Puerto Rico Shadow Senator endorses Trump at PA rally after ‘Kill Tony’ controversy at MSG
One of Puerto Rico’s two “shadow senators” endorsed former President Trump only days after comic “Kill Tony” Hinchcliffe delivered a widely-criticized set demeaning the island protectorate at the Republican’s New York City rally. Shadow Sen. Zoraida Buxo, a Republican, said she was proud to be back in Allentown, Pennsylvania’s third-largest city, and the anchor of a key swing congressional district. Shadow Senators are elected officials who are not seated in the upper chamber, but are tasked with advocating for their territory and its statehood. In a recent Fox News Digital interview, Allentown Democratic Mayor Matt Tuerk said that for the first time, the city – settled by English loyalist William Allen and historically Pennsylvania Dutch – is Latino-majority. Only Hazleton and Reading reportedly have a higher proportion as of 2022. Allentown’s population is estimated at 126,000, and about one-quarter is Puerto Rican. JON STEWART DEFENDS COMEDIAN WHO JOKED ABOUT PUERTO RICO AT TRUMP RALLY: ‘I FIND THAT GUY VERY FUNNY’ Buxo nodded to that development in her speech, about two hours prior to Trump’s estimated speaking time. The president had been delayed leaving another event in Delaware County earlier in the day. Buxo said she is reminded of her home island’s “steadfast conservative values of community, family, faith and deep love of country.” “That is home. That is Puerto Rico,” she said. TRUMP CAMP RESPONDS TO BACKLASH OVER COMEDIAN’S PUERTO RICO JOKE AT RALLY Without mentioning Hinchcliffe by name in her address, she appeared to reference the controversy, saying “we won’t get rattled, we won’t yield to ignorance [or] foolishness… we will remain focused on what is very important.” “We all share a desire of change for the good,” she later added. Buxo slammed the “failed policies” of the Biden-Harris administration, touching on border security, law enforcement and the economy. She said there are nearly six million Puerto Ricans living stateside, and that about 500,000 reside in Pennsylvania. “We Hispanics are part of the soul of this country. We have made a difference, and we will again make a difference in this coming election to bring about much-needed change,” she said. “I urge you to watch out and stay focused on what is truly important when you go to cast your vote … We need change and Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are not the option to bring about the kind of change that you need and want.” She closed her remarks with the endorsement: “We need the leadership of Donald J. Trump as our Commander-in-Chief and Dave McCormick for a renewed leadership in the United States Senate,” she said. THE LEFT TWISTS JOYFUL TRUMP RALLY! PLUS COMEDIAN TONY HINCHCLIFFE UNDER FIRE FOR JOKE “Pennsylvanians – Americans, all – a better future is in your hands – your vote is the most powerful tool you have to bring about change. And for Latinos: Dale a Trump la fuersa de ta voto (“Give Trump the force of your vote”). “And for those reasons, I strongly and fully support and endorse Donald J. Trump to be our 47th president to Make America Great Again and to Make Puerto Rico Shine Again.” Meanwhile, outside the rally – held at the PPL Center hockey arena and entertainment venue home to the Flyers affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms — a billboard reportedly displayed the Washington Post’s headline following Trump’s Madison Square Garden Event. Flipping between Spanish and English, according to the New York Times, the type read “Trump rally speakers lob racist insults, call Puerto Rico ‘island of garbage.” Conversely, the prayer to kick off the event was recited by Roberto Albino, who called himself a “proud Puerto Rican” and complimented Trump.
Ken Paxton calls on Rep. Jeff Leach to resign over texts to judge in Robert Roberson case
The AG also said he’d make a criminal referral against the lawmaker, who apologized for texting a Court of Criminal Appeals judge about a new trial for the death row inmate.
Supreme Court denies RFK Jr effort to get his name removed from Michigan and Wisconsin ballots
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied separate appeals by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove his name from the ballots in Wisconsin and Michigan – a move supported by former President Trump. Kennedy, who was running as the independent presidential candidate, has been trying to get his name off ballots in key battleground states since he suspended his campaign in August and endorsed Trump. “Minor party candidates cannot withdraw, so his name will remain on the ballot in the November election,” Cheri Hardmon, senior press secretary for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, said in a previous statement to NBC News. Fox News’ Bill Mears learned that both Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett referred the cases to the full Court for a vote. While they could have decided them solo, it’s expected with all election-related litigation that the individual Justices will defer to the full Court. RFK JR SAYS TRUMP MOVE IS SOMETHING NO OTHER PRESIDENT’S DONE BEFORE It is also not known how the votes went down, but the only public dissent is from Justice Neil Gorsuch – and only in the Michigan case. When he suspended his campaign, Kennedy said he planned to keep his name on the ballot in safe Democratic and Republican states, but didn’t want to be a spoiler in battleground states. “In about 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I’m going to remove my name, and I’ve already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me,” Kennedy previously said. “Our polling consistently showed by staying on the ballot in the battleground states, I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats, with whom I disagree on the most existential issues.” RFK JR URGES CATHOLICS TO VOTE FOR TRUMP IN NEW AD Republican members of the commission in Wisconsin pushed to grant Kennedy his wish to no longer be on the ballot after he suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump. The commission was deadlocked under opposition from Democrats, who pointed to Wisconsin state law that says once a candidate has filed for office, they must remain on the ballot unless they die. RFK JR BLAMES ‘CENSORSHIP’ FOR FAILED CAMPAIGN, GIVES DETAILS OF TALKS WITH TRUMP “We know Trump and Kennedy are playing games,” Democratic elections commission member Mark Thomsen said, according to the Associated Press. “Whatever games they’re playing, they have to play them with Kennedy on the ballot.” The presence of independent and third party candidates on the ballot could be a key factor in a state where four of the last six presidential elections have been decided by between 5,700 votes and about 23,000 votes. Fox News’ Bill Mears, Shannon Bream, Bradford Betz, Danielle Wallace, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Iran’s cyber strike on Trump campaign: Stefanik slams FBI for ‘election interference’ to aid Dems
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik claimed that the FBI is “covering up” Iranian election interference to “tip the scales” for Democrats. Stefanik, a Republican, told Fox News Digital the FBI has been stonewalling her “very basic, easy” questions about the bureau’s knowledge of the Iran-linked hack of the Trump campaign in which data was then peddled to the Biden campaign and mainstream media news outlets. “I believe there was politicization from the Biden-Kamala Harris administration that they were notified prior to the Trump campaign to tip the scales,” she claimed. “The FBI has functioned like an arm of the Democrat Party.” The Trump campaign claimed in August it was hacked by Iran. In September, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that Iran had hacked the campaign and indicted three Iranian nationals for their alleged role in the scheme. On Sept. 19, the FBI conducted a closed briefing with Stefanik and other members of the Intelligence Committee on foreign election interference. During the briefing, Stefanik said FBI officials appeared “panicked” when she questioned them, but promised to follow up with answers. After the briefing, Stefanik wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding answers by Oct. 7. The FBI then said it would deliver answers at an in-person briefing, according to Stefanik. Then they promised written answers — which never came. Stefanik has been demanding to know when and how the FBI learned of the Iranian hack of the Trump campaign, when the FBI notified both campaigns of the hack, whether the FBI knew who was responsible for peddling the information to the media and the Biden or Harris campaigns and whether the FBI had used Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to wiretap conversations related to the hack. TRUMP, STEFANIK CAMPAIGN FOR VULNERABLE NY REPUBLICANS AS BIG APPLE KICKS OFF EARLY VOTING The hackers had created fake email accounts and impersonated current or former U.S. officials and then duped Trump campaign staff using spear phishing into clicking on emails that reportedly contained malware. She said the FBI could reveal such information without impeding any investigations or revealing sources or classified information. “I’m one of the longest serving members on House Intelligence Committee. When the FBI won’t answer questions, it’s because you’ve hit on something and they’re hiding something. They are corrupt to the core.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI for comment. Stefanik also raised the issue in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal. “It is my duty to share with the American people what the FBI has failed to answer—and, I believe, is willfully covering up—about Iranian influence in the 2024 presidential election.” Numerous intelligence reports have revealed that U.S. foes like Iran, Russia and China have made efforts to meddle in the November election. In September, Trump’s campaign said that intelligence officials warned the Republican candidate of “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him.” A report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), released Tuesday, found that “efforts by Iran to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other former U.S. officials” are “likely to persist after voting ends, regardless of outcome.” IRAN REPORTEDLY EXECUTES CALIFORNIA MAN AMID ONGOING EXECUTION SPREE: ‘MURDERED BY THE REGIME’ The report definitively said that Iran prefers Vice President Kamala Harris and will focus efforts on stopping Trump, and that Russia prefers Trump and will continue to attack Harris. A Microsoft report found last week that Iranian government-linked hackers have been scouring election websites in swing states for vulnerabilities. Last week, Iran built a fake online persona known as “Bushnell’s Men,” calling on U.S. voters to sit out the election due to both candidates’ support of Israel’s military operations, the report found. Both Trump and his high-level officials who ordered the strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani in 2020 have faced death threats from Iran. After the initial briefing, Stefanik demanded to know when and how the FBI learned of the Iranian hack of the Trump campaign, when the FBI notified both campaigns of the hack, whether the FBI knew who was responsible for peddling the information to the media and the Biden or Harris campaigns and whether the FBI had used Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to wiretap conversations related to the hack.
Ken Paxton resisting Texas House members’ bid to hear Robert Roberson’s testimony
Members of a Texas House committee say in a Texas Supreme Court filing that Paxton’s office is blocking the death row inmate from complying with a legislative subpoena.
Republicans dominate fundraising in final weeks of Texas House battles
Across a dozen of the most competitive House races, Republicans raked in more than $11 million over the last month, compared to the nearly $3.5 million collectively raised by their Democratic counterparts.
China-linked hacking group targets phones belonging to Trump family, Biden aides: report
Hackers associated with China have targeted members of former President Trump’s family and President Biden’s aides, a new report reveals. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that hackers broke into telecommunications company systems. The Times said it was told by people “familiar with the matter.” The hackers targeted devices used by Trump, his son Eric Trump and Jared Kushner, in addition to Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign staffers. BATTLEGROUND STATE OFFICIALS SAY FOREIGN ENEMIES USING MISINFORMATION TO ‘UNDERMINE’ DEMOCRATIC PROCESS State Department officials were also targeted, the Times reported. Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for additional information. This breaking news story is still developing. Check with us for updates.
Trump claims Harris runs ‘a campaign of absolute hate’ following backlash to Madison Square Garden rally
With one week left till Election Day, former President Donald Trump is firing back at Vice President Kamala Harris and her team for spreading “a campaign of destruction and absolute hate.” “Very simply, Kamala Harris is the worst Vice President in history…Her message to Americans is all division and hate,” Trump captioned in a video on his social media platform, Truth Social. “My message is about saving our economy, securing our border, and bringing together the greatest and broadest coalition in American history,” Trump continued. The former president addressed a room of supporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Tuesday, hours before Harris was set to deliver what her campaign has described as her closing speech on the Ellipse outside the White House, where she is expected to urge the country to turn the page on Trump. ‘AMPED’ UP ANTI-TRUMP RHETORIC IS ‘ALL’ THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN HAS WITH THE ELECTION A WEEK AWAY “She’s running on a campaign of demoralization, and really a campaign of destruction. But really, perhaps more than anything else, it’s a campaign of hate. A campaign of absolute hate,” Trump said. “I said yesterday that she’s a vessel. She is a vessel. It’s a very big powerful party with smart people … but they’re vicious, and they’re perhaps even trying to destroy our country.” “After two assassination attempts in just over three months, her lies and her slanders are very shameful and really inexcusable,” Trump described, referring to the attempts on his life. Much of the media unloaded on former President Trump’s historic Sunday night rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City, claiming it mirrored a Nazi rally at the famous venue in the 1930s despite an abundance of Jewish attendees and Israeli flags. Democrats including former President Bill Clinton have also held events at the famed arena. The NBA’s New York Knicks play their home games at Madison Square Garden. TRUMP’S LIFE ALLEGEDLY THREATENED BY PENNSYLVANIA MAN BEFORE RALLY Thousands of Trump supporters packed the “World’s Most Famous Arena” to hear remarks by high-profile speakers, including an address from former first lady Melania Trump, before the former president took the stage. But instead of observing a Republican nominee drawing a massive crowd in the middle of a blue city only nine days before the election, liberal pundits followed Vice President Kamala Harris’ lead of labeling Trump a fascist and comparing him to Adolf Hitler. MSNBC put a spotlight on the venue being where a pro-Nazi rally occurred in 1939, even though MSG has been rebuilt several times and the current addition wasn’t even completed until 1969. The network declared Trump’s event was “particularly chilling” because it was held in the same arena that once hosted supporters of “a different fascist leader, Adolf Hitler.” Then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt held an event at Madison Square Garden the year after the infamous 1939 event. Retired NYPD Inspector Paul Mauro called it “ridiculous” to equate Trump’s rally with what went on at MSG in 1939. “Does the fact that you played the arena somehow make you Nazi adjacent? And let me tell you, for a Nazi rally there were an awful lot of Israeli flags in that building,” Mauro said Monday on “America’s Newsroom.” MEDIA ERUPTS OVER TRUMP MSG RALLY, BUT HISTORY OF ARENA AND FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS BELIE NARRATIVE Stop Antisemitism founder and executive director Liora Rez also blasted the Hitler comparisons. “Equating either presidential nominee—or their supporters—to the Nazi regime is a dangerous trivialization of the real horrors committed by Hitler. It dishonors the millions who were murdered and the brave who fought to end his tyranny,” Rez told Fox News Digital. Harris-Walz campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond also told “America’s Newsroom” on Tuesday that “If you want to know why people call Trump Hitler, maybe you should start with JD Vance who did that.” Richmond was referring to Vance calling Trump potentially “America’s Hitler” and an “idiot” prior to the 2016 election. Vance has since said he was wrong about Trump and is now on the 2024 Republican ticket. “Fascist was an answer to a question that was asked at a town hall and it was a direct question and the vice president gave a very direct answer,” Richmond added. “And it’s consistent with the people who worked around him.” Critics have heavily criticized the Harris campaign’s lack of focus and say the “joy” isn’t resonating with voters. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, whose relatives perished during the Holocaust, said Democrats making Nazi comparisons their closing argument in the election is the “dumbest” thing they could do politically. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman, Brian Flood, and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.
George W Bush’s daughter joins Harris on the campaign trail: ‘It was inspiring’
George W. Bush’s daughter, Barbara Pierce Bush, 42, joined the Harris campaign last weekend in Pennsylvania to help knock on doors and campaign for the potential future Democratic president. Bush’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris came after her mother and father said they had no plans to endorse either candidate for office. They did not vote for either candidate in 2016, writing “None Of The Above” on their ballots. This cycle, a significant cohort of staffers from the administrations of former Presidents George W. and George H.W. Bush have thrown their weight behind Harris, including a former Cabinet member. “It was inspiring to join friends and meet voters with the Harris-Walz campaign in Pennsylvania this weekend,” Bush told People magazine Tuesday. “I’m hopeful they’ll move our country forward and protect women’s rights.” In a photo circulating online, Bush could be seen standing at the front stoop of a home with several others, while donning a “Kamala” hat. OVER 200 FORMER BUSH, MCCAIN, ROMNEY STAFFERS ENDORSE HARRIS: ‘THE ALTERNATIVE … IS SIMPLY UNTENABLE’ In 2010, Bush, who also has a twin sister, told People that she does not identify with either major political party. But in the past, Bush has supported causes sympathetic to many in the Democratic Party, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Her mother, Laura Bush, similarly broke with her family’s Republican roots in 2010 when she, too, came out in support of abortion and gay marriage. “I am proud to stand with Planned Parenthood not only because women, regardless of where they are from, deserve to live dignified, healthy lives… because it’s a really good investment,” Bush said at the time, according to a report from The Texas Tribune. In 2009, Bush co-founded a nonprofit called Global Health Corps, which seeks to strengthen health systems through its network of qualified young leaders and health professionals. Today, Bush is a mother of two – Cora and Edward. WHITE HOUSE LAWYERS WHO ADVISED REAGAN, BUSH ENDORSE HARRIS OVER TRUMP IN 2024 SHOWDOWN Bush’s endorsement follows other GOP endorsements for Harris, including former Vice President Dick Cheney; Liz Cheney, former Wyoming congresswoman and daughter of Dick Cheney; Susan Ford Bales, the daughter of former President Gerald Ford; former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, as well as a handful of former Trump staffers. “Thank you, Barbara Bush, for standing for truth, decency, and freedom,” Cheney said, following news of the endorsement. The Harris campaign has frequently touted support from Republicans, including running advertisements with former Trump administration officials, urging Americans not to vote for their former boss because he is unfit for the presidency. Earlier this month, Harris rallied with prominent Republicans in the swing state of Pennsylvania. The Oct. 16 rally was attended by Kinzinger and former Reps. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., Jim Greenwood, R-Pa., Mickey Edwards, R-Okla., Denver Riggleman, R-Va., Chris Shays, R-Conn., and David Trott, R-Mich. Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman were also present, alongside a handful of former Trump aides. “The Vice President is bringing together voters from across the political spectrum by running a campaign about freedom, democracy, and opportunity,” Austin Weatherford, the Harris campaign’s national director for Republican engagement, said in advance of the Oct. 16 rally. “Our Republicans for Harris program is taking that unifying, inspiring message to anti-Trump Republicans, moderates, and independents.” The Trump campaign similarly insisted that it is building a “diverse political movement,” when reached for comment on this story. “President Trump is building the largest, most diverse political movement in history because his winning message of putting America first again resonates with Americans of all backgrounds,” said Trump Campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “Kamala Harris is weak, failed, and dangerously liberal and a vote for her is a vote for higher taxes, inflation, open borders, and war.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not receive a response. And efforts to reach Barbara Pierce Bush were unsuccessful.
Mom of murdered Rachel Morin sends open letter to Harris with border demands: ‘Act now and save lives’
FIRST ON FOX: The mother of a woman who was allegedly killed by a Salvadoran illegal immigrant has written to Vice President Kamala Harris calling on her to “take immediate action” to close the border and require the removal of millions of illegal immigrants. “I demand that you take immediate action today and sign an executive order closing our southern border. Furthermore, require every single person who has entered our country illegally over the past three and half years to return to their home countries,” Patty Morin says in a letter to Harris, first obtained by Fox News Digital. “The time for decisive action is now. This is about protecting our citizens and ensuring that the immigrants who come to America are here to contribute to our great society.” ‘OUR PEOPLE ARE DYING’: RACHEL MORIN’S MOM SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AFTER DAUGHTER’S MURDER Morin’s daughter Rachel was killed while jogging in Bel Air, Maryland, last year. Police found Rachel’s body stuffed in a culvert and, after a months-long investigation, identified her suspected killer as an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who is also accused of murder in his home country and raping a mother and her 9-year-old daughter in Los Angeles. He made three unsuccessful attempts to enter the United States before making it across the border on Feb. 13, 2023, near El Paso, Texas, authorities said. The case is one of a number of high-profile crimes involving illegal immigrants, drawing additional attention to the ongoing effects of the crisis at the southern border, which saw record numbers come into the U.S. under the Biden administration. Critics blame the crisis on the policies of the administration. In her letter, Morin described Rachel as a “bright light, an American mom who adored her family and devoted her life to her five children.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “While we can’t bring Rachel back, we can protect other American women, children, and families. This type of violence perpetrated by illegal immigrants can easily be prevented,” she says, also reading the letter in a video. In her letter, she tells Harris that she has “the opportunity to act now and save lives.” “The American people are watching and will remember if this opportunity for change is met with silence or indifference,” she says. TOP HOUSE COMMITTEE SHREDS BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN ON BORDER CRISIS IN NEW REPORT: ‘ASSAULT ON THE RULE OF LAW’ Immigration and border security is a top issue in the 2024 election, and polling shows former President Trump leading Harris on the issue among voters. Trump has promised to restart border wall construction, which was halted by the Biden administration, and launch a mass deportation program if elected to the White House. Harris has thrown her support behind a bipartisan border security bill that would increase funding to the border and limit some entries into the U.S. She has hammered Trump for not supporting it, accusing him of torpedoing the bill for political purposes. She has promised to sign the bill if elected to the White House. Conservatives have said the bill would enshrine high levels of illegal immigration, and have instead pushed legislation passed in the House last year that would also increase funding but would drastically limit asylum and end the use of parole by the administration. While the administration has overseen a record number of border encounters, it has recently pointed to a sharp drop by more than 55% since the summer to a presidential proclamation signed by President Biden that limited asylum claims into the country, bringing numbers down to levels not seen since 2020. Fox News’ Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.