the late ‘80s and early ’90s. This was ironic. The president earned a staggering 91% approval rating just after the Gulf War. Yet he lost to former President Clinton less than two years later. The events of 9/11 lifted the fate of former President George W. Bush in 2001. Bush won re-election in 2004. But casualties from the war in Iraq cost him support that fall. PUTIN SAYS HE BACKS HARRIS OVER TRUMP, ADDS HE’S READY FOR TALKS WITH UKRAINE So, should we focus on foreign policy as a crucial issue in 2024? Hard to say. But in a tight race, anything might be decisive. Especially in battleground states where the race is a statistical dead heat. “Pocketbook issues are always the most important issues for most people,” said Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind. But Bucshon offered a caveat. “(Foreign policy) could be in the national security space part of the election narrative because the vice president was obviously part of this decision-making progress,” the Indiana Republican said. That is precisely what Republicans hope to highlight as Congress returns to session. Biden is out the door. Harris is now the Democratic nominee. And Republicans hope to tell the story of the vice president and foreign policy. War in the Middle East. Executions of Israeli hostages. Even the controversy involving Trump honoring service members killed in Afghanistan three years ago. Curiously, the incident and questions surrounding how Trump and his team conducted themselves at Arlington National Cemetery may have actually retrained focus on why they were there in the first place: the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan under the watch of the president and vice president. A mother of one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Abbey Gate attack at the Kabul airport railed against the administration. “We’ve been disrespected so much in the last three years,” Kelly Barnett told Fox. She’s a Gold Star mother who lost her son, Taylor Hoover, in the terrorist attack. “No response from them. No ‘I’m sorry.’” Republicans see this as connective tissue to Harris. “I think it’s open to criticism because the vice president was intimately involved in that discussion (to withdraw from Afghanistan),” said Bucshon. Harris even said as much during an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash in 2021 after the withdrawal. “(President Biden) just made a really big decision. Afghanistan,” said Bash. “Were you the last person in the room?” “Yes,” replied Harris. “And you feel comfortable?” countered Bash. “I do,” answered Harris. On NBC, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., noted that former President Trump “was never able” to get out of Afghanistan despite wanting to do so. “I give President Biden and Vice President Harris credit for finally ending a war after 20 years,” said Khanna. The California Democrat conceded the administration bungled the withdrawal. But Khanna believes Harris and the president “deserve credit” for actually extracting the U.S. from the protracted conflict. In addition, some Republicans point to the Israel/Hamas war as a flashpoint for the administration. TRUMP TOUTS FOREIGN POLICY CHOPS AT FOX NEWS TOWN HALL: ‘I WAS THE TOUGHEST ON RUSSIA’ “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have tried to hamstring Israel every step of the way here,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said on Fox. On Fox Business, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, argued that the only “two-state solution” Harris and vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz care about is winning “Pennsylvania and Michigan.” But when it comes to the Middle East, the administration contends it’s clear who is to blame — despite the Mideast crisis unfolding on its watch. “Hamas is responsible for their deaths. And as the president said, most leaders pay for their crimes,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. The campaign trail now moves from battleground states like Nevada and North Carolina to Capitol Hill as Congress returns to session. Expect congressional Republicans to curate a narrative about the Biden administration’s foreign policy — and latch that to Harris. The House is slated to vote on a number of measures in the coming days pertaining to China. There may even be legislation tied to Israel and the Mideast War. The House Foreign Affairs Committee is releasing an exhaustive report about the Afghanistan withdrawal imminently. The committee also issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify about the withdrawal Sept. 19. The State Department contends Blinken isn’t available then. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller called the subpoena “unnecessary,” arguing Blinken worked with the committee in good faith. But Foreign Affairs Committee spokeswoman Leslie Shedd said Blinken knew the committee wanted his testimony since late May. “The chairman offered the secretary any session day in the month of September to come in, and he refused. Instead, he vaguely suggested November or
6 House races tilt in Dems’ favor as GOP fights to keep its razor-thin majority
Political headwinds have recently shifted in eight close House races around the country. With less than two months until Election Day, Democrats continue to ride a wave of enthusiasm for their new presidential nominee. Six races have shifted in Democrats’ favor, while just two are looking better for Republicans, according to a nonpartisan analysis by the Cook Political Report. Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has spent the summer crisscrossing the country to campaign for fellow GOP lawmakers as he seeks to hold onto his razor-thin, four-seat majority in the House. FORMER LEADER OF WALZ’S BATTALION PUBLISHES SCATHING MESSAGE AIMED AT GOVERNOR’S MILITARY CAREER: REPORT Two of the races that inched toward the left are in districts President Biden won in 2020 but are held by GOP representatives Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Michelle Steele, R-Calif. Both their ratings switched from “lean Republican” to “toss up.” Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, who flipped her seat from red to blue in 2020, saw her race move from “likely” victory for Republicans to only leaning in their favor. Three Democratic seats — those held by representatives Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — have also become safer for the left. FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: FIVE THEMES EMERGE IN THE BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE GAVEL Moskowitz and Cuellar’s race predictions shifted to solidly and “likely” blue, respectively, while Kaptur’s seat is now leaning Democratic after being classified a “toss-up.” Democrats could be on track to lose a seat in the House, however, with the race for Rep. Mary Peltola’s seat becoming a “toss-up” in Alaska, a state former President Trump won in 2020. Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, which Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., is vacating to run in the nearby 4th Congressional District, is now “likely” to be held by Republicans after her departure. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the House Democrats’ campaign arm, took a victory lap over Cook’s latest updates Friday. “House Democrats continue to build momentum and grassroots enthusiasm across the country, while House GOP incumbents and candidates continue to fall flat on their faces,” DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton said in a statement to the press touting the update. Republicans appeared to be on track to possibly win both the White House and Congress before Biden’s shocking decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race in late July. Democrats have since been riding a wave of enthusiasm for their new candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, despite a lack of expansive policy platforms and few unscripted media appearances. FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: FIVE THEMES EMERGE IN THE BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE GAVEL At least one House Republican who spoke with Fox News Digital this week was bullish about the GOP’s chances of victory, however. “If these predictive sites are to be believed, maybe Donald Trump’s got a 42% chance to be president. We’ve got a, you know, 60-some percent chance to take the Senate and a 55% chance to keep the House. So, that’s a better hand of cards than we’re holding today,” the GOP lawmaker said. “I would say this. If Donald Trump gets elected, he will likely usher in a Republican House and Senate along with him.” Last month, House GOP leaders were expressing concerns about being out-raised by Democrats. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., head of the House GOP campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), confirmed he sounded alarm bells in comments to Fox Business in August. “That’s true, and we’ve seen the fundraising on the Democrat side just go through the roof. And so I’ve warned my candidates and my colleagues in the Congress that we’ve got to step up and continue doing the things we need to do to win,” Hudson said at the time. He said the response from House Republicans has been “great,” adding, “Everyone stepped up. We had a number of people pledge more money to the committee. … I think folks are ready for the fight.” Fox Business’ Grady Trimble and Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report
Fox News Politics: Trump Sentencing Delayed
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. Here’s what’s happening now … – Iran might complete a nuclear bomb before America’s presidential election, experts warn – Navy SEAL who killed Bin Laden sues hotel over incident that halted career – Harris campaign touts ‘largest haul of the 2024 cycle’ Judge Juan Merchan decided to postpone former President Trump’s sentencing in New York v. Trump until after the November presidential election. Trump’s sentencing date is now scheduled for Nov. 26. The original date was set for Sept. 18. “The public’s confidence in the integrity of our judicial system demands a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict of the jury and the weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors free from distraction or distortion,” Merchan said in a letter Friday. Trump was found guilty in an unprecedented criminal trial on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, following a six-week trial stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation. ….Read more BIG STICK: Biden-Harris admin needs ‘more aggressive’ plan to take on Iran-backed Houthis, experts warn …Read more ELECTION FALLOUT: Experts warn Iran could have a nuclear bomb before the next president takes office …Read more IN THE FAMILY: ‘It’s still no’: KJP suggests Biden won’t pardon Hunter …Read more SENATE SUCCESSION: Senate GOP bracing for last-minute leader bids — potentially by key Trump ally …Read more ‘IF WE SHUT DOWN, WE LOSE’: House GOP privately fears fallout of government shutdown …Read more ORDER IN THE COURT: Trump attends arguments in appeal of first court loss to E. Jean Carroll …Read more NO MORE SPYING: House tees up ‘China Week’ with floor votes aimed at combating CCP espionage …Read more TRUMP CARD: Former president blasts lawyers in presser after E Jean Carroll hearing …Read more ‘SHOULD BE DEAD’: Trump reacts to sentencing delay in Bragg case, says case ‘should be dead’ …Read more BOLD PREDICTION: Senate GOP campaign chair ‘concerned’ over fundraising disparity but predicts who will win majority …Read more DEMS’ CASH DASH: Harris nearly triples Trump’s fundraising last month …Read more SIGNS OF WEAKNESS: Harris failing to cobble together Biden’s winning 2020 coalition: analysis …Read more ‘DEFLECTION’: Harris quick to call for gun control after Georgia shooting, stays mum on armed Venezuelan migrant gangs …Read more HABLAMOS: Harris conducts radio interviews with comedian Rickey Smiley and Spanish-language show in Phoenix …Read more SHE WENT THERE: Trump will jail protesters, Jane Fonda claims at Harris event for overseas voters …Read more ‘DIDN’T HAPPEN’: Navy SEAL who killed Bin Laden slaps hotel with lawsuit over incident that derailed career …Read more SHOT DOWN: Newsom vetoes controversial bill that would have given housing loans to illegal immigrants …Read more DEMOCRAT DOWNGRADE: Political handicapper shifts Montana Senate to ‘leans Republican’ as Tester falls behind …Read more STEEL SALE FIRESTORM: Unified opposition to Nippon-US Steel takeover is misguided: economists, Pittsburgh officials …Read more Subscribe now to get the Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
McCormick says ‘people are recognizing’ importance of 2024 election as Pennsylvania Senate polls tighten
The Republican Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, Dave McCormick, attributed his rise in the polls to voters realizing the significance of the upcoming election. “People are recognizing that this truly is the most important election of their lifetimes,” he told Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser in an interview Thursday. “And we need leadership in there that’s going to bring about change. It’s a change election.” He is facing off against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who was elected in 2006 and is seeking re-election in the Keystone State for the third time. POLITICAL HANDICAPPER SHIFTS MONTANA SENATE TO ‘LEANS REPUBLICAN’ AS TESTER FALLS BEHIND McCormick tied Casey at 46% in the latest CNN poll of the race. While the measure put the two neck and neck, there are some other surveys predicting a win for the Pennsylvania Democrat. A New York Times and Siena College poll of registered voters taken just weeks earlier showed Casey defeating McCormick, 50% to 36%. The CNN poll’s tie between the candidates brought the RealClearPolitics aggregated polling average to 48% for Casey and 45% for McCormick, forecasting a tight race less than nine weeks from Election Day. Casey and his family enjoy strong roots in Pennsylvania, particularly given his father, former Gov. Bob Casey Sr., was in office several years and was popular among Pennsylvanians. The elder Casey’s positions on issues like gun rights and abortion gave him a moderate reputation, which his son has benefited from as well in statewide elections. SENATE GOP BRACING FOR LAST-MINUTE LEADER BIDS — POTENTIALLY BY KEY TRUMP ALLY However, the senator is markedly less moderate than his father. Despite Casey historically using the pro-life moniker to describe himself, he joined his fellow Democrats in condemning the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Casey’s alignment with his party is evidenced in particular by his most recent legislative record. In the 117th Congress, he voted in tandem with President Biden 99% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight. “I always knew it would be a very close race. Pennsylvania is a tough state,” McCormick told Fox News Digital. He acknowledged that Casey is an incumbent, while the Republican is still somewhat unknown. “But people are starting to know who I am,” he said. SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR ‘CONCERNED’ OVER FUNDRAISING DISPARITY BUT PREDICTS WHO WILL WIN MAJORITY McCormick explained this is why he thinks the gap between him and Casey in previous measures is closing. He further claimed that Pennsylvania “may be the one place where having Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket is worse than President Biden for the Democrats.” After Biden’s campaign suspension and the last-minute nomination of Vice President Harris at the Democratic National Convention last month, Harris has seen an improvement over Biden’s previous polling numbers. However, McCormick predicted she would do worse in Pennsylvania than Biden would have. The Republican cited the fact that Biden has a history in Pennsylvania, which has benefited him in the past. But Harris, he said, is “wildly out of step with Pennsylvanians.” LINDSEY GRAHAM PUTS AMAZON ‘ON NOTICE’ OVER ALEXA’S POTENTIAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE He listed past stances of Harris, including, “banning fracking, giving amnesty to 10 million illegal immigrants, making sure they have federal benefits, mandatory buybacks of guns, elimination of private health insurers.” Several of the policy positions McCormick outlined have since been reversed by Harris’ campaign, however. “Those positions are just out of touch with most Pennsylvanians. And so that’s the dilemma that she has when she comes to the state,” McCormick said. And Casey has been a “sure thing” for Biden, voting with him nearly all the time, he pointed out. “He’ll be a 99% vote for Harris-Walz,” McCormick predicted. “Pennsylvanians don’t want a rubber stamp. They want somebody who is going to stand up and fight for what they believe in and what they believe is right for Pennsylvanians,” he said. Casey’s campaign was asked by Fox News Digital about the tightening polls and why the gap appeared to be closing between Casey and McCormick, but it did not respond to the question in time for publication. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.