A Republican state senator in Oklahoma isn't backing down after he referred to certain people pushing the LGBTQ+ agenda as "filth" and infuriated many. Sen. Tom Woods (R) was speaking at a legislative forum sponsored by the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce when he made the comments. He was referring to the death of Nex Benedict‚ a transgender student at an Oklahoma high school. "My heart goes out to that scenario‚ if that is the case‚" he said in the recording. "But we represent a constituency. We are a Republican state – supermajority – in the House and Senate. I represent a constituency that doesn't want that filth in Oklahoma." Some applause can be heard in the audio of the incident. "You know we are a religious state and we are going to fight it to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state – we are a moral state‚" he added. "We are a Republican state. I'm going to vote my district. I'm going to vote my values. And we don't want that in the state of Oklahoma."Liberals and LGBTQ+ advocates pounced on the comments to accuse Woods and other Republicans of using rhetoric that led to the death of Benedict. Contrary to the media and liberal narrative‚ police indicated that the transgender student did not pass away directly because of a bathroom fight at the school. "That shouldn’t be tolerated‚ is unacceptable"Several Republicans condemned the comments from Woods. "I am of the belief that all people are image-bearers of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. His remarks were not in any way reflective of myself‚ the Senate Republican caucus‚ Senate leadership or the Senate overall. In my opinion‚ he had a serious lapse of judgment‚" said Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat. "We should rise above spewing hate and legislating condemnation for every citizen who does not look like us‚ vote like us worship like us or identify or love like us‚" said State Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn. Woods did not back down and reiterated his comments. "I stand behind what I believe in. The groups and individuals who push gender reassignment on children in our schools‚ and anyone else who is trying to normalize behavior that shouldn’t be tolerated‚ is unacceptable in my mind‚" Woods said in a statement to KOCO-TV. Here's a news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Physician to the president Kevin O'Connor declared in a memo to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that the president remains "fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations.""This patient's current medical considerations are detailed as above‚ and remain stable and well-controlled. They include obstructive sleep apnea‚ a-fib with normal ventricular response‚ hyperlipidemia‚ gastroesophageal reflux‚ seasonal allergies‚ spinal arthritis and sensory peripheral neuropathy of the feet. For these‚ he takes three common prescription medications and three common over-the-counter medications‚" O'Connor noted."President Biden is a healthy‚ active‚ robust‚ 81-year-old male‚ who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency‚ to include those as Chief Executive‚ Head of State and Commander in Chief‚" the physician added.Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Wednesday that the Bidens' doctor and the neurologist do not think that the president needs a cognitive test.Biden‚ who is the oldest president in U.S. history and would be 86 by the end of a second term in office‚ is currently seeking re-election and appears likely to easily lock up his party's presidential nomination.He decisively won the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan on Tuesday while Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota‚ who has been attempting to challenge Biden for the nomination‚ performed dismally. According to results being reported by the Associated Press‚ more than 81% of the votes were for Biden while more than 13% were for the "uncommitted" option‚ and less than 3% went to Phillips.The results being reported by the AP also indicate that Phillips received fewer votes than Marianne Williamson‚ who announced that she was suspending her campaign earlier this month. But Williamson announced on Wednesday that she was "unsuspending" her campaign."Dem primary voters and Party people don't wish to entertain alternatives to Joe Biden - and I honor that. But that doesn't change the fact Donald Trump is walking right back to the Presidency while we sleepwalk from it. I've dedicated 8 years of my life resisting that dangerous man‚ and it remains my singular mission to ensure his defeat at the ballot box in November‚" Phillips tweeted. "I'm not going anywhere and not suspending my mission. I will continue to assess the most proficient approach to protecting America‚ Americans‚ and our treasured democracy‚" he added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Wednesday publicly challenged U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's view that it would be legal to monetize some $300 billion in frozen Russian assets‚ revealing deep divisions among leading industrial nations.

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President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will travel on Thursday to the southern border‚ which has seen a dramatic increase in illegal immigration in recent years.Biden will visit Brownsville‚…

Illinois becomes the third state to remove former President Trump from its state ballot‚ citing the 14th Amendment’s so-called “insurrectionist ban.” On Wednesday evening‚ Cook County Circuit…

Athens‚ Georgia‚ Democratic Mayor Kelly Girtz faced a barrage of heckling on Wednesday as he attempted to refute allegations of sanctuary policies in his city during a press conference addressing the…

Earlier on Wednesday‚ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that he would be stepping down from his leadership position in November‚ though he'll still serve out the rest of his term…

CNN has come to terms that re-election for President Joe Biden may be a pipeline dream after Democrat voters in Michigan—and other swing states – are feeling uncommitted in November to him. …

An expert explains.