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The Massachusetts Teachers Association is under fire from teachers in the state and Jewish organizations after its board of directors voted in favor of a motion accusing the United States of helping Israel with genocide. A smaller teachers union in the state‚ the Newton Teachers Association (NTA)‚ distanced itself Tuesday from the actions taken by the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)‚ which represents more than 100‚000 educators in the state. It said the motion passed by the MTA’s board of directors was an example of “antisemitic dog-whistling” and said that it could lead to more Jew-hatred. “Some will defend this motion‚ and deny that to accuse Israel of engaging in a ‘genocidal war on the Palestinian people’ will provoke further antisemitism‚ or deny that the very use of the word ‘genocide’ to characterize the actions of a people who experienced the Holocaust is callous‚” NTA’s statement said.  “However‚ the motion approved by the MTA Board will provoke further antisemitism‚ and it is callous‚” it added‚ demanding that the MTA retract the motion that called for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the American government’s “complicity.” “As an educators’ union‚ we must take a stand with our union siblings‚ and promote peace and justice in the region by calling for an end to our government’s complicity with Israel’s genocidal assault on the people of Gaza and intent to take over their territory‚” the MTA statement reads.  The Massachusetts Teachers Association board of directors voted on a statement accusing the U.S. government of being complicit in genocide in Gaza. “How many deaths‚ how many more children must die‚ before we take a stand? Silence is complicity‚” the MTA statement adds. The union is also facing criticism from Jewish groups in the state. The CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of greater Boston (JCRC) called it “irresponsible” to have ceasefire resolutions that do not “also include an explicit and unconditional condemnation of the Hamas terrorist attack.” “Any such resolution that does not demand a return of the hostages or call for removal of Hamas as a terrorist organization fails to address the reality of the war and further ensures violence without a path for peace‚” Jeremy Burton told The Daily Wire. “The MTA’s ceasefire resolution does not address any of these realities. We expect better from our educational partners.” READ MORE: VIDEO: Inside The Day-Long Terrorist Siege On Israel’s Sderot Police Station NTA‚ which operates under the umbrella of the MTA‚ also criticized MTA for not including mention of Hamas. “The motion and rationale approved by the MTA Board captures how the tragedy impacts many innocent Palestinians in Gaza‚” NTA’s statement says. “But the statement fails completely to hold in mind the atrocities against Israelis on October 7‚ the complexity of the situation‚ and the trauma‚ pain‚ and fallout the Israeli‚ American‚ and international Jewish communities are experiencing.” Newton‚ a Boston suburb‚ is considered one of the most Jewish cities in the United States‚ with Jews making up between 20-30% of the population‚ according to Forward. Andrea Levin‚ the executive director of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) called MTA’s statement “unconscionable” for accusing Israel of genocide. READ MORE: Rabbi Resigns From Harvard’s Anti-Semitism Advisory Committee: ‘Ignoring Jewish Suffering Is Evil’ “There is no ‘genocide’ underway‚ but a defensive war by Israel to counter Hamas‚ which initiated the conflict by invading Israel and slaughtering more than 1000 innocent lives‚” Levin said‚ adding that accusing Israel of genocide is a strategy aimed to “manipulate global opinion against Israel as it endeavors to eliminate terrorist threats.” “Will these same educators‚ who have supported the defamatory accusation of ‘genocide’ and who overlook the suffering of Israelis‚ propagate these views in the classroom?” Levin questioned. “Parents rightfully need assurance that advocates of the MTA’s defamatory statement will refrain from disseminating false claims and inciting hostility towards Israel and Jewish students.” The MTA did not respond to a request for comment.

Congress passed the annual defense policy bill this week‚ authorizing $886 billion for a host of national security programs for the current fiscal year that began on October 1 — about 3% higher than the previous year’s levels. The Democrat-led Senate approved the legislation‚ known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)‚ in a 87-13 vote on Wednesday‚ and the GOP-controlled House followed suit by passing the legislation in a 310-118 vote on Thursday‚ sending the legislation to President Joe Biden for a signature. The final NDAA‚ a compromise of the House and Senate version that came out of the conference process‚ sets national security policies with a heavy focus on boosting the military‚ improving technology development‚ and countering U.S. adversaries such as Russia‚ China‚ Iran‚ and North Korea. “At a time of huge trouble for global security‚ passing the defense authorization bill is more important than ever‚” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “It will ensure America can hold the line against Russia‚ stand firm against the Chinese Communist Party‚ and ensures that America’s military remains state of the art at all times‚ all around the world.” Within its many provisions‚ the NDAA boasts a 5.2% pay raise for members of the military — the largest bump in 20 years — sections that seek to restrain facets of “woke” ideology‚ pared-down UFO disclosure language‚ a four-month extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)‚ the authorization of $600 million to boost a Ukraine security assistance program spread across the next couple years‚ and much more. The NDAA does not provide budget authority‚ which is given in appropriations legislation‚ and it is separate from the supplemental national security package being debated in Congress at the behest of Biden. Democrats are trying to pass more than $100 billion in funds for Ukraine‚ Israel‚ and more‚ but Republicans demand “transformative” border security reforms be included in it. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Counted among the NDAA’s opponents were many Republicans and some Democrats. Some cited objections to the temporary extension of FISA Section 702‚ which has long stirred privacy concerns‚ and the additional funds for Ukraine. Others argued that the NDAA did not do enough to crack down on “woke” initiatives‚ the “radical climate agenda‚” and taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries. “The NDAA is a BAD deal‚” Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) said in a post to X.

Meghan McCain fired back after Ana Navarro — her former cohost on ABC’s “The View” — appeared to toss a barb at her from the Hot Topics table on Thursday‚ accusing her of profiting from “influence peddling” in the same way that President Joe Biden’s embattled son Hunter had. McCain‚ who left the show in 2021 due to what she called a “toxic” environment on set‚ took to X to fire back after Navarro made several pointed comments during the midday talk show’s broadcast. “I don’t understand why my former colleagues @TheView @ABC bring me up and slander me on an almost weekly basis‚” McCain posted. “It has been years — move on‚ I have.” McCain went on to draw a clear line of distinction between her own life and that of Hunter Biden — who is currently at the center of a probe into alleged business dealings with foreign actors and multiple members of the Biden family‚ the president included. “I have never been accused of a crime in my life and am a patriotic American — I would never and have never ‘influenced peddled’ in my life‚ let alone with foreign adversaries. Not all politicians’ children are the same — and I am no Hunter Biden‚” McCain concluded‚ suggesting that her next step might be to pursue legal action. “All accusations are absurd‚ defamatory and slanderous. I will be consulting my lawyers regarding what was libeled against me on The View this morning.” I don’t understand why my former colleagues @TheView @ABC bring me up and slander me on an almost weekly basis. It has been years – move on‚ I have. I have never been accused of a crime in my life and am a patriotic American – I would never and have never “influenced peddled”… — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 14‚ 2023 “‘@TheView’ is an @ABC News program. I do not take it lightly when any news program suggests I engage in criminal behavior‚ especially as a former employee of ABC News‚” she added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP .@TheView is an @ABC News program. I do not take it lightly when any news program suggests I engage in criminal behavior‚ especially as a former employee of ABC News. — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 14‚ 2023 McCain was responding to Navarro’s claim that “influence peddling” was so common that even some at “The View” were guilty of it — and although she did not say McCain’s name aloud‚ the other cohosts immediately seemed to know who she meant. WATCH: The View's Ana Navarro‚ who defends Senator Menendez and brags about introducing him to her "wealthy clients‚" seems to suggest past co-hosts of the show @MeghanMcCain and @HuntsmanAbby trade on their family names like Hunter Biden. https://t.co/oQtGhLrAK9 — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) December 14‚ 2023 Navarro began by claiming that Joe Biden’s only crime was being a “loving father” who took good care of Hunter. Then she conceded that Hunter Biden had profited off the Biden family name — but argued that it was not a serious issue since plenty of others had also done so. “Look‚ did Hunter Biden influence-peddle on his last name? Yes‚ he did. So did half of Washington. People sitting at this table did it!” Navarro practically shouted. Alyssa Farah-Griffin‚ the show’s newest cohost‚ asked‚ “Who at this table peddled on their last name?” “I’m not talking about currently‚” Navarro said‚ prompting a series of gasps and laughter from the other cohosts and the audience — which many viewers interpreted as a shot at McCain. “‘The View’ throws shade at former co-host Meghan McCain for influence peddling‚ without even mentioning her by name‚” NBC’s Mike Sington commented. “People sitting at this table did it!” The View throws shade at former co-host Meghan McCain for influence peddling‚ without even mentioning her by name. (Video: ABC) pic.twitter.com/6eyFwhYQ3R — Mike Sington (@MikeSington) December 14‚ 2023

A 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged for allegedly plotting a mass shooting targeting Jews at a synagogue in Canton‚ Ohio‚ according to court documents obtained by local news outlets.  The alleged threat was first reported to the Stark County Sheriff’s Office on September 1 after the teenage boy allegedly posted his plans to carry out a mass shooting at the Temple Israel on the online chat platform Discord‚ the court documents showed. The suspect‚ whose name was not published due to his age‚ is charged with inducing panic and disorderly conduct‚ which are both misdemeanors‚ and he will appear in Stark County Family Court on Wednesday‚ December 20‚ WKYC reported.  “(Name redacted) did create a detailed plan to complete a mass shooting at the Temple Israel on the Discord platform which was reported to law enforcement and required an immediate investigatory response and notification of public individuals and agencies including the school system in which caused significant public alarm within those agencies‚” the court documents state.  The Stark County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the alleged plans of the teenager. The Anti-Defamation League Cleveland thanked law enforcement officials for their work on the case‚ saying it is “horrified” by the alleged plans of the teenager to target Jews.  Reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes have skyrocketed in the U.S. and other Western countries after Hamas carried out a brutal attack on Israel on October 7‚ killing at least 1‚200 people and kidnapping hundreds of others.  FBI Director Chris Wray warned in late October of anti-Semitism in the U.S. reaching “historic levels‚” saying that 60% of all religious hate crimes in the country are targeting Jewish people.  “The Jewish community is targeted by terrorists really across the spectrum‚” Wray testified before a Senate panel‚ adding‚ “This is not a time for panic‚ but it is a time for vigilance. We shouldn’t stop conducting our daily lives – going to schools‚ houses of worship‚ and so forth – but we should be vigilant.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Last week‚ authorities responded to another apparent targeting of Jews when a man allegedly fired two shots from a shotgun outside of a New York synagogue while children were in the building for preschool. The suspect in the shooting is a U.S. citizen who was born in Iraq and allegedly said “events in the Middle East have impacted him.” 

The earliest versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse‚ featured in the 1928 short “Steamboat Willie‚” will become available for public use beginning January 1‚ 2024. This is the first time that any version of the iconic Disney character will no longer be subject to copyright protections‚ according to The Associated Press. “This is it. This is Mickey Mouse. This is exciting because it’s kind of symbolic‚” Jennifer Jenkins‚ a professor of law and director of Duke’s Center for the Study of Public Domain‚ said of the development. “I kind of feel like the pipe on the steamboat‚ like expelling smoke. It’s so exciting.” United States law currently allows a copyright to be held for 95 years. This number has been extended several times as multiple groups‚ including Disney‚ lobbied for extensions. “It’s sometimes derisively referred to as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act‚” Jenkins said of the laws‚ per AP. “That’s oversimplified because it wasn’t just Disney that was pushing for term extension. It was a whole group of copyright holders whose works were set to go into the public domain soon‚ who benefited greatly from the 20 years of extra protection.” The “Steamboat Willie” version of the world’s most recognizable mouse is different than the more modern version that Disney fans know and love‚ which is a point the media company made in a statement to AP. “Ever since Mickey Mouse’s first appearance in the 1928 short film ‘Steamboat Willie‚’ people have associated the character with Disney’s stories‚ experiences‚ and authentic products‚” a Disney spokesperson told the outlet. “That will not change when the copyright in the ‘Steamboat Willie’ film expires.” “More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the ‘Steamboat Willie’ copyright‚ and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling‚ theme park attractions‚ and merchandise‚” the statement continued. “We will‚ of course‚ continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright.” Earlier this year‚ A.A. Milne’s original “Winnie the Pooh” characters entered the public domain‚ which led to some unique entertainment projects. Some fans were shocked at the January release of the horror film “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey‚” which featured Pooh and Piglet as deranged serial killers. Besides the original Mickey and Minnie characters‚ the “Winnie the Pooh” character Tigger will also enter the public domain on January 1.

Clean up on aisle four! Celebrities make messes far bigger than what most of us leave behind. One advantage? They can attempt damage control on late-night TV‚ the concert stage or even via social media. Actress Rachel Zegler chose an awards-season interview with Variety to clean up the mess she made earlier in the year. Zegler‚ the 20-something starlet known for “West Side Story‚” “The Hunger Games” prequel‚ and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods‚” almost personally sank a Disney mega-project.  She’s slated to play the title role in Disney’s live-action “Snow White” update‚ but she had few kind things to say about the source material. It’s no longer 1937‚ and we absolutely wrote a ‘Snow White’ — she’s not going to be saved by a prince! And she’s not gonna be dreaming about true love… She’ll be dreaming about becoming a leader she knows she can be. Those and related comments went viral. On steroids. She had to wait out the actor’s strike to do some super-sized damage control. And that’s exactly what she did alongside fellow Disney star Halle Bailey. The cartoon is so beloved — it’s like a monumental moment in film history. It’s the first feature-length cartoon movie‚ to the point where it won honorary Oscars‚ and all these amazing things that happened for that film are the reason that you and I get to sit here today‚ because it made Disney what it is. Rachel Zegler backtracks previous remarks and praises Disney's animated Snow White film as "a monumental moment in film history" pic.twitter.com/oKBhYZIwhP — Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) December 11‚ 2023 That didn’t stop Team Disney from adding CGI dwarfs to the project and bumping its release date to 2025. We’ll have to wait until then to see if all is forgiven. Daily Wire Announces Live-Action ‘Snow White And The Evil Queen’ Other damage control efforts involved affairs of the heart. Or‚ perhaps‚ another part of the anatomy. Hugh Grant sat atop the Hollywood food chain after the shocking success of his 1994 comedy “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” That‚ plus his coupling with fellow rising star Elizabeth Hurley gave him Flavor of the Month status. It all came crashing down when he was caught dallying with a prostitute named Divine Brown. His squeaky-clean image‚ forged from his “Weddings” success and the anticipated release of the comedy “Nine Months‚” suddenly soured. What to do? Drop by “The Tonight Show” and offer a sheepish mea culpa. No excuses. Just self-flagellation. “You know in life what’s a good thing to do and a bad thing to do. I did a bad thing‚” he told “The Tonight Show’s” Jay Leno. Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank Grant’s career made a slow but steady comeback following the scandal. Today‚ he works constantly on high-profile projects like “Wonka‚” “The Undoing” and “The Gentlemen.” The results of some damage control projects won’t be known for some time. Take Will Smith’s response to “The Slap‚” the awful 2022 Oscar moment when he attacked comedian Chris Rock for telling a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head. Smith’s bulletproof brand as a talented‚ charming A-lister vanished overnight. The “King Richard” star laid low for a while and‚ eventually‚ released the requisite apology video. He has spent the last year and a half referencing “The Slap” during carefully considered press interviews to diminish its long-term impact. His 2022 promotional campaign for “Emancipation” toned down the superstar’s usual elan. Nicky J Sims/Getty Images It’s unclear if he’ll ever return to his superstar status. That’s up to movie audiences‚ and they’ll soon have plenty of chances to weigh in. His upcoming projects include “I Am Legend 2‚” another “Bad Boys” sequel and a “Planes‚ Trains and Automobiles” remake. Some damage control efforts crash on impact. Mega-producer Harvey Weinstein offered a swift response to 2017 allegations he sexually assaulted multiple starlets. The Democratic bundler claimed his actions reflected a different‚ less evolved era‚ and he was deeply sorry for offending the women in question. He added a vow meant to rally his progressive base. Two‚ actually. I am going to need a place to channel that anger so I’ve decided that I’m going to give the NRA my full attention. I hope Wayne LaPierre will enjoy his retirement party. I’m going to do it at the same place I had my Bar Mitzvah. I’m making a movie about our President‚ perhaps we can make it a joint retirement party.  Suffice it to say the effort didn’t work. Sometimes an actor isn’t seeking the public’s grace but the industry’s forgiveness. Superstar Matt Damon earned the #MeToo movement’s wrath when he suggested Weinstein’s predatory crimes were far worse than what future Sen. Al Franken did by posing with a sleeping woman in a lewd manner. There’s a difference between‚ you know‚ patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation‚ right? … Both of those behaviors need to be confronted and eradicated without question‚ but they shouldn’t be conflated‚ right? Team #MeToo excoriated the “Good Will Hunting” star‚ and he vowed to stay silent on the subject moving forward. Later that year‚ Damon famously portrayed future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on “Saturday Night Live‚” leaning hard into the negative portrait of the conservative judge painted by the legacy media. Kavanaugh’s case became a #MeToo cause celebre despite microscopic evidence assembled against the judge. The public didn’t care about Damon’s involvement in the sketch‚ but his Hollywood peers likely cheered his attempt to derail Kavanaugh’s nomination. Perhaps Hollywood’s most intriguing damage control project came from ageless actor Tom Cruise. The “Top Gun” star’s antics in the mid-2000s drew plenty of unwanted attention. First‚ he infamously jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s couch while declaring his love for actress Katie Holmes. Social media wasn’t the gargantuan force it is today in 2005‚ but the story still spread like wildfire thanks‚ in part‚ to late-night TV. None of it flattered Cruise. One month later‚ Cruise battled “Today” show co-host Matt Lauer while promoting “The War of the Worlds.” They debated the efficacy of psychiatric drugs‚ reflecting his Scientology faith’s criticism on the matter. Virginia Sherwood/NBC Newswire/Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images His career didn’t flatline‚ but his all-American brand took a hit. His response? Work more‚ talk less. Cruise stopped over-sharing about his love life‚ avoided almost all political banter and kept the focus on making movies. His fan base began to grow anew‚ and on the strength of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise he resumed his place atop the Hollywood star chart. Today‚ Cruise can’t stop thanking fans for supporting his Hollywood dreams. He’ll never have to do damage control for that. * * * Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist‚ movie critic and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at @HollywoodInToto. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The Ohio Senate passed legislation on Wednesday that would protect children from transgender surgeries and ban males from competing in women’s sports‚ sending the bill to the desk of Republican Governor Mike DeWine. The Senate passed the bill 24-8‚ with all but one Republican voting for the measure. The bill would ban surgeries such as double mastectomies on girls who identify as boys and other genital procedures for children with gender dysphoria. It also bans the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children‚ though the bill contains an exception for kids already on the medication. Cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers have been associated with numerous health risks‚ including loss of bone development‚ fertility issues‚ and heart problems.  Senate President Matt Huffman said that the legislation was necessary to protect children from harmful treatments. “Certainly the parents are the most important decision-maker in a child’s life. But there are things where it’s important for the state to step in and protect the child‚” Huffman said. The bill would also create protections for parents who do not want their child to undergo a so-called “transition” or allow them to undergo transgender procedures. The measure was primarily sponsored by Republican Rep. Gary Click. Morgan Keller‚ a “detransitioner‚” who testified before Ohio lawmakers in favor of the legislation‚ praised passage of the bill.  “Children everywhere deserve to grow up with their bodies and endocrine systems intact‚” she said. “The passing of [the legislation]  is a significant step in fighting against an ideology that says otherwise.” DeWine has not yet said whether he will sign the bill‚ saying his office needed to look over the measure first. He previously criticized a bill that would ban males from competing in women’s sports.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “This issue is best addressed outside of government through individual sports leagues and athletic associations‚ including the Ohio High School Athletic Association‚ who can tailor policies to meet the needs of their member athletes and member institutions‚” DeWine said back in June 2021. If DeWine were to veto‚ Republicans would likely be able to overcome it as they have a supermajority in both the House and Senate. Over 20 other states have passed laws shielding children from irreversible transgender surgeries and procedures.