Biden admin hit with subpoena on illegal immigrants charged with violent crimes, murder
FIRST ON FOX: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan on Tuesday subpoenaed the Department of Health and Human Services for the case files of a number of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children and went on to be charged with violent crimes, including murder. Jordan has been requesting case files since the summer of the illegal immigrants, who he says have been charged with crimes including theft, assault and murder, but says the response from HHS has been “woefully inadequate.” Initially, Jordan said in a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, HHS cited the privacy interests of those charged and “asserted that the Committee lacked a legitimate oversight purpose to obtain the case files.” JORDAN SUBPOENAS MAYORKAS FOR CASE FILES OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH MURDER, TERROR CHARGES The back-and-forth over the files continued through November, until HHS offered to allow committee members to review documents on camera if officials agreed not to photograph or record documents and provide three days of notice prior to the release of any information obtained. This drew objections from the committee, who said the files are not classified or restricted. MIGRANTS CAUGHT ON NEW VIDEO STREAMING DOWN REMOTE CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINSIDE TO ILLEGALLY CROSS THE BORDER “HHS’s attempt to unilaterally limit or in any way dictate how a Congressional committee lawfully uses materials to inform potential legislative reforms constitutes unacceptable interference with the workings of a coordinate branch of government and cannot be considered a good faith accommodation,” Jordan said. Despite that, he said, the committee agreed to reviewing the documents on camera and would allow HHS to propose redactions during and after the review. However, when committee officials reviewed the documents, they found that HHS had applied what he called “pervasive” redactions to the documents, including not only personal information but entire narrative passages including routes of travel taken by the immigrants and “serious incident reports” while they were in custody. “Across multiple case files, HHS redacted information about whether specific UACs had ‘identifying scars, marks, or tattoos’—information that can be indicative of gang affiliation,” Jordan said. “Worse, HHS went so far as to redact information explicitly requested by the Committee, including information shared with HHS by other agencies and immigration case history information.” “By unilaterally redacting the case files, HHS rendered the requested materials provided for in camera review all but useless, frustrating and impeding the Committee’s constitutional oversight obligations,” he said. As a result, Jordan issued a subpoena for the documents, arguing that the committee has broad power to conduct oversight and that such information can be used to guide legislation on issues such as placement of UACs and treatment of criminal illegal immigrants. It’s the latest such effort by the committee to gain more information about criminal illegal immigrants. In December, Jordan subpoenaed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for the case files of 14 illegal immigrants “charged with serious crimes, such as theft, brutal assault, murder, and terrorism-related charges.”
State department defends Blinken memo urging staffers to avoid ‘problematic’ language like ‘manpower’
The State Department defended a memo from Secretary of State Antony Blinken this month that urged staffers to steer clear of gendered language such as “mother” and “manpower.” “If you look at that memo, as I have done, it’s a standard government practice to try to encourage people to just to be respectful of others, and use the terms with which others are comfortable, and talk to people the way that they would like to be addressed. And nothing more than that,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday during a press briefing. Miller was reacting to reports of Blinken sending a memo titled “Modeling DEIA: Gender Identity Best Practices,” that aimed to “increase understanding of gender identity and provide guidance on gender identity language and best practices that support an inclusive work environment.” “When speaking, avoid using phrases like ‘brave men and women on the front lines,’” Blinken’s Feb. 5 cable, which was first obtained by the National Review, said. Instead, State staffers should “use more specific language such as ‘brave first responders,’ ‘brave soldiers,’ or ‘brave DS agents.’” NIH GUIDE WARNS AGAINST DESCRIBING PRONOUNS AS ‘CHOSEN,’ PUSHES SLEW OF 40 DIFFERENT OPTIONS Miller said that though the memo had Blinken’s name on it, it did not necessarily come directly from the Secretary of State. “When it comes to these types of cables, they all come out with the Secretary’s signature on it. That’s the standard department practice, has been for years. It doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a memo from the secretary himself,” he said. The guidance runs through a list of gendered phrases and words that should be avoided, including: “manpower,” “you guys,” “ladies and gentlemen,” “mother/father,” “son/daughter” and “husband/wife.” Instead, the memo urged staff to use “labor force,” “everyone,” “folks,” “you all,” “parent,” “child,” “spouse” or partner,” according to the report. FIRST-YEAR MEDICAL SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPOSED TO WOKE ‘SEX AND GENDER PRIMER’ LESSON Use “gender-neutral language whenever possible” to “show respect and avoid misunderstandings,” the guidance continued, and encouraged employees to include their preferred pronouns in emails or during meetings. CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY CRITICIZED FOR NEW ‘GENDER INCLUSIVE’ GUIDE ‘FUNDAMENTAL’ TO SCHOOL’S MISSION: ‘SHAMEFUL’ The cable also cautioned employees against assuming someone’s gender based on how they look or their name, as that “can be problematic” and can send a “harmful, exclusionary message.” The State Department is charged with advising the president on foreign policy, as well as negotiating agreements with other nations. The memo was published as the U.S. grapples with ongoing wars raging between Ukraine and Russia, as well as the war in Israel, and just days after the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian-backed militants following the deaths of three American service members. PARENTS ‘BAFFLED’ AFTER SCHOOL ASKS STUDENTS TO CHOOSE FROM DOZENS OF PRONOUNS: ‘VERY CONFUSED AND UPSET’ NEW ‘ORWELLIAN’ HHS PRONOUN MANDATE FORCES EMPLOYEES TO ‘DENY REALITY,’ VIOLATE LAW: LEGAL EXPERT The memo added that staffers should not “pressure someone to state their pronouns,” as it is “a personal decision that should be respected.” If a staffer uses the wrong pronoun, Blinken’s memo asked that they handle the situation with “subtlety and grace,” while noting identity “may be fluid, so remain attuned to and supportive of shifts in pronouns.” Other agencies under the Biden administration have rolled out guidance on inclusive and non-gendered language, including pronoun guidance for the Department of Health and Human Services that was slammed by an expert last year as violating employee rights and speculating it would lead to firings for “misgendering.”
Vermont Gov. Scott requests disaster declaration over December flooding
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced Monday that he has requested a federal major disaster declaration to help communities hit by severe rainfall and flooding in December. Such a declaration would allow municipalities to be reimbursed for 75% of eligible costs, such as debris removal, road and public building repairs, and staff overtime related to cleanup from the storm, Scott said. VERMONT GOP GOVERNOR PROPOSES $8.6 BILLION BUDGET, URGES LAWMAKERS TO AVOID TAX INCREASE “As Vermont continues to recover from last year’s flooding events, it is clear more federal support will be needed to help communities rebuild,” Scott said in a statement. “As we do so, it will be critical to make improvements to ensure greater resilience to future severe weather events, that we know will become increasingly common.” The storm that hit the Northeastern U.S. on Dec. 18 and 19 flooded roads and downed trees, knocked out power to hundreds of thousands, forced flight cancellations and school closures, and killed at least five people. In Vermont, federal assessors identified more than $1.9 million in costs incurred by public entities for repairs to public infrastructure, Scott said. Also, storm-related costs in five counties exceeded the minimum per capita amount to qualify for aid, he said.
US vetoes UN resolution calling for immediate Gaza ceasefire
NewsFeed The United States has vetoed an Arab-backed United Nations Security Council draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The US ambassador to the UN said proceeding with the vote was ‘wishful and irresponsible’ and proposed a rival draft instead. Published On 20 Feb 202420 Feb 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
All you need to know about Major League Soccer 2024 and its Messi mania
The new Major League Soccer season is set to get under way in North America with the spotlight shining brightly on one man: Lionel Messi. Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain joined David Beckham’s MLS club, Inter Miami, in the middle of the US’s regular football season last year and delivered instant results. The club won the first match Messi played after a streak of 10 winless games and, what’s more, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner landed the side its first trophy – the Leagues Cup. Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, have transformed the team in a matter of months. Now, with Messi fully established as the centrepiece and playing his first full campaign for the club’s fourth year of existence, Miami will be eyeing the big prize: a first MLS Cup. The 29-team championship gets under way on February 22, when Miami host Salt Lake City at the DRK PNV Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Two. More. Days. ⏳ Messi & @InterMiamiCF take on @realsaltlake to kickoff the season! 📺 #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV: https://t.co/D7skJOK7bn pic.twitter.com/xoe19Wm6jQ — Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 19, 2024 Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming MLS season: Who are the biggest names in MLS? Inter Miami: Inter Miami brought Messi mania to the MLS for the end of their last season and the Qatar World Cup 2022 winner arrived in a media whirlwind. Soon, Messi’s good friend Suarez was signed in the off-season to bolster the team’s ranks. The Uruguayan has set out his motive for joining the club: “to try to win [the] MLS”. Busquets, Alba and Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gomez complete Miami’s star-studded lineup. Columbus Crew: The defending champions are led in attack by Columbian star Cucho Hernandez. He scored 16 goals and produced seven assists last season. Atlanta United: Thiago Almada, who was part of Messi’s World Cup-winning team in 2022, is central to Atlanta United’s hopes. The midfielder scored 13 goals in his 35 appearances last season. Chicago Fire: Belgian striker Hugo Cuypers was a club-record $12m signing for the Eastern Conference side, where Switzerland international and former Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri netted seven goals last season. Toronto FC: Lorenzo Insigne is the Canadian club’s star name. The winger won the last of his 54 caps for Italy in their failed World Cup qualification bid in 2022 and moved to Canada the same year following a 15-year career with Napoli. Los Angeles FC: French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris moved to the West Coast from Tottenham Hotspur in January, ending an 11-year association with the London club. New year, new signings, new stars. ✨ pic.twitter.com/UR6h1XjIj7 — Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 19, 2024 How has Messi transformed the MLS? Inter Miami’s managing owner Jorge Mas termed the player’s arrival a “seminal moment” for the sport in the US last year. Meanwhile, MLS Commissioner Don Garber believes Messi’s presence will “put MLS on a different trajectory.” “And who knows what that’s going to look like years from now? But certainly, we’re in a different position today than we had been, with Messi in our league.” If numbers provided by Garber are anything to go by this season, MLS season ticket sales have seen a 15 percent increase, league sponsorship revenue is up by 17 percent, club revenue has received a 15 percent boost and merchandise sales have shot up by 44 percent. Shirts of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are displayed for sale outside the Cuscatlan stadium prior to a friendly match between El Salvador’s national team and Inter Miami in San Salvador, El Salvador on January 19, 2024 [File: Moises Castillo/AP] What are conferences? The 29 teams are broken into two conferences to reduce travel. The Eastern Conference features 15 teams, and 14 are in the Western Conference. Which teams are in the conferences? Eastern Conference: Atlatana FC, CF Montreal, Charlotte FC, Chicago Fire FC, Columbus Crew, DC United, FC Cincinnati, FC Inter Miami, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC. Western Conference: Austin FC, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamos FC, LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, Minnesota United FC, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City, St Louis City SC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC. What is up for grabs in the North American season? The Eastern and Western Conferences will primarily play for two titles in the MLS. The overall leader from the two groups is awarded the Supporters’ Shield, while the winners of the end-of-season playoffs will lift the MLS Cup. The Leagues Cup, which is a knockout competition also available to clubs from Mexico’s Liga MX, offers teams another route to the continental club competition CONCACAF Champions Cup. This has already been a happy hunting ground for Messi and Miami, as the Argentinian helped the Florida-based team to lift the revamped tournament last season to qualify for the prestigious Champions Cup. Miami will enter that tournament in the last-16 stage in March and will vie for a place at the expanded FIFA 2025 Club World Cup set to be hosted in the US. The US Open Cup is the fifth crown that Messi can challenge for with Miami this season and is another knockout competition but this one is open to clubs outside the MLS conferences in both the US and Canada. Houston beat Miami in the final last season. FC Cincinnati were winners of the Eastern Conference, as well as the Supporters Shield, while St Louis City finished atop the Western Conference in the team’s first season. Lionel Messi guided Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup Championship win last year [File: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports] Who are the favourites? Inter Miami’s spending spree and the capture of Messi will mount pressure on them to challenge in all competition this season, but they have their work cut out having finished 27th out of 29 teams last season. With the late addition of Rossi to
South Africa to hold general election on May 29
Ruling ANC faces a tough challenge to retain its majority in the seventh election since the end of the apartheid system. South Africa will hold national and provincial elections on May 29, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has said. Ramaphosa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party is expected to face a tough challenge to retain its parliamentary majority in the country’s seventh democratic election since the end of the apartheid system in 1994. “The 2024 elections coincide with South Africa’s celebration of 30 years of freedom and democracy,” the presidency said in a statement posted on X on Tuesday. In 1994, the country held its first democratic elections after the fall of the racially segregationist system of apartheid that had brutally oppressed Black and other non-white South Africans since 1948. “Beyond the fulfilment of our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all desire,” Ramaphosa said. PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA ANNOUNCES 2024 GENERAL ELECTION DATE President @CyrilRamaphosa has in accordance with section 49(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, read with section 17 of the Electoral act of 1998, determined 29 May 2024, as the date for the 2024… — #SONA2024 | Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) February 20, 2024 The statement echoed sentiments he shared in his State of the Nation Address earlier this month, where he used much of his speech to highlight how far the country has come in three decades and what role his governing party has played. Ramaphosa, 71, is seeking a second term as president in a vote that may prove historic, with opinion polls showing opposition parties gaining ground over his African National Congress (ANC) in some areas. The ANC has led the country since 1994. But the party is now struggling in the polls, and many analysts say this year it will for the first time get less than the 50 percent parliamentary majority it has won in past elections. Power cuts and employment crisis The Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are the main opposition parties. Former President Jacob Zuma has backed the newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) or Spear of the Nation party, in a move that could potentially attract some traditional ANC voters. Zuma – who still enjoys huge popularity despite ongoing court cases and allegations of corruption against him – was part of the ANC until he was suspended in January. Political analysts also say record power cuts, poor service delivery and high levels of unemployment are likely to hurt the ANC at the polls in May. Daily blackouts, known locally as “load shedding”, have plagued the country for years, showing no sign of ending despite the president’s recent remarks that “the worst is behind us”. The power crisis has affected local businesses and the economy. The country’s unemployment rate reached 32.1 percent in December, the national statistics agency StatsSA said on Tuesday. On the foreign policy front, South Africa has put its weight behind securing an end to Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine more broadly. It has filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide, and also contributed to another case on the legality of the Israeli occupation. Even though there is overwhelming support for South Africa’s actions on the domestic front – as South Africa and Palestine have long enjoyed close ties – Ramaphosa’s intentions are also being scrutinised, with some accusing the president of being “opportunistic” in a key election year. On May 29, South Africans will elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the country’s nine provinces before the National Assembly elects the president. Adblock test (Why?)
Mexico president mocks Abbott’s planned military base camp along Texas border: ‘Put as many as you want’
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Tuesday reportedly mocked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s planned base for housing National Guard troops along the border. “It’s like the governor of Texas who put a military camp on the border. Put as many as you want! Supposedly, this is how he is going to stop the migrants. Pure politicking! It is not serious,” López Obrador said during his morning press conference, according to Proceso. His comment came in response to Abbott’s announcement on Friday that Texas will build an operations base for up to 1,800 National Guard members in Eagle Pass, expanding the presence of soldiers in the border city where the state has clashed with the Biden administration over immigration enforcement. The 80-acre property along the Rio Grande will open a short distance from Shelby Park, the riverfront area where Texas National Guard members installed miles of razor wire and began denying access to U.S. Border Patrol agents. EAGLE PASS MAYOR SAYS SHOWDOWN BETWEEN TEXAS, FEDS OVER BORDER CONTROL IS ‘FRUSTRATING,’ A ‘CONSTANT STRUGGLE’ “This will increase the ability for a larger number of Texas military department personnel in Eagle Pass to operate more effectively and more efficiently,” Abbott said. Abbott said the camp will improve living conditions for soldiers who are deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border, an issue that troubled the Guard’s mission during the early months of Operation Lone Star. The camp will be constructed in phases of 300 beds every 30 days with the first phase expected to be completed by April, Maj. General Suelzer, the head of the Texas Military Department, said. The complex will include three command posts, weapons storage rooms and a helicopter pad, he said. OVER 40 LAWMAKERS SIGN BRIEF TO SUPPORT TEXAS IN IMMIGRATION FIGHT WITH BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Texas officials continue to seize control of Shelby Park, north of the campgrounds, as part of Abbott’s expanding border mission. The mayor of Eagle Pass said the move at the start of January caught the city off guard and questioned the timing, given that crossings have fallen in recent weeks. The U.S. Justice Department last month asked the Supreme Court to order Texas to allow Border Patrol agents back into park. The Biden administration says Border Patrol agents use the park to monitor the river and to launch boats into the Rio Grande. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pennsylvania mail-in ballots with wrong date may still count, depending on US appeals court decision
A federal appeals court must decide if Pennsylvania voters need to put accurate handwritten dates on the outside envelopes of their mail-in ballots for the votes to count, a dispute with implications for this year’s presidential contest. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held oral arguments in Philadelphia Tuesday over a district judge’s ruling in November that even without the proper dates, mail-in ballots should be counted if they are received in time. Ari Savitzky, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union representing several voter groups, told the court that more than 10,000 ballots in Pennsylvania were disqualified in 2022 based on what he called “a meaningless paperwork error.” He argued that the “materiality provision” of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was designed to prevent that. PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE CHARGED WITH SHOOTING SLEEPING EX-BOYFRIEND AND ASKING ‘WHAT DID YOU DO?’ “An immaterial mistake on a piece of paperwork doesn’t go to the deficiency or validity of the ballot itself,” he argued before the three-judge panel. U.S. Circuit Judge Cindy K. Chung, who was appointed to the bench by President Joe Biden, asked where judges should draw the line between meaningless and material errors that can render the ballots invalid. “Is there a difference between non-compliance — where you totally leave off the date — and imperfect compliance, where you have the date but you got the year wrong?” she asked. Lawyer John M. Gore, representing state and national Republican groups challenging a district court ruling last year, said “the right to vote is not denied” when the state qualifies someone to vote, sends them a ballot and then rejects the ballot “because they failed to follow Pennsylvania law.” In Pennsylvania, Democrats have been far more likely to vote by mail than Republicans under an expansion of mail-in ballots enacted in 2019. Republican lawmakers agreed to the change in exchange for an end to “straight-party voting” that they saw as a longtime Democratic advantage. In 2022, about 1.2 million Pennsylvanians voted by mail. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the consequences of the expanded mail-in ballot rules became more pronounced, and the partisan vote-by-mail gap was widened by President Donald Trump’s opposition to mail-in ballots during his failed 2020 reelection campaign. U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter, a Trump appointee, ruled last year that county boards of election may no longer reject mail ballots that lack accurate, handwritten dates on their return envelopes. She said the date — mandated by state law — is irrelevant in helping elections officials decide whether the ballot was received in time or whether the voter is qualified to cast a ballot. The Pennsylvania groups challenging the date mandate argue it allows the state to disenfranchise voter over meaningless mistakes, violating provisions of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964. The suit was filed by state chapters of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Black Political Empowerment Project and other groups. Baxter said elections officials do not use the date on the outer envelope to determine whether the vote should be counted. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The important date for casting the ballot is the date the ballot is received. Here, the date on the outside envelope was not used by any of the county boards to determine when a voter’s mail ballot was received in the November 2022 election,” Baxter wrote.
Special election to fill Georgia House seat will see 3 Republicans, 1 independent face off in April
Three Republicans and an independent have qualified for an April 9 election in Georgia House District 139 to replace state Rep. Richard Smith, who died Jan. 30 while ill with the flu. Republicans include Sean Knox, who owns a pest control company and is a former member of the board of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce; oral and facial surgeon Don Moeller, an Army veteran who is both a physician and dentist; and Carmen Rice, a human resources professional who is the first woman to serve as Republican Party chair in Muscogee County. FORMER GEORGIA HOUSE REP IS ELECTED STATE SENATOR, CURRENT HOUSE RACE GOES TO RUNOFF Running as an independent is Robert Mallard, an Army veteran and former real estate broker who owns a beekeeping and honey company. No Democrats qualified in what historically has been a Republican district. The district covers parts of Muscogee and Harris counties. All the candidates will run together in the special election with no primaries to select nominees. If no one wins a majority on April 9, the two candidates winning the most votes will advance to a runoff on May 7. The election is only for the remainder of Smith’s term through the end of this year. Any candidate who wants to continue serving would have to qualify again early next month to run in November.
Top House Republican endorses former NASCAR driver in contentious Maine election: ‘Strong conservative’
FIRST ON FOX: A top House Republican has tossed his support behind a former NASCAR driver-turned-GOP congressional candidate in Maine. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., endorsed GOP congressional candidate Austin Theriault on Tuesday amid his quest to flip the seat held by Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden from blue to red, Fox News Digital has learned. In a statement obtained by Fox, Scalise said he was “thrilled” that Theriault was making a run for Congress. “Thrilled to have Austin Theriault, a strong conservative from a French-Catholic family in northern Maine, running to represent Maine’s 2nd District,” Scalise said. “We badly need more conservative fighters who understand rural America in Congress, and Austin fits the bill perfectly. That’s why he has my complete and total endorsement.” SPEAKER JOHNSON ENDORSES FORMER NASCAR DRIVER FOR MAINE DEMOCRAT’S CONGRESSIONAL SEAT Offering his appreciation for Scalise’s support, Theriault, who currently serves as a state representative in Maine, insisted that the Republican leader has displayed immense “courage and perseverance.” “Leader Scalise has demonstrated incredible courage and perseverance, as well as dedication to conservative values,” he said. “His recovery from being shot by a deranged leftist and his fight against cancer are inspiring testaments to his fortitude, and I appreciate his support.” Theriault added, “Rural America is being hurt by Joe Biden and Jared Golden’s border and inflationary spending policies, and I’m running to fight back.” Scalise’s endorsement comes as Theriault seeks the seat held by Golden in a race that is expected to be one of the most competitive House races this cycle. Theriault announced his campaign last September, saying he would “come in with fire” to Congress to confront issues like inflation, illegal border crossings and dying small towns. “Regular hardworking folks are getting held down by out-of-touch, out-of-state elites who are clueless about how hard it is to make a living in Maine,” he said at the time. KELLYANNE CONWAY WARNS GOP ‘BETTER LEARN’ SOME LESSONS AFTER DEMOCRATS FLIPPED NY HOUSE SEAT Theriault has been vocal in his campaign on issues facing America, including speaking out against “pro-Hamas” protesters as well as the effort to remove former President Trump from the primary ballot in Maine. Scalise is not the only leading House Republican to endorse Theriault’s candidacy. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., endorsed Theriault last month, referring to the former NASCAR driver as “a hardworking public servant with a strong track record of success.” Additionally, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., threw her support behind Theriault in December. Theriault, who has also been endorsed by numerous local and state leaders in Maine, recently announced that he has raised $500,000 since he launched his campaign. Last Friday, Theriault’s campaign launched a district-wide radio buy touting his “pro-Trump” candidacy in the race. “Theriault’s not a politician, he’s a former NASCAR driver born in Aroostook County and raised on county values of hard work and grit,” the ad stated. “Theriault’s had it with Joe Biden and the radical left treating criminal illegals better than hardworking Mainers.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.