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Biden confidant under fire for Nazi tattoo defense in latest Graham Platner fallout: ‘Disgusting’

Biden confidant under fire for Nazi tattoo defense in latest Graham Platner fallout: ‘Disgusting’

Former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff, Ron Klain, is facing fierce pushback online after jumping into the growing controversy surrounding Maine Senate Democratic nominee Graham Platner’s Nazi-linked tattoo, attempting to defend and explain away the Democrat’s disputed ink. “The fact that a Biden WH Chief of Staff Democrat is comfortable downplaying a Nazi tattoo from a different Democrat tells you everything you need to know about today’s Democrats,” posted Prager University contributor Shabbos Kestenbaum. Klain sparked a fight with the Republican Jewish Coalition Wednesday when he defended Platner on the group’s Instagram post condemning the candidate and calling on Democrats to withdraw their support. Platner has denied the tattoo was intended as a Nazi symbol, even as multiple people familiar with the candidate have identified it as an SS skull-and-crossbones design, which he has since covered. “This is just a partisan attack,” Klain wrote. “The tattoo was a skull and crossbones to remember his fallen comrades from his service in Afghanistan.” GRAHAM PLATNER BLAMES NAZI TATTOO ON MILITARY ‘CULTURE,’ DRAWS BACKLASH FROM GOP VETERANS Klain served as Biden’s chief of staff from 2021 to 2023, before becoming Airbnb’s chief legal officer. He was appointed to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by Biden in January 2025 before President Donald Trump removed him nearly four months later. The United States Holocaust Memorial Council is the presidentially appointed board that oversees the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The exchange ignited a firestorm on social media, where critics argued Klain’s defense reflected a broader unwillingness among Democrats to distance themselves from Platner amid the growing controversy. “Here’s former Biden WH Chief of Staff, and @Airbnb Chief Legal Officer, Ron Klain whitewashing Graham Platner’s Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo. This, after hosting a fundraiser for Platner last week. As a former United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council @HolocaustMuseum member, Klain absolutely knows better,” RJC posted to X of the exchange.  WATCH: DEM SENATORS EXCUSE PLATNER’S CONDUCT AT CRISIS HUDDLE WITH EMBATTLED MAINE CANDIDATE “This is a disgusting lie from Ron Klain and @Airbnb should be deeply concerned someone this dishonest is working for the company in a sensitive role,” posted Hudson Institute adjunct fellow Josh Block. “What has become of us when prominent Jews defend Nazi sympathizers? I am disgusted. Ex-Biden chief Ron Klain defends Graham Platner’s Nazi tattoo,” wrote former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. “It was NOT to honor his fallen comrades, which is wildly manipulative lie,” wrote Republican communicator Matt Whitlock on X. SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT “You do not have to debase yourself for Platner. Pick your values over partisanship. Focus on other elections. This man is not worth your self-respect,” wrote columnist Alex Zeldin. “Worse: The highest-ranking elected Jewish official in the U.S., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, still endorses Platner and has refused to revoke his support,” wrote Antisemitism Watch founder Trish Posner. Several of Platner’s ex-girlfriends have alleged the embattled nominee referred to his tattoo as “my Totenkopf” because of his belief that his unit shared similarities to the Nazi SS paramilitary forces. During his victory speech Tuesday, Platner acknowledged the controversy that has followed him while on the campaign trail. “Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It’s a journey. I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from and I’m still far from perfect,” said Platner. “But every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder than I was the day before and if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.” A string of controversies have followed Platner as he eyes to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. In the heat of the primary race, Reddit posts surfaced detailing his past inflammatory comments, while he was also accused of physical misconduct, including aggressive behavior, with a former romantic partner. Platner denied those accusations. Fox News Digital reached out to Ron Klain, Airbnb and Graham Platner for comment.

‘Flip flop’: Democrat firefighter in tight House race blasts popular Trump policy his national union supports

‘Flip flop’: Democrat firefighter in tight House race blasts popular Trump policy his national union supports

A swing-district Democrat disparaged Trump’s landmark overtime tax break despite his national firefighters union’s support, prompting his GOP opponent to accuse him of a “flip flop.” Nazareth, Pennsylvania’s Bob Brooks — running against Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., in a toss-up seat — is the president of the commonwealth’s firefighters union, setting up an apparent discrepancy with the national council, though the Democrat’s campaign says his concerns about the cuts are more nuanced and that it is the Republican who is harming first responders on the issue. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) provides a maximum annual deduction of $12,500 on qualified overtime compensation, phasing out after $150,000 of gross income or $300,000 for joint filers, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Brooks, president of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association — which is a subsidiary of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) — criticized the OBBB’s provisions during an appearance on the progressive “Meidas Touch” podcast in May. “Donald Trump just did it here [in Pennsylvania]. He was up at the [Mount Airy] casino. But literally, he brought a guy up on stage and claimed he was a fireman and profiting from the no-tax-on-overtime, which 90 percent of our guys didn’t get the benefit from anyways, but the guy wasn’t a paid fireman,” Brooks said, referring to a Stroudsburg-area first responder whom Trump introduced at a Mount Pocono rally in December. FIREFIGHTERS UNION BOSS WINS HOTLY-CONTESTED DEM PRIMARY IN A KEY PENNSYLVANIA SWING DISTRICT “I just don’t understand how they keep spewing the garbage,” added Brooks, a former Bethlehem firefighter of many years who notably served in top union roles. The man Trump introduced was indeed a volunteer firefighter but also a paid police officer in Monroe County who would therefore qualify for the no tax on overtime provision in his other first responder role. Conversely, the IAFF came out in support of Republicans’ tax policies that included the elimination of levies on qualified overtime pay. “Firefighters and emergency medical workers shouldn’t be penalized for choosing a career in public service,” IAFF president Edward Kelly previously told the New York Post. Kelly called the new overtime rule a “needed fix” for his 350,000 members whose jobs demand “long hours.” REPUBLICANS RIP 4 BLUE STATES FOR KEEPING TAXES ON TIPS, OVERTIME AFTER TRUMP REPRIEVE “President Trump respects the contributions lAFF members make to our country and recognizes the importance of ensuring these brave men and women can keep more of their hard-earned money,” Kelly told the paper. Meanwhile, the Fraternal Order of Police also wrote an April letter to Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, expressing support for House legislation ending taxes on overtime, noting it positively affects law enforcement officers nationwide. In response, a spokesperson for Brooks said the Democrat “ran into burning buildings for 20 years [and] knows what hard work is, and he knows that first responders deserve to keep more of their hard-earned money.” The spokesperson said Brooks does support “no tax on overtime” and “no tax on tips,” saying that instead it is Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa.; his opponent; who doesn’t understand the issue. “Ryan Mackenzie is a life-long politician who wouldn’t know a hard day’s work if it hit him in the face,” Brooks’ spokesperson said. A source familiar with the matter said that, despite the IAFF’s endorsement of Trump’s policy, Brooks’ comments to Meidas Touch reflect how some firefighters do not qualify for the benefit, adding that Brooks supports fixing that discrepancy. They added that Brooks would however not actually support any effort to repeal such no-tax-on-overtime benefits. In a statement on his website about rural Carbon County being hurt by Washington policies, Brooks said that he would “work to repeal” the OBBB to restore higher SNAP funding, which also included the overtime policy. The source also accused Mackenzie of voting to cut funding for first responder support through Community Project Funding Grants (CFP) – a contention Mackenzie’s camp denies. NRCC LAUNCHES AD CAMPAIGN TARGETING DOZENS OF VULNERABLE DEMS WHO VOTED AGAINST KEY TRUMP PROPOSAL The grants plan preceded Mackenzie’s entering office in 2025, and there was later bipartisan agreement to forgo the spending bill that included the grants in favor of a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded rather than adopt a new framework. The Republican voted in favor of it along with several Democrats. “No CPF funding was allocated in FY 2025 as a result of the decision by congressional leaders on both sides to support a clean, bipartisan continuing resolution,” Mackenzie said in a statement, noting that Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., supported the same CR. “Bob Brooks is a proven conman who was found by a court to have stolen over $100,000 from his own family,” Mackenzie said in response to the attacks. “His latest flip-flop proves once again that this fraudster is only in it for himself.” “Instead of standing with firefighters and the over 29 million Americans who saw record refunds from tax relief on overtime, Bob Brooks supported repealing these tax cuts and advocating for massive tax increases on everyone. Now he is now trying to trick voters by changing his unpopular position and thinking no one will notice. The House Republicans’ campaign arm told Fox News Digital that voters can proverbially see the truth through the controversy. “Bernie Bro Bob Brooks’ radical high-tax agenda would devastate working-class Pennsylvanians. Voters know Brooks wants them to keep less of their hard-earned money.” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Reilly Richardson said. Brooks’ website indicated the IAFF has also endorsed Brooks — who enjoys support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Fox News Digital reached out to IAFF for comment.

Trailer: Israel’s Darkest Weapon | Al Jazeera Originals

Trailer: Israel’s Darkest Weapon | Al Jazeera Originals

Israel is the only state to have legalised torture through a ruling by its own Supreme Court. An expert who has documented these violations since 1983 says, “What the world knows today is less than 5% of what has actually occurred.” In Bodies of Evidence, an Al Jazeera original investigative documentary, we examine the use of sexual violence, torture, and degradation against Palestinian detainees, practices that rights groups and experts say have been systematically employed by Israeli military, intelligence, and prison authorities for decades. Contributors to the documentary include Francesca Albanese, Raji Sourani, Kifaya, Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Ben Marmarelli, Judge Cuno Tarfusser, and survivors whose identities are protected. Published On 11 Jun 202611 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

Firefighters on scene at Pentagon during ‘hazardous materials incident’

Firefighters on scene at Pentagon during ‘hazardous materials incident’

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Department of Defense spokesman says ‘shelter-in-place order’ given after air quality issue detected. Published On 11 Jun 202611 Jun 2026 Firefighters are investigating a hazardous materials incident at the Pentagon, the sprawling facility that houses the US Department of Defense, according to authorities. In a statement on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the “department is executing standard protection ⁠protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area”. “The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,” Parnell said. “Those systems have detected an air quality ⁠issue necessitating precautionary measures ⁠until we determine its significance.” In a post on X Arlington County fire and rescue said its “units, including our Hazardous Materials Team, are currently operating at the Pentagon in support of PFPA’s Hazmat Team during a hazardous materials incident”. Further details were not immediately available. The 600,000 square meter Pentagon is the world’s largest low-rise office building. Nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel work at the facility each day. More to come… Adblock test (Why?)