House Oversight calls on FEMA director to testify after official tells workers to avoid homes with Trump signs
The House of Representatives Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after an employee was terminated for instructing hurricane relief workers in Florida to avoid homes with Trump flags. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairperson of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, announced Saturday he sent FEMA Director Deanne Criswell a letter requesting she testify at a hearing to answer questions about the agency’s response to hurricanes Helene and Milton. In the letter, Comer said the hearing would “permit members to investigate recent reports that a FEMA official instructed relief workers to bypass hurricane-impacted homes displaying campaign signs for President Trump.” “In the wake of the recent major disasters that impacted Americans of all political persuasions, it is critical that FEMA adheres to its disaster relief mission,” he wrote. FEMA OFFICIAL DIRECTED HURRICANE RELIEF WORKERS TO AVOID HOMES WITH TRUMP SIGNS AS AGENCY CONDUCTS CLEANUP The Oversight Committee’s investigation followed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’s announcement Friday that he was launching an investigation into the agency. “The blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the federal bureaucracy is yet another reason why the Biden-Harris administration is in its final days,” DeSantis said. “At my direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of Floridians who support Donald Trump. FOLLOW THE MONEY: UNDERSTANDING FEMA’S DISASTER BUDGET IN HURRICANE MILTON AFTERMATH “New leadership is on the way to D.C., and I’m optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired.” The investigations were promptly launched after FEMA confirmed to Fox News Digital that an employee had instructed aid workers to deny relief to residents who had Trump campaign signs at their homes. The Daily Wire was the first to report it. FEMA OFFICIAL FIRED FOR DIRECTING HURRICANE RELIEF AWAY FROM TRUMP SUPPORTERS’ HOMES “We take our mission to help everyone before, during and after disasters seriously. This employee has been terminated, and we have referred the matter to the Office of Special Counsel,” Criswell said. “I will continue to do everything I can to make sure this never happens again.” WATCH: A FEMA spokesperson told Fox News Friday the agency is “deeply disturbed” by the employee’s actions and that it was an “isolated incident.” “FEMA helps all survivors regardless of their political preference or affiliation,” the spokesperson said. “The employee who issued this guidance had no authority and was given no direction to tell teams to avoid these homes, and we are reaching out to the people who may have not been reached as a result of this incident,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the agency has helped more than 365,000 households affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton in Florida and provided nearly $900 million in direct assistance to survivors.” “We are horrified that this took place and therefore have taken extreme actions to correct this situation and have ensured that the matter was addressed at all levels.” Fox News Digital has reached out to FEMA for comment.
Volcano eruption in Indonesia claims the lives of at least 9 people
NewsFeed Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia has erupted repeatedly, claiming at least nine lives and forcing thousands from their homes as exclusion zones widen and emergency aid efforts increase. Published On 9 Nov 20249 Nov 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Thousands march in Valencia to protest flood response
NewsFeed Thousands of protesters march in the Spanish city of Valencia, expressing their anger at the response to catastrophic flooding that killed more than 200 people in October. Published On 9 Nov 20249 Nov 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Thousands protest in Spain’s Valencia over handling of deadly floods
About 80 people are still missing and people are angry at the government after the deadliest deluge in decades. Thousands of people have demonstrated in Spain’s eastern city of Valencia to protest the authorities’ handling of one of Europe’s deadliest natural disasters in decades and call for accountability. Large crowds gathered in the central part of the city on Saturday night, with some clashing with riot police in front of Valencia’s city hall. Police were filmed using batons to beat back protesters who were marching towards the seat of the regional government. In Spain, regional governments are charged with handling civilian protection and can ask for extra resources from the national government in Madrid. The current regional leader is Carlos Mazon of the conservative Popular Party, who is facing calls for resignation after his administration failed to issue flood alerts to citizens until after the water was filling people’s homes. Mazon has defended his handling of the crisis, arguing that the magnitude of the crisis was unforeseeable and that authorities in Madrid failed to notify his administration adequately and on time. But Spain’s weather agency issued a red alert, the highest level of warning, for bad weather at approximately 7:30am local time (06:30GMT) on Tuesday morning, more than 12 hours earlier than Mazon’s administration finally sent out alerts to people’s cellphones. The regional leader is also facing heavy criticism due to what people viewed as a slow and unorganised response to the natural disaster, which has killed at least 220 people as of Saturday. People hold placards as civil groups and unions protest against Valencia’s regional leader Carlos Mazon [Eva Manez/Reuters] In many of the hardest-hit areas on Valencia’s southern outskirts, volunteers were the first to help people, with the government taking days to fully mobilise the thousands of police forces and soldiers who were sent to assist the flood-stricken. “You killed us!” some of the protesters wrote on their protest banners on Saturday, with others chanting for Mazon’s resignation and some leaving muddied boots outside the council building to show their fury. “We want to show our indignation and anger over the poor management of this disaster which has affected so many people,” said Anna Oliver, president of Accio Cultural del Pais Valenciano, one of about 30 groups that organised the protest, according to the Reuters news agency. There were also protests in Valencia earlier this week, and people threw mud and chanted “murderers” when King Felipe and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited a suburb of the city. At least 212 of the deaths were recorded in the eastern Valencia region, and nearly 80 people are still believed to be missing in the deadliest deluge in a European country since floods in Portugal in 1967 killed about 500. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump rules out two GOP stalwarts from joining his administration: ‘Will not be inviting’
President-elect Donald Trump announced in a public social media post Saturday that he will not be inviting two members of his former administration back to the White House. Nikki Haley, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were both mentioned in the post. The Republicans had been considered two strong candidates for Trump’s new Cabinet. “I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation,” the president-elect posted on Truth Social early Saturday evening. Despite the harsh nature of the announcement, Trump added that he enjoyed working with them. FORMER GEORGIA SENATOR KELLY LOEFFLER TO SERVE ON TRUMP’S INAUGURAL COMMITTEE “I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country,” he continued. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Haley, who ran against Trump in the Republican primary earlier this year, has been both publicly supportive and critical of the president-elect in the past. Last week, she wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed in support of his presidential campaign. “I don’t agree with Mr. Trump 100% of the time,” Haley wrote. “But I do agree with him most of the time, and I disagree with Ms. Harris nearly all the time. That makes this an easy call.” NEW YORK DEMOCRAT RIPS ‘FAR LEFT’ FOR TRUMP VICTORY: ‘IVORY-TOWERED NONSENSE’ Pompeo, while not one of Trump’s most vocal supporters, has also expressed support for the president-elect in the past. In an open letter with over 400 signatories, including Gold Star families and national security officials, Pompeo endorsed Trump for president. “From a world at peace under President Trump, we are closer to a third world war than ever before under the Biden-Harris Administration,” the letter, which was written in October, stated. “With multiple escalating wars around the world, an open border that allows terrorists to flood into the American homeland, and malign actors like China operating unabated, U.S. national security has been profoundly damaged by the failed policies of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.” Fox News Digital reached out to Haley and Pompeo for comment, but did not immediately hear back. Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Washington state Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez holds on to House seat, narrowly defeating GOP challenger
Democratic Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is projected to win re-election in Washington state’s closely watched 3rd Congressional District. Gluesenkamp Perez has defeated Republican challenger Joe Kent for the second time in two House cycles, The Associated Press reported Saturday. Gluesenkamp Perez, who was elected to represent the 3rd District in the southwest part of the state bordering Portland, Oregon, was widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the House after winning her 2022 race by less than 2 points. VOTERS SPEAK OUT IN KEY SWING DISTRICT THAT COULD DETERMINE CONTROL OF HOUSE: ‘KICKED’ TO THE ‘CURB’ Gluesenkamp Perez, running in a district with a significant Republican voter presence, notably declined to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. The Republican-leaning district featuring sprawling farmlands as well as the suburbs of Portland, narrowly went for Trump in 2020, making it a crucial target for the GOP this year. Gluesenkamp Perez had sought to showcase herself as an independent-minded moderate. Her actions during her tenure have ranged from co-sponsoring a bill to protect medication abortion to voting in favor of a resolution rebuking Harris’ role in the handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. She was also ranked by the Lugar Center and the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy as having one of the most bipartisan voting records in the U.S. House. MIKE JOHNSON KICKS OFF SWING-STATE TOUR AS GOP CLINGS TO HOUSE CONTROL Kent, a former Green Beret, blamed his opponent on the campaign trail for her support of a variety of Biden policy items and cited inflation and illegal immigration as top concerns. Two years ago, Gluesenkamp Perez came out of nowhere to win a congressional seat against Kent, who had Trump’s backing in a district that hadn’t been in Democratic hands for over a decade. She took over a seat held by a more moderate Republican who lost the primary in part because she voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
House of Representatives: Race to majority tightens with Republicans inching closer
The race for the majority in the House of Representatives is on with each party vying for power and key races yet to be called. As of Saturday, Republicans held 212 seats and Democrats held 200. A party needs 218 seats for a majority. The path to victory for a Democratic majority in the House is narrowing, with the party needing to sweep the most contested races to win power. Many undeclared seats are in the western U.S. or in swing districts, including Arizona, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, New York, Maine and Alaska. ALL EYES ON CALIFORNIA AS HOUSE MAJORITY STILL HINGES ON TIGHT RACES Democratic incumbent Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola is in a tight race in Alaska’s at-large congressional district, where she is trailing Republican entrepreneur Nick Begich. As of Saturday evening, Begich was leading Peltola 49.49% to 45.42% with 76.5% of the vote counted. The race in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District is tight, with the Republican candidate barely leading. Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a first-term lawmaker, was leading former Democratic state lawmaker Kirsten Engel by just 1,795 votes as of Saturday evening. According to Fox News’ Decision Desk, 75.64% of the vote has been counted. Republican Rep. John Duarte is leading former Democratic state Assembly member Adam Gray in California’s 13th Congressional District, but the highly contested race remains uncalled as of Saturday. With 61.7% of the vote, Duarte, a first-term lawmaker, was ahead of Gray. Duarte took the lead with 52% of the vote, and Gray trailed with 48.75% with 61.73% of the vote counted. SHUTDOWN STANDOFF LOOMS IN CONGRESS’ FINAL WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP’S RETURN TO WHITE HOUSE The race to succeed outgoing Democratic Rep. Katie Porter in California’s 47th Congressional District is also razor-thin. Republican Scott Baugh, a former Assembly member, and state Sen. Dave Min, a Democrat, are vying for the open seat. Min has 50% of the vote to Baugh’s 49.8% with 79% of the votes counted. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a Democrat, is trailing Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. With 86% of the votes counted, Evans was ahead of Caraveo. The lead, if sustained, would be a flip for Republicans. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said the House is poised to remain in GOP hands, and he has launched his bid to retain the gavel. Democrats are holding out hope they could win by a razor-thin majority. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wrote on X Thursday it “has yet to be decided who will control” the House next year, pointing to ongoing ballot counting in Oregon, Arizona and California.
Former Georgia senator Kelly Loeffler to serve on Trump’s inaugural committee
President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on Saturday that his inaugural committee will be led by former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia. In a statement, the Trump campaign said that the committee, which will plan inaugural events, will be co-chaired by Loeffler and Steve Witkoff, a New York real estate investor. “On Election Night, we made history, and I have the extraordinary honor of having been elected the 47th President of the United States thanks to tens [of] millions of hardworking Americans across the nation who supported our America First agenda,” Trump said in a statement. “The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee will honor this magnificent victory in a celebration of the American People and our nation.” “This will be the kick-off to my administration, which will deliver on bold promises to Make America Great Again,” the president-elect added. “Together, we will celebrate this moment, steeped on history and tradition, and then get to work to achieve the most incredible future for our people, restoring strength, success, and common sense to the Oval Office.” NEW YORK DEMOCRAT RIPS ‘FAR LEFT’ FOR TRUMP VICTORY: ‘IVORY-TOWERED NONSENSE’ The appointment of Loeffler came after Trump won the Peach State against Vice President Harris by a surprising margin, picking up 16 electoral votes. As of Saturday afternoon, Trump had roughly 120,000 more votes than Harris in the hotly-contested battleground state. Loeffler, who served as a senator in 2020 before losing a special election to Democrat Raphael Warnock in 2021, has been a vocal ally of the former president. In 2020, Loeffler was accused of insider trading, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) later dropped its investigation. Loeffler has been involved in conservative politics since leaving office. Last month, Loeffler called out Mark Cuban on X for claiming that Trump didn’t surround himself with “strong women.” “@mcuban I’ve been a CEO and professional sports team owner JUST like you,” Loeffler wrote in an Oct. 31 post. “I’m one of the millions of strong, conservative women who back Trump. You might think we’re stupid, or that we’re garbage. We think it’s time to replace you and Kamala with leaders who don’t hate us.” MONTAGE: LIBERAL MEDIA PUNDITS PREDICTED KAMALA HARRIS VICTORY In September, Loeffler’s conservative advocacy group launched a six-figure ad campaign aimed at exposing “the failures” of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The group, called the Greater Georgia 501(c)(4), argued that “murders, rapes, burglaries are all on the rise” under Willis’ watch. “She’s focused on herself, her political ambitions, high profile prosecutions and profiting off partisan lawfare, all at the expense of families living in fear and innocent lives lost. We deserve a district attorney who will do the job to keep us safe,” the ad claimed. Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign and Loeffler for comment. Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee and Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
U.S.-Mexico water agreement might bring relief to parched South Texas
The amendment to a 1944 treaty will help Mexico catch up with its water deliveries to the U.S. and might help Rio Grande Valley farmers devastated by low rainfall.
Estimated 500,000-plus ballots still uncounted in Arizona: ‘Elections do not end on Election Day’
Election Day is long gone, but Arizonans and Americans across the nation are still waiting for results from the Grand Canyon State, including the outcome of the closely watched U.S. Senate contest pitting Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego against Trump-backed Republican Kari Lake. “Elections do not end on Election Day. It takes time to ensure all eligible votes are counted,” the state’s ballot progress page states. According to the page, the estimated number of uncounted ballots stands at 588,223. KARI LAKE ARGUES DEMOCRATS ARE SICK OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY While Election Day was Tuesday, the outcome of the Senate and presidential race in the state of Arizona remain unclear as of Saturday. Fox News Digital reached out to request a comment from Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes about why it is taking so long to count 2024 election ballots in the state and when he expects the counting process to be completed. Deputy communications director JP Martin replied via email, “Arizona has historically taken 10-13 days to count results. The secretary has been reminding the public of this fact before the election even occurred. Your premise is incorrect.” BORDER STATE ARIZONA BACKS HAVING LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARREST SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “Accurate election results take time,” Fontes noted in a post on X. “Signature verification is the process of comparing the sig. on a voter’s ballot envelope against info in the database. The ballot is then separated to keep the voter’s identity secret and sent for tabulation.” Lake has been urging people to volunteer to help “cure” ballots. 7 STATES VOTE TO PROTECT ABORTION RIGHTS, 3 KEEP RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE “I can’t stress enough how important ballot curing is. Every single vote is going to count for this election, so we need to make sure every single vote gets counted. We have until Sunday to cure ballots. I URGE you to get involved if you haven’t,” Lake tweeted. Maricopa County Elections explained, “Curing is the process of resolving any problems with your signature on the green affidavit envelope for early voting. For your ballot to be tabulated, we must have a verified signature each election cycle. There is a small window of time to cure signature issues.” The winner of the U.S. Senate contest will replace Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat turned independent who opted not to seek re-election in 2024. Regardless of whether President-elect Trump wins in Arizona, it is already clear he earned an Electoral College blowout over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 White House contest.