GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policyNew Foto - GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy

Republican Rep. Bryan Steil faced a rowdy crowd at a town hall-style event in Wisconsin on Thursday, with attendees angrily confronting him over a wide range of topics, including tariffs,President Donald Trump's"big, beautiful bill,"the war in Gaza and immigration policy. Audience members frequently interrupted Steil as he spoke, often drowning him out with boos and yelling, though there were also moments where the congressman's remarks were met with applause. The event, which the congressman's office described as a "listening session," comes as House members havereturned to their districtsfor a weekslong work period that will last throughout August. It featured a number of critical questions from the audience over the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration. At one point, an audience member started chanting, "We are all immigrants," as the congressman discussed border security. "It's not politics, it's morality," one audience member told Steil, saying, "I care about people, and what I see happening to our immigrant population embarrasses me, and you have not raised a voice to complain about it. Where do I see your leadership? I see no leadership, I see following Trump 100% of the time." A different attendee told the congressman, "I am so disappointed. I am so disappointed in how you represent us as the citizens of Walworth County. Southeast Wisconsin has not been represented by you. President Trump seems to run Southeast Wisconsin through you." Another audience member said that his "main concern" istariffs. "I was under the impression that Congress was responsible for issuing tariffs," he said. "I really feel that this is a terrible tax that's going to be placed on the citizens of the United States." The congressman began to respond, by saying, "This really at its core needs to be an opportunity to make sure that other countries are treating the United States fairly," a remark that was met with booing. "What we need to do is work with our allies, put trade agreements in place," he said as he was repeatedly interrupted by yelling from the crowd. "I think part of this is what gives Trump the authority to put in place the tariffs. The authority that he's operating under is, as it relates to the imbalance of trade," Steil said. "There's a court case that's going on right now where there'll be more clarity provided on this, but that's the authority that he's operating under." The event's moderator had to interject on multiple occasions in an effort to get the crowd to quiet down. At one point, moderator interrupted a yelling outburst by jokingly asking if the crowd would"rather the congressman go to lunch and you get to shout for the next 45 minutes?" and called out a specific audience member as "very obnoxious and very disrespectful." The congressman said, "The civil discourse that is a cornerstone of our democracy is challenged right now." Not long after, he said, "I don't support anybody denigrating anyone else. People have a right of free speech. But a lot of our discourse, writ large, is really challenged. It's challenged on all sides. So I think we have a real opportunity to improve our discourse a little bit. I'd say the overwhelming majority of people here want to learn and understand my perspective, want to hear the questions, and then there's a small group of people that are challenging and are booing and yelling at each other. The same occurs in Washington. I share the frustration." On Trump's sweeping tax and spending law known as the "big, beautiful bill," one person asked what is being done to protect individuals who are not wealthy, raising concerns that tax breaks under the legislation will only accrue to higher-earners. The congressman responded, "In part, I would disagree with the way you framed it. As I look at the provisions of the bill, and what was in large part done, was keeping the 2017 tax reforms in place, that's the bulk of the bill," but was soon interrupted by shouting from the crowd. He added, "It builds onto that additional tax reforms for hard-working families." Towards the end of the event, a man jumped up from his seat to question Steil on the war in Gaza. "Two million people in Gaza are starving – what do you have to say about that?" the man shouted, then stood up and waved his arms in the air. A police officer approached the man, who then sat back down. The officer appeared to say something to the man and then walked away. Shortly after the outburst, a different audience member pressed the congressman to answer the earlier question. "To me, the easy answer to address this crisis is for Hamas to surrender and release the hostages. That ends the war tomorrow," Steil said. "Israel was unfairly, unjustly attacked, their civilians were killed and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists." Steil said, "Israel has a right to defend itself," but paused amid shouting from the crowd. Soon after, amid continued disruptions from the audience, the moderator moved to conclude the event, saying "We're gonna close it off here because there's no point in continuing." Separately, Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, told a crowd at a different event Thursday night he knew it was "a little douchey" to hold a town hall in the Wisconsin congressional district – and hometown – of neighboring Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden. But Van Orden is "missing in action," refusing to hold town halls of his own, and Democrats need to push back harder against the GOP's massive tax and domestic policy bill, Pocan said. "I think doing, bluntly, town halls in Republican districts where they refuse to do them is one of the best things we can do," Pocan said. He called himself an "early adopter" of the tactic and said other progressive lawmakers are following suit. "I think this is what we need to do. I mean, is this in your face. Is this a little douchey? Yes," he said. "But you know what? Taking away your health care and taking away your education funding and adding $4 trillion to the national debt so that the richest people are getting a tax cut is enough that we need to push back." Pocan told CNN after the town hall that he'd come to Prairie du Chien to goad Van Orden into publicly defending the GOP bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4. "Come on down the road, Derrick," he said. "If you really think this bill's as good as you've been saying it is, not in front of people, let's have an actual debate. Let's talk about the various parts of it. The fact he won't doesn't pass the Wisconsin smell test." Pocan's hour-long town hall, in front of an audience of about 50 people in the town of about 5,000 was a friendly one with none of the fiery exchanges that other town halls across the nation have featured. Pocan was asked questions largely from the left, about ways Democrats can be more aggressive in taking on Trump. He was also asked about immigration policies, the sustainability of Social Security and Medicare, and about whether he fears Trump will declare martial law and cancel upcoming elections. He focused most of his comments on railing against Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill" — but peppered the entire hour with jabs at Van Orden for failing to host town halls. Van Orden's office did not respond to CNN's request for comment on Pocan's town hall. 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GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy

GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy Republican Rep. Bryan Steil faced a ro...
2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris outNew Foto - 2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After months of uncertainty, the race to become California's next governor started Thursday. Former Vice President Kamala Harris'decisionWednesday to bypass the 2026 contest pushed the campaign into a new phase, lacking its biggest potential star and the presumptive early favorite. Harris' formal exit opens the door for additional candidates to venture in, while scrambling a crowded field with no dominant candidate. Democrats remain favored to hold the seat now occupied by term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a state where Republicans have not won a statewide election in nearly two decades. Democrats hold a nearly 2-to-1 advantage over registered Republicans statewide. "The starting gun just popped," said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta, calling it the first truly wide-open governor's race in over a quarter-century. "The race is on." Other Democrats work to position themselves Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter moved quickly to establish herself as a leading contender, as her campaign pleaded for donations to "solidify Katie as the Democratic front-runner." Former Biden administration health secretary Xavier Becerra sought to position himself as an heir to the Harris legacy: They both previously served as California attorneys general. "The vice president and I have been together in this fight to restore the American Dream for a long time," Becerra said in a statement. ""I'm proud of our shared record — expanding health care for millions of Americans, bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, tackling our country's mental health crisis and defending reproductive freedom." Harris' decision "reshapes this race for governor, but not the stakes," he added. Because of Harris' potential candidacy, the contest had been in a slow-walk for months. Now, following her decision, campaigns will be chasing her supporters while reevaluating a field in which Harris will not be taking part. Fundraising emails jammed inboxes. Democratic consultant Michael Trujillo, a former aide to Democratic candidate and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, said voters loyal to Harris are going to have to rethink their choices while looking at candidates they might not know much about in a large and growing field. "I think everyone is picking up points from Kamala's voters now that she is not an option," Trujillo said. "There now is more oxygen for everyone else." California is known as the epicenter of the so-called Trump resistance. The race will unfold withPresident Donald Trumpdominating daily headlines as his administration battles the liberal-leaning state over health care funding for lower-income residents,immigrationand environmental protection. More than half of voters think the state is headed in the wrong direction, with many households vexed by inflation, notorious taxes and some of the nation's highest utility bills. Soaring rents and housing prices are driving residents to other, more affordable states. The state budget is expected to be in the red in coming years. And billions in spending on homelessness has done little to check the crisis. But the primary election is not until June 2, so it is impossible to know what will be motivating voters in 10 months. Republicans see glimmers of hope Long-suffering Republicans in the state have been heartened by last year's elections, in which the heavily Democratic state displayed a slight rightward shift. While Harris — a former San Francisco prosecutor, state attorney general and U.S. senator — won the state in a landslide, she fell well short of former President Joe Biden's vote totals in 2020 while Trump picked off a string of counties that eluded him four years earlier. Among the candidates, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a statement that Harris realized "the status quo is impossible to defend." And conservative commentator SteveHiltonwelcomed Harris' decision and said "after 15 years of one-party Democrat rule, everyone can see it's time for change in California." As is the case in high-profile races for governor, a long list of candidates — some known, others not — fills out the ballot. California has what is known as a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same primary ballot regardless of political party, but only the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. Other Democrats in the mix include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis; former state controller Betty Yee; former state Senate leader Toni Atkins; state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond; and real estate developer Stephen Cloobeck. Rich outsider could shake up race In California, home to some of the nation's richest Americans, it is always possible a wealthy outsider could shake up the race. That was the case in 2010, when billionaire Republican Meg Whitman spent nearly $180 million, much of it her own money, but lost to Democrat Jerry Brown, a former governor. Newsom — who has not endorsed a successor — was asked Thursday what he thought of the possibility that he and Harris, old friends from the San Francisco Bay Area, might meet again in the 2028 presidential race. Harris has not ruled out another run for the presidency after falling short in 2020 and 2024. Newsom is widely seen as positioning himself for a run in 2028 though he has veered away from speculating about his political future. "We'll see where fate brings all of us," Newsom told reporters. "I'm looking forward to what she does next." ___ Associated Press writer Tran Nguyen in Sacramento contributed.

2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out

2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out LOS ANGELES (AP) — After months of uncertainty, t...
Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 daysNew Foto - Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that set new tariffs on a wide swath of U.S. trading partners to go into effect on Aug. 7 — the next step in his trade agenda that will test the global economy and sturdiness of American alliances built up over decades. The order was issued shortly after 7 p.m. on Thursday. It came after a flurry of tariff-related activity in the last several days, as the White House announced agreements with various nations and blocs ahead of the president's self-imposed Friday deadline. The tariffs are being implemented at a later date in order for the rates schedule to be harmonized, according to a senior administration official who spoke to reporters on a call on the condition of anonymity. After initially threatening theAfrican nation of Lesothowith a 50% tariff, the country's goods will now be taxed at 15%. Taiwan will have tariffs set at 20%, Pakistan at 19% and Israel, Iceland, Norway, Fiji, Ghana, Guyana and Ecuador among the countries with imported goods taxed at 15%. Switzerland would be tariffed at 39%. Trump had announceda 50% tariff on goods from Brazil,but the order was only 10% as the other 40% were part of a separate measure approved by Trump on Wednesday. The order capped off a hectic Thursday as nations sought to continue negotiating with Trump. It set the rates for 68 countries and the 27-member European Union, with a baseline 10% rate to be charged on countries not listed in the order. The senior administration official said the rates were based on trade imbalance with the U.S. and regional economic profiles. On Thursday morning, Trump engaged in a phone conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on trade. As a result of the conversation, the U.S. president said he would enter into a 90-day negotiating period with Mexico, one of the nation's largest trading partners. The current25% tariff ratesare staying in place, down from the 30% he had threatened earlier. "We avoided the tariff increase announced for tomorrow and we got 90 days to build a long-term agreement through dialogue," Sheinbaum wrote on X after a call with Trump that he referred to as "very successful" in terms of the leaders getting to know each other better. The unknowns created a sense of drama that has defined Trump's rollout of tariffs over several months. However, the one consistency is his desire to levy the import taxes that most economists say will ultimately be borne to some degree by U.S. consumers and businesses. "We have made a few deals today that are excellent deals for the country," Trump told reporters on Thursday afternoon, without detailing the terms of those agreements or the nations involved. The senior administration official declined to reveal the nations that have new deals during the call with reporters. Trump said that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had called ahead of 35% tariffs being imposed on many of his nation's goods, but "we haven't spoken to Canada today." Trump separately on Thursday amended a previous order to raise the fentanyl-related tariff on Canada from 25% to 35%. Trump imposed the Friday deadline after his previous "Liberation Day" tariffs in April resulted in a stock market panic. His unusually high tariff rates, unveiled in April, led to recession fears — prompting Trump to impose a 90-day negotiating period. When he was unable to create enough trade deals with other countries, he extended the timeline and sent out letters to world leaders that simply listed rates, prompting a slew of hasty deals. Trump reached a deal withSouth Koreaon Wednesday, and earlier with the European Union, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. His commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" that there were agreements with Cambodia and Thailand after they had agreed to a ceasefire to their border conflict. Going into Thursday, wealthy Switzerland and Norway were still uncertain about their tariff rates. EU officials were waiting to complete a crucial document outlining how the framework to tax imported autos and other goods from the 27-member state bloc would operate. Trump had announced a deal on Sunday while he was in Scotland. Trump said as part of the agreement with Mexico that goods imported into the U.S. would continue to face a 25% tariff that he has ostensibly linked to fentanyl trafficking. He said autos would face a 25% tariff, while copper, aluminum and steel would be taxed at 50% during the negotiating period. He said Mexico would end its "Non Tariff Trade Barriers," but he didn't provide specifics. Some goods continue to be protected fromthe tariffsby the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, orUSMCA, which Trump negotiated during his first term. But Trump appeared to have soured on that deal, which is up for renegotiation next year. One of his first significant moves as president was to impose tariffs on goods from both Mexico and Canada earlier this year. U.S. Census Bureau figures show that the U.S. ran a $171.5 billion trade deficit with Mexico last year. That means the U.S. bought more goods from Mexico than it sold to the country. The imbalance with Mexico has grown in the aftermath of the USMCA, as it was only $63.3 billion in 2016, the year before Trump started his first term in office. ___ Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days

Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trum...
Stanton and Rice hit early homers as Yankees beat Rays 7-4 on busy trade-deadline dayNew Foto - Stanton and Rice hit early homers as Yankees beat Rays 7-4 on busy trade-deadline day

NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice homered in the first two innings and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 in a game interrupted by rain for nearly three hours Thursday. On abusy trade-deadline day,the Yankees made a flurry of moves highlighted by theacquisition of two-time All-Star reliever David Bednar from Pittsburghfor three minor leaguers. Tampa Bay,also activeat the deadline,lost three starters to injuryduring the game. Stanton hit his eighth homer since returning from tendinitis in both elbows last month for a 3-0 lead against starter Ryan Pepiot (6-9) four batters in. Rice launched a three-run shot into the Yankees' bullpen in right-center to make it 6-0. New York starter Marcus Stroman (3-3) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. Yerry de los Santos struck out five in three perfect innings, then was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game. Jonathan Loáisiga got three outs for his first save since 2022. Cody Bellinger hit an RBI single ahead of Stanton's two-run homer. Yankees newcomer Austin Slater had an RBI groundout in the third, and New York won for the fourth time in five games sinceputting Aaron Judge on the injured list. Stroman did not allow a hit until the fourth, when the Rays scored four times. Jonathan Aranda and Jonny DeLuca hit RBI singles, Taylor Walls had an RBI double and Junior Caminero lifted a sacrifice fly. Pepiot was tagged for seven runs and six hits in four innings. Key moment Stanton homered after Walls lost a popup by Paul Goldschmidt in the wind and the ball dropped behind in shallow left field for a double. Key stats Rice has seven homers in 21 starts as a leadoff hitter. Up next Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón (11-7, 3.18 ERA) opens a three-game series in Miami against the Marlins on Friday. Rays RHP Shane Baz (8-7, 4.61 ERA) faces LHP Clayton Kershaw (4-2, 3.62) and the visiting Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series Friday. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Stanton and Rice hit early homers as Yankees beat Rays 7-4 on busy trade-deadline day

Stanton and Rice hit early homers as Yankees beat Rays 7-4 on busy trade-deadline day NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice homered...
NFL world reacts to virtual measurement system's debut at Hall of Fame GameNew Foto - NFL world reacts to virtual measurement system's debut at Hall of Fame Game

Move over, chain gang. A new measurement system has been introduced to the NFL, and fans got their first glimpse of it during Thursday's preseason game between theDetroit Lionsand theLos Angeles Chargers. The NFL's virtual measurement systemdebuted during the first half of theHall of Fame Gameafter a 10-yard run by Lions running backCraig Reynolds. Rather than having the chain gang run out to the field, the officials simply waited for the virtual measurement system to calculate whether the veteran running back had made the line to gain. Below is a look at how the process played out: Introducing the new virtual measurement system for first downs, which allows the NFL to accurately and efficiently measure the distance between the spotted ball and the line to gain.pic.twitter.com/QvlsSmWnSo — NFL (@NFL)August 1, 2025 The virtual measurement was handled efficiently and didn't disrupt the flow of the game. That left several prominent NFL voices impressed with the process and optimistic it will serve as a quality replacement for the chain gang, which remains on the sideline in case of an emergency. The virtual measurement reveal is the hottest thing I've ever seen — Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak)August 1, 2025 Virtual measurement is ELECTRIC 🔥pic.twitter.com/TCE9OkYHeI — DraftKings (@DraftKings)August 1, 2025 Virtual measurement! So sick. — Jake Marsh (@JakeMarsh18)August 1, 2025 turn me on with 5 words:"timeout for a virtual measurement" — Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball)August 1, 2025 We tested the virtual measurement system during a@RamsNFLpreseason game last summer at SoFi. It worked well. Easy integration into the broadcast. — Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano)August 1, 2025 However, a smaller cohort was reluctant to trust the new protocol. Others joked the process would be less aesthetically appealing than watching the chain gang determine whether a player generated a first down. I really don't know how to feel about this…It's the new virtual measurement system for first downs….give me chain gang all day.pic.twitter.com/rmgpanmELN — Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel)August 1, 2025 The new new virtual measurement system for first downs will never be as advanced as thispic.twitter.com/n2snKaXXf0 — NFL Memes (@NFLHateMemes)August 1, 2025 "Timeout for a virtual measurement"pic.twitter.com/JbxvkZnDId — betr (@betr)August 1, 2025 As long as the NFL's virtual measurement process remains efficient, the league will probably not have too many regrets about switching to it as the primary method for measuring first downs. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL world reacts to virtual measurement system replacing chain gang

NFL world reacts to virtual measurement system's debut at Hall of Fame Game

NFL world reacts to virtual measurement system's debut at Hall of Fame Game Move over, chain gang. A new measurement system has been int...

 

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