Trump pick Emil Bove confirmed as federal judge after furious Democrat walkout, whistleblower complaints
The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee Emil Bove as a federal judge Tuesday, handing a controversial leader at the Department of Justice a lifetime role on a powerful appellate court. Bove was narrowly confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in a 50-49 vote with no support from Democrats. His confirmation followed a contentious weeks-long vetting process that included three whistleblower complaints and impassioned outside figures voicing both support and opposition to his nomination. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said from the Senate floor before the vote that he supported Bove and believed the nominee had been the target of “unfair accusations and abuse.” “He has a strong legal background and has served his country honorably. I believe he will be a diligent, capable, and fair jurist,” Grassley said. Bove’s ascension to the appellate court marks a peak in his legal career. He started out as a high-achieving student, college athlete and Georgetown University law school graduate. He went on to clerk for two federal judges and worked for about a decade as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, leading high-profile terrorism and drug trafficking cases through 2019. TOP DOJ OFFICIAL FACES TEST IN SENATE OVER NOMINATION TO BECOME FEDERAL JUDGE Alongside Todd Blanche, now a deputy attorney general, Bove led Trump’s personal defense team during the president’s criminal prosecutions. Blanche told Fox News Digital in an interview last month that Bove was a “brilliant lawyer” who authored the vast majority of their legal briefs for Trump’s cases. In a letter to the Senate, attorney Gene Schaerr called Bove’s brief writing “superb.” Bove will leave behind his job as principal associate deputy attorney general at the DOJ. Attorney General Pam Bondi congratulated him in a statement. “This is a GREAT day for our country,” Bondi wrote on X. “I cannot thank Emil enough for his tireless work and support at @TheJusticeDept. He will be missed — and he will be an outstanding judge.” Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, voted against Bove. Democrats and some who crossed paths with Bove during his time in New York and at DOJ headquarters fiercely opposed his nomination and said he was unqualified. KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUT PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERS One whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, had become a successful prosecutor at the DOJ over the last 15 years when he was fired under Bove’s watch. Reuveni said he was party to a meeting in March in which Bove floated defying any court orders that would hinder one of Trump’s most legally questionable deportation plans, a claim Bove denies. Reuveni also said the culture at the DOJ, particularly during the most intense moments of immigration lawsuits, involved misleading federal judges and was like nothing he had experienced during his tenure, which included Trump’s first term. Two other anonymous whistleblowers emerged at the eleventh hour during the confirmation process and vouched for Reuveni’s claims. A spokeswoman for Grassley told Fox News Digital the third whistleblower only brought claims to Senate Democrats and did not attempt to engage with Grassley. Grassley’s staff eventually met with the whistleblower’s lawyers after the chairman’s office reached out, the spokeswoman said. Grassley said his staff interviewed more than a dozen people to vet the initial whistleblower claims and could not find evidence that Bove urged staff to defy the courts. “Even if you accept most of the claims as true, there’s no scandal,” Grassley said. “Government lawyers aggressively litigating and interpreting court orders isn’t misconduct—it’s what lawyers do.” While in New York, Bove also alienated some colleagues. In 2018, a band of defense lawyers said in emails reported by The Associated Press that Bove could not “be bothered to treat lesser mortals with respect or empathy.” Another lawyer who had interactions with Bove in New York told Fox News Digital he was a “bully” who browbeat people. TRUMP CONSIDERS FORMER DEFENSE ATTORNEY EMIL BOVE FOR FEDERAL APPEALS COURT VACANCY A group that opposes Bove’s nomination, Justice Connection, published a letter signed by more than 900 former DOJ employees calling for the Senate to reject Bove’s nomination. Among their concerns was that Bove led the controversial dismissal of Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption charges. Several DOJ officials resigned in protest over Bove’s orders to toss out the charges. In the letter, the former employees said Bove has been “trampling over institutional norms” and that he lacked impartiality. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, in an unusual move, staged a walkout at a hearing on Bove before a recent vote to advance his nomination. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called him a “henchman,” a description Democrats have widely adopted for him. “He’s the extreme of the extreme,” Schumer told reporters. “He’s not a jurist. He’s a Trumpian henchman. That seems to be the qualification for appointees these days.” Bove defended himself against critics during his confirmation hearing. “I am not anybody’s henchman. I’m not an enforcer,” Bove said. “I’m a lawyer from a small town who never expected to be in an arena like this.” Fox News’ Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Wounded vet confirmed to Veterans Affairs role as GOP slams Dems for slow-walking Trump picks
The Senate confirmed yet another of President Donald Trump’s nominees on Tuesday, this time for a position that maintains veterans’ cemeteries and oversees burials. Sam Brown, an Army veteran and former Nevada GOP Senate candidate, was confirmed by the Senate to be Trump’s Veteran’s Affairs undersecretary for memorial affairs. The 54-44 vote was largely a partisan affair, save for Nevada’s Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jackie Rosen, who both crossed the aisle to vote for Brown’s confirmation. KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUTS PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERS The undersecretary for memorial affairs oversees the National Cemetery Administration, which operates and maintains over 150 national cemeteries. National cemeteries across the country have roughly 4 million veterans interred in their grounds, according to the VA. And the National Cemetery Administration provides for over 100,000 military veterans and eligible family members each year. Trump nominated Brown, who served in the army for five years before medically retiring after a roadside improvised explosive device detonated and burned one-third of his body, in January, and lauded him as an “American hero” in a post on his social media platform Truth Social at the time. SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP PICK TO LEAD INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION “He fearlessly proved his love for our country in the army, while leading troops in battle in Afghanistan and, after being honorably retired as a captain, helping our veterans get access to emergency medications,” Trump said. Brown’s confirmation marked the third of the day in the Senate, where a growing list of Trump’s nominees to a variety of agencies, judgeships and ambassadorships have been slowed down by Senate Democrats. Senate Republican leadership are trudging through the Democrats’ blockade, and working to hammer out a deal to get more nominees moved through quicker. ‘ALL THE OPTIONS’: GOP EYES CUTTING AUGUST RECESS TO MOVE DOZENS OF TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY DEMS Senate Republicans argued that Brown’s position, in particular, shouldn’t be subject to the partisanship on display in Democrats’ attempts to slow walk other, more controversial nominees. Sen. Jerry Moran, chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, had his request earlier this year to confirm Brown through a much faster process, known as unanimous consent, objected to by Senate Democrats in May. “Laying our veterans to rest with honor, serving their families with dignity is not a Republican or Democrat issue,” the Kansas Republican said in a statement at the time. “I am discouraged that we cannot work in a bipartisan manner to confirm this qualified and capable leader for the National Cemetery Administration. That position is responsible for carrying out our nation’s most solemn responsibility, burying our veterans.”
Cory Booker slams Dem colleagues for ‘complicity’ with Trump in angry ‘wake-up call’ floor speech
Democrat New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker blasted his fellow Democrats for being complicit with President Donald Trump’s actions during a testy objection to a package of new police legislation voted on by the Senate earlier today. Booker accused his fellow Democrat senators of aligning themselves with Trump because they are in favor of passing legislation, which, void of amendments Booker just began pushing, still allows the president to pick winners and losers in terms of who receives the benefits, he says. “This to me is the problem with Democrats in America right now,” Booker complained while objecting to the package of pro-police bills. Booker’s objection to the bill, which he says boosts Trump’s use of federal funding as leverage to get jurisdictions and entities to change their behavior, comes as the president has threatened to repeal funding and resources from cities and other jurisdictions that push sanctuary city policies, fail to adequately address homelessness, or refuse compliance with other federal directives. “The Democratic Party needs a wake up call. I see law firms bending a knee to this president… I see universities that should be bastions of free speech bending at the knee to this president… I see businesses taking late-night talk show hosts off the air because they dare to insult a president. I see people who want mergers suddenly think they need to pay tribute to this president,” Booker complained from the Senate floor. “And what are the very people here elected to defend the constitution of the United States saying?” he asked. “‘Oh well, today let’s look the other way and pass some resources that won’t go to Connecticut, that won’t go to Illinois, that won’t go to New York, that will go to the states [Trump] likes.’” ‘PROFOUND COWARDICE’: BOOKER SLAMS WALTZ FOR ‘FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP,’ SIGNALGATE ACCOUNTABILITY “That is complicity with an authoritarian leader who is trashing our country,” Booker argued to his fellow Democrats. “It is time for Democrats to have a backbone. It’s time for us to fight. It’s time for us to draw a line, and when it comes to the safety of my state being denied these grants, that’s why I’m standing here.” Booker’s objection stemmed from a call from Democrats to pass a package of law enforcement-related bills aimed at boosting resources for police, including resources to help shore up death benefits for police officers lost in the line of duty, resources for greater mental health support for officers, resources to address child exploitation, and more. The bills, which eventually passed Tuesday, were discussed and approved in committee before reaching the Senate floor. BOOKER CONCLUDES RECORD 25-HOUR SPEECH AGAINST TRUMP, MUSK, MARKING THE LONGEST EVER ON THE SENATE FLOOR Democrat leaders, including Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Mass., urged passage of the legislative package amid Booker’s objection, noting it went through the proper bipartisan procedure and obtained bipartisan support. “We have committees for a reason, and we have hearings for a reason,” Klobuchar said in response to Booker’s objections. She added that “we need to have [law enforcement’s] backs and that is what this package of bills does.” Cortez-Masto noted that the bills, which she helped sponsor and bring to the floor for a full vote, slammed Booker for attempting to tank a package of bills deemed critical by both parties. “I don’t need lectures about the urgency of this,” Booker shot back in response to his party colleagues’ criticism. “I am tired of when the president of the United States violates the constitution, trashes our norms and traditions, and what does the Democratic Party do? Comply? Allow him? Beg for scraps? No! I demand justice!” “NOT ON MY WATCH!” Booker added during his objection, while also urging Democrats to be more cohesive in their fight against Trump. “If we don’t stand as Democrats we deserve to lose.” BOOKER WON’T ACCEPT MONEY FROM ELON MUSK FOR CAMPAIGN, BUT URGES HIM TO ‘SOUND THE ALARM’ ON TRUMP-BACKED BILL Booker’s criticism of his fellow Democratic Party members lays bare Democrats’ intra-party fighting between the more radical wing of the party and the more moderate wing. The New Jersey senator’s criticism also comes as the party is seeking to find the best strategy forward following big GOP gains during the 2024 election. Former President Barack Obama spoke about the matter at a party fundraiser earlier this month, reportedly telling leaders of the party and major donors to “stop looking for a quick fix” and start supporting candidates who can really win and produce results. As an example, the former president pointed particularly at the upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Later this year, Virginia will face a major gubernatorial battle between incumbent GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former long-time Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. In New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was reportedly in attendance at the fundraiser Obama spoke at, is running for her state’s open gubernatorial seat against GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli. “The most important thing you can do right now is to help the team, our candidate, to win,” Obama told attendees at the fundraiser.
FLASHBACK: Zohran Mamdani pledged to ‘disband’ key police unit that handles mass shootings
As New York City reels from a deadly mass shooting in midtown Manhattan that killed four, including an NYPD officer, the Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani is getting renewed attention for a recent pledge to eliminate a key police department responsible for riots, civil disorder and shootings. Mamdani, who is currently in Uganda celebrating his wedding, has previously called to defund the police, though as a mayoral candidate, he has taken a much more subdued tone regarding policing. However, while already a candidate for mayor, Mamdani pledged on X in December 2024 to “disband” the New York Police Department’s Strategic Response Group (SRG). The SRG is one of the NYPD’s special operations units, which, according to the force’s official website, specializes in disorder response, crime suppression and crowd control and “responds to citywide mobilizations, civil disorders, and major events with highly trained personnel and specialized equipment.” MAMDANI’S PAST ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ STANCE RESURFACES AFTER DEADLY MANHATTAN SHOOTING The website also says that SRG personnel are “also deployed to areas requiring an increased police presence due to increased crime or other conditions” and “mobilizes for shootings, bank robberies, missing persons, demonstrations, or other significant incidents.” In December, Mamdani claimed that the NYPD had deployed the SRG to “harass + arrest striking @teamsters.” Mamdani pledged: “As Mayor, I will disband the SRG, which has cost taxpayers millions in lawsuit settlements + brutalized countless New Yorkers exercising their first amendment rights.” In response to the shooting, Mamdani has said, “I’m heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in midtown and I am holding the victims, their families, and the NYPD officer in critical condition in my thoughts.” HERO COPS AND GOD SAVED LIVES AFTER THE SHOOTER OPENED FIRE, ERIC ADAMS SAYS He also noted he is “grateful for all of our first responders on the ground.” On Monday, a lone gunman, later identified as Shane Tamura, walked into a midtown Manhattan office building and opened fire, killing four people before turning the gun on himself. The four people killed in the shooting were identified as NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, security guard Aland Etienne and Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the gunman reportedly had a grievance with the NFL, blaming the sport of football for apparent issues with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a side effect from repeated hits to the head. PHOTO SHOWS HOW EMPLOYEES BARRICADED DURING NYC SHOOTING In response to the tragedy, Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, announced Tuesday that “as a mark of respect for the memory of NYPD Officer Didarul Islam who died in the line of duty and the multiple victims of the mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan at 345 Park Avenue yesterday, I’ve ordered all flags on all city buildings and stationary flagstaffs throughout the five boroughs to be lowered to half-staff until further notice.” “Officer Didarul Islam died as he lived, a hero and protector of New York City. We will never forget you,” Adams wrote in another post on X. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Illegal who conspired to bludgeon teen to death with baseball bat among latest ICE roundups
An illegal alien convicted of a conspiracy to murder a teenager using a baseball bat in the Philadelphia area is among some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegals arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country in recent weeks, according to the agency. A statement by ICE says that Bou Khathavong, an illegal alien and dual citizen of Laos and Thailand, was arrested on July 25 by officials from ICE Philadelphia. According to ICE, Khathavong has previously been convicted of conspiracy to murder a teenager with a baseball bat in in Pennnsylvania. Another statement by the Department of Homeland Security released on Tuesday highlighted other “worst of the worst” illegal aliens arrested in recent weeks, including several pedophiles, drug traffickers and individuals convicted of cruelty and neglect of a child and involvement in a hit-and-run that resulted in death. DHS said illegal alien Santiago Geovany Garcia-Rosales, a 35-year-old from Guatemala, was convicted of failure to stop and render aid involving a death in Harris County, Texas. He was arrested by ICE Houston on July 28, according to ICE. ICE IN HOUSTON RELEASES NEW DETAILS ABOUT ARRESTED ILLEGAL CHILD SEX OFFENDERS ICE also arrested Hector Bonaparte-Contreras, a 42-year-old criminal illegal alien from from Mexico, on July 24. Bonaparte-Contreras was convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault on a child less than 13 years old in Chicago. Another alien, Julio Armando Gomez-Fernandez, was arrested by ICE on July 27 in Dallas. Also an illegal from Mexico, Gomez-Fernandez was previously convicted in Colorado of meth possession with intent to distribute as well as unlawful re-entry. Manuel Loja, a criminal alien and sex offender from Ecuador, was arrested by ICE Newark on July 24. Loja has been convicted of cruelty and neglect of children in New Jersey. DANGER REMAINS, DESPITE TRUMP SECURING BORDER: AZ REPUBLICANS DHS pointed out in its release that 70% of ICE arrests include illegal aliens with either criminal convictions or pending charges. The statement said that “under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is delivering on its promise to prioritize the American people over illegal aliens and criminal protection policies, removing these public safety threats from American communities.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also commented on the arrests, blaming the Biden administration for having “allowed dangerous criminals to pour into our country.” ALLEGED ‘SERIAL CRIMINAL’ NABBED IN MICHIGAN TRAFFIC BUST AFTER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RELEASED HIM INTO US CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “President Trump and Secretary Noem unleashed ICE to arrest these criminal illegal aliens,” said McLaughlin, adding, “From pedophiles to drug traffickers, ICE is prioritizing arresting the worst of the worst. We will not allow criminal illegals to terrorize American communities.”
Trump’s CDC pick confirmed—but her pro-vaccine stance may clash with RFK Jr.’s agenda
The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after his first choice struggled to gain support. Susan Monarez, a longtime fixture in Washington who has taken on leadership positions in a number of government public health roles, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, crossing yet another position off the lengthy and growing number of nominees awaiting confirmation. Monarez was confirmed on a 51 to 47 party line vote. SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP PICK TO LEAD INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Across her roughly two-decade career in D.C., she has served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health within the Department of Health and Human Services and in roles at the White House, including at the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council. She is the first CDC director to undergo the Senate confirmation process after a new law changed the requirement in 2023. Prior to her confirmation, Monarez had served as the acting director of the CDC since the beginning of this year. But Monarez, who has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology, was not Trump’s first pick to lead the public health agency, which is tasked with protecting Americans from public health threats. KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUTS PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERS Trump tapped Monarez in March shortly after withdrawing his nomination of Dr. David Weldon, a former House member, after it was clear that he couldn’t get enough votes from Senate Republicans to make it across the finish line. He lauded Monarez’s credentials, and charged that Americans had “lost confidence” in the CDC. “Dr. Monarez will work closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr,” he said on social media at the time. “Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!” But questions also linger on how well Monarez and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. might work together. During her confirmation hearing last month, Senate Democrats grilled Monarez over whether she agreed with Kennedy’s positions on vaccines. Kennedy has long been outspoken about his skepticism regarding vaccines, particularly COVID-19 vaccines. ‘ALL THE OPTIONS’: GOP EYES CUTTING AUGUST RECESS TO MOVE DOZENS OF TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY DEMS The CDC has been hit with thousands of staff cuts and resignations and subject to changes in vaccine policy — notably Kennedy’s decision to remove the COVID-19 from the vaccine schedule for pregnant women and healthy children — in the last six months. “I think vaccines save lives. I think that we need to continue to support the promotion of utilization of vaccines,” Monarez said during her confirmation hearing. Her confirmation also comes as Kennedy, in his budget request for the HHS, seeks a slash in funding to the CDC of nearly 50%, or from about $9.2 billion to $4.2 billion, for the upcoming fiscal year. But Kennedy made clear in an X post at the time of her nomination that he supports Monarez to take on the position. “I handpicked Susan for this job because she is a longtime champion of MAHA values, and a caring, compassionate and brilliant microbiologist and a tech wizard who will reorient CDC toward public health and gold-standard science,” he said. “I’m so grateful to President Trump for making this appointment.” And an HHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Once Dr. Monarez is confirmed, the Secretary looks forward to working with her to advance common-sense policies that will Make America Healthy Again.”
Fox News Poll: Voters support a third political party, but not if it’s Elon Musk’s
Elon Musk’s talk of a third political party is an idea supported by more than half of voters in the latest Fox News national survey – as long as that party isn’t linked to the billionaire. By an 11-point margin, more voters think it is a good idea rather than a bad one for there to be a third major party (53% vs. 42%). That’s down from a 27-point spread in 2010, the most recent time Fox asked the question. Independents – by a 44-point margin and Democrats – by 20 points say a third party is a good idea while Republicans think it’s a bad one by 9 points. FOX NEWS POLL: SUPPORT FOR DEPORTATION DEPENDS ON WHO IS BEING TARGETED The decline from 2010 is mostly because of a 22-point shift among Republicans, who were 13 points more likely to say it was a good idea (50%) than a bad one (37%) 15 years ago. “In 2010, anger and disappointment with both parties among some Republicans and independents fueled the tea party movement,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct the Fox News survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. “This time around the disappointment and anger is coming from the Democrats.” Voters draw the line, however, at a third party led by Musk. Most, 75%, say they are “not very” or “not at all” open to supporting a party created by the billionaire, while 22% say they are “extremely” or “very” open to it. Those most likely to back a Musk political party are men (31% extremely/very open), especially Republican men (41%), men under age 45 (38%), and White men without a college degree (36%). Independents (32% extremely/very open) and Republicans (31%) are roughly 20 points more likely than Democrats (11%) to support a Musk-run party. FOX NEWS POLL: THE GOP IS SEEN AS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A CLEAR PLAN FOR THE COUNTRY Some support for a third major party comes from voter dissatisfaction with both major parties, as 64% think the Democratic Party lacks a clear plan for dealing with the problems facing the country and 54% say the same about the GOP. The survey also asks voters to respond to a series of agree-disagree statements about third parties and finds they are equally likely to view them positively as negatively. For example, 6 in 10 voters agree third parties are desperately needed because the Democratic and Republican parties are failing to address voter concerns (61% agree), while another 6 in 10 think third-party candidates are just spoilers that distract from the two major parties (59%). Democrats (59% agree) and Republicans (66%) are more likely to agree third-party candidates are spoilers while independents feel the opposite (60% disagree). Majorities of independents (76% agree) and Democrats (67%) are in alignment on needing a new party, whereas Republicans are split (49% agree third parties are needed, 50% do not). About 4 voters in 10 feel third-party candidates tend to be less qualified than those from the two major parties (54% disagree). More Republicans (51% agree) than Democrats (41%) and independents (33%) think a third party is not suitable to run. Voters are more decisive when asked if the U.S. political system is rigged against third parties as 70% feel it is, including most Democrats (73%), Republicans (66%), and independents (76%). “The survey shows the dilemma for third parties in the U.S.,” says Shaw. “Voters want another choice, but don’t particularly like the options they’ve seen and are reluctant to back candidates they think are doomed.” CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted July 18-21, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,000 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (114) and cellphones (636) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (250). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.
Democrat policies paved way for brutal Cincinnati attack, say Ohio Republicans: ‘Fear and chaos’
Republican members of Ohio’s congressional delegation say Democratic policies created societal conditions that led to a violent beating in downtown Cincinnati that went viral online. “Name one major city in America where you’d feel safe letting your kids walk alone. You can’t, and that should alarm every one of us,” Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “For too long, we’ve accepted fear and chaos as normal while left-wing politicians push sanctuary cities, slash police funding, and let violent criminals and the mentally ill roam the streets. This isn’t compassion. It’s failure.” Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called for Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval’s resignation over the incident. CINCINNATI MAYORAL CANDIDATE, VP VANCE’S HALF-BROTHER, SLAMS CITY LEADERSHIP AFTER BRUTAL BEATDOWN “It’s a heinous attack. The mayor of Cincinnati is a disgrace,” Moreno said. When asked what could be done to stop such incidents, he said, “Have the mayor resign. Have a congressman that actually cares about his district, and fund the police in Cincinnati.” Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for comment, as well as the office of Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, whose congressional district includes Cincinnati. It comes after a video lit up social media over the weekend that appeared to show a mob of people violently attacking one man, and a woman who tried to help him. CINCINNATI POLICE CHIEF SAYS OUT OF 100 PEOPLE WATCHING AND RECORDING VIOLENT ATTACK, ONLY 1 CALLED 911 Pureval issued a statement condemning the “vicious fight” and pledging that arrests were “forthcoming.” Fox 19 Cincinnati reported Monday that five people had been charged. But Rulli and Moreno are two of the latest Republican officials from Ohio to comment on the beating that took place on Saturday. Vice President JD Vance, who served in the Senate before being elected to the White House with President Donald Trump, said Monday that Moreno showed him a video of the violence. “It’s disgusting. I hope every single one of those people who engaged in violence is prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Vance said during an event in Canton, Ohio. “When you have a grown man sucker-punching a middle-aged woman, that person ought to go to jail for a very long time. And frankly, he is lucky there weren’t some better people around because they would handle it themselves… We’ve had way too much lawlessness on the streets of great American cities.” The details of what started the fight, and who initiated the aggression, are still unclear.
Republican congressman kicked by horse, breaks rib during farm accident
A Tennessee congressman is recovering after he was “accidentally” kicked by a horse over the weekend, breaking one of his ribs. Sources said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., is feeling “fine now,” and there will not be any changes to his schedule. “While working on his farm over the weekend, Congressman Burchett was accidently kicked by a horse,” according to a statement from spokesperson Will Garrett. “He suffered a broken rib and bruising but hasn’t missed a beat.” THE ‘TOUGH COOKIES’ OF BUTLER, PA., REMAIN UNITED, HOPEFUL ONE YEAR AFTER TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING Burchett told Fox News correspondent Chad Pergram that a horsefly landed on his horse’s tail, causing it to get spooked. The horse kicked Burchett in the chest “with both hooves,” leaving him with a unique battle scar. SUSPECT SHOOTS TROOPER, OPENS FIRE AT KENTUCKY CHURCH, LEAVING MULTIPLE PEOPLE INJURED “It’s a cool mark,” Burchett told Pergram. “I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a tattoo.” While the congressman made light of the situation, he added the doctor told him he was “lucky,” because it would have been a problem had the blow “been an inch-and-a-half higher.” The 60-year-old previously served as mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Burchett spoke in Maury County, Tennessee, on Monday night and has a full slate of district events throughout the week. Burchett’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Why Zelenskyy tried to curb autonomy of Ukraine’s anticorruption agencies?
Kyiv, Ukraine – Last week, hundreds of Ukrainians rallied in several cities to protest the government’s attempt to curb the independence of anticorruption watchdogs. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 22 signed a bill into law, which would revoke the autonomy of key agencies – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The rare protest in the war-torn country forced the Ukrainian president to introduce a new draft bill to restore the independence of NABU and SAPO, which have been established to investigate high-level corruption and are widely seen as a symbol of democratic reforms. So, why did Zelenskyy try to curb powers of the anticorruption agencies, and will his action dent public trust in the government crucial at a time of war against Russia? Ukrainians protest near the presidential office in Kyiv against a new law seen as undermining the independence of anticorruption institutions, amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine [Thomas Peter/Reuters] Why are Ukrainians protesting? The nationwide protests erupted in the wake of the July 22 vote in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s lower house of parliament, to approve the bill that allows the prosecutor general to oversee the two anticorruption agencies. The prosecutor general is appointed by the president and approved by the Verkhovna Rada, where Zelenskyy’s Public Servant party holds a majority. It was seen as an attempt by the government to control the two agencies, which were created in the wake of the 2013-14 pro-democracy Euromaidan protests. Many believe it’s a setback from the years of reforms following the removal of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Advertisement The protesters held banners with slogans reading “Sham!” “Don’t make a step back, there’s an abyss there,” and “Corruption applauds” the new bill. The rallies took place in Kyiv as well as in large cities such as the Black Sea port of Odesa and Lviv, known as Ukraine’s cultural capital. NABU has been probing a string of senior officials and lawmakers, including those within Zelenskyy’s Public Servant party. Oleksiy, who enlisted to join the army in 2022, wonders why he should keep fighting on the front lines of eastern Ukraine while officials engage in corruption. “What’s the point if I go back home and my family is surrounded by corruption everywhere,” the 42-year-old construction manager told Al Jazeera. “Judges, officials, even school teachers all say, ‘Give, give, give,’” he said, asking to withhold his last name and details of his military service, in accordance with the wartime protocol. Oleksiy, who is on a break from his service to visit his two children and ailing mother, took part in the largest antigovernment rallies in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Why Zelenskyy backed the bill? The new law envisaged executive control over NABU and SAPO as the prosecutor general’s office could access their information, give them binding directives, transfer cases and close down investigations. The bill “could finally destroy the independence of the anticorruption system in Ukraine”, NABU said. Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said the new law “risks weakening Ukraine’s democratic foundations and its future integration with Europe”. She called for the repeal of the law. Zelenskyy, a former comedian and political rookie who came to power in 2019 on an anticorruption ticket, defended the law, claiming that the NABU and SAPO have to “get rid of Russian influence”. His allegation followed the arrest of two NABU staffers suspected of working for Russian intelligence, and charges against outspoken anticorruption campaigner Vitaly Shabunin. Shabunin was accused of “evading military service”, but his supporters called the charges trumped-up, and almost 60 anticorruption and nongovernmental groups signed a joint appeal in his defence. People rally in Kyiv against the implementation of the draft law that regulates the work of s Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the National; Anti-Corruption Bureau [Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu] A Kyiv-based political analyst says there are two popular theories about why Zelenskyy initiated the bill. Advertisement “One is that NABU allegedly closed in on Zelenskyy’s inner circle,” Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta think tank, told Al Jazeera. NABU accused Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, Zelenskyy’s closest ally and lifelong friend, of taking kickbacks worth $346,000 from a real estate developer in a deal that cost the government $24m. Zelenskyy’s press office didn’t reply to Al Jazeera’s phone calls and text messages. “Or this is an attempt to control NABU’s actions in order not to overtly politicise them, not to provoke domestic political wars during the war with Russia,” Fesenko said. “But I think it has to do with the activisation of the NABU on political issues that may have caused suspicion in Zelenskyy’s inner circle. That it wasn’t a fight against corruption but more of a political attack on Zelenskyy,” he said. The protests, an anticorruption expert told Al Jazeera, have weakened Zelenskyy’s support within domestic political circles. “There was a belief in his high and stable rating,” Tetiana Shevchuk from the Anti-Corruption Action Center, a Kyiv-based group, said. But “he no longer can demand anything from the parliament,” she said. Zelenskyy is afraid of NABU as the only law enforcement agency that won’t open or close an investigation following a phone call from his administration, she said, referring to the centralisation of power under him. “NABU is the only body that doesn’t do that,” Shevchuk said. Fesenko from the Penta think tank says the politicians “underestimated” the bill’s “negative consequences”. They “didn’t think the public response would be that harsh”. Zelenskyy has promised to submit the new bill – a move applauded by the country’s top anti-corruption investigator. Semen Kryvonos, director of NABU, however, said that corrupt actors will step up a “dirty information campaign” against the anti-graft agencies. Meanwhile, protest leaders say they would stop rallies only after the bill has been passed – tentatively, later this week. Since the 2014 pro-democracy revolution or Revolution of Dignity, attempts have been made to root out endemic corruption. Many bureaucratic procedures have been simplified