‘You need to stop’: Gov. Noem lashes out during heated interview over book anecdote about killing dog
Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., lashed out Tuesday during a contentious interview after being pressed on a series of questions about her controversial new book, “No Going Back.” FOX Business’ Stuart Varney asked the Republican governor about a viral section of her book where she discussed shooting her ranch dog, which was detailed in an excerpt released last week. When asked about people questioning her political future and her vice presidential aspirations, Noem snapped, saying, “I don’t think you have the facts straight.” In her new book, officially released Tuesday, Noem described shooting her dog after it attacked a neighbor’s chickens. The story drew an immediate backlash from lawmakers, but the governor said that story was included “because a lot of politicians have run from the truth.” NOEM ADDRESSES FEELING ‘THREATENED’ BY NIKKI HALEY, A CONTROVERSIAL DOG KILLING, TRUMP VP SPECULATION IN BOOK “I don’t think you have the facts straight. This was a vicious, dangerous dog. That was a working dog. And I had to make a choice between the safety of my children and an animal that was killing livestock and attacking people,” Noem told Varney. “So it’s included because a lot of politicians have run from the truth. They want to try to hide from tough decisions.” KRISTI NOEM ERUPTS ON CBS ANCHOR AFTER VIRAL INTERVIEW ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL BOOK Varney pressed Noem on the age of the dog after she said it was an “adult,” and she then confirmed it was 14 months old when it was put down. “I’m proud of this book,” Noem said. “I know that a lot of people are using attacks to try to take me down because they’re scared of me. I have so much support and all I’ve done is won.” The two then went back and forth over the topic, before Noem called it “ridiculous.” “Enough Stuart, this interview is ridiculous, what you are doing right now. So you need to stop. It is,” she said when asked if she talked to former President Trump about the dog. Trump is considering Noem as one of his potential picks for vice president, which was confirmed when the former president released his short list of candidates for his 2024 ticket. After the dog story prompted bipartisan backlash from members of Congress, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told CNN, “I don’t see how it helps” her standing with voters.
Wisconsin lawmakers vote to audit state DEI initiatives
The Legislature’s audit committee voted Tuesday to launch a comprehensive review of diversity and inclusion efforts across state government after the Assembly’s top Republican vowed to eliminate equity initiatives. The committee voted 6-4 to order the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct the review, with all four Democrats on the panel voting against the proposal. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order in 2019 requiring each state agency to create and monitor equity and inclusion plans to address employment barriers, assess workplaces to ensure they’re equitable and promote inclusion and expand professional development to encourage a more inclusive culture. WISCONSIN STATE BAR SUSPENDS DEI PROGRAM AFTER LAWSUIT State Auditor Joe Chrisman said in a memo to committee members that the review could show what agencies have done to comply with the order, how much compliance has cost and outcomes. The probe will include cabinet-level agencies, other executive branch agencies, the state Department of Justice and the state university system, Chrisman said. Conservatives across the country have been working to limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Republican lawmakers in about two dozen states have filed bills this year looking to restrict DEI initiatives. Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who is white, has pledged to end diversity efforts in state government, saying that such initiatives are “cancerous” and that he wants a society that is “truly colorblind.” In December he forced Universities of Wisconsin regents to freeze diversity hires, re-label about 40 diversity positions as “student success” positions, drop an affirmative action hiring program at UW-Madison in exchange for funding to cover staff raises and construction projects. Vos said after the deal was complete that he wanted an in-depth review of diversity initiatives across state government. Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback tweeted that Republicans are trying to weaponize the audit bureau “to conduct purely ideological and politically-driven exercises.” Sen. Eric Wimberger, a Green Bay Republican who co-chairs the audit committee, countered with a statement saying legislators must ensure state agencies and the university system use tax dollars wisely. “This proposed audit has very clear goals of delving into the administration’s DEI initiatives,” Wimberger said in a statement, using the abbreviation for diversity, equity and inclusion. “What did the agency do? How much did it cost? And what did it achieve?” Sen. Tim Carpenter and Rep. Francesca Hong, two Democratic members of the audit committee, released a joint statement accusing Vos of trying to use the diversity audit to deepen political divisions ahead of the November elections. They predicted Republicans will use the audit as a pretext to end diversity programs across state government.
GOP rebels back off threat to force Johnson ouster vote this week as they seek deal
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., appears to be backing off her threat to force a vote on ousting Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., this week. “We’ve had discussions in the speaker’s office and right now the ball is in Mike Johnson’s court,” Greene told reporters alongside Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Tuesday. The pair met with Johnson for roughly an hour and a half Tuesday after a two-hour meeting on Monday afternoon, where they outlined a list of demands for the speaker that included a pledge to not pass any more aid to Ukraine and de-funding Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Trump. They’re also seeking assurances that Johnson would not bring any bills to the floor without support from a majority of the House GOP conference, and commitments to cutting federal spending if a deal to fund the government in fiscal year 2025 is not reached by Sept. 30. ANTI-MCCARTHY GOP REBELS DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM PUSH TO OUST SPEAKER JOHNSON “He understands that he’s got to be our Republican Speaker of the House. The things that we’ve discussed about, that got leaked out to the press, are very simple and they serve the American people. They serve the people that gave us the majority,” Greene said. It comes after Greene and Massie held a press conference last week announcing that they would aim to force a vote on their motion to vacate the chair this week. The motion to vacate is a procedural measure whereby, under current rules, just one lawmaker can call for a House-wide vote on the speaker’s removal. But the pair would not give details on how they planned to move forward on Tuesday, nor if they would be meeting with Johnson again. “We didn’t give a specific timeline, but it’s pretty short,” Greene told reporters when asked how long Johnson had to adhere to their demands, later adding that it would be “unrealistic” to expect results right away. 2 HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE TO OUST SPEAKER JOHNSON 6 MONTHS AFTER HE TOOK GAVEL Massie said that he communicated to Johnson, “If his plan is to drag this out until the pressure comes off of this, and to drag it out for weeks or days without making some movement in our direction, then he would just be far better off to have this vote and get it behind him. It doesn’t serve him or us to drag this out.” “But if it does become obvious that he’s just trying to drag this out, we’ll do him a favor. We’ll do you a favor. We’ll do the GOP a favor, and we’ll call this motion,” he added later. MASSIE THREATENS TO OUST SPEAKER JOHNSON IF HE DOESN’T STEP DOWN OVER FOREIGN AID PLAN When pressed about if she expects a third meeting with Johnson, Greene said, “I expect to walk in his office and him to say, here’s my action items, here’s what I’m going to do. That requires a meeting, right?” Johnson told reporters of his second meeting with the pair, “We’re talking through ideas and suggestions. It’s what I do with all members all the time. So there’s nothing unusual.” Greene, Massie and Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., are the three lone Republicans actively pushing to oust Johnson in protest of his handling of foreign aid and government spending. It’s the product of long-simmering concerns of conservatives who have felt sidelined by Johnson on critical pieces of legislation. They’ve accused him of not fighting hard enough for GOP priorities and instead acquiescing to the Democrat-controlled White House and Senate. Johnson, for his part, has repeatedly emphasized that he’s operating with a historically slim majority – now just one seat – and in control of one half of one third of the government.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher declines House hearing invite amid bias scandal
National Public Radio (NPR) Chief Katherine Maher will not abide by a House committee’s request to appear on Wednesday, according to the organization. A spokesperson for NPR confirmed to Fox News Digital that Maher would not be appearing as requested before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, citing an all-day meeting with the organization’s board of directors. “NPR respects the Committee and its request and has offered to testify on a date in the near future that works for the Committee and Maher,” the spokesperson said in a statement. FLIGHTS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITHOUT IDS TARGETED IN FAA BILL AS DEADLINE LOOMS According to NPR, the board of directors meeting was previously scheduled and has been publicly posted. “These meetings are scheduled more than a year in advance. This meeting will be Maher’s first opportunity to review and consult with the Board on the challenges and opportunities facing the organization, including a strategy to lead NPR forward in fulfilling its public service mission to serve all of America,” they continued. The spokesperson noted that Maher has only been CEO for six weeks, making such a meeting that much more important. WHITE HOUSE LOOKS TO CONVINCE AMERICANS OF ‘BIDENOMICS’ WITH KAMALA HARRIS TOUR “Maher is therefore unable to attend this week’s hearing and has communicated that to the committee and proposed alternate dates,” the spokesperson said. “Maher will provide written testimony in her absence.” Last week, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., wrote a letter to Maher requesting her appearance on Wednesday. ALL GOP SENATORS PRESS BIDEN NOT TO SUPPORT EXPANDING WHO PANDEMIC AUTHORITY “The Committee has concerns about the direction in which NPR may be headed under past and present leadership,” the congresswoman explained. A committee spokesperson responded to Maher’s decision to defy the request in a statement to Fox News Digital, remarking, “It speaks volumes that Ms. Maher has chosen not to appear tomorrow to answer for how her taxpayer-funded news outlet discriminates against the viewpoints of millions of Americans.” ERNST LEADS SENATE GOP DEMANDING BIDEN ‘CEASE PLANNING’ GAZA REFUGEE ACCEPTANCE “The Chair looks forward to reviewing her thorough and transparent responses to the Committee’s letter,” they added. NPR has faced renewed scrutiny from Republicans over the past month since a then-senior editor at the organization aired significant concerns about its integrity in an essay. Among other revelations, Uri Berliner discovered that the NPR newsroom was composed of nearly entirely Democrats and no Republicans. Some Republicans have called for federal funding that is given to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for NPR to be revoked amid the discovery.
Biden plan to extend ObamaCare eligibility to illegal immigrants gets pushback in Congress: ‘Madness’
FIRST ON FOX: A recent rule announced by the Biden administration that would make tens of thousands of illegal immigrants eligible for ObamaCare is facing Republican resistance in Congress – with a lawmaker moving to stop what she says is a move to incentivize illegal immigration. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is introducing a resolution of disapproval of a rule announced last week that would allow illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and are protected under an Obama-era order to be eligible for ObamaCare. The administration announced that those enrolled under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will be allowed to access ObamaCare through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces. THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OBAMACARE AFTER BIDEN RULE CHANGE The administration says it predicts that the rule, which will go into effect just days before the 2024 presidential election, will result in over 100,000 uninsured illegal immigrants accessing health insurance. The rule does so by making what HHS calls “technical modifications” to the definition of “lawfully present” used to determine eligibility. The resolution expresses congressional disapproval of the rule. A resolution would need to be passed by the House and Senate and either signed into law by the president, or gain enough votes to override a veto. “Joe Biden, ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris, and impeached DHS Secretary Mayorkas flung our borders wide open, caused an invasion of our country by illegal aliens, and prioritized giving taxpayer benefits to illegal aliens over American citizens,” Mace said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This rule to give taxpayer subsidized healthcare to 100,000 illegal aliens is yet another example of this administration putting America Last and actively incentivizing illegal immigration.” REPUBLICAN STATES ASK FEDERAL JUDGE TO END ‘UNLAWFUL’ DACA PROGRAM “Congress must stand up and put a stop to this madness,” she said. Biden, in a statement on the rule last week, defended the rule and doubled down on his calls for those he called “Dreamers” to be granted a pathway to citizenship along with millions of other illegal immigrants. “I’m proud of the contributions of Dreamers to our country and committed to providing Dreamers the support they need to succeed. That’s why I’ve previously directed the Department of Homeland Security to take all appropriate actions to ‘preserve and fortify’ DACA. And that’s why today we are taking this historic step to ensure that DACA recipients have the same access to health care through the Affordable Care Act as their neighbors,” he said. “On Day One of my administration, I sent a comprehensive immigration reform plan to Congress to protect Dreamers and their families. Only Congress can provide Dreamers permanent status and a pathway to citizenship. Congress must act.” Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.
New poll reveals what voters think will happen in NY vs Trump
Nearly two-thirds of voters say former President Trump will be found guilty on some charges in his unprecedented criminal trial. Sixty-five percent of registered voters questioned in a Suffolk University/USA Today national poll of registered voters predicted the former president would be convicted on some of the nearly three-dozen state felony charges he faces in his trial in New York City, which is the first in the nation’s history for a former or current president. Trump is charged with falsifying business records in relation to hush-money payments during the 2016 election he made to Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about his alleged affair with the adult film actress. Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, a $130,000 hush money payment in an effort to keep her silent on allegations of an affair with Trump in 2006. The former president has repeatedly denied falsifying business records as well as the alleged sexual encounter with Daniels. STORMY DANIELS TAKES THE STAND IN TRUMP’S CRIMINAL TRIAL The poll, released on Tuesday as Daniels took the witness stand for the first time in the blockbuster trial, indicates that half of those questioned believe Trump will be found guilty on some, but not all, counts. Fifteen percent predict the former president will be convicted on all counts, with 23% saying he’ll be found not guilty on all charges. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS LIVE UPDATES IN THE TRUMP TRIAL “The poll sets expectations going into the remainder of the trial and the verdict, in terms of what voters see. This could be vastly different than what the jury sees,” director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center David Paleologos told Fox News. Forty-four percent of those surveyed said they don’t believe the trial has been fair to date, with 39% saying Trump was getting a fair trial. Sixteen percent were undecided. “Fairness cut along party lines, with 76% of Democrats saying Trump is receiving a fair trial, while 80% of Republicans claimed that the trial has not been fair,” Paleologos spotlighted. “Independents were split evenly on the question of fairness at 37% each, with 24% undecided.” Trump has continuously charged in speaking to reporters, in interviews, and in social media postings that the trial is not fair. And he’s also repeatedly criticized prosecutors, the judge, and witnesses in the case. New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan recently found Trump in contempt nine times for violating a gag order in the case that prevents the former president from speaking out and taking aim at jurors and witnesses. And on Monday Merchan ruled that Trump again violated his gag order and warned he would consider jailing the former president if the violations continued. Trump and his defense attorneys have argued that the former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee should not be bound by the gag order, saying it violates his First Amendment rights as well as the First Amendment rights of his supporters. The trial has partially sidetracked Trump from the campaign trail as he faces off with President Biden in a 2024 election rematch. The Suffolk University poll for USA Today was conducted April 30-May 3, with 1,000 registered voters nationwide questioned. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Anti-Israel encampments share common traits with Marxist revolutionaries, BLM and the KKK
College encampments spreading across the country in recent weeks share a common theme with Black Lives Matter and Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China. “These protesters have been indoctrinated by these culturally Marxist professors,” Heritage Foundation senior fellow Mike Gonzalez told Fox News Digital. The comments come as anti-Israel demonstrations have taken over several of America’s most prominent college campuses, resulting in unrest that has resulted in over 2,400 arrests in just a few weeks. The demonstrations, which typically feature large encampments of students staked out in prominent areas of campus, have drawn comparisons to the Occupy Wall Street protests of 2011, though Gonzalez believes the current movement shares more in common with Black Lives Matter and Mao’s Cultural Revolution. POLICE CLEAR ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT AT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, PROTESTS CONTINUE NATIONWIDE “To me, this resembles much more Ferguson,” Gonzalez Said, referring to the riots that sprung out of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri. The Ferguson shooting and riots brought newfound national attention to the Black Lives Matter movement, which led to similar protests in the aftermath of other high-profile deaths, such as the 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Gonzalez argued that, unlike Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter and the current anti-Israel demonstrations spreading across the country have a “coherent set of demands.” “It was just generally anti-Western, anti-capitalist,” Gonzalez said of the Occupy movement. “This group is also anti-Western, anti-capitalist — these protesters — but they do have demands.” Gonzalez, who wrote a book on the Black Lives Matter movement, “The Making of a New Marxist Revolution,” said most of those demands can be traced back to the cultural Marxism of the 1960s and 1970s, arguing that the current demonstrations “hide behind” the current events in Gaza as a way to push the Marxist agenda. POLITICO MOCKED FOR BEING SURPRISED ON WHO IS FUNDING ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS: ‘SURPRISING TO WHO?’ “They want to dismantle American society,” Gonzalez said. For Gonzalez, both the Black Lives Matter and current campus movements tie closely to Mao’s Cultural Revolution, a Chinese sociopolitical movement led by Mao Zedong between the mid 1960s and mid 1970s that sought to strip China of its traditional society. “The Cultural Revolution did the same thing and tried to get rid of everything that was traditional,” Gonzalez said. “They were very persistent about getting rid of all Chinese traditions and norms and everything from the past.” Gonzalez argued that the same type of movement is happening in the U.S., led by groups who he believes are attempting to “commit cultural genocide.” “They want to wipe out American culture. Because if we have systemic racism, and if racism is structural, then the only logical conclusion is we must get rid of all the systems and all the structures,” Gonzalez said. ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS SHUT DOWN TRAFFIC, DISRUPT CITIES ALL ACROSS US IN DEMAND FOR GAZA CEASE-FIRE The foundation for such a movement, Gonzalez argued, is firmly rooted in Marxist teaching. “If you go to the ‘Communist Manifesto’ … the first page Marx says that all of history can be boiled down to this epic struggle between the oppressor and the oppressed,” Gonzalez said. “This is the oppressor versus oppressed paradigm through which these kids put everything.” While supporters of the encampments have touted that they have remained mostly peaceful in nature, the demonstrations have at times been disruptive enough to require intervention from law enforcement. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital there is potential for more violence to spread from the current demonstrations. “This is the first time I can remember in a long time that you have protesters out there directly supporting a terrorist group,” von Spakovsky said. “They both verbally and with sins express their support for Hamas, which has been a designated terrorist organization — for what? — like three decades.” ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS BLOCK GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE TRAFFIC Like Gonzalez, von Spakovsky compared today’s campus movement to Black Lives Matter, noting that many of the protests associated with that movement became violent or destructive. “The Black Lives Matter movement and its protest did result in violence … arson, destruction of buildings, vandalism,” von Spakovsky said. With the current encampments, von Spakovsky believes there could be similar or even worse outcomes. “I expect violence from these protesters because of the fact that they are supporting a terrorist organization and have voiced their approval for that massacre that occurred on Oct. 7,” von Spakovsky said. He also noted the demonstrations have displayed widespread antisemitism, while the tactics those in attendance have used remind him of the days of the Ku Klux Klan. ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTER SOBS DURING ARRAIGNMENT AFTER ‘MURDER YOU’ REMARK TO CALIFORNIA MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL “I don’t see any difference between these protesters and individuals who have been members of the Ku Klux Klan, particularly when you look at the fact that there’s a federal statute that makes it a criminal violation of the law to wear a mask on public highways or on private premises to deny rights to other Americans,” von Spakovsky said. “And what are we seeing on these college campuses? We see these Hamas supporters covering their faces so they can’t be recognized, the same way the Ku Klux Klan did, I don’t see any difference between the two.” Given the potential for violence, von Spakovsky believes more should be done to break up the current encampments and demonstrations. “I find it shocking and alarming that steps aren’t being taken to immediately stop this,” von Spakovsky said. “For example, any of the students who are participating in these protests … this support for a terrorist group, they are not U.S. citizens, their visas ought to be revoked immediately. And they should be expelled from the country. … I just don’t see any other way.” Gonzalez expressed a similar sentiment, arguing the potential for violence should be enough for the FBI to investigate the
Trump defense attorneys to motion for mistrial amid Stormy Daniels testimony
Former President Trump’s defense attorneys are moving for a mistrial amid the testimony of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels. Defense attorney Todd Blanche, after court’s lunch break, told Judge Juan Merchan that Daniels’ testimony Tuesday morning was prejudicial. Merchan said a mistrial was not warranted, and stated that he was doing everything he could to control the witness — including once objecting to Daniel’s testimony himself. “I agree that it would have been better if some of these things had been left unsaid,” Merchan said. Blanche said the prosecution is trying to inflame the jury with Daniels’ testimony, including with evidence that he says does not matter. Blanche said it is prejudicial testimony and evidence, saying Daniels has been trying to sell her story about an alleged consensual sexual encounter since 2016. Blanche said Daniels’ testimony on Tuesday was about “consent and danger” and said that was “not the story that she was selling in 2016.” Blanche also said that Daniels is testifying about consent, and said that kind of testimony “makes it impossible to come back from.”Blanche said the defense “objected as best we could but she was able to say what she said.” Blanche questioned how the defense could “come back from this” in a way that could be “fair” to former President Trump.”We believe there should be a mistrial,” Blanche said. “Or that this witness’ testimony is excluded and extremely limited.” Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger says the defense was fully briefed on Stormy’s testimony in the motions prior to trial, and argued that Daniels’ testimony was probative to Trump’s intent. Hoffinger said the defense is attacking Daniels’ credibility, and argued there is “no basis for this.” During the break, the former president and 2024 Republican presumptive presidential nominee, posted to his Truth Social account, without naming Daniels. “THE PROSECUTION, WHICH HAS NO CASE, HAS GONE TOO FAR,” Trump posted. “MISTRIAL!” Before lunch, Merchan said the “the degree of detail we’re going into is unnecessary,” pointing to Daniel’s testimony, asking prosecutor Susan Hoffinger to move things along. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Republicans urge Biden to prevent French company from collaborating with Russian nuclear company
Two influential Republican U.S. lawmakers have urged President Joe Biden to prevent a French company from working on civil nuclear power projects with Russia’s state-owned nuclear company Rosatom, saying doing otherwise would help fund Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. In a letter seen by Reuters, Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged Biden to not waive sanctions on Russia, saying it would allow French-owned Electricite de France, or EDF, to engage in nuclear power projects with Rosatom. The sanctions, which Biden issued by executive order in 2021 and later amended, address national security threats posed by foreign activities of the Russian Federation. RUSSIA ANNOUNCES NUCLEAR DRILLS IN RESPONSE TO ‘PROVOCATIVE’ COMMENTS BY WESTERN OFFICIALS “This waiver will result in more money in Putin’s coffers to fund his brutal war of aggression against Ukraine and suppression of democracy,” the lawmakers said in the letter, dated May 6. “We urge you to reject this proposal.” “We believe the only way to influence the administration’s decision is to go public,” a spokesperson for Risch told Reuters. Biden last month signed into law an aid package with nearly $61 billion in military assistance for Ukraine. He is expected to sign a ban recently passed by Congress on imports of Russian enriched uranium. The lawmakers said exempting EDF from U.S. sanctions would allow it to purchase a subsidiary of a U.S. company that had been engaged in nuclear power projects with Rosatom in Hungary, Turkey and Egypt, projects that have been suspended for years due to sanctions. The lawmakers said over-dependence on Russian energy poses a threat to transatlantic security, and “it is incomprehensible that your administration would consider actively perpetuating this dependence.” The White House’s national security council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cardona grilled over Biden student loan handouts for campus anti-Israel agitators ‘breaking the law’
President Biden’s Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona was grilled on Capitol Hill Tuesday on whether U.S. taxpayers would foot the student loan bills for anti-Israel agitators “breaking the law” at college campuses. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., asked Cardona that because he has “been proudly volunteering the taxpayers to take on the student loan debt of largely wealthy college graduates,” does he “believe the students who spend their time in college calling for the destruction of an ethnic or religious group or spend their time preventing students a particular ethnic or religious groups from walking around campus freely or spend their time occupying campus buildings deserve to have their education paid for by taxpayers.” “I couldn’t hear you that well, but if you’re making reference to the student debt relief plan that we’ve done, I’m really proud of the work that we’re doing to provide a lifeline for students who chose to go to college and are living…” Cardona responded before Foxx interjected. She said she was referring to students “who are being antisemitic and stopping Jewish students from being able to go to class and threatening them.” “Do you want to have the taxpayers pay their loans off?” the chairwoman asked during Tuesday’s hearing titled, “Examining the Education Department’s Policies, Priorities, and FY 2023 Financial Audit Failure.” GROUP OF CONSERVATIVE JUDGES VOWS TO NOT HIRE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENTS DUE TO ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS “I believe that students who are breaking the law and are disrupting the educational environment should be held to account. I believe it’s important that all students have access to their higher education classes and graduation,” said Cardona, who is testifying before the committee for the fourth time. Foxx asked the secretary if he would commit to ensuring that no student who has “harassed other students, or prevented other students from going to class or broken laws receives any form of student loan forgiveness.” “We are committed to making sure that campuses are safe. I condemn any form of hate or any violence on campus. I’ve spoken to students and educators who have experienced that, and…” Cardona said. Foxx asserted, “We’d like you to follow through on those who do break the law and make sure they don’t receive student loan forgiveness.” In her opening statement, Foxx reiterated her call for Cardona’s resignation, charging that the secretary “presided over the greatest decline of educational attainment and institutional legitimacy in the history of our nation.” “From the beginning, I’ve urged a firm hand in dealing with the explosion of antisemitism on campus, and I’ve led by example. You, on the other hand, refused to even say that the ‘From the River to the Sea’ chant is antisemitic,” Foxx said. “I saw this as a failure of moral clarity deeming you unfit for public office and called for your resignation in February. With the outbreak of campus riots, I am only more resolute, so I will say it again: you must resign. If I were to grade your time as secretary based on the state of post-secondary education, I would also give you an F.” COLUMBIA CANCELING GRADUATION CEREMONY SHOWS ‘INMATES ARE RUNNING THE ASYLUM’: STUDENTS The hearing comes amid a bungled rollout of a new federal student aid form that has left millions of students in limbo. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) went through a massive overhaul that was supposed to make it simpler and shorter. However, a series of blunders by the Education Department made it harder than ever, delaying college decisions by months and raising fears that hundreds of thousands of students will forgo college entirely. By May 1, students across the U.S. usually know where they are headed to college in the fall. This year, however, most do not even have financial aid offers yet after delays and glitches in the launch of the new FAFSA form. The rollout has attracted bipartisan criticism in Congress, and is being investigated at the request of Republicans. Last week, Richard Cordray, the federal student loan chief who oversaw the FAFSA update, announced he is stepping down at the end of June. Foxx demanded Cardona commit to finding a replacement for Cordray who has “real world experience leading a massive lending operation so that we can be assured that the financial interests of the taxpayers are protected,” given FAFSA is “de facto the largest consumer bank in the country.” “When the department should have been pouring time and resources into FAFSA, it was pouring time and resources into the latest student loan debt scheme,” Foxx said. “The newest scheme – the IDR SAVE plan – adds to your department’s actions that could cost taxpayers up to $1 trillion. For perspective, these actions are more expensive than all post-secondary education spending before 2020. The Higher Education Act passed in 1965. Yet you’re projected to spend more on just the Biden’s student loan debt scheme than all other secretaries spent since 1965 combined.” CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Last week, House Republicans also announced an investigation into federal funding for universities overrun by anti-Israel encampments in potential violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The Associated Press contributed to this report.