Former NFL player launches bid for newly drawn Alabama congressional district in potential blow to Dems
FIRST ON FOX: An Alabama football star who went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) is looking to earn support from voters in Alabama’s newly drawn 2nd Congressional District as he seeks election to the U.S. House. Wallace Gilberry, a Republican, will formally announce his candidacy in the race Wednesday morning. A native of Bay Minette, Alabama, Gilberry told Fox News Digital he’s looking to “fire” President Biden and push back against liberal Democrats’ hold on Black Americans as a voting bloc. “I’m running because Joe Biden and the liberal politicians have let down my community and failed Alabama. Folks here at home are hurting and too many politicians don’t understand that – I see it every day,” he said. “My mission is simple: we’ve got to fire Joe Biden, beat back the liberals who have held down the Black community for too long, put the people of Alabama first, and help President Donald J. Trump Make America Great Again.” ALABAMA REJECTED CCP-TIED EV COMPANY’S PROJECT THAT BLUE STATES EVENTUALLY GREEN-LIT Alabama’s Second Congressional District, which previously covered southeast Alabama, now extends across the lower portion of the state from the Georgia line to the Mississippi line. Montgomery County and a northwest portion of Mobile County are included in the majority-Black district, which has a Black voting age population of nearly 50%. Black voters remain a strong Democratic constituency in the Yellowhammer State, and the new district will favor Democrats as both parties battle for control of the House in 2024. However, Gilberry, an All-SEC standout at the University of Alabama who spent nine seasons in the NFL with various teams as a defensive end, believes he’s the candidate who’s got what it takes to defeat his challengers and come out on top. “Out-of-touch, out-of-state Democrats wasted all kinds of time and money trying to buy themselves another seat in Congress because they take Black folks for granted and think we will all just vote Democrat. Problem for them is that Alabama can’t be bought,” he said. “A Black man is going to win this race – but it’ll be me, a conservative Republican who puts Alabama first.” Recognizing the current state of the economy and financial issues that have plagued thousands of American families, Gilberry, one of five children who was raised by his great-grandmother and a single mom, said he’s focused on “lifting up” Alabamians and providing opportunities for minority children “that go beyond sports.” FEDERAL COURT SELECTS NEW ALABAMA CONGRESSIONAL MAP, LIKELY HANDING DEMOCRATS A SEAT AT NEXT HOUSE ELECTION “My focus is on lifting up the people of Alabama. I’ve been blessed with incredible success, success that came from playing football. I’m running to have a platform to help create opportunities for young men who look like me that go beyond sports,” he said. “More jobs at local businesses, helping entrepreneurs thrive, keeping our communities safe. In order to do that we have to get rid of career politicians, get rid of Joe Biden, and elect people focused on putting the people of Alabama first.” “I’m going to win this race by telling the truth and doing what’s right for Alabama, it’s pretty simple,” added Gilberry. Gilberry, who spent nine seasons playing in the NFL before returning home to Alabama and reinvesting in his community, has seen his fair share of cultural and social issues on the national stage. Highlighting two issues that have arisen in recent history, Gilberry slammed the attempted eradication of female sports, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement over its protest of kneeling during the national anthem. “BLM has way more in common with the KKK than they do MLK,” Gilberry said. “While others were kneeling during the national anthem, my team was standing. We were united as a team, while others were focused on media attention and self-promotion – it was wrong then and it’s wrong now. I’ll always stand to honor those who keep us free.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Allowing men to compete against women, that’s ‘abolishment’ of women’s sports, plain and simple. And we should never allow men into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms. We have to protect women and girls; we can’t let a sex offender put on a wig and lipstick and say he’s a female,” he added. Gilberry, who grew up a Democrat before establishing his own beliefs about the political system, joins a crowded field of nearly two dozen challengers. All in all, 13 Democrats and eight Republicans have qualified to run for the seat.
House to advance election security overhaul as 2024 heats up
House Republicans are making a renewed effort at strengthening American election security just weeks before the 2024 races formally kick off. The Committee on House Administration is holding a meeting on Thursday to advance seven different bills that touch on elections at the federal, state and local level. “It’s just some commonsense reforms that we have an opportunity to put forward that strengthen the integrity of our elections,” committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. FOX NEWS POLL: SUPPORT FOR TRUMP HITS 62% IN GOP PRIMARY Among the set of bills are measures to allow states to require proof of citizenship when someone registers to vote by mail, mandating the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration communicate information to states to help them verify citizenship of people registered to vote, and a bill to repeal a Washington, D.C., law allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections, as well as others. Democrats have broadly opposed GOP election security efforts, accusing Republicans of trying to make it harder to vote. But Steil said he believed the D.C. measure in particular should be a bipartisan push. BLACK VOTERS SAY THEY’RE TURNING AWAY FROM ‘WEAK’ BIDEN IN 2024: ‘HE DIDN’T CHANGE ANYTHING’ “When we had a joint hearing with Oversight… we went back and forth, and when we explained what the D.C. law does, that it would allow, you know, foreign nationals working with foreign embassies in D.C. who have been here for 30 days to vote for mayor, even Democrats at the hearing said well… I could agree with you there,” he said. “The idea that we’re going to allow non-citizens to vote in our nation’s capital for the mayor of Washington, D.C., sounds as ridiculous as it is.” Steil said another of the bills, which would prohibit foreign nationals from making political contributions in elections or on ballot initiatives and public referendums, should be a “no brainer” for Democrats to support. “There’s effectively what I view as a loophole in the law that bans foreign contributions to federal candidates… federal candidates, you can’t accept foreign money… But it’s not the case right now for ballot initiatives. And so we’re putting that in place to, again, strengthen the integrity of our elections, prevent foreign interference.” UTAH REPUBLICAN SEEKING TO REPLACE ROMNEY ACCUSED OF FALSIFYING ENDORSEMENTS, STRONG-ARMING GOP FOR SUPPORT The Thursday committee meeting will be about a month and a half before the Jan. 15 Iowa caucus, when Republican voters will participate in the first contest of the 2024 presidential election. Democrats are holding their first primary in South Carolina in early February. Steil had introduced those bills as part of a larger package called the American Confidence in Elections Act in July. He told Fox News Digital that his committee would now be advancing them as individual bills to give at least part of the package a greater chance of passing – and to get Democrats on the record. “The standalone legislation, I think, also gives us an opportunity to either, A, put the Dems on the record that they disagree with it, or B, pass it through the House and force the Senate to act on this, because these are issues that are overwhelmingly supported by the American population,” Steil said. However, he would not directly answer whether he believed voter fraud or election insecurity played a significant role in the 2020 and 2022 elections. “I think we have an opportunity to enhance people’s confidence in the election,” Steil said instead. “So, I think what we see is people across the country don’t have a level of competence that I think we could instill by further strengthening our elections. This is about building confidence, and you build confidence by enhancing election integrity.”
Haley, bolstered by the backing of a major conservative group, is having a moment on the campaign trail
In front of a standing room only crowd on a chilly late autumn evening in the state that holds the first primary in the Republican presidential nominating calendar, Nikki Haley was making her case. The former South Carolina governor who later served as ambassador to the United Nations in former President Donald Trump’s administration was arguing that she’s more electable than her former boss in a 2024 general election matchup against President Biden. “If you look at the national polls and you look at electability, you see that Trump is pretty much even with Biden. On a good day, he might be two points up. In every poll, we beat Biden by 10 to 13 points,” Haley claimed at her Tuesday evening town hall at the historic opera house in Derry, New Hampshire. Electability was a factor in the decision by Americans for Prosperity Action, the political wing of the influential and deep-pocketed fiscally conservative network founded by the billionaire Koch Brothers, to endorse Haley. BIG BOOST: HALEY LANDS THE BACKING OF A CONSERVATIVE GRASSROOTS ARMY The announcement Tuesday morning by the AFP Action, which has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars and mobilize its formidable grassroots operation to help push the Republican Party past Trump, was a setback to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Haley’s enjoyed momentum in the polls in recent months, thanks in part to well-received performances in the first three GOP presidential primary debates. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: TRUMP HOLDS COMMANDING LEAD WITH 50 DAYS TO GO UNTIL IOWA CAUCUSES She has leapfrogged DeSantis for second place in New Hampshire and in her home state, which holds the first southern contest. And she’s pulled even with DeSantis in some of the latest polls in Iowa, whose caucuses kick off the GOP nominating calendar on Jan. 15. But Haley and DeSantis remain far behind Trump, who continues to hold a commanding lead over the rest of the field as the former president makes his third straight White House run. The AFP Action endorsement should help Haley, whose lean campaign lacks the grassroots outreach and organizational strength that DeSantis can count on courtesy of the DeSantis-aligned super PAC Never Back Down. The endorsement by AFP Action Haley comes with the group’s powerful direct-mail and field operations, as well as a major ad blitz in the early voting states. “Organizationally speaking – it’s significant. This is muscle. This is political dollars and door knocking. It will help,” Republican consultant Matthew Bartlett, who splits his time between New Hampshire and the nation’s capital, told Fox News. GAME ON IN IOWA AS DESANTIS AND HALEY BATTLE FOR SECOND PLACE BEHIND TRUMP Haley, addressing the crowd, asked “how many of you are here to hear me for the first time?” A lot of folks in the audience raised their hands. “There’s a lot of new people coming out and seeing Nikki,” longtime GOP strategist Rick Wiley, who’s steering Haley’s operation in New Hampshire, told Fox News. Wiley said it was a sign that Haley’s message is resonating. “You can see the volunteers grabbing their information,” Wiley said as he pointed to the crowd of first-time attendees. “We have RSVP’s and we’re going to put them to work.” Haley arrived in New Hampshire after drawing roughly 2,500 people to a campaign event Monday evening in her home state. While the audience of some 325 on Tuesday evening didn’t compare to the South Carolina gathering, it was one of her largest crowds to date in the Granite State. Among those attending was Republican state Sen. William Gannon, who endorsed Haley earlier this autumn. Referencing the crowd, Gannon emphasized “they like Nikki. She’s warm. She’s personable. We have candidates who could possibly win a primary. These people know that she can win next November.” Also in the audience were two former U.S. senators. “She’s been a chief executive. She knows what kind of legislation is necessary to get an economy going. She’s a fiscal conservative,” former Sen. John E. Sununu told Fox News. “I think if she can convey those concepts of letting people make decisions for themselves, getting the country moving forward and not looking back, then I think she’s going to do well in New Hampshire.” Sununu, the son of former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu and the older brother to current Gov. Chris Sununu, said he remains neutral in the GOP presidential nomination race, but is considering endorsing and helping support a candidate. “Like every other voter in New Hampshire, I’m excited about the primary,” he said. Former Sen. Gordon Humphrey told Fox News that he’s “leaning towards Nikki Haley. I think she’s far and away the best of all the candidates.” Humphrey, a vocal anti-Trump Republican turned independent, pointed to what he described as Haley’s “heavyweight experience” as a governor and in foreign policy and national security through her tenure as ambassador to the United Nations. “She’s well-spoken. She has personality and charisma, sparkle, energy, dynamism,” he touted. While she’s riding a political wave, Haley remains far behind Trump. But Bartlett emphasized “what is important – on a cold night like this, opening up the doors. Doing an old-fashioned town hall. Taking questions. Introducing yourself to voters. She is doing everything right…She’s got some granite heels, and we’re going to see how far they can climb the mountain here.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
New York Sen. Schumer to give major address on rise of antisemitism in US: ‘crisis’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to give a major address on Wednesday addressing soaring antisemitism in the U.S. amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. In a Tuesday afternoon post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Democratic leader said “antisemitism is a crisis in the country.” JON LOVITZ SAYS ANTISEMITISM HE’S EXPERIENCED IN HOLLYWOOD ‘IS FROM OTHER JEWS’ “As the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, I feel compelled to speak about it,” he said. “I’ll be giving a major address on it tomorrow.” Antisemitism has proliferated across the United States – much like the rest of the world – since Oct. 7, when Hamas-led forces crossed the Israel-Gaza border while residents were sleeping, dragging people into the street, taking some hostages, while beheading and killing others. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed in the attack, with thousands more wounded and many taken hostage by Hamas, and raped, tortured, and murdered. Much of the increase in antisemitic rhetoric and attacks has occurred at some of the country’s leading institutions and universities. According to a recent Anti-Defamation survey, there were more than 830 documented antisemitic incidents across the U.S. between Oct. 7, 2023 and Nov. 7, 2023 – or an average of nearly 28 antisemitic incidents a day.
‘Squad’ votes on Israel’s right to exist, condemning Hamas reveal division in far-left group
The House of Representatives’ Tuesday votes on reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and condemning the terrorist group Hamas revealed division among members of the far-left “Squad.” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich, and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., were the only members of the radical eight-person group to not vote in favor of H. Res. 888, which centered on Israel’s existence. Tlaib was the only House member who chose to vote “present,” while Bush didn’t vote. Bush similarly didn’t vote on H. Res. 793, which condemned Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attack against Israel and demanded the immediate release of its remaining hostages taken in the attack. However, Tlaib joined the rest of her “Squad” colleagues in voting for the resolution despite her past refusal to condemn the attack. ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS DISRUPT BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING TO CALL FOR PALESTINIAN UPRISING: ‘INTIFADA REVOLUTION’ After the vote, Tlaib told Fox News Digital in a statement that “both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live with democracy, safety, peace, and human dignity.” “This resolution that ignores the existence of the Palestinian people brings us no closer to peaceful coexistence. It’s important to recognize that Palestinians also have a right to coexist with Israelis in their historic homeland, with equal rights and freedom, rather than living under racial segregation or being subjugated as second-class citizens. This resolution falls short of that,” she said. “Israel does not have a right to carry out illegal occupation and apartheid—which will never lead to a just and lasting peace. Unfortunately, this resolution is a one-sided attempt to rewrite history, contributes to the ongoing erasure of Palestinians by not even acknowledging their existence, and fails to recognize the historical and ongoing Nakba in which countless Palestinians have been and are actively being killed, displaced, and driven from their homes,” she added. FORMER OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH NYC FOOD CART VENDOR Fox News Digital has reached out to Bush for comment. H. Res. 793 passed in a 414-0 vote while H. Res. 888 passed 412-1. Both needed a two-thirds majority to pass. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the sole “No” vote against H. Res. 888, citing the language within the legislation. “I agree with the title ‘Reaffirming the State of Israel’s Right to Exist’ and much of the language, but I’m voting No on the resolution because it equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Antisemitism is deplorable, but expanding it to include criticism of Israel is not helpful,” he wrote in a post on X following the vote. WATCH: BIDEN SHIFTS BLAME AWAY FROM ADMINISTRATION AFTER ADMITTING PRICES ‘STILL TOO HIGH’ In addition to Bush, a number of other members from both parties also didn’t vote for either resolution, although it wasn’t immediately clear why. The “Squad’s” general support for the resolutions appears to be a sharp turn from where most of the group was in the weeks following Hamas’ attack when all but one member voted against a resolution condemning antisemitism on American college campuses. Tlaib faced the sharpest criticism for her respond to the attacks after she repeatedly refused to condemn them and tripled down on her debunked claim that Israel was responsible for the explosion at a Gaza hospital that reportedly killed hundreds of people. The House ultimately voted to censure Tlaib earlier this month for “promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.” The punishment, while largely symbolic, was a formal public rebuke of her comments.
Electric vehicle demand falls short of manufacturer and dealership expectations
Electric vehicle sales have risen significantly over the years. That trend is expected to continue with the market on track to surpass 1 million sales for the first time ever this year. Those numbers, however, are not meeting the expectations of manufacturers, car dealers and President Biden. “Major auto companies are preparing for 50% of future sales to be electric vehicles by 2030, 100% by 2035,” Biden said during remarks on rising prices in June 2022. Now several companies are readjusting their targets and slowing production, even with the rise in vehicles on the road. “It has a lot to do with electric vehicles, adoption and the segments of the adoption,” said Kevin Book, managing director of Clearview Energy Partners. MORE THAN 3,000 AUTO DEALERS SIGN LETTER OPPOSING BIDEN’S ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE “The first buyers, the early adopters, the one-percenters are only so much of the market. And then there are also the big users, the drivers for whom the sticker price matters less than the fuel price, folks like Uber drivers. For the rest of us, it’s asking an awful lot of us to pay more so that we can drive shorter distances and have longer fueling times.” Car dealers are also warning Biden’s goal may be too ambitious. More than 3,000 dealerships signed a letter calling on the White House to slow proposed regulations that mandate battery electric vehicle production and distribution. “While the goals of the regulations are admirable, they require consumer acceptance to become a reality,” the letter said. “With each passing day, it becomes more apparent that this attempted electric vehicle mandate is unrealistic based on current and forecasted customer demand. Already, electric vehicles are stacking up on our lots, which is our best indicator of customer demand in the marketplace.” Electric vehicles made up just under 1% of all vehicle registrations in 2022. When looking at registrations over the past five years, the number of EVs on the road has increased significantly. Since 2017, registrations in the U.S. have grown by nearly 547%. “It’s really important to talk about this today because electric vehicles are for certain customers who don’t travel long distances, use it more (in a) commuting atmosphere, that are wealthier,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said on “Special Report” in September. “The F-150 Lightning is the bestselling electric pickup in the U.S. And for those customers, it works great, but it’s not for everyone. We’re going to offer customers a choice.” Ford has since said it is slowing production of its F-150 Lightning pickup. It’s also pausing construction at a Kentucky battery factory and postponing $12 billion in planned spending on EV production. “There’s a lot of oversupply right now, so consumers have more options,” Cox Automotive Industry Insights director Stephanie Valdez Streaty said. “A year ago from today, there’s 50 more models that consumers can buy.” Hybrid cars are also adding to the competition to shift away from gas. Registrations have increased over the years and now make up 2% of the vehicle market share. NEW REPORT UNMASKS TRUE COSTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATES: ‘REMAIN MORE EXPENSIVE’ “It seems very likely that the United States is going to electrify its transportation substantially, but maybe not as soon as hoped,” Book said. “There’s a lot more of us who care about our turn signals than our virtue signals. General Motors is delaying the release of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Electric pickups by one year. Tesla is also holding off on production at its planned factory in Mexico. “Enthusiasm has stalled,” the coalition of car dealers wrote. “Today, the supply of unsold BEVs (battery electric vehicles) is surging, as they are not selling nearly as fast as they are arriving at our dealerships — even with deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives, and generous government incentives.” The Inflation Reduction Act created a $7,500 clean vehicle tax credit for owners of new electric vehicles. The IRS states on its website that the vehicle must be purchased after April 18, 2023, and must meet critical mineral and battery components to qualify for the credit. “One big thing which I think we need to continue to do is educate,” Valdez Streaty said. “Consumers are confused about the Inflation Reduction Act. What does it mean? What’s eligible?” Some lawmakers have criticized the Biden administration for pushing auto dealers and manufacturers to transition to electric too quickly and without enough incentives to get consumers to bite. “They were so aggressive on this. They’re way, way out over their skis,” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said. “You can’t even bribe the public with $7,500. They’re not there yet. It’s a good product. They’ll get there eventually. But I’m not getting rid of my gasoline car anytime soon, I can assure you.” The credit often doesn’t make up for the price difference between EVs and gas-powered cars. U.S. News and World Report lists Chevy’s Bolt EUV as the most affordable new electric car. Its price tag of $27,800 is still nearly $12,000 more than the most affordable new gas car, the Nissan Versa. “The price premium still exists in spite of that tax credit,” Book said. “So, when you have a higher price for mobility, what you’re going to see are really two things — a slower uptake by price sensitive drivers, which I think we’re seeing, and also longer retention of existing cars, which means old gas guzzlers staying on the road longer and potentially polluting more.” The federal government also offers a credit of up to $4,000 for used electric cars. There are also some state and local incentives available. “I think incentives are key, but I also think that the industry will need to continue to build and create models that are in that under $30,000,” Valdez Streaty said. AAA estimates fuel and maintenance is cheaper for electric vehicle owners. About 15,000 miles worth of electricity costs an average of $546 while gasoline costs around 130% more, over $1,200. Annual maintenance for an EV is estimated
National Christmas Tree topples to the ground at White House: ‘Perfectly summing up Joe Biden’s presidency’
After the White House’s Christmas tree succumbed to high winds and toppled over, some took to social media saying it was a metaphor for the state of the current administration. The White House’s National Christmas Tree, a towering 40-foot Norway spruce, toppled to the ground on Tuesday afternoon, with conservative commentators quick to point out the irony of the situation. “National Christmas tree falls DOWN,” the Republican House Committee on the Judiciary wrote in an X post. “Perfectly summing up Joe Biden’s presidency.” The fallen tree comes just two days before the annual tree lighting ceremony with President Biden. WHITE HOUSE SCRAPS CHRISTMAS FIREPLACE STOCKINGS AFTER BIDEN ACKNOWLEGES GRANDCHILD FOR FIRST TIME Benny Johnson, a conservative talk-show host, said that the tree tumbling to the ground was “so fitting.” “Biden’s White House Christmas tree got blown over by the wind,” Johnson wrote in an X post. “So fitting for this administration.” “They can’t even get the little things right,” conservative radio host Mike Sperrazza replied. WATCH: BIDEN OFFICIAL BUTCHERS POPULAR PHRASE COINED BY RONALD REAGAN ABOUT GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN EVERYDAY LIFE According to Jasmine Shanti, the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist from the National Weather Service, the towering tree fell over at about 1p.m. ET, during a strong wind gust. The tree, which is from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, was quickly assessed by NPS personnel and returned to its upright position as of 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
California to pay millions to clear homeless camps, state senator says residents being gaslighted
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said the state will make nearly $300 million available to local municipalities to clear out homeless encampments and move the homeless into housing. The funds will go to the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, to remove camps on state property and assist the homeless with resources and finding other places to live. “I think we can all agree that we need to do more to clean up encampments,” Newsom said in a virtual news briefing. “We weren’t just cleaning up encampments – out of sight, out of mind – and displacing people, removing people, but that we’re trying to resolve the underlying issues in the first place and actually support people in getting them back on their feet to self-sufficiency,” he added. CALIFORNIA CITY REMOVES HOMELESS IN BEAUTIFICATION BEFORE BIDEN’S SUMMIT WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI He added that the funds are not a “blank check” and that cities and counties will be expected to reach certain benchmarks and goals. Caltrans says it welcomes the funds to help clean up camps near freeways, park and rides and bike paths. “Caltrans is working to connect people experiencing homelessness on its right of way to move to a more secure and stable housing situation offered by local partners,” Alisa Becerra, a Caltrans deputy director, told Fox San Francisco. California state Sen. Brian Dahle, a Republican, pushed back on statements by Newsom that he cleared more than 5,600 homeless encampments across the state. “The governor didn’t clear these homeless encampments — they just moved them down the street,” he said. “California spends more tax dollars per homeless person than we do on our students. The homeless crisis is a national embarrassment. This governor needs to focus on real results instead of chasing presidential aspirations and gas-lighting Californians.” OREGON COUNTY LOST $1 BILLION IN 2020 AS RESIDENTS FLED CRIME, HOMELESSNESS: ‘IT’S LIKE PORTLAND DIED’ Homelessness has long been a top issue for California voters and elected officials. Residents and business owners have often complained of large encampments blocking sidewalks, creating more crime and being a haven for open-air drug use. San Francisco recently removed homeless camps around the city ahead of last week’s vital U.S.-China summit in which President Biden met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While many applauded the effort, others voiced frustration of the cleanup to glam up the streets. “At first I thought… the media was making a way bigger deal out of this than it needed to be,” CrossFit Golden Gate gym owner Danielle Rabkin told “FOX & Friends First“. “Of course, we needed to clean high-security zones. But then I realized they were cleaning outside those high-security zones. And then that Newsom clip surfaced, and it was abundantly obvious that they were cleaning because of optics and not security.” Newsom has admitted the beautification project was prompted by the visitation of world leaders. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I know folks are saying, ‘Oh they’re just cleaning up this place because all those fancy leaders are coming to town.’ That’s true, because it’s true — but it’s also true for months and months and months before APEC [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit], we’ve been having conversations,” the governor said. “It is extremely frustrating,” Rabkin said of the remarks. “He doesn’t care about having clean streets for the constituents he serves. But at the snap of the fingers, things are clean. Just in time for this conference.”
Ohio Supreme Court dismisses 3 Dem-backed lawsuits over Statehouse maps
The more than two-year legal battle over the maps of Ohio Statehouse districts that were crafted in response to the 2020 Census may be over. In a 4-3 ruling late Monday, the Ohio Supreme Court cited unanimous, bipartisan passage in September of a new round of legislative maps in dismissing three long-running lawsuits brought by Democratic and voting-rights groups. After winning five straight rounds of wrangling that found the redrawn districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans, they had sought to raise new objections this time to other actions of the Ohio Redistricting Commission. OHIO REDISTRICTING OVERHAUL PLAN ONCE AGAIN PERMITTED TO GATHER SIGNATURES AFTER SECOND ROUND OF APPROVALS “Now that the commission has adopted a plan with bipartisan support, the facts currently before us bear no resemblance to the allegations in petitioners’ complaints,” said the unsigned majority opinion, joined by all four of the court’s Republican justices. The decision means the commission’s new maps will be in place through 2030, unless opponents file a new suit or voters pass changes to Ohio’s redistricting system that backers are working to place on the November 2024 ballot. The high court side-stepped additional constitutional questions on the maps, rejecting as moot the state’s requests that it vacate earlier rulings that found five straight rounds of Statehouse maps unconstitutional. According to the state auditor’s calculations, the new GOP-drawn maps give Republicans an advantage in 61 of 99 — or about 62% — of Ohio House districts, and in 23 of 33 — or roughly 70% — of state Senate districts. Ohio’s political breakdown has been calculated at roughly 54% Republican, 46% Democratic. “Our decision today means that these cases are not the appropriate vehicles for addressing challenges to the September 2023 plan,” the decision said, adding that justices were expressing “no view on the merits” of opponents’ objections. In a dissenting opinion written by Justice Jennifer Brunner, the court’s three Democrats argued that dismissing the cases forces groups fighting the maps to either give up without their objections being heard — or to start again with a fresh lawsuit. “It is illusory to suggest that a bipartisan vote to adopt the September 2023 plan constitutes a change in circumstances that somehow diminishes our review power or renders a unanimous redistricting plan constitutionally compliant,” she wrote. Brunner wrote that the majority ruling had relegated the court’s constitutional role “to little more than a two-bit player in furthering the delay already embedded in the history of this case.” The high court has seen a realignment since it issued its five earlier rulings against Statehouse maps, with the retirement last December of former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor due to age limits. 2024 SENATE SHOWDOWN: NEW ENDORSEMENT IN OHIO’S GOP PRIMARY BATTLE IN RACE TO FLIP BLUE SEAT O’Connor is now working on the effort to pass constitutional changes to the existing map-making system. The proposal would create a 15-member citizen panel of Republicans, Democrats and independents representing a geographic and demographic cross-section of the state, called the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission, to replace the existing Ohio Redistricting Commission. The group Citizens Not Politicians was cleared last week to begin signature-gathering. “Our members will be out in the field with their clipboards collecting signatures on the Citizens Not Politicians amendment later this week,” said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, which is joining the effort. “Only when Ohio bans politicians and lobbyists from rigging maps will voters have fair representation in Congress and the Ohio Statehouse.”
NYC Mayor Eric Adams says top campaign fundraiser whose home was raided no longer in role
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed Tuesday that Brianna Suggs, his top campaign fundraiser, is no longer serving in her role, according to reports. In early November, the FBI raided the 25-year-old campaign consultant’s home, and during the search agents seized three iPhones and two laptop computers, along with papers and other evidence related to a corruption investigation. The raid at Suggs’ residence was part of an inquiry into whether foreign money was funneled into Adams’ mayoral campaign, the New York Times reported last week, though it is understood that Adams is not being directly investigated. NYC MAYOR ADAMS HIRES PRIVATE ATTORNEY AMID PROBE INTO TOP FUNDRAISER Adams spoke of Suggs’ status with the campaign during his off-topic weekly press conference on Tuesday. “She is no longer doing fundraising for the campaign,” he said. Adams, whose relationship with President Biden has soured in recent months as the mayor demanded more action from the federal government in deterring the flow of more than a hundred thousand migrants to New York City from the U.S.-Mexico border, has reportedly been under investigation since at least the spring for possibly pressuring FDNY officials in the summer of 2021 to clear the opening of a sky-rise building to house the Turkish consulate in Manhattan, the New York Times first reported. ERIC ADAMS LAUGHS OFF QUESTION ABOUT FBI SEIZURES: ‘WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HELICOPTERS’ As federal law enforcement and prosecutors have yet to publicly disclose the nature of the FBI’s probe, Adams’ administration responded to the Times’ report by condemning any FBI employee who possibly “improperly leaked details about this investigation as such conduct could prejudice the public and undermines the integrity of our law enforcement process.” The mayor is also under investigation for sexual assault allegations made in a legal filing by a woman who claims to be a former colleague of his. Adams denies knowing the plaintiff, who is seeking at least $5 million in damages, according to a report from The Messenger. Danielle Wallace and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.