Mitt Romney names who he thinks will be the GOP’s 2028 presidential nominee
Outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said that he thinks Vice President-elect JD Vance will become the GOP’s 2028 presidential nominee, describing Vance as “smart” and “well-spoken.” President-elect Donald Trump tapped Vance to serve as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election, and the two trounced the Democratic ticket, consisting of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Romney, who made the comments on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said the GOP “has become the party of the working-class, middle-class voter,” adding that Trump should be given credit. TRUMP FOE MITT ROMNEY RESISTS ENDORSING HARRIS The senator suggested that movements to defund the police and allow biological males in female sports led to some middle class flight from the Democratic Party, which he said is “in trouble.” “I don’t know how they recover,” he said. “They’ve lost their base,” he said, noting that union workers have departed the Democratic Party and voted for the GOP. “And the Democratic Party is seen not as rich people, but as college professors and woke scolds,” he said. While interviewing Romney, CNN’s Jake Tapper said “Trump has made it clear that he wants to go after his political opponents,” and asked Romney whether he is worried that he or his family could be targeted “for retribution.” MITT ROMNEY DEFENDS TRUMP’S BORDER SECURITY POLICY, SLAMS BIDEN IN HEATED EXCHANGE WITH MSNBC HOST Romney indicated that he is not worried and that he thinks Trump will likely seek to “focus on the future.” Romney served as a senator since 2019, but opted not to seek another term. He was previously the GOP’s 2012 presidential nominee, but lost that election to incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama. Romney also previously served as governor of Massachusetts. ROMNEY ANNOUNCES HE WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2024, BASHES TRUMP AND BIDEN When Tapper asked Romney how he would like to be remembered in history, the senator said he does not “think history will remember Mitt Romney.” “What I want is my family to remember me,” he noted.
Harris tells DNC staffers after devastating layoffs, ‘our spirit will not be defeated’
Vice President Kamala Harris tried to encourage Democratic staffers facing layoffs from the DNC on Sunday, telling them that their “spirit will not be defeated.” Harris made the comments during the DNC’s holiday celebration in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. She spoke alongside President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the event, which played host to staffers who were let go from the DNC without severance packages after the election. “This holiday season, like any time of the year, let us really be conscious of all the blessings we have. Let us celebrate the blessings we have; let us celebrate and advance the blessings we have yet to create,” Harris said. “And let us always remember our country is worth fighting for, and our spirit will not be defeated.” “And hear me when I say this, that spirit that fuels the countless hours and days and months of work that you have put into this, that spirit. It can never be defeated. Our spirit is not defeated. We are not defeated. Let’s be clear about that. We are strong. We are clear about why we are in this. And because you’re here right now. I say again, thank you. Because not only are you clear about all of that, you’re willing to put in the hard work and that work must continue,” she said. ELIZABETH WARREN SAYS KILLING OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO WAS A WARNING: ‘YOU CAN ONLY PUSH PEOPLE SO FAR’ Biden took the stage after Harris and defended the pair’s legacy as they prepare to leave office. He argued that the country is in a “resoundingly” better position today than when he and Harris entered the White House. “The one thing I’ve always believed about public service, and especially about the presidency, is the importance of asking yourself, have we left the country in better shape than we found it? Today, I can say with every fiber of my being, of all my heart, the answer to that question is a resounding yes,” he said. WHO ELSE IS MULLING A BID TO STEER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY He went on to encourage staffers to “stay engaged” in the years ahead. “You’re not going anywhere, kid,” Biden said of Harris. “Because we’re not gonna let you.” Some DNC staffers had expressed frustration at the post-election layoffs, which are relatively common in Washington, D.C. The DNC union objected to the lack of severance packages and other benefits when the layoffs were announced in late November. TRUMP VICTORY PROVES IMPORTANCE OF CANDID, LONGFORM PODCASTS AS PLATFORM SHOWED ‘HUMAN SIDE’ OF ONE CANDIDATE “We find it very cruel that DNC management is trying to claim that layoffs are just part of the job,” a DNC union member told Mother Jones. “And we feel strongly that losing an election has not absolved the organization of its responsibility to treat its workers with basic dignity.” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison does not plan to seek re-election to his post, leaving a pool of would-be leaders to vie for the top position. The next chair will be chosen by the roughly 450 voting members of the national party committee when they meet at the beginning of February at National Harbor in Maryland for the DNC’s winter meeting. The long list of candidates seeking to replace Harrison includes former Chicago mayor and current U.S. ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, as well as Martin O’Malley, the former two-term Maryland governor. Ben Wikler, who has led the Democratic Party in Wisconsin for five years, has also thrown his hat in the ring.
Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz collapses on stage during speech at New York Young Republican Club gala
An adviser to President-elect Trump’s campaign, Alex Bruesewitz, passed out and collapsed as he was speaking onstage during a New York Young Republican Club gala Sunday night. Bruesewitz, 27, was introducing incoming White House senior aide Dan Scavino inside a venue in Manhattan when he began stumbling over his words and fainted, video on social media shows. Several people quickly rushed to his aid after his collapse. It was not immediately clear what caused him to faint. Master of ceremonies Raheem Kassam, also a former aide of British conservative politician Nigel Farage, later assured the audience that Bruesewitz was doing fine backstage and that he even asked if he “look[ed] cool” when he fainted. TRUMP TAPS RIC GRENELL AS PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR SPECIAL MISSIONS, EDWARD S. WALSH AS IRELAND AMBASSADOR “I talked to our friend Alex Bruesewitz and you know what he said to me? He goes ‘Did I at least look cool?’ I said Alex, you used gravity like I’ve seen nobody use gravity before in their lives,” Kassam said. “But he’s recuperating back there, so give him a big cheer so he’ll hear you.” Trump also said following the collapse that he believes Bruesewitz will be fine, according to the New York Post. “I know that Alex is going to be fine because he’s a tough son of a gun,” Trump said. “There’s no doubt about that. So I want to say hello to Alex, because he’s a very special guy.” Bruesewitz is the CEO of consultancy firm X Strategies LLC, which states its mission to help elect “America First” candidates. Its website says he is “a prominent political consultant and strategist known for his unwavering support of President Donald Trump and the America First agenda.” The website adds that Bruesewitz “has been the driving force behind the efforts to defeat Republicans who fight against Trump and the MAGA movement and works to replace them with Republicans who fight for the values we hold dear.” DC RESTAURANT SERVER FIRED AFTER COMMENTS ABOUT REFUSING SERVICE TO SOME TRUMP OFFICIALS Before his collapse, Bruewitz appeared to be OK while commending the New York Republican Club for backing Trump’s campaign. He also gave shout-outs to several supporters of the incoming president who were at the event, including former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, who recently resigned from his U.S. House seat. Other notable speakers at the event included former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and senior adviser to President-elect Trump, Corey Lewandowski.
RFK Jr set to face abortion, vaccine scrutiny in sitdowns with senators on Capitol Hill
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be on Capitol Hill this week for a series of meetings with senators after being chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to head up the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in his next term. Kennedy is expected to spend four days on the Hill before lawmakers leave town for Christmas. While he’s there, Kennedy is expected to be pressed on his beliefs about abortion, which have left some Republicans with questions, as well as the efficacy of vaccines, which bipartisan lawmakers have publicly expressed concern about. BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: ‘WHERE’S THE BAR?’ “I want to know what his real concerns are and what he would want to do different. But I do not want to lose our vaccine programs,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., recently told reporters, reflecting on his time as governor overseeing such programs. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., shared that while he will meet with Kennedy, he is already a resounding “yes.” “I’ve had the privilege to already sit down and answer most of my questions. We will meet, but I was supportive of the president nominating him for it,” he said. “So, I was supporting before that even took place.” TIDE TURNS IN FAVOR OF TRUMP DOD PICK PETE HEGSETH AFTER MATT GAETZ FAILURE Mullin, a close ally of Trump, noted that he had spent significant time with Kennedy on the campaign trail. Kennedy is a prominent vaccination skeptic and has expressed his own criticism of many popular shots. This has drawn criticism from some on both sides of the aisle, as vaccinations have been commonly relied on for preventing viruses in childhood and diminishing their spread. Since getting behind Trump before the end of the campaign, however, Kennedy has moderated his tack on vaccines somewhat. In an interview with NBC News, he pushed back at the suggestion that he is “anti-vaccine.” GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL OFFER SUPPORT FOR TRUMP FBI PICK KASH PATEL, URGE SENATORS TO DO THE SAME “If vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away,” he promised. “So, I’m going to make sure scientific safety studies and efficacy are out there, and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them.” Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital that he expects to meet with Kennedy. A staunch pro-life advocate, Lankford has previously said he had many questions about Kennedy’s position on abortion. MANCHIN, SINEMA TANK SCHUMER LAME-DUCK EFFORT TO SECURE DEM MAJORITY ON TOP LABOR BOARD A number of other Republicans have previously expressed to Fox News Digital their interest in talking to Kennedy about abortion. At the same time, Kennedy has managed to appeal to some politicians with his plans to tighten food regulations and “make America healthy again.” The longtime Democrat-turned-independent could potentially gain support from those on the Democratic side of the aisle, given that there is bipartisan backing for addressing food safety. It’s unclear with whom Kennedy will meet on Capitol Hill, but some Democrats have signaled that their doors are open. A representative for Kennedy declined to comment to Fox News Digital on the visits planned this week.
‘Going to be painful’: Venezuelan expert sounds alarm about what’s next if sanctuary city policies continue
An expert on the international criminal group Tren de Aragua (TdA) is warning that if sanctuary city and state policies are allowed to continue, the U.S. will soon be facing a slate of targeted assassinations across the U.S. “The next step is targeted assassinations,” said Jose Gustavo Arocha, a former lieutenant colonel in the Venezuelan army. “That is what has happened in Venezuela, what is happening in Latin America and that will happen here in the U.S.” Tren de Aragua, which means “Train from Aragua,” is a massive criminal and terrorist organization that originated a decade ago in a Venezuelan prison. In addition to Venezuela, the group has already established a significant presence in Southern American countries, including Colombia, Peru and Chile and is present in 30 major U.S. cities. SANCTUARY CITY DENVER SPENDING A WHOPPING $356 MILLION ON MIGRANTS: STUDY According to Arocha, who fled the country after being imprisoned by socialist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro for eight months, TdA is a “state-sponsored, Maduro regime organization,” formed and trained by the Venezuelan government to sow chaos, violence and discord throughout the Western hemisphere. “Right now is the right moment to take action,” he said. “If you let them grow, they are going to be more embedded in the communities, it’s going to be harder to take any action against them, and it’s going to be painful for U.S. society.” He said that recent movements to defund the police and enshrine sanctuary city and sanctuary state policies into law only further embolden and enable TdA to carry out its crimes with impunity. If policies like this are allowed to continue, he said TdA is “going to be all over the United States” like a “disease.” LOS ANGELES BECOMES SANCTUARY DESPITE DOZENS OF MURDEROUS, CHILD-PREYING ILLEGALS ARRESTED IN CITY THIS YEAR “When I listened last year to the ‘defund the police’ [movement], I said … ‘something is going to happen here because it is the same playbook,” he explained. “Because if you don’t have rule of law, you don’t have police, it’s like a special ground for this kind of organization to establish and then they control the society because there are no police, there is no rule of law. They’re going to do whatever they want.” Who will be in Tren de Aragua’s crosshairs? Arocha said TdA’s primary targets will be law enforcement officials, such as ordinary police officers, police chiefs and sheriffs, as well as any elected officials who attempt to crack down on them. Besides law enforcement and political leaders, Arocha said it is likely that TdA will also target enemies and refugees of the Maduro regime. VENEZUELAN GANG TREN DE ARAGUA IS A ‘NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT,’ WARNS RETIRED ICE SPECIAL AGENT According to Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, the TdA assassinations in the U.S. have already begun. She pointed to the case of TdA member Yurwin Salazar who she said beat, tortured and killed a former Venezuelan police officer named Jose Luis Sanchez Valera in Miami in November 2023. In addition to the murder, Salazar also stole the former police officer’s life savings. Agreeing with Arocha, Vaughan said that sanctuary policies are especially harmful to efforts to combat TdA. “The sanctuary policies have to go,” she said. “It’s critical that these local law enforcement agencies are able to share information with ICE and vice versa.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “It’s no coincidence that so many of these TDA members are in sanctuary jurisdictions like Chicago, Colorado and New York. That is not a coincidence. They know that they can hide behind their sanctuary policies and that is one reason they choose these communities because they know that the local authorities are not going to turn them over to immigration agents for removal,” she explained. While some individual states, such as Texas, have taken significant steps to root out TdA, she said that ultimately the federal government will have to lead the effort and incorporate all aspects of government to dismantle the group. “It’s too big a problem to solve at the local level,” she said. “And one of the most important elements of that campaign to eliminate TdA has to be building more effective partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, particularly in the areas where TdA has been operating, some of which are sanctuary jurisdictions. So, this artificial obstruction between local law enforcement agencies and ICE that’s been imposed for political reasons has to end.”
Texas AG sues New York doctor who allegedly prescribed abortion pills to woman in Lone Star State
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, has filed a lawsuit against a New York doctor who allegedly prescribed abortion drugs to a woman in the Lone Star State, violating Texas law. Paxton accused Dr. Margaret Carpenter of mailing pills from New York to a 20-year-old woman in Collin County, Texas, where the woman allegedly took the medication when she was nine weeks pregnant, according to the lawsuit. When she began experiencing severe bleeding, she asked the baby’s father, who had been unaware she was pregnant, to take her to the hospital. The filing does not state if the woman successfully terminated her pregnancy or if she experienced any long-term medical complications from taking mifepristone and misoprostol. PRO-LIFE GROUPS SOUND OFF AFTER TRUMP SAYS HE WILL NOT RESTRICT ABORTION PILLS: ‘SERIOUS AND GROWING THREAT’ Paxton’s lawsuit is the first attempt to test legal protections when it comes to states with conflicting abortion laws since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, ending federal protection on the matter. Texas has enacted an abortion ban with few exceptions, while New York protects access to the procedure and has a shield law that protects providers from out-of-state investigations and prosecutions, which has been viewed as implicit permission for doctors to mail abortion pills into states with restrictions. Texas has promised to pursue cases like this regardless of the shield laws, though it is unclear what the courts may decide on this issue, which involves extraterritoriality, interstate commerce and other legal questions. New York’s law allows Carpenter to refuse to comply with Texas’ court orders. ABORTIONS SLIGHTLY DECLINED THE YEAR ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED, CDC SAYS It is also unknown whether New York courts would side with protecting Texas’ law, which prohibits prescribing abortion-inducing drugs by mail and prohibits treating Texas patients or prescribing medication through telehealth services without a valid Texas medical license. Texas’ abortion laws prohibit prosecuting a woman for getting an abortion, but do allow for physicians or others who assist a woman in receiving the procedure to be prosecuted. The lawsuit says Carpenter, the founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, knowingly treated Texas residents despite not being a licensed Texas physician and not being authorized to practice telemedicine in the state. Paxton urged a Collin County court to prohibit Carpenter from violating Texas law and impose civil penalties of at least $100,000 for each violation. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “In this case, an out-of-state doctor violated the law and caused serious harm to this patient,” Paxton said in a statement. “This doctor prescribed abortion-inducing drugs — unauthorized, over telemedicine — causing her patient to end up in the hospital with serious complications. In Texas, we treasure the health and lives of mothers and babies, and this is why out-of-state doctors may not illegally and dangerously prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents.” Carpenter also works with AidAccess, an international abortion medication provider, and helped found Hey Jane, a telehealth abortion provider.
Lawmakers ‘may slip by a day’ in releasing text on emergency spending bill days before deadline
The details surrounding the emergency spending bill are expected to be delayed and may “slip by a day” as the deadline to avoid a government shutdown looms. Lawmarkers were expected to share the text of the emergency spending bill to avoid a government shutdown and address disaster relief on Sunday, but Fox News is told the text “may slip by a day.” It comes as both House and Senate lawmakers negotiate over how large the disaster aid package should be, and whether it should be attached to an end-of-year federal funding bill that’s critical to avoiding a partial government shutdown during the holiday season. This could pose a problem because government funding expires at 11:59:59 p.m. on Friday. Pushing this back means the House may not be able to process the bill until the end of the week. GOP REBELS GO TO WAR OVER BIDEN’S MAMMOTH $98B DISASTER AID REQUEST It is also noted that it doesn’t take much for the Senate to slow things down if senators demand time. The House has a so-called “three-day rule” which requires text to be posted for three days before debate and vote. However, waiting until tomorrow means the House may not consider the bill until Thursday or Friday – the peak of the deadline. Fox News is told there are no hold-ups with government funding, through mid-March, or the disaster package for Hurricanes Helene, Milton, wildfires in Maui, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore and tornadoes in the Midwest, but that there is an issue with agricultural provisions “and other things important to leaders on both sides.” BIDEN ASKS CONGRESS FOR $98 BILLION IN HELENE, MILTON DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING One source declined to answer when Fox was asked if there was an effort to tuck last-minute provisions into the catch-all measure for Syria or drones. In early October, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox News Digital that Helene would likely be “one of the most expensive storms that the country has ever encountered.” The Biden administration has asked for over $100 billion in funding for disaster aid in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton. The ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus is calling on Republican leaders to reject President Biden’s disaster aid request. The group is demanding a slimmed-down package covering what is “absolutely necessary,” to be offset with spending cuts elsewhere. “Congress should not pass a whopping $100 billion unpaid disaster supplemental funding bill — that Democrats will use to cement their own unrelated priorities — in the waning days of Democrat control in Washington right before Republicans take control of the White House and both Chambers,” the House Freedom Caucus statement read. “The House should consider only what is absolutely necessary right now to provide critical relief to hurricane victims and farmers, and pay for it with offsets from wasteful spending elsewhere in the government, then wait for President Trump to take office to better manage disaster relief.” If new spending is not approved by way of appropriations bills or a stopgap measure, a partial government shutdown could happen before Christmas. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Who is Alina Habba? Trump’s fierce legal defender picked to serve as counselor to the president
New Jersey-based attorney Alina Habba hit the nation’s radar back in 2021, becoming President-elect Trump’s fierce legal defender and then spokeswoman as he battled an onslaught of legal cases and criminal charges ahead of his decisive win against Vice President Kamala Harris last month. Now, Habba is readying to take on a new role: counselor to the president under Trump’s second administration. “Alina has been a tireless advocate for Justice, a fierce Defender of the Rule of Law, and an invaluable Advisor to my Campaign and Transition Team,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social last week, announcing her new role. “She has been unwavering in her loyalty, and unmatched in her resolve – standing with me through numerous ‘trials,’ battles, and countless days in court.” Following the once and future president’s announcement, Fox News Digital took a look back at Habba’s legal career and meteoric rise in Trump’s orbit and, now, the White House. TRUMP NAMES ALINA HABBA AS COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT; REVEALS SEVERAL STATE DEPARTMENT PICKS Habba is the managing partner of Habba Madaio & Associates LLP, a law firm based in Bedminster, New Jersey, that also practices in New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Habba, 40, is a New Jersey native, born to Chaldean Catholic Iraqi immigrant parents. She attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania as an undergraduate before earning her J.D. from Widener University. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? “As a devout Catholic, a proud first generation Arab American woman, and a feisty Jersey girl who’s fed up with far-left corruption in Washington – President Trump championed my journey, empowering me to become who I am today. His unwavering support not only shaped my career but has inspired other young women with big dreams,” Habba declared in her RNC speech in July from Milwaukee. Ahead of joining Trump’s legal team, Habba litigated cases related to negligent nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also earned recognition on the Super Lawyers Rising Stars List between 2016-2022, as well as a spot on the “Top 100 Lawyers in America” list, and has supported a handful of charity efforts, including a charity that benefits pregnant homeless women, Birth Haven. Habba has seen a meteoric rise to national prominence in recent years, after Trump hired her in 2021 to help litigate a barrage of cases leveled at him ahead of the 2024 election, becoming his legal spokesperson and trusted adviser. Habba hit the Trump legal scene when she spearheaded a lawsuit against the former and upcoming president’s niece, Mary Trump, and the New York Times for “tortiously breaching and/or interfering with his contractual rights and otherwise maliciously conspiring against him” to obtain and publish his tax records in 2018. ‘SELF-INTERESTED’ BRAGG JUST WON’T QUIT, ALINA HABBA SAYS Habba’s legal successes for Trump include former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos dropping a defamation suit against Trump in 2021 and the dismissal of another case related to New York state-level charges over allegations Trump and the Trump Organization were involved in a fraudulent marketing company. She also notched a win earlier this year when the Supreme Court dismissed ex-lawyer Michael Cohen’s appeal to revive a lawsuit against Trump as he sought monetary damages over his 2020 imprisonment related to lying to Congress and his previous work for Trump. ”Michael Cohen has exhausted every avenue of his pathetic attempt to drag my client into court time and time again. As expected, the Supreme Court has correctly denied Michael Cohen’s petition and he must finally abandon his frivolous and desperate claims,”Habba told Fox News Digital in a statement in October. Habba’s national name recognition grew as Trump battled the E. Jean Carroll cases. Carroll, who previously worked as a columnist for Elle magazine, had filed two lawsuits against Trump since 2019, when she first accused him of raping her in an excerpt in her book “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal.” Trump vehemently denied the allegation, saying, “it never happened,” ultimately leading Carroll to sue Trump for defamation when he was still president. At the time, she was barred by the statute of limitations from suing him over the underlying rape allegation. A jury would eventually find Trump had sexually abused Carroll and that, in denying it, defamed her, awarding her $5 million. But while that case was tied up in appeals, and with Trump continuing to deny ever even meeting Carroll, she filed another suit in 2022 alleging both defamation and rape. She was able to do this because earlier that year, New York had passed a law that allowed sex abuse plaintiffs to file a one-time civil case despite the expiration of the statute of limitations. ALINA HABBA: BIDEN IS HANDING OUT PARDONS LIKE TIC TACS Habba joined the Trump legal team for the second case, in which the former president was accused of rape and defamation for social media posts in which Trump denied the allegations and accused Carroll of promoting a “hoax and a lie.” Trump was never criminally charged with sexual assault, and the initial jury found him liable for sexual abuse – though not rape. The jury specifically said Carroll hadn’t proven that Trump raped her. The second case sought more than $10 million for damage to her reputation stemming from Trump’s comments in 2019, when he was still president. The jury ultimately awarded her $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages. “I have sat on trial after trial for months in this state, the state of New York, Attorney General Letitia James and now this. Weeks, weeks. Why? Because President Trump is leading in the polls and now we see what you get in New York,” Habba said earlier this year following the verdict. “So don’t get it twisted,” she continued, calling the case evidence of the “violation of our justice system.” “I am so proud to stand with President Trump. But I am not proud to stand with what I saw in
Top adviser to NYC Mayor Eric Adams abruptly resigns amid federal investigation
A top adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams abruptly resigned on Sunday amid a federal investigation into a corruption and bribery indictment against Adams. The adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, has had her phones seized and her home searched as part of the investigation. She issued a lengthy statement regarding her departure in tandem with Adams on Sunday, saying she plans to spend more time with her family. “To my political partner, brother, and friend, Mayor Eric Adams: I thank you for seeking me out, way back in 2004, and asking me to run your Senate campaign. I thank you for seeing in me things that I did not see in myself,” Lewis-Martin said. “I extend humble gratitude to you for encouraging me to be my authentic self and for having my back during some trying times. As you would say, this has been a good ride; I will use author’s license and say that this has been an amazing ride,” she added. NYC MAYOR ADAMS MEETS WITH TRUMP BORDER CZAR: ‘WE HAVE THE SAME DESIRE’ TO GO AFTER ILLEGAL MIGRANT CRIMINALS Adams’ statement echoed his aide’s friendly tone. “Ingrid has not been just a friend, a confidant, and trusted adviser, but also a sister. We’ve always talked about when this day would come, and while we’ve long planned for it, it is still hard to know that Ingrid won’t be right next door every day,” Adams said. “I, and every New Yorker, owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our city. While she gets to spend a lot more time with her granddaughter, I know Ingrid will still stay involved in moving our city forward from the sidelines as she continues to root for our administration and our city,” he added. VENEZUELAN GANG MEMBERS LINKED TO VIOLENT APARTMENT TAKEOVER ARRESTED IN NEW YORK CITY The announcement comes just days after Adams met with incoming border czar Tom Homan. Adams has adopted a more aggressive immigration stance following President-elect Trump’s win in November. “It went great,” Homan told Sean Hannity on Thursday night. “Look, I sat down with the mayor for well over an hour. He gets it. And today he proved that as the mayor in New York City, he’s more concerned with public safety than politics. I wish the mayor of Chicago and the San Diego City council mayor and Governor Pritzker, I wish they’d all take a page out of Mayor Eric Adams’ playbook.” Homan recalled how the “ex-cop” came out of Adams during their closed-door meeting Thursday in New York. NYC HOME IS NEARLY 60K ‘CRIMINAL’ MIGRANTS: REPORT “He really cares about public safety, and he’s putting politics aside. He wants to help ICE take criminal threats off the street. He wants to help ICE look for national security threats. He wants to help ICE find over 340,000 missing children, which many are going to be in the city. So a great meeting.” “Hats off to the mayor for coming to the table and working with us,” credited Homan. Homan disclosed that since his meeting with the New York mayor, other leaders from across the aisle have reached out to him.
Bernie Sanders believes Hunter Biden pardon sets a ‘dangerous’ precedent
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., had two thoughts about President Biden pardoning his son Hunter Biden after previously saying he would not, while talking to NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker on Sunday. “When you have his opponents going after his family as a father, as a parent, I think we can all understand Biden trying to protect his, his son and his family,” Sanders said. “On the other hand, I think the precedent being set is kind of a dangerous one. It was a very wide open pardon, which could, under different circumstances, lead to problems in terms of future presidents.” Despite that, Sanders believes that Biden leaves a “strong legacy” due to being progressive on domestic policies. He also said that “the economy today in many ways is in very strong shape.” Sanders even went as far as to say Biden was the most progressive president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SAYS ‘VIOLENT’ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED, OPEN TO MEETING WITH TRUMP OFFICIALS Discussing the minimum wage, Sanders told Welker he would work with President-elect Trump to raise it, as it has stood at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Welker said Trump acknowledged it was too low, but Sanders said the last time he tried to get it raised to $15 an hour was two years ago and no Republicans voted for it. FORMER DEM CONGRESSMAN WHO LOST BY 109 VOTES IN 2020 CONFIRMED TO LIFETIME JUDICIAL SEAT “Look, a $7.25 per hour minimum wage is an absolute disgrace,” Sanders said. “We have millions of people in this country who are working for starvation wages. They cannot afford housing, that cannot afford to adequately feed their kids.” Sanders now believes the minimum wage should be $17 an hour, and hopes lawmakers “can work in a bipartisan way to finally accomplish that goal.”