Latest news with #YoungRepublicans
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Ex-NY Young Republicans leader Gavin Wax gets nod for FCC spot
WASHINGTON — The former leader of New York's Young Republicans was endorsed Saturday by an outgoing member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fill his vacancy. FCC commissioner Nathan Simington told The Post in a phone interview Saturday that Gavin Wax, 31, 'would be a great' replacement and had been hearing 'buzz' about a potential nomination from President Trump. 'I don't want to get ahead of the president,' said Simington, who has served at the FCC since the Senate confirmed him as Trump's pick in December 2020, before adding: 'Trump has been very smart and creative with his picks in general. And he seems willing to look outside of, I guess, the establishment … or Beltway insiders.' 4 FCC commissioner Nathan Simington told The Post in a phone interview Saturday that Gavin Wax, 31, 'would be a great' replacement and had been hearing 'buzz' about a potential nomination from President Trump. AP Simington, who previously served as an associate at law firms like Mayer Brown as well as in a senior advisory role at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, is departing the FCC after his term expired last year and he stayed on in the intervening months as a holdover. Wax is currently serving under the Republican appointee as chief of staff and senior adviser at the FCC. If confirmed, he would be the youngest-ever FCC commissioner since 1945, when Democrat Charles Denny was confirmed at age 32. 'I came in as someone whose experience was primarily on the international trading side of wireless finance, and so I've been reading a lot of telecom reg[ulations],' he explained. 'Gavin and I have collaborated on a lot of writing, and I think the common thread of tying it together is a desire to take a fresh look at telecom.' 4 Simington is departing the FCC after his term expired last year and he stayed on in the intervening months as a holdover. AP 'Gavin has spent a lot of effort with me thinking through questions of 5G industrialization. … I would expect [him] to focus on what it means to get smart manufacturing up and running at high scale in the United States,' he added. The two co-authored an op-ed in the conservative Daily Caller last month calling for 'DOGE-style' reforms at the FCC to do away with 'outdated practices that burden consumers, broadcasters, and taxpayers alike.' Established as part of the Communications Act of 1934, the five-member FCC regulates TV, radio, internet, satellite and cable industries, approves licensing and auctions off the use of spectrum for services like 5G. 4 'I don't want to get ahead of the president,' said Simington. 'And he seems willing to look outside of, I guess, the establishment … or Beltway insiders.' AFP via Getty Images As for his work chairing the Young Republicans, Simington noted: 'The commission is an organization of 1,600 people. … I have to say when I got Gavin's resume, the line items about the sizes of the events that he had organized and put on … my response was, this guy can clearly do things that I would find very challenging.' Wax hosted the group's annual holiday gala in previous years. Trump was the keynote speaker for the event in 2023. The FCC currently has two Republican commissioners including Simington and two Democratic commissioners. 4 Wax hosted the group's annual holiday gala in previous years. Trump was the keynote speaker for the event in 2023. Kevin C. Downs Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced that he was stepping down Friday, leaving another vacancy. Olivia Trusty was previously nominated as the third Republican to serve on the panel of commissioners and is in the process of being confirmed by the Senate. Chairman Brendan Carr, a Republican, has led a series of reforms at the agency since Trump returned to the White House, including targeting diversity practices at Verizon and hinting at broader changes to so-called 'Section 230' protections for big tech companies. The latter has been the subject of furious debate by Republicans due to the liability shield it provides the platforms, even as some Facebook admitted to taking advantage of the tool to censor Americans' views online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither the White House nor Wax immediately responded to requests for comment.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
FCC Commissioner Simington expected to abruptly leave agency, potential replacement revealed
FIRST ON FOX: Federal Communications Commissioner, Nathan Simington, is leaving the agency, as revealed in an internal memo obtained by Fox News Digital. Gavin Wax, a 31-year-old New York native and outspoken political ally of President Donald Trump, is being floated as a likely replacement. He would be the youngest commissioner in U.S. history, and also the youngest presidential nominee ever confirmed by the Senate. "Gavin Wax is being seriously considered by the White House to fill the vacancy that will be left by Commissioner Simington's departure," a source close to the FCC told Fox News Digital. "He's seen as a strong conservative voice on tech and media policy, with close ties to key figures in both the policy and political arenas." Wax's relationship with the White House goes beyond his role at the agency, as he previously served as President of the New York Young Republican Club, which holds an annual holiday gala Trump has attended in person and virtually in previous years. The young Republican published an op-ed just last week touting the work of Vice President JD Vance and alluded to the goals the former Ohio senator would accomplish should he run for president after Trump's term ends. If selected, President Trump would nominate Wax, which would initiate the official senate confirmation process. Simington's term expired last year, but he was expected to remain as FCC Commissioner until the end of 2025. There are five commissioners that run the FCC. The most one party can have at the agency is three. With Simington out, Wax would replace the vacant GOP commissioner seat. The FCC is responsible for regulation and oversight of all media, television, broadcast, and radio in the country, as well as internet access and broadband, national emergency communications, spectrum management, and consumer protection. The agency was established as part of the Communications Act of 1934. Fox News Digital reached out to Simington and the White House, but did not receive responses. Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to and on X @MizellPreston
Fox News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Democrats need to 'stop trying to be cool,' warns columnist
Daily Beast senior columnist and author Matt K. Lewis called out the Democratic Party for its efforts to rebrand, arguing it needs to win back the American people with authenticity. In a Los Angeles Times opinion piece headlined, "Democrats, please stop trying to be cool," Lewis wrote about the party's efforts to refresh its image in the wake of its defeat to President Donald Trump in November. He warned, "manufactured cool is cringe — and gimmicks won't save a party that's forgotten how to be real." Lewis called out two Democratic leaders who seem to be pulling the ailing party's brand in opposite directions. "Rebranding advice is plentiful, if conflicting. James Carville thinks Democrats should just get out of the way and let Trump self-destruct (a strategy that might work for the midterms, but eventually a party has to stand for something)," the Daily Beast writer noted. "Meanwhile, David Hogg, the new vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, wants to spend millions purging the party's incumbent geriatrics — a bold move that could sabotage a promising election night." While Lewis credited Hogg's efforts to replace the party's older members for at least tapping into the zeitgeist, he argued it was a superficial change during a time of desperation, like when "divorced dads buy convertibles." The Daily Beast reporter argued that so-called "dark woke," a "fancy term for progressive politics dressed up in an edgy, confrontational style," is a similarly doomed effort. "Because yes, the Democratic brand is cooked. Worse: It's lame," Lewis added. But things were not always this way, he said, recalling the Democratic brand's glory days with former President Barack Obama, movie star George Clooney, and the party's overall "monopoly on cultural capital" in past years. "Democrats, amazingly, have become the hall monitors of American politics. And what do they have to show for taking on this responsibility?" Lewis asked, marveling at how times have changed. "Meanwhile, the GOP — formerly the domain of Dockers dads, pious prudes and Young Republicans — pulled off the unthinkable. They became the chaos agents. The punk rockers. The party of middle fingers. The reversal has been astonishing." Some Democrats, he argued, are making the changes the party needs, and it goes beyond skin-deep. "Talk like you mean it. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) does that. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) does too. Not because they're trying to be cool — but because they aren't. They show up, say what they believe, and don't fake it," Lewis said. "Do stuff that matters. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) just provided an example of that. Not exactly the hippest guy in the room — but he recently flew to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man wrongfully deported under Trump and detained in a Salvadoran prison." He added, "Van Hollen didn't just show up for the cameras. He showed up because it mattered (for Garcia and for anyone who cares about due process and the rule of law). And honestly? That's kind of cool." Having "authenticity, passion and substance," Lewis argued, are the keys to making the Democratic Party's brand cool again. "And if not? At least you're not the guy rapping about climate change through a TikTok filter while democracy collapses behind you," he concluded.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota legislative committee advances resolution prompted by Holmberg case
Rep. Nico Rios, R-Williston, speaks in favor of a resolution that would make public officials mandatory reporters of child abuse at an April 3, 2025, hearing. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) A House committee on Thursday advanced a resolution that advises the 2027 Legislature to make lawmakers mandatory reporters of child abuse. The proposal is sponsored by Rep. Nico Rios, R-Williston, and was drafted by the North Dakota Young Republicans. Rios said the organization is bringing the proposal, House Concurrent Resolution 3037, in light of news surrounding former Republican Sen. Ray Holmberg's prison sentence. A federal judge last week sentenced Holmberg to 10 years in prison after the former senator pleaded guilty to traveling abroad with the intent to have commercial sex with minors. Holmberg served in the state Legislature for more than four decades and held the powerful position of Senate Appropriations Committee chair. Democratic ND senator proposes doubling Ethics Commission budget, citing Holmberg case Rios said the Young Republicans were particularly struck by a sentencing memo filed by a federal prosecutor last month that alleged Holmberg had a pattern of exploiting boys and young men. Mark Friese, Holmberg's defense attorney, denied many of the allegations in the memo and said there's no evidence Holmberg had sex with minors. Rios said that he gets questions from constituents asking whether other public officials in state government knew about Holmberg's conduct but stayed quiet. 'That is why we need mandatory reporting, we should be held to a higher standard,' Rios told the House Political Subdivisions Committee on Thursday morning. Current mandatory reporters of child abuse include medical professionals, social workers, law enforcement and teachers, according to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services website. The resolution also urges lawmakers to seek additional ways for the state to root out crimes against children by public officials, including by establishing new penalties. The North Dakota Young Republicans suggest that the Legislature consider studying the issue during the upcoming interim session. 'We believe this study can begin to answer the question so many in our state are asking: How did this happen, and more importantly, how can we prevent it from ever happening again?' Derek Turbide, national committeeman for the North Dakota Young Republicans, said in testimony in support of the proposal. The proposal originally contained verses from the Bible, which committee members voted to remove. Some lawmakers also expressed concerns that the resolution ignores systems the state already has in place to combat child exploitation and neglect. 'I would support the study to make legislators mandatory reporters, but I think the rest is unnecessary,' said Rep. Jonathan Warrey, R-Casselton. The committee gave the resolution a do-pass recommendation. The proposal is headed to the House floor for a vote. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘He repels people': DeSantis tears into Fine after Florida special election underperformance
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis escalated his attacks against Randy Fine on Wednesday, blaming the representative-elect's 'unique problems' for a special election victory he said should have been won by a higher margin. Appearing at a press conference in Ocala, Florida, the day after the election, DeSantis argued that President Donald Trump's involvement in the 6th District race pushed Fine over the line. He added voters had not wanted to support Fine, who Trump had endorsed, and that the president 'really had to bail him out in the end.' 'These are voters who didn't like Randy Fine,' DeSantis said, 'but who basically are like, 'You know what? We're going to take one for the team. The president needs another vote up there, and so we're going to do it.'' National Republicans had been nervous about the race between Fine and progressive Josh Weil, who raised nearly $14 million and was polling close in the election's closing weeks. Trump mobilized GOP support and held a telephone town hall urging people to vote for him, in addition to several top MAGA surrogates hosting Fine for interviews. In the end, Fine defeated his challenger by 14 points — roughly the same margin DeSantis had when he first ran for the seat in 2012 and the margin seen by former Rep. Mike Waltz when he first ran in 2018. Another Tuesday special election, in the 1st District, saw a similar margin for Republican Jimmy Patronis. But Tuesday's 6th District contest was still widely seen as an underperformance, including by DeSantis. The governor and Trump saw over 30-point victories in the district in 2022 and 2024, respectively, and the state has become more red since. DeSantis also said he didn't begrudge Patronis because no outside groups had to come in to help during the closing days of his campaign. The governor made similar comments on Fox News Channel on Wednesday morning. Asked whether he had a response, Fine shared a post on X, which included a video of the governor's criticisms and the statement: 'A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion. I'm focused on working with @realDonaldTrump to stop Democrats from taking this country backwards, not working with them. Let's go.' Fine allies have complained that DeSantis shouldn't play up his relationship to Trump — which appears to have mended since the 2024 presidential primary — while trashing people he endorses. A national GOP operative with ties to the Fine campaign, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said the governor's various press appearances bashing Fine had been unhelpful. While DeSantis sent an email to Young Republicans about the race, he otherwise 'did nothing for Randy,' the person said. 'Casey and Ron were nowhere to be found,' the person said. 'They got more earned media around their attacks than the Democrats did. They say all these nice things about the president, then do everything they can to cripple the president's agenda.' DeSantis and Fine had a falling out in 2023, after Fine flipped his endorsement for president from the governor to Trump. Fine skewered DeSantis in a Washington Times op-ed, accusing him of not doing enough to fight antisemitism in Florida in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. Fine then became one of the governor's top archenemies in Tallahassee. He's also known for clapping back aggressively with members and people who testify at hearings. DeSantis had already been criticizing Fine in the closing days of the race, but his comments Wednesday marked his sharpest remarks yet. He called Fine a 'squish,' pointing to how Fine voted in favor of a gun safety bill following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and raising the fact Fine had been at the forefront of a bill on illegal immigration in Florida that the governor thought wasn't strong enough. 'Our base voters don't get excited about that,' he said, 'you're not giving them a reason to go out and vote.' Before the feud, DeSantis had considered Fine for the job of president at Florida Atlantic University. He later cited Fine's disappointment about not getting the job as the reason for him flipping his endorsement — something Fine denied. DeSantis raised the incident during his press conference Wednesday. 'Just the way he conducts himself is somebody — he repels people,' DeSantis said. 'He's repelled people in the legislature. They wanted to get him out of the legislature, so they asked me to put him up for Florida Atlantic president, and I did, and the whole board would have resigned rather than making presidents, and now he's going to be in Congress.'
