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The latest allegations from House Republicans have put more pressure on a growing scandal surrounding the Biden family.

While many Republicans have long questioned Hunter Biden's financial dealings, Democrats and independents are also voicing concerns about President Biden's involvement in his son's overseas business affairs.

"It's completely unethical," independent voter Mary Josephine Generoso said Thursday during a "Fox & Friends" discussion with a bipartisan group of voters.

"You have foreign nationals funneling money into an LLC, then being disbursed to the Biden family. I mean, it's basically unethical. It's a national security threat. It could be treasonous, as far as I'm concerned."

COMER SAYS BIDEN INVOLVED IN FAMILY BIZ DEALINGS; BROTHER, GRANDKIDS, HUNTER AND HIS WIVES ALL GOT PAID

During a press conference Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and a panel of other members said they believe President Biden "has been involved" in his familys foreign business dealings "from the very beginning," telling reporters that lawmakers are only "in the beginning stages" of their investigation.

Comer listed the Biden family members who received funds, including Hunter Biden, Jim Biden, "Joe Bidens brother's wife, Hunter Biden's girlfriend or Beau Biden's widow however you want to write that Hunter Biden's ex-wife, Hunter Biden's current wife and three children of the president's son and the president's brother."

"I'm not surprised that the family is receiving money. I'm really just disappointed that politicians continue to come into office and leave extremely rich. And we really need to get back to basics and make America first and people coming into office need to really represent America and do things for America, not for themselves," independent voter Dominick Ciccarelli said.

Just before the press conference, Comer and Republican lawmakers released a more-than-30-page memo Wednesday morning revealing newly-subpoenaed bank records that they say show that the Biden family and its business associates created more than 20 companies and received more than $10 million from foreign nationals while Joe Biden served as vice president and that some of the payments could indicate attempts by the Biden family to "peddle influence."

The memo said the Biden family "used business associates companies to receive millions of dollars from foreign companies," including from those with links to the Chinese Communist Party and a corrupt individual in Romania, and "received incremental payments over time to different bank accounts."

The memo states that the "complicated and seemingly unnecessary financial transactions appear to be a concerted effort to conceal the source and total amount received from the foreign companies."

BIDEN FAMILY RECEIVED MILLIONS FROM FOREIGN NATIONALS, TRIED TO CONCEAL SOURCE OF FUNDS: HOUSE OVERSIGHT

Democrat Marissa Caro-Cortese said she was concerned the Biden family had broken that law, but also questioned why so much corruption is present in the government.

"I've had this conversation numerous times with my friends about both sides of the political spectrum. You have such corruption. When is it going to end?" she said.

"I don't think that you rise to that level of power without having skeletons in your closet on either side. But why is America okay? Why is that an okay narrative that we just get to go along with that, oh, this person's corrupt. We're going to spend taxpayer dollars to investigate them and nothing's going to change."

Comer said the panel will continue to investigate and has only subpoenaed four banks, at this point in the probe, but said lawmakers have identified 12 more they will seek records from.

"Right now, you could say that we're in the beginning stages of this investigation," Comer said.

President Biden speaks during a visit to Wolfspeed, a semiconductor manufacturer as he kicks off his Investing in America Tour in Durham, North Carolina, on March 28, 2023. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

"We've seen this since before the election, and we continue on. We don't see the consequences that it should be when you break the law," Democrat Francisco "Frank" Marte said.

The White House fired back at Comer on Wednesday, accusing him of leading an "evidence-free, politically-motivated" investigation.

"House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is loudly and proudly broadcasting a press conference today to continue his long pattern of making absurd claims that President Biden has made governing decisions not in the interest of America, but of the Chinese Communist Party, using baseless claims, personal attacks, and innuendo to try to score political points," spokesperson Ian Sams told Fox News Digital.

Khayyam Payton, another Democrat, said he is also concerned about how the White House and other entities try to keep the focus off the president.

"[Biden's] a walking contradiction. And it seems like they always try to take the focus off of what he's doing at the moment," Payton said.

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"They make Trump seem like he's the worst villain in the world and he's broken every law. But there's no evidence of anything, but with him, it's something that they're trying to sweep under the rug."

Payton also added he will "absolutely not" vote to re-elect Biden in 2024.

Trump pleaded not guilty last month in a Manhattan federal court on charges related to alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

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Democrats and independent voters alarmed over new allegations against Biden family: 'Could be treasonous' - Fox News

Pennsylvania Democrats have a new slogan: Majority matters.

And their majority in the state House is at stake in next weeks special election for a suburban Delaware County seat.

Democrats have a one-seat advantage over Republicans their first House majority in more than 12 years. But if Republicans win the 163rd House District seat, the chamber would have a Republican majority again just three months after Democrats took control.

Whoever controls the House will set the agenda on state policies for elections, school funding, taxes, abortion access, and more.

The control of the House is at stake, so we are not taking anything for granted, said Rep. Leanne Krueger (D., Delaware), who also leads the House Democrats campaign arm.

Democrats won a majority of the chambers seats in November, but three vacancies kept the party from control until special elections in February. Democrats elected the states first woman and first Black woman to the speakership, Rep. Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia).

And House Democrats used their new majority to advance a number of long-sought legislative priorities they previously couldnt even get a vote for in committee, such as gun reforms and protections from discrimination for LGBTQ residents.

Voters in Montour County and parts of Northumberland County are also going to the polls for a special election, but that vacant House seat is in a district widely expected to remain in Republican hands.

With such a slim majority, Democrats werent willing to take any chances on the Upper Darby seat left open, with the state Democratic Party spending nearly $1 million in ad buys, mailers, polling, and more, according to campaign finance filings.

Republicans, on the other hand, spent only a small fraction of that, in what seems like a half-hearted attempt to flip the seat.

I believe in being humble, and I believe in putting in the hard work, which I have done, said Katie Ford, the Republican candidate.

Whos running for the 163rd House seat

Two women are vying to fill the suburban Delaware County seat vacated by former Rep. Mike Zabel after he resigned in March over three public sexual harassment allegations, including accusations from a female lawmaker and a lobbyist. Libertarian Alfe Goodwin is also running.

Democratic candidate Heather Boyd has centered her campaign on maintaining her partys House majority and by extension, reproductive rights. Shes focused on preventing a constitutional amendment that would declare abortion is not a constitutional right in Pennsylvania, a change reproductive rights activists say could open the door to a state abortion ban. The Pennsylvania General Assembly approved the measure last year in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade, but it must be passed again this year in order to get before voters.

Boyd, 46, chairs the Upper Darby Democratic Committee and left her job as a senior adviser to U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D., Delaware) in March to run. Shes been involved in Democratic politics in the Philadelphia suburb for years and previously served on the local school board.

Ford, 43, is an early intervention specialist who is deeply involved in the local Home and School associations. Shes a lifelong Upper Darby resident and military veteran who describes herself as a political newcomer, spending her free time rescuing dogs.

Ford, a Republican, has emphasized Zabels misconduct and Boyds knowledge of it along with her mission to make residents excited to be Upper Darby again, she said.

Zabel first flipped the seat in 2018 from longtime Republican control, and its become bluer ever since: Under new district maps approved last year, 51% of registered voters in the district are Democrats, 37% are Republicans, and 12% are not affiliated.

Turnout in a municipal primary is always low. Add in a special election that will determine which party controls the state House, and turnout is even more unpredictable.

This is a Democratic-leaning seat, but in low-turnout primary elections like this, we need to make sure that voters turn out, Krueger said.

Democrats even employed the help of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in a recent ad asking Upper Darby voters to support her, again focusing his message on abortion access in the state.

Abortion rights are threatened right now in Pennsylvania, Shapiro said in the 30-second ad. Delaware County, I need your help in the special election for state representative. The winner will determine which party controls the legislature.

If Republican extremists win, theyll take away my veto power by putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot to outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, Shapiro said in the ad. Delco, dont let them.

However, Ford said she wouldnt support the proposed constitutional amendment. Republican lawmakers have shown little interest in advancing the measure in recent months, following big Republican losses in the midterm election attributed in part to fears of abortion restrictions. She said she believes there should be exceptions and parameters for any abortion restrictions.

With a Democratic governor and Republican Senate, were not changing [abortion laws] anytime soon, and I have no interest in doing that, Ford said.

Money talks

Since May 2, hundreds of thousands of dollars have flooded into the race to represent the district, which includes parts of Upper Darby and Darby Townships and Clifton Heights, Collingdale, and Aldan Boroughs.

About $178,000 in contributions went to Boyds campaign in the last week, mostly from labor union political action committees. The House Republican Campaign Committee and other House Republicans were the biggest contributors to Fords campaign in recent days, which raised nearly $59,000 since May 2. (Candidates are required to file 24-hour campaign finance reports before the election, but not required to report their spending until after the election.)

However, Ford has spent only a fraction of what Boyd and Democrats have spent since the special election was announced in March.

Fords campaign only spent about $26,000 and accepted $16,000 in in-kind contributions through May 1. Boyd spent $103,000 on her campaign, with the state Democratic Party spending nearly tenfold of that: almost $978,000 in mailers, ad buys, polling and more.

Boyd said shes confident shell win on Tuesday.

This is a community that voted overwhelmingly for Josh Shapiro to be their governor, Boyd said. They voted for Democrats, and they want a Democrat.

Still, Ford hopes her campaigns ground game, with its knocking on more than 7,500 doors, will help her overcome what shes always known was going to be an uphill battle, she said. Shell also continue questioning Boyds assertion that she is a champion for womens rights, when Boyd admitted to The Inquirer in March that she previously knew about allegations against Zabel.

Boyd said she met one of Zabels accusers, a lobbyist for Service Employees International Union 32BJ, in 2021, who later confided in her about a 2019 experience with Zabel.

The lobbyist, Andi Perez, shared her experience at a listening tour event and asked state House leaders to change the rules to allow non-employees to file sexual harassment complaints.

Perez, in a prepared statement last month, said Boyd had been a true ally and did what she could do within the scope of her power while not breaching my trust.

Ford, however, said Boyd should have used her position on the county Democratic committee to ensure Zabel did not run again or that the party didnt support him. Like in 2020, the Democratic Party endorsed Zabel in 2022.

You can protect the privacy of the person whos gone through this and respect that [they dont want to go public], Ford said. However, you cant keep pushing someone into the position that allowed other women to be victimized.

Boyd said she talked with Zabel about his behavior, but followed Perezs lead.

Do you need to perform your trauma in order to get respect and protect your own body? I think that thats offensive, Boyd said.

An SEIU political action committee contributed $50,000 to Boyds campaign last week.

Mail ballot requests for 2,784 Democrats, 883 Republicans and 305 third-party or nonaffiliated voters were approved as of the Tuesday deadline to request one, according to Department of State data.

Excerpt from:
Pennsylvania Democrats' House majority is on the line in this special election - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Midland County Democratic Party's fundraiser on Thursday evening had two themes: growth and the color blue.

The party held a fundraiser at the Midland Country Club for the first time and called the event The Start of Something Blue," encouraging attendees to wear blue, the color that is identified with the Democratic Party.

Speakers continually mentioned how the local party used to meet before Democrats built momentum which culminated in gaining a majority in the state legislature for the first time in many years in the November 2022 election.

As Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) put it, We all could have fit in an elevator.

I remember 30 years ago when the County Democratic Party could join in my living room, said host Eric Blackhurst. And I lived in a very small house.

The event wouldnt fit in an elevator, or even someones living room, anymore. More than 270 people attended the fundraiser, including Midland County Clerk Ann Manary, Midland County Commissioner Alaynah Smith, Rep. Amos ONeal (D-Saginaw), Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), Delta College Trustee Alex Clark and Midland Public Schools board members Phil Rausch, Jennifer Ringgold and John Hatfield.

The guests of honor were Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and McDonald Rivet, who both gave speeches.

Midland County Democratic Party Chairperson Jennifer Austin was the first to speak, commenting on how the organization has grown since 2016 and its efforts toward creating fair and competitive districts.

Austin described the growth of the party by quoting John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars, saying the party grew slowly, then all at once.

McDonald Rivet continued the conversation on the growth of the Democratic Party in Midland County, commenting on how small the group used to be compared to the crowd that filled the room Thursday night.

This room is so beautiful and so strong, she said. The Midland County Democratic Party is thriving and strong.

She also discussed her time campaigning for the State Senate and remembered when she would knock on a door and introduce herself as a Democrat, how some people would respond, Im a Democrat, too. Ill vote for you, but dont tell anyone.

Other speakers commented on the secrecy among Midland County Democrats before this year and how glad they are to see it end.

Lets just be loud and proud about it, Austin said. I think events like this really allow people to do that, and hopefully that will continue to grow because we had so many Democratic victories in this citytheres no reason for us to hide it anymore.

Benson rounded out the event by talking about the accomplishments of Democrats through voting - noting that 2020 had the highest voter turnout in history even during a pandemic - and the actions of the state legislature so far.

She specifically highlighted the priorities of the state government, including protecting children, fixing the roads, ensuring healthcare for everyone and establishing a livable wage.

The party that stands to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens all throughout the state no matter who they are, where they are, who they vote for, is a party that a lot of people can get behind here in Midland County and everywhere else.

In addition, Benson commented on the constitutional amendments that Michigan voters approved in 2022, including early voting up to nine days before the election and reproductive rights for women.

She also spoke about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and a CNN interview with former President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

I heard the words from the former president, Jan. 6 was a beautiful day, Benson said. I couldnt look away, but I also couldn't take it.(Jan. 6) was not a beautiful day. It was a tragic day.

The event ended with dessert and the completion of a silent auction as guests remained to chat with friends. Midland resident Tamara McGovern said she enjoyed the speakers and the way they represented the growth of the party.

They were very articulate and certainly spoke to the evolution that we have seen from the Democratic Party, she said. Its almost as though there was a full burst of acceptance of a two-party system in Midland.

Kennedy Kazmierski from Saginaw County - who worked on McDonald Rivets campaign - said it was fabulous to see such a large turnout at the event.

Just from my experience door knocking and doing things throughout the community, Ive definitely seen the discourse and kind of secrecy surrounding being a Democrat, she said. So, being able to see the community that weve gathered has been really amazing.

Read more from the original source:
Midland County Democrats fundraiser focuses on redemption, growth - Midland Daily News

Democrats preparing for competitive Senate races in 2024 have bucked President Joe Bidens decision to end a pandemic-era immigration restriction, raising concerns about whether the country is prepared for a surge in migrants crossing the border with Mexico.

The policy, known as Title 42, expires at midnight Wednesday as the Covid public health emergency also comes to an end. But Democrats in competitive Senate races have called on the administration to provide more resources at the southern border, drawing a contrast with Biden as Republicans prepare to tie them to his administration.

Three of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats up for re-election Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio have signed onto a bill extending provisions similar to Title 42 for two more years. All three represent states former President Donald Trump won in 2020.

Both Tester and Brown backed the bill this week. Brown told reporters that more resources are needed at the southern border, adding, I dont think presidents of either party have really stepped up on this, according to Cleveland.com.

Tester also backed the proposal on Wednesday, saying in a statement, My top priority is defending Montana and keeping our nation safe, plain and simple. That means standing up to anyone, including President Biden, to secure the southern border and to stop the deadly flow of fentanyl into our communities.

Manchin, who has not yet said if he is running for another term, signed on as an original co-sponsor, saying in a statement that the Administration has failed to properly secure our southern border.

Other Democrats who havent backed the proposal have still sharply criticized the Biden administration.

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, also a top GOP target next year, signed onto a letter with two other state Democrats, writing to Biden that they have strong concerns that the federal government is still insufficiently prepared for the reality that Title 42 is coming to an end, raising concerns about a lack of resources to secure our border.

Two more Democratic Senate hopefuls, who both hail from southern border states, also raised concerns about how the Biden administration has prepared for Title 42s expiration.

As Title 42 ends, its clear the Biden Administration has fallen short on getting Texas border communities the support they need, as multiple previous administrations have before, Texas Rep. Colin Allred said in a Wednesday statement.

Last week, Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego authored letters addressed to Biden and other administration officials, writing that communities along the southern border in Arizona are simply unequipped to handle the surge of migrants and adding that he has heard repeated concerns about a lack of information around federal government policy that directly impacts Arizonans, our communities, and our local economies.

Gallego is running for the seat held by independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who co-authored the bill extending immigration powers under Title 42 for two more years. Sinema, a former Democrat, has not yet said if she is running for re-election.

Some of these Democrats had previously called for Title 42 to end. In June 2020, Brown and Rosen signed a letter to former President Donald Trump calling for the "immediate rescission" of multiple asylum policies, including Title 42. Gallego also signed a letter last year urging Biden to "undo the United States draconian immigration policies, particularly policies introduced under the Trump Administration, such as the use of Title 42, that circumvent our humanitarian obligations."

Bridget Bowman is a deputy editor for NBC's Political Unit.

Julie Tsirkin contributed.

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Democrats in key Senate races break with Biden on migrant policy - NBC News

Florida Democrats, who havent even managed yet to find someone to run against Rick Scott for re-election to the U.S. Senate next year, are finding recruitment of candidates for down-ballot races difficult, too.

Their plight was made stark during an exchange at a Florida Young Democrats workshop during the state party convention in Tampa last weekend.

I know pro-choice women who have been very discouraged by the possibility of getting to a Legislature where their voices arent going to be heard, one male member of the audience told Elise Stuewe, training director at Ruths List Florida, who was conducting a workshop titled, How to Run for Office.

The man added that he knew others who were reluctant to run for county office, when the state seems so willing to preempt county and local rule.

Steuwe responded that life for members of the Democratic superminority in the Florida Legislature was supremely challenging but stressed that there remain critical races where the outcomes really will have meaningful impacts on peoples lives.

I think the broader question of how we keep people engaged in the political process at a time when its demoralizing is to try to focus on in the short run what are the wins that will make an impact on peoples lives? You know, at least slow the damage, Steuwe said.

Slowing the damage isnt an exactly a stirring call to arms, but the exchange illuminates the plight of the Florida Democratic Party in spring 2023. Still reeling from their electoral blowout last fall, Democratic lawmakers found themselves on the losing side on crucial votes regarding unions, immigration, abortion, guns, the death penalty, and school tuition voucher expansion in the just-concluded legislative session in Tallahassee.

What about their 2024 chances?

I feel hopeful, and I feel that we learned a lot of lessons in the 2022 cycle, said Cassidy Whitaker, 27, a Florida Young Democrat and statewide political director for Ruths List, which recruits and trains pro-choice Democratic women for office.

I feel excited that President Biden is going to be at the top of our ballot next year and I feel like we are ready to, at the very least, come out of the superminority, because we have to, Whittaker said.

Whitaker, like other Democrats, acknowledged the party might not realize significant progress in electing its members but stressed: This is a long game, and we have to play the long game and we have to understand that the candidates that we support right now are going to be our bench for future seats.

She does believe the inclusion ofa potential ballot measure on abortion rights will spur female candidates to run for office.

This was the most harmful year in Floridas history on choice, Whitaker noted. And Florida was the last safe haven in the South for abortion, and that is not the case anymore, so we have to do literally everything that we can, at the very least, to climb out of the superminority which I believe we will do.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signing of the six-week abortion bill (at 10:45 p.m. on a weeknight) has led some national political observers to already write the obit for his presidential ambitions. (A Newsweek columnist declared that signing that bill made himself unelectable as president.)

But its not exactly clear how much abortion will hurt him or the vast majority of GOP state lawmakers who voted for the measure this past session. (Thats presuming it takes effect, which wont be determined until the Florida Supreme Court rules on whether the state Constitution protects abortion rights in litigation over last years 15-week abortion ban).

Historically, unpopular decisions in Tallahassee particularly those made in the spring of an off-year election have rarely redounded on those same lawmakers when they face reelection, although abortion has proved a particularly potent issue for Democrats throughout the country since the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade landed last summer.

Tampa Bay area strategist Jackson McMillan, who led a workshop on campaign vendors and procurement in a game-show style format on Saturday, said the perception that Florida is now a red state has led to a brain drain of Democratic campaign staffers.

It saddens me to say, honestly, that Im probably one of the most experienced staffers who works on local campaigns and doesnt work specifically as a consultant, said McMillan, who is just 21 but has been working in politics since 2019. Many of his peers no longer live and work in Florida, he said.

Theyve taken jobs out of state and its definitely going to be interesting to see how these campaigns on a larger scale like Rick Scott are going to staff up going into 2024, he said.

I can tell you, at the end of the [Charlie] Crist campaign and the [U.S. Senate candidate Val] Demings campaign, the last month to two months, they were so desperate for staff they were hiring people even for junior leadership positions who had never worked on campaigns before.

Kevin Parker is a young Democrat from Osceola County contemplating a run for the state House of Representatives. Hes now the Central Florida field organizer for Equality Florida, the leading LGBTQ advocacy group in the state.

Theres much-needed change in Florida, he said.

That wont happen in just an election cycle. This is going to be a long-term effort, and so its important that we identify people now who have that passion, who have that drive, who have that commitment to change, and get them ready for when those seats open up. So that way, when that time comes up, theyll be ready and hit the ground running. Because right now as Democrats we are at an extreme disadvantage in the state of Florida when it comes to our elections up against Republicans.

Parker noted that four members of the Florida House represent some part of Osceola County, and three of them are Republicans: Caroline Amnesty, Paula Starke, and Fred Hawkins. Kristen Arrington is the only Democrat.

If you talk to the Democratic Party about running, theyll try to steer you to running for a seat that is outside of where you live, Parker said, adding that state lawonly requires that legislative candidates live in the district that they represent at the time of election.

But moving to run presents challenges. Really, nobody has the means and ways of literally picking up where they live to move to a different district to campaign there, he said. And even then, youll get pushback from that community because you really havent lived there for X amount of time. So, its really a damned if you do, damned if you dont thing.

Tim Gilbert, 36, is vice chair of the Citrus County Democratic Party, president of the Citrus County Young Democrats, and an alternative Planning and Development Commissioner for Citrus County.

In a county running 70% Republican, hes working to change things at the hyperlocal level, and takes delight in the upset victory in an Inverness city council race last November. Thats when little-known Crystal Lizanich defeated two opponents including a firebrand conservative who made a name for himself locally by spearheading a movement to ban LGBTQ materials from county libraries, according to the Citrus County Chronicle by just 40 votes.

We knocked on doors, Gilbert said. They asked us, Are you a Democrat? We said its nonpartisan, doesnt matter. When we start talking about real issues? People agreed with us. Those Republicans all agreed with us. When we said we dont want more government overreach. We dont want to lose our local home authority to rezone how we see fit. We dont want this, and they say, We dont either!

Other Young Democrats remain optimistic.

We cant just stop and allow things to happen that we dont agree with, said Nomy Santos, a 36-year-old Orlando resident. So, we have to stay engaged and its kind of motivating. Like, its got way too conservative for a lot of people in Florida, even for Republicans.

If nothing else, Santos said, the weekend was a great way to connect with people from around the state.

We feel defeated, but I think were getting energy from each other, focusing on wins, and mobilizing our communities and connecting, she said.

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Florida Young Democrats ponder the future - Florida Phoenix