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AOC takes heat over ‘RICO is not a crime’ comment in Biden impeachment probe hearing

AOC takes heat over ‘RICO is not a crime’ comment in Biden impeachment probe hearing

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., grilled Hunter Biden ex-associate Tony Bobulinski about ‘exactly’ what crimes President Biden is guilty of committing in a heated exchange at an impeachment hearing on Wednesday. “Is it your testimony today that you personally witnessed President Joe Biden commit a crime?” AOC asked while staring down Bobulinski.  However, before Bobulinski could even answer, he was cut off by the animated progressive representative, repeating the same question to him.  “How much time do I have to go through it?,” Bobulinski shot back, listing off a number of crimes and alleging the president committed a RICO violation and was involved in financial corruption regarding his business dealings with his son Hunter. HUNTER BIDEN’S EX-BUSINESS PARTNER TONY BOBULINSKI SLAMS HIM FOR ‘RUNNING AWAY’ FROM HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE “What is the crime sir, specifically,” AOC demanded.  “You asked me to answer the question. I answered the question. RICO, you’re obviously not familiar with. Corruption statutes. FARA,” Bobulinski replied. “Excuse me, sir. Excuse me, sir. RICO is not a crime. It is a category,” AOC defiantly exclaimed. “It’s a category of crimes that you are then charged under,” Bobulinski said before AOC began talking over him. JOE BIDEN IS ‘THE BIG GUY,’ TONY BOBULINSKI SAID DURING ‘UNSHAKEABLE’ TESTIMONY AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY “It’s funny, in this committee room — everyone’s not here — there are over 18 lawyers that went to law school. I’ll leave it up to you guys to define the statute,” Bobulinski fired back before being cut off again. AOC continued to talk over Bobulinski, exclaiming “I reclaim my time!” She then went on to scold Republicans over the impeachment inquiry, accusing them of spending 15 months “lost in the desert” without proof that President Biden committed “a high crime or misdemeanor.” TONY BOBULINSKI ATTORNEY ACCUSES OVERSIGHT DEMS OF ‘GASLIGHTING,’ FALSE SMEARS AGAINST HUNTER BIDEN ASSOCIATE AOC’s claim that RICO is not a crime quickly became a hot topic on social media, with Republicans needling the congresswoman for her comment.  “And, of course… AOC’s favorite network has her back after she completely and totally embarrassed herself by arguing that RICO is not a crime,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha wrote on X. “AOC broken in Hunter Biden hearing. So broken in fact, she claims RICO isn’t a crime. Well… empty the jails! Oh and for the record, all the defendants in the Georgia case brought by Fani Willis falls under RICO. Ooops,” Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) wrote on X. AOC SAYS TRUMP ‘WILLING TO SELL THE COUNTRY FOR A DOLLAR’ AS LAWMAKERS REACT TO POTENTIAL PROPERTY SEIZURES RICO refers to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which targets dishonest business activities such as money laundering as well as organized crime. Former President Donald Trump currently faces a RICO case in Georgia over the 2020 election.  The Republican-led House Oversight Committee took to X to disprove AOC’s claim, writing, “(HINT: RICO is a federal law codified at 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-68).” Bobulinski has criticized the president’s son for “running away” from the American people after he declined to appear for the congressional hearing. Bobulinski has also previously testified that President Biden “enabled” Hunter Biden to sell access to America’s “most dangerous adversaries,” including China and Russia.  In his statement, Hunter Biden’s former business partner called for “truth and transparency” to prevail. WALL STREET VETERAN MARTY DOLAN EXPLAINS WHY HE’S RUNNING TO UNSEAT AOC: ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’ “Joe Biden and Hunter Biden, along with countless members of Congress, keep claiming that they are ‘fighting for our Democracy.’ Why don’t we as a nation agree to fight for the truth!” Bobulinski said. “Nearly three-quarters of the American people believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, and I can’t blame them. Truth and transparency would help expose the rot at the center of our political system and begin to fix what ails us.” President Biden has continued to ask Congress to close the impeachment investigation and denied allegations of any wrongdoing. Fox News’ Brooke Singman, David Spunt and Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.

Lawmakers ask DOJ why it declined to prosecute illegal immigrants previously deported with criminal conviction

Lawmakers ask DOJ why it declined to prosecute illegal immigrants previously deported with criminal conviction

Four California House Republicans are demanding to know why federal prosecutions of illegal immigrants with a criminal conviction and deportation declined significantly in one Justice Department office, after they were caught illegally re-entering the U.S.  In a letter dated Tuesday to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the congressional lawmakers noted that more than 7 million people have crossed the southern border illegally into the U.S. since President Biden took office.  “Some of these illegal immigrants are convicted criminals who pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities,” states the letter signed by U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert, John Duarte, Michelle Steel and Jay Obernolte. “However, it has come to our attention that the DOJ has been systematically reducing the prosecution of illegal immigrants previously deported who have a criminal violation.” WHITE HOUSE CALLS FOR SANCTUARY CITIES TO COOPERATE WITH ICE AMID FUROR OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMES The four lawmakers are asking the DOJ to provide information on the number of prosecutions for previously deported illegal immigrants convicted of crimes while in the U.S., and information on prosecutorial guidelines for previously deported illegal immigrants.  Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ.  California state Rep. Bill Essayli spent four years prosecuting cases for the Justice Department in the Central District of California, which covers several counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.  Many prosecutors cut their teeth on those types of cases where a suspect was previously deported after committing a crime in the U.S. and then crosses back into the U.S. illegally, which is a felony, Essayli told Fox News Digital.  “The law is clear that these are felonies and should be prosecuted,” he said.  He said court records revealed that prosecutors in his old office went from prosecuting hundreds of such cases in previous years to just five in 2023.  NYC MAYOR CONTINUES CALLS FOR SANCTUARY CITY AMENDMENT TO ALLOW DEPORTATION OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS He noted that many prosecutors and defense lawyers don’t like those kinds of cases because they see the suspect as having served time for their crime before being deported, and are just returning illegally to the U.S. again to be with family or for other reasons.  “A lot of prosecutors, they lean left, and they don’t like these cases, and they find them annoying and a burden,” he said.  Calvert blamed the number of illegal crossings on Biden’s border policies, which have come under heavy criticism by Republicans.  “The blatant disregard of our federal laws by illegal immigrants and the lack of enforcement by our nation’s court system is just another example of President Biden’s open-border policies that have created the humanitarian and national security crisis we see at the border and in every community across the country,” he said in a statement.  WHICH CITIES, COUNTIES, AND STATES IN THE US ARE ‘SANCTUARY’ JURISDICTIONS?  Despite the notion that many migrants are coming to the U.S. for work, some have bad intentions, Essayli said.  “These are the bad guys. This isn’t the migrant who’s coming here to work on a farm,” he said. “This is a convicted criminal. There’s no question about it… and the government is allowing to roam freely inside the United States knowing that they have a criminal record.” “These are the most dangerous people and that is who this U.S. attorney’s office is allowing to walk free,” he said. 

Texas bus company agrees to stop transporting migrants to NYC amid Mayor Eric Adams lawsuit

Texas bus company agrees to stop transporting migrants to NYC amid Mayor Eric Adams lawsuit

A Texas bus company has agreed to stop bussing illegal migrants from Texas to New York City amid an ongoing lawsuit from Mayor Eric Adams. Bus company Roadrunner Charters agreed Wednesday to stop transporting migrants, signing a stipulation letter. “The Defendant Roadrunner Charters Inc. will refrain forthwith from transporting individuals known as migrants from Texas to New York City, and/or from Texas to the vicinity of New York City,” the letter said, in part. NYC MAYOR ADAMS SUES TEXAS BUS COMPANIES FOR TRANSPORTING MIGRANTS TO SANCTUARY CITY, SEEKS $700 MILLION The lawsuit, brought by the New York City Department of Social Services, argued that the 17 companies, including Roadrunner Charters, violated New York state law by not paying for the cost of caring for migrants. The lawsuit sought $708 million in damages. The lawsuit cites New York law that requires anyone who brings a “needy person” from out of state for the purposes of making them a public charge to either take them out of the state or support them. In a statement, Adams said that he is “pleased” that Roadrunner Inc. has agreed to stop bussing migrants to the Big Apple in an “attempt to overwhelm our shelter system.” “New York City continues to do our part as we lead the nation in managing this national humanitarian crisis, but reckless political games from the state of Texas will not be tolerated,” Adams said.  ADAMS SLAPS RESTRICTIONS ON MIGRANT BUSES COMING TO NYC FROM TEXAS AS NUMBERS RISE “I am pleased to see that Roadrunner — one of the bus companies we sued for taking part in Texas Governor [Greg] Abbott’s scheme to transport tens of thousands of migrants to our city in an attempt to overwhelm our shelter system and shift costs to New York City — has agreed to halt the bussing of migrants into and around New York City while the lawsuit proceeds,” Adams said. “We call on all other bus companies involved in this suit to do the same.” Adams first filed the lawsuit in January, calling the bussing of migrants a “reckless political ploy.” “New York City has and will always do our part to manage this humanitarian crisis, but we cannot bear the costs of reckless political ploys from the state of Texas alone,” Adams said. “Today, we are taking legal action against 17 companies that have taken part in Texas Governor Abbott’s scheme to transport tens of thousands of migrants to New York City in an attempt to overwhelm our social services system.” “Governor Abbott’s continued use of migrants as political pawns is not only chaotic and inhumane but makes clear he puts politics over people. Today’s lawsuit should serve as a warning to all those who break the law in this way,” Adams said. Fox News has reached out to Roadrunner Inc. for comment. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

GOP state attorneys push back on Biden’s proposed diversity rules for apprenticeship programs

GOP state attorneys push back on Biden’s proposed diversity rules for apprenticeship programs

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Biden administration plan to promote diversity and equity in workplace apprenticeship programs is facing pushback from Republican attorneys general in two dozen states who assert it amounts to race-based discrimination. The U.S. Department of Labor contends its proposed rewrite of the National Apprenticeship System rules — the first since 2008 — would modernize and diversify on-the-job-training programs while improving their quality and protecting new workers. FIRST-EVER CHIEF WHITE HOUSE DIVERSITY ADVISOR LEAVING BIDEN ADMINISTRATION But the proposed rule change has become the latest example of political divisions over perceived fairness and opportunity in educational institutions and workplaces. While President Joe Biden and many Democratic-led states seek to require greater consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion, many Republican elected officials are seeking to eliminate such initiatives. “We should not let race-obsessed ideology interfere with an important and successful apprenticeship program,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement on behalf of 24 states that submitted comments opposing the proposal by a Monday deadline. The proposal drew a variety of other objections, including from some business groups that contend it would drive up their costs, reduce their flexibility and ultimately decrease participation. Among other things, the proposal would require at least 2,000 hours of paid-on-the-job training, eliminating an option to finish sooner for workers who prove their competence. “It’s going to discourage apprentices to enroll in these programs,” said Ben Brubeck, vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs for Associated Builders and Contractors, whose chapters provide apprenticeship programs. More than 640,000 people participate in registered apprenticeship programs approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or a state apprenticeship agency, according to Labor Department statistics. The programs provide paid on-the-job training and education for workers in a variety of fields, from construction to public administration, education and manufacturing. Nearly 85% of participants are male and about 60% are white, according to Labor Department data. The proposed rule would require apprenticeship program sponsors to have strategies for the recruitment, hiring and retention of people from “underserved communities.” The proposal would define that to include women, people of color, those with disabilities, military veterans, people adhering to particular religious beliefs and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, nonbinary or gender nonconforming. The Republican attorneys general contend that could run awry of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that prohibited race as a decision factor in college admissions, striking down affirmative action programs. The GOP attorneys also contend the proposed new oversight and data-collection requirements exceed the federal agency’s authority. Under the proposed Labor Department rule, each state apprenticeship agency also would be required to have a plan for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. That could run contrary to prohibitions in some Republican-led states. On Wednesday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a lawprohibiting state agencies, universities and K-12 school systems from sponsoring DEI programs. Earlier this year, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law prohibiting government agencies, universities and K-12 schools from having diversity equity and inclusion offices. That law says policies “based on an individual’s personal identity characteristics” are a “prohibited discriminatory practice.” Around 60 bills targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have been proposed this year in Republican-led state legislatures. About half that many bills have been filed in support of such initiatives in Democratic-led legislatures.