Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that the Electoral College "needs to go" in favor of "a national popular vote," Fox News reported. As governor, the Democratic vice presidential hopeful signed a pact that would circumvent the system.
Like clockwork, Democrats rail against the Electoral College system every four years because they often win the popular vote but fail to garner the 270 electoral votes required to win the presidency. Walz is no exception, as he and Vice President Kamala Harris face former President Donald Trump in a few weeks.
The American election system works by designating electors from each state. In 48 of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., the Electoral College casts ballots for whichever candidate receives the most votes (Maine and Nebraska award their electoral votes proportionally).
This system ensures that every state gets a say in the national elections rather than larger states overriding the will of smaller states through sheer numbers. The framers of the Constitution set up the system, but Democrats don't like it.
At a private California fundraiser at Gov. Gavin Newson's Sacramento home, Walz made his case for changing the system that has served the U.S. for over two centuries. "I think all of us know the Electoral College needs to go," Walz said, according to CNN.
"We need a national popular vote, but that’s not the world we live in. So we need to win Beaver County, Pennsylvania," Walz continued.
"We need to be able to go into York, Pennsylvania, win. We need to be in western Wisconsin and win. We need to be in Reno, Nevada, and win," Walz went on, seemingly angry that he has to campaign places other than big cities.
Harris also called for a change during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2019 during her first failed presidential bid. "There’s no question that the popular vote has been diminished in terms of making the final decision about who’s the president of the United States and we need to deal with that, so I’m open to the discussion," Harris said.
Still, the Harris/Walz campaign claimed this isn't an official position. "He was commenting to a crowd of strong supporters about how the campaign is built to win 270 electoral votes," a spokesperson explained.
Walz has been persistent in his message against the Electoral College. In 2023, he signed the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement between states to award their votes to whichever candidate wins the popular vote nationally.
Other Democrats have been speaking out against the system for decades. Some believe it makes candidates focus on states that otherwise wouldn't be relevant, which the left sees as a downside.
They believe that victories such as President George W. Bush's 2000 win and Trump's 2016 win over Hillary Clinton prove that the system is broken since the candidates didn't win the popular vote. However, the Republicans believe just the opposite.
States with larger populations would have prevailed over their more rural counterparts had the Electoral College system not been in place. Instead, each citizen had a say in the national election.
Democrats hate the Electoral College because it gives a voice to people outside of blue cities and states that are packed with Democratic voters. The system works as designed, which is exactly why Democrats hate it so much.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz deflected from false statements about his whereabouts during the Tiananmen Square protests by calling former President Donald Trump "a pathological liar," Breitbart reported. The Democratic vice presidential hopeful made this remark on CBS's 60 Minutes, which aired Monday.
During the vice presidential debate earlier this month, the moderators confronted Walz about being caught in this big lie. The governor's response became infamous as he copped to the truth that he wasn't there and could be a "knucklehead at times."
Correspondent Bill Whitaker once again asked Walz about the falsehood during his interview, perhaps giving him a chance to come up with something better than calling himself names. Rather than make things better, Walz deflected by smearing Trump.
60 Minutes obliterated Harris/Walz
Wow
Tim Walz gets called out as someone Americans can't trust
pic.twitter.com/wY0pWUpA9N— Tim Pool (@Timcast) October 8, 2024
According to Fox News, Whitaker said that Walz "has been criticized for embellishing or telling outright falsehoods about his military record and about his travels to Asia in the 1980s." To his credit, Whitaker was direct in confronting him about the Tiananmen Square whopper.
"In your debate with Sen. JD Vance, you said, 'I’m a knucklehead at times.' And I think you were referring to the time that you said that you were in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square unrest when you were not," Whitaker said.
"Is that kind of misrepresentation — isn’t that more than just being a 'knucklehead?'" Whitaker prodded. Walz responded by claiming it is his opponent who is a liar.
"I think folks know who I am, and I think they know the difference between someone expressing emotion, telling a story, getting a date wrong, by — rather than a pathological liar like Donald Trump. I will own up to being a knucklehead at times, but the folks closest to me know that I keep my word," Walz claimed.
Rather than backing down, Whitaker said that the issue "comes down to the question of whether you can be trusted to tell the truth," he said to Walz. "Yeah, well, I can. I think I can," Walz replied.
Walz has claimed that Trump is "a pathological liar," but the Minnesota governor is deflecting. The most notorious of Walz's lies is that he is a combat veteran when, in reality, Walz retired just before his National Guard unit deployed to Iraq, the Associated Press reported.
He then lied about the rank he had when he was honorably discharged. Walz also misrepresented the truth about how his children were conceived when some Republicans were looking to limit in vitro fertilization fertility treatments.
As the New York Post reported, Walz said that he and his wife "have two beautiful children" because of IVF. However, the procedure they used was actually intrauterine insemination, which does not create embryos and therefore doesn't carry the same moral issues.
Walz claimed he misspoke and meant they utilized "reproductive health care like IVF" instead. It's clear from all of these situations that Walz favors whatever has the most utility rather than the actual truth about anything.
Walz is absolutely correct that he's a knucklehead. He forgot to say that he's also manipulative, dishonest, radical, and unfit for office.
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety in New York City has become the latest to resign in the midst of a growing scandal involving Mayor Eric Adams (D) and some members of his administration and staff.
Banks is part of the probe involving Adams, which led to an Adams indictment two weeks ago on bribery and corruption charges.
Adams has not yet resigned and insists that he is innocent of any wrongdoing.
Banks's home was raided by the FBI on September 4 as part of the investigation and his devices were seized.
Adams said he had spoken to Banks about the resignations and his plans afterward.
“We spoke yesterday and we spoke again this morning,” Adams said Monday morning on NY1.
“He stated that he wanted to transition to some other things with his life and he doesn’t want this to be a constant burden on the work that we are doing in the city and I accepted his resignation,” he continued.
“I wish my good friend well,” he added. Adams also praised the public work of Banks during his remarks.
According to reports, Banks had wanted to resign before the federal probe, but once his home was raided, he decided to stay and fight the investigation.
The investigation of Banks is looking into whether he funneled contracts to companies linked to his brother Terrence Banks.
Saferwatch, IT companies Derive Technologies and SVAM International and grocery store delivery app Mercato are some of the companies working with Terrence Banks that allegedly got contracts with the city.
The Adams indictment includes five charges, but so far no one else has been charged in the probe.
There are definitely suspicions about the involvement of several others in the deal, however. For one, retired NYPD Inspector Tim Pearson, who was in charge of migrant contracts, also resigned amid investigation by the feds.
Adams has reportedly gotten pressure from NY Governor Kathy Hochul (D) to pressure more top aides and officials to resign amid the probe.
The men of the Kennedy family have long been tied to tales of marital strife and infidelity, and such is the case with former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Rumors are increasingly swirling that RFK Jr. and his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, are on the verge of divorce in the wake of a scandal involving journalist Olivia Nuzzi, as the Daily Mail reports, with a recent outing in Malibu seemingly revealing mounting tension between the spouses.
The gossip mill has been working overtime in recent weeks, ever since news broke that Nuzzi had been placed on leave from her job at New York magazine due to allegations that she had been involved in a personal relationship of some sort with someone close to the 2024 presidential race – later revealed to be Kennedy.
Though the entanglement, which supposedly started after Nuzzi interviewed Kennedy for a political profile article, did not turn physical, it was said to have involved texting of an intimate nature.
Kennedy has been married for 10 years to Hines, of Curb Your Enthusiasm fame, and he has had a notorious history of extramarital affairs, having once reportedly maintained a list of over 40 such conquests in his phone.
The former Democrat has been upfront about these failings, writing in 2001 that he has struggled with what he referred to as “lust demons.”
In light of the most recent cheating rumors, attention has turned to Hines' take on the situation, with speculation now rife about the fate of the celebrity marriage, and according to the Mail, some of Hines' friends now believe that her union with Kennedy may be on its last legs and that the actress is eager to dissolve the marriage.
One person close to Hines told the Mail that the Hollywood star had been “blindsided” by the Nuzzi story and had been convinced that her husband's days of infidelity were over.
“She adored being a member of America's royal family and having the famous Kennedy name attached to hers, but now she's thoroughly embarrassed and furious about his adulterous actions,” the source revealed.
The source added that while “Cheryl was always very aware that Bobby had a long history of womanizing,” she also “firmly believed Bobby, in his seventh decade and with political aspirations, finally had his sex demons under control” and now feels “totally blindsided and humiliated.”
On Friday, the troubled pair were spotted on a coffee run to a Malibu, California Starbucks, with both husband and wife reportedly looking serious, not to mention, rather tense.
Reports have suggested that the couple has barely communicated in recent weeks, and though Hines was seen walking on the sidewalk solo on this particular excursion, the pair did ride in the same vehicle to their destination and sat side-by-side.
Eagle-eyed celebrity watchers noted, however, that Hines' ensemble of jeans, t-shirt, and dark glasses was lacking one noteworthy accessory, namely, a wedding ring.
Whether the marriage of Kennedy and Hines has what it takes to weather this embarrassing public storm, only time will tell, but if the Mail's sources are correct, things do not look particularly promising.
Former President Barack Obama will join Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail in the final days of the campaign, Breitbart reported. The pair will kick off their collaboration with an event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.
A senior adviser said Obama would accompany Harris in a "blitz" across several swing states. Harris needs all the help she can get in the last few weeks of the campaign.
The vice president and her GOP opponent, former President Donald Trump, are in a statistical tie in many key states, including Pennsylvania. Republicans have been gaining ground recently with increased mail-in ballots and voter registration compared to the previous presidential election.
"Now that voting has begun, our focus is on persuading and mobilizing voters, especially in states with key races. Many of these races are likely to go down to the wire and nothing should be taken for granted," Eric Schultz, senior adviser to Obama, said in a news release.
Obama has been forthright in supporting Harris, especially during the Democratic National Convention in August. "Kamala Harris is ready for the job," Obama proclaimed.
"This is a person who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a champion. Kamala wasn’t born into privilege," he claimed, toeing the party line about her life.
"She had to work for what she’s got, and she actually cares about what other people are going through," he added. Obama's endorsement comes after several celebrities and politicians have also gotten on board with Harris.
Harris has received the blessing of notable celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Ben Stiller, and Chris Rock. She also was joined on the campaign trail by the likes of former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, whom Republican voters primaried out of office.
"As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. Because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris," Cheney claimed when endorsing Harris, the Associated Press reported.
Hollywood and the Democratic elite are lavishing Harris with praise and attention in the final push of the campaign. However, this was only possible because Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi first cajoled President Joe Biden to step aside.
The Washington Post reported that after a disastrous June debate performance, it was clear Biden would have a tough path to victory against Trump. Obama and others behind the scenes were instrumental in taking Biden out of the running.
Still, Obama was publicly supportive of Biden after the debate. "Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself," Obama said following the debate.
It's clear that the former president is still very influential in his party and likely engaged in a whispering campaign that would lead Biden to withdraw from the running. Now that Harris has taken his place, Obama seems to have new enthusiasm for campaigning.
Biden was a bad candidate, but Harris is terminally unlikeable. Even if Obama can make a difference at all, it seems doubtful it will be enough to drag Harris over the finish line.
Former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore was found guilty Thursday of using money raised for a statue of a fallen police officer for personal expenses, The Hill reported. The Nevada Republican was convicted of one count of conspiracy and six counts of federal wire fraud, with each carrying a penalty of up to 20 years in jail.
Fiore, who once ran for Nevada governor, will be sentenced on Jan. 6 and will likely never serve in political office again. The 54-year-old was found guilty after taking funds raised for a statue that would honor Metropolitan Police Department Officer Alyn Beck, who the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted was killed in the line of duty in 2014.
A political action committee and charity set up for the purpose raked in tens of thousands of dollars for what donors thought would be a memorial. Instead, Fiore used the money for plastic surgery, rent, and to help pay for her daughter's wedding.
Federal prosecutor Dahoud Askar told the jury she "used a tragedy to line her pockets." The jury agreed with that assessment, finding her guilty on all counts after only two hours of deliberation.
In January 2020, the Alyn Beck Memorial Park was opened to the public. It included a statue in Beck's honor that was funded nearly entirely by Olympia Companies, the developer of the planned community where the park was located, as Fiore was well aware.
Nevertheless, Fiore continued to raise funds for the statue between January 2019 and February 2020. By the time her scheme had concluded, she had siphoned off most of the money, leaving just a few hundred dollars in the accounts.
Several individuals, including Gov. Joe Lombardo, were unwittingly caught up in Fiore's scheme. The Nevada Republican contributed $5,000 left over from his campaign to fund the project.
Michael Sanft, Fiore's attorney, attempted to equate Lombardo's donation of his campaign funds, which is allowed by Nevada law, with Fiore's scheme. Federal Prosecutor Alexander Gottfried rightfully pointed out that there's a "pretty big difference" between the two.
Bank records revealed exactly what Fiore did wrong. Prosecutors showed that donation checks deposited into the political action committee's account were then transferred straight to daughter Sheena Siegel, with dates and amounts that lined up perfectly.
Lost in the ugliness of Fiore's conviction is the fallen hero she used as a prop. Fox News reported that on June 8, 2014, a married couple walked into a restaurant where Beck and Officer Igor Soldo were having lunch and shot them in an unprompted attack.
The couple, Jerad and Amanda Miller, also killed one civilian in the process. The shooting spree ended after Amanda shot several rounds into her husband before killing herself.
The senseless violence was blamed on extremism as the couple had radical views. Unfortunately, these views led to the crime that took the life of Beck, who was 41 years old, and left his wife a widow and three children fatherless.
Soldo, just 31 at the time of his death, left behind a wife and a baby. His sister-in-law, Colleen Soldo, said he was a "great guy" and a good father to his child.
Fiore's crimes are unconscionable, and she deserves to spend every day in prison that the judge ultimately sees fit. Stealing is a terrible crime as it is, but doing so while benefitting from a tragedy in this way is disgraceful.
President Joe Biden was uncharacteristically emotional while receiving the Global Citizen award during the Clinton Global Initiative Summit, Breitbart reported. Biden gushed over presenters Bill and Hillary Clinton, telling the former first lady, "I love you."
Biden attended the summit with wife, Jill Biden, in New York City on Monday evening. He was not set to speak but was only there to support the first lady who had to witness her husband make such an overture to another woman.
The president made sentimental remarks on stage while accepting the award from the Clintons. "This is what you call being trapped," Biden said, lightly suggesting he was there against his will.
"Hillary, I want to thank you —and I maybe shouldn’t do this publicly — but thank you personally for the way you have helped me, the way you’ve spoken up for me with such passion. I can’t tell you — you can ask Jill. Anyway, I love you."
According to the New York Post, which shared a clip of the moment, Joe Biden wiped tears from his eyes after sharing his remarks. Hillary Clinton mouthed "thank you" in return.
The lovefest continued as the president also praised Bill Clinton, whose sordid past is well known, as a man of "decency" and "incredible intellect." Bill Clinton in turn had kind words for Joe Biden, arguably the worst president in modern history.
"He’s provided a playbook for getting things done," Bill Clinton said. Joe Biden continued with his high praise for Bill Clinton, calling him a person with "uncommon decency and goodness and grace.
This schmaltzy exchange seemed like a farewell from Joe Biden, who is serving out the last months of his term as a lame duck. Perhaps he is especially loyal to the Clintons because they stood by him as rumors swirled about his unfitness for president.
After a disastrous debate performance on July 28, Joe Biden caved to pressure and stepped down from the presidential race. However, the Clintons publicly pushed for donors to continue to support him right up until the day he pulled out.
As heavy hitters like former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were trying to force him out, Hillary Clinton stood firmly behind Joe Biden. Even after the debate that all but sealed Joe Biden's fate, Hillary Clinton came out in his favor.
"The choice in this election remains very simple. It's a choice between someone who cares about you—your rights, your prospects, your future—versus someone who's only in it for himself," Hillary posted to X, formerly Twitter, in the immediate aftermath, The Hill reported.
"I'll be voting Biden." Unfortunately for her, Hillary Clinton's clout was not enough to save Biden from the coup staged by his own party to replace him with Vice President Kamala Harris.
These radical Democrats ruin the nation while slapping each other on the back for a job well done. The Clintons and the Bidens are awful politicians and even worse people, but they are brought together by having those facts in common.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged a question about the many thousands of illegal immigrants in the U.S. with criminal records, Fox News reported. Jean-Pierre claimed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement numbers were "misrepresented" when asked about it by Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy.
During Monday's White House press briefing, Doocy pressed Jean-Pierre about ICE figures that show "13,000 people who have been convicted of murder across the border illegally and are living among us." Jean-Pierre claimed that Doocy was flat-out wrong.
"That has been debunked on what has been falsely misrepresented, misrepresented here. So we have to call that out," Jean-Pierre claimed.
Doocy asked Jean-Peirre about ICE data making the rounds with GOP lawmakers about criminal records for illegal immigrants who are not currently detained by ICE but slated for deportation. One of those figures includes 13,099 who are convicted of homicide.
When Jean-Pierre said it was simply a "misrepresentation," Doocy pushed back on that claim. "Can you clarify what the misrepresentation is?" Doocy said.
"If we're going to report something, data that's out there, we got to do it in a way that is not confusing the American people and certainly not lying. If you look at the total returns and removal of the past year, that has been higher than every year under the previous administration since 2010," Jean-Pierre claimed, deflecting from the number still in the country.
Some media outlets have attempted to debunk the claims. The Department of Homeland Security softened the blow by noting the number included "individuals who entered the country over the past 40 years or more" and "many who are under the jurisdiction or currently incarcerated by federal, state or local law enforcement partners."
However, it doesn't change the fact that there are at least 647,000 illegal immigrants in the country who are convicted criminals or who have pending charges. Besides the murderers, there are convicted kidnappers, drug offenders, sex offenders, burglars, and other violent criminals.
While Jean-Pierre quibbles over the figures, the reality on the ground for many communities is that illegal immigration is bringing in more criminal activity. By definition, those who enter the U.S. without proper documentation are criminals, albeit nonviolent.
Still, communities where illegal immigration numbers ballooned, such as in Springfield, Ohio, note the destruction it brings. While many have tried to downplay reports of migrant behavior, the Washington Times reported that this community is suffering.
The population is about 58,000, but another 20,000 primarily Haitian immigrants have flooded in between 2020 to 2025. With this influx came "trash piling up on streets, dangerous driving, homelessness, people squatting on their properties, overstressed health care services, and a host of other issues you would expect from a sudden, unplanned, 34% population increase," the Times said.
Things are even worse in Aurora, Colorado, where Venezuelan gangs have the city under siege. Authorities don't have exact figures on the crime rate, but reports reveal that these gangs have taken over entire apartment complexes and broke down the doors of residents at will.
It's common sense that problems will follow when people enter the U.S. illegally. The fact that Doocy cited a statistic encompassing decades to make that point does nothing to change the underlying truth.
Tom Pearson, confidant and top adviser to embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams, resigned Monday, the New York Daily News reported. Pearson is one of several officials, including the mayor, who are caught up in a federal corruption probe.
In his resignation letter, Pearson said his last day would be Friday. He said the reason was so that he could "focus on family, self-care and new endeavors."
However, this move comes just days after Adams was indicted on bribery charges and nearly a month after Pearson had his devices seized. It also follows a spate of resignations of those surrounding the mayor, including New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, who have stepped down amid the scandal.
“I've decided to focus on family, self-care, and new endeavors, I have decided to resign, effective Friday, October 4, 2024.”
Resignation letter from Mayor Adams Senior Aide Tim Pearson #mayoradams @fox5ny pic.twitter.com/whNwjgcKo3
— Linda Schmidt (@LSchmidtFox5) October 1, 2024
Pearson used his resignation letter and as an opportunity to tout his achievements while ignoring the scandals. "I played a critical role in ensuring quality assurance for migrant services and security issues, with particular oversight of shelter sites and migrant contracts, with a focus on keeping costs down for the city," Pearson claimed.
The New York Post reported that Adams similarly glossed over the accusations in a statement about Pearson's resignation. "Tim has had a long career in both the public and private sectors, where he has spent over 30 years keeping New Yorkers safe," Adams said Monday.
The mayor's longtime friend is under investigation for his actions serving in the Economic Development Corporation and later heading a new unit Adams created called the Municipal Services Assessment Division. Here, he allegedly received kickbacks and engaged in influence peddling in exchange for New York City government contracts.
Beyond the federal probe, Pearson is the subject of four separate lawsuits. One of the lawsuits pertains to his activity in the mayor's office and includes an incriminating comment Pearson allegedly made about his position.
"People are doing very well on these contracts. I have to get mine. Where are my crumbs?" Pearson allegedly said, revealing his motives.
The mayor's aide has a history of legal problems beyond the current scandal. In 2022, Pearson was employed with Resorts World Casino in Queens while receiving a city salary for his full-time job there.
He avoided further problems by simply resigning from the casino. However, trouble would find him again in October 2023 when he got into a physical altercation with two security guards at a migrant shelter.
The security guards were arrested, but Person was later under scrutiny for allegedly starting the incident and shoving a female guard. He also has a history of throwing his weight around when he's backed into a corner.
In March, Roxanne Ludemann sued Pearson for sexual harassment. Then, her two witnesses, Sgt. Michael Ferrari and Lt. George Huang, initiated their own lawsuit after Pearson allegedly retaliated against them for supporting Ludemann.
While the mayor has yet to resign, Pearson has done the right thing by leaving his post as the accusations pile up. If any of these allegations are true, the people of New York City deserve to see justice done and better leaders in place.
The Kentucky Supreme Court suspended an attorney in the state from practicing law for three years after he attempted to harass and intimidate other lawyers during a custody dispute involving his children.
Ben Dusing has been temporarily suspended from practicing law in the state since 2022, when a profanity-filled 2021 Facebook message he sent to opposing attorneys in his custody case came to light.
Dusing used the word "f***" almost 50 times in his 9-minute online tirade and threatened to blow up the attorneys.
He has since apologized to the court for his actions, claiming that he was advocating for court reform and fighting alleged "corruption" in the process.
His contentions were dismissed by the justices, who said that the video was “incredibly disturbing and threatening.”
Chief Justice Laurance VanMeter and Justices Debra Lambert, Kelly Thompson and Michelle Keller voted for the three-year suspension, while Justices Angela McCormick Bisig and Robert Conley thought Dusing should be permanently disbarred.
The justices also said that Dusing had a “history of engaging in frivolous litigation” during family court proceedings.
“Dusing failed to use the law’s procedures for legitimate purposes and instead intentionally sought to harass and intimidate others,” the ruling stated.
During the case against him, Dusing tried to get the judge recused and filed over two dozen appellate motions. He also tried to get the opposing attorney disqualified prior to the start of the case.
He spent seven days in jail last year for failing to abide by restrictions in communication with his ex-fiancee.
Dusing used to represent high profile clients as a federal prosecutor in the state.
He prosecuted former Cincinnati City Council member Jeff Pastor on a corruption charge, for example.
Dusing spent the last year in Ukraine as an aid runner while appealing his sentence.