EXCLUSIVE — When the leading pro-Israel PAC chose not to support Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) primary challenger, Don Samuels, financially, one wealthy entrepreneur stepped up to mobilize Jewish voters against the anti-Israel Minnesota “Squad” member.

Michael Sinensky, co-founder of Israel Friends, a charity that has raised over $26 million for Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, told the Washington Examiner he is facing death threats and accusations of Nazi affiliation following a report on his last-minute funding push for Omar’s opposition.

A handful of messages from a WhatsApp group chat were leaked in a Sunday report from the Intercept which detailed the efforts of Sinensky and others to infuse cash into the race. The Washington Examiner obtained every message from the group chat dating back to Oct. 23, 2023.

‘Weaponize our terror’: Setting the record straight on Sinensky

The outlet wrote that Sinensky, who has donated to several Democratic campaigns, “justified his support for the far-right” in messages where he framed the 2024 election landscape as a battle between parties whose fringe groups include “alt right Christian Neo Nazis” in the GOP and “socialist, Marxist, anarchists who are supporting radical Islam” among the Democratic ranks, in which the right-wing radicals are currently the lesser of two evils for Jewish Americans.

The messages were from July 12, a couple of weeks after the June 25 New York Democratic primary, when the group chat was called “Jews for Richie Torres.” The WhatsApp group has undergone three name changes and involved several different groups of people over the course of nine months. It was titled “Zionists for Don Samuels Against Ilhan Omar” during the Minnesota primary campaign, and the group’s name has changed again since.

Omar chided the group for what she described as “discussing their preference for ‘alt right Christian Neo Nazis’” in a Sunday press release responding to the report.

“The media often sensationalizes or mischaracterizes snippets of conversation to support the story they want to tell, and this case was no exception,” Sinensky said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “The outlet took screenshots from a private chat without providing the full and honest scope of the larger discussion.”

In his statement and in an interview with the Washington Examiner, he stressed that he was not claiming that the majority or entirety of either party are the extremists that he mentioned, nor does he support any group of extremists listed, but that he was referring to fringe groups in both parties. He believes that the left-wing extremists who align with “radical Islam” present a more imminent threat to Jews in America than the right-wing extremists do.

Sinensky said his statement to the Intercept, despite being “demanded” and provided on the Jewish Sabbath, was “largely ignored” in their coverage. As a result, he chose to “clarify and contextualize what I said” in his statement to the Washington Examiner in addition to sharing his entire original statement.

He explained, “The bottom line is that no Jew wants to support people who hate us. Unfortunately, we are currently living in a nation — and world — where antisemitism has exploded on every side of the political spectrum.”

“The awful position we as Jews find ourselves in is to identify the less imminent threat and hedge for our own survival, distasteful as it may be, in the short term,” he added. “That is how dire and serious the situation is.”

The Jewish entrepreneur said that Omar and her anti-Israel colleagues have “actively contributed to the firestorm that has bred” the rise of hate crimes against Jews following Oct. 7. He mentioned two recent examples of anti-Jewish stabbings in New York, as well as an incident caught on video where his wife was chased into his apartment building by a man yelling, “Die, Jews, die!”

“Instead of having empathy for American Jews, whom the country has put in a position to choose the party whose fringe is the lesser enemy, or unpacking their own role in creating such a horrific zeitgeist,” Sinensky said, “This publication chose to weaponize our terror to further vilify us, only further fanning the flames of antisemitism and hate in general.”

“While I am disappointed, I am not surprised, and in fact, this only further illustrates the need for American Jews to organize and act in our own political interests. Our very survival depends on it,” he added.

AIPAC largely absent from ‘most hateful’ Squad member’s primary

Tuesday’s 14-point victory for Omar fell short of the bigger blowout some were expecting after Lake Research Partners, a polling company associated with her campaign, had the incumbent up 27 points before the election.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee ramped up spending in other efforts to oust fellow “Squad” members such as Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), but as of Aug. 7, AIPAC had only spent $19,000 in advertising for Omar’s race. This came as a surprise to members of the “Zionists for Don Samuels Against Ilhan Omar” WhatsApp group chat.

On July 24, one member asked, “Is AIPAC helping Don Samuels?”

An activist answered, “Not right now which is why this grassroots effort is very important. Thanks to everyone for your support!”

Through a campaign staffer, Samuels addressed the group on the matter. He assured that AIPAC was “absolutely aware of this race, [and] they have engaged with us on a regular basis.”

On July 25, one member speculated that AIPAC may have been hesitant due to “this myth that Ilhan is unbeatable,” as well as “the real possibility that public involvement by AIPAC would backfire.”

She explained that there is “a lot of latent antisemitism” in Minneapolis, which she noted was once known as the most antisemitic city in the United States. ‘“AIPAC’ is a dog whistle, a stand-in for ‘Jews and their $$ control of the world.’ Ilhan knows this and weaponizes it.”

With AIPAC focused on other races, Sinensky and company stepped up to help defeat Omar, who Samuels has referred to as a “pawn for Hamas” due to her anti-Israel statements and positions.

“Don only lost by less than 2,500 votes or 2% in 2022,” Sinensky told the group on July 28. “We do not need millions from AIPAC. We can win this with $100k in donations from all of us.”

He continued, “We cannot stand by while the leader of the squad — the most hateful one — is vulnerable without a last ditch effort to fire her from American politics.”

On Aug. 8, Sinensky responded to another member inquiring if AIPAC will be supporting Samuels, “They are not, they don’t think their $ can help defeat her. They think it will hurt the grass roots effort that is more strong in this district as proven by the last race.”

He added, “We have collectively raised more than what AIPAC put in last race.”

AIPAC contributed $350,000 to Omar’s opposition in 2022 through the United Democracy Project. However, according to Jewish Insider, AIPAC felt that “Don [Samuels] has reached his capacity” after he lost the 2022 primary against the anti-Israel Democrat.

While AIPAC mostly watched Omar’s 2024 race from the sidelines, Sinensky and his group worked tirelessly to get thousands of Republicans to switch parties to vote for Samuels in addition to raising hundreds of thousands toward the effort to oust Omar.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“In the case of unseating Omar,” Sinensky said they had “a unicorn of an opportunity” in Samuels, who he described as “a candidate who stands for values I (and most Americans) support, who also represents a place in the Democratic Party in which Jews are not excluded from social justice.”

“I will not apologize for exercising my democratic right to support him,” he said.

Read Sinensky’s full statement to the Washington Examiner:

The media often sensationalizes or mischaracterizes snippets of conversation to support the story they want to tell, and this case was no exception. The outlet took screenshots from a private chat without providing the full and honest scope of the larger discussion. A statement I provided to the outlet prior to publication was largely ignored, despite being demanded on the Jewish Sabbath and being promptly delivered. I am taking this opportunity to clarify and contextualize what I said: The bottom line is that no Jew wants to support people who hate us. Unfortunately, we are currently living in a nation—and world—where antisemitism has exploded on every side of the political spectrum. The awful position we as Jews find ourselves in is to identify the less imminent threat and hedge for our own survival, distasteful as it may be, in the short term. That is how dire and serious the situation is.

Here is our reality living as a Jew today. Not long after the horrors of October 7th, my wife was chased into our apartment building by a man yelling, “Die, Jews, die.” Just this past weekend, two visibly Jewish men, in separate incidents, were stabbed—one by a man yelling, “Free Palestine.” I, and many fellow Jews, believe wholeheartedly that rhetoric perpetuated by Ilhan Omar and ‘The Squad’ has actively contributed to the firestorm that has bred these dangerous hate crimes. I believe this growing brand of Jew hate is an imminent threat to the Jewish people. Of course, I find Nazis abhorrent—almost my entire family was exterminated in the Holocaust—but there is no side on either end of the current political spectrum that is truly safe for Jews. We have been forced into the position of siding with whomever is less unsafe at this particular moment. And that is not “The Squad.”

Even in the published screenshot, I offered the example of Ukraine, where our humanitarian contributions have supported the resistance to Russia’s invasion, despite having to accept the cooperation of the Azov Brigade (and their long-held Neo-Nazi ties) because their resistance is actively protecting Ukrainian Jews right now.

Instead of having empathy for American Jews, whom the country has put in a position to choose the party whose fringe is the lesser enemy, or unpacking their own role in creating such a horrific zeitgeist, this publication chose to weaponize our terror to further vilify us, only further fanning the flames of antisemitism and hate in general. While I am disappointed, I am not surprised, and in fact, this only further illustrates the need for American Jews to organize and act in our own political interests. Our very survival depends on it.

For American Jews who disagree with my assessment, that is entirely their (and nobody else’s) prerogative, and I encourage them to support whichever candidates they believe best ensure our safety, which is exactly what I am doing.

In the case of unseating Omar, we have a unicorn of an opportunity: a candidate who stands for values I (and most Americans) support, who also represents a place in the Democratic Party in which Jews are not excluded from social justice. That unicorn is Don Samuels, and I will not apologize for exercising my democratic right to support him.

G-d Bless America & Am Yisroel Chai.

2024-08-16 00:57:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3123684%2Fjewish-entrepreneur-michael-sinensky-faces-death-threats-after-effort-oust-ilhan-omar%2F?w=600&h=450, EXCLUSIVE — When the leading pro-Israel PAC chose not to support Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) primary challenger, Don Samuels, financially, one wealthy entrepreneur stepped up to mobilize Jewish voters against the anti-Israel Minnesota “Squad” member. Michael Sinensky, co-founder of Israel Friends, a charity that has raised over $26 million for Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7,

EXCLUSIVE — When the leading pro-Israel PAC chose not to support Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) primary challenger, Don Samuels, financially, one wealthy entrepreneur stepped up to mobilize Jewish voters against the anti-Israel Minnesota “Squad” member.

Michael Sinensky, co-founder of Israel Friends, a charity that has raised over $26 million for Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, told the Washington Examiner he is facing death threats and accusations of Nazi affiliation following a report on his last-minute funding push for Omar’s opposition.

A handful of messages from a WhatsApp group chat were leaked in a Sunday report from the Intercept which detailed the efforts of Sinensky and others to infuse cash into the race. The Washington Examiner obtained every message from the group chat dating back to Oct. 23, 2023.

‘Weaponize our terror’: Setting the record straight on Sinensky

The outlet wrote that Sinensky, who has donated to several Democratic campaigns, “justified his support for the far-right” in messages where he framed the 2024 election landscape as a battle between parties whose fringe groups include “alt right Christian Neo Nazis” in the GOP and “socialist, Marxist, anarchists who are supporting radical Islam” among the Democratic ranks, in which the right-wing radicals are currently the lesser of two evils for Jewish Americans.

The messages were from July 12, a couple of weeks after the June 25 New York Democratic primary, when the group chat was called “Jews for Richie Torres.” The WhatsApp group has undergone three name changes and involved several different groups of people over the course of nine months. It was titled “Zionists for Don Samuels Against Ilhan Omar” during the Minnesota primary campaign, and the group’s name has changed again since.

Omar chided the group for what she described as “discussing their preference for ‘alt right Christian Neo Nazis’” in a Sunday press release responding to the report.

“The media often sensationalizes or mischaracterizes snippets of conversation to support the story they want to tell, and this case was no exception,” Sinensky said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “The outlet took screenshots from a private chat without providing the full and honest scope of the larger discussion.”

In his statement and in an interview with the Washington Examiner, he stressed that he was not claiming that the majority or entirety of either party are the extremists that he mentioned, nor does he support any group of extremists listed, but that he was referring to fringe groups in both parties. He believes that the left-wing extremists who align with “radical Islam” present a more imminent threat to Jews in America than the right-wing extremists do.

Sinensky said his statement to the Intercept, despite being “demanded” and provided on the Jewish Sabbath, was “largely ignored” in their coverage. As a result, he chose to “clarify and contextualize what I said” in his statement to the Washington Examiner in addition to sharing his entire original statement.

He explained, “The bottom line is that no Jew wants to support people who hate us. Unfortunately, we are currently living in a nation — and world — where antisemitism has exploded on every side of the political spectrum.”

“The awful position we as Jews find ourselves in is to identify the less imminent threat and hedge for our own survival, distasteful as it may be, in the short term,” he added. “That is how dire and serious the situation is.”

The Jewish entrepreneur said that Omar and her anti-Israel colleagues have “actively contributed to the firestorm that has bred” the rise of hate crimes against Jews following Oct. 7. He mentioned two recent examples of anti-Jewish stabbings in New York, as well as an incident caught on video where his wife was chased into his apartment building by a man yelling, “Die, Jews, die!”

“Instead of having empathy for American Jews, whom the country has put in a position to choose the party whose fringe is the lesser enemy, or unpacking their own role in creating such a horrific zeitgeist,” Sinensky said, “This publication chose to weaponize our terror to further vilify us, only further fanning the flames of antisemitism and hate in general.”

“While I am disappointed, I am not surprised, and in fact, this only further illustrates the need for American Jews to organize and act in our own political interests. Our very survival depends on it,” he added.

AIPAC largely absent from ‘most hateful’ Squad member’s primary

Tuesday’s 14-point victory for Omar fell short of the bigger blowout some were expecting after Lake Research Partners, a polling company associated with her campaign, had the incumbent up 27 points before the election.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee ramped up spending in other efforts to oust fellow “Squad” members such as Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), but as of Aug. 7, AIPAC had only spent $19,000 in advertising for Omar’s race. This came as a surprise to members of the “Zionists for Don Samuels Against Ilhan Omar” WhatsApp group chat.

On July 24, one member asked, “Is AIPAC helping Don Samuels?”

An activist answered, “Not right now which is why this grassroots effort is very important. Thanks to everyone for your support!”

Through a campaign staffer, Samuels addressed the group on the matter. He assured that AIPAC was “absolutely aware of this race, [and] they have engaged with us on a regular basis.”

On July 25, one member speculated that AIPAC may have been hesitant due to “this myth that Ilhan is unbeatable,” as well as “the real possibility that public involvement by AIPAC would backfire.”

She explained that there is “a lot of latent antisemitism” in Minneapolis, which she noted was once known as the most antisemitic city in the United States. ‘“AIPAC’ is a dog whistle, a stand-in for ‘Jews and their $$ control of the world.’ Ilhan knows this and weaponizes it.”

With AIPAC focused on other races, Sinensky and company stepped up to help defeat Omar, who Samuels has referred to as a “pawn for Hamas” due to her anti-Israel statements and positions.

“Don only lost by less than 2,500 votes or 2% in 2022,” Sinensky told the group on July 28. “We do not need millions from AIPAC. We can win this with $100k in donations from all of us.”

He continued, “We cannot stand by while the leader of the squad — the most hateful one — is vulnerable without a last ditch effort to fire her from American politics.”

On Aug. 8, Sinensky responded to another member inquiring if AIPAC will be supporting Samuels, “They are not, they don’t think their $ can help defeat her. They think it will hurt the grass roots effort that is more strong in this district as proven by the last race.”

He added, “We have collectively raised more than what AIPAC put in last race.”

AIPAC contributed $350,000 to Omar’s opposition in 2022 through the United Democracy Project. However, according to Jewish Insider, AIPAC felt that “Don [Samuels] has reached his capacity” after he lost the 2022 primary against the anti-Israel Democrat.

While AIPAC mostly watched Omar’s 2024 race from the sidelines, Sinensky and his group worked tirelessly to get thousands of Republicans to switch parties to vote for Samuels in addition to raising hundreds of thousands toward the effort to oust Omar.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“In the case of unseating Omar,” Sinensky said they had “a unicorn of an opportunity” in Samuels, who he described as “a candidate who stands for values I (and most Americans) support, who also represents a place in the Democratic Party in which Jews are not excluded from social justice.”

“I will not apologize for exercising my democratic right to support him,” he said.

Read Sinensky’s full statement to the Washington Examiner:

The media often sensationalizes or mischaracterizes snippets of conversation to support the story they want to tell, and this case was no exception. The outlet took screenshots from a private chat without providing the full and honest scope of the larger discussion. A statement I provided to the outlet prior to publication was largely ignored, despite being demanded on the Jewish Sabbath and being promptly delivered. I am taking this opportunity to clarify and contextualize what I said: The bottom line is that no Jew wants to support people who hate us. Unfortunately, we are currently living in a nation—and world—where antisemitism has exploded on every side of the political spectrum. The awful position we as Jews find ourselves in is to identify the less imminent threat and hedge for our own survival, distasteful as it may be, in the short term. That is how dire and serious the situation is.

Here is our reality living as a Jew today. Not long after the horrors of October 7th, my wife was chased into our apartment building by a man yelling, “Die, Jews, die.” Just this past weekend, two visibly Jewish men, in separate incidents, were stabbed—one by a man yelling, “Free Palestine.” I, and many fellow Jews, believe wholeheartedly that rhetoric perpetuated by Ilhan Omar and ‘The Squad’ has actively contributed to the firestorm that has bred these dangerous hate crimes. I believe this growing brand of Jew hate is an imminent threat to the Jewish people. Of course, I find Nazis abhorrent—almost my entire family was exterminated in the Holocaust—but there is no side on either end of the current political spectrum that is truly safe for Jews. We have been forced into the position of siding with whomever is less unsafe at this particular moment. And that is not “The Squad.”

Even in the published screenshot, I offered the example of Ukraine, where our humanitarian contributions have supported the resistance to Russia’s invasion, despite having to accept the cooperation of the Azov Brigade (and their long-held Neo-Nazi ties) because their resistance is actively protecting Ukrainian Jews right now.

Instead of having empathy for American Jews, whom the country has put in a position to choose the party whose fringe is the lesser enemy, or unpacking their own role in creating such a horrific zeitgeist, this publication chose to weaponize our terror to further vilify us, only further fanning the flames of antisemitism and hate in general. While I am disappointed, I am not surprised, and in fact, this only further illustrates the need for American Jews to organize and act in our own political interests. Our very survival depends on it.

For American Jews who disagree with my assessment, that is entirely their (and nobody else’s) prerogative, and I encourage them to support whichever candidates they believe best ensure our safety, which is exactly what I am doing.

In the case of unseating Omar, we have a unicorn of an opportunity: a candidate who stands for values I (and most Americans) support, who also represents a place in the Democratic Party in which Jews are not excluded from social justice. That unicorn is Don Samuels, and I will not apologize for exercising my democratic right to support him.

G-d Bless America & Am Yisroel Chai.

, EXCLUSIVE — When the leading pro-Israel PAC chose not to support Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) primary challenger, Don Samuels, financially, one wealthy entrepreneur stepped up to mobilize Jewish voters against the anti-Israel Minnesota “Squad” member. Michael Sinensky, co-founder of Israel Friends, a charity that has raised over $26 million for Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, told the Washington Examiner he is facing death threats and accusations of Nazi affiliation following a report on his last-minute funding push for Omar’s opposition. A handful of messages from a WhatsApp group chat were leaked in a Sunday report from the Intercept which detailed the efforts of Sinensky and others to infuse cash into the race. The Washington Examiner obtained every message from the group chat dating back to Oct. 23, 2023. ‘Weaponize our terror’: Setting the record straight on Sinensky The outlet wrote that Sinensky, who has donated to several Democratic campaigns, “justified his support for the far-right” in messages where he framed the 2024 election landscape as a battle between parties whose fringe groups include “alt right Christian Neo Nazis” in the GOP and “socialist, Marxist, anarchists who are supporting radical Islam” among the Democratic ranks, in which the right-wing radicals are currently the lesser of two evils for Jewish Americans. The messages were from July 12, a couple of weeks after the June 25 New York Democratic primary, when the group chat was called “Jews for Richie Torres.” The WhatsApp group has undergone three name changes and involved several different groups of people over the course of nine months. It was titled “Zionists for Don Samuels Against Ilhan Omar” during the Minnesota primary campaign, and the group’s name has changed again since. Omar chided the group for what she described as “discussing their preference for ‘alt right Christian Neo Nazis’” in a Sunday press release responding to the report. “The media often sensationalizes or mischaracterizes snippets of conversation to support the story they want to tell, and this case was no exception,” Sinensky said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “The outlet took screenshots from a private chat without providing the full and honest scope of the larger discussion.” In his statement and in an interview with the Washington Examiner, he stressed that he was not claiming that the majority or entirety of either party are the extremists that he mentioned, nor does he support any group of extremists listed, but that he was referring to fringe groups in both parties. He believes that the left-wing extremists who align with “radical Islam” present a more imminent threat to Jews in America than the right-wing extremists do. Sinensky said his statement to the Intercept, despite being “demanded” and provided on the Jewish Sabbath, was “largely ignored” in their coverage. As a result, he chose to “clarify and contextualize what I said” in his statement to the Washington Examiner in addition to sharing his entire original statement. He explained, “The bottom line is that no Jew wants to support people who hate us. Unfortunately, we are currently living in a nation — and world — where antisemitism has exploded on every side of the political spectrum.” “The awful position we as Jews find ourselves in is to identify the less imminent threat and hedge for our own survival, distasteful as it may be, in the short term,” he added. “That is how dire and serious the situation is.” The Jewish entrepreneur said that Omar and her anti-Israel colleagues have “actively contributed to the firestorm that has bred” the rise of hate crimes against Jews following Oct. 7. He mentioned two recent examples of anti-Jewish stabbings in New York, as well as an incident caught on video where his wife was chased into his apartment building by a man yelling, “Die, Jews, die!” “Instead of having empathy for American Jews, whom the country has put in a position to choose the party whose fringe is the lesser enemy, or unpacking their own role in creating such a horrific zeitgeist,” Sinensky said, “This publication chose to weaponize our terror to further vilify us, only further fanning the flames of antisemitism and hate in general.” “While I am disappointed, I am not surprised, and in fact, this only further illustrates the need for American Jews to organize and act in our own political interests. Our very survival depends on it,” he added. AIPAC largely absent from ‘most hateful’ Squad member’s primary Tuesday’s 14-point victory for Omar fell short of the bigger blowout some were expecting after Lake Research Partners, a polling company associated with her campaign, had the incumbent up 27 points before the election. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee ramped up spending in other efforts to oust fellow “Squad” members such as Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), but as of Aug. 7, AIPAC had only spent $19,000 in advertising for Omar’s race. This came as a surprise to members of the “Zionists for Don Samuels Against Ilhan Omar” WhatsApp group chat. On July 24, one member asked, “Is AIPAC helping Don Samuels?” An activist answered, “Not right now which is why this grassroots effort is very important. Thanks to everyone for your support!” Through a campaign staffer, Samuels addressed the group on the matter. He assured that AIPAC was “absolutely aware of this race, [and] they have engaged with us on a regular basis.” On July 25, one member speculated that AIPAC may have been hesitant due to “this myth that Ilhan is unbeatable,” as well as “the real possibility that public involvement by AIPAC would backfire.” She explained that there is “a lot of latent antisemitism” in Minneapolis, which she noted was once known as the most antisemitic city in the United States. ‘“AIPAC’ is a dog whistle, a stand-in for ‘Jews and their $$ control of the world.’ Ilhan knows this and weaponizes it.” With AIPAC focused on other races, Sinensky and company stepped up to help defeat Omar, who Samuels has referred to as a “pawn for Hamas” due to her anti-Israel statements and positions. “Don only lost by less than 2,500 votes or 2% in 2022,” Sinensky told the group on July 28. “We do not need millions from AIPAC. We can win this with $100k in donations from all of us.” He continued, “We cannot stand by while the leader of the squad — the most hateful one — is vulnerable without a last ditch effort to fire her from American politics.” On Aug. 8, Sinensky responded to another member inquiring if AIPAC will be supporting Samuels, “They are not, they don’t think their $ can help defeat her. They think it will hurt the grass roots effort that is more strong in this district as proven by the last race.” He added, “We have collectively raised more than what AIPAC put in last race.” AIPAC contributed $350,000 to Omar’s opposition in 2022 through the United Democracy Project. However, according to Jewish Insider, AIPAC felt that “Don [Samuels] has reached his capacity” after he lost the 2022 primary against the anti-Israel Democrat. While AIPAC mostly watched Omar’s 2024 race from the sidelines, Sinensky and his group worked tirelessly to get thousands of Republicans to switch parties to vote for Samuels in addition to raising hundreds of thousands toward the effort to oust Omar. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER “In the case of unseating Omar,” Sinensky said they had “a unicorn of an opportunity” in Samuels, who he described as “a candidate who stands for values I (and most Americans) support, who also represents a place in the Democratic Party in which Jews are not excluded from social justice.” “I will not apologize for exercising my democratic right to support him,” he said. Read Sinensky’s full statement to the Washington Examiner: The media often sensationalizes or mischaracterizes snippets of conversation to support the story they want to tell, and this case was no exception. The outlet took screenshots from a private chat without providing the full and honest scope of the larger discussion. A statement I provided to the outlet prior to publication was largely ignored, despite being demanded on the Jewish Sabbath and being promptly delivered. I am taking this opportunity to clarify and contextualize what I said: The bottom line is that no Jew wants to support people who hate us. Unfortunately, we are currently living in a nation—and world—where antisemitism has exploded on every side of the political spectrum. The awful position we as Jews find ourselves in is to identify the less imminent threat and hedge for our own survival, distasteful as it may be, in the short term. That is how dire and serious the situation is. Here is our reality living as a Jew today. Not long after the horrors of October 7th, my wife was chased into our apartment building by a man yelling, “Die, Jews, die.” Just this past weekend, two visibly Jewish men, in separate incidents, were stabbed—one by a man yelling, “Free Palestine.” I, and many fellow Jews, believe wholeheartedly that rhetoric perpetuated by Ilhan Omar and ‘The Squad’ has actively contributed to the firestorm that has bred these dangerous hate crimes. I believe this growing brand of Jew hate is an imminent threat to the Jewish people. Of course, I find Nazis abhorrent—almost my entire family was exterminated in the Holocaust—but there is no side on either end of the current political spectrum that is truly safe for Jews. We have been forced into the position of siding with whomever is less unsafe at this particular moment. And that is not “The Squad.” Even in the published screenshot, I offered the example of Ukraine, where our humanitarian contributions have supported the resistance to Russia’s invasion, despite having to accept the cooperation of the Azov Brigade (and their long-held Neo-Nazi ties) because their resistance is actively protecting Ukrainian Jews right now. Instead of having empathy for American Jews, whom the country has put in a position to choose the party whose fringe is the lesser enemy, or unpacking their own role in creating such a horrific zeitgeist, this publication chose to weaponize our terror to further vilify us, only further fanning the flames of antisemitism and hate in general. While I am disappointed, I am not surprised, and in fact, this only further illustrates the need for American Jews to organize and act in our own political interests. Our very survival depends on it. For American Jews who disagree with my assessment, that is entirely their (and nobody else’s) prerogative, and I encourage them to support whichever candidates they believe best ensure our safety, which is exactly what I am doing. In the case of unseating Omar, we have a unicorn of an opportunity: a candidate who stands for values I (and most Americans) support, who also represents a place in the Democratic Party in which Jews are not excluded from social justice. That unicorn is Don Samuels, and I will not apologize for exercising my democratic right to support him. G-d Bless America & Am Yisroel Chai., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ilhan-omar-minnesota-primary.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is expected to join the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign in a role that has yet to be revealed.

The Trump campaign made four other key additions Thursday, including Trump’s former 2020 campaign communications director, Tim Murtaugh, as well as former pro-Trump super PAC officials Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Taylor Budowich.

“As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team,” Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, Trump’s co-campaign managers, said in a statement.

The pair added that the additions “are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns, and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Trump campaign to inquire about what each addition’s new role will entail.

Lewandowski, whose motto was “Let Trump be Trump,” was fired as Trump’s campaign manager in June 2015 and was replaced by Paul Manafort. Lewandowski was hired at CNN three days after being fired from the Trump campaign, but he resigned shortly after the election amid speculation that he might join the presidential administration.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

In 2021, Lewandowski was fired from a pro-Trump PAC after being accused of sexually harassing a donor at a charity event in Las Vegas. He eventually made a deal with prosecutors to avoid being charged with a misdemeanor for the alleged incident.

Trump’s campaign additions come as Vice President Kamala Harris is rising in the polls after replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. The pair are scheduled to face off Sept. 10 in a nationally televised debate on ABC.

2024-08-15 20:27:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3123245%2Ftrump-2016-campaign-manager-corey-lewandowski-joins-2024-campaign%2F?w=600&h=450, Former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is expected to join the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign in a role that has yet to be revealed. The Trump campaign made four other key additions Thursday, including Trump’s former 2020 campaign communications director, Tim Murtaugh, as well as former pro-Trump super PAC officials Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Taylor Budowich.,

Former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is expected to join the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign in a role that has yet to be revealed.

The Trump campaign made four other key additions Thursday, including Trump’s former 2020 campaign communications director, Tim Murtaugh, as well as former pro-Trump super PAC officials Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Taylor Budowich.

“As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team,” Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, Trump’s co-campaign managers, said in a statement.

The pair added that the additions “are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns, and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Trump campaign to inquire about what each addition’s new role will entail.

Lewandowski, whose motto was “Let Trump be Trump,” was fired as Trump’s campaign manager in June 2015 and was replaced by Paul Manafort. Lewandowski was hired at CNN three days after being fired from the Trump campaign, but he resigned shortly after the election amid speculation that he might join the presidential administration.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

In 2021, Lewandowski was fired from a pro-Trump PAC after being accused of sexually harassing a donor at a charity event in Las Vegas. He eventually made a deal with prosecutors to avoid being charged with a misdemeanor for the alleged incident.

Trump’s campaign additions come as Vice President Kamala Harris is rising in the polls after replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. The pair are scheduled to face off Sept. 10 in a nationally televised debate on ABC.

, Former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is expected to join the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign in a role that has yet to be revealed. The Trump campaign made four other key additions Thursday, including Trump’s former 2020 campaign communications director, Tim Murtaugh, as well as former pro-Trump super PAC officials Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Taylor Budowich. “As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team,” Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, Trump’s co-campaign managers, said in a statement. The pair added that the additions “are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns, and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history.” The Washington Examiner reached out to the Trump campaign to inquire about what each addition’s new role will entail. Lewandowski, whose motto was “Let Trump be Trump,” was fired as Trump’s campaign manager in June 2015 and was replaced by Paul Manafort. Lewandowski was hired at CNN three days after being fired from the Trump campaign, but he resigned shortly after the election amid speculation that he might join the presidential administration. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER In 2021, Lewandowski was fired from a pro-Trump PAC after being accused of sexually harassing a donor at a charity event in Las Vegas. He eventually made a deal with prosecutors to avoid being charged with a misdemeanor for the alleged incident. Trump’s campaign additions come as Vice President Kamala Harris is rising in the polls after replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. The pair are scheduled to face off Sept. 10 in a nationally televised debate on ABC., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AP24196835171093-scaled-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Either Vice President Kamala Harris or Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) will be elevated to the highest-held position of their careers at the conclusion of the 2024 election season. Their voting records in the Senate provide telling insights into their ideological leanings and agendas.

Harris, who represented California in the Senate from 2017 to 2021, has faced criticism from former President Donald Trump and others for being “the most liberal” member of the Senate. Vance, on the other hand, has only been on the job since 2023, but his limited record shows he has been more willing to vote across party lines than Harris was.

In 2019, nonpartisan congressional tracker YouGov rated Harris the most liberal senator. She was also the sixth-least likely senator to vote across party lines in 2019, according to The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index, and the 11th-least likely in 2017. Vance, by comparison, was the 22nd-least likely in 2023.

On The Lugar Center’s index, a lower score indicates a lower willingness to vote across party lines. Harris scored -0.92670 in 2019 and -1.19719 in 2017. While Vance did not score high on the ranking, his -0.79354 score from 2023 indicates that he is more willing to cross party lines to pass legislation.

Is Vance as conservative as Harris is liberal?

Aside from YouGov’s now-deleted 2019 report card which rated Harris as the most liberal senator, the tracker graded her the second-most liberal senator on its 2020 report card and the fourth-most liberal on the 2018 edition. YouGov does not have data on Vance yet.

Voteview, based out of the University of California, Los Angeles, also grades senators based on how ideologically extreme they are. Harris was the second-most liberal senator behind Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in Voteview’s ratings in both 2017 and 2019.

Vance was ranked the fifth-most conservative member in 2023, while Warren and Harris were ranked the most liberal by a notable margin in 2017 and 2019. Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Mike Lee (R-UT) all came in as more conservative than Vance.

Harris received critical ratings from conservative grading organizations based on her Senate voting record, including a 0% score from Campaign for Working Families, another 0% from Heritage Action for America, a 9% from American Conservative Union, 10% from Eagle Forum, and 20% from Conservative Review.

Left-leaning graders were far more favorable to Harris, including Americans for Democratic Action, which gave her a 90% rating, and Progressive Punch, which graded her at 86%.

Vance received a 6% score from liberal Progressive Punch but was graded at 93% by right-leaning Heritage Action for America and 100% by Eagle Forum.

Reaching across the aisle

Both Harris and Vance have voted alongside members of the opposite party to pass legislation, although their scores on The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index suggest that Vance is more willing to reach across the aisle.

Vance, for example, worked with Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) to introduce the Railway Safety Act in 2023 after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.

Harris voted in favor of the 2018 First Step Act introduced by former Republican Rep. Doug Collins and signed by Trump. No Democratic senators voted against the bill, however, 12 Republicans did.

There have also been numerous bills, motions, and nominations that passed with bipartisan support and little-to-no opposition that the pair voted with members of the opposite party to pass.

What can Harris and Vance do with elevated power?

Despite no longer serving as a senator, Harris has cast 33 votes in the Senate since becoming vice president, who casts the tiebreaking vote when there is gridlock in the upper chamber of Congress. That role will belong to Vance if Trump wins in November.

There is no guarantee Vance would even have to cast a single vote if elected, as 12 vice presidents, including President Joe Biden, did not get a chance to break a Senate tie. Harris’s 33 votes rank as the most of any vice president, and she has done so in far less time than any of her predecessors who have come close.

Democrats have a 51-49 Senate majority, so the only time Harris has to vote is when they cannot get a unanimous vote within the party. There are 33 seats up for election in 2024, 10 held by Republicans and 23 held by Democrats. If one party ends up with a multi-seat majority, the next vice president may not cast many votes.

According to Cook Political Report, each GOP seat up for grabs is in a state that leans Republican. Four Democratic-held seats are rated as toss-ups and one is rated as being “Solid Republican.” The Hill’s 2024 election forecast gives the GOP a 78% chance to take control of the Senate, predicting a 51-47 majority with two independents caucusing with Democrats.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

If Harris wins in November, she would have the power to sign or veto bills that make it through Congress. She would also be able to issue executive orders to execute certain policies without being voted on by Congress.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Harris and Vance for comment.

2024-08-10 22:53:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3117671%2Fharris-less-likely-reach-across-aisle%2F?w=600&h=450, Either Vice President Kamala Harris or Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) will be elevated to the highest-held position of their careers at the conclusion of the 2024 election season. Their voting records in the Senate provide telling insights into their ideological leanings and agendas. Harris, who represented California in the Senate from 2017 to 2021, has,

Either Vice President Kamala Harris or Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) will be elevated to the highest-held position of their careers at the conclusion of the 2024 election season. Their voting records in the Senate provide telling insights into their ideological leanings and agendas.

Harris, who represented California in the Senate from 2017 to 2021, has faced criticism from former President Donald Trump and others for being “the most liberal” member of the Senate. Vance, on the other hand, has only been on the job since 2023, but his limited record shows he has been more willing to vote across party lines than Harris was.

In 2019, nonpartisan congressional tracker YouGov rated Harris the most liberal senator. She was also the sixth-least likely senator to vote across party lines in 2019, according to The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index, and the 11th-least likely in 2017. Vance, by comparison, was the 22nd-least likely in 2023.

On The Lugar Center’s index, a lower score indicates a lower willingness to vote across party lines. Harris scored -0.92670 in 2019 and -1.19719 in 2017. While Vance did not score high on the ranking, his -0.79354 score from 2023 indicates that he is more willing to cross party lines to pass legislation.

Is Vance as conservative as Harris is liberal?

Aside from YouGov’s now-deleted 2019 report card which rated Harris as the most liberal senator, the tracker graded her the second-most liberal senator on its 2020 report card and the fourth-most liberal on the 2018 edition. YouGov does not have data on Vance yet.

Voteview, based out of the University of California, Los Angeles, also grades senators based on how ideologically extreme they are. Harris was the second-most liberal senator behind Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in Voteview’s ratings in both 2017 and 2019.

Vance was ranked the fifth-most conservative member in 2023, while Warren and Harris were ranked the most liberal by a notable margin in 2017 and 2019. Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Mike Lee (R-UT) all came in as more conservative than Vance.

Harris received critical ratings from conservative grading organizations based on her Senate voting record, including a 0% score from Campaign for Working Families, another 0% from Heritage Action for America, a 9% from American Conservative Union, 10% from Eagle Forum, and 20% from Conservative Review.

Left-leaning graders were far more favorable to Harris, including Americans for Democratic Action, which gave her a 90% rating, and Progressive Punch, which graded her at 86%.

Vance received a 6% score from liberal Progressive Punch but was graded at 93% by right-leaning Heritage Action for America and 100% by Eagle Forum.

Reaching across the aisle

Both Harris and Vance have voted alongside members of the opposite party to pass legislation, although their scores on The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index suggest that Vance is more willing to reach across the aisle.

Vance, for example, worked with Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) to introduce the Railway Safety Act in 2023 after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.

Harris voted in favor of the 2018 First Step Act introduced by former Republican Rep. Doug Collins and signed by Trump. No Democratic senators voted against the bill, however, 12 Republicans did.

There have also been numerous bills, motions, and nominations that passed with bipartisan support and little-to-no opposition that the pair voted with members of the opposite party to pass.

What can Harris and Vance do with elevated power?

Despite no longer serving as a senator, Harris has cast 33 votes in the Senate since becoming vice president, who casts the tiebreaking vote when there is gridlock in the upper chamber of Congress. That role will belong to Vance if Trump wins in November.

There is no guarantee Vance would even have to cast a single vote if elected, as 12 vice presidents, including President Joe Biden, did not get a chance to break a Senate tie. Harris’s 33 votes rank as the most of any vice president, and she has done so in far less time than any of her predecessors who have come close.

Democrats have a 51-49 Senate majority, so the only time Harris has to vote is when they cannot get a unanimous vote within the party. There are 33 seats up for election in 2024, 10 held by Republicans and 23 held by Democrats. If one party ends up with a multi-seat majority, the next vice president may not cast many votes.

According to Cook Political Report, each GOP seat up for grabs is in a state that leans Republican. Four Democratic-held seats are rated as toss-ups and one is rated as being “Solid Republican.” The Hill’s 2024 election forecast gives the GOP a 78% chance to take control of the Senate, predicting a 51-47 majority with two independents caucusing with Democrats.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

If Harris wins in November, she would have the power to sign or veto bills that make it through Congress. She would also be able to issue executive orders to execute certain policies without being voted on by Congress.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Harris and Vance for comment.

, Either Vice President Kamala Harris or Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) will be elevated to the highest-held position of their careers at the conclusion of the 2024 election season. Their voting records in the Senate provide telling insights into their ideological leanings and agendas. Harris, who represented California in the Senate from 2017 to 2021, has faced criticism from former President Donald Trump and others for being “the most liberal” member of the Senate. Vance, on the other hand, has only been on the job since 2023, but his limited record shows he has been more willing to vote across party lines than Harris was. In 2019, nonpartisan congressional tracker YouGov rated Harris the most liberal senator. She was also the sixth-least likely senator to vote across party lines in 2019, according to The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index, and the 11th-least likely in 2017. Vance, by comparison, was the 22nd-least likely in 2023. On The Lugar Center’s index, a lower score indicates a lower willingness to vote across party lines. Harris scored -0.92670 in 2019 and -1.19719 in 2017. While Vance did not score high on the ranking, his -0.79354 score from 2023 indicates that he is more willing to cross party lines to pass legislation. Is Vance as conservative as Harris is liberal? Aside from YouGov’s now-deleted 2019 report card which rated Harris as the most liberal senator, the tracker graded her the second-most liberal senator on its 2020 report card and the fourth-most liberal on the 2018 edition. YouGov does not have data on Vance yet. Voteview, based out of the University of California, Los Angeles, also grades senators based on how ideologically extreme they are. Harris was the second-most liberal senator behind Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in Voteview’s ratings in both 2017 and 2019. Vance was ranked the fifth-most conservative member in 2023, while Warren and Harris were ranked the most liberal by a notable margin in 2017 and 2019. Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Mike Lee (R-UT) all came in as more conservative than Vance. Harris received critical ratings from conservative grading organizations based on her Senate voting record, including a 0% score from Campaign for Working Families, another 0% from Heritage Action for America, a 9% from American Conservative Union, 10% from Eagle Forum, and 20% from Conservative Review. Left-leaning graders were far more favorable to Harris, including Americans for Democratic Action, which gave her a 90% rating, and Progressive Punch, which graded her at 86%. Vance received a 6% score from liberal Progressive Punch but was graded at 93% by right-leaning Heritage Action for America and 100% by Eagle Forum. Reaching across the aisle Both Harris and Vance have voted alongside members of the opposite party to pass legislation, although their scores on The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index suggest that Vance is more willing to reach across the aisle. Vance, for example, worked with Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) to introduce the Railway Safety Act in 2023 after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), left, and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), right, talk on Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Washington before testifying at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing to examine protecting public health and the environment in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf) Harris voted in favor of the 2018 First Step Act introduced by former Republican Rep. Doug Collins and signed by Trump. No Democratic senators voted against the bill, however, 12 Republicans did. There have also been numerous bills, motions, and nominations that passed with bipartisan support and little-to-no opposition that the pair voted with members of the opposite party to pass. What can Harris and Vance do with elevated power? Despite no longer serving as a senator, Harris has cast 33 votes in the Senate since becoming vice president, who casts the tiebreaking vote when there is gridlock in the upper chamber of Congress. That role will belong to Vance if Trump wins in November. There is no guarantee Vance would even have to cast a single vote if elected, as 12 vice presidents, including President Joe Biden, did not get a chance to break a Senate tie. Harris’s 33 votes rank as the most of any vice president, and she has done so in far less time than any of her predecessors who have come close. Democrats have a 51-49 Senate majority, so the only time Harris has to vote is when they cannot get a unanimous vote within the party. There are 33 seats up for election in 2024, 10 held by Republicans and 23 held by Democrats. If one party ends up with a multi-seat majority, the next vice president may not cast many votes. According to Cook Political Report , each GOP seat up for grabs is in a state that leans Republican. Four Democratic-held seats are rated as toss-ups and one is rated as being “Solid Republican.” The Hill’s 2024 election forecast gives the GOP a 78% chance to take control of the Senate, predicting a 51-47 majority with two independents caucusing with Democrats. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER If Harris wins in November, she would have the power to sign or veto bills that make it through Congress. She would also be able to issue executive orders to execute certain policies without being voted on by Congress. The Washington Examiner reached out to Harris and Vance for comment., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/jd-vance-kamala-harris.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Footage capturing the moment a local police officer confronted former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin before he opened fire at the July 13 rally was released by police on Thursday.

Lt. Matthew Pearson, the acting chief of the Butler Township Police Department, shared the bodycam footage with the Washington Examiner. The videos show the experiences of several officers who responded before, during, and after the shooting and paint a clearer picture of how Thomas Crooks was able to fire on Trump despite being confronted.

“F***ing this close, bro, he turned around on me,” said the officer who was hoisted up onto the American Glass Research building where Crooks was stationed.

New revelations in the bodycam footage

The footage, of which some of the audio was redacted, shows a police officer running toward the building at 6:10 p.m., just one minute before Trump was shot. Moments later, he was hoisted up by another officer and is shown on video peeking over the roof for a brief moment before Crooks, who cannot be seen at this point, turned his gun on him.

Clinging to the roof and unable to draw his weapon, the officer fell approximately 8 feet down and sprained his ankle. Seconds later, at 6:11, Crooks opened fire. All of the audio from the officer’s body camera before 6:12 was redacted.

After the officer fell from the roof, he can be seen on video sprinting to warn other police officers. He asked, “Who’s got eyes on him?” and helped a team of officers carrying rifles, who were attempting to scale the wrong part of the building, to locate Crooks. He alerted others that the shooter had a “full kit,” long hair, glasses, and a bag and that he was “laying down, prone out” on the roof.

None of the officers on the ground appeared to be aware that Crooks was killed seconds after he fired on Trump and the rallygoers. Minutes after the shooting, an officer who spotted a deceased Crooks on the roof shouted, “Hold, hold, hold, he’s got a f***ing gun.”

Eventually, the officer who confronted Crooks made it to the roof with backup, and the footage shows the shooter dead on the metal roof with a stream of blood that spanned from the peak of the roof’s slope in the middle of the building to the edge.

In other footage, four officers can be seen carrying a body covered in blood to a white tent. The reactions of numerous rallygoers were also captured on video, including several who claimed to have seen the shooter die from counter-sniper fire.

“I seen his head pop off,” one person said. Another chimed in, saying, “He’s dead.”

One rallygoer can be heard questioning how Crooks made it up to the roof unnoticed because “they got snipers on the roof.”

In the footage, officers can be heard speculating about how Crooks scaled the roof of the AGR building. One officer asked about a ladder, while another suggested that he used a wooden plank propped up near a pallet and a plastic shed.

Crooks’s body was found in possession of a “bloodied receipt” for a five-foot ladder, but the FBI does not believe he used it to carry out the attack.

‘Can you imagine’: Local police may have saved Trump’s life

The officer who confronted Crooks and the officer who hoisted him up onto the building may have actually saved Trump’s life by buying him the few seconds he needed to “miraculously” turn his head, according to Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe.

“Can you imagine 10 seconds before that?” Slupe said. “That the president was looking straight ahead and where that bullet could have potentially landed.”

The Butler County Sheriff defended the officer from criticism that he didn’t do more to stop Crooks, who was just 130 yards away from the former president. He framed it as a decision between “I’m dead or I drop” — either way, the officer wasn’t going to be able to stop the shooter.

“When someone points a gun at you and you can’t get to your weapon, you tell them a**holes online that they are Superman,” Slupe said. “Like, ‘I’ll just pull a gun out and they can shoot at me. I don’t give a s***.’ Yeah. Mm-hm. Right, right.”

Crooks went to shooting range one day before rally: New report

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who was the first to release bodycam footage to the public on July 25, released 46 pages of documents about Crooks’s membership at the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, a local gun club.

Grassley’s report, which his staff shared with the Washington Examiner, shows that Crooks established membership at the club on Aug. 10, 2023, less than a year before the attempted assassination. He visited the range 43 times and signed in for target practice 20 times in his first four months of membership. In 2024, he attended target practice approximately once a week on average.

Crooks’s final visit to the shooting range was at 2:45 p.m. on July 12, just one day before he opened fire on Trump using a DPMS AR-15 rifle that his father purchased.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

While records show Crooks practiced on the rifle range more frequently than the pistol range, spending about 80% of his time at the gun club practicing his rifle shooting, he focused almost exclusively on the rifle range in 2024.

The report additionally reveals that Crooks has spent some holidays at the range, including Christmas Day, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween, and that Clairton Sportsmen’s Club was used by Department of Homeland Security officers for “police training” on May 23.

2024-08-08 21:06:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3115735%2Fbodycam-footage-officer-confronted-trump-shooter%2F?w=600&h=450, Footage capturing the moment a local police officer confronted former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin before he opened fire at the July 13 rally was released by police on Thursday. Lt. Matthew Pearson, the acting chief of the Butler Township Police Department, shared the bodycam footage with the Washington Examiner. The videos show the experiences,

Footage capturing the moment a local police officer confronted former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin before he opened fire at the July 13 rally was released by police on Thursday.

Lt. Matthew Pearson, the acting chief of the Butler Township Police Department, shared the bodycam footage with the Washington Examiner. The videos show the experiences of several officers who responded before, during, and after the shooting and paint a clearer picture of how Thomas Crooks was able to fire on Trump despite being confronted.

“F***ing this close, bro, he turned around on me,” said the officer who was hoisted up onto the American Glass Research building where Crooks was stationed.

New revelations in the bodycam footage

The footage, of which some of the audio was redacted, shows a police officer running toward the building at 6:10 p.m., just one minute before Trump was shot. Moments later, he was hoisted up by another officer and is shown on video peeking over the roof for a brief moment before Crooks, who cannot be seen at this point, turned his gun on him.

Clinging to the roof and unable to draw his weapon, the officer fell approximately 8 feet down and sprained his ankle. Seconds later, at 6:11, Crooks opened fire. All of the audio from the officer’s body camera before 6:12 was redacted.

After the officer fell from the roof, he can be seen on video sprinting to warn other police officers. He asked, “Who’s got eyes on him?” and helped a team of officers carrying rifles, who were attempting to scale the wrong part of the building, to locate Crooks. He alerted others that the shooter had a “full kit,” long hair, glasses, and a bag and that he was “laying down, prone out” on the roof.

None of the officers on the ground appeared to be aware that Crooks was killed seconds after he fired on Trump and the rallygoers. Minutes after the shooting, an officer who spotted a deceased Crooks on the roof shouted, “Hold, hold, hold, he’s got a f***ing gun.”

Eventually, the officer who confronted Crooks made it to the roof with backup, and the footage shows the shooter dead on the metal roof with a stream of blood that spanned from the peak of the roof’s slope in the middle of the building to the edge.

In other footage, four officers can be seen carrying a body covered in blood to a white tent. The reactions of numerous rallygoers were also captured on video, including several who claimed to have seen the shooter die from counter-sniper fire.

“I seen his head pop off,” one person said. Another chimed in, saying, “He’s dead.”

One rallygoer can be heard questioning how Crooks made it up to the roof unnoticed because “they got snipers on the roof.”

In the footage, officers can be heard speculating about how Crooks scaled the roof of the AGR building. One officer asked about a ladder, while another suggested that he used a wooden plank propped up near a pallet and a plastic shed.

Crooks’s body was found in possession of a “bloodied receipt” for a five-foot ladder, but the FBI does not believe he used it to carry out the attack.

‘Can you imagine’: Local police may have saved Trump’s life

The officer who confronted Crooks and the officer who hoisted him up onto the building may have actually saved Trump’s life by buying him the few seconds he needed to “miraculously” turn his head, according to Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe.

“Can you imagine 10 seconds before that?” Slupe said. “That the president was looking straight ahead and where that bullet could have potentially landed.”

The Butler County Sheriff defended the officer from criticism that he didn’t do more to stop Crooks, who was just 130 yards away from the former president. He framed it as a decision between “I’m dead or I drop” — either way, the officer wasn’t going to be able to stop the shooter.

“When someone points a gun at you and you can’t get to your weapon, you tell them a**holes online that they are Superman,” Slupe said. “Like, ‘I’ll just pull a gun out and they can shoot at me. I don’t give a s***.’ Yeah. Mm-hm. Right, right.”

Crooks went to shooting range one day before rally: New report

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who was the first to release bodycam footage to the public on July 25, released 46 pages of documents about Crooks’s membership at the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, a local gun club.

Grassley’s report, which his staff shared with the Washington Examiner, shows that Crooks established membership at the club on Aug. 10, 2023, less than a year before the attempted assassination. He visited the range 43 times and signed in for target practice 20 times in his first four months of membership. In 2024, he attended target practice approximately once a week on average.

Crooks’s final visit to the shooting range was at 2:45 p.m. on July 12, just one day before he opened fire on Trump using a DPMS AR-15 rifle that his father purchased.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

While records show Crooks practiced on the rifle range more frequently than the pistol range, spending about 80% of his time at the gun club practicing his rifle shooting, he focused almost exclusively on the rifle range in 2024.

The report additionally reveals that Crooks has spent some holidays at the range, including Christmas Day, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween, and that Clairton Sportsmen’s Club was used by Department of Homeland Security officers for “police training” on May 23.

, Footage capturing the moment a local police officer confronted former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin before he opened fire at the July 13 rally was released by police on Thursday. Lt. Matthew Pearson, the acting chief of the Butler Township Police Department, shared the bodycam footage with the Washington Examiner. The videos show the experiences of several officers who responded before, during, and after the shooting and paint a clearer picture of how Thomas Crooks was able to fire on Trump despite being confronted. “F***ing this close, bro, he turned around on me,” said the officer who was hoisted up onto the American Glass Research building where Crooks was stationed. New revelations in the bodycam footage The footage, of which some of the audio was redacted, shows a police officer running toward the building at 6:10 p.m., just one minute before Trump was shot. Moments later, he was hoisted up by another officer and is shown on video peeking over the roof for a brief moment before Crooks, who cannot be seen at this point, turned his gun on him. Clinging to the roof and unable to draw his weapon, the officer fell approximately 8 feet down and sprained his ankle. Seconds later, at 6:11, Crooks opened fire. All of the audio from the officer’s body camera before 6:12 was redacted. After the officer fell from the roof, he can be seen on video sprinting to warn other police officers. He asked, “Who’s got eyes on him?” and helped a team of officers carrying rifles, who were attempting to scale the wrong part of the building, to locate Crooks. He alerted others that the shooter had a “full kit,” long hair, glasses, and a bag and that he was “laying down, prone out” on the roof. None of the officers on the ground appeared to be aware that Crooks was killed seconds after he fired on Trump and the rallygoers. Minutes after the shooting, an officer who spotted a deceased Crooks on the roof shouted, “Hold, hold, hold, he’s got a f***ing gun.” Eventually, the officer who confronted Crooks made it to the roof with backup, and the footage shows the shooter dead on the metal roof with a stream of blood that spanned from the peak of the roof’s slope in the middle of the building to the edge. In other footage, four officers can be seen carrying a body covered in blood to a white tent. The reactions of numerous rallygoers were also captured on video, including several who claimed to have seen the shooter die from counter-sniper fire. “I seen his head pop off,” one person said. Another chimed in, saying, “He’s dead.” One rallygoer can be heard questioning how Crooks made it up to the roof unnoticed because “they got snipers on the roof.” In the footage, officers can be heard speculating about how Crooks scaled the roof of the AGR building. One officer asked about a ladder, while another suggested that he used a wooden plank propped up near a pallet and a plastic shed. Crooks’s body was found in possession of a “bloodied receipt” for a five-foot ladder, but the FBI does not believe he used it to carry out the attack. ‘Can you imagine’: Local police may have saved Trump’s life The officer who confronted Crooks and the officer who hoisted him up onto the building may have actually saved Trump’s life by buying him the few seconds he needed to “miraculously” turn his head, according to Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe. “Can you imagine 10 seconds before that?” Slupe said. “That the president was looking straight ahead and where that bullet could have potentially landed.” The Butler County Sheriff defended the officer from criticism that he didn’t do more to stop Crooks, who was just 130 yards away from the former president. He framed it as a decision between “I’m dead or I drop” — either way, the officer wasn’t going to be able to stop the shooter. “When someone points a gun at you and you can’t get to your weapon, you tell them a**holes online that they are Superman,” Slupe said. “Like, ‘I’ll just pull a gun out and they can shoot at me. I don’t give a s***.’ Yeah. Mm-hm. Right, right.” Crooks went to shooting range one day before rally: New report Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who was the first to release bodycam footage to the public on July 25, released 46 pages of documents about Crooks’s membership at the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, a local gun club. Grassley’s report, which his staff shared with the Washington Examiner, shows that Crooks established membership at the club on Aug. 10, 2023, less than a year before the attempted assassination. He visited the range 43 times and signed in for target practice 20 times in his first four months of membership. In 2024, he attended target practice approximately once a week on average. Crooks’s final visit to the shooting range was at 2:45 p.m. on July 12, just one day before he opened fire on Trump using a DPMS AR-15 rifle that his father purchased. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER While records show Crooks practiced on the rifle range more frequently than the pistol range, spending about 80% of his time at the gun club practicing his rifle shooting, he focused almost exclusively on the rifle range in 2024. The report additionally reveals that Crooks has spent some holidays at the range, including Christmas Day, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween, and that Clairton Sportsmen’s Club was used by Department of Homeland Security officers for “police training” on May 23., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/donald-trump-thomas-crooks.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Streaming sensation Kai Cenat claimed on Tuesday that the Secret Service has been repeatedly contacting him for an apparent collaboration with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Just a day after former President Donald Trump joined Adin Ross’s stream, which amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube, Cenat’s live reaction to the Secret Service’s alleged attempts to reach him went viral.

“I’ve got the f***ing Secret Service calling me five times n****,” a screaming Cenat said. “I don’t know goddamn s*** about politics my n****. I don’t know nothing.”

While Cenat did not commit to interviewing Harris, the streamer said that if he did interview her, he would want to ask the Democratic nominee for president, “Why did you guys call me?”

He said that blogs have been urging him to collaborate with Harris, saying, “We gotta do this s***,” but he reiterated that he has no involvement in politics.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Cenat, Harris, and the Secret Service to confirm whether the alleged phone calls really took place.

Trump was gifted a Rolex and a customized Tesla Cybertruck during his nearly 80-minute encounter with Ross on Monday. At one point, 500,000 people were watching the stream live. The 23-year-old streamer made the case to first-time voters why the former president should be the future president.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Harris campaign has put a lot of focus on its online presence following President Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 race, including holding two recent Zoom fundraisers for white men and white women who support her, as well as embracing memes and TikTok videos.

Recent surveys suggest that Harris is performing better among the youth than Biden, who was struggling.

2024-08-07 19:30:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3113987%2Fkai-cenat-secret-service-called-him-kamala-harris-collaboration%2F?w=600&h=450, Streaming sensation Kai Cenat claimed on Tuesday that the Secret Service has been repeatedly contacting him for an apparent collaboration with Vice President Kamala Harris. Just a day after former President Donald Trump joined Adin Ross’s stream, which amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube, Cenat’s live reaction to the Secret Service’s alleged attempts to,

Streaming sensation Kai Cenat claimed on Tuesday that the Secret Service has been repeatedly contacting him for an apparent collaboration with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Just a day after former President Donald Trump joined Adin Ross’s stream, which amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube, Cenat’s live reaction to the Secret Service’s alleged attempts to reach him went viral.

“I’ve got the f***ing Secret Service calling me five times n****,” a screaming Cenat said. “I don’t know goddamn s*** about politics my n****. I don’t know nothing.”

While Cenat did not commit to interviewing Harris, the streamer said that if he did interview her, he would want to ask the Democratic nominee for president, “Why did you guys call me?”

He said that blogs have been urging him to collaborate with Harris, saying, “We gotta do this s***,” but he reiterated that he has no involvement in politics.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Cenat, Harris, and the Secret Service to confirm whether the alleged phone calls really took place.

Trump was gifted a Rolex and a customized Tesla Cybertruck during his nearly 80-minute encounter with Ross on Monday. At one point, 500,000 people were watching the stream live. The 23-year-old streamer made the case to first-time voters why the former president should be the future president.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Harris campaign has put a lot of focus on its online presence following President Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 race, including holding two recent Zoom fundraisers for white men and white women who support her, as well as embracing memes and TikTok videos.

Recent surveys suggest that Harris is performing better among the youth than Biden, who was struggling.

, Streaming sensation Kai Cenat claimed on Tuesday that the Secret Service has been repeatedly contacting him for an apparent collaboration with Vice President Kamala Harris. Just a day after former President Donald Trump joined Adin Ross’s stream, which amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube, Cenat’s live reaction to the Secret Service’s alleged attempts to reach him went viral. “I’ve got the f***ing Secret Service calling me five times n****,” a screaming Cenat said. “I don’t know goddamn s*** about politics my n****. I don’t know nothing.” Kai Cenat arrives at the Streamy Awards on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023, at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) While Cenat did not commit to interviewing Harris, the streamer said that if he did interview her, he would want to ask the Democratic nominee for president, “Why did you guys call me?” He said that blogs have been urging him to collaborate with Harris, saying, “We gotta do this s***,” but he reiterated that he has no involvement in politics. The Washington Examiner reached out to Cenat, Harris, and the Secret Service to confirm whether the alleged phone calls really took place. Trump was gifted a Rolex and a customized Tesla Cybertruck during his nearly 80-minute encounter with Ross on Monday. At one point, 500,000 people were watching the stream live. The 23-year-old streamer made the case to first-time voters why the former president should be the future president. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Harris campaign has put a lot of focus on its online presence following President Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 race, including holding two recent Zoom fundraisers for white men and white women who support her, as well as embracing memes and TikTok videos. Recent surveys suggest that Harris is performing better among the youth than Biden, who was struggling., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Kai-Cenat-Kamala-Harris.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Former President Donald Trump’s messaging on diversity, equity, and inclusion was put under the microscope during a hostile interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday.

Trump was directly asked if he believes Vice President Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” and his response was to criticize Harris for previously leaning into her Indian heritage only to “turn black” and embrace her African American heritage. Some Republicans were disconcerted by his retort.

“Race and gender have nothing to do with why Kamala Harris is the most unpopular Vice President in history,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign National press secretary, told the Washington Examiner.

“Kamala failed at her job as Border Czar, supported all of Joe Biden’s disastrous policies, and lied to the American people about Biden’s cognitive decline,” Leavitt added. “She is weak, dishonest, and dangerously liberal, and that’s why the American people will reject her on November 5th.”

Harris publicly supported Biden to remain as Democrats’ presidential nominee up until the point that he dropped his reelection bid and endorsed her. She has not signaled any knowledge or feeling that she believes his mental acuity has been impaired. Republicans, such as Trump and his campaign, however, have accused her of covering for her boss.

From a longtime NABJ member’s point of view

Tariq Nasheed, a longtime member of the NABJ, shared his thoughts on Trump’s messaging on DEI with the Washington Examiner.

Nasheed said that “Trump needs to drop the DEI messaging” because people used the term as “another boogieman code word meant to vilify Black people.” He warned that “it would be hard for Trump to get away from the racism allegations while still using racial code words, that everyone understands to be racial.”

Nasheed, who has been critical of Harris regarding her black identity before, said he doesn’t believe the vice president was “a DEI hire,” but he doesn’t consider Trump’s comments about her racial identity to be “an attack.”

“This has been a major discussion within Black American society,” he said. “Many Black people question why Kamala Harris, who does NOT come from a Foundational Black American lineage, starts engaging in performative Blackness during every political season. We remember when she was absolutely being promoted and identified as an Indian American woman.”

He added, “She has a practice of cosplaying Foundational Black American cultural aesthetics, and this legitimately causes many Black people to question her motives and authenticity.”

Black commentators warn Trump not to ‘take the bait’

Three black conservative or conservative-leaning political commentators told the Washington Examiner how they would recommend Trump reshape his messaging on DEI going forward. The commentators, all of whom have been critical of Harris before, agreed that the former president should turn his focus away from race and slam Harris on policy.

“DEI is a tired dog whistle for Democrats,” Armstrong Williams, radio host and part owner of the Baltimore Sun, said. “Trump & Co. don’t need to take the bait. Make this race NOTHING about color. No one cares.”

Williams said inflation is “killing the black community” just as much if not more than it is the white community. He also listed fentanyl use, housing, immigration, and wage growth as issues that are hurting black people the most. “You name the policy, and Harris is weak on it.”

“So don’t chase these DEI and other fake words,” he added. “Stay on mission: she’s a failed border czar who can’t govern on the issues that matter most.”

Stacy Washington, an Air Force veteran and ambassador for black leadership network Project 21, agreed with criticism of Harris leaning into her black heritage “after years of her using her Indian heritage to identify with voters in California,” but warned that focusing on this distracts the public from Harris’s far-left record.

Washington told the Washington Examiner that Harris leaning into her black heritage “smacks of rank opportunism” but “that is her personality, and she will continue to distract from her far left viewpoints as long as we dance to her tune.”

“From here on out,” Washington said Trump should focus on the issues voters by and large agree on. “Americans want the southern border closed, lower interest rates, lower inflation, and less foreign entanglements (less war),” Washington said. “President Trump gave America all of these things and can do so again.”

Deroy Murdock, Fox News contributor and emeritus media fellow with the Hoover Institution, said, “Kamala Harris and the far-Left Democrats want Donald J. Trump to focus on race” so that anything “he says will be turned into, ‘Racist!’”

“Rather than play their game,” he offered, “Trump should focus on public policy.” He recommended Trump ask voters if they are better off now than they were under his first term, if they are “happier now paying higher prices for energy, food, and housing,” if they prefer the Biden-Harris administration’s “wide-open border” to Trump’s “much-tighter border,” and if they “feel safer on America’s streets and with this country’s place in the world” under the current administration.

What is a ‘DEI hire’?

When ABC’s Rachel Scott asked Trump if Harris was a “DEI hire,” before mentioning her race, he asked for a definition of “DEI.” Scott told him that it stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” but did not elaborate, possibly standing as the reason Trump did not directly answer the question.

Featured in many colleges, businesses, and government agencies, DEI initiatives were designed to foster the participation and equitable treatment of all people regardless of their race, sex, and other categories. However, these initiatives have resulted in such categories being considered for college admittance, job roles, and other positions that are traditionally awarded through merit.

When Scott asked Trump if Harris was a “DEI hire,” she was really asking him if the vice president was selected based on her race, sex, or some other unchangeable category. As Nasheed, the longtime NABJ member, noted, this language has adopted racial undertones, and some people have used the term “DEI hire” to describe any woman or minority chosen for a prominent role.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

However, accusations of Harris being a “DEI hire” were fed by then-presidential hopeful Joe Biden’s 2020 promise to select a woman as his running mate. He additionally vowed to put a black woman on the Supreme Court before eventually nominating Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022.

As of 2024, 10 states have signed anti-DEI legislation into law and 16 other states have proposed similar legislation.

2024-08-01 23:29:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3108110%2Ftrump-messaging-dei-nabj-convention%2F?w=600&h=450, Former President Donald Trump’s messaging on diversity, equity, and inclusion was put under the microscope during a hostile interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday. Trump was directly asked if he believes Vice President Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” and his response was to criticize Harris for previously leaning into,

Former President Donald Trump’s messaging on diversity, equity, and inclusion was put under the microscope during a hostile interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday.

Trump was directly asked if he believes Vice President Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” and his response was to criticize Harris for previously leaning into her Indian heritage only to “turn black” and embrace her African American heritage. Some Republicans were disconcerted by his retort.

“Race and gender have nothing to do with why Kamala Harris is the most unpopular Vice President in history,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign National press secretary, told the Washington Examiner.

“Kamala failed at her job as Border Czar, supported all of Joe Biden’s disastrous policies, and lied to the American people about Biden’s cognitive decline,” Leavitt added. “She is weak, dishonest, and dangerously liberal, and that’s why the American people will reject her on November 5th.”

Harris publicly supported Biden to remain as Democrats’ presidential nominee up until the point that he dropped his reelection bid and endorsed her. She has not signaled any knowledge or feeling that she believes his mental acuity has been impaired. Republicans, such as Trump and his campaign, however, have accused her of covering for her boss.

From a longtime NABJ member’s point of view

Tariq Nasheed, a longtime member of the NABJ, shared his thoughts on Trump’s messaging on DEI with the Washington Examiner.

Nasheed said that “Trump needs to drop the DEI messaging” because people used the term as “another boogieman code word meant to vilify Black people.” He warned that “it would be hard for Trump to get away from the racism allegations while still using racial code words, that everyone understands to be racial.”

Nasheed, who has been critical of Harris regarding her black identity before, said he doesn’t believe the vice president was “a DEI hire,” but he doesn’t consider Trump’s comments about her racial identity to be “an attack.”

“This has been a major discussion within Black American society,” he said. “Many Black people question why Kamala Harris, who does NOT come from a Foundational Black American lineage, starts engaging in performative Blackness during every political season. We remember when she was absolutely being promoted and identified as an Indian American woman.”

He added, “She has a practice of cosplaying Foundational Black American cultural aesthetics, and this legitimately causes many Black people to question her motives and authenticity.”

Black commentators warn Trump not to ‘take the bait’

Three black conservative or conservative-leaning political commentators told the Washington Examiner how they would recommend Trump reshape his messaging on DEI going forward. The commentators, all of whom have been critical of Harris before, agreed that the former president should turn his focus away from race and slam Harris on policy.

“DEI is a tired dog whistle for Democrats,” Armstrong Williams, radio host and part owner of the Baltimore Sun, said. “Trump & Co. don’t need to take the bait. Make this race NOTHING about color. No one cares.”

Williams said inflation is “killing the black community” just as much if not more than it is the white community. He also listed fentanyl use, housing, immigration, and wage growth as issues that are hurting black people the most. “You name the policy, and Harris is weak on it.”

“So don’t chase these DEI and other fake words,” he added. “Stay on mission: she’s a failed border czar who can’t govern on the issues that matter most.”

Stacy Washington, an Air Force veteran and ambassador for black leadership network Project 21, agreed with criticism of Harris leaning into her black heritage “after years of her using her Indian heritage to identify with voters in California,” but warned that focusing on this distracts the public from Harris’s far-left record.

Washington told the Washington Examiner that Harris leaning into her black heritage “smacks of rank opportunism” but “that is her personality, and she will continue to distract from her far left viewpoints as long as we dance to her tune.”

“From here on out,” Washington said Trump should focus on the issues voters by and large agree on. “Americans want the southern border closed, lower interest rates, lower inflation, and less foreign entanglements (less war),” Washington said. “President Trump gave America all of these things and can do so again.”

Deroy Murdock, Fox News contributor and emeritus media fellow with the Hoover Institution, said, “Kamala Harris and the far-Left Democrats want Donald J. Trump to focus on race” so that anything “he says will be turned into, ‘Racist!’”

“Rather than play their game,” he offered, “Trump should focus on public policy.” He recommended Trump ask voters if they are better off now than they were under his first term, if they are “happier now paying higher prices for energy, food, and housing,” if they prefer the Biden-Harris administration’s “wide-open border” to Trump’s “much-tighter border,” and if they “feel safer on America’s streets and with this country’s place in the world” under the current administration.

What is a ‘DEI hire’?

When ABC’s Rachel Scott asked Trump if Harris was a “DEI hire,” before mentioning her race, he asked for a definition of “DEI.” Scott told him that it stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” but did not elaborate, possibly standing as the reason Trump did not directly answer the question.

Featured in many colleges, businesses, and government agencies, DEI initiatives were designed to foster the participation and equitable treatment of all people regardless of their race, sex, and other categories. However, these initiatives have resulted in such categories being considered for college admittance, job roles, and other positions that are traditionally awarded through merit.

When Scott asked Trump if Harris was a “DEI hire,” she was really asking him if the vice president was selected based on her race, sex, or some other unchangeable category. As Nasheed, the longtime NABJ member, noted, this language has adopted racial undertones, and some people have used the term “DEI hire” to describe any woman or minority chosen for a prominent role.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

However, accusations of Harris being a “DEI hire” were fed by then-presidential hopeful Joe Biden’s 2020 promise to select a woman as his running mate. He additionally vowed to put a black woman on the Supreme Court before eventually nominating Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022.

As of 2024, 10 states have signed anti-DEI legislation into law and 16 other states have proposed similar legislation.

, Former President Donald Trump’s messaging on diversity, equity, and inclusion was put under the microscope during a hostile interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday. Trump was directly asked if he believes Vice President Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” and his response was to criticize Harris for previously leaning into her Indian heritage only to “turn black” and embrace her African American heritage. Some Republicans were disconcerted by his retort. “Race and gender have nothing to do with why Kamala Harris is the most unpopular Vice President in history,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign National press secretary, told the Washington Examiner. “Kamala failed at her job as Border Czar, supported all of Joe Biden’s disastrous policies, and lied to the American people about Biden’s cognitive decline,” Leavitt added. “She is weak, dishonest, and dangerously liberal, and that’s why the American people will reject her on November 5th.” Harris publicly supported Biden to remain as Democrats’ presidential nominee up until the point that he dropped his reelection bid and endorsed her. She has not signaled any knowledge or feeling that she believes his mental acuity has been impaired. Republicans, such as Trump and his campaign, however, have accused her of covering for her boss. From a longtime NABJ member’s point of view Tariq Nasheed, a longtime member of the NABJ, shared his thoughts on Trump’s messaging on DEI with the Washington Examiner. Nasheed said that “Trump needs to drop the DEI messaging” because people used the term as “another boogieman code word meant to vilify Black people.” He warned that “it would be hard for Trump to get away from the racism allegations while still using racial code words, that everyone understands to be racial.” Nasheed, who has been critical of Harris regarding her black identity before, said he doesn’t believe the vice president was “a DEI hire,” but he doesn’t consider Trump’s comments about her racial identity to be “an attack.” “This has been a major discussion within Black American society,” he said. “Many Black people question why Kamala Harris, who does NOT come from a Foundational Black American lineage, starts engaging in performative Blackness during every political season. We remember when she was absolutely being promoted and identified as an Indian American woman.” He added, “She has a practice of cosplaying Foundational Black American cultural aesthetics, and this legitimately causes many Black people to question her motives and authenticity.” Black commentators warn Trump not to ‘take the bait’ Three black conservative or conservative-leaning political commentators told the Washington Examiner how they would recommend Trump reshape his messaging on DEI going forward. The commentators, all of whom have been critical of Harris before, agreed that the former president should turn his focus away from race and slam Harris on policy. “DEI is a tired dog whistle for Democrats,” Armstrong Williams, radio host and part owner of the Baltimore Sun, said. “Trump & Co. don’t need to take the bait. Make this race NOTHING about color. No one cares.” Williams said inflation is “killing the black community” just as much if not more than it is the white community. He also listed fentanyl use, housing, immigration, and wage growth as issues that are hurting black people the most. “You name the policy, and Harris is weak on it.” “So don’t chase these DEI and other fake words,” he added. “Stay on mission: she’s a failed border czar who can’t govern on the issues that matter most.” Stacy Washington, an Air Force veteran and ambassador for black leadership network Project 21, agreed with criticism of Harris leaning into her black heritage “after years of her using her Indian heritage to identify with voters in California,” but warned that focusing on this distracts the public from Harris’s far-left record. Washington told the Washington Examiner that Harris leaning into her black heritage “smacks of rank opportunism” but “that is her personality, and she will continue to distract from her far left viewpoints as long as we dance to her tune.” “From here on out,” Washington said Trump should focus on the issues voters by and large agree on. “Americans want the southern border closed, lower interest rates, lower inflation, and less foreign entanglements (less war),” Washington said. “President Trump gave America all of these things and can do so again.” Deroy Murdock, Fox News contributor and emeritus media fellow with the Hoover Institution, said, “Kamala Harris and the far-Left Democrats want Donald J. Trump to focus on race” so that anything “he says will be turned into, ‘Racist!’” “Rather than play their game,” he offered, “Trump should focus on public policy.” He recommended Trump ask voters if they are better off now than they were under his first term, if they are “happier now paying higher prices for energy, food, and housing,” if they prefer the Biden-Harris administration’s “wide-open border” to Trump’s “much-tighter border,” and if they “feel safer on America’s streets and with this country’s place in the world” under the current administration. What is a ‘DEI hire’? When ABC’s Rachel Scott asked Trump if Harris was a “DEI hire,” before mentioning her race, he asked for a definition of “DEI.” Scott told him that it stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” but did not elaborate, possibly standing as the reason Trump did not directly answer the question. Featured in many colleges, businesses, and government agencies, DEI initiatives were designed to foster the participation and equitable treatment of all people regardless of their race, sex, and other categories. However, these initiatives have resulted in such categories being considered for college admittance, job roles, and other positions that are traditionally awarded through merit. When Scott asked Trump if Harris was a “DEI hire,” she was really asking him if the vice president was selected based on her race, sex, or some other unchangeable category. As Nasheed, the longtime NABJ member, noted, this language has adopted racial undertones, and some people have used the term “DEI hire” to describe any woman or minority chosen for a prominent role. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER However, accusations of Harris being a “DEI hire” were fed by then-presidential hopeful Joe Biden’s 2020 promise to select a woman as his running mate. He additionally vowed to put a black woman on the Supreme Court before eventually nominating Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022. As of 2024, 10 states have signed anti-DEI legislation into law and 16 other states have proposed similar legislation., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/donald-trump-nabj-convention.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that pregnant mothers cannot be charged with child neglect if they use medical marijuana. However, two judges dissented from the July 18 decision.

The ruling followed the controversial arrest of Amanda Aguilar, 35, and concluded that prosecutors had no basis to charge the mother of five with child neglect for lawfully using medical marijuana while pregnant.

“The baby has no medical marijuana license,” Judge Gary L. Lumpkin wrote in a dissenting opinion and noted that lab results showed Aguilar’s baby tested positive for marijuana after birth.

Judge Scott Rowland, who wrote the majority opinion, called Lumpkin’s argument an “attempt to get to a desirable result in this case.” He added that many drugs prescribed to a mother would incriminate her “as soon as a molecule of such drug entered the body of her unborn child” because “all of these drugs are illegal to possess or use without a prescription.”

Judge David Lewis also dissented and argued that neither the voters nor the Oklahoma legislature intended to legalize prenatal exposure to marijuana in legalizing medical marijuana.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Rowland agreed with this assertion and said that while the court does not condone pregnant use of marijuana, it’s left to lawmakers “to consider an addition to the law-making clear when, if ever, the licensed use of marijuana may constitute child neglect.”

Pregnancy Justice, a left-leaning nonprofit organization, said at least eight women, including Aguilar, have been charged “under this theory” since 2019, adding that “Oklahoma is the only state we know of that has charged pregnant women with felony child neglect for using medical marijuana — a legal medication.”

2024-07-30 19:51:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F3104482%2Foklahoma-court-split-on-whether-smoking-marijuana-while-pregnant-child-neglect%2F?w=600&h=450, The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that pregnant mothers cannot be charged with child neglect if they use medical marijuana. However, two judges dissented from the July 18 decision. The ruling followed the controversial arrest of Amanda Aguilar, 35, and concluded that prosecutors had no basis to charge the mother of five with child neglect for lawfully using medical marijuana,

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that pregnant mothers cannot be charged with child neglect if they use medical marijuana. However, two judges dissented from the July 18 decision.

The ruling followed the controversial arrest of Amanda Aguilar, 35, and concluded that prosecutors had no basis to charge the mother of five with child neglect for lawfully using medical marijuana while pregnant.

“The baby has no medical marijuana license,” Judge Gary L. Lumpkin wrote in a dissenting opinion and noted that lab results showed Aguilar’s baby tested positive for marijuana after birth.

Judge Scott Rowland, who wrote the majority opinion, called Lumpkin’s argument an “attempt to get to a desirable result in this case.” He added that many drugs prescribed to a mother would incriminate her “as soon as a molecule of such drug entered the body of her unborn child” because “all of these drugs are illegal to possess or use without a prescription.”

Judge David Lewis also dissented and argued that neither the voters nor the Oklahoma legislature intended to legalize prenatal exposure to marijuana in legalizing medical marijuana.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Rowland agreed with this assertion and said that while the court does not condone pregnant use of marijuana, it’s left to lawmakers “to consider an addition to the law-making clear when, if ever, the licensed use of marijuana may constitute child neglect.”

Pregnancy Justice, a left-leaning nonprofit organization, said at least eight women, including Aguilar, have been charged “under this theory” since 2019, adding that “Oklahoma is the only state we know of that has charged pregnant women with felony child neglect for using medical marijuana — a legal medication.”

, The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that pregnant mothers cannot be charged with child neglect if they use medical marijuana. However, two judges dissented from the July 18 decision. The ruling followed the controversial arrest of Amanda Aguilar, 35, and concluded that prosecutors had no basis to charge the mother of five with child neglect for lawfully using medical marijuana while pregnant. “The baby has no medical marijuana license,” Judge Gary L. Lumpkin wrote in a dissenting opinion and noted that lab results showed Aguilar’s baby tested positive for marijuana after birth. Judge Scott Rowland, who wrote the majority opinion, called Lumpkin’s argument an “attempt to get to a desirable result in this case.” He added that many drugs prescribed to a mother would incriminate her “as soon as a molecule of such drug entered the body of her unborn child” because “all of these drugs are illegal to possess or use without a prescription.” Judge David Lewis also dissented and argued that neither the voters nor the Oklahoma legislature intended to legalize prenatal exposure to marijuana in legalizing medical marijuana. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Rowland agreed with this assertion and said that while the court does not condone pregnant use of marijuana, it’s left to lawmakers “to consider an addition to the law-making clear when, if ever, the licensed use of marijuana may constitute child neglect.” Pregnancy Justice, a left-leaning nonprofit organization, said at least eight women, including Aguilar, have been charged “under this theory” since 2019, adding that “Oklahoma is the only state we know of that has charged pregnant women with felony child neglect for using medical marijuana — a legal medication.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pregnant-woman-oklahoma-marijuana.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

A manhunt is underway as police investigate a Riverside, California, wildfire that destroyed at least six homes. The suspects were caught on video fleeing the scene after igniting the blaze with illegal fireworks on Sunday.

The Hawarden Fire, named after the road the incident was reported near, injured two people, damaged over a dozen homes, spread over 500 acres, and resulted in the evacuation of 1,500 civilians.

“Hey, do you have a fire extinguisher?” One suspect was caught on video asking after a local homeowner shouted that they had called the police. The homeowner replied, “Oh dude, you’re way past that.”

Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said on Monday that a vehicle of interest is being reviewed by investigators and that the brush fire caused over $10 million in damage to homes in the neighborhood.

“We will ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said at a press conference. “Let me repeat that: We will prosecute those responsible for this incident.”

Riverside police told the Washington Examiner that law enforcement is assisting the Riverside Fire Department’s Arson Investigations Unit “on the criminal side” of the investigation. Investigators are following up on leads, police said, “but no arrests so far” as of Tuesday afternoon.

Local homeowner Maihanh Tran detailed her loss in an interview with ABC7, stating “Everything we own is gone. Everything.” She added, “We are still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

She thanked firefighters for “risk[ing] their lives” to save her precious belongings. Tran said, “My heart goes out because, you know, they risked their lives. … That was my belongings; that wasn’t even for a human life. They did that because they knew how much that meant to us.”

According to Cal Fire, the Hawarden Fire was 40% contained as of Tuesday morning.

2024-07-23 19:53:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F3096036%2Fsuspects-caught-video-igniting-riverside-california-hawarden-fire%2F?w=600&h=450, A manhunt is underway as police investigate a Riverside, California, wildfire that destroyed at least six homes. The suspects were caught on video fleeing the scene after igniting the blaze with illegal fireworks on Sunday. The Hawarden Fire, named after the road the incident was reported near, injured two people, damaged over a dozen homes,

A manhunt is underway as police investigate a Riverside, California, wildfire that destroyed at least six homes. The suspects were caught on video fleeing the scene after igniting the blaze with illegal fireworks on Sunday.

The Hawarden Fire, named after the road the incident was reported near, injured two people, damaged over a dozen homes, spread over 500 acres, and resulted in the evacuation of 1,500 civilians.

“Hey, do you have a fire extinguisher?” One suspect was caught on video asking after a local homeowner shouted that they had called the police. The homeowner replied, “Oh dude, you’re way past that.”

Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said on Monday that a vehicle of interest is being reviewed by investigators and that the brush fire caused over $10 million in damage to homes in the neighborhood.

“We will ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said at a press conference. “Let me repeat that: We will prosecute those responsible for this incident.”

Riverside police told the Washington Examiner that law enforcement is assisting the Riverside Fire Department’s Arson Investigations Unit “on the criminal side” of the investigation. Investigators are following up on leads, police said, “but no arrests so far” as of Tuesday afternoon.

Local homeowner Maihanh Tran detailed her loss in an interview with ABC7, stating “Everything we own is gone. Everything.” She added, “We are still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

She thanked firefighters for “risk[ing] their lives” to save her precious belongings. Tran said, “My heart goes out because, you know, they risked their lives. … That was my belongings; that wasn’t even for a human life. They did that because they knew how much that meant to us.”

According to Cal Fire, the Hawarden Fire was 40% contained as of Tuesday morning.

, A manhunt is underway as police investigate a Riverside, California, wildfire that destroyed at least six homes. The suspects were caught on video fleeing the scene after igniting the blaze with illegal fireworks on Sunday. The Hawarden Fire, named after the road the incident was reported near, injured two people, damaged over a dozen homes, spread over 500 acres, and resulted in the evacuation of 1,500 civilians. “Hey, do you have a fire extinguisher?” One suspect was caught on video asking after a local homeowner shouted that they had called the police. The homeowner replied, “Oh dude, you’re way past that.” Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said on Monday that a vehicle of interest is being reviewed by investigators and that the brush fire caused over $10 million in damage to homes in the neighborhood. “We will ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said at a press conference. “Let me repeat that: We will prosecute those responsible for this incident.” Riverside police told the Washington Examiner that law enforcement is assisting the Riverside Fire Department’s Arson Investigations Unit “on the criminal side” of the investigation. Investigators are following up on leads, police said, “but no arrests so far” as of Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters hose down hot spots at Noel Piri’s home that was destroyed by the Hawarden Fire in Riverside, California, on Sunday, July 21, 2024. (Terry Pierson/The Orange County Register via AP) Local homeowner Maihanh Tran detailed her loss in an interview with ABC7, stating “Everything we own is gone. Everything.” She added, “We are still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER She thanked firefighters for “risk[ing] their lives” to save her precious belongings. Tran said, “My heart goes out because, you know, they risked their lives. … That was my belongings; that wasn’t even for a human life. They did that because they knew how much that meant to us.” According to Cal Fire, the Hawarden Fire was 40% contained as of Tuesday morning., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/hawarden-fire-riverside-california.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Eleven House Republicans and Democrats descended on Butler, Pennsylvania, on Monday morning to tour the site of the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and to inform the public about an investigation into the security failure that enabled the attack.

Members of the House Homeland Security Committee were joined in Butler by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), who was present during the shooting that killed one attendee, critically injured two others, and wounded Trump onstage.

“This Committee continues to seek answers from DHS and Secret Service for the security lapses” that allowed the attack to happen, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), committee chairman, said in a press release. He added that the members visited the site “to better understand how this near-assassination took place.”

What they were looking for and the ‘surprise’ they found

“We’ve read dozens of reports about it,” Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “But we wanted to put our eyes on the scene itself … and get a real human feel for the event” to inform their understanding of the decisions made by the Secret Service and the “failures that caused one person to die, two to get injured, and for us to almost lose President Trump.”

LaLota explained that he and his colleagues were seeking “a human understanding of the proximity of the building to the stage, the fence line, the perimeters” during their site visit.

“It was important for the bipartisan group to be here and get that first-hand experience,” he added.

Aside from LaLota, Green, and Kelly, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lou Correa (D-CA), Michael Guest (R-MS), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), and Eli Crane (R-AZ) attended the visit.

“The biggest surprise that was revealed to me was the proximity of the building where the shooter was placed [to the stage],” LaLota said. “And how a law enforcement officer … was in the building adjacent to the would-be assassin, but yet, the would-be assassin was able to not only get on the roof, [but] loiter on the roof for some time before firing what we think are eight shots.”

For Gimenez, it is the shooter’s access to the building’s roof that “bothers” him most. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle claimed the agency tasked with protecting Trump on July 13 didn’t have someone posted on the roof because “that building in particular has a sloped roof.”

“I could run around that roof all day, and I am 70 years old,” Gimenez told the Washington Examiner. He also posted a video of himself on the roof to X and stated, “If I was able to get on this roof — anybody can.”

“Today,” Gimenez said, “I learned that local agencies did not have a presence at the Secret Service command centers.”

He said the assassination attempt might have been prevented if local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies “had communication between one another.”

“This breach and lack of communication and teamwork between agencies is beyond failure,” he added.

Green, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, sent a July 14 letter and July 19 subpoena to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas demanding information related to the Secret Service’s preparations and the Department of Homeland Security’s response to the rally shooting.

The committee invited Mayorkas, Cheatle, and FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify in a Tuesday hearing, and members have been investigating in part by communicating with DHS officials and through conversations with Cheatle and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells.

‘Final straw’: Walls closing in on Cheatle

While the House Homeland Security Committee was visiting the site of the Butler rally shooting, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee grilled Cheatle over the “colossal failure” that allowed Thomas Crooks to fire multiple rounds before being killed with “one shot.”

Congressmen on both sides of the aisle called for Cheatle to resign or be fired during the hearing. After listening to it for himself, LaLota chided the Secret Service director for “stubbornly” refusing to answer questions.

Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) introduced a legislative resolution demanding Cheatle’s termination Monday after the hearing. LaLota said while he may not have supported his fellow New York Republican’s resolution “a day or two ago,” Cheatle’s conduct at the hearing put him over the edge because it “add[ed] insult to the injury that she helped cause on July 13” and did not facilitate congressional oversight into the shooting.

“Enough is enough,” LaLota said. “She’s got to go.”

“If she won’t go, the president must fire her so that the agency can move on and regain its confidence with the public,” he added.

Gimenez echoed a similar sentiment, stating, “The Director of the Secret Service should resign immediately.” He said Cheatle “has proven to be unable to lead the agency and ensure the safety of those in imminent danger, like President Trump.”

He said the “final straw for me” was his experience on the roof where the shooter carried out his would-be assassination, where Cheatle said nobody was stationed because of the roof’s sloped nature.

“The Secret Service did not account for anything,” Gimenez said. “The security failures that took place at President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, are inexcusable.”

At the Monday hearing, Cheatle said she does not have plans to resign as Secret Service director.

“I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“The elections should be decided by ballots, not bullets,” LaLota declared. “The Secret Service remains responsible for the incident on July 13, and Congress ought to hold those in the Secret Service accountable for their failure.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Secret Service for comment.

2024-07-22 22:48:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3094966%2Fcongressmen-investigate-site-butler-trump-rally-shooting%2F?w=600&h=450, Eleven House Republicans and Democrats descended on Butler, Pennsylvania, on Monday morning to tour the site of the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and to inform the public about an investigation into the security failure that enabled the attack. Members of the House Homeland Security Committee were joined in Butler by,

Eleven House Republicans and Democrats descended on Butler, Pennsylvania, on Monday morning to tour the site of the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and to inform the public about an investigation into the security failure that enabled the attack.

Members of the House Homeland Security Committee were joined in Butler by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), who was present during the shooting that killed one attendee, critically injured two others, and wounded Trump onstage.

“This Committee continues to seek answers from DHS and Secret Service for the security lapses” that allowed the attack to happen, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), committee chairman, said in a press release. He added that the members visited the site “to better understand how this near-assassination took place.”

What they were looking for and the ‘surprise’ they found

“We’ve read dozens of reports about it,” Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “But we wanted to put our eyes on the scene itself … and get a real human feel for the event” to inform their understanding of the decisions made by the Secret Service and the “failures that caused one person to die, two to get injured, and for us to almost lose President Trump.”

LaLota explained that he and his colleagues were seeking “a human understanding of the proximity of the building to the stage, the fence line, the perimeters” during their site visit.

“It was important for the bipartisan group to be here and get that first-hand experience,” he added.

Aside from LaLota, Green, and Kelly, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lou Correa (D-CA), Michael Guest (R-MS), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), and Eli Crane (R-AZ) attended the visit.

“The biggest surprise that was revealed to me was the proximity of the building where the shooter was placed [to the stage],” LaLota said. “And how a law enforcement officer … was in the building adjacent to the would-be assassin, but yet, the would-be assassin was able to not only get on the roof, [but] loiter on the roof for some time before firing what we think are eight shots.”

For Gimenez, it is the shooter’s access to the building’s roof that “bothers” him most. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle claimed the agency tasked with protecting Trump on July 13 didn’t have someone posted on the roof because “that building in particular has a sloped roof.”

“I could run around that roof all day, and I am 70 years old,” Gimenez told the Washington Examiner. He also posted a video of himself on the roof to X and stated, “If I was able to get on this roof — anybody can.”

“Today,” Gimenez said, “I learned that local agencies did not have a presence at the Secret Service command centers.”

He said the assassination attempt might have been prevented if local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies “had communication between one another.”

“This breach and lack of communication and teamwork between agencies is beyond failure,” he added.

Green, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, sent a July 14 letter and July 19 subpoena to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas demanding information related to the Secret Service’s preparations and the Department of Homeland Security’s response to the rally shooting.

The committee invited Mayorkas, Cheatle, and FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify in a Tuesday hearing, and members have been investigating in part by communicating with DHS officials and through conversations with Cheatle and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells.

‘Final straw’: Walls closing in on Cheatle

While the House Homeland Security Committee was visiting the site of the Butler rally shooting, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee grilled Cheatle over the “colossal failure” that allowed Thomas Crooks to fire multiple rounds before being killed with “one shot.”

Congressmen on both sides of the aisle called for Cheatle to resign or be fired during the hearing. After listening to it for himself, LaLota chided the Secret Service director for “stubbornly” refusing to answer questions.

Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) introduced a legislative resolution demanding Cheatle’s termination Monday after the hearing. LaLota said while he may not have supported his fellow New York Republican’s resolution “a day or two ago,” Cheatle’s conduct at the hearing put him over the edge because it “add[ed] insult to the injury that she helped cause on July 13” and did not facilitate congressional oversight into the shooting.

“Enough is enough,” LaLota said. “She’s got to go.”

“If she won’t go, the president must fire her so that the agency can move on and regain its confidence with the public,” he added.

Gimenez echoed a similar sentiment, stating, “The Director of the Secret Service should resign immediately.” He said Cheatle “has proven to be unable to lead the agency and ensure the safety of those in imminent danger, like President Trump.”

He said the “final straw for me” was his experience on the roof where the shooter carried out his would-be assassination, where Cheatle said nobody was stationed because of the roof’s sloped nature.

“The Secret Service did not account for anything,” Gimenez said. “The security failures that took place at President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, are inexcusable.”

At the Monday hearing, Cheatle said she does not have plans to resign as Secret Service director.

“I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“The elections should be decided by ballots, not bullets,” LaLota declared. “The Secret Service remains responsible for the incident on July 13, and Congress ought to hold those in the Secret Service accountable for their failure.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Secret Service for comment.

, Eleven House Republicans and Democrats descended on Butler, Pennsylvania, on Monday morning to tour the site of the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and to inform the public about an investigation into the security failure that enabled the attack. Members of the House Homeland Security Committee were joined in Butler by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), who was present during the shooting that killed one attendee, critically injured two others, and wounded Trump onstage. “This Committee continues to seek answers from DHS and Secret Service for the security lapses” that allowed the attack to happen, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), committee chairman, said in a press release. He added that the members visited the site “to better understand how this near-assassination took place.” What they were looking for and the ‘surprise’ they found “We’ve read dozens of reports about it,” Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “But we wanted to put our eyes on the scene itself … and get a real human feel for the event” to inform their understanding of the decisions made by the Secret Service and the “failures that caused one person to die, two to get injured, and for us to almost lose President Trump.” LaLota explained that he and his colleagues were seeking “a human understanding of the proximity of the building to the stage, the fence line, the perimeters” during their site visit. “It was important for the bipartisan group to be here and get that first-hand experience,” he added. Aside from LaLota, Green, and Kelly, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lou Correa (D-CA), Michael Guest (R-MS), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), and Eli Crane (R-AZ) attended the visit. “The biggest surprise that was revealed to me was the proximity of the building where the shooter was placed [to the stage],” LaLota said. “And how a law enforcement officer … was in the building adjacent to the would-be assassin, but yet, the would-be assassin was able to not only get on the roof, [but] loiter on the roof for some time before firing what we think are eight shots.” For Gimenez, it is the shooter’s access to the building’s roof that “bothers” him most. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle claimed the agency tasked with protecting Trump on July 13 didn’t have someone posted on the roof because “that building in particular has a sloped roof.” “I could run around that roof all day, and I am 70 years old,” Gimenez told the Washington Examiner. He also posted a video of himself on the roof to X and stated, “If I was able to get on this roof — anybody can.” BREAKING —> My name is Carlos Gimenez & I represent Miami in Congress. I’m standing on the roof in Pennsylvania where Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate President Trump. I’m 70 years old, if I was able to get on this roof — anybody can. pic.twitter.com/fWmPnvpdtK — Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) July 22, 2024 “Today,” Gimenez said, “I learned that local agencies did not have a presence at the Secret Service command centers.” He said the assassination attempt might have been prevented if local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies “had communication between one another.” “This breach and lack of communication and teamwork between agencies is beyond failure,” he added. Green, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, sent a July 14 letter and July 19 subpoena to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas demanding information related to the Secret Service’s preparations and the Department of Homeland Security’s response to the rally shooting. The committee invited Mayorkas, Cheatle, and FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify in a Tuesday hearing, and members have been investigating in part by communicating with DHS officials and through conversations with Cheatle and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells. ‘Final straw’: Walls closing in on Cheatle While the House Homeland Security Committee was visiting the site of the Butler rally shooting, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee grilled Cheatle over the “colossal failure” that allowed Thomas Crooks to fire multiple rounds before being killed with “one shot.” Congressmen on both sides of the aisle called for Cheatle to resign or be fired during the hearing. After listening to it for himself, LaLota chided the Secret Service director for “stubbornly” refusing to answer questions. Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) introduced a legislative resolution demanding Cheatle’s termination Monday after the hearing. LaLota said while he may not have supported his fellow New York Republican’s resolution “a day or two ago,” Cheatle’s conduct at the hearing put him over the edge because it “add[ed] insult to the injury that she helped cause on July 13” and did not facilitate congressional oversight into the shooting. “Enough is enough,” LaLota said. “She’s got to go.” “If she won’t go, the president must fire her so that the agency can move on and regain its confidence with the public,” he added. Gimenez echoed a similar sentiment, stating, “The Director of the Secret Service should resign immediately.” He said Cheatle “has proven to be unable to lead the agency and ensure the safety of those in imminent danger, like President Trump.” He said the “final straw for me” was his experience on the roof where the shooter carried out his would-be assassination, where Cheatle said nobody was stationed because of the roof’s sloped nature. “The Secret Service did not account for anything,” Gimenez said. “The security failures that took place at President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, are inexcusable.” At the Monday hearing, Cheatle said she does not have plans to resign as Secret Service director. “I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” she said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER “The elections should be decided by ballots, not bullets,” LaLota declared. “The Secret Service remains responsible for the incident on July 13, and Congress ought to hold those in the Secret Service accountable for their failure.” The Washington Examiner reached out to the Secret Service for comment., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/butler-pennsylvania-trump-rally.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Peter Cordi,

Democratic Colorado state Rep. Steven Woodrow had no “sympathy” for former president Donald Trump after he was shot in the ear in an apparent assassination attempt.

“The last thing America needed was sympathy for the devil but here we are,” Woodrow posted on X after the shooting that killed one and left two others in critical condition.

Minutes after the Washington Examiner reached out to Woodrow for clarification on the post, he apparently deleted his account on X.

Woodrow claimed that Trump supporters would use the shooting “as a license to commit violence themselves.”

The Colorado Democrat additionally condemned the act of political violence and demanded justice against the attempted assassin in posts on X.

“I condemn this act of violence on the strongest terms,” Woodrow told the Washington Examiner. “As much as I believe Trump is not the right choice, we cannot resort to violence. Ever. We must engage peacefully and win at the ballot box.”

He explained that his point, which was “poorly articulated,” was that the attack “risks portraying Trump a martyr, thus making him more likely to win in November.”

“I’m glad he wasn’t seriously injured and pray for his family and for the future of America,” Woodrow added.

Other Democrats, including those who have painted Trump in a hyperbolically negative way, condemned the act but did not use their platforms to disparage the former president.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), for example, called the incident “horrific” and said, “It is absolutely unacceptable and must be denounced in the strongest terms. My heart goes out to all the victims and I wish the former President a speedy recovery.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also devoted his “thoughts and prayers” to Trump and said he is “thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”