Video shows JD Vance getting booed at Kennedy Center concert
Video posted by The Guardian's global affairs correspondent Andrew Roth shows Vice President JD Vance getting booed as he enters a concert hall at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Last month, President Donald Trump was elected chairman by a board that excluded the 18 Democratic appointees who were purged by the president after he announced an aggressive plan to reshape the center's programming.
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USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
New Jersey Democrat indicted over ICE facility altercation, calls charges 'political intimidation'
New Jersey Democrat indicted over ICE facility altercation, calls charges 'political intimidation' Show Caption Hide Caption Newark mayor Ras Baraka sues over arrest at ICE facility Newark mayor Ras Baraka announced he's suing two federal officials who he allege ordered his arrest at an ICE facility in New Jersey. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-New Jersey, was indicted on three counts related to a confrontation with law enforcement last month at a Newark immigration detention center. Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced the indictment on June 10. "While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve," Habba said in a post on X. McIver was visiting the facility along with fellow Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez. An altercation occurred after officers arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who attempted to join the trio in their visit. McIver is said to have then "slammed her forearms" into immigration officers, according to the criminal complaint against her. If convicted, she could face up to 17 years in prison for all three counts. Was it an overreaction? Trump deploys thousands of National Guard, Marines to Los Angeles The congresswoman has denied the accusations, saying they are unjustified. 'The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation,' McIver said in a statement reacting to the indictment. Members of Congress, by law, can visit immigrant detention facilities unannounced. McIver's lawyer, Paul Fishman, who served as U.S. attorney in New Jersey during the Obama administration, said that the "legal process will expose this prosecution for what it truly is — political retaliation against a dedicated public servant who refuses to shy away from her oversight responsibilities." The indictment came the same day voters in New Jersey took to the polls to pick their Democratic and Republican nominees for governor. Baraka, whose arrest sparked McIver's standoff with officers, ran for the Democratic nomination but lost to Rep. Mikie Sherrill. Contributing: Sarah Wire, USA TODAY; Katie Sobko,
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New Jersey governor's race is set as Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli win their primaries
Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli have won their parties' primaries for governor in New Jersey, NBC News projects, setting up one of the most closely watched races of the year. New Jersey is one of two states with governor's races this year, and the contest will be an early sign of how voters are responding to President Donald Trump's second term. Sherrill beat out five other Democrats for her party's nod, pitching herself as the most electable candidate — after her party struggled in the state last year compared with other recent presidential elections — and as a Democrat willing to stand up to Trump. She also leaned heavily on her background as a former Navy helicopter pilot and on criticism of Trump. "It's going to take a strong voice to cut through the noise from Washington and deliver for the people. So I stand here tonight doing just that. And as a mom of four teenagers, you guys know I'm not going to put up with the incompetent, whiny nonsense coming from aggrieved MAGA Republicans,' Sherrill told her supporters Tuesday at a victory rally. 'You probably can't do better than to quote George Washington at this moment: Fix the bayonets, I'm resolved to take Trenton,' Sherrill added. Ciattarelli, who had Trump's endorsement in the primary, defeated four other Republicans for the nomination in which he also appealed to voters' desire for electability, casting himself as the Trump ally best positioned to win the Democratic-leaning state in November. Ciattarelli came close in 2021 to defeating Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits. And during his victory speech, he panned Sherrill as "Phil Murphy 2.0" and pitched a vision for an inclusive GOP that would buck years of Democratic control in the state. "We made a strong statement about what the New Jersey Republican Party stands for: A party open to anyone and everyone who is willing to work hard and play by the rules; a party of Jersey values and common sense policies; a party that believes our best days are ahead of us if, if we have the courage to think big and act boldly," Ciattarelli said. The Democratic primary featured Sherrill and five other prominent Democrats, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, teachers union president Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. While Sherrill, the only woman in the field, was a persistent leader in limited public polling, victory was far from certain as millions of dollars flooded the New Jersey airwaves. Sherrill was winning more than one-third support with most of the expected Democratic vote tallied, holding a double-digit lead over Fulop, the next-closest Democrat. Sherrill showed early signs of strength in crucial Essex County, which is home to the most registered Democrats. The Essex County Democrats endorsed her, but the county also includes Newark, which Baraka leads. Sherrill won around 43% of the mail-in vote, followed by Baraka at 24%, Fulop at 17%, Gottheimer at 10%, Spiller at 5% and Sweeney at 1%. Sherrill proved to be a strong fundraiser, and she did have help from an aligned outside group, One Giant Leap PAC, which launched ads boosting her in the final weeks of the race. Sherrill also racked up support from the most county Democratic parties, prompting some critics to tie her to the state's Democratic political machine. Sherrill touted her military service and her success flipping a longtime Republican House district in 2018 as she made her case to primary voters. While each of the candidates presented a different path forward for the party, Sherrill said the 'obvious' path is to 'effectively govern.' 'Ruthless competence is what people in New Jersey want to see in government,' Sherrill told NBC News before she marched in the Asbury Park Pride parade. 'And that's what I've always provided, and that's what I think stands in stark contrast to the most incompetent federal government we've probably ever seen in this nation.' Ciattarelli leaned on his endorsement from Trump in the final weeks of the race, in which he faced former radio host Bill Spadea, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and contractor Justin Barbera. Ciattarelli trounced his opponents, winning more than two-thirds support with most of the expected vote in. Spadea was in a distant second at 22%, followed by Bramnick, Kranjac and Barbera in single digits. Trump hosted a tele-rally as early voting kicked off this month, telling supporters that Ciattarelli is 'going to help us with a win this November and send a powerful message to the entire country that New Jersey is turning red.' But Ciattarelli did have to overcome attacks from Spadea, his chief competitor in the primary, who highlighted Ciattarelli's past criticisms of the president as proof he was not sufficiently pro-Trump. Trump ultimately backed Ciattarelli about a month before the primary, writing on Truth Social that Ciattarelli is now '100%' MAGA and is best positioned to win in November. Both Ciattarelli and Sherrill have already previewed the general election fight, sparring on social media over Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill and his recent decision to federalize California National Guard troops despite Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's objections. Sherrill has tied Ciattarelli directly to Trump, who lost the state by 6 points in November after he lost it by 16 in 2020. Sherrill's recent TV ad warns, 'MAGA's coming for New Jersey with Trump-endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli,' and she said at a primary debate last month that Ciattarelli is 'not going to stand up to Trump on anything.' It remains to be seen whether Ciattarelli will put some distance between him and Trump in the Democratic-leaning state, but he has said he would campaign with Trump this year. Ciattarelli has also previewed how he might push back against Democrats who try to tie him to Trump, often noting that the next governor must address four crises facing the state: affordability, public safety, education and overdevelopment. 'Last time I checked, this was a race for governor,' Ciattarelli said at a recent campaign stop. 'And so what is it that President Trump has to do with those windmills of our Jersey Shore? What does he have to do with the fact that we have the highest property tax in the nation? What does he have to do with the failure of our public school system, which just slipped from two to 12 on the national report card? What does he have to do with the overdevelopment of our suburbs?' 'They broke it, they own it,' Ciattarelli said of Democrats in charge of the state government. 'And we're not going to let anybody forget it over the next five months.' This article was originally published on
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why are more Americans filing for Social Security benefits?
(NewsNation) — More older Americans are claiming their Social Security benefits earlier, a potentially alarming trend that could significantly reduce the income many rely on in their golden years. As of May, individual retirement claims are up 13% in the current fiscal year compared to the same period last year, an increase of nearly 320,000 claims, according to the latest Social Security data. To put the recent surge in perspective: From 2012 to 2024, retirement claims rose by an average of just 3% per year, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute, a research group. Plan to garnish Social Security checks for student loan debt paused Part of the recent uptick is due to more retirees claiming Social Security benefits earlier, a choice that permanently reduces their monthly checks if done before full retirement age. Jack Smalligan, a senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute, described the increase in earlier claims as 'disconcerting' because it can impact people's 'long-term retirement security.' 'For most individuals, delaying the time that they claim Social Security is a smart retirement decision,' Smalligan said. While demographic factors, such as an aging population, have contributed to the rise, increased concern over the Trump administration's handling of the system may also help explain the surge. Social Security data shows the spike in monthly claims was especially pronounced in November and January — the month Trump was elected and the month he took office. Polling shows public concern about Social Security is now at a 15-year high, an uptick that coincides with the Trump administration's plans to slash the agency's workforce. The president and advisers, like Elon Musk, have made unfounded claims about rampant fraud within the system, while website outages have also caused confusion. Smalligan pointed to the recent surge in calls to Social Security and the rise in field office visits as further signs of growing anxiety. At the same time, top Democrats, including former President Joe Biden, have amplified those fears with misleading claims that give the impression Americans' monthly retirement checks may not arrive. Democrats sound alarm on Social Security as Biden returns to stage Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has warned that Trump and Musk are coming for people's benefits and hiding behind bogus fraud claims to justify stealing people's checks. The political rhetoric appears to be resonating, but it's also fueling the broader uncertainty, potentially causing real harm. During a meeting in March, Social Security officials said that 'fearmongering has driven people to claim benefits earlier,' The Wall Street Journal reported. Overall, 52% of Americans say they worry a 'great deal' about the Social Security system, up from 43% in 2024, according to Gallup. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, that figure rises to 65% — a 30-point increase from the previous year. 'No one's scheming right now to privatize Social Security or dismantle it … that type of fearmongering is not helpful,' said Charles Blahous, a researcher at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University who specializes in Social Security. While Social Security does face long-term financial challenges, the system isn't going away, and future policy uncertainty isn't a good reason to claim benefits early today, Blahous said. Trump has repeatedly promised not to cut Social Security benefits, while Democrats argue that staffing reductions will make it harder for retirees to access services, undermining the system in a different way. Other factors, unrelated to political rhetoric, could also be driving the rise in retirement claims. There are three key reasons for the uptick, according to a Social Security official: The start of the peak 65 baby boom, a massive surge of Americans turning 65 years old Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, which increased benefits for certain workers receiving pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security Improved outreach notifying spouses of Social Security beneficiaries that they may be eligible for a higher benefit Blahous acknowledged that the three factors are real but thinks 'the jury's still out' on how much of the recent rise is due to anxiety about the program's future. Another possibility is that stock market volatility, partly driven by Trump's ever-changing trade policies, temporarily lowered the balances of millions of retirement accounts and prompted some older Americans to claim their more reliable Social Security benefits earlier than planned. Americans can start collecting Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but that doesn't mean they should. Claiming before full retirement age permanently reduces monthly benefits, which is why waiting often makes more financial sense. It's even more concerning when that decision is driven by fear about the program's future rather than a careful assessment of personal circumstances. 'It's basically an irrevocable decision, which is all the more reason why people should be very cautious about when they make it,' Blahous said. When is the best age to take Social Security? Someone who turns 62 in 2025 would see their monthly benefit lowered by about 30% versus what it would be at their full retirement age of 67. On the other hand, those who delay claiming until after their full retirement age receive an 8% increase for each year they wait, up to age 70. That can amount to thousands of dollars. In 2025, the maximum Social Security benefit is $2,831 for someone retiring at 62, but it rises to $5,108 for those retiring at 70. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
