INDIA bloc to hold rally today over CM Arvind Kejriwal’s declining health in jail
The INDIA bloc of opposition parties will hold a rally on July 30 at Jantar Mantar here to raise the issue of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s declining health inside Tihar jail, the AAP said on Thursday.
The optics war: Democrats renominate, Republicans recalibrate
Politics and elections are about optics. And while Democrats may have shifted some of their optics of late by propelling Vice President Harris to the perch of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, the GOP also bolstered some of its optics of late, too. It’s no secret that House Republicans struggle to govern. They historically wrestle in their efforts to pass their own legislative initiatives. The House had to bag plans to adopt the annual Financial Services and Agriculture appropriations bills because it lacked the votes. So House GOP leaders cut members loose a week early for the “August recess.” That means no House session this week. And no votes in the House until at least September 9. But, optics are different from governing. And that’s why Republicans were able to fortify some of their optics, just ahead of the summer break. First off, escaping Dodge a week earlier than planned gives Republicans extra time to recalibrate their message now that Harris is their main political opponent. GOPers can now tune their message to campaign against Harris. And perhaps more importantly, attempt to link vulnerable Democrats to Harris. FORCING PRESIDENT BIDEN OUT OF CAMPAIGN MAY HAVE BEEN MORE ABOUT CONGRESS THAN WHITE HOUSE “She’s a drag too. She’s the most unpopular Vice President in American history for a reason. People reject their policies,” said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). That’s the formal organization devoted to electing Republicans to the House. “She’s never resonated with young voters,” said Hudson. “She’s a horrible politician.” Republicans believe Harris’s body of work gives them opportunity. And since they frittered away their floor traffic, the Vice President provided them with a major opportunity. Within hours of President Biden endorsing Harris, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., authored a resolution to condemn Harris for her role as “border czar.” The House took up Stefanik’s resolution on Thursday – deploying it as a punctuation point for the unofficial start of the campaign season. On the final vote before the recess, the House voted 220 to 196 to condemn how Harris handled the border. All Republicans voted yea. But six moderate Democrats – all from battleground districts – sided with the GOP. They were Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine., Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo., Don Davis, D-N.C., Henry Cueller, D-Tex., and Mary Peltola, D-Alaska. WHY NOW? MEDIA OUTLETS LARGELY QUIET ON TIMING OF SUDDEN CRACKDOWN OF KAMALA HARRIS’ ‘BORDER CZAR’ LABEL Republicans wanted to document this vote to either dare Democrats to decry Harris – or put them on the record as supporting her. Republicans would then document this particular roll call vote and use it in ads against Democrats representing marginal districts this fall. Realizing the vulnerability for both Harris and themselves, Democrats scrambled to re-characterize the vice president’s role with the border. Some advocates handed out talking points to Democrats, noting that there is no such position as “border czar” and that Harris was asked to work on causes which led to the border crisis. That includes stemming the flood of illegal migration to the southern border from the “Northern Triangle” nations of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. But another batch of good optics fell into the GOP’s lap in recent days. Republicans invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a Joint Meeting of Congress last week. The GOP has stood foursquare behind Netanyahu and Israel in its war against Hamas since last October. But Democrats are split. Many Democrats skipped the speech – including Vice President Harris. Usually the VP would co-preside over a Joint Meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. The presence of Netanyahu managed to exploit the divides between Democrats over the Middle East. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., signed onto the invitation for Netanyahu. But Schumer didn’t even shake Netanyahu’s hand when lawmakers welcomed the Prime Minister to the chamber for the speech. Meantime, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., sat quietly in the chamber, holding up a round, black sign. It read “War Criminal” on one side. “Guilty of Genocide” on the other. “It was ridiculous. There’s no place for that,” groused Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who challenged a witness to a fistfight at a hearing last year. “I wanted to go over there and take it away from her. I mean, I wasn’t going to. But if it would have been a guy, I would have.” NETANYAHU REVEALS WHAT KAMALA MISSED: THE REALITY OF IRAN Mullin added that Tlaib “shouldn’t be serving in Congress.” While Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, demonstrated quietly inside the House chamber, raucous protesters paraded around the Capitol. U.S. Capitol Police erected a massive wire fence around the building. It was reminiscent of the barricade they put up after the 2021 riot. One protester said the barriers converted the citadel of democracy into “Fort Netanyahu.” Anti-Israel activists then released mealworms and maggots at the Watergate Hotel where Netanyahu was staying. And you thought they only needed the “plumbers” at the Watergate. By the time Netanyahu spoke, protesters clashed with police outside Washington’s Union Station in the shadow of the Capitol. They incinerated American flags and replaced the Stars and Stripes with Palestinian flags atop poles in front of the station. They spraypainted “Hamas is Comin’” on statues. Netanyahu blasted the demonstrators as “Iran’s useful idiots.” TOP JEWISH GROUP FEARS A HARRIS PRESIDENCY WOULD BE ‘FAR WORSE’ AMID RISING ANTISEMITISM The scene perturbed Democrats. “How ironic is it that the Prime Minister was talking about them burning American flags that they’re literally proving him right by burning American flags with the Capitol in the background,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. Republicans scored the exact optic they wanted: Democrats divided over the Middle East. But the confrontations with police and flag burning only amplified the images. Things calmed down by nightfall. That’s when Republicans engineered some additional political stagecraft. Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., was heading past Union Station, en route to late night votes
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper withdraws from consideration to be Kamala Harris’ running mate: report
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is no longer in the running to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate this election season, according to the New York Times. The Times reported on Monday evening that Cooper informed Harris’ team about his decision to withdraw. It’s unclear what caused him to withdraw. Cooper has been considered a top contender to be Harris’ running mate in recent days. After President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Harris began running her campaign, her team sent vetting materials to Cooper, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., were reportedly sent vetting materials as well. TRUMP TELLS JESSE WATTERS THAT HE WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT GUNMAN, DESPITE REPORTS John Locke Foundation senior political analyst Mitch Kokai told Fox News Digital earlier on Monday that the North Carolina governor was considered “a good match” for Harris. “Democrats are likely to see Roy Cooper as a good match for Kamala Harris for multiple reasons. First and foremost, Cooper helps bring North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes into play in a way other candidates do not,” Kokai explained. “He has won six statewide elections since 2000. That’s an impressive accomplishment for a Democrat in a state that has trended right during the same time period.” WATCH: THOUSANDS DESCEND ON MICHIGAN TOWN FOR FIRST TRUMP RALLY SINCE FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT The political analyst called Cooper “the Democrats’ brightest star in North Carolina in recent years.” “Cooper offers a clear demographic contrast to Harris, and he also presents a calm, sober, constrained personality that might help counter some of the criticism Harris has faced about her interactions with interviewers and the public,” Kokai added. Fox News Digital reached out to Cooper’s office and the Harris campaign for comment. Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper withdraws from consideration to be Kamala Harris’ running mate
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is no longer in the running to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate this election season. The governor confirmed the news in a statement on X. The New York Times broke the story on Monday evening, reporting that Cooper informed Harris’ team about his decision to withdraw. It was originally unclear what caused the decision, but Cooper said in a statement released on Monday evening that it “wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me.” “I strongly support Vice President Harris’ campaign for President,” Cooper’s statement read. “I know she’s going to win and I was honored to be considered for this role. TRUMP TELLS JESSE WATTERS THAT HE WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT GUNMAN, DESPITE REPORTS “This just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket,” the North Carolina Democrat added. “As I’ve said from the beginning, she has an outstanding list of people from which to choose, and we’ll all work to make sure she wins.” Cooper was considered a top contender among Harris’ potential running mates in recent days. After President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Harris began running her campaign, her team sent vetting materials to Cooper, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., were reportedly sent vetting materials as well. John Locke Foundation senior political analyst Mitch Kokai told Fox News Digital earlier on Monday that the North Carolina governor was considered “a good match” for Harris. WATCH: THOUSANDS DESCEND ON MICHIGAN TOWN FOR FIRST TRUMP RALLY SINCE FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT “Democrats are likely to see Roy Cooper as a good match for Kamala Harris for multiple reasons. First and foremost, Cooper helps bring North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes into play in a way other candidates do not,” Kokai explained. “He has won six statewide elections since 2000. That’s an impressive accomplishment for a Democrat in a state that has trended right during the same time period.” The political analyst called Cooper “the Democrats’ brightest star in North Carolina in recent years.” “Cooper offers a clear demographic contrast to Harris, and he also presents a calm, sober, constrained personality that might help counter some of the criticism Harris has faced about her interactions with interviewers and the public,” Kokai added. Fox News Digital reached out to Cooper’s office and the Harris campaign for comment. Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
Flashback: Harris compared ICE to KKK, said images of Border Patrol agents ‘evoked slavery’
Vice President Harris, both as senator and vice president, has caused controversy with Homeland Security agencies, comparing one to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), and fueling a since-discredited narrative about Border Patrol agents on horseback allegedly whipping migrants. At a November 2018 confirmation hearing, then-Sen. Harris asked Ronald Vitiello, who was former President Trump’s nominee to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), if he was “aware of the perception” of parallels between ICE and the KKK. Harris had highlighted a tweet from Vitiello from 2015 in which he said the Democratic Party was comparable to a “neo-Klanist” entity. Vitiello apologized and admitted that those words were offensive. FLASHBACK: HARRIS TRIED TO DEFUND BORDER PATROL AGENTS, SLASH ICE BUDGET “What is the history that would then make those words wrong?” Harris asked, to which Vitiello said the KKK would be labeled as a domestic terrorist group by today’s standards and was motivated by race and ethnicity and tried to use “fear and force.” “Are you aware of the perception of many about how the power and the discretion at ICE is being used to enforce the laws and do you see any parallels?” she asked. Vitiello pushed back by saying, “I do not see any parallels” between the agency and the white supremacist group, and he asked whether she was asking him if the two were in the same category. “No, I’m very specific about what I’m asking you. Are you aware of a perception that the way that they …” Harris went on before the nominee said, “I see none.” “Are you aware that there is a perception that ICE is administering its power in a way that is causing fear and intimidation, particularly among immigrants and specifically among immigrants coming from Mexico and Central America?” she asked again. Harris ended her questioning by asking whether Vitiello could lead the agency if he was not aware of the negative views toward it. TRUMP EYES MULTIPLE BORDER VISITS AS HE DRAWS CONTRAST WITH ‘RADICAL LEFT’ HARRIS “Sir, how can you be the head of an agency and be unaware of how your agency is perceived by certain communities?” she asked. That sparked outrage at the time, with Republicans accusing her of making the comparison for political purposes. “Kamala Harris is trying to launch her 2020 campaign off of comparing ICE officers to the KKK, and it’s absolutely disgusting,” then-Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel tweeted. Three years later, in 2021, Harris upset Border Patrol agents when she helped fuel a narrative about horseback agents who encountered migrants during the Haitian migrant surge in Del Rio, Texas. Based on images of agents using their reins to control their horses, some Democrats, including President Biden, accused agents of whipping migrants. Harris did not explicitly mention whipping, but she did pile the pressure on the agents. “What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback treating human beings the way they were was horrible,” Harris told reporters. “And I fully support what is happening right now, which is a thorough investigation into exactly what is going on there. But human beings should never be treated that way. And I’m deeply troubled about it. And I’ll also be talking to [Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas about it today.” Her statement coincided with statements by Biden who promised “they will pay.” Days later, Harris said the images evoked slavery. AXIOS HIT WITH COMMUNITY NOTE AFTER CLAIMING HARRIS WAS NEVER ‘BORDER CZAR’ “Human beings should not be treated that way,” Harris told “The View” hosts. “It also invoked images of some of the worst moments of our history, where that kind of behavior has been used against the Indigenous people of our country, it has been used against African Americans during times of slavery.” A subsequent investigation faulted the agents for minor infractions but found the underlying claims that migrants were whipped were not true. Mayorkas, who had criticized the agents, would later go on to defend them last year when a reporter would cite the incident. “Well, let me just correct you right there because actually the investigation concluded that the whipping did not occur,” he said. The comments from Harris also sparked outrage from Border Patrol agents at the time, who spoke to Fox News. “Again, it is clear that those in charge, a term that is disgusting to use, have no clue about our operations and frankly operate by ignorance and unhinged emotions,” one said. Harris, however, has not backed down from her remarks on either incident. “The only ‘plan’ Donald Trump has to secure our border is ripping mothers from their children and a few xenophobic placards at the Republican National Convention,” Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement on Monday. “He tanked the bipartisan border security deal because, for Donald Trump, this has never been about solutions just running on a problem. Like everything with Donald Trump, it’s never been about helping the country, it’s only about helping himself. There’s only one candidate in this race who will fight for bipartisan solutions to strengthen border security, and that’s Vice President Harris.” Immigration will likely be a top priority for Harris if she is elected president, given the ongoing situation at the border. She was tasked with heading international diplomacy to deal with the migration crisis in 2021, which led to her being dubbed the “border czar” by Republicans and media outlets. Her campaign has said that, if elected, she will fight for solutions to strengthen the border. It has also taken aim at signs calling for mass deportations at the recent GOP convention.
Insurance rates could climb for some Texas coastal homeowners, businesses
Homeowners typically pay $2,300 a year for a Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policy. The rate increase would bump premiums by 10%.
Mourners describe Sheila Jackson Lee as a dedicated public official
The congresswoman represented her Houston district for 30 years. Several services are planned ahead of her Thursday morning funeral.
In Austin, Biden slams “extreme” U.S. Supreme Court
Biden asked Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to end to presidential immunity during a speech to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library.
Biden, Harris called out by religious group for staying silent on ‘insulting’ Olympics Last Supper drag parody
President Biden and Vice President Harris are facing criticism for not addressing the religious community’s outrage over what appeared to be a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” featured during the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics on Friday. Biden, who identifies as Catholic, has yet to comment on the event. Other world leaders deemed it “insulting” and a “war on our faith.” Asked about the opening ceremony and backlash from the religious community, neither Biden nor Harris’ office responded to Fox News Digital. “We call on President Biden to condemn the sacrilegious mockery of the Last Supper portrayed at the Olympics’ opening ceremony. Our leaders, especially one who self-identifies as Catholic, should have no trouble denouncing such hateful attacks on Christianity,” said Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, a conservative, nonprofit political advocacy group. TECH COMPANY PULLS OLYMPICS ADVERTISING AFTER OPENING CEREMONY DISPLAY MANY DEEM TO BE ANTI-CHRISTIAN “You can be sure the Biden-Harris administration would not remain silent if Olympic organizers had mocked Jewish or Islamic believers or any other religion other than Christianity. Their silence speaks volumes about their respect for Christian believers in a country they hope to lead for the next four years,” Burch added. Biden’s wife, first lady Jill Biden, praised the opening ceremony as “spectacular” in remarks from Paris. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had a very different opinion, saying the ceremony was an attack on Christian values. OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH DRAG QUEENS PARODYING LAST SUPPER: ‘GONE COMPLETELY WOKE’ “Last night’s mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games,” Johnson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.” “Opening the Olympics by insulting billions of Christians around the world was a really bad start, dear French,” Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini wrote in a statement. “Seedy.” Biden and Harris have not yet made any public statements regarding the controversial ceremony. Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Biden calls Trump immunity decision a ‘dangerous precedent’ in speech outlining radical SCOTUS changes
President Biden on Monday outlined his wish for Congress to impose “bold” rules on the Supreme Court, including term limits and a new code of conduct, and to draft a new constitutional amendment that limits presidential immunity. “In recent years, extreme opinions that the Supreme Court has handed down have undermined the longest civil rights principles and protections,” Biden claimed Monday at the LBJ Presidential Library at an event in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. Biden named a number of recent cases, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Trump v. United States, which he said “most shockingly” established some presidential immunity and called it a “dangerous precedent.” “This court is being used to weaponize an extreme and unchecked agenda,” Biden said and called the immunity decision “a total affront to the basic expectations we have for those who wield the power of this,” the president said. BIDEN, HARRIS CALL FOR SUPREME COURT TERM LIMITS, CODE OF CONDUCT, LIMITS ON PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY “My fellow Americans, based on all my experience, I’m certain we need these reforms. We need these reforms to restore trust in the courts, preserve the system of checks and balances that are vital to our democracy,” he said. Biden’s reforms would eliminate any immunity a former president enjoys for crimes committed while in office. Regarding the Supreme Court, Biden wants to impose a term limit of 18 years for justices. Once fully adopted, it would allow presidents to appoint new justices at a cadence of once every two years. Biden argued the new Supreme Court code of conduct should require justices to “disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said that such radical changes would be “dead on arrival” in the House, and it’s unclear if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. would push them in the Senate. Biden on Monday retorted that Johnson’s “thinking” is “dead on arrival.” The changes mark a shift in Biden’s approach to the Supreme Court. He has long resisted calls from within his own party to make changes like expanding the number of justices on the court, calling that a “bonehead” idea that would undermine the court’s credibility. But now, as the high court sits with a Republican-nominee majority, Biden is pivoting to a much more radical approach. Vice President Harris, who is also running for president, earlier on Monday endorsed the push. “Today, there is a clear crisis of confidence facing the Supreme Court as its fairness has been called into question after numerous ethics scandals and decision after decision overturning long-standing precedent,” she said. TRUMP IMMUNITY CASE: SUPREME COURT RULES EX-PRESIDENTS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION FROM PROSECUTION Biden’s announcement Monday marks his first policy push since abruptly dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing Harris, just hours after saying he was “in it to win it.”