Pennsylvania Dem issues warning to Harris about potential Josh Shapiro VP pick
A Democrat seeking statewide office in Pennsylvania is not a fan of Gov. Josh Shapiro and has warned Vice President Kamala Harris that she should look elsewhere for a running mate. Erin McClelland, a candidate for treasurer, endorsed North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to be the Democratic nominee for vice president over her governor in social media posts that alluded to criticisms of Shapiro. “I want a VP pick that’s secure enough to be second under a woman, is content to be VP & won’t undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug,” McClelland wrote on X. “I want someone that can speak to rural voters. That is [Roy Cooper].” Her social media post appeared to reference a sexual harassment scandal that rocked Shapiro’s office last year. A former top aide to the governor, Mike Vereb, was accused of sexual harassment by a female subordinate. The governor’s office reached a $295,000 settlement with the accuser. However, Vereb did not resign until six months after a complaint was filed, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. FOX NEWS POLL: HARRIS, TRUMP TIED IN PENNSYLVANIA Pennsylvania lawmakers heavily criticized Shapiro for his handling of the scandal and Republicans questioned why Vereb was permitted to remain in his position for months after the accuser came forward. McClelland’s comments resurrecting the scandal provoked blowback from Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Sharif Street and other party officials who support the governor. Shapiro, 51, is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party: a fresh face with a 61% favorability rating, according to a Fox News poll of battleground Pennsylvania, where 19 Electoral College votes are at stake in November. “Look, everybody’s entitled to their opinion,” Street told reporters Wednesday during a news conference. “Certainly, I think, Vice President Harris, whoever she picks, we’re going to stand behind her, she’s going to do a great job.” “But, I’ll tell you, I’m offended by that… by the post,” Street added. “I’m personally offended, and I’ll have conversations with our nominee for Treasurer, separately.” WHO IS JOSH SHAPIRO? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR AND POSSIBLE VP PICK McClelland and Shapiro’s office did not respond to requests for comment. The treasury candidate remained unapologetic for her comments and doubled down on her thinly-veiled criticisms of Shapiro in an interview with the New York Post. “If I were in [Harris’] situation, I would think very strongly about the difficulties that some women experience being in a top-level position, and having men around them that have to be satisfied with being second, third or answering to a woman,” she told the outlet. McClelland also said she has not spoken with Street since the controversy over her post but believes their relationship will be “fine.” BIDEN’S BORDER POLICIES WOULD LIKELY BE EXTENDED IF THIS SWING STATE DEM GOVERNOR IS THE NEW NOMINEE “Someone is offended by a woman with a strong opinion. Color me thunderstruck,” she told the Post. McClelland was quick to add though that she would support the Democratic ticket regardless of who is nominated for vice president, but praised Cooper as the best choice. The North Carolina governor “seems very comfortable in his own skin and does not seem to have very strong ambitions to be president,” McClelland said. “I don’t think that he would undercut” Harris, she added. “He’s good on public education, which is an issue that’s important to me.” The New York Post observed that Shapiro has come under fire from the left for his support for school choice in Pennsylvania. But he’s lost support from Republicans too after he reversed his position on a school choice bill, which he previously supported.
DOJ settles with former FBI officials over release of anti-Trump texts
The Department of Justice has settled with two former FBI officials over violation of privacy rights. Former counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page filed suit against the Justice Department over the release of their text message conversations expressing contempt for former President Donald Trump. According to court documents reviewed by the Associated Press, Strzok settled his case for $1.2 million, while Page received $800,000. DOJ REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH EX-FBI ‘LOVEBIRDS’ CAUGHT IN ANTI-TRUMP TEXT SCANDAL In 2019, Strzok argued in a court filing in Washington, D.C., federal district court that his politically charged anti-Trump messages were protected by the First Amendment even though he sent them on bureau-issued phones while playing leading roles in the probes into both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Strzok, once the FBI’s head of counterintelligence, said he was entitled to “develop a full factual record through discovery,” and that it would be premature to dismiss the case at this early stage. He went on to argue that the DOJ’s position would “leave thousands of career federal government employees without protections from discipline over the content of their political speech.” “This outcome is a critical step forward in addressing the government’s unfair and highly politicized treatment of Pete,” said lawyer Aitan Goelam, who is representing Strzok. DISGRACED EX-FBI AGENT PETER STRZOK REACTS TO DURHAM REPORT ON TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION WITH VICTORY LAP Goelam continued, “As important as it is for him, it also vindicates the privacy interests of all government employees. We will continue to litigate Pete’s constitutional claims to ensure that, in the future, public servants are protected from adverse employment actions motivated by partisan politics.” Page also filed suit against the FBI and Department of Justice, alleging the government’s publication of her salacious text messages with Strzok constituted a breach of the Federal Privacy Act. “While I have been vindicated by this result, my fervent hope remains that our institutions of justice will never again play politics with the lives of their employees,” Page said in a statement. Page’s complaint also sought reimbursement for “the cost of childcare during and transportation to multiple investigative reviews and appearances before Congress,” the “cost of paying a data-privacy service to protect her personal information” and attorney’s fees. Fox News Digital’s Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
‘It was a clear…’: NITI Aayog CEO on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s ‘mic mute’ claim
The West Bengal Chief Minister alleged ‘political discrimination,’ stating that at the NITI Aayog meeting, she was not allowed to speak for more than five minutes, while other Chief Ministers were given more time
J-K: Police release sketches of terrorists involved in Doda attack, announce reward of Rs…
Jammu and Kashmir Police announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information on each terrorist, the police said.
Measles cases surge to triple last year’s — with 5 months to go
The United States’ rate of measles infections in 2024 is more than triple that of 2023, despite almost half the year still remaining. There have been 188 reported cases of measles in the U.S. this year, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated on Thursday. It’s a significant increase from last year, when only 58 cases were reported nationwide. MEASLES BREAKS OUT AT MASSIVE NYC MIGRANT SHELTER Approximately 65% of this year’s cases are associated with outbreaks, which the CDC defines as three or more related cases. There have been 13 outbreaks in the U.S. in 2024, compared to 4 outbreaks in 2023 that made up 48% of national cases. About half of cases this year required hospitalization for the purposes of isolation or management of complications. According to the CDC, 85% of infected individuals this year were “unvaccinated or unknown,” while 10% had received one Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination and 5% had received two doses. TRAVELER INFECTED WITH CONFIRMED CASE OF MEASLES AT SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AS CASES IN US INCREASE Medical professionals say the risk of contracting measles is extremely low after getting vaccinated. Measles is a highly contagious and serious airborne disease that can lead to severe complications and even death, especially in children. It is characterized by a fever as high as 105°F and malaise, cough, coryza and conjunctivitis followed by spots and a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the drastic increase in the rate of infection, it comes nowhere near 2019, when almost 1,300 cases of measles were reported across the United States in a single twelve-month period. Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
This airline becomes first Indian carrier to offer free Wi-Fi on international flights, check full plan, cost
The Tata-Singapore Airlines joint venture airline said the complimentary, 20-minute Wi-Fi access will allow passengers in all cabins to stay connected and is ideal for those who wish to purchase extended Wi-Fi plans using Indian credit/debit cards.
Giffords group to spend $15 million to support Harris and anti-gun candidates
Gun control activists are ramping up spending to elect presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris president and help Democrats capture the House of Representatives in November. GIFFORDS, a gun violence prevention group founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, on Friday announced a $15 million campaign targeting battleground state voters. The ad buy is for television, digital advertising and direct mail, as well as for sending Giffords and surrogates to stump for Harris and down-ballot candidates who support tougher gun laws. “With just over 100 days until election day, GIFFORDS will redouble its efforts to support champions who are committed to saving lives — including ensuring that Vice President Kamala Harris becomes the next president of the United States,” said Emma Brown, executive director for GIFFORDS. The multi-million dollar campaign will focus on swing states like Michigan and Arizona for the presidential election, and swing congressional districts in California and New York, which could determine control of the House of Representatives next year, NBC News first reported. SOTOMAYOR FACES BACKLASH FOR GUN RIGHTS VIEWS AFTER BODYGUARDS SHOOT WOULD-BE CARJACKER: ‘INCREDIBLY IRONIC’ “Across the country, Americans are crystal clear: they want elected leaders who stand up to the gun lobby and put public safety first,” said Brown. GIFFORDS pointed to internal polling conducted in June that found 70% of American voters in battleground districts are “extremely” or “very” concerned about gun violence. The group argues that key groups of voters — particularly women, Latino and Black Americans — strongly support tougher gun laws and will make the difference in close races if motivated to get to the polls. “This year is critically important, and we look forward to supporting allies committed to preventing gun violence at every level of government — from the state legislative level to Congress, and giving Vice President Harris effective governing partners when she wins in November,” Brown said. A Fox News poll conducted in June found that 45% of Americans ranked guns as an “extremely important” issue, making it the 7th most “extremely important” to voters out of a list of 10 issues. The highest-ranked issues were “Future of American democracy” (68%), “Economy” (66%) and “Stability and normalcy” (58%). NRA DIGS UP HISTORY TO PUSH BACK ON KAMALA HARRIS’ CLAIM ON ‘ASSAULT’ BAN Erich Pratt, the senior vice president for Gun Owners of America, a Second Amendment group, cast doubt on the contention that gun control is a motivating issue for large swathes of voters. “It’s undeniable that the policies of Kamala Harris and this administration are responsible for the crime crisis our nation currently faces. Threatened confiscation of common self-defense firearms, coupled with soft on crime officials at the state and local levels in major urban centers across the country, have not helped Americans feel safe,” Pratt told Fox News Digital in a statement. “If groups like GIFFORDS really cared about reducing violence, they’d be urging Harris, a former prosecutor herself, to mobilize U.S. attorneys offices against violent criminals. But instead, they would prefer to push unconstitutional disarmament that leaves everyday Americans defenseless. That won’t play well with swing state voters.” WHO IS MARK KELLY? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA AND POSSIBLE VP PICK Gabrielle Giffords, a former Democratic representative from Arizona, was grievously wounded in a 2011 assassination attempt when a gunman shot her in the head at an event in her district. The former congresswoman co-founded her eponymous group a decade ago to “end the gun lobby’s stranglehold on our political system,” according to the GIFFORDS website. Her husband is Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who is reportedly one of the top contenders to be Harris’ running mate. Giffords appeared at an event for Harris on Thursday at the Salt & Light church in Pennsylvania, where she met with community activists in Philadelphia. The predominantly Black neighborhood where she spoke has been impacted by gun violence, including an incident last weekend in which three people were killed and at least six others wounded. Giffords spoke briefly about her long recovery from the shooting in 2011, which killed six people during a meeting with constituents at a Tucson grocery store. Harris’ other surrogates, including Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton, framed the November presidential contest as a choice between Harris, who would sign a ban on assault weapons, and more gun violence under Republican Donald Trump, who gun-rights groups back. “We are overwhelmed with violence all across America from rural Pennsylvania to inner city neighborhoods like where we are today,” McClinton said. “We as voters can make a decision on having a more violent United States or safer communities in every part of America.” Both Giffords and McClinton, an ally to Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is also under consideration for the Democratic vice presidential nomination — dodged questions about the veepstakes. Giffords aides told the Associated Press the event had long been planned before President Biden dropped out and endorsed Harris for his job, and certainly before her husband emerged as a potential candidate to run on the 2024 ticket. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Transforming organisational operations: Technical business analyst leads ERP development, execution at Deloitte
This comprehensive project unified multiple departmental functions into a single, efficient system, leading to a 40% reduction in data processing time and a 25% reduction in operational costs
Judge permanently blocks part of Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ as unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds
A federal judge on Friday permanently blocked part of Florida’s “Stop Woke Act” that was pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and other GOP lawmakers to ban critical race theory training in the workplace and in education. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted a permanent injunction against the part of the law that prohibited race-related training in private workplaces, ruling that the 2022 law violated the First Amendment. The “Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act,” otherwise known as the “Stop WOKE Act,” sought to ban teachings or business practices that tell individuals that members of one ethnic group are inherently racist and should feel guilty of past actions committed by people of that ethnic group. It also prohibits pushing the idea that a person was either privileged or oppressed based on their race or gender. The law further bars the notion that discrimination is acceptable to achieve diversity. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT BLOCKS PART OF DESANTIS’ ‘STOP WOKE ACT’ ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS It said a mandated training program or other activity that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin,” citing eight race-related concepts. “[This is] a powerful reminder that the First Amendment cannot be warped to serve the interests of elected officials,” read a statement from counsel Shalini Goel Agarwal of Protect Democracy, which represented the plaintiffs in this case. The portion of the law focused on education is unaffected by the ruling. DeSantis has often referred to the law when saying that Florida was where “woke goes to die.” FEDERAL JUDGE HANDS DESANTIS ADMIN WIN OVER ‘STOP WOKE ACT’ Walker previously issued a preliminary injunction in 2022 when he ruled the workplace portion of the law unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling in March. Separately, Walker has also issued a preliminary injunction against the part of the law that would restrict how race-related concepts can be taught in Florida’s colleges and universities, according to Fox 35. An appeals court panel held a hearing in that case last month. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump knocks Harris as a ‘bum,’ scorns her handling of southern border: ‘A failed vice president’
Former President Donald Trump criticized Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday as a “bum” responsible for the influx of migrants flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border during her tenure in the Biden administration. Trump made the comments about Harris at the Turning Point USA Believers Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida. This comes after Harris secured enough delegates for the Democratic Party’s top nomination after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election effort, although the party’s candidate will not formally be nominated until next month’s convention. “Three weeks ago, she was a bum, a failed vice president and a failed administration with millions of people crossing. And she was the border czar, now they’re trying to say she never was,” Trump said, referring to recent claims by some media outlets that Harris was never the border czar, although several of the same outlets previously described her as such. “They’re deleting it all over the place,” he added. “They want to take it [down] because we have the worst border in history. And three and a half years ago, we had the best border that we’ve ever had.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES TO CROWD HE JUST TOOK OFF THE LAST BANDAGE AT FAITH EVENT AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT President Biden tapped Harris in 2021 to address the root causes of mass migration from Central and South America. Biden said in March 2021 that Harris was leading the effort to coordinate with Mexico and other Northern Triangle nations — Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador — to address issues such as the surge of migrants at the southern border. Earlier this week, the House passed a resolution condemning Harris as the border czar over her handling of the mass migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. The resolution passed by a 220-196 vote, with at least six Democrats joining Republicans to condemn Harris. During his remarks on Friday, Trump botched Harris’ name. He appeared to struggle to pronounce “Harris” and said there are multiple ways to pronounce her first name. “By the way, there are numerous ways of saying her name … It doesn’t matter what I say. I couldn’t care less if I mispronounce it or not. I couldn’t care less,” he said. “Some people think I mispronounce it on purpose, but actually I’ve heard it said about seven different ways. There are a lot of ways.” TOP DEMOCRATIC SUPER PAC LAUNCHES MASSIVE $50M AD SPEND FOR HARRIS LEADING UP TO DNC Additionally, Trump said Harris must be defeated in a “land slade,” a mispronunciation of “landslide.” The former president also again purported that Democrats are trying to steal elections and claimed to the Christians in the crowd that Americans will not have to vote at the end of his presidency because “it’ll be fixed” by then, a comment Democrats are criticizing as fascist and an attempt to refuse to leave office. “If you want to save America, get your friends, get your family, get everyone you know and vote,” Trump said. “Vote early. Vote absentee. Vote on Election Day. I don’t care how, but you have to get out and vote. And again, Christians get out and vote just this time.” Trump also highlighted that he appointed three Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — and that he “will once again appoint rock solid conservative judges who will protect religious liberty and not let Marxist lunatics rewrite our constitution.” The Harris campaign criticized Trump’s speech as “bitter” and “bizarre.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Tonight, Donald Trump couldn’t pronounce words, insulted the faith of Jewish and Catholic Americans, lied about the election (again), lied about other stuff, bragged about repealing Roe, proposed cutting billions in education funding, announced he would appoint more extremist judges, revealed he planned to fill a second Trump term with more criminals like himself, attacked lawful voting, went on and on and on, and generally sounded like someone you wouldn’t want to sit near at a restaurant – let alone be President of the United States,” Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer said in a statement. “America can do better than the bitter, bizarre, and backward looking delusions of criminal Donald Trump,” Singer continued. “Vice President Kamala Harris offers a vision for America’s future focused on freedom, opportunity, and security.”