Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author:

Freshman Dem in battleground district says he has ‘no’ regrets hosting drag events for kids

Freshman Dem in battleground district says he has ‘no’ regrets hosting drag events for kids

A Democratic congressman in an Illinois battleground district said he has no regrets about hosting drag shows for children after years of promoting drag events on social media.  “No,” Rep. Eric Sorensen said in a recent video obtained by Fox News Digital when asked if he regrets hosting drag shows for children.  Earlier this month, popular social media account Libs of TikTok posted previous photos of Sorensen both dressed in drag and hosting a drag show for children in Illinois in 2021, which was viewed hundreds of thousands of times since it was posted on March 11.  “I was so honored to help lead a youth drag event in downtown Moline, Illinois today. I love the kids who threw caution to the wind to be themselves. I love my city and the people in it so so much!,” Sorensen tweeted June 5, 2021.  ILLINOIS ELECTION RESULTS: DEMOCRAT SORENSEN WINS TOSS-UP HOUSE RACE FOR OPEN SEAT Sorensen is a freshman Democrat in the House, representing Illinois’ 17th congressional district, which includes areas in the northwestern areas of the state, including portions of Peoria and Rockford. Sorensen was elected in 2022, defeating Republican opponent Esther King, earning 52% support to King’s 48% in the election cycle, previous election data shows. DRAG PERFORMER SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ALLOWING KIDS TO ATTEND DRAG SHOWS: ‘THIS IS AN ADULT VENUE’  Last year, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a list of Democratic incumbents most vulnerable in the 2024 election cycle as they work to retain their seats in a Republican-controlled House.  Sorensen was listed among 28 other House Democrats deemed vulnerable by the party this year.  ‘THE VIEW’ EXPLODES OVER CRITICISM OF DRAG QUEENS: THEY ‘DON’T EVEN LIKE CHILDREN!’ Since taking office and before, Sorensen has repeatedly pledged his support for drag shows, including for youths, according to his social media posts.  “Hate to break it to extreme Republicans, I grew up gay without anyone taking me to a drag show,” Sorensen, who is the state’s first openly gay congressman, tweeted in February of last year. “Thank you to @clockincLGBT for the fabulous drag event to help kids come into their shells. So amazing to see kids being their authentic selves!,” he posted in 2019 of another drag event for kids.  DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR FOR 1ST GRADERS AT PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOL OUTRAGES PARENTS  In another tweet last year in February, Sorensen argued voters must fight Republican “extremism” while pointing to Kentucky moving to ban drag shows in close proximity to schools.  “Republicans are feverishly trying to ban drag shows in Kentucky instead of making the schools, parks, and homes safer from gun violence. We have to fight this extremism,” he tweeted.  In comment to Fox News Digital, the National Republican Congressional Committee called Sorensen a “far-left radical” representing rural Illinois.  “Eric Sorensen is a far-left radical who would be more at home representing San Francisco than rural Illinois. His actions are outrageous, and he clearly has no remorse,” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said.  Fox News Digital reached out to Sorensen’s campaign and press secretary for comment on his support for drag shows, including for children, but received no replies.  Sorensen, who is a native of Rockford, was a longtime local meteorologist before stepping into politics. He will face off against Republican challenger Joe McGraw in the general election, following the primaries last week.  NORTH CAROLINA LAWMAKER DEFENDS PLAN TO BAN DRAG SHOWS WHEN MINORS ARE PRESENT: ‘NEED TO BE GUARDRAILS’ “Congratulations to Judge Joe McGraw on his Republican primary victory. Eric Sorensen’s extreme views are far outside the mainstream for Northwest Illinois. Judge McGraw will work to restore and protect jobs, safeguard communities and stand up for the values of Northwestern Illinoisans. We look forward to welcoming Judge McGraw to Congress with a strong Republican majority,” Marinella said of the McGraw primary win in a press release last week.  Sorensen ran unopposed in the primary last week, while McGraw defeated his primary challenger by more than 10,000 votes.  McGraw is a retired judge, who previously worked as a prosecutor and private attorney. McGraw is campaigning on platforms of law and order, securing the border, reducing spending in Washington, D.C., and cracking down on China.  Sorensen is campaigning on platforms such as climate change, abortion access, lowering prices at checkout lines, and providing additional funds to education.

Lawmakers brace for brutal new government spending fight on heels of last shutdown battle

Lawmakers brace for brutal new government spending fight on heels of last shutdown battle

Spending hawks in Congress are growing antsy about starting discussions on how to fund the government in fiscal year 2025. Congress only recently completed the appropriations process for fiscal year 2024, roughly six months after it began Sept. 30. And, in that time, disagreements over federal funding prompted conservative lawmakers to tank their own party’s bills in protest of leadership’s decisions.  Spending disagreements also led to the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker and led to a motion to vacate being filed against Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Friday. A significant share of Republicans also broke from their own party to oppose nearly every bipartisan spending agreement crafted between the House GOP majority and Senate Democrats, demonstrating the party’s deep fiscal fractures. NATIONAL SECURITY HAWKS WARN CONGRESS THROWING PENTAGON ‘UNDER THE BUS’ WITH ‘INADEQUATE’ SPENDING BUMP “Am I confident? No,” one GOP lawmaker told Fox News Digital when asked if the appropriations process will improve for fiscal year 2025. “I hope it does. But, I mean, there’s been no indication for the last 30 years, 25 years, that it’s going to [improve].” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., a former House Freedom Caucus chairman who opposed each of the bipartisan spending deals, suggested he’s concerned his faction of the House GOP will be disappointed again in the next round. “Yes, of course we’re behind,” Perry said. “We’re halfway into the year.” On the Senate side, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., led a letter to GOP Conference Chair Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., requesting an urgent meeting on the spending process. SENATE STRIKES DOWN BIDEN MOVE ALLOWING POTENTIALLY DISEASED BEEF INTO US “As we rush to finalize the 2024 FY budget — months after the fiscal year has started — we are already behind on the 2025 budget deadlines set in statute. Reform is needed, and it is vital that we as a Conference debate how to get our budget process on track,” Marshall wrote. Both House Republicans and the White House initiated their sides of the process by submitting budget proposals, each predictably panning the other’s plans.  WHY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DECIDE THEY ‘GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE’ Republican Study Committee Chairman Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., whose large House GOP group unveiled its own budget proposal, called for a House vote on each of the plans, though he did not say if he was concerned about the current pace. “Go ahead and get it done. Get the vote done and see where it lies and where the outcome is. And then let’s get the budget done and get the appropriators working on the FY25 budget,” Hern said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP However, another GOP lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed optimism colleagues learned from prior mistakes. “We’re a little bit behind from a schedule, like a calendar perspective, from where we want to be,” the GOP lawmaker said. “We have a real clarity of mind right now of what went wrong, and so, you know, in some respects, the best way to stay on task. We just got done with appropriations, so now we know exactly what we need to do the next time.”

Deadline arrives for Trump to post $454 million bond in New York AG Letitia James case

Deadline arrives for Trump to post 4 million bond in New York AG Letitia James case

Former President Trump was ordered to post $454 million by the end of Monday following his months-long, non-jury civil trial. But what the 2024 GOP presumptive nominee will do remains unclear amid his ongoing appeal to the state. The deadline for Trump to post the bond, according to New York Attorney Letitia James’ office, is the end of the day on Monday. Trump, the 2024 presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and his legal team have appealed and requested a stay on his $454 million civil fraud judgment.  TRUMP VOWS TO FIGHT NEW YORK AG CASE ‘ALL THE WAY UP TO THE US SUPREME COURT,’ AS DEADLINE TO POST $454M LOOMS Trump lawyers on Monday said that “ongoing diligent efforts have proven that a bond in the judgment’s full amount is a ‘practical impossibility,’” amid attempts to approach about 30 surety companies.  The lawyers said the “enormous magnitude” of the bond requirement, which effectively requires cash reserves approaching $1 billion, is “unprecedented for a private company.”  NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL TAUNTS TRUMP ABOUT INTEREST HE OWES ON CIVIL FRAUD JUDGMENT James has pushed back, calling Trump’s request for a stay “extraordinary” and “improper.” James has said Trump should be able to secure the entire value via multiple sureties or offer his real estate holdings as collateral. But Trump attorney Clifford S. Robert on Thursday sent a letter to the Appellate Division of New York’s Supreme Court, arguing James’ efforts are “unconstitutional.”  If Trump does not post the bond by the deadline, James is expected to begin taking steps to enforce the judgment.  Trump’s real estate would not automatically be turned over to the state. James, instead, would begin to file liens on his property if Trump doesn’t post the bond. James could attempt to foreclose through the liens, but each party is eligible to object and request the court stay or stop James’ efforts. Seizing or placing liens on Mar-a-Lago and other Trump properties outside of New York would be more challenging for James. James could also begin freezing Trump’s bank accounts starting Tuesday, having sheriffs or marshal’s offices order Trump’s banks to freeze and turn over his money. Trump has vowed to fight the case “all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.”  In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Friday, Trump said he can afford to post bond, but is pushing with his legal team to appeal the ruling altogether.  Trump said he has nearly $500 million in cash. His company, Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, is set to become public after a merger Monday. The company will trade on the Nasdaq as “DJT.”  Trump owns more than 78 million shares of the stock, valued at nearly $4 billion.  “That doesn’t mean I’m going to give money to a rogue and incompetent judge – the puppet of a corrupt attorney general who’s failing with violent crime and migrant crime and whose only purpose in life is attempting to get Trump,” Trump told Fox News Digital, referring to New York Judge Arthur Engoron and James.  TRUMP SAYS HE HAS NEARLY $500M IN CASH, SUGGESTS HE COULD AFFORD BOND IN NEW YORK AG CASE, SLAMS ‘HACK’ JUDGE Trump said Engoron “openly and hostilely disrespects the decision of the appellate division, which ruled in my favor.”  “Hopefully they will set the record straight – he has already been overturned four times on this case,” Trump said. “A record.  But Trump vowed to fight the judgment through the court system.  “I’ll fight this all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “They can’t take away your property before you’ve had a chance to appeal the decision of a Trump-hating, incompetent judge who has been overturned more than any judge in the state.”  Trump added: “The business community in New York is being devastated by this decision and businesses are fleeing New York – never to return, because they don’t want this to happen to them. In the meantime, violent crime is flourishing.”  Engoron’s ruling came after a months-long non-jury trial stemming from James’ years-long investigation. James, when campaigning to become attorney general, vowed to “get Trump.”  NEW YORK APPEALS COURT ALLOWS TRUMP, SONS TO CONTINUE RUNNING BUSINESS, DENIES REQUEST TO DELAY PAYMENT “We’re definitely gonna sue him, we’re gonna be a real pain in the a–,” James once told a supporter on video. Engoron ruled that Trump and other defendants were liable for “persistent and repeated fraud,” “falsifying business records,” “issuing false financial statements,” “conspiracy to falsify false financial statements,” “insurance fraud” and “conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.”  The judge also barred Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or legal entity in New York for two years.  Engoron also “permanently” barred defendants Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, and former corporate controller Jeffrey McConney from “serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State” and as a director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York for three years.  An appeals court overturned Engoron’s ruling to allow Trump and his sons to continue running the family business as they appeal the decision. James initially brought the lawsuit accusing Trump and the Trump Organization of fraudulent business practices. The court proceedings were contentious, with Engoron repeatedly placing Trump under a partial gag order to prevent him from criticizing court staff. Trump dismissed the trial as a “witch hunt” throughout the process, accusing both Engoron and James of serving as political operatives for Democrats. Trump’s legal team also repeatedly blasted the lack of a jury in the trial. TRUMP BARRED FROM OPERATING BUSINESS, ORDERED TO PAY OVER $350 MILLION IN NY CIVIL FRAUD CASE “There was never an option to choose a jury trial,” a Trump spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “It is unfortunate that a

Vulnerable Dem senator blasted over voting record after ad touts strength on immigration: ‘Won’t be fooled’

Vulnerable Dem senator blasted over voting record after ad touts strength on immigration: ‘Won’t be fooled’

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the Senate this November, released an ad on Friday touting his strength on the immigration issue which drew pushback from Republicans and highlighted seemingly contradictory positions from his voting record. “Every day, 12 Ohioans die of a drug overdose,” Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said in the Brown ad released on Friday before two other Ohio sherrifs joined in. “And some of the most dangerous drugs are the ones brought here illegally,” Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree continued. “It’s Sherrod Brown who sponsored the law signed by President Trump to crackdown on illegal drugs being smuggled across the border,” Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr. said.  The 30-second ad went on to say that Brown is “working to punish” Chinese companies and Mexican cartels that are bringing fentanyl into the country. TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENTS HAILED AS ‘MOST POWERFUL…IN MODERN POLITICAL HISTORY’ AFTER VICTORIES IN OH, IL, CA “Sherrod Brown has always stood up for us,” Abdalla added before Baldwin says, “He’s fighting to keep our communities safe.” With immigration expected to be a main focus of the Ohio Senate election, Fox News Digital reviewed Brown’s voting record and found several examples of votes against drug enforcement at the border.  In August 2022, Brown voted against an amendment that would have sent $500 million to Border Patrol to detect drugs at the border that would have provided the funds needed to install hundreds of millions of unused fentanyl scanning equipment, the acting CBP commissioner said at the time.  Brown’s vote proved to be a consequential one as the amendment failed on a 50-50 vote. In March 2021, Brown voted against an amendment sending $300 million in COVID stimulus funds to CBP for narcotic and opioid detection. That effort failed in the Senate 48-50 with two senators not voting. Additionally, Brown voted multiple times against legislation that would have cracked down on illegal immigration. In May 2019, Brown was an original co-sponsor of the End Mass Deportation Act rescinding a Trump executive order that would have prioritized the removal of some criminal illegal immigrants and allowed DHS to withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. Shortly after arriving in Washington, D.C., Brown voted against an amendment aimed at ensuring illegal immigrants could not receive Social Security benefits for fraudulent work while also capping student loans repayments at 15% of discretionary income. VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR FLIP-FLOPS ON SUPPLYING ENERGY TO CHINA IN MIDDLE OF RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN On another amendment during the COVID pandemic, Brown voted against a March 2021 move from GOP Sen. Tom Cotton that would have instructed the Senate Finance Committee to ensure that COVID funds be restricted from sanctuary jurisdictions. That amendment failed 48-50 with two senators not voting. This month, Brown voted against an amendment aimed at ensuring that illegal immigrants are not counted in the census which determines congressional apportionment and Electoral College votes. Not a single Senate Democrat voted for the measure which died in the chamber. Brown spoke out against Trump’s efforts to build a border wall several times including in February 2019 when he released a scathing statement in response to Trump “declaring a national emergency at the Southern border” and allocate funds to build a border wall during a government shutdown debate. “The President’s decision to take funding away from our military to support his vanity project is reckless and irresponsible,” Brown said. “The President continues to hurt the people who make this country work by wasting time and standing in the way of important work like protecting pensions for millions of workers and retirees, bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, or rewriting the tax code to put people first.  “Instead of building a wall, we should be passing a bill to provide back pay for the contract workers the President hurt with his shutdown.” STATE OF THE RACE: SIX KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS LOOK TO FLIP IN 2024 During an appearance on CNN in 2019, Brown was asked about former Democratic Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke’s call to tear down the border wall in El Paso because it wasn’t effective and Brown did not rule it out and  suggested the country doesn’t need a “long wall.” “I don’t think you look at the border wall in a 12 mile area, I take a backseat to nobody on border security and it’s clear we’ve learned over time that we have the technology, helicopters, border agents to make our country safe, to keep illegal crossings at a minimum, without building a long wall,” Brown said.  “That’s a decision that should be made in the whole context, you don’t say well this congressman says take it down here, this congressman says build it up there. You want to look more broadly than that.” The Senate rejected a proposal in 2013 that would have delayed permanent legal status for many illegal immigrants until a 700 mile double layered border fence was constructed. That vote failed 39-54 with Brown one of the Democrats who voted against it.  This week, Brown joined every other Senate Democrat in voting down an amendment  51-47 that would have prohibited Biden from putting migrants on charter flights at the taxpayers’ expense and settling them throughout the country. Brown’s voting record on illegal immigration, according to his critics, paints a different picture than the ad released on Friday. “Sherrod Brown is lying to Ohioans about his record on border security,” Reagan McCarthy, Communications Director for Brown’s Ohio GOP opponent Bernie Moreno, told Fox News Digital.  “Time and time again, Brown has voted against deportations, border wall funding, and mandatory minimums for migrants here illegally, and in favor of sanctuary cities. He voted in lockstep with Biden and DC Democrats to create this border invasion and fentanyl surge, and Ohioans will send him packing in November.” Philip Letsou, Deputy Communications Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told Fox News Digital that “no amount of election year lies can change the

Biden vows to forge ahead with student loan handouts, has 4 words for all his critics

Biden vows to forge ahead with student loan handouts, has 4 words for all his critics

President Biden is vowing to forge ahead with his plan to forgive billions of dollars in student loans, just months ahead of his expected 2024 presidential election rematch with Donald Trump. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court previously serving as a roadblock for such handouts to loan borrowers, the president is again vowing to forgive the borrowed sums. “From day one, I promised to fix broken student loan programs and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity,” Biden wrote on X. He added: “I’m not backing down.” BIDEN PLANS EVEN BIGGER STUDENT LOAN HANDOUT, DUMPING THE BILL ON YOU While some college students have praised the free money, the move has drawn criticism from many conservatives.  Biden’s repeated attempts to give thousands of dollars to each borrower are akin to “buying votes,” according to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. “He’s buying votes,” Noem argued in Feb. on “FOX & Friends.” “That’s exactly what he’s doing. The timing of this, to follow through on what he has threatened to do for so long, is incredibly hypocritical of him to say that he cares about this country and continue to accumulate debt and hand out money to get himself re-elected.” She added: “I just hope everybody in America realizes that we’re still spending more money than what we bring in in this country. So when he does stuff like this, he’s literally borrowing this money from China and then giving it to people so that they will support him and put him back in the White House, so he can continue his reign of control.” “So, it’s really the worst of the worst and Americans are waking up to it with all these crises we have going on at the border, our national security, people’s gas and groceries being unaffordable,” Noem continued. BIDEN BRAGS SUPREME COURT ‘DIDN’T STOP’ HIM FROM CANCELING STUDENT LOANS: HE’S ‘HAPPY TO BREAK THE LAW’ In Feb., Biden announced the Savings on Valuable Education (SAVE) plan and asserted that the Supreme Court would not stop him from canceling student debt. The plan cancels debt for enrolled borrowers who have been in repayment for at least 10 years and hold $12,000 or less in student loan debt. Those with larger debts will receive relief after an additional year of payments for every additional $1,000 they borrowed. The president said he was canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the plan. More borrowers are now eligible to have their monthly payments reduced to $0, and many will qualify for lower payments compared to other repayment plans. “Early in my term, I announced a major plan to provide millions of working families with debt relief for their college student debt,” Biden said at the Julian Dixon Library in Culver City, California. “Tens of millions of people in debt were literally about to be canceled in debts. But my MAGA Republican friends in the Congress, elected officials and special interests stepped in and sued us. And the Supreme Court blocked it. But that didn’t stop me.” Months earlier, in June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that federal law does not allow Biden’s Secretary of Education to cancel more than $430 billion in student loan debt. Biden said at the time that his administration would continue to push for relief for students. Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.