EXCLUSIVE: A group of 21 House conservatives warned House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday that they won’t be voting for appropriations bills this year unless they reflect a real effort to trim excess federal spending, a threat that will likely complicate GOP efforts to fund the government.

The warning shot signals another looming fight McCarthy may have to have in public with the right flank of his party. Dozens of conservatives voted against the spending deal McCarthy reached with President Biden earlier this year, which only promised modest cuts to federal outlays that fell short of a GOP-backed bill that passed the House.

In a letter send Monday, they said that deal won’t be good enough to win their support when spending bills come up for a vote this year. That’s a significant problem for McCarthy, who can only afford to lose a handful of GOP votes if he wants to pass legislation without help from Democrats.

‘We cannot support appropriations bills that will produce a top-line discretionary spending level barely below the bloated FY 2023 level… and effectively in line with the cap set by the debt ceiling deal that we opposed and was supported by more Democrats than Republicans,’ the conservative members wrote in their letter that was obtained by Fox News Digital.

‘Instead, we expect all appropriations measures… to be in line with the enacted FY 2022 topline level of $1.471 trillion,’ they wrote.

They also said they would not support the idea of using rescinded unspent COVID-19 funding to exceed fiscal year 2022 levels.

‘Rescissions are useful in reducing spending and we encourage their use, but we cannot support using them to shift funding to the very bureaucrats implementing the Biden agenda at roughly current levels of spending, thereby enshrining and continuing Democrats’ reckless inflationary spending,’ they wrote.

The letter was led by House Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry, R-Pa., but it’s not a formal HFC position as other Republicans signed onto the letter who aren’t members of that caucus.

It stressed to McCarthy that voters expect results over party unity, another warning shot that they are prepared to vote against GOP leadership in order to get those results.

‘Americans expect House Republicans to lead in divided government to achieve tangible results. They do not care about unity absent unity of purpose and achievement. They expect us to go beyond the theater of hearings, messaging bills that die in the Senate, or very modest spending limits in the wake of record inflationary spending levels,’ said the letter.

‘For unity to exist, we must have a clear mission to actually cut the total discretionary federal bureaucracy to pre-pandemic levels and end the empowerment of President Biden’s radical woke and weaponized government,’ they added.

Last month, opponents of the bipartisan debt limit deal brought House floor proceedings to a grinding halt for nearly a week in protest over not feeling heard by GOP leadership.

The conservatives’ letter calls on McCarthy to hold votes on spending bills this year until all 12 are made public so that lawmakers and Americans ‘can assess total spending levels and their impact.’

It also demands a public assurance from McCarthy opposing supplemental Ukraine aid that would make Defense spending exceed fiscal 2022 levels. That’s nearly guaranteed to set up a battle in the Senate, where a majority of the GOP conference supports helping Kyiv fight off Russia’s invasion.

‘We intend to keep the promises we made to the American people to cut federal spending, reduce the  size and scope of the woke and weaponized federal bureaucracy, and ensure their security,’ the conservatives said. ‘And we stand ready to work with you to use the power of the purse to force the President to the table to work with us to make good on these promises.’.

In addition to Perry, the signatories include Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Byron Donalds of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Dan Bishop of North Carolina. An early draft of the letter was published by Politico last week.

Members of a deeply conservative Amish community in Minnesota don’t need to install septic systems to dispose of their ‘gray water,’ the state Court of Appeals ruled Monday in a long-running religious freedom case that went all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A three-judge panel ruled that the government ‘failed to demonstrate a compelling state interest’ to justify overriding the religious freedom of the Amish families that challenged state regulations governing the disposal of gray water, which is water that’s been used for dishwashing, laundry, and bathing, but not toilet waste.

The Swartzentruber Amish in southeastern Minnesota are among the most traditional Amish groups in the country, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch noted in a 2021 ruling. It sent the case back to Minnesota courts for reconsideration in light of a high court decision a month earlier in a different religious freedom case. That ruling went in favor of a Philadelphia-based Catholic foster care agency that said its religious views prevented it from working with same-sex couples.

A Minnesota district court last September concluded that the government showed that it had a compelling state interest ‘of the highest order’ in requiring the Swartzentruber Amish to use septic tanks to protect groundwater supplies in the area. The families then appealed again. The Court of Appeals sided with them Monday, and sent the case back to the lower court for an order in favor of the Amish.

Fillmore County in 2013 started requiring homes to have modern septic systems to dispose of gray water. The Swartzentruber Amish sought an exemption, saying their religion prohibits that technology. They sued in 2017. For years they had discharged their gray water directly onto the ground. They offered instead to use mulch basins filled with wood chips to filter the water, as allowed in some other states, but the government argued that mulch basins would be ineffective.

The federal religious freedom law that was at issue in the Philadelphia case ‘prohibits governments from infringing sincerely held religious beliefs and practices except as a last resort,’ Gorsuch explained at the time, urging the Minnesota court and local authorities to swiftly resolve the dispute.

‘In this country, neither the Amish nor anyone else should have to choose between their farms and their faith,’ Gorsuch said.

The Court of Appeals noted that the Swartzentruber Amish use some technology, but don’t own or drive automobiles, and don’t use telephones, electric lights or modern flush toilets. They supply water to their homes from cisterns and have always prohibited septic systems.

<!–>

–>

Montana Democrat Monica Tranel announced Monday she’s seeking her party’s nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke in next year’s election, after suffering a close loss in 2022 to the former Trump administration Cabinet member.

Tranel is the first Democrat to enter the race for the state’s western House district, which includes conservative bastions such as the Flathead Valley and more liberal cities such as Missoula and Butte.

In a message that mirrors her platform from last election, Tranel, an environmental attorney from Missoula, told The Associated Press that corporations hold too much influence over Zinke and other Republicans at a time of rising costs for consumers.

‘He’s not serving Montana. He is serving his corporate donors,’ Tranel said. ‘For those of us who are in the middle, we don’t have anybody working for us and I will be that voice.’

Zinke was interior secretary under former President Donald Trump and resigned amid multiple ethics investigations. He was elected to the House last year with 50% of the vote versus 46% for Tranel and 4% for Libertarian John Lamb.

Zinke spokesperson Heather Swift said nothing for Tranel has changed since the 2022 election. In contrast, Swift added, Zinke has been ‘getting the job done for Montana’ by sponsoring legislation aimed at removing protections for Yellowstone area grizzly bears, improving mental health care for veterans and maintaining access to national parks.

Over the past several election cycles, Montana voters ousted Democrats from almost every statewide office they once held as national issues like immigration, gun control and abortion came to dominate the state’s politics.

Yet Tranel’s performance last year showed she can run a competitive race and for next year she hopes to broaden her appeal among moderates who are willing to cross party lines.

‘We’ve always voted to balance extremism, to have pragmatic leaders who get things done,’ she said.

Zinke was the first person elected to Montana’s western House district, which was created for the 2022 election after the state picked up a congressional seat due to its growing population.

The former U.S. Navy SEAL had been considered a potential challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester until Zinke endorsed fellow Republican and Bozeman-area businessman Tim Sheehy for the post.

The primary election is June 4.

<!–>

–>

Lowell P. Weicker Jr., a former congressman, senator, governor, and failed presidential candidate from Connecticut who died last month, is being memorialized as a moderate Republican unafraid to take on his own party.Weicker served one term in the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate three times, finishing his last term in 1989. He later served as Governor of Connecticut from 1991 to 1995.‘Opinionated? Yep. Absolutely,’ Lamont said of Weicker in a eulogy. ‘Inverse of that, maybe, is also highly principled. He was 100% certain that he was absolutely right 100% of the time. He usually was. And you know what? When he wasn’t, he was willing to change his mind.’

Lowell P. Weicker Jr., a towering figure in Connecticut politics who rose to national prominence for taking on his party during the Watergate hearings as a junior Republican senator, was remembered Monday as a politician from a bygone era, unshackled by partisanship.

During more than 30 years in public office, Weicker fought for AIDS funding, clean air and water, medical research, protecting people with disabilities and those marginalized in society. He served in the Connecticut General Assembly, the U.S. House of Representatives and later as Connecticut’s first independent governor. He died June 28 at age 92, following a short illness.

His funeral in Greenwich, Connecticut, a town where he was once the first selectman, drew family, friends and politicians from both parties. They recalled his maverick political style being guided by an internal moral compass to do what he thought was right for Connecticut and the nation.

‘He loved to challenge convention every day and we’re better for it,’ said Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, a personal friend of Weicker and his wife Claudia, who delivered a eulogy peppered with moments of humor.

‘Opinionated? Yep. Absolutely,’ Lamont said. ‘Inverse of that, maybe, is also highly principled. He was 100% certain that he was absolutely right 100% of the time. He usually was. And you know what? When he wasn’t, he was willing to change his mind.’

Connecticut voters have had strong opinions about Weicker over the years. As a one-term governor, he pushed through a highly contentious tax on personal income when the state faced major fiscal problems, despite initially opposing it. An estimated 40,000 protesters packed the state Capitol grounds in Hartford on Oct. 5, 1991, demanding lawmakers ‘ax the tax.’ Some hanged him in effigy. But Weicker still decided to walk through the crowd.

‘Lowell Weicker was never afraid to make hard choices and to fight for what he believed in,’ said Stanley Twardy, who worked with Weicker when he was a senator and governor.

Despite his imposing persona and physique – he was roughly 6-foot, 6-inches tall – Weicker was remembered by his family as ‘Pop,’ a doting grandfather who made pancakes for his granddaughter and inspired his grandson to scuba dive. While always competitive, he was also kind and cared about others, said his son, Scot Weicker, one of seven children.

The younger Weicker recalled playing doubles tennis against his father one day and rupturing his Achilles tendon on a shot.

‘He came over to the net and looked down at me and said, ‘Just so you know, we won the point,” Scot Weicker told those gathered, who erupted in laughter. After Scot Weicker agreed on the score, the elder Weicker’s demeanor changed and he asked his son if he was OK.

‘This was when the other side of dad kicked in. He was at his absolute best when someone needed help,’ Scot Weicker said. ‘He was a man who would go to any lengths to help those in need.’

After Lowell Weicker’s death, Democratic President Joe Biden said he was ‘proud to call him a friend,’ describing him as ‘blunt, brave, committed to his convictions and fiercely independent.’ The two served together in the Senate for nearly two decades.

Former Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd served in Congress for 14 years with Weicker, including eight as Connecticut’s two senators. He lauded Weicker for going out of his way to help him learn the ‘obscure traditions’ of the U.S. Senate, noting that the two ended up becoming good friends.

‘We always reached across the aisle together, Lowell and I did, and worked for the betterment of the state of Connecticut and our country. We didn’t always agree, but Lowell never took a cheap shot,’ Dodd said. ‘We both believed that we had an obligation to keep our state’s best interests at heart. The U.S. Senate in those days was nothing like it is today. And in my view, as a country, they’re worse for it.’

<!–>

–>

A court-appointed monitor is urging a judge to begin contempt proceedings against New York City over conditions at the troubled Rikers Island jail complex, setting the stage for a potential federal takeover of the jail system in the nation’s most populous city.

In a report filed Monday in Manhattan federal court, the monitor said the city had failed to comply with a series of court orders that aimed to curb violence and mismanagement inside Rikers Island.

The report comes less than a month after a federal judge indicated that she would consider placing the jail in receivership, an extraordinary intervention that would end New York City’s control over one of the nation’s largest and most famous jails. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has vigorously opposed a federal takeover. The judge’s decision could come as soon as next month.

In a nearly 300-page report, the court-appointed monitor described a ‘disturbing level of regression’ since the city agreed to follow an action plan intended to stabilize the jail system last June. The Department of Correction repeatedly failed to consult the monitor, displaying an ‘unwillingness and inability to acknowledge the myriad of issues,’ the monitor Steve Martin said.

‘The pace of reform has stagnated instead of accelerated in a number of key areas,’ Martin noted, ‘meaning that there has been no meaningful relief for people in custody or staff from the violence and the unnecessary and excessive use of force.’

A spokesperson for City Hall said they were still reviewing the report, but planned to defend against any contempt motion.

Advocates for detainees have long believed a federal receivership is necessary to stem the violence on Rikers Island, where 19 people died last year, the highest number in a quarter of a century. Many believe a finding of contempt would be the first step toward a federal receivership.

‘Every single day the constitutional rights of people in city custody are being violated,’ said Kayla Simpson, an attorney for the Legal Aid Society, which represents detainees on Rikers Island. ‘The monitor is saying: ‘enough.’’

Adams, meanwhile, has repeatedly touted the success of his efforts to improve conditions on Rikers Island, pointing to a reduction in slashings and staff absenteeism since he took office and appointed Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina in January 2022.

But those gains have also come alongside questions about whether jail officials have sought to reduce transparency – with both the public and the federal monitor – around what happens inside Rikers Island.

In recent months, the monitor has detailed numerous violent incidents that jail officials allegedly neglected to report, including the death of a detainee who was originally said to have suffered a heart attack, but was later discovered to have died from a skull fracture.

Another man who attempted to flee from correction officers was tackled and paralyzed from the neck down, an injury the monitor said also wasn’t properly reported.

‘Staffs’ failure to adhere to reporting requirements for even the most serious events calls into question the overall veracity of reporting and commitment to transparency within the agency,’ the monitor wrote in the most recent report.

<!–>

–>

FIRST ON FOX: House Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana blasted the Biden administration for paying ‘DEI bureaucrats’ more than ‘enlisted troops on the frontline.’

On Monday, the Biden administration released its statement of administration policy for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) where they came out in opposition to several of Banks’ amendments to the legislation.

One amendment the Biden administration is against slashes the salary cap for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) employees in the military while another requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to issue promotions based on merit, not immutable characteristics like race or sex.

‘It tells you everything you need to know about the Biden administration that they believe DEI bureaucrats at the Pentagon should be paid more money than enlisted troops on the frontline,’ Banks, who is running for Senate, told Fox News Digital.

According to the document, the Biden administration ‘strongly opposes the House’s sweeping attempts (sections 364, 523, 566, 595, 596, 598, 904, and 1046) to eliminate the Department’s longstanding DEIA efforts and related initiatives to promote a cohesive and inclusive force.’

‘As articulated in the 2022 NDS, one of the Department’s top priorities is building a resilient Joint Force and defense enterprise. DoD’s strategic advantage in a complex global security environment is the diverse and dynamic talent pool from which we draw,’ the Biden administration said.

‘We rely on diverse perspectives, experiences, and skillsets to remain a global leader, deter war, and keep our nation secure. Moreover, DoD is committed to developing and maintaining a dignified, respectful, and safe workplace. Legislation that reduces DoD’s ability to create a positive work environment and fully leverage the best our nation has to offer puts the Department at a strategic disadvantage.’

Banks’ amendment slashing the DEI salary cap — section 364 — says the Defense secretary ‘may not appoint to, or otherwise employ in, any position with a duty described in subsection (b) a military or civilian employee with a rank or grade in excess of GS–10 not adjusted for locality.’

The duties described in the amendment include those involved with developing, ‘refining, and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion policy,’ as well as those who lead ‘working groups and councils to developing diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and objectives to measure performance and outcomes.’

Banks’ amendment also affects Defense Department employees involved in creating ‘and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion education, training courses, and workshops for military and civilian personnel.’

Additionally, the amendment reassigns any DEI employees above a GS-10 grade 180 days after the NDAA goes into effect.

Banks’ amendment, section 523, which the Biden administration also opposes, would require the military to make merit-based decisions for promotions.

Additionally, the Biden administration opposed Banks’ amendments authorizing the reinstatement of service members discharged for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine — section 525 — and requiring the secretary of defense to determine whether Chinese government officials were aware of the transportation of fentanyl precursors to Mexican cartels, section 1316.

‘The Administration is concerned that sections such as 1201, 1242, 1316, 1804, and 2808 do not include a requirement for Secretary of State concurrence and so would provide insufficient means for the Secretary of State to provide input to ensure foreign assistance or engagement is carried out in a manner consistent with foreign policy priorities,’ the Biden administration wrote.

Banks’ amendments come as wokeness in the military continues to be a hot-button issue.

The U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in May offered personnel virtual professional development courses, including one ‘woke’ class focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

JSOC offered to civilian and military personnel a list of 17 free online courses, including a ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ conference in May and others on a litany of topics.

U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Public Affairs Officer Ken McGraw confirmed to Fox News that the courses were offered to military personnel, saying the DOD ‘regularly notifies its employees of a wide variety of non-mandatory, professional education opportunities.’

‘These courses are not unique to U.S. Special Operations Command or any USSOCOM subordinate command,’ McGraw continued. ‘In this instance, JSOC notified their civilian and military personnel that DOD was offering 17 free, professional-development courses online, one of which is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.’

A forthcoming book about the Kennedy family is alleging that the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis fought to nip in the bud a particular problem in her Cape Cod garden.

In the book ‘White House by the Sea’ by Kate Storey, the former first lady learned that marijuana was growing in her garden, much to her horror.

According to an excerpt obtained by Town & Country, it was around 1975 when Kennedy’s assistant noticed some of the family members poking around in the garden, which piqued her interest. After realizing she had stumbled upon something nefarious, she told former police chief Jack Dempsey, who frequented the property with the Secret Service. 

Neither her assistant, Kathy McKeon, nor Dempsey believed the gardeners were responsible, so they told Onassis about their discovery.

‘Are you kidding me?’ she allegedly said to McKeon, who told her the news directly. ‘Oh my God, this can’t get out. How are we going to fix this?.’

McKeon led her to Dempsey, and the former officer told Onassis, according to the book, ‘Just ignore it… we’ll pull it.’

The book said she was satisfied with this and replied, ‘Good… I don’t want this to get out.’

Later that day, Dempsey and the Secret Service destroyed the plant. Neither of Onassis’ children, Caroline and John, were suspected of planting the marijuana.

A representative for her only living child, Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. ambassador to Australia, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment nor did the John F. Kennedy Foundation.

The book divulges stories of the Kennedy family in their oasis – Hyannis Port, Massachsuetts. 

The late President John F. Kennedy and his family were known to spend many summers in the area. Following Kennedy’s death in 1963, his wife continued to go there after her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, died in 1975.

Onassis thoroughly enjoyed her time on the Cape, inviting extended family on a regular basis. According to the book, the beloved Onassis enjoyed sunbathing nude and painting in her sunroom.

‘Jackie O,’ as she was famously known, died in 1994. She was predeceased by both of her husbands and another son who died as a newborn, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Americans reacted to President Biden’s handling of the economy as he and his cabinet tout ‘Bidenomics’ across the country.

‘Biden, you know, he’s not really handling it all that well,’ Anthony told Fox News. ‘All the funds is going to other countries, he’s not really focusing here on the problems in the states.’

‘The economy is kind of messed up,’ he added. 

WATCH: AMERICANS REACT TO BIDENOMICS

But Christine gave Biden an A on his handling of the economy, saying he’s doing a ‘wonderful job.’

The Biden administration ‘will continue to make a full-court press on Bidenomics this week — highlighting how the president’s economic plan is investing in America and increasing competition to lower costs for hardworking families,’ White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said.

The president visited South Carolina on Thursday to announce new clean energy manufacturing spending, while Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona to speak on administration’s infrastructure investments. Other officials joining in include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in Washington state, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in Ohio and Interior Secretary Debra Haaland in New York.

One man told Fox News he was skeptical when Biden first took office but is happy with the way the president is handling the economy now.

‘At first, I believed the inflation was a little iffy starting off when he first got elected, but it’s getting better now, in my opinion,’ he said. ‘Stuff’s been going down, and I like how he’s handling the situation now.

‘I’m not too sure or fond of the Bidenomics, but I believe he’s going to head in the right direction,’ the man added.

Nathaniel echoed him, saying he thinks ‘the economy is doing better.’

‘He’s doing well so far with prices and the general economy,’ he said.

But Ashli gave Biden an F.

‘At the end of the day, I don’t feel like he’s doing what he’s supposed to do for all the people,’ she said, adding that she thinks Biden is only helping the upper class.

Biden’s approval rating on the economy was 60%, a 7% improvement from last year, according to a Fox News poll released in June. When the president took office, inflation was at a rate of just over 1%, but rose to a 40-year high of 9.1% by June 2022 and has since dropped to under 4%.

Another man told Fox News he thought ‘Trump did better.’

Dominique rated Biden’s handling of the economy a five and said that ‘it’s neither here nor there.’

‘I don’t think anybody’s plan has worked out,’ he said of the Bidenomics plan. ‘His, Trump’s when he was in office, the person in office before that. It’s a constant hamster wheel.’

Donn also saw both sides.

‘So far, so good, but some things can be more looked at,’ he said. ‘Some people are not getting the full benefits of the economic plan.’

Sarah gave Biden a B.

‘I haven’t seen any major crash and burn,’ she said. ‘It kind of seems to me like we are mostly staying the same and that’s coming out of a really tough time with the pandemic.’

Click here to hear more from American’s about their thoughts on Bidenomics.

Ramiro Vargas contributed to the accompanying video.

EXCLUSIVE: Afghanistan war veteran Sam Brown will officially launch a second bid for the U.S. Senate on Monday, this time to unseat Nevada’s other vulnerable Democrat senator, Jacky Rosen.

Fox News Digital spoke with Brown, a Republican, ahead of his planned announcement at an event in Reno, Nevada, where he will lay out his vision on how to take the country in a different direction from where he says it’s headed under the leadership of politicians like Rosen and President Biden.

‘This bid for the Senate is really rooted in the fact that Nevadans are worried about losing the American dream and what our kids are going to inherit,’ Brown said when asked why he decided to toss his hat into the ring once again.

‘People are hurting. Inflation is high, the economy is as unstable and people want a leader and a champion for them in D.C., and that’s me,’ he said.

Brown is a retired Army captain and a Purple Heart recipient who sustained serious injuries from an IED explosion during a 2008 deployment in Afghanistan, which left his face severely burned.

The Army veteran was a first-time Senate candidate in 2022 as he sought to oust Democrat Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, but he came in second to former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt in Nevada’s GOP primary. He lost by 22 points to Laxalt, who had the backing of former President Donald Trump and the Senate Leadership Fund.

This time, Brown is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee and is so far seen as the front-runner for the nomination and a potential shot at Rosen, who is seeking a second term.

‘Sam Brown’s life of service and sacrifice is an inspiration to all Americans. I am very pleased that Sam is stepping up to run for the U.S. Senate,’ NRSC chair Sen. Steve Daines of Montana said in a statement.

Despite the support, and the likely access to improved fundraising from his previous campaign, Brown says ‘what’s most important is gaining the trust and support of Nevadans’ and that his campaign is ‘laser-focused’ on growing his grassroots network.

‘Under Jacky Rosen, we’ve seen massive inflation that’s led to higher food and gas prices; the state unemployment rate rise to the worst in the nation; and crime take over our streets. Everyday Nevadans are frustrated and disappointed in our do-nothing senator, and they’re looking for someone to step up and solve these problems for all Nevadans,’ he argued.

Brown went on to call Rosen ‘extreme’ and ‘out of touch’ and a ‘huge disappointment.’

‘Specifically, she’s out of touch when it comes to economic policy, which is making it harder for business owners and jobs. She’s extremely out of touch on what the benefits of an American energy independence-focused policy would deliver for Americans. And she’s also extreme on education,’ he charged, referencing what he said was her support for the teaching of critical race theory in schools.

Brown also touted his years in the military as experience that taught him how to prioritize people and a mission over himself. He said that politicians in Washington, D.C., have lost touch with that principle and that his mission, if elected, would be to represent the people and ‘help them to realize a successful life and to achieve the American dream.’

‘When I was in a combat environment, nobody cared what sort of political party you were affiliated with or how you grew up. They just cared that you were going to get the job done and that everyone would be able to accomplish the mission,’ he said.

‘Something I bring is leadership and being focused on the mission and the people. That’s what I’ve been trained to do and that’s what I’ve done,’ he added.

Brown will be the fourth candidate to enter the Republican field, which includes former state Assemblyman Jim Marchant, civil rights attorney Ronda Kennedy and real estate broker Stephanie Phillips.

The Nevada Senate seat currently held by Rosen is considered a top target for Republicans in 2024, similar to 2022, as the party looks to capitalize on President Biden’s unpopularity across the country. Cortez Masto won reelection with 49% of the vote and by a margin of less than 8,000 votes over Laxalt.

Laxalt, a longtime friend and ally of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is currently helping to lead Never Back Down, a super PAC that’s backing the Florida governor’s 2024 presidential bid. He’s indicated he won’t make another Senate run next year.

Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority in the chamber, which includes three independent senators who caucus with the Democratic conference.
But the math and the map favor the GOP in 2024. Democrats are defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs, including three in red states and a handful in key general election battlegrounds.

However, Republicans, stung by an expected red wave that ended up being a trickle in last year’s midterms, are trying to avoid a replay of their 2022 recruitment battles, when a handful of Senate nominees handpicked by Trump and supportive of the former president’s repeated re-litigating of his 2020 election loss, stumbled in the general election and arguably cost the GOP the chamber’s majority.

Rosen won’t be easy to defeat in the crucial western battleground state. The former one-term congresswoman who was elected to the Senate in 2018 hauled in $2.7 million during the April-June second quarter of 2023 fundraising and had $7.5 million in her campaign coffers as of the start of April, her campaign reported on Monday.

A Democrat-backed bill making its way through the California Legislature would require judges in the state to consider a convicted criminal’s race when determining how long to sentence them to prison.

Assembly Member Reggie Jones-Sawyer, the Democratic chair of the California Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, quietly introduced Bill 852 in February. The Assembly went on to pass the little-known legislation in May, and the measure is currently being considered in the state Senate. 

The bill would add a section to the Penal Code of California requiring courts, whenever they have the authority to determine a prison sentence, to ‘rectify’ alleged racial bias in the criminal justice system by taking into account how historically persecuted minorities are affected differently than others.

‘It is the intent of the Legislature to rectify the racial bias that has historically permeated our criminal justice system as documented by the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans,’ the proposed new section to the Penal Code reads. ‘Whenever the court has discretion to determine the appropriate sentence according to relevant statutes and the sentencing rules of the Judicial Council, the court presiding over a criminal matter shall consider the disparate impact on historically disenfranchised and system-impacted populations.’

The California task force referenced in the bill was created by state legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 to examine the possibility of implementing statewide reparations as a way to make amends for slavery and racism.

Late last month, the task force released its final recommendations, which the state legislature will now consider whether to implement and send to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

In its 1,00-page report, the task force proposed dozens of statewide policies and ways to calculate monetary reparations designed to redress slavery and historical injustices against Black Americans. According to the task force, such history has created lingering consequences that exist today in the form of systemic racism.

The task force estimated the minimum dollar amount in harm that California has caused or could have prevented totals at least $1 million per eligible Black Californian.

In terms of criminal justice specifically, the task force determined that qualifying Black residents could be owed over $115,000, or around $2,352 per year of residency in California from 1971 to 2020, as compensation for over-policing in Black communities, excess felony drug arrests, and disproportionate prison time during the so-called war on drugs. The final report also included proposals to end cash bail and the prosecution of low-level crimes.

Bill 852 seeks to build off the task force’s findings and recommendations by mandating that California courts fight what it describes as racial bias in sentencing that can disadvantage Black people and other minorities.

Critics argue the reparations proposals are fiscally unmanageable for a state already facing a deficit of tens of billions of dollars and say it doesn’t make sense to implement them when California never allowed slavery. The state explicitly outlawed slavery when it joined the Union in 1850.

Jones-Sawyer didn’t respond to a request for comment to elaborate on his legislation.