Florida DMV won’t allow trans people to change their gender on driver’s licenses
Florida Democrats are accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Republicans of waging an attack on transgender people after Florida’s DMV issued a policy change stating that genders on driver’s licenses can no longer be altered. The new directive from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles surfaced late last week in a memo sent to county tax collectors saying that it has rescinded guidance that previously “directed personnel to issue a new license in the event that a licensee wished to alter the gender marker on his or her license.” “Under s. 322.17 F.S., the Department can issue a replacement license only when a license or permit is lost or stolen, or when there is a subsequent change in the licensee’s name, address, or restrictions,” Florida HSMV Deputy Executive Director Robert Kynoch wrote. “Furthermore, the term ‘gender’ in s. 322.08, F.S., does not refer to a person’s internal sense of his or her gender role or identification, but has historically and commonly been understood as a synonym for ‘sex,’ which is determined by innate and immutable biological and genetic characteristics. “Additionally, a driver license is an identification document and, as such, serves a critical role in assisting public and private entities in correctly establishing the identity of a person presenting the license,” he added. “Permitting an individual to alter his or her license to reflect an internal sense of gender role or identity, which is neither immutable nor objectively verifiable, undermines the purpose of an identification record and can frustrate the state’s ability to enforce its laws.” FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL FINED, PUT ON PROBATION OVER TRANS PARTICIPATION ON GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM Kynoch concluded the memo by writing that “misrepresenting one’s gender, understood as sex, on a driver license constitutes fraud under s. 322,212, F.S., and subjects an offender to criminal and civil penalties, including cancellation, suspension, or revocation of his or her driver license.” Florida state Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani ripped the policy change as “another gross example of how every state agency has been weaponized to attack trans people. “Florida Republicans’ obsession with trans people has to stop,” added Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried. “Instead of addressing our raging property insurance crisis or out-of-control rent hikes, the GOP continues to pursue blatantly transphobic policies to serve their made-up culture wars. Erasing and criminalizing trans people is absolutely disgusting and can’t be allowed to stand. FEDERAL JUDGE SIDES WITH DESANTIS ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES, UPHOLDS BAN ON BIOLOGICAL MALES ON FEMALE TEAMS “We’ve seen state agencies continually weaponized under Ron DeSantis, and this rule change at DHSMV serves the same purpose as the rest – allowing right-wing extremists to get the wildly unpopular policies they want without having to go on the record as voting for them,” she added. DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfern, when asked for a response to the outcry, told Fox News Digital, “We believe the memo speaks for itself.” Florida HSMV spokesperson Molly Best also told Fox News Digital, “Upon appointment as executive director by Gov. DeSantis in January of last year, Director [Dave] Kerner tasked senior Department leadership with ensuring our policies, procedures and technical guidance/advisories were consistent with both statutory law and the Department’s inherent authority. “Expanding the Department’s authority to issue replacement licenses dependent on one’s internal sense of gender or sex identification is violative of the law and does not serve to enhance the security and reliability of Florida issued licenses and identification cards,” she also said. “The security, reliability and accuracy of government-issued credentials is paramount.”
President Biden to name John Podesta as top US climate diplomat to replace John Kerry: report
President Biden is naming senior adviser John D. Podesta to replace outgoing John F. Kerry as the top climate diplomat, according to reports. Kerry is set to step down from the roll this spring. White House officials confirmed Podesta’s new role to The Washington Post on Wednesday. This is a developing story. Check back for details.
President Biden to name John Podesta as top US climate diplomat to replace John Kerry
President Biden is naming senior adviser John D. Podesta to replace outgoing John F. Kerry as the top climate diplomat. Kerry is set to step down from the role this spring. “John Podesta has been a longtime climate ally and advocate. He knows the issue, and he’s worked with NGOs and Administrations over a long period of time,” Kerry wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Kerry is the first person to serve as the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, as the position was created when Biden was inaugurated in January 2021. JOHN KERRY TO STEP DOWN AS BIDEN ADMIN CLIMATE CZAR: REPORT Kerry continued his post saying he had the pleasure of working with Podesta during the Obama administration, where he was a critical partner in China climate engagement, and during the Biden Administration, where he was engaged in the critical responsibility of implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. “He has also conducted track-two dialogues as a private citizen, which has given him a strong foundation in the global challenges of the climate crisis. He will bring important expertise to the work ahead, particularly in respect to the down-to-earth challenges of implementing COP28,” Kerry wrote. The White House officials confirmed Podesta’s new role on Wednesday. The Washington Post was the first to report the move. BIDEN CLIMATE CZAR JOHN KERRY SNAPS WHEN CONFRONTED ABOUT CARBON FOOTPRINT “In three years, Secretary Kerry has tirelessly trekked around the world – bringing American climate leadership back from the brink and marshalling countries around the world to take historic action to confront the climate crisis,” White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients said in a statement. “We need to keep meeting the gravity of this moment, and there is no one better than John Podesta to make sure we do. John has – and will continue to be – at the helm of driving the implementation of the most significant climate law in history.” Zients added that Biden’s appointment of Podesta will have a big impact, and that he is the right person for the role. ENERGY EXPERTS BASH JOHN KERRY’S UN DEAL TO SHUT DOWN FOSSIL FUELS “Having served the three most recent Democratic Presidents over three decades, he is an American statesman, a fierce champion for bold climate action, and a leader who without a doubt the world will know has the trust of and speaks for the President of the United States,” Zients said. White House officials said as senior advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, Podesta will continue to oversee the team implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. “John will dedicate a significant amount of time to international climate policy – working in coordination with the strong team at the State Department – representing the United States as a fierce champion for bold climate action,” White House official said.
State Department: ‘No policy shift’ in Biden administration regarding push to establish Palestinian state
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Wednesday that there has been “no policy shift” in the Biden administration regarding its goal of establishing an “independent Palestinian state” following an Axios report that the U.S. is drawing up options. The Axios report cited two U.S. officials as saying Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked the State Department to review and present policy options for possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the end of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. It stated that “the fact the State Department is even considering such options signals a shift in thinking within the Biden administration on possible Palestinian statehood recognition.” But Miller said Wednesday during a press briefing, “There has been no policy shift in the administration.” WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS UNRWA AMID TERRORIST ALLEGATIONS: ‘DON’T IMPUGN THE WHOLE AGENCY’ “We have made quite clear publicly that we support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. That has been the policy of the United States for some time. It has been the policy of this administration,” Miller said. “I’m not going to comment on the internal work that we do to advance that objective. But I will say that there are any number of ways that you could go about accomplishing that. There are a number of sequencing of events that you could carry out to accomplish that objective,” Miller continued. “And we look at a wide range of options and we discuss those with partners in the region as well as other partners inside the United States government.” UN AGENCIES CALL FOR INCREASED FUNDING TO SUPPORT PALESTINIAN REFUGEES When asked about when funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will run out after countries, including the U.S., suspended their support over allegations that some of the group’s employees participated in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Miller said their financing is “not just obviously a U.S. government issue.” “I will let them speak to questions of both, of their funding and when it will expire, because it’s not just obviously a U.S. government issue,” he said. “We are not the only funder of UNRWA, there are other countries that do as well.” Miller also said, “It is critical work to deliver food and water and medicine and other humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. “That said, the allegations last week were incredibly troubling,” he added. “And so it is exactly because the work is so important, and the work should not be jeopardized, that UNRWA needs to conduct, the United Nations needs to conduct, a full investigation. Respond as appropriate. And put into place measures to prevent such incidents from ever occurring again.”
Republicans unveil effort to reverse Biden’s latest crackdown on fossil fuels: ‘Pure politics’
FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans introduced legislation Wednesday that would prevent the Biden administration from moving forward with its moratorium on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits. The Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act — authored by Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott, R-S.C., and cosponsored by 16 fellow Senate Republicans — seeks to “depoliticize” LNG exports by eliminating the Department of Energy’s (DOE) authority to green-light such permits. The effort comes days after the White House and DOE paused permits for LNG export terminals over their potential climate impacts. “President Biden’s move to halt American energy exports is pure politics,” Scott said in a statement Wednesday. “In fact, exporting U.S. natural gas would actually lower global emissions.” “President Biden is dead set on bowing to the far-left and making the U.S. and our allies more reliant on foreign adversaries like Russia,” he continued. “Instead, I’m fighting to unleash America’s abundant natural resources, bolster our energy independence and safeguard our national security.” TRUMP ENERGY SECRETARY, REPUBLICANS BLAST BIDEN FOR BOWING TO ‘ELITE ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBY’ Scott’s bill would amend the Natural Gas Act of 1938, giving the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny applications for the siting, construction, expansion or operation of LNG export projects. And in approving or rejecting permits, FERC would be required to “deem the importation or exportation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.” The cosponsors of the bill are GOP Sens. Mike Crapo of Idaho, James Risch of Idaho, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, Joni Ernst of Iowa, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Rick Scott of Florida, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, John Thune of South Dakota, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and John Kennedy of Louisiana. REPUBLICANS PROBE CCP-TIED NONPROFIT FUNNELING MONEY TO US ECO GROUPS On Friday, President Biden ordered the DOE to pause pending permits for LNG export facilities while federal officials conduct a rigorous environmental review assessing the projects’ carbon emissions, which could take more than a year to complete. The move is a major victory for eco activists who have loudly called for such a move, even threatening to hold large protests over the issue. In a statement Friday, the president said the pause on LNG permitting was a part of his sweeping climate agenda, saying the action “sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.” He also took aim at “MAGA Republicans” for willfully denying the “urgency of the climate crisis.” However, energy experts and Republicans have argued that LNG exports are critical for maintaining low energy prices in the U.S., helping American allies to wean off Russian gas and decrease global carbon emissions. BIDEN VETOES BIPARTISAN BILL PROTECTING U.S. EV INDUSTRY FROM CHINA “It is an act of economic hostility to withhold U.S. LNG supply from the allies we have promised it to, particularly in the midst of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe,” said former Energy Secretary Rick Perry. “The Biden moratorium on LNG permits will empower Putin while killing jobs in Pennsylvania. It will hamstring American national security by forcing our allies back to Russia and Qatar for their energy supply.” “It will also result in an increase in emissions by withholding the most effective tool we have to improve the climate,” Perry continued. “It is a grave mistake for President Biden to reverse course and bow to the elite environmental lobby who do not represent the best interests of the American people and our allies overseas.” While it is unclear which proposed projects the action will affect, a senior administration official said at least two have a larger capacity and two have a smaller capacity. Another official added that the pause implemented Friday will only impact projects that have gone through FERC’s lengthy approval process and are ripe for DOE approval. According to federal data updated last week, there are 11 projects that have been green-lit by FERC but are not yet under construction. An additional four projects are pending before FERC and two are in the pre-filing stage. Those six projects wouldn’t be impacted by the pause since they are not before DOE yet, but would be impacted if approved by FERC.
Virginia capital suspends early voting after heating failure smokes out elections office
Early voting was suspended for the day in Richmond on Wednesday after the heating system failed at the city’s Office of Elections, releasing fumes and smoke in the building, officials said. VA DEMOCRATS REJECT GOP GOV. YOUNGKIN’S NOMINATIONS FOR PAROLE BOARD, VISION IMPAIRED BOARD Firefighters’ prompt action prevented further damage, General Registrar Keith Balmer said in a video statement posted to social media. But to ensure the safety of staff and voters, Balmer said he decided to suspend early voting for the day. Early voting for the March 5 primary election began on Jan. 19 and runs through March 2, according to the office’s website.
Ken Paxton could face public trial in whistleblower lawsuit after judge’s ruling
A Travis County judge denied the attorney general’s attempt to decide the case without a jury.
Hunter Biden facing more legal action from conservative group over alleged ‘professional misconduct’
FIRST ON FOX: A conservative legal group took action against Hunter Biden on Wednesday, filing a complaint with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Board of Professional Responsibility alleging “professional misconduct” by the president’s son. The complaint, filed by America First Legal (AFL), alleges that Hunter engaged in a pattern and practice of professional misconduct, violating the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4, which the group says raises “substantial questions as to his honesty, trustworthiness and fitness as a lawyer.” According to AFL, Rule 8.4, “provides that it’s professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonestly, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation, or to state or imply an ability to ‘influence improperly’ a government agency of official.” WATCHDOG GROUP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO EXPOSE ANTISEMITIC STUDENTS, FACULTY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES The group said it’s notable the rule also provides that “many kinds of illegal conduct reflect adversely on fitness to practice law, such as offenses involving fraud and the offense of willful failure to file an income tax return,” a clear reference to the federal tax charges Hunter faces in California. “There is substantial evidence suggesting that Mr. Biden has engaged in professional misconduct contrary to Rule 8.4,” AFL Senior Counselor and Director of Oversight and Investigations Reed D. Rubinstein told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Public faith in the integrity of the Bar demands that the Rules of Professional Conduct be applied consistently fairly – there must be one standard for all bar members, regardless of a lawyer’s particular political affiliation or family connections. An investigation of Mr. Biden is certainly warranted here,” he added. TOP OBAMA OFFICIAL’S ATTACK ON BIDEN’S FOREIGN POLICY FAILURES RESURFACES AFTER 3 US SOLDIERS KILLED Hunter plead not guilty during his initial appearance in federal court earlier this month, after being charged with tax crimes out of Special Counsel David Weiss’ investigation. Weiss charged Hunter in December, alleging a “four-year scheme” when the president’s son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports. His trial is scheduled to begin on June 20. Hunter also faces federal firearms charges in Delaware, which includes lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days. He plead not guilty to all counts in October, and could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. FORMER GREEN BERET SHREDS ‘CRIMINALLY INCOMPETENT’ BIDEN, STRESSES NEED FOR MORE VETERANS IN CONGRESS On Tuesday, his lawyers once again moved to dismiss the charges, arguing that a diversion agreement previously agreed to by the Department of Justice and his legal team should remain in effect. The judge rejected the agreement in July. Hunter also faces ongoing investigations by the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees concerning his foreign business dealings and alleged influence peddling while his father served as vice president. Earlier this month, AFL also filed a bar complaint in the state of California against Hunter’s attorney, Kevin Morris, alleging a violation of California’s Rules of Professional Conduct. Fox News Digital has reached out to Hunter’s legal team for comment. Fox News’ Brooke Singman, David Spunt, Stepheny Price and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
Federal commissioner fires back at Mark Cuban for diversity claim, delivers warning about DEI: ‘More problems’
Andrea Lucas, a commissioner for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, spoke to Fox News Digital about a viral tweet from billionaire business mogul Mark Cuban that she says could potentially open him up to a lawsuit and speaks to one of the many misperceptions the public has about DEI. Lucas told Fox News Digital that “certainly there’s a lot of confusion over DEI programs and what you can and can’t do with respect to race or sex or other protected characteristics” and that Cuban’s viral tweet illustrates the misunderstanding that “as long as you don’t use race or sex as the dispositive factor or the sole factor, it’s okay to use it as a plus factor.” “That’s just fundamentally wrong,” she added. “I only ever hire the person that will put my business in the best position to succeed,” Cuban posted on X earlier this week sparking a social media firestorm. “And yes, race and gender can be part of the equation. I view diversity as a competitive advantage.” MARK CUBAN MAY FACE LAWSUITS AFTER DEFENDING DEI IN VIRAL POST: ‘LAW’S CRYSTAL CLEAR,’ EEOC COMMISSIONER SAYS Lucas responded on X telling Cuban he is “dead wrong” on the law and told Fox News Digital that Cuban’s thinking opens him up to a potential lawsuit. “If any employer, whether private or public, uses race or sex or any other protected characteristic, particularly race or sex, as any factor in their decision-making process for any employment decision then they’ve violated Title VII and an employee that’s been harmed can file a complaint with the EEOC and then if they get a right to sue letter, they can file in federal court,” Lucas said. Lucas spoke to Fox News Digital about the idea of diversity “quotas”, which have been a controversial issue with many prominent companies and governments in recent years, and said that while hiring “goals” are not prohibited by the law, quotas can run afoul of the law. HARVARD CHIEF DEI OFFICER ACCUSED OF 40 COUNTS OF PLAGIARISM, INCLUDING LIFTING FROM HER OWN HUSBAND: REPORT “A goal, per se is not prohibited,” Lucas said. “But there’s lots of ways that you can end up violating the law or having it be used as evidence of violating the law if it indicates that you’re using race or sex or another protected characteristic as a factor in your decision making. Quotas absolutely are a direct violation of Title VII, so if you are indicating that goal really is an actual requirement or a hard target, that you will be hiring this amount of people or you will be promoting this amount of people, that’s absolutely a facial violation of Title VII.” Lucas, who has previously written about how companies should look at diversity programs, told Fox News Digital that some of the misperceptions about DEI stem from a misunderstanding of the words. “So a lot of people hear the words diversity, equity and inclusion and think, well, all of those sound like great concepts,” Lucas said. “I like fairness. Who doesn’t like fairness? I like equality. What’s wrong with equity? But the reason that there’s been a shift from focusing on equal employment opportunity to equity is for a reason. Words mean something, and equity and equality are not the same concept.” FLORIDA PERMANENTLY BANS FUNDING FOR DEI IN STATE SCHOOLS Lucas continued, “I like to remind people, we are the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, we are not the equal outcomes commission. That is just a fundamentally different mission. There may be different outcomes at different points for different employees. That’s not mandated by the law for everyone to arrive at the exact same place. What matters is that employers are treating all of their employees the same without relying on their skin color or their sex or other protected characteristics.” Cuban later posted on X a conversation between Lucas and EEOC Vice-Chair Jocelyn Samuels and called it an “interesting conversation” that showed “smart people can disagree on these issues.” “Smart people cannot disagree about some basic principles of law,” Lucas said in response to that post. “And those principles are, there’s no such thing as reverse race discrimination. There’s just discrimination. Discrimination based on race is always illegal. It doesn’t matter which group is being referenced. It doesn’t matter which group is doing the discriminating or being discriminated against.” ‘FOCUS ON MERIT’: OREGON COUNTY AXES DIVERSITY OFFICE THAT COST NEARLY $1 MILLION A YEAR “There’s no good form of race discrimination and another basic principle that no one can disagree about is that Title VII states that if you are using race or sex as a motivating factor, you’re violating the law. That’s absolutely not in dispute. It’s a clear text of the law. It’s a clear agency official position. So anyone who’s trying to muddy the water on that front, is entirely mistaken.” Lucas told Fox News Digital she is “deeply concerned” about the recent DEI push causing more problems than it solves. “When people focus on equity focused solutions they are not actually fixing existing discrimination and they may be trying to fix existing discrimination by introducing more discrimination,” Lucas said. “But a cycle of discrimination is never going to fix anything. Two wrongs will never make a right. If people are concerned about barriers for particular groups in our society, equal opportunity is the way to go forward and there are many ways to address and eliminate barriers that people may face, in hiring, promotion, firing that are entirely race neutral and actually get at the problem.” “I’m really concerned that DEI ends up introducing more problems than it actually solves.” Fox News Digital reached out to Cuban for comment but did not receive a response. On Monday afternoon, Cuban posted on X that he “never” hires people based on skin color if two people have equal credentials. “But remember it’s rare that two people are absolutely equal,” Cuban added. “In fact it’s pretty much impossible for that
What is Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip, now being tested on humans?
A year after being cleared for the test, billionaire Elon Musk’s Neuralink has implanted its wireless brain chip in a human for the first time. Musk announced that the patient received the implant on Sunday and “is recovering well”. The device is meant to have several applications, from restoring motor functionality within people to enabling a brain-computer interface. There was no independent verification of Musk’s claims, and Neuralink did not offer too many details. Musk has touted Neuralink as the future of technology and medicine, but ethical concerns have been raised around the chip and its testing. Here is what you need to know about Neuralink and its human testing. What is Neuralink, and what does it do? Neuralink is a brain-chip startup founded by Musk in 2016. A device the size of a coin is surgically implanted in the skull, with ultra-thin wires going into the brain and developing a brain-computer interface (BCI). The disk would register brain activity and send it over to a device, such as smartphone, through a common Bluetooth connection. The first product, called Telepathy, would allow people to control their phones or computers “just by thinking”, said Musk. Planting the chip in the part of the brain that controls motor function would also enable people to overcome neurological disorders, the company claims. Musk said that initial users would be those who have lost the use of their limbs. What is the human trial phase of Neuralink? The human testing phase will collect data on safety and effectiveness, while helping improve the device. Musk said on X on Monday that the “initial results show promising neuron spike detection”. This means that neurons are sending electrical and chemical signals to each other around the body. Such activity allows us to carry out our everyday functions from eating to talking. When Neuralink initially started searching for trial participants in September, it was looking for individuals with diseases of the spinal cord, a key part of the body’s nervous system. The US Food and Drug Administration approved human trials in May 2023 amid federal probes into the safety of its trials on animals. The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024 What testing has Neuralink carried out in the past? Neuralink has tested out its chip on monkeys and pigs. The company showed several monkeys “playing” basic video games or moving a cursor on a screen through their Neuralink implants. Although Neuralink says no monkeys died as a result of their implants, there have been reports of issues with the implants on monkeys, including paralysis, seizures and brain swelling. Are any other companies involved in such projects? There are some 40 brain-computer interface trials under way, according to an online database of active clinical trials in the United States. Australia-based company Synchron implanted its device in a US patient in July 2022. Synchron’s implant does not require cutting into the skull for installation. Other trials target medical needs while Musk’s company goes beyond that, aiming to allow people to control their smartphones and devices. What are the ethical concerns around Neuralink? Experts have raised concerns around the experimentation of Neuralink’s brain chip on animals, as well as potential risks associated with brain surgery, such as brain haemorrhage or seizures. They add that Musk’s vision of implants raises privacy and surveillance concerns. Scant details have been available on users’ ability to retain control of their personal data and neural activity. Earlier this year, the US Department of Transportation fined Neuralink for failing to register itself as a transporter of hazardous material — implants from the brains of primates — according to records from the federal agency reviewed by Reuters. Adblock test (Why?)