Latest news with #Soros-linked
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
O'Rourke, Soros-linked groups face call for DOJ probe over alleged funding of Texas Dem walkout
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants the Justice Department to investigate groups tied to Beto O'Rourke and George Soros for allegedly funding Texas Democrats' exodus from the state. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into whether O'Rourke's Powered by People political action committee (PAC) and the Soros-linked Texas Majority PAC have acted "in violation of federal public corruption and election laws" for raising funds to help Texas state Democrats leave the state during the redistricting special session. "I write today to encourage an investigation of the entities funding this charade," Cornyn wrote in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital. "News reports make clear that PACs tied to Beto O'Rourke and megadonors such as George Soros are supporting the legislators, along with other campaign entities." The Texas Democrats fled the state in an effort to kill a special session called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to redraw maps in the Lone Star State. The lawmakers fled in a bid to prevent a quorum to prevent legislation from moving forward. Cornyn previously called on FBI Director Kash Patel to help find the legislators. His latest letter comes on the heels of reports from the Texas Tribune that O'Rourke's PAC has played a major role in financially supporting the roughly 50 Democrats who departed for New York and Illinois, paying for airfare, lodging and helping with the $500-per-day fines the lawmakers face for skipping the legislative session. The Soros-aligned PAC is also reportedly working with national fundraising groups to secure additional funding for the legislators. Fox News Digital reached out to both organizations for comment. However, the Texas state Senate advanced the new maps on Tuesday night and the missing House Democrats are reportedly planning to return to the state. Now, the Texas state House must vote on the redistricting changes for them to become law. The special session is slated to end next Tuesday, though Abbott has said he would call another in the face of the Democrats' opposition tactics. Cornyn charged that if legislators took money and gifts in exchange for using their official position to prevent a quorum call, then they may have committed honest services fraud or Hobbs Act Extortion. And by crossing state lines, he noted, the lawmakers could be in violation of the federal Travel Act, "if they did so with the intent to break either federal or state laws." He said that "at a minimum, it appears likely that Texas state bribery and corruption laws may have been broken" by both the legislators who accepted benefits and the groups linked to O'Rourke and Soros "who provided these corrupt funds." And O'Rourke's group may have violated federal campaign finance laws for spending money in prohibited ways, Cornyn noted, like "expenditures being made for individuals' personal use, which would include food, lodging, and travel unrelated to electioneering activities." "I therefore request that you also work with the [Federal Election Commission] to examine both the sources of funding for the special interest groups and PACs funding the House members' dereliction of duty and how those funds have been spent to ensure compliance with all federal laws and regulations," he wrote. Cornyn's request also follows a similar demand made by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The pair is locked in an already bloody primary battle to capture the Republican nomination for Senate in the Lone Star State. Paxton on Tuesday requested that a Texas district judge jail O'Rourke over allegations that he violated a court order issued last week that prohibited fundraising meant to back the efforts by Texas Democratic lawmakers to blow up the redistricting effort. Cornyn noted that the lawmakers' flight not only blocked the redistricting effort, but also harmed legislation that would provide aid to victims of the recent devastating Texas floods. "The special session will end in a matter of days, at which point, assistance to flood victims and other needed measures will go unaddressed," Cornyn said. "The absconding House members' dereliction of duty is truly shameful."
Fox News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
As Trump intervenes in DC's crime crisis, another violent city's DA gets a challenger from inside the tent
A former municipal judge who lost to Philadelphia's Soros-linked city prosecutor in the May Democratic primary announced over the weekend he would be registering for the Republican Party line in November's election, as President Donald Trump brings a new focus on urban crime. Philadelphia Judge Patrick Dugan, of the city's Far Northeast, earned enough write-in votes in May's contest – where no Republican was on that party's primary ballot – to be able to run on the party line in November. However, it wasn't until the weekend that Dugan formally announced he would take the GOP mantle in hopes of ousting Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. Trump, meanwhile, announced on Monday he is usurping control of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., for the statutory 48 hours allowed under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 due to violent crime he declared is on par with several capitals in Central America. Dugan said in a statement that he expects Krasner to try to tie him to Trump and call him an "extremist," but only "because he knows his record is one of failure, and he cannot defend the rampant crime his policies have caused." "I know that Philadelphians are smart enough to believe their eyes, and what they see is more crime, more drugs, more victims abandoned, more shootings, and more criminals let loose on the streets," Dugan said in a statement. The former jurist also reportedly said that although he will be on the Republican line, he identifies as an "Independent-Democrat." That wasn't enough to quell Philadelphia Democratic Party boss Bob Brady, who called Dugan a "disgrace" and appeared to kick him out of the party. "He's got zero integrity… he's out of our party… I don't need liars in our party," the former congressman told the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Associated Press had called the Krasner-Dugan primary with the incumbent earning at least 60% of the vote. Dugan, however, garnered 53,000 Democratic votes and a shocking 6,400 write-ins. Because Pennsylvania is a closed-primary state, those voters were likely – if not entirely – Republicans. Dugan said Saturday he would be a DA for "all of Philadelphia," regardless of party affiliation. "I cannot stand by and allow Mr. Krasner's failed policies to continue to hold our city hostage. Every Philadelphian has a real choice this fall, and I believe they will stand with me for common sense and safety." Philly GOP chair Vince Fenerty added that the city now has a "real choice" between Dugan and Krasner, a "proven advocate for the very criminals he is supposed to prosecute." Pennsylvania state Sen. Joe Picozzi, a fellow Northeast Philly Republican, called Dugan a "proven leader" and said "firing Larry Krasner" is a top priority for him. Picozzi himself shocked the commonwealth when he unseated a Democrat in 2024, making him the first Republican state senator to represent America's birthplace in decades. Krasner criticized Dugan for being a Democrat embraced by Republicans. Since Krasner's rise, Philadelphia has battled a crime crisis, as well as the prosecutor's penchant not to prosecute marijuana possession, certain sex work offenses and other low-level crimes. However, during some of the looting amid the George Floyd riots, Krasner indicated there had been 550 arrests for burglary and that he would "vigorously prosecute" many of them. "Some of them, on the other hand, are an 18-year-old who's never had contact with the criminal justice system before, not even an arrest, who's going in through a broken window and coming out with a T-shirt," he added, according to CBS News. Violent crime as a category, however, has declined some in the past few years, with a decrease of about 17%, according to the Penn Capital-Star, to which critics have pointed to the custom of dropping charges on some crimes. Trump previously called Krasner the "worst district attorney," and asked Philadelphians who attended a 2019 rally in Hershey to "get yourself a new prosecutor." In a January statement after Trump took office, Krasner hit back, telling the president in a statement that "arrests and prosecutions are based on probable cause, not on whether you agree or disagree with a political position." "Unlike the current president, who this week pardoned or commuted sentences for over 1,000 lawfully convicted and sentenced insurrectionists, my office and others will continue to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law," Krasner said.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisiana governor blames progressives for jailbreak
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) doubled down Tuesday on blaming progressive politics for the escape of 10 inmates from a New Orleans jail. Half of the escapees remained at large as of Wednesday morning, after a fifth was captured Tuesday evening. 'The system as a whole is broken in that city, and we intend to fix it,' Landry told NewsNation's Chris Cuomo. Landry, a staunch conservative and ally of President Trump, has repeatedly pointed to billionaire Democratic donor George Soros's influence in Democrat-led New Orleans for creating the circumstances that that allowed 10 inmates to break out of the jail at about 1 a.m. EDT Friday. 'George Soros came over the last decade or so and spent a ton of money in the city of New Orleans, electing these progressive people,' Landry told Cuomo. 'It's like he came [as] Santa Claus, and inside his sack, he put out a DA [district attorney], a sheriff, and I think about six judges, and we have been having problems in the city ever since now.' Landry, who took office last year, has routinely pointed to Hungarian-born Democratic megadonor Soros, 94, as having influence over his state. Soros-linked groups contributed $220,000 to Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams's (D) 2020 election, according to campaign finance records. Landry said the slow criminal justice system in New Orleans left dangerous criminals in a parish-run prison with lower security. 'The problem that I have is the fact that that system and jail has people that have been sitting in those jail cells waiting for sentences,' he told Cuomo. 'If they were sentenced, then they become my problem. I get to take them and put them in a state facility.' William defended his job performances during a news conference Monday. 'If we don't have a complete police report, we can't go forward. If we do go forward, we get tossed out of court by the judge,' he told reporters. Landry previously has blamed Soros's influence for voters' rejection of a constitutional amendment the governor backed in March that sought to overhaul the state's juvenile justice system. Authorities say the group of New Orleans escapees busted into a cell with a broken slider door and escaped through a hole behind a toilet fixture. They were discovered missing during a routine headcount check hours later. Maintenance worker Sterling Williams, 33, has been charged with assisting the jailbreak after he allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he turned off the plumbing connected to the stall at the prisoners' request. Landry similarly blamed progressives for the jailbreak during a news conference Sunday. 'The irony of the progressive promises that have been made to this city is clear. New Orleans handed the jail keys to those who vowed to keep criminals out of jail, and sadly, today we see that it worked,' he said at a news conference Sunday. 'I hope everyone understands that the video of those prisoners escaping epitomizes a progressive criminal justice system.' New Orleans is in the middle of a municipal election cycle, including for the offices of Orleans Parish sheriff, New Orleans mayor and all seven City Council positions. The city's voters will cast primary ballots Oct. 11, and runoffs will take place Nov. 15 for any races where no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson (D), who announced Tuesday that she is suspending her reelection campaign, blasted the political rhetoric Sunday while escapees remain at large. 'Political people are making this a political issue,' she told reporters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Louisiana governor blames progressives for jail break
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) doubled down Tuesday on blaming progressive politics for the escape of 10 New Orleans jail inmates. Half of the escapees remained at large as of Wednesday morning after a fifth was captured Tuesday evening. 'The system as a whole is broken in that city, and we intend to fix it,' Landry told NewsNation's Chris Cuomo. Landry, a staunch conservative and ally of President Trump, has repeatedly pointed to billionaire Democratic donor George Soros's influence in Democrat-led New Orleans for creating the circumstances that that allowed 10 inmates to break out of the jail at about 1 a.m. on Friday. 'George Soros came over the last decade or so and spent a ton of money in the city of New Orleans, electing these progressive people,' Landry told Cuomo. 'It's like he came (as) Santa Claus, and inside his sack, he put out a (district attorney), a sheriff, and I think about six judges, and we have been having problems in the city ever since now.' Landry, who took office last year, has routinely pointed to Hungarian-born Democratic megadonor Soros, 94, as having influence over issues in his state. Soros-linked groups contributed $220,000 to Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams's 2020 election, according to campaign finance records. Landry said the slow criminal justice system in New Orleans left dangerous criminals in a parish-run prison with lower security. 'The problem that I have is the fact that that system and jail has people that have been sitting in those jail cells waiting for sentences,' he told Cuomo. 'If they were sentenced, then they become my problem. I get to take them and put them in a state facility.' William defended his job performances, during a news conference Monday. 'If we don't have a complete police report, we can't go forward. If we do go forward, we get tossed out of court by the judge,' he told reporters. Landry previously has blamed Soros's influence for voters' rejection of a constitutional amendment the governor backed in March that sought to overhaul the state's juvenile justice system. Authorities say the group of New Orleans escapees on Friday busted into a cell with a broken slider door and escaped through a hole behind a toilet fixture. They were discovered missing during a routine headcount check hours later. Maintenance worker Sterling Williams, 33, has been charged with assisting the jailbreak after he allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he turned off the plumbing connected to the stall at the prisoners' request. Landry similarly blamed progressives for the jailbreak during a news conference on Sunday. 'The irony of the progressive promises that have been made to this city is clear. New Orleans handed the jail keys to those who vowed to keep criminals out of jail, and sadly, today we see that it worked,' he said at a news conference Sunday. 'I hope everyone understands that the video of those prisoners escaping epitomizes a progressive criminal justice system.' New Orleans is in the middle of a municipal election cycle, including for the offices of Orleans Parish sheriff, New Orleans mayor and all seven city council positions. The city's voters will cast primary ballots Oct. 11, and runoffs will take place Nov. 15 for any races where no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who announced Tuesday that she is suspending her reelection campaign, blasted the political rhetoric on Sunday while escapees remain at large. 'Political people are making this a political issue,' she told reporters.
Budapest Times
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
MEP: EC send rejection response to NGO funding requests
European Parliament's Patriots for Europe group has submitted 86 requests for access to data of public interest to the European Commission over the funding of NGOs, "but the response was rejection". Csaba Dömötör, an MEP of ruling Fidesz, said the European Parliament's Patriots for Europe group has submitted 86 requests for access to data of public interest to the European Commission over the funding of NGOs, 'but the response was rejection'. Dömötör told a conference on the transparency of the financing of NGOs in Brussels on Wednesday, organized by the party group and the Brussels branch of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, that European taxpayers' money had been used to support politically active groups 'but there is no transparent, unified database on how they are financed'. He said the EC had rejected the requests, citing various absurd reasons: first, they said the request targeted general information rather than concrete agreements, then that the requests were too wide-ranging, and then that all necessary information was available on their website. They are simply not true,' Dömötör said. The party family will submit further requests and also turn to the European ombudsman, and proceed to go to court should the lists not be forthcoming, he said. 'Hungarian ministries are obliged to regularly publish information on the nature of the contracts they conclude, on the contracting parties and on the sums involved … Further, if someone submits a request for data of public interest, they must allow access to the contracts and their performance within the deadline enshrined in law,' he said. At the same time, the EC 'is utterly unwilling to answer to requests for data on Brussels institutions, even as it continues to push for stricter Hungarian laws on the freedom of information,' he said. The issue is with 'a network of political activists', not 'traditional' civil society, he added. 'When Guy Verhofstadt, an earlier figurehead of the Liberals, receives the equivalent of 6 billion forints [EUR 15m] in funding for his own so-called NGO, that is not nonprofit work, that's building a political network,' he said. Other organizations are suing Hungary at the Court of Justice of the European Union for issues such as border protection. 'That is political interference,' he said. 'They are shirking the democratic principles they are expecting everyone else to comply with. That is what we want to change,' he said. Domotor said EU institutions regularly supported various organisations 'with millions of euros', and insisted that the funding flowed almost exclusively to serve leftist-liberal political agendas. 'They are weakening the states in migration regulations, organise political attacks against legitimate governments, and use censorship under the name of fact-checking.' Those organisations, he insisted, 'have no local roots or social legitimacy as 90 percent of their funding comes from outside sources, the European Commission or Soros-linked circles.' Fidesz MEP Andras Laszlo told the conference that many NGOs operated as 'the extensions of governments'. He also said that recent corruption scandals had highlighted the importance of transparency: 'We must know where the money comes from, what it is spent on, and who are actually behind those organisations…' He said that 7 central European EU or NATO member states had been 'targeted by political interference through USAID projects', Laszlo said. 'The support was disbursed without consultation with local government, which also amounts to interference.'
