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Pennsylvania House Dems propose new expulsion rules after remote voting by lawmaker facing a warrant

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania House Democrats on Thursday proposed a process to determine if state representatives are “incapacitated” and to sanction or expel them, moving in the wake of intense criticism after one of their members voted remotely this week while being sought on charges he violated a restraining order. The resolution introduced by Majority Leader Matt Bradford of Montgomery County would establish a new group consisting of five House leaders to determine if a representative is impaired physically or mentally so that they are not able to perform their duties. REPUBLICAN’S RESIGNATION BREAKS PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE DEADLOCK, HANDS DEMS CONTROL His proposed rules change is a response to voting during this week’s legislative session by state Rep. Kevin Boyle, a Philadelphia Democrat who faces an arrest warrant on allegations he violated a restraining order. Details about the warrant have not been released, and Boyle has not responded to phone messages seeking comment left Thursday and earlier this week. A Philadelphia Police spokeswoman, Officer Tanya Little, said Thursday afternoon Boyle is not in custody. Boyle lost his committee chairmanship and Capitol access privileges in February after a videotaped episode at a Montgomery County bar where he was aggressively rude to the staff and appeared intoxicated. Boyle’s status carries significant implications for the power balance in the 203-member House, currently with a 102—100 Democratic majority and a special election next week for the vacancy, a Republican-leaning district in the Pocono Mountains. Republican leaders have decried Boyle’s ability to vote remotely, telling reporters Wednesday that House Democrats should have simply put Boyle on leave and accusing their Democratic counterparts of allowing Boyle to vote remotely to preserve their thin majority. Minority Leader Bryan Cutler, a Lancaster County Republican, called Bradford’s proposal a complicated answer to a simple problem. He asked Democrats to stop Boyle from voting “until this issue is finally resolved.” “Pennsylvania House Democrats continue to use this tragedy to further the tyranny of their majority and that is shameful,” Cutler said in a statement. The House returns to session April 29. A Republican from Fayette County, Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, announced on Wednesday she was working on a proposal to change House rules to prevent anyone from voting remotely if they are incarcerated or facing an active arrest warrant. And the only Republican in the House from Philadelphia, Rep. Martina White, said her office has been fielding calls from Boyle’s constituents because his nearby district office hasn’t been responding. Boyle, 44, is currently facing a primary opponent as he seeks an eighth term in the House. His brother is U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat from a Philadelphia district. Kevin Boyle was charged three years ago with harassment and violation of a protection from abuse order after showing up at his wife’s house, charges that were subsequently dropped. His attorney at the time described it as a “domestic issue” that did not involve allegations of violence. Kevin Boyle later said he was treated at a mental health facility. Bradford’s proposal would allow targeted lawmakers to participate, with a lawyer, in the inquiry that would be done by the speaker, minority and majority leaders, and minority and majority caucus chairpersons. The group would meet in secret and could direct that the lawmaker whose status is in question be examined by doctors or psychologists. It would have subpoena power. If the group would deem a House member to be incapacitated and unable to perform their duties, it would be up to a vote of the full House to decide whether to limit their powers and privileges, suspend them without pay or expel them. If the lawmaker hasn’t been expelled and has completed treatment, they could ask to get their powers or status back.

Alabama lawmakers advance bill to strengthen state’s weak open records law

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Senate on Thursday advanced legislation aimed at strengthening the state’s weak open records law by setting deadlines to respond to requests to view public documents. Senators voted 29-0 for the legislation. The bill now moves to the House. “Right now, under current law, it’s the wild west. We don’t have timelines for governments or universities to respond in due time,” Republican Sen. Arthur Orr, the bill’s sponsor, said. COLLEGE DEI CRACKDOWN PASSES ALABAMA SENATE Alabama’s public records law says any citizen has the right to inspect and take copies of public writings, except for those exempted by law. However, it does not provide deadlines for responses. The legislation would require a public records officer to acknowledge the receipt of a simple request within 10 days and then “provide a substantive response” to the request within 15 additional business days. Public entities would be given more time to respond to requests that would require more than eight hours of work to fulfill. Civil lawsuits would continue to be the only avenue for settling disputes. The bill sets out timeframes for when a request is presumed to be denied because of a failure to respond, allowing a person to move forward with a lawsuit. A 2007 comparison of state open records laws conducted by the Better Government Association and the National Freedom of Information Coalition ranked Alabama at the bottom of the nation. While the review gave 38 states, including Alabama, an “F” grade, Alabama tied for last place in the comparative rankings. Felicia Mason, executive director of the Alabama Press Association, said the organization commends Orr for his work on the bill. “This bill establishes timelines and creates a framework for the public to make requests for public records. It also provides guidelines for the custodians of records in fulfilling the requests,” Mason wrote in an email. The bill does not address public access to police body camera video. A Senate committee this week rejected a separate bill to require the public release of the video.

Florida bill allowing public school chaplains becomes law

Florida school districts will soon have the option of allowing volunteer chaplains to counsel students under a bill signed Thursday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dismissed critics opposed to mixing religion with public education. The only requirements for a chaplain to participate would be passing a background check and having their name and religious affiliation listed on the school website. The chaplains would “provide support, services, and programs to students as assigned by the district school board.” The law that takes effect July 1. DeSantis stressed that the program is voluntary. Schools don’t have to have a chaplain and students don’t have to work with them. Parental permission would be required if they do. DESANTIS SIGNS FLORIDA BILL MAKING IT HARDER TO ‘WEAPONIZE’ BOOK BANS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS “No one’s being forced to do anything, but to exclude religious groups from campus, that is discrimination,” DeSantis said. “You’re basically saying that God has no place. That’s wrong.” Florida is among more than a dozen states that have sought to create school chaplain programs. Texas became the first under a law passed in 2023. Supporters in Florida argued the legislation will provide another resource for children and pointed out that chaplains already serve in other government roles by working with police and serving in the military. The Legislature itself hosts a chaplain of the day when it’s in session and there’s a non-denominational chapel in the state Capitol. Opponents cite several problems with the new Florida law, including there being no training requirements for chaplains. They also fear that some students might be ostracized if they are atheist or belong to a non-Christian religion in a Christian majority district. “When you have a military chaplain, they go through intensive training and they have to be in a position where they can provide information which is factually correct and appropriate to the situation,” said Democratic Sen. Lori Berman of Palm Beach County. Without that training, a chaplain could provide psychologically damaging counseling, Berman said. She suggested schools add more social workers, guidance counsellors or psychologists if they need them. “Let’s put the trained professionals in and not some unlicensed, untrained people with a religious affiliation,” Berman said.

Texas House Republicans split over whether to send Ukraine aid

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, and members of the House Freedom Caucus have stalled Ukraine aid for months demanding that Congress pass a bill securing the southern border before considering the foreign aid package.

Iraq’s prime minister heads to Michigan to meet Arab Americans at a tense time for the Middle East

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The leader of Iraq will travel to Michigan on Thursday following a sit-down with President Joe Biden to meet with the state’s large Iraqi community and update them on escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s weekend aerial assault on Israel. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s trip to both Washington and Michigan to discuss U.S.-Iraq relations had been planned well before Saturday’s drone and missile launches from Iran-backed groups. The visit has been thrust into the spotlight as tensions in the region escalate following the strike, which included drone and missile launches that overflew Iraqi airspace and others that were launched from Iraq by Iran-backed groups. BIDEN TO HOST IRAQ’S LEADER AFTER IRAN’S ATTACK ON ISRAEL SPURS CHAOS ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST Michigan holds one of the largest populations of Iraqis in the nation and many local Democrats have pushed back against U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. The state holds the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country. The Iraqi prime minister is expected to land in the Detroit area Thursday evening and be met by local leaders, including Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Assad I. Turfe, a deputy Wayne County executive. He will then travel to a mosque in Dearborn Heights to meet with Iraqi community members and officials to give an update on his meeting with Biden talking about the economic relations between Iraq and the U.S., according to Mohammed Al-mawla, a community member involved in the planning. There are just over 90,000 residents in Michigan of Iraqi descent, the largest of any state, according to the most recent U.S. Census. In Wayne County, home to the cities of Detroit and Dearborn, 7.8% of residents identified of Middle Eastern and North African ancestry, alone or in any combination, the highest percentage of any U.S. county. The concentration of those residents in the outskirts of Detroit has led to multiple visits to the area from officials engaged in Middle Eastern relations. Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to Biden, traveled to metro Detroit in March to meet with Lebanese Americans and discuss efforts to prevent the conflict from expanding along Israel’s northern border, where Hezbollah operates. Multiple White House officials also traveled to Dearborn in February to meet with Arab American leaders to discuss the conflict. Fears over the war expanding grew over the weekend following the strikes and the developments have raised further questions about the viability of the two-decade American military presence in Iraq. However, a U.S. Patriot battery in Irbil, Iraq, which is designed to protect against missiles, did shoot down at least one Iranian ballistic missile, according to American officials — one of dozens of missiles and drones destroyed by U.S. forces alongside Israeli efforts to defeat the attack.

Kansas GOP congressman Jake LaTurner is not running again, citing family reasons

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner is not running for reelection this year in his GOP-leaning eastern Kansas district so that he can spend more time with his four young children, he announced Thursday. LaTurner is among nearly two dozen Republicans in the U.S. House who are not running again or seeking another office. KANSAS MAN TELLS JURY GOD THREATENED REP. LATURNER THROUGH HIM “The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be more present for,” LaTurner said. LaTurner’s announcement leaves Republicans with no declared candidates in a district he likely would have had little trouble winning again. While the district includes Democratic strongholds in the state capital of Topeka and northern Kansas City, they’re offset by rural areas that heavily favored former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. LaTurner, 36, has put on hold what seemed a promising long-term political career, saying also that he wouldn’t seek any office in 2026. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited and Republicans had mentioned LaTurner as a possible candidate for the job that year. He worked for U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins when he won a state Senate seat in 2012 at age 24, and he became Kansas’ youngest-ever state treasurer at 29 when then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback appointed him to fill a vacancy. LaTurner’s statement mentioned “the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill,” with the narrow Republican majority in the House and a threat from the hard-right to topple Speaker Mike Johnson, but he also said he’s optimistic about the nation’s future. Instead, he said, serving in Congress has taken a toll on him, his wife, Suzanne, and their children. “I am hopeful that in another season of life, with new experiences and perspectives, I can contribute in some small way and advocate for the issues I care most about,” his statement Thursday said. While Republicans have represented the 2nd District in 27 of the past 30 years, Democrats have waged aggressive campaigns since Jenkins decided not to seek reelection in 2018. One Democrat, former teacher Eli Woody IV, has filed to run in November. In the 2020 primary, LaTurner handily defeated Republican Steve Watkins and won the November election by almost 15 percentage points. In 2022, LaTurner won his general election race by a slightly wider margin. In June 2022, the congressman beefed up security at his home and Topeka office out of concern for his family’s safety after a man left a threatening voicemail after hours that said, “I will kill you.” The man, Chase Neill, is now serving a sentence of nearly four years in prison after being convicted in federal court of one count of threating a U.S. official. LaTurner testified at the trial, and Neill, representing himself, cross-examined him personally.

Lawsuit challenges Kentucky youth vaping crackdown

A new Kentucky law aimed at curbing youth vaping is being challenged in court. The Kentucky Vaping Retailers Association, the Kentucky Hemp Association and four vape retailers filed a lawsuit last week in Franklin Circuit Court challenging the constitutionality of the bill, news outlets reported. It would require that any vape products sold have approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or have a “safe harbor certification.” KENTUCKY GOVERNOR VETOES SWEEPING CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILL, SAYS IT WOULD HIKE INCARCERATION COSTS The administration has approved 23 vape product applications out of more than a million, so retailers argue that the requirement would make most of their stock illegal and put them out of business. The lawsuit says the bill violates the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which grants due process. It argues that “hemp-derived products, including vapeable hemp products, are not subject to regulation by FDA,” so there is no “regulatory market pathway” to allow them and other products to be sold. Republican state Rep. Rebecca Raymer, the bill’s lead sponsor, has said it was a response to the state’s “vaping epidemic” and, in particular, complaints about how rampant vaping has become in schools. Secretary of State Michael Adams and the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control are named as defendants. Both offices said they had not yet been served and had no comment. The new law is set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

Fox News Politics: Trial and Error

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?  -Critics mock Biden for cannibalism story -GOP rebels threaten more chaos over Ukraine spending -Polish president meets Trump amid criminal trial Twelve New Yorkers have been selected to decide Trump’s guilt or innocence in hush money charges from Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s prosecution. The third day of jury selection (the court is not in session on Wednesdays) started with seven seated jurors. That fell five after one juror admitted that, upon further consideration, she could not be impartial and another was dismissed after it was discovered he was once arrested for ripping down right-leaning political posters. But the court still needs to find several alternate jurors, a process that will resume on Friday. DEEPENING TIES: Polish president meets with Trump in New York City amid criminal trial …Read more BIDEN’S BLARNEY: Critics mock Biden for factually inaccurate war story as ‘plot of a movie he once saw’ …Read more ‘A LOT OF TRUMP SIGNS’: Biden dismisses reporter’s concerns over so many ‘Trump signs’ in Pennsylvania …Read more MILITARY SPOUSES: Jill Biden praises agreement to make it easier for military spouse federal employees to work overseas …Read more SLAM THE BRAKES: 25 states hit Biden with legal challenge over gas car crackdown, EV push …Read more SEEING RED: GOP lawmakers confront Johnson over foreign aid in tense House floor moment …Read more BEAT AROUND THE ‘BUSH’: Squad Dem promotes Middle East ‘peace’ while hometown plagued by violence …Read more DEFENDING TIKTOK: Chinese diplomats reportedly met with congressional staffers in hopes to block social media platform’s forced sale …Read more ‘UNPRECEDENTED’: Experts question constitutionality of Mayorkas impeachment trial killed by Senate Dems …Read more AGENDA 2025: Congressional Progressive Caucus releases extensive 2025 policy agenda …Read more LEFT OF CENTER: 13 Dems vote against resolution condemning Iran after Israel strike …Read more BATTLEGROUND USA: Majority of voters in key swing states deeply unhappy with Biden in new Fox polls …Read more BAILING ON BIDEN: Left-wing activists take effort to punish POTUS to other swing states …Read more WARNING FOR BIDEN: Trump cuts into Biden’s lead among this key part of the Democratic Party’s base …Read more ‘A LITTLE BUSY’: Biden mocks Trump for legal woes …Read more MORE MONEY: Black Chicago voters rip mayor on extra $70M for migrants as recall petition gathers steam …Read more SHUTTING IT DOWN: Trump lawyers tried to subpoena Stormy Daniels, but instead this happened …Read more SUED AGAIN: Top aide to NYC mayor faces second complaint based on sexual harassment, retaliation allegations …Read more TEFLON DON?: CNN legal analyst argues Trump could avoid conviction in hush money trial …Read more NO GOING BACK: Gender clinic whistleblower says ‘doctors acting like God,’ kids regret surgeries …Read more BACKHANDED COMPLIMENT: Kimmel says Biden’s zinger against Trump was a ‘pretty good one’ for a president known for gaffes …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.

WATCH: New Biden campaign ad makes subtle claim about president’s mental fitness

A new Biden campaign ad focused on the economy and infrastructure included a subtle claim about the president’s mental fitness, calling him “sharp as a knife.” The Thursday ad, titled “Sharp,” centered on Pennsylvania steelworker Jojo Burgess, who spent most of the 30-second video praising President Biden over his handling of the economy and infrastructure, but briefly appeared to reference his mental acuity by using the same descriptor repeated by the administration and Democrats to defend his cognitive ability earlier this year. “I’ve been a proud steelworker for 23 years, and I know hard work when I see it. I love to tell the story about meeting President Biden because when you meet him, this guy is as sharp as a knife,” Burgess said in the video.  KENNEDY FAMILY CHOOSES POLITICS OVER FAMILY WITH ENDORSEMENT IN 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE “They have nothing else to attack because they can’t attack the things that he is doing that are so good for this country. I see people going back to work, jobs coming to the area, infrastructure being fixed up. Joe Biden gets things done. That’s just who he is,” he added. In a post on X about the ad, Biden-Harris HQ — the account belonging to the Biden campaign — said, “President Biden gets things done. MAGA Republicans have nothing else to attack — because they know President Biden is delivering.” The use of the word “sharp” was frequently used by Biden’s defenders to describe the president as he faced an onslaught of Republican attacks following the release of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report in February, which claimed he was a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.” TRUMP THREATENED WITH JAIL IF HE MISSES HUSH MONEY TRIAL AS BIDEN CAMPAIGNS IN PENNSYLVANIA Republican lawmakers and former President Donald Trump claimed the report — which came about as part of the investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents — was evidence the president was not fit to serve another term. In the White House press briefing following the report’s release, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Biden was “sharp” and “on top of things,” while Democrat lawmakers and liberal media figures insisted Biden was one of the “sharpest” people they’ve dealt with. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Mayra Flores raises twice as much as U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in bid to unseat him this November

National Republicans are investing heavily in Flores’ bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas.