Dem lawmaker teams up with Planned Parenthood to host ‘deceptive’ drag story hour in Arizona Capitol
Democratic lawmakers in Arizona’s state legislature hosted a “Drag Story Hour” in partnership with Planned Parenthood on Tuesday, sparking backlash from their Republican colleagues who said the event was “deceptively” planned. “Democrat Rep. Lorena Austin deliberately misled House leadership to reserve a conference room to host a drag story hour with Planned Parenthood,” House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican, said in a statement. “Use of House facilities for radical activism to promote dangerously perverse ideology will not be tolerated while I am Speaker.” Toma said Democrats have “lost the privilege” of reserving House meeting rooms “until trust can be restored.” The drag story hour took place in the Copper Basin Room in the House basement. ARIZONA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN A video, which a spokesperson from the state Senate told Fox News Digital was taken by an intern who stopped by at the event, shows a man in a sparkly suit jacket wearing pink and white makeup reading from the book “Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes.” “When is it time to choose a new name? Why does someone become an activist? How does one begin?” the man can be heard saying in the video. Rep. Lorena Austin, a nonbinary Democrat lawmaker in the state House, organized the event with Planned Parenthood. Fox News Digital reached out for comment but did not hear back by press deadline from Austin or the abortion network. SUPREME COURT SHARPLY AT ODDS OVER EMERGENCY ROOM ABORTION ACCESS IN STATES’ RIGHTS CHALLENGE Austin also helped plan a “LGBTQ+ Youth Day at the Capitol” on Wednesday. “As legislation continues to focus on queer youth, it is imperative these decision makers see and hear from the youth impacted by policies they pass. It’s also an opportunity for us to build community and uplift one another,” One-n-Ten, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group wrote in a post on Instagram. “Hope you can join Youth Day at the AZ Capitol 2024!” ARIZONA STATE DEM ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR IN 2019: REPORTS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In a statement posted to X, Planned Parenthood Arizona said in response to Toma that it’s another example “of Speaker Toma showing how out of touch he is with the values of Arizonans & their support for the LGTBQ community.” “At Planned Parenthood Arizona, we are proud to offer gender-affirming care services and provide essential health care to everyone,” the group said. “We thank Rep. Lorena Austin for being a staunch ally and for their continued support in our fight for reproductive freedom. We will be sure to invite Speaker Toma to the next Drag Story Hour.” State Sen. John Kavanaugh told Fox News Digital that it was the first time anything like the drag event had happened at the Capitol. “And it wouldn’t have happened had they been truthful and said they wanted to have a drag queen story hour,” he said. “I mean, that in and of itself, is so inflammatory and controversial, which is probably why they didn’t mention that. So, it was the fact that they were deceptive in the explanation.”
Dem mayor boasts about violent crime going ‘down’ for a week, lashes out at media for not covering
A Democratic mayor on Monday demanded more positive media coverage of crime in Washington, D.C., claiming there was more than a week of violence being “down” despite a weekend of shootings and stabbings. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday was pressed by a reporter during a press conference on how her office balances the messaging of calling on residents to go out in D.C. while also warning about violence, prompting her to lash out at the media. “You didn’t report that we had like over a week where violence was down, homicide didn’t happen,” Bowser told reporters. “I know you didn’t report that, but it’s OK. I’ll tell you.” Social media users blasted the Democratic mayor’s comment about violent crime being down for a single week as crime continues to plague the city. DC MAYOR REFUSES TO MEET WITH FATHER WHO LOST THREE SONS TO CITY’S VIOLENT CRIME “Not sure what Bowser is talking about here. There were multiple homicides in the District just last week,” a Punchbowl News senior producer posted on X. “A week with no homicides? Hope someone is organizing a parade,” an American Action Forum (AAF) staffer posted on X. “Completely clueless. Imagine trying to get sarcastic while bragging about ONE week without a homicide. Congrats,” a D.C. banking executive posted on X. “This lady is Grade A crazy. People are shooting up clubs on random weekends and she’s talking about 1 week of no homicides,” another X user wrote responding to the clip. “This is such an unserious answer from Mayor Bowser on arguably the biggest issue in D.C.,” another wrote. LAWMAKERS PASS ‘SECURE DC’ ANTI-CRIME BILL AFTER BUSINESS GROUPS WARN OF ‘ALARMING’ TREND OF VIOLENCE Bowser’s claim comes just days after she revealed she would not be meeting with a D.C. father who has reportedly been demanding a meeting with officials after losing three of his sons to violent crime in the city. The man’s three sons were Avion Evans, who was shot and killed at D.C.’s Brookland Metro station April 4; his brother, Johnny Evans III, who was stabbed to death at D.C.’s Deanwood Metro; and John Coleman, who was reportedly shot to death last May. Homicides are down in the city compared to the same time last year but remain high with 56 individuals being victims of homicide since the beginning of 2024, according to D.C. crime data. Days before Bowser’s comment regarding crime, a shooting erupted outside a popular nightclub in Washington, D.C., Friday night. Six people, including a woman celebrating her bachelorette party, were shot in the 1200 block of Connecticut Ave Northwest and 18th Street Northwest. “I will never return to the streets of D.C.,” Katie, the mother of three and bride-to-be who was shot, told Fox5 after the incident. “I was doing nothing wrong in what was supposed to be the safest place in D.C., and I got shot.” Earlier that evening, a male teenager was repeatedly stabbed in the food court at Union Station, a busy travel hub for Amtrak. There were also shootings Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon in D.C., including a homicide Tuesday night. Fox News Digital asked Bowser if she had any additional comments after violent crime spiked again after reportedly being down for a week but received no response at the time of this publication.
GOP in battleground states rip Trump trial judge’s ‘dangerous’ ruling
EXCLUSIVE: The judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s ongoing New York City trial is taking heat from a rare coalition formed to jointly condemn his “dangerous” gag order ruling that it says “poses a dire threat to our democracy.” The group, made up mostly of prominent Republican candidates running in battleground states crucial to flipping the Senate red in November, includes Pennsylvania’s Dave McCormick, Wisconsin’s Eric Hovde, Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, Michigan’s Mike Rogers, Arizona’s Kari Lake, Indiana’s Jim Banks, Nevada’s Sam Brown, Montana’s Tim Sheehy and West Virginia’s Jim Justice. All signed onto a joint statement condemning Judge Juan Merchan’s imposition of the “unconstitutional” gag order, which Trump himself has called “election interference.” RFK, JR REVEALS PATH TO PRESIDENCY AS BIDEN, TRUMP CAMPAIGNS TARGET RACE ‘SPOILER’ “We have deep concerns regarding the gag order imposed on President Trump, as it fundamentally violates constitutional principles and threatens the very essence of freedom of speech and expression in the middle of an election,” the group said. “The First Amendment of the United States Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to freedom of speech, stating that ‘Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.’ This fundamental right is not contingent upon one’s political affiliation or position of power,” they said. The group went on to say that “any attempt to silence or restrict the speech of a candidate for president undermines the core values upon which our democracy is built,” and it set a “dangerous precendent” for presidents and other elected officials in the future. VOTERS IN MAJOR SWING STATE SOUND OFF ON TRUMP TRIAL: VIDEO “If we allow such actions to go unchecked, it opens the door for authoritarian tendencies to flourish, where those in power can suppress dissenting voices and control the narrative to serve their own interests. Make no mistake: Silencing a candidate for public office, under the threat of imprisonment, poses a dire threat to our democracy,” they said. The group added that the gag order also affected the American public by inhibiting their “right to information and transparency,” and that they “have a right to be informed about the actions and statements of their elected leaders.” “In conclusion, the gag order imposed on President Trump is a clear violation of the First Amendment and represents a dangerous encroachment on the fundamental rights that form the bedrock of our democracy. America must stand firm in defense of these principles and resist any attempts to undermine them, regardless of political affiliations or personal opinions,” they said. BLACK REPUBLICAN WHO SHUNNED DEI BY IDENTIFYING AS ‘AMERICA’ SAYS DEMS’ ‘FREE PASS’ TO MINORITIES IS OVER Merchan imposed the gag order on Trump before his trial began last month, ordering that the former president cannot make or direct others to make public statements about witnesses with regard to their potential participation or about counsel in the case — other than Bragg — or about court staff, DA staff or family members of staff. He also ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about any prospective juror or chosen juror. In his ruling, Merchan pointed to Trump’s “prior extrajudicial statements,” saying they establish “a sufficient risk to the administration of justice.” Merchan ruled Tuesday that Trump violated the gag order banning him from speaking publicly about witnesses and family members of court officials. He specifically ruled Trump violated the order on nine separate occasions in social media posts, with each violation resulting in a $1,000 fine. The former president was ordered to pay $9,000 for violating the gag order. Following Merchan’s ruling, Trump removed the social media posts found in violation of the order from his Truth Social account. The ruling comes after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office accused Trump of violating the order 14 times since it was imposed last month. Trump has repeatedly railed against the gag order, calling the case overall a “scam” promoted by the Biden administration and saying the gag order has stripped him of the ability to defend himself against accusations in the case. Fox News’ Emma Colton and 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
At least 200 arrested at May Day clashes in Turkey
NewsFeed Protesters tried to reach Istanbul’s Taksim Square despite a ban by Turkish President Erdogan on May Day demonstrations at the site. Published On 1 May 20241 May 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Can Israeli leader’s threat to invade Rafah derail Gaza ceasefire talks?
US secretary of state says a deal is achievable as he makes another diplomatic push to pause the fighting in Gaza. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says a strong proposal for a truce in Israel’s war on Gaza is on the table as he makes his seventh visit to the Middle East since fighting began in October. The comments come as indirect talks for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas carry on in Egypt. But questions are being raised about the chances of an agreement being reached after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his plan to invade Rafah. Can Netanyahu’s threat disrupt talks to end the war that has killed more than 34,500 Palestinians? Presenter: Nick Clark Guests: Daniel Levy – President of the US Middle East Project Nour Odeh – Political analyst William Lawrence – Professor at American University Adblock test (Why?)
US increases pressure on Israel over Gaza aid as truce talks continue
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Israeli officials to improve the facilitation of humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza amid warnings from the United Nations and aid agencies of a looming famine in parts of the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. Blinken on Wednesday travelled to Kerem Shalom, an Israeli entry point into Gaza about 3km (2 miles) from the southern city of Rafah that is known to Palestinians as Karem Abu Salem. The top United States diplomat also visited Israel’s main port, Ashdod, highlighting “progress” made in recent weeks on humanitarian access, but stressed once again that more needs to be done. “The progress is real but given the need, given the immense need in Gaza, it needs to be accelerated, it needs to be sustained,” he said. Blinken asked Israel’s government to take a set of specific steps to facilitate aid to Gaza, where nearly half the population are suffering catastrophic hunger, he said. Israel has sought to demonstrate it is not blocking aid to Gaza, especially since US President Joe Biden issued a stark warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Washington’s policy could shift if Israel fails to take steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. Earlier on Wednesday, Jordan’s foreign ministry said Israeli settlers attacked two of its humanitarian aid convoys as they made their way towards Gaza. “Two Jordanian aid convoys carrying food, flour and other humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip were attacked by settlers,” the ministry said, without giving details of what happened. Jordanian public service media outlet Al-Mamlaka TV reported that a Jordanian aid convoy consisting of 31 trucks entered Gaza via the Beit Hanoon crossing, known as the Erez crossing to Israelis. This is its first opening since the start of the war. Rafah During his earlier meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken also reiterated that Washington would not support a military operation in Rafah without a plan to ensure civilians were protected. “We cannot, will not support a major military operation in Rafah absent an effective plan to make sure that civilians are not harmed and no, we’ve not seen such a plan,” Blinken told reporters. The United Nations and humanitarian groups have long warned that a military operation there, where more than 1.5 million people are crammed in, would cause a catastrophe. “There are other ways, and in our judgement better ways, of dealing with the … ongoing challenge of Hamas that does not require a major military operation in Rafah,” he said, adding that it was the subject of ongoing talks with Israeli officials. But an Israeli government spokesperson said Israel remained determined to destroy the remaining Hamas fighting formations. “When it comes to Rafah – we are committed to remove the last four of five Hamas battalions in Rafah – we are sharing our plans with Secretary of State Blinken,” the spokesperson told a regular briefing. While facing international calls to hold off on any Rafah offensive, Netanyahu has faced pressure from the religious nationalist partners he depends on for the survival of his coalition government to press ahead. Negotiations Israel is the final stop on the top US diplomat’s Middle East tour amid renewed efforts to secure a ceasefire and exchange of hostages for prisoners. Blinken urged Hamas to accept a truce deal proposed by Egyptian mediators, which would see 33 hostages released in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners and a halt to the fighting, with the possibility of further steps towards a comprehensive deal later. “Israel has made very important compromises,” he said. “There’s no time for further haggling. The deal is there. They [Hamas] should take it.” A senior official for Hamas said the group was studying the proposed deal and accused Blinken of failing to respect both sides and described Israel as the real obstacle. “Blinken’s comments contradict reality,” Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. Israel is holding off sending a delegation to Cairo for follow-up truce talks, pending a response from Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, an Israeli official told Reuters. “Only after he responds will we decide what to do.” Israeli media reported on Wednesday that Netanyahu was still refusing to accept Hamas’s central demand that any deal would have to include a permanent ceasefire and a withdrawal of Israeli troops. The Israeli news site Ynet, citing the Prime Minister’s Office, said Netanyahu told Blinken a Rafah operation “was not contingent on anything” and that he rejected any truce proposals that would end the Gaza war. Adblock test (Why?)
Democrats advance election bill in Pennsylvania long sought by counties to process ballots faster
Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill long sought by counties seeking help to manage huge influxes of mail-in ballots during elections in the presidential battleground state and to avoid a repeat of 2020’s drawn-out vote count. The bill comes barely six months before Pennsylvania could play a decisive role in selecting the next president in November’s election between Democratic President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, a Republican. PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTES TO CRIMINALIZE BLUETOOTH STALKING The bill passed on party lines, 102-99, as Democrats backed it and Republicans opposed it, warning that it would open the door to fraud. It faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Senate, however. Under the bill, county election workers could begin processing ballots up to seven days before Election Day. Counties have sought that kind of a provision for years, even before 2020’s presidential election, to give them more time to process mail-in ballots and avoid a drawn-out post-election count. Nearly every state allows time before Election Day for workers to process mail-in ballots. Currently, Pennsylvania doesn’t let counties begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania backed the bill, saying that having more time to process mail-in ballots before polls close — called “precanvassing” — will help them manage the workload and ensure quicker results. “This simple change would significantly improve election administration without compromising ballot security,” Lisa Schaefer, the association’s executive director, said in a statement. Schaefer asked the Republican-controlled Senate to quickly advance the bill to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk so that it can be implemented for November’s general election. In the Senate, GOP Majority Leader Joe Pittman insisted Wednesday that Pennsylvania must toughen voter identification requirements as a companion to any legislation on election administration. Democrats have opposed such a change, saying there is scant record of in-person voting fraud and that it will only prevent some registered voters from voting. A surge in mail-in ballots in 2020’s presidential election shined a spotlight on Pennsylvania’s requirement after it took four days of counting for news agencies to project Biden as the winner of Pennsylvania, giving him the electoral votes necessary to win the White House. However, Trump and his allies tried to exploit the days it took after polls closed to tabulate the millions of mail-in ballots to spread baseless conspiracy theories and cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election.
Biden rival proposes ‘no-spoiler pledge’ in order to take on Trump in November
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – Democrat turned independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is firing back against repeated claims that he’s a spoiler in the 2024 election rematch between President Biden and former President Trump. Kennedy on Wednesday once again argued that he, rather than Biden, is the only candidate who can defeat Trump in November – and showcased a new internal poll conducted by his campaign to make his point – as he announced a “no-spoiler pledge.” “This is a no-spoiler pledge that we’re announcing today. This is a pledge that I offer to take if President Biden also takes it,” Kennedy said at a news conference where the candidate took no questions from reporters. Kennedy said his pledge calls for him and Biden to “agree to co-fund in October a 50-state poll with 30,000 or more likely voters. This is essentially, effectively, a zero margin of error, in October of 2024. The survey will test the results of a head-to-head race pitting President Biden versus President Trump and a second head-to-head race pitting me against President Trump.” KENNEDY MAKES THE BALLOT IN THIS KEY GENERAL ELECTION BATTLEGROUND STATE Kennedy emphasized that “whoever performs weakest against President Trump in a two-man contest will drop out of the presidential race. This is a spoiler pledge.” The longtime environmental activist and high-profile vaccine skeptic, who is the scion of the nation’s most storied political dynasty, added he’s “happy to make the same pledge” with Trump. But he added that “Trump is not a spoiler because he can actually win.” Neither the Biden campaign nor the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which earlier this year brought on veteran communicators to target third-party and independent candidates, reacted to Kennedy’s pledge. KENNEDY REVEALS WHAT HE CLAIMS IS HIS PATH TO THE PRESIDENCY In making his announcement, Kennedy and his campaign manager – daughter-in-law Amaryllis Fox Kennedy – spotlighted a campaign-issued internal poll of over 26,000 respondents from all 50 states that they used to make their point that Kennedy, rather than Biden, has the better shot of defeating Trump in a two-candidate showdown in November. “The people who think I’m spoiling it for Biden need to look at data,” Kennedy argued. Kennedy launched his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in April of last year, but in October the 70-year-old candidate switched to an independent run for the White House. The Biden campaign and the DNC have repeatedly slammed Kennedy as a potential spoiler whose supporters could hand Trump a presidential election victory in November. “We are doing everything in our power to get President Biden and Vice President Harris re-elected. It’s critical that we take seriously every possible obstacle to that goal,” Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis emphasized in a recent conference call with reporters. “And let me be clear, that’s exactly what Robert F. Kennedy is in this election. He’s a spoiler.” Plenty of pundits and pollsters are making the case that Kennedy also could pose a similar problem for Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. And as Kennedy’s increased his appearances on conservative media the past couple of months, the former president and his campaign have increasingly characterized Kennedy, whose populism on some issues seems similar to Trump’s, as a far-left politician. Trump this past weekend repeatedly when on his Truth Social site to blast Kennedy, charging he was a “Democrat ‘Plant’” and “far more LIBERAL than anyone running as a Democrat.” The former president argued that “A Vote for Junior’ would essentially be a WASTED PROTEST VOTE.” Kennedy fired back, saying in a social media post, “When frightened men take to social media they risk descending into vitriol, which makes them sound unhinged,” And, he claimed, “President Trump’s rant against me is a barely coherent barrage of wild and inaccurate claims that should best be resolved in the American tradition of presidential debate.” Kennedy’s goal is to get on the ballot in all 50 states, which is a costly and time-consuming venture for independent candidates. Kennedy’s campaign announced earlier this week he would be on the ballot in California, which has 54 electoral votes, the most of any state. Kennedy secured the nomination of the American Independent Party, a minor third party. Kennedy’s also on the ballot as an independent in Utah and in Hawaii through a newly formed political party. Two weeks ago, Kennedy also made the ballot in Michigan, a crucial general election battleground state, courtesy of another third party. And his campaign said Kennedy has collected enough signatures to meet ballot access thresholds in the battlegrounds of North Carolina and Nevada, the swing state of New Hampshire, as well as Nebraska and Iowa. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News Politics: Cursing and screaming
Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. What’s happening? -Biden attacks ‘extreme’ Florida abortion ban -Two House Republicans move to oust Speaker Johnson -NYC Mayor Adams warns of movement to radicalize young people FIRST ON FOX: Anti-Israel radicals have protested outside of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz’s Texas home more than a dozen times in recent weeks, with the agitators reportedly tied to the Students for Justice in Palestine group occupying college campuses nationwide, Fox News Digital exclusively learned. Cruz’s home in Houston has been the target of 14 protests since February, including a protest on Friday when one suspect was arrested. Cruz’s office said that the senator remains resolute in his support of Israel, while brushing off the protesters’ tactics of “harassment or intimidation.” “Senator Cruz will continue to stand with Israel and support Israel’s right to defend itself and utterly eradicate Hamas. No amount of harassment or intimidation by terrorist supporters will change that,” a spokesman for the senator said. Last week, Cruz wrote online that “Pro-Hamas protestors have been screaming and cursing for 2 hours. Banging cowbells & blowing whistles.” FLORIDA BANS: Biden laments ‘extreme’ Florida abortion ban, blames Trump …Read more ROGUE TWO: 2 House Republicans move to oust Speaker Johnson 6 months after he took gavel …Read more ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’: GOP senator fights back against illegal immigrants voting in DC elections …Read more UN HYPOCRISY: Fetterman blasts UN rights chief over ‘concern’ for anti-Israel agitators …Read more ‘FREE SPEECH’: Tim Scott criticizes Trump gag order fines as First Amendment breach …Read more A PRICE FOR RIOTING: GOP rep looks to strip financial aid from students convicted in anti-Israel protests …Read more MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION: Trump asks if college riots are intentional to distract from ‘millions’ of migrants ‘pouring into our country’ …Read more ‘STOP IMMEDIATELY’: Trump says ‘weak and ineffective leadership’ at universities must be ‘replaced’ amid violent anti-Israel chaos …Read more SWING AND A MISS: Columbia copied Biden’s playbook of ‘don’t’ when addressing anti-Israel agitators — then it tried Trump’s …Read more ‘GLOBAL PROBLEM’: NYC Mayor Adams warns of movement to ‘radicalize young people’ after NYPD arrests hundreds at Columbia, CUNY campuses …Read more MIGRANT ENCAMPMENT: Hundreds of asylum seekers take up residence at Seattle park after funding for hotel stay runs out …Read more GOT ‘EM: Agents nab three illegal immigrants with vile criminal history …Read more Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
House votes to expand definition of antisemitism amid anti-Israel demonstrations across US
The House voted to expand the legal definition of antisemitism used to enforce anti-discrimination laws at a time when anti-Israel protests are raging at college campuses across the country. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House by a 320-91 vote, netting a majority of Republicans and Democrats. If passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden, the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act would mandate that the Department of Education legally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination rules. Critics of the bill have attacked it as government overreach and said it would negatively impact free speech on campus. VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS Like most issues in Israel’s war on Hamas, the vote divided the Democratic Party. An increasing number of voices on the left, anchored by progressives, have been critical of Israel’s invasion of Gaza and the U.S. government’s position on the war. The bill had over a dozen Democratic backers, including Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., who are Jewish, and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., among others. Seventy Democrats voted against the bill, while 133 voted against it. On the Republican side, just 21 voted against the bill, with 187 GOP lawmakers in support. The opposition was led in part by Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., a Jewish progressive who’s the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. “This definition, adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance or IHRA, includes, quote, contemporary examples of antisemitism, close quote. The problem is that these examples may include protected speech in some context, particularly with respect to criticism of the state of Israel,” Nadler said during debate on the bill. “To be clear, I vehemently disagree with the sentiments toward Israel expressing those examples. And, too often, criticism of Israel does in fact take the form virulent antisemitism.” HOCHUL SILENT AS PRESSURE GROWS FOR NATIONAL GUARD TO BREAK UP COLUMBIA’S ANTI-ISRAEL THRONG On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voiced his objections to the bill on the morning of the vote. “This is a poorly conceived unconstitutional bill and I will vote no,” Massie wrote on X, along with screenshots of examples on IHRA’s website of what it defines as antisemitism. It includes “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” and “drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who led the bill, told Fox News Digital, “When people engage in harassment or bullying of Jewish individuals where they justify the killing of Jews or use blood libel or hold Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government – that is antisemitic. It’s unfortunate that needs to be clarified, but that’s why this bill is necessary.” ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ RAPIDLY EMERGING AS KEY SLOGAN OF ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS IN US He also reiterated criticism of the anti-Israel protests at colleges like Columbia University, Yale University and others, where tensions have escalated to the point of Jewish students reporting feeling unsafe on campus. Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., one of the Democrats sponsoring the bill, said there’s “no place for antisemitism on college campuses.” “We need to take an aggressive and multifaceted approach to keep our Jewish students safe, and that means passing the Antisemitism Awareness Act immediately,” Ryan told Fox News Digital.