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Potential 2028 Dem hopeful follows Biden lead, commutes 15 death-row sentences on final day as governor

Potential 2028 Dem hopeful follows Biden lead, commutes 15 death-row sentences on final day as governor

On his way out the door, then-North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the sentences of 15 individuals on the Tarheel State’s death row. Cooper, a Democrat whose name has been floated as one of the party’s topline names for the 2028 presidential contest, acted similarly to outgoing President Biden – who caught heat last week for commuting sentences for almost all federal death row inmates. “These reviews are among the most difficult decisions a governor can make and the death penalty is the most severe sentence that the state can impose,” Cooper said in a statement. “After thorough review, reflection, and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, while ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.” NC TO OVERRIDE DEM VETO OVER COOPERATION WITH ICE AS TRUMP HINTS AT AGENCY REFORM No executions have occurred in North Carolina since 2006 due to ongoing litigation. One of the inmates who saw his sentence commuted to life was felony murder inmate Hasson Bacote. Bacote had originally filed suit in 2010 challenging his death sentence under North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act – which reportedly allows defendants to challenge sentences if they can determine racial bias.  Bacote, who is Black, had been convicted of shooting an 18-year-old by a White-majority Johnston County jury. Rayford Burke, an Iredell County murder convict who received a commutation, also reportedly sought relief under the Racial Justice Act, according to WCNC. Another commutation recipient, Christopher Roseboro, has been in prison for about 30 years. In 1994, Roseboro was indicted on first-degree rape and other charges stemming from allegations he and another man robbed an elderly neighbor who was later found dead along with evidence she had been sexually assaulted. The co-defendant, Roger Bell, is already serving a life sentence. A Union County man, Darrell Strickland, was convicted of manslaughter following a tragic Jan. 1, 1995 argument. He also saw his sentence commuted to life without parole. PA LAWMAKERS DEMAND SCRANTON STRIP ‘BIDEN EXPY’ NAME, CALLING IT A ‘SCAR’ FOLLOWING ‘KIDS-4-CASH’ SCANDAL Vincent Wooten, a Pitt County man sentenced for the 1993 murder of Edward Wilson, also saw his sentence commuted, according to the Greenville Daily Reflector. Wooten, then 20, saw evidence presented at his trial alleging he shot Wilson with a modified-to-automatic AR-15 rifle after a safe, filled with cocaine and cash, was stolen from the mother of Wooten’s girlfriend. Another commuted convict, Guy T. LeGrande, had been sent to prison following a murder-for-hire incident. LeGrande was later diagnosed with a mental disorder, according to Mother Jones, and had previously claimed to be able to communicate with Oprah Winfrey through a television. Cooper’s commutations follow Biden’s flurry of orders reclassifying death sentences to life without parole for 37 convicts. “President Biden has dedicated his career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system,” the White House said in a December statement. “He believes that America must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level, except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder – which is why today’s actions apply to all but those cases.” A man sentenced to death for a 2003 Tennessee shooting said he was surprised Biden commuted so many convicts’ terms. “I resolved not to squander this act of mercy, this grace of life. I resolved to be part of Biden’s legacy—by the way I contribute to the betterment of society and prisons,” Rejon Taylor told Newsweek.  “Biden doesn’t realize this now, but his act of mercy will resound through me, bearing fruit that will outlive his time on this earth.” Some of Biden’s other commutations, including a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, judge jailed in a “kids-for-cash” scandal where juveniles were aggressively prosecuted and sent to for-profit prisons, have sparked bipartisan outrage. Cooper’s 77 total pardons and commutations over his two terms, however, are dwarfed by the nearly 700 from fellow Democratic Gov. James B. Hunt Jr., who served four terms in two non-consecutive eight-year periods, according to NC Newsline. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Only three men remain on federal death row after Biden’s actions: Robert Gregory Bowers, Dzhokar Anzorovich Tsarnaev and Dylann Storm Roof. Bowers was convicted in the 2018 Pennsylvania synagogue shooting, Roof massacred several Black churchgoers in South Carolina and Tsarnaev – along with his now-deceased brother Tamerlan — masterminded the Boston Marathon bombing. Then-North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, was sworn into the governor’s office to succeed Cooper in Raleigh on Wednesday.

FBI declines to say whether it will fire, discipline agent who said attack was ‘not a terrorist event’

FBI declines to say whether it will fire, discipline agent who said attack was ‘not a terrorist event’

The FBI has remained silent on whether it will fire or discipline the agent who initially told the media and public that the shocking New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans was “not a terrorist event,” before the agency quickly backtracked and reported the attack was in fact under investigation as a terror incident.  Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI’s press office and press secretary on Thursday and Friday, inquiring whether New Orleans field office FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan would face termination or disciplinary action over her initial claim the attack was not connected to terrorism, but did not receive replies. Fox Digital also called the FBI press office on Friday morning but could not leave a message regarding the inquiry as the voicemail box was full.  After chaos unfolded on Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning as New Year’s revelers celebrated the holiday, Duncan spoke during a press conference, declaring the attack was not connected to terrorism.  “We’ll be taking over the investigative lead for this event. This is not a terrorist event,” Duncan said during the presser.  FLASHBACK: BIDEN DOWNPLAYS ISIS THREAT TO US, REPEATEDLY SAYS WHITE SUPREMACY ‘MOST LETHAL’ DANGER During that same press conference, however, the mayor of New Orleans told the media and public that the city did in fact suffer a terror attack.  “Know that the city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack. It’s all still under investigation,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Democrat who has served in the role since 2018, said at the presser.  On Thursday, the FBI responded to Fox Digital’s request for comment regarding criticisms surrounding Duncan’s initial assessment that the attack was not connected to terrorism, detailing to Fox Digital that, on the day of the attack, the FBI released three different statements that all said that the FBI was investigating the incident as an act of terrorism.  THE 6 BIGGEST FBI SCANDALS UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION “This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism,” the FBI said in one of the statements provided to Fox Digital.  Duncan also said in subsequent press conferences that the attack is being investigated as an act of terror.  The FBI confirmed this week that the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, had an ISIS flag in his truck at the time of the attack. The FBI added Thursday that Jabbar had been “inspired” by ISIS but that they have not found any evidence that he was directed by ISIS to carry out the rampage.  Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas, was killed after exchanging gunfire with police after plowing a truck through crowds of people.  ‘WHEN THEY FAIL, AMERICANS DIE’: TRUMP SOURCE BLASTS FBI, URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF KASH PATEL AS DIRECTOR Conservative lawmakers, Trump allies and voters have slammed the FBI for its handling of the investigation, including Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, arguing that the FBI has put a heightened focus on DEI practices rather than fighting crime.  “The FBI has a no-fail mission. There is no room for error. When they fail, Americans die. It’s a necessity that Kash Patel gets confirmed ASAP,” a source close to President-elect Donald Trump added in criticism to Fox News Digital on Thursday morning.

‘Radical’ FBI practices on DEI ‘endangered’ Americans, Blackburn says in letter demanding answers from Wray

‘Radical’ FBI practices on DEI ‘endangered’ Americans, Blackburn says in letter demanding answers from Wray

FIRST ON FOX: Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Friday demanding answers regarding the top federal law enforcement agency’s “radical” DEI practices following the shocking New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. “While the facts surrounding this unconscionable attack continue to emerge, what we know is deeply troubling: the suspect was in possession of weapons, improvised explosive devices, and an ISIS flag. This horrific incident constitutes a blatant act of terror on the American homeland, and the people of our country deserve to know whether federal law enforcement agencies can sufficiently prevent and respond to such incidents,” Blackburn wrote in her letter to Wray on Friday, which was exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital.  “To that end, I am deeply concerned that—under your leadership—the Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people,” the Tennessee senator continued.  Chaos broke out on New Orleans’s famed Bourbon Street just after 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day, when a truck plowed through crowds of revelers celebrating the holiday. At least 14 people were killed and 30 others injured.  FLASHBACK: BIDEN DOWNPLAYS ISIS THREAT TO US, REPEATEDLY SAYS WHITE SUPREMACY ‘MOST LETHAL’ DANGER The suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a twice-divorced Army veteran from Texas, was armed with a Glock and a .308 rifle during the attack. He was killed after opening fire on police.  After the attack unfolded on Wednesday morning, Blackburn took to social media to call for the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, and to admonish current leadership at the agency for allegedly putting a greater focus on DEI practices than “fighting criminals and terrorists.“ In her letter to Wray on Friday, Blackburn cited a recent report from a group of retired FBI agents who found “law enforcement and intelligence capabilities of the FBI are degrading because the FBI is no longer hiring ‘the best and the brightest’ candidates,” as well as the hiring of a Chief Diversity Officer at the FBI in 2021, as well as the New Orleans field office hosting a “Diversity Agent Recruiting Event” in July as evidence of the agency’s heightened focus on DEI.  “Most recently, in a striking example of tone deafness, the New Orleans FBI Field office thought it important to brag on X about how many bracelets its agents had collected. Your decision to prioritize politics, pop culture, or almost anything else over your mission to protect the public has put Americans in harm’s way, and the January 1 terror attack was the inevitable consequence,” Blackburn wrote in her letter.  THE 6 BIGGEST FBI SCANDALS UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION “Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans. Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded. Fortunately, the American people have spoken, and President Trump will soon bring law and order back to our nation,” Blackburn continued.  ‘WHEN THEY FAIL, AMERICANS DIE’: TRUMP SOURCE BLASTS FBI, URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF KASH PATEL AS DIRECTOR The FBI took the lead on the case Wednesday, first landing in hot water with Trump allies and voters, including for initially reporting to the public that the attack was not an instance of terrorism. “We’ll be taking over the investigative lead for this event. This is not a terrorist event,” said New Orleans field office FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan during a Wednesday morning press conference.  During that same press conference, however, the Democratic mayor of New Orleans contradicted Duncan’s comment and minced no words in detailing that the city faced an act of terror.  When asked about Duncan’s comment, the FBI directed Fox News Digital on Thursday to three press releases published the day before, detailing that the attack was being investigated as a terror incident. The press releases also detailed that an ISIS flag was found in the suspect’s truck.  “This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism,” the FBI said in one of its three statements provided to Fox Digital.  BIDEN BLASTED FOR CALLING ‘WHITE SUPREMACY’ ‘MOST DANGEROUS TERRORIST THREAT’ AT COLLEGE SPEECH: ‘PURE EVIL’ Blackburn continued in her letter to Wray with five questions surrounding the FBI’s DEI hiring practices, including: How many FBI employees have been hired based on the Bureau’s DEI initiatives; how the DEI initiatives are funded and if any of the FBI’s funds were reallocated to such initiatives; as well as how many individuals were hired during the New Orleans field office’s Diversity Agent Recruiting Event in July.  NEW ORLEANS ATTACK: INVESTIGATION CONTINUES FOR POTENTIAL LINKS BETWEEN BOURBON STREET AND TRUMP HOTEL BOMBING “Has the Bureau recently terminated the employment of any FBI agents who assist the FBI’s National Security Branch counterterrorism and intelligence components?” Blackburn asked in her final questions. “In the online posting about the July 17 event, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil is quoted as stating that “the diversity of our staff is the most valuable resource we have in . . . keeping Americans safe.” Do you agree with that statement?” Wray announced that he would step down from the FBI at the end of President Biden’s term this month, after Trump nominated Kash Patel to the role. Wray was first nominated under the first Trump administration and was in the midst of a 10-year term that would not have ended until 2027.  “Until the President-Elect’s nominee to lead the FBI is confirmed, the American people deserve to know the full extent

Significant majority believe Trump will ‘control illegal immigration’: poll

Significant majority believe Trump will ‘control illegal immigration’: poll

A strong majority of Americans believe that President-elect Donald Trump will control illegal immigration, as the president-elect eyes a historic mass deportation campaign and additional border security measures when he takes office this month. A Gallup poll released Thursday found that 68% of Americans predict that Trump will control illegal immigration. Just 28% of those polled said he would not. Trump made tackling illegal immigration the cornerstone of his presidential bid, as the country reeled from a historic migrant crisis at the southern border. TRUMP SAYS HE’S NOT CHANGED HIS MIND ON H-1B VISAS AS DEBATE RAGES WITHIN MAGA COALITION “We’re going to fix our borders. We’re going to fix everything about our country,” he said after winning the election in November. Trump has promised to launch the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” The former president has also promised to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to “remove all known or suspected Gang Members, drug dealers, or Cartel Members from the United States” and shift law enforcement to immigration enforcement. He has also promised to resume construction of a wall at the southern border. Construction started in his first administration but was largely stopped by the Biden administration. Fox Digital has previously reported on plans to increase the use of ankle monitors among those unable to be detained and the possibility of expanding immigration detention near major metropolitan areas. Trump has appointed former acting ICE Director Tom Homan as border czar and nominated South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be the next Homeland Security secretary. DEMS URGE BIDEN TO EXTEND CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRANT PROGRAM; TRUMP SAYS HE’LL CUT IT  Other issues which those polled believe Trump will find success with include reducing unemployment (60%), keeping the U.S. safe from terrorism (60%), improving the economy (58%) and keeping the country out of war (55%). Majorities also believe that Trump will cut taxes, reduce the crime rate and “increase respect for the United States abroad.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Those polled were less convinced, however, that Trump will improve healthcare (40%), improve the environment (35%) and heal political divisions in the country (33%). A Fox News Poll in December found that a majority of voters were excited about the incoming administration. At least half said they were hopeful (54%) or relieved (50%), and just under half feel excited (48%). The survey found the economy remains the most important issue (34%), with immigration and border security a distant second (21%). No other issue reached double digits, including abortion (7%), which was a top issue all year.

GRAP 3 reimposed in Delhi amid rise in air pollution levels

GRAP 3 reimposed in Delhi amid rise in air pollution levels

The Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality on Friday brought back stage 3 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan amid a rise in air pollution levels owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions, according to an official order.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to vote for Johnson after seeking to oust him from speakership last year

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to vote for Johnson after seeking to oust him from speakership last year

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who unsuccessfully sought to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from the speakership last year, said that she will vote on Friday for Johnson to retain the gavel. Last year, the congresswoman lambasted Johnson as “the Uniparty Speaker,” asserting that he “is exactly what is wrong with the Republican establishment” and had “done nothing for conservatives and given everything to Joe Biden and Democrats.” But she now plans to vote on Friday for Johnson to remain in the leadership post. “Let’s put aside our pride, let’s put aside our egos, and let’s put aside the infighting,” she said in a video, adding that it is time for the GOP to join together and “do whatever it takes to make sure that we deliver the mandate that the American people told us to do.” DERRICK VAN ORDEN TARGETS CHIP ROY OVER SPEAKERSHIP VOTE: ‘CHIP IS FIGHTING TO KEEP HIS BRAND MARKETABLE’ Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who supported the effort to oust Johnson last year, has declared that he will not support the speaker’s bid to remain in the role. “You can pull all my fingernails out, you can shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers, I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow,” Massie declared during an appearance on “The Matt Gaetz Show.” President-elect Donald Trump endorsed Johnson for the job earlier this week. REP. VICTORIA SPARTZ DEMANDS ‘ASSURANCES’ SPEAKER JOHNSON ‘WON’T SELL US OUT TO THE SWAMP’  “Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement,” Trump declared in a Truth Social post. Johnson’s path to victory is precarious, and could be derailed if another Republican opts to join Massie in opposing Johnson’s bid. Fox News Senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram has explained, “The winning candidate must secure an outright majority of all Members voting for a candidate by name.” MIKE JOHNSON’S SPEAKERSHIP TO BE PUT TO ANOTHER TEST IN 1ST VOTE OF NEW CONGRESS Pergram described a possible scenario in which just two Republicans could prevent Johnson from reaching the threshold necessary to win.  “So let’s say there are 434 members and all vote for someone by name. The magic number is 218. If Johnson gets the votes of all 219 Republicans, he wins. If Johnson gets 218 votes, he also wins. But 217? No dice,” Pergram noted. During an interview on Fox Business’ “Kudlow,” Johnson indicated that he believes he’ll win the gavel in the first round of voting and is “hopeful for that.”