Posted on Leave a comment

Biden seeks to cement legacy on climate change in remaining months as president

President Joe Biden is seeking to cement his climate legacy by allocating billions of dollars for energy and environment-related projects in the remaining months of his presidency.

Biden ramped up his administration’s energy-related spending in October, announcing several new initiatives after former President Donald Trump said on the campaign trail that if elected, he would “rescind all unspent funds under the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act,” which could directly impact Biden’s climate projects.

On Thursday, the Department of the Interior approved the Fervo Cape Geothermal Power Project in Beaver County, Utah, which seeks to expand geothermal energy on public lands.

The Energy Department also announced nearly $2 billion in funding for 38 power grid projects for clean energy, and on Tuesday, the administration allocated $428 million for 14 clean energy manufacturing projects in former coal communities.

HARRIS TOUTS GROWING UP IN MIDDLE CLASS WHILE PUSHING MANDATE MOST ‘WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD’: ECONOMIST

In early October, the Biden-Harris administration issued a final rule to replace every lead pipe in the U.S. within 10 years as part of Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). In addition to the rule, the EPA also announced $2.6 billion in new funding for drinking water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

September also saw several new projects launched as part of the final push for the administration’s climate agenda.

LEFT-WING CLIMATE GROUPS SILENT AFTER HARRIS CAMPAIGN DROPS MILLIONS ON PRIVATE JET FLIGHTS SINCE JULY

The Department of Energy announced $3 billion for electric vehicle battery production, while the Department of the Interior will distribute $24 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for land and water restoration through an investment in “climate resilience.” 

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved an offshore wind turbine in Maryland — the 10th approval of a commercial-scale offshore wind project. Trump has stated that if elected, he would end offshore wind projects “on day one” through an executive order, suggesting the energy source causes harm to the environment. 

“They destroy everything. They’re horrible, the most expensive energy there is,” Trump said of wind turbines during a campaign event in New Jersey. “They ruin the environment. They kill the birds. They kill the whales.”

White House’s Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian told listeners on a press call in October that Biden is “sprinting to the finish” to deliver “on his historic Investing in America agenda.”

Posted on Leave a comment

Lindsey Graham demands ICC reveal details of probe into prosecutor Khan’s misconduct allegations

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Lindsey Graham is demanding answers on reporting that British International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan was accused of sexual misconduct at the same time he was pursuing criminal charges against Israeli officials. 

“Public reports indicate that allegations of harassment surfaced in early May – just a few days before Prosecutor Khan applied for arrest warrants against the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Israel for alleged violations of law during the defensive Israeli-Hamas War,” Graham, R-S.C., wrote in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. 

“The timing of the allegations is troubling, and only compounds the other strong legal, jurisdictional, and prudential objections I have expressed regarding the Prosecutor’s decision to seek arrest warrants.”

On May 20, Khan requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Deif. All three Hamas leaders have been killed in the past year. 

Khan’s application was unprecedented – the first time the criminal court had sought arrests for Western-allied officials. 

Graham said that prior to Khan’s warrants, he along with a group of senators was working to urge Khan to “adhere to the Rome Statute” and have a dialogue with Israeli officials before moving forward with their prosecution. 

On May 20, Khan was set to travel to Israel to meet with officials before deciding whether to move forward with the warrant requests. 

But he never showed up. 

He publicly announced his warrant requests without any warning to the Israelis who had planned to make their case against them, according to Graham. 

GRAHAM SAYS ISRAEL HAS WINDOW TO ‘REPLACE HAMAS FOREVER’ AFTER SINWAR KILLING: ‘DOOR IS NOW OPEN

“It has now come to my attention through media reports that Prosecutor Khan was facing allegations of misconduct around the same time, and the resolution of this matter remains a mystery,” the senator wrote in the letter. 

“The abrupt decision to cancel this visit to Israel, along with these contemporaneous allegations needs to be explained, and I request full transparency on the matter to ensure there is no conflict of interest.” 

Graham said he was “shocked” to learn Khan never showed up for his trip to Israel. 

“It was a complete change of what we were told that was going to happen, and we never really understood what happened – never made sense to me.” 

But last week, the Mail on Sunday reported that around the same time, a female employee with the court informed senior managers about harassment claims made by another female employee against Khan. The woman “was so upset she was in tears.” 

The Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), which probes misconduct allegations by ICC employees, reportedly questioned the alleged victim, but she decided not to make a formal complaint. The IOM did not launch a formal investigation and recommended measures intended to “safeguard everyone’s rights.”  

“I’ve never understood what led to such a change in position. So my concern is, did these two events have anything to do with each other?” Graham questioned. 

BIDEN-HARRIS ENVOY ACCUSED OF PRESSURING ISRAELI LAWMAKERS TO DROP BILL BANNING TERROR-LINKED UN AGENCY

“We need transparency here. You know, is it a coincidence the guy is being accused of inappropriate conduct, and again, I have no idea if it’s legitimate or not, but just weeks later, there’s a change of course here.”

An annual report released by the IOM on Friday said that on May 3, the watchdog had been told about allegations that an elected official engaged in behavior that would breach the court’s harassment rules. It confirmed the woman “declined to pursue a formal complaint.” She refused to explicitly confirm or deny to the IOM the allegations that had been reported by a third party. 

The ICC prosecutor’s office could not immediately be reached for comment by Fox News Digital. Khan told the Mail on Sunday: “I absolutely can confirm there is no truth to suggestions of misconduct.”

The court’s panel of judges has not yet issued the warrants. It took them only three weeks to issue the warrant for President Vladimir Putin’s arrest after Khan requested it following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The U.S. and Israel are not party to the Rome Statute that founded the ICC 22 years ago and do not recognize its jurisdiction. Palestinians were granted membership in 2015. 

Since the court’s establishment in 2002, it has issued 55 arrest warrants in 32 cases. Twenty-one people have been detained and tried at The Hague while 26 remain at-large. 

Israel is also facing accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice in a case brought forth by South Africa. 

Despite the ICC prosecutor’s arrest warrant requests, Graham insisted that the international law body does hold an important role. 

“There’s a place for the ICC. I mean, like Putin’s collapsed every legal system in Russia, truly is a despot.”

Graham added: “But bringing charges against the defense minister and the prime minister of Israel in the middle of a war for the survival of the Jewish people without even talking to them, canceling a meeting, just doesn’t pass the smell test. I want to know what the hell happened.”

Posted on Leave a comment

‘Bold vision’: Historic Bush Cabinet secretary makes key endorsement in 2024 presidential race

FIRST ON FOX: A top official in President George W. Bush’s administration, who made history as the nation’s first female Department of Agriculture secretary, is the latest leading Republican to back Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Trump.

And the endorsement of the vice president by Ann Veneman – shared first with Fox News Digital on Wednesday – comes as the Harris campaign continues its efforts to court Republicans who didn’t support Trump during this year’s GOP nomination race – and as the campaign aims to cut into the former president’s support among rural voters.

“As our nation stands at a critical juncture, the upcoming presidential election presents a stark contrast in leadership and values, particularly for rural communities and agriculture,” Veneman said in a statement.

Veneman, who grew up on a peach farm in California, made history as the first female U.S. secretary of agriculture – in George W. Bush’s administration. Veneman,  who was also the first woman to serve as secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, argued, “Donald Trump’s current tariff proposal is dangerous for rural America. It would raise prices on essential goods, harm farmers by undermining key trade relationships, and increase costs for consumers.”

THIS TOP ANTI-TRUMP REPUBLICAN GOES ON A BATTLEGROUND STATES BLITZ WITH KAMALA HARRIS 

And pointing to proposals by Harris and her running mate – Minnesota Gov. Tim  Walz – Veneman emphasized that “their plan for rural communities is a bold vision for the future that invests in economic growth, critical infrastructure, and greater access to care for families. Together, they offer the leadership we need to help agriculture and rural America thrive.”

Walz last week highlighted the Harris campaign’s plans to improve the lives of rural voters, which include proposals to recruit 10,000 new health care professionals in rural and tribal areas through scholarships, loan forgiveness and new grant programs. 

The Harris campaign aims to put a dent in Trump’s strong support in rural communities. The former president carried rural voters by a nearly two-to-one margin in the 2020 election, according to a Fox News voter analysis. 

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

Veneman, with her endorsement, also becomes the latest high-ranking member of the Bush administration to back Harris. At the top of that list is former Vice President Dick Cheney.

And Veneman’s endorsement comes two days after Harris campaigned in three key battleground states – Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin – with Cheney’s daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

The younger Cheney, once a rising conservative star in the GOP, in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters aiming to disrupt congressional certification of President Biden’s 2020 election victory, has vowed to do everything she can to prevent the former president from returning to power.

While Trump retains vast sway over the GOP, even a small sliver of Republicans supporting Harris could make a consequential impact in what will likely be a race within the margins in the key swing states.

The Harris campaign is courting such voters with on-the-ground events and through paid media efforts.

At a campaign event last week in Pennsylvania where Harris was joined by leading anti-Trump Republicans – including former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan – the vice president was introduced by lifelong Pennsylvania Republicans Bob and Kristina Lange.

The Langes, who own a family farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania, have also starred in a Harris campaign commercial. The Langes say they’ve seen a barrage of hateful and derogatory messages following their appearance in the Harris ad.

But in a Fox News Digital interview last week, they noted that their Republican friends say “that they’re on the same page that we are. They’re approaching us and telling us ‘We’re behind you.’ They’re thanking us for what we’re doing. They’re thanking us for being brave because many people are afraid to speak out against Trump because of revenge and other things like that.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Posted on Leave a comment

Elon Musk blasts Tim Walz after Democrat trains fire on the Trump-backing tycoon

Wealthy business magnate Elon Musk and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are trading jabs as Election Day 2024 draws near, with Walz accusing Musk of “skippin’ like a dips—” and Musk most recently comparing Walz to the clown face emoji.

On the campaign trail in Wisconsin on Tuesday, Walz facetiously referred to Musk as former President Donald Trump’s “running mate.”

The billionaire business tycoon has endorsed Trump and is campaigning for him.

“Elon’s on that stage, jumpin’ around, skippin’ like a dips— … ” Walz said.

TIM WALZ SLAMS ELON MUSK AS A ‘DIPS—’ DURING RALLY WITH OBAMA IN WISCONSIN

Musk poured millions of dollars into the America PAC, which is awarding $1 million each day to one person who has signed a petition expressing support for the First and Second Amendments. 

“Every day, from now through Nov 5, @America PAC will be giving away $1M to someone in swing states who signed our petition to support free speech & the right to bear arms! We want to make sure that everyone in swing states hears about this and I suspect this will ensure they do,” Musk recently tweeted.

Trump has said that as president he would establish a “government efficiency commission,” and that Musk has agreed to helm the task force.

ELON MUSK GIVES $75M TO PRO-TRUMP SUPER PAC, HITS ROAD IN PENNSYLVANIA

“That guy is literally the richest man in the world, spending millions of dollars to help Donald Trump buy an election,” Walz said. “Donald Trump has already promised that he would put Elon in charge of government regulations that oversee the businesses that Elon runs.”

Musk is mocking Walz in posts on X.

“You’re gonna lose, @Tim_Walz,” Musk tweeted along with the clown emoji when responding to a clip of Walz’s remarks. “Saving the American people from the torture of hearing you speak for 4 years was worth it,” he added, concluding the post with the tears of joy emoji.

ELON MUSK QUIETLY DONATES ‘VERY SUBSTANTIAL’ AMOUNT TO PAC TO CANVASS HISPANIC VOTERS

Musk also shared a meme mocking Walz, and commented, “It’s as if the [clown face] emoji came to life.”

Posted on Leave a comment

‘Vindictive’: Democrat in tight Senate race blasted by GOP rival for swipe at McDonald’s after Trump visit

Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick slammed his opponent in the highly-anticipated race, Sen. Bob Casey, for “retaliating against McDonald’s” after former President Trump visited a location of the fast-food company in the Keystone State while on the campaign trail. 

A trio of Senate Democrats, Casey, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, issued a letter Monday to the CEO of McDonald’s, slamming the company for reported price gouging, just one day after Trump worked the fryer at a franchise of the fast-food chain during a campaign event in Feasterville, Pennsylvania. 

The trio’s letter accused the business of inflating prices on consumers to grow profits, sparking McCormick to slam Casey for using “vindictive pressure tactics, simply because he doesn’t like Donald Trump.”

“After President Trump’s wildly popular visit to the local Feasterville McDonald’s franchise, Bob Casey has stooped to a new low by retaliating against McDonald’s. This is just the latest in a string of anti-business attacks by Casey on Pennsylvania small businesses and employees. Casey is a liberal, partisan, career politician who knows his family dynasty is coming to an end, so he resorts to a vindictive pressure tactic, simply because he doesn’t like Donald Trump,” McCormick told Fox News Digital. 

WOMAN SERVED BY TRUMP AT MCDONALD’S DRIVE-THRU REVEALS DETAILS BEHIND VIRAL EXCHANGE WITH FORMER PRESIDENT

The senators’ letter, which did not cite Trump, was sent one day after Trump’s visit to a McDonald’s in Casey’s home state of Pennsylvania on Sunday. 

“While McDonald’s is not the only fast food restaurant that has increased prices significantly in recent years, its dominant market position as the largest fast food chain in the United States has an outsize impact on American consumers,” the trio of senators wrote in their letter. “While working families are trying to make ends meet, McDonald’s and its corporate counterparts have continued to grow their profits.”

Casey’s campaign on Wednesday brushed off McCormick’s comment, arguing the longtime Democratic senator “will always fight against corporate greed.”

“While Connecticut hedge fund CEO David McCormick works to enrich himself and his billionaire backers, Senator Casey will always fight against corporate greed to put more money in Pennsylvanians’ pockets,” Casey campaign spokesperson Kate Smart told Fox Digital. 

TRUMP MAKES FRIES AT PENNSYLVANIA MCDONALDS: ‘I’VE NOW WORKED FOR 15 MINUTES MORE THAN KAMALA’

The letter called on the McDonald’s CEO to address questions such as how the company makes pricing decisions on individual menu items, if McDonald’s provides guidelines to franchisees regarding pricing decisions and if McDonald’s executives received bonuses or other incentive-based compensation between 2020 and 2024. 

McDonald’s hit back that the letter “demonstrates a lack of understanding of our franchise business model.” 

“McDonald’s and our franchisees are committed to keeping prices affordable – from the everyday prices on our menu boards, to our popular $5 Meal Deal and other offers available locally or on the App. This letter demonstrates a lack of understanding of our franchise business model and contains contortions of facts and many inaccuracies. Take the components of the $5 Meal Deal with McChicken, for example – which would have cost 15% more in 2020 than they do today. That’s the opposite of price gouging. We will respond to the letter, and in the meantime, continue to show up for our customers and our communities,” McDonald’s told Fox News Digital in a comment Tuesday. 

Casey pinning blame for inflation and economic woes on price gouging has been a common theme of his highly-anticipated re-election campaign, which shifted from a lean Democrat race to a toss-up by Cook Political Report in a last-minute update this week. Pennsylvania is viewed as the top battleground state this election cycle that will likely determine the outcome of the federal election, with political eyes also locked on the Senate race that pits Casey against McCormick.

LIBERAL MEDIA HAS MELTDOWN OVER TRUMP’S ‘FIRST DAY’ WORKING AT MCDONALD’S 

“The corporations say your prices are up only because their costs are up,” Casey declared at the DNC over the summer. “They are selling you a lie. It’s in the bag with the diapers. Prices are up because these corporations are scheming to drive them up.”

The McCormick campaign has hit back that the argument is hogwash, saying that prices have increased for consumers due to the federal government’s “wasteful” spending that was “rubber-stamped” by Democrats such as Casey

Nearly all McDonald’s locations in the U.S. are individually owned franchises, including the one in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, Trump visited on Sunday. 

“I’ve now worked for 15 minutes more than Kamala at McDonald’s,” Trump said through the drive-thru window as he handed out orders. 

PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RACE LABELED ‘TOSS UP’ IN LAST-MINUTE SHIFT BY TOP HANDICAPPER

“I love McDonald’s, I love jobs, I like to see good jobs. And I think it’s inappropriate when somebody puts down all over the place that you work. Think that was a big part of her resume and that you worked at McDonald’s,” he added. 

The McDonald’s that Trump visited is owned by Derek Giacomantonio, who told Fox Digital on Sunday that the franchise opens “our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community.”  

KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE VOTER REGISTRATION DATA SHOWS INFLUENTIAL SHIFTS FAVORING GOP

“As a small, independent business owner, it is a fundamental value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community. That’s why I accepted former President Trump’s request to observe the transformative working experience that 1 in 8 Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s,” Giacomantonio said. 

“As a former crew member, I can attest this job is more than burgers and fries, but a meaningful pathway to opportunity. Local Pennsylvania franchisees like me are proud to provide more than 25,000 jobs across the state and I’m honored to showcase my restaurant and the incredible impact of the franchise business model here today,” Giacomantonio continued. 

SCHUMER-TIED GROUP DROPS MILLIONS AGAINST TED CRUZ AS DEMS EYE PICKUP OPPORTUNITY IN TEXAS

Trump’s visit to the McDonald’s has spurred outrage from Democrats, including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who accused Trump of “laughing at” American workers by visiting the McDonald’s. 

“You’ve got Donald Trump putting on a little McDonald’s costume, because he thinks that’s what people do,” Ocasio-Cortez said during a “Get Out the Early Vote” union event in Pennsylvania. “They’re not trying to empathize with us. They are making fun of us.”

Trump supporters have championed the McDonald’s visit as iconic, posting memes and photos of the former president in support of his re-election. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the trio of senators regarding the letter but did not receive replies. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Posted on Leave a comment

UK Labour Party staffers campaigning for Harris are volunteers, PM says, rejecting Trump interference claim

The United Kingdom’s Labour Party is pushing back Wednesday on allegations from the Trump campaign that it is providing “illegal foreign assistance” to Kamala Harris. 

Representatives for Trump announced last night they have “filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against the Harris-Walz Campaign and the Labour Party of the United Kingdom for illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference in our elections.” 

“The far-left Labour Party has inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric. In recent weeks, they have recruited and sent party members to campaign for Kamala in critical battleground states, attempting to influence our election,” Trump-Vance Campaign Co-Manager Susie Wiles said in a statement. 

However, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday that any members of his Labour Party that are in the U.S. are acting as volunteers and “what they’ve done in previous elections, is what they’re doing in this election,” according to The Associated Press. 

LABOUR PARTY TO DESCEND ON US TO HELP HARRIS 

“I spent time in New York with President Trump, had dinner with him, and my purpose in doing that was to make sure that between the two of us, we established a good relationship, which we did, and I was very grateful to him for making the time,” Starmer added. “Of course, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, I will work with whoever the American people return as their president in the elections.” 

The filing from Trump’s campaign mentions a now-deleted social media post from Labour Party leader Sofia Patel, who took to LinkedIn to solicit help from current and former members of the party who would be willing to campaign for Harris in the key battleground state of North Carolina. 

Patel indicated in her post that she had already organized “nearly 100 Labour Party staff” to stump across the key battleground states of Nevada, Pennsylvania and Virginia but had about 10 spots left for anyone willing to head to North Carolina.   

“We will sort your housing,” Patel assured anyone interested.  

DEMOCRAT STRATEGIST JAMES CARVILLE DECLARES HE’S ‘CERTAIN’ HARRIS WILL WIN 

An attorney for the Trump campaign wrote in the filing that “the language of her post supports a reasonable inference that the Labour Party will finance at least travel and facilitate room and board.” 

“Press reports further support a reasonable inference that the Harris campaign is aware of these efforts, and thus has accepted a prohibited foreign national contribution,” he continued. “Moreover, even if the individuals traveling to the United States were ‘volunteers,’ the Labour Party appears to be using party resources, including paid staff time, to coordinate their travel.” 

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

Posted on Leave a comment

‘Mind blowing insanity’: Dem Senate candidate ripped after bullet fragment hits local reporter at gun range

Social media erupted on Tuesday in response to a Democratic Senate candidate firing an AR-15 at a gun range that resulted in a local reporter being struck by a bullet fragment.

“Great day at the range today with my friend @AdamKinzinger,” Democratic Senate candidate Lucas Kunce posted on X on Tuesday. 

“We got to hang out with some union workers while exercising our freedom. Always have your first aid kit handy. Shrapnel can always fly when you hit a target like today, and you’ve got to be ready to go. We had four first aid kits, so we were able to take care of the situation, and I’m glad Ryan is okay and was able to continue reporting.”

KSHB-TV’s Ryan Gamboa was the only person injured after a bullet fragment struck his arm, and Kunce, a Marine Corps veteran who was shooting an AR-15 at the time, wrapped his wound with gauze, the Kansas City Star reported.

RED STATE DEM SENATE CANDIDATE HIT WITH BLISTERING AD AFTER REFUSING TO ENDORSE VP HARRIS: ‘UNACCEPTABLE’

Social media reactions from conservatives quickly poured in on X, including from Hawley, who posted online saying, “I know the Kunce campaign needed a shot in the arm, but this is taking it a little far…”

“Democrats Lucas Kunce & Adam Kinzinger apparently accidentally shot a reporter at an event today,” Hawley Communications Director Abigail Jackson posted on X. “Are these guys trying to make Tim Walz look competent with a gun?”

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid,” conservative communicator Steve Guest posted on X. “Shooting steel targets this close is a recipe for disaster.”

HAWLEY DEMANDS SECRET SERVICE ADDRESS TRUMP GOLF COURSE ‘VULNERABILITIES’ EXPOSED BY WHISTLEBLOWER

“Absolutely mind-blowing insanity from a candidate for a political party that wants to take away your guns because it claims you can’t safely own them,” Federalist CEO and co-founder Sean Davis posted on X.

“You could’ve killed somebody today, you freaking moron,” Davis added. “What kind of a brain dead idiot shoots steel inside 10 yards with a rifle?”

“They were shooting at a metal target a few years away and apparently some shrapnel or ricochet hit a reporter covering the event on the elbow,” Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross posted on X. “‘Great day at the range.'”

“Word of advice: If you don’t want somebody to get hit by shrapnel when you go shooting, it’s probably not the best idea to fire at steel targets 10 feet in front of you with rifles,” digital strategist Greg Price posted on X.

“I was grateful for the opportunity to talk to union workers about our freedoms at the range,” Kunce told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Safety is important to us which is why the range was set up and run by a certified NRA training counselor. But any time you are handling weapons, you need to be prepared. We acted quickly and I’m glad the reporter was okay and able to keep reporting.”

Kunce responded to a post from Hawley that said, “When liberals play with guns, people get hurt,” with a clip of Hawley running through the Capitol on Jan. 6.

“The last time Josh Hawley saw a gun,” Kunce wrote.

Posted on Leave a comment

FBI investigating leak of classified docs on Israeli preparations for possible Iran strike

The FBI is investigating the leak of classified documents that included top secret U.S. intelligence describing Israeli preparations for a possible attack on Iran, Fox News Digital confirmed. 

“The FBI is investigating the alleged leak of classified documents and working closely with our partners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community,” the bureau said in a statement. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further comment.” 

The Department of Defense has already confirmed it is investigating the unauthorized release.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday that he did not have information on whether the unauthorized release was a result of a hack or an employee leak. 

US INVESTIGATING RELEASE OF CLASSIFIED DOCS ON ISRAEL’S PLANNED STRIKE ON IRAN

“We’re not exactly sure how these documents found their way into the public domain. I know the Department of Defense is investigating this,” Kirby said. “I’m just not able to answer your question whether it was a leak or a hack. At this point, we’ll let the investigation pursue its logical course.” 

“We’re deeply concerned, and the president remains deeply concerned about any leakage of classified information into the public domain,” Kirby said. “That is not supposed to happen. And it’s unacceptable when it does.” 

Kirby said he did not have any indication that additional classified documents would find their way into the public domain and that the U.S. has been in communication with Israeli counterparts about the disclosure.

IDF SAYS ‘MISSION IS NOT OVER’ UNTIL HOSTAGES ARE RETURNED: ‘WE WILL NOT REST’ 

“I’ll let the Israelis speak to if, what, how and when they decide to take additional military action in response to Iran’s Oct. 1 attack,” Kirby said. “That’s really for them to speak to.” 

The documents are descriptions of satellite images showing Israeli warplanes preparing for a strike and practicing air refueling, according to officials. There is no information in the leaked documents about what the targets are or what Israeli plans to strike.

“These are NOT Israeli war plans for Iran,” a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News.

The documents, which are marked top secret, were posted to the Telegram messaging app last week. 

The documents were attributed to the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency and noted that Israel was still moving military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to Iran’s blistering ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1. The documents were sharable within the “Five Eyes,” which are the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Posted on Leave a comment

Whitmer defends ‘this beautiful city’ of Detroit after Trump blasts Michigan’s urban ‘mess’

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer didn’t hold back at a Tuesday rally for Kamala Harris as she rebuked former President Trump’s comments from earlier this month, in which he claimed that if the vice president assumes office, “the whole country will be like… Detroit.” 

Trump’s comments are even more poignant considetring Detroit’s reputation as one of the most dangerous cities for violent crime in the nation.

“I know you all saw what he said about this beautiful city. He called Detroit a failure and a mess, proving he ain’t firing on all cylinders,” Whitmer said before Eminem and former President Barack Obama took the stage to court votes for Harris. “He doesn’t have a clue what the hell he was talking about. And you know what I think? He ought to keep Detroit out of his mouth.”

INTERVIEWING DONALD TRUMP: A LAST-MINUTE BLITZ AND NEW CLOSING MESSAGE

Last month, during his speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump said: “The whole country will be like – you want to know the truth? It’ll be like Detroit.”

“Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she’s your president,” he said. “A mess.”

In 2018, Detroit had the highest violent crime rate of 2,007.8 incidents per 100,000 people, according to the data from the FBI’s 2018 Uniform Crime Report, making it the only midsize or large city in the U.S. with such a high number. 

That year, the city reported 261 homicides and around 13,500 violent crimes, even though its population is less than 700,000. Meanwhile, local officials claim violent crime is down 8% in 2024, and shootings and carjackings have also decreased. 

HARRIS CLAIMS TRUMP WIN WOULD BE ‘CATASTROPHIC’ FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, BUT FIRST TERM TELLS DIFFERENT TALE

Detroit still faces big problems, like a high unemployment rate and many residents living below the poverty line. 

In 2023, the number of homicides fell to 252, the lowest since 1966, but the city has had a changing population. Detroit had nearly 1.7 million residents in the 1960s, but that number dropped to about 620,376 in 2022. 

But the data can be hard to verify since the Federal Bureau of Investigation quietly updated its 2022 crime data to show an increase in violent crimes, despite previous data showing violent crimes had fallen that year, which was touted as a victory for the Biden-Harris administration. 

Detroit police are currently investigating a double shooting that killed an 18-year-old early Monday afternoon. And just a day after the rally, two men are in critical condition after being shot Wednesday morning near Detroit’s New Center district.

CBS NEWS STATEMENT ON CONTROVERSIAL ’60 MINUTES’ EDIT FALLS FLAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ‘PUBLISH. THE. TRANSCRIPT.’

Both candidates are vying to win the battleground state’s vote with the election just two weeks away. On Friday, Trump also made a Detroit rally stop, promising to put “Detroit first,” “Michigan first,” and “America first.”

Trump told supporters, “Your beautiful place, your beautiful city” was “decimated as if by a foreign army.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Team Trump Michigan communications director Victoria LaCivita said: “Like many Americans, President Trump remembers when Detroit was lauded as the gold standard for auto manufacturing success and revolutionized the industry. Detroit has suffered from globalist policies championed by Kamala Harris that have shipped manufacturing overseas. Detroit’s population has dropped over 60 percent since 1960, maintains the third highest homicide rate in the nation, and a poverty rate for full-time workers three times as high as the rest of Michigan. As President Trump emphasized in his speech, his policies will usher in a new era of economic success and stability for Detroit, helping the city reach its fullest potential.” 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Posted on Leave a comment

Video of Dem-aligned individual at Montana ballot box sparks ‘tampering’ concern from election administrator

An individual aligned with the Democratic Party was flagged by an election official for “tampering” concerns after surveillance footage caught him making contact with a ballot box, the Montana Secretary of State’s office tells Fox News Digital.

Crystal Cole, the Glacier County election administrator, reported her concerns to the Montana secretary of state’s election unit about what she viewed as potential “tampering” with a ballot box on Sunday, according to an email shared with Fox News Digital. 

Cole told the secretary of state’s office that she called the individual shown in the video footage, who told her he had been sent “to see how secure the box was.”  But Cole complained to the state that the “MT Dem Party did not notify the Elections office . . . they would be sending someone to the Ballot Box to check how secure it was, so on camera it looks like he was tamering [sic] with the box.”

The secretary’s office identified the individual in the footage as Laszlo Gendler, who has been employed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) this cycle, according to a review of disbursements from the Federal Election Commission.

DOJ SUES VIRGINIA FOR ALLEGEDLY PURGING NONCITIZENS FROM VOTING ROLLS TOO CLOSE TO ELECTION

“Poll observers are instructed not to touch ballot boxes. This individual was attempting to ensure a new ballot box was secured to the wall, neither the ballot box nor ballots were affected,” David Bergstein, DSCC spokesperson, told Fox News Digital. “Their actions were not in accordance with our procedures and out of an abundance of caution they will no longer be doing this work moving forward.”  

The Secretary of State’s office told Fox News Digital it has reported the incident to the Glacier County Sheriff. Gendler could not immediately be reached for comment.

GEORGIA JUDGE RULES ELECTION OFFICIALS MUST CERTIFY VOTE COUNTS, EVEN IF THEY SUSPECT FRAUD

Video obtained by Fox News Digital, shows the individual identified as Gendler approaching the ballot box in Glacier County, Montana. Gendler then puts both hands on the ballot box, steps away for a couple of seconds before making contact with the box a second time.

The incident occurred in the state that is seeing one of the most crucial Senate races of the 2024 cycle, pitting Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., against Republican former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy.

The Glacier County ballot box is located in Montana’s First Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke is seeking re-election against Democratic opponent Monica Tranel.

The Montana Democratic Party told Fox News Digital they had “no comment” on the pending matter.