North Dakota senator’s son charged with manslaughter following police chase that killed officer
The son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., was charged with manslaughter in connection with the police pursuit of a stolen vehicle that ultimately resulted in the death of a sheriff’s deputy. On Thursday, authorities identified Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin, 53, as the deputy killed in the crash. According to online records, 42-year-old Ian Cramer was charged with felony counts of manslaughter, fleeing a police officer and reckless endangerment, as well as a misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Friday. NORTH DAKOTA SENATOR SAYS SON WAS INVOLVED IN POLICE CHASE, CRASH THAT KILLED SHERIFF’S DEPUTY According to a press release from the Bismark Police Department, deputies responded to the Sanford Hospital at 4:30 p.m regarding reports of damage to an overhead door in the ambulance bay. Authorities said that Cramer’s mother, Kris, brought her son to the hospital after he was exhibiting “mental health issues.” When the pair arrived, police said that Cramer fled from the hospital, stole his mother’s SUV and rammed the vehicle into the doors of the bay. CONNECTICUT POLICE OFFICER KILLED AFTER SPEEDING CAR RUNS THROUGH RED LIGHT, STRIKES INTO CRUISER When officers arrived at the scene, the 42-year-old had fled that scene, but a cellphone tracking device confirmed to police that he was still in the stolen car. Authorities said that multiple agencies worked together to track Cramer, and he was eventually taken into custody. Police said that during the pursuit, Cramer crashed into Sheriff’s deputy Martin’s car. The 53-year-old sheriff’s deputy was immediately killed, authorities said. Sen. Cramer said in a personal statement that his family grieves the loss of the deputy. He also asked for prayers for healing for his son. “I will take the first flight I can to be with our family as we grieve what has happened. We grieve especially for the family of the hero who tried to help Ian, and we pray for our gracious God to show up as He always does in tragedy. We ask the public for prayers for the lost officer’s family and colleagues who serve us every day and are grateful for all they do for us,” the senator wrote. “We also ask God for healing for Ian. We love him and hurt deeply.” Sen. Cramer said that Ian, “suffers from severe mental disorders.” The senator said that Ian “suffers from severe mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations” and was with Kris, when he insisted on going to visit his brother Ike, who died in 2018. INDIANA STATE TROOPER STRUCK, KILLED BY STOLEN VEHICLE DURING INDIANAPOLIS PURSUIT: ‘THE BEST OF US’ Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, issued a statement following the incident, thanking Martin’s “ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our community.” “The events in Mercer County last night are a stark reminder of the heroic actions of our law enforcement officials each and every day. This deputy made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our community, and Mikey and I send our sincerest condolences to the deputy’s loved ones and the entire Mercer County Sheriff’s Department,” Sen. Hoeven said. “We are praying for comfort and peace for all those impacted by this tragic event.”
Progressive Chicago Teachers Union boss owes thousands in unpaid utility bills despite eye-popping salary
The progressive president of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) owes thousands in unpaid utility bills despite making an eye-popping salary, the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) has found. According to the non-profit group, Stacy Davis Gates owes the city of Chicago $5,579 in unpaid water, sewer and trash bills as of Nov. 7, 2023, despite bringing home “at least” $289,000 a year. Documents uncovered by the group show Davis Gates started a payment plan for the amount in July 2023, but quickly defaulted. It’s unclear where she currently stands on the payments. SWING DISTRICT DEMOCRAT COMPLAINS SHE WON’T RUN FOR RE-ELECTION BECAUSE RACE IS ‘RIGGED’ AGAINST HER “This latest revelation adds to the mounting evidence of her hypocrisy. She spurns responsibility and accountability both in her role as CTU president and in her daily life, while pushing for ‘wealthy’ taxpayers to pay their ‘fair share,’” the IPI report said. The report added that Davis Gates’ bills were just a small part of the whopping $6.4 billion owed in unpaid fees, fines and other debts still owed to the city since the year 1990. Fox News Digital has reached out to Davis Gates for comment. Davis Gates’ unpaid bills are just the latest instance of what some have criticized as “hypocrisy” from the progressive union leader. HUNTER’S EX-BUSINESS ASSOCIATE BLASTS BIDEN’S NEW CLAIM ABOUT SON’S BUSINESS DEALINGS: ‘COMPLETE MALARKEY’ Last month she was billed for back taxes due to an “unlawful deduction” she took on a home in Indiana. According to local news outlet WGN, the South Bend native filed paperwork claiming the Indiana home as her primary residence in 2007 while she was a Chicago Public Schools teacher. She also applied for a homestead tax exemption for the home, and it was granted and has been active since then. “Davis Gates would pay four times more in Indiana property taxes if she didn’t take the homestead deduction,” the IPI, which also investigated the matter, reported at the time. In September, Davis Gates defended sending her son to a private school despite being an outspoken critic of them. CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION BOSS PICKS BETTER SCHOOL FOR HER SON, BUT NOT YOURS She was pressed during an appearance on CNN about her decision to do so, with one host noting that she had likened them to “segregation academies” in the South under Jim Crow. “I didn’t speak out against private schools. I spoke out against school choice. School choice and private schools are two different entities,” Davis Gates replied. Prior to facing criticism for sending her son to the private school, Davis Gates claimed that having her children in public schools helped to “legitimize” her position within the teachers union and that she could not advocate on behalf of public schools if that were not the case, according to NBC Chicago. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Additionally, in a Chicago Magazine article last year, Davis Gates said, “I can’t advocate on behalf of public education without it taking root in my own household.” Fox News’ Joshua Q. Nelson and Kyle Morris contributed to this report.
New York Democrats tap former Rep. Tom Suozzi to run in congressional special election
Former congressman Tom Suozzi will be the Democratic candidate in the Feb. 13 special election to succeed ousted lawmaker George Santos in the U.S. House of Representatives, local party leaders said on Thursday.
Pentagon says further military aid to Ukraine a ‘smart investment,’ will prevent larger war in Europe
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh called on Congress to approve additional security aid to Ukraine amid stalled negotiations over further assistance to the country in its war against Russia. “It is critical, as you all know, that Congress passes the president’s national security supplemental request to ensure that we can continue to support Ukraine,” Singh said during a press briefing Thursday. She said that further assistance to Ukraine would be a “smart investment” in U.S. national security and would prevent a “larger war in Europe while strengthening our defense industrial base and creating skilled jobs back home here for the American people.” Her comments after the U.S. announced Wednesday it was sending a $175 million package of military aid to Ukraine, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles.” The aid package comes as Congress has hit a roadblock over further aid to Ukraine and Israel in its battle with Hamas. NATO CHIEF ISSUES VAGUE WARNING ON UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR: ‘BE PREPARED FOR BAD NEWS’ The Biden administration’s request for a nearly $106 billion aid package has gotten bogged down by Republicans who argue the money would be better spent implementing robust security and policy changes at the border. The $175 million aid package to Ukraine will be provided through the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles and sends them quickly to the war front. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Although the war has been static along most of its more than 600-mile front-line as wintry weather has set in, both sides have continued to launch airstrikes. Ukraine is working to keep up the pressure over the winter, to prevent Russia from solidifying battle lines. To date, the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
NYC Mayor Adams says New Yorkers ‘angry’ over migrant crisis as he heads to DC
New York City Mayor Eric Adams says that New Yorkers “need help” with the sanctuary city’s migrant crisis and are “angry” at the federal government as he traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with congressional leaders and appeal for more federal aid. “We need help,” Adams said on the plane to D.C., adding that “New Yorkers are angry.” “The asylum seeker crisis is a national problem and it needs a national solution,” he said. DEM-RUN CITY EXPANDS ASYLUM ASSISTANCE TO MIGRANTS AMID STINGING BUDGET CUTS DUE TO RAGING CRISIS The city has seen more than 140,000 migrants come in since last year, which has left the city’s social services overwhelmed and forced deep budget cuts to policing, sanitation and education. Adams has said the cuts are due to the city having spent $1.45 billion in fiscal 2023 on the migrant crisis and nearly $11 billion expected to be spent in 2024 and 2025. Adams has claimed it is a problem that the federal government should be dealing with. On Thursday, outside of Capitol Hill, Adams said that the city needs “a real decompression strategy” involving more migrants being given the right to work. He also said that he and other mayors who have called for more aid from the federal government are expanding their coalition. ADAMS WARNS NEW YORKERS THAT ‘WE CANNOT STOP’ MIGRANTS FROM SLEEPING ON THE STREETS But the Biden administration has pointed to more than $770 million it has given out to support communities taking in migrants in the last year and recommendations its teams of experts have made. It has also deployed personnel to help with authorizing work permits and to educate migrants on the immigration system, a DHS official said recently. ADAMS SAYS ‘DC HAS ABANDONED US’ AS NYC SLASHES BUDGETS OVER MIGRANT CRISIS Separately, the White House has requested an additional $14 billion in emergency funding for border operations, which includes an additional $1.4 billion in grants to help local governments and nonprofits. But that funding has stalled in Congress amid a fight over border security measures asked for by Republicans. But Adams and other mayors have called for $5 billion in funding for cities, rather than than $1.4 billion requested. “We are seeing that this is having a major impact on our cities,” he said on Thursday. Last week the city announced it was expanding assistance to migrants to help them complete asylum and work authorization applications. So far, the city has helped process 7,200 asylum applications, more than 2,900 work authorizations and 2,900 TPS applications.
White House open to new asylum limits for Ukraine aid -source
The Biden administration is considering getting behind new restrictions on who can seek asylum and an expanded deportation processes to secure new aid for Ukraine and Israel in a supplemental funding bill, a source familiar with discussions said.
Georgia Republicans approve new US House map, setting up fresh court battle
Republican lawmakers in Georgia on Thursday approved a new map of U.S. House of Representatives districts for the 2024 election that maintains their current 9-5 advantage while creating a court-ordered majority-Black district west of Atlanta.
Texas DPS absolves its leaders of wrongdoing after investigating migrant mistreatment claims
A DPS medic assigned to the border was so disturbed by what he saw that he blew the whistle. The agency now says its leaders on the ground didn’t break the law or violate agency policy.
Vermont sheriff accused of kicking shackled suspect loses certification
A Vermont sheriff charged with assault for kicking a shackled prisoner is losing his law enforcement certification. After hearing two days of testimony, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council on Wednesday found that Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore violated the state’s use of force policy and voted 15-1 that he permanently lose his ability to enforce the law in Vermont. VERMONT LEGISLATURE FORMS IMPEACHMENT COMMITTEE FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY OFFICIALS “Hopefully, law enforcement officers who might think of engaging in this kind of conduct will think not just twice, but many more times before engaging in this way,” said Bill Sorrell, the chair of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, WCAX-TV reported. Grismore will not lose his job as sheriff but he will no longer be able to issue tickets, make arrests, and investigate crimes. He said he plans to appeal. “Demonstrating to law enforcement officers that they will lose their career by going out of their way to try to assist and intervene with unruly and dangerous individuals is going to have an extreme chilling effect,” his attorney, Robert Kaplan, said, according to mynbc5. Grismore was elected sheriff in November of last year even though he was fired from a job as a captain in the Franklin County sheriff’s department that August after video surfaced of him kicking a shackled prisoner. He pleaded not guilty to a simple assault charge. Just before he took office in February, state police said they were investigating the finances of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Grismore. He is also facing the results of an investigation by a special committee of the Vermont Legislature formed to investigate his possible impeachment. The committee is scheduled to meet on Monday.
New York Democrats choose Tom Suozzi as candidate to replace expelled Republican George Santos in Congress
New York Democrats have selected former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi as the nominee for the special election to replace former Republican Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from Congress last week. Suozzi, 61, represented the district for six years before launching an unsuccessful campaign for governor last year. Suozzi has also previously held political posts as a county executive and mayor on Long Island. With Santos out of Congress, the special election to fill the Third Congressional District of New York seat has been set for Feb. 13. “We look forward to working with the Suozzi Campaign, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to restore integrity, competence, and a focus on the real needs of our larger community,” the Nassau County and Queens County Democratic Committees said in a joint statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report.