An overseas war between Israel and Hamas brought tensions to a boil throughout the U.S.‚ including New York City‚ where over 1 million people are expected to ring in the new year.James Smith‚ assistant…

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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed House Bill 68‚ which would have barred physicians from performing “gender reassignment surgery” or prescribing “cross-sex hormones” to minors. It would have also banned schools from knowingly permitting transgender-identified male students to play on girl’s and women’s sports teams. In a press conference held Friday‚ Gov. DeWine explained his reasons for the decision‚ citing his many conversations with families whose children had undergone “gender-affirming care.” Some parents‚ he said‚ feared that “but for this treatment‚ their child would be dead … these are gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by parents.” The governor later clarified that he would pursue legislation banning transgender surgeries for minors‚ but that “the rest of the care‚” including hormone injections should be available to children.  “Were I to sign House Bill 68.… Ohio would be saying that the state‚ that the government‚ knows better what is medically best for a child‚” DeWine said. When asked about the part of the bill dealing with women’s sports‚ Gov. DeWine said‚ “I focused on the part of the bill that I thought affected the most people … and did not even get to the other question.” The governor declined to state whether he would have signed a bill dealing only with that issue. “We’ll come back when this comes up later on.” In an interview released Wednesday‚ fitness expert and nutritionist Jillian Michaels spoke out in favor of protecting biologically based sports. “Sports is biological. It just is.” “Lia Thomas was number 400 when she swam as a male and number one when she swims as a female. We’re going to systematically destroy women’s sports.” Michaels lamented‚ “I support equal rights for all transgender people but sadly sports is biological‚ and biological males on hormone blockers or not‚ are still far stronger‚ taller‚ more muscle mass than a biological woman. And women are getting hurt and it’s taking opportunities and money away from biological women.… That’s the truth.” Gov. DeWine’s decision applies the logic of parental freedom to keep irreversible hormone injections for minors available‚ while seemingly drawing the line at surgeries. His refusal to address issues facing female athletes is a sad reminder that women’s sports are still under attack.  The governor’s choice should be a simple one: recognize the biological differences between men and women‚ and protect children from all destructive attempts to damage their healthy bodies. The post Ohio Governor Vetoes Bill to Protect Women and Children appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

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Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) blasted Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) Friday after the governor defended his veto of a bill that would ban gender procedures on minors and prevent boys from competing in girls’ sports.  The bill — HB 68 — vetoed by DeWine on Friday would ban transgender procedures on minors‚ such as double mastectomies on girls who identify as boys‚ and other genital procedures for children with gender dysphoria. It would also also prohibit biological boys from competing in girls’ sports across the state. DeWine said at a press conference following his decision to veto the legislation that if the bill were to become law‚ the government would be encroaching on parents’ rights.  “Ultimately‚ I believe this is about protecting human life‚” DeWine said. “Many parents have told me that their child would not have survived‚ would be dead today‚ if they did not receive the treatment they received from one of Ohio’s children’s hospitals. I’ve also been told by those who are now grown adults that‚ but for this care‚ they would’ve taken their life when they were teenagers.”  “Were HB 68 to become law‚ Ohio would be saying that the state — that the government — knows better‚ what is medically best for their child‚ than the two people who love that child the most: the parents‚” DeWine added. “Therefore I cannot sign this bill as it is currently written.”  Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s statement on the veto was incredible (see clipped video): “Were Ohio to pass HB68‚ it would be saying that the state knows better‚ what is medically best for their child‚ than the two people who love that child the most: their parents.” pic.twitter.com/00KxU96wSw — Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) December 29‚ 2023 Vance slammed DeWine’s reasoning‚ saying that the governor pointing to parents’ rights to make medical decisions for their children is simply using “a slogan” to defend his veto.  “This is a slogan‚ not a justification. There are many things the law rightfully says no one‚ including parents‚ may do to children‚” Vance wrote on X. “This slogan also ignores the extraordinary pressure from interest groups and big pharma to green light poorly understood‚ irreversible procedures. I’m extremely disappointed in the governor’s decision and hope it is overridden.”  HB 68 passed mostly along party lines on December 13‚ with the Ohio House voting 62-27 and the Ohio Senate voting 24-8 to approve the legislation‚ but after issuing his veto on Friday‚ DeWine said he was concerned about the legal implications of signing HB 68 into law. The veto can be overridden by a three-fifths vote in the Ohio General Assembly‚ which is controlled by a Republican supermajority.  Following his veto‚ DeWine was also criticized by Ohio native and Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as well as detransitioner Chloe Cole‚ who has spoken out about the dangers of gender procedures.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “There are two genders. Boys shouldn’t compete with girls in girls’ sports. Kids shouldn’t be subjected to genital mutilation &; chemical castration when they suffer mental health lapses. Shame on Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for this failure‚” Ramaswamy said.  “Gov. DeWine’s political career is over. What a way to go out. Paid off by the medical lobby‚ which is insanely powerful in Ohio‚” said Cole. “Remember him for his desire to sterilize and mutilate children.”

Monthly encounters with illegal immigrants at the southern border have hit a new all-time high‚ according to a new report.  Fox News reported on Friday that encounters at the southern border in December hit 276‚000‚ the highest ever on record‚ according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources. The previous monthly high‚ set in September 2023‚ was 269‚735. The all-time December record came just one month after the highest November on record‚ with nearly 250‚000 border encounters.  “​​We are now at over 760‚000 migrant encounters since October 1st‚ making the first quarter of fiscal year 2024 also the highest ever recorded. That’s a population size bigger than Seattle in just three months‚” reporter Bill Melugin posted on X.  “All records being blown out of the water under the Biden admin as the crisis gets worse — not better.” The release of the numbers prompted criticism from conservatives‚ who pointed out that December was supposed to see fewer encounters. “The highest single month ever recorded. Let that sink in. The Biden administration’s open-border policies helped facilitate this chaos. We need border security NOW‚” Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) said.  “Remember: December is SUPPOSED to be a ‘slower’ month for migrant apprehensions.  Unless and until amnesty-first Senate Republicans realize that [HR2] halts this chaos‚ we will only see more of the same‚” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said.  “Mayorkas’ border crisis is breaking its own records — and Americans are paying the cost. Accountability is coming‚” the House Homeland Security Committee posted on X. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP The Biden administration met with Mexican officials this week to discuss the surge at the border. Despite the record amount of crossings coming into the U.S.‚ the Biden administration told Mexico it wanted to encourage more migration into America. During the meetings‚ the Biden administration agreed to foster “orderly‚ humane‚ and regular migration” with Mexico. The officials also talked about strengthening trade and suggested giving amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. “Delegations also discussed the benefit of regularizing the situation of long-term undocumented Hispanic migrants and DACA recipients‚ who are a vital part of the U.S. economy and society‚” a statement from U.S. and Mexican officials said. At the same‚ the Biden administration has threatened to sue Texas over a state law that will allow state officials to arrest illegal immigrants who cross into Texas.

Chris Harrison‚ the former host of “The Bachelor‚” said that leaving the show ultimately had a positive impact on his life. The 52-year-old celeb referred to his tenure on the long-running dating reality show as both a “blessing and a curse” during an appearance on the “Trading Secrets” podcast‚ which is hosted by “The Bachelorette” contestant Jason Tartick.  Harrison parted ways with “The Bachelor” after 19 years of hosting the series following a controversy stemming from his defense of a contestant against accusations of racism.  “I still look at this as a blessing in my life. It was hard at first‚ obviously‚ it wasn’t immediate where I felt great about everything because what I went through was tumultuous. I don’t wish it on anybody‚” Harrison said‚ mentioning how the backlash to the controversy was “horrifying on a lot of levels” and “something that I pray to God my worst enemy never goes through.” “But‚ with that said‚ I knew I had to remove myself from what became a very toxic situation‚ and I did‚ and that was a very difficult situation‚” he added.  “I’m proud of that decision. I’m proud that I handled it the way I did and I still look at it as a blessing because it changed my life on so many levels‚” he told Tartick. “Financially‚ of course. It changed my life. It changed my kids’ lives.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “It was a blessing. It changed my life‚ but at the same time‚ I can also be grateful that I’m gone. That’s a relationship I don’t need to be in anymore because it wasn’t healthy‚” Harrison said‚ asserting that he would “never” return to “The Bachelor.” Harrison was attacked for defending Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell when she was facing backlash for attending an Antebellum-themed party in her past.  “The picture was from 2018 at an Old South Antebellum party. That’s not a good look‚” former contestant Rachel Lindsay told Harrison during an interview with “Extra” in February 2021. “Is it [not] a good look in 2018‚ or is it not a good look in 2021?” Harrison replied. He said that the audience should “have a little grace‚ a little understanding‚ a little compassion” for Kirkconnell attending a party in 2018 when social etiquette was very different. These comments led to extreme backlash and eventually to Harrison resigning as the show’s host and issuing a formal apology. 

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit back at journalists who he said are still upset he didn’t take the COVID-19 vaccine. During Rodgers’ latest appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show‚” the host asked Rodgers about sports journalists calling him out for taking up a roster spot on the team rather than being placed on the injured reserve list [IR] after he tore his Achilles tendon in the first game of the season. “The same people who are criticizing me or coming up with these conspiracies about my injury‚ before they talk‚ let’s go back to 2021 and let’s make people say their vax status to start‚” Rodgers said‚ adding that it “would frame all these comments in the right window.” Aaron Rodgers dropped ‘Mass Formation Psychosis’ on ESPN 🤣 “They’re still mad I’m covid MVP. Not just the two MVP’s that I won but also: I didn’t bow down to the Medical Industrial Complex and the Mass Formation Psychosis and I decided to make a decision that was in the best… pic.twitter.com/kyzvm5lrdb — Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) December 27‚ 2023 “Let’s have them say‚ ‘Hey‚ I’m so-and-so‚ double vaxxed with Pfizer and triple boosted. And my opinion about this is this guy’s a bad guy because he just wanted to practice and took money away‚'” he added. “Then at least you’d know‚ and everybody could know at that point that they have their puppet masters who are puppeteering them to say this certain thing about this guy and that they’re still upset about the fact that I believe in medical freedom.” Rodgers said these journalists are “still mad I’m COVID MVP. Not just the two MVPs that I won because I didn’t bow down to the medical industrial complex and the mass formation psychosis and I decided to make a decision that was in the best interest of my health.” “They’re still trying to get their jabs in‚” he added. “They’re still trying to take a victory lap you know that somehow I couldn’t beat science this time. Take it easy on the victory laps and have another jab while you’re at it.” Rodgers ended up returning to the practice field in December. He previously talked about the “newer‚ innovative” surgery he had undergone in hopes of returning faster and his hopes of coming back to play this season‚ but in the end‚ he didn’t make it. Rodgers made headlines in 2021 when he was accused of misleading comments about his vaccination status‚ saying he was “immunized.” However‚ it was later revealed that he had not been vaccinated. Related: Aaron Rodgers Takes Another Swipe At Fauci Amid Talk About Achilles Injury