Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political posts
The Tribune reported last year that a company called Influenceable LLC was paid to recruit influencers to defend Attorney General Ken Paxton over his impeachment.
Hunter Biden’s former Chinese ‘business colleague’ stiffed NYC designer out of millions: court docs
EXCLUSIVE: A Chinese business executive with close ties to Hunter Biden and a top former adviser to Joe Biden when he was vice president is facing legal action after failing to pay a New York designer millions in “contractually-owed payments,” according to court records reviewed by Fox News Digital. The son of “Chinese billionaires” who runs a vast real estate empire in China, Bo Zhang previously offered to wire Hunter Biden tens of thousands of dollars to cover expenses. Zhang is also in the middle of a civil dispute with Jacob Barton, a prominent New York-based designer whose company was instrumental in designing the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, among other famous museums and brands. Local Projects, an entity founded by Barton, and Zhang’s entity, Harves Bridge, entered into an agreement in October 2020 to “form a company called DreamCube Innovations LLC,” whose purpose was to “design and build interactive sports gaming centers for the Chinese market,” the court filings showed. More than $4 million in payments were never delivered to Barton, the complaint alleges. HUNTER BIDEN REFUSES TO ATTEND HOUSE HEARING WITH FORMER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES Francis “Fran” Person, who served as a top adviser to Vice President Biden from 2009 to 2014 and introduced Hunter Biden to Zhang in 2015, is the co-founder and CEO of DreamCube Innovations, according to a previous FOX Business report. Fast Company described DreamCube in a 2021 profile piece as an “enticing new technology and brand that’s already signed deals with the NBA as well as with the Manchester United soccer club” that is set up “across China.” “It’s humbling to work with incredibly creative, talented, and passionate people to push technology and immersive experiences to another level,” Person wrote in a now-private post on his personal Facebook, sharing the Fast Company article. “We’re living through tough times, but our future is lined with infinite possibilities.” It is unclear whether Person, whom then-second lady Jill Biden said “has been like a son to Joe and me” and “will always be a part of our family” in a Politico profile piece, is involved in the arbitration case. However, one of the court filings mentioned a May 2021 email Person sent on behalf of DreamCube, acknowledging that DreamCube was late on payments and promised that Harves would “catch up with the quarterly payments and get us back on schedule.” Fox News Digital could not confirm whether “Harves” refers to one of the D.C.-based affiliates that Zhang and Person managed or Harves Century Group, the China-based parent organization owned by Zhang’s billionaire parents and managed by his mother. According to documents, the ordeal involving the unpaid money began with Zhang devising DreamCube to “design and build interactive sports gaming centers for the Chinese market.” Zhang and Barton entered into contracts to develop sports-themed gaming centers in China related to the NBA and the Manchester United Football Club. Barton, however, claims he fulfilled all his contractual obligations but did not receive a significant amount of the money owed to him. He received $509,000 in earlier payments but was still due millions more, one of the filings states. This forced him to approach an arbitration panel to recover the additional money. HUNTER BIDEN ADMITS HE PUT HIS FATHER ON SPEAKERPHONE, INVITED HIM TO MEETINGS, BUT DENIES ‘INVOLVEMENT’ In September, an arbiter ruled in his favor, ordering Zhang to pay him almost $5.7 million in compensation. Zhang, however, could not be located in China, even after Barton had retained the services of the Dacheng law firm, the largest law firm in China, to investigate his whereabouts. “In fact, [Barton’s] investigation suggests that Mr. Zhang has taken active steps to avoid being found,” a January filing states. The filing went on to list six examples of Barton doing “more than sufficient diligence to satisfy Rule 4(f)’s reasonableness standard” in trying to track down Zhang, including “Direct outreach from Mr. Barton to Mr. Zhang via WeChat, the Chinese messaging application that Mr. Barton and Mr. Zhang previously used to conduct business” and “site visit to the business address for the new Beijing Huarui entity that Mr. Zhang created in the face of demands for payment related to the DreamCube venture. “None of these efforts were successful. Indeed, the facts gleaned from Petitioner’s investigation lead to the likely inference that Mr. Zhang is actively attempting to avoid service and is in fact attempting to stymie attempts to find him,” the filing continued. The filing says that one of Zhang’s companies, Beijing Shengpuruisi, previously changed its name in December 2021 as Barton demanded money for “outstanding contractual payments.” Months later, Zhang appears to have sold his six-bedroom McLean, Virginia, mansion for over $5 million in July 2022 and likely moved back to China. “Ultimately, finding a physical residential address for Mr. Zhang in China is highly unlikely — if not altogether impossible,” the January filing said. Due to this, Barton then attempted to get permission to serve legal papers to Zhang electronically, which was eventually granted after he was previously denied. A recent filing shows a phone conference was scheduled for March 22 as Barton continued his attempt to collect his millions in unpaid fees. Fox News Digital could not confirm whether Zhang has paid Barton any of the millions of dollars he owes. Fran Person first told Hunter Biden, who is not implicated in Barton’s case, about Zhang’s background in a July 2015 email and invited him to China to meet Zhang and his family. The email detailed Zhang’s family having “great respect and relationships in China” and said Zhang has been “groomed to take over his family’s dynasty.” The email also said Zhang’s “father-in-law is actually the Governor of Hainan (Chinese Hawaii), which he doesn’t advertise at all,” referring to Liu Cigui, a longtime member of the CCP who has held several leadership positions over the last 15 or more years. While it does not appear Hunter was able to visit China during the time frame Person mentioned, Hunter and
Fox News Politics: Trump mourns fallen officer
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? -Biden has stopped promoting ‘Bidenomics’ despite still insisting it works -Speaker Johnson set dates for delivering Mayorkas impeachment date to Senate -Chris Christie shuts down consideration for ‘No Labels’ candidacy Former President Donald Trump attended the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller Thursday afternoon at a Massapequa Park funeral home, while calling for law and order. “Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “We need law and order,” Trump added. Diller was fatally shot on Monday during a traffic stop in Queens after a man with 21 prior arrests allegedly shot him in the stomach as Diller was trying to get the suspect, Guy Rivera, 34, to exit the vehicle. Rivera opened fire on Diller and his partner at about 5:45 p.m. Monday. The officers approached the vehicle because it was illegally parked at a bus stop. Diller was 31 years old and lived in Massapequa Park with his wife and nearly 1-year-old son, Fox News Digital previously reported. He had served three years with the NYPD before his death. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Biden had spoken with Adams about the death, adding she did not have “private communications to share” regarding whether Biden had spoken to Diller’s family. CALLING ON POTUS: House GOP invites Biden to testify in his own impeachment inquiry …Read more DOESN’T WORK: Biden has all but stopped promoting ‘Bidenomics’ but still insists it’s effective …Read more BOOK BUST: Books about Biden presidency go ‘bust’ as Trump ‘best-sellers’ prove more popular …Read more ‘ADVANCE EQUITY’: Biden admin unveils new AI regulations for federal agencies …Read more ‘100% BEHIND HIM’: Former ICE chief speaks out on Gov. Abbott’s border battle with Biden …Read more WALLS ‘WORK’: Abbott gets backing from key GOP senator on Biden border battle …Read more MARCHING AHEAD: Johnson sets date for delivering impeachment articles to Senate …Read more NORTHERN EXPOSURE: House Republicans plead with Mayorkas to address ‘unprecedented surge’ across northern US-Canada border …Read more ANTI-‘SOCIAL’: Most Americans support House plan to ban TikTok if it isn’t sold, poll finds …Read more MASSIVE HAUL: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, light up fundraising jackpot for Biden in his rematch with Trump …Read more ‘NOT THE WAY FORWARD’: Chris Christie pulls out of consideration for ‘No Labels’ White House bid …Read more PROTECTED SPEECH: Trump’s election interference case in Georgia should be tossed on First Amendment grounds, lawyer says …Read more ‘ULTRA-LEFT-WING BAN’: Trump vows to strike down California EV mandate on ‘day one’ …Read more ‘CANCEL THIS PROGRAM’: Dem Gov. blasted program giving cash to house ‘newcomer’ migrants after illegal immigrant murder …Read more CURVEBALL: Opinion — The Supreme Court’s abortion pill curveball …Read more ‘STAY FOCUSED’: Fani Willis scolded by Democrat for making herself ‘a character’ in GA election case …Read more CAMPUS ON FIRE: Stanford student calls for Biden to be killed for advancing ‘genocide’ of Palestinians …Read more SEEING RED: Union sends wake-up call to woke Dems thinking of attending cop’s funeral …Read more COP KILLING: Suspect in NYPD murder came close to gunning down his partner: docs …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.
Georgia sports betting amendment clears committee, but still needs Dem votes to pass
There’s still a chance Georgians could vote on authorizing sports betting in November, but the odds may be poor. The House Higher Education Committee on Thursday passed out both a proposed state constitutional amendment and authorizing legislation that would let Georgians bet legally on pro and college sports. But a top Democrat said his party still wants to see changes in how state taxes on sports betting would be spent. Without Democratic votes, a constitutional amendment can’t achieve the two-thirds majorities needs to pass the House and Senate. And Republicans are far from unified. Some GOP lawmakers oppose sports betting, saying they don’t want the state to sanction destructive and addictive behavior. FIRST WEEK OF NC SPORTS BETTING SEES ALMOST $200M IN WAGERS: ‘STRONG START’ Time is short to reach any agreement. Lawmakers will conclude their 2024 annual session after sundown Thursday. House Minority Whip Sam Park, a Lawrenceville Democrat, voted to advance Senate Resolution 579 and Senate Bill 386, but said he and other Democrats don’t support the bills passing as they’re currently written. That’s because the House committee changed the measure to allow taxes to be deposited for the use of HOPE college scholarships and prekindergarten classes. The Senate measure prioritized using the money for prekindergarten, and some Democrats also want money to be used for other purposes, such as college financial aid that doesn’t require students to achieve and keep certain grades. “It deviates from the bipartisan compromise in the state Senate that prioritized funding for voluntary pre-K,” Park said.” Supporters say Georgians should get a chance to vote, arguing many are already betting on sports illegally. “This allows us to get those people off an illegal market into a legal market, allows us to regulate it and tax it, and take care and protect Georgia citizens,” said Rep. Marcus Wiedower, a Watkinsville Republican sponsoring the measure in the House. Opponents, though, warn that legalizing sports betting will provide a pathway to addiction, especially for younger gamblers. “When it is sanctioned by the state, to me it provides a different level,” said Rep. Clay Pirkle, an Ashburn Republican. “If the state says it’s OK, it becomes OK for a lot of people not doing this now.” Sen. Bill Cowsert, the Athens Republican who has been leading efforts in that chamber, said he believed the constitutional amendment, which would provide up to $22.5 million to treat gambling addictions, would provide “the most robust problem gaming provisions of any sports betting legislation in this country.” Nationwide, 38 states allow sports betting. Some states allow only in-person bets, although most allow electronic betting from anywhere. Georgia’s earlier bill would take 20% of proceeds in taxes, after winnings are paid to gamblers. Nationwide, tax rates are set at anywhere from 6.75% in Iowa to 51% in Rhode Island and New York.
State makes retail theft a felony as organized crime proliferates
The Kansas legislature passed a bill Wednesday that would classify organized retail crime (ORC) a felony offense, joining nine other states that have passed similar laws in the last year. ORC refers to orchestrated groups of shoplifters who commit smash-and-grab robberies of stores or target cargo carriers. The state’s upper chamber passed the Substitute House Bill 2144, which would split the felony charges into two tiers. A theft of merchandise valued at more than $3,000 would be classified a felony and those convicted would face between 31 and 136 months behind bars. If the amount stolen exceeds $15,000, the sentence range is between 38 and 172 months. ‘BURGLARY TOURISM’ PLAGUES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AS UNVETTED FOREIGNERS RAID LUXE HOUSES The bill still has to be signed by Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, before it goes into effect. In support of the bill, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach wrote that ORC isn’t “mere shoplifting.” “These crimes typically involve stealing for personal use. It is large-scale theft of retail merchandise that represents a concerted effort to victimize a business, often with the intention of reselling the items for financial gain and often using those financial proceeds to fund additional criminal activity,” he said. FLORIDA RESTAURANT OWNER EXPOSES ‘DINE-AND-DASHERS’ ON SOCIAL MEDIA, CONFRONTS WOMAN FLEEING IN MERCEDES A 2023 report from the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail association, found that organized retail crime was a primary driver of the massive amount of “shrink” retailers saw in 2022, with non-employee stealing making up 36%. The term “shrink” typically means theft and other forms of inventory losses, and retailers nationwide experienced $112 billion in losses in 2022. Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Oregon enacted retail theft laws last year, while California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana and North Carolina passed ORC laws in 2022. “While theft has an undeniable impact on retailer margins and profitability, retailers are highly concerned about the heightened levels of violence and threat of violence associated with theft and crime,” the NRF wrote on its website. State Senate Republicans who voted for the bill argued that ORC needs its own category since shoplifters who steal for their own use versus those who are part of a broader organized scheme are charged the same way. NYC STORE THAT SURVIVED GREAT DEPRESSION FEARS IT WON’T LAST MUCH LONGER UNDER LIBERAL POLICIES “Currently we don’t have the proper tools to prosecute that type of crime, so that’s what this bill does,” state Sen. Kellie Warren, a Republican, said of the bill, The Topeka Journal reported. Some states hit hard by retail theft have gone so far as to create their own law enforcement task forces to address it. The NRF found that Los Angeles was one of the hardest-hit cities in California for ORC, leading the LA County Sheriff Department to create the Organized Retail Theft Crime Task Force. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Meanwhile, opponents of tough-on-crime laws such as these argue the harsher penalties are too extreme for the crimes and could prevent a person from being rehabilitated. Maine’s legislature passed a bill in the House this week that would prohibit charging people who already have two prior convictions of theft if the third theft is worth less than $500. The state’s current law permits a felony charge for the third conviction if the crimes all occur within a decade.
Ex-Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura says he will sell cannabis edibles
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has announced he is entering the cannabis market as a seller, as the state still figures out retail sales of the drug on the heels of legalizing marijuana for adults last year. Ventura is launching his own brand of cannabis edibles in partnership with Retro Bakery, which is based in suburban Minneapolis and producing hemp-derived THC edibles under the Jesse Ventura Farms brand, Minnesota Public Radio reported. DAILY MARIJUANA SMOKERS FACE HIGHER RISK OF HEART ATTACK, STROKE, SAYS AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION STUDY “Ventura Farms is my foray into the world of cannabis,” Ventura said in a Wednesday video with rock music playing in the background. He added, “I’m a huge supporter of the cannabis industry. Cannabis saved my family’s life. And now it’s time for me to return to the cannabis world. And you can join me — Jesse Ventura and Ventura Farms — any time you want. We’re in the game.” Ventura has said the drug helped his wife get her seizures under control, MPR reported. Retro Bakery said the Ventura-branded edibles will be available for pre-order on April 1, according to MPR. A former professional wrestler and actor, Ventura shocked the public when he won the race for Minnesota governor as an independent candidate in 1998. He served as governor from 1999 to 2003. Ventura was one of the first governors in the U.S. to openly support marijuana legalization. Last year, Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. This month, the state’s top cannabis regulator said Minnesota probably won’t meet its goal of launching full-scale retail marijuana sales in the first quarter of 2025 because of the time it will take to draft regulations and issue licenses. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Using, possessing and growing marijuana for personal use, within limits, became legal last August. But sales are still a legal gray area. Currently, only a few tribally owned on-reservation shops are legally allowed to sell recreational marijuana in Minnesota because tribal sovereignty exempts them from state regulation.
Hillary Clinton warns AI tech will make 2016 election disinformation ‘look primitive’
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described herself as a victim of election disinformation during a panel discussion on Thursday, and warned that the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) will make her experience “look primitive.” Clinton was taking part in a Columbia University event titled, “AI’s Impact on the 2024 Global Elections.” She discussed her own experience in 2016 when she lost to former President Donald Trump, pointing out that the internet was populated with memes, fake content and conspiracies about her in the lead-up to Election Day. “I don’t think any of us understood it. I did not understand it. I can tell you, my campaign did not understand it. Their, you know, the so-called ‘Dark Web’ was filled with these kinds of memes and stories and videos of all sorts…portraying me in all kinds of… less than flattering ways,” Clinton said. “And we knew something’s going on, but we didn’t understand the full extent of the very clever way in which it was insinuated into social media.” AI WEAPON DETECTION COMPANY SEEKS TO PREVENT SCHOOL, OTHER SHOOTINGS: ‘A PROACTIVE MEASURE’ Clinton argued it was that leap to social media that accelerated the false content’s integration with everyday Americans. “There are people today who think I’ve done all these terrible things because they saw it on the internet. And they saw it on the internet in their Facebook feed or some, you know, Twitter this or Snapchat that. They were, you know, following the breadcrumbs,” she said, warning of those efforts: “And what they did to me was primitive.” The former Democratic presidential nominee claimed the online conspiracies about her are now being used to create more sophisticated false content with more advanced technology. WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? “What we’re talking about now is the leap in technology that we’re dealing with. You know, they had all kinds of videos of people looking like me, but weren’t me, and they had to keep whoever that woman was with her back to the camera enough so that they couldn’t actually… be found out,” Clinton said. “Now they can just go ahead, they can take me. “I’ve had, you know, people who are students and experts in this tell me… because they’ve got such a library of stuff about me, they’re using it to practice on and see how more sophisticated they can get. So I am worried because, you know, having defamatory videos about you is no fun. I can tell you that. But having them in a way that you really can’t make the distinction… you have no idea whether it’s true or not, that is of a totally different level of threat.” The potential prevalence of deepfakes — AI-generated videos, audio or images that show altered or completely fabricated scenarios — has already raised concern among U.S. officials ahead of November’s elections. SPEAKER JOHNSON MEETS WITH OPENAI CEO, SAYS CONGRESS ‘NEEDS TO PLAY’ ROLE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Those same officials are also concerned about the threat of hostile foreign actors intervening in the 2024 cycle. FBI Director Christopher Wray warned in a speech last month that AI technology is lowering the barrier to entry for malign actors looking to meddle in U.S. elections. “This election cycle, the U.S. will face more adversaries moving at a faster pace and enabled by new technology,” Wray said. “Advances in generative AI, for instance, are lowering the barrier to entry, making it easier for both more and less sophisticated foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence while making foreign influence efforts by players both old and new, more realistic and more difficult to detect.”
Comer invites Biden to testify publicly as part of House impeachment inquiry
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, in an unprecedented move, invited President Biden to testify as part of the impeachment inquiry against him, stressing that it is “in the best interest of the American people” for him to answer questions from members of Congress. Comer urged Biden to accept his invitation in a letter sent Thursday, obtained by Fox News Digital. “During the 118th Congress, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has been investigating influence peddling conducted by you and your family,” Comer wrote, noting that the committee has “accounted for over $24 million that has flowed from foreign sources to you, your family, and their business associates.” Comer said the committee has identified “no legitimate services to merit such lucrative payments.” HUNTER BIDEN ADMITS HE PUT HIS FATHER ON SPEAKERPHONE, INVITED HIM TO MEETINGS, BUT DENIES ‘INVOLVEMENT’ “You have repeatedly denied playing any role in your family’s business activities, but the Committee has amassed evidence—including bank records and witness testimony—that wholly contradicts your position on these matters,” Comer wrote. Comer went on to say that the White House “has taken a position hostile to the Committee’s investigation and refuses to release certain information or make available witnesses to testify regarding issues relevant to the ongoing impeachment inquiry currently authorized by the full House of Representatives.” “In light of the yawning gap between your public statements and evidence assembled by the Committee, as well as the White House’s obstruction, it is in the best interest of the American people for you to answer questions from Members of Congress directly, and I hereby invite you to do so,” Comer wrote. Comer said that the committee is “open to accommodating your schedule but proposes April 16, 2024, for the hearing to occur.” Comer said that the impeachment investigation has moved “in phases, beginning with a review of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) held by the Treasury Department. Comer said those SARs gave the committee “sufficient information to determine which bank accounts to narrowly target in issuing subpoenas.” Next, Comer said the committee issued subpoenas for bank accounts belonging to Biden family members and their entities that received foreign funds. “This phase highlighted the over $15 million received by members of your family, and the Committee has traced tens of thousands of dollars from China to your bank account as well,” he wrote. Comer said the next phase was the “interview phase,” explaining that the committee brought in multiple witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the president’s brother, James Biden, for depositions. Comer said those witnesses provided “inconsistent testimony regarding your role in your family’s businesses.” Hunter Biden appeared for his highly anticipated closed-door deposition last month before both the House Oversight and Judiciary committees, where he maintained that his father was never involved in, nor ever benefited from his businesses. The committee also heard testimony from James Biden, the president’s younger brother, who testified the same. JOE BIDEN ALLEGEDLY CONSIDERED JOINING BOARD OF CCP-LINKED COMPANY, WITNESS TESTIFIES FROM PRISON Hunter Biden did admit, however, that he put his father on speakerphone with his business associates and invited him to drop by his business lunches. But Comer said two of those witnesses, Tony Bobulinski and Jason Galanis, testified publicly that Biden “participated in schemes to provide access to your or others’ offices in exchange for payments to your family.” Bobulinski worked on a joint-venture with Hunter Biden and a Chinese energy company. Galanis worked with Hunter Biden as well. Galanis is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence related to securities fraud. He has testified as part of the inquiry twice from prison. “The public is left with two irreconcilable narratives. The first—asserted by you—is that you did not engage in influence peddling in exchange for payments to your family,” Comer wrote, adding that the second is that Biden was “indeed involved in these pay-for-influence schemes and that you have been repeatedly untruthful regarding a matter relevant to national security and your own fitness to serve as President of the United States.” Comer went on to detail the “body of evidence” collected through testimony and records, including meetings Biden had with Hunter Biden’s Chinese business partners. “You have asserted your family has not made money from China. However, the Committee has identified approximately $10 million originating from China connected to Biden influence peddling. Former business associates of your family have testified that you personally met with multiple individuals from China who have collectively sent millions of dollars to your family,” Comer wrote. “Many of these meetings and business development occurred while you were Vice President or campaigning to be President.” HUNTER BIDEN REFUSES TO ATTEND HOUSE HEARING WITH FORMER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES Comer, in the letter, asked Biden to confirm whether those meetings took place. Comer also questioned Biden on whether he has spoken to or interacted with executives of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings, including with the chairman, Mykola Zlochevsky. “You have asserted that your pressuring Ukraine in 2015 to fire a government official investigating a company in which your son had a financial interest was wholly in line with U.S. policy. The Committee has received bank records showing that your son was paid $1 million per year for his position on the board of the Ukrainian company Burisma until you left public office and then his salary was inexplicably cut in half,” Comer wrote. Comer also pressed further for information surrounding the decision to push for the firing of the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating Burisma while Hunter Biden sat on the board. As for Russia, Comer wrote that witnesses testified that Biden “regularly joined meetings by speakerphone, including with certain Russian individuals with whom your son did business.” “The Committee has identified several instances in which your involvement aligned with your family receiving money originating from Russia,” Comer wrote. Meanwhile, Comer said the committee “identified and successfully traced money from foreign transactions—including from China—to your own bank accounts.” Comer said those checks were described as “loan repayments” from his brother, James Biden. Comer
Body scanners coming to NYC subway stations as city struggles to get a grip on surging crime
Crime in NYC subway stations has gotten so out of control that Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that body scanners are coming to the city’s stations. The scans will be used to detect weapons entering the subway stations, as city officials have been trying to deter a sharp uptick in criminal activity. “We are going to use technology to identify those bad people who are carrying bad weapons,” Adams said Thursday. “And I say to those who are afraid of scanners who rather not walk through it, I rather you be safe – so let’s bring on the scanners.” NYPD OFFICER SHOT, KILLED DURING CAR STOP IN QUEENS BY SUSPECT WITH MULTIPLE PRIOR ARRESTS: POLICE Adams said the city will undergo a 90-day waiting period for the scanners to be tested before they can be implemented in every station. In addition to the scanners, the city will hire more mental health clinicians to work alongside the New York Police Department (NYPD) “to swiftly move individuals with untreated severe mental illness out of the subway system and into care.” “This duality of technology and our mental health approach is going to accomplish the goal that we seek – transit riders should be safe, our city should be safe, people should receive the care that they deserve,” Adams said. Adams’ announcement comes in the same week that three stabbings took place in and around the Big Apple’s subway system. The city announced it was deploying 800 more police to patrol its crime-ridden subways — even after around 750 National Guard troops were deployed to the underground system earlier this month and 1,000 additional police were added in February. SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING DEATH OF NYPD OFFICER JONATHAN DILLER IDENTIFIED, HAVE LENGTHY RECORDS On Monday, New York City announced plans to intensify a crackdown on subway fare-beating by sending at least 800 police officers specifically to keep watch on turnstiles. There have been more than 1,700 arrests for turnstile-jumping and over 28,000 fare evasion tickets issued so far this year, data shows. Police and Mayor Eric Adams, a former transit officer himself, in recent weeks have suggested some links between fare-skipping and violence on the trains. NEW YORKERS RAIL ON LOSING BATTLE AGAINST CRIME AFTER GOV. HOCHUL DISPATCHES NATIONAL GUARD According to NYPD data, there were three homicides in the underground system in January and February, while incidents such as grand larcenies, felony assaults and robberies also saw a sharp uptick. A cello player was hit over the head with a bottle by a crazed woman last month, while in January, Fox News meteorologist Adam Klotz was brutally beaten on a Big Apple subway by a group of teens after he intervened on behalf of an elderly man whose hair they had lit on fire. Earlier this month, the NYPD also rolled out bag checks for subway riders to confiscate items such as knives, guns, box cutters and other weapons. Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Trump attends slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller’s wake: ‘Need law and order’
Former President Donald Trump attended the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller on Thursday afternoon at a Massapequa Park funeral home, while calling for law and order. “Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “We need law and order,” he added. Diller was fatally shot on Monday during a traffic stop in Queens after a man with 21 prior arrests allegedly shot him in the stomach as Diller was trying to get the suspect, Guy Rivera, 34, to exit the vehicle. Rivera opened fire on Diller and his partner at about 5:45 p.m. Monday. The officers approached the vehicle because it was illegally parked at a bus stop. Diller was 31 years old and lived in Massapequa Park with his wife and nearly 1-year-old son, Fox News Digital previously reported. He had served three years with the NYPD before his death. JONATHAN DILLER SHOOTING: NYPD SERGEANTS’ UNION TELLS ANTI-POLICE DEMOCRATS TO STAY AWAY FROM FUNERAL The Trump campaign first announced Wednesday that the 45th president would attend the wake. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was anticipated to also attend the wake following Trump. “President Trump is moved by the invitation to join NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller’s family and colleagues as they deal with his senseless and tragic death,” Karoline Leavitt, the campaign’s spokeswoman, said. Trump has railed against cities’ crime rates under the Biden administration, including last month in remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference. SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING DEATH OF NYPD OFFICER JONATHAN DILLER IDENTIFIED, HAVE LENGTHY RECORDS “Four years ago, I told you that if crooked Joe Biden got to the White House, our borders would be abolished, our middle class would be decimated and our communities would be plagued by bloodshed, chaos and violent crime,” Trump said last month. “We were right about everything.” He told the New York Post in a recent interview that the “radical lunatic left” is ruining cities and preventing police officers from doing their jobs. Rivera, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat, was injured when the officers returned fire. He was charged with first degree murder of a police officer, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the case, police announced this week. Another man who was in the vehicle at the time of Diller’s death, Lindy Jones, was also charged following the death, including for criminal possession of a weapon and defacing a weapon. “We just can’t 21 times arrested this thug. And the person in the car with him was arrested many times and they don’t learn because they don’t respect. … And this should never happen. I just visited with a very beautiful wife that now doesn’t have her husband. Stephanie was just incredible. Their child, brand new, beautiful, baby. Sitting there innocent,” Trump said Thursday. Leavitt, in a message posted to her X account on Thursday, highlighted that President Biden “will be at a fancy fundraiser with [former Presidents] Obama and Clinton” during the wake. NYPD OFFICER SHOT, KILLED DURING CAR STOP IN QUEENS BY SUSPECT WITH MULTIPLE PRIOR ARRESTS: POLICE White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that President Biden had spoken with Adams about the death, adding she did not have “private communications to share” regarding whether Biden had spoken to Diller’s family. Diller will be laid to rest Saturday in Massapequa.