<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/portland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Portland&#8217;s</a> leftist district attorney is trying to reduce the sentences for several violent prisoners, including a convicted murderer just days before his tough-on-crime replacement takes over.
Mike Schmidt, district attorney of Multnomah County, was voted out of office on Election Day last month, but that has not stopped him from petitioning an Oregon judge to reduce or get rid of charges for eight people, some convicted of murder, violent assaults, or robbery, The Oregonian <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2024/12/outgoing-multnomah-county-da-seeks-to-reduce-conviction-in-violent-assault-urges-early-release-for-convicted-murderer-repeat-burglar.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Schmidt will be replaced by Nathan Vasquez, who has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-oregon-progressive-district-attorney-election-430d10da16f9446201925e940d715d98" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> a tougher approach to crime in the Portland area.
“These have all the appearance of a last-minute giveaway,” Vasquez said of his predecessor&#8217;s petitions for lenience. “They’re extremely violent individuals who have committed horrible crimes, and they’re being given some kind of a break.”
Vasquez starts his term January 6.
Districts attorneys and convicts can petition a judge together to reconsider a conviction and reduce a prison sentence, according to a 2021 state law. This can result in a judge releasing a convict from prison.
One convict petitioning the court is Frank F. Swopes Jr., who was convicted of murder, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and eluding police in 1993 when he was 30.
Swopes was convicted of killing a 75-year-old woman by asphyxiation as he and another person robbed her Portland home. She died after his fellow robber pushed her to the ground when Swopes said to &#8220;keep her quiet,&#8221; the case found. The robbers took her wedding ring and $8.
Swopes then robbed another 76-year-old woman a week later, tying her to a bed frame. He &#8220;terrorized&#8221; her until she gave him her ATM code, &#8220;touched her sexually&#8221; and took her robe off, “at which point she believed he either urinated or ejaculated on her,” documents say. Swopes had a cocaine habit, court documents said.
Another convict petitioning the court is Shane Ebberts, 46, who along with two friends attacked two community college students with a mallet handle when he was 16. He served seven years and got out of prison in 2003 and is now married and runs his own general contracting company.
However, Ebberts wants a judge to let him withdraw his guilty plea and enter a new guilty plea to the lesser charge of attempted second-degree assault. Two years ago, his defense lawyer tried to get his conviction changed to the lesser charge so Ebberts could then apply to get the lesser charge expunged.
Both of the victims in that case, the community college students who were attacked, are opposed to throwing out the more serious convictions, the petition notes.
Other convicts petitioning the court include a man convicted of robbing a pub and firing a gun at the floor with nine people inside, two women with child neglect convictions, a man who delivered drugs near a school, another burglar, and a man who delivered heroin.
Schmidt told The Oregonian that the petitions are similar to others he has supported this year.
His office stands “for more than just convictions – but striving for justice,” Schmidt said.
“We have an established and extensive process, including input from our community advisory board. Each of these petitions have been considered in a thorough process over a number of months,” he told the outlet. “This is the same work we’ve been doing throughout my term.”

Portland Reacts After Fatal Shooting During Violent Night Of Protests

Portland DA Tries To Reduce Sentences For Convicts Days Before Tough-On-Crime Replacement Takes Over

Courts

Crime

Oregon

Portland

U.S.

A male convicted sex offender in Oregon was arrested on Friday after he pretended to be a 15-year-old girl to try to enroll in a high school, police said.
Twenty-seven-year-old Makayla Craig &#8212; also known as Alec Ray Craig &#8212; is accused of computer crimes, forgery in the second-degree, and false swearing, the Albany Police Department said in a statement.
&#8220;Employees of Families and Communities Together (F.A.C.T) contacted School Resource Officer Williams with concerns about a person registering for high school,&#8221; a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/albanypd/posts/pfbid02hPVPPopfwZBVHsfm2NkTKf2p33SCbKSmhNEK2pPQPJktUWkzhCdMEidci6DmYRTgl">Facebook post</a> from the department said. &#8220;The person appeared to be an adult but was portraying themselves as a 15-year-old girl. After further investigation, the individual gave a false name and date of birth attempting to enroll in high school.&#8221;
&#8220;The subject was identified as 27-year-old, Makayla Craig, a registered sex offender and subsequently arrested,&#8221; the post reads.
Craig was convicted of sex abuse in 2023, FOX 12 reports, but additional information is not available.
The department also disclosed that, per a state mandate, &#8220;homeless youth&#8221; can &#8220;initially register for school without verifiable identification.&#8221;
&#8220;However, prior to the youth actually attending school, there are safeguards in place to confirm identity,&#8221; the post said. &#8220;We want to thank F.A.C.T. and Greater Albany Public School administrators for promptly alerting us to the suspicious circumstances and working cooperatively with Albany Police Department.&#8221;
The post has been inundated with residents asking for more information about the suspect, viewing him as a threat to children in the area. For example, one person wrote, &#8220;This announcement is useless without a name and a face. Not letting the community actually be able to see the creeps doing this type of stuff just allows them to continue to fly under the radar and keep doing sick stuff.&#8221;
&#8220;The people deserve to know who this person was!&#8221; another comment said. &#8220;Especially since they’ve already been released!!&#8221;
Others demanded to see a mugshot. &#8220;We need to see a photo !!!!&#8221; one person wrote.
The police department has now disabled comments on the post, writing, &#8220;Comments will be turned off because of hate speech.&#8221;
The only name listed on the Facebook post from the police department is &#8220;Makayla Craig.&#8221; The name does not match that of anyone in custody. The Daily Wire reached out to the department asking if Craig was booked under a different name and why they were not listed on an intake report.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
&#8220;In short, Makayla Craig was taken into custody and lodged at the Linn County Jail,&#8221; the department responded. &#8220;Makayla Craig is no longer in custody at the Linn County Jail, and is probably the reason the system you are looking at doesn&#8217;t show any information.&#8221;
The Daily Wire was told to contact the Oregon State Police Sex Offender Unit for more information. We have yet to receive a response from the Unit.
In a <a href="https://www.kptv.com/2024/12/19/27-year-old-sex-offender-arrested-after-attempting-enroll-albany-high-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> sent to FOX 12, Greater Albany Public Schools praised F.A.C.T. for its actions to stop Craig.
“I want to start by saying we are very proud of our Families and Communities Together (F.A.C.T.) employee for being thorough and trusting their instinct in this situation,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Thanks to them, the individual was identified and prevented from enrolling, thanks to the employee’s attentiveness and trust in their instincts. When the information provided in the application raised concerns, the employee contacted GAPS partners to verify the details. This collaboration led to identifying the individual as a 27-year-old registered sex offender and alerting law enforcement.&#8221;
&#8220;To clarify, the individual is not known to Greater Albany Public Schools,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;This situation highlights the importance of our thorough application review process. We will continue to evaluate each application carefully and, when something feels off, take the necessary steps to investigate further before moving on.&#8221;

Police car

Male Sex Offender Pretends To Be 15-Year-Old Girl To Gain Access To High School, Police Say

Sex Offender

A &#8220;bomb cyclone&#8221; billed as <a href="https://weather.com/forecast/regional/news/2024-11-18-bomb-cyclone-atmospheric-river-california-oregon-washington" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the strongest storms</a> on record to hit the Pacific Northwest is slamming Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and British Columbia in Canada with a medley of severe weather conditions this week.
The storm, featuring a so-called &#8220;atmospheric river,&#8221; unleashed strong winds and rain that knocked down trees and reportedly caused power outages for hundreds of thousands of people. Local residents were also <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> of the potential for flash floods, blizzard conditions, rock slides, and debris flows.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🌧 ❄ A significant AR is ongoing across parts of the Northwest. Here is a list of some rain and wind reports so far. For additional information, please refer to our storm summary (which will be updated every 12 hours through the event): <a href="https://t.co/mSj0gRYjKE">https://t.co/mSj0gRYjKE</a> <a href="https://t.co/HuKWcd0JIg">pic.twitter.com/HuKWcd0JIg</a>
&mdash; NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWPC/status/1859288136183959803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At least two people have been killed by the bomb cycle. The Bellevue Fire Department in Washington <a href="https://x.com/BvueFD/status/1859255525076328784" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X that a tree fell onto a home and killed a woman. And South County Fire in Washington, a regional fire authority, <a href="https://x.com/SouthSnoFire/status/1859101326615142910" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> a &#8220;large&#8221; tree fell on a homeless encampment in Lynnwood and killed a woman in her 50s.
Reporters from local news stations shared images of the destruction on X, including video of a large tree that fell onto a car that prompted Seattle Fire Department crews to <a href="https://x.com/SeattleFire/status/1859080431175692376" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rescue</a> one person who was trapped inside.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tree fell on this home in Sammamish on 258th Ave SE <a href="https://twitter.com/KING5Seattle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KING5Seattle</a> <a href="https://t.co/y41mIZ3BND">pic.twitter.com/y41mIZ3BND</a>
&mdash; Madison Wade (@madisoncwade) <a href="https://twitter.com/madisoncwade/status/1859087061128761433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: Seattle Fire is working to remove a car that’s trapped under a tree near NE 100th St and 35th AVE NE <a href="https://twitter.com/komonews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@komonews</a> <a href="https://t.co/TTfw3cQs84">https://t.co/TTfw3cQs84</a> <a href="https://t.co/pTV6heO8jD">pic.twitter.com/pTV6heO8jD</a>
&mdash; Hannah Knowles (@HannahknowlesTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HannahknowlesTV/status/1859093704088170627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The National Ocean Service <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bombogenesis.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> a &#8220;bomb cyclone&#8221; forms through a process called bombogenesis in which &#8220;a midlatitude (the latitudes between the tropics and polar regions) cyclone rapidly intensifies, or strengthens, over a 24 hour period.&#8221; It can happen &#8220;when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;BOMB CYCLONE&quot; cranking up right now with pressures comparable to a Category 3 or 4 hurricane (944 mb) off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. This storm will continue to bring an atmospheric river to California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia with heavy rain, feet of… <a href="https://t.co/PQqswC0lWp">pic.twitter.com/PQqswC0lWp</a>
&mdash; Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattDevittWX/status/1859072975149895941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With pressure low enough to match that of a powerful hurricane, the &#8220;bomb cyclone&#8221; that formed this week developed a massive swirl off the Pacific Northwest coastline, as shown in satellite imagery.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
In a post to X, the National Weather Service (NWS) pointed to the swirl and said that some &#8220;of the most powerful winds with the strong low pressure offshore are often in a region called the &#8216;Sting Jet&#8217; (not a Police tribute band). Also known as the &#8216;Poisonous Tail&#8217; &#8211; it&#8217;s where strong winds form as colder dense air rapidly descends and dries.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Some of the most powerful winds with the strong low pressure offshore are often in a region called the &quot;Sting Jet&quot; (not a Police tribute band). Also known as the &quot;Poisonous Tail&quot; &#8211; it&#39;s where strong winds form as colder dense air rapidly descends and dries. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wawx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wawx</a> <a href="https://t.co/2kMTtu0nvc">pic.twitter.com/2kMTtu0nvc</a>
&mdash; NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle/status/1859011218885013934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A separate area of low pressure was expected to develop and quickly strengthen off the Northwest coast on Friday, helping to &#8220;amplify the atmospheric river streaming into northern California through Friday morning, exacerbating the flooding threat,&#8221; the NWS Weather Prediction Center said in a discussion <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Wednesday.
Noting there is a risk of intense rain and &#8220;another round of strong winds&#8221; from the second low-pressure system into the end of the week, the Weather Prediction Center added: &#8220;Residents and visitors residing or traveling between northern California and Washington are advised to check road conditions before venturing out, listen to advice from local officials, review emergency plans, and have multiple ways of receiving warnings.&#8221;

Bomb cyclone

‘Bomb Cyclone’ Blasts Pacific Northwest

California

Severe Weather

Washington

Last Tuesday, voters in six states decisively rejected ballot measures that would have brought ranked choice voting to future elections. In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon, RCV <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Results_for_ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)_and_electoral_system_ballot_measures,_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went down in flames</a>. National groups spent millions on campaigns promising RCV would enhance democracy and empower the people, angling for an election day triumph. Instead, the voters handed them a rout.
Adding insult to injury, Alaska appears on track to repeal RCV after using it for just two years. Missouri, meanwhile, became the first state to ban it at the ballot box, and the eleventh state overall to bar RCV. In fact, the number of states to <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban</a> RCV more than doubled this year.
Ranked choice voting, a complex scheme, seems better suited to a laboratory than a voting booth. It eliminates the “one person, one vote” principle and asks voters to rank multiple candidates for each race. If no candidate gets a majority, the one with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their ballots are redistributed to the voter’s next choice. This process repeats until someone claims a majority.
Voting takes longer with RCV. Voters must learn about and rank numerous candidates in multiple contests on each ballot. Counting ballots also takes longer, as final tabulations can’t begin until all ballots are received, and some states allow mail ballots to arrive after Election Day. Some states lack voting systems that can handle this process; Idaho’s secretary of state estimated the cost to replace the state’s <a href="https://idahofreedom.org/a-40-million-drain-on-taxpayers-ranked-choice-voting-comes-at-a-heavy-price-for-idahoans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equipment</a> at $40 million.
The results are difficult to audit and just as hard to explain, especially when ranked choice voting catapults candidates who got the second- or third-most votes into office after numerous rounds of elimination. In fact, RCV is so confusing that the wrong winner can be certified. That actually happened in Oakland, California in 2022.
The one thing RCV does reliably is push politics to the left, particularly when this scheme is paired with California-style jungle primaries. That’s the system Alaska uses, and in the special congressional election of 2022, more voters cast ballots for Republicans but Democrat Mary Peltola went to Congress. 
Small wonder, then, that left-wing megadonors decided to push RCV nationwide despite its obvious flaws. They <a href="https://honestelections.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/HEP-RCV-Factsheet_v2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">built up an array</a> of organizations to lobby, petition, and ultimately to campaign for ranked choice voting. Those efforts culminated in ballot measures in six states, <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Results_for_ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)_and_electoral_system_ballot_measures,_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fueled</a> by an astonishing $99 million, or nearly $30 for every $1 spent in opposition.
Nearly half of that extraordinary sum came from groups tied to liberal billionaire John Arnold and his wife, Laura. The pair <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/ranked-choice-voting-ballot-measures-election-863d52ff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent</a> at least $39 million propping up ranked choice voting measures this year alone.
What did these donors get for their millions? Not much. Nearly 70% of Idahoans voted against RCV. Colorado and Oregon, both liberal states, rejected the measures by double-digit margins. And in the presidential battlegrounds of Arizona and Nevada, ranked choice voting went down harder and faster than Kamala Harris.
Meanwhile, nearly 69% of Missourians voted to proactively ban ranked choice voting. In Alaska, the Arnolds and other RCV megadonors poured in almost $15 million to defend the scheme against a repeal effort. Despite that, the repeal vote is winning as ballots continue to come in.
Washington, D.C., was the only bright spot for RCV advocates, where a citywide ballot measure passed by wide margins. That may not be the win proponents imagine. After all, “they use it in the swamp” isn’t much of a rallying cry.
<h3><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH&#8217;S &#8216;AM I RACIST?&#8217; NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a></h3>
Is this the end of ranked choice voting? It should be. But with the left, there is no such thing as a permanent defeat. In fact, RCV has endured expensive, high-profile failures before—a $10 million <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_Question_2,_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2020)#Campaign_finance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loss</a> in Massachusetts in 2020, for instance—only to rebrand the scheme as “instant runoffs” and “open primaries,” and spend 10 times as much this year.
RCV <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2024/11/election-reformers-try-to-pick-up-the-pieces-00188355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backers</a> are already <a href="https://x.com/NickTroiano/status/1854313594785018148" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promising</a> they will be back, even <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2024/11/election-reformers-try-to-pick-up-the-pieces-00188355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telegraphing</a> they will focus instead on lobbying state legislatures to impose the scheme that voters just decisively rejected. So much for all their talk about “democracy.” Lawmakers would be wise to head that effort off by <a href="https://stoprcv.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banning</a> ranked choice voting next year, instead.
Left-wing billionaires spent millions trying to buy a new form of democracy that would cater to their politics and interests. Fortunately, the American people spoke loud and clear: our election system is not for sale.
* * *
Jason Snead is the executive director of Honest Elections Project Action.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-POLITICS-ELECTION

Ranked Choice Voting Goes Down In Flames

2024 Election

Arizona

Colorado

Democrats

Elections

Idaho

Montana

Nevada

Opinion

Ranked Choice Voting

Voting

While most Americans focus on the presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the undercard fights on every ballot in the country will determine which party will control the House of Representatives in 2025.
Unlike the U.S. Senate, where winning the election puts you in office for six years, every single House seat is up for grabs each election cycle. Republicans currently <a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">control</a> the House by a slim eight-seat majority — 220 to 212 — and there are three vacancies. That means Democrats need to pick up at least five seats to tilt the scales.
There are dozens of competitive races that will determine who holds the all-powerful gavel going into 2025 — and whichever party wins the presidency will be hamstrung without control of the lower chamber of Congress.
Here are 10 toss-up House races to watch on Election Day, and potentially in the days following:
<h4>Alaska — Lone District</h4>
The only House district in Alaska is held by Democrat Mary Peltola who beat out Republicans Sarah Palin and Nicholas Begich in 2022. With her 2022 win, Peltola became the first Democrat from Alaska to serve in the House since 1972. Peltola&#8217;s victory two years ago was due, in part, to Alaska&#8217;s ranked-choice voting system, which split the Republican vote between Palin and Begich. This year, Peltola is running against Begich, Democrat Eric Hafner, and John Howe of the Independence Party.
Following a September <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alaska-democrat-flips-on-men-in-womens-sports-following-daily-wire-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Wire report</a> on Peltola&#8217;s transgender stances, the Democrat flipped her position on men competing in women&#8217;s sports, saying during a debate in October, &#8220;I don’t think that we should have men competing in women’s sports.&#8221;
In the most recent polls of the race, Begich <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/house/2024/alaska/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leads</a> Peltola by around 4 points. In Alaska&#8217;s ranked-choice voting system, a candidate must reach over 50% before being declared the winner. The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/alaska-at-large/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> currently gives Begich a 62% chance of winning the race.
<h4>Arizona — 1st District</h4>
Republican David Schweikert has held the 1st District seat in Arizona since 2023 after serving as the 6th District&#8217;s congressman for 10 years. Schweikert has focused on fiscal conservatism and addressing the national debt. Schweikert squeaked out a victory by just over 3,000 votes in 2022 over Democrat Jevin Hodge. His opponent this year is Democrat Amish Shah, a current state representative and emergency room doctor, who has <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/08/amish-shah-gets-primetime-interview-as-david-schweikert-avoids-debate/75210240007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">focused</a> on abortion.
Parts of Arizona&#8217;s 1st District fall in Maricopa County, where election officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-in-arizonas-maricopa-county-say-counting-ballots-could-take-up-to-13-days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last month that it could take up to 13 days to “complete tabulation of all the ballots that come in.” Maricopa County, which is the largest county in Arizona, was also at the center of controversy in the aftermath of the 2020 and 2022 elections.
The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/arizona-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> currently gives Schweikert a 68% chance of winning re-election.
<h4>Arizona — 6th District</h4>
First-term Republican Juan Ciscomani is running for re-election in Arizona&#8217;s 6th District and is in a tight race with the Democrat he barely beat in 2022, Kirsten Engel. Ciscomani has centered his campaign on pushing for more border security amid the record border encounters during the Biden-Harris administration. Engel, meanwhile, is focused on pro-abortion policies.
The 6th Congressional District is located in Arizona&#8217;s southeast corner. The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/arizona-6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> currently gives Ciscomani an 83% chance of winning.
<h4>California — 13th District</h4>
First-term Republican John Duarte faces off against Democrat Adam Gray in California&#8217;s 13th District. Duarte narrowly defeated Gray in the 2022 election. The freshman congressman is a moderate Republican who officially <a href="https://www.turlockjournal.com/news/government/rep-duarte-backs-trump-calls-conviction-miscarriage-justice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> Trump earlier this year after the former president was convicted on 34 felony counts in a Manhattan court. Gray, who served in California&#8217;s State Assembly, lost to Duarte in 2022 by just over 500 votes in what was one of the closest House races that year.
The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/california-13/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> gives Duarte a 55% chance of defeating Gray again.
<h4>Colorado — 8th District</h4>
Another freshman congressman, Democrat Yadira Caraveo, is being challenged by Republican Gabe Evans, a state representative and former police officer and Army captain. The race in Colorado&#8217;s 8th District has grown closer in recent weeks. Caraveo currently has a 71% chance of winning, according to <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/colorado-8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decision Desk HQ</a>.
<h4>Iowa — 3rd District</h4>
Republican Zach Nunn, a first-term congressman, faces Democrat Lanon Baccam in Iowa&#8217;s 3rd District. Baccam, a veteran and federal Agriculture Department official, has hammered Nunn over the issue of abortion. Nunn, meanwhile, has focused his campaign on the economy and has hit the trail with Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Nunn pulled off an upset over Democrat Rep. Cindy Axne in 2022, helping the GOP secure control of the House. Decision Desk HQ gives Nunn a <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/iowa-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">55% chance</a> of winning.
<h4>Michigan — 7th District</h4>
After Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin entered the race for retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow&#8217;s seat, Michigan&#8217;s 7th District was thrown wide open with Republican Tom Barrett seeking to flip the seat for the GOP. Curtis Hertel is challenging Barrett in hopes of keeping the district in the hands of the Democrats. Barrett lost to Slotkin by around 5 points in the 2022 election.
Hertel was recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-running-in-michigan-swing-district-says-americans-owe-a-debt-to-illegal-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> for saying on video that Americans &#8220;owe a debt&#8221; to illegal immigrants, adding that he has no &#8220;interest in deporting anybody.&#8221;
Current polling shows Barrett with a slight edge over Hertel. Barrett has a <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/michigan-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">63% chance</a> of winning, according to Decision Desk HQ.
<h4>Michigan — 8th District</h4>
Another district in the battleground state of Michigan could be a pick-up for Republicans. Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee, who represented Michigan&#8217;s 8th District, announced last year that he would not seek re-election, creating another open House seat. Republican Paul Junge has focused on securing the border while Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet has focused on abortion.
According to <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/michigan-8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decision Desk HQ</a>, Junge currently holds a 55% chance of winning the race.
<h4>New York — 19th District</h4>
Republicans could lose a seat in New York&#8217;s 19th District where incumbent Republican Marc Molinaro faces a tough challenge from Democrat Josh Riley. Molinaro has voted across the party line while in Congress, but during the campaign, he has focused on immigration, a top issue for Republicans. Riley served as general counsel to U.S. Senator Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee and has &#8220;<a href="https://joshrileyforcongress.com/meet-josh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">championed</a> an effort in federal court to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment, which would make abortion access a constitutional right.&#8221;
The 2024 race is a rematch of 2022 when Molinaro won by nearly 4 points. Molinaro was favored to win the race for most of the 2024 campaign, according to forecasts by <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/new-york-19/">Decision Desk HQ</a>, but now Riley currently has a 58% chance of winning.
<h4>Oregon — 5th District</h4>
In Oregon&#8217;s 5th District, Republicans are hoping to hold onto another seat as incumbent Lori Chavez-Deremer faces Democrat challenger Janelle Bynum. Chavez-Deremer won in a tight race in 2022 over Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner, giving the Republicans another important seat in its slim majority.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swing-state-dem-voted-to-fund-down-payment-assistance-for-illegal-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in September that Bynum sponsored legislation that sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to a program that discriminates against U.S. citizens and offers down payment assistance to illegal immigrants.
Chavez-Deremer is narrowly favored to win the race, standing at 58% in Decision Desk HQ&#8217;s <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/oregon-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a>.
<h4>Many other close races to watch</h4>
Of course, this isn&#8217;t an all-encompassing list of House races to keep an eye on come Election Night. But each one will play a pivotal role in determining which party will be in power in January. Decision Desk HQ gives Republicans a 53% chance of maintaining a majority in the House, with the overall seat <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projections</a> showing the GOP at 218 and Democrats at 217.

The United States Capitol building

10 Must-Watch Races That Could Determine Control Of The House

10 Races That Could Determine Control Of The House

Alaska

Iowa

Michigan

New York

U.S. House of Representatives

Fires likely torching hundreds of ballots in drop boxes near Portland, Oregon, on Monday were set ablaze using devices that carried the message “Free Gaza.”
On Monday, fires were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/2-ballot-drop-boxes-lit-on-fire-hundreds-of-ballots-likely-destroyed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set</a> in two election drop boxes located in Portland and Vancouver, Washington. The boxes were located just 15 miles apart.
Investigators looking into the drop box fires have yet to arrest any suspects, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/29/us/ballot-box-fires-oregon-washington-gaza.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. A third ignition device was found at another drop box in Vancouver with the message “Free Palestine” on it, as well. The devices have been sent to a lab in Huntsville, Alabama, that specializes in analyzing explosive devices.
“There was enough evidence collected at all three scenes that lead us to believe that all three incidents are connected, and we cannot get into more detail,” Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Benner said Monday, according to the Times.
The police released footage of a vehicle suspected to be involved in the incidents – a dark, early 2000s Volvo – and asked the public to help identify the vehicle and the driver.
The ignition device in Vancouver destroyed hundreds of ballots after the fire suppressant system failed, and authorities are asking voters who placed ballots in that dropbox on Saturday morning to request a replacement ballot. In the drop box in Portland, the fire suppression system worked successfully and protected almost all the ballots. Three were damaged, and election officials are reaching out to the voters to whom they belonged.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
The Democratic Party has been riled by anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists who have pressured the party and White House to cut off support to Israel in the conflict against Iran and its proxy groups in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Thousands of protesters showed up to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/democratic-convention-chicago-protests-israel-hamas-war-2b304b0c418639f61a421d30a8802cb5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protest</a> against Israel. Hundreds of organizations partnered to coordinate a mass march through the streets of Chicago and protests outside of the convention venue on its opening day.
The Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-report-warns-violent-extremists-pose-threat-election/story?id=114436545" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> in a report released earlier this month that setting fire to ballot boxes is one of a series of threats that complicate security in the upcoming election.

Portland ballot box

‘Free Gaza’ Message Found On Devices Used In Ballot Box Fires In Oregon, Washington

ballot box

ballots

Politics

Two ballot drop boxes 15 miles apart were lit on fire Monday morning in Washington and Oregon, likely destroying hundreds of ballots cast in the 2024 election.
Smoke was seen pouring out of a ballot drop box at the Fisher&#8217;s Landing Transit Center in Vancouver, Washington — which is just north of Portland, Oregon — around 4:00 a.m. Footage captured by KATU ABC 2 showed firefighters pry open the back of the ballot drop box and extinguish a fire that appeared to have burned hundreds of ballots. KATU <a href="https://katu.com/news/local/vancouver-ballot-box-seen-smoking-same-morning-as-portland-ballot-box-arson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that authorities said only a few of the ballots could potentially be saved.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="BREAKING: Hundreds of ballots possibly destroyed in Vancouver ballot box arson" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UaBmxv2VNSM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said after arriving on the scene, officers saw smoke coming from the drop box and &#8220;located a suspicious device next to the box.&#8221;
&#8220;Members of the Metro Explosive Disposal Unit (MEDU) arrived and safely collected the device, and the fire was extinguished. Detectives from the Vancouver Police Arson team and the Vancouver Fire Marshals also responded,&#8221; VPD added.
The police department said the investigation was handed over to the FBI. Officials told voters that if they dropped off a ballot at the location after 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, they should immediately contact the Election Auditor&#8217;s Office for a new ballot.
A few hours before the ballot box in Vancouver was set on fire, police just across the state border in Portland, Oregon, responded to a fire at a drop box in the southeast part of the city. Authorities said an incendiary device was also set off in the Portland drop box, according to KATU. Authorities did not disclose whether any ballots in the Portland drop box had been destroyed.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
Clark County, Washington, where Vancouver is located, is a competitive area for Republicans and Democrats. The ballot drop box in Vancouver is located in Washington&#8217;s 3rd Congressional District, where voters are casting ballots in a tight U.S. House race between incumbent Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/28/us/ballot-box-fires-oregon-washington/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Presidential election results have also been close in Clark County, with President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton barely beating Donald Trump in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-washington.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/washington" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2016</a>.

Ballot drop box fire

2 Ballot Drop Boxes Lit On Fire, Hundreds Of Ballots Likely Destroyed: Report

2 Ballot Drop Boxes Lit On Fire, Hundreds Of Ballots Likely Destroyed

On Monday, the Liberty Justice Center, famous for its victory in the 2018 case Janus v. AFSCME, filed a <a href="https://libertyjusticecenter.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83224351d03304b411508c597&amp;id=c07267d35d&amp;e=ce285af94b" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://libertyjusticecenter.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D83224351d03304b411508c597%26id%3Dc07267d35d%26e%3Dce285af94b&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728486235188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1U7EQUyk4oddfQUZwOQyrY">motion</a> urging an Oregon court to reinstate a high school track and field coach who was fired after he proposed a separate division for transgender athletes so girls could only compete against other girls.
John Parks, an Oregon track and field coach for 40 years, wrote an open letter proposing a separate division for transgender athletes in a track and field state championship. In June, he was fired by the Lake Oswego School District and the Lake Oswego School Board. He was accused of harassing transgender athletes at recent track meets, a claim Parks says is false.
On July 24, the Liberty Justice Center filed a <a href="https://libertyjusticecenter.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83224351d03304b411508c597&amp;id=08acf39301&amp;e=ce285af94b" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://libertyjusticecenter.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D83224351d03304b411508c597%26id%3D08acf39301%26e%3Dce285af94b&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728486235188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2HBybqLVWpg8a-3TFqKX2A">First Amendment lawsuit</a> on Parks’ behalf. The Center contends the firing of Parks in alleged retaliation for the letter violated his First Amendment right to free speech. Liberty Justice Center has filed multiple <a href="https://libertyjusticecenter.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83224351d03304b411508c597&amp;id=cb5eff20ed&amp;e=ce285af94b" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://libertyjusticecenter.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D83224351d03304b411508c597%26id%3Dcb5eff20ed%26e%3Dce285af94b&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728486235188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1WrJkxpz74NQ5DaZCqeJ7b">declarations</a> from parents whose children competed on the Lake Oswego track and field team under Coach Parks in 2024 that want Parks reinstated.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
“School employees do not lose their constitutional right to free speech when they step onto school grounds,” Buck Dougherty, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, stated. “Coach Parks faced unjust and unconstitutional retaliation at the hands of the Lake Oswego School District and School Board. We urge the court to grant a preliminary injunction to uphold his First Amendment rights.”
In Janus, the Supreme Court held  that the State of Illinois’ “extraction of agency fees from nonconsenting public-sector employees violated the First Amendment,” <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2017/16-1466">according</a> to Oyez, an exploration and archive of Supreme Court rulings, adding, “the Court concluded that the state’s collection of agency fees from nonconsenting public employees was a violation of the First Amendment &#8230; the Court stated that requiring individuals to endorse ideas they disagreed with runs counter to First Amendment principles, and that even under a more permissive standard than the ‘exacting’ strict scrutiny that the Court had applied in evaluating the constitutionality of agency fees in the past, the Illinois scheme could not pass muster.”

Sound Running Track Meet

Motion Filed To Restore Track Coach’s Job After He Was Fired For Protecting Girls’ Sports

Education

High School

Transgender

Transgender Athletes

Women's sports

An Oregon Democrat running for Congress in a swing district sponsored legislation that sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to a program that discriminates against U.S. citizens and offers down payment assistance to illegal immigrants.
In 2022, State Rep. Janelle Bynum co-sponsored <a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2022R1/Measures/Overview/SB1579#:~:text=Directs%20Oregon%20Business%20Development%20Department,equity%20among%20disadvantaged%20individuals%2C%20families%2C" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate Bill 1579</a>, which implemented an <a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2022R1/Downloads/MeasureAnalysisDocument/64140">Economic Equity Investment Program</a> &#8220;to award grants to qualified organizations that provide culturally responsive services to disadvantaged individuals.&#8221; One grant recipient was the Hacienda Community Development Corp., which offers $30,000 in down payment assistance in Oregon &#8220;only for people who are not American citizens,&#8221; The Daily Caller <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/08/21/hacienda-community-development-oregon-non-citizens-down-payments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> last month. The bill allocated a $692,775 grant to Hacienda, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/24/us-news/first-time-homebuyers-in-oregon-get-30k-grant-americans-excluded/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Bynum <a href="https://www.janellebynum.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> she &#8220;knows how to fight for all Oregon families,&#8221; and her <a href="https://www.janellebynum.com/issues">campaign website</a> lists &#8220;addressing housing affordability&#8221; at the top of her platform.
&#8220;Too many Oregonians are priced out of their communities or unable to afford a home. That’s why in the state legislature, I worked on efforts to lower the cost of housing, protect tenants, and ensure low-income earners could pay their utility bills,&#8221; Bynum <a href="https://www.janellebynum.com/issues/addressing-housing-affordability-nbsp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a>. &#8220;I’ll continue to fight for housing affordability and remove red tape for housing construction in Congress.&#8221;
The Democrat&#8217;s policy page also focuses on addressing homelessness, &#8220;taking climate action,&#8221; and &#8220;lowering the cost of health care.&#8221; Bynum does not address the border crisis or illegal immigration on her campaign website. Her office has not responded to a Daily Wire request to comment on her support for SB 1579 and Hacienda&#8217;s down payment assistance for illegal immigrants.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-L2DitSaIUj5wz8v0bgxx">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
Bynum is in the midst of a competitive race for Oregon&#8217;s 5th Congressional District against incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican. Chavez-DeRemer blasted Bynum over her support for SB 1579 in a statement to The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Last year, Oregon had the second-highest percentage of unsheltered homeless in the nation, with more unaccompanied homeless youth than any other state,&#8221; Chavez-DeRemer wrote. &#8220;While I&#8217;ve been working toward commonsense solutions to improve housing access and affordability for our citizens, my opponent was busy pushing legislation that would only help noncitizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Doling out taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants will only worsen the problem by taking away opportunities for hardworking Oregon families, limiting the current housing supply, and driving prices even higher,&#8221; the Republican added.
More than 180,000 illegal immigrants reside in Oregon, according to a 2023 <a href="https://www.fairus.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/oregon2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> published by the Federation for American Immigration Reform. The illegal immigration crisis cost Oregon taxpayers $1.47 billion last year.
&#8220;While Oregon families struggle to afford a roof over their heads, Janelle Bynum is giving illegal immigrants massive taxpayer checks to buy houses. Bynum has made her extreme agenda crystal clear — criminals and illegal immigrants first, law-abiding American citizens last.&#8221; National Republican Congressional Committee Spokesman Ben Petersen told The Daily Wire.
Republicans currently<a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> hold</a> a nine-seat majority in the U.S. House. Oregon has multiple House races that could be close in the 2024 election. Chavez-DeRemer flipped the 5th District from Democrat to Republican in the 2022 election. Bynum narrowly defeated Chavez-DeRemer in the 2016 and 2018 races for the Oregon House of Representatives.

Janelle Bynum

Swing District Dem Voted To Fund Down Payment Assistance For Illegal Immigrants

Border Crisis

Democrat

Illegal Immigration

The “transing” of America’s foster care system is under way, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are totally on board. It doesn&#8217;t bother them that injecting trans ideology into foster care means that some vulnerable children are banned from finding new homes with loving families. It&#8217;s already happening. Just ask the Harmon family of St. Peter, Minnesota. 
My organization, the Conscience Project, has released a <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://youtu.be/GJ6C23vlkrE__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYeenmjdpc$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short video</a> documenting what Nancy and Jay Harmon had to endure. The couple has fostered around 50 children over the last 25 years. Nancy was a foster child herself. In December 2021 the Harmons took in three sisters aged 9, 10, and 11. The girls had suffered unimaginable abuse and neglect by their biological parents. Nancy recalls, for example, that when the water went out at the girls’ house, their biological parents “told them to collect rainwater.” At times, the oldest girl has claimed to be “nonbinary.”
In the summer of 2022, Nancy and Jay were asked by the adoption agency contracted by their county’s child social service department to consider adopting the girls. After much “prayer and reflection, given the girls&#8217; significant mental health and physical needs,” they agreed to adopt the girls. 
Several months later, as the Harmons waited for news of what they thought was a pending adoption, Nancy opened an email mistakenly sent to her by the adoption agency to the county. “When are we going to tell the Harmons that they’re not the right fit?” she read. Nancy was astonished. She reached out to county officials for clarification. She was told that it was because of her “religious beliefs.” 
What exactly are the “religious beliefs” that would render the Harmons incapable of a permanent relationship with the girls they had cared for over two years?
Nancy and Jay are devout Christians and hold to a Biblical understanding of the human person, made God’s image and as described in Genesis: “Male and female, He created them.”
The county argued that, in light of the oldest girl’s “gender nonconformity,” it was in the best interests of the children to find a more “affirming” household. A government official even suggested splitting up the sisters and asked if the Harmons would be willing to adopt just the two youngest ones. Nancy and Jay were incredulous.
It was only after the girls’ private psychiatrist recommended that the girls stay together that the county and the private adoption agency changed course and allowed the adoption to go through. In December 2023, all three girls were adopted by the Harmons.   
Nancy has also shared her family’s story as a <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://svm008.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/23-4169-Conscience-Project-Amicus-Brief.pdf__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYec6GDIxs$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">friend of the court</a> in support of Jessica Bates, an Oregon mother of five who wanted to adopt two siblings under the age of 10. During training with Oregon’s family services, Jessica was told that she had to agree to &#8220;gender-affirming&#8221; indoctrination as a condition to be certified to adopt through the state. When she objected, pointing to her Christian beliefs, she was told she was ineligible to adopt. Jessica’s <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://adflegal.org/case/bates-v-pakseresht__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYeo2f7uc4$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case</a> is currently before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, a court infamously known for toeing the progressive line.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1723831707256000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1kPV_6EWxbDiWh3nZSC3ZT">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
A tragedy was averted for the Harmons, but foster families like theirs continue to be targeted by ideologues. Let’s not forget that the Harmons live in Minnesota. Tim Walz’s Minnesota.
This spring, Governor Walz proudly signed into law <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF146&amp;version=1&amp;session=ls93&amp;session_year=2023&amp;session_number=0__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYerUS7ix8$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legislation</a> that encourages out-of-state, &#8220;gender non-conforming&#8221; children whose parents object to them receiving medical intervention to come to Minnesota. And Walz’s Minnesota is one of <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/foster_and_adoption_laws__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYeIoVdoeQ$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">28 states</a> that treat gender identity as a protected class, and treat any failure to “affirm” a foster child’s supposed identity as discrimination.
Like Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris has been riding the trans bandwagon, to the detriment of vulnerable foster kids. The Biden-Harris administration, for example, recently finalized <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/30/2024-08982/designated-placement-requirements-under-titles-iv-e-and-iv-b-for-lgbtqi-children__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYepVAmOw0$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> that demand that states provide “designated placements” for foster children who identify as “LGBTQI+”.  These “providers”, the administration explains, are “specially designated to serve LGBTQI+ children because they have made a set of commitments and undergone training to better meet the needs of LGBTQI+ children.” The providers are ideologues, in other words. The rule will certainly limit the number of homes available to LGBTQ+-identifying foster children to those that are “affirming.” The progressive group Human Rights Campaign <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/unity-more-than-1-100-lgbtq-leaders-celebrities-and-influencers-representing-millions-sign-letter-in-support-of-vice-president-kamala-harris__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYeQ1UT2yM$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cites</a> these new rules in their effusive support for Harris’s presidential run. 
Nancy and Jay Harmon are wonderful people who have opened their home to children in need because of their Christian beliefs. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz think those same beliefs render them ineligible to do so. Is this the kind of America we want? Is this kind of America the Constitution permits? I don’t think so.
* * *
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is Director of the <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://conscience-project.org/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1GW-6-FsGO7zxVgsbbrpiHbMr6lgxxVpPEee0qtsw31E7V5SzhruZEzKaKY91L7rDQR_7wB2hHYeQoIFzhw$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conscience Project.</a>
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Paper people chain, books and judge’s gavel. Law, family politics and marriage legalization.

How Trans Ideology Is Infecting The Foster Care System

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The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a> ruled 6-3 on Friday that an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oregon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon</a> city’s law restricting camping on public property does not violate the Constitution’s prohibition against enacting cruel and unusual punishments under the Eighth Amendment. 
Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-175_19m2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the courts did not have the right to strike down laws enacted by the city of Grants Pass in response to the homelessness crisis. Gorsuch was joined by Justices Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett, with Clarence Thomas writing a concurring opinion. 
“The Constitution’s Eighth Amendment serves many important functions, but it does not authorize federal judges to wrest those rights and responsibilities from the American people and in their place dictate this Nation’s homelessness policy,” Gorsuch wrote. 
Previously, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Grants Pass could not enforce its restrictions on sleeping on public property if the number of publicly available beds for the homeless was less than the number of homeless estimated in the area. The city’s laws, including fines of $295 for sleeping on public property, were challenged under the Eighth Amendment on behalf of a group of homeless people in the area. 
“Yes, people will disagree over which policy responses are best; they may experiment with one set of approaches only to find later another set works better; they may find certain responses more appropriate for some communities than others,” Gorsuch wrote. “But in our democracy, that is their right. 
“Nor can a handful of federal judges begin to ‘match’ the collective wisdom the American people possess in deciding ‘how best to handle’ a pressing social question like homelessness,” he added. 
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan all dissented. 
“Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime. For some people, sleeping outside is their only option,” Sotomayor wrote. “For people with no access to shelter, that punishes them for being homeless. That is unconscionable and unconstitutional.”
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Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-homeless-camping-bans-506ac68dc069e3bf456c10fcedfa6bee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Associated Press she was grateful for the court’s decision. 
“This lawsuit was about whether cities have a right to enforce camping restrictions in public spaces, and I’m relieved that Grants Pass will be able to reclaim our city parks for recreation,” she said. “Homelessness is a complex issue, and our community has been trying to find solutions.”
Cities across the country have grappled with how to handle increasing homelessness in recent years, with an estimated 582,000 homeless in 2022.

Homeless in Skid Row

SCOTUS Rules In Favor Of Oregon City’s Ban On Homeless Encampments

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An Oregon high school track coach claimed the school district terminated his contract because he pushed for the state to change the laws around trans-identifying athletes.
John Parks, head track and field coach at Lake Oswego High School just south of Portland, <a href="https://katu.com/news/local/lake-oswego-coach-says-district-ousted-him-after-pushed-change-in-transgender-athlete-law-osaa-track-field-peter-weber-john-parks-rob-wagner-mary-kay-larson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> a pair of letters to the executive director of the Oregon Student Activities Association and a state senator.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Lake Oswego high school track &amp; field coach was terminated after demanding fair competition for his female athletes.
He&#39;s taken his team to the state championship 3 years in a row.
The problem is his stance was way too reasonable, so they ousted him.<a href="https://t.co/qYLfHwZ9Y1">https://t.co/qYLfHwZ9Y1</a>
&mdash; Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1803107581361025164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In his letters, which were written before and after the state championships in May, Parks argued that Oregon law, which currently allows trans-identifying biological males to compete with female athletes, is harming girls&#8217; sports.
Parks called for student sports in Oregon to follow the lead of other sports organizations like the International Olympic Committee that require hormone testing for trans-identifying athletes.
&#8220;My proposal to encourage transgender participation is to offer an open division that is so named so it doesn&#8217;t identify or discriminate but offers an opportunity to participate,&#8221; Parks wrote.
Parks said that part of his concern is for trans-identifying athletes themselves.
&#8220;I want them to be able to participate where they&#8217;re not booed,&#8221; Parks told KATU, adding that he saw the crowd boo a trans-identifying athlete who won a girls&#8217; event at the state championships.
The Lake Oswego School District&#8217;s communications director <a href="https://katu.com/news/local/lake-oswego-coach-says-district-ousted-him-after-pushed-change-in-transgender-athlete-law-osaa-track-field-peter-weber-john-parks-rob-wagner-mary-kay-larson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Parks is no longer employed at the district but did not give a reason, saying the district does not discuss personnel matters.
Parks is appealing the school district&#8217;s decision to terminate his contract.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to fight now because I got wronged,&#8221; he <a href="https://katu.com/news/local/lake-oswego-coach-says-district-ousted-him-after-pushed-change-in-transgender-athlete-law-osaa-track-field-peter-weber-john-parks-rob-wagner-mary-kay-larson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> KATU. &#8220;I am &#8230; fighting for girls, I&#8217;m fighting for female sports, and I&#8217;m fighting that it be fair for everybody.&#8221;
&#8220;When you come to championship events, these things involve scholarships, they involve things that they have an unfair advantage in at the highest level when it comes to physical things,&#8221; Parks said. &#8220;We&#8217;re not talking about political. This is not a political issue to me and never has been.&#8221;
A petition to reinstate Parks as coach has already <a href="https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-coach-john-parks-as-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gathered</a> more than 100 signatures.
Riley Gaines, former college swimmer and women’s sports activist highlighted Parks&#8217; situation in a social media post.
&#8220;He&#8217;s taken his team to the state championship 3 years in a row,&#8221; she posted on X. &#8220;The problem is his stance was way too reasonable, so they ousted him.&#8221;
Female athletes at high schools and colleges in several states have spoken out against competing against biological males, some arguing that they missed out on awards and scholarships after losing to their male competitors.
High school girls have also been injured playing with trans-identifying males. Last year in North Carolina, a female high school volleyball player <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/female-high-school-volleyball-athlete-suffers-serious-head-injury-after-transgender-player-throws-abnormally-fast-ball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suffered</a> severe trauma to her head and neck after a trans-identifying male player spiked a volleyball that hit her head.

Legs of a group of girls running on a track

High School Coach Says School District Ousted Him For Pushing Transgender Athlete Rule Change

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