Senate hearing room sex tape controversy explained
A congressional staffer sparked a social media firestorm and rocked Capitol Hill on Friday after having sex with another man in a Senate hearing room on video that was eventually leaked. The situation unfolded on Friday afternoon when the Daily Caller published the video with the blurred out faces of two men engaging in sex in Hart Senate Office Building room 216, a location where several high-profile hearings have taken place in recent years, including Supreme Court confirmation hearings. According to the Daily Caller, the video was leaked after being “shared in a private group for gay men in politics.” Posts on social media claimed the alleged staffer worked for the office of Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. Less than a day after the story broke, Cardin’s office announced that a legislative aide had been dismissed but did not address reports linking a member of his staff to the sex tape. NBC NEWS FRAMES SENATE SEX TAPE VIDEO AS ‘CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLETS’ PUSHING THE STORY The video sparked a firestorm on social media with calls for an investigation and for those involved to be fired, with many conservatives slamming the media for their coverage of the event. Jonathan Turley, Fox News contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, wrote that the staffer could potentially face criminal charges. “The question is whether this unofficial use would constitute trespass,” Turley wrote. “It also uses an official area for personal purposes, though it is not clear if there were any commercial benefits garnered from the video found on various sites.” Turley said one possible charge could fall under D.C. code section 22-1312, which discusses lewd, indecent or obscene acts. SENATE SEX TAPE: CAPITOL HILL HEARING ROOM WHERE LEAKED VIDEO WAS RECORDED HOME TO SEVERAL HISTORIC EVENTS “It is unlawful for a person, in public, to make an obscene or indecent exposure of his or her genitalia or anus, to engage in masturbation, or to engage in a sexual act as defined in § 22-3001(8). It is unlawful for a person to make an obscene or indecent sexual proposal to a minor. A person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both,” the criminal code states. Whether or not any video filmed in the hearing room was used to make money could also “have bearing on potential charges,” Turley wrote. While there are currently no pending charges in the case, a security source did not rule out the possibility. Fox News was told that the USCP is working on cases it views as more serious, such as potential threats to lawmakers. “It’s not a case we need to rush,” said one source to Fox. “We are taking it seriously.” Fox News Channel’s Chad Pergram and Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes and Chris Pandolfo contributed reporting.
Crenshaw takes on mandatory DEI statements at colleges, universities with new House bill
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, is pushing to halt federal funding to colleges and universities that force students to sign or make statements on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). His new bill would ban places of higher education from compelling students, staff, or applicants to “endorse an ideology that promotes the differential treatment of an individual or group of individuals based on race, color, or ethnicity,” according to the legislative text. It would also stop them from requiring statements on an individual’s race, ethnicity or identity except for bare minimum demographic information needs and “views on, experience with, or past or planned contributions to efforts involving diversity, equity, and inclusion, marginalized groups, antiracism, social justice, intersectionality, or related concepts.” OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING DEI BUREAUCRACY IN STATE INSTITUTIONS The bill would compel schools by leveraging funds under the Higher Education Act. “We can see the utter moral bankruptcy in higher education with the spread of antisemitism on college campuses.” Crenshaw told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Make no mistake — the DEI bureaucracy is directly responsible for a toxic campus culture that separates everyone into oppressor vs oppressed.” CALIFORNIA COLLEGE TRUSTEE APOLOGIZES AFTER ‘THREATENING’ REMARKS ABOUT FACULTY WHO OPPOSE EQUITY INITIATIVES The legislation would also bar colleges and universities from using those statements as a standard for acceptance or employment. It comes after Crenshaw’s home state of Texas passed a new law against DEI programs at public colleges there. The Texas bill, signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June, goes into effect January 2024 and will force Lone Star State-funded schools to dismantle any DEI offices, trainings and requirements they currently have. BILL ACKMAN SAYS HARVARD BOARD RESISTED FIRING UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TO AVOID APPEARANCE OF ‘KOWTOWING’ TO HIM CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And last week, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed an executive order banning the use of state funding, property or resources for DEI initiatives at public colleges. Across the country, 40 bills have been introduced in 22 states aimed at limiting DEI initiatives as of July 2023, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Maryland approves extension of Baltimore Orioles lease at Camden Yards
The Maryland Stadium Authority approved a lease extension for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Monday in one of the final steps formalizing a long-term agreement between the team and the state. The deal was set to go before the state’s Board of Public Works — a three-member board chaired by the governor — later in the day. NEW ORIOLES STADIUM LEASE HEADING TO A VOTE NEXT WEEK, MARYLAND GOV. MOORE SAYS The Orioles’ lease at Camden Yards expires at the end of the year. In September, the team announced a new 30-year deal to stay in the ballpark, and the governor’s office released details of a memorandum of understanding involving the team, the Stadium Authority and Gov. Wes Moore. Bill Ferguson, the president of the state senate, expressed concerns earlier this month over the development rights agreement that was part of the deal. Ferguson supported the new plan ironed out since then. The deal extends the lease for 30 years, with an option to end it after 15 if the team does not receive approval from state officials for development plans next to the ballpark. The Orioles would have until the end of 2027 to reach an agreement on that land redevelopment. Last year, the state increased bond authorization for M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, and Camden Yards. The measure allowed borrowing of up to $600 million for renovations at each stadium. The lease extension enables access to the funds for Camden Yards. The Ravens already have announced specific renovation plans for their venue.
New poll reveals America’s least favorite leader in Congress with shocking single-digit approval
A new Monmouth University poll released Monday has revealed Americans’ least favorite leader in Congress, but all maintain underwater approval ratings. According to the poll, just 6% of adults say they approve of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s, R-Ky., job performance, with a whopping 60% saying they disapprove. 34% had no opinion. McConnell was the only congressional leader with a net negative approval rating from within his own party, and fell far behind his Democrat and Republican colleagues on how they are viewed by the American public. Just 10% of Republicans said they approved of McConnell’s job performance, with 41% disapproving and 49% having no opinion. BIDEN APPROVAL RATING SINKS TO ALL-TIME LOW IN NEW NATIONAL POLL McConnell’s approval rating was down from 12% in July, with 50% disapproving and 37% having no opinion. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., received a 21% approval rating, with 41% saying they disapproved and 38% having no opinion. Within his own party, however, Schumer received a 48% approval rating, compared to 18% who disapproved and 34% who had no opinion. FORMER TRUMP ADVISER KELLYANNE CONWAY LEADS CHARGE TO OVERHAUL GOP ABORTION STRATEGY, END DEMS’ 2024 ADVANTAGE On the House side, 17% said they approved of Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., job performance with 31% disapproving and 51% with no opinion. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., fared slightly better with a 21% approval rating, 22% disapproving and 56% having no opinion. Overall, just 17% said they approved of Congress’ job performance, and 77% said they disapproved. Fox News Digital has reached out to McConnell’s office for comment.
Fox News Politics: Fender Bender
Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. What’s happening: -U.S. Capitol Police investigate Senate sex tape -Ashley Biden issued a tax lien for unpaid taxes in 2015 -Nikki Haley media blitzes Iowa and New Hampshire The driver of a car that smashed into a parked SUV that was part of President Biden’s motorcade near his campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, has been charged with DUI, police said Monday morning. The crash happened Sunday evening when the sedan hit a U.S. Secret Service vehicle being used to close off intersections as Biden was walking from the campaign office to his waiting armored SUV. After the crash, a visibly stunned Biden was ushered into his waiting vehicle, where First Lady Jill Biden was already seated, before being driven swiftly back to their home without further incident. Neither the president nor the first lady were harmed. BIDEN TAXES: Ashley Biden issued a tax lien for unpaid taxes, court docs show …Read more SENATE SEX TAPE: US Capitol Police ‘taking it seriously,’ source says …Read more GET ‘TOUGHER’: Hispanic House Democrat calls for Biden to crack down on border crisis …Read more NO DEAL: Border security provisions unlikely to advance in the Senate this week …Read more AI ARMS RACE: Top Republican warns US rivals are advancing in AI, quantum computing …Read more NEW GENERATION: Haley spotlights need for ‘new conservative president’ in ad blitz in Iowa and New Hampshire …Read more ‘STRONG LEADERSHIP’: Trump lands endorsement from GOP Rep. Andy Barr …Read more ‘EXTREMELY DISTURBING’: CCP-tied group quietly dropping millions of dollars into US-based climate initiatives …Read more HONORING ‘AMERICAN HERO’: Justice Sandra Day O’Connor lying in repose at Supreme Court …Read more SUSPENDED: Florida GOP takes action against chairman, demands resignation amid rape allegation …Read more ‘FIND REAL SOLUTIONS’: Newsom’s mayoral 10-year pledge to end homelessness in San Fran turns 20 …Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Senate sex tape: US Capitol Police ‘taking it seriously,’ source says
U.S. Capitol Police are continuing to investigate the filming of a sex tape inside a prominent hearing room at the Hart Senate Office Building, a source told Fox News on Monday. While there are currently no pending charges in the case, a security source did not rule out the possibility. Fox is told that the USCP is working on cases it views as more serious, such as potential threats to lawmakers. “It’s not a case we need to rush,” said one source to Fox. “We are taking it seriously.” The investigation comes after a staffer filmed an amateur pornography video inside a Senate hearing room. The identities of the men in the video have not been confirmed. The Daily Caller, which broke news of the video, reported that the footage was leaked in a chat and was “shared in a private group for gay men in politics.” SENATE DEMOCRATS AT ODDS WITH SCHUMER OVER BORDER TALKS: ‘TERRIBLY MISTAKEN’ Room 216 in the Hart Senate Office Building is a storied hearing room. The dais where the graphic video was filmed is a place from which U.S. senators have grilled high-profile presidential nominees, including those who would go on to become justices of the Supreme Court. Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley, an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law, discussed possible charges that could be brought last week. Turley said, “the question is whether this unofficial use would constitute trespass.” NSFW: CAPITOL HILL ROCKED BY SEX TAPE SCANDAL FEATURING FAMOUS SENATE HEARING ROOM “It also uses an official area for personal purposes, though it is not clear if there were any commercial benefits garnered from the video found on various sites,” Turley wrote. Turley said one possible charge could fall under D.C. code section 22-1312, which discusses lewd, indecent or obscene acts. “It is unlawful for a person, in public, to make an obscene or indecent exposure of his or her genitalia or anus, to engage in masturbation, or to engage in a sexual act as defined in § 22-3001(8). It is unlawful for a person to make an obscene or indecent sexual proposal to a minor. A person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both,” the criminal code states. Turley says the question regarding charges falling under this section would be whether a locked Senate committee room is considered “in public.” Whether or not any video filmed in the hearing room was used to make money could also “have bearing on potential charges,” Turley argued. Fox News’ Adam Sabes and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report
Weather update: IMD predicts dense fog for several states; check latest forecast here
According to the India Meteorological Department, exceptionally heavy rainfall was recorded in up to 39 locations in southern Tamil Nadu on Monday. The IMD said in a bulletin that light to moderate rainfall was recorded in most areas of southern Tamil Nadu.
Biden approval rating sinks to all-time low in new national poll
Only one-third of Americans gave President Biden a thumbs up on the job he is doing in the White House, according to a new national public opinion survey. The president stands at 34% approval in a Monmouth University poll released on Monday, with 61% giving Biden a thumbs down on his job performance. The president’s approval is at an all-time low in Monmouth polling since Biden took over the White House nearly three years ago. Americans questioned in the survey gave the president particularly low marks for his handling of immigration (26%) and inflation (28%). HEAD HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING “The Biden administration keeps touting their infrastructure investments and a host of positive economic indicators. Those data points may be factual, but most Americans are still smarting from higher prices caused by post-pandemic inflation. This seems to be what’s driving public opinion,” Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, highlighted. “There is political danger in pushing a message that basically tells people their take on their own situation is wrong.” Murray spotlighted that “there is certainly an element of partisanship in how people frame their own financial situation, which is based in part on who occupies the White House. But even a good chunk of Biden’s Democratic base wish he’d start paying more attention to their top priorities than he is now.” THESE SIX BATTLEGROUND STATES COULD COST BIDEN THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2024 The approval rating is a key indicator of a president’s performance, clout and popularity and is a closely watched metric, especially when an incumbent in the White House seeks a second term. The 81-year-old Biden is running for re-election in 2024. The release of the Monmouth poll comes two weeks after the president stood at 37% approval – an all-time low – in a Wall Street Journal survey. However, a new Fox News national poll released on Sunday indicated Biden’s approval rating at 43%. Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low to mid 50s during his first six months in the White House. However, the president’s numbers started sagging in August 2021 in the wake of Biden’s much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan and following a surge in COVID-19 cases that summer, mainly among unvaccinated people. BIDEN REPORTEDLY UPSET BY SINKING POLL NUMBERS The plunge in the president’s approval was also fueled by soaring inflation – which started spiking in the summer of 2021 and remains to date a major pocketbook concern with Americans – and the surge of migrants trying to cross into the U.S. along the southern border with Mexico. Biden stands far below where his three most recent two-term predecessors – former Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama – stood at this point in their presidencies, as they successfully ran for re-election. The only recent president whose approval ratings were nearly as negative as Biden’s current numbers was his most recent predecessor, former President Trump, who was defeated by Biden in the 2020 election. Biden once held the upper hand over Trump in 2024 rematch surveys, but Trump began enjoying an advantage over his successor in the White House in most polls starting in October. On Sunday, as he was leaving his re-election campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, the president was asked by reporters why he was down to Trump in the latest surveys. “You’re reading the wrong polls,” Biden replied. The Monmouth University poll was conducted Nov. 30-Dec 4, with 803 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
GOP Rep Andy Barr endorses Trump for ‘strong leadership both at home and abroad’
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Andy Barr is endorsing former President Trump, telling Fox News Digital that Americans “must rally behind” him to ensure “strong leadership both at home and abroad.” Barr, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital on Monday about his endorsement. “I can not sit idly by while Joe Biden and his disastrous policies continue to erode what makes America the greatest country in the world,” Barr said. “Since Biden took office, we have seen record-high illegal immigration at the Southern Border, 40-year high inflation, and threateningly weak foreign policy that has invited aggression from our adversaries.” TRUMP PICKS UP MORE SENATE GOP ENDORSEMENTS However, Barr said, “despite all of this, Democrats and the ‘mainstream media’ are doing everything they can to ensure Joe Biden remains president.” “Donald Trump is the only candidate who can defeat Joe Biden and reinstate an America First agenda,” he said. TRUMP HOLDS MASSIVE LEAD IN IOWA 5 WEEKS FROM CAUCUSES THAT KICK OFF GOP RACE: POLL Barr, reflecting on the Trump administration, said Americans “paid less at the pump and the grocery store.” “American families’ incomes rose, and their small businesses flourished,” he said, adding that none of those developments were “coincidences.” “They were a direct product of Trump’s low-tax, pro-economic growth policies,” he told Fox News Digital, saying Biden’s policies have “resulted in the opposite.” “As Kentuckians and Americans, we must rally behind a leader who understands the importance of strong leadership, both at home and abroad,” he said. “That is why, to protect our country and ensure prosperity, I am endorsing Donald J. Trump for President of the United States.” FOX NEWS POLL: TRUMP’S LEAD IN GOP PRIMARY WIDENS Trump is dominating the 2024 Republican primary field. A new Fox News poll released over the weekend also showed that if the election were held today, Trump would beat President Biden by four points in a head-to-head match-up. Meanwhile, a source close to Barr told Fox News Digital that should a Senate seat become open for 2026, the congressman could be “a serious contender.” “Barr is a prolific fundraiser and a skilled legislator who would be a formidable ally for the America First agenda in the Senate,” the source told Fox News Digital. That source said Barr’s early endorsement of Trump “could preview a closer working relationship” between Barr and Trump in the coming years. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Sky-high inflation takes a toll on mental health in Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina – Psychologist Jesica Bianchiotti, 35, still remembers the days when most sessions with her patients began with a chat about the weather or the results of the latest football match. But those days are long gone. With Argentina facing one of the worst economic crises in its recent history, sessions now start with conversations about politics, rising prices and how hard it is to make ends meet. “Things have changed a lot. The majority of my patients now come with issues related to anxiety, fear, problems with sleeping, all related to the uncertainty we all live with — how impossible it is to make long-term plans,” said Bianchiotti, who works in the greater Buenos Aires area. Argentina boasts the third-largest economy in Latin America — but it has been beset by financial turmoil for decades, fuelled by political instability and massive international debt. This year, inflation hit record levels, rocketing higher than 140 percent. The value of Argentina’s currency has plummeted as a result. Even basic food shopping is a challenge for some. Against that backdrop, professionals like Bianchiotti are reporting an increase in stress-related conditions. Argentina, though, has developed a way to grapple with the problem: It has the highest rate of psychologists per capita in the world. A 2015 study estimated that, for every 100,000 Argentinians, there are 194 psychologists — a rate more than three times higher than the next closest countries, Finland and Norway. Psychotherapy is so popular that certain practitioners, like Gabriel Rolon, have achieved celebrity status, appearing on TV and radio shows. In 2022, psychology was also one of the most sought-after career paths at the University of Buenos Aires, second only to medicine. A healthcare centre offers psychological services in Moreno, a city on the outskirts of Buenos Aires [Patricio A Cabezas/Al Jazeera] The widespread embrace of psychotherapy, however, corresponds with widespread need, according to Bianchiotti. She has treated patients for nearly a decade and has seen an increase in the number of consultations she conducts. “The state in which patients come in is pretty shocking. Many are not even able to listen to what I say,” she told Al Jazeera, describing how some patients talk non-stop. “They are anxious, nervous with fear, consumed by negative thoughts. Panic attacks are becoming more frequent and many people are unable to enjoy any sort of free time as they are consumed with worries.” Anxiety is a normal response to danger, real or perceived. It exists to help the body face or escape from threats. But anxiety can develop into a disorder, with symptoms like dizziness, shaking, migraines and fatigue. It can also increase risk factors for other conditions like depression. “A certain level of anxiety is necessary as a basic survival skill, but too much of it, that’s when problems start. It can become paralysing,” said Bianchiotti. In Argentina, the problem may be particularly acute. More than half of the participants in a 2022 study about the country’s psychological health, conducted by the University of Buenos Aires, said they were experiencing a “crisis”. The economy was cited as the most common reason for respondents’ crises. At 49 percent, it surpassed family problems, relationship troubles and work as a leading cause. The economy was considered the decisive factor in Argentina’s recent presidential elections, which saw libertarian candidate Javier Milei emerge victorious [Gustavo Garello/AP Photo] The study also found that 75 percent of respondents said they suffered from sleep deprivation. The number of sufferers was even higher among those with fewer resources. Meanwhile, an estimated 35 percent of those who needed psychological treatment said they could not afford it. Although psychologists are available for free in public hospitals, budget cuts have made it increasingly difficult for people with lower incomes to access their services. Those with more resources can opt for private therapy, a more expensive option that offers greater flexibility for scheduling and services. “Data shows that there are many people who go to a psychotherapist in Argentina, but many more don’t have access to any kind of services, even when they would like to access them,” Fabian Maero, a psychologist, author and professor from the University of Buenos Aires, told Al Jazeera. “If you have to choose between going to therapy and paying the rent, that is not much of a choice.” Critics including Maero worry the situation could worsen under newly inaugurated President Javier Milei, who took office on December 10. A self-described “anarcho-capitalist”, Milei was elected after promising to slash government spending to mend the economy. Though he initially proposed scrapping the Ministry of Health, Milei has since announced he would keep the agency, appointing cardiologist Mario Russo as its head. “We professionals are very worried about this situation, how the lack of psychological attention is going to affect the population and how it will affect future generations,” Maero said. He added that mental health professionals cannot ignore current events in their practices. “We are facing great challenges. You want to treat an individual for their issues, but what they might need is to talk about the context they live in, what is happening to the country.” Psychologist Fabian Maero worries budget cuts could further restrict the accessibility of mental health services [Patricio A Cabezas/Al Jazeera] Julieta Bieber, a 48-year-old administrative assistant in Buenos Aires, is among those using their therapy sessions to talk about the state of the country. “This level of inflation means you need to live day by day, and that is very hard,” she told Al Jazeera. “You wake up, and the first thing you do is check how much the dollar exchange rate is, how much things have risen in price. It really affects your quality of life.” Bieber is hardly alone. Only 68 percent of Argentinians say their state of mind is positive, according to an October survey from the consulting firm Voices and the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN). That put Argentina’s national “mood” among the lowest of the 39