Tammy Baldwin slams RFK Jr.'s measles vaccination testimony
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) slammed testimony from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Congress, saying on Wednesday it is "deeply troubling" he was confirmed for the position.
Why it matters: Kennedy, a former Democrat, has become one of the party's most scrutinized figures in the Trump administration.
Kennedy testified to a House panel on Wednesday that his opinions on vaccines "are irrelevant." He continued, "I don't think people should be taking ... medical advice from me."
Kennedy said at the hearing he would "probably" vaccinate his children for measles if he had to decide today.
Baldwin told Axios' Peter Sullivan at Axios' inaugural Future of Health Summit on Wednesday that Kennedy "heads a department that is the biggest public health agency in the world."
The big picture: Democrats continue to blare the alarm on Kennedy's past skepticism of vaccines, with Baldwin saying he has "spent a career creating conspiracy theories around this."
"I think it's deeply troubling that the Senate confirmed a vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist to be the secretary of Health and Human Services," Baldwin said.
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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ICE arrests 'worst of the worst' illegal aliens in Los Angeles while protesters advocate for criminals: DHS
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents captured the "worst of the worst" criminal illegal aliens in Los Angeles during operations on Friday, including murderers, sex offenders and other violent criminals, the agency said on Sunday. ICE agents carried out operations at businesses across Los Angeles on Friday, which sparked protests and clashes outside multiple locations, resulting in authorities throwing flash bangs to disperse the crowd. About 45 people were arrested across several locations, including two Home Depot stores, a store in the fashion district and a doughnut shop. Ice Sweeps Through La Businesses As Local Democrats Cry Foul Over Trump Administration's Enforcement Actions "Why do Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass care more about violent murderers and sex offenders than they do about protecting their own citizens?" Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin asked. "These rioters in Los Angeles are fighting to keep rapists, murderers, and other violent criminals loose on Los Angeles streets. Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer." Among those arrested was 49-year-old Cuong Chanh Phan, an illegal alien from Vietnam with a criminal history that includes a conviction for second-degree murder. Read On The Fox News App Phan was convicted of shooting up a high school graduation party after a dispute, killing an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old. Seven others were injured in the incident, according to DHS. Ice Arrests Over 200 Illegal Aliens In New York City's 'Most Crime-infested Neighborhoods' ICE also arrested Rolando Veneracion-Enriquez, a 55-year-old illegal alien from the Philippines who was convicted of burglary, sexual penetration with a foreign object and assault with intent to commit rape. Lionel Sanchez-Laguna, a 55-year-old Mexican national, was arrested by ICE on Friday. His criminal history includes discharging a firearm at an inhabited dwelling and vehicle, battery on spouse or cohabitant, willful cruelty to child, driving under the influence, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and personal use of a firearm. Another illegal immigrant who was arrested was 44-year-old Armando Ordaz, of Mexico. Ice Highlights Arrests Of 5 Illegal Aliens Convicted Of Violent Crimes, Including Against Children DHS said Ordaz's criminal history includes sexual battery, receiving known or stolen property and petty theft. Francisco Sanchez-Arguello, 38, of Mexico was arrested on Friday and had previously been arrested for grand theft larceny and possession of a prohibited weapon, DHS said. Authorities arrested 42-year-old Jose Gregorio Medranda Ortiz, an Ecuadorian national who had previously been arrested and convicted of conspiracy to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine with distribution intent while on a vessel in Tampa, Florida. Trump Admin Touts Purging 'Worst' Illegal Immigrant Criminals From Us Streets: 'Working Tirelessly' ICE arrested Victor Mendoza-Aguilar, 32, of Mexico, who had also previously been convicted of crimes, including possession of unlawful paraphernalia, possession of controlled substances, assault with a deadly weapon and obstruction of a public officer. Delfino Aguilar-Martinez, 51, of Mexico, was arrested Friday and had previously been charged and convicted with assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury, DHS said. DHS also shared that 43-year-old Jose Cristobal Hernandez-Buitron, an illegal alien from Peru, was one of those arrested Friday and had been previously convicted of robbery. Honduran national Jordan Mauricio Meza-Esquibel, 32, was also arrested during the operation. He was previously convicted of distributing narcotics and domestic violence. And finally, DHS said 26-year-old Jesus Alan Hernandez-Morales, a Mexican national, was arrested and had previously been convicted of conspiring to transport an illegal alien into the article source: ICE arrests 'worst of the worst' illegal aliens in Los Angeles while protesters advocate for criminals: DHS
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Who's that knocking at your door? It's Anthony Weiner on a comeback tour
NEW YORK (AP) — Imagine this: You're home for the evening, winding down. There's a knock at the door. Who's there? It's Anthony Weiner. And he wants your vote. Yes, that Weiner: The guy whose once-promising political career was derailed by sexting scandals and then seemingly ended forever when he was imprisoned for sending sexually explicit messages to a 15-year-old girl. But now Weiner's hoping to convince enough voters in lower Manhattan that he deserves yet another chance in a comeback bid for a seat on the New York City Council. On a recent weekday at an apartment complex in the Lower East Side, the former congressman, 60, was knocking on doors, reintroducing himself to voters and reminding them about the election. And, on this Thursday at least, the would-be constituents aren't slamming their doors in the registered sex offender's face . 'It's Anthony Weiner!' the candidate said after knocking on a door. A man opens the door, his face lighting up with surprise. 'It is Anthony Weiner!' the man said, a big smile spreading across his face. After some pleasantries and a reminder about the race, the man had an important question for the candidate: 'Mind if I get a picture with you?' And so it went as Weiner walked down floor after floor, knocking on doors. A quick hello here, a fast thank you there. Campaign literature flowed into hands. People seemed happy to see him. It isn't always this friendly. Weiner said he still struggles with how to speak about his scandal, calling it the 'fundamental, unsolvable problem of the campaign.' 'Sometimes it's with like real painful, kind of, honesty about what happened and sometimes it's a little bit defensive, and sometimes, like, a woman at this street fair last week, she's like, 'I love you and I'm going to vote for you, but I voted for you before and how can I ever trust you?'' he said. But, he notes, some people would rather talk about anything else. 'They're like, 'I don't want to hear about that. I want to hear about me and I want to hear about how come there aren't cops on the street and I want to hear about why my taxes are so high,'' he said. From Congress to prison Weiner, a brash and ambitious politician whose New York accent and wily, kinetic style made for solid theater on the House floor, was once someone worth watching in the Democratic Party. Back then, he represented a district in parts of Brooklyn and Queens. His latest return to the political stage — this time for a City Council seat that covers Union Square and the East Village — pits him against state lawmaker Harvey Epstein, whose name's unfortunate proximity to convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein inspired a 'Saturday Night Live' bit , along with a handful of other low-key candidates. The primary, on June 24, is considered the defining contest of the election, given the district's heavy Democratic bent. It's hard to know how it'll turn out in a low-turnout, early-summer primary where there's no deep political polling. The comeback attempt comes more than a decade after his career imploded for sending a lewd picture of himself to a college student over Twitter in 2011. He first tried to claim his account was hacked but eventually admitted to having inappropriate online interactions with at least six other women and resigned from Congress after serving there for more than a decade. After leaving Washington, Weiner mounted a campaign for New York City mayor but was again undone after it was disclosed that he sent explicit photos under the alias 'Carlos Danger' to at least one woman after leaving the House. The revelation tanked his mayoral bid. Along the way, his marriage collapsed. In 2017, his scandal entered the criminal realm after prosecutors said he had illicit online contact with a high school student. During the proceedings, Weiner's lawyer said he probably exchanged thousands of messages with hundreds of women over the years and had been communicating with up to 19 women when he encountered the student. He eventually pleaded guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. He was required to register as a sex offender after his release in 2019. Since then, he's worked as the CEO of a countertop company in Brooklyn and hosted a radio show where he would muse about politics, eventually finding himself ginning up his own ideas and wondering: Why not get back in the game? He opened a campaign account and donations started flowing in. He'd go out on the street and people wanted to sign his petitions. 'I knew I had things I wanted to say and I knew that I thought it was important that everyone try to do something at this point,' he said. The elephant in the room Still, his scandals are so much an elephant in the room that his campaign recently started circulating a mailer that, on one side, features a massive elephant alongside the text 'Anthony Weiner knows you may have questions.' On the other side, a note from Weiner reads: 'Since I am asking you for your vote again, I want to address the elephant in the room.' It goes on: 'I accepted responsibility, I did my time (literally) and paid my debt to society in full.' A man who answered one of Weiner's door knocks told the candidate that he saw the mailer and said it was a smart move to address the scandals head-on. The two then dove into political issues, chatting about crime, the subway and homeless people. As the conversation was coming in for a landing, the man told Weiner that showing up at his door to speak with him showed that he cared. He declined to give his name to an Associated Press reporter who approached him after Weiner had said goodbye and taken off down a flight of stairs. After a few more meet-and-greets, Weiner wrapped up for the day. He left he complex, hopped on a bicycle and zipped off down the street. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Trump seizes on Los Angeles protests in contentious use of military amid migrant crackdown
This is the showdown the White House has been waiting for. Unrest sparked by federal immigration raids in Los Angeles provided a questionable catalyst for President Donald Trump to stage a demonstration of military force. His deployment of National Guard troops, against the wishes of California's governor and LA's mayor — both Democrats — appears at this point to be mostly for show, intended to create the perception of the administration getting tough. But the reservists' presence at a fraught, politicized moment could worsen tensions and even become a trip wire that prompts more aggressive administration action. Northern Command said Sunday evening that 500 US Marines were now on 'prepared to deploy' status ahead of what would be a stunning and constitutionally dubious escalation if they were to show up in Los Angeles. Weekend protests saw law enforcement officers in riot gear use tear gas and flash bangs to disperse crowds in downtown Los Angeles and the nearby city of Paramount. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said demonstrators threw objects and were violent toward federal agents and deputy sheriffs. Trump is relishing his response. 'Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free,' the president posted on Truth Social on Sunday. He seems to be eyeing political objectives that go beyond the immediate situation in Los Angeles, which, compared with historical precedents, hardly seems to justify a unilateral presidential intervention. He is delivering a warning to Democratic jurisdictions nationwide that oppose his deportation moves. And he's not simply demonstrating his desire to militarize his crackdown on undocumented migrants, which he promised in the 2024 campaign despite legal constraints. He's implying he'll use the military, specifically the National Guard, to act against protest and dissent — a prospect that is troubling in a democratic society. Trump's move on Saturday is also a hint that he's willing to trample tradition and potentially constitutional limits down the line and that he wants to exploit what Republicans see as Democratic weakness on public order. And it buttresses the authoritarian image-making of a strongman commander in chief who ended last week ringside at a UFC fight and who will cap this week with tanks rumbling through the capital, on his birthday, at a parade ostensibly marking the Army's 250th anniversary. Trump gave the order to send 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after several days of protests and unrest following Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that netted dozens of arrests. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday night that the move was necessary because of the failure of California authorities to protect federal immigration officials and their own citizens. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez and Betsy Klein reported that White House officials first decided to rush federal agents and resources to Los Angeles to protect ICE agents and guard one of the federal buildings where protests gathered. On Saturday evening, the decision was taken to send in the guard. Despite the heated rhetoric of administration officials and Republican lawmakers on Sunday, however, there were few signs that disorder is raging out of control or that local authorities cannot cope. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has accused Trump of taking a 'purposefully inflammatory' step, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said National Guard deployments were not 'called for.' And by the standards of outbursts of unrest in the US over the past few decades, the situation in Los Angeles does not appear especially acute. On Sunday, National Guard troops took up positions in three locations in Los Angeles, in what appeared to be the first instance in decades of reservists being deployed by a president without coordination with a governor. CNN crews captured California National Guard troops, operating under the authority of Trump rather than Newsom after the president called them into federal service, pushing back demonstrators outside a detention center. A federal officer was seen firing what appeared to be a gas canister. The stationing of troops at federal facilities is a potentially significant distinction since they were not initially being used in active law enforcement. Such a step would infringe on the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars federal troops from participating in law enforcement unless specifically authorized by the law or Congress. Even in this case, though, the legal situation is not definitive. The administration has not so far invoked the Insurrection Act, which in some circumstances permits the president to use the military to end an insurrection or rebellion of federal power in a state. An objective analysis of the situation in Los Angeles suggests no such extreme disorder yet. But one top administration official seems to be choosing his language with precision. Domestic policy adviser Stephen Miller posted on X that there were two choices: 'Deport the invaders, or surrender to insurrection.' The echoing of the Insurrection Act by a powerful administration figure who claims an 'invasion' of migrants justifies Trump's use of emergency and all but unlimited executive power is probably not a coincidence. The president doubled down in a Sunday Truth Social post, claiming 'violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking' federal agents. The National Guard deployment clearly risks politicizing the military. But it's a political no-brainer for the White House. Images of troops in combat gear, and the administration's vows to enforce order if local leaders won't, boost Trump's tough-guy image, which is an important factor in his appeal to his supporters. It bolsters Republican claims of fecklessness in liberal-run cities that have been plagued by homelessness and crime. By sending troops in over Newsom's head, Trump escalates his feud with the governor, who is one of the most prominent national Democrats at a time when Trump is threatening to pull federal funding to the state. This may also serve as a warning to other blue states that they could see the militarization of the deportation program if they don't cooperate. Then there's the distraction factor. The theatrics of troop arrivals may help disguise the fact that deportations have yet to reach the levels some supporters likely hoped for. And at a dicey political moment, following his public estrangement from Elon Musk and with doubts hanging over his massive domestic spending bill, escalating an immigration controversy serves to change the subject for Trump. Immigration has long been one of his reliable political havens. Still, a new CBS poll Sunday showed that while a majority approve of Trump's goals on the issue, 56% fault his approach. Top Republicans were quick to back Trump's California moves after days when Washington was consumed by the president's psychodrama with Musk. 'You have a very weak, lawless-leaning governor in Gov. Newsom, who's not enforcing the nation's laws,' Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told CNN's Dana Bash on 'State of the Union.' He went on, 'The president has made it very clear: If the governor or the mayor of the city isn't willing to protect the citizens of his state or the city, then the president will.' Another Republican senator, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, had few concerns about using National Guard troops. 'You provide massive manpower to prevent violence,' he told Bash. 'It would be nice if Democrat politicians wouldn't keep stirring it up and keep asking people to go out there and protest against lawful law enforcement actions. That's kind of hard to stomach.' Oklahoma's other Republican senator, James Lankford, said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that Trump was trying to 'de-escalate all the tensions' by sending troops. Democrats, however, lashed out at Trump's move. 'My concern, of course, is that this inflames the situation and that he is hellbent on inflaming the situations,' Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.' 'Individual governors look at their states. They make decisions,' Klobuchar said. 'But in this case, the president, time and time again, has shown this willingness to, one, violate the law, as we've seen across the country in many different situations outside of the immigration context. And two, inflame situations.' Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, warned on 'State of the Union' that 'we have a president who is moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism.' Sanders added: 'This guy wants all of the power. He does not believe in the Constitution. He does not believe in the rule of law … he thinks he has a right to do anything he wants.' Concerns Trump is flexing authoritarian impulses and that the administration would relish confrontations that allow it to move in this direction were underscored by a post on X by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He wrote that if violence continued, 'Active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert.' A threat by the defense secretary to deploy a force whose battle honors include Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima and Fallujah onto American streets does not only offend principles of democratic republican government. It would almost certainly be illegal, unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act. At this point, the conditions of that legislation look nowhere near being met. Trump said Sunday he was not yet ready to invoke the act. Still, all this is chilling given his warning last year that he'd be prepared to use the military against 'the enemy from within.' This also comes after four months in which the administration has used questionable presidential power to target institutions from law firms to universities to the media. And it has used contentious national emergencies declared to unlock authorities on trade and immigration. Common Defense, the country's largest grassroots veterans organization, condemned Trump's deployment of the California National Guard. 'The militarized response to protests in Los Angeles is a dangerous escalation that undermines civil rights and betrays the principles we swore to uphold,' said Naveed Shah, the group's political director and a US Army veteran. Hegseth's post underscores one reason why critics regarded him as unsuitable to serve as defense secretary — the fear he'd do anything that Trump told him to, unlike first-term Pentagon chief Mark Esper, who wrote in his book that the president asked whether troops could shoot in the legs demonstrators who gathered at the White House amid the George Floyd protests. Hegseth dodged in his confirmation hearing when repeatedly asked by Hawaii Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono whether he'd carry out such an order from Trump. And he also hedged when asked by Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin whether he agreed that there were some orders a president may give that were unconstitutional. 'I am not going to get ahead of conversations I would have with the president. However, there are laws and processes inside our Constitution that would be followed,' Hegseth said. Little in Hegseth's tenure so far suggests he'd stand up against any of the president's more extreme ideas. That's one reason why Trump's unilateral deployment of reserve troops to Los Angeles seems like the initial thrust of an expanding administration effort to use the military in a domestic context.
