State lawmakers, companies prepare to push back against DEI, ‘woke’ initiatives: experts
EXCLUSIVE: Some state lawmakers and companies will be preparing to roll back major Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies that are present in nearly every major U.S. industry, including the military, according to experts and a Republican attorney general. The DEI topic was back in the news last week due to an intense exchange between lawmakers during a markup of the “Dismantle DEI” bill in the House. Progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Tex., lambasted a Republican congressman who referred to DEI policies as “oppression.” “There has been no oppression for the white man in this country,” Crockett said. “You tell me which white men were dragged out of their homes. You tell me which one of them got dragged all the way across an ocean and told that you are gonna go work, we are gonna steal your wives, we are gonna rape your wives. That didn’t happen. That is oppression.” DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER RANTS ABOUT ‘THE WHITE MAN’ DURING HEARING ON THE DISMANTLE DEI ACT The incoming Trump administration will likely target many DEI initiatives. In 2020, then-President Trump issued an executive order to ban “divisive” training for federal contractors. And the House Oversight Committee held a hearing this week about dismantling DEI policies. “It is a multibillion-dollar industry that pushes a left-wing, far-left ideological orthodoxy in essentially every area of American life, which is why I’ve begun to call it the DEI enterprise, instead of just DEI, so that people have a sense of what I’m talking about,” Devon Westhill, constitutional and civil rights attorney, told Fox News Digital in an interview. Westhill, who researches DEI policies at the Center for Equal Opportunity, a Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank, said DEI isn’t interested in “diversity of thought, true diversity,” but rather, it is “interested in racial quotas.” Over the last four years, the Biden-Harris administration has encouraged DEI initiatives across several sectors of the federal government. In 2021, Biden widened an executive order directing agencies to assess and “remove barriers” to equal opportunity through DEI policies. Another executive order signed that year was a government-wide initiative to embed DEI principles in federal hiring. The Department of Education has also released reports encouraging DEI on public university campuses. The Biden-Harris administration also invested in DEI programs within the U.S. military. Large corporations across the U.S. have also adopted DEI workplace policies, including Accenture, Johnson & Johnson, Mastercard, Marriott International, Kaiser Permanente, EY (Ernst & Young), Target, Google, Bank of America and American Express. BRAGG CASE ‘EFFECTIVELY OVER’ IN ‘MAJOR VICTORY,’ TRUMP OFFICIALS SAY “It wasn’t so much a dollars and cents motivation [for corporations],” Will Hild, executive director of Consumer’s Research, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “You had it coming from the federal government, where if you wouldn’t go along with under the Biden administration, with the DEI regime, they were threatening to sue you, or to claim that you’re violating civil rights of minorities. So, it was more a combination of the threat of bad press or government action against these corporations.” Hild said he expected to see over the next year many red state attorneys general “start suing these corporations” for hiring based on racial quotas. Consumers have also suffered as a result of DEI policies, he said, arguing that it shifted companies’ focus away from the quality of goods. TRUMP LAWYERS DEMAND BRAGG CASE BE ‘IMMEDIATELY DISMISSED,’ SAY ELECTION ‘SUPERSEDES’ POLITICAL ‘MOTIVATIONS’ The integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and DEI benchmarks has also influenced investment decisions and pension fund strategies. Pension funds have been increasingly incorporating ESG and DEI considerations into their investment processes over the last four years. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said this will be one area of focus her office will examine. “We want to make sure that we are protecting people’s pensions, because no one’s retirement and life savings should be gambled for these woke ESG and DEI goals,” Bird said. “And so that means that our work with that issue will continue, whether it’s the investment managers or the proxy advisers, you know, making sure that these pensions are being invested, so that it’s there for people when they need it, and not for any kind of social engineering or other types of woke political goals.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Fred Harris, former Democratic senator from Oklahoma and presidential candidate, dies at 94
Fred Harris, a self-described populist Democrat from Oklahoma who served eight years in the U.S. Senate before an unsuccessful campaign for president in 1976, has died. He was 94. Harris’ wife, Margaret Elliston, confirmed his death to the Associated Press in a text message on Saturday, writing: “Fred Harris passed peacefully early this morning of natural causes. He was 94. He was a wonderful and beloved man. His memory is a blessing.” Harris, who was living in New Mexico, died in a hospital in Albuquerque, Elliston told The New York Times. Harris first served for eight years in the Oklahoma State Senate after winning election in 1956. He then launched his career in national politics in 1964 when he won a Senate race to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Robert S. Kerr, who died in January 1963. GAME SHOW HOST CHUCK WOOLERY OF ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE,’ ‘LOVE CONNECTION,’ DIES AT 83 “I’ve always called myself a populist or progressive,” Harris said in a 1998 interview. “I’m against concentrated power. I don’t like the power of money in politics. I think we ought to have programs for the middle class and working class.” As a U.S. senator, Harris was a member of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, the so-called Kerner Commission, appointed by then-President Lyndon Johnson to investigate the urban riots of the late 1960s. The commission released its report in 1968, declaring, “our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal.” Thirty years later, Harris co-wrote a report that concluded the commission’s “prophecy has come to pass,” stating that “the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer and minorities are suffering disproportionately.” COLIN PETERSEN, BEE GEES ORIGINAL DRUMMER, DEAD AT 78 In 1976, Harris ran a failed bid to earn the Democratic presidential nomination, bowing out of the race after poor showings in early contests. The more moderate Jimmy Carter went on to win the presidency. Harris moved to New Mexico that year and became a political science professor at the University of New Mexico. He wrote and edited more than a dozen books, mostly on politics and Congress. In 1999, he broadened his writings with a mystery set in Depression-era Oklahoma. Harris was born Nov. 13, 1930, in a two-room farmhouse near Walters, in southwestern Oklahoma. The home had no electricity, indoor toilet or running water. He worked on the farm starting at age 5, driving a horse in circles to supply a hay bailer with power – earning 10 cents a day. He later worked part-time as a janitor and printer’s assistant to help pay for his education at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a law degree in 1954. He practiced law in Lawton before beginning his career in politics. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Harris married his high school sweetheart, LaDonna Vita Crawford, in 1949, and had three children, Kathryn, Byron and Laura. After the couple divorced, Harris married Margaret Elliston in 1983. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Senate GOP motivated to rapidly confirm Trump nominations ahead of party trifecta in Washington
Senate Republicans have taken President-elect Donald Trump’s cue and are prepping to fast-track his Cabinet and lower level nominations once his second term begins in January. “The American people delivered President Trump a mandate, and it is crucial that Senate Republicans confirm his nominees quickly,” Republican Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno of Ohio said in a statement recently announcing his support for Trump’s selections. “Our Republican majority must unite and deliver a strong Cabinet so we can begin implementing the America-First agenda as soon as possible.” DSCC HOPEFUL GILLIBRAND SAYS DEMS SHOULD HAVE PUT IMMIGRATION FIX ON TABLE ‘2 YEARS AGO’ This sentiment has been echoed by other Republicans as they discussed various Trump picks for key roles. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., recently told reporters that “ideally let’s make it through the process. Let’s do our due diligence, what we have to do and get them done in a very fast and effective manner.” GOP SENATOR DEBUTS BILL TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOLLOWING TRUMP CAMPAIGN PROMISE In the days since being elected, Trump has announced over a dozen selections for his Cabinet and various roles in his administration. With Republicans gaining the Senate majority in the new year, much of the confirmation process for Trump’s choices is expected to go smoothly — except for a couple of the more controversial selections. However, those nominees that may lack the votes could withdraw themselves before it becomes an issue, as former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., did. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz, who was selected by Trump to be his attorney general, wrote on X. SENATE SHOWDOWN: GOP SECURES DEAL WITH SCHUMER TO SAVE COVETED APPELLATE JUDGES FOR TRUMP According to Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., “Priority number one for the new Senate GOP majority is to confirm Trump’s team as quickly as possible when we take back the gavels in January.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., reiterated this in his own post to X, writing, “President Trump’s Cabinet should be confirmed quickly and without delay.” Not only will the Senate and White House be under Republican control, but the House will also have a GOP majority. With this in mind, Republicans are preparing to swiftly move as much of Trump’s agenda through the legislature. DEMOCRAT TAMMY BALDWIN DETAILS RECIPE FOR RUNNING IN A SWING STATE AFTER VICTORY IN TRUMP-WON WISCONSIN Republicans do not have the 60 votes in the Senate to beat a cloture vote, but they are preparing to bypass the hurdle through budget reconciliation to pass much of Trump’s economic and tax plans. Trump, notably, can only serve one additional term. In 2028, he is not eligible to run again. The next president could be a Democrat, or even a Republican who has differing policy goals or preferences. Republican urgency to complete Trump’s agenda could be motivated by such knowledge.
Trump administration takes shape: President-elect completes top 15 Cabinet picks
President-elect Trump has rounded out his picks for the top 15 positions within his Cabinet, handpicking an array of establishment and unconventional officials for top posts in just three weeks. Trump has moved at a rapid pace to shape his upcoming administration, which stands in contrast to his first run at the presidency in 2016. The president-elect’s picks have diverse ideologies united under Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. From Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s pro-choice stance to Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s pro-union stance and former George Soros adviser Scott Bessent, Trump’s Cabinet reflects a new era for Republican presidents. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Kennedy, a former Democrat, has been open about his pro-choice stance, much to the chagrin of conservative Republicans. The former presidential candidate shared a video on social media this summer, writing in a post, “I support the emerging consensus that abortion should be unrestricted up until a certain point.” He suggested that this limit should be “when the baby is viable outside the womb.” Viability is understood to occur around 24 weeks gestation. Kennedy will likely be asked in his upcoming hearing the extent of his pro-choice stance. Several Republicans are wary of Trump’s pick for HHS, while others expressed confidence he would act in line with the administration. “I would fully expect any of Trump’s nominees to be pro-life, as is President Trump,” Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “It does need to be addressed.” RFK JR’S ABORTION ‘ISSUE’: SENATE GOP PLANS TO SCRUTINIZE TRUMP HHS PICK’S POSITION “I believe what he’s going to do is do the right thing,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said of Kennedy. Trump’s softening stance toward abortion was a notable point during his campaign. Trump has said he would leave abortion to the states after of Roe v. Wade was overturned. Trump notably opposes a federal abortion ban but has remained opposed to late-term abortions. In July, the Republican Party abandoned its long-standing position of advocating for abortions. Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination received strong support from unions, which once stood at odds with Republican ideology. The president-elect lauded her for working “tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America.” “I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for American Workers, to expand Training and Apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our Manufacturing jobs,” Trump said in an Friday announcement. During her short stint as a House Republican, Chavez-DeRemer championed labor rights. She co-sponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which increased penalties for employers who break labor law and makes it easier to unionize. She also co-sponsored the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which would expand the powers of public sector unions. Her candidacy for the post was backed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, whose president thanked Trump for the pro-labor pick. “North America’s strongest union is ready to work with you every step of the way to expand good union jobs and rebuild our nation’s middle class,” Teamsters President Sean O’Brien wrote on X. “Let’s get to work!” Similarly, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler praised Chavez-DeRemer for having “built a pro-labor record in Congress.” “But Donald Trump is the president-elect of the United States — not Rep. Chavez-DeRemer — and it remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as secretary of labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda,” Shuler said. President-elect Trump nominated Bessent as his top economic official to implement “Trumponomics.” Bessent made a name for himself at Soros Capital Management, where he worked as chief investment officer from 2011 to 2015. Following his work with Soros, he founded hedge fund Key Square Capital Management and was a key economic policy adviser and fundraiser for the Trump campaign. He has been an advocate for economic policies like lower taxes, spending restraint and deregulation that have long made up the core of the Republican Party’s platform and has been supportive of Trump’s use of tariffs in trade negotiations. In a statement, Consumer Bankers Association President and CEO Lindsey Johnson congratulated Bessent on the nomination. “As an experienced and accomplished businessman, we applaud Mr. Bessent’s recent comments in which he has called for a surge in small business optimism, a smart deregulatory banking agenda and support for Main Street,” Johnson said. “If confirmed, we look forward to working with Mr. Bessent to advocate for sound financial regulatory policy that enable banks to better support consumers, small businesses and the economy at large.” As America’s top diplomat, Rubio was plucked from his Senate term in Florida to serve in Trump’s upcoming administration. Rubio, a former critic of Trump, has supported strong relations with foreign alliances, including NATO, advocating for a robust U.S. presence in the world. He has also publicly supported Israel’s war against Hamas and spoken out against continued aid to Ukraine. “It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State. Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.” INCOMING SENATE DEM ELISSA SLOTKIN TORCHES IDENTITY POLITICS IN 2024 AUTOPSY: ‘GO THE WAY OF THE DODO’ In a statement, Rubio, 53, said he was “honored” by the trust Trump “has placed in me.” “As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda,” Rubio wrote on X. “Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else.” WATCH: A combat veteran and former Fox News host, Hegseth was picked as the senior executive in the Department of Defense, which oversees the
Trump taps Brooke Rollins as agriculture secretary
President-elect Trump tapped Brooke Rollins as his agriculture secretary. In a statement on Saturday, Trump lauded Rollins’ “commitment to support the American Farmer, defense of American Food Self-Sufficiency, and the restoration of Agriculture-dependent American Small Towns.” “A proud Graduate of Texas A&M University, Brooke earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Agriculture Development, and J.D., with Honors,” the announcement said. “From her upbringing in the small and Agriculture-centered town of Glen Rose, Texas, to her years of leadership involvement with Future Farmers of America and 4H, to her generational Family Farming background, to guiding her four kids in their show cattle careers, Brooke has a practitioner’s experience, along with deep Policy credentials in both Nonprofit and Government leadership at the State and National levels.” Rollins served as director of the Office of American Innovation and acting director of the Domestic Policy Council during the first Trump administration. Since her time in the Trump White House, Rollins has co-founded the America First Policy Institute think tank.
Ric Grenell under consideration to be Trump’s point man on Ukraine: report
Richard “Ric” Grenell, the former acting director of National Intelligence in President-elect Trump’s first administration, is reportedly under consideration to be special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Currently, there is no special envoy responsible for bringing an end to the war in Eastern Europe. Trump is strongly considering whether to create the role, Reuters reported, citing four sources familiar with the president’s deliberations. If he does create the new position, Grenell is said to be a leading candidate, though Trump may select someone else, the sources told Reuters. There is also no guarantee that Grenell would accept the position if it were offered to him, the sources reportedly said. HERE ARE THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT CANDIDATES FOR TOP POSTS IN TRUMP’S ADMINISTRATION Fox News Digital was previously told Grenell was under consideration to be U.S. Secretary of State. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was instead named to lead the State Department. Neither Grenell nor the Trump transition team responded to requests for comment. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Trump repeatedly made campaign promises to quickly resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, if elected, although he has never laid out a specific plan to end the war. Grenell, an outspoken Trump loyalist, has made statements in the past that may be of concern to Ukrainian leadership. ‘NEW’ RUSSIAN MISSILE USED AGAINST UKRAINE NOT HYPERSONIC, DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY During a Bloomberg round table in July, he advocated for the creation of “autonomous zones” as a means of settling the conflict, which began after Russia invaded Ukrainian sovereign territory. He also suggested he would not be in favor of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the immediate future, a position he shares with many Trump allies. Grenell’s supporters note he has had a long diplomatic career and has a deep knowledge of European affairs. In addition to serving as ambassador to Germany, Grenell was also a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations. Prior to working for the first Trump administration, Grenell was a U.S. State Department spokesman to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. He has advised various Republican candidates and was a foreign policy spokesman for Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential campaign. Grenell was previously a Fox News contributor. Reuters contributed to this report.
Texas AG sues Dallas for decriminalizing marijuana
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a lawsuit Thursday targeting the blue city of Dallas over a ballot measure that decriminalizes marijuana. Paxton alleges that Proposition R, which “prohibits the Dallas Police Department from making arrests or issuing citations for marijuana possession or considering the odor of marijuana as probable cause for search or seizure,” violates state law. The attorney general argues in the lawsuit that the ballot measure is preempted by Texas law, which criminalizes the possession and distribution of marijuana. Paxton also claims the Texas Constitution prohibits municipalities from adopting an ordinance that conflicts with laws enacted by the state legislature. MORE AMERICANS SMOKE MARIJUANA DAILY THAN DRINK ALCOHOL, STUDY CLAIMS “Cities cannot pick and choose which State laws they follow,” Paxton said in a statement. “The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them.” Paxton called the ballot measure “a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution” and threatened to sue any other city that “tries to constrain police in this fashion.” WHAT ARE THE TOP RISKS OF MARIJUANA USE? The lawsuit comes after interim Dallas Police Department Chief Michael Igo directed Dallas police officers not to enforce marijuana laws against those found to be in possession of less than 4 ounces. Ground Game Texas, a progressive nonprofit group that campaigned in favor of the ballot measure, argued it would help “keep people out of jail for marijuana possession,” “reduce racially biased policing” and “save millions in public funding.” TEXAS AG PAXTON FILES CRIMINAL REFERRAL AGAINST DOJ FROM ‘SUSPICIOUS DONATIONS’ THROUGH DEMOCRATIC GROUP “It’s unfortunate but not surprising that Attorney General Ken Paxton has apparently chosen to waste everyone’s time and money by filing yet another baseless lawsuit against marijuana decriminalization,” said Catina Voellinger, executive director for Ground Game Texas. “Judges in Travis and Hays counties have already dismissed identical lawsuits filed there. The Dallas Freedom Act was overwhelmingly approved by 67% of voters — this is democracy in action.” Since January 2024, Paxton has filed lawsuits against five Texas cities that decriminalized marijuana possession, arguing these policies promote crime, drug abuse and violence.
Who is Pam Bondi, Trump’s new pick for attorney general?
Just hours after former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration to be attorney general, President-elect Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his AG nominee. “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. “I have known Pam for many years – She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!” Bondi chairs the Center of Litigation and co-chairs the Center for Law and Justice at the America First Policy Institute. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ANNOUNCES PAM BONDI AS HIS NEW PICK FOR US ATTORNEY GENERAL Here’s what to know about Trump’s new AG pick: Bondi, 59, is a Tampa native and earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida and her law degree from Stetson Law School. She was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1991. She worked as a prosecutor out of the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office for more than 18 years, trying a variety of cases from domestic violence to murder. Bondi made history in 2010 as the state’s first female attorney general. Her campaign emphasized challenging the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and later focused on human trafficking issues once in office. She also notably shut down pill mills and tackled the state’s opioid crisis. She held the post until 2019. Bondi worked as one of Trump’s defense lawyers in 2020 after he was first impeached on allegations that he had abused his power and obstructed Congress. “They have not charged the president with any crime because the president did nothing wrong,” Bondi said when articles of impeachment were sent by the House to the Senate. “There was no crime. The transcript of that phone call speaks for itself.” MATT GAETZ WITHDRAWS FROM CONSIDERATION TO SERVE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL Bondi also worked on Trump’s Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during his first administration. In her role on the commission, Bondi collaborated with national leaders on drug prevention and treatment. Bondi is a partner at Ballard Partners, a Florida-based lobbying firm founded by Brian Ballard. Bondi splits her time between Florida and Washington, D.C., chairing the firm’s corporate regulatory practice. The D.C. office notably earned more than $70 million in lobbying fees during Trump’s first term by representing various corporate clients, according to federal disclosures. Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, also works for the firm after becoming a partner there following Trump’s 2016 victory. WITH GAETZ DROPPING OUT, DO HEGSETH, RFK JR. AND GABBARD NOW HAVE BIGGER TARGETS ON THEIR BACKS? Bondi has been vocal in her criticism about Trump’s prosecutions, going so far as appearing alongside Trump in New York City during his hush money trial. “They make it sound like it’s a first-degree murder case, and I’ve tried plenty of trial cases, Trace, and never seen anything like this,” Bondi told Fox News host Trace Gallagher in April, shortly after Trump was issued a gag order in his New York case. “They’re trying to gag him not only of his First Amendment rights but of defending himself,” Bondi said at the time. Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Biden makes final push for student loan forgiveness before Trump takes office
President Biden is making a last-ditch effort to cancel more student debt before the end of his term, after facing years of setbacks in his attempts to erase billions of dollars in borrowed money. The Department of Education announced an interim final rule this month to extend the deadline for student loan borrowers to enroll in long-term pay-over-time programs. The provision would amend the Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) to extend the deadline for borrowers to enroll in ICR or Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), a program which cancels all student debt for borrowers after 20 years of on-time payments. The enrollment deadline would be extended by three years, from July 2024 to July 2027. The regulations, however, are slated to go into effect in July 2026, meaning the incoming Trump administration could intercept any handout initiatives going into effect after his term. FORMER TRUMP EDUCATION SECRETARY LAYS OUT ‘UNFINISHED BUSINESS’ FOR NEW ADMIN ON SCHOOL REFORMS The announcement comes just weeks after the Biden administration put forward an additional new rule, that, if finalized, would authorize student debt forgiveness on a one-time basis for people who the department considers to have at least an 80% chance of defaulting on loans based on a “predictive assessment using existing borrower data.” Also in October, the administration announced plans to remove $4.5 billion in debt for more than 60,000 borrowers who work in public service. BIDEN PUSHES TO FINALIZE MORE STUDENT DEBT RELIEF BEFORE END OF TERM, INCLUDING FOR ‘FUTURE BORROWERS’ During his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden pledged to forgive student loans for millions of Americans if elected, but the president has faced continuous legal roadblocks in his attempt to eliminate hundreds of billions of dollars in debt. Biden’s initial plan sought to provide up to $10,000 in debt relief, and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients, for people who make less than $125,000 a year — which was estimated to cost more than $400 billion. However, in June 2023, the Supreme Court issued a ruling against Biden’s loan cancelation plans which stated that the secretary of education cannot cancel more than $430 billion in student debt. The president, however, made another attempt to cancel debt for roughly 30 million Americans. Biden’s second proposal sought to cancel up to $20,000 in interest for Americans who owe more than they borrow, as well as cancel all debt for those who have been repaying undergraduate loans for 20 years or more. President-elect Trump has not said specifically how he will approach the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plans, but has said he plans to rework the entire education system during his term. The former education department secretary under Trump recently told Fox that Biden’s attempt at student loan handouts needs to be reevaluated by the incoming administration. “There is every argument for if the taxpayers are going to be funding student lending, there better be ways to oversee it and actually do it effectively and efficiently,” former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “And it has not been happening. It is a huge mess, and it needs to be rethought and re-examined, and frankly, the private sector, private sector lending needs to come back into it and be an option.” Fox News’ Alec Schemmel, Chris Pandolfo, and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
24 states’ attorneys general call on Supreme Court to keep biological boys out of girls sports
Attorneys general from 24 states are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling and uphold an Arizona law to prohibit biological boys from competing on girls’ sports teams. The petition comes after a federal appeals court ruled that the law likely violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. “Sports teams are divided by sex to begin with to give girls a level playing field so they’re not competing against boys,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release. “Arizona’s law restricting girls’ sports teams to biological females is just common sense, and it protects girls from competing against bigger, stronger males who identify as females.” FEDERAL JUDGE PUSHES BACK ON PARENTS CALLING TRANS ATHLETE ‘A BOY’ IN LEGAL BATTLE OVER PRO-GIRLS PROTESTS In addition to Wilson, the attorneys general supporting the petition are those from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. The petition notes that these states have laws similar to Arizona’s that restrict girls’ sports to biological females. It also argues that the Equal Protection Clause does not prohibit states from offering separate sports teams for men, women, boys and girls. GIRLS CATHOLIC SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL TEAM COULD FACE PENALTY AFTER FANS BOO TRANS ATHLETE ON PUBLIC SCHOOL TEAM “In sports, equal access means a level playing field,” the attorneys general write in their brief. “And a level playing field usually means sports teams divided by sex so that girls can compete against other girls.” “Basing the distinction on biology rather than gender identity makes sense because it is the differences in biology—not gender identity—that call for separate teams in the first place: Whatever their gender identity, biological males are, on average, stronger and faster than biological females. If those average physical differences did not matter, there would be no need to segregate sports teams at all,” they continued. The attorneys general are asking the high court to “make it clear that the Constitution does not prohibit states from saving women’s sports from unfair competition and providing meaningful athletic opportunities for girls and women,” according to Wilson’s news release.