Latest news with #politicalrhetoric
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Musk left government. Will Democrats lose their bogeyman?
RICHMOND — Virginia has long been the most prominent national testing ground for political rhetoric in odd-year elections, when few other states hold major contests. And Democrats here have targeted Elon Musk and DOGE nonstop ahead of the November elections, capitalizing on the billionaire's polarizing reputation in fundraising emails, billboards, speeches, and in fliers that deride the 'extreme Musk-Trump agenda.'
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Acting ICE Director calls Mayor Wu's neo-Nazi comparison 'disgusting' amid increase in agent assaults
Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons slammed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on "Fox & Friends" on Friday for their "disgusting" rhetoric about the department, which he felt put him and his agents in danger. Wu compared ICE agents wearing masks to members of the neo-Nazi group the Nationalist Social Club-131 (NSC-131) during a press conference on Wednesday, amid government claims that ICE agents have faced a 413% increase in assaults. "I don't know of any police department that routinely wears masks," Wu said on Wednesday. "NSC-131 routinely wears masks." When someone asked Wu whether she was comparing ICE to a neo-Nazi group, the mayor replied, "What I said is that Boston police, and no police department that I know of at the local level, routinely wears masks." Jeffries declared on Tuesday that all ICE agents who perpetrate "aggressive overreach" and attempt to conceal "their identities from the American people, will be unsuccessful in doing that." They will all be identified "no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes," he asserted, saying that is what the law requires. Lyons expressed his outrage over Wu and Jeffries' "disgusting" comments to Fox News' Lawrence B. Jones. "I used to say I was pretty disheartened by the political rhetoric, but I've totally changed to it's outright disgusting," he asserted. "What Mayor Wu said is completely disgusting. She actually compared us to a neo-Nazi group. And here I am on [June] 6 where many of the men of ICE —brave men and women that were veterans — on the great day in military history when we defeated the Germans and the Nazi Party, we have elected officials comparing the brave men and women in law enforcement to Nazis. It's completely disgusting." The acting director claimed the rhetoric being used by Wu and Jeffries is leading to violence against him and his agents, with his own home being targeted by masked protesters at 3:00 a.m. after his address was leaked. "They may not like it, but what the men and women of ICE are doing in Massachusetts and all over this country is making communities safer," he declared. "And under Secretary [Kristi] Noem, she is giving her vision, her leadership to go out there and make these communities safer and that's what ICE is doing." After being asked how many agents he suspects to have been doxxed so far, Lyons estimated that "if not hundreds, thousands" have already had their identities involuntarily revealed. "Look at Massachusetts alone, we had an officer — his photo went viral everywhere. One of the best officers, the most mild-mannered, nicest human beings on the planet, yet he was described in the worst way, with his photo taped to every street corner — to telephone poles identifying him," Lyons said. "Just for doing his job." Wu and Jeffries didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Reform-led councils in ‘shambles' since local elections, opponents claim
Reform UK gained control of nine councils and minority control in three more in May's local elections, but opposition councillors claim the party's organisation and productivity have been a "shambles" since. Across the 12 Reform-controlled councils, 33 meetings have been cancelled or postponed in the first nine weeks since the election, and at least 21 Reform councillors have missed their first meetings. In Kent, nine out of 22 scheduled meetings have been cancelled since the election, including legally required meetings like the governance and audit committee. Kent County Council said some meetings, such as planning committees, were scheduled on an 'if required' basis, and were cancelled because there were no applications requiring an immediate decision. Nottinghamshire Council's new Reform leader Mick Barton dismissed the criticisms as "political rhetoric from the opposition."
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Disney tells The View hosts to tone down Trump attacks
The hosts of The View have been urged to tone down their anti-Trump political rhetoric by bosses at ABC News and its parent company, Disney. The often antagonistic rhetoric from the all-female line-up has generated concern among network executives, according to reports. Bob Iger, Disney's chief executive, and Almin Karamehmedovic, the president of ABC News, held a meeting with the show's executive producer and hosts, including Whoopi Goldberg to express their concerns, according to The Daily Beast. Mr Karamehmedovic said that episodes which did not focus on politics still generated high ratings. His plea was not well received, with the hosts dismissing the request as 'silly'. 'This is what our audience wants. Isn't it gonna look kind of bad if we're all of a sudden not talking about politics?' one of the hosts reportedly responded. The View has made little secret of its political leaning. Kamala Harris, whose media appearances were carefully controlled during last year's election, chose the show for one of her first live broadcast interviews after being parachuted in as the Democratic presidential candidate. The View co-host, Joy Behar recently opined on what she described as 'Trump's atrocities' during a taping. 'Should I list them? Here's Trump's atrocities. 'This is what we're concerned about now: cutting Medicaid, slashing funding for cancer research, slashing funding because of tariffs, dismantling USAid, which helps children who are poor around the world, destroying due process, ending birthright citizenship.' Alyssa Farah Griffin, meanwhile, suggested Mr Trump should take the citizenship exam required of immigrants seeking US nationality. 'Number one, what is the supreme law of the land? The constitution, not Donald Trump.' The network intervention comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration's renewed scrutiny of the media. Sources at the station insisted discussions with presenters take place frequently and this conversation focused on the balance of political and non-political topics. In March, the Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation into Disney's and ABC's diversity policies, alleging that they potentially violated US equal employment regulations. And in December, shortly after Mr Trump won the presidential election, ABC settled a lawsuit with him. It agreed to pay $15 million to Mr Trump's future presidential library after being sued over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos, who claimed Mr Trump had been found 'liable for rape' when he was successfully sued by magazine columnist E Jean Carroll. The court had found him liable for sexual assault, not rape. In recent days, the president has threatened to sue ABC again, this time over its coverage of his decision to accept the gift of a $400 million jet from Qatar. 'Why doesn't chairman Bob Iger do something about ABC fake news, especially since I just won $16,000,000 based on the fake and defamatory reporting of liddle' George Slopadopolus,' he wrote on his Truth Social media channel. ABC is not the only outlet in Mr Trump's crosshairs. He is also suing CBS and Paramount Global for $20 billion over an interview it conducted with Ms Harris, claiming the show was deceptively edited to show his election opponent in a better light. The company, which once dismissed the writ as without merit, is reportedly negotiating a settlement. Critics believe the peace moves have been initiated by parent company Paramount to ensure it gets the Trump administration's approval for its planned merger with Skydance.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Former Los Angeles deputy mayor to plead guilty to bomb threat charge
Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Brian K. Williams agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge after he threatened to bomb City Hall last year, according to federal prosecutors. Williams, 61 of Pasadena, was formally charged in federal court on Thursday with one felony count of threats regarding fire and explosives. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to allegations that he fabricated a bomb threat while serving as Deputy Mayor of Public Safety for L.A. on October 3 of last year. "In an era of heated political rhetoric that has sometimes escalated into violence, we cannot allow public officials to make bomb threats," said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. "My office will continue its efforts to keep the public safe, including from those who violate their duty to uphold the law." According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Williams was participating in a virtual meeting in an official capacity when he used Google Voice to call his own city-issued phone. After leaving the meeting, he notified the L.A. Police Department and text messaged Mayor Karen Bass, as well as other high-ranking city officials, claiming a man threatened to bomb the building. LA Mayor Karen Bass announced Brian Williams as deputy mayor of public safety in 2023. Getty Images Williams lied to officials, telling them that the man was "tired of the city support of Israel," leading to a bomb being placed in City Hall, prosecutors said. His communications spurred an investigation in which LAPD officers searched the building. No suspicious packages were found. Prosecutors said he then showed officers his phone records, which displayed a recent call from a blocked number. It was later revealed that the call came from himself, via the Google Voice phone application. Williams denied his connection to the hoax in the ensuing months and investigations. In December, his home was searched by the FBI. Now, after admitting to the crime, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. "Mr. Williams, the former mayor of Public Safety for Los Angeles, not only betrayed the residents of Los Angeles, but responding officers, and the integrity of the office itself, by fabricating a bomb threat," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. "Government officials are held to a heightened standard as we rely on them to safeguard the city. I'm relieved that Mr. Williams has taken responsibility for his inexplicable actions." Williams is expected to appear in court in the coming weeks.
