Legislators across political spectrum ‘equally angry’ over handling of drone sightings: New Jersey lawmaker
A New Jersey lawmaker says he “can’t believe” how the government is wording its investigation into recent drone sightings across northeast America. State Assemblyman Paul Kanitra joined “Fox News @ Night” on Thursday to discuss the bipartisan outrage at how the government is handling the drone sightings. “We’re a polarized society, but I can tell you when we were in ‘The Rock,’ our security building in New Jersey, and we had a hundred state legislators from across the political spectrum – upper house, lower house – everyone was equally angry at this situation,” Kanitra said. NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR RECEIVING BACKLASH FOR LACK OF CLARITY ON DRONE SIGHTINGS The first drone sighting took place in New Jersey on Nov. 18, the Federal Aviation Administration said earlier this month, prompting the agency to issue two temporary flight restrictions. Kanitra said he learned during an intelligence briefing for state legislators on Wednesday that there have been confirmed drone sightings “every night since then.” In a Facebook post, Kanitra said he implored the Department of Homeland Security during that briefing to “take swift and decisive action” against the drones, describing the situation as “infuriating.” NJ LAWMAKER FIRES BACK AFTER PENTAGON DISMISSES CLAIM DRONES MAY BE LINKED TO IRAN: ‘WEAKNESS AND STUPIDITY’ On Thursday, the White House said an investigation is in its beginning stages, but nothing, thus far, has revealed malicious or criminal intent, or a national security threat. “If these are foreign adversaries with these drones, and we’re a month into this already and we haven’t done nearly enough, I can’t believe that our government is wording this the way that they are,” he said on “Fox News @ Night.” Kanitra took a picture from a distance of apparent drones in the New Jersey sky on Thursday night. He said “these are not hobbyist drones” and the military should have the technology needed to get quality photos.
Sen. Blumenthal says mysterious drones spotted recently ‘should be shot down, if necessary’
A U.S. Senator from Connecticut said the mysterious drones spotted recently flying over states in the mid-Atlantic region should be “shot down, if necessary.” In an interview on Capitol Hill Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said intelligence analysis is needed on the drones and the U.S. must act “more aggressively” against the sightings that have been reported. “We should be doing some very smart intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” the senator said. “They should be shot down, if necessary, because they’re flying over sensitive areas.” Blumenthal also said the lack of information on the drones, who they belong to and where they have come from is “absolutely unacceptable.” DRONES SPOTTED OVER CONNECTICUT SKY IN LATEST PHENOMENON His comments come as many large drones have been reported flying over New Jersey in the past few weeks. Drones were also allegedly spotted in Blumenthal’s state for the first time on Thursday. White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Thursday that many of the alleged drones spotted recently are actually lawfully operated manned aircraft. “We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby told reporters at the daily White House press briefing. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they’re working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin.” Kirby also said, thus far, the investigation into the alleged drones has not revealed “any national security or malicious intent or criminal activity,” but admitted the government is in the beginning stages of the investigation. MORE THAN 20 DAYS INTO PHENOMENON, PENTAGON STILL HAS NO ANSWERS ABOUT ORIGINS OF MYSTERIOUS NJ DRONES Blumenthal said his office is asking for a briefing on the drones, describing it as “absolutely necessary” for Congress and the American people as many appear to be concerned and afraid. “I’m hearing from constituents in the metropolitan area around New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, who are really terrified by these drones flying unidentified over airports and military bases,” he said. The senator added that the drones are causing a “level of fear, even terror” because people are worried about surveillance and airplanes flying in the same airspace. He also encouraged Americans wanting to use drones to buy ones manufactured in the USA and not China, warning that they could be “sources of surveillance data for other kinds of security threats.” “Chinese manufactured drones are real and present [a] threat to the security of this country,” Blumenthal said. “We have to stop using them.”
Biden administration announces $500M aid package for Ukraine
The Biden administration announced a new $500 million military aid package to Ukraine Thursday, weeks before President-elect Trump takes office. “The United States is providing another significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to our Ukrainian partners as they defend against Russia’s ongoing attacks,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. The package announced Thursday includes drones; High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) artillery and ammunition; armored vehicles; nuclear, chemical and radiological protective equipment; and other equipment. ZELENSKYY FEARS DANGER IF UKRAINE LOSES UNITY, DEFEAT IF US CUTS FUNDS, 1,000 DAYS AFTER WAR BEGAN The newest round of aid follows Biden’s announcement of a $988 million military aid package to Ukraine earlier this week. TRIUMPHANT TRUMP AT NOTRE DAME SIGNALS AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE BACK Trump’s election victory has raised questions about whether he will continue to aid Ukraine with billions in assistance. Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance criticized the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine, and the former president said on the campaign trial he would bring an end to the war before even entering office. Vance made headlines this year after he suggested the best way to end the war was for Ukraine to cede the land Russia has seized and for a demilitarized zone to be established, a proposal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flatly rejected. During his visit to Paris last weekend, Trump met with Zelenskyy, where the pair were expected to discuss the ongoing conflict. Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Biden administration launches national strategy to combat Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate
The Biden administration on Thursday announced it is launching a national strategy to combat Islamophobia. The move, which the administration described as the first-ever Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate, comes a little more than a year after Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, which was followed by spikes in antisemitic protests and antisemitism across the United States. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. “The very idea of America is that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives,” President Biden said in a statement posted to social media. “This Strategy is a historic step forward to live up to our ideals. Let us walk forward together, upholding those ideals and advancing our collective prosperity.” DEPAUL UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSAULTED BY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATOR SEEKS LEGAL ACTION: ‘I WILL NEVER APOLOGIZE’ The aim of the strategy is to “address the bias, discrimination and threats Muslim and Arab Americans have long faced,” the White House said in a release, noting that threats against Muslim and Arab communities in the U.S. increased over the last year. “In October 2023, 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, an American Muslim boy of Palestinian descent, was viciously killed in his home in Illinois, and, over the last year, there have been other grievous attacks on Muslim and Arab Americans,” the release said. The White House noted President Biden established an interagency group in December 2022 to fight antisemitism and Islamophobia. Last year, the administration released the first-ever National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. CHICAGO JEWISH MOTHER SPEAKS OUT AGAINST RESPONSE TO ALLEGED HATE CRIME: ‘TERRORISM ON MY PROPERTY’ The strategy to combat Islamophobia will focus on increasing awareness about anti-Arab hate, improve safety, tackle discrimination, accommodate religious practices and build solidarity across communities. Antisemitic incidents hit record highs after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the continued war with Hamas. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Just this week, students at Columbia University started distributing a newspaper that had articles like “Zionist Peace Means Palestinian Blood” and “The Myth of the Two-State Solution” and anti-Israel protesters interrupted last month’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Biden’s full list of clemency and commutation recipients revealed
The White House released a list of names of the 39 people whom President Joe Biden pardoned, as well as a list of the nearly 1,500 whose sentences he commuted, on Thursday. The move from Biden set a new, single-day record for clemency under any president, and it comes after he pardoned his son, Hunter, earlier this month. The controversial pardon of his son put pressure on Biden from others in the Democratic Party to issue additional pardons. Biden said Thursday that he plans to take more steps during the next few weeks before he exits the Oval Office. LONGTIME BIDEN ADVISER RIPS ‘RATIONALE’ OF HUNTER PARDON: ‘ATTACK ON OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM’ “My Administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions to advance equal justice under the law, promote public safety, support rehabilitation and reentry, and provide meaningful second chances,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House. A list provided to Fox News Digital by the White House indicated that all 39 pardons had been given to only non-violent offenders, many of whom had been convicted of drug crimes. Drug offenders were labeled as much on the list, but no other details were given about the non-drug-related, non-violent offenses committed by the list of 39 pardons. The list did go into extensive detail as to why each of the 39 pardons was deserved, citing examples of community engagement, professional and academic accomplishments. HOW BIDEN – AND TRUMP – HELPED MAKE THE PARDON GO HAYWIRE Speaking of the nearly 1,500 sentences he commuted, Biden said that their long prison sentences would have been shorter under today’s laws. All of those selected had been placed under home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, and “have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance.” Among those included in the sweeping action were a decorated military veteran and pilot, a nurse who helped lead vaccination efforts during the pandemic and an addiction counselor who works with young people to help them avoid drugs. Biden has not reserved clemency and commutations for the end of his term. He first granted clemency in April 2022 to 75 people who had been convicted of drug offenses and others who were under home confinement as part of provisions of Congress’ pandemic relief bills. That action was followed up by six pardons in December of that same year, consisting of people convicted of alcohol- and drug-related crimes. Between April 2023 and April 2024, Biden granted 47 additional commutations and 11 pardons to people under home confinement or convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
More than 20 days into phenomenon, Pentagon still has no answers about origins of mysterious NJ drones
More than three weeks after dozens of mysterious drones began popping up in the New Jersey night sky, the public has still been offered no clear insight on what the phenomenon could be. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., suggested the swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles could be from an Iranian “mother ship.” The Pentagon shot down his idea. “There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mother ship launching drones towards the United States,” said Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh. She added there is “no evidence” to suggest the drones are “the work of a foreign adversary.” “We aren’t being told the truth,” Van Drew responded Thursday on Fox News. “They are dealing with the American public like we’re stupid.” While the Pentagon maintains that the drones are not foreign, the FBI has admitted it is “concerned” about how little the agency knows about them. Asked if Americans are “at risk,” Robert Wheeler, FBI assistant director of the Critical Incident Response Group, told Congress: “There is nothing that is known that would lead me to say that, but we just don’t know. And that’s the concerning part.” In recent weeks, the drones have flown near sensitive sites, like a military research facility. And if the drones aren’t foreign in origin, onlookers are left wondering why it’s taking U.S. agencies so long to figure out who is behind them. “What I can say is a lot of our detection systems, means of tracking and understanding, are so vastly undersized and radically out of date,” Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Fox News Digital. “So it would not surprise me that we could still be out of sync with this and not understand at the level we should,” he added. “After the Cold War, the notion of air defense really took a back burner.” And Birkey remains unconvinced that the drones are not foreign in origin. “I don’t think we can speak declaratively about the source, but obviously they seem of a certain sophistication, size and set of behaviors that would suggest high potential of being from an adversary source,” he said. NEW JERSEY DRONE SIGHTINGS: MILITARY ANALYSTS BREAK DOWN NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS, DOUBT HOBBYISTS AT PLAY “I think they are either using them for intel, imagery, etc., but they can also just be testing us to see what our responses are, to then help inform their strategies and their concepts of operation.” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has insisted the drones do not pose a threat to public safety. The FBI is assisting local law enforcement in investigating and has called on the public for assistance through its tip line. It’s far from the first time unidentified drones have been seen flying near U.S. military installations. Last year, drones hovered near Langley Air Force Base for over two weeks, and their origin has still not been revealed. Before that, a Chinese spy balloon traversed the U.S., traipsing near military installations, for a week before being shot down off the East Coast. “There are seemingly few hard consequences [for the drones], and that is causing a very dangerous risk of escalation.” None of the New Jersey drones have been shot down or had their systems jammed by U.S. officials. The drones that hovered near Langley were not intercepted either. “Whoever is flying these drones does not necessarily care about their relationship with Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA, because clearly they’re breaking almost every rule the FAA has in place for safe drone flying,” said Pramod Abichandani, associate professor at NJIT’s School of Applied Engineering and a drone expert. “These drones are flying at night, over populated areas, flying around in a group, whether they’re being programmed as a swarm of drones or not,” he said. “All of those things are not permitted freely by the FAA.” In military settings, officers use “swarms” of drones to attack enemies to make it harder for them to shoot the drones down. The drones are “six feet in diameter,” fly in a coordinated way with their lights off and “appear to avoid detection by traditional methods,” according to New Jersey state Rep. Dawn Fantasia, who relayed a briefing given by law enforcement. MYSTERIOUS DRONE SIGHTINGS CONTINUE TO BE REPORTED IN NEW JERSEY WITHOUT ANSWERS The drones were first spotted on Nov. 18, and have been spotted every night since, flying from dusk to about 11 p.m. Reports have ranged from four to 180 sightings per night. “We know nothing. Period. To state that there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading, and I informed all officials of that sentiment,” she said. “At this point, I believe military intervention is the only path forward. There will be no answers in the absence of proactivity.” U.S. Northern Command, the military command center in charge of defending the U.S. homeland, said it had not yet been asked to step in and help. “We are aware and monitoring the reports of unauthorized drone flights in the vicinity of military installations in New Jersey, to include Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle, and we refer you to those installations for information on any efforts they may be conducting to ensure the safety and security of their personnel and operations,” a U.S. Nothern Command spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Biden clemency announcement gets mixed reviews on Capitol Hill: ‘Where’s the bar?’
President Biden’s act of clemency, the largest in a single day, has left some congressional Republicans unhappy, while a number of Democrats are hoping to see it expanded. “I’m not surprised at this point anymore,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said. “I think I’m still trying to get over the Hunter Biden thing after he promised America he wouldn’t do it.” Biden broadly pardoned his son Hunter Biden earlier this month despite promising he would not. Hunter was convicted in two separate federal cases. TIDE TURNS IN FAVOR OF TRUMP DOD PICK PETE HEGSETH AFTER MATT GAETZ FAILURE According to Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Biden had lost whatever credibility he had left when he pardoned his son. “Every president at the end of their term has that same kind of act. Where’s the bar live?” asked Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas. “Nobody knows. I haven’t gone deep into the waters to see exactly who he’s touching. But it’s the United States, hey?” The president revealed Thursday he had commuted jail sentences for nearly 1,500 people and granted 39 pardons for nonviolent offenders. “Does that tell you how corrupt he thinks this administration has been?” Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., wondered. GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL OFFER SUPPORT FOR TRUMP FBI PICK KASH PATEL, URGE SENATORS TO DO THE SAME Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the Senate Judiciary ranking member, told Fox News Digital, “That’s a large number. “He’ll have to stand by his choices. I haven’t really looked at who they are. That’s the power of the presidency.” Outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., reacted to Biden’s clemency grants to reporters Thursday, recalling his own limited pardon use as governor. MANCHIN, SINEMA TANK SCHUMER LAME-DUCK EFFORT TO SECURE DEM MAJORITY ON TOP LABOR BOARD “I did very few, and I wanted to make sure if the community didn’t buy in” that the person would not receive a pardon. “I would make sure that my staff would go back and check in that area and do a due diligence and a deep dive,” he explained. Asked if Manchin trusted that Biden’s administration did it own due diligence on the people whose sentences were being commuted, he said, “I would like to think. I believe in the process. I believe in the system. So, I hope so.” The White House released a list Dec. 12 of those who were granted clemency. Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., released a statement on Biden’s action, approving of it. “The president took an important step by commuting the sentences of these men and women. In far too many cases in our justice system, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. I have long advocated for criminal justice reform to address these inequities and commend President Biden for this act of mercy and for his leadership,” the senator said. “These individuals have successfully returned to their communities and reunited with their families. I urge the president to continue using his pardon power during his remaining time in office to address miscarriages of justice, just as the founders of this democracy intended.” MCCONNELL’S SENATE MONEY MACHINE MAKES TRANSITION TO THUNE AS NEW ERA BEGINS Other Democrats applauded the move, including Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who told reporters, “These are nonviolent offenders, and I think they represent compassion. In no way is [this] gonna jeapardize public safety. So, I support the president, what the president did.” Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., expressed an appetite for even more similar actions from Biden, saying Thursday, “We’re still hoping he will offer clemency to the people who are on death row. We’re still looking for the next list of people.” Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said he supported Biden using his pardon power, though he hasn’t looked through all the people affected. He explained it is “important to use that pardon power and clemency to even out our system and to evolve with our system as we move forward.”
NYC Mayor Adams meets with Trump border czar: ‘We have the same desire’ to go after illegal migrant criminals
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he and incoming border czar Tom Homan have the same desire to go after illegal immigrant criminals following a Thursday meeting between the pair. Adams met with Homan to discuss cooperation between local and federal authorities on deporting violent criminals once the Trump administration takes office on Jan. 20. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers,” Adams said after the meeting. “From what I heard from the incoming head of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is that we have the same desire to go after those who are committing violent acts, repeated violent acts among innocent New Yorkers and among migration asylum seekers. That’s what I heard from him. And I was pleased to hear that, because we share the same desire.” TRUMP BORDER CZAR MEETING WITH NYC MAYOR ADAMS DESPITE SANCTUARY CITY STATUS The mayor noted that the city doesn’t allow itself to be a safe haven for American citizens committing crimes, “and we’re not going to do it for those who are undocumented.” The meeting came as Homan plans to implement President-elect Trump’s mass deportation plan once he takes office. Homan has warned leaders in sanctuary cities to either cooperate with immigration authorities or step aside. Earlier this week, Adams announced the closing of dozens of migrant shelters as the “sanctuary” city continues to see a drop in arrivals. In total, 25 shelters are being closed in the next few months. New York has seen more than 225,000 migrants arrive since 2022. The surge coincided with a spike at the southern border, compounded by a strategy by Texas to bus migrants to sanctuary cities to relieve pressure on the border state. Even before Thursday’s meeting between Adams and Homan, immigration activists accused the mayor of “collaborating” with the new administration. “It’s despicable that Mayor Adams continues to shirk his responsibilities to uphold New York City’s existing policies and values as a sanctuary city by collaborating with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan,” Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement. ‘WE’VE TURNED THE CORNER’: BLUE CITY ANNOUNCES SHUTTERING OF MIGRANT SHELTERS AS NUMBERS DROP Adams has been deeply critical of the federal government’s handling of the migrant crisis and has taken a tougher stance on illegal immigration than many of his Democratic contemporaries, who have vowed to resist the incoming Trump administration’s plan to deport illegal migrants. Currently, there are 170 crimes that allow New York officials to communicate and collaborate with ICE after a migrant is convicted of a crime, said Adams. “We need to examine them and see what is my authority, using executive orders, to ensure that I keep New Yorkers safe. That’s my only goal. I cannot make any clearer. In pursuing that goal, my years and years of advocating for immigrants that are here and attempting to find the American dream, if that demonizes me, then I’m going to take it. But I’m going to save lives in this city,” he said. The mayor criticized those he said have attempted to cast him as switching his position on illegal immigration. “People are trying to push their own agenda. I have one agenda. I’ve never lied about the agenda,” he said. “Everybody, everyone in this city should be protected and should not be the victims of violent crimes. And that was a conversation I had with the incoming border czar. We shared that same belief, and we’re going to pursue that same belief.” Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics: Turning Tides
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… –5 biggest FBI scandals during Christopher Wray’s tenure as director -Biden commutes 1,500 jail sentences, grants pardons for 39 others: ‘Largest single-day grant of clemency‘ – Rep Banks rips West Point as school apologizes for ‘error’ saying Hegseth wasn’t accepted The pick by President-elect Trump to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, seems to be on track to get enough GOP Senate support to be confirmed, despite facing a handful of allegations ranging from sexual assault, excessive drinking and fund mismanagement, all of which he has denied. One Republican senator told Fox News Digital that they weren’t aware of any GOP senators who are a “hard no” on confirming Hegseth. Hegseth “certainly” doesn’t seem to be in a position where he may feel pressured to withdraw, they added…Read more BOGUS BIDEN INFO: Informant accused of feeding FBI bogus Biden information pleads guilty to 4 counts…Read more ‘I MEAN IT’: Biden says the GOP doesn’t understand the importance of advancing women’s well-being…Read more PETE PUSH: Marine critic of Afghan withdrawal to lead rank-and-file enlistees in Senate visits promoting Hegseth…Read more GARLAND RESPONDS: Garland lauds ‘principled’ Wray for ‘integrity and skill’ after resignation announcement…Read more MAGA ENFORCERS: Trump allies turn up the heat on GOP Senate holdouts in nomination battles…Read more THUMBS UP: What Americans think about Trump’s cabinet nominees…Read more ‘A STAR’: Trump says Ric Grenell will be ‘high up’ in administration after report says ex-intel chief will be Iran envoy…Read more ‘LAND OF LAWS’: Former House candidate reveals how Trump will conquer Dem resistance with immigration mandate…Read more REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: A DOGE in the fight…Read more THUMBS UP: Fetterman still enthusiastically supportive of Stefanik for US ambassador to UN: ‘Always was a hard YES’…Read more BYE, BYE BERNIE?: Sen. Bernie Sanders says upcoming term will ‘probably’ be his last…Read more DEEPER IN DEBT: House passes nearly $1 trillion defense spending bill, adding to US debt of $36 trillion…Read more ‘BACK ON TRACK’: US oil and gas producers pressure House to pass pivotal permitting bill and get America ‘back on track’…Read more CLASSIFIED BRIEFING: House Speaker Johnson says he’s getting a classified briefing today…Read more FUNDING FIGHT: House Pentagon funding bill would ban transgender treatments for minor children of military personnel…Read more ORDER IN THE COURT: House passes bill that would give Trump more federal judges to appoint…Read more SENATE APPEAL: Conservative group debuts major ad buy in key senators’ states as ‘soft appeal’ for Hegseth, Gabbard, Patel…Read more MIGRANT CRIME: Migrant teen stabbing in lower Manhattan…Read more ‘NOT ELIGIBLE’: Scholarship programs slapped with lawsuits for alleged discrimination against White men…Read more ‘SHOULD BE DEPORTED’: Illinois governor says ‘violent’ illegal immigrants should be deported, open to meeting with Trump officials…Read more MIGRANT CLAMPDOWN: Trump border czar meeting with NYC Mayor Adams despite sanctuary city status…Read more IN AND OUT?: DC councilman a step closer to facing expulsion after law firm finds he violated code of conduct…Read more R’OIL’ SALE: Alaska outraged at federal oil lease sale setup being ‘fitting finale’ for fossil fuel-averse presidency…Read more ‘DESPICABLE’: Immigration activists fume at NYC mayor’s meeting with Trump border czar: ‘Despicable’…Read more ‘UNBEARABLE LOSS’: Venezuelan migrant released by ICE kills 7-year-old two months later…Read more ‘MALICIOUS SLANDER’: China denies new report linking CCP to four sites in Cuba allegedly used to spy on the US…Read more ‘CONFIDENTIAL’: DOJ IG reveals number of FBI confidential sources on the ground during Jan 6…Read more ‘WE MUST BE CLEAR’: Youngkin to draft sanctuary city ban, making state funding contingent on ICE cooperation…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Conservative group lists ‘woke radical leftists’ it wants fired from DOJ under Pam Bondi
A conservative research group has sent a letter to President-elect Trump’s Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi calling on her to fire a number of Department of Justice (DOJ) workers who it says are “woke radical leftists and donors” who cannot be trusted to carry out Trump’s agenda. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) wrote to Bondi urging her to sack the individuals who currently work for the agency’s Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division, claiming that they have pushed transgender issues, worked for George Soros-linked organizations and donated to radical left-wing politicians and groups. The voting section is tasked with enforcing federal laws that protect the right to vote. “These people are woke radical leftists and donors who have no place in the Department of Justice,” the group writes in the letter signed by AAF President Thomas Jones. “In order to restore the American people’s trust in election integrity and a neutral civil service, they must be fired and replaced with America-first attorneys who will execute on the agenda the American People voted for in November.” CONSERVATIVE GROUP COMPILES LIST OF ‘WOKE’ SENIOR OFFICERS THEY WANT PETE HEGSETH TO FIRE The letter, which rails against the “deep state” terrorizing the country and “threatening democracy itself,” was also addressed to Harmett Dhillon, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Bondi is the former Florida Attorney General. The letter zeroes DOJ employees —Janie Sitton, Catherine Meza, Daniel Freeman, John “Bert” Russ IV and Dana Paikowsky — and attempts to make a case as to why they are unfit to work at the agency. AAF also promises to share more information on “problematic staff” in the future. Sitton, the group says, is being singled out for her promotion of the transgender agenda and donating to leftist politicians. In 2000, while working for the DOJ, Sitton authored an article that called for the adoption of a new legal system deemed “transgender jurisprudence” and stated the need to “rethink” the basic known “assumptions and constructs upon which our society and laws are based.” Sitton even took issue with common traditions such as identifying a newborn infant as a boy or girl based on the child’s sex, arguing that society has been wrong to assume or assign a gender to infants, the AAF says. Paikowsky, the group says, has worked for years pushing far-left political agendas, including pushing for prisoners to vote, and has deep ties with Soros-linked organizations. WHO IS PAM BONDI, TRUMP’S NEW PICK FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL? In addition to donating to liberal politicians, Paikowsky’s LinkedIn shows that she worked as a policy associate for the Open Society Foundations, an organization founded to the billionaire financier. Shortly after graduating from Harvard Law School, Paikowsky then went to work for the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) as a fellow for the Equal Justice Works program while also working as a legal intern for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. The CLC has received significant funding from Soros in recent years, according to the AAF. A 2019 law review article she wrote for the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review suggested an extensive framework to turn “jails into polling places” and described numerous examples of local elections across the nation, including local district attorney races, where a small number of inmate voters could have changed the election results, according to the AAF. The group also slams Meza, who is an attorney at the voting division, for supporting gun control while she was chief counsel for the NAACP and claiming that she had accused people of not wearing masks or observing proper social distancing rules as forms of voter intimidation in 2020. Russ made the list for being an attorney for the DOJ who had filed a 2021 complaint against Georgia’s election integrity initiatives. The complaint accused the state of having racist intentions by prohibiting unsolicited absentee ballots from being mailed to voters, requiring voter identification and prohibiting the potential bribing of voters with food and drinks at polling places. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ’s Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News Digital also asked the agency whether each of those named in the letter would like to respond. It’s not the first time the AAF has sought to influence the makeup of the federal government under Trump. Last week, the group compiled a list of “woke” senior officers they want Pete Hegseth to sack, should he be confirmed to lead the Pentagon. READ THE LETTER BELOW. APP USERS CLICK HERE.