CNN's John King continues his "All Over The Map" series in Las Vegas, where he speaks to Latinos and finds the all-important voting bloc is up for grabs.
Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama speaks to reporters after he said he is releasing the bulk of his holds for Senate votes to confirm military promotions.
President Joe Biden told Democratic donors he wasn't confident he'd be seeking another term if his predecessor Donald Trump wasn't himself running for the White House. CNN political director David Chalian weighs in.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said that before publicly releasing footage of the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, faces of the rioters will be blurred to protect them from retaliation and the Department of Justice. CNN's senior legal analyst Elie Honig explains why there's no legal justification to protect their identities.
Most of the afftected 450 military officers finally get promotions, after Alabama senator gives up on promotions blockade over abortion policy.
Former Republican congressman George Santos is capitalizing on his fame after expulsion by quadrupling the price of his videos on Cameo, a celebrity message platform -- even attending a private meeting with the CEO of the platform. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty reports.
Republicans in Iowa speak with CNN's Jeff Zeleny about their views on the presidential candidates ahead of the first GOP caucus.
CNN's Anderson Cooper speaks with former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney, who explains her suspicions about why Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) wants to blur footage of the January 6 riot to protect rioters' identities.
A conservative coalition is warning Republican leaders that they will oppose any move to water down border security proposals found in the House Republican signature legislation in order to achieve a supplemental spending deal.
The conservative groups want to see the Secure the Border Act, known as H.R. 2, included as part of any spending agreement on the White House’s $106 billion request submitted to Congress, which includes border funding and aid to Israel and Ukraine. The bill passed the House earlier this year and would restart border wall construction and restrict the use of parole while overhauling and limiting asylum eligibility.
Republicans have demanded that limits on asylum and the use of parole be included in any spending agreement, but the H.R. 2 package has so far seen total opposition from Democrats in the Senate. A Senate working group outlined proposals similar to H.R. 2 but which some conservatives said fell short of the House bill.
ROMNEY RIPS ‘CLUELESS’ DEMOCRATS FOR TRYING TO NEGOTIATE BORDER SPENDING
Now, the conservative groups are telling Republicans that they must hold firm amid ongoing negotiations in Congress, given the historic crisis at the southern border which is now deep into its third year and saw record migrant numbers in FY23.
"There is no reason Members of the House and Senate should accept anything less than the provisions of H.R. 2," they argue. "Watering down its provisions, simply as a means of obtaining enough votes for other policy priorities should not guide the Senate’s efforts here," they say.
"The goal should be to end this border crisis," they say.
They argue that H.R. 2 is the "bare minimum required to regain control of America’s southern border and provide credibility for our nation’s immigration system."
The groups are led by the Heritage Foundation and include former officials including former acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan, former acting Deputy DHS Secretary Ken Cuccinelli and former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott.
The groups on the letter include immigration hawks including the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and Numbers USA, as well as newer groups such as the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE) and the Immigration Accountability Project (IAP). Other groups include Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime and the Citizens for Renewing America.
REPUBLICANS CLOSE RANKS, DEMAND DEMS FACE BORDER CRISIS AS BIDEN UKRAINE AID PLAN HANGS IN BALANCE
The White House has sought $14 billion for border operations, which includes money to support arrivals, and aid communities that are receiving large number of migrants. It also includes funding for transportation, including removal flights and resources for alternatives to detention. It also includes money for "non-custodial housing options" for those in expedited removal, including facilities with housing, legal services and medical care.
The administration has argued it is working in a broken system and needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform, including an amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S.
Republicans, however, blame the crisis on the administration’s policies, and say that the practice of releasing migrants into the U.S. either via parole or to claim asylum needs to be ended to stop the crisis and it cannot be solved by more funding alone. As a result, conservatives see this spending fight as a rare chance to secure policy changes to do that.
But the coalition says the policies being considered as part of the Senate deal, even if they would restrict parole and asylum to a degree, are not enough.
SENATE DEMS SAY ANY CHANGES TO ASYLUM SYSTEM MUST BE COUPLED WITH AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
"The Biden Administration inherited the most secure border in our lifetimes, but intentionally chose policies to create and maintain the border crisis. As such, the half-measures being contemplated in this Senate ‘border deal’ would simply facilitate the ongoing de-facto amnesty the Biden Administration is granting by processing millions of illegal aliens into American communities," they say.
They also warn that they would be prepared to fight against any such deal, just as they had worked to torpedo prior immigration deals in years past.
"The undersigned and the millions of actual voters we represent who support sensible immigration policy are prepared to defeat this ‘deal’ just as we defeated the Gang of Eight bill ten years ago," they say.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are demanding that any policy changes to asylum and parole be accompanied by a pathway to legal status for those in the country illegally already -- a measure that would likely be a non-starter for many, if not all, Republicans.
George Latimer, Westchester County, New York’s executive, officially launched his Democratic primary challenge against left-wing "Squad" member Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
"These are difficult times. New Yorkers need a Congressmember who will listen to every voice, not just those who agree with him, & who will deliver on the issues that matter," Latimer posted on social media Wednesday morning. "I'm running for Congress because I know we need new leadership – and I'm ready to deliver. Will you join our movement for real progressive results, not rhetoric?"
Latimer will face off against Bowman, who was first elected in 2020 to represent New York’s 16th Congressional District, which encompasses Westchester County’s southern suburban areas and parts of the Bronx. Latimer's announcement follows him filing a statement of candidacy for Congress with the Federal Elections Commission on Monday.
The heavily-Democratic district, which is home to a large and influential Jewish community, has been mired in controversy in recent months over political stances and comments Bowman has made that are viewed as anti-Israel. Latimer visited Israel last week as part of a solidarity trip with other county and state lawmakers.
'SQUAD' MEMBER FACES ATTACK FROM WITHIN OWN PARTY OVER ISRAEL STANCE AMID DEM INFIGHTING ON GAZA
The New York congressman also faced controversy this fall after he pulled a fire alarm in the House of Representatives before lawmakers voted to avert a government shutdown. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count for triggering the fire alarm and was required to pay a $1,000 fine and serve three months' probation.
NY DEM TEES UP PRIMARY AGAINST 'SQUAD' MEMBER UNDER FIRE FOR ISRAEL STANCE, FIRE ALARM FIASCO
Latimer is a well-known New York Democrat who has been involved in local politics since 1987, working his way up from positions such as city councilman in Rye, to New York state senator, to his current role as Westchester County executive. He is term-limited in his county role and will vacate the position in 2025.
"I've been a strong Democrat. We have done progressive things, from our transportation policy to our housing policy to Black maternal health policies, funding, wage theft – you name it, we've done it here," Latimer told News 12 this week.
REP BOWMAN SAYS THERE MUST BE 'CLEAR DISTINCTION' BETWEEN ISRAEL'S CITIZENS, GOVERNMENT
Across his three decades in politics, Latimer has never lost an election.
Bowman defeated powerful three-term incumbent Eliot Engel when the former middle school principal first secured his spot in the House, which was one of the biggest Democratic primary upsets of 2020. This election cycle, Bowman has garnered support from groups and allies such as New York’s Working Families Party and Justice Democrats, and fellow Squad member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for his re-election.
'SQUAD' DEM REP JAMAAL BOWMAN FIRE ALARM FOOTAGE RELEASED AFTER GUILTY PLEA: 'BOLD-FACED LIAR'
Speculation has mounted for months that Latimer would throw his hat in the ring as some voters in the district sounded off that they want a congressman who supports Israel and champions the views of Jewish voters.
Bowman has come under fire for calling for a cease-fire at the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, which some critics say helped erode support for Israel as it battles the terrorist group. He also faced criticism for boycotting Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s speech to Congress this past summer, and for initially defending Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., when she came under fire for saying that Israel is a "racist state."
In his campaign video, Latimer said, "Our congressman is making news for all the wrong reasons," with a voiceover citing Bowman voting against resolutions condemning Hamas. The Westchester executive also took issue with Bowman allegedly hindering infrastructure development in the district.
OVER 20 DEMOCRATS, 1 REPUBLICAN VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
Bowman has publicly condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel amid criticism of the Israeli government.
As some voters fumed over Bowman's Israel comments, reports spread this summer that powerful pro-Israel groups were courting Latimer to launch a primary challenge in a bid to have a pro-Israel politician representing one of the largest Jewish communities in the nation. Pro-Israel group AIPAC is anticipated to be one of Latimer's largest resources, Jewish Insider previously reported.
Bowman has since hit back at speculation of big donations from AIPAC flooding the campaign cycle in a Facebook ad that began running this week, according to Politico.
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"Jamaal was one of the first representatives to support a cease-fire," the Bowman campaign ad states. "But because of his calls for peace, AIPAC is flooding his district with nasty attack ads. Chip in to keep Jamaal in office, defending our values and pushing to save lives."
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., announced Wednesday that he will resign from his congressional seat after being ousted as House Speaker.
McCarthy made the announcement in an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal.
"No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing. That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country. It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started," McCarthy wrote. "I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders."
McCarthy surmised, "It often seems that the more Washington does, the worse America gets. I started my career as a small-business owner, and I look forward to helping entrepreneurs and risk-takers reach their full potential. The challenges we face are more likely to be solved by innovation than legislation."
KEVIN MCCARTHY, MATT GAETZ TRADE JABS AS FIERCE RIVALRY CONTINUES: HE 'BELONGS IN JAIL'
He detailed, "the most reliable solution to what ails America is before our eyes: everyday men and women who are raising families, showing up for work, volunteering, and pursuing the American Dream with passion and purpose. I agree with President Reagan’s observation that ‘all great change in America starts at the dinner table.’"
"Despite the best attempts by special interest groups and the news media to divide us, I have seen the goodness of the American people. They are what will ultimately uphold the enduring values of our great nation. We all have a role to play in that effort," McCarthy wrote. "I never could have imagined the journey when I first threw my hat into the ring. I go knowing I left it all on the field – as always, with a smile on my face. And looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Only in America."
MCCARTHY MAKES STUNNING ADMISSION ON BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: THE FACTS HAVE LED 'EVEN CLOSER'
McCarthy started the op-ed by writing, "I’m an optimist. How could I not be?" He went on to detail how he’s the son of a firefighter and served in the same congressional seat for the last 17 years, ironically from the same office in which he was previously denied an internship.
He recalled how he helped Republicans to a House majority twice. "We got more Republican women, veterans and minorities elected to Congress at one time than ever before," he wrote. "I remained cheerfully persistent when elected speaker because I knew what we could accomplish."
Listing his accomplishments, he continued, "Even with slim margins in the House, we passed legislation to secure the border, achieve energy independence, reduce crime, hold government accountable and establish a Parents’ Bill of Rights. We did exactly what we said we would do.
"We kept our eyes on America’s long-term global challenges by restoring the Intelligence Committee to its original charter and establishing a bipartisan Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy wrote. "We reduced the deficit by more than $2 trillion, revamped work requirements for adults on the sidelines, cut red tape for critical domestic energy projects, and protected the full faith and credit of the U.S. We kept our government operating and our troops paid while wars broke out around the world."
At the start of the year, Republicans held only a fragile margin in the chamber after a predicted "red wave" failed to materialize in the 2022 elections.
McCarthy endured a dayslong floor fight in January that eventually resulted in his ascension to the House’s top job at a time when deep divisions within the GOP raised serious questions about the party’s ability to govern following former President Trump leaving office.
It took a record 15 votes over four days for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win the post he had long coveted, finally prevailing on a 216-212 vote with Democrats backing leader Hakeem Jeffries and six Republican holdouts voting present. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - As Republicans gather Wednesday for the fourth GOP presidential nomination debate, only four candidates will be on the stage.
It's the smallest debate stage at this point in the Republican presidential primaries in over a generation, and it pales in comparison to the nine GOP White House hopefuls who crowded on stage at a nomination debate in December 2015, during the last time the party experienced a fierce battle for the nomination.
And that's just fine with Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel.
"I think it’s good because you’re having more time to hear from these candidates on the debate stage," McDaniel emphasized in a Fox News Digital interview.
McDaniel, interviewed on the eve of the fourth debate, said we "are having a stage that allows the voters to hear from legitimate candidates for president, and we don’t have people auditioning for book deals and media contracts and cabinet positions."
"They are running in Iowa and New Hampshire and Nevada and South Carolina and they’re going to have time to address the major issues that the voters care about," McDaniel added as she pointed to the four early voting states in the GOP nominating calendar.
The RNC can take credit for the shrinking stage, as its rising debate polling and donor qualifying thresholds contributed to the rapid winnowing of a field that once numbered over a dozen contenders.
The criteria have been heavily criticized by the now-former candidates who were excluded from the stage.
"The RNC’s clubhouse debate requirements are nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire," North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum charged as he dropped out of the race on Monday.
TRUMP CAMPAIGN PREVIEWS ‘EXTREMELY AGRESSIVE' PUSH IN IOWA
Burgum, who made the stage at the first two debates but failed to qualify for the third, argued that "the RNC’s mission is to win elections. It is not their mission to reduce competition and restrict fresh ideas by ‘narrowing the field’ months before the Iowa caucuses or the first in the nation New Hampshire primary."
Asked about Burgum's comments, McDaniel told Fox News "everybody knew the rules before they got in. They loved them when they were on the stage. They don’t like them when they’re not on the stage."
DESANTIS STOPS IN ALL OF IOWA'S 99 COUNTIES, BUT WILL IT HELP HIM CLOSE THE GAP WITH TRUMP?
But she added: "I have the greatest respect for Gov. Burgum. He would have been a much better president than Joe Biden. I feel that way about all the candidates, whether they make the stage or not. But we do have to have criteria….We don’t want 12 people on the stage like we had in 2016 going into Iowa where we still had two stages and the candidates were given very little time to actually address major issues."
And defending the RNC's criteria, she emphasized: "The threshold is not crazy. It’s six percent. You’re probably not going to win the presidency if you’re not pulling in at least six percent right now."
Former President Donald Trump, the commanding front-runner for the Republican nomination as he makes his third straight White House run, is skipping his fourth straight debate. Trump and his 2024 campaign team have repeatedly called on the RNC to cancel the remaining debates.
McDaniel, asked to respond to Trump's comments, pointed to the Democrats' nominating process, where the national and state parties are rallying around President Biden as he seeks a second term in the White House. The Democratic National Committee is not sanctioning debates between Biden and his long-shot rivals - and Florida Democrats last week kept those rival candidates off their primary ballot.
GAME ON IN IOWA WITH THE CAUCUSES CLOSING IN
"We’re watching what the Democrats are doing. They’re not putting other candidates on the ballot. They’re not having debates. They’re not letting their primary process play out. And it's making Democrat voters upset," McDaniel argued.
"So we’re letting the process play out. It’s in the hands of the voters," she added, in a comment which some Republicans would vehemently disagree.
Asked if she can work with Trump if he wins the nomination, McDaniel said: "Absolutely. I’m going to work with the nominee. I have a great relationship with President Trump. I have a great relationship with these candidates and anybody who we nominate to beat Joe Biden, I’m going to be 100% behind."
The immediate question facing the RNC is whether they'll continue to host nominating debates, with the next two expected to be held next month in Iowa and New Hampshire ahead of the caucuses and primary. The RNC could potentially decide to allow state parties to team up with media organizations to run any future debates.
Sources with knowledge of the national party committee's thinking say the RNC is not expected to make any decision on upcoming debates until after Wednesday's showdown at the University of Alabama.
The self-proclaimed sanctuary city of Boston is considering a resolution that would allow immigrants with "legal status" to vote in local elections – a proposal that reportedly has gained support from the majority of Boston city councilors and was weighed during a council meeting on Tuesday.
Councilor Kendra Lara introduced the home rule petition, which was debated during a Tuesday afternoon hearing among fellow councilors, immigration advocates and city election officials, The Boston Herald reported.
"We have people who, despite not being given a voice in their local government through the ballot, have worked, sacrificed and invested in their neighborhoods, and all people should have a say in the decisions that impact their daily lives," Lara reportedly said.
Jessie Carpenter, a city clerk for Takoma Park, Maryland, reportedly presented Boston councilors with a similar policy change already in effect in her out-of-state, much smaller jurisdiction.
TEMPORARY MIGRANT SHELTER FUNDING PACKAGE CLEARS MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE
According to an October press release, Tacoma Park celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first non-U.S. residents voting, but a 1992 initiative in the Maryland city gave immigrants "regardless of their legal status" the right to vote in municipal elections. In Tacoma Park, "nearly one-third of the residents are foreign-born," according to the press release, and the latest city data from 2017 showed that of the 347 registered noncitizen voters in Takoma Park, 72 cast ballots, making up roughly 20% of those registered.
The number of immigrants in the city of Boston, with a population of more than 650,000 residents compared to the more than 17,000 residents in Tacoma Park, is likely much higher.
Carpenter told the Boston City Council on Tuesday that in Tacoma Park, immigrants are not asked about their legal status when they register to vote and instead are simply asked for proof of identity and city residency, according to the Herald. She said that since Tacoma Park has just "hundreds" of registered noncitizen voters, she keeps their information in a simple Excel spreadsheet, and the list of people eligible to vote is updated once non-citizens move, as indicated by return to sender city mail.
Elections Commissioner Eneida Tavares said a similar policy change could prove logistically challenging for the much larger city of Boston, telling city councilors Tuesday that the Boston Election Department would need to evaluate whether it had the capabilities to maintain two separate databases "without causing any confusion."
"Our preferred method would be to use the secretary of state’s database because it’s just one place where we can house everything," Tavares said. "It’s easier to update voting, voter information, give voter history to voters and everything of that nature."
Tavares also told councilors that the city would likely not be able to keep an individual’s immigration status private if their public voting information were requested for a court proceeding.
During the meeting, other councilors voiced concern that noncitizens could mistakenly be permitted to cast ballots in state or federal elections if the change regarding city elections comes to fruition. That, some say, could jeopardize immigrants’ pathway toward citizenship. City Councilor Liz Breadon said, "If they’re on a pathway to citizenship, you didn’t want a mistake to happen that would put that in jeopardy because the federal government has a big black and white all or nothing approach to these things."
Though the Boston proposal would apply to immigrants with "legal status," it is unclear how Boston election officials would vet noncitizen voters.
The state of Massachusetts has been grappling with the influx of migrants from the southern border, and Democratic Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency and activated the state National Guard to help manage the crisis. Over the summer, Boston received a $1.9 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help migrants with shelter and transportation, The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts House Democrats on Monday pushed a $2.8 billion spending bill which would set aside $250 million to help provide shelter for vulnerable families, including up to $50 million for an overflow site for homeless families stuck on a state wait list. The state’s emergency shelters are buckling under a crush of migrant and homeless families.
Republicans had unsuccessfully attempted to block the bill allocating migrant funding, slamming the "one-party monopoly" and arguing the bill warranted debate in a formal session.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Justice Department is charging four Russian fighters with committing war crimes against a U.S. national.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the "Justice Department has filed the first ever charges under the U.S. war crimes statute against four Russia-affiliated military personnel for heinous crimes against an American citizen" through an indictment returned Tuesday in the Eastern District of Virginia. The charges include conspiracy to commit war crimes, including war crimes outlawed by the international community after World War Two, unlawful confinement, torture and inhuman treatment.
The indictment charges Suren Seiranovich Mkrtchyan, 45, Dmitry Budnik, Valerii LNU (last name unknown), and Nazar LNU in connection with their alleged unlawful detainment of a U.S. national in the context of the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The defendants are alleged to have interrogated, severely beaten, and tortured the victim.
They also allegedly threatened to kill the victim and conducted a mock execution, according to the Justice Department.
SPEAKER JOHNSON GIVES BIDEN AN ULTIMATUM ON UKRAINE FUNDING, IMMIGRATION
"These charges against four Russia-affiliated military personnel are the Justice Department's first criminal charges under the U.S. war crimes statute. They are also an important step toward accountability for the Russian regime's illegal war in Ukraine. Our work is far from done," Garland said.
"We will not forget the atrocities in Ukraine, and we will never stop working to bring those responsible to justice," he continued. "Throughout our work. We will continue to put our trust in the rule of law. The rule of law is the best answer we have to crimes that cannot be truly answered. The rule of law is how we pursue true accountability for the individuals responsible for those crimes and how we deter future aggression. And the rule of law is how we pursue justice in a way that protects people and protects our shared humanity."
Garland detailed the allegations in the indictment.
"The victim was living in Mylove, a small village in southern Ukraine and was not participating in the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine," Garland said. "As such, the victim was what is known as a protected person under international law. After Russian forces invaded Mylove, the victim was abducted from his home by three of the defendants."
During the abduction, Garland said, those defendants threw the victim to the ground while he was naked, tied his hands behind his back, pointed a gun to his head, and beat him with their feet, their fists and the stocks of their guns. The indictment alleges that they forced him into a building that Russia-affiliated forces were using as a jail and into a closet that they were using as a jail cell where they interrogated him, tortured him and beat him again with a gun. Proseuctors say the defendants and their co-conspirators punched the U.S. national in his chest and stomach, threatened to shoot him, stripped off his clothes and took pictures. One of their conspirators allegedly threatened to sexually assault the victim, Garland said.
NATO CHIEF ISSUES VAGUE WARNING ON UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR: 'BE PREPARED FOR BAD NEWS'
"And during the interrogation, when the victim's answers did not satisfy the defendants, we allege that Budnik, who was also a commanding officer, threatened the victim with death and asked for his last words. We alleged that Nazar and other conspirators then took the victim outside. There they forced him to the ground, put a gun to the back of his head. The victim believed he was about to be killed," Garland said. "They moved the gun just before pulling the trigger and the bullet went just past his head. After the mock execution, the victim was beaten and interrogated again. At one point, he was told through an interpreter that he was, ‘going to sleep.’ And he was told by Mkrtchyan, ‘Good night.’"
After Garland spoke, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas took to the podium to highlight the work of his department in bringing the charges to fruition.
"In 2008, the Department of Homeland Security and its Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, created the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center – the only U.S. government entity focused entirely on investigating these global atrocities," Mayorkas said. "For 15 years, this select group of special agents, attorneys, intelligence analysts, criminal research specialists, and historians from across the federal government have worked together and with their international counterparts to hold those who engage in the perpetration of war crimes, genocide, torture, and other human rights violations accountable."
"Today, an investigation more than a year in the making by this Center and its federal partners bears fruit. For the first time in our nation’s history, federal agents gathered sufficient evidence to bring charges of war crimes perpetrated against an American citizen – in violation of Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 2441. The allegations detail gruesome events," Mayorkas said. "The agents who made this case possible were tireless in their investigation, giving extraordinary attention to every detail, and making considerable sacrifices throughout."
"In August 2022, these HSI agents traveled with their DOJ and FBI partners to speak with an American citizen who had recently been evacuated from Ukraine, where he had been living with his wife, a Ukrainian citizen," Mayorkas said. "Throughout this past year, our HSI agents, with the assistance of HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and alongside our FBI partners, have worked to corroborate the victim’s allegations. They traveled internationally to interview the victim’s family. They identified and interviewed individuals who were present within the general vicinity of Mylove around the time the victim was held in captivity, who confirmed the Russian forces’ occupation in the area. Based on the information they obtained, the HSI agents and their FBI partners were able to identify the four defendants whose indictments are announced today."
Mayoraks vowed that the "United States will hold the Russian perpetrators of this unthinkable mistreatment, these unacceptable human rights violations, accountable."
"First: there is no higher responsibility of government than to safeguard its people and their basic human rights. As today’s announcement makes clear, when an American citizen’s human rights are violated, their government will spare no effort, and spare no resource, to bring the perpetrators to justice," Mayorkas said. "Second: the evidence gathered by our agents speaks to the brutality, criminality, and depravity of Russia’s invasion. The Ukrainian people have had, and must continue to have, America’s full support against Russia’s unjust, unprovoked, and unlawful war of aggression. We cannot allow such horrific crimes to be ignored; to do so would only increase the risk they will be repeated."
Dozens of White House interns have signed a letter to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris demanding a "permanent cease-fire" in the Gaza Strip and accusing the pair of ignoring the "pleas of the American people."
The letter, first reported on by NBC News, comes after 400 government officials from 40 departments and agencies within President Biden's administration threw their support behind a similar message in mid-November calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
"We, the undersigned Fall 2023 White House and Executive Office of the President interns, will no longer remain silent on the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people," the interns’ letter begins. "We are Palestinian, Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, Black, Asian, Latine, White, and Queer.
"We heed the voices of the American people and call on the Administration to demand a permanent cease-fire," the letter continues. "We are not the decision makers of today, but we aspire to be the leaders of tomorrow, and we will never forget how the pleas of the American people have been heard and thus far, ignored."
LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL AT WAR WITH HAMAS
The letter adds that while the interns were "horrified" by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that launched the war, they oppose the "brutal and genocidal response by the Israeli government, funded by our American tax dollars, which has killed over 14,000 innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza, a large percentage of whom are children" -- echoing a death statistic from the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health.
"While the Administration expressed support for the humanitarian pause, we maintain that anything other than a complete halt of Israel’s mass slaughter of innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip will simply not suffice," it concludes. "We urge the Biden-Harris Administration to call for a permanent cease-fire now, a release of all hostages including Palestinian political prisoners, and to support a diplomatic solution that will put an end to the illegal occupation and the Israeli apartheid, in according with international law and for a free Palestine."
A temporary cease-fire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect in late November but lasted for only a week before fighting resumed in the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, Biden blamed Hamas for breaking the agreement with Israel, telling donors the terrorist group's "refusal to release the remaining young women is what broke this deal."
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., laid into Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s proposed $110 billion aid package in a letter to Senate colleagues on Tuesday night over funds allocated toward Israel in its ongoing war against Hamas.
"At a time when some 16,000 Palestinians have been killed in the last two months, two thirds of whom are women and children, and more than 40,000 have been injured… No, I do not think we should be appropriating $10.1 billion for the right-wing, extremist Netanyahu government to continue its current military strategy," Sanders wrote.
Senate Democrats unveiled the details of their $110 billion aid proposal earlier on Tuesday. It includes money for Ukraine, Israel, humanitarian aid for Gaza and elsewhere, and some funding for the U.S. border.
Schumer, D-N.Y., is expected to hold a vote for the mammoth package sometime this week.
LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL AT WAR WITH HAMAS
Sanders criticized the global aid bill as not doing enough for Americans back in the U.S.
"There are pieces of this bill I strongly support, but in its present form I do not think it serves the best interests of the American people," the senator wrote. "I am deeply concerned that this legislation has no investments to address the emergency needs of working families in the United States – 60 percent of whom are living paycheck to paycheck."
He continued, "Let’s be clear: it is not only foreign countries that face emergencies. We face enormous crises in this country right now in terms of child care, primary health care, housing, and much more. The American people want action on these vitally important issues."
Sanders, among the most prominent Jewish members of Congress, has also been one of the most critical of Israel’s actions in the wake of Hamas’s brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israeli civilians.
He’s previously called to condition U.S. aid to Israel on its actions in Gaza, something mainstream Democrats criticized.
In his letter on Tuesday night, Sanders said Israel "has every right to defend itself" but "It does not, however, have the right to wage all-out war against innocent men, women, and children who had nothing to do with the Hamas attack."
"Despite pleadings from the Biden administration, the UN and humanitarian groups, and leaders throughout the world, the Netanyahu government has continued its reckless and dangerous military policies," he wrote.
"We must not provide Netanyahu and his right-wing government a $10 billion blank check to continue on this course."
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Two Democratic senators are attempting to take credit for the postponement of an IRS requirement they helped kick-start, claiming the "burdensome requirement" could "hurt" taxpayers.
President Biden's American Rescue Plan (ARPA), which was signed into law in March 2021, included a requirement for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to lower the Form 1099-K reporting threshold for online transactions from $20,000 to $600.
After weighing public response, the IRS temporarily postponed the new effort prior to Thanksgiving, citing "feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals, and payment processors and to reduce taxpayer confusion." The agency said they will postpone the effort until 2024 and set the new reporting threshold at transactions of $5,000 and over.
Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who are both facing tough re-elections in states won by former President Trump in 2020, are claiming they aided in the delay of significantly lowering the IRS' reporting threshold, despite helping pass the controversial bill it stemmed from.
IRS' VENMO CRACKDOWN DELAYED BUT NOT DEAD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Tester initially voted for the trillion-dollar ARPA that included the new IRS requirement, but recently attempted to switch gears on the issue, saying "if these burdensome requirements are allowed to take effect during the upcoming tax filing season, it will hurt folks in Montana and across the country."
The Democrat also claimed he "fought to block the rule" in the bill he helped pass, claiming it would "hurt Montanans."
"The IRS should be focused on cracking down on multinational corporations and millionaire tax cheats, not on forcing burdensome paperwork on Montana’s working families," Tester said in a November press release. "I’m glad to see the IRS heard my concerns, and I’ll continue to fight back against burdensome bureaucratic policies that just don’t make sense for Montana."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Tester said, "Senator Tester believes the IRS should be focused on cracking down on multinational corporations and millionaire tax cheats, not on forcing burdensome paperwork on Montana’s working families."
"He was glad to see that the IRS listened to his concerns, and he will continue to fight back against the Biden Administration's burdensome bureaucratic policies that just don’t make sense for Montana," the spokesperson continued.
In a Nov. 17 letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, Tester said the "burdensome" reporting requirement would have a harsh impact on residents in Montana. Tester's office has also noted that the senator voted for an amendment that would have stripped funding from the IRS and prevented implementation of the 1099-K reporting rule.
Similarly, Senator Brown not only helped pass the American Rescue Plan, but unlike Tester, he voted against the GOP proposed amendment to raise the IRS requirement back up to $20,000 in 2022.
VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR ATTENDED HOLLYWOOD FUNDRAISER WITH DONOR LINKED TO DISCRIMINATION SCANDAL
Brown then attempted to take credit for the temporary delay of the "burdensome requirements" that were a result of the bill he passed.
A November press release from Brown's office wrote that, "following demands from U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the IRS today announced that it will once again delay the implementation of the $600 threshold for individuals and entrepreneurs who receive 1099-K tax forms for another year."
"Today the IRS finally agreed to delay its burdensome requirements on Ohio small businesses and online entrepreneurs," Brown said at the time. "This is welcome news for small businesses across Ohio who were about to be hit by red tape and excessive paperwork. But it’s not enough. It’s time to eliminate the $600 reporting threshold and permanently protect Ohioans from excessive IRS paperwork by passing my bipartisan Red Tape Reduction Act."
"My job is to fight for Ohio small businesses and entrepreneurs – not out of state billionaires," said Brown in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I’m proud to have taken on the IRS and pressured them to increase the 1099-K threshold this year – cutting down on unnecessary and excessive paperwork for small businesses. Now we need a permanent fix and that’s why I have brought together Republicans and Democrats on legislation to permanently raise the threshold to $10,000. I’ll keep fighting until we get this done."
Earlier this year, Brown, along with Louisiana GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy, proposed the Red Tape Reduction Act – legislation that will increase the threshold to $10,000 for when individuals and entrepreneurs receive 1099-K tax forms when they sell goods online. Since being introduced, that measure has seen little movement.
Transactions that could trigger tax reporting on Form 1099-K include sending money online through Venmo, CashApp and Apple Pay, as well as eBay, Etsy, Poshmark and Facebook Marketplace.
Tester and Brown, both of whom have worked to portray a moderate image in the Senate, are seeking to maintain their posts in the upper chamber as the 2024 elections rapidly approach.
Tester, who has represented Montana in the U.S. Senate since 2007 and previously served as president of the Montana state Senate, announced in February that he will seek re-election next year.
"I know that people in Washington don’t understand what a hard day’s work looks like or the challenges working families are facing in Montana," Tester said in a statement at the time. "Montanans need a fighter holding Washington accountable."
Tester's seat, in a red state where Trump topped Biden by 16 points in 2020, is a top target for Senate Republicans as they aim to win back the chamber's majority in the 2024 elections.
Brown, who represented Ohio's 13th Congressional District in the House for more than a decade before winning election to the Senate in 2006, announced in Nov. 2022 that he will officially be seeking a fourth term in the Senate next year.
In the 2016 presidential election, Trump won the state of Ohio against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by about 8 percentage points. Trump also defeated Biden in Ohio in the 2020 election by the same margin, 53% to 45%, making Brown's seat a must-have for Republicans in the 2024 election.
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Ted Cruz said the Biden administration "funneled" more than $66 million in taxpayer dollars to nonprofits and academic institutions for "misinformation research," in what he calls an effort by the federal government to "censor Americans" while attempting to "absolve" itself of "liability for infringement of Americans’ First Amendment rights."
Cruz, R-Texas, is now demanding the State Department, FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the National Science Foundation turn over information regarding their role in "helping facilitate the censorship of Americans' constitutionally protected speech online."
The move comes as part of Cruz’s months-long investigation into Big Tech’s content moderation and alleged censorship practices. Cruz’s office says the ongoing investigation has "exposed the extent to which suppression of free speech on social media has been driven by government agencies and non-governmental third parties that receive funding from taxpayers."
In letters to the State Department, FBI, CISA, and NSF, Cruz said the Biden administration "directly" flagged content to social media companies, but also "funneled money to private-sector third parties, including nonprofits and academic institutions that then pressured social media companies to remove content and accounts."
"By laundering taxpayer dollars through third parties, government agencies tried to absolve themselves of liability for infringement of Americans’ First Amendment rights," Cruz wrote.
Cruz provided examples, including one in which the State Department made an effort to "counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts" and sent social media companies lists of individuals that they identified as "inauthentic." But Cruz’s investigation revealed that those lists included not only foreign actors but "everyday Americans."
Cruz also said the National Science Foundation sent millions of dollars to fund "Election Integrity Partnerships" at Stanford University and the University of Washington. Cruz said those programs successfully influenced social media companies into "moderating" millions of tweets flagged by CISA and the FBI.
Cruz pointed to a 2021 interview with the leader of the Stanford University program. Cruz said the lead researcher suggested taxpayer dollars were "intentionally channeled through a third party so that the government could evade First Amendment liability."
"Just because the government hires a hitman to kill speech does not absolve the government of guilt," Cruz wrote in the letters. "Regrettably, the examples described above appear to be just a handful of numerous instances of third parties being awarded taxpayer dollars and other government support to suppress speech."
Cruz added: "It has also become apparent that our nation’s higher education institutions were often used as conduits through which the government could police speech online."
JORDAN SUBPOENAS BIG TECH CEOS FOR RECORDS ON 'COLLUSION' WITH BIDEN ADMIN TO 'SUPPRESS FREE SPEECH'
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., signed onto Cruz’s letter to the FBI.
Cruz asks the agencies to provide detailed information regarding their taxpayer-funded grant-making and non-governmental partnerships processes. The deadline for the agencies to respond is Dec. 19, 2023.
The letters come amid Cruz’s months-long investigation. Since the onset of the probe, Senate Commerce Committee Republican staff have identified more than 100 National Science Foundation grants between 2021 and 2023, which totaled more than $66 million in taxpayer funding toward "misinformation" research.
The committee found that NSF sent $5 million to the University of Washington to create a "digital dashboard" so that public officials could identify "trending misinformation" and "strategically correct" misinformation on social media; $5 million to George Washington University to create a therapy toolkit and digital reporting assistant for journalists who believed they were the targets of "misinformation-driven harassment campaigns"; more than $100,0000 to Georgia Tech to create a program that writes posts for social media users to counter "misinformation"; and more.
JORDAN DEMANDS BIG TECH RECORDS DETAILING 'COLLUSION' WITH BIDEN ADMIN TO CENSOR CONSERVATIVES
Meanwhile, Cruz's investigation comes amid a similar House Weaponization Subcommittee probe. In June, that panel also said CISA had "facilitated the censorship of Americans directly" and through third-party intermediaries during the Biden administration.
CISA Executive Director Brandon Wales, in a statement to Fox News Digital in June, said the agency "does not and has never censored speech or facilitated censorship; any such claims are patently false."
"Every day, the men and women of CISA execute the agency’s mission of reducing risk to U.S. critical infrastructure in a way that protects Americans’ freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy," Wales said. "In response to concerns from election officials of all parties regarding foreign influence operations and disinformation that may impact the security of election infrastructure, CISA mitigates the risk of disinformation by sharing information on election literacy and election security with the public and by amplifying the trusted voices of election officials across the nation."
CISA, which was founded in 2018, was intended to be an agency focused on protecting critical infrastructure and guarding against cybersecurity threats.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday he will resign from Congress at the end of this month.
The Justice Department has charged four Russian nationals with war crimes in connection with the invasion of Ukraine.
Republicans alleged that Bowman was trying to delay a vote on government funding. Bowman said he activated the fire alarm "mistakenly thinking it would open the door."
Sen. Tim Scott said Wednesday that he has no plans to endorse in the 2024 primary race “anytime soon” during an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
Two U.S. senators have launched a bipartisan investigation into private equity’s involvement in U.S. health care, and whether it is harming patients and staff.
Uganda’s government on Wednesday denounced the United States’ expansion of visa restrictions against its officials, accusing Washington of pushing an “LGBT agenda” in Africa.
The Colorado Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Wednesday in a case challenging former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on the state’s ballot in 2024.
Most of Iowa's members of Congress are staying out of the GOP presidential race, but Rep. Randy Feenstra is weighing an endorsement and interviewing candidates.
President Joe Biden will sign an executive order that aims to make it easier for Native Americans to access federal funding and have greater autonomy over how to invest those funds.
Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California says he's resigning from his congressional seat two months after his historic ouster as House speaker
The Colorado Supreme Court is set to hear arguments over whether former President Donald Trump should be barred from running for president again under the Constitution's ban against those who “engaged in insurrection."
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the ousted Republican speaker, announces he will leave Congress at the end of the year
The heads of Wall Street’s biggest banks used an appearance on Capitol Hill to plead with senators to stop the Biden administration’s proposed changes to how banks are regulated, warning that the proposals could negatively impact the economy at a time ...
A Republican prosecutor says he plans to appeal a judge's ruling invalidating Wisconsin's 174-year-old abortion ban
A pregnant Texas woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis is asking a court to let her have an abortion
Texts and emails sent by Republican congressman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania have emerged publicly in a court filing that hints at how he worked to keep President Donald Trump in office after his 2020 election loss
President Joe Biden has told campaign donors that he isn’t sure he’d be running for reelection if Donald Trump wasn’t also in the race
The shrinking field of Republican presidential hopefuls are preparing to gather on a debate stage for the fourth time this year
Former President Donald Trump is declining to rule out abusing power if he again wins the presidency
Former President Donald Trump would not say whether he plans to go after political opponents if he were re-elected president .
Republicans insist border security funding must be included in any national security funding package.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had a grueling fight to win the gavel and was ousted from the role just nine months later.
Federal prosecutors in the U.S. charged four Russian soldiers with war crimes for allegedly abducting and torturing an American citizen in Ukraine shortly after Russia's invasion.
The county executive pointed to infrastructure and environmental projects, cuts in property taxes, and "reforming the police while tackling crime head-on."
Four GOP presidential hopefuls, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie, will take the stage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Wednesday, as the GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, holds a commanding lead in the polls. CBS News' Robert Costa reports.
The Senate approved hundreds of military promotions late Tuesday after Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville dropped his opposition despite no changes to the Pentagon's policy on abortion access for service members. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane reports from Capitol Hill.
Just four candidates will appear on stage for the fourth primary debate, which takes place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama tonight.
A Colorado judge ruled last month that former President Donald Trump can appear on the state's presidential primary ballot.
There will be no primary. Democrats and Republicans will each pick a candidate to go head-to-head.
Billions in additional aid to Ukraine stuck as Republicans push border, walk out of classified briefing.
“I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways,” McCarthy said in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. “I know my work is only getting started.”
The civil settlement in Wisconsin marks the first time pro-Trump electors have agreed to revoke their false filings and not repeat their actions in the next presidential election.
The Fox News host welcomed Donald Trump for a conversation heavily centered on Trump’s authoritarian impulses.
Former president Donald Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that, if elected, he would only be a dictator on the first day he returns to the White House.
With just six weeks left before the Iowa caucuses, expect clashes on abortion messaging and an opening for critique on Trump’s authoritarian language
Ahead of the Republican debate at the University of Alabama, young conservatives differed over candidates but were united in calling on the party to pay more attention to their generation.
In a letter, the senators argued that the U.S. should ensure weapons it is transferring to Israel are not being used in a way that violates international law.
The Vermont independent is the first member of the Senate Democratic Caucus to come out against a $110 billion national security spending bill that includes $14 billion in military aid for Israel.
The administration has already alerted Congress that money for Ukraine will run out by the end of the year.
About two months after being ousted as speaker, Representative Kevin McCarthy said he would exit the House a year early.
The debate, hosted by NewsNation and featuring four candidates, will be held on Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.
Wednesday’s Trump-less debate is a breakthrough moment for a fledgling cable network — and a comeback of sorts for Ms. Kelly, a former Fox News star.
Pressed by Sean Hannity to promise not to abuse power, Donald Trump agreed he wouldn’t, “other than Day 1,” adding: “We’re closing the border. And we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”
With three new films on Netflix, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, is pursuing projects in different genres that aren’t always uplifting.
Republican presidential candidates will gather in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, at a moment when the state’s politics have new resonance on the national stage.
Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie will also be onstage, but much of the attention will be on the two Republicans best positioned to become the top challenger to Donald Trump.
The former congresswoman is working to ensure that Donald Trump never returns to the Oval Office. She is also keeping her own door wide open.
While the president has backed Israel’s right to defend itself since the Hamas terrorist attack, his team has increased the pressure to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza.
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Tim Alberta, staff writer at The Atlantic, said he was discouraged by interviews with several high-profile evangelical figures.
One audience moment in particular from Sean Hannity’s town hall with the former president disgusted the MSNBC “Morning Joe” host.
The special counsel intends to demonstrate the former president has a history of promoting baseless election claims, dating back to the 2012 vote.
Wednesday’s RNC debate may be the last, meaning the former New Jersey governor might not get the chance to confront the former president in person.
School board member, nurse — and apparent songstress — Nikki Snyder is trying to stand out in a crowded Republican field by releasing a short music video.
The Democrat used a certain word that Greene wanted stricken from record -- but the Republican was shut down.
"Yes, I was confused by Donald Trump," the conservative attorney said.
Glenn Kirschner said the strategy "never ends well for a testifying defendant who is a great big liar like Donald Trump is."
"Is this the kind of admission a candidate should be making?" the CNN host asked a guest.
The MSNBC anchor slammed the Republican House speaker as a “cultist in the middle of a cult” who is “an accessory after the fact.”
Tuesday, during his "Hannity" televised town hall event on Fox News Channel, former President Donald Trump, a candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, reacted to claims he would be a "dictator" if reelected to the presidency.
China's Ministry of Education issued a directive on Tuesday for its schools to "enhance the awareness of daily protection and health monitoring" in response to an ongoing surge in child pneumonia cases nationwide, appearing to most severely affect Beijing and northeast China.
Businesses added just 103,000 workers to their payrolls in November, the paycheck processor ADP said Wednesday.
President Joe Biden's administration has awarded $6 billion in federal infrastructure spending to California for two high-speed rail projects -- one, a failing public-sector effort by the state; the other, a private rail line from Southern California to Las Vegas.
Norman Lear, the legendary creator of All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and many more while shaping television sitcoms for decades, has died. He was 101.
Taylor Swift has been named Time Magazine's person of the year for 2023, following in the footsteps of previous winners including Greta Thunberg, Barack Obama, and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Israel shot down a ballistic missile in outer space with its Arrow defence system, which is being called the first space battle.
The real reason we invaded Iraq has nothing to do with 9/11, Saddam Hussein, or those infamous WMDs.
Israel's leading comedy show, Eretz Nehederet (“Wonderful Land”), has struck again -- this time, mocking the United Nations for its indifference to reports of rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas against Israeli, mostly, Jewish, women on October 7.
Forty-plus White House interns have sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding a permanent ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization, further accusing him of having "ignored" the "pleas of the American people."