PA Education Department agrees to cancel requirement for teachers to adopt guidelines deemed ‘woke’
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has agreed to cancel its requirement for schools to enforce teaching guidelines that were deemed “woke” in a recently settled lawsuit. Pennsylvania officials were requiring schools to adopt a set of instructions on how to approach teaching under their “Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines” (CR-SE). The guidelines included mandating teachers to “design learning experiences and spaces for learners to identify and question economic, political, and social power structures in the school” and “disrupt harmful institutional practices, policies, and norms.” The Thomas More Society, a faith-based legal group, filed a lawsuit against the PDE in April 2023 on behalf of a group of parents and public school districts who argued the mandate violated their First Amendment rights. TRUMP TAPS FORMER WWE CEO LINDA MCMAHON TO SERVE AS EDUCATION SECRETARY The PDE agreed to settle the suit in November and rescind its CR-SE guidelines. KIRK CAMERON, CHRISTIAN PARENTS FLOAT REPLACING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS TRUMP MULLS CABINET PICK “We are incredibly pleased with this settlement agreement, which forces the Pennsylvania Department of Education to rescind the state’s ‘Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education’ guidelines – securing an important victory for Pennsylvania parents, students, and teachers,” Thomas Breth, special counsel for the Thomas More Society, said in a statement. “Our agreement is a triumph against the Department’s blatantly ideological and illegal attempt to inject ‘woke’ activism into school curricula across Pennsylvania, which demanded educators affirm their belief in these ideological tenets and then impose the same upon their students,” Breth added. Just days after the settlement, the department issued new suggestions under their new “Common Ground Framework,” though schools are no longer required to comply with the guidelines. Asked about the settlement, PDE highlighted their new guidelines in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. “PDE is proud to offer this resource as an improvement on previously issued guidance, with an expanded focus on digital literacy, mental health, and trauma – real issues that impact those in all spaces of learning within every Pennsylvania community,” Erin James, PDE press secretary, said in a statement. The new guidelines encourage educators to “understand the importance of differences in marginalized learners and historically underrepresented groups,” such as gender identity, according to the department’s website. Additionally, teachers in the state are still encouraged to “create an equitable learning environment by challenging and debunking stereotypes and biases about the intelligence, academic ability, and behavior of historically marginalized learners.”
DSCC hopeful Gillibrand says Dems should have put immigration fix on table ‘2 years ago’
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who is looking to head up the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) for the 2026 cycle, thinks Democrats waited too long to address the current immigration crisis. In an interview with Fox News Digital, the senator said, “For me, it would have been great if we could have gotten these commonsense, bipartisan ideas on the table two years ago, like really, a while ago, because the urgency has been very top of mind for certain communities in New York.” One of the top takeaways drawn from data from the Fox News Digital Voter Analysis after the 2024 election was that immigration was one of the biggest issues in the country. When voters were asked about reducing the number of immigrants allowed to seek asylum, twice as many favored reducing the number of immigrants allowed to do so. GOP SENATOR DEBUTS BILL TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOLLOWING TRUMP CAMPAIGN PROMISE Democrats made their own case for addressing it, citing a border and immigration bill that was negotiated by a Republican senator, a Democrat senator and an independent border state senator. However, by the bill’s last appearance on the Senate floor, two of its three negotiators had abandoned it. Only one Republican chose to vote in favor of the measure. On the campaign trail, Democrats pointed to this bill and their attempt to pass it when confronting concerns about the border, often criticizing their Republican colleagues and President-elect Donald Trump for standing against it. Gillibrand said immigration worries were some of the top concerns brought to her attention by voters. “They wanted to make sure their kids were safe. So issues like immigration and fentanyl trafficking and gun trafficking were really important to them,” she said. SENATE SHOWDOWN: GOP SECURES DEAL WITH SCHUMER TO SAVE COVETED APPELLATE JUDGES FOR TRUMP This and the economy and cost of living, “were really more salient,” the senator said, reflecting on 2024 and how to win in red or purple areas comprised of swing voters. When asked about abortion messaging in 2026, Gillibrand didn’t say what she would do in the 2026 cycle if she was selected to lead the DSCC, but she said that “people really wanted to talk about the cost of things” in this cycle. Whether identity politics played a role in Democrat losses and if the party should veer away from it, she didn’t agree with some of her fellow Democrats. “I think it was leaned in by Republican candidates to divide America, which I found to be really unfortunate,” she said. DEMOCRAT TAMMY BALDWIN DETAILS RECIPE FOR RUNNING IN A SWING STATE AFTER VICTORY IN TRUMP-WON WISCONSIN To fight those efforts, Gillibrand said, “I think you just say it like it is. I mean, just be truthful about it. And, you know, on a lot of those issues, a lot of our state governments already take care of it.” The New York senator said that even though the 2024 election occurred just weeks ago, the 2026 Senate cycle “really starts today.” She said she wants to lead the DSCC so she can “help other candidates across the country to be in their community, not two months before the election but two years before the election, talking to voters about what they care most about.” Notably, Gillibrand flipped a red House district to blue when she was first elected in 2006, unseating an incumbent. RFK JR’S ABORTION ‘ISSUE’: SENATE GOP PLANS TO SCRUTINIZE TRUMP HHS PICK’S POSITION Though the senator hasn’t officially been selected to take on the challenge of running the Democrat campaign arm yet, she is already eyeing some competitive candidates. In particular, Gillibrand said she thinks Democrat North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper would be a good candidate to try and flip a Senate seat to blue in the state. “I haven’t talked to him yet, but he’s pretty impressive,” she said. The Senate seat in North Carolina is held by incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. Gillibrand also noted that the Senate majority may not be something Democrats can earn back in 2026, telling Fox News Digital, “Sometimes it takes time to win back majorities, and it may take two cycles.” “I just know there’s great races across the country and great candidates that, hopefully, I’ll be part of recruiting, and hopefully we can win our majority back.”
Should women serve in combat? Military experts weigh in
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth, is facing a firestorm of backlash for voicing his belief that women should not serve in military combat roles. Although the media is largely united against him, opinions among combat and military experts are more split. Will Thibeau, a former Army Ranger with multiple combat deployments, told Fox News Digital that he agrees with Hegseth wholeheartedly. “I think soon-to-be Secretary Hegseth stated simple truths that 12 years ago were commonly understood and affirmed by the senior-most leaders in the Pentagon, the rank and file of the military and the culture at large, that war and in particular units that are made and forged to fight in war with no other purpose are units meant for men and men only,” he said. “Biological sex and relationships between men and women is a reality that you can’t avoid,” he added. “And when you induce stress, physical uncertainty, physical proximity and unique scenarios to that biological reality, you get a fracture of what would have been a typical military team, or a military unit forged for warfighting.” ARE PETE HEGSETH’S TATTOOS SYMBOLS OF ‘CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM’? Hegseth, 44, is a former Fox News host and Army infantry officer who served two combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and an additional deployment to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Trump tapped Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, one of the most influential positions in his cabinet, on Nov. 13, just over a week after he won the election. The president-elect said of Hegseth that “nobody fights harder for the Troops” and “with Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice.” However, Hegseth is facing a great deal of pushback from Democrats and the media, most especially for his comments on a Nov. 7 episode of the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast in which he said, “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.” Hegseth asserted that women serving in combat roles “hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal” and “has made fighting more complicated.” PENTAGON BRACING FOR SWEEPING CHANGES AFTER TRUMP NOMINATES PETE HEGSETH FOR SECRETARY He did not argue against women serving in the military or even in non-ground combat roles such as in the Air Force. Rather, he made the point that the U.S. military has been lowering its physical standards to allow more women to be eligible to serve in combat roles, something that he said increases the risk of combat complications and fatalities. He said, “I love women service members who contribute amazingly,” but asserted that “everything about women serving together makes the situation more complicated and complication in combat means casualties are worse.” He also criticized the upper echelons of military leadership for changing standards and prioritizing filling diversity quotas above combat effectiveness. He pointed to a 2015 study by the Marine Corps that found that integrated male-female units did “drastically worse” in terms of combat effectiveness than all-male units. “Between bone density and lung capacity and muscle strength, men and women are just different,” he said. “So, I’m ok with if you maintain the standards just where they are for everybody, and if there’s some, you know, hard-charging female that meets that standard, great, cool, join the infantry battalion. But that is not what’s happened. What has happened is the standards have lowered.” Hegseth noted that he was not necessarily advocating for making the change right now, commenting; “Imagine the demagoguery in Washington, D.C., if you were actually making the case for, you know, ‘We should scale back women in combat.’” “As the disclaimer for everybody out there,” he added, “we’ve all served with women and they’re great, it’s just our institutions don’t have to incentivize that in places where … over human history, men are more capable.” Despite this, Ellen Haring, a retired Army colonel, told Fox News Digital that many women and men in the military are concerned about Hegseth becoming secretary and instituting these changes. “Women who are in these combat jobs and many of them have been there for six, eight years now, are very energized and concerned about the idea that they might lose their jobs,” she said. According to Haring, there are 2,500 women currently serving in ground combat roles in Army infantry, armor, field artillery branches as well as special forces. She also said that 152 women have earned Army Ranger tabs and there are currently ten women in the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. She said that despite women making up only a quarter of all West Point Academy graduates they accounted for a third of all lieutenants slotted to armor combat units. MILITARY SUICIDES WERE ON THE RISE LAST YEAR, DESPITE A MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN PREVENTION PROGRAMS “There’s no indication that any of those units have been harmed by their presence,” she said. “So, Hegseth claims that adding women to these units is going to create a degree of complication and is somehow or another puts people at risk. That hasn’t happened at any unit that we’ve seen so far. So, I don’t know where he’s coming up with these notions.” Beyond not harming units, Haring went on to say that women have helped to improve the professionalism of units, especially infantry units. “Infantry units had a culture of hazing and kind of abuse of each other,” she said. “Their presence there has turned a spotlight on that kind of behavior and has actually eliminated a lot of it across the force. So, this kind of brutal behavior that infantry units engaged in amongst themselves is slowly being eradicated by the women’s presence.” Similarly, Captain Micah Ables, an Army Infantry company commander, told Fox News Digital that women in his unit have improved the “team player” attitude of the company as well as broadened its capabilities when deployed. Ables’ first deployment to Afghanistan was with an all-male unit, however, he later deployed with one of the first integrated companies in the infantry. He said that
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says Trump’s mass migrant deportations will create ‘Tiananmen Square moment’
Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston pledged to resist President-elect Trump’s proposed immigration policies, invoking China’s infamous Tiananmen Square incident by saying residents would rise up against federal agents. Johnston emphasized Denver’s commitment to protecting illegal migrants and maintaining its sanctuary city status, saying it would not be “bullied” by the incoming Trump administration. “We’re not going to sell out those values to anyone,” Johnston told the Denverite in an interview. “We’re not going to be bullied into changing them.” ‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’ Johnston predicted a “Tiananmen Square moment” if federal immigration officials attempted to do their job. “More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there,” Johnston told the local outlet. “It’s like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. “And you do not want to mess with them.” WATCH: The Democratic mayor’s remarks came after Trump campaigned, in part, on enforcing stringent immigration laws and deporting migrants and reflect a trend by state and local officials saying they’ll reject the president-elect’s policies. In Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker promised to uphold sanctuary status, boldly declaring, “If you come for my people, you come through me.” TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’ In Los Angeles, Democratic Mayor Karen Bass was instrumental in passing a local ordinance limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “Especially in the face of growing threats to the immigrant communities here in Los Angeles, I stand with the people of this city,” Bass said. “This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Trump has vowed to initiate deportation efforts on his first day back in office, recently saying he would be open to declaring a national emergency and using the military to make it happen. Trump’s commitment to closing the border was cemented by his pick of “border czar,” Tom Homan. “If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We’re going to do it,’ Homan recently said.
Massachusetts GOP slams liberal leaders after illegal immigrants accused of child rape arrested by ICE
The Massachusetts GOP (MassGOP) issued scathing remarks toward Democrats Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu after U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrests of three illegal immigrants on child rape charges. Healey and Wu have both been vocal about their opposition to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise to conduct mass deportations of illegal immigrants once he returns to the Oval Office in January. This month, Healey vowed that her state police will “absolutely not” cooperate with the expected mass deportation effort by the incoming Trump administration, warning that she will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in the blue state. Wu also took a stance against Trump during an interview on Sunday, saying her city will not cooperate with the incoming administration’s looming mass deportation operation despite the region seeing a number of illegal immigrants with criminal charges getting released back onto the streets. ICE ARRESTS 3 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN MASS.: 2 CHARGED WITH CHILD RAPE, 1 CONVICTED OF SAME CRIME IN BRAZIL Even after the two leaders made their positions on not working with Trump on immigration public, ICE on Wednesday announced the arrests of two illegal immigrants charged with forcibly raping children in Massachusetts and the arrest of a third individual who was convicted of raping a child in Brazil before fleeing to the U.S. and going into hiding after being caught and released at the U.S. border in 2022. In a news release Thursday, MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale called the positions taken by Healey and Wu “appalling and disgusting” and accused them of prioritizing the appeasement of the most radical elements of their political base over the safety of residents. “Parents across the Commonwealth are horrified that individuals charged with such serious crimes are allowed to roam free because local authorities refuse to work with ICE to remove these criminals from our streets,” Carnevale said. “Massachusetts residents have had enough. These harrowing incidents are becoming far too frequent. When our state’s top leaders go on television to proclaim that Massachusetts will protect illegal immigrants and refuse to cooperate with ICE, they send a dangerous message that invites more of this behavior into our communities. By doing so, they are complicit in the chaos that follows.” DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS “It’s time for Democrats to put politics aside and work with federal authorities to end this alarming pattern in Massachusetts,” she added. Healey’s office and Wu’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. The three suspects arrested by ICE were identified this week as 21-year-old Mynor Stiven De Paz-Munoz of Guatemala, 42-year-old Billy Erney Buitrago-Bustos of Colombia and 41-year-old Alexandre Romao De Oliveira of Brazil. ‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’ ICE said Wednesday that De Paz-Munoz entered the U.S. on Sept. 24, 2020, near Eagle Pass, Texas, before getting released by U.S. Border Patrol with a notice to appear before an immigration review judge. He was later arrested in western Massachusetts by Great Barrington police on Feb. 29, 2024, for rape of a child by force, rape of a child, and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. Despite ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston office lodging a detainer with the police department, De Paz-Munoz was released on bail. He has since been taken into custody. Buitrago-Bustos was admitted into the U.S. on May 4, 2016, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, though he failed to leave under the terms of his visa. TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’ After his arrest in October 2023, ERO Boston lodged an immigration arrest with the Great Barrington Police Department. Later that month, Buitrago-Bustos was arraigned in Southern Berkshire District Court and held without bail. The charges were elevated to Berkshire County Superior Court on March 18, which honored the immigration detainer and released him into custody of ERO Boston on Nov. 15 after he posted bail. Romao De Oliveira is a foreign fugitive convicted of raping a child in Brazil. He was convicted in the First Criminal Court of Jaru, Rondônia, Brazil, on Feb. 10, 2022, and sentenced to serve 14 years behind bars. But according to ICE, Romao De Oliveira fled Brazil before he could serve his sentence. On April 16, 2022, Romao De Oliveira entered the U.S. near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, without admission by an immigration official and was released from custody after being served a notice to appear before a DOJ immigration review judge. MassGOP spokesperson Logan Trupiano told Fox News Digital that State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and House Minority Leader Brad Jones have filed legislation to close loopholes created by a 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decision that barred state courts from cooperating with ICE detainers. As a result, the ruling facilitated the release of illegal immigrants accused of crimes on bail rather than honoring federal immigration detainers. “Filed a month ago, this critical legislation addresses the public safety risks stemming from the decision,” Trupiano said. “We urge the Democratic supermajority in the legislature to put political posturing aside, prioritize public safety and pass this important measure.” The immigration issues stretch across the U.S., and on Wednesday, House Republicans pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for an answer about how the U.S. lost track of thousands of unaccounted migrant children. He was also asked about fumbling the vetting process that allegedly allowed some minors to be sent to gang members and sometimes even a strip club. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
President-elect Trump announces Pam Bondi as his new pick for US attorney general
President-elect Trump announced Thursday evening that he’s nominating former attorney general of Florida Pam Bondi as the next attorney general of the United States. Trump’s latest Cabinet pick replaces Matt Gaetz, the former Florida representative and nominee for attorney general, who on Thursday withdrew as Trump’s pick for the top prosecutor after the “distraction” his nomination had caused due to a swirl of allegations about paying underage women for sex. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country. She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives! TRUMP’S SPEEDY CABINET PICKS SHOW HIS ‘PRIORITY TO PUT AMERICA FIRST,’ TRANSITION TEAM SAYS “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” he continued. “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!”
Democrat Bob Casey concedes Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormick
Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey on Thursday announced he has conceded the race to Republican candidate Dave McCormick more than two weeks after Election Day. Casey said in a statement that he called McCormick to congratulate him. McCormick’s campaign also independently confirmed the news to Fox News Digital. “I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate,” Casey said in the statement. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last.” “This race was one of the closest in our Commonwealth’s history, decided by less than a quarter of a point. I am grateful to the thousands of people who worked to make sure every eligible vote cast could be counted, including election officials in all 67 counties.” RNC FILES TWO LAWSUITS IN PENNSYLVANIA AMID SEN BOB CASEY REFUSING TO CONCEDE RACE The Pennsylvania State Department confirmed that all counties “have completed their initial count of all votes cast, with the exception of ballots under challenge.” “This is a major step that marks the end of counties’ initial counting processes and signals that counties begin preparing their results for official certification. Thousands of election professionals have been working tirelessly since Nov. 5 to ensure every eligible vote cast by a registered voter is counted accurately. All of Pennsylvania’s election officials deserve our thanks, as well as our continued support while they complete their duties with integrity,” the message said. The news comes after McCormick edged out Casey by just 17,000 votes to win the Senate seat, according to the most recent unofficial data from the Department of State – putting Casey well within the 0.5% margin of error required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount. That recount began Monday and was slated to end Nov. 26. The Republican Party blasted Democrats this week for Casey’s refusal to concede the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, taking aim at the three-term incumbent for moving ahead with a costly recount effort, despite their assessment that Casey lacked any achievable path to victory. They have also criticized the cost, noting that the recount will cost taxpayers an estimated $1 million. In his statement Thursday, Casey praised the democratic process and voters who turned out in the Keystone State. “When a Pennsylvanian takes the time to cast a legal vote, often waiting in long lines and taking time away from their work and family, they deserve to know that their vote will count,” Casey said. “That’s democracy.” Later Thursday, Casey took to X to thank his supporters. “During my time in office, I have been guided by an inscription on the Finance Building in Harrisburg: ‘All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.’” He added: “Thank you for your trust in me all these years, Pennsylvania. It has been the honor of my lifetime.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said the news “hits me.” “It’s been a supreme honor to have Bob Casey as a colleague, friend, and mentor,” Fetterman said in a statement. “His legacy is a better Pennsylvania. Unassuming while delivering for PA for nearly two decades, he fought for working Pennsylvanians and unions, rural communities, seniors and people with disabilities—all of us. Bob Casey was, is, and always will be Pennsylvania’s best senator.” EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been updated to clarify that the Pennsylvania secretary of state had not announced the end of the recount as of Friday morning.
Democrat Bob Casey concedes Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormick, ending recount
Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey on Thursday announced he has conceded the race to Republican candidate Dave McCormick, putting an end to a lengthy automatic recount in the Keystone State more than two weeks after Election Day. Casey said in a statement that he called McCormick to congratulate him. McCormick’s campaign also independently confirmed the news to Fox News Digital. “I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate,” Casey said in the statement. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last.” “This race was one of the closest in our Commonwealth’s history, decided by less than a quarter of a point. I am grateful to the thousands of people who worked to make sure every eligible vote cast could be counted, including election officials in all 67 counties.” RNC FILES TWO LAWSUITS IN PENNSYLVANIA AMID SEN BOB CASEY REFUSING TO CONCEDE RACE The news comes after McCormick edged out Casey by just 17,000 votes to win the Senate seat, according to the most recent unofficial data from the Department of State – putting Casey well within the 0.5% margin of error required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount. That recount began Monday and was slated to end Nov. 26. The Republican Party blasted Democrats this week for Casey’s refusal to concede the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, taking aim at the three-term incumbent for moving ahead with a costly recount effort, despite their assessment that Casey lacked any achievable path to victory. They have also criticized the cost, noting that the recount will cost taxpayers an estimated $1 million. In his statement Thursday, Casey praised the democratic process and voters who turned out in the Keystone State. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “When a Pennsylvanian takes the time to cast a legal vote, often waiting in long lines and taking time away from their work and family, they deserve to know that their vote will count,” Casey said. “That’s democracy.”
With Gaetz dropping out, do Hegseth, RFK Jr. and Gabbard now have bigger targets on their backs?
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal as President-elect Trump’s nominee for attorney general amid growing fallout over sex trafficking allegations may prove problematic for Trump’s other controversial picks for top administration positions. Gaetz took his name out of consideration Thursday as Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to serve as defense secretary, was wrapping up meetings on Capitol Hill with senators. Hegseth, who was joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance, is also facing sexual misconduct allegations from a 2017 encounter. Scrutiny increased late Wednesday night after police in Monterey, California, released a report about the allegations. GAETZ WITHDRAWS NAME AS ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE “The matter was fully investigated, and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday. Through his attorney, he has also acknowledged the sexual encounter but has said it was consensual. Trump’s transition team spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt called Hegseth “a highly-respected combat veteran who will honorably serve our country when he is confirmed as the next secretary of defense.” WHOM WILL TRUMP PICK NEXT FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL? But with Gaetz now out of the firing line, Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who, until earlier this month, was a high-profile Fox News host, is likely to face more attention from the media and from senators. Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, taking questions from reporters after Gaetz announced he was dropping out of consideration, was asked about the allegations against Hegseth. “It’s a pretty big problem given that we have … a sexual assault problem in our military,” Cramer said. The senator added he’s “not going to prejudge,” but that “it’s a pretty concerning accusation.” Trump’s transition team on Thursday afternoon blasted out an email titled, “Pete Hegseth Earns Strong Support On Capitol Hill,” which spotlighted positive quotes from 11 GOP senators, including a snippet from Cramer. And a source close to Trump’s transition team told Fox News “the transition team doesn’t think the issues Gaetz faced are a wider problem.” But scrutiny will likely also increase for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Trump’s picks for Health and Human Services secretary and director of national intelligence, as they both face potential blowback for past controversial comments. “I would be more worried if I was them,” a different source in Trump’s political orbit told Fox News when asked about Hegseth, Kennedy and Gabbard. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said there are “some things” Kennedy should “get ahead of” before courting senators on Capitol Hill. But a Republican strategist who has advised Republican senators pointed to Gaetz as a sacrificial lamb. “There’s always one” that goes down who “gives cover to the others,” the source, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, said. The strategist said Hegseth, Gabbard and Kennedy “all have their work cut out for them,” but that “the [GOP] conference is going to be much happier now going forward. … Gaetz was the only one that was a non-starter.” Fox News Kelly Phares and Meghan Tome contributed to this report
Maryland governor defends $190K Trump-centric consulting contract as president-elect moves in next door
Maryland’s Democratic governor tapped one of the world’s largest risk-management firms for a short-term contract in preparation for Republican President-elect Trump moving in next door. Gov. Wes Moore hired Accenture PLC, an Irish IT and consulting firm with an estimated $60 billion in revenue, to be its eyes and ears on Trump’s return to Washington, D.C. Two days after Trump was projected to win, Maryland finalized its $190,000 contract. Consultants at Accenture have been charged with analyzing how Trump and congressional Republicans will affect Maryland, including in terms of federal monies sent across the Anacostia River as the new administration signals a major belt-tightening. MOORE: DEMS MUST EARN SUPPORT OF BLACK VOTERS The contract includes a section focused on identifying state “resources and efforts and consider potential avenues for legal challenges.” It also seeks to track Trump’s agenda and his circle’s engagements with third-party groups like the Heritage Foundation, according to the Baltimore Sun. Moore appeared to acknowledge there will be times Maryland’s interests run counter to the White House’s, but suggested his hiring of Accenture was not to create such an overtly adversarial relationship as critics have suggested. A spokesman for Moore appeared to dismiss claims the governor is trying to set up a showdown, saying there are four tenets guiding him into a new Trump era: “Defend our constitutional rights, grow our economy, and restore faith in our public servants [and] our institutions, and our democracy.” “Governor Moore is ready to work with the incoming administration to ensure these goals are accomplished, and where there is common ground to be found, he will find it. Not only as a matter of principle – but as a responsibility to the people the Moore-Miller administration represents.” The spokesman said hiring a firm like Accenture is standard practice in business, and that with the “unique role” the federal government plays in Maryland’s economy, it is important to fully understand how best to work with Trump. “With billions of dollars in potential liabilities for the state, it would be reckless of the Moore-Miller administration to not be prepared for any new policy directions taken by the federal government.” BLACK VOTERS HAVE A ‘NATURAL SKEPTICISM’: MD GOV. WES MOORE Like Virginia and the District of Columbia itself, Maryland is inextricably linked to the federal government, which also comprises just under 10% of the state’s workforce. The Old Line State houses several federal agency headquarters. NASA’s Goddard Space Center boasts its own private exit off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, the NIH campus sits in Bethesda and the FDA calls Silver Spring home. Geographically, what remains of the original federal district is also entirely former Maryland territory – as Arlington and Alexandria retroceded to Virginia in 1847. Fox News Digital reached out for comment from state House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Cumberland. Buckel told Maryland Matters that the contract is “not in the best interests of any Marylander, particularly under the unified control of our federal government by Republicans,” and suggested the contract is ill-timed given Maryland’s reported billion-dollar deficit. D.C. and Virginia have also keyed into sweeping changes the Trump administration could bring to the region. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested a meeting with Trump, according to FOX5DC, while Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was – unlike the other two leaders – a prominent Trump backer with few apparent concerns. “I look forward to having the wind at our backs as opposed to in our faces about everything that we’re doing because we’ve gone from the bottom of job growth to near the top of the country,” Youngkin said. However, in Fairfax County, which, like Maryland’s Prince Georges and Montgomery counties, is home to a high proportion of federal workers, the top municipal leader warned of repercussions. Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay told FOX5DC that Fairfax must “prepare to address the potential impacts of the new administration.” He said a second Trump term poses a “risk” and noted Trump has a stated goal of “dismantling government bureaucracy.” A representative for Accenture referred Fox News Digital back to Moore’s office.