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Democratic Minnesota state senator stripped of committee assignments after burglary arrest

Democratic Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell will be removed from committee assignments and caucus meetings after she was arrested last week for a suspected burglary at her stepmother’s home. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, a Democrat, released a statement obtained by FOX9 Minneapolis, saying that while the situation is tragic, “there are still questions that need to be answered.” “While the case is under review both in the Senate and in the courts, Senator Mitchell will be relieved of her committee assignments and removed from caucus meetings,” Murphy said. Mitchell was charged with first-degree burglary on Tuesday after police arrested her early Monday at her stepmother’s home. Mitchell has denied the allegations and claimed that she was merely checking on an ill loved one. 911 CALL TRANSCRIPT DETAILS DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR’S ALLEGED BURGLARY AT STEPMOTHER’S HOME Mitchell acknowledged that she entered through a window and told investigators she was trying to get her late father’s ashes, photos, a flannel shirt and other items of sentimental value, according to a criminal complaint. Mitchell claimed her stepmother had stopped speaking to her after her father’s death and refused to give her the items. DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR CLAIMS SHE WAS CHECKING IN ON ILL LOVED ONE DURING ALLEGED BURGLARY Senate Republicans filed an ethics complaint against Mitchell before the Senate convened on Wednesday and forced a vote on a motion to immediately launch an investigation.  Mitchell, of Woodbury, has represented District 47 since she was elected to the state Senate in 2022. She was previously a meteorologist for KSTP-TV and Minnesota Public Radio and serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

Scathing poll reveals what Biden has in common with these presidents who lost reelection battles

With just over six months to go until Election Day, two new polls are spelling trouble for President Biden as he faces off against former President Trump in a 2024 rematch. Biden trails Trump by six points, according to a CNN national survey. And new numbers from Gallup indicate Biden had the lowest approval rating during the first quarter of his re-election year of any president in the past 70 years. Trump leads Biden 49%-43% among registered voters in a head-to-head matchup, according to the CNN poll.  CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING IN THE 2024 ELECTION And in a five-person race, the survey indicates Trump topping Biden 42%-33%, with Democrat turned independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at 16%, independent progressive candidate Cornell West at 4%, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3%. The CNN survey stands out from other national polls also conducted in mid-April by Quinnipiac University, Marist College, NBC News, and the New York Times/Siena College, which indicated a much closer contest between the Democratic incumbent in the White House and his Republican predecessor. Trump, a longtime vocal critic of CNN, took to social media to write, “GOOD POLL NUMBERS, FROM CNN OF ALL PLACES” Americans have a tendency to view past presidencies with more favorability over time, and that appears to be the case with Trump, whose combustible tenure in the White House ended over three years ago. The CNN survey suggests that 55% of Americans now say they view Trump’s presidency as a success, with 44% seeing it as a failure, down 11 points from a CNN poll conducted soon after Trump left office and also following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. According to the new survey, 61% rate Biden’s presidency so far as a failure, with 39% calling it a success. “Opinions about the first term of each man vying for a second four years in the White House now appear to work in Trump’s favor, with most Americans saying that, looking back, Trump’s term as president was a success, while a broad majority says Biden’s has so far been a failure,” CNN spotlights. Biden remains deeply underwater in the new poll, with a 40% approval rating and 60% giving the president a thumbs down on the job he’s doing in the White House. According to Gallup, Biden averaged a 38.7% job approval rating during his 13th quarter in office, which began on Jan. 20 and ended on April 19. “None of the other nine presidents elected to their first term since Dwight Eisenhower had a lower 13th-quarter average than Biden,” Gallup highlighted in their poll. Of the four other presidents who had approval ratings under 50% in the first quarter of their re-election year, according to Gallup polling – Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Barack Obama and Trump – only Obama won a second term in office. The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS from April 18-23, with 1,212 adults questioned. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub

House Dems divided over planned vote on college antisemitism bill

House Democrats once again find themselves divided over how to confront antisemitism on college campuses as anti-Israel protests continue at top universities across the country. In a memo sent to lawmakers, the House Democratic leadership highlighted a key senior Democrat’s opposition to the Antisemitism Awareness Act – which is expected to get a vote this week. The bill would force the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination rules.  It puts Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., a Jewish progressive who is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, at odds with the 13 House Democrats who are co-sponsoring the bill, which includes Reps. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; and Pat Ryan, D-N.Y. Nadler was named because his committee holds jurisdiction over the bill. VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS House Minority Whip Katherine Clark’s office clarified to Fox News Digital that Democratic leaders are not urging the caucus to vote against the measure, but Nadler’s opposition will likely provide cover to a significant number of left-wing lawmakers who are also uneasy about the bill. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who introduced the bill, told Fox News Digital, “Jerry Nadler had no problem supporting a very similar bill in 2018. It is unfortunate that he is letting politics get in the way of doing the right thing by cowering to the far-left.” Multiple votes having to do with antisemitism on college campuses have already splintered Democrats. A resolution to condemn antisemitism on college campuses, as well as calling for the presidents of Harvard and MIT to step down, split the Democratic Party in December. The measure narrowly passed, with 84 Democrats voting for it and 125 against.  In November, a bill to condemn support for Hamas and Hezbollah on college campuses overwhelmingly passed with just 22 Democrats and one Republican voting against it. HOCHUL SILENT AS PRESSURE GROWS FOR NATIONAL GUARD TO BREAK UP COLUMBIA’S ANTI-ISRAEL THRONG The new Democratic leadership notice highlighted two specific IHRA-provided definitions of antisemitism – “[d]enying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” and “[d]rawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” The notice was first reported by Axios. IHRA’s critics – which include progressives and pro-Palestinian groups – have accused the organization of conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.  Fox News Digital reached out to Nadler’s office to ask why he was against the bill. Nadler was one of three Democrats who released a forceful joint statement last week calling out “dangerous antisemitic rhetoric, attacks and intimidation on Columbia University’s campus.” ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ RAPIDLY EMERGING AS KEY SLOGAN OF ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS IN US The Manhattan Ivy League school is one of several where students have staged tent encampments, with many protesting universities’ financial ties to companies linked to Israel. Other Democrats, like members of the progressive “Squad,” heaped praise on those demonstrations last week. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., posted photos of herself on Instagram with students camping on the University of Michigan campus. “Their bravery and courage to stand up for what they believe is right is inspiring,” Tlaib wrote. Meanwhile, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., visited the Columbia encampment last week, from which her daughter and over a hundred other protesters were arrested earlier this month.

Texas sues Biden administration to block expansion of LGBTQ+ student protections

The new Title IX rules expanded the definition of sex-based harassment. Paxton said the change distorted the original intent of the law.

Anti-Trump DA’s no-show at debate leaves challenger facing off against empty podium

Democratic Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ political opponent debated with an empty podium after Willis skipped the county’s first Democratic Party debate, local reports show.  Willis is the Georgia district attorney who brought forth the election inference case against former President Trump, charging him and 18 co-defendants with racketeering over allegations they tried to overthrow the 2020 election. Willis became embroiled in controversy when she was accused of having an “improper” relationship with the special counsel she hired, Nathan Wade.  A judge ordered Willis last month to either remove herself from the case or fire Wade, with Wade ultimately resigning.  The Fulton County Democratic Party held its first primary debate on Sunday, but Willis was a no-show, leaving her political opponent to take the stage alone, where he criticized his fellow Democrat for hiring a romantic partner for the high-level case.  ERIC TRUMP WARNS BRAGG, WILLIS ‘WANT TO TORTURE MY FATHER’ BUT NO ONE ‘IS BELIEVING IT’ “That issue is important to us in Fulton County and a lot of people across the country,” Smith said on the stage, Fox 5 reported.  ​​”When you pay one attorney nearly $1 million to handle one case, that leaves the rest of us vulnerable. That hurts everyone in Fulton County,” he said. FANI WILLIS SHOULD FACE GAG ORDER IN TRUMP ELECTION CASE, SAYS LEGAL ANALYST Smith did not take issue with Willis prosecuting Trump or the case itself, instead saying Willis has “to do things differently.” Willis did not attend the debate event, which was sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club, to co-host the second annual “Self Care Fair” with an Atlanta city councilwoman in honor of Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Willis is also focusing on the continued prosecution of Trump, Fox 5 also cited as to why she was not present for the debate.  AFTER JUDGE’S SCOLDING FOR PLAYING ‘RACE CARD,’ FANI WILLIS SAYS SHE’LL ‘TALK ABOUT IT ANYWAY’ Fox News Digital reached out to Willis’ media team for additional comment on the matter but did not immediately receive a response.  Willis and Smith will face off in the Democratic primary on May 28. Despite the controversy surrounding the Trump case, local polling shows Willis with strong leads over Smith, Fox 5 reported.   The Democratic champion of the primary will compete against a Republican challenger on Nov. 5.  JUDGE IN GEORGIA SLAMS FANI WILLIS’ ‘IMPROPER’ CHURCH SPEECH, ‘PLAYING THE RACE CARD’ Willis and Wade both admitted to the affair amid testimony on the matter, but said they only made their relationship official in 2022, after charges were brought against defendants in the Trump case. Witnesses in the case, however, alleged the pair began their relationship before 2022.  Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee said last month that there was a “significant appearance of impropriety that infects the current structure of the prosecution team,” but did not find an “actual conflict of interest in this case through her personal relationship and recurring travels with her lead prosecutor.” McAfee ruled that either Willis step aside from the case or Wade be fired. Wade resigned last month.  JUDGE RULES FANI WILLIS MUST STEP ASIDE FROM TRUMP CASE OR FIRE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR NATHAN WADE Willis has brushed off criticisms of her affair with Wade, touting herself late last month as the only district attorney with the “courage” to prosecute Trump.  TRUMP BLASTS FULTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR FANI WILLIS AFTER ROMANTIC PARTNER ALLEGATIONS: ‘TOTALLY COMPROMISED’ “There’s one district attorney in the state – and really around the country – that has had the courage to do this, and she continues to do it,” Willis told FOX 5 Atlanta last month. “The case landed in Fulton County, not by anything that I did, but by the actions of others, and when a case lands in my jurisdiction, I’m going to prosecute it, and that’s the end of that.”  Trump, meanwhile, has slammed the case as a “witch hunt” that is led by a “totally compromised” district attorney. 

House Democrats tell Columbia University admin, ‘time for negotiation is over’

Columbia University leadership was urged by 21 House Democrats on Monday that the “time for negotiation is over,” as an anti-Israel encampment broiling with antisemitism has persisted on campus for weeks.  Led Reps. Josh Gottheimer, of New Jersey, and Dan Goldman, of New York, 21 House Democrats signed onto a letter urging Columbia University’s Board of Trustees to disband “the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus.”  Later Monday, the university gave agitators until 2 p.m. to clear the encampment or be suspended. As a result of the disruption on campus, supported by some faculty members, “many students have been prevented from safely attending class, the main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms in an apparent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act,” they wrote. The 21 signatories acknowledged how the Columbia administration earlier had “tacitly acknowledged that the encampment had created an impermissibly hostile and unsafe environment for Jewish students by resorting to hybrid learning, appearing to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.”  “In other words, instead of solving the root cause of discrimination and harassment that students faced on campus, the administration decided to segregate some students from campus altogether, which naturally created an unsafe environment on campus for all students,” the House Democrats wrote. While saying they appreciate the Columbia administration’s efforts “to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that allows those in the encampment to voluntarily disburse without police intervention,” the House Democrats wrote that, after nearly a week of negotiations, “it is now abundantly clear that the students and activists entrenched on campus are unwilling to enter into a reasonable agreement to disband, which is necessary to bring the University into compliance with Title VI.”  STEFANIK ACCUSES COLUMBIA PRESIDENT OF ‘PRO-TERRORIST’ PROFESSOR ‘COVER-UP,’ WARNS OF POTENTIAL FELONY “Those who violate the law cannot dictate the terms of the University’s ability to comply with that law. It is past time for the University to act decisively, disband the encampment, and ensure the safety and security of all of its students,” the letter says. “The time for negotiation is over; the time for action is now. It is ultimately the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to act. If any Trustees are unwilling to do this, they should resign so that they can be replaced by individuals who will uphold the University’s legal obligations under Title VI.”  All members of the House Republican delegation from New York, led by House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, had already demanded Columbia University President Minouche Shafik’s resignation after antisemitic protests continued on campus in the days following her testimony before the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Shafik, on the day after her testimony, allowed police onto campus to arrest more than 100 demonstrators, but later that weekend, the encampment boldly reorganized and remained as Shafik opted to keep police away, outside the university gates.  READ THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS’ LETTER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Shafik “lied to Congress multiple times about radical pro-terror professor Mohamed Abdou’s employment status,” Stefanik said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “Despite her testimony otherwise, Abdou has been rallying at Columbia’s antisemitic encampment promoting Jewish hate. This directly contradicts Shafik’s testimony which is yet another reason why Shafik must immediately resign.”  Monday’s letter from Democrats assesses that over the past week, the Columbia encampment “has been the breeding ground for antisemitic attacks on Jewish students, including hate speech, harassment, intimidation, and even threats of violence,” citing how a student held up a sign pointing to pro-Israel students that said “Al-Qa[ss]am’s next targets,” “referring to the military arm of Hamas, the foreign terrorist organization responsible for the atrocities of October 7, and for holding hostage innocent civilians – including Americans – in brutal captivity for nearly seven months.”  ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS: SIGNS OF ‘FOREIGN ASSISTANCE’ EMERGE IN COLUMBIA, NYU UNREST The House Democrats also called out how one of the protest leaders previously declared, “Zionists — they are Nazis. They’re Nazis. They’re fascists. They’re supporters of genocide. Why would we want people who are supporters of genocide to live?” and students routinely chanted “from the river to the sea,” a cry “to eliminate Israel and all Jews within its borders.” In response, the Democrats noted the White House stated, “While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous – they have absolutely no place on any college campus, or anywhere in the United States of America.” In a new letter Monday morning, Shafik said a small group of academic leaders that had been engaging in a dialogue with student organizers “to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment” have not been able to reach an agreement, lamenting the “tragedy” of Jewish students leaving campus amid the “intolerable” atmosphere.  “While the University will not divest from Israel, the University offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the body that considers divestment matters,” Shafik said, referencing the protesters’ demands. “The University also offered to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbia’s direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings.”  She said the university “also offered to make investments in health and education in Gaza, including supporting early childhood development and support for displaced scholars.”  Without referencing the possibility of further police action, Shafik again said the university urges those in the encampment “to voluntarily disperse” and is “consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.”  In a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital, Stefanik again torched Shafik for not making a “single condemnation of the vile antisemitism that is rampant in the illegal encampment” and said “there is not a single

IMD Weather Update: Delhi-NCR likely to receive rainfall in coming days; check state-wise forecast

The Meteorological Department’s All India Weather Bulletin states that a significant western disturbance is centred over central Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and the surrounding areas.

Outraged resident warns what $70M migrant funding will do to sanctuary city

A Chicago resident and activist who protested against another tranche of funding going toward migrant care in the Windy City is warning that the city risks going bankrupt if it continues — days after the city council green lit the additional $70 million despite furious opposition. “The main objection is that there seems to be no end in sight,” P Rae Easley told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Every 3 or 4 months, there seems to be some new vote for a massive amount of taxpayer funds to be allocated to the illegals, and we have to put a stop to it or it’s going to bankrupt our city.” The council voted 30-18 to approve the request made by Mayor Brandon Johnson in order to help deal with the ongoing migrant crisis it is facing. That money is on top of a $150 million assigned to migrant care in the budget already. CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL APPROVES $70M FOR MIGRANT CARE DESPITE VOTER BACKLASH  Mayor Johnson’s office said the funding request was to ensure the city is prepared “should there be any sudden increases in new arrivals sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.” The city aims to provide “basic necessities” including food, shelter, medical care, education, vaccines, case management and resettlement support. According to Johnson’s office, the city has at its peak been dealing with more than 2,000 migrants coming in a week. Nearly 40,000 have arrived since August 2022 However, the request drew significant opposition from residents who believe that illegal immigrants are being prioritized over residents.  Easley, who is a political abolitionist and hosts a radio show in Chicago, said she was not surprised by the Council’s approval but said the number of progressives who voted against it shows the support for such funding is beginning to break down as more residents speak out. “It was due to the opposition,” said Easley, who was previously an intern for then-state Senator Barack Obama. BLACK CHICAGO VOTERS RIP MAYOR ON EXTRA $70M FOR MIGRANTS AS RECALL PETITION GATHERS STEAM Easley highlighted the need in the city for additional resources for rehab for addicts, as well as the restoration of transport for general education students in the city. “If the city has money, then that money needs to be allocated to pupil transportation, because we’re already in a district with 40% absenteeism. So it’s not fair that they were able to provide transportation for the illegals and not American children of taxpayers,” she said. One lawmaker had pointed to prior waves of immigrants that the U.S. had received. Easley rejected that narrative. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “Two things. Number one, I am a Negro woman, which means that I am 100% American and that immigration story does not belong to me. But beyond that, the immigrants that came to this country came here legally, whether it be through Ellis Island or the Port of New Orleans,” she said.  “The purpose of immigrating to this country is for us to vet who you are before you get here and have a record of your entry. People who are coming here without a record of entry, who have not been vetted at an embassy, who do not have any fingerprints, all of those things pose a threat to our city due to possible security breaches,” she said. She also stressed that her and her allies were not reflexively against the mayor. “I just want people to know that we’re not an anti-Brandon Johnson group. We are an anti-chaos and progressivism group. And if he chooses to be the spokesperson for them, then he deserves all of the energy that we’re pushing against them,” she warned. 

China threatens retaliation for Taiwan, TikTok law signed by Biden

China on Monday is threatening to take “resolute and forceful steps” to defend itself after President Biden recently signed a bill that provides foreign aid to Taiwan and forces TikTok’s China-based owner to sell the app or be banned in the U.S.  The legislation approved by Biden last Wednesday offers $95 billion in assistance to Ukraine and Israel, including nearly $2 billion to replenish U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan and other regional allies, according to The Associated Press. It also gives ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok, as well as a possible three-month extension if a sale is in progress.  “China firmly rejects the U.S. passing and signing into law the military aid package containing negative content on China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in a briefing Monday. “We have lodged serious representations to the U.S.”  “This package gravely infringes upon China’s sovereignty. It includes large military aid to Taiwan, which seriously violates the one-China principle… and sends a seriously wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” he continued. “The legislation undermines the principles of market economy and fair competition by wantonly going after other countries’ companies in the name of ‘national security,’ which once again reveals the U.S.’s hegemonic and bullying nature.”  BIDEN CAMPAIGN TO STAY ON TIKTOK EVEN AFTER PRESIDENT SIGNS LAW TO FORCE SALE OR BAN APP IN US  China has been engaged in a territorial dispute with Taiwan, which has welcomed the legislation by saying it will help security, according to Reuters.  “If the United States clings obstinately to its course, China will take resolute and forceful steps to firmly defend its own security and development interests,” Lin reportedly added.  TAIWAN PRESIDENT-ELECT CHOOSES NEW FOREIGN, DEFENSE MINISTERS AS CHINA ANNEXATION THREATS INTENSIFY  U.S. lawmakers have accused TikTok of being a risk to U.S. national security, collecting user data, and spreading propaganda. China has previously said it would oppose forcing the sale of TikTok. TikTok has long denied it is a security threat and is preparing a lawsuit to block the legislation.  Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Trump says 4 words about anti-Israel protests on college campuses as arrests skyrocket

Former President Trump weighed in on Monday about the anti-Israel demonstrations that are roiling U.S. college and university campuses. While the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee is not due in the courtroom on Monday, he spent his morning on Truth Social weighing in on his trial. His posts also included a post about the students who are protesting Israel’s war with Hamas, the terror group that governs Gaza. “Stop the protests now!!!” Trump said in an all-caps post. The post comes as the number of students and antisemitic agitators arrested at the nationwide demonstrations approached 900 since New York police removed an anti-Israel protest encampment at Columbia University on April 18.  VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS The students are protesting the rising death toll in Gaza amid Israel’s effort to eradicate Hamas, which carried out the deadliest attack in the country’s history on Oct. 7, 2023. The subsequent war has resulted in more than 34,000 deaths, mostly civilian women and children. The anti-Israel groups are calling on their respective colleges and universities to end any investments in companies that support Israel’s military and their actions in Gaza. Students have remained on campus despite several schools demanding they cease their encampments. Trump’s comment on Monday morning came amid other posts about “Crooked Joe Biden,” who he called the “worst president in the history of the United States.” Trump also addressed the various lawsuits he is facing, which the Republican candidate described as “election interference.” TRUMP, DESANTIS MEET PRIVATELY FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN MIAMI Hundreds of protesters were arrested at various college campuses across the U.S. on Saturday, Sunday and into Monday morning as the disruptive demonstrations continued over the weekend.  About 275 people were arrested on Saturday at Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and others. Police in riot gear arrested approximately 102 students at an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston on Saturday. Also on Saturday, police removed masked protesters and arrested more than 100 people at Washington University in St. Louis, including students and university employees. Late Sunday and into Monday morning, campus police at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, physically carried some protesters from an encampment and arrested them. The nationwide campus protests have surged since students at Columbia University, widely seen as the epicenter of the current protests, formed an encampment by pitching tents at the heart of campus. They have vowed to stay put until the university divests from Israel. The Associated Press contributed to this report.