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NY clergy meets with Hochul, urging gov to keep NYC Mayor Eric Adams in office

NY clergy meets with Hochul, urging gov to keep NYC Mayor Eric Adams in office

Yahoo20-02-2025

Hizzoner has a prayer to stay in office.
A group of top New York faith leaders met with Gov. Kathy Hochul Tuesday and urged her to have divine patience before deciding to remove embattled Mayor Eric Adams from office, The Post has learned.
'Clergy are concerned about an immediate and unthought-out response from anyone to the Eric Adams situation and appreciated the governor meeting with us to include different perspectives in her deliberation,' said Rev. AR Bernard, pastor of the Christian Cultural Center megachurch in Brooklyn.
Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, who was also at the Tuesday meeting, said Adams deserves to be treated fairly.
He said he still supports Adams, citing the embattled mayor's fullthroated support of the Jewish community in the wake of rising antisemitism set off by the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas' attacks in Israel and subsequent war in Gaza.
'Eric Adams has been a very important voice who has stood up for the Jewish community during an important time when others were silent,' Potasnik said.
Both thanked Hochul for soliciting their input and categorized the meeting as productive.
Adams has faced calls for his resignation and removal after the Trump Department of Justice moved to drop a federal corruption case against him until at least after the election in November.
Critics have raised concerns that Adams would be beholden to Trump and his hardline immigration policy in a quid pro quo deal for dropping the case — though the mayor has denied any agreement.
Four of his deputy mayors resigned in protest.
Meanwhile, eight black legislators wrote Hochul, saying they see no reason to remove Adams.
'As black legislators we have seen this over and over again: double standards and an unfair process when it comes to our leaders,' said the legislators, including Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, an Adams ally and Brooklyn Democratic Party chairwoman.
'If a move is made against the mayor without a justifiable legal reason, our communities will not forget it,' the lawmakers said.
Signatories included state Sens. Roxanne Persaud, Leroy Comrie, James Sanders and Assembly members Nikki Lucas, Alicia Hyndman, Clyde Vanel and Al Taylor.
Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, also urged Hochul to back off Adams.
He said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — who accused Israel of committing 'genocide' in Gaza –would become the acting mayor if Adams is removed.
'Governor Hochul, I beseech you and plead with you not to make the greatest mistake of your political life in crowning Williams as Mayor of our city,' Hikind said.
'He represents a dangerous element not only for the Jewish community but for all law abiding citizens of New York. You, and only you, will be held responsible and New Yorkers will not forgive you…Let the people decide the future of New York in the upcoming elections.'

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Greensboro's ‘Run for Their Lives' march supports release of Israeli hostages
Greensboro's ‘Run for Their Lives' march supports release of Israeli hostages

Yahoo

time22 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Greensboro's ‘Run for Their Lives' march supports release of Israeli hostages

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A diminished DOGE reels from the departure of the ‘Dogefather,' Elon Musk
A diminished DOGE reels from the departure of the ‘Dogefather,' Elon Musk

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

A diminished DOGE reels from the departure of the ‘Dogefather,' Elon Musk

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Meanwhile, Cabinet officials - some of whom had clashed with Musk - are moving to rehire workers who had been pushed out by DOGE. And while the group retains some clout, with DOGE staffers moving into permanent jobs in some agencies, unaffiliated political appointees in other departments have been forcing the cost-cutting group to back off. Despite the exodus, White House officials said the administration remains dedicated to rooting out waste and abuse. The administration has asked Congress to cancel more than $9 billion in spending for global health aid and for public broadcasting in the United States, an early gauge of lawmakers' appetite for codifying DOGE's cuts. And the White House budget office has proposed cutting $163 billion - nearly 25 percent - from agency budgets in the fiscal year that begins in October. 'DOGE is in the DNA of the federal government, and the president is committed to seeing this mission through,' said White House spokesman Harrison Fields. 'No one is under the impression that DOGE is somehow going to disappear.' White House budget director Russell Vought is expected to pick up where Musk left off in cutting federal spending, according to two people with knowledge of the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. An architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint put together between Trump's terms, Vought told a House hearing Wednesday that the Trump administration is eager to send more requests to eliminate previously appropriated funds as DOGE shifts from a consulting role to a position 'far more institutionalized' at OMB. Still, by DOGE's somewhat haphazard accounting, the initiative has saved only about $180 billion, a fraction of the $2 trillion Musk initially vowed to cut. 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His appointment will help 'tackle the challenge of strengthening and securing the U.S. energy stem and ensuring America can lead the global race for AI leadership,' the email noted. 'The chief of staff is, behind the scenes, the duck paddling under the water making things happen,' said one Energy employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. 'DOGE could control the direction of the agency now.' Elsewhere, DOGE associates brought on for their reputation as business leaders have exerted command over agency staff, overseeing new initiatives within government. Sam Corcos, a start-up founder, has been overseeing DOGE's work at the IRS, which is increasingly looking to off-load otherwise-monotonous agency work to artificial intelligence programs, according to a person familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. And Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia has been overseeing DOGE's attempts to modernize the federal government's paper-based retirement system, which is run through the Office of Personnel Management. Gebbia was seen by Musk allies as potentially taking over some of the broader DOGE portfolio when Musk left. But now his fate is unclear, according to a person familiar with ongoing discussions over DOGE's role after Musk's departure. Resistance to DOGE in other agencies predated Musk's blowup with Trump. In early May, staffers who said they were with DOGE roamed around secure facilities within Navy Air Station Patuxent River, a Defense Department installation in Maryland where test flights and other sensitive work are carried out. One DOGE staffer reportedly walked in behind another government worker to gain access to the building, a Defense employee said - prompting a warning from installation security officials. 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In a move that could eventually infuse DOGE with more power, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled in two emergency decisions that the group could access sensitive Social Security data again, ending a legal restriction that had lasted for months. The court also ordered a judge to narrow a separate order requiring DOGE to submit discovery in a FOIA lawsuit. James Fishback, CEO of the investment firm Azoria who developed the idea of paying a portion of DOGE's savings directly to American taxpayers, predicted that the group is not dead yet. 'The truth is that Elon set expectations that he relayed to the President, me, and the country that he did not come close to fulfilling,' Fishback said. But 'DOGE's next chapter - under new leadership - will fully deliver on President Trump's mission of cutting waste, looking out for taxpayers, and making government leaner and more accountable.' 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'Musk Must Fall': Nationwide Protest to Take Place on Elon Musk's Birthday
'Musk Must Fall': Nationwide Protest to Take Place on Elon Musk's Birthday

Newsweek

timean hour ago

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'Musk Must Fall': Nationwide Protest to Take Place on Elon Musk's Birthday

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mass protests across the country are being scheduled for Tesla CEO Elon Musk's birthday on June 28, led by the Tesla Takedown movement. Despite no longer being part of the government, Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) policies and his continued impact as a private citizen are still being felt across the country, from mass governmental layoffs to his involvement in running companies with large government contracts. The "Musk Must Fall" protests are planned for cities across the country, including in "red" states of Texas, Missouri, Georgia, and Ohio, with the Tesla Takedown team saying: "And our birthday gift to the Broligarch in Chief? A global party with one powerful message: Musk Must Fall." Tesla has been contacted via email for comment. New Yorkers gathered outside the Tesla dealership in the Meat Packing district in Manhattan to protest against Elon Musk and his actions with DOGE, 3/29/25. New Yorkers gathered outside the Tesla dealership in the Meat Packing district in Manhattan to protest against Elon Musk and his actions with DOGE, 3/29/25. Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx Why It Matters Musk retains a lot of power over global politics as he is capable of endless donations to political parties and aiding in message amplification as the owner of X (formerly Twitter). According to public polls, he was an unpopular member of the Trump administration and, since leaving, has been in a public feud with President Donald Trump. Despite some political commentators recommending that Democrats try to win Musk and his billions over to their side, these protests show that Musk is still a deeply unpopular figure in American politics. What To Know Tesla Takedown protest in New York, March 29, 2025. Tesla Takedown protest in New York, March 29, 2025. Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx Protests are planned for June 28 in 15 states: Virginia, California, Washington, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, Idaho, Ohio, Missouri, as well as the District of Columbia. There are also protests planned overseas in the UK. These protests come amid a social media spat between President Trump and Musk. Musk has accused Trump of not being able to win the election without him, and Trump has threatened to pull government money for Musk's companies, such as SpaceX and Starlink. The Tesla Takedown team disputes the idea that Musk is no longer part of the current administration, saying: "Elon is still deeply tied to the Trump regime, still fueling conspiracies and fascist rhetoric, and still using his immense wealth to warp government policy and buy elections around the globe." These protests have been occurring outside of Tesla showrooms since Trump was inaugurated on January 20. Tesla Takedown is a non-violent movement and is not related to incidents in the U.S. where some Tesla cars and dealerships have been vandalized. The Trump administration has said that Tesla vandalism is "domestic terrorism," and the FBI has launched a task force to target attacks on Teslas and their dealerships. What People Are Saying Tesla Takedown: "On June 28—Elon's birthday—let's celebrate everything we've achieved and recommit to the long fight still ahead." An FBI spokesperson told Newsweek for a previous article: "The FBI is committed to protecting the U.S. from many threats including terrorism, violent crime, drug trafficking, and cyberattacks. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners here in the U.S. and internationally to detect and counter potential dangers. All our work is focused on providing safer communities for our citizens every day." What Happens Next The protests will take place on June 28. Other anti-Trump protests are planned for June 14, Trump's birthday.

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