Wyclef Jean sings Haiti’s prime minister ‘Ariel’s gotta go’’
NewsFeed Haitian musician Wyclef Jean is joining calls for the removal of Haiti’s prime minister from office following increasing violence in the country. The Grammy award winning artist shared his message in a song that he sang for Al Jazeera. Published On 5 Mar 20245 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Sen Menendez charged with obstruction of justice in another superseding indictment
Democrat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was charged by federal prosecutors with obstruction of justice in yet another superseding indictment unsealed on Tuesday relating to a multi-year alleged bribery scheme involving the Egypt and Qatar governments. The 18-page indictment is wrapped into Menendez’s existing charges already against him and his co-defendants — including his wife Nadine — for allegedly acting as a foreign agent and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes to benefit the Egyptian government through his power and influence as a senator. The indictment comes after co-defendant Jose Uribe accepted a plea deal and agreed to cooperate last week. The charges on Tuesday also alleged Menendez committed conspiracy, bribery, acting as a foreign agent, extortion and wire fraud. DEMOCRAT SEN BOB MENENDEZ FACING INDICTMENT ON BRIBERY CHARGES Prosecutors also claim in the new indictment that Menendez instructed his lawyers to inform the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in 2022 about his awareness of businessman Wael Hana issuing a payment exceeding $23,000 for Nadine’s home mortgage, and the money Uribe contributed for her new luxury vehicle. Additionally, Menendez allegedly advised his attorneys to disclose to the prosecuting office that he later discovered the funds were actually loans, when, “In truth and in fact, and as Menendez well knew,” that the mortgage and car payments were made prior to 2022, “and they were not loans, but bribe payments,” prosecutors wrote in Tuesday’s indictment. Menendez is also accused of accepting bribes and gifts in exchange for helping to benefit Qatar as part of a corruption scheme from 2021 through 2023. Menendez, along with his wife Nadine and three other New Jersey businessmen – Hana, Uribe and Fred Daibes – were first charged in the federal bribery scheme on Sept. 23. Hana, Daibes, Nadine and Menendez have pleaded not guilty. Fox News Digital has reached out to Menendez for comment.
White House won’t say if Biden will address Laken Riley’s death at State of the Union speech
The White House on Tuesday would not say whether President Biden plans to talk about Laken Riley’s murder – allegedly at the hands of an illegal immigrant – during his upcoming State of the Union address. Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was killed while jogging on trails around the University of Georgia campus. Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national who was living illegally in the United States, has been charged in her murder, which has sparked national outrage and provoked renewed criticism of Biden’s border policies. Asked by Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy whether Biden planned to address Riley’s death during his State of the Union speech Thursday night, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had nothing to share about the president’s speech related to that topic. “This is such a tragic story and, obviously, situation. This is someone’s life that was lost. So I do want to always acknowledge and extend our deepest condolences to her family and to her friends and the people who loved her,” Jean-Pierre said. JIM BANKS CALLS ON BIDEN TO ‘PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE’ LAKEN RILEY AT SOTU She noted that Biden recently traveled to Brownsville, Texas, to visit the southern border and repeated the White House’s attack line on Republicans for opposing a bipartisan deal that would have increased border security funding and tightened rules for asylum-seekers. Republicans who oppose the measure say the deal would have normalized high levels of illegal immigration. Riley’s death has become a political rallying cry for Republicans, who argue every crime committed by illegal aliens could have been prevented were the border secure. GOP CONGRESSMAN INTRODUCES ‘LAKEN RILEY ACT’ TO REQUIRE ICE TO DETAIN MIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR THEFT Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., on Monday announced legislation, the Laken Riley Act, that would require ICE to detain illegal immigrants who are charged with local theft or burglary. Ibarra had been cited in a shoplifting incident before he was released and went on to allegedly kill Riley. Republican Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., on Monday penned a letter to Biden, calling on him to acknowledge Riley’s death during the State of the Union address. MOM OF TEXAS TEEN ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY ILLEGAL SUSPECT CALLS FOR CHANGE AFTER LAKEN RILEY MURDER “As Commander-in-Chief, it is your duty to protect American citizens, and this tragedy highlights the urgent need to address the surge in crime resulting from your negligence at our southern border,” Banks wrote. “Your failure to publicly acknowledge this tragedy is unacceptable,” he added. Last week, the White House provided a statement to Fox News Digital regarding Riley’s death. “We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley,” a spokesperson said. “People should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law if they are found to be guilty. Given this is an active case, we would have to refer you to state law enforcement and ICE.” Biden, himself, has not addressed the death of Riley, despite being asked during a press conference if he bears any responsibility for it following a speech last week. Ibarra, who lived within a five-minute walk of the approximate crime scene, is charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another. Ibarra entered the United States through the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022 and was freed on border parole. He initially lived in New York City before moving to Athens. Fox News’ Julia Johnson, Aubrie Spady and Thomas Phippen contributed to this report.
Michelle Obama’s office shuts down speculation that she is planning to run for president
Michelle Obama will not launch a bid for the White House amid rumors that the former first lady was eyeing a presidential run, according to her office. “As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president,” Crystal Carson, the director of communications for Obama’s office, said in a statement provided to ITK on Tuesday. Obama supports President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, her office said. Fox News Digital has reached out to Obama’s communication team. DEMS ONE STEP CLOSER TO REPLACE BIDEN WITH MICHELLE OBAMA AFTER DAMMING REPORT, RAMASWAMY SAYS Rumors of Obama’s candidacy came as questions about Biden’s mental capacity continue to swirl. The rumors began to circulate after some Republicans floated the idea that she could replace Biden on the November ballot. Some political commentators said the former first lady has the best chance of beating former President Donald Trump, who is the leading candidate to secure the GOP presidential nomination. Biden is struggling with low poll numbers amid concerns from Republicans and some Democrats about his age and ability to lead the country. In 2019, Obama said there was “zero chance” she would run for president. “Just between us, and the readers of this magazine — there’s zero chance,” Obama told Amtrak’s magazine The National. “There are so many ways to improve this country and build a better world, and I keep doing plenty of them, from working with young people to helping families lead healthier lives. But sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office will never be one of them. It’s just not for me.”
Migrant on terror watchlist arrested illegally crossing Texas border prior to Biden, Trump visits: sources
An individual on the terror watchlist was apprehended illegally crossing the Texas border last month, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources confirmed to Fox News. Carlos Obed Yepez-Bedoya, 40, was caught by Texas Department of Public Safety agents on Feb. 21 crossing near Eagle Pass. Customs and Border Protection sources confirmed to Fox News Digital that the Colombian national is registered on the FBI’s terror watchlist. CBP sources told Fox News Digital that Yepez-Bedoya was a “positive match” on the terror watchlist but did not name the terror organization. WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD SAYS BIDEN SHOULD IGNORE LIBERAL ‘WISH LISTS,’ SECURE BORDER TO BEAT TRUMP The arrest was made just days before President Biden and former President Donald Trump arrived in the Lone Star State to survey the ongoing illegal immigration crisis. Trump visited Eagle Pass, and Biden traveled to Brownsville. “This underscores the need for border security measures as potential threats to both public safety and national security are evident and exploit security vulnerabilities,” Texas DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez told the New York Post. POLLS SHOW BIDEN FACING ‘ENTHUSIASM GAP’ HEADING INTO 2024 ELECTION SEASON Olivarez continued, “The federal government has failed to enact border security measures, and the state of Texas, through Gov. Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, will continue to take unprecedented action to help secure the border.” Biden, during his visit to the southern border on Thursday, renewed his calls for Republicans to back a bipartisan Senate border agreement – as illegal immigration continues to be a major political headache for the administration and he seeks to shift blame to Republicans for the crisis. “It’s real simple, it’s time to act, it is long past time to act,” the president said. “It’s time for us to move on this, we can’t wait any longer.” The visit, which coincided with Trump’s visit to the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, comes as illegal immigration has become a major 2024 election issue and remains a thorny issue for the administration. Polls show that more than half of Americans think large numbers of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. represent a critical threat to the country. The crisis, now into its third year, has smashed multiple records with more than 2.4 million encounters in FY 23 and over 300,000 in December alone – breaking the record for monthly encounters. Trump declared the Mexican border a “war zone” under Biden, lamenting the lack of cooperation from Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and ripping Democratic governors of border states as the migrant deluge pivots to their lands. Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announces she will not seek re-election
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced on Super Tuesday that she will not seek re-election. The move from Sinema, an Arizonian who switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2022, leaves the race narrowed between Republican candidate Kari Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego. “Our democracy was weakened by government dysfunction and the constant pull to the extremes by both political parties,” Sinema said in a video announcement posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “I promised I would do my best to fix it.” She added: “The only political victories that matter these days are symbolic – attacking your opponents on cable news or social media. Compromise is a dirty word. We’ve arrived at that crossroad, and we chose anger and division. I believe in my approach. But, it’s not what America wants right now.” GOP, DEMS TEAM UP TO RIP ‘DELUSIONAL’ SINEMA OVER ‘PLAN’ TO SWIPE THEIR VOTERS IN INDEPENDENT REELECTION BID National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Steve Daines, R– Mont., weighed in on Sinema’s decision, saying an open Senate seat “creates a unique opportunity for Republicans to build a lasting Senate majority this November.” “With recent polling showing Kyrsten Sinema pulling far more Republican voters than Democrat voters, her decision to retire improves Kari Lake’s opportunity to flip this seat,” he said. WHERE THE 2024 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY RACE STANDS In November, the NRSC launched attacks against Sinema, accusing her of voting “with President Biden’s agenda 100% of the time” in a campaign ad. The 30-second ad video came as early internal NRSC polling showed Sinema was drawing support from more Republican voters than Democratic voters, according to a source familiar with NRSC strategy at the time. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Drug recriminalization could signal cultural shift in progressive state, Portland trial attorney says
A Portland trial attorney said Oregon lawmakers’ decision to recriminalize drugs could signal a sea change in the deeply blue state. “It’s not progressive to just let people rot in gutters,” Kristin Olson, trial attorney and host of the Rational in Portland podcast, told Fox News. “Intervention had left the building. Intervention is now back, and I think that’s a big deal.” CRISIS IN THE NORTHWEST: FENTANYL ‘KILLING THE MENTALLY ILL FOR A DOLLAR A PILL’ IN STATE WITH LOOSE DRUG LAWS Oregon became the first (and only) state in the nation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of all drugs in early 2021, after 58% of voters approved Measure 110. But as overdose deaths and open-air drug use soared, numerous polls showed Oregonians souring on the law, which many believed would lead to increased treatment for addiction. Instead, the vast majority of those given a $100 ticket for drug possession simply threw the ticket — and phone number for an addiction treatment hotline — away. House Bill 4002 creates a new misdemeanor drug possession charge and gives those caught with small amounts of substances like meth and fentanyl a choice: undergo treatment or go to jail for up to six months. Treatment includes a behavioral health screening and participation in state-funded deflection programs. CRISIS IN THE NORTHWEST: DRUGS LEAVE RURAL AREAS TO ROT IN THE SHADOWS, ‘LIKE PLAYING WHAC-A-MOLE’ Those convicted of possession could also get their record automatically expunged. Republicans and Democrats originally proposed competing bills, but the final legislation struck a compromise between the two and sailed through both chambers last week. “I’m impressed, actually, with the Oregon Legislature,” Olson said. “I really didn’t think they were going to compromise on anything.” The same legislature has green lit “pretty far left policies” in recent years, Olson said, such as allowing minors to undergo sex reassignment surgery or get an abortion without their parents’ consent. A bill passed in 2021 required schools to provide free tampons in all bathrooms, regardless of gender. So dialing back the nation’s most progressive drug law is “a huge success,” Olson said. “It shows that the Overton window has shifted and the silent majority is silent no longer and the legislature is actually listening to us,” she added. WATCH MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE The George Soros-backed Drug Policy Alliance, which poured millions of dollars into the campaign for Measure 110, blasted lawmakers for blaming the law “for their failures to address the housing crisis,” overdoses and other “public suffering.” “Recriminalizing drugs won’t solve the devastating public suffering crisis in OR,” the alliance wrote on X. “Instead, it’s likely to increase preventable overdose deaths & expand racial disparities in incarceration rates, making it harder for Black, Brown, & poor communities to access life-saving services.” The Drug Policy Alliance did not respond to requests for an interview. The state’s ACLU said “lawmakers knowingly took us backwards” by choosing “to send our most vulnerable neighbors to jail instead of treatment,” and an Oregon nonprofit supporting incarcerated people has already warned it may go to court to block the bill. Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, has not said whether she plans to sign the legislation, though she previously stated she was open to recriminalizing drugs as long as the legislature’s main focus was on expanding treatment options. CRISIS IN THE NORTHWEST: ARE VOTERS ‘BEYOND A TURNING POINT’ AFTER DECADES OF PROGRESSIVE POLITICS? While many lawmakers blame Measure 110 for the staggering rise in overdose deaths in Oregon, researchers, including Dr. Alex Kral from RTI International, found no connection. Oregon’s spike in overdose deaths coincided with the arrival of fentanyl on the West Coast around 2018, and the start of the coronavirus pandemic — and lockdowns — in 2020. “From a scientific perspective, it certainly seems like M110 hasn’t made things worse with crime or overdose deaths,” Kral told Willamette Week. Reported drug overdoses rose more in Washington (38.27%) than in Oregon (32.85%) from September 2022 to September 2023, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Olson acknowledged that it’s difficult to determine the impact of Measure 110 on overdose deaths, but said the law had a devastating effect on families of drug addicts as well as public safety and livability. “We normalized the public smoking of fentanyl,” Olson said. “My children are 10 and 12 and they know what fentanyl smells like.” Olson said she thinks it will “take time” to see any effects from the new law, noting the ongoing shortage of police officers in Portland, where the drug problem is most apparent. But she’s optimistic about what she sees as a new trajectory for the state. “I think Portlanders are done with all of those kinds of [far left] policies,” she said. “Oregonians are done with those kinds of policies. We’re recriminalizing drugs. … We’re hiring all the police officers we can get our hands on.”
Alabama federal judge rules Biden admin’s small business reporting requirement unconstitutional
In a blow to the Biden administration’s effort to increase corporate transparency, an Alabama federal district judge has ruled that the Treasury Department cannot require small business owners to report details on their owners and others who benefit from the business. U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke decided late Friday that the Corporate Transparency Act, a landmark U.S. anti-money laundering law enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021, is unconstitutional on the grounds that Congress exceeded its powers in enacting the law — and so the rulemaking stemming from it is unlawful. The National Small Business Association filed suit in November 2022 to block the requirement that tens of millions of small businesses register with the government as part of an effort to prevent the criminal abuse of anonymous shell companies. THIS 2024 MASS DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM HAS BEGUN AND GOVERNMENT IS TARGETING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS The small business lobbying group argued that the reporting rule violates the Constitution, saying it is unduly burdensome on small firms, violates privacy and free-speech protections and infringes on states’ powers to govern businesses. The legal challenge points to the friction between maintaining privacy rights and the government’s effort to uncover sources of criminal activity, especially as the U.S. has attempted to sanction Russian oligarchs and wealthy friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin following the start of his invasion of Ukraine. Burke, appointed to the federal court by former President Donald Trump, called the Corporate Transparency Act “congressional overreach” and wrote that “the Corporate Transparency Act is unconstitutional because it cannot be justified as an exercise of Congress’ enumerated powers.” A Treasury spokesperson said, “Congress overwhelmingly voted to enact the bipartisan Corporate Transparency Act in 2021 to crack down on illicit shell companies and combat financial crime. We are complying with the Court’s injunction” and referred The Associated Press to the Justice Department for further inquiries. Ian Gary, executive director of the FACT Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes corporate transparency, said in an email that “this is a pro-crime, pro-drug cartel, pro-fentanyl ruling which undermines the rule of law and allows criminals to use anonymous shell companies to hide their dirty money from law enforcement.”
Johnson’s State of the Union guests include mother of woman allegedly killed by MS-13 gang member
FIRST ON FOX: Speaker Mike Johnson’s guests at the State of the Union on Thursday will include a mother who lost her son to a pill laced with fentanyl and the mother of a Maryland woman who was raped and murdered in 2022, allegedly by an MS-13 gang member. Johnson, R-La., has invited Tammy Nobles, whose 20-year-old daughter Kayla Hamilton was killed in her mobile home in 2022, to the Thursday address by President Biden. He has also invited Stefanie Turner, who formed Texas Against Fentanyl after her son Tucker was killed by an illicit Percocet pill. “President Biden’s open-border catastrophe is undermining the safety of our communities and ripping families apart,” Johnson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Tammy Nobles and Stefanie Turner are two of the many parents who’ve experienced the devastating effects of the catastrophe at our border, having tragically lost their children to criminal aliens and fentanyl, which is pouring through our borders.” HOUSE JUDICIARY REPORT FAULTS BIDEN ADMIN FOR RELEASE OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER NOW CHARGED WITH MURDER The ongoing border crisis has become a top political issue in the days leading up to the address, with Biden expected to renew his calls for the Senate to pass a border agreement unveiled earlier this year. Republicans have blamed the crisis on the policies of the administration. “I’m honored to be hosting Tammy and Stefanie at the State of the Union, as we fight for a secure border and to hold President Biden accountable for his failure to protect this country and the American people,” Johnson said. Nobles testified in the impeachment hearings of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, citing her daughter’s murder as a consequence of the crisis at the border. In 2023, police arrested an El Salvadoran 17-year-old who authorities said is linked to the MS-13 street gang and who was released into the U.S. in 2022 into the custody of his aunt after being encountered at the border. “I’m honored to be a guest of Speaker Mike Johnson at the State of the Union. I am so glad that my efforts to share Kayla’s story and bring awareness to what is happening at the border are being recognized,” Nobles said in a statement. “I will continue fighting and demanding accountability for what is happening at the border. I hope positive changes will occur in the future to save many lives. Something must change.” BIDEN, DURING VISIT TO OVERWHELMED BORDER, URGES REPUBLICANS TO BACK SENATE BILL: ‘TIME TO ACT’ Turner described fentanyl, which can be fatal in tiny doses and is primarily made in Mexico and smuggled across the U.S. border, as a “clandestine killer.” “While I carry the pain of losing my only son, Tucker, I also represent all the families who have to learn to live life again after the death of their loved one. It is absolutely heartbreaking. We are so disgusted that more is not being done to stop this war on the American people. We have had enough,” she said in a statement. “We must do more to educate our youth and communities!” Republicans have tied the three-year crisis to the policies of the administration, including narrowed interior enforcement, catch-and-release and a reversal of Trump-era policies. Biden, who last week visited the border in Brownsville, Texas, has said Congress needs to pass reforms and provide more funding. He has backed a bipartisan Senate bill, which has failed to drum up enough support to pass. DUELING BIDEN, TRUMP VISITS TO BESIEGED BORDER COME AMID FRESH SLEW OF VIOLENT CRIMES BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS The deal includes $1.4 billion in funding to cities and NGOs receiving migrants, action to tackle fentanyl smuggling and a limit on asylum claims. It would also increase detention beds to 50,000 and provide additional immigration judges. However, conservatives have opposed it, saying it is insufficient and that it would normalize high levels of illegal immigration. House Republicans have called for the passage of the GOP border legislation passed in the House last year, instead. But Biden said it was “time to act.” “Folks, the bipartisan border security bill is a win for the American people and a win for the people of Texas, and it’s fair for those who legitimately have a right to come here,” Biden said. “The U.S. Senate needs to reconsider this bill and those senators who oppose it need to set politics aside and pass it on the merits, not on whether it’s going to benefit one party or another party,” he said, also calling for Johnson to put it on the floor in the House. The White House told Fox News Digital when reached for comment Tuesday, “Speaker Johnson is making the case for the toughest bipartisan border security deal in modern history, which [the] President worked with Republicans and Democrats to deliver, but the Speaker is obstructing. Instead of choosing fentanyl traffickers, human smugglers, and Donald Trump over the Border Patrol and America’s national security, Speaker Johnson should join President Biden in supporting the safety of our communities.”
House committee subpoenas Andrew Cuomo over COVID-19 nursing home policies
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has subpoenaed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to testify on May 24 about his COVID-19 nursing home policies. “Governor Cuomo forced New York nursing homes to accept COVID-19 positive patients. Americans died,” the committee wrote in a post on X. “Accountability and honesty are non-negotiable.” In a letter addressed to Cuomo Tuesday, Subcommittee Chair Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, wrote that “[t]he Select Subcommittee specifically requested your testimony because it was your administration that issued the March 25, 2020 nursing home order stating, in relevant part, that ‘[n]o resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the [nursing home] solely based on confirmed or suspect[ed] diagnosis of COVID-19.’” “This misguided decision effectively admitted thousands of COVID-19 positive patients into nursing homes, causing predictable but deadly consequences for New York’s most vulnerable,” Wenstrup continued. “Of course, you have argued — even after leaving office—that the March 25 Order was consistent with CMS and CDC guidance. In addition, you have argued that it was the nursing home staff—not your Administration’s order — that was responsible for the resulting deaths in the nursing homes.” “In addition to the March 25 Order itself, there is also troubling evidence suggesting the Cuomo Administration at best downplayed its impacts and at worst covered them up,” he also said. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Fox News’ Rich Edson and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.