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Republican US Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado won’t seek reelection, citing party’s ‘insidious narratives’
Go to Source: ABC News: Politics
Johnson says House GOP will consider Ukraine funding, border security together
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said House Republicans would “marry” appropriations bills for Ukraine funding with border security Wednesday.
“Well, with our appropriations bills for Ukraine funding, for example, we’re gonna marry that with border security,” Johnson told Fox News host Sean Hannity Wednesday. “The two things are gonna be handled together, because we believe it’s a top priority.”
“We can’t be expected to take care of other countries and other conflicts if we can’t seal our own border,” Johnson continued.
Johnson had previously been skeptical of aid to Ukraine before attaining the Speakership, voting against bills that provided or aimed to provide aid to the war-torn country. After becoming Speaker, when Johnson was again asked if he would support Ukraine aid, he said he would “have conditions” on any measures aiming to provide it.
“We want accountability, and we want objectives that are clear from the White House,“ Johnson later said in response to a question about what those conditions would be.
Johnson said his party aims to “bifurcate” aid to Ukraine and Israel amid its conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas last week, in opposition to a $100 billion request the White House sent Congress for aid to both nations.
Johnson reportedly told GOP Senators in a meeting Wednesday that a larger package also funding Ukraine, Taiwan and the U.S. southern border could not pass the House.
“He repeated what I think he said on television shows, which is that he thinks there needs to be another Ukraine aid package, and he wants to do that. He emphasized that from his perspective of his majority, he said he has to separate them. He cannot get his majority to pass them together,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said of what Johnson told senators.
Go to Source: Administration News | The Hill
Connecticut judge orders new mayoral primary after surveillance videos show possible ballot stuffing
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Nancy Pelosi served subpoena related to California criminal case
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., informed the House of Representatives on Wednesday that she was served a subpoena “to produce documents in a criminal case” in California.
Pelosi’s statement related to the subpoena was read by the House Clerk, which standard when a member is issued a subpoena related to a civil or criminal matter.
“This is to notify you formally pursuant to Rule Eight of the rules of the House of Representatives, that I, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita, and U.S. Representative for the 11th Congressional District of California, have been served with third party subpoenas from the prosecution and the defendant to produce documents in a criminal case and United States District Court for the Northern District of California,” Pelosi’s statement read.
“After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I have determined that compliance with the subpoenas is consistent with the privileges and of the House to the extent it requires production of non-privileged information. The responses to the subpoenas will be identical,” it added.
It’s unclear what criminal matter the subpoena might pertain to, but Fox News Digital has reached out to Pelosi’s office for comment.
The man who attacked Pelosi’s husband, Paul, in a home invasion last year is set to go on trial this month, but it’s unclear whether the subpoena is related to that case.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
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Israeli ambassador on U.S. calls for humanitarian aid to Gaza: ‘We don’t need urging’
The Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog said Israel does not need “urging” to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Herzog said Israel is “ramping up humanitarian supplies into” the areas of Gaza that are away from Hamas’s reach, in the southern region. He told Blake Burman during an interview on “The Hill on NewsNation” that the number of humanitarian aid trucks into the area is going up more each day.
“We provide water, we provide other types of supplies, and today for the first time, we are happy to see foreigners leave Gaza,” Herzog continued. “So, we don’t need urging.”
During remarks in Minnesota on Wednesday, President Biden said that efforts to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza have fallen short but that the U.S. is “continuing working to significantly step up” that assistance.
The president has pushed for humanitarian support for Palestinian civilians in recent weeks. They face a dire living situation, with communications blackouts, limited access to necessities and a rising death toll following weeks of Israeli attacks.
The White House has said it would begin considering supporting a “humanitarian pause” for aid to get through to Gaza, but it has gone against calling for a cease-fire.
“The number of trucks entering Gaza continues to increase significantly, but we still have a long way to go. The United States is going to continue to drive humanitarian support for innocent people in Gaza who need help,” Biden said.
“The Hill on NewsNation” airs Monday to Friday at 5 p.m.
Go to Source: Administration News | The Hill
Biden unveils national strategy to fight Islamophobia day after poll shows Arab-American support tanking
The Biden administration announced Wednesday it would establish a national strategy to counter Islamophobia just one day after a poll showed Arab-American support for the president and his fellow Democrats was tanking.
The announcement also comes a day after FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee that despite being just 2.4% of the American public, attacks on Jewish-Americans accounted for “something like 60% of all religious-based hate crimes.”
“We look forward to continuing our work with community leaders, advocates, members of Congress, and more to develop the strategy – which will be a joint effort led by the Domestic Policy Council and the National Security Council – and counter the scourge of Islamophobia and hate in all its forms,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
WATCH: FBI DIRECTOR GOES SILENT WHEN ASKED IF COUNTRY ‘SAFER’ UNDER BIDEN
“For too long, Muslims in America, and those perceived to be Muslim, such as Arabs and Sikhs, have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks and other discriminatory incidents,” she added.
According to the Tuesday Reuters/Zogby poll, just 17% of Arab-Americans expressed support for Biden, a tremendous drop from the 59% support he got in 2020. His support from the group had already fallen to 35% before the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.
The poll also marked the first time since it was taken in 1997 that a majority of Arab-Americans did not identify as Democrats. 32% said they identified as Republicans and 31% as independents.
Just 20% rated Biden’s job performance as “good” while 40% said they planned to support former President Donald Trump should he be the Republican nominee in 2024.
Fox News Digital asked the White House if the strategy was related to the poor poll numbers among Arab-Americans, as well as if there would be a national strategy to combat antisemitism, but did not receive a response.
The Biden administration said Tuesday it would be partnering with colleges to combat the “alarming rise” of antisemitic threats and incidents on campuses across the country, but made no mention of a national effort beyond college campuses.
However, the administration indicated during Tuesday’s White House press briefing that people in the U.S. making “violent antisemitic threats” were not going to be classified as “domestic terrorists.”
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Biden tells a heckler calling for cease-fire: ‘I think we need a pause’
President Biden was confronted Wednesday evening by a heckler calling for a cease-fire at a campaign event and responded with support for a pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Biden was speaking to an audience of 200 people at a fundraiser when one person in the audience shouted out, “As a rabbi, I need you to call for a cease-fire right now.”
“I think we need a pause. A pause means give time to get the prisoners out,” Biden responded.
“I’m the guy that convinced Bibi to call for a cease-fire to let the prisoners out. I’m the guy that talked to Sisi to convince him to open the door,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
He was referencing the news earlier Wednesday that American citizens are among those who began to leave Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
Up until his comment, the White House had said it would start considering support for a “humanitarian pause” to allow aid into Gaza. But, it has rebuffed pressure from progressives and activists for a cease-fire in Gaza, arguing that it would only help Hamas.
The heckler, who told reporters present that her name was rabbi Jessica Rosenberg, was escorted out by security while singing “cease-fire now.” Biden went on to say that he understands the emotions around the conflict in the Middle East.
“This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis. It’s incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well … I supported a two-state solution; I have from the very beginning,” he said. “The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. A flat-out terrorist organization.”
During remarks in Minnesota earlier Wednesday, Biden reaffirmed his administration’s stance that Israel has the right to defend itself in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks, while noting images coming out of Gaza that show children crying out for their parents and efforts to identify the dead.
The president has thrown his support behind Israel since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, but he has shifted his response in recent weeks to lean more into humanitarian aid and support for Palestinian civilians on the ground in Gaza.
Go to Source: Administration News | The Hill
George Santos escapes expulsion from House of Representatives
Embattled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., escaped being expelled from the House of Representatives on Wednesday night after a group of his fellow New York Republicans spearheaded an effort to boot him.
The final vote fell 179 to 213 against expelling Santos, with 19 lawmakers voting “present.” Expelling a member of the House, something that is historically rare, requires a vote of two-thirds of all members present.
Santos spoke in his own defense earlier on the House floor, accusing the Republicans who moved against him of playing “judge, jury and executioner.”
“Efforts taken by other members in this body to act as jury and executioner are unconscionable and reckless to our Republican system of government and to the integrity of this body,” Santos said.
“I stand today to continue to prove my innocence of these allegations and charges leveled against me. I’d like to say I understand the point of view of my colleagues, but I don’t. One can’t say that they are pro constitution and at the same time act as judge, jury and executioner. Where is the consistency?”
Santos was the only member of Congress to speak in his defense during debate ahead of the resolution.
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