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Last-minute hearing could determine whether vulnerable House Dem can vote for herself in key race

Last-minute hearing could determine whether vulnerable House Dem can vote for herself in key race

Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes, who is running for re-election in one of the most closely watched House races in the country, is facing questions about her ability to vote for herself in November amid a probe into whether her primary residence is in her district. The controversy stems from a complaint filed by Republican activist Tom Zawistowski citing a financial disclosure form from Sykes’ husband, Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce, listing Sykes as living with him in Columbus, Ohio, outside of Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, the Akron Beacon Journal reported. The Summit County Board of Elections, made up of two Democrats and two Republicans, deadlocked on party lines in a vote on whether to investigate that complaint. The tie-breaking vote went to Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who voted in favor of an investigation, and a hearing will be held on Thursday morning on the issue of Sykes’ eligibility to vote in her Akron district. “Here, the Democratic members of the Board submitted a four-page position statement laying out arguments that would be presented and considered at a formal hearing,” LaRose wrote in a letter to the board outlining his decision to vote with the Republican members.  VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM DODGES QUESTION ON VP HARRIS’ RECORD AS ‘BORDER CZAR’: ‘DON’T KNOW WHO KAMALA HARRIS IS’ “They conclude that ‘[t]he challenger has not alleged that Congresswoman Sykes has abandoned or failed to maintain her Summit County residence, nor has he alleged that she has chosen to make a habitation (i.e., residence) elsewhere her residence for voting purposes.’ Reaching this conclusion prior to a hearing negates the very purpose of the hearing itself, before which the challenged voter is notified of the meeting and afforded a ‘right to appear and testify, call witnesses, and be represented by counsel.’ In advance of a hearing, the Board also would have the opportunity to seek guidance from its own legal counsel, the county prosecuting attorney, regarding the statutory residency requirements of voter registration.” LaRose added, “Based on my review of the evidence presented to me and the relevant laws applicable to this matter, I have determined that the Board has not fully complied with the challenge process required by state law and administrative directive. Therefore, I join the two Board members who sought to pursue that process and hereby break the tie in favor of the motion to conduct a hearing on the challenge.” Sykes, whose family history in Akron politics goes back decades, is not legally required to live full-time in her district to run and serve in Congress, but Republicans argue that Sykes is not eligible to vote for herself in Akron, which could mean having to place a provisional ballot.  OHIO STATE SECRETARY SAYS 100 NON-US CITIZENS VOTED IN RECENT ELECTIONS, BEGINS PROCESS TO PROSECUTE Democrats were presented a sworn statement from Boyce that Sykes was listed on the form out of “an abundance of caution” over uncertainty about what the form specifically required, and the election board reportedly saw a lease in Columbus without Sykes’ name on it.  Additionally, Fox News Digital reviewed two documents showing Sykes with an Akron address, including a direct deposit slip from a congressional paycheck in September and a bill from a physical therapy office. In her 2022 disclosure form, Sykes reported owning property in Columbus. Records also show that since 2018, the Sykes family trust has benefited from an owner occupant tax credit in Columbus. Ultimately, Republicans and LaRose decided to vote in favor of having Sykes explain to the board where she resides on Thursday morning, although she is not required to attend in person and is allowed to send legal representation.  “Career politicians like Emilia Sykes think the rules don’t apply to them,” former Ohio GOP State Sen. Kevin Coughlin told Fox News Digital in a statement. “She may not even be able to legally vote for herself. Why should we trust her to vote on our behalf in Congress? Voters want true representation for Northeast Ohio, and that’s why they’ll vote Emilia Sykes out this November.” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told Fox News Digital, “Northeast Ohioans are dealing with the unfortunate consequences of Sykes’ extreme policies that have led to open borders, unsafe communities and a crippled economy — but she would never know because she’d rather be selling out her constituents with her elitist liberal friends in Columbus and Washington. Northeast Ohio deserves better.” The Sykes campaign released a statement calling the hearing a “sham partisan hearing” and blasted her opponent, Coughlin.  ‘”Emilia Sykes lives in Akron and this desperate lie is an example of how Kevin Coughlin represents everything the voters of Ohio’s 13th Congressional district hate about Politics,” Sykes campaign manager Maddie Summers said. “Whether it’s the ethics investigation for awarding a government contract to his friend, his obstruction of public record requests or using taxpayer dollars to pay a campaign supporter, it’s no wonder his own colleagues have called him ‘personally repugnant.’ Northeast Ohioans will reject Coughlin’s pathetic attempt to rob them of their voice.” Democrat board members in the meeting made the case that the complaint from Zawistowski did not sufficiently show that Sykes did anything wrong and state law permits multiple residences and has been interpreted in the past as allowing individuals to state they “intend” to return to their registered address in order to vote. “People who are married have the ability to maintain separate residences, and people do that,” Democratic board member William Rich said in the meeting which was posted online.  “When someone has more than one residence, it’s essentially their choice about which one to use as their voting residence,” Rich said in an interview, according to the Akron Signal. “And there was no allegation that she either didn’t have a residence in Summit County or had chosen to make a residence in Franklin County her residence for voting purposes.” Sykes, a first-term Democrat who won in 2022 by five points, is defending her seat in a district that includes parts of two counties that

GOP senator demands answers after Pentagon finds Army gave Taiwan moldy gear, ammo from 1983

GOP senator demands answers after Pentagon finds Army gave Taiwan moldy gear, ammo from 1983

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Joni Ernst sent a letter demanding answers after a government report found the Defense Department (DOD) sent body armor covered in mildew and equipment from the 1980s to Taiwan.  The Pentagon inspector general found the U.S. had sent “wet and moldy body armor” to Taiwan to shore up its defenses ahead of an impending invasion from China, then spent an additional $730,000 trying to remedy the mistake.  “Delivering outdated and damaged military equipment to Taiwan is no way to treat a friend. Unfortunately, undercutting our partners and emboldening adversaries has become a staple of the Biden-Harris foreign policy doctrine,” Ernst, the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate, said in a statement. “Make no mistake, Beijing is laughing at, and taking full advantage of, the leadership failures of this administration. We need to bring back competency and strength in the White House to restore trust in our allies and partners while striking fear in our adversaries.” CHINA HOLDS LIVE-FIRE DRILLS NEAR TAIWAN, IN ANOTHER SHOW OF FORCE More than 340 out of 504 pallets of equipment sustained water damage as they sat at Travis Air Force Base in California. The U.S. Army didn’t facilitate delivery for two months after receiving the equipment.   The base did not have proper storage facilities, according to the report, and the pallets were exposed to blowing rain, fog, humidity and heat.  Of the 340 pallets, 120 were sent to Taiwan containing more than 3,000 mildewed body armor plates and 500 wet and moldy tactical vests.  The inspector general’s office observed the pallets had “visible mold spores, wrapped in plastic that had trapped water, facilitating further deterioration and mold growth.” Taiwan authorities spent weeks trying to air out the gear, according to the report.  U.S. personnel told the inspector general’s office they spent $619,000 in labor and materials at the base to clean and dry the wet, moldy armor that had not been sent and another $113,000 to replace some of the equipment before it was sent to Taiwan.  The DOD inspector general concluded that between November 2023 and March 2024 the Pentagon failed to follow guidelines on delivering the equipment through the presidential drawdown authority, which allows the U.S. to send equipment from current DOD stocks.  “Had policies been followed, the Defense Department would have been able to provide Taiwan with military equipment in acceptable condition,” Inspector General Robert Storch said in a statement. “Instead, the equipment arrived in Taiwan damaged and moldy. Such performance risks eroding Taiwan’s confidence in the United States as a reliable source of assistance.”   Ernst noted the Trump administration approved fighter jets for Taiwan in 2019 that still have not been delivered.  “It took U.S. armed forces less time to plan, launch, and execute the liberation of Europe from the Nazis in World War II,” Ernst said.  After a two-year delay, Taiwan in July finally received the U.S. shipment of anti-tank weapons it had been promised. But the anti-tank missile launchers arrived without the proper missiles. The missiles Taiwan was forced to use with them had a low accuracy, prompting it to rethink their combat use.  The damaged equipment was part of a $345 million package the Biden administration announced in July 2023, the first drawdown the U.S. had committed to Taiwan.  ENCIRCLING TAIWAN WAS A SMOKESCREEN FOR CHINA’S REAL GOAL OF CONVINCING US NOT TO INTERVENE, EXPERT SAYS  The report determined there had been a breakdown in communication about whose responsibility it was to arrange the delivery flights to Taiwan and recommended the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, tasked with providing equipment to U.S. allies, come up with a standard procedure that clarifies responsibilities, timelines and quality control checks for deliveries.  As of May 31, 2024, the U.S. had not replaced the damaged body armor plates and tactical vests that had not arrived.  The report also found the shipment contained some 2.7 million rounds of ammunition that were manufactured in 1983. Some of the rounds were “poorly packaged,” while others were expired, the inspector general found.  Some of the rounds arrived in opened boxes, making it seem to Taiwanese officials that U.S. service members “cleared out stuff they didn’t want.” Six M240B machine guns from the National Guard in Clovis, New Mexico, included in the shipment were dumped into cardboard boxes without any wrapping, according to the report.  Ernst demanded answers on what steps were taken to clarify whose responsibility it was to get out such shipments, to improve oversight and to expedite replacement of the damaged equipment. She also asked what the funding source was for the $730,000 used to fix the issue.  The report warned the mistake risked Taiwan’s confidence in the U.S. at a critical time when China threatens to invade at any moment.  China said it would carry out live fire drills in the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, ratcheting up tensions that have reached a fever pitch since the re-election of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, a sign that voters continue to support resisting mainland China.  Taiwan’s premier, Cho Jung-tai, said Tuesday the drills, planned for an island about 100 miles from Taipei, risked “unnecessary tension.” “No matter how large the scale of the drill is, they should not be frequent and close to Taiwan,” he told reporters. “This will only cause unnecessary tension.”

Harris campaign plagued by surrogates’ gaffes: ‘Colossally inept campaign’

Harris campaign plagued by surrogates’ gaffes: ‘Colossally inept campaign’

While Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz have drawn backlash over awkward moments during the presidential race, their surrogates have not escaped criticism for their own gaffes.  In addition to Walz saying he is “friends with school shooters” and Harris calling North Korea “an alliance,” their campaign surrogates have mispronounced the vice president’s name, called Tim Walz “Tom,” told males they are misogynists, attempted to imitate former President Trump, accidentally supported his policies and more. “Not sure we’ve ever seen such a colossally inept campaign like the one run by Kamala Harris,” Fox Business “Evening Edit” anchor Elizabeth MacDonald said last week. WALZ EXPLAINS ‘FRIENDS WITH SHOOTERS’ GAFFE FROM THE VP DEBATE WITH VANCE Former President Clinton, for example, committed many of those gaffes.  During the Democratic National Convention, he was blasted for mispronouncing Harris’ name, referring to her as “Camel-la.” Last week, Clinton continued his gaffes when he confused a crowd of North Carolinians with a very dry imitation of Donald Trump, suggesting at the same time the former president might send him to a “supermax” prison for life. The former Democratic president struck again that same week with yet another gaffe when he suggested college nursing student Laken Riley would still be alive if the Biden-Harris administration secured the border properly.  “You had a case in Georgia not very long ago, didn’t you? They made an ad about it, a young woman who had been killed by an immigrant,” Clinton said from Georgia. “Yeah, well, if they’d all been properly vetted that probably wouldn’t have happened.” KIMMEL POKES FUN AT WALZ AFTER INTERVIEW GAFFE ABOUT ‘WAKING UP ON NOVEMBER 6 WITH MADAM PRESIDENT Critics roundly mocked the former Democratic president and chimed in following the comments about Riley, pointing out that Clinton was “right.”  Meanwhile, former President Obama received some backlash of his own after his latest gaffe earlier this month at a campaign event in Pittsburgh. Speaking to a group of Black men, Obama insisted to them that men “just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president.” “Barack Obama — we’re not sexist or misogynist. We’re disappointed and sick of the bullsh—,” responded former professional basketball player and U.S. Senate candidate in Minnesota Royce White.” DO NOT vote for me because I’m Black. Vote for me because you have enough self-respect to think.” BRITISH PM MAKES UNFORTUNATE ‘RETURN TO THE SAUSAGES’ GAFFE DURING SERIOUS SPEECH Another Harris campaign surrogate, Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, has not escaped criticism either. During the Democratic National Convention, Evers awkwardly stammered through his state’s roll call vote after declaring he was “jazzed as hell” that all but a single delegate in his state voted for Harris. More recently, Evers referred to Harris’ vice presidential running mate Tim Walz as “Tom” during a Labor Day stump speech for Harris. This week, Maria Shriver, the former first lady of California, was also lumped into the cadre of gaffe-prone Harris camp supporters. The moment came when she was moderating a town hall event in Michigan with Harris and former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney. Shriver told the audience at the event that only “predetermined” questions would be allowed to be asked.  “Are we going to be able to ask a question?” asked a woman in the audience. “You’re not, unfortunately,” Shriver replied. “We have some predetermined questions, and, hopefully, I’ll be able to ask some of the questions that might be in your head. I hope so.”  Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign but did not receive a response by press time. 

Early in-person voting kicks off in West Virginia

Early in-person voting kicks off in West Virginia

West Virginia kicks off early in-person voting Wednesday, 13 days from Election Day. In addition to the U.S. presidential race, voting also begins Wednesday in several down-ballot races. For a full list of competitive elections, see the latest Senate and House rankings. NEW DOJ GUIDANCE MEANT TO SCARE ELECTION OFFICIALS FROM CLEANING UP VOTER ROLLS, SAYS EXPERT DEM LOSES IT ON ‘UNINFORMED’ WORKERS AFTER POWERFUL UNION REFUSES TO ENDORSE VP HARRIS This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for West Virginia. West Virginia began absentee voting in late September. Applicants must provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The county must receive a ballot application by Oct. 30, and that ballot must be submitted by Nov. 5. Early in-person voting begins Wednesday and will continue through Nov. 2. Absentee ballots can be submitted in person through Nov. 4. The voter registration deadline in West Virginia was Oct. 15.