DV Journal

Trump appointee David Metcalf has been sworn in as interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The White House has nominated Metcalf to a four year term. His appointment must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Metcalf most recently worked as Amazon’s corporate counsel for government and regulatory litigation.

Metcalf previously served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for this office and the District of Maryland, where he also served as deputy chief of appeals. There, he won an award for his prosecution of organized crime. He also served as a senior DOJ official and senior counsel to the United States Deputy Attorney General and United States Attorney General.

Before his DOJ career,  Metcalf was an associate at Covington and Burling LLP and clerked for Judge Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Metcalf is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Princeton University.

“I’m pleased to once again serve the people of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” Metcalf said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues here to uphold the rule of law and prosecute criminals who threaten our communities.”

Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) said via X, “While we have an agreed-upon process with the White House for assessing and recommending U.S. Attorney candidates, the administration informed us earlier this week of its desire to accelerate this process for the Eastern District and nominate David Metcalf to serve as U.S. Attorney. Although I do not know Mr. Metcalf, I look forward to meeting with him and exploring his qualifications for this important role.”

McCormick had previously announced commissions to make recommendations for the U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal appointments. Applications were due by the end of March. However, President Donald Trump didn’t wait for that process to play out and announced his appointment of Metcalf. Usually, a state’s U.S. senators are consulted and give the president their recommendation for a U.S. Attorney.

Last month, Trump made headlines when he fired all the U.S. Attorneys appointed by President Biden. The dismissal of U.S. attorneys after a change in administration is typical, particularly when there is a change of party as well.

Metcalf replaces Biden appointee Jacqueline Romero, who resigned after Trump was elected.

The appointment of a Republican U.S. Attorney has more significance in southeastern Pennsylvania than other places.

State Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) has proposed a bill establishing a Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) that would get the U.S. Attorney — as well as the state attorney general and other state and local agencies — involved in the fight against gun crime. It’s a response in part to the policies of progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner.

“Between 2018 and 2024, more than 12,000 people were shot in Philadelphia, with nearly 2,500 of those shootings proving fatal,” Williams said in a statement. “We must bring the full weight of law enforcement to combat this crisis. This legislation creates a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force with direct prosecutorial authority to remove violent felons from our streets.”

President Donald Trump’s whirlwind of “swift and unrelenting” action during his first 90 days in office appears to have congressional Democrats flummoxed.

During Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, some Democrats silently held up protest signs, a few — including Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon — made a scene of walking out in the middle, and cane-waving Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was expelled when he refused repeated warnings to stop disrupting the event.

And Democrats made the decision not to stand up or applaud for the special guests Trump acknowledged in his remarks. That included a 13-year-old cancer survivor who was made an honorary Secret Service agent, the mother of Laken Riley who was murdered by an illegal immigrant, and Payton McNabb, a young woman who was seriously injured while playing volleyball against a biological male on the opposing women’s team.

“House and Senate Democratic leaders didn’t join the escort committee for the president. Dems turned their back on him when he entered the chamber and didn’t shake his hand,” reported CNN’s Manu Raju. “They didn’t applaud virtually anything. Several walked out in the middle of the speech.”

The refusal of Democrats to join them left many on both sides of the aisle in shock.

“The behavior of Democrats last night was completely disgraceful and demonstrated how severely out of touch they are with the American public. It was the most shameful moment in the history of presidential addresses in that beautiful chamber,” said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt Wednesday morning.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) took his party to task in a post on X/Twitter.

“A sad cavalcade of self-ownership and unhinged petulance. It only makes Trump look more presidential and restrained. We’re becoming the metaphorical car alarms that nobody pays attention to—and it may not be the winning message,” Fetterman wrote.

He’s not the only Democrat denouncing his party’s behavior.

“I agree with him.  It feeds the narrative that the place is filled with unserious dopes,” said Democratic political consultant TJ Rooney.

Dan Turrentine, a longtime Democrat and co-host of the popular Morning Meeting on the 2Way platform said, “It was embarrassing to be a Democrat last night.”

“It was a disgrace that they would not show some humanity for the child, for the man who got into West Point, which is just an amazing accomplishment,” Turrentine said. Like many Democrats, the day after, he worries his party is veering farther from the views of average Americans.

“I think the bottom line is our leadership has no clothes,” Turrentine said. “We need to get our head screwed back on. Hopefully, last night was the bottom of the barrel, and we will start the march back.”

Asked about Fetterman’s criticism, Mark Nevins, a Democratic consultant, told DVJournal, “There was nothing substantive about last night. Not the president, not the cheering Republicans, not the booing Democrats. It was just swamp noise. In the real world outside of Washington, D.C., real people are getting hammered with the increased cost of just about everything and Trump’s agenda is going to make it all even worse. Unless we’re talking about that, we’re wasting time and energy.”

Muhlenberg College political science Professor Christopher Borick said, “I think Fetterman’s analysis has validity. Some of the actions by Democrats in attendance certainly didn’t help their standing. I think the best strategy in that particular setting would have been to remain silent and keep the focus on the president’s behaviors that included name-calling and belittling others in a setting where unification of the country is usually the focus. The Democrats may have played into Trump’s hands.”

Jeff Jubelirer, vice president of Bellevue Communications, agreed.

“The Democrats played into Trump’s hands,” he said. “There’s nothing more satisfying to him than a fight, and he got it. The problem was he had, and has, the bully pulpit, and he’s every bit the bully.

“It’s time to come up with a different approach,” said Jubelirer. “Bringing fired federal workers to the speech who, other than being a government employee, did nothing to deserve their fate? Better move, Democrats. Anyone with a heart can empathize with them…most importantly, the so-called ‘middle America’ folks who aren’t already completely burrowed inside the Trump GOP or Democratic camps. Their stories, as told in first person, are much more impactful than wearing pink, shouting out, or merely holding up signs in protest.”

“I respectfully disagree with Sen. Fetterman’s post,” said Chester County Democratic Chair Charlotte Valyo. “There are several ways to respond to President Trump’s speech, and we can disagree on the best method. But we would all agree that the sad spectacle we saw from the president and his Republican sycophants was more a MAGA rally speech, with all his whining and lying, and less like an honest discussion with the nation about where we are headed. The speech was disrespectful, divisive, and hate-filled. It was unworthy of a presidential speech.”

However, the American people liked the speech, according to some polls taken immediately afterward.

A CBS poll found 76 percent of Americans approved of the speech. And a CNN poll showed 69 percent of Americans had a positive reaction.

Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) said, “President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the renewal of the American Dream and made clear that ‘Promises Made, Promises Kept’ is not just a slogan—it’s a reality.”

Freshman Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) said on X, “Honored to attend my first Joint Session Address by President Trump. His speech made clear he is making huge progress every day on delivering for Americans on securing the border, fixing the economy, and restoring U.S. dominance on the world stage.”

Another one bites the dust.

Sen. John Fetterman’s steadfast support for Israel has reportedly led to the departure of six staff members in recent weeks.

According to The Intercept, a former Fetterman (D-Pa.) staffer said his staunch support of the Jewish state coincided with his “disavowal of progressive politics” and his openness toward working with President Donald Trump, who is also a firm ally of Israel.

When Fetterman campaigned in 2022, he ran as a progressive Democrat. However, he suffered a stroke in May 2022, which limited his time on the campaign trail.  But voters who spoke to DVJournal after attending the event Fetterman missed that night said they supported him because he was a progressive.

But perhaps it’s just smart politics.  Fetterman may have noted the country has shifted toward the right with the overwhelming support in both the popular vote and swing states for Trump in 2024.  While the DelVal Democratic congresswomen opposed the Laken Riley Bill, Fetterman sponsored it in the Senate. Named for a 22-year-old nursing student murdered by an illegal immigrant, that law requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal aliens who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.

Fetterman has also voted for some of Trump’s cabinet members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He broke with the progressive camp to sponsor a bill to protect Jewish college students from antisemitism on campus.

But dissatisfaction among Fetterman’s progressive staffers is not new.

Last March, three of Fetterman’s communication staff also left his office for more progressive pastures, including his former communications director, Joe Calvello, who went to work for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johson.  Calvello had previously worked for socialist Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).Another staffer at that time went to work for Sen. Bob Casey.  Casey (D-Pa.) has since lost his seat to Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.).

Fetterman did not respond to a request to comment for this article.

Pennsylvania is celebrating the release of Pittsburgh-area teacher Marc Fogel, who was wrongfully detained in a Russian prison for three years.

Russian authorities arrested Fogel and sentenced him to 14 years for possessing a small amount of medical marijuana to cope with pain from a severe back injury.

One of those celebrating is fellow western Pennsylvanian, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), who met Fogel’s 95-year-old mother while campaigning and continued to advocate for Fogel’s release.

“I am thrilled that Marc Fogel is finally coming home after years of being wrongfully held in Russia,” McCormick said. “I have been working on this since meeting Marc’s mother at the (Donald Trump campaign) Butler rally in July, and I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for delivering on their commitment to free Marc. As I told Marc’s mom, Mafa, when we first met, we would do everything possible to get Marc home. It is a blessing that this day has finally come.”

Sen. Dave McCormick with Marc Fogel’s mother, Malfine.

McCormick pressed Fogel’s case in public hearings and private meetings with administration officials. During his second week as a senator, McCormick met with then-secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio to discuss Fogel’s case. He raised it again during Rubio’s public confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was McCormick’s first question at a hearing after arriving in the Senate, and Rubio committed to securing Fogel’s freedom.

McCormick also spoke with Special Envoys Steve Witkoff, Adam Boehler, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to discuss Fogel’s case and advocate for his release.

And McCormick released a bipartisan, bicameral letter with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) urging Rubio to “unlock all of the tools at the U.S. Government’s disposal to advocate for Marc’s release.”

Eleven members of the Pennsylvania House delegation signed on, including Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks), Brendan Boyle (D-Philadelphia), Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester), Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh), Rob Bresnahan (R-Wayne), Dan Meuser (R-Lebanon), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Fayette), Glenn Thompson (R-Armstrong), Mike Kelly (R-Erie), and Chris Deluzio (D-Beaver).

Fetterman said, “Marc Fogel’s return home is long overdue—and I know all of Pennsylvania, especially his family, will be welcoming him back with open arms.

“I commend President Trump and Steve Witkoff for their efforts in finally bringing Marc home,” he added.

“Marc Fogel is coming home,” Dean said. “It’s a sigh of relief. Marc is a father, a husband, a son, and an educator — today, I’m thinking, with joy and hope, of his loved ones. And I’m praying for his health and safety on the journey home and for love and healing in his homecoming.”

Trump welcomed Fogel to the White House, saying his release made good a promise he’d made to Fogel’s mother, Malphine, that if elected, he would bring him home.

President Donald Trump and Marc Fogel.
(CREDIT: White House)

“President Trump is a hero … I will forever be indebted to President Trump, to Steve [Witkoff] over there — what a dynamic man this guy is. When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body,” Fogel said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) said, “After more than three years in Russian captivity, I join his family, our federal partners, and all of his fellow Pennsylvanians in welcoming Marc Fogel home — exactly where he belongs. Thank you to those at the @WhiteHouse who made his release possible, and to his wife Jane, mom, siblings, and kids here in Pennsylvania who never, ever gave up.”

In exchange for Fogel’s release, Trump traded Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik, who was charged with cryptocurrency money laundering and fraud, the New York Post reported. Fogel had remained imprisoned during former President Joe Biden’s term.

If the success of Donald Trump and the GOP in November’s election sent a message from voters about illegal immigration, it didn’t reach the Democrats who represent the Delaware Valley in Congress.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House cast its first vote of the 119th Congress, passing the Laken Riley Act in a bipartisan 264 to 159 vote. Every Republican supported the bill, which requires the detention of illegal immigrants caught committing robbery or theft, as did 48 Democrats.

The same bill was passed by the House last March, but died in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) voted for it both times, while all three Delaware Valley Democratic congresswomen –Mary Gay Scanlon, Madeleine Dean and Chrissy Houlahan— twice voted no.

The bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to take it up on Friday. All 53 Republicans are co-sponsoring the bill, as is one Democrat: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.).

Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was murdered last February by José Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal alien from Venezuela, while she was jogging at the University of Georgia in Athens. Ibarra had been arrested in 2022 after entering the U.S. illegally. The Biden administration then allowed him to be “paroled and released for further processing,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.

Ibarra was later arrested by New York City police in September 2023– less than six months before killing Riley — and charged with “acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation,” according to ICE.

Ibarra was arrested again a month later, along with his brother, for allegedly shoplifting at a Walmart in Athens. But because the crime was a misdemeanor, he was released.

Riley’s murder shocked the country. It became a cause celebre, especially among Republicans, who brought up the murder at last year’s State of the Union Address, where President Biden mispronounced her name.

Riley’s body was found Feb. 22, 2024. She was repeatedly struck in the head with a rock and suffocated. Ibarra, was convicted in November and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

“Today, I voted to restore law and order at our borders and reaffirm the safety and sovereignty of our great nation,” Fitzpatrick said on X. “The Laken Riley Act delivers a clear message: those who threaten the safety of our communities will be held accountable. By mandating the immediate detention of illegal immigrants charged with crimes, this legislation puts an end to the dangerous policies that have left American families vulnerable for far too long.

“Laken’s tragic and preventable death is a sobering reminder of the price of inaction.”

Houlahan, on the other hand, attacked the legislation as “carefully written to intentionally erode constitutional protections, beginning with undocumented immigrants.”

She added, “Trump promised these kinds of dangerous changes, and the Republicans in Congress are desperately trying to satisfy him regardless of the implications of the legislation should it become law.”

Dean did not respond to requests for comment.

Scanlon said on her website, “Today, House Republicans made their first priority in the 119th Congress the passage of a bill that is best characterized as ‘legislative clickbait’ – a bill designed to generate headlines and social media clicks, rather than actually solving a problem. Unsurprisingly, H.R. 29 is a continuation of a campaign strategy of stoking fear of immigrants while doing nothing to secure the border or fix our immigration system. Instead, H.R. 29 actually creates new legal problems.”

The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal aliens who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. It also authorizes states to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement.

To reach the Senate floor, the bill will need 60 votes in the 53-47 GOP-controlled chamber. Two Democrats, Fetterman and Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, who is up for reelection in 2026, are already on board.

“Laken Riley’s story is a tragic reminder of what’s at stake when our systems fail to protect people. No family should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one to preventable violence,” Fetterman said in a statement.

Asked about his support for the legislation, Fetterman told Fox News, “It’s really commonsense. I’d like to remind everybody that we have hundreds and hundreds of thousands of migrants here illegally convicted of crimes. Who wants to defend them, to allow them to remain in our nation?”

When Republican voter registration activist Scott Presler ran into U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg on Friday, he had a message for the Keystone State pol.

There are a lot of Fetterman fanboys in the GOP.

While chatting with the Democratic senator, Presler told Fetterman if he would change political parties and become a Republican, the party would be happy to have him.

“If you ever would like to join the Republican Party, we would welcome you,” Presler told him.

Presler, who is credited with helping turn out the Republican votes needed to win Pennsylvania for Trump and led Dave McCormick to a razor-thin win for the U.S. Senate, told DVJournal he didn’t want to speak at length about his encounter with Fetterman.

“I tried to be jovial,” Presler said. “I believe in building bridges. I’m trying to court him.” He also added a personal observation.

“I’m 6-foot-4, and he’s taller than I am.” But he declined to say any more about the charismatic populist.

Fetterman has long had a reputation as a progressive Democrat from the fire-breathing Bernie Sanders wing of the party. But since his U.S. Senate win in 2022, he’s embraced the role of moderate maverick. In fact, Fetterman told NBC News, “I’m not a progressive.”

Fetterman has backed Israel’s right to defend itself since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorism attack. He’s called for tougher immigration enforcement. And he was a vocal critic of fellow Democrat and former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who was convicted on charges of bribery, extortion, and obstruction of justice.

Fetterman waged an open war to deny Menendez access to classified information and force him out of the Senate, to the annoyance of some in his party. Fetterman didn’t back down, and Menendez eventually declined to run for reelection.

Fetterman told his fellow Democrats to “chill out” rather than mount opposition to President-elect Donald Trump’s every move. Fetterman went so far as to praise the Trump campaign’s targeting of Vice President Kamala Harris’ positions on transgender rights, saying, “And it’s undeniable that Republicans created a really powerful message. ‘She’s for they/them, and Trump is for you.’ That was, I think, our cycle’s version of ‘Where’s the beef?’ or, ‘I knew Jack Kennedy, and you’re no Jack Kennedy.’”

Fetterman has indicated he’s keeping an “open mind” on Trump’s cabinet nominees.

However, Fetterman declined to take up Presler’s offer on Friday. His office did not respond to DVJournal’s request for comment on Monday.

Whether or not the state’s now-senior senator makes a move across the aisle, Presler said, Pennsylvania is still shifting toward the GOP. In 2012, there were 1.1 million more Democratic voters in Pennsylvania than Republicans. Now, there are just 211,798 more.

Presler told DVJournal he wanted to host a booth at the Farm Show, which runs through Jan. 11,  for his group, Early  Vote Action. Although he counted eight empty booths, Presler said the Farm Show administrators told him none were available. He left his contact information with them, hoping to set up a voter registration table there this week.

Shannon Powers, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said, Presler “did not apply for space. He inquired in early December, when we already had a waiting list of 200 businesses or organizations that had completed applications.”

And though the November election is behind him, Presler is continuing to register voters and points to increasing numbers of Republican voters in Pennsylvania and other states, including New Jersey. Despite being perceived as a deep-blue state, Trump got more than 46 percent of the vote there in November, coming closer to winning the state than any Republican since 1992. Now, Presler hopes the GOP’s overperformance last year will translate into a GOP governor in the Garden State this year.

As for Fetterman, Presler says to keep hope alive.

“Who knows? 2025 is a new year.”

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is appointing Dr. Mehmet Oz as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator.

Oz ran for U.S. Senator in Pennsylvania in 2022, losing to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.)

Oz is famous as a former television doctor who cut his TV chops with the television personality Oprah Winfrey and hosted his program, “The Dr. Oz Show.”

The cardiothoracic surgeon who invented a heart valve and practiced at Presbyterian-Columbia Medical Center in New York.

Oz, a Republican, sought to replace former GOP Sen. Pat Toomey. Although his wife grew up in Bryn Athyn and the family has a home there, although Oz lived part-time in New Jersey to be closer to work. The Fetterman campaign successfully targeted him as a carpetbagger.  According to an X post, Fetterman said, ““Well, I’ve been very, very clear if Dr Oz agrees to protect and preserve Medicaid and Medicare, I’m absolutely going to vote for the dude.”

Jim Worthington, an RNC delegate and owner of the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC), said he knows Oz well.  Worthington became friends with Oz after Trump appointed both men to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition in 2018.

When Oz ran for the Senate, Worthington said he backed him wholeheartedly. Worthington said Oz is “brilliant.” When Oz lost to Fetterman, “it was one of my saddest days.”

“America lost out. Dr. Oz would have been a great senator,” he said.

At a campaign event at the NAC in September 2022, when radio talk show host and DVJournal columnist Dom Giordano was speaking, a woman in the audience fainted.  Oz jumped into action, leaped over a railing and revived her.

Oz is not only a “world-renowned heart surgeon” but a businessman and someone who “can do anything,” said Worthington. Appointing him to the CMS “will be good for the country.”  Oz knows about senior citizens, medicine and business, said Worthington.

“He’s a great guy,” said Worthington. “His wife, Lisa, is great, too. She’s brilliant in her own right. They’re good people.”

Longtime Republican consultant Christopher Nicholas said, “It’s an important job – glad another Pennsylvanian has been tapped to help steer it.”

Oz has been an outspoken Trump supporter, and Trump endorsed him when he ran for the Senate.

In a statement, Trump said, “America is facing a healthcare crisis, and there may be no physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to Make America Healthy Again [MAHA]. He is an eminent physician, heart surgeon, inventor, and world-class communicator who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades. Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.

“Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans and crushes our country’s budget. Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing disease prevention so we get the best results in the world for every dollar we spend on healthcare in our great country. He will also cut waste and fraud within our country’s most expensive government agency, which is a third of our nation’s healthcare spend[ing] and a quarter of our entire national budget.

“Oz graduated from Harvard College and earned a joint MD and MBA degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Wharton Business School, my powerful alma mater. He rose to become a professor of surgery at Columbia University while receiving numerous patents on his medical inventions, authoring more than 400 original publications, and publishing numerous New York Times Best Selling books,” the statement said.

“He won nine Daytime Emmy Awards hosting ‘The Dr. Oz Show,’ where he taught millions of Americans how to make healthier lifestyle choices and gave a strong voice to the key pillars of the MAHA Movement. Dr. Oz and his wife, Lisa, expanded this effort by founding HealthCorps, a non-profit that has improved the lives of millions of underserved teens nationwide over the past two decades.”

Oz, whose parents immigrated to America from Turkey, and his wife have four children. He grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, where his father was a thoracic surgeon.

Oz is “a great person. He’s a great pick,” added Worthington.

Trump said, “I have known Dr. Oz for many years, and I am confident he will fight to ensure everyone in America receives the best possible healthcare so our country can be great and healthy Again!”

Local U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester) both participated in the boycott of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday, sending a political message to their Delaware Valley constituents.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) was on hand to hear Netanyahu’s remarks, as were Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman — the latter abandoning his usual sweats-and-shorts attire and donning a suit and (Israel-blue) tie.

The Democratic Party has been roiled by divisions since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel and the Jewish State’s military response. Democrats are divided over how to respond to protests in which young, politically progressive crowds chant, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Shall Be Free” — a phrase viewed by many as antisemitic.

Those protests continued outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, where anti-Israel activists burned the U.S. flag and defaced historic monuments. Some protesters even waved Hamas flags and declared their solidarity with the terrorist group.

Netanyahu called out the protesters during his speech.

“When the tyrants of Iran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu said.

“Some of these protesters hold up signs saying, ‘Gays for Gaza,’” he added. “They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’”

About half the Democratic caucus in the House and Senate skipped Netanyahu’s speech, and Vice President Kamala Harris declined to perform her duties of presiding over the Senate. Instead she spoke at a sorority event in Indiana.

Dean made her reasons for boycotting Netanyahu clear in a post on X, “I respect our institution, open dialogue, and collaboration with allies. But a line must be drawn. I will not attend today’s address. Mr. Netanyahu will not lecture me on morality and justice.”

David Winkler, Dean’s Republican opponent, replied on X.

“You are one of the most Antisemitic congresswomen serving today. How dare you turn your back on Israel, a Major Non-NATO US Ally of the United States. This isn’t leadership; you hate Jews & just won’t say it outright,” Winkler said. “I stand in solidarity with our Jewish community & Israel against Hamas & the hateful Pro Palestine extremists.”

In a statement, Houlahan laid out her reasons for boycotting Netanyahu’s speech.

“I chose not to attend Prime Minister Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress. It was an enormously difficult decision. My priority with this conflict is and has always been, to use my position to aid in finding real solutions for enduring peace, a two-state solution, the release of hostages, and expanded humanitarian aid for those suffering in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel.

“I believe that centering attention on this speech at this time would not only be a distraction from these important goals, which include a ceasefire agreement, but may, in fact, make these goals less attainable,” said Houlahan.

Her GOP opponent, Neil Young, also responded.

“Chrissy Houlahan’s decision to boycott Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress is a disgraceful rejection of our valuable Jewish allies and friends. [Houlahan] explained that she didn’t want to be a distraction by attending but instead became a distraction by explaining why she didn’t want to be a distraction. Houlahan took a day off while Israel is fighting for [its] survival,” Young said.

In his speech, Netanyahu thanked both President Joe Biden, who calls himself an “Irish American Zionist,” and former President Donald Trump, the author of the Abraham Accords, for their support of Israel.

“For Israel never again must not be an empty promise,” he said. “It must always be a sacred vow. And after Oct 7th, never again is now.”

He also called out the protesters outside the Capitol while he spoke, who had camped out on university campuses this past spring.

Defeating the enemy requires both “courage and clarity,” he said. “And clarity begins with knowing the difference between good and evil. I think many anti-Israel protesters, many chose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers.”

Netanyahu, a Cheltenham High School graduate, also condemned the university presidents, including from his alma mater MIT, who testified before Congress and could not condemn students calling for the genocide of Jews 80 years after the Holocaust, saying it depended on the context.

He pointed out the claim that Israel is a colonial state but pointed out, “for nearly 4,000 years, Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people.”

“It will always be our home,” he said.

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President Joe Biden’s threat to withhold some precision offensive weapons from Israel as it wages war on the terrorist army of Hamas has been met with an angry backlash from both political parties. And that divide among Democrats is on display in Pennsylvania, where U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has decried Biden’s “disappointing” decision, while local U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean and Chrissy Houlahan have endorsed it.

On Sunday, Biden’s Secretary of State Anthony Blinken repeated the administration’s threat, and said even more restrictions may follow if Israel pushes into the Gazan city of Rafah to wipe out what’s left of Hamas.

“If Israel launches this major military operation into Rafah, then there are certain systems that we are not going to be supporting and supplying for that operation,” Blinken told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

The backlash from supporters of Israel began on Wednesday when Biden said he had told the Israelis that going into Rafah would result in a loss of U.S. support.

“I’ve made it clear to Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support if they go [into] these population centers,” Biden told CNN.

Pennsylvania’s Fetterman responded via social media. “Hard disagree and deeply disappointing,” he tweeted.

“I strongly disagree with this decision and it should be immediately reversed. If there are any restrictions, it should be on Hamas, its enablers, and benefactors,” he added.

Montgomery County Democratic Congresswoman Madeline Dean, on the other hand, has been calling for Biden to restrict weapons to Israel for weeks. While her spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, Dean signed a letter urging Biden to withhold “certain offensive weaponry or other military support that can be used for an assault on Rafah, including offensive weaponry already signed into law.”

Dave Winkler, the Republican running against Dean, called her letter “despicable.”

“Withholding aid from Israel would be an unconscionable betrayal that would embolden the forces of terror and extremism hellbent on delegitimizing and annihilating the Jewish state. As a stalwart ally, the U.S. has a moral obligation to steadfastly support Israel’s ability to defend itself against the existential threats of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Hezbollah’s missile arsenals, and the indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilians by the terrorist thugs of Hamas.

Dean’s fellow Democrat, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan issued a lengthy statement saying she also agrees with Biden’s decision to withhold arms from the longtime U.S. ally.

“Recently, President Biden decided to temporarily withhold specific U.S. weapons to Israel until such time as he receives further assurances about Israel’s military operations and humanitarian considerations, specifically in Rafah. I don’t agree with every decision the president makes, but I agree with him here,” Houlahan said.

Houlahan’s GOP challenger Neil Young disagrees. “President Biden withholding arms from Israel is not only completely reckless, but it undermines American credibility on the world stage. Israel is our most trusted ally and they should not be left to stand alone. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Many Democrats, like our senator John Fetterman, have stood against Biden’s betrayal of Israel. Chrissy Houlahan’s support for this reckless policy prioritizes party allegiance over national interest. Her loyalty lies with her party, not with the American people or our allies.”

Both Houlahan and Dean are on the far-left Working Families Party list of congressional members who have demanded a ceasefire.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) declined to respond to a request for comment from DVJournal on the topic, but he told reporters late last week he disagrees with Biden’s decision to withhold weapons. However, he’s rarely mentioned the issue while Fetterman has spoken forcefully on behalf of Israel and its right to use force.

Casey’s Republican opponent Dave McCormick has praised Fetterman’s “moral clarity” regarding the Jewish state.

Nationally, both the Republican Jewish Coalition and Democratic Majority for Israel have issued statements opposing Biden’s treatment of the Jewish state.

“Joe Biden has cemented his legacy as the worst president for the Jewish community and the State of Israel ever,” said the RJC.

“We are deeply concerned about the administration’s decision to withhold weapons now and potentially impose further restrictions,” said the Democratic Majority for Israel’s Mark Mellman.

“A strong U.S.-Israel alliance like the one President Biden has created, plays a central role in preventing more war and making the path to eventual peace possible,” he added. “Calling the strength of that alliance into question is dangerous.”

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Pennsylvania’s two Democratic U.S. senators were for federal funding of a Philly LGBT community center that hosted “kink” sex parties — before they were against it.

The Senate voted unanimously to remove $1 million in funding requested by Sen. John Fetterman for William Way. Pennsylvania’s senior Sen. Bob Casey also withdrew his support for the funding.

However, Fetterman vowed to renew the funding request for William Way in the federal budget.

The controversy began Tuesday when the social media account Libs of TikTok noted in a post that an upcoming spending bill “includes $1M of your tax dollars to go towards renovating an LGBTQ Center in PA which boasts rooms to try BDSM and s*x f*tishes [sic] and hosts BDSM and s*x k*nk parties. There’s even a k*nk party happening there this weekend! @SenBobCasey and @SenFettermanPA are the ones who requested this funding.”

That’s when Casey and Fetterman sent letters asking the funding be pulled from the spending bill.

Fetterman’s March 5 letter says, “After further review, I am writing to withdraw my support and request the removal of the below Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending project included in the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.”

The letter then referenced the William Way renovation and expansion project. The renovation would “renovate and expand the existing Community Center into an inclusive, fully accessible, and welcoming space for all individuals to gather, learn and receive support.”

But after word of his kink-club reversal was trumpeted on Twitter, Fetterman announced Wednesday his staff had sent the letter without his knowledge or consent.

“The William Way LGBT Community Center has been doing critical work in Philadelphia for decades. I do not believe that we should penalize this center based on events that are entirely legal among consenting adults. I have no problem with what consenting adults do in their private time,” Fetterman told DVJournal in a statement.

“Unfortunately, at the 11th hour, my staff was made aware that funding for William Way, which was in the bill because I championed it, would not pass in the FY24 appropriations process. The choice was either to pull it or watch it get stripped out, attacked by Republicans, and ultimately killed. This is not the end of this fight, and I am going to fight for William Way to secure their funding in the FY25 appropriations process.

William Way is the host for The Aviary, which describes itself as “an all inclusive social party for any and all that wish to come and participate, with an emphasis on Kink Lifestyle themes. From Vanilla to Experienced, we welcome players of all skill types. All inclusive means we welcome anyone of any identity or sexuality.”

Renee Gilinger, the center’s capital campaign director, said, “The William Way LGBT Community Center was disappointed to learn that support for federal Congressionally Directed Spending to renovate and expand our historic headquarters on 1315 Street in Philadelphia was withdrawn as a result of lies and distortions about our center shared by political extremists.

“These extremists falsely stated that sexual behavior is allowed in rental programs of the center, which is inaccurate and against our center’s code of conduct.  The center will continue to be a safe haven for a broad range of hundreds of community groups who rent from us, including those that provide a space for sexual health promotion, community building, and education,” she said.

A screen capture posted by Libs of TikTok shows an online invitation to people interested in “BDSM, kink and fetish.” However, when DVJournal tried the link, all that came up was a blank screen.

“The William Way LGBT Community Center stands firmly against discrimination and will work with our elected officials to ensure that support for our center, and other LGBTQ institutions across the nation, is restored,” said Gilinger. William Way serves 5,000 people.

Casey’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Libs of TikTok, an X (formerly Twitter) account, is run by Chaya Raichik and boasts 2.9 million followers. It’s known for ridiculing content posted mostly from LGBTQ and others on the left. It has also exposed teachers after posting content they’ve posted online.

“I’m new here, but I wasn’t aware that Democratic values and priorities are dictated by Libs of TikTok,” Fetterman quipped.

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