Pete Buttigieg spent $59,000 in taxpayer money traveling on govt jets: inspector general
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his staff spent nearly $59,000 traveling to official events on government-managed executive aircraft between August 2021 and June 2023, according to an inspector general audit released Wednesday. Buttigieg opted to travel on the government fleet across eight trips and more than 20 flights, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) determined in its months-long investigation. Though DOT has repeatedly explained that Buttigieg’s use of the jets saved taxpayers money, the audit revealed that just three of the trips were justified by “cost effectiveness,” while the others were justified by security, scheduling and communications concerns. “Ensuring that Federal officials, including career personnel and political appointees, adhere to Federal requirements regarding the proper use of public resources is essential to maintaining public trust and confidence,” the DOT OIG report concludes. “The Department has internal controls over the process to authorize and approve travel on official use of DOT aircraft, such as requiring legal review and approval of all aircraft use justifications, and has implemented new ones, such as expanded voucher audit criteria, to help ensure process standardization,” it continues. “Continued oversight in this area is important to maintain transparency and accountability for Federal funds.” PETE BUTTIGIEG’S OFFICE STONEWALLS TAXPAYER COSTS OF SWING STATE TOUR ON GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE JET Overall, in the time period analyzed, Buttigieg’s flights cost taxpayers an estimated $58,882. The transportation secretary used the jets, managed by the Federal Aviation Administration, to traverse the country, often traveling to local events where he delivered remarks awarding federal funding and grants for local infrastructure projects. For example, in August 2022, Buttigieg and his staff traveled to Florida, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Ohio, Nevada and New Hampshire, most of which are considered “swing states” during federal elections, on the so-called Building a Better America Tour where he unveiled grants earmarked under President Biden’s 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. INTERNAL EMAILS SHOW BIDEN ADMIN OFFICIALS COORDINATING ON SHIELDING PETE BUTTIGIEG’S GOVT JET USE Buttigieg’s use of the FAA aircraft for that trip cost taxpayers an estimated $14,940 and was justified by “exceptional scheduling” needs. In another example of his use of the FAA’s jets, he and his staff spent $1,822 in April 2022 to travel to New York City for a radio interview and two meetings before returning hours later. Scheduling considerations were again used to justify the travel arrangements. And Buttigieg most recently used the executive fleet to travel to Mexico for a meeting with the nation’s president. That trip cost $14,029 and was justified by “exceptional scheduling; communications or security needs,” according to the OIG report. The OIG noted that, based on DOT’s internal calculations, the three trips justified by cost-effectiveness saved a total of $10,678. However, the inspector general found that the agency is not required to “provide documentation to support commercial flight costs or availability information used in cost comparisons,” meaning it is impossible to prove those cost savings. PETE BUTTIGIEG BROUGHT HUSBAND CHASTEN ON MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO ATTEND SPORTING EVENT IN NETHERLANDS “As the report confirms, the Secretary travels by commercial airline the vast majority of the time and has directed that travel and logistical decisions be grounded in efficient and responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” a DOT spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The exceptions have been when the Department’s career ethics officials, who have served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, determined that the use of a 9-seat FAA aircraft would be either more cost-effective or should be approved for exceptional scheduling or security reasons,” they added. “The majority of times the FAA aircraft was used actually saved taxpayers money, including in instances that were required for exceptional scheduling needs.” The report found that Buttigieg opted to travel on commercial aircraft for 57 trips, or for 82.6% of his total trips. By comparison, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Buttigieg’s predecessor, opted for commercial on 90% of her trips. One of Chao’s trips, though, a trip to France in 2017, cost taxpayers a staggering $69,952, the audit showed. Also, in addition to determining the costs of Buttigieg’s travel, the DOT OIG found that the agency, under both Buttigieg and Chao, complied with federal regulations, policies and procedures for the two secretaries’ travel on the FAA fleet. But it also noted the agency has used incorrect cost estimates when determining the cost of traveling on the jets, an error that did not negatively impact cost-effectiveness. “In this holiday news dump, the Inspector General admits that the Department of Transportation has been using incorrect flight cost estimates to justify Secretary Buttigieg’s use of a taxpayer-funded private jet,” Caitlin Sutherland, the executive director of Americans for Public Trust (APT), told Fox News Digital. “After stonewalling the release of records for over a year, the Biden administration will try to say Buttigieg is in the clear, but Americans will see through this thinly-veiled attempt to exonerate the Secretary. “Travelers are spending their hard-earned money and countless hours on flights to see loved ones this holiday season,” she continued. “As they sit on the tarmac, they’ll have plenty of time to wonder why they’re paying for their own commercial flights and Buttigieg’s private flights, too.” The OIG audit was initiated in late February after Fox News Digital revealed Buttigieg’s use of the jets, citing information obtained by Americans for Public Trust, a conservative-leaning watchdog group, in December 2022. Following the Fox News Digital report, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sent a letter to the OIG requesting the investigation. “It is unclear why Secretary Buttigieg would require such costly travel in these instances when more economical options were reportedly available,” the Republican lawmaker wrote at the time.
Border Patrol officials say threat posed by ‘gotaways’ at southern border ‘keeps us up at night’
FIRST ON FOX: Top Border Patrol sector chiefs expressed concern about the number of illegal immigrants evading detection at the southern border, saying the potential threat coming across the border “keeps us up at night” during interviews with the House Homeland Security Committee throughout the year. Fox News Digital obtained excerpts from transcripts of interviews with the committee taken during the year as part of its work on the ongoing migrant crisis, which has set multiple records this year. Then-Chief Patrol Agent Jason Owens, now head of the Border Patrol, told lawmakers that a major concern for the agency is the impact the humanitarian crisis has on the border security mission. SOUTHERN BORDER HIT BY RECORD NUMBER OF MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS IN A SINGLE DAY AS THOUSANDS FLOOD INTO TEXAS “And our true adversary, the smugglers, while we’re tied up with this humanitarian effort, what are they doing around the bend that we can’t be there to respond to?” he told the committee in May. “Is that where they’re crossing dangerous narcotics? Is that where they’re crossing convicted felons? That is what keeps us up at night.” “Gotaways” are illegal immigrants who evade Border Patrol detection but are sometimes caught by other forms of surveillance. Fox reported this month that officials told lawmakers that there were around 670,000 known gotaways in FY23. There have been increased concerns about gotaways given the ongoing migrant crisis, where agents are being diverted to processing duties rather than out in the field. In some areas, agents have been outnumbered 200:1 by migrants. FBI Director Christopher Wray said in November that gotaways are a source of “great concern” for the FBI. Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Modlin, in July, said that when agents are aware of large groups of migrants, “then the primary goal becomes the humanitarian mission of, of course, apprehending them, but also making sure that they’re not out there in the heat. We try to get them out as soon as possible. So then the border security mission suffers at that point.” Owens said that those who are seeking to evade Border Patrol, rather than turning themselves in for processing as many do every single day, are more likely to have something to hide. “If a person is willing to put themselves into harm’s way crossing through very remote, very dangerous conditions to evade capture, you have to ask yourself why. What makes them willing to take that risk? That’s of concern to me,” he said. “What’s also of concern to me is I don’t know who that individual is. I don’t know where they came from. I don’t know what their intention is. I don’t know what they brought with them. That unknown represents a risk, a threat. It’s of great concern to anybody that wears this uniform.” Then-El Paso Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez was asked in September what types of crimes and allegations are among those seeking to evade detection. “So there’s a variety that are encountered. Many times it’s gang members. Other times, there are criminal records of sex offenders, homicide, burglaries, etc.,” she said, according to the excerpts. However, El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino said his concerns were broader than just the gotaways. 5,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED EVERY DAY INTO US, ADMIN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY TELL LAWMAKERS “Any gotaway or any illegal alien for that matter presents a threat to national security or a threat to the taxpayer of the United States,” he said. House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green said in a statement that officials have warned that the true number of gotaways could be higher due to those who are evading detection as well as agents. “We know nothing about the people entering our country uncaught, and we don’t know their intentions or possible malign ambitions. We do know that many gotaways pay the cartels extra to avoid apprehension, which should make us all wonder — why?” he said. “Why give up the prospect of likely release into the interior of the country after turning yourself in to the Border Patrol, being released to a local NGO, and given a paid-for bus or plane ticket to the destination of your choice — unless you have something to hide?” Sector chiefs also talked about how they have been forced to pull resources from CBP checkpoints, including shutting them down, to focus on the physical land border itself. San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke said in May that in 2021 and 2022, his San Diego Sector pulled resources “off of the maritime side and then the checkpoint side and focused on the actual physical land border.” Other officials said the migratory surges made it “more challenging to keep checkpoints, through which illegal entrants can be arrested, open.” Republicans have blamed the policies of the Biden administration for the migrant crisis, including the roll-back of Trump-era policies. DHS has said it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis and is expanding legal pathways for entry while increasing consequences for illegal entry and targeting smugglers. It says it needs more funding and immigration reform from Congress to fix a “broken” system. A $14 billion funding request is being debated in Washington as lawmakers struggle to find agreement on the supplemental spending bill. A DHS official told Fox that there have been 400,000 removals between May and the end of November — nearly the number of removals in all of FY19. The official also noted that the supplemental funding request includes funding for 1,300 additional agents in addition to the 20,000+ funded in the FY24 budget, and 300 Border Patrol Processing Coordinators among other staff. Democrats on the committee have highlighted other parts of the interviews, including one in which Chavez stressed the importance of Border Patrol processing coordinators. “They are an added value to the workforce, especially in the central processing centers. Their input and their contribution to the processing has been exemplary,” Chavez said, adding that 52-64% of personnel are now able to handle enforcement in
DOJ unseals terrorism charges against Hezbollah leader linked to 1994 Argentina Jewish community center attack
The Justice Department unsealed terrorist charges Wednesday against a notorious Hezbollah leader linked to a 1994 attack on Jews in Buenos Aires that left 85 people dead. The DOJ charges allege that Samuel Salman El Reda, a 58-year-old dual Colombian-Lebanese citizen, conspired to provide and provided material support to Hezbollah. El Reda remains at large and is believed to be in Lebanon, the DOJ says. “Nearly three decades ago, long-time Hezbollah terrorist operative Samuel Salman El Reda allegedly helped plan and execute the heinous attack on a Buenos Aires Jewish community center that murdered 85 innocent people and injured countless others,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said in a statement. “This indictment serves as a message to those who engage in acts of terror: that the Justice Department’s memory is long, and we will not relent in our efforts to bring them to justice.” “While it’s been nearly 30 years since this horrific terrorist attack, the FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government are committed to delivering justice for the victims’ families,” added Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Our reach and our memory are long, as this investigation shows. The charges unsealed today are a result of the hard work and determination of the men and women of the FBI and Justice Department, and the assistance of our international partners in law enforcement.” GAZANS FLOCK TO AID TRUCKS AS US, ISRAEL DISCUSS FUTURE OF HAMAS WAR The indictment includes allegations that El Reda was involved with Hezbollah as early as 1993 and as recently as 2015. Hezbollah is an Iran-backed terrorist group operating in Lebanon. It has played a major role in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, launching rockets and missiles over Israel’s northern border. HERZOG SIGNALS ISRAEL READY FOR ANOTHER CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA TO FREE REMAINING HOSTAGES The threat of Hezbollah has divided Israel’s attention between Gaza in the south and the shared border with Lebanon to the north. Hezbollah’s activity appears to be part of a larger Iranian strategy aimed at escalating Israel’s war in Gaza. Similar Iran-backed groups have launched nearly 100 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria since mid-October. NETANYAHU TELLS BIDEN ISRAEL WILL ACT MILITARILY AGAINST YEMEN’S HOUTHIS IF US WON’T: REPORT The Houthi rebels in Yemen, also backed by Iran, have wreaked havoc on international trade through the Red Sea as well. The U.S. Navy has been forced to shoot down multiple Houthi missiles and drones aimed at merchant vessels. The U.S. announced a coalition of navies aimed at countering the Houthi threat on Tuesday.
Federal judge orders GOP Rep. Scott Perry to release texts and emails in 2020 election probe
A federal judge is ordering Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania to turn over more than 1,600 texts and emails to FBI agents investigating efforts to keep President Donald Trump in office after his 2020 election loss and illegally block the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden. The ruling, late Monday, came more than a year after Perry’s personal cellphone was seized by federal authorities. The decision, by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, is largely in line with an earlier finding by a federal judge that Perry appealed to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. Boasberg, in a 12-page decision, said that, after viewing each record, he decided that Perry, a top Trump ally, can withhold 396 of the messages under the constitution’s speech and debate clause that protects the work of members of Congress. FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR SAYS SPEAKER JOHNSON MUST ‘REASSERT AUTHORITY’ AMID GOP INFIGHTING OVER SPENDING PLAN However, the other 1,659 records do not involve legislative acts and must be disclosed, Boasberg ruled. That includes efforts to influence members of the executive branch, discussions about Vice President Mike Pence’s role in certifying the election and providing information about alleged election fraud. Perry’s lawyer, John Rowley, did not immediately respond to a query about whether he will appeal. In the past, Rowley has said that government officials have never described Perry to him as a target of their investigation. Perry is chairman of the Freedom Caucus, a hardline faction of conservatives. Perry has not been charged with a crime and is the only sitting member of Congress whose cellphone was seized by the FBI in the 2020 election investigation. Perry’s efforts to protect the contents of his cell phone have proceeded largely in secret, except in recent weeks when snippets and short summaries of his texts and emails were inadvertently unsealed — and then resealed — by the federal court. Those messages revealed more about where Perry may fit in the web of Trump loyalists who were central to his bid to remain in power. Making Perry a figure of interest to federal prosecutors were his efforts to elevate Jeffrey Clark to Trump’s acting attorney general in late 2020. Perry, in the past, has said he merely “obliged” Trump’s request that he be introduced to Clark. At the time, Trump was searching for a like-minded successor to use the Department of Justice to help stall the certification of Biden’s election victory. But the messages suggest that Perry was a key ally for Clark, who positioned himself as someone who would reverse the Department of Justice’s stance that it had found no evidence of widespread voting fraud. GOP REP. TORCHES REPORTER CLAIMING AMERICANS SEE NO EVIDENCE FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT: ‘YOU DON’T REPORT ON IT’ To that end, Clark had drafted a letter that he suggested sending to Georgia saying the Department of Justice had “identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election in multiple states, including the state of Georgia,” according to the August indictment in that state accusing Trump, Clark and 17 others of trying illegally to keep him in power. At the time, Clark was the assistant attorney general of the Environment and Natural Resources Division and served as the acting head of the Civil Division. The showdown over Clark brought the Justice Department to the brink of crisis, prosecutors have said, and Trump ultimately backed down after he was told that it would result in mass resignations at the Justice Department and his own White House counsel’s office. Clark is now described in the federal indictment of Trump as one of six unnamed and unindicted co-conspirators in an effort to illegally subvert the 2020 election.
Tillis proposes banning federal dollars from states that ‘misuse’ 14th Amendment after Colorado Trump ruling
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., plans to introduce a bill that would ban federal tax dollars from going to state election authorities that improperly apply a section of the 14th Amendment, which disqualifies candidates who have engaged in insurrection against the United States. The legislation comes after the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s ballot in 2024, citing the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021, as purported evidence to invoke the 14th Amendment. “Regardless of whether you support or oppose former President Donald Trump, it is outrageous to see left-wing activists make a mockery of our political system by scheming with partisan state officials and pressuring judges to remove him from the ballot,” Tillis said in a press release. “American voters, not partisan activists, should decide who we elect as our president.” The legislation, called the Constitutional Election Integrity Act, would also establish that the Supreme Court has sole discretion in adjudicating claims stemming from the 14th Amendment. COLORADO SUPREME COURT DISQUALIFIES TRUMP FROM 2024 BALLOT It’s being introduced as an amendment to the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which was designed to modernize election systems, providing federal funds to upgrade voting equipment, and create minimum standards for voter identification and registration. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The Colorado Supreme Court disqualified Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, from appearing on the state’s ballot in a 4-3 ruling on Tuesday. “We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” the court’s majority wrote. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.” POLL SHOWS BIDEN HITTING RECORD LOW APPROVALS, FALLING BEHIND AGAINST TRUMP IN 2024 MATCHUP In a previous ruling, Colorado District Judge Sarah B. Wallace allowed Trump to stay on the ballot, but found that Trump “engaged in insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement that she would “continue to follow court guidance on this important issue.” DEMOCRATS DROP ‘BIDENOMICS’ AS SOME VOTERS COMPLAIN IT’S ‘TONE-DEAF’: REPORT Other GOP lawmakers slammed the court’s decision Tuesday as well. “Liberal activist judges in Colorado are following the same playbook as Maduro and Castro,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., wrote on X. “Democrats’ gross attempts to silence or disenfranchise American voters will never stand.” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wrote on X that the court’s “nonsensical ruling only adds to the preexisting chaos of the 2024 election. The biggest ‘threat to democracy’ is to deny voters their choice.” “This ruling must be reviewed by the Supreme Court,” he wrote. Fox News’ Bill Mears and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
Lincoln Memorial steps vandalized with ‘Free Gaza’ graffiti, red paint
The National Park Service is working on Wednesday to remove red paint and the words “Free Gaza” that appeared this morning near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. “Vandalism was discovered in the area of Lincoln Memorial Circle and the Reflecting Pool,” the United States Park Police said in a statement. “National Park Service conservators have begun the process of removing the paint this morning, though it may take multiple treatments over several days to remove all of it,” Park Police added. “The steps on the west side of the Reflecting Pool are closed to visitors while the conservation work takes place.” Images and video captured by Fox5 DC showed workers washing and brushing away the red paint. LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL AT WAR WITH HAMAS It is not immediately clear who was behind the incident. Anyone with information about it is urged to contact the United States Park Police, according to Fox5 DC. Numerous pro-Palestinian protests have unfolded in Washington, D.C., since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October. Dozens of anti-Israel protesters were arrested on Tuesday after staging an illegal rally inside the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., an act led by activist Linda Sarsour, according to reports. Last Monday, a protest calling for a cease-fire led to over 40 arrests at the Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, Fox5 DC reported. The pro-Palestinian protesters were illegally demonstrating inside the Congressional space, according to authorities. Just after 10 a.m., a Capitol spokesperson told Fox 5 that the demonstrators arrived, with one man even climbing a statue in the atrium, before being charged with resisting arrest. CAPITOL POLICE ARREST 60 ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVISTS FOR ILLEGALLY PROTESTING INSIDE ROTUNDA: REPORTS Earlier that day, just hours before the annual White House Hanukkah party, 18 Jewish elders chained themselves to the White House gates to demand the U.S. to stop funding and arming the genocide in Gaza, according to a post on X by Jewish Voice for Peace. In November, police responded to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee as pro-Palestinian demonstrators grew violent while calling for an immediate cease-fire. U.S. Capitol Police said about 150 people were “illegally and violently protesting” near the DNC headquarters building on Nov. 15. Police made arrests and USCP confirmed on X that six officers were injured during clashes with demonstrators. Authorities said that the officers suffered injuries ranging from minor cuts, pepper spray burns or being punched by protesters who turned violent alongside peaceful protesters. Fox News’ Greg Wehner, Stepheny Price, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Feds sue Colony Ridge developer, accusing it of preying on Latino homebuyers
Federal authorities accused the Houston-area developer of targeting Latino home buyers with predatory loans and false promises. The housing development drew the attention of state lawmakers after right-wing publications claimed it is a magnet for undocumented immigrants.
Red states see 2023 population growth as Americans flee blue states, census data shows
Red states are dominating migration trends among U.S. states, according to new population estimates released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau released a report Wednesday outlining population trends in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. “The increasing number of states with population growth reflects both the broad national trends of deaths and net international migration returning to pre-COVID levels as well as reduced net domestic outmigration for some of the states,” the report reads. Texas experienced the largest numeric population growth of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the data. THOUSANDS OF BLUE STATE RESIDENTS FLOCK TO IDAHO, BRINGING CONSERVATIVE POLITICS WITH THEM: DATA The Texas population grew from 30,029,848 on July 1, 2022, to 30,503,301 on the same day in 2023. Florida was directly behind Texas in second place, experiencing a growth from 22,245,521 in 2022 to 22,610,726 in 2023. NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA EXODUS CONTINUES, BUT ‘CATASTROPHIC EFFECT’ OF BIDEN ECONOMY MAY BE ON THE WAY: EXPERTS In descending rank, the rest of the top 10 states for population growth between 2022 and 2023 are: North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, Virginia, Colorado and Utah. South Carolina and Florida led the way as the two fastest-growing states by percentage last year, growing by 1.7% and 1.6%, respectively, the report found. Eight states experienced a fall in population between 2022 and 2023: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP California experienced the highest gross population decrease by far, losing 75,423 residents. The population losses in those states were less than in 2022. They lost a total of 249,161 in 2023, versus 509,789 in 2022, the Census Bureau estimated. Puerto Rico continued to experience population decline between 2022 and 2023, though the trend has slowed to a loss of 0.4% – approximately 14,422.
Biden’s House Democrat challenger embraces progressives’ Medicare-for-All bill
President Biden’s House Democrat challenger for the White House is endorsing the progressive policy of “Medicare-for-All.” Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., threw his hat behind the controversial state-provided free healthcare policy in a recent interview amid his challenge against Biden for his job. Phillips said he was signing on to the bill led by House Progressive Caucus chairwoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., with his staff saying the congressman would sign onto the bill Wednesday. DEAN PHILLIPS CALLS BIDEN POSSIBLY ‘UNELECTABLE’ IN 2024 AFTER GOP IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY Phillips, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus who has long been considered a centrist, had not signed onto the proposal before. His signature on the bill shows him moving toward the progressive wing of the party. The congressman told Politico that his policy shift did not have anything to do with his presidential bid against Biden. However, Phillips’ endorsement of the policy puts him in stark contrast to Biden amid his White House challenge against the president. Biden refused to endorse socializing healthcare during the 2020 presidential election — even as his eventual running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, did. Prior to his election, he indicated during an MSNBC interview that he would veto Medicare-for-All legislation as president over its price tag. Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s campaign for comment. Phillips also said he has his issues with the plan, such as prohibiting almost all private health insurance. The Democratic congressman said his “journey” to endorsing the plan was “a long one.” Phillips said he took his healthcare access for granted until he saw uninsured children battling cancer after his daughter’s Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis almost 10 years ago. The issue entered his mind again in 2016 when he opened up coffee shops and found it “profoundly disappointing” that he could not afford health insurance for his part-time employees. Phillips also took another look at the policy after being elected in 2018 to represent the district that headquarters UnitedHealth Group. “I started to recognize this massive disconnect between the behemoths in the health insurance business and then the people that I represented, who were telling me the most horrifying stories about having their coverage denied or having to take on medical debt or going bankrupt,” Phillips told Politico. “I have a progressive heart, a pragmatic head, and want to work with people on both sides of the aisle to achieve better outcomes for the country that both improve care and lower costs,” he added. “Those are the best combinations of progressive and conservative principles I could possibly imagine, and that makes this proposition remarkably centrist.” Phillips declined to say how “Medicare-for-All” would be paid. Fox News Digital reached out to Phillips’ campaign for comment.
Three new criminal bills passed in Lok Sabha: 8 key points
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three bills to replace the colonial-era criminal laws by voice vote.