US blocks Palestinian leader from UN meeting in New York for second year in row

Tom Bateman,State department correspondent and Tabby Wilson

Reuters


The US has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an entry visa to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week, two Palestinian sources have told the BBC.

It comes after the US said it was extending visa sanctions against Palestinian officials, without naming Abbas, accusing them of failing to live up to peace process commitments.

Sanctions were initially imposed in August last year, when 80 Palestinian officials were denied visas for the annual UN meeting in New York.

In its statement, the US accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of "glorifying terrorism" and attempting to "internationalize" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) was established by the Oslo peace accords. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was recognised after the same process as the official representative of the Palestinian people in return for it recognising Israel and renouncing violence.

In a statement on Thursday, the Palestinian foreign ministry called the visa sanctions "an unjustified measure that runs counter to efforts to rebuild trust, develop Palestinian-US relations, and create the necessary political climate for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and stability".

Palestinian officials have rejected the long-held accusations of the Trump administration and Israel, adding they have a right to seek accountability against an occupying force under international law.

After the visa decision last year, a representative for Abbas said the move stood "in clear contradiction to international law and the UN Headquarters Agreement".

Plaskett narrowly escapes censure over her Epstein texts

Plaskett narrowly escapes censure over her Epstein texts

The Democratic delegate will keep her House Intel post after the House voted down a formal reprimand.

Nicholas Wu 

11/18/2025, 9:11pm ET


The House voted 209-214 Tuesday night against formally reprimanding Del. Stacey Plaskett for communicating with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 Oversight Committee hearing.

Three House Republicans — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Lance Gooden of Texas and Dave Joyce of Ohio — voted with all Democrats against the measure. Three Republicans voted present: Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York, Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania and Jay Obernolte of California.

Plaskett drew scrutiny after documents released from the Epstein estate revealed her texts with him. She’s denied wrongdoing, saying on the House floor Tuesday that Epstein was a constituent, that her contact was limited to information-gathering and that it was not public information at the time that Epstein had been under federal investigation.

“I know how to question individuals. I know how to seek information. I have sought information from confidential informants, from murderers, from other individuals because I want the truth,” she said on the House floor.

Republicans contend Plaskett’s contact with Epstein was more substantive and shaped her questioning during the hearing, which Plaskett denies.

“Standing against a convicted predator’s influence in our proceedings is not partisan. It’s basic decency,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who brought the measure to the House floor through a fast-track process bypassing committees and Hill leadership.

But the measure rejected Tuesday by the House would have also removed Plaskett from the House Intelligence Committee, a step too far for some lawmakers. She would have been the latest House Democrats to be removed from a committee position by Hill Republicans after Republicans voted last Congress to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for her past comments on Israel.

The failed vote to reprimand Plaskett comes on the same day the House voted almost unanimously to force the Department of Justice to release more files about its case against Epstein. The controversy has roiled Congress and split the MAGA base for months.

In retaliation for the move against Plaskett, Democrats introduced a measure to censure Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and to remove him from the House Armed Services Committee. He’s faced a spate of ethical issues including an since-withdrawn allegation of assault and an ongoing legal dispute over a previous relationship. But that measure is likely to be withdrawn now that the Plaskett effort has failed.

The failure of the Plaskett measure prompted an outcry from conservative Republicans who had pushed for it, with some accusing leaders of cutting deals to avoid a vote on the Mills resolution.

“They’re brokering back end deals to avoid bringing forward justice in both Democrat and Republican chambers,” said Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.). “So it’s literally covering up public corruption.”

Calen Razor contributed to this report.

Lead Art: Del. Stacey Plaskett during a July 2023 hearing. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

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WATCH U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate DEMAND Vote in House Speaker Election

WATCH: Democrat Corrects Herself After Saying Trump Should Be Shot

By Virginia Kruta
Jun 18, 2023 DailyWire.com

Alex Wong/Getty Images


Congressional Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI) had to correct herself on Sunday after she said during a live television interview that former President Donald Trump should be “shot.”

Plaskett made the comment during an appearance on MSNBC, during which she discussed the federal charges against Trump relating to his alleged mishandling of classified documents following his departure from the White House in January of 2021.

WATCH:

Freudian slip? Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) slips and says Trump "needs to be shot." She quickly corrects herself and says "stopped." pic.twitter.com/cUJlhshiGD

— Kevin Tober (@KevinTober94) June 18, 2023


“You know, having Trump not only have had the codes, but now having the classified information for Americans and being able to put that out and share it in his resort — with anyone and everyone who comes through – should be terrifying to all Americans and he needs to be shot … stopped,” she said.

Plaskett went on to say that Trump would certainly have his day in court and would have the same chance that any other American citizen would have to defend himself, but she was careful to point out the fact that the former president had been indicted in a very red state — Florida — by his peers.

“Of course, he’s going to have his day in court,” she continued. “Let’s remember that he was indicted by his peers — individual Americans who live in South Florida, a red state — they saw enough that there was probable cause for him to bring this indictment for him to stand trial.”

During the same interview, Plaskett claimed that Republican “propaganda” was the only possible reason Americans might have doubts about the Justice Department and the FBI under President Joe Biden.

Democrat Del. Stacey Plaskett says some Americans are skeptical of Biden's DOJ and FBI because of Republican "propaganda" and not because Biden just weaponized his DOJ to arrest his political rival. pic.twitter.com/5GZydAhyzq

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 18, 2023


“And that’s the thing that I am concerned about with many of my colleagues in the GOP,” she said. “That they believe that there is a two-tiered system , but the two-tiered system is not to punish them more, it’s to – they want it to allow them to get away with more than everyday Americans.”

“Causing Americans to distrust the FBI, the Department of Justice, it’s all a mechanism, and all, you know, part of their propaganda,” she added.

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"Trump needs to be shot" says Stacey Plaskett, DELEGATE for US Virgin Islands

Obama to send openly gay delegates to Russia

President Barack Obama embraces tennis icon Billie Jean King after presenting her with the Medal of Freedom at the White House on Aug. 12, 2009 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty


12/18/13 12:45 PM—Updated 12/18/13 01:39 PM


facebook twitter By Traci G. Lee



Two openly gay athletes will be a part of the U.S. Olympic delegation attending the Sochi Olympics in February, President Obama announced Tuesday.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King and women’s ice hockey player Caitlin Cahow will join a delegation selected by the president to represent the White House during the opening and closing ceremonies of the games. Obama will not be attending.

King, 70, is a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and has won 39 Grand Slam titles. Although she was never an Olympian herself, King coached U.S. Olympic tennis squads. She was also the first major female athlete to come out as a lesbian in 1981.

“I am equally proud to stand with the members of the LGBT community in support of all athletes who will be competing in Sochi and I hope these Olympic Games will indeed be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people,” King said in a statement Tuesday.

The delegations will be led by former Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano and deputy Secretary of State William Burns, and will include former Olympians Brian Boitano, Bonnie Blair, and Eric Heiden. Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, and Robert Nabors, the president’s deputy chief of staff for policy, will also be a part of the delegation.

The announcement suggests the White House is sending a subtle message to the world about Russia’s controversial “anti-propaganda” law that targets the country’s LGBT community, and that has led human rights groups to denounce the United States’ participation in the Olympic games.

However, the president refused to boycott the games. Speaking at a news conference in August, he said, “I do not think it’s appropriate to boycott the Olympics. We’ve got a bunch of Americans out there who are training hard, who are doing everything they can to succeed.”

French President Francois Hollande and German President Joachim Gauck said earlier this month they will not attend the games, though neither have confirmed their decisions were due to Russia’s anti-LGBT laws.



The Rachel Maddow Show, 12/17/13, 10:39 PM ET
US to send openly gay delegates to Olympics




But as Rachel Maddow pointed out on MSNBC Tuesday night, leaders of the U.S. delegation in year’s past have included high-profile political figures – an indication that the president was sending a message with his selection to Vladimir Putin.

“The combination of having openly gay people in the delegation and pointedly not sending any high-ranking, high-profile people from our government–it does seem, at least, like a particularly satisfying snub,” Maddow said.

In a statement Wednesday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest rejected the suggestion that Obama’s announcement implied a boycott of the games. “While the President’s schedule doesn’t allow him to travel to Sochi, in his stead, the President has asked a high-level delegation… to represent the United States Government at the opening ceremonies.”



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Santorum Wins in Louisiana, But Math Stil Favors Romney

March 26, 2012

Rick Dandes

Although most Valley political observers believe there won't be a brokered Republican national convention -- even after Rick Santorum's win in Louisiana on Saturday over front-runner Mitt Romney -- a Bucknell University assistant professor of political science still thinks there is a slight chance it may happen.

"But I wouldn't hold my breath," added Chris Ellis, who specializes in teaching domestic politics.

"Newt Gingrich seems adamant about staying in the race, and Rick Santorum has been winning enough to accumulate a fair number of delegates," Ellis said. "But the math is very much working against both of them and I still think it is likely that Gov. Romney will get the nomination. He will be way ahead in the delegate count. His problem is he may not have the required number of delegates to win on the first ballot, and that would mean we'd have a brokered convention."

A candidate must win the support of 1,144 delegates to become the Republican nominee for president.

Although Romney is the only candidate of the three with a reasonable chance of reaching that number before the August convention, that outcome is by no means assured, especially after his losses in the South.

Modern era brokered conventions have been rare, Ellis said. "Historically, they harken back to the smoke-filled back rooms when party leaders chose candidates behind closed doors," he said. "That doesn't happen now. If Romney can't hit the magic number on the first ballot, then the brokering would begin. I can't believe the party leaders, who seem to all be behind Romney, would let this go on for long. I could see delegates being swapped for getting prime time speeches or changes in the party platform."

Ellis said that the tough primary race is not, "in and of itself, a bad thing. And even if the convention is rough and tumble, that's OK. But if it gets ugly on the floor, that could be bad for the eventual nominee. Whomever it is, I fully expect the party will eventually get behind its nominee. Whether tea party activists will fall in line in another question."

The last time Republican delegates arrived at the GOP convention uncertain who their nominee would be was 1976, when Ronald Reagan nearly took the nomination away from President Gerald Ford.

"I do not believe there will be a brokered convention, especially with Newt Gingrich staying in the race," added Yvonne Morgan, Union County Republican Committee chair. "I believe we will know the nominee by June 1, and, it will be Mitt Romney."

Many social conservatives in Pennsylvania are excited to support Santorum in the state's April 24 primary, Morgan said, "and actually have a voice in the presidential selection. I hate to be a spoiler to them, but Pennsylvania is a non-binding delegate state. This year, we were awarded 72 delegates. However, the popular vote winner is not guaranteed the delegate votes. Theoretically, a candidate could win the popular vote and walk away with zero delegates."

Beth Kremer, the Northumberland County Republican chairwoman, said, "a brokered convention is highly unlikely. Once again, it's only March and there are still a lot of delegates up for grabs. Romney is in a strong position and although his progress may be slow, slow and steady often wins the race."

Once again, Kremer said: "I'd remind people to look back at the 2008 campaign. Everyone on the left was concerned about what Hillary Clinton would do at the convention. It was only after she struck a deal with the Obama campaign that she pledged her full support. In return for her support, she got money to pay campaign bills and the secretary of state job."

Ultimately, Kremer said, all the candidates will rally around the eventual nominee in hopes of defeating President Obama.



Source: (c)2012 The Daily Item


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Rick Santorum Can't Win

Jamelle Bouie
March 7, 2012

It's hopeless for the former Pennsylvania senator.




About the Author

Jamelle Bouie is a writing fellow at The American Prospect.

Frontloading HQ’s Josh Putnam crunches the numbers and finds that under the most optimistic scenario, Rick Santorum is limited to a delegate haul of 1,075, which falls somewhat short of the 1,144 needed to win the nomination.

Putnam notes that you could goose that even further and assume big wins for Santorum in the remaining primaries. Even still, the most he could win is 1,152 delegates. By contrast, Mitt Romney’s minimum 1,162 delegates while his maximum extends to 1,341 delegates.

In other words—at this point—it’s mathematically impossible for Santorum to win the nomination through delegate accumulation. Of course, there’s always the question of a brokered convention. But as Putnam points out, of the people to win the nomination through negotiation, Santorum is at the bottom of the list:

The bottom line here is that Romney has enough of a delegate advantage right now and especially coming out of today’s contests that it is very unlikely that anyone will catch him, much less catch him and get to 1144. The latter seems particularly far-fetched given the above scenarios. And that is a problem in this race. Well, a problem for Gingrich and Santorum anyway. If all either of them can take to voters is an argument that all they can do is prevent Romney from getting to 1144, then neither has a winning strategy. That sort of strategy has a half life; one that will grow less effective as, in this case, Romney approaches 1144.

Complicating this scenario even further for Gingrich and Santorum is the fact that if neither can get to 1144 or even close to it, neither is all that likely to be the candidate to emerge as the nominee at any – unlikely though it may be – contested convention.

At this point, Romney doesn’t need delegates, he needs the okay from the Republican base—permission to focus his attention on the general election, and pull back from the fight with his doomed competitors. Unfortunately for the former Massachusetts governor, the base doesn’t seem ready to give up the quest for a more “acceptable” standard-bearer.

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