McConnell tears into Manchin on Senate floor for trying to cut EV tax credits

President Donald Trump failed to keep a Republican primary clear for one of his MAGA allies in his home state of New York.

The president personally called attorney Bruce Blakeman, the county executive for Nassau County, to persuade him not to run in the GOP gubernatorial primary against Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), saying polling indicated she was the favorite to face off against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, but he entered the race anyway, reported New York Magazine.

“He’s great, and she’s great,” Trump said after Blakeman announced his candidacy. “They’re both great people.”

However, sources told the magazine that Trump believes Blakeman will lose the primary but doesn't want to publicly come out against him, and New York Republicans say the situation reminds them of the 2022 GOP primary, when Lee Zeldin had to spend much of his campaign money to win a fairly uncompetitive race before losing that November.

“He ran a hell of a race against Kathy Hochul, as close as anyone’s come in a generation,” said one New York Republican operative. “Can we say for sure that, if not for the primary, he wins? No, we can’t say that, but boy, he’d have had a better shot.”

Blakeman may not appear on the ballot unless he wins the support of 25 percent of attendees at the party’s February convention, where Stefanik will likely have many allies, or obtains 15,000 valid signatures from registered Republicans across the state.

Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was put in the awkward position of apologizing to U.S. military veterans whose lives have been turned upside down, after a Democratic lawmaker who came armed to the teeth with tales of ICE immigrant overreach.

During questioning before the House Homeland Security Committee, the embattled Noem, who is reportedly on the way out at DHS, was confronted by Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) who followed up her claim, “We have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans,” by asking, “I don't believe you served in the military. I haven't either, but I think you and I can agree that, as Americans, we owe everything to those who have served our country in uniform, particularly those who have served in combat. Do you agree with that?”

She answered, “I believe that people that are in this United States that are citizens have legal status here.”

Magaziner then offered up a Purple Heart veteran who is now living in South Korea due to ICE, and who appeared at the hearing via Zoom, before directing her attention to veteran Jim Brown, who was in the audience and whose wife, a native of Ireland, has been jailed by DHS for four months as she awaits deportation.

In an interview with the Guardian, Brown gained national attention for confessing, “... he ‘100%”’regretted voting for Donald Trump as president.”

“Madam Secretary, the man behind you, please stand up, sir, his name is Jim Brown from Troy, Missouri," Magaziner began. “He is a Navy combat veteran who served our country in the Gulf War. He's married to a woman named Donna who came to our country legally from Ireland when she was 11 years old. She has lived here for 48 years. Because of you. Jim's wife, Donna, has been in prison for the last four months. She did not come here illegally and she has never committed any crime other than writing two bad checks totaling $80.10 years ago. She is currently in prison and facing deportation.”

“Miss Noem, will you thank Mr. Brown for his service to our country?” he asked.

Noem turned in her seat to the right and murmured to the standing veteran, "Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your service to our country.”

"Now, what possible explanation can there be for locking up his wife for four months when she has committed no crime, other than writing a couple of bad checks for $80?” the Democratic lawmaker pressed.

“Sir, it is not my prerogative, my attitude or my job to pick and choose which laws in this country get enforced,” she demurred.

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