Biden Education secretary pressed on pulling federal dollars from universities over antisemitic protests
President Biden’s Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was grilled on Capitol Hill Tuesday on whether he would expedite Title VI investigations to possibly pull federal funding from universities riled with antisemitic protests. During a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing dedicated to discussing the president’s fiscal year 2025 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., hammered Cardona on how Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination of race, color or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Asserting that “no student should feel unsafe on campus,” the senator cited how “just last week, Columbia University had to move classes online, and Jewish students were told by a campus rabbi to go home because it was no longer safe for them on their campus” and “late last night, protesters took over Hamilton Hall on campus, and the university is locked down today with access limited to only residential students.” “This is just totally unacceptable. So, Secretary Cardona, do you believe what is happening to Jewish students at Columbia and other colleges and universities across this country is okay?” Capito demanded. “Absolutely not. I think what’s happening on our campuses is abhorrent,” Cardona said. “Hate has no place on our campuses. And I’m very concerned with the reports of antisemitism. I’ve spoken to Jewish students who have feared going to class as a result of some of the harassment that they’re facing on campuses. It’s unacceptable, and we’re committed as a Department of Education to adhering to Title VI enforcement.” Cardona said the Department of Education has 137 open cases of possible Title VI enforcement violations – including at Columbia University – and has “increased the number of communications to college campuses to make sure that they have what they need in terms of the law and best practices on how to make sure they’re protecting students.” “This is why in our budget we’re proposing a $22 million increase to increase the number of investigators so we can move on those investigations that are open. And ultimately, if a school refuses to comply with Title VI, yes, we would remove federal dollars,” he told lawmakers. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LOCKS DOWN CAMPUS BUILDINGS FOLLOWING OVERNIGHT MUTINY: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’ Fox News cameras caught up with Cardona in the hallway afterward. Congressional correspondent Aishah Hasnie asked Cardona if he would support defunding universities that cannot get antisemitism under control or violated Title IV. “Our Jewish students on campus right now are being attacked or harassed in some cases. And while I support and defend the First Amendment right, it’s not acceptable when students have to deal with antisemitism on campus or calls for genocide,” Cardona said. “We need to do better, and our students need to be safe.” “Can you expedite some of these cases?” Hasnie asked, but Cardona then remained silent. During the hearing, Cardona told lawmakers that “being unsafe on campus is not going to be tolerated and that we do not condone, and we definitely reject any calls for genocide or any calls for antisemitism or any antisemitism on campus. And that’s something that I’ve been pretty adamant about even before October 7th.” ANTISEMITIC RIOT AT COLUMBIA REACHES BOILING POINT AS AGITATORS TAKE OVER ACADEMIC BUILDING, BARRICADE DOORS Capito contrasted some of the responses at elite universities, in the northeast and elsewhere, with how University of Florida President Ben Sasse – a former U.S. senator – has reacted to anti-Israel campus protests. She championed how Sasse stated, “The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children — they knew the rules, they broke the rules, and they’ll face the consequences.” “For many days, we have patiently told protesters — many of whom are outside agitators — that they were able to exercise their right to free speech and free assembly,” Sasse said in an issued statement Monday. “And we also told them that clearly prohibited activities would result in a trespassing order from UPD (barring them from all university properties for three years) and an interim suspension from the university. For days UPD patiently and consistently reiterated the rules. Today, individuals who refused to comply were arrested after UPD gave multiple warnings and multiple opportunities to comply.” Capito told Cardona, “I would recommend this. Put this on the front of your page on best way to deal with antisemitism on campus.” When pressed, the secretary admitted the DOE does not have staff on the ground at Columbia from its civil rights office or otherwise.
False ad depicting Dade Phelan with Nancy Pelosi could inspire new anti-deepfake legislation
A mailer, paid for by the Jeff Yass-bankrolled Club for Growth Action PAC, falsely depicted Phelan in a hug with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
79 arrested amid second crackdown on UT-Austin campus
Authorities and protesters clashed during the latest pro-Palestinian demonstration at the university on Monday.
NY v Trump: Judge regrets he ‘unfortunately’ can’t fine 45th president more in gag order ruling
The judge presiding over the NY v. Trump trial in Manhattan lamented not being able to fine former President Trump more than $1,000 for each violation of his gag order amid the trial. Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $9,000 Tuesday morning for violating a gag order that bans him from speaking publicly about witnesses and family members of court officials. The judge found he violated the order on nine separate occasions, with each violation resulting in a $1,000 fine. The judge detailed in the order that if Trump carries out “continued willful violations” of the gag order, he could face “incarceratory punishment” if “necessary and appropriate.” In the text of his order, Merchan lamented that the fines’ costs “unfortunately will not achieve the desired result in those instances where the contemnor can easily afford such a fine.” LIVE UPDATES: NEW YORK V. TRUMP TRIAL ENTERS THIRD WEEK AS JUDGE FINES TRUMP FOR GAG ORDER VIOLATIONS “Criminal contempt is punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000, by jail not exceeding 30 days or by both in the discretion of the court, for each violation of a court order,” Merchan wrote. NY V TRUMP CRIMINAL TRIAL BEGINS ITS 3RD WEEK AS FORMER PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF GAG ORDER VIOLATIONS “However, the Judiciary Law, does not vest the Court with authority to craft an appropriate punishment when a $1,000 fine will not achieve the intended purpose. While $1,000 may suffice in most instances to protect the dignity of the judicial system, to compel respect for its mandates and to punish the offender for disobeying a court order, it unfortunately will not achieve the desired result in those instances where the contemnor can easily afford such a fine,” he continued. Merchan continued that it would be “preferable” if the court “could impose a fine more commensurate with the wealth of the contemnor.” NY PROSECUTORS REVEAL ‘ANOTHER CRIME’ TRUMP ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO CONCEAL WITH FALSIFIED BUSINESS RECORDS “In some cases that might be a $2,500 fine, in other cases it might be a fine of $150,000. Because this Court is not cloaked with such discretion, it must therefore consider whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment,” he said, highlighting again that Trump could face time behind bars if he continues violating the order. TRUMP TRIAL: FORMER PRESIDENT ‘INNOCENT,’ DEFENSE SAYS AS DA ALLEGES ‘CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY’ Trump is on trial regarding 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during the 2016 election cycle. He has pleaded not guilty to each charge and slammed the case as a “witch hunt” and “scam.” The NY v. Trump case focuses on Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen paying former pornographic actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 to allegedly quiet her claims of an alleged extramarital affair she had with the then-real estate tycoon in 2006. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels. Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently logged the payments as legal expenses. Prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified records with the intent to commit or conceal a second crime, which is a felony. Prosecutors this week said the second crime was a violation of a New York law called “conspiracy to promote or prevent election.”
Trump permitted to attend son Barron’s graduation after ripping trial judge for delaying decision
The judge presiding over the NY v. Trump trial in Manhattan granted former President Trump permission on Tuesday to attend his son’s high school graduation in Florida next month. “I don’t think the May 17 date is a problem,” Judge Juan Merchan told the court Tuesday morning of Barron Trump’s graduation date. Trump had pushed for weeks to attend his son’s high school graduation on May 17, but a decision on the matter was left in limbo until Tuesday, with Trump speculating earlier this month he would be denied leaving Manhattan for the event. “(Barron’s) a great student and he’s very proud of the fact he did so well and was looking forward for years to having his graduation with his mother and father there, and it looks like the judge isn’t going to allow me to escape this scam. It’s a scam trial,” the former president said earlier this month when the trial kicked off. LIVE UPDATES: NEW YORK V. TRUMP TRIAL ENTERS THIRD WEEK AS JUDGE FINES TRUMP FOR GAG ORDER VIOLATIONS It is unclear if trial proceedings will pause on May 17 or if the president will simply be absent from the courtroom that day, which falls on a Friday. TRUMP SHOULD RISK ARREST AND ATTEND SON’S GRADUATION, PIERS MORGAN SAYS, FORCE DEMS INTO ‘POLITICAL SUICIDE’ Barron Trump attends a private high school near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in south Florida. Trump is currently on day nine of his ongoing trial in Manhattan, where he is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The case has heard from three witnesses as of late Tuesday morning, including former American Media Inc. CEO and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, former executive assistant to Trump and a senior vice president of the Trump Organization Rhona Graff, and Gary Farro, who served as senior managing director at First Republic Bank in 2016. JUDGE FINES TRUMP THOUSANDS OVER VIOLATING GAG ORDER, WARNS ‘INCARCERATORY PUNISHMENT’ COULD BE NEXT On Tuesday, Merchan ordered Trump to pay $9,000 in fines for violating a gag order that bans him from speaking publicly about witnesses and family members of court officials. The judge found he violated the order on nine separate occasions, with each violation resulting in a $1,000 fine. The judge detailed in the order that if Trump carries out “continued willful violations” of the gag order, he could face “incarceratory punishment” if “necessary and appropriate.” In remarks ahead of court Tuesday morning, Trump called on Merchan to recuse himself, calling the case a “hoax” that is overseen by a “badly conflicted judge.” NY V TRUMP CRIMINAL TRIAL BEGINS ITS 3RD WEEK AS FORMER PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF GAG ORDER VIOLATIONS “This is a hoax. This is a judge who is conflicted. Badly, badly, badly conflicted. I’ve never seen a judge so conflicted and giving us virtually no rulings,” Trump said outside the courtroom. “I’m going to sit in the freezing cold icebox for 8 hours, 9 hours or so. They took me off the campaign trail. But the good news is my poll numbers are the highest it’s ever been. So at least we’re getting the word out. And everybody knows this trial is a scam. It’s a scam. The judge should be recused, that he should recuse himself today he should recuse himself today. And maybe he will,” Trump said. NY PROSECUTORS REVEAL ‘ANOTHER CRIME’ TRUMP ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO CONCEAL WITH FALSIFIED BUSINESS RECORDS Trump has previously slammed Merchan, including railing against him on Truth Social last month, when he called on the judge to recuse himself and cited Merchan’s daughter and her work as a political consultant for Democratic politicians. “Judge Juan Merchan, who is suffering from an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (whose daughter represents Crooked Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, and other Radical Liberals, has just posted a picture of me behind bars, her obvious goal, and makes it completely impossible for me to get a fair trial) has now issued another illegal, un-American, unConstitutional ‘order,’ as he continues to try and take away my Rights,” Trump posted on Truth Social last month after he was given a gag order limiting what he could publicly say about the case. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
California’s population has grown for the first time since 2019, according to governor’s report
The nation’s most populous state is growing again. California gained population last year for the first time since 2019, according to a new estimate released Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. The net increase of just over 67,000 residents in 2023 — a 0.17% increase — stopped a three-year trend of population decline, which included the state’s first-ever year-over-year loss during the pivotal census year of 2020 that later led to California losing a congressional seat. The state estimates California now has more than 39.1 million residents. AMID CALIFORNIA EXODUS, STATE POPULATION PROJECTED TO BE SAME IN 2060 AS TODAY, DATA SHOWS The Newsom administration had blamed the decline on a combination of increased mortality rates during the coronavirus pandemic, a declining birth rate and a slowdown in legal international immigration caused by the pandemic and stricter immigration rules during President Donald Trump’s administration. But critics pointed to a surge of people leaving California for other states, interpreting it as residents fed up with higher taxes, a larger homeless population and a shortage of housing while Democrats have been in power. More people still left California in 2023 than moved here from other states, but it was far less than previous years. In 2021 — when the coronavirus was still surging and more people were transitioning to remote work — California lost a net 355,648 people because of domestic migration. In 2023 — with the pandemic winding down and companies placing more emphasis on returning to in-office workspaces — 91,189 more people moved away from California than into the state. That number is much closer to pre-pandemic trends, according to Walter Schwarm, chief demographer for the California Department of Finance. “We saw it increase at the beginning of the pandemic because there was a certain amount of individuals who moved out of state associated with the ability to work remotely, but we’ve seen that trend reverse,” said H.D. Palmer, spokesperson for the California Department of Finance. Meanwhile, growth from legal international immigration — which has been California’s growth engine for decades — rebounded with a net gain of 114,200 people in 2023, or almost back to the same level it was before the pandemic. “With immigration processing backlogs largely eliminated and deaths returning to long-term trends, a stable foundation for continued growth has returned,” the Department of Finance noted in a news release announcing the estimate. California’s economy has shown signs of strain recently. The state is in the middle of back-to-back multi-billion dollar budget deficits because of declines in state tax revenue. California’s unemployment rate is 5.3%, which is above the national average and the highest of any state. And the state’s stalwart technology industry has been beset by layoffs as companies deal with a slowdown in investments. Despite that, the population increased in 31 of California’s 58 counties — including nine of the 10 counties with populations over 1 million. Los Angeles County — the nation’s most populous with more than 9 million residents — grew slightly by 0.05%, while nearby Orange County grew by 0.31%. California’s population had been booming ever since it became a state in 1850 as a gold rush prompted a surge of people crossing the frontier to seek their fortune in the West. The state had notable surges following World War II fueled by a burgeoning aerospace industry and again in the 1980s and 90s with the technology boom in Silicon Valley. By 2019, California was threatening to break the 40 million population threshold. But that milestone never happened as the state began a period of population decline in 2020. The California Department of Finance releases two population estimates each year: One for the previous calendar year and one for the previous fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. The estimate released Tuesday was for the previous calendar year, offering an estimate of the state’s population as of Jan. 1, 2024. California bases its estimate on a number of factors, including births and deaths, drivers license address changes, vehicle registration and enrollment in the government-funded health insurance programs of Medicaid and Medicare. U.S. Census data released in December showed California with a population of 38.9 million people as of July 1, 2023. The Newsom administration’s estimate is higher, they said, because it includes more updated data from driver’s licenses changes and tax filings.
Johnson to kick off wide-ranging House probe on college campus antisemitism
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is preparing to announce a wide-ranging investigation into antisemitism on college campuses that spans multiple House committees. Multiple sources told Fox News Digital that at least six committees would be involved in the probe: the committees on Education & the Workforce, Energy & Commerce, Oversight, the Judiciary, Ways & Means and the committee on Science, Space & Technology. The probe is a widening of the ongoing investigation into antisemitism on college campuses that is being led by the Education & Workforce Committee. Two sources familiar with planning stressed to Fox News Digital that the committee’s roles are still mostly fluid and that the investigation is necessarily broad because each have some kind of jurisdiction in the matter. CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY REVEALS ‘TRUE COST’ OF ANTI-ISRAEL MOB THAT TOOK OVER ACADEMIC BUILDINGS Johnson is expected to hold a press conference with those committee chairs on Tuesday afternoon to unveil the probe. He spoke out forcefully against the demonstrations last week during a visit to Columbia University, where he also privately met with Jewish students who have said they feel unsafe on campus. It comes as college campuses around the country are seeing a wave of anti-Israel demonstrations that sparked when Columbia University students and those at their sister school, Barnard College, were arrested for setting up an encampment on the Manhattan Ivy League’s grounds. The protests, done in opposition to Columbia’s investments in companies with Israeli ties, have continued since then. The two sources who spoke with Fox News Digital said Columbia is likely to play a significant role, but they stressed the investigation would look into any universities getting federal funds. TRUMP SAYS 4 WORDS ABOUT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AS ARRESTS SKYROCKET While the committees’ roles are fluid, the sources explained that there are some aspects broadly tailored to different panels’ jurisdictions – the Judiciary Committee’s portion, for example, would include looking at existing anti-discrimination laws, they said. The Oversight Committee will, in part, be looking into who is funding the protests, a third source said. A fourth source familiar with planning said the Ways & Means Committee will be examining the tax benefits these universities receive, and what they are doing to justify the tax benefits they are afforded under the current U.S. tax code. During his visit to Columbia last week, Johnson denounced the protesters as a “mob” and specifically denounced professors and other faculty who had joined the protests. VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS “The college campus used to be the place for respectful debate, for the differences of opinion in the free marketplace of ideas to be discussed. That is not what is happening here,” Johnson said. “You are intimidating and shouting down people you disagree with.” In a press release announcing his Tuesday public remarks, Johnson said, “House Republicans, with leadership from committees of jurisdiction, will expand a wide-ranging investigation focused on holding accountable college and university administrators who fail at their core responsibility: keeping their students safe.”
DeSantis touts Florida lawsuit seeking to block Biden’s Title IX changes
Florida filed a lawsuit seeking to block President Biden’s recent changes to Title IX on Tuesday, with Gov. Ron DeSantis accusing the president of “abusing his constitutional authority.” DeSantis announced the lawsuit on social media, saying Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina were also on board with the suit. The Biden administration’s changes to Title IX prevent schools from banning biological males from competing in women’s sports, among other things. “Florida is suing the Biden Administration over its unlawful Title IX changes. Biden is abusing his constitutional authority to push an ideological agenda that harms women and girls and conflicts with the truth,” DeSantis wrote. “We will not comply, and we will fight back against Biden’s harmful agenda.” The Independent Women’s Law Center, Independent Women’s Network, Parents Defending Education and Speech First, Inc. are also listed as plaintiffs in the complaint along with the states. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LOCKS DOWN CAMPUS BUILDINGS FOLLOWING OVERNIGHT MUTINY: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’ The Biden administration’s revision of Title IX redefines “sex” as “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” while also requiring schools to ensure students use “preferred pronouns” for their classmates. If not, the school is at risk of losing federal funding. OPINION: BIDEN’S TITLE IX RULE ADDS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN THROUGH THE BACKDOOR Under the rule, a school must also not separate or treat people differently based on sex, which will allow locker rooms and bathrooms to be based on gender identity. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced the lawsuit on Monday, arguing the change is dangerous for women and would destroy women’s sports. “The Biden administration is destroying women’s sports by gutting commonsense provisions that protect female athletes and demanding that biological males be allowed to compete against females,” Carr said in a public statement. “Today we have taken action to defend women’s rights to fair competition, and we will keep fighting until we end this absurdity once and for all.” BIDEN DISMANTLES TRUMP-ERA TITLE IX RULES, SIDESTEPS ISSUE OF TRANS ATHLETES IN GIRLS’ SPORTS The lawsuit argues that Biden has overstepped his authority by attempting to flaunt Congress. “While different administrations can have different policy views, they cannot override the text that Congress enacted in 1972 or overrule the binding precedent of this circuit. The Biden rule does both—to the detriment of the States, their schools, and their students. For a host of reasons, this new rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act and should be set aside,” the lawsuit reads. Carr has previously pushed back against Biden’s Title IX revision, which was first introduced in July 2022. He called upon the NCAA to protect women’s sports by repealing the rule allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports. Carr has also taken similar legal action in support of Arizona and West Virginia’s “Save Women’s Sports Act.” READ THE FLORIDA LAWSUIT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Weather update: Severe heatwave, rainfall likely in these states, check IMD forecast
Severe heatwave conditions are expected over East India on May 1 and over the South Peninsular region for the following five days
GOP lawmakers hit with ‘gut punch’ as red state’s Dem governor ekes out win in transgender bill battle
Kansas Republicans failed Monday evening to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill that would have banned transgender surgical procedures for children. Just a few hours after the Senate voted 27-13 to override the veto, the GOP-supermajority in the state House came up two votes shy to solidify its reversal. Two Republicans dissented in the final tally, which was 82-43. “I’m extremely disappointed,” state Sen. Mike Thompson told Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning. “We’ve tried now three times to get a bill to protect these kids, so that they they are not guided into making a decision that changes their lives permanently.” “The House has been a reliable partner in this up until now, so I don’t know what was going through the minds of those two representatives who caved in yesterday, but it was another gut punch for us, unfortunately,” he said. TENNESSEE SENATE CLEARS BILL MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO ASSIST MINORS SEEKING ABORTIONS Kelly, who vetoed the bill earlier this month, said in a statement Monday that she was “glad that bipartisan members of the legislature have stood firm in saying that divisive bills like House Substitute for Senate Bill 233 have no place in Kansas.” “The legislature’s decision to sustain my veto is a win for parental rights, Kansas families, and families looking to call our state home,” she said. The ban would have prevented state employees from encouraging “social transitioning,” such as the use of pronouns or choice of dress that matches a person’s preferred identity. Substitute Bill for Senate Bill 233 sought to outlaw transgender treatment for minors and allow for causes of action against healthcare providers who provided such treatment. The bill would also have restricted the use of state funds for transgender treatment. KANSAS GOVERNOR VETOES BILL BANNING TRANSGENDER TREATMENT TO MINORS, ABORTION RESTRICTIONS “We’re on the right side of history on this,” Kansas Senate Health Committee Chair Beverly Gossage told her colleagues during Monday’s vote. Republican state Rep. John Eplee said the “language put in the bill” that prevents is an effort to prohibit “state entities, state employees, from promoting the use of different pronouns and, if you will, the search for gender change.” State Republican Sen. Mark Steffen said the bill aims to stomp out “woke” health care providers who carry out such procedures on “confused” children. “No more than we would ever tell somebody with anorexia that they’re fat would we tell a boy that they’re a girl or girl that they’re a boy,” he said. Meanwhile, Democrats decried the Senate’s vote to override. State Sen. Mary Ware, a Democrat, said the bill “tramples” on “the rights of some Kansas citizens to live peaceably, lawfully and free to make their own decisions about their own bodies.” KANSAS REPUBLICANS USE ‘POWER OF THE PURSE’ TO TIE UP IMMIGRATION, DEI PROVISIONS IN BUDGET When the governor vetoed the bill, she said in a statement the “divisive” legislation “targets a small group of Kansans by placing government mandates on them and dictating to parents how to best raise and care for their children.” “I do not believe that is a conservative value, and it’s certainly not a Kansas value,” she said. The bill comes as more than a dozen states in the U.S. have enacted similar bans on surgical procedures and hormonal prescriptions for transgender youth. Idaho, North Dakota, Florida, Oklahoma and Alabama have passed laws making it a felony to perform sex changes on children.