Iran trying to sabotage Trump’s presidential campaign: US intelligence
U.S. intelligence officials believe that Iran is trying to sabotage former President Trump’s presidential campaign through online influence operations, according to a press briefing on Monday. Speaking to reporters, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said U.S. spy agencies “observed Tehran working to influence the presidential election,” likely because Iranian leaders want to avoid increased tensions with the U.S. The official didn’t directly say that Iran was trying to undermine Trump, but that American spies “haven’t observed a shift in Iran’s preferences” since 2020, meaning that Iran was still targeting Trump. During the briefing, an intelligence official also said Iran is utilizing “vast webs of online personas and propaganda mills to spread disinformation,” in addition to different online campaigns. TRUMP TELLS JESSE WATTERS THAT HE WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT GUNMAN, DESPITE REPORTS Earlier in July, Tehran was accused of a separate plot to kill Trump after a gunman shot the former president at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations told Fox News Digital that the claims were “unsubstantiated and malicious.” “From the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Trump is a criminal who must be prosecuted and punished in a court of law for ordering the assassination of General Soleimani,” the permanent mission said in a statement. “Iran has chosen the legal path to bring him to justice.” Iran is not the only foreign adversary accused of meddling with the 2024 presidential election. On July 10, ODNI officials called Russia the “preeminent threat” to the election. Russia is “undertaking a whole-of-government approach to influence the election, including the presidential race, Congress and public opinion,” an intelligence official said during the July 10 briefing, adding that Russia has grown “more sophisticated” in election interference. The country generally targets the Democratic Party in U.S. elections. WATCH: THOUSANDS DESCEND ON MICHIGAN TOWN FOR FIRST TRUMP RALLY SINCE FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT According to the Director of National Intelligence’s latest report on Russia, the Kremlin targets the Democratic Party to diminish U.S. support for Ukraine, among other reasons. “We assess that the Russian government and its proxies sought to denigrate the Democratic Party before the midterms and undermine confidence in the election, most likely to weaken U.S. support for Ukraine, and to erode trust in U.S. democratic institutions,” the report reads. Per the July 10 ODNI briefing, Russia is reportedly also using artificial intelligence to mimic American Southern and Midwestern accents on social media. “Foreign adversaries continue to experiment with and have adopted at least some generative AI tools to more quickly and cheaply generate authentic looking content tailored primarily for social media platforms that can target specific audiences including in the U.S.,” an ODNI official said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign for comment. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan, Louis Casiano and David Spunt contributed to this report.
Abortion front-and-center in ‘swing’ Minnesota as official invites Iowans to avoid new ‘extreme’ ban
As Republicans appear bullish on breaking Democrats’ 50-year cycle of keeping Minnesota out of presidential election play, a new law in neighboring Iowa brings a controversial political issue front-and-center there. On Monday, Iowa’s new six-week abortion ban took effect, leading one of Minnesota’s top executive officials to issue an invitation to Iowans seeking access to the procedure. That news comes as former President Trump, formerly within the margin of error against President Biden, is now further trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. During a tour of a nonprofit abortion clinic in Bloomington, Minnesota, Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan issued a call for women to travel north if abortion can’t be provided for them in Iowa. “If you’re afraid, come to Minnesota. We’ve got you,” Flanagan said. IOWA’S 6-WEEK ABORTION RESTRICTION TAKES EFFECT AS STATE COURT STRIKES DOWN CHALLENGE Earlier this year, Flanagan notably tweeted her NCAA March Madness bracket: choosing teams based on the level of abortion restrictions in their home states. “By this measurement, it’s only fair that Minnesota didn’t make the tournament because they’d have been a favorite for the title,” she wrote at the time. With Democrats hammering Republicans over abortion and pregnancy-related issues, Harris currently enjoys a six-point lead over Trump in Minnesota. While the Harris campaign did not respond to a request for comment, a spokeswoman for Trump reiterated the GOP nominee’s 10th Amendment-centric position that it is up to the states to decide abortion policy either way. “President Trump has long been consistent in supporting the rights of states to make decisions on abortion,” said Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign. “[W]hile Kamala Harris and Democrats are radically out of touch in their support for abortion up until birth and even after birth, and forcing taxpayers to fund it.” TRUMP’S STRENGTH IN RESPONSE TO ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT LIKELY WON HIM CRITICS VOTES The latter reference was directed toward former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a pediatrician by trade who once publicly ruminated about deciding what should be done in the case of a mother already in labor and in the moments after the infant is delivered. Leavitt said there are greater concerns than abortion on Minnesotans’ minds when it comes to considering Harris’ candidacy. “Harris encouraged donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which bailed now-convicted murderers and rapists out of jail and put them back into communities across the country,” she said. “Kamala wants to make this election about anything but her extreme policy positions and miserable record, but Minnesotans know that she is weak, failed, and dangerously liberal.” Fox News Digital also reached out to Minnesota Democratic Gov. Timothy Walz for comment on Flanagan’s invitation and the abortion issue in such political context, but the request went unanswered. In a post on X, however, Walz said Minnesota “takes care of our neighbors.” “As our neighbors in Iowa are stripped of their fundamental rights, my message is clear: Your reproductive freedom will remain protected in Minnesota,” Walz wrote. However, the White House responded to the news by slamming Iowa’s “extreme abortion ban.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “[It bans] care before a lot of women even know they’re pregnant. Iowa will be the 22nd state with an abortion ban in effect,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “These bans, imposed by Republican elected officials, put women’s health and lives in jeopardy.” Minnesota has not elected a Republican president since Richard Nixon, and only offered its delegates up to Dwight Eisenhower and Herbert Hoover within the last 100 years. Trump has remained hopeful that Minnesota is in play this cycle. A Sunday rally in St. Cloud served as such an example. At the event, the mogul called Harris “evil” and cited her past solicitation for donations to the aforementioned Minnesota Freedom Fund. Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, has received criticism as of late — after podcast comments resurfaced in which he floated federal penalties for abortion-related travel. “Let’s say Roe v. Wade is overruled. Ohio bans abortion… and then you know, every day, [Hungarian-American billionaire] George Soros sends a 747 to Columbus to load up disproportionately Black women to get them to go have abortions in California,” Vance said in the resurfaced comments. “And of course, the left will celebrate this as a victory for diversity. That’s kind of creepy.” However, more recently, Vance has appeared to soften that view, saying in December, “We have to accept that people do not want blanket abortion bans.” “I say that as a person who wants to protect as many unborn babies as possible. We have to provide exceptions for life of the mother, for rape, and so forth,” he told CNN at the time. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘Voice of leadership’: Harris has repeatedly praised her pastor who blamed America for 9/11
A longtime San Francisco pastor and mentor to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, slammed the United States during a memorial service for victims of Sept. 11, days after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Rev. Amos Brown, a longtime pastor at Third Baptist Church and current president of the San Francisco NAACP, is in the spotlight after he revealed during a recent interview that Harris called him shortly after President Biden announced that he was dropping his re-election bid. Harris wanted Brown to pray for her and her husband during the biggest campaign of her career. Brown, who said he has known Harris and her family for more than two decades and was one of Harris’ guests to attend her inauguration in 2021, could be a major liability for her campaign as his past sermons and anti-America rhetoric start to surface. Harris previously praised Brown for being “on this journey with me every step of the way.” “America, America, what did you do – either intentionally or unintentionally – in the world order, in Central America, in Africa where bombs are still blasting?” Brown said days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the Free Beacon reported. FLASHBACK: NEW HARRIS CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER MADE SEVERAL INSENSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT WOMEN, GAY PEOPLE “America, what did you do in the global warming conference when you did not embrace the smaller nations?” he continued. “America, what did you do two weeks ago when I stood at the world conference on racism, when you wouldn’t show up?” Brown’s comments immediately drew a rebuke from Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the only Democrat on stage, who chided Brown for his comments. “The act of terrorism on Sept. 11 put those people outside the order of civilized behavior, and we will not take responsibility for that,” Pelosi said. Paul Holm, who was at the memorial service to represent the family of his deceased former partner, Mark Bingham, walked out and at the time said, “I thought this was a day of remembrance and not a political event.” “These were innocent people, a number of whom gave their lives for the country and to save other innocent people,” he continued, referring to Bingham, who was credited with helping take down United Airlines Flight 93 into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The San Francisco Chronicle at the time reported that Brown’s comments “set a lot of people’s teeth on edge” and that politicians were “stunned.” Brown’s past rhetoric is likely to face increased scrutiny as political operatives and media outlets start combing through his past comments, likely mirroring the 2008 campaign when now-former President Obama’s controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright’s sermons were unearthed. Obama, who repeatedly praised Wright, faced backlash for his association with him, especially his “Not God bless America, God damn America” sermon. VICTIM OF BRUTAL 2008 ILLEGAL MIGRANT ATTACK SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HARRIS’ RECORD AS PROSECUTOR Harris has repeatedly praised Brown and has given him multiple shout-outs during speeches as the vice president. “I just want to, if you don’t mind for a moment, take a moment of personal privilege to talk about Dr. Brown. He has been on this journey with me every step of the way, from when I first thought about running for public office almost two decades ago,” Harris said in 2022 during the NAACP National Convention. “And he has been such a voice of leadership, more leadership, and leadership in our nation. And so I want to thank you, Dr. Brown, for all that you are – all that you are.” SOME SAN FRANCISCO DEMOCRATS AREN’T SOLD ON KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT: ‘MIXED FEELINGS’ During the annual session of the National Baptist Convention, USA in 2022, Harris reflected on her longtime friendship with Brown. “For two decades now, at least, I have turned to you,” Harris said. “I have turned to him. And I will say that your wisdom has really guided me and grounded me during some of the most difficult times. And – and you have been a source of inspiration to me always. So thank you, Rev. Brown, for being all that you are.” “It is always an honor to spend time with my pastor, Rev. Dr. Amos Brown of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco,” Harris said in a 2023 Instagram photo caption of her and Brown embracing. “He remains a source of inspiration to me always.” “I want to – shout-out to my pastor, Amos Brown, for joining us. And – and with that, let’s begin our conversation,” Harris said in 2021 during a virtual roundtable session with faith leaders. In 2013, she posted a photo of her, her sister, Maya, and and Brown by the Lincoln Memorial for the anniversary of the March on Washington. In 2008, she posted another picture with Brown. When Biden chose Harris as his VP pick in 2020, Brown said he was “excited, encouraged, and ecstatic” and that he was “humbled” she was a member of his church. Brown’s comments, which made several local headlines in 2001, were not isolated as he has repeatedly called the United States a “racist country,” including during an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle a few years ago. Brown introduced Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III in 2022 as a “son of Third Baptist” during a pro-reparations event at his church and said he was the “right man to come and to inspire us, inform us, and make sure that we have the map to implement in all that we might make reparations a reality not in the sweet by-and-by, but right down here in the here and now.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “America, you owe us. What you done to us has been immoral. It’s been evil. It’s been unjust. It’s been downright wrong and the only way to bring salvation to America – you gotta pay us what you owe us,” Haynes said during the event about the government paying reparations. Brown and
Cornyn drives record fundraising as Senate leader race to succeed McConnell draws near
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, hit a fundraising milestone in the last quarter, just months ahead of the Senate Republican leader election, in which he’s hoping to fend off challengers to succeed reigning top fundraiser and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He recently closed his highest-raising quarter in history with his joint fundraising committee, the Cornyn Victory Committee (CVC), according to a source familiar with the Texas senator’s political operation. CVC brought in $3.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, the source said. This puts Cornyn at almost $23 million so far in the 2024 election cycle. The total includes his CVC fundraising, money brought in by the senator for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that he’s raised for candidates across Texas and the amount he’s amassed for national Republican candidates. BIPARTISAN TASK FORCE MEMBERS NAMED IN TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT PROBE The Texas Republican has been the top Senate fundraiser in the conference, with the exception of McConnell, since 2009. He started CVC, his joint fundraising committee, in 2021 ahead of the 2022 midterm elections to assist Republicans. Cornyn’s efforts during the cycle earned a total of $20 million, which was more than nearly every other Senate Republican, aside from McConnell and NRSC Chairman Rick Scott, R-Fla., who is also vying for the leader role. DEMS LIKELY NEED A POLITICAL MIRACLE TO PASS BIDEN’S LONGSHOT HIGH COURT OVERHAUL With months left to raise money for candidates this cycle, Cornyn has already beaten that total by $3 million. McConnell, 82, revealed in February that he would be stepping down from his position as party leader in November. The Kentucky senator has served as Republican leader since 2007, making him the longest-serving Senate leader of either party in American history. ‘CHICKENS FOR KFC’: NETANYAHU RIPS CEASE-FIRE ACTIVISTS IN SPEECH TO CONGRESS AS TLAIB SILENTLY PROTESTS The GOP leader has long been known for his fundraising prowess, which is passed on to down-ballot Republicans as the party looks to shore up its showing in Congress. With McConnell and his associated fundraising vehicles amassing roughly $400 million in the 2022 cycle, the next leader to take on his role will have to try and meet the expectations set by him. Running for leader as well are Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., and Scott. But there’s a widely held attitude among Republicans that there may be more candidates to join the race after the November general election. GOP LOOKS TO REVOKE VISAS FROM PARTICIPANTS IN VIOLENT PROTESTS AHEAD OF NETANYAHU ADDRESS Thune is currently the No. 2 Republican in the Senate and has racked up two endorsements from GOP colleagues for the leader role. Like Cornyn, Thune has also been demonstrating his fundraising might, pulling in $19 million so far in the 2024 cycle, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. As conference members have discussed their next leader, there have been internal disputes over enforcing a term limit on the position. This is something McConnell has forcefully advocated against, sources have told Fox News Digital of the closed-door conference meetings. One point made by McConnell was that fundraising ability could be handicapped by frequent changes in leaders and a lack of stability.
US Embassy in Lebanon tells Americans to ‘leave before a crisis begins’
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon posted a video warning Americans to leave the country while they can, as Israel is preparing to retaliate against Lebanon-based, Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists for a rocket attack over the weekend that killed 12 at a children’s soccer field. The development comes as Air France has suspended flights to and from Beirut due to the expectation a major war will unfold. German airline Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and Eurowings have also suspended flights. “We recommend U.S. citizens develop a crisis plan of action and leave before a crisis begins,” Rena Bitter, U.S. assistant secretary of state for the bureau of consular affairs, said in the video. “Regularly scheduled commercial transportation is always the best option while local communications and transportation infrastructure are intact and operating normally.” “Should commercial air not be available, individuals already in Lebanon should be prepared to shelter in place for long periods of time,” she warned. ISRAEL SET TO COUNTER HEZBOLLAH FOLLOWING TERROR ATTACK: ‘RESPONSE WILL BE SWIFT, HARSH AND PAINFUL’ Bitter also said: “I want to assure you that Washington is laser-focused on Lebanon” and “the U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas.” She encouraged Americans in Lebanon to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive travel alerts. “And finally, if your relatives are planning to visit you in Lebanon this summer, please strongly encourage them to reconsider their travel given the difficulties that would hinder departure should conflict increase in the region,” Bitter concluded. TURKEY’S ERDOGAN THREATENS TO INVADE ISRAEL OVER WAR IN GAZA AS REGIONAL TENSIONS GROW The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, in a separate message on Sunday, urged “U.S. citizens traveling to or from Lebanon to monitor their flight status closely, to be aware that itineraries could change with little or no warning, and to make alternate plans.” Early Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly executed a drone strike in southern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of two Hezbollah terrorists. The IDF has not commented on the strike, but it unfolded after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a three-hour cabinet meeting on Sunday, during which ministers authorized the prime minister and his minister of defense to determine the “manner and timing” of a military response to the lethal Hezbollah attack. The IDF on Monday then released video of a drone from Lebanese territory being shot down over Israel’s waters. Israel’s Ministry of Defense also said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Monday about the rocket strike on the Majdal Shams village on Saturday. “Minister Gallant informed the Secretary about the use of an Iranian rocket, equipped with 50KG explosives and discussed the evidence revealed by the IDF, indicating Hezbollah’s responsibility for the attack,” the ministry added. Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.
Bipartisan task force members named in Trump assassination attempt probe
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced Monday the representatives who are named to a bipartisan panel that will investigate the assassination attempt against former President Trump earlier this month. “We have the utmost confidence in this bipartisan group of steady, highly qualified, and capable Members of Congress to move quickly to find the facts, ensure accountability, and help make certain such failures never happen again,” they said in a joint statement. Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania will serve as chairman of the task force. He notably represents Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot at an outdoor rally and one spectator was killed. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., will be the ranking member. Other members of the 13-person panel are Reps. Mark Green, R-Tenn., David Joyce, R-Ohio, Laurel Lee, R-Fla., Michael Waltz, R-Fla., Clay Higgins, R-La., Pat Fallon, R-Texas, Lou Correa, D-Calif., Madeleine Dean, D-Penn., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., Glenn Ivey, D-Md., and Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. “I am grateful to have the confidence of Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries to serve on this bipartisan task force,” Moskowitz said in a statement. “As the former Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, I have been involved in after-action reviews to learn from the failures and successes of both natural and man-made disasters, and as a State Representative from Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died in a mass shooting at my alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I helped to create the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission that investigated the failures of that day.” “I look forward to working, in a bipartisan fashion, with my colleagues to provide the American people with the answers they seek from this dark moment in our nation’s history and to work on solutions to make sure nothing like this happens again.” Houlahan issued her own statement in response to the announcement, saying, “It’s a distinct and solemn honor to be appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson and Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve on the bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.” “Legislation needed to establish this task force passed the House unanimously, underscoring the mandate from Pennsylvanians and all Americans to conduct this investigation free from political influences and divisive rhetoric. I am committed to upholding our values of truth, civility, decency, and patriotism through my work on this task force,” she added. Noticeably absent from the task force members was Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y. Last week the lawmaker pushed back on concerns voiced by Republicans about his potential status on the panel. Some pointed to a remark the made last year, suggesting that Trump needed to be “eliminated.” “As someone with a lifelong commitment to democracy and the rule of law, Congressman Goldman immediately clarified a misstatement from last November to emphasize his strong condemnation of all political violence. The Congressman demonstrated with pointed questioning during congressional hearings last week that the Secret Service must be held accountable for its unacceptable security lapse, and he is determined to ensure such a failure never happens again,” Goldman’s spokesperson Madison Andrus told Fox News Digital.
Gaetz rips Air Force over ‘microaggressions’ document warning airmen not to tell someone to ‘toughen up’
FIRST ON FOX: GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz is slamming the United States Air Force over an internal memo his office obtained, calling it a “radical document” that warns airmen about using “micro aggressions.” In a 27-page guidebook that originated with the 552nd Air Control Wing in Oklahoma, the Air Force warns airmen not to use “micro aggressions” that could be deemed offensive to others, including using the term “spirit animal” which it says is “a statement of cultural appropriation and erasure of Indigenous/Native culture.” The document also says that “telling someone to ‘toughen up’” is a microaggression as it contributes to “potentially harmful standards of masculinity in individual mental and physical identities.” According to the document, airmen should avoid saying they “don’t see color” because that could be seen as offensive and contributes to the “erasure of black, indigenous, and other people of color.” TRUMP VOWS TO FIRE GENERALS WHO PUSH WOKENESS: ‘YOU CAN’T HAVE A WOKE MILITARY’ “Referring to someone as a member of ‘the opposite sex.’ While the DOD may not recognize multiple genders legally, that doesn’t mean military members exist with a wide spectrum of gender identity,” the document says, alleging that the term “opposite sex” is “transphobic.” “The phrase, ‘the opposite sex’ implies that only the gender binary exists, and also falsely conflates sex and gender identity.” LEADERS, ‘WOKE POLICIES’ TO BLAME FOR AMERICAN LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN MILITARY, FORMER SEAL SAYS The term “that’s savage” is also something the document tells airmen to avoid because “using this word in everyday language erases the history of violence done to Indigenous peoples.” The document also urges airmen to think twice before promoting materials and hanging posters that encourage others to stand for the flag, which could qualify as micro-aggression. “Many everyday microaggressions are veiled under the guise of personal belief systems, but that doesn’t detract from the harm they may do to BIPOC,” the guidebook states. “They may not even be verbal. For instance, sometimes squadron members will hang ‘Stand for the flag, kneel for the cross’ posters in their offices. While this may seem like a benign display of Christian and patriotic values, the context of this statement is an expression in opposition to a specific form of anti-racist protest.” “While it is unethical to limit someone’s religious or political ideologies, we must acknowledge that certain expressions are microaggressions and subvert the messages of social rights movements. This poster, for instance, is a direct response to the protest act of kneeling during the national anthem. This may seem like a gray or neutral area, but it’s the oppositional subtext to a pro-Black movement that makes it a racial microaggression.” “Under Kamala Harris, the Air Force tells people ‘that’s savage’ is a microaggression,” Gaetz told Fox News Digital about the memo, which also references a book by former Black Panther Angela Davis. “I’m sorry, but I want a savage military to protect us from China. I will be calling on the Air Force to make clear if they agree with this radical document.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Department of the Air Force spokesperson said the U.S. Air Force “remains laser-focused on warfighting readiness.” “The handbook you reference is not an official Department of the Air Force policy document,” the spokesperson added. “It was created by a group of individuals at the unit level in July 2021 as a submission for an innovation program and was not selected. We will always advocate for respecting our fellow Airmen and Guardians, while never forgetting that we exist for one reason—to provide war-winning combat power for America.”
Dems likely need a political miracle to pass Biden’s longshot high court overhaul
President Biden’s three-part proposal to transform the Supreme Court, which includes a constitutional amendment, is likely doomed from the start as it would need significant support in the nearly evenly divided Congress and across state legislatures. On Monday morning, Biden revealed a plan to overhaul the Supreme Court amid several recent rulings handed down by the majority conservative bench that were unfavorable to Democrats. His outline included term limits for Supreme Court justices, who currently serve lifetime appointments, as well as an enforceable ethics code and a constitutional amendment that would overturn the latest ruling that former presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts while in office. ‘CHICKENS FOR KFC’: NETANYAHU RIPS CEASE-FIRE ACTIVISTS IN SPEECH TO CONGRESS AS TLAIB SILENTLY PROTESTS Biden specifically requested a “No One Is Above the Law Amendment,” which he said should lay out that the Constitution doesn’t provide immunity to former presidents from federal indictments, trials, convictions, or sentencing because of their status as a previous president. In order to amend the Constitution, two-thirds of both chambers of Congress have to propose it. Then, the amendment would need to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures or state conventions. An amendment could additionally be proposed by the request of two-thirds of states at a convention called regarding the subject. GOP LOOKS TO REVOKE VISAS FROM PARTICIPANTS IN VIOLENT PROTESTS AHEAD OF NETANYAHU ADDRESS There are only 27 total amendments to the Constitution, the last of which was approved more than three decades ago, in 1992. With a razor-thin divide between Democrats and Republicans in both the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as commonly divided state governments and only a few Democratic trifectas, the prospect of passing any amendment, particularly one favored by just one party, is doubtful at best. Biden also proposed that term limits be approved for Supreme Court justices. In 1951, the 22nd amendment was ratified, which enforced a two-term limit on American presidents. The new amendment came shortly after the presidency of the late Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had been elected to four consecutive terms. BOB MENENDEZ TO RESIGN FROM SENATE AMID DEMOCRATIC PRESSURE AFTER GUILTY VERDICT It would be similarly improbable to successfully ratify an amendment imposing term limits on justices. Further, if congressional Democrats were to attempt to pass the term limits as a law, if they hypothetically had the votes to do so, it would almost certainly be challenged in court. Since the term limits aren’t laid out in the Constitution, the law would be vulnerable to being struck down. JEFFRIES, SCHUMER ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT The president additionally called for Congress to pass a law for an enforceable ethics code to be applied to the Supreme Court. The code should require the disclosure of gifts, that the justices refrain from any public political activity, and that they recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have potential conflicts of interest. Such a law would require passage by Congress and likely a 60-vote approval to overcome the filibuster in the Senate. Given that Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has opted against bringing a Democratic bill to enforce an ethics code on the court to the floor, it’s unlikely that the threshold would be met in the divided Congress. Schumer’s office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.
Iowa’s 6-week abortion restriction takes effect after state court strikes down challenge
A six-week abortion restriction officially took effect in Iowa on Monday after efforts to block the law by pro-abortion groups failed in court. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, has been fighting to enforce the law since she signed it following its passage last year. The ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic immediately launched a blocking effort. Reynolds appealed to the state Supreme Court, which allowed the law to take effect Monday. The legislation bans nearly all abortions after the detection of a heartbeat, which typically occurs roughly six weeks into pregnancy. The law has exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality and when the life of the mother is in jeopardy. Pro-abortion groups have responded by bolstering their resources in neighboring states such as Minnesota. Planned Parenthood is now offering medicinal abortion assistance just across the Iowa border in Mankato, Minnesota. It is also remodeling its larger facility in neighboring Nebraska, according to NBC News. ELON MUSK RIPS INTO KAMALA HARRIS FOR ‘LYING’ ABOUT TRUMP’S ABORTION POSITION Minnesota’s Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan toured an abortion provider facility about an hour from the Iowa border last week. The Whole Woman’s Health clinic expects to see an influx of patients from Iowa in the coming days. KAMALA HARRIS TORN APART BY PRO-LIFERS FOR HISTORIC TRIP TO ABORTION CLINIC: ‘NORMALIZATION OF EVIL’ Flanagan said Minnesota would remain committed to serving people traveling from other states seeking abortions. “If you’re afraid, come to Minnesota,” Flanagan said. “We’ve got you.” Iowa’s Republican-controlled legislature approved the restriction during a special session in July 2023, and the law was supposed to go into effect immediately after Reynolds signed it days later. During the yearlong challenge to the bill, abortion remained legal in the state up to 20 weeks into pregnancy. VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS COMPARES ABORTION FIGHT TO BLOODY SUNDAY: ‘YOU CAN’T TAKE FREEDOM’ Iowa is the 14th state to impose a six-week abortion restriction since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June 2022. The ruling allowed state legislatures to regulate abortion policy without federal interference. “Today is a victory for life. There is nothing more sacred and no cause more worthy than protecting innocent unborn lives,” Reynolds said after her state court victory this month. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Why police arrested an SUV driver in Delhi IAS coaching centre incident
The police identified the driver and the vehicle through the CCTV footage of the area.