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Biden says inflation is top domestic priority, but Fed admits lack of progress

Biden says inflation is top domestic priority, but Fed admits lack of progress

Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell admitted that President Biden’s administration has failed to shrink inflation, years after Biden declared it a “top priority.” Powell made the comments during an address at a U.S.-Canada policy forum on Tuesday. He indicated that the Fed is unlikely to shift its interest rates until the inflation rate shrinks further. “More recent data shows solid growth and continued strength in the labor market, but also a lack of further progress so far this year on returning to our 2% inflation goal,” Powell said. “The recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence, and instead indicate that it’s likely to take longer than expected to achieve that confidence,” he added. “That said, we think policy is well positioned to handle the risks that we face.” ‘SHOCKING’ CALIFORNIA BILL TO PROTECT VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION DRAWS FIERCE BACKLASH Powell’s comments come just over two years after Biden declared combating inflation to be his administration’s “top priority” in his 2022 State of the Union address. Biden reiterated his commitment to the issue in a statement last week as well, acknowledging the need for more progress. HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAMMER BIDEN AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IS LINKED TO MICHIGAN WOMAN’S MURDER “Fighting inflation remains my top economic priority. We’re making progress: wages are rising faster than prices, incomes are higher than before the pandemic, and unemployment has remained below 4% for the longest stretch in 50 years,” he said in a statement reacting to the Consumer Price Index from March. Inflation and the economy remain a top issue for voters going into the 2024 elections, with most polls showing it is the number two topic for most Americans, just behind immigration. BORDER PATROL HAS ARRESTED 6,400 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, 178 GANG MEMBERS IN FY24 The issue has Trump gaining ground even among traditionally pro-Democrat demographics. A poll last week from Axios/Ipsos found that 20% of Latinos think Biden is “good for the U.S. economy,” while 42% of respondents said the same about former President Trump. When it comes to immigration, 22% said Biden is “good” on the issue, while 29% said the same for Trump. Biden also underperformed in the poll compared to the Democratic Party in general, with the party beating its presidential candidate by 1% to 2% on each poll question.

Figures and Dobson to face off in closely watched race for Alabama’s new 2nd Congressional District

Figures and Dobson to face off in closely watched race for Alabama’s new 2nd Congressional District

Alabama voters decided primary runoffs on Tuesday for the state’s newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District, setting up a potentially historic November race that could play a part in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Shomari Figures, a former top aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, defeated state House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels to win the Democratic nomination. Attorney and political newcomer Caroleene Dobson defeated former state Sen. Dick Brewbaker to win the Republican nomination. Dobson and Figures will face off in November in the closely watched general election. Democrats are aiming to flip the seat after the district was redrawn by a federal court to boost the voting power of Black residents. If Figures is elected, it will be the first time in history that Alabama, which is about 27% Black, has two Black members in its congressional delegation. ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION MEMBER OUT OVER CAMPAIGN DONATION CLAIMS “I’m enormously grateful for the confidence and the trust and the faith that the voters of this newly drawn district have placed in me to represent the Democratic Party in November,” Figures said as he addressed supporters Tuesday night. “That is something that I do not take lightly.” Figures, an attorney, also served as an aide to former President Barack Obama, serving as domestic director of the Presidential Personnel Office. He is the son of two prominent Alabama legislators: longtime state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures and the late Senate President Pro Tem Michael Figures. He moved home to Mobile from Washington D.C. to run for the congressional seat. The non-partisan Cook Political Report rated the district as “likely Democrat,” meaning that it favors the Democratic candidate in November but isn’t considered a sure thing. Republicans believe they will be competitive in November and have a chance to keep the seat under GOP control. Dobson, a real estate attorney and member of the Alabama Forestry Commission, harnessed support in rural areas to defeat Brewbaker, who had led in the March 5 primary. Dobson was raised in Monroe County and lived and practiced law in Texas before returning to Alabama and joining the Maynard Nexsen law firm in 2019. “Thank you to each and every Republican voter in the Second District of Alabama. I am humbled by your outpouring of support and eagerness to join us in fighting for Alabama families,” Dobson said in a written statement. “Because you believed in me and in my vision for our district, we are one step closer to saving our country.” The new district came after a lengthy court battle in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Black Alabamians who had challenged the state’s existing congressional districts. Federal judges approved new district lines in October after ruling that Alabama’s previous map — which had only one majority-Black district out of seven — was racially gerrymandered to limit the influence of the state’s Black voters. The three-judge panel said Alabama should have a second district where Black voters make up a substantial portion of the voting age population and have a reasonable opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice. “Following tonight’s runoff election, Alabama voters now stand on the cusp of making history in November, when Black Alabamians could — for the first time — elect two members of Congress who truly reflect their political desires,” former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said. The new district spans the width of the state and includes Montgomery, parts of Mobile and rural counties in the state’s Black Belt.

GOP senator eyes legislation to defund ‘propagandist’ NPR after suspension of whistleblower

GOP senator eyes legislation to defund ‘propagandist’ NPR after suspension of whistleblower

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., is planning to propose new legislative action that would threaten to cut National Public Radio’s (NPR) federal funding if passed, prompted by the news that it suspended an editor who went viral for exposing the outlet’s partisan uniformity in its newsroom. The Tennessee Republican is weighing a variety of legislative options to take on federal funding that goes to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funding to NPR in the form of grants. She is specifically looking to prevent NPR from benefiting from public funds, due to what her office characterized as left-wing bias.  “The mainstream media has become obsessed with doing the Left’s bidding and taking down strong conservatives — and NPR has led the pack,” Blackburn said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “It makes no sense that the American people are forced to fund a propagandist left-wing outlet that refuses to represent the voices of half the country. NPR should not receive our tax dollars’.” NPR SUSPENDS VETERAN EDITOR WHO BLEW WHISTLE ON LIBERAL BIAS AT ORGANIZATION Blackburn previously looked to sever the government’s funding to NPR in 2011 when she was serving in the House of Representatives. At the time, the Republican-controlled House passed a measure that sought to cut $50 million from CPB. “The time has come for us to claw back this money,” Blackburn reportedly said at the time. CPB is “fully funded by the federal government,” per the nonprofit’s website. The organization provides funding in the form of grants to both NPR and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The grants to NPR are used for its international bureaus and distribution infrastructure that provides content to all public radio stations.  NPR veteran editor Uri Berliner was recently suspended without pay from NPR following his public criticism of his employer. The suspension was made public on Tuesday but began last Friday, according to NPR media reporter David Folkenflik. The organization reportedly told Berliner on Thursday that his punishment was a final warning, and that if he violated NPR’s policy on employees seeking approval to do work for other news outlet, he would be fired. HOUSE DELIVERS MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES TO SCHUMER, SETTING UP TRIAL PROCEEDINGS “I love NPR and feel it’s a national trust,” Berliner said in an interview with Folkenflik. “We have great journalists here. If they shed their opinions and did the great journalism they’re capable of, this would be a much more interesting and fulfilling organization for our listeners.” The senior NPR business editor said he made several attempts to relay his concerns before choosing to publish an essay in the Free Press, but they weren’t heard by the organization’s leadership. SENATE DEMS REVEAL MASSIVE $79M AD SPEND TO PROTECT MAJORITY AHEAD OF KEY MATCHUPS In Berliner’s scathing review of his employer’s ideological homogeneity, he revealed that there were “87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions” at the Washington, D.C., headquarters “and zero Republicans. None.” He said that such a lack of viewpoint diversity seeped into the outlet’s coverage, criticizing NPR’s approach to a variety of prominent stories over the years, including allegations that former President Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, the laptop belonging to President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and the theory that COVID-19 was triggered by a lab leak in China. A spokesperson for Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, said that he is also trying to advance legislation in the House to defund NPR that he has introduced on multiple occasions, including the current Congress. Jackson is actively seeking more co-sponsors for his bill and is pushing House leadership to consider it in the wake of recent events. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., similarly told Fox News Digital in a statement, “I think Congress should exercise oversight of NPR, especially in light of the recent whistleblower’s allegations and subsequent suspension.” “Taxpayers fund NPR, and it should be a source that provides a truly neutral and balanced perspective,” he said. “That can only be achieved through a politically diverse staff, otherwise, it is nothing more than a propaganda machine for the Democrat party.” “Sen. Cassidy was clear that Congress should end public funding for NPR,” a spokesperson for Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said in a statement. “Our office is exploring options to do so.”  NPR did not provide comment in time for publication.

Jewish students slam elite colleges for letting antisemitism run rampant: ‘Moral corruption’

Jewish students slam elite colleges for letting antisemitism run rampant: ‘Moral corruption’

An anti-hate watchdog recently handed out failing grades to some of America’s most prestigious universities for their handling of antisemitism on campus, and students at the same elite institutions are speaking out, saying the findings are not surprising.  “The moral corruption surrounding our elite academic institutions should be alarming to not only Jews,” University of Pennsylvania undergraduate student Eyal Yakoby told Fox News Digital.  “The hate that our professors and fellow students harbor has been running rampant, and administrations are still searching for their moral compasses. This study should be a wake-up call, and academic institutions must stop being ambivalent about antisemitism,” he continued.   Yakoby was reacting to a recent report released by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that found universities including Harvard, MIT and Stanford received failing F grades for the state of antisemitism on their campuses, while schools such as Penn, University of California at Berkeley and Princeton received D grades.  COLLEGE AT CENTER OF ‘FREE PALESTINE’ LIBRARY ATTACK HIT WITH STUDENT LAWSUIT: ‘PRO-HAMAS HATE’ The grades are part of the ADL’s new Campus Antisemitism Report Card, which examined 85 schools and assigned grades ranging from A through F, based on “21 criteria for assessment, categorized into: administrative action and policies, incidents on campus, and Jewish student life on campus,” according to the press release published last week.  JEWISH ACTIVISTS BLAST ‘SQUAD’ DEM FOR ‘APPALLING’ DEFENSE OF FARRAKHAN MURAL: ‘LACK OF FITNESS TO LEAD’ Cases of antisemitism have spiked on campuses nationwide following the outbreak of war in Israel on Oct. 7, with college leaders coming under intense fire on the national stage for their handling of antisemitism. The University of Pennsylvania and Harvard both saw their presidents resign amid national and campus outrage after they appeared before Congress in December and were grilled about their handling of antisemitism on their respective campuses.  When asked for comment on the study and Yakoby’s comments, a Penn spokesperson said in a statement that the ADL’s “work to combat antisemitism is vital” and that the school values “its expertise and ongoing engagement as we actively work to prevent antisemitism on our campus, now and for the long term.” “We recognize we have more work to do and are undertaking it with urgency and focus.” “The University of Pennsylvania celebrates our robust Jewish community and strives to be a place where all Jewish students, faculty, and staff can thrive,” the spokesperson continued. “Penn has repeatedly condemned antisemitism, emphatically and unconditionally. We are implementing a comprehensive Action Plan to Combat Antisemitism and have taken decisive and significant action to ensure safety and security on our campus. We have hosted multiple experts and panels to provide knowledge about the history of antisemitism and strategies to prevent it. Over the past few months, our Antisemitism Task Force has worked diligently to provide interim recommendations and will soon offer additional action steps Penn can take for enduring impact.”  HARVARD, DOZEN OTHER COLLEGE CAMPUSES HIT WITH FAILING GRADE ON ADL ANTISEMITISM REPORT CARD Jewish high school students in the New York City area were even warned this year against applying to Cornell University over the school’s reported failure to protect Jewish students from repeated instances of antisemitism.  JEWISH NYC HIGH SCHOOLERS WARNED AGAINST APPLYING TO IVY LEAGUE OVER ANTISEMITISM: NOT ‘SAFE’ MIT graduate student Talia Khan, who has provided congressional testimony on the rise in antisemitism on campuses, said the prestigious school’s failing grade did not come as a shock.  “As an MIT student, it is unfortunately no surprise that MIT received an F, making it one of the worst schools in the country for Jews. Recently, in a shocking display of disturbing disconnection from reality, President Sally Kornbluth inquired of a professor as to why the Jewish students remain so upset. He was shocked,” Khan told Fox News Digital. “Sally Kornbluth and the MIT administration have done nothing tangible to improve life for all students on campus whose academic experience is being disrupted by Hamas and PFLP terrorist sympathizers who repeatedly flout MIT rules and are never disciplined in a way that stops them from continuing to make MIT an unsafe environment for all students, especially Jews and Israelis.” Kornbluth was grilled alongside Harvard’s and Penn’s respective presidents during a congressional hearing in December, but she did not resign like her academic colleagues. MIT had been repeatedly accused of failing to stop antisemitic acts from a student group called the Coalition Against Apartheid, including before the outbreak of war, including the vandalism of a Holocaust display and allegedly declaring support for Hamas, the New York Post reported in December.  COLLEGE PRESIDENTS GROWING A SPINE? UNIVERSITIES INCREASINGLY LAYING DOWN THE LAW AGAINST ANTISEMITISM MIT suspended the student group after “once again” carrying out “a demonstration on campus without going through the normal permission processes that apply to every student group at MIT,” Kornbluth said in February. Colleges have seen repeat protests and rallies against Israel since October, including this month when an estimated 150 students at Pomona College in California stormed an administrative building, resulting in arrests and a stern warning from the college president that such behavior would not be tolerated; New Jersey’s Rutger University required police assistance at a town hall when anti-Israel protesters this month.  HARVARD SWARMED BY TRUCK BILLBOARDS CALLING FOR PRESIDENT TO RESIGN IN WAKE OF UPENN FALLOUT Beyond the world of academia, anti-Israel agitators shut down San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, as well as the Brooklyn Bridge and Wall Street in New York City just on Monday alone, with many chanting “Free, free Palestine” and “Israel bombs. USA pays. How many kids did you kill today?” The protests Monday follow Iran launching a failed attack on Israel over the weekend, including deploying hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The attack only caused minor damage in Israel.  When asked if a culture of antisemitism on U.S. campuses and across the nation has possibly emboldened Iran, Khan said terrorists are likely “thrilled” with anti-Israel protests in America.  “I

Watchdog group sues Biden admin for docs related to menthol cigarette crackdown

Watchdog group sues Biden admin for docs related to menthol cigarette crackdown

FIRST ON FOX: A government watchdog group is suing the Biden administration over documents it has sought via information request related to proposed regulations targeting menthol cigarettes. Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging that the agency has violated its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Protect the Public’s Trust submitted four FOIA requests for documents pertaining to the proposed federal menthol cigarette ban with HHS and subagency the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late last year, all of which have gone unfulfilled. PPT describes itself as nonpartisan, a “project dedicated to ensuring there is only one standard – one set of rules that our leaders must live by no matter what party affiliation or ideological bent,” according to its website. It’s headed by Michael Chamberlain, a former communications official at the Department of Education in the Trump administration. “The Biden administration and FDA probably thought they would be greeted as conquering heroes when they announced the menthol ban,” Chamberlain said in a statement. “But the science and, as they soon found out, the politics appear to be a lot more complicated than that.” “The rule is highly controversial, and it’s important for the American public to understand the factors driving the administration’s actions here,” he added. “But, despite our best efforts and Mr. Biden’s claim of running the most transparent administration in history, the agencies won’t produce records. That seems to indicate there’s something they don’t want the public to know.” BIDEN ADMIN’S PROPOSED MENTHOL CIGARETTE BAN COULD BECOME LIABILITY IN 2024: ‘UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES’ PPT filed its FOIA requests with HHS and FDA in December. The requests asked for communications between several senior officials related to the menthol ban. However, in the more than 90 days since the four requests, HHS has not produced responsive documents and has not communicated the scope of the documents it intends to produce or withhold, according to PPT. As such, the group argues that HHS has not met its statutory obligations to provide the requested records for the FOIA requests. CONSERVATIVE GROUP UNLEASHES 6-FIGURE AD CAMPAIGN TARGETING BIDEN’S MENTHOL CIGARETTE BAN “Through HHS’ failure to either to make a determination within the time period required by law, PPT has constructively exhausted its administrative remedies and seeks immediate judicial review,” the lawsuit states. HHS, which was listed as the sole defendant in the lawsuit, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the White House has repeatedly missed target dates for finalizing the proposed menthol cigarette regulations, the latest of which was this month, and it remains unclear when they will be finalized. The regulations, which would broadly ban menthol cigarette sales nationwide, were first proposed by the FDA two years ago and sent to the White House for final approval months ago. The FDA said the proposal would reduce disease and even death from tobacco product use by reducing youth experimentation and addiction, while increasing the number of smokers that might quit. Tobacco smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death nationwide, according to the agency. BIDEN ADMIN FACING CONGRESSIONAL PROBE OVER PROPOSED BAN ON MENTHOL CIGARETTES “The FDA remains committed to issuing the tobacco product standards for menthol in cigarettes and characterizing flavors in cigars as expeditiously as possible; these rules have been submitted to the [Office of Management and Budget] for review, which is the final step in the rulemaking process,” an FDA spokesperson recently told Fox News Digital. “As we’ve made clear, these product standards remain at the top of our priorities.” At the same time, the proposed crackdown on menthol cigarettes has sparked a contentious debate between health advocates, who favor the regulations, and civil liberties and business groups, which oppose the regulations. Groups representing minorities, like the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement and the nonprofit National Action Network – the latter of which was founded by civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton – argue that banning menthol cigarettes while not restricting non-menthol cigarettes “puts a microscope on minority communities.” They say it could increase the probability of negative interactions between police and minorities. The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement, National Action Network, National Newspaper Publishers Association and civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump met with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf and White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden to discuss the proposal in November, according to White House records.