Trump says Biden ‘orchestrated’ legal challenges ahead of campaign stops in battleground states
Former President Trump blasted President Biden on Tuesday ahead of campaign stops in the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin, claiming he has “orchestrated” every lawsuit and indictment against him with the help of the Justice Department. “Please remember, ALL of these Lawsuits, Charges, and Indictments that have been brought against me have been orchestrated and coordinated by Crooked Joe Biden, the White House, and the DOJ, as an ATTACK ON CROOKED’S POLITICAL OPPONENT, ME,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account Tuesday morning. TRUMP POSTS $175M BOND IN NY CIVIL FRAUD CASE, AVERTS ASSET SEIZURE “This has never happened before in our Country. MAGA2024!” he added. The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee echoed his past comments, railing against the legal system in the United States, which he says “has been corrupted & politicized at a level never seen before.” Trump said that during his campaign visits in Michigan and Wisconsin on Tuesday he will have “plenty to talk about.” His comments came just hours after he posted $175 million bond out of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case against him. The judgment was initially set at $454 million, but an appeals court slashed that bond by more than half. The former president is appealing the ruling from New York Judge Arthur Engoron. James is barred from seeking to collect the full judgment through the appeals process. “I had to pay New York State in order to appeal a corrupt decision by a biased, crooked and highly overturned judge,” Trump posted. “It’s supposed to be the other way around – you appeal before you pay.” “Is a crooked New York Judge allowed to make you pay for the ‘privilege’ of appealing a wrongful & corrupt decision???” Trump posted. “NOT IN AMERICA.” NEW YORK JUDGE IMPOSES GAG ORDER ON TRUMP IN BRAGG HUSH MONEY CASE Engoron, in February, ruled that Trump inflated his assets. Trump and his family have denied wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Trump reacted to a separate case in New York – this one, stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s years-long investigation into alleged hush-money payments ahead of the 2016 election. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree last year. The trial is set to begin on April 15 in New York. Upon setting the trial date, Judge Juan Merchan granted Bragg’s request for a gag order to be imposed on Trump. “I just was informed that another corrupt New York Judge, Juan Merchan, GAGGED me so that I can not talk about the corruption and conflicts taking place in his courtroom with respect to a case that everyone, including the D.A., felt should never have been brought,” Trump posted. “They can talk about me, but I can’t talk about them??? That sounds fair, doesn’t it?” Trump said Merchan “should be recused, and the case should be thrown out.” “There has virtually never been a more conflicted judge than this one,” Trump posted. “ELECTION INTERFERENCE at its worst!” Merchan issued the order against Trump last week, pointing to his “prior extrajudicial statements,” saying they establish “a sufficient risk to the administration of justice.” TRUMP DEMANDS BIDEN ISSUE APOLOGY OVER ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ TRANS VISIBILITY DAY ON EASTER SUNDAY: ‘APPALLING’ Merchan ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about witnesses concerning their potential participation, or about counsel in the case – other than Bragg – or about court staff, DA staff or family members of staff. Merchan also ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about any prospective juror or chosen juror. The Trump campaign last week blasted the gag order as “unconstitutional,” saying it violates the First Amendment rights of Americans who follow Trump and listen to his speech. In the non-jury civil fraud trial stemming from James’ lawsuit, Engoron also imposed a gag order against Trump. Engoron said Trump violated that order twice, and forced him to pay a penalty. The charges against Trump in the Bragg case are related to alleged hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. In 2019, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted not to charge Trump related to the payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The Federal Election Commission also tossed its investigation into the matter in 2021. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign is trolling Trump as he returns to the campaign trail. “It’s been 14 days since Donald Trump had a campaign event at all,” Biden campaign rapid response director Ammar Mousa wrote in an email, with the subject line: “Donald Trump – welcome back to the trail.” Mousa said Trump’s trip to Michigan and Wisconsin “comes on the heels of a month where he’s losing ground, momentum, and money.” “One day away from the Mar A Lago sun deck isn’t going to fix it,” he wrote. The latest Fox News Poll shows Trump with an edge over Biden in a general election match-up. And another Fox News Poll asked voters if they are better off than they were four years ago. Only about 1 in 5 voters today answers yes, according to the latest Fox News national survey.
GOP Senate candidate Larry Hogan launches Maryland bus tour as Dem candidates face off
FIRST ON FOX: Popular former Gov. Larry Hogan is launching a bus tour across Maryland as he campaigns for the state’s open Senate seat, while Democrats are divided over two candidates in what promises to be a close primary battle. Hogan’s “Back to Work Bus Tour” will begin its 10-day route on Friday and cover hundreds of miles, according to the campaign. “Our campaign is looking forward to hitting the road again and visiting communities all across the state,” Hogan said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “This 10-day tour will bring us directly to the people as we work together to fight for Maryland and send a message to Washington. Let’s get back to work!” RFK JR. DOUBLES DOWN ON WARNING BIDEN IS ‘MUCH WORSE’ THAN TRUMP: ‘GENUINE THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY’ The tour will be hitting everywhere from cities to some of the most rural areas of Maryland, taking the former governor to Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Carroll counties in just the first two days. The campaign’s tour kickoff coincides with the state beginning to send out mail-in ballots to voters for the May 14 primary elections. HILLARY CLINTON TELLS VOTERS DREADING TRUMP-BIDEN REMATCH TO ‘GET OVER YOURSELVES’: IT’S NOT A ‘HARD CHOICE’ One notable stop on the tour will be Hogan’s appearance in Montgomery County, one of the highest Democratic-voting counties in the state. He will be hosting a meet and greet for local business owners while there. Hogan served as Maryland governor from 2015 to 2023 and made history when he became only the second Republican in history to win two terms in the state upon his re-election in 2018. The last Republican to do that was elected in 1954. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, he was careful not to take anything for granted amid a favorable poll being released. “I would not put a lot of stock in polls right now,” he said. “We’ve got a lot to do.” A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll last month showed the former governor defeating both top Democrats in the running, Rep. David Trone, D-Md., and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Hogan beat Trone 49% to 37%, while he bested Alsobrooks 50% to 36%. RFK JR. EDGES AHEAD IN FAVORABILITY AGAINST BIDEN, TRUMP: AMERICANS WANT THE TRUTH Despite the survey, he noted Maryland hasn’t chosen a Republican senator, Charles Mathias, since former President Reagan was elected in 1980. While he is aware of the work necessary, Hogan is also confident that “if we work hard, we have the ability to get people to vote their hearts and vote for the person they think can do the job and not just vote straight party line.” BIDEN CAMPAIGN BELIEVES PRESIDENT CAN FLIP FLORIDA BLUE, CITING TRUMP LEGAL AND FINANCIAL WOES Hogan is widely expected to win the Republican primary for Senate, with one previous leading GOP candidate for the nomination dropping out and endorsing him shortly after his announcement. Retired Air Force Gen. John Teichert said in February, “I’ve come to the conclusion that it is not my time,” adding, “I’ve also come to the conclusion that it is Gov. Larry Hogan’s time.” However, Democrats aren’t as united in their choice of a nominee. The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll revealed that a plurality of registered Democrats weren’t decided on who they would support. Trone amassed 34%, who said they would support him if the election was today, and Alsobrooks boasted 27%. The two candidates have also managed to split federal Democrats, with a number of Congress members voicing support for each of them. But Trone is at an advantage in this area, as he has picked up coveted endorsements from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Hunter Biden attorney slams ‘abnormal way’ Special Counsel Weiss handled case after judge denies dismissal
Hunter Biden’s attorney blasted the decision by a federal judge who refused to dismiss tax charges against the first son, saying they will continue to fight the “abnormal way” Special Counsel David Weiss has handled the case. U.S. District Judge Marc Scarsi of Los Angeles rejected Hunter Biden’s request to dismiss the charges against him, after Weiss accused the first son of a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes. JUDGE REJECTS HUNTER BIDEN REQUEST TO TOSS FEDERAL TAX CHARGES Hunter Biden’s lawyers claimed in their motions to dismiss the charges that federal prosecutors caved to political pressure from Republicans. They also claimed the president’s son had immunity under a previous plea deal that he had negotiated, which later collapsed. “We strongly disagree with the Court’s decision and will continue to vigorously pursue Mr. Biden’s challenges to the abnormal way the Special Counsel handled this investigation and charged this case,” Biden attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement Tuesday. Weiss charged Hunter Biden in December, alleging a “four-year scheme” when the president’s son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020, while also filing false tax reports. The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Hunter “engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020.” The special counsel alleged that Hunter “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” and that in 2018, he “stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015.” PROSECUTORS SLAM HUNTER BIDEN ATTORNEYS IN FEDERAL COURT: ‘YOU ATTACK THE FACTS’ Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to all charges. Lowell, in court last week, argued that a diversion agreement on the tax charges was still in effect. The diversion agreement was included as part of the original plea deal that collapsed in July. Biden was set to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, which would have allowed him to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge. That deal fell apart during his last court appearance. The president’s son, in July, was then forced to plead not guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and one felony gun charge when the deal collapsed in court. Lowell is also seeking to dismiss gun charges Weiss brought against Biden in Delaware. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to those charges in October. The trial in the tax case in California is tentatively scheduled to begin on June 20 with jury selection.
Biden, China’s Xi hold phone call on Taiwan, AI, trade
President Biden held a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since July 2022 on Tuesday, the White House announced. The White House has yet to offer details about the call, but Biden and Xi were expected to discuss Taiwan, narcotics, artificial intelligence, and China’s support for Russia against Ukraine. The White House described the conversation as merely a “check-in” between the two leaders. Biden was not expected to bring up TikTok or the origins of COVID-19. Biden currently supports legislation in Congress that would ban TikTok unless it is sold to a company that is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby is expected to answer questions regarding the call during a press conference later Tuesday. BIDEN MEETS XI, SAYS THERE IS ‘NO SUBSTITUTE’ FOR ‘FACE-TO-FACE DISCUSSION’ ON ISSUES FACING US, CHINA Biden last spoke with Xi in person in November, their first public interaction since Biden took to referring to Xi as a “dictator” in June of last year. Biden used the term after the U.S. shot down a Chinese spy craft on the East Coast after allowing it to traverse the continental U.S. BIDEN ADMIN FAILING TO TRACK CHINESE OWNERSHIP OF US FARMLAND: GOVT WATCHDOG Biden again referred to Xi as a dictator in November last year as conversation around Taiwan heated up. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying issued a blunt warning at the time about America’s friendly relations with Taiwan, referring to the “Taiwan question” as “the most important and most sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations.” TAIWAN ELECTION: RULING PARTY CANDIDATE WINS TIGHTLY CONTESTED PRESIDENTIAL RACE, UPSETTING CHINA’S AMBITIONS “The U.S. side should take real actions to honor its commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’, stop arming Taiwan, and support China’s peaceful reunification. China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable,” she wrote in a post on X. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Biden has stated repeatedly in the past that the U.S. would intervene if China were to invade Taiwan, but the White House has walked back that statement each time. Fox News’ White House Unit contributed to this report.
McConnell putting ‘main part of my focus’ on opposing Russia in Ukraine: ‘A worldwide problem for democracies’
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a local radio interview Monday that he is putting “the main part of my focus in the coming years” on opposing Russia in Ukraine, noting that it is “a worldwide problem for democracies.” Though he will not seek a Senate leadership role again, McConnell told NewsRadio 840 WHAS host Terry Meiners that he would continue to serve in the Senate through his whole term and will continue fighting against the “isolationist movement” in his own party and others, adding that “a symbol of that lately is that, are we going to help Ukraine or not?” “I think it’s extremely important that we do that. I’m not particularly a fan of the Biden administration, particularly the decision to run out of Afghanistan, which is like sending Putin a green light, but we are where we are, and the Europeans have stepped up,” McConnell said. “Most of the money that we are authorizing is being spent in this country, some of it in Kentucky, because we needed to rebuild our industrial base for what lies ahead with Russia, and now China as a national security problem. So I’ve got this sort of on my mind for the next couple of years.” McConnell said global democracy is in a precarious position, and not just as a result of terrorism experienced on 9/11 and beyond or the current Israel-Hamas war. KENTUCKY LAWMAKERS APPROVE BILL TO FILL SENATE VACANCY BY SPECIAL ELECTION RATHER THAN BY DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR “In addition to the terrorist threats, we have big power competition. The Russians have become like the old Soviet Union. The Chinese – who are tough commercial competitors – have now become national security problems as well. It’s time for the democratic world to be unified,” McConnell said. “This is a worldwide problem for democracies, and they need our leadership, and we need their partnership, and so that’s where I’m going to put the main part of my focus in the coming years.” McConnell categorized his fellow U.S. senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul, also a Republican, as an “isolationist.” MCCONNELL ENDORSES TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT AFTER SUPER TUESDAY RESULTS: ‘HE WILL HAVE MY SUPPORT‘ Paul has argued that the United States has no national security interest in Ukraine, and that it is not the United States’ role to defend Ukraine against its “longtime adversary.” “We’re not losing any of our troops,” McConnell countered during the radio interview. “The Ukrainians are the ones doing the fighting. If the Russians take Ukraine, some NATO country will be next, and then we will be right in the middle of it. So, I think on the fact basis, this is absolutely what we ought to do, and we just disagree on this.” “I’m going to concentrate, as I’ve said, inside on this isolationist issue, and outside on trying to get us to the majority in the Senate,” McConnell added. “Do you feel like there’s an end in sight for the Ukraine battle?” the host asked the senator. “It’s very, very important. I think this is the most dangerous time for the free world since right after the Berlin Wall fell down,” McConnell said. “People have always been reluctant. My party tends to be isolationist when there’s a Democrat in the White House. You know most Republicans voted against Lend-Lease going into World War II, and Pearl Harbor straightened that out.”
House Republicans eye crackdown on family-sponsored immigration
FIRST ON FOX: A group of House Republicans are eyeing a crackdown on certain legal immigration pathways to the United States, citing “exploitation and abuse” of the system. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, introduced a bill called the “Nuclear Family Priority Act” aimed at limiting who can get family-sponsored immigrant visas. Critics call the abuse of the family-sponsored system “chain migration.” “Unrestricted chain migration has allowed for the inexcusable exploitation and abuse of our immigration system. I’m proud to introduce this bill that will help restore the rule of law, prevent our nation from being overburdened, and bolster our national security,” Crane told Fox News Digital. MASSACHUSETTS CLOSES COMMUNITY CENTER TO PUBLIC TO SHELTER MIGRANTS, PROMPTING BACKLASH “I’m grateful to former Rep. Jody Hice for introducing this bill last Congress and to the cosponsors who have joined me in introducing it this Congress,” Crane said. If passed, the bill would eliminate extended, non-nuclear family visa categories as well as limit eligibility for family-sponsored visas to nuclear family members only – typically consisting of just spouses and their children. It would also reduce the baseline yearly cap for new family-sponsored visas, which is currently 480,000, according to the National Immigration Forum. Special circumstances would be considered for visa applicants aiming to care for their U.S.-based parents. GOP SENATOR FUMES OVER BIDEN ADMIN PROVIDING VETERAN MEDICAL RESOURCES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS The bill is backed by GOP hardliners, including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., who is among its cosponsors. Others include Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.; Bill Posey, R-Fla.; Mary Miller, R-Ill.; and Andy Ogles, R-Tenn. According to the State Department, family immigration visas are separated into two main categories: immediate relatives and family preference. Immediate relatives would be spouses, children or parents of the person applying for the visa. The Department’s website states, “The number of immigrants in these categories is not limited each fiscal year.” Crane’s bill would remove parents from that list, according to text obtained by Fox News Digital. SALVADORAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO MARYLAND MURDER OF 2-YEAR-OLD BOY Family preference refers to “specific, more distant, family relationships with a U.S. citizen and some specified relationships with a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)” including parents, children, siblings, and spouses. Permanent residents are limited to spouses and unmarried children. Immigrant visas in this category are capped, according to the State Department. Critics of the system have argued that people overstaying their visas after coming to the U.S. through a family member are helping fuel the ongoing migrant crisis. There are as many as 16.8 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a conservative-leaning think tank.
RFK Jr.’s running mate an ‘unknown quantity’ with ‘deep pockets’ as GOP, Dems fear spoiler campaign: experts
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, presents several areas of appeal to key constituencies for both President Biden and former President Trump, as Democrats and Republicans look to stave off Kennedy’s campaign for president. “Shanahan is an unknown quantity,” said Kevin Madden, former senior adviser to Utah Sen. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. “If she can bring a fresh, dynamic approach to the campaign, she has a chance to tap into a very real market of voters who want anything but a 2020 rematch.” Last week, Kennedy announced the 38-year-old attorney, tech entrepreneur and mother as the vice president on his 2024 ticket. The campaign had to announce a running mate to begin gathering signatures to gain ballot access in several states. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS PANIC TO QUICKLY DEFINE ‘SPOILER’ CANDIDATE RFK JR Lisa Bryant, political science department chairwoman at California State University, Fresno said, “She will likely help draw some attention to the campaign from women voters and possibly first-gen voters and [people of color] as people become more familiar with her.” Who exactly Shanahan will appeal to, and which candidate that in turn hurts, remains unknown. Like Kennedy, his running mate has some qualities that align with those on the left and others that do so on the right. “The only candidate that… I really don’t think any Moms for Liberty members are going to vote for would be Joe Biden,” said Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice in an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday. FORMER RNC CHAIR REINCE PRIEBUS CRITICIZES NBC FOR ‘HUGE FAILURE’ ON RONNA MCDANIEL DEBACLE Kennedy was slated to speak to the conservative group at their Philadelphia summit last summer when he was still running against Biden in the Democratic primary. However, Justice said he backed out at the last minute, which disappointed members who were interested in hearing from him. Now, Kennedy is running as an independent, and Justice explained that there is still a level of interest in his campaign from some members, pointing specifically to mothers whose children may have suffered injuries allegedly from vaccines. Bryant claimed Shanahan’s “vaccine skepticism” could be more attractive to “right-leaning voters,” but added, “she might also appeal to those on the left who still believe vaccines are linked to autism.” David Darmofal, a political scientist at the University of South Carolina, reiterated that Shanahan is not well-known, remarking she “probably doesn’t have the name recognition to currently draw disproportionately from either Democratic- or Republican-leaning voters.” He explained that she could likely “reinforce Kennedy’s anti-system message and provide help for the campaign with donations.” BIDEN IS TRYING TO ‘HAVE IT BOTH WAYS’ WITH RADICALS, MODERATES: SEAN DUFFY Madden wasn’t sure whether Trump or Biden would be more affected by Kennedy and Shanahan’s ticket. But he explained that regardless, Shanahan fits the profile of some of the most important voters in November: suburban women in critical battleground counties. It’s not yet clear what level of impact Shanahan’s involvement could have on this core constituency, he explained. Currently, Trump is at a disadvantage with women, who were credited with delivering Biden the win in 2020. According to a March Quinnipiac poll, Biden is winning with women as a whole and with White women, who previously swung for Trump in 2016. In the survey, 48% of female registered voters said they supported Biden, while 30% chose Trump and 12% opted for Kennedy. Among White women, 46% stuck with Biden, 33% said they would vote for Trump and 13% would choose Kennedy. As 2024 appears poised to be a rematch of 2020, strategists have highlighted women, specifically suburban and in battleground states, as one of the most critical voting groups. Madden, who has experience with running mate decisions, emphasized the importance of chemistry between those on the ticket. At the end of the day, he stressed that they needed to like each other. According to Democratic strategist Eric Koch, Kennedy’s selection had more to do with finances than any kind of voter appeal. She “can help him buy ballot access,” he said, adding that voters won’t be swayed by Kennedy’s “scam.” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Matt Corridoni, who the Biden campaign referred Fox News Digital to when asked for comment, echoed this. “She has money they can use to help buy their way onto the ballot.” TRUMP-ALIGNED CANDIDATE FOR NORTH DAKOTA’S LONE HOUSE SEAT GETS BOOST FROM VIVEK RAMASWAMY But political scientists noted that Shanahan’s money provides an important resource for Kennedy. “She can give unlimited amounts of money to the campaign,” explained Christopher Devine, a University of Dayton assistant professor of political science and co-author of “Do Running Mates Matter?” With her, Kennedy has “a much better chance of getting on state ballots across the country and winning a larger share of the national popular vote,” he said. She “has deep pockets and Silicon Valley connections,” said Bernard Tamas, an associate political science professor at Valdosta State University and author of “The Demise and Rebirth of American Third Parties.” And despite the Kennedy campaign’s lack of “the structure of a typically successful third party,” Shanahan’s money puts them in a better position than many other independent bids, he said. Her value may only be in the short term, however. “As someone who likewise has no political experience, she is a poor choice for Kennedy in the long term,” Devine claimed. “Her effectiveness will largely depend on how voters respond to her as they learn more and see her in action over the course of the campaign,” said Madden. Bryant agreed, noting her presentation on the trail “will be the real test.” In a statement, Kennedy press secretary Stefanie Spear said, “We are neither right nor left, neither liberal nor conservative. The key policy positions that Mr. Kennedy and Ms. Shanahan share defy those categories.” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung felt differently. “RFK Jr. is a radical leftist,” he claimed. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more
Cash-for-query probe: ED files money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra
ED files money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra in cash-for-query case.
Rashida Tlaib accuses Israel of intentionally killing 7 humanitarian aid workers
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is accusing Israel of killing seven humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza on purpose. “The Israeli government knew that humanitarian workers were in this vehicle,” Tlaib wrote on her Instagram Story on Tuesday morning. Alongside the text, she shared a video of a badly damaged car with a massive hole in its roof that partially destroyed what appeared to be a brightly marked WCK logo. Another post showed a graphic photo of what appeared to be a deceased aid worker along with a photo of purportedly the same worker pictured alive. “Don’t look away. The government of Israel killed seven humanitarian workers (a war crime). They knew the coordinates of the workers and used it to kill them,” Tlaib wrote. 6 MONTHS ON, FAMILIES OF US HOSTAGES IN GAZA STUCK IN ‘AMBIGUOUS TRAUMA’ Fox News Digital reached out to Tlaib for further comment. Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack has fractured the Democratic Party, with a growing faction pressuring the Biden administration to limit aid to the Middle Eastern ally. Tlaib has been one of Biden’s top critics amid the conflict. Along with the accusations against Israel, she also used her Instagram account to criticize the president for sending more weapons and funding to Israel. She shared a post on Tuesday morning from left-leaning outlet “The Intercept” headlined “1 in 5 Wisconsin Democrats said Gaza war will impact their primary vote.” ISRAELI SOLDIER GRAVELY INJURED IN OCT. 7 TERROR ATTACK FINDS NEW FAITH, OFFERS HOPE TO OTHERS “Biden won Wisconsin by 0.63% in 2020. The [Biden campaign] would rather lose to an indicted criminal, twice impeached candidate than say no to genocide,” Tlaib wrote, referring to former President Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden campaign for comment on the remark. Seven aid workers – citizens from Poland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and a dual U.S.-Canada citizen, as well as a Palestinian – were killed when their vehicle convoy was hit by an airstrike after delivering food in central Gaza, WCK said. The organization said its vehicles were clearly marked with its name and logo, and that it coordinated their movements with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) beforehand. WCK is a global nonprofit dedicated to providing fresh meals to people in war zones, natural disasters and other humanitarian crises. The group and its founder, famed chef Jose Andres, both blamed Israel for their deaths. ISRAELI TROOPS WITHDRAW FROM SHIFA HOSPITAL IN GAZA, IDF SAYS WCK CEO Erin Gore called the strike “unforgivable,” saying in a statement, “I am heartbroken and appalled that we – World Central Kitchen and the world – lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later put out a statement about an “unintentional” IDF strike. “Unfortunately, on the last day, there was a tragic event of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu said. “This happens in war; we are checking thoroughly, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything to prevent this from happening again.” The IDF has said it would conduct a thorough investigation of what happened.
White House urges Congress to extend internet subsidy program before funds run dry
The White House plans to renew a push in April to convince Congress to extend an internet subsidy program used by 23 million American households just weeks before it runs out of money, officials said. In October, the White House asked for $6 billion to extend the program through December 2024, but Congress has not funded it, potentially putting millions of households at risk of losing their internet service. Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel told lawmakers in a letter that April is the last month participants will get the full subsidy, with partial subsidies in May. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES $930 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR BIDEN’S INTERNET EXPANSION PROJECT Congress previously allocated $17 billion to help lower-income families and people impacted by COVID-19 gain broadband access through a $30 per month voucher to use toward internet service. “We have come too far to allow this successful effort to promote internet access for all to end,” Rosenworcel said on Tuesday. “Despite the breadth of this support and the urgent need to continue this program to ensure millions of households nationwide do not lose essential internet access, no additional funding has yet been appropriated.” The FCC froze enrollment on Feb. 8 for new users. The White House says the plan, known as the Affordable Connectivity Program, helps users save over $500 million per month on their internet bills. Verizon, Comcast and AT&T, have all called for Congress to extend the program. Bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Peter Welch, JD Vance, Jacky Rosen and Kevin Cramer would provide $7 billion for the program. A bill to fund the program for one-year has been introduced in the House and is backed by 216 members. The FCC cited a survey that if the program ends, more than three-quarters of the households in the program “would experience service disruption or would have to change their existing plan or stop service altogether.”