Another Trump vs Harris debate? Voters in key Georgia county say ‘no thanks’
MARIETTA, Ga. – Americans living in the Atlanta suburbs appear to have little appetite for another primetime match-up between former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. “If you don’t know them by now, there ain’t no hope,” one man who declined to give his name told Fox News Digital in Acworth, Georgia, last week. There is less than a month left until Election Day, and Georgia residents are bracing for early voting to begin in their state next week. The Peach State is in play this election after President Biden flipped it blue for the first time in years during the 2020 race, winning over Trump by less than 1%. GEORGIA GOP CHAIR SHARES 2-PRONGED ELECTION STRATEGY AS TRUMP WORKS TO WIN BACK PEACH STATE A not insignificant amount of that support came from Cobb County, Georgia, where Biden won by an even wider margin than he did statewide. And like Biden and Trump in 2020, the ex-president and Harris have only had one debate. Trump has refused to participate in a second one, while Harris and her allies are eager for another head-to-head. But people in Cobb County who spoke with Fox News Digital seemed unenthusiastic about the prospect of a second debate. “I really don’t think so,” Howard Segan, who spoke with Fox News Digital outside of a Marietta Whole Foods, answered when asked if Americans needed another debate. “I don’t think Trump is a very good debater at all. And I think [Harris is] an empty suit.” Another man who identified himself as Scott noted his grandfather was involved in politics and suggested he himself was disenchanted with its pageantry at an early age. SPEAKER JOHNSON RIPS ‘LACK OF LEADERSHIP’ IN BIDEN ADMIN’S HELENE RESPONSE: ‘ALARMED AND DISAPPOINTED’ “I realized most of it is staged anyway, so I really don’t care about the debates,” Scott said. A woman named Deb who is opposed to Harris said, “She says nothing, it’s word salad. So what’s there to debate? She can’t even answer questions.” Meanwhile, a man in Marietta named Toli said he “honestly” would like to see another debate but saw little value in the exercise. “It doesn’t really matter at this point, because people are going to have their own views, no matter what they do,” Toli said. “Maybe 20 years ago we had debates where people watched, they were riveted to the screen trying to figure out what their opinions are. But now it’s so polarized. Because of social media and everything else, people get their opinion of the candidate… every day.” Sandy, one of the few people who spoke with Fox News Digital who did want a second debate, suggested she was not excited about either of its would-be participants. FORMER REPUBLICAN US SENATOR ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS, SAYS ELECTION OFFERS ‘STARK CHOICE’ “I just think a lot of people have questions,” Sandy explained. “I mean, [Harris has] just touched the surface, and if she wants the votes, she needs to come forth with what she’s going to do, actually do. And also with Trump, I mean, he doesn’t put out any information other than hate.” A recent Fox News poll taken late last month found Harris with a slim three-point lead over Trump in Georgia. Peach State residents are heading to the polls for early voting from Oct. 15 through Nov. 1.
Michigan Senate candidates clash on national security, immigration and abortion
Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers clashed over national security, immigration and abortion at a debate Tuesday as each candidate vies to be the next U.S. senator from Michigan. Retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., has endorsed Slotkin, a three-term lawmaker who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, to fill her seat. Rogers served in the House from 2001-2015, was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and has been endorsed by former President Trump. This race in battleground Michigan is close, though Slotkin has enjoyed an average 5 percentage point lead in public opinion polls. The victor could very well determine which major party gains control of the Senate next year. Fox News’ Power Rankings list the Michigan Senate race as Lean D. The hour-long debate hosted by NBC affiliate WOOD TV was mostly polite and issues-focused. However, there were several times when the candidates accused each other of lying or twisting the facts of their records. FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: HARRIS TICKS UP AND SENATE REPUBLICANS TAKE CHARGE “Dishonest and deceptive,” Rogers fumed after Slotkin insisted he repeatedly voted to “privatize or cut Medicare and Social Security” while he was a member of Congress. “I’m not even sure she could pass the polygraph test in the CIA anymore,” he said, referring to Slotkin’s former career as a CIA analyst. Slotkin hit back later after Rogers said she was “huffing at the microphone” during a discussion about nuclear power and competition with China. “It’s just sad that a guy who considers himself a national security guy can’t see that we need to work together on this issue, not lie repeatedly,” she said. Early voting is underway in swing state Michigan and both candidates pitched themselves as willing to work with the other side. Each attacked the other as a partisan. “We’re a very purple state. Lots of Democrats, lots of Republicans,” Slotkin acknowledged. “I was voted the 14th most bipartisan member of Congress out of 435.” She noted that Rogers served as deputy whip in the House, “the guy who got everyone to vote with the Republicans.” MICHIGAN DEM LAUNCHES ANTI-EV AD IN BID FOR SENATE RACE AFTER VOTING AGAINST A BIPARTISAN PUSHBACK ON MANDATES Rogers in turn said Slotkin contributed to high gas prices, inflated grocery bills and increasing crime by “voting 100% with the Biden-Harris agenda.” He said that if elected to the Senate, he “will look for every opportunity to be bipartisan.” The candidates appeared deeply divided on issues of foreign policy, national security, immigration and abortion. Slotkin framed electric vehicle production in Michigan as a national security issue. “I don’t care what kind of car you want to drive,” she said, before adding that it will either be “us or China” that builds the next generation of vehicles. “China is eating our lunch on these types of vehicles,” Slotkin continued, warning that Michigan’s auto industry may repeat a historic mistake by “ceding ground” to a foreign competitor if America does not invest in EVs. Rogers accused Slotkin of supporting EV mandates and pointed out, “85% of everything processed in electric vehicles has to go through China.” “Why in God’s green earth we would cede that auto market to the Communist Party of China is beyond me,” he said. “My opponent has multiple times supported EV mandates, trying to pick the cars that our companies have to build and the cars that you’re going to have to buy. And by the way, that got us 2,400 layoffs at Stellantis, a thousand layoffs at General Motors. Ford is talking about closing two lines. The CEO of Ford came out and said this is unworkable. It won’t work for America.” The debate became heated as each candidate tried to accuse the other of having a close relationship with China. Rogers repeated allegations he’s made on the campaign trail that Slotkin signed a non-disclosure agreement with Gotion, a Chinese-linked company that has received $175 million in taxpayer money to build a battery plant in Big Rapids. Slotkin said her opponent’s claims were “offensive” and shot back that Rogers was chief security officer of AT&T “when they were actively working to get Chinese companies into our telecoms.” Rogers denied the charge. In another exchange on the Middle East, Rogers jabbed at “my opponent’s notion that their somehow serving in Iraq gives permission to be wrong in the entire effort toward Iran.” Slotkin accompanied troops as a CIA analyst during three tours in Iraq. THE BIDEN-HARRIS EV MANDATES WILL HURT WORKERS IN STATES LIKE MICHIGAN: TUDOR DIXON When the topic turned to abortion, Rogers said the choice to terminate a pregnancy is “the most heart-wrenching decision a woman will ever have to make.” Acknowledging that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, permitting states to regulate abortion, Rogers said, “The people of Michigan voted overwhelmingly to make abortion legal in a part of the state constitution of Michigan. I will do nothing when I go back to Washington, D.C., to do anything that would change what the Michigan Constitution, voted on by the people of Michigan, have given us that guidance to go back.” Slotkin said she would vote for a bill to codify Roe – thereby erasing state restrictions on abortion – and said Rogers could not be trusted on the issue. “He voted for every single ban, every restriction, every bill that came across his desk to make it harder for a woman and to ban, in some cases, a woman and her right to choose 56 times in total.” “He voted and sponsored bills that would make it impossible to have IVF and contraception,” she asserted. “If he does not trust us to protect our own rights, do not trust him.” “Deceive and deception,” retorted Rogers. “I have come out and talked about making sure that IVF is available for families so they can grow their families. It’s a very personal thing for these families, and I support it 100%.” Slotkin also framed
FEMA reports it has under 10% of front-line staff available ahead of Hurricane Milton
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has less than 10% of front-line staff available for deployment amid preparations for the second major hurricane to hit the Southeast this month, according to the agency’s daily operations briefing. FEMA released a daily briefing on Wednesday revealing the agency had only 8%, or 1,115, FEMA staff members currently available as preparations continue for Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit Florida in the coming days. This number represents a significant drop in availability from a year prior, after an operations briefing from late September 2023 showed the agency had 20% of the same staff available for deployment. A FEMA spokesperson indicated to Fox News Digital that the availability numbers released by the agency are only in reference to the cadre of staffers who are part of FEMA’s incident management core capacity. They are the first line of FEMA staffers to deploy in any disaster. Meanwhile, the FEMA spokesperson pointed out the agency has a total workforce of 22,000 staffers it can tap, as well as resources from other agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security. The fear of front-line FEMA staffing comes amid other concerns about FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, including claims that the agency spent its money on housing for migrants and is blocking private relief distributors from entering areas in North Carolina impacted by Helene. FEMA HEAD DENIES AGENCY IS SHORT ON MONEY FOR DISASTER RELIEF BECAUSE FUNDS WENT TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS In May 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report indicating that, as of the start of Fiscal Year 2022, FEMA was understaffed by 35% with an overall staffing gap of approximately 6,200 employees. FEMA officials attributed the shortage to “responsibilities due to COVID-19 and managing the rising disaster activity during the year, which increased burnout and employee attrition,” according to the GAO. With Hurricane Helene making a destructive and deadly sweep across the south, FEMA has been under high pressure to deliver aid to those in need. In the latest update on FEMA worker numbers, the agency indicated more than 5,600 personnel from across the federal workforce have been deployed, including more than 1,500 from FEMA. Additionally, the agency noted it has shipped more than 11.5 million meals, more than 12.6 million liters of water, 150 generators and more than 400,000 tarps to the region, while also helping thousands of Helene survivors with more than $45 million in “flexible, upfront” funding. Despite the current staffing shortage, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorks insisted during an interview with MSNBC that Americans “should rest confident that FEMA has the resources” necessary to recover from Helene and prepare for Milton. “We have search and rescue teams. The Army Corps of Engineers are there. We are ready,” Mayorkas said of Florida, in reference to the federal government’s preparation for Milton. “FEMA likes to say it is, ‘FEMA-flexible.’ We can respond to multiple events at a single time.” VIDEO RESURFACES SHOWING FEMA PRIORITIZING EQUITY OVER HELPING GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN DISASTER RELIEF However, despite the optimistic response to concerns about FEMA resources, Mayorkas did say last week during a formal press conference that “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the [hurricane] season.” Questions about FEMA funding have been exacerbated by suggestions that the agency was giving disaster relief money to migrants. FEMA has sent aid to migrants, but the money was part of the Shelter and Services Program, which remains separate from disaster relief funds. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R–La., acknowledged that the funds were part of a separate program unrelated to disaster relief, but noted that he didn’t think the agency should be involved in the migrant crisis. SPEAKER JOHNSON ADDRESSES CLAIMS FEMA DIVERTED FUNDS TO IMMIGRATION EFFORTS: ‘AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE DISGUSTED’ “The streams of funding are different, that is not an untrue statement, of course,” Johnson told Fox News’ Shannon Bream. “But the problem is with the American people, see, and what they’re frustrated by, is that FEMA should be involved.” Concerns that private relief distributors are being blocked from entering parts of North Carolina that were impacted have also circulated. “Some of the reports that I’ve received through some of my contacts who are trying to provide assistance… they’re being told that they need special requirements from FEMA in order to enter these certain areas,” said Joe Rieck, vice president of My Patriot Supply, an emergency preparedness company. Before Helene made landfall, Congress passed a stopgap spending bill that included money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, but excluded billions in additionally requested supplemental disaster funding. On Friday, President Biden wrote a letter to Congress urging them to provide additional funding because “while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year,” he said. “Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs,” Biden added. “The Congress should provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.” When pressed about reconvening the House for a special session to approve additional funding, Johnson suggested FEMA has the funds it needs right now and, in order to approve additional funding, Congress needs requests from individual states to tabulate how much to provide. “The way the process works is the states, local authorities, they band together, they assess the damages, they send that to the federal authorities and it’s all worked through in that manner,” Johnson responded when pressed about whether he had plans to reconvene Congress for the matter. “It will take some time to tabulate this storm – it’s one of the biggest in our history – so a lot of that work is being done immediately. I think the timing of that will probably correspond when Congress is
Trump to hold rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden ahead of Election Day
Former President Donald Trump will hold a rally this month at New York City’s Madison Square Garden (MSG), Fox News Digital has confirmed. The rally is set to take place on Oct. 27, multiple sources told Fox News Digital, just nine days before Election Day. The event is expected to be first-come, first-serve, and campaign officials are expecting massive attendance. “Like Coachella and others to come, MSG is because we are adding some very big venues because we are seeing very high interest in attending events,” a campaign source told Fox News Digital. TRUMP VOWS TO ‘SAVE’ DEEP-BLUE NEW YORK CITY IN MASSIVE, HISTORIC BRONX RALLY MSG is a 19,500-seat venue. This will be Trump’s second big rally in the state of New York. TRUMP ADVISER UNPACKS WHY FORMER PRESIDENT IS HOLDING RALLY IN DEEP-BLUE STATE WEEKS FROM ELECTION Trump held a rally at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, last month. More than 60,000 tickets were requested, but the venue only seats 16,000. Thousands of supporters who were not admitted to the venue watched him speak on large screens outside. Trump also held a rally in the Bronx over the summer at Crotona Park, which had a permit allowance of 3,500 people. The New York Post reported the Bronx rally drew up to 10,000 supporters. Meanwhile, Trump has drawn massive crowds for his latest rallies, with more than 20,000 people attending his second rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the weekend. The campaign also said they saw more than 100,000 people at the former president’s rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, in May. The Garden, which is home of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, hosted the Republican National Convention in 2004 and the Democratic National Convention in 1924, 1976, 1980 and 1992. TRUMP HOLDS MASSIVE BEACHFRONT CAMPAIGN RALLY FOR RAUCOUS NEW JERSEY CROWD: ‘WE’RE GOING TO WIN’ Trump, earlier this year, during a campaign stop at an Upper Manhattan bodega, said he would “straighten out New York.” “We’re going to come in — number one, you have to stop crime, and we’re going to let the police do their job. They have to be given back their authority. They have to be able to do their job,” Trump said. “And we’re going to come into New York. We’re making a big play for New York, other cities, too. But this city, I love this city.” Trump said New York has “gotten so bad in the last three years, four years.” “And we’re going to straighten New York out. So running for president, we’re putting a big hit in New York — we could win New York,” Trump said. The New York Post first reported that Trump would rally at MSG. While it is unlikely deep blue New York flips red in the White House race, another rally in the state may help Republicans down the ballot, as they try to hold on to their House of Representatives majority in November’s elections.
Palestinians shot at while fleeing Israeli assault in north Gaza
NewsFeed People have been shot trying to flee an Israeli assault on Jabalia in northern Gaza. It’s the third ground offensive in the area since the war on Gaza began and dozens of people have already been killed. Published On 9 Oct 20249 Oct 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Middle East tension is ratcheting up; could oil prices rise?
Fears of a widening war in the Middle East have pushed up oil prices. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have historically led to a sharp increase in oil prices. Today, Israel’s yearlong war on Gaza and its ground offensive in Lebanon have done little to boost prices. That is despite production cuts by major oil producers since October 2022. A wider war in the Middle East that pits Iran against Israel could change that. A dramatic increase in the price of oil could reignite inflation and have serious implications for the global economy. Many nations are pushing back against China’s exports of electric cars. Plus, will Thailand’s so-called “digital wallets” help grow its economy? Adblock test (Why?)
Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick left in race to be UK Conservative leader
Party members will now choose between former Trade Minister Badenoch and former Immigration Minister Jenrick after James Cleverly was eliminated from the race. Two right-wing former ministers will go head-to-head in the final round of the race to become the next leader of the UK’s Conservative Party after former Foreign Minister James Cleverly was eliminated. Wednesday’s vote by Conservative lawmakers saw Kemi Badenoch receive 42 out of 120 votes, ahead of Robert Jenrick with 41 votes. In a surprise twist, Cleverly, who won the previous round of voting, was eliminated from the race with 37 votes. The vote is the penultimate step in a race that has been marked by the kind of in-fighting that some Conservatives blame for their party’s defeat in July’s national election. Party members nationwide will now choose between former Trade Minister Badenoch and former Immigration Minister Jenrick, with the victor to be announced on November 2. Jenrick, a hardliner who calls for the United Kingdom to make deep cuts to immigration and rip up European human rights law, had been considered the frontrunner since the contest started in July. Meanwhile, Badenoch, a former trade minister, has positioned herself as an outspoken darling of not just the right wing of the party but of younger lawmakers, promising to be “something different”, a challenging voice in what she describes as a broken government system. According to the Conservative Home website, Badenoch is the most popular contender among the party’s membership. The final two both say they will reunite a party which had become mired in chaos, scandal and deep divisions over Brexit during its last eight years in government, and pledge to return it to its conservative roots to offer an alternative to Labour at the next national election, which must take place by mid-2029. Whoever becomes leader will be charged with turning around the Conservatives’ fortunes after they suffered a heavy defeat in the July election, when Labour won a landslide victory. But the Conservatives are more hopeful of returning to power in five years rather than the once expected 10 after Prime Minister Keir Starmer suffered a bumpy start to government, coming under fire over welfare cuts and donations for clothes. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump has 9-point lead on most important issue to voters: poll
New polling shows former President Trump has a 9-point lead over Vice President Kamala Harris when it comes to handling the economy, the single most important issue for voters going into the 2024 presidential election. The new poll from Gallup found that 54% of Americans say Trump is more capable of handling the economy, compared to 45% for Harris. The economy ranked as the most important issue for Republicans and for all Americans, but it didn’t rate in the top five for Democrats. Veteran Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf says Democrats are simply confident in Harris’ plan to handle the economy. “Independents are looking for a reason to vote for a candidate, but they just haven’t found it yet,” Sheinkopf told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Americans focus on the issue most important to them in every election. This time it’s their pockets. And they are still feeling pain no matter what candidates say. Time is running out for Harris to prove she can make it better.” He went on to argue that the economy is no less politicized an issue as immigration or abortion, suggesting polarization has an outsized impact on voter’s opinions on the economy. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS IN THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW For Republicans, the top issues after the economy are immigration, terrorism and national security, crime and taxes. For Democrats, the top issue is democracy in the U.S., followed by the type of Supreme Court justices a candidate would pick, abortion, health care and education. Trump also holds leads over Harris on immigration (54%-45%) and foreign affairs (52%-47%). Harris holds her own leads on the top issues for Democrats, however, including health care (54%-44%), abortion (56%-40%) and climate change (61%-35%). CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION Climate change ranks as the least important issue for Republicans, with just 5% saying it is a priority. The least important issues for Democrats are the federal budget deficit and trade with other nations, both tied at 16%. Gallup conducted the poll from Sept. 16-28, surveying 941 registered voters via telephone interviews on cellphones and landlines. The poll advertises a margin of error of 4%. A New York Times/Siena College survey released on Tuesday found that Harris has a slight lead over Trump in a national poll. The survey found that Harris stands at 49% support among likely voters nationwide, with the former president and GOP nominee at 46%. According to the poll, Harris stands at 47% and Trump at 44% in a multi-candidate field. Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Chase Oliver each grabbed 1%, with roughly 7% supporting another candidate or undecided. Harris’ edge – which is within the survey’s sampling error – is up from the New York Times/Siena poll from last month, when the two major party nominees were deadlocked at 47%. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Ashley Papa contributed to this report
Kamala Harris’ failure at ‘prosecutor 101’ basics led to hundreds of drug convictions being tossed out: expert
Vice President Kamala Harris dismissed hundreds of drug convictions and cases when she served as San Francisco district attorney amid an evidence lab scandal involving cocaine use that rocked her office. Ahead of her run for the White House, Harris’ district attorney’s office was hit by a scandal in 2010 involving a lab technician with a criminal background who allegedly took cocaine home from the evidence lab and possibly tainted hundreds of other cases. The scandal unfolded as Harris hit the campaign trail to become the Golden State’s attorney general. The lab tech had reportedly become unreliable at work in the weeks leading up to the alleged cocaine theft, with the DA’s lead drug prosecutor sounding the alarm in a 2009 email to a colleague, stating the lab tech had become “increasingly UNDEPENDABLE for testimony” and that the situation at the lab was “ridiculous” and jeopardized drug cases, SF Gate reported at the time. Lab techs frequently testified when San Francisco prosecutors headed to court. The issue that plagued Harris’ office was that the DA team did not inform defense attorneys of the issues involving the technician and cocaine. Since the Supreme Court’s 1963 ruling in Brady v. Maryland, prosecutors have been required to turn over evidence that could exonerate suspects. FLASHBACK: DA HARRIS’ PLAN TO PROSECUTE DRUG DEALERS STARTING ON THEIR 3RD OFFENSE SHOT DOWN BY POLICE In Harris’ office, however, the team had no written procedure on how to handle “Brady material” or “Brady implications,” sparking a scandal that dragged out for months in 2010. Harris said amid the scandal that she was not made aware of concerns surrounding the drug lab and the technician until February 2010, months after lead drug prosecutor Sharon Woo sent an email in November to a colleague outlining the “ridiculous” state of the lab, SF Gate reported. Harris is currently running for the White House against former President Donald Trump, and she has heavily relied on her background as a law and order candidate while citing her years as a prosecutor in Alameda County, San Francisco and as attorney general of the state. Fox News Digital spoke to Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Zack Smith, a former assistant United States attorney, who recently published a report on Harris’ “pro-crime policies” that highlighted the 2010 DA scandal. ‘SICKENING’: VP HARRIS SLAMMED BY SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIMS’ FAMILIES OVER RECENTLY UNEARTHED COMMENTS “I think it shows incompetence by Kamala Harris as district attorney. This is the basic blocking attack that is expected of a DA is to make sure that the rights of criminal defendants are being protected and that the community is being kept safe. And she failed at both of those basic tasks,” Smith told Fox News Digital. Smith explained that informing defense attorneys about issues in the lab and potentially tainted evidence is “prosecutor 101,” noting that Harris had already served as DA for about six years and still did not have a Brady policy in place. “This is a big, big deal. It’s kind of every prosecutor’s nightmare scenario, is getting tagged with a Brady violation, because not only does it put your case in jeopardy, but you’re also essentially being accused of committing an ethical and constitutional violation as well,” he said. “I can’t emphasize enough, this is prosecutor 101, it’s the basic blocking attack that any district attorney is going to be required to do. And so the fact that Kamala Harris, at that point, had been in office for a number of years that she didn’t have a policy in place to deal with to deal with this type of situation is astounding.” Harris attempted to pass blame for the issue on the police department, which oversaw the lab, and initially said only about 20 cases would be affected. The DA’s office ultimately dismissed 600-1,000 drug cases, including convictions where criminals were already serving their sentence, according to the Washington Post. VOTERS REPORT KAMALA HARRIS IS MORE RADICAL THAN TRUMP: ‘TOO LIBERAL OR PROGRESSIVE’ The lab tech, who had been convicted of a 2007 domestic altercation, ultimately retired in March 2010, admitting to police that she consumed drugs from the police lab, according to SF Gate at the time. Police were aware of the woman’s criminal background and admitted they made a mistake not informing the DA’s office about her previous conviction, SF Gate reported. The tech’s supervisor told authorities that cocaine was missing from several cases the tech handled. The police department, which was led by current Los Angeles DA George Gascon at the time, shut the lab down after learning of the allegations, SF Gate reported. In May 2010, a superior court judge excoriated Harris and put blame for the scandal squarely on her shoulders. Harris “failed to disclose information that clearly should have been disclosed,” Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo wrote in a decision in 2010. Amid the scandal, drug suspects called on the judge to dismiss their cases, sparking the DA’s top narcotics prosecutor, Woo, to testify before the court to answer questions surrounding the handling of evidence and the drug cases. Woo testified that the DA’s office had no written guidelines on how to handle Brady material and that Harris relied on the police department to let her know when evidence was exculpatory, the Washington Post reported in 2019. A court transcript between Woo and Massullo showed the judge was shocked. HARRIS PROMOTED BAIL FUND DURING HEIGHT OF DEFUND-THE-POLICE PUSH, CONTRARY TO SAYING ‘NOT TRUE’ IN DEBATE “It’s not the police department who has the affirmative obligation. It’s the district attorney. That’s who the courts look to. That’s who the community looks to, to make sure all of that information constitutionally required is provided to the defense. . . . What I am gathering from what you are saying is that there is no formal way for your office.” “In terms of a written policy, I don’t think there’s a written policy,” Woo responded. After dismissing an estimated 1,000 drug cases and convictions surrounding the scandal, Harris was elected California attorney general
North Korean troops now fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Seoul says
North Korea is now sending troops to fight and die in Ukraine alongside Russian soldiers, according to Seoul’s defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun. Kim told South Korean politicians on Tuesday it was “highly likely” six North Korean officers were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on Donetsk last week. “We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances,” Kim said, adding that they expect Pyongyang to send more soldiers to Russia in the near future. “The relations between Russia and North Korea are evolving to be almost as close as a military alliance,” he said. “As such, more North Korean troops could be deployed in the war, from how we look at it.” RUSSIA JAILS MERCENARY STEPHEN HUBBARD FOR FIGHTING AS A MERCENARY IN UKRAINE The defense chief corroborated Ukrainian reports that North Koreans were now directly involved in the war. Russia and North Korea have deepened relations since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The two nuclear-armed states signed a defense pact in June when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea. Both Russia and Ukraine have resorted to foreign fighters as their numbers of draft-age men dwindle. South Korea claims that Pyongyang has become a major supplier of weapons for Russia in the war. FMR ESTONIA PRESIDENT TELLS US TO STOP BEING AFRAID OF PUTIN North Korea has recently ramped up production and testing of artillery and cruise missiles. In March, Russia used its veto power at the United Nations to end monitoring for violations of a ban on North Korea testing ballistic technology. A Ukrainian drone struck a key arms depot inside Russia around 70 miles from the border, where weapons gifted by North Korea were stored, the Ukrainian military said Wednesday. Hugely powerful glide bombs that have terrorized civilian areas of Ukraine and bludgeoned Ukrainian army defenses were also kept at the arsenal, located 115 kilometers (70 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and some of the ammunition was stored in the open, Ukraine said. Iran, too, has been shipping missiles to Russia in recent months, according to U.S. defense officials. Russian soldiers have been training in Iran on the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, which has a maximum range of 75 miles. On Friday, Putin will meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. On Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wished his “closest comrade,” Putin, a happy birthday, and claimed the two nations’ military alliance would make them “invincible.” Kim said Putin would lead “great Russia on the road to victory.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.