UN envoy in Iraq to step down at end of May, says country ‘on a knife edge’
Jeanine Hennis-Plasscha urges cessation of attacks, ‘reining in armed actors operating outside state control’. The head of the United Nations political mission in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, has told the Security Council she expects to step down at the end of May, adding the country was “on a knife edge”. The former Dutch defence minister was appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in late 2018. The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq aims to advance inclusive political dialogue and helps coordinate humanitarian and development aid. “For Iraq to further continue on its path of stability and progress, an enabling environment will prove essential. And, such an environment requires restraint from all sides,” Hennis-Plasschaert told the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday. Iran-aligned groups, known collectively as the “Axis of Resistance”, have been waging attacks against Israeli and US targets from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Syria, since Israel began its war in Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7. Washington responded with attacks in a cycle of escalating violence that Iraqi officials said threatened to undo progress towards stabilising the country after decades of conflict. “While we are, of course, aware that many authorities and actors seek to limit further escalation, it is clear that the situation remains volatile. Iraq – indeed, the wider region – remain on a knife-edge, with the tiniest miscalculation threatening a major conflagration,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. There was an “urgent need to cease attacks, be they originating from within or outside” of Iraq, she said, adding, “And, as stated many times in past years, this must include reining in armed actors operating outside state control.” Security Council permanent members Russia and China have criticsed the US for its recent air raids on targets in Iraq and Syria. The two countries accused Washington of raising the risk of regional escalation at a meeting of the Security Council late on Monday. Moscow claimed that the US decision to launch the attacks was linked to the upcoming presidential election in November. Russia had requested the council meeting after the US launched dozens of attacks against Iran-aligned targets in Iraq and Syria. The raids followed a drone attack on a US base in Jordan that killed three soldiers. The US air raids, which killed more than a dozen people, including civilians, demonstrate Washington’s complete disregard for international law, Moscow’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said. He accused the US of seeking to draw Middle Eastern powers, including Iran, into a regional conflict. The United States invaded Iraq and toppled leader Saddam Hussein in 2003, precipitating years of rebellion and fighting among Iraq’s ethnic and religious groups. It withdrew its troops in 2011, but sent thousands back after ISIL’s surge into the country three years later. Adblock test (Why?)
House clears way to advance impeachment articles of DHS Secretary Mayorkas
House lawmakers on Tuesday cleared the way to advance an impeachment resolution against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The 215-207 floor vote came as the House adopted the “rule” to manage the debate on the measure. The resolution affirms that Mayorkas “has willfully and systematically refused to comply with Federal immigration laws” by having repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security during his tenure. If the vote goes through, Mayorkas would be the first Biden Cabinet official impeached in nearly 150 years. This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.
California considers psychedelic therapy bill after Gov. Newsom vetoes hallucinogen decriminalization
A pair of California lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to allow people 21 and older to consume psychedelic mushrooms under professional supervision as part of an agenda to tackle the state’s mental health and substance use crises. It comes after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year vetoed legislation that would have decriminalized the possession and personal use of several plant-based hallucinogens, including psychedelic mushrooms. It was the first time the proposal by Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener made it through the legislature after years of stalling. In his veto message, Newsom, who championed legalizing cannabis in 2016, asked lawmakers to work on therapeutic guidelines and regulations. Now Wiener has teamed up with Republican Assemblymember Marie Waldron on a proposal to allow participations to consume psilocybin — the hallucinogenic component in what’s known as psychedelic mushrooms — under the supervision of a licensed therapist. The bill also would include dimethyltryptamine (DMT), MDMA and mescaline. $8.5M WORTH OF PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS SEIZED FROM RURAL CONNECTICUT PROPERTY Colorado and Oregon have already decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms and establish regulated systems for therapeutic use of the substances. In California, San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Cruz have effectively decriminalized possession of psychedelic mushrooms, meaning a person cannot be arrested or prosecuted for possessing limited amounts of plant-based hallucinogens. “We know that Californians are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges, and we know that psychedelics, particularly when combined with therapeutic support, can be a powerful tool to help people get their health back,” Wiener said at a Monday news briefing. “We know that California veterans and first responders have particularly benefited from these substances, and we know that many more people can as well.” Waldron, who introduced a different bill to study the use of psychedelic therapy, said the bipartisan bill aligns with Newsom’s vision by providing safeguards around psychedelic therapy. A person would have to go through a comprehensive screening to determine if they’re fit to consume hallucinogens for therapy and engage in follow-up assessments. The bill also would shift the state’s response to mental health crisis away from criminalization and punishment, Waldron said. California already has “a massive network” of underground therapists who provide psychedelic therapy, Wiener said. He added the bill would “bring them above ground” through a new state licensing board that regulates the services. The legislation does not allow for personal possession and use. That means clients can’t buy the substance to go. The drugs would still be illegal under federal law. Wiener said he doesn’t want to wait on actions from the federal government and that state lawmakers could authorize such regulated psychedelic use, similar to previous efforts to legalize therapeutic use of cannabis to treat cancers or HIV. Touted as a mind-bending drug in the 1960s, psychedelic mushrooms have been used in religious or spiritual practices in some cultures for centuries and possibly thousands of years. Some researchers believe psilocybin and other drugs show promise in treating depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The Food and Drug Administration in 2018 designated psilocybin a “breakthrough therapy” and published draft guidance last year for researchers designing clinical trials for psychedelic drugs. The bill is sponsored by Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit working with veterans to overcome trauma. Juliana Mercer, a Marine Corps veteran and a Heroic Hearts Project board member, said she’s used psychedelics to manage her PTSD through programs outside of the U.S. Her organization recently sent a group of veterans to Oregon for regulated psilocybin use. “Through education and through regulation, we’ll be able to take people from doing this underground, where it may not be safe, into a place where they can do it safely,” Mercer said. She added that will allow them to “access the healing that they deserve without fear of negative repercussions.” The California Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education, which opposed the measure to decriminalize psychedelics last year, also joined to support the bipartisan bill this year. Susan Sagy, executive director of the group, called it an approach “that balances the potential benefits of therapeutic treatment with the potential risks to public health.” Proponents of the bill anticipate it would take 18 to 24 months to implement the program if the bill becomes law. The bill would also create an education program to help reduce the stigma around psychedelics.
Feds asked to overhaul school discipline at North Texas school district after students jailed
The complaint claims Bonham ISD and a city court discriminated against both Black students and disabled students by creating a hostile environment at school. The groups also filed a separate complaint against Corpus Christi ISD with the Texas Education Agency.
Watch a Feb. 27 symposium on the state of democracy in Texas
This event, held at the University of Houston-Downtown, will discuss what can be done to reinvigorate trust and encourage civic engagement.
Once hesitant, Texas Republicans have united behind Donald Trump again
While polls once showed Trump and DeSantis tied in Texas, they now suggest the primary is all but over here. Trump leads Nikki Haley by a landslide.
GOP lawmaker on key immigration subcommittee slams Mayorkas impeachment ‘fantasy’ as vote count tightens
A House Republican on a key immigration subcommittee announced Tuesday that he will vote against impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, dealing a significant blow to GOP efforts to impeach the Biden official ahead of a vote expected later in the day. “The only way to stop the border invasion is to replace the Biden administration at the ballot box. Swapping one leftist for another is a fantasy, solves nothing, excuses Biden’s culpability, and unconstitutionally expands impeachment that someday will bite Republicans,” Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., who heads the Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Later on the House floor, he called it a “stunt.” HOUSE TEES UP VOTE ON IMPEACHING MAYORKAS OVER BORDER CRISIS The House is expected to vote later on two articles of impeachment, which accuse Mayorkas of having “repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security” and of having “made false statements to Congress” that the border is secure and closed and that DHS is in operational control of the border. McClintock’s “no” joins that of Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo. Fox News Digital is also told that Rep, Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., also raised concerns about impeaching Mayorkas at a closed-door meeting of the House Republican Conference. The House majority is slim and Republicans can only afford three defections if all lawmakers are present and all Democrats vote against impeachment. Should the impeachment push fail, it would signify an enormous blow to House Republicans who spent much of 2023 investigating Mayorkas for his handling of the crisis at the southern border, before referring articles to the House Homeland Security Committee late last year. The committee advanced the two articles last week. If Mayorkas is impeached, then it will go to the Senate for a trial. Speaker Mike Johnson said that he had spoken to McClintock and Buck about their objections to the move to impeach the Cabinet Secretary — which would make it the first impeachment since 1876. MAYORKAS LASHES OUT AT ‘BASELESS’ GOP ALLEGATIONS AHEAD OF KEY IMPEACHMENT VOTE ” I respect everybody’s view. I understand the heavy weight that impeachment is…next to the declaration of war, I believe impeachment is probably the heaviest authority that the House has given in the Constitution,” he said. “We carry that weight very carefully. What I will say about this Mayorkas impeachment is that the Homeland Security Committee has done an extraordinary job, a very deliberate job as you know over a long period of time. Republicans have accused Mayorkas and the administration of fueling the crisis with “open border” policies including “catch-and-release,” reduced interior enforcement and the rolling back of Trump-era policies they believe helped secure the border. They also accuse Mayorkas of not following immigration law, which they say demands the detention of illegal immigrants, and of failing to secure the border. Mayorkas has vigorously denied those claims. “The constitutional case and evidence for impeaching Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is strong and compelling,” Committee Chair Mark Green said in an op-ed for The Washington Examiner this week. “My committee’s nearly year-long investigation identified Secretary Mayorkas’ willful and systemic refusal to comply with U.S. immigration laws and his breach of the public trust as the primary drivers of the unprecedented crisis at America’s borders.” MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE PREDICTS MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES WILL PASS HOUSE WITHOUT ANY DEM SUPPORT But the process has come under fire from the Department of Homeland Security, as well as House Democrats and some Republicans. They see a pre-determined politically motivated push for impeachment based on policy disagreements rather than high crimes and misdemeanors, and the Biden administration has instead pointed to efforts made to secure the border by Mayorkas — including his role in a bipartisan Senate deal released this week. They have also pointed to more than 500,000 removals since May and record seizures of fentanyl at the border. “House Republicans have failed to provide any legitimate Constitutional grounds for impeachment according to countless legal experts of diverse political views, House Republicans’ own prior impeachment witness, and their fellow GOP Members,” DHS officials said in a recent memo. Mayorkas himself defended himself against impeachment last week in a letter to Republicans, in which he slammed the allegations as “false” and “baseless.” “I assure you that your false accusations do not rattle me and do not divert me from the law enforcement and broader public service mission to which I have devoted most of my career and to which I remain devoted,” Mayorkas said. Other voices against the impeachment of Mayorkas include Jonathan Turley, who was a witness for the House majority earlier this year, and Alan Dershowitz, who was former President Trump’s defense lawyer during the first impeachment effort against him. Former Bush-era DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff recently called on Republicans to “drop this impeachment charade” and work with Mayorkas to solve the crisis.
New Hampshire AG traces robocalls with ‘AI-generated clone’ of Biden’s voice back to Texas-based companies
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced Tuesday that robocalls with an “AI-generated clone” of President Biden’s voice encouraging voters not to participate in the Granite State’s primaries last month have been traced back to two Texas-based companies – and vowed possible federal and state action to ensure election integrity. Formella, a Republican, held a press conference in Concord to describe how on Jan. 21 – just two days before the Jan. 23 primary – “numerous New Hampshire voters received robocalls that played a recorded message and what is believed to be an AI-generated clone of President Biden’s voice.” He said the robocalls encouraged recipients not to participate in the primary. “It’s important that you save your vote for the November election,” the calls stated, according to Formella. The calls added, “Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.” NEW HAMPSHIRE INVESTIGATING FAKE BIDEN ROBOCALL TELLING VOTERS NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN TUESDAY’S PRIMARY “The robocalls illegally spoofed their caller ID information to appear to come from a number belonging to the former chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. The recorded message also instructed recipients to call that number to ask that person be removed from future calls,” he said. “After we received multiple reports and complaints on the day these calls were made and the day after these calls were made, my office immediately opened an investigation,” Formella said, describing how his office’s Election Law Unit worked with the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, a bipartisan task force made up of 50 state attorneys general, and the Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau. After identifying specific calls, the Election Law Unit requested “tracebacks” via an entity known as Industry Traceback Group. “After looking at these tracebacks and reviewing the information received, we have identified the source of these calls to be Life Corporation, which is a Texas-based company owned by an individual named Walter Monk. The tracebacks also identified the originating source provider as Lingo Telecom, which is a Texas-based service provider. Other entities who are not necessarily responsible for the calls, but who we believe also have pertinent information have also been identified,” Formella said. After Lingo Telecom was informed that these calls were being investigated, Lingo Telecom suspended services to Life Corporation. Individuals or entities who placed these calls face potential civil and criminal penalties under multiple New Hampshire laws, including those prohibiting voter suppression. Federal penalties could also come under the Truth and Caller ID Act of 2009 prohibiting anyone from transmitting inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongly obtain anything of value. Any person that knowingly facilitates the transmission of illegal robocalls, may be liable under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a federal statute, Formella said. The New Hampshire Department of Justice issued a cease-and-desist letter on Tuesday to Life Corporation that orders the company to immediately stop violating New Hampshire election laws. Formella said his office opened a criminal investigation, and the next steps in that probe include sending document preservation notices and subpoenas to Life Corporation, Lingo Telecom and any other individual or entity believed to have relevant information. 2024 NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY RESULTS “We will continue our work to identify and hold all individuals or companies who may be responsible for these acts accountable, and we are keeping all enforcement options on the table,” the state agency said. The FCC on Tuesday also issued a cease-and-desist order to Lingo Telecom “demanding that it immediately stop allowing illegal robocall traffic on its platform,” Formella said. “Further enforcement action from the FCC remains on the table pending investigation.” The attorney general anti-robocall task force is also issuing a warning letter and is taking other steps to prepare for potential civil litigation against Life Corporation and any other involved entity, he said. New Hampshire will be a co-lead in any civil or criminal action that may come as a result of the investigation. Formella specifically thanked the attorneys general of North Carolina, Ohio and Indiana as a “great example of bipartisan collaboration in respects to threats to our electoral process.” He also thanked the companies YouMail and Nomorobo, which help collect data on illegal robocalls. “Ensuring public confidence in the electoral process is vital, and in law enforcement I can say it’s one of our highest priorities,” Formella said. “We are providing this update and information today to ensure the public that we take this seriously and that this is one of our most important priorities, but we are also providing this update and information to send a strong message of deterrence to any person or entity who would attempt to undermine our elections through AI or other means. Our message is clear. Law enforcement across the country is unified on a bipartisan basis and ready to work together to combat any attempt to undermine our elections. We are committed to keeping our elections free, fair and secure.” “We will not tolerate any action that seeks to undermine the integrity of our election and our democratic process,” he added. Fox News’ Molly Line contributed to this report.
Speaker Dade Phelan forcefully defends Ken Paxton impeachment in campaign ad
Facing heat for presiding over the impeachment of the attorney general, Phelan is addressing the issue head-on and citing an alleged Paxton extramarital affair.
Speaker Johnson cheers on Senate border deal’s potential demise: ‘We welcome it’
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that House Republicans “welcome” the dysfunction wrought in the Senate over its border security and supplemental aid bill. Johnson has made no secret of his opposition to the bipartisan deal, declaring it “dead on arrival” multiple times since its release on Sunday night, including during House GOP leaders’ regular weekly press conference. “Republicans simply cannot vote for the bill in good conscience, and that is why I declared it dead on arrival. And it looks like right now it may be in some jeopardy, it may be on life support in the Senate,” the speaker said. “We welcome that development, because this is a matter that must be addressed in a manner that…actually solves the problem.” SEN. TIM SCOTT A ‘HADES NO’ ON SENATE BORDER, IMMIGRATION DEAL Republican opposition to the Senate’s bipartisan deal began with a trickle on Sunday night before turning into an avalanche of criticism by late Monday. Democrats have accused Republicans of going back on their own request for border policy changes in exchange for supporting aid to Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said GOP opposition to the deal, particularly in the Senate, is a “dramatic transformation in Republican thought.” IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS, LIBERAL SENATE DEMS TRASH BORDER DEAL OVER LACK OF AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS He also accused the House GOP of opposing the deal just because former President Trump was also against it, something Johnson has denied. Johnson appeared to attack those accusations on Tuesday, beginning his press conference with references to specific points in the 370-page bill that he opposed. 5 KEY DETAILS IN CONTROVERSIAL SENATE BORDER DEAL “Let me give you a couple of citations of just a few of our countless concerns with the bill in the form that it was sent to us,” the speaker said. “On page 321, for example, the bill expands work authorizations for illegal aliens, threatens American workers’ wages, and also acts as another magnet for illegal immigration. It’s a pull factor. You don’t want to tell people around the world to come on and over the border, we’ll give you work. And by the way, we’ll put most of you on public assistance so that the American taxpayer can spend billions and billions and billions of dollars to feed and clothe and educate you. That’s not the message that is helpful to send around the world.” He continued, “On page 116 of the bill, it endorses the Biden administration’s catch and release policy, endorses it by allowing illegals to be, quote, released from fiscal physical custody, unquote…The shutdown authority in the bill, you know, you’ve heard some things said about that, but it’s riddled with loopholes. You might not have heard that part. It gives Secretary Mayorkas, who is, of course, one of the chief architects of the catastrophe, that we’re all dealing with, the authority to undermine that.” Meanwhile, Schumer teed up a cloture vote on the package for Wednesday, and at least 25 senators have vowed to vote against the motion, including three Democrats.