THE WASHINGTON STAND—In the wake of President Donald Trump’s historic pledge to carry out a mass deportation program, a coalition of Republicans is promoting a bill to grant widespread amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, prompting fierce backlash from fellow congressional Republicans and the GOP base. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., led 19 other Republicans in the House of Representatives in introducing H.R. 4393, the “Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025” or DIGNIDAD (Spanish for “Dignity”) Act, in July. Late last month, Salazar and her cohorts launched the “Dignity Coalition” in an effort to gain support for the legislation. The renewed interest in the updated legislation, which Salazar touts as “the only serious, bipartisan solution to fix America’s broken immigration system,” has drawn scrutiny and criticism from fellow Republicans and immigration experts, who have declared the bill to be a thinly-veiled bid at widespread amnesty. The DIGNIDAD Act The legislation starts by introducing border security provisions, including the construction of barriers at the southern border, but quickly moves on to establish mass amnesty for illegal immigrants. “Division B — Dignity and American Dream” of the DIGNIDAD Act instructs the Homeland Security Secretary and Attorney General to “adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence … an alien who is inadmissible or deportable from the United States, is subject to a grant of Deferred Enforced Departure, has temporary protected status … or is the son or daughter of an alien admitted as a nonimmigrant” if that “alien has been continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021,” and meets a handful of other requirements, including either having been accepted to an institute of higher education or holding a high school diploma. The legislation provides immediate work authorization for illegal immigrants, establishes unlimited access to permanent legal residency (commonly called holding a green card) and allows illegal immigrants who obtain green cards to apply for U.S. citizenship, and introduces a criminal waiver. The bill allows the Homeland Security Secretary to “waive the grounds of inadmissibility … for humanitarian purposes, for family unity, or because the waiver is otherwise in the public interest.” Illegal immigrants who commit most violent crimes or are determined a national security threat are ineligible for the waiver, but crimes including domestic violence and traffic violations are eligible to be waived under the bill. These provisions would be available to an estimated two to three million illegal immigrants. The DIGNIDAD Act also establishes what its authors call the “Dignity Program,” which allows anywhere from 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the U.S. access to renewable seven-year work authorization permits and travel authorization. The program would also provide for “deferred action” for those eligible, effectively halting deportations. “An alien who appears to be prima facie eligible for status under this subtitle during the 24-month period following the date of enactment of this Act may not be removed or fined based on their immigration status,” the bill states. The “prima facie” eligibility effectively halts deportations for all illegal immigrants who apply for the “Dignity Program,” even those who have been issued final orders of removal by immigration courts. Other provisions in the bill reduce visa caps, create and expand “humanitarian parole” programs, and reduce asylum and visa application backlogs by rapidly approving most applications. One provision even establishes student “loan forgiveness” for law school graduates who have “completed not less than four years of full-time employment as an attorney providing legal services” for illegal immigrants. The provision orders the federal government to use taxpayer dollars to “forgive 75 percent of the eligible student loan obligation of a borrower … that is outstanding after the completion of the fourth year of employment described in such paragraph.” Yet another provision actually allows for illegal immigrants already deported to apply for and receive authorization to return and participate in the “Dignity Program.” In other words, the illegal immigrants that the first Trump administration managed to deport will be invited back and offered a chance to achieve legal permanent residency in most cases. Understanding the Problem George Fishman, senior legal fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) and former Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Trump’s first term, explained that the DIGNIDAD Act would grant “first-tier amnesty” to as many as three million illegal immigrants and “second-tier amnesty” to as many as 12 million, and “will increase legal immigration levels by 55 percent — over five million persons over the next decade. This is not what the American people were hoping for in electing Donald Trump as president.” CIS Resident Fellow in Law and Policy Andrew R. Arthur, a former immigration judge and lawyer responsible for drafting federal immigration legislation, referred to the DIGNIDAD Act as “rage bait.” He explained, “This bill was designed to go nowhere, but its filing shows a failure to read the room of voters who brought Donald Trump back to the White House in November 2024.” “The first clue that H.R. 4393 wasn’t written to pass lies in its name,” Arthur observed. “Respectfully, naming your bill the ‘DIGNIDAD Act’ and then providing subtitles is the ‘press one for English’ of legislative drafting,” he added, noting that foreigners who seek permanent residence in the U.S. have an obligation to respect and assimilate to American culture, including the use of American English. Relying on his own experience working with federal legislators, Arthur also pointed out that the DIGNIDAD Act has been referred to seven different House committees. “If the primary sponsor is on a committee with clear jurisdiction over an issue and has a good relationship with the chair and the other members, the smart play is to write the bill in such a way that it is referred to only that committee and no other,” he observed. “Otherwise, it will usually be sent to more than one committee, for serial consideration and mark-up, and if any of the chairs of those other committees refuses to even consider the bill, it will stall and die.” Arthur added, “Unless the legislation is a clear response to an imminent and existential threat to the Republic … more than three referrals generally always spells failure.” “Simply put, the DIGNIDAD Act wasn’t written to pass; it’s a ‘messaging bill’ intended to make a point,” Arthur opined. “There are, admittedly, good-faith arguments for why some aliens who came illegally or overstayed their periods of nonimmigrant admission should be allowed to remain, but most amnesties have failed or, worse, simply encouraged more illegal immigration because would-be illegal migrants don’t read the fine print and smugglers have worse ethics (but better sales pitches) than telephone extended-warranty peddlers,” he continued. “Consequently, selling any amnesty is a heavy lift even for the savviest of politicos, and the DIGNIDAD Act has more poison pills than Dr. Kevorkian’s pharmacopeia.” Arthur observed that the DIGNIDAD Act not only grants explicit amnesties for millions of illegal immigrants but also contains “amnesties in the amnesties.” He noted the provision establishing “prima facie” eligibility for illegal immigrants applying to the “Dignity Program,” commenting, “Government databases aren’t the best or most up-to-date, and this provision would create a logistical nightmare for ICE officers trying to determine whether to investigate, let alone arrest, an alien with a final removal order.” He added, “Moreover, why would ICE bother arresting any aliens, given that they will all immediately turn around and seek amnesty?” The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) explicitly bars Article III courts from reviewing most administrative immigration court decisions. (Immigration courts are a component of the federal executive branch, governed by Article II of the Constitution, while federal district courts and their appellate divisions, all the way up to the Supreme Court, are established and governed by Article III, which created the federal judiciary system.) The DIGNIDAD Act, however, attempts to skirt this provision by allowing “for judicial review of denials starting at the federal district court level and going up from there.” Arthur stated that, in the INA, Congress intentionally “cut district court judges out of reviews of most administrative immigration decisions because those courts were where immigration cases went to die.” Additionally, there are fewer than 700 federal district court judges “on the bench right now, and if you were to add the hundreds of thousands of amnesty reviews (at a minimum) this bill could create to their dockets, you’d grind every other federal case to a halt,” Arthur pointed out. “As a taxpayer with April 15 coming up, if the DIGNIDAD Act were to pass, I’d beg DHS to rubber-stamp every amnesty application to save the massive litigation costs and prevent judicial-branch calamity.” “Nothing about this bill suggests it’s a serious effort. In fact, it is to lawmaking what graffiti is to art, a near-meta effort to call the very concept of legislating into question,” Arthur concluded. The only goal the DIGNIDAD Act achieves, he suggested, is reminding “the public why amnesty is a bad idea: It’s unfair to those who have followed the costly and laborious process of coming legally; it’s a give-away bordering on pandering to special interests; it’s complicated and thus easily exploited; it’s a veritable ‘lawyers’ relief act’; and it would throw enforcement into chaos.” The legislation has drawn the ire of numerous Republicans and immigration hardliners, allowing many to articulate the dangers of amnesty and reiterate the necessity of stringent immigration enforcement and reform. “Simply put,” Arthur commented, “the DIGNIDAD Act would be Swiftian-level satire if the sponsors’ intent was to rage-bait the Right into demanding more ICE arrests and deportations, and an even-tighter border. That plainly wasn’t the sponsors’ goal, but regardless, it’s the reason why so many on the Right are right now discussing a bill that was built to fail.” ‘No Amnesty’ One of the DIGNIDAD Act’s co-sponsors, Rep. Mike Lawler, D-N.Y., took to the airwaves this week to promote the legislation. The bill, he said, has “broad bipartisan support,” noting the Republicans and Democrats who have signed on as co-sponsors in recent months. “I think folks do recognize that we have a problem,” he said. “If you’ve been here more than five years—so not the people who came under Joe Biden’s disastrous administration, but the people who have been in this country five, 10, 15, 20 years, whose children and grandchildren may in fact be American citizens—they would qualify if they haven’t committed a crime, they paid back taxes, they pay a fine, they have a job, and they do not collect government benefits,” Lawler claimed. “They would qualify for legal status, not citizenship; they would be precluded from citizenship,” he added, referring to the approximately 12 million illegal immigrants who would be eligible to participate in the “Dignity Program,” not the roughly three million who would be classified as “dreamers” and would easily be able to attain U.S. citizenship. The DIGNIDAD Act, the congressman said, would “get people out of the shadows.” Lawler’s fellow Republicans were less enthusiastic. “No amnesty. No amnesty-lite. No ‘path to citizenship.’ No ‘Dignity Act.’ This is a red line,” said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, noting that the legislation would grant amnesty to over 10 million illegal immigrants. “It’s rank amnesty and everybody knows it. I want dignity for Americans—the people whose interests we represent—not illegal aliens. That means doing what we said we’d do: mass deportations,” he added, in a separate social media post. “The ‘DIGNIDAD’ amnesty bill is two massive middle fingers to the voters who gave President Trump a popular vote victory and handed Republicans a trifecta, all on a platform of mass deportations.” “Amnesty doesn’t fix a broken system,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, “it rewards the very lawbreaking that caused it. We should be restoring the rule of law and pausing immigration, not incentivizing more illegal behavior.” In an interview, Roy asserted, “The so-called Dignity Act isn’t about dignity — it’s about eroding accountability.” He continued, “It rewards illegal immigration with sweeping amnesty for millions of lawbreakers while pushing aside the basic duty to put Americans first. A nation that won’t enforce its own laws isn’t compassionate, it’s neglecting its responsibility to its own citizens.” Roy and other members of the House Freedom Caucus have vowed to oppose the legislation in Congress. Roy charged that the bill “belongs in the trash bin of failed ideas.” Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., shared a video compilation depicting Americans who have been murdered by illegal immigrants, with the caption, “They deserved dignity.” He added, “Stop rewarding illegal aliens who reject our culture, values, and laws with citizenship. If dignity matters so much, give some to the American people who elites have ripped off for decades. The ‘Dignity Act’ is just amnesty. Throw it in the garbage.” Other Republicans who have signaled their opposition to the legislation include Reps. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Eric Burlison (Mo.), Mark Harris (N.C.), Keith Self (Texas), Tom Tiffany (Wis.), and Senators Mike Lee (Utah) and Eric Schmitt (Mo.). A number of conservative activists and organizations have also called for the DIGNIDAD Act to be halted. “Perhaps some on the Right missed the memo. The mandate was for mass deportations, NOT mass amnesty,” the Heritage Foundation posted on social media, adding, “The only pathway we need for illegal aliens is a pathway back to where they came from.” Conservative commentator and documentary filmmaker Matt Walsh said that the DIGNIDAD Act is “even worse than you think. If this bill became law it would destroy the country. It would be the most disastrous piece of legislation in decades.” He added, “Every Republican who supports it should be run out of town.” Recent polling published by the Immigration Accountability Project found that nearly 60% of likely voters would oppose amnesty and still support the deportation of all illegal immigrants currently in the U.S. and that Republican voters would be encouraged to vote in November’s crucial midterm elections by an increase in immigration enforcement and discouraged from voting by a failure to follow through on the mass deportation program promised by Trump in 2024. A Cygnal survey from late January also concluded that 61% of voters support the deportation of all illegal immigrants, 73% consider entering the U.S. illegally to be a criminal act, and 54% support the conduct of ICE in arresting and deporting illegal immigrants. Originally published by The Washington Stand. The post Republicans Indicate Bipartisan Amnesty Bill Dead on Arrival appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Artemis II crew is home safely after sending humans farther from Earth than ever before. The mission’s success was a critical step in NASA’s plans to one day have a lunar base and send humans to Mars. But for those of us still stranded on this pale blue dot, the Artemis II success has only led to more anticipation for the next moon landing. After the successful splashdown of the Orion spacecraft and its crew, NASA can move to the next phase of the Artemis mission. Artemis III was originally going to land humans on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years. The mission, however, was recently changed to a “rendezvous and docking in low Earth orbit.” Artemis III The Orion spacecraft will launch a crew atop NASA’s Space Launch System into low Earth orbit in 2027. While in orbit, the crew will transfer to a commercial spacecraft. The mission’s goal is to test the integration between the Orion spacecraft and private commercial landing companies. NASA is still deciding whether SpaceX or Blue Origin will design the commecrial craft. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman updated the mission to more extensively prepare for the lunar landing. “Just like Apollo 9, Artemis III will test next-generation hardware and integrated operations in 2027 before Artemis IV lands on the lunar surface in 2028,” Isaacman wrote in a post on X. The Commercial Space Companies in Question Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, is developing two reusable rockets called New Shepard and New Glenn. It has completed more than 35 missions, including crewed flights. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, meanwhile, is preparing to go public as it competes for the NASA partnership. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the company had successfully filed confidential IPO paperwork, putting it on track to be one of the largest public offerings of all time. Musk hopes to have public shares available by July, before Artemis III launches. Partner progress ?#ICYMI @SpaceX, the commercial Human Landing System provider for Artemis III and IV, recently tested a 1.2% scale model of the Super Heavy rocket in the transonic Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at @NASAAmes.Read more: https://t.co/Il3lBlIWR0 pic.twitter.com/y0xYNA25bE— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) September 18, 2024 Isaacman shared on Face the Nation that during Artemis II, NASA gathered data about “the life support system on the Orion spacecraft,” to be used in Artemis III. “That’s where we’re going to test the same spacecraft with our [commercial] lunar landers,” he continued. “Followed up in 2028 by Artemis IV, where we’re going to use this spacecraft, transfer crew to the landers, and put American astronauts back on the surface of the Moon.” Artemis IV The fourth Artemis mission, Artemis IV, will be a crewed surface landing launching in early 2028. This is when the crew will put everything they learned from Artemis III to the test. Reid Wiseman: "We have a great view of the Moon out window two. Looks a little smaller than yesterday."CAPCOM: "Guess we'll have to go back :)"?????? pic.twitter.com/MiKtPjiN5v— Jenny Hautmann (@JennyHPhoto) April 11, 2026 Instead of staying in low Earth orbit, the crew will land on the south pole of the Moon, using commercial landing systems in conjunction with the Orion spacecraft. NASA says this will be “humanity’s return to the lunar surface.” Artemis V The final Artemis mission, for now, will begin the construction of a lunar base. This final mission was added with the update to Artemis III. While this is the last mission in the Artemis program, it will mark something even greater: the start of a permanent human presence on the moon. The post Artemis II Is Home Safe, But When Are We Landing on the Moon? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Barely any of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s fellow elected California Democrats have called for him to resign his Congressional seat—though some said he should drop out of the state’s gubernatorial race—after multiple women accused him of sexual assault Friday. A former Swalwell staffer alleged he sexually assaulted her twice when she was intoxicated and could not give consent, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported Friday afternoon. Three other women, including Democratic content creator Ally Sammarco, also came forward, claiming the frontrunner to become the Golden State’s next governor committed sexual misconduct against them, CNN first reported later that day. The now-embattled Democrat lawmaker has vehemently denied the allegations, stating in a short video posted to X late Friday that they are “flat false.” “They did not happen, they have never happened and I will fight them with everything that I have,” he added, before suggesting the allegations surfaced weeks before California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary to derail his frontrunner status in the race. However, many of Swalwell’s House colleagues and other Democratic California elected officials—including some who had endorsed his bid for governor—do not appear to be buying his claims of innocence. The Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) has subsequently compiled a list of where California Democrats, as of Saturday afternoon, stand on the allegations against the man who seemed just days earlier poised to lead the country’s most populous state. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has not endorsed a candidate in the race to succeed him, has thus far only issued a one-sentence statement on the allegations, “As we continue to learn more, these allegations from multiple sources are deeply troubling and must be taken seriously.” The DCNF reached out to Newsom’s office for further comment but did not immediately receive a response. On the other hand, both of California’s senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, have called for Swalwell to exit the gubernatorial race while stopping short of explicitly calling him to resign his House seat, to which he is not seeking reelection. Schiff, who had endorsed Swalwell in the primary, announced he was retracting that expression of support. Padilla wrote Friday on X that Swalwell “should step aside to ensure a full, transparent investigation free from undue influence,” but did not explain if his call to “step aside” included resignation or merely withdrawing from the June 2 primary. Spokespersons for Padilla and Schiff did not respond to the DCNF’s question of whether each believed Swalwell should resign. Of the 42 California Democrats who serve in the House alongside Swalwell, just three—Reps. Jared Huffman, Sam Liccardo and Mike Levin, who are both attorneys—said he should resign. Only a handful have called for him to drop out of the race; over a dozen others have, at the time of writing, apparently remained silent. Additionally, none of the Democrats responded to the DCNF’s separate question of whether each would support Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s planned motion to expel Swalwell from the House. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who is not seeking reelection to a 21st term in November, issued a statement late Friday calling the allegations against Swalwell an “extremely sensitive matter” which must be “appropriately investigated.” “As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign,” Pelosi wrote, suggesting she supports him dropping out of the race. Pelosi’s office referred the DCNF back to the former speaker’s statement when asked for clarification of her stance. Democratic House Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, the No. 3 Democrat in Congress, in an X post, called for Swalwell to “immediately end his campaign to be California’s Governor. [sic]” “The incredibly serious and disturbing allegations against him must be investigated fully,” he wrote. However, Aguilar, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, has apparently not called for Swalwell to resign his House seat, nor did his office respond to the DCNF’s question on the matter. Aguilar’s vice caucus chair, Rep. Ted Lieu, wrote Friday in a one-sentence X post he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell in light of the allegations. A spokesperson for the No. 4 House Democrat did not respond to the DCNF’s questions of whether he believes Swalwell should drop out of the race or resign. Rep. Jared Huffman had yet to make a public statement on the situation and did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment at the time of the story’s publication. However, later on Saturday, he wrote in an X post that Swalwell “must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress.” The Northern California lawmaker also appeared to become the first Golden State Democrat to express openness to voting to expel Swalwell from Congress. “I’ve seen enough. With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate,” Huffman wrote in his X post. “[Republican Texas] Rep. Tony Gonzales, who admitted to the same violation, should also resign. If they don’t, I will support voting to expel both of them.” Rep. Mike Thompson, who endorsed Swalwell, issued a statement late Friday that he is withdrawing his support of the Democrat’s gubernatorial bid. The DCNF reached out to Thompson’s office to ask if he believes Swalwell should drop out of the race and resign his seat, but did not receive any response. Like Thompson, Reps. Ami Bera and Doris Matsui also pulled their endorsements of Swalwell, but both have yet to indicate whether either believes the Bay Area Democrat should drop out or resign. The DCNF reached out to both of the Sacramento-area lawmakers’ offices regarding the matter but has yet to receive any response. Rep. John Garamendi has apparently not publicly weighed in on the Swalwell allegations. The DCNF reached out to the 81-year-old congressman’s office but has yet to receive a response. Rep. Josh Harder, who represents a seat President Donald Trump narrowly won in 2024, has thus far also seemingly remained silent. Harder’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. The Democrat representing a district neighboring Swalwell’s, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, also has not publicly commented on the situation. DeSaulnier’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. Another Bay-area Democrat, Rep. Lateefah Simon, has also appeared to have not yet released a response. Her office did not respond to the DCNF’s inquiry. Rep. Adam Gray, meanwhile, called the allegations against Swalwell “serious” and, while announcing on X his withdrawal of his endorsement of Swalwell, said he “should end his campaign immediately.” The DCNF reached out to Gray’s office to ask if he believes Swalwell should resign from Congress but did not immediately receive a response. Rep. Kevin Mullin similarly wrote on X, “I am withdrawing my endorsement of his [Swalwell’s] campaign for governor and believe he should end his campaign.” Mullin’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s question about whether he believes his colleague should resign in light of the allegations Mullin said “deeply disturbed” him. Rep. Sam Liccardo, an attorney with experience prosecuting sexual assault, was one of the few California Democrats to publicly say he would support Swalwell resigning from Congress, albeit if the allegations against him are substantiated. “As a former prosecutor of sexual assault, I take these allegations very seriously. Survivors courageous enough to come forward deserve to be heard fully, without being smeared in the media by pundits or political hacks,” Liccardo wrote in an X post Friday. “Credible claims require a full investigation. If these allegations are substantiated, Congressman Swalwell should resign, and the consequences must follow the facts.” Liccardo endorsed Swalwell’s primary opponent, and his successor as San Jose mayor, Matt Mahan, for governor. Mahan was one of the first California Democrats to publicly call for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial bid. Rep. Ro Khanna wrote Friday on X there “must be the appropriate law enforcement investigations and House ethics investigations” into Swalwell, who he said “must be held accountable.” “Meeting with Epstein survivors has taught me how much trauma survivors endure and how much courage it takes for them to speak up,” wrote Khanna, who in late 2025 successfully co-led an effort to force the House to vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. “No one in a position of power should be allowed to act above the law or with impunity. It doesn’t matter what office you hold, how wealthy you are, or which political party you align with.” “The same rules must apply to Eric Swalwell,” he noted. “There cannot be two tiers of justice in this nation.” The DCNF reached out to Khanna’s office to ask him if he believes Swalwell should drop out of the race or resign his seat from Congress, but did not immediately receive a response. Months earlier, Khanna — who is known for his anti-billionaire rhetoric—endorsed Swalwell’s primary opponent, billionaire Tom Steyer, for governor. Rep. Zoe Lofgren wrote in a statement posted to social media she was withdrawing her endorsement “of Congressman Swalwell’s campaign for Governor [sic],” adding she hopes “he will withdraw from the race.” The DCNF asked Lofgren’s office if she thinks Swalwell should resign from office but did not receive a response. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, who had backed Swalwell’s candidacy, rescinded his endorsement nearly a full day after the allegations broke as “evidence continues to be discovered and facts are determined.” His statement did not call for Swalwell to drop out of the race or resign. The DCNF reached out to the congressman’s office for further comment but did not receive a response. Reps. Jim Costa, Salud Carbajal, and George Whitesides also do not appear to have made comments about their colleague’s allegations, nor did any respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. However, Whitesides, a former NASA employee, still took time to make several X posts about the Artemis II mission since the Chronicle first reported the sexual assault allegations against Swalwell. Rep. Julia Brownley told the DCNF she was withdrawing her week-old endorsement of Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid and calling for him to exit the race over the “serious and deeply disturbing” allegations. She did not answer the DCNF’s question of whether she would call for Swalwell to resign his seat in Congress. “It takes extraordinary courage for women to come forward, and they deserve to be heard, respected, and protected from retaliation,” she wrote. “Under these circumstances, I cannot continue to support Eric. I am withdrawing my endorsement and calling on him to end his campaign for governor.” Rep. Raul Ruiz withdrew his endorsement of Swalwell but did not call for him to exit the race or resign his House seat. The congressman’s office did not respond to the DNCF’s questions. Los Angeles-area Reps. Judy Chu, Luz Rivas, and Brad Sherman do not appear to have commented on the situation concerning Swalwell, nor did any of their offices respond to the DNCF’s request for comment. Rep. Laura Friedman called for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial campaign and for an investigation into his allegations. Her office did not respond when asked if she believes Swalwell should resign from Congress. Rep. Gil Cisneros, in a 15-word X post, wrote he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell in “light of recent events,” without going into detail. Cisneros’s office did not respond to the DNCF when asked if he supports Swalwell dropping out of his race or resigning. Rep. Norma Torres told the DCNF in a statement the allegations “are deeply serious and disturbing,” and said Swalwell should drop out of the gubernatorial race. Her office, however, did not answer the DCNF’s question of whether she thinks her colleague should resign his House seat. “I believe that given the gravity of these accusations, he should suspend his campaign and focus on clearing his name,” added the congresswoman, who has not publicly endorsed a candidate for governor. “Survivors must always be taken seriously, and the public deserves full transparency and accountability.” Rep. Jimmy Gomez resigned from his position as co-chair of Swalwell’s campaign and called for his colleague to drop out of the gubernatorial race shortly after the Chronicle published its bombshell story. However, he has yet to called for Swalwell to resign his House seat over the allegations he called “shocking,” and his office did not respond to the DCNF’s question on the topic. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, who endorsed Swalwell, withdrew her support via a Friday statement noting it is in the “best interest of Californians he leave the race.” Her office did not respond to the DCNF’s question about whether she would support Swalwell resigning. Rep. Linda Sanchez also withdrew her endorsement of Swalwell, adding in an X post the allegations “horrified” her. Still, she has yet to call for the congressman to resign and her office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. Although he was able to make an X post supporting mail-in voting, Rep. Mark Takano appears to not have commented on Swalwell’s allegations, nor did his spokesperson respond to the DCNF’s questions about where he stands. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, called on X for Swalwell to “leave the Governor’s [sic] race immediately.” “There is no place in our country or the Democratic Party for those who abuse women and girls,” he continued. The DCNF asked Garcia if he would also call for Swalwell to resign, but his office did not respond. Rep. Maxine Waters, who has served in Congress since 1991, has not yet publicly commented on Swalwell’s situation. The 87-year-old’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s questions. Reps. Nanette Barragan and Lou Correa announced they were withdrawing their respective endorsements of Swalwell, with the latter implying the Bay-area Democrat was a “sexual predator.” Neither, however, responded to the DCNF’s question of whether each believed he should drop out of the race and resign his House seat. Reps. Derek Tran and Dave Min, who both endorsed Swalwell’s primary opponent, former Rep. Katie Porter, in the gubernatorial race, apparently have not yet publicly commented on the allegations. Neither of their offices responded to the DCNF’s requests for comment. Rep. Mike Levin wrote in a late Friday post to X that he believes Swalwell “should suspend his gubernatorial campaign immediately.” “Should the facts bear out what has been alleged, resignation from Congress is the only appropriate outcome. The consequences here must be proportionate to the truth, wherever it leads,” the Southern California congressman, as well as an attorney, wrote. Rep. Scott Peters announced he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell and called for him to exit the race in a statement sent to the DCNF. “The allegations of wrongdoing against Eric Swalwell are shocking and extremely serious, and my heart goes out to anyone who was harmed. It is in everyone’s interest to ensure that justice is done,” he wrote. “There is no way that Eric can wage a viable campaign for Governor.  I am withdrawing my support for him and asking him to do the right thing and cease his campaign.” Peters’s office did not answer the DCNF’s question of whether he believes Swalwell should resign his seat in Congress. Rep. Sara Jacobs, meanwhile, called the allegations against Swalwell “horrific” and said “it is clear” he should immediately drop out of the gubernatorial race. “We need justice for survivors and accountability for abusers—no matter how powerful they are, what political party they belong to, or the political circumstances involved,” Jacobs wrote. She did, however, discuss her position on Swalwell resigning from Congress. Her office did not respond to the DCNF’s question on the matter. Jacobs’s fellow San Diegan, Rep. Juan Vargas, does not appear to have publicly commented on Swalwell’s allegations. His office did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X late Saturday that Swalwell “should end his campaign and resign from Congress immediately,” noting the lawmaker’s “conduct is incompatible with elected office.” “The women who came forward deserve to be heard and deserve justice,” added Bass, who served alongside Swalwell in Congress from 2013 to 2022. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the allegations regarding Swalwell, The New York Times reported Saturday. Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Rep. Huffman’s statement in favor of Swalwell’s resignation, which he made after publication. Originally published by The Daily Caller News Foundation. The post Here’s Where California Democrats Stands on the Explosive Eric Swalwell Allegations appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Shockwaves continue to shake south Florida in the wake of Coral Springs Vice-Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen’s murder. After the vice mayor was found dead in her residence on April 1, her husband, Stephen Bowen, was apprehended by local police in the nearby Florida city of Plantation. Bowen was charged with murder after Metayer Bowen’s friend asked the police to conduct a wellness check on her because her husband “sounded suspicious” over the phone, Coral Springs Police Chief Brad Mock said. Once in custody, Bowen confessed to the murder. “Domestic violence can affect anyone,” Police Chief of the City of Homestead Mario Knapp told The Daily Signal. “Though it occurs behind closed doors, its impact is felt across entire communities, as it has in this case. Knapp expressed his “condolences to the family of Coral Springs Vice Mayor Metayer Bowen.” The friend requested a wellness check because Metayer Bowen was not responding to her friends’ phone calls. After the police found the councilwoman’s body wrapped in plastic bags in her home, they put out a call for Bowen’s arrest. License plate readers caught his vehicle driving north bound of the crime scene. Vice Mayor of the Florida City of West Miami, Ivan Chavez Jr., described the situation to The Daily Signal as a “really sad moment.” Florida Democrats were shocked by the news and believed Metayer Bowen had a bright future in politics. “I’m in shock,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., wrote on X on Wednesday. “I was just with her on Saturday. She just buried her brother. This is terrible.” Her colleague, Coral Springs Commissioner Joshua Simmons, added that his “soul is heavy” and his “heart is broken.” “She had such a good heart,” he continued. “She truly cared about people.” In his statement, Moskowitz said that she planned on running for Congress in the near future. “She was about to announce she was running for Congress,” he continued. “Nancy was one of the nicest people I worked with. Always fighting for her community, always pushing to help.” “She had such a future,” he said. Brown was first elected to the Coral Springs City Commission in 2020 and re-elected shortly after. The congressional hopeful had previously interned for former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and former President Barack Obama, while a master’s student at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to her political internships, Metayer Brown worked as a legal and outreach intern at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 2024, Metayer Brown, who is of Haitian descent, was first tapped by former President Joe Biden and later by former Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as the Florida Caribbean Vote Director for their presidential campaigns. She then served as Vice Chair of Haitian American Voter Engagement for the Florida Democratic Party. Republicans also expressed their condolences. Miguel Granda, President of the Miami Young Republicans, echoed the public official’s remarks. “Vice Mayor Metayer Bowen dedicated her life to serving her community, and it is a tragedy that her life was cut short by domestic violence,” Granda told The Daily Signal. “When we lose a public servant to such senseless violence, it is felt by an entire community.” “Our condolences go out to the family of Coral Springs Vice Mayor Metayer Bowen,” Granda continued. The Coral Springs Police Department did not reply to The Daily Signal’s request for comment. The post Fallout From Husband Confessing Murder of Democrat Congressional Hopeful Continues in Florida appeared first on The Daily Signal.

“Tax the rich!” shout progressives. Why not? America’s richest people are ridiculously rich. “Five bucks to you is like $6 million to billionaire Jeff Bezos!” shrieks Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Taking more from billionaires and millionaires just seems fair. That’s why Washington state passed a new “millionaire’s tax,” California will soon vote on a “billionaire’s tax,” and my mayor in NYC shouts, “increase taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers!” Don’t these politicians realize that in America, people can move? The same day Washington’s House passed its millionaire’s tax, Starbucks billionaire Howard Schultz announced that he’s leaving Washington for Florida. Billionaires Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Steven Spielberg, Peter Thiel, and now Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have left California. For 170 years, California brought in more people than any other state. It’s clear why—the weather is awesome. There were growing opportunities and jobs. But now regulation and taxes have changed that. “Remarkably, for the first time since California came into the union, they’re having out migration!” says Forbes magazine’s Steve Forbes in my new video. Some California activists think that’s OK. “The benefit from this tax is going to outweigh … a couple people moving out,” said a Healthcare Workers union boss. But “it’s not just people,” warns Forbes. “It’s capital.” Tesla, Chevron, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, SpaceX, Charles Schwab, and other companies have left. “When people are not well treated, they’re going to go elsewhere,” says Forbes. I push back, citing California’s planned tax on the very rich: “It’s just 5%. You’re a rich guy, why not pay 5%?” “You think it’s just taking 5% out of your checking account? No!” says Forbes. America’s wealth doesn’t sit in a vault. It’s invested in things that create products and jobs. Taxing that gives us less of both. “This also allows government to become more intrusive,” explains Forbes. “‘What’s that asset you might have in your cellar? We have to send inspectors in to find out where you’re hiding the art or the jewelry.'” In NYC, my new socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is eager to be intrusive. He says, “I don’t have a hesitation in asking those who make … the most profits in the city to pay a little bit more.” But it’s not just a “little bit” that he wants, and it’s not just from those with the “most” profits. Mamdani wants to change the estate tax so that if you possess more than $750,000, he gets a cut. “Own a house? Mamdani’s after you,” says Forbes. “Instead of a 16% rate, which is outrageous, he wants to raise it to as high as 50%. You create something, he wants to take it.” What’s most absurd is high taxes on the rich have already been tried. They failed. Maryland expected to make money but instead lost $257 million. “Nobody should be surprised,” said former Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich. “They’re out of here. These people aren’t stupid.” Europe tried wealth taxes but gave them up because so many rich people left. “You’re just a rich guy who wants to protect his stuff,” I say to Forbes. “I may have done well in life. I got a good start in life. But what I want is a world in which … all people have a chance to improve their lot in life.” “How does raising your taxes impede this?” I ask. “Because taxes are a price and burden,” says Forbes. “The tax you pay on your income is the price you pay for working … for being successful. And when you have a high price on that, guess what happens? You get less of it.” Next week is April 15, the horrible income tax day. Americans are reminded just how big that tax burden is. Years ago, Forbes ran for president pushing a “flat tax.” The idea went nowhere. I thought it would appeal to people because the current tax code is so complex. “The code today has over 10 million words,” says Forbes. “Nobody really knows what’s in it. It’s immoral. … We spend now over $500 billion a year in cash and time with this corrupt, incomprehensible tax code. Imagine if we’d taken those trillions of dollars, tens of billions of hours and used it for something productive, like making new products, new services, medical devices, cures for diseases. [We’d be] much better off. Huge opportunity wasted.” Politicians destroy opportunity all the time. America does need some taxes to fund limited government that the Founders had in mind. Sadly, our politicians today go way beyond that. COPYRIGHT 2026 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Tax the Rich? appeared first on The Daily Signal.