Ron DeSantis argues Tim Scott endorsement of Donald Trump ‘is a blow to Nikki Haley’
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis views a new endorsement for former President Donald Trump as a “major blow” to another Republican presidential nomination rival – Nikki Haley. And DeSantis, in an interview with Fox News at Saint Anselm College on the outskirts of New Hampshire’s largest city, said he would return to the Granite State ahead of Tuesday’s presidential primary after a weekend campaign swing in South Carolina. DeSantis was interviewed a couple of hours after Fox News confirmed that Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina would endorse Trump at a campaign rally Friday night in Concord, New Hampshire. “I actually thought Scott had already endorsed him,” DeSantis said. “I do think that that is a blow to Nikki Haley.” TIM SCOTT BACKING DONALD TRUMP IN 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL RACE Both the former president, who’s the commanding front-runner in the GOP nomination race, and Haley – the former South Carolina governor who later served as U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration – called Scott in recent days as they both tried to secure Scott’s endorsement. Scott’s backing of Trump, whom the senator rarely criticized on the campaign trail during his White House run, is the latest major endorsement for the former president in the state that holds the first southern primary in the GOP nomination race. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Lindsey Graham have long supported Trump. HALEY TURNS UP THE HEAT ON TRUMP AS SHE TRIES TO CLOSE THE GAP WITH THE GOP FRONT-RUNNER The state’s Feb. 24 Republican presidential primary is the next major contest in the Republican schedule following the New Hampshire primary. The contest is winner-take-all, which means the victor in the Palmetto State will capture all 50 Republican delegates at stake. Trump scored a massive victory in Monday night’s low turnout Iowa caucuses, with DeSantis edging out Haley for a distant second place. But the polls in New Hampshire indicate Trump hovering around 50% support, double digits ahead of Haley, with DeSantis a very distant third in the single digits. WITH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HEADED TOWARDS LIKELY BIDEN-TRUMP REMATCH, NO LABELS PREPARES FOR POTENTIAL THIRD-PARTY TICKET Haley has called DeSantis “invisible” in New Hampshire as she frames the primary battle as a two-candidate race between herself and Trump. DeSantis on Friday argued that “the whole Haley thing, I think, is falling apart now.” He emphasized that in New Hampshire, Haley has spent an inordinate amount of money. And he argued that her efforts in the Granite State, where moderates and independent voters play an influential role in the state’s storied primary, were over the top. “I was talking to someone that said they got in one day seven Nikki Haley mailers. It’s like, well, wait a minute. Like the first six aren’t going to get you to vote for that magic seven all of a sudden. So some of this is just overkill, he said. The Florida governor campaigns Saturday and Sunday in South Carolina, and there’s speculation he wouldn’t return to New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday’s primary. But DeSantis told Fox News “I think our plan is to come fly back Sunday night here from South Carolina.” “But look, South Carolina’s important,” he added. “This is Nikki Haley’s home state. She obviously can’t beat Donald Trump there.” DeSantis dismissed the notion that he was looking for an exit ramp from the 2024 campaign to potentially run again in four years. “2028. That’s so far away. I mean, in political time,” he said. “I’m focused on 2024. I mean, we we’ve got to get our act together as a party. And I think the Iowa results really should have, should be alarm bells for the party because the turnout was so anemic.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Andrew Cuomo sues Letitia James over sexual harassment investigation documents
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo filed a suit against New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday for documents related to her 2021 investigation into alleged sexual harassment that led to his resignation. Cuomo claims he needs the around 180 documents to defend himself in two sexual harassment lawsuits, and says the public has a right to know James’ “full basis in making the significant and impactful decisions in issuing the consequential Report and causing the resignation of their democratically elected governor,” the lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital said. Cuomo resigned as governor in August 2021, after the investigation’s findings were released. The investigation began after multiple women came forward to say they had been harassed by the governor. The report found he had harassed at least 11 women. The 165-page report found Cuomo’s alleged behavior violated state and federal law, as well as his own policies between 2013 and 2020. Nine of the accusers were past or present state employees, and investigators interviewed 179 people and reviewed more than 74,000 pages of documents. BILL MAHER CONFRONTS CUOMO ON NURSING HOME SCANDAL, EX-NY GOV CALLS QUESTIONS ‘MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING’ “What these witnesses — and many others — described is not just old-fashioned, affectionate behavior, it was sexual harassment,” the report said. Cuomo denies all the allegations and described James’ report as “materially inaccurate, incomplete, biased, flawed and misleading” in the lawsuit. It added, “Governor Cuomo vehemently denies having sexually harassed anyone, and the witness statements relating to the allegations in both actions are critical to his defense.” FORMER NY GOVERNOR RE-EMERGES AS CRITIC ON DEMS’ FAR-LEFT POLICIES, FUELING COMEBACK SPECULATION When he resigned, Cuomo said he was “deeply” sorry for any behavior deemed inappropriate during his time in office, but denied the sexual harassment allegations contained James’ investigation. Cuomo admitted to making jokes and giving people hugs and kisses, “women and men.” “I have slipped and called people ‘honey, ’sweetheart’ and ‘darling.’ I mean it to be endearing but women found it dated and offensive,” he continued. “I take full responsibility for my actions. I have been too familiar with people. My sense of humor can be insensitive and off-putting.” “In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” he added. “There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate. And I should have, no excuses.” Criminal investigations into Cuomo’s behavior ended in no criminal charges because prosecutors said while they found the accusers credible, there was insufficient evidence. Fox News Digital has reached out to James’ office for comment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Rich Azzopardi, a Cuomo spokesman, said Friday that James has “done everything she can to hide” the documents from New Yorkers, according to the New York Daily News, adding that it’s “sad that the courts are needed to step in and order the state’s top lawyer to stop violating the law.” Fox News’ Michael Ruiz and Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.
Maine looks to migrant surge to remedy worker shortage
Maine Gov. Janet Mills and a state lawmaker who immigrated from Somalia unveiled a proposal on Friday to try to resolve the state’s serious worker shortage by tapping swiftly growing immigrant communities. Maine traditionally has had among the smallest immigrant populations in the country. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, only about 4% of the state’s residents were born outside the U.S. MAINE LAWMAKER WARNS RESIDENTS ALARMED BY TRANSGENDER YOUTH BILL THAT STRIPS PARENTS’ RIGHTS: ‘HUGE OUTCRY’ That has been gradually changing as tens of thousands of residents descended from Somalia and other African countries have made homes in Portland and Lewiston, two of the state’s biggest cities. Those arrivals helped push up the percentage of foreign-born residents by about a percentage point between 2000 to 2022, according to census figures. The Office of New Americans is proposed in a bill by state Rep. Deqa Dhalac, the first Somali immigrant to become mayor of a U.S. city in 2021, when she took office in South Portland. She was elected to the Maine Legislature last year. Dhalac and Mills say the bill would address shortages in critical industries including health care, education and construction. “Improving how Maine introduces and integrates New Americans into its communities and economy is viewed as one key strategy to address the state’s workforce needs, as attracting and retaining new workers is a priority for Maine’s economic future,” they said in a news release. Under Dhalac’s bill, among the new office’s primary activities would be providing pathways for immigrant employees to obtain professional accreditation and licenses. The office would also be responsible for “engaging with businesses to increase employment, retention and advancement of immigrant employees,” the proposal states. The bill is due for a public hearing on Jan. 30. At least 18 other states have offices or staff focused on bringing immigrants into the workforce, including in New England, where officials are coping with housing shortages while trying to welcome growing numbers of immigrants fleeing their homelands for the Northeast.
South Africa seeks to stop auction of historic Nelson Mandela artefacts
About 75 items are to go under the hammer in a deal between Mandela’s family and a New York-based auctioneer. The South African government has said it will challenge the auctioning of dozens of artefacts belonging to the nation’s anti-apartheid stalwart Nelson Mandela, saying the items are of historical significance and should be preserved in the country. The 75 items belonging to Mandela – the country’s first democratically elected president who spent 27 years in jail for his anti-apartheid struggle against white minority rule – are to go under the hammer on February 22 in a deal between New York-based auctioneers Guernsey’s and Mandela’s family, mainly his daughter Makaziwe Mandela. But South Africa’s Ministry of Culture said it has filed an appeal to halt “the unpermitted export” of the objects. “Former president Nelson Mandela is integral to South Africa’s heritage,” Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa said in a statement. “It is thus important that we … ensure that his life’s work and experiences remain in the country for generations to come.” Mandela passed away in 2013. The items include the late leader’s iconic Ray-Ban sunglasses and “Madiba” shirts, personal letters he wrote from prison, as well as a blanket gifted to him by former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. Nelson Mandela, left, was known for wearing his iconic ‘Madiba’ shirts, some of which are up for auction. A champagne cooler that was gift to him from former US president Bill Clinton, right, is also up for auction [File: Scott Applewhite, Pool/AP] A champagne cooler that was a present from former President Bill Clinton is also on the list, with bidding on it starting at $24,000. Among the items is also Mandela’s ID “book”, his identification document following his release from prison in the 1990s. Last month, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria gave the go-ahead for the auction after dismissing an interdict by the South African Heritage Resources Agency, which is responsible for the protection of the country’s cultural heritage. ‘Almost unthinkable’ On its website, Guernsey’s says the auction “will be nothing short of remarkable”, and that proceeds will be used for the building of the Mandela Memorial Garden in Qunu, the village where he is buried. “To imagine actually owning an artefact touched by this great leader is almost unthinkable,” it says. In an interview with US media published on Thursday, Makaziwe Mandela said her father wanted the former Transkei region where he was born and raised to benefit economically from tourism. “I want other people in the world to have a piece of Nelson Mandela – and to remind them, especially in the current situation, of compassion, of kindness, of forgiveness,” she told the New York Times. Reports of the auction have sparked heated debates on social media platforms in South Africa, with many criticising the auctioning of what they consider to be the nation’s cultural heritage. The planned auction has come as many African countries seek to have treasured African artworks and artefacts that were removed from the continent during colonial years returned to Africa. Most recently, Nigeria and Germany signed a deal for the return of hundreds of artefacts known as the Benin Bronzes. The deal followed French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision in 2021 to sign over 26 pieces known as the Abomey Treasures, priceless artworks of the 19th century Dahomey kingdom in present-day Benin. Adblock test (Why?)
California Senate leader announces 2026 bid for governor
The leader of the California Senate on Friday said she would run for governor in 2026, entering a campaign that is far from the minds of voters but is quickly filling with candidates in a state that requires frequent fundraising to compete in some of the nation’s most expensive media markets. Toni Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego, made history as only the third person and the first woman to hold both of the state Legislature’s top jobs — speaker of the Assembly and president pro tempore of the Senate. Atkins is still in the latter role, but plans to step down early next month as she enters the final year of her term and cannot seek reelection because of term limits. REPUBLICAN VYING FOR KEVIN MCCARTHY’S VACATED SEAT OUTLINES PROMISE OF ‘CALIFORNIA FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS’ California, despite its progressive reputation, has never had a woman or an openly LGBTQ governor. Atkins, who is a lesbian, could be both. But she’ll have to compete against a strong field of Democrats, including Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Controller Betty Yee and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. Attorney General Rob Bonta is also considering a run to succeed current Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cannot seek a third term. Kounalakis, Thurmond, Yee and Bonta have the benefit of appearing — and winning — in a statewide election, meaning voters will be familiar with them. Atkins has only ever been elected by voters in San Diego. But she is well-versed in the inner workings of the Capitol and policymaking. She has negotiated multibillion-dollar budgets and major legislation with two governors. And she has a compelling personal story — growing up in a house with no running water in rural Virginia before making her way out West and becoming one of the most powerful elected officials in the state. “I certainly don’t fit the mold of past governors or even some of the candidates that will be in this race,” Atkins said. “I’m going to lean on my story, because I think Californians are going to want someone more like them.” Atkins came to California in 1985 to help care for her sister’s young son. She later worked at a women’s health clinic that performed abortions before getting elected to the San Diego City Council. She had a brief stint as mayor before getting elected to the state Assembly in 2010 and the state Senate in 2016. In the Legislature she worked with former Gov. Jerry Brown and Newsom to craft a series of budgets marked by multibillion-dollar surpluses. That ended last year when the state had a multibillion-dollar deficit. Newsom has steadfastly refused sweeping tax increases to balance the budget — something Atkins, too, said she would try to stay away from if she were elected governor. “We want to preserve what we’ve done. It took a lot of work,” Atkins said. “I would not gravitate toward raising taxes in this moment. I don’t think it’s called for yet.”
New Hampshire primary: Haley and the anti-Trump movement’s last best hope
New Hampshire — the next stop in the Republican primary calendar — is known as the Granite State, named for the rock that gave rise to some of its mightiest peaks and mountains. For former United Nations envoy Nikki Haley, however, the Granite State could be the cliff off which her presidential ambitions tumble. Tucked in snow-covered New England, a region in the northeastern United States, New Hampshire offers a unique opportunity for Haley. Its conservative voters lean more moderate, making the state’s primary on January 23 a beacon for rivals of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. Haley could potentially win big in New Hampshire: A survey released on Tuesday from the American Research Group showed her with 33 percent support among the state’s Republican voters, just behind Trump’s 37 percent. A victory in the state could offer her campaign the validation it has been seeking, showing that the former UN envoy can indeed be a serious contender against Trump. “Haley really has to either win or be extremely close to Trump, given the expectations she’s been building up,” said Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank. “If she doesn’t get within single digits, ideally within five points, her campaign is effectively over.” James Davis, a Republican strategist and founder of the marketing firm Touchdown Strategies, added that Haley’s prospects in the 2024 presidential race hinge on Tuesday’s primary. “It’s within striking distance for her to pull the win in New Hampshire — and that’s what she’s got to do.” ‘New Hampshire voters are different’ Even a victory in New Hampshire would still mean an uphill battle against Trump, who continues to trounce Haley and fellow Republican contender Ron DeSantis in national polls. Trump’s towering lead was confirmed in the Iowa caucuses, the first event in a season of primaries and caucuses that will eventually determine which candidate receives the Republican nomination for the presidency. Even before the Iowa caucuses closed, media outlets confirmed Trump would win, setting a record for the margins of his victory with 51 percent of the vote. In the so-called “race for second”, Haley received 19 percent support, behind Florida Governor DeSantis, who snagged 21 percent. Still, Haley’s prospects may not be as low as they appear. Davis explained that DeSantis “had basically banked his campaign on Iowa”, while Haley “invested very little” in the state. That means Haley’s “neck-and-neck” finish with DeSantis in Iowa could actually indicate momentum for her campaign moving forward, Davis said. Several other factors may give Haley a boost as she heads to New Hampshire. Robert Boatright, a political science professor and elections expert at Clark University, said the most significant element was the simplest: New Hampshire is not Iowa. Considered a “purple state” in a region otherwise dominated by Democrats, New Hampshire has a notable Republican base, not to mention a libertarian streak. Its elections have therefore resulted in a mixed bag of political figures: Its governor is Republican, and its state legislature is Republican-controlled, but its representatives and senators in the US Congress are all Democrats. “New Hampshire voters are different from Iowa voters in a number of important ways,” said Boatright. “It’s a wealthier state. It’s a less religious state. Republicans in New Hampshire tend to be more like the old Republican Party.” That is largely why Trump’s Republican critics have singled out New Hampshire as a bellwether in this election cycle. One former candidate, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, focused his campaign almost exclusively on the state before withdrawing from the Republican race on January 10. Unlike Christie, Haley has remained more circumspect in her criticism of Trump, a former president with a devoted following. She served in his administration from 2017 to 2018. However, she has sharpened her attacks on Trump going into New Hampshire, taking particular aim at the 77-year-old’s age and the “chaos” of his leadership. Trump too has taken swipes at Haley. He recently floated a conspiracy theory that Haley — a South Carolina native with Indian heritage — was born outside the US, falsely suggesting she was ineligible to be president. Meanwhile, DeSantis is expected to be a non-factor in New Hampshire, where his campaign has not connected with voters. He has instead focused more on South Carolina, Haley’s home state, which is set to hold its Republican primary in late February. The format of the vote itself is expected to benefit Haley, as well. Iowa holds caucuses, in which party members attend meetings across the state to debate and then choose a candidate. But in New Hampshire, a primary is organised instead — asking that voters only cast a ballot, just as they would during a general election. Olsen, from the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said this is an advantage for Haley. Typically, caucuses only “attract the true believers because of their time commitment”. In a primary, however, “all you have to do is show up and give maybe 15 minutes of your time rather than three hours of your time. And that always helps the candidate who is less enamoured by the base.” Boatright and Davis also said that the low turnout in Iowa made its caucuses a less reliable predictor for success in the Republican race. Only about 108,000 Iowans participated this year, comprising 14 percent of the state’s registered Republicans. “Caucus-goers in Iowa are not necessarily all that representative of the state or even of Republican voters within the state,” said Boatright. Davis echoed that point: “Iowa tends to be a field-narrower in terms of its process, rather than a kingmaker.” The elephant in the room Experts say early contests in the US primary season tend to be more about establishing a narrative than winning delegates, who ultimately vote to confirm the party’s nominee at a national convention. New Hampshire is only the first primary race in a series that includes every state in the US. But a strong showing in the state can turbo-charge a
Actor Alec Baldwin charged again over fatal film-set shooting
Grand jury indicted Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter over 2021 shooting on set of, Rust, that killed Halyna Hutchins. A grand jury has indicted American actor Alec Baldwin on an involuntary manslaughter charge after a 2021 shooting during a rehearsal on a movie set killed the cinematographer. Special prosecutors brought the case before a grand jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico this week, months after receiving a new analysis of the gun that was used. While the proceeding was shrouded in secrecy, two of the witnesses seen at the court included crew members, one of whom was present when the shot was fired, and the other had just walked off the set the day before due to safety concerns. In April last year, special prosecutors dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin, saying they were informed that the gun might have been modified before the shooting and malfunctioned. But the prosecutors later began weighing whether to refile a charge against the actor after receiving new analysis of the gun. Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the movie, Rust, said he pulled back the hammer, not the trigger, and the gun fired. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed once the gun went off, and director Joel Souza was injured. Judges recently agreed to put on hold several civil lawsuits seeking compensation from Baldwin and the film producers after prosecutors said they would present charges to a grand jury. The new analysis used to indict Baldwin relied on findings from experts in ballistics and forensic testing using replacement parts to reassemble the gun fired by Baldwin after parts of the pistol were broken during FBI testing. But the report findings, led by Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona, stated that although Baldwin denied pulling the trigger, “given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver.” The findings were similar to a previous FBI test on the firearm. The weapons supervisor on the movie set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. Her trial is set to begin in February. The filming of, Rust, resumed last year in Montana under an agreement with the cinematographer’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, that made him an executive producer. Adblock test (Why?)
Pro-life demonstrators brave DC snow for 2024 March for Life
Thousands of pro-life demonstrators gathered in the nation’s capital Friday to advocate for the unborn at the annual March for Life. Unbothered as snow and freezing temperatures swept D.C., the activists gathered on the National Mall for a rally ahead of a planned march from the U.S. Capitol to the Supreme Court building. Several U.S. lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; celebrities; faith leaders; and prominent figures in the pro-life movement addressed the crowd for about an hour before the march began. Participants carried signs with messages such as “Life is precious” and “I am the pro-life generation.” March for Life organizers expected 50,000 people to attend the rally and 100,000 to march, according to a permit issued by the National Park Service. But turnout appeared to be down from previous years due to the stormy weather. “This is a critical time to help all moms who are facing unplanned pregnancies to work with foster children and to help families who are adopting, to volunteer and assist our vital pregnancy resource centers in our maternity homes and to reach out a renewed hand of compassion and to speak the truth and love,” Speaker Johnson told the crowd. ‘MARCH FOR LIFE’ REVEALS THEME FOR 2024 EVENT IN POST-ROE UNITED STATES “This is also a pivotal time to promote quality health care for both women and their unborn children.” The March for Life started in 1973 when a group of 30 pro-life leaders conceived a rally to protest the national legalization of abortion by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade. Two years ago, after a half-century of marches and legal challenges brought by the pro-life movement, the court overturned its precedent and ended federal protections for abortion. VIRGINIA BISHOP ENCOURAGES THE FAITHFUL AHEAD OF FRIDAY’S MARCH FOR LIFE: ‘OUR STORY IS NOT OVER’ Friday’s event is the second March for Life since that landmark decision returned the abortion fight to state legislatures with mixed results. Since the court returned abortion lawmaking to the states in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 14 states are now enforcing bans on abortion throughout pregnancy. Two more have such bans on hold because of court rulings. And another two have bans that take effect when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy, often before women know they’re pregnant. But abortion restrictions have also lost at the ballot box in Ohio, Kansas and Kentucky. And total bans have produced high-profile causes for abortion rights supporters to rally around. Kate Cox, a Texas mother of two, sought an abortion after learning the baby she was carrying had a fatal genetic condition. Her request for an exemption from Texas’ ban, one of the country’s strictest, was denied by the state Supreme Court, and she left Texas to seek an abortion elsewhere. March for Life speakers urged the crowd to continue pushing for abortion restrictions until it becomes “unthinkable” to end a child’s life in the womb. Those who spoke included Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.; Jim Daly, President and CEO of Focus on the Family; Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship; and University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh, who just led the Wolverines to a college football national championship. AHEAD OF MARCH FOR LIFE, MISSISSIPPI UNVEILS MOBILE APP TO HELP PREGNANT MOMS “Roe is done, but we still live in a culture that knows not how to care for life,” said Benjamin Watson, a former NFL tight end turned pro-life activist. “Roe is done, but the factors that drive women to seek abortions are ever apparent and ever increasing. Roe is done, but abortion is still legal and thriving in too much of America.” The national debate over abortion rights, now fought in state legislatures, has also invigorated the pro-choice side. With the 2024 election approaching, Democrats have sought to make President Biden’s re-election effort a national referendum on protecting abortion rights. To commemorate the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Biden campaign is reportedly preparing to run a series of ads tying the election to a “woman’s right to make her own health care decisions — including the very possible reality of a MAGA Republican-led national abortion ban,” according to CBS News. Biden will hold a campaign rally in northern Virginia Jan. 23 that will focus on attempts in Virginia and other states to restrict abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the report said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kirby says Yemen’s Houthis ‘still have some offensive capability’ despite waves of US strikes
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Friday that the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen “still have some offensive capability” despite repeated waves of U.S. military strikes against the rebel group. Kirby made the comment a day after President Biden, when asked by a reporter about the effectiveness of the strikes, said, “Well, when you say working, are they stopping the Houthis? No. Are they going to continue? Yes.” Kirby told reporters Friday at the White House Press Briefing that the Pentagon conducts an assessment following each strike to determine how successful they have been. “They believe that they have had good effects on degrading some of these Houthi capabilities,” Kirby said. “But clearly, and the president alluded to this yesterday, they still have some offensive capability, and we’re going to keep taking the actions we believe we need to take to defend ourselves.” BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MISSING MARK AS IT REDESIGNATES IRAN-BACKED HOUTHIS TO TERROR LIST, CRITICS SAY Kirby also revealed that this morning, U.S. forces in the region “conducted three successful self-defense strikes” against the Houthis. “This is the fourth preemptive action that the U.S. military has taken in the past week against Houthi missile launchers that were ready to launch attacks, in this case, anti-ship missiles,” he added. US FORCES STRIKE 2 HOUTHI ANTI-SHIP MISSILES, TWO DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY Kirby again warned the Houthis to stop their attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea. “They can make that choice. Clearly, they’ve made opposite choices,” he said. “So we have choices to make too, and we have options available to us as well. We’ll continue to explore those options. Clearly, one of the options that we are and will continue to take are in the military realm if needed.”
House Republicans seek answers on DNA testing backlog of illegal immigrants: ‘Extremely distressing’
A group of House Republicans, led by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is asking the FBI to provide details about a reported backlog in the processing of DNA tests of illegal immigrants — expressing concern about the impact it could have on national security. The lawmakers wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray after a report in the Daily Caller, which reported that there is a 15-month backlog on DNA testing for migrants. The FBI provides the test for migrants 14 and over. “These reports are concerning since it means criminal illegal aliens can move throughout the country for over a year before law enforcement can act on evidence gathered from a DNA test,” the lawmakers say. MAYORKAS TELLS BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT ‘ABOVE 85%’ OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: SOURCES Wray has himself reportedly expressed concern about the significant increase of samples being taken and in need of processing due to the massive surge in migrants at the southern border. FY 23 broke records for migrant encounters, with over 2.4 million migrant encounters. December saw over 302,000 encounters, a new record for the month. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has told agents that they are releasing “above 85%” of illegal immigrants into the U.S. MAYORKAS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT MAJORITY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: ‘I KNOW THE DATA’ The lawmakers say that Customs and Border Protection has already reported a shortage of DNA test kits, and are foregoing testing eligible illegal immigrants. “And yet, despite this inability to test all eligible aliens, it is reported that the FBI is experiencing a drastic backlog in processing these test kits. If nothing else, this is more evidence of the unprecedented immigration crisis facing our country,” they say. They note ongoing challenges in addition to the numbers being faced by agents at the border, including the number of individuals on the terror watch list — which broke records last year — as well as the use of fake passports by some aliens to pose as unaccompanied children in order to be released into the U.S. “The crisis at our border is extremely distressing for us as well as millions of Americans, and a backlog in testing the DNA of illegal aliens will only exacerbate the issue,” they say. The lawmakers seek find out whether the number of FBI personnel working on the backlog has increased or decreased, and the efforts the agency has taken to reduce the backlog. It also asks what the FBI believes has led to the current shortage of funding for the program. The letter comes just as Congress is locked in debate over the White House’s supplemental funding request. It has requested over $105 billion, including $14 billion for border funding. Republicans are demanding increased limits on asylum and the administration’s use of parole.