NY Dems working to keep Stefanik’s House seat vacant for months in latest scheme against Trump: assemblyman
New York Democratic lawmakers are working to keep Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s House seat vacant until the summer in an unprecedented move hashed out during late-night discussions last week, a Republican Empire State assemblyman told Fox Digital. “We still haven’t seen the final proposal from the Democrats in Albany, but there’s no doubt that Tammany Hall corruption is alive and well in the state capital,” Republican New York Assemblyman Matt Slater, who represents the state’s 94th district in areas of Putnam and Westchester counties, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive Zoom interview on Sunday morning. “It is just blatantly corrupt for the New York State Democrats to keep changing the rules of engagement simply out of self-interest. Meanwhile, New Yorkers are struggling in so many different ways. U-Haul just gave us our worst migration rating ever because there’s so many New Yorkers who are fleeing this state. So they can get things done, but they only do it when it benefits them,” Slater continued. Slater, who serves as the ranking Republican on the state’s Election Law Committee, was reacting to state Democrats working to introduce legislation that could keep Stefanik’s House seat vacant until June, when the state holds its scheduled primary elections. Stefanik is in the midst of her confirmation process to serve in the Trump administration and is expected to resign her House seat if the Senate confirms her as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. STEFANIK LOOKS BACK TO FIERY EXCHANGES WITH COLLEGE LEADERS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING: ‘WATERSHED MOMENT’ Under current law, New York’s governor has 10 days to declare a special election for a vacant seat and an additional 80 to 90 days to hold the election. Stefanik’s seat is key for the Republican Party and Trump’s second administration, as Republicans hold a slim majority at 218 members to the Democrats’ 215 members. The state Democrats’ anticipated legislation has not yet been introduced, but Democrats were summoned to an emergency conference on Friday evening to reportedly discuss such a bill, Slater explained. He expects to have a copy of the Democrats’ bill on Monday morning. STEFANIK PLANS TO PUSH TRUMP’S ‘AMERICA FIRST’ AGENDA AT UN, MAKE SURE IT ‘SERVES THE INTERESTS’ OF US PEOPLE Slater said the Democrats’ objective of changing election laws to move the special election back to the summer is part of their bigger agenda to combat the second Trump administration. “Speaker Johnson has the hardest job in government right now, trying to keep the Republican conference, caucus together. This obviously would make that margin of Republican control that much more thin and that much more challenging for the speaker and, again, jeopardizing President Trump’s agenda to get through Congress. That’s their entire mission and goal, the Albany Democrats, is to make sure that they’re combating President Trump each step of the way. And this is their latest way of doing it,” Slater said. He pointed to a bevy of instances in which New York Democrats have leveraged their state power to combat Trump and the Republican Party in recent years, including gerrymandering and “stacking” New York’s top court with Democrats. NEW YORK APPEALS COURT JUDGES IN TRUMP CASE ROUTINELY DONATED TO DEMOCRATS, RECORDS SHOW “If you look at the track record of the Democrats, who control every aspect of state government here in New York, they have changed the rules so many times just because it benefits them. Whether it’s redistricting, whether it’s stacking the Court of Appeals, whether it’s allowing the governor to remove her then-indicted lieutenant governor from the ballot. The list goes on and on,” he said. “And in this case, it will deprive 800,000 New Yorkers of proper representation in Washington. And oh by the way, there were two special elections last year. And the Democrats didn’t say anything about changing the rules because fact of the matter is, these are Republican districts that will be impacted, and they are trying to disrupt the Trump administration and, frankly, Leader Johnson from being able to deliver on their agenda.” President Donald Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under his second administration. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to advance the New York Republican’s confirmation on Thursday, with her full Senate floor vote expected later this week. FETTERMAN STILL ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTIVE OF STEFANIK FOR US AMBASSADOR TO UN: ‘ALWAYS WAS A HARD YES’ Stefanik is expected to resign from the U.S. House to take the ambassadorship if and when the Senate officially confirms her nomination. A spokesperson for Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told Gothamist that she “believes it’s critical to increase voter turnout and reduce the cost of election administration, and she would support legislation that achieves that goal.” Slater poured cold water on the office’s claim that the proposal is rooted in promoting voter turnout and easing costs, pointing to two special elections held last year – former Democrat Rep. Brian Higgins’ seat as well as the February 2024 special election to replace former Republican Rep. George Santos’ in a district where Democrats were expected to have an edge over the GOP. Democrats, who have held trifecta control in the state since 2018, did not push to change special election laws last year, Slater noted. WHAT STEFANIK’S HOUSE TENURE REVEALS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF UN AMBASSADOR SHE MAY BE “I can’t believe how hypocritical the governor and her office can be in this, because let me remind the governor that she had two special elections for Congress last year,” he said. “To sit here and say that this is going to save taxpayer money and increase voter turnout, but you didn’t think about that last year when your own party had special elections that you were favored to win? Fact of the matter is, this has everything to do with the fact that this is a Republican seat. This is about control of Republicans in Congress, and this is about disrupting President Trump’s agenda
Fetterman says RFK Jr confirmation ‘not a slam dunk,’ as Trump HHS nominee shores up support
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is “not a slam dunk,” as President Donald Trump’s nominee works to shore up support. In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Fetterman said he has met with Kennedy twice in his office and that whatever his decision ends up being on the HHS nominee, it will be “an informed view.” “I’ve invested a lot of time to really understand his background and to learn more about the man,” Fetterman said, adding: “I approached with an open mind and I watched the hearing. And that’s how the process works.” TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY NOMINEE RFK JR SURVIVES HEATED HEARINGS AHEAD OF CRUCIAL CONFIRMATION VOTES Asked if he’s reached a decision on whether he’ll vote “yay” or “nay” for Kennedy, Fetterman said he has spoken to colleagues on both sides regarding the matter. “It’s been challenging for sure. Absolutely. It’s certainly not a slam dunk for the nomination,” Fetterman told “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream. “I’ve made an investment to really understand and talk to all of the nominees, and I treated everyone with respect and I took the time to listen, and that’s been part of my commitment,” he added. Kennedy, a lifelong Democrat who switched his presidential campaign against Biden to run as an Independent before ultimately dropping from the race to back Trump, made it through back-to-back grillings by the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday and the Health Committee on Thursday. He still faces crucial committee and full Senate confirmation votes in his mission to lead 18 powerful federal agencies that oversee the nation’s food and health. VP VANCE MAKES CONFIRMATION PREDICTIONS FOR GABBARD, PATEL AND RFK, JR: ‘HAVE TO FIGHT FOR EACH ONE’ Most of the tough questions and sparring over his stances on vaccines, abortion, Medicaid and other issues came from Democrats on the two committees, but Thursday’s hearing ended with the top Republican on the Health panel saying he was “struggling” with Kennedy’s nomination. “Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told the nominee. The physician from Louisiana, who is a crucial vote and who has voiced concerns over Kennedy’s past stance on vaccines, asked whether Kennedy can “be trusted to support the best public health.” The senator told Kennedy, who seeks to lead key health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, that “you may be hearing from me over the weekend.” Kennedy, whose outspoken views on the pharmaceutical and food industries have also sparked controversy, has said he aims to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases. A strong pro-life advocate, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told “Fox News Sunday” that he is supporting Kennedy despite the nominee’s past comments saying he supported codifying Roe v. Wade and abortion “even if it’s full term.” “I am now OK to supporting RFK Jr. because I think during the course of the hearing he’s committed to a Republican pro-life agenda, President Trump’s pro-life agenda,” Graham said when asked about those specific past remarks from Kennedy. “So I will take him at his word. I’m comfortable with what he said on the pro-life issue. He has been radically pro-choice as a person. But I do believe that as secretary, he will implement a pro-life agenda that will be pushed by President Trump. I will be a yes, but I’ll also watch every move he makes.” Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
New DNC vice chair previously called for ICE to be abolished
Newly elected Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg has previously called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and for the defunding of police. “Defund the police not USPS,” Hogg, who first entered the national spotlight after surviving the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, said in an X post on Aug. 15, 2020. “Abolish ICE,” Hogg said in a different post two weeks earlier. DAVID HOGG SAYS HE RECEIVED ‘AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF VITRIOL’ FOR ASKING ABOUT DEM OUTREACH TO YOUNG MEN The posts, which were made more than two years after Hogg survived the Florida school shooting, came as he became increasingly involved in political activism, most notably by his staunch advocacy for stricter gun laws. Now just 24 years old, Hogg took to social media early Sunday to celebrate his election to leadership within the DNC. DEMOCRATS CONSIDER REBRAND AFTER TRUMP WIN, WANT TO AVOID ‘FREAK SHOW’ PARTY LABEL: REPORT “I’ve just been elected as a Vice Chair of the DNC. I’m deeply grateful to the members for their trust and belief in me and I don’t take it lightly. Now it’s time to get to work,” Hogg said in a post on X, going on to promise a “Democratic Party that is authentic, relatable, earns people’s trust, and wins again.” “It’s time we stop surrendering, go on offense, and take the fight to Donald Trump and every single Republican who is gutting our rights, attacking workers, and rigging the system for the wealthy and well-connected,” Hogg said. But the elevation of Hogg to vice chair of the DNC also comes at a time of deep soul-searching for the Democratic Party, with many analysts blaming the party’s poor 2024 showing on its seemingly soft stances on crime and illegal immigration. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Nevertheless, Hogg called on the party to “rethink the way we’ve been doing things” in his post on X, arguing that it is vital “to rid our party of its judgmental attitudes, and do the work to win back every group we lost this year, from the working class to young people.” The DNC did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Trump says Canada would have no tariffs as 51st state, as observers brace for trade war
President Donald Trump repeated his suggestion that Canada become the 51st on Sunday, noting that it would not be subjected to his incoming tariffs should the country join the U.S. “We pay hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada. Why? There is no reason,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social. “We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true!” “Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State,” Trump added. “Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada – AND NO TARIFFS!” Trump has for weeks suggested the United States should take control of Canada through economic pressure. TRUMP IMPOSES TARIFFS ON IMPORTS FROM CANADA, MEXICO AND CHINA: ‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’ Citing the flow of illicit drugs across the northern border, Trump signed an order Saturday to implement a 25% tariff on goods entering the United States from Canada. The order, which takes effect Tuesday, also puts a 10% duty on energy or energy resources from Canada. The order states, “gang members, smugglers, human traffickers, and illicit drugs of all kinds have poured across our borders and into our communities,” adding that “Canada has played a central role in these challenges, including by failing to devote sufficient attention and resources or meaningfully coordinate with United States law enforcement partners to effectively stem the tide of illicit drugs.” Trump also said he would implement tariffs of 25% on goods from Mexico, as well as 10% on imports from China due to the flow of drugs across U.S. borders. AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION REACTS TO TRUMP ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENERGY TARIFFS ON CANADA, MEXICO Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum both vowed retaliation on Saturday. “We categorically reject the White House’s slander of the Government of Mexico for having alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention to interfere in our territory,” Sheinbaum said, adding that she instructed her administration officials to implement “tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests.” Trudeau said Canada would impose 25% tariffs on $155 billion of U.S. goods, including “immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods effective Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 days.” “I don’t think we’re not at all interested in escalating, but I think that there will be a very strong demand on our government to make sure that we stand up for the deal that we have struck with the United States,” Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday.
Musk rips ‘fraudulent’ Treasury handouts as reports mount DOGE has access to federal payment system
Tech billionaire Elon Musk ripped alleged “fraudulent” Treasury payments on Saturday as reports circulated that the Department of Government Efficiency has gained acces to the federal government’s payment system as the second Trump administration continues cutting what they say is government fat and overspending. “The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once,” Musk, the chair of DOGE, posted early Saturday morning to X. Musk’s post came just ahead of the New York Times reporting Saturday afternoon that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted DOGE personnel access to the payment system. The Treasury spends roughly $6 trillion per year on payments for federal agencies. The ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, posted to social media on Saturday that he has also been informed that DOGE was granted access to the system. DOGE ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $1B IN SAVINGS AFTER CANCELING 104 FEDERAL DEI CONTRACTS “Sources tell my office that Treasury Secretary Bessent has granted DOGE *full* access to this system. Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, payments to government contractors, including those that compete directly with Musk’s own companies. All of it,” Wyden posted to social media site BlueSky on Saturday evening. DOGE’s reported access to the payment system comes after the Washington Post reported on Friday that the former acting director of the Treasury, David A. Lebryk, was planning to exit the finance department of the federal government following a clash over granting DOGE access to its payment system. Lebryk oversaw the Treasury Department in the days between President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 and Bessent’s confirmation to lead the department on Jan. 27. TOP DOGE LAWMAKER SAYS TRUMP ‘ALREADY RACKING UP WINS FOR TAXPAYERS’ WITH EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES On Friday, reports also spread that civil servants within the Office of Personnel Management, which works as the federal government’s HR department, were reportedly locked from the office’s computer systems by DOGE. Musk quipped on X on Saturday that working over the weekend is a “superpower,” where the “opposing team” disappear for two days. “Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days! Working the weekend is a superpower,” he posted. ‘DOGE’-MEETS-CONGRESS: GOP LAWMAKER AARON BEAN LAUNCHES CAUCUS TO HELP MUSK ‘TAKE ON CRAZYTOWN’ Trump officially created DOGE via an executive order signed on his first day in office. The EO outlines that government agency chiefs provide DOGE with access to internal government platforms such as, “software systems, and IT systems.” “Agency Heads shall take all necessary steps, in coordination with the USDS Administrator and to the maximum extent consistent with law, to ensure USDS has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems. USDS shall adhere to rigorous data protection standards,” the executive order reads. Trump and Musk had long previewed the creation of DOGE while on the campaign trail, championing that the team would weed out overspending and fraud within the federal government. DOGE is not a government department, but instead operates as a team within the Trump administration. Before Trump’s win in November, Musk hosted the Republican president for an interview on X in August, where Musk railed against government overspending and inflation that has gripped the nation in recent years. “A lot of people just don’t understand where inflation comes from. Inflation comes from government overspending because the checks never bounce when it’s written by the government. So if the government spends far more than it brings in, that increases the money supply. If the money supply increases faster than the rate of goods and services, that’s inflation,” Musk said during their conversation. MUSK RENEWS HARSH REBUKE OF DEMS WHO REJECTED DEPORTING SEX OFFENDERS: VOTE OUT ‘EVERY ONE’ “So really we need to reduce our government spending, and we need to re-examine… I think we need a government efficiency commission to say like, ‘Hey, where are we spending money that’s sensible. Where is it not sensible?’” Since its official creation last month, DOGE’s X account has provided updates on its work to cut government spending, including announcing last week that it has cut more than $1 billion from federal spending through now-defunct diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and personnel. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Treasury Department on Sunday morning, but did not immediately receive replies.
Transportation Sec Sean Duffy says FAA systems are ‘antiquated,’ calls for more air traffic controllers
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says that many of the Federal Aviation Administration’s systems remain “antiquated” and are in need of updates amid a “plummet” in recruitment for air traffic controllers. Duffy made the statement during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream. The Trump administration official affirmed that America’s skies remain the safest in the world, but he also said major changes could be made to improve the FAA’s systems. “We have the safest skies in the whole world. Traveling by air is the safest mode of transportation,” Duffy said. “It’s not just air traffic controllers, but we do have technologies on airplanes to keep them separated. So, yeah, no, this is the safest system.” Duffy went on to say that the U.S. system “does need to be upgraded.” He also noted an outage of the FAA’s pilot warning system, the “Notice to Air Mission” or NOTAM system, on Saturday night, calling it “antiquated.” VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN DC PLANE CRASH INVOLVING AMERICAN AIRLINES JET AND MILITARY HELICOPTER The FAA imposes a mandatory retirement age of 55 for air traffic controllers, causing a large amount of turnover. Duffy noted that the FAA’s training academy was bottlenecked during COVID-19, causing small class sizes and delaying the process as trainees could not get in-person experience at control towers. HARROWING VIDEO FROM MILITARY BASE SHOWS NEW ANGLE OF MIDAIR CRASH CATASTROPHE He said he is focusing on training a new generation of recruits. “You can’t focus on diversity, equity and inclusion when you try to hire air traffic controllers, you focus on the best and brightest,” Duffy told Bream. “I mean, again, some people like me like to have this conversation around equity. But if it’s your pilots or if it’s your air traffic controllers, you want the best. You want the brightest protecting yourself and your family. That’s what we’re going to do with the department.” Duffy’s statements come after two aviation disasters struck the U.S., including the collision of a military Blackhawk helicopter with an American Airlines jet in Washington, D.C., last week. A private plane also plummeted out of the sky in Pennsylvania this weekend. Investigations are ongoing for both crashes. Duffy said he is particularly interested in the communications that the control tower at Reagan National Airport had with both the jet and the helicopter in last week’s crash. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “What happened in the tower? What was going on with the staffing? What should have been done and what was done? What was the language that was used by the air traffic controller? Was it appropriate? Did they appropriately direct traffic consistent with procedures at the FAA?” Duffy asked.
THIS metro line will connect Noida Airport to Delhi Airport, know route
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has sought Rs 950 crore from the Yamuna Development Authority for expanding the Golden Metro line project.
‘Anti-Bahujan’: LoP Rahul Gandhi launches scathing attack at BJP over Dalit girl’s murder in Ayodhya
Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi condemned the brutal murder of a Dalit girl in Ayodhya and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh of being “anti-Bahujan”, adding that the “heinous atrocities” have been on a rise in the state.
Real Madrid beaten by Espanyol after late Romero goal
The LaLiga leaders upset by Carlos Romero’s 85th minute strike that snatched victory for the relegation-battling hosts. LaLiga leaders Real Madrid were stunned at lowly Espanyol after losing 1-0 thanks to a late Carlos Romero goal. The result means Real, on 49 points, are one point clear of Atletico Madrid, who beat Mallorca 2-0, before next weekend’s Spanish capital derby at Santiago Bernabeu. Third-placed Barcelona, who play Alaves on Sunday, are on 42 points. Vinicius Jr appeared to have given Real the lead in the 21st minute on Saturday after latching onto Kylian Mbappe’s pass. However, the goal was disallowed after the Frenchman had fouled Espanyol’s Pol Lozano in the build-up. The hosts kept Real at bay in the second half, with Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham all having efforts brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Joan Garcia. The visitors were aggrieved when, on a breakaway attack, Romero fouled a running Mbappe from behind, but was only shown a yellow card as the Real players appealed for a VAR review. “This foul is inexplicable, the decision they made, the referee, the VAR. The most important thing is to take care of the player and protect him. It was a very bad tackle that risked injury, which fortunately did not happen,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. Advertisement The Italian manager brought on Luka Modric, Brahim Diaz and Raul Asencio, but they failed to conjure any magic and it was Romero who broke the deadlock in the 85th minute. The defender latched onto Omar El Hilali’s through-ball and fired home to lift Espanyol to 17th on 23 points, one place above the relegation zone. “I think this gives us life, we were playing good matches, competing, we had to suffer … Our people give us an edge and at home we have to be strong, it’s going to be very difficult to take points away from us here,” Romero told DAZN. Rodrygo (centre) of Real Madrid reacts with teammates Kylian Mbappe (R) and Jude Bellingham following Espanyol’s first goal, scored by Carlos Romero (not pictured) during the LaLiga match at RCDE Stadium on February 1, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain [Alex Caparros/Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
More than 700 killed as DR Congo military fights M23 rebels
At least 773 people have been killed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) largest city of Goma and its vicinity in a week, amid fighting with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who captured the city in a serious escalation of a decade-long conflict, authorities said. “These figures remain provisional because the rebels asked the population to clean the streets of Goma. There should be mass graves and the Rwandans took care to evacuate theirs,” Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya told a briefing on Saturday in capital Kinshasa, adding that the death toll could be higher. M23 is the most potent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control in DRC’s mineral-rich east, which holds vast deposits critical to much of the world’s technology. They are backed by about 4,000 troops from neighbouring Rwanda, according to United Nations experts. The rebels’ advance into other areas was slowed by the central African nation’s military, which recovered some villages from them. The military was weakened after it lost hundreds of troops, however, and foreign mercenaries surrendered to the rebels after the fall of Goma. Advertisement Meanwhile, hundreds of Goma residents began returning to the city on Saturday after the rebels promised to restore basic services, including water and power supply. They cleaned up neighbourhoods littered with debris from weapons and filled with the stench of blood. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Friday said M23 and Rwandan forces were about 60km (37 miles) north of South Kivu’s provincial capital of Bukavu. Lacroix said the rebels “seem to be moving quite fast”, and capturing an airport a few kilometres (miles) away “would be another really significant step”. Goma’s capture has brought humanitarian operations to “a standstill, cutting off a vital lifeline for aid delivery” across eastern DRC, said Rose Tchwenko, country director for the Mercy Corps aid group. “The escalation of violence toward Bukavu raises fears of even greater displacement, while the breakdown of humanitarian access is leaving entire communities stranded without support,” she said. Adblock test (Why?)