Sen. Markey apologizes to Rep. Kennedy for 'insensitivity' of aide's mental-health retweet

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., found himself apologizing Tuesday after a top campaign aide retweeted a message about "mental health issues" in the family of Rep. Joe Kennedy, a potenial challenger for Markey's Senate seat.
The retweet -- which Markey termed "unacceptable" -- came just three weeks after Kennedy's young cousin, Saoirse Kennedy Hill, 22, died of an apparent drug overdose.
The Markey aide, Paul Tencher, retweeted a post by attorney James S. Henry, who asserted that Markey "is a great Senator," while Kennedy "should focus on his family's considerable mental health issues" -- seeming to reference the cousin's death.
After Markey learned of the retweet, he issued the following statement:
"To show such insensitivity for those experiencing mental health issues is extremely offensive to me. This action by a member of my campaign is unacceptable,” Markey said, according to the Washington Examiner.  “It in no way reflects my commitment to the issue of mental health treatment and the eradication of stigma that so many families suffer. I deeply apologize to Congressman Kennedy and his entire family.”

"To show such insensitivity for those experiencing mental health issues is extremely offensive to me. ... I deeply apologize to Congressman Kennedy and his entire family.”
— Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.

Markey added that he had spoken with the congressman directly about the matter.
The 38-year-old Kennedy --  a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy -- is considering a primary challenge in 2020 against the 73-year-old Markey, the New York Times reported Saturday. The paper cited an unnamed Democratic official who said Kennedy would decide on a candidacy in the coming weeks.
Kennedy previously stated he planned to seek a fifth term in the House, representing Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District, Boston.com reported.
Saoirse Kennedy Hill died Aug. 1 at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Mass. In 2016, she wrote a column in the Deerfield Scroll, a student-run newspaper, discussing her quiet mental health struggles. Her grandfather was the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
On Sunday, Tencher apologized for disseminating tweet amid backlash. The tweet’s author, attorney Henry, deleted the original message, the Washington Examiner reported.
"I absolutely take it back. It was a mistake. My apologies," Tencher said on Twitter. "That tweet was despicable and abhorrent. This person should be banned from twitter."
Fox News' Alex Pappas contributed to this report.

California county fair employees squandered tax dollars on illegal travel, lavish meals: audit

State Auditor Elaine Howle discusses the audit her office released that found the California State University system did not disclose $1.5 billion in discretionary reserves while it raised tuition and cut employees' pay, during a joint legislative committee hearing in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Associated Press)

California county fair employees squandered hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on unofficial travel, extravagant meals and alcohol, an audit report shows.
The State Auditor’s Office released a report titled "Gross Mismanagement Led to the Misuse of State Resources and Multiple Violations of State Laws” that details how employees of a district agricultural association, funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, wasted the state funds.
The wasteful district agricultural association wasn’t named in the report in an effort to protect whistleblowers, the Sacramento Bee reported.
“We can’t provide the specific district agricultural association because doing so, would essentially disclose the identity of some of individuals we discuss,” spokeswoman Margarita Fernandez told the outlet.

There are 54 district agricultural associations in California that organize fairs and other events, all of which are overseen by the state Department of Food and Agriculture. The associations used to be supported by the state general fund, though that ended in 2011, yet the associations have continued to use state’s equipment and other resources.
“We found that the association’s chief executive officer and maintenance supervisor grossly mismanaged state resources and neglected their duties to ensure that employees comply with state laws governing supervision and time and attendance reporting,” California State Auditor Elaine Howle wrote in the report.
“Examples of the improper acts we found include employees taking home state property and misusing state resources, drinking alcohol on state grounds, a lack of critical internal controls to prevent inappropriate and excessive travel-related purchases, unnecessary charges for interest and late fees, and a waste of state funds.”

“Examples of the improper acts we found include employees taking home state property and misusing state resources, drinking alcohol on state grounds, a lack of critical internal controls to prevent inappropriate and excessive travel-related purchases, unnecessary charges for interest and late fees, and a waste of state funds.”
— Audit report

The audit found that between 2016 and 2018 there were over $318,000 in financial discrepancies, including more than $132,000 worth of credit card purchases without receipts, over $30,000 for excessive and unauthorized travel expenses, about $2,000 in “wasteful tips that far exceeded the maximum allowable reimbursement rate,” and more than $1,200 in “inappropriate purchases of alcohol.”
The employees were especially keen to use credit cards to pay for lavish dinners, with one receipt showing the association paying $400 for five butcher’s cuts, $125 for a lobster surf dinner, $95 for a lobster tail, and more than $600 in alcohol, including one $96 bottle of wine, the newspaper reported.
The unnamed association also allowed several association maintenance employees to work side jobs during their regular shift work – all while collecting pay from the association.
The report also found that the maintenance supervisor routinely used a state-owned vehicle to commute from home to work, and for personal business. When asked about it, the supervisor said that he took the truck home “at most two times a week” to pick up work materials.
The association defended itself by claiming that a 2011 staff reduction left the workplace and employees “stretched” and resulted in inadequate training for the remaining staffers.

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President Trump decision to end DACA was lawful, Justice Department says

The Justice Department submitted a legal brief to the Supreme Court Monday that stated President Trump acted lawfully when he decided to end the Obama-era immigration program known as DACA in September of 2017, according to a new report.
The Department of Homeland Security, “correctly, and at a minimum reasonably, concluded that DACA is unlawful,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in a brief submitted to the Supreme Court late Monday.
The Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments in November. A ruling is expected in the presidential election year, putting the high court at the center of one of the most politically charged issues of debates. A decision in favor of Trump would allow for the president to deport more than one million young adults residing in the U.S. under DACA protection, the New York Times reported.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, was created under an executive order in 2012. The program gives some illegal immigrants -- known as "Dreamers" -- who were brought to the United States as children-- the opportunity to receive a renewable two-year reprieve from deportation and become eligible for a work permit.
In 2017, the Trump administration announced its plan to phase out the program, but federal courts have ruled that the phase-out could not apply retroactively and that the program should be restarted.
The White House fought back on those decisions, saying the president has broad authority over immigration enforcement policy. Federal appeals courts around the country have rejected efforts by the federal government to move ahead with phasing out the Obama-era program.
DACA proponents have also argued that Trump’s planned termination of the program violates federal law requiring adequate notice-and-comment periods before certain federal rules are changed, as well as other constitutional equal protection and due process guarantees.
A decision from the Supreme Court to end DACA could galvanize young Americans to ensure Trump does not see another four years in the White House, the Times report stated. On the other hand, if the Court chooses to continue the Obama-era program, conservatives could argue Trump needs another four years to fulfill his campaign promises on immigration.
Fox News’ Shannon Bream and Bill Mears contributed to this report.

Trump administration tightens rules for immigrant work permits

The Trump administration issued new policy guidance on Monday tightening the rules for awarding discretionary work permits to immigrants who have been temporarily allowed into the United States for "urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit" under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The move came a week after the White House issued a long-awaited rule strengthening the ability of federal officials to deny green cards to immigrants deemed likely to rely on government aid.
Section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act affords the Department of Homeland Security the discretion to decide when to afford aliens entry under "extraordinary" circumstances, such as to visit a dying relative or obtain life-saving medical treatment. The one-time entry is a privilege, not a right — and the administration's guidance made clear that officials were wary it was being abused.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the new guidance emphasizes "the use of discretion when determining whether to grant employment authorization for foreign nationals paroled into the United States in keeping with existing policies."

Migrants return to Mexico using the Puerta Mexico bridge that crosses the Rio Grande river in Matamoros, Mexico, July 31, 2019, on the border with Brownsville, Texas.  (AP Photo/Emilio Espejel)

The bulletin also "provides a list of positive and negative factors that an officer may consider when balancing the totality of the circumstances and determining whether an applicant warrants a favorable exercise of discretion," according to USCIS.
“USCIS has determined that it is necessary to issue this guidance at this time because there is a national emergency at the U.S. southern border where foreign nationals are entering the U.S. illegally," the agency said in a statement.
The White House has touted its tough immigration policies as the cause for a recent decline in immigrant detentions at the border. The number of migrants encountered by U.S. authorities at the border with Mexico dropped below 100,000 for the first time in five months amid increased collaboration by Mexico and Guatemala to crack down on the flow of humanity, according to government data released earlier this month.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered 82,049 people in July, down 21 percent from June when there were 104,344 people and down 43 percent from May. The number of families and minors crossing the border also dropped.
Although seasonal declines are common, U.S. officials said the drop was far greater than last year's in the same timeframe.
To avoid punishing tariffs threatened by the Trump administration, Mexico agreed in June to dramatically expand its border enforcement efforts. The country has employed a variety of tools — including a giant X-ray and Mexican National Guard troops —  to uphold its end of the bargain and catch hundreds of migrants.
The U.S. has also escalated its domestic enforcement efforts. An operation carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month resulted in the detention of 680 illegal immigrants. Agents targeted a food processing plant in Mississippi and swarmed the facility with federal search warrants in hand.
"The execution of federal search warrants today was simply about enforcing the rule of law in our state and throughout our great country," U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst said in a statement at the time.
"I commend these federal agents, our state and local law enforcement partners, and our federal prosecutors for their professionalism and dedication to ensure that those who violate our laws are held accountable."
2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., called the move a part of a "campaign of terror."
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan emphasized last week that, despite the successes, the situation remains an emergency.
“The situation is improving by every available metric, but, and I want to be very clear about this, we remain at and beyond crisis levels,” McAleenan said.
Fox News' Matt Leach and Nick Givas contributed to this report.

CNN commentator to Republican guest: 'White men who think like you' are the 'greatest terrorist threat' in US

Liberal CNN commentator Angela Rye had a fiery exchange with a Republican strategist during a panel discussion Monday night, telling him that "white men who think like you" are the "greatest terrorist threat in this country."
The conversation began when GOP campaign veteran Patrick Griffin argued that President Trump should "play the lottery" since Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., brought new attention to their relationship with Isreal.
However, Rye appeared to take offense after Griffin claimed that the "Squad" has "hijacked" the Democratic Party from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
“It’s so interesting that you use the term — the only two Muslim women in Congress, the term you chose to use, sir, is ‘hijacking,'” Rye said.
"It has nothing to do with whether they're Muslim or not," Griffin responded. "Nothing to do with that... They've hijacked from their own principles."
“That’s a real interesting word choice, and you understand why,” Rye talked over the panelist. “You can talk over me all you want to but the bottom line is the greatest terrorist threat in this country is white men, white men who think like you. That is the greatest terrorist threat in this country.”
Griffin dismissed her remarks as "silly rhetoric."
"No, it's not!" Rye shot back. "You know what's silly? The fact that you're on here knowing how dangerous times are right now defending this nonsense."

Ingraham: Liberals 'rooting against America' because they're 'furious' they might lose in 2020

Fox News' Laura Ingraham took on members of the Democratic Party for what she said was "rooting against America" and disparaging supporters of President Trump, and said the left is largely "furious" they may lose the 2020 election to the New York Republican.
"Rooting against America, referring to millions of voters as 'deplorables' or 'racists' or bigot-coddlers is not the language of a confident optimistic party," she said Monday on "The Ingraham Angle."
"It is the language of people who are furious that they could lose another presidential election," she said.
Ingraham said Democrats were hoping former Special Counsel Robert Mueller would be a key figure in their attempts to damage the president, as the Russia investigation concluded.
"Trump's reckoning -- they were confident -- would be delivered by the highly respected prosecutor Bob Mueller. In other words, the 2020 election would be a 'gimme' for any Democrat," she said.
More recently, Democrats have lodged racism claims against the president, she said.
"The crestfallen Dems decided to go all-in on the race issue. "The Angle" told you this would happen. Using bogus charges of racism, the left has a goal of blunting any momentum the president may have with minority voters in 2020."
"The president condemned white nationalists in Charlottesville and El Paso," she added. However, she pointed to three 2020 Democratic hopefuls who have invoked the race issue.
When a CNN anchor asked former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, whether the president is a "white nationalist," the ex-lawmaker answered in the affirmative.
In another interview, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared it is "time to get white nationalism out of the White House."
In Ingraham's third example, South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked whether it is a "racist act" to vote for Trump in 2020.
The 37-year-old responded that "at best, it means looking the other way on racism."
Summing up the clips, Ingraham said some of the commentaries from the left shows Trump supporters are becoming occasional subjects of ridicule.
"The new Democratic playbook requires the relentless demonization of American history, including the founders, and now the American people themselves -- at least the ones who support Trump."

Omar and Tlaib Cartoons