Several Pennsylvania officials, particularly in the Scranton area where President Joe Biden hails from, are calling on the city to undo its 2021 renaming of a freeway spur in his honor.

State Rep. Jamie Walsh, R-Dallas, appeared to lead the charge with a scathing statement highlighting Biden’s recent pardon of a judge convicted in a "kids-for-cash" scandal wherein he received kickbacks for sentencing juveniles to for-profit prisons.

Wilkes-Barre Common Pleas Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella Jr. were convicted in 2008. The former served time in prison, followed by COVID-induced house arrest until Biden’s pardon. 

Walsh said some of the children affected had been convicted of minor offenses like jaywalking. The Democratic-majority Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out 4,000 juvenile convictions as a result of the scandal. 

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"In light of the recent decision made by the Biden administration to commute former Judge Conahan’s sentence, I implore city officials and Mayor [Paige Gebhardt Cognetti] to remove President Joe Biden’s name from the expressway sign that leads to the heart of the ‘Electric City’s’ downtown area."

In 2021, the mayor and city council unanimously approved the rebranding of the three-quarter-mile Central Scranton Expressway spur off Interstate 81 and its continuance via then-Spruce Street through downtown as the "President Biden Expressway" and "Biden Avenue," respectively.

The President Biden Expressway initially serves as a short bypass of PA-307 into the city, and continues as "Biden Ave" toward northbound US-11, which, in-turn, meets the terminus of the colloquial "Route 9" -- the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Northeast Extension.

"The children affected by Conahan’s actions of nearly 15 years ago are now adults suffering in their own ‘mental’ prisons due to his deeds of self-fulfillment," Walsh said in a statement.

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"Crimes against children are everlasting, and there is no escape from the irreparable damage these predators caused by their actions."

Walsh argued that the issue is non-partisan but "right versus wrong" and that Biden no longer deserves the commemoration because his pardon "exonerates [Conahan’s] behavior" as a signal to future corrupt public officials.

State Rep-elect. Brenda Pugh, R-Luzerne, told WBRE that Conahan’s conduct is a "blight on Pennsylvania" and that Biden’s pardon is "nothing short of a travesty."

"[H]is clemency is a miscarriage of justice," Pugh said, adding the President Biden Expressway will therefore "forever be a scar reminding people of what happened here [in NEPA]."

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, who was the GOP's 2022 gubernatorial nominee, told Fox News Digital it is embarrassing to see Biden's name while driving up I-81, especially given his choices of pardons.

"He's a failed president who couldn't help himself to pardon his corrupt criminal son from so many illegals schemes. His name is to be off the highway," Mastriano said.

Meanwhile, Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak made his case directly to Cognetti, writing the mayor a letter saying that reverting "Biden Avenue to Spruce Street" would help restore confidence in city leadership and reaffirm a commitment to governing in the best reflection of city values.

"This [pardon] has brought significant negative attention to Scranton, tarnishing the city's reputation and reflecting poorly on Lackawanna County as a whole," Chermak wrote.

In a Friday interview, Cognetti said that Biden’s commutation of Conahan was a "grave error" that freshly opened "deep and horrific" wounds for Scrantonians and NEPA residents.

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She echoed Gov. Josh Shapiro’s remark earlier this week that Conahan’s sentence was too light in the first place.

"[The case] was just the stuff that you think a screenwriter couldn't make up -- how systemic and how deep that scandal went," Cognetti said.

She said she had contacted the White House with her concerns and that she was sad to learn Conahan’s commutation is irreversible.

Cognetti noted she is currently mayor in part because of other officials’ public corruption as well.

Predecessor Bill Courtright resigned in July 2019 amid a conviction for bribery, corruption and conspiracy. Courtright’s departure led to two brief interim mayors before Cognetti was elected that November as an independent and, in 2021, as a Democrat. 

Cognetti added that the calls to strip Biden’s name from roadways are not new and continue to be mostly grounded in partisanship.

"The president is from here, and there are few communities that can boast of being the hometown of a President of the United States. We will continue to celebrate and be very proud of having a hometown son of Scranton as president."

"The two issues are conflated, I think, for political reasons. And I'd like us to treat these things as what they are. We need to continue to address corruption in government," Cognetti added.

"That’s separate from the president's legacy of 50 years in office and being the most successful son of Scranton."

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When recently asked about Biden granting Conahan a pardon, Shapiro said that presidents have the "unique and absolute" power to do so, but should wield it "incredibly carefully."

"I study every single case that comes across my desk where there's a request for a pardon or clemency or worse, or a reduction in sentence. And I take it very seriously," said Shapiro, who previously served as attorney general.

"I do feel strongly that President Biden got it absolutely wrong and created a lot of pain here in northeastern Pennsylvania. This was not only a black eye on the community because of the scandal, but it also affected families in really deep and profound and sad ways," he said.

An appearance by Pete Buttigieg on Friday morning on New Hampshire talk radio is fueling ongoing speculation that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in President Biden's administration may be mulling another White House run in 2028.

Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who is considered a potential contender for the next nomination race, has made numerous radio appearances across the country during his four years steering the Department of Transportation, including a bunch in New Hampshire, which prides itself on being the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state.

But with President-elect Trump a month away from returning to the White House, and Democrats scrambling in the wake of November's election setbacks to find a path out of the political wilderness, Buttigieg's latest radio appearance in New Hampshire is grabbing increased attention as the extremely early preseason moves in the party's 2028 presidential primary race will soon start.

And the guest segment by Buttigieg on the statewide morning news-talk radio program "New Hampshire Today" is bound to spark more 2028 speculation.

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"The only thing I'm sure is next is a little vacation," Buttigieg said when asked by host Chris Ryan about his plans once his tenure as transportation secretary sunsets on Jan. 20.

Buttigieg said he and his spouse, Chasten, "are ready to spend a little time together. I'm ready to be around our three-year-old twins a little more, and I'm determined not to make any life decisions too quickly in the new year."

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"But I will find ways to make myself useful, and maybe that's running for office, and maybe that's not. I'll take the next few weeks and months to work through that," Buttigieg shared.

And he emphasized that "I know what I care about. I care about how communities, like the place where I grew up, find a better future. I care about how to make sure technology makes us all better off and not worse off. I care about how the infrastructure issues and opportunities I've worked on can develop. I care about public service. I care about our democracy, and I will find ways to work on that, whatever shape that might take."

Buttigieg, a former naval intelligence officer who deployed to the war in Afghanistan and who served eight years as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was a longshot when he launched his 2020 presidential campaign. 

But his campaign caught fire, and he narrowly edged Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to win the Iowa caucuses before coming in close second to Sanders in the New Hampshire presidential primary. But Buttigieg, along with the rest of the Democratic field, dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden as the former vice president won the South Carolina primary in a landslide, swept the Super Tuesday contests and eventually clinched the nomination before winning the White House.

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During his tenure as Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg has made a handful of official visits to New Hampshire, most recently earlier this year. And two years ago, in a political trip, he headlined the New Hampshire Democratic Party's major autumn fundraising gala.

Asked in the interview whether he'll be returning to the Granite State in the near future, he quipped, "I'm sure I'll turn up before too long."

Buttigieg, in recent years, has also made regular appearances on the Fox News Channel to highlight the Biden administration's efforts. This year, he served as a high-profile surrogate on Fox News and elsewhere across the media landscape for Biden, and later for Vice President Kamala Harris, on the campaign trail.

After his 2020 presidential campaign, Buttiegieg moved from red-state Indiana to neighboring Michigan, which is a key battleground, and now calls Traverse City, Michigan, home.

In recent weeks, Buttigieg has fielded calls by some Michigan Democrats urging him to consider a 2026 run for governor, to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited.

"I haven’t made any decisions about, big decisions about my future," Buttigieg told reporters earlier this month in Detroit, in a line that he would repeat in this week's New Hampshire radio interview.

Vice President Kamala Harris tried to encourage Democratic staffers facing layoffs from the DNC on Sunday, telling them that their "spirit will not be defeated."

Harris made the comments during the DNC's holiday celebration in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. She spoke alongside President Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the event, which played host to staffers who were let go from the DNC without severance packages after the election.

"This holiday season, like any time of the year, let us really be conscious of all the blessings we have. Let us celebrate the blessings we have; let us celebrate and advance the blessings we have yet to create," Harris said. "And let us always remember our country is worth fighting for, and our spirit will not be defeated."

"And hear me when I say this, that spirit that fuels the countless hours and days and months of work that you have put into this, that spirit. It can never be defeated. Our spirit is not defeated. We are not defeated. Let's be clear about that. We are strong. We are clear about why we are in this. And because you're here right now. I say again, thank you. Because not only are you clear about all of that, you're willing to put in the hard work and that work must continue," she said.

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Biden took the stage after Harris and defended the pair's legacy as they prepare to leave office. He argued that the country is in a "resoundingly" better position today than when he and Harris entered the White House.

"The one thing I've always believed about public service, and especially about the presidency, is the importance of asking yourself, have we left the country in better shape than we found it? Today, I can say with every fiber of my being, of all my heart, the answer to that question is a resounding yes," he said.

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He went on to encourage staffers to "stay engaged" in the years ahead.

"You're not going anywhere, kid," Biden said of Harris. "Because we're not gonna let you."

Some DNC staffers had expressed frustration at the post-election layoffs, which are relatively common in Washington, D.C. The DNC union objected to the lack of severance packages and other benefits when the layoffs were announced in late November.

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"We find it very cruel that DNC management is trying to claim that layoffs are just part of the job," a DNC union member told Mother Jones. "And we feel strongly that losing an election has not absolved the organization of its responsibility to treat its workers with basic dignity."

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison does not plan to seek re-election to his post, leaving a pool of would-be leaders to vie for the top position.

The next chair will be chosen by the roughly 450 voting members of the national party committee when they meet at the beginning of February at National Harbor in Maryland for the DNC's winter meeting.

The list of candidates seeking to replace Harrison includes Martin O'Malley, the former two-term Maryland governor, Ben Wikler, who has led the Democratic Party in Wisconsin for five years, and Minnesota Democrats chair Ken Martin.

As President-elect Trump gets ready to return to the White House, a leading Democratic pollster and strategist highlights that her party needs a new game plan to confront the former and soon-to-be future president.

"The 2025 playbook cannot be the 2017 playbook," Molly Murphy, a top pollster on Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, emphasized as she gave a presentation at the first meeting of the Democratic National Committee's executive committee since last month's election.

Trump's convincing win over Harris — he captured the popular vote and swept all seven key battleground states — as well as the GOP flipping the Senate and holding on to their fragile majority in the House, has Democrats searching for answers as they now try to emerge from the political wilderness.

Murphy, pointing to post-election polls, said most Americans give the president-elect a thumbs up on how he's handling his transition, and that Trump will return to the White House next month more popular compared to eight years ago, when he first won the presidency. 

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And she noted that voters "give him a pass on the outrageous" comments he continuously makes because they approve of his handling of the economy. 

Murphy, in her comments Friday as DNC leaders huddled at a hotel near the U.S. Capitol, said the Democrats' mission going forward is to change that perception.

"We want to focus on this term … and tell the story about how this term is worse and things are not going to be good for the American people," Murphy said.

The Democrats' message should be "Donald Trump does not care about you. He is going to screw you," Murphy argued. "As a north star, I think we need to stay focused on … the economy and costs."

"A lot of people are expecting the price of milk to go back where it was," Murphy noted. 

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She said Democrats need to borrow a page from the GOP's 2024 campaign playbook: "We can do what they did to us … even if the economy is stronger, costs are still going to be too high for people."

And she added that Democrats need to spotlight what she called unpopular parts of the Trump agenda, including "tax breaks for the wealthy" and "letting corporations drive up prices and making you pay for it." 

And she said the party needs to frame Trump's proposed tariffs on key American trading partners "a sales tax on the American people that will drive up prices," which was a line that Harris used on the campaign trail.

Murphy also spotlighted that Trump and Republicans made gains with key parts of the Democratic Party's base - younger voters, Latinos, and Black voters because of the economy, but also because of the Democrats' "wonky" messaging.

"A lot of times we’re talking about polices," Murphy said, while Republicans have "culture conversations that create a connection between the party and the people that go beyond polices."

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Murphy argued that "these culture conversations that conservatives have been able to have in an organic way have been able to draw a connection that we know is not supported by policy … and we know that we have a lot of shared values with these working Americans and we need to find ways to have more authentic connection points there."

DNC chair Jaime Harrison complimented Murphy's presentation. 

But, Harrison, who is not running for a second four-year term steering the national party committee, pointed to the next White House race and offered that the party should also target Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance.

"I think it will be a big error on our part if we focus all of our attention on Donald Trump and not JD Vance, particularly as we start to look at the 2028 race," Harrison highlighted.

The DNC's meeting came as Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley said that Trump would play a "significant" role in supporting GOP candidates.

Whatley argued that "as we go forward into this next election cycle, the fundamentals are going to remain the same" during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday.

"We need to make sure that we are building our state parties, that we're building our ground game, we're building our election integrity apparatus to be in place to make sure that when we get those candidates through those primaries in ‘26, that we're going to be in a position to take them all the way to the finish line," he emphasized.

But the party in power traditionally suffers setbacks in the following midterm elections. And Trump, who was a magnate for voter turnout, won't be on the ballot in 2026.

Whatley said that even though he won't be a candidate, "President Trump is going to be a very significant part of this because at the end of the day, what we need to do is hold on to the House, hold on to the Senate so that we can finish his term and his agenda."

And Whatley predicted that "Donald Trump will be very active on the campaign trail for Republicans. And his agenda is the agenda that we're going to be running on."

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Reparations activists in California hope their snubbed bills that were shelved in September will be re-introduced by a legislator during the next special session that Gov. Gavin Newsom called in January.

"That is one of the primary demands or commands from the community and reparations leaders is for a legislator, it doesn't even have to be a black legislator, but a legislator to reintroduce those two bills that failed," California Reparations Task Force Chair Kamilah Moore told Fox News Digital in an interview this week.

The bills, SB 1403 and SB 1331, would have established the California American Freedman’s Affairs Agency to oversee reparations programs and create a dedicated fund for implementing reparations policies, respectively. Both were snubbed after backers said the bills would not move forward and be signed by Newsom.

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"I think the reason for Newsom was probably political, like, he didn't think that these reparations would get so serious so fast," Moore said. "And then this particular election year when Kamala [Harris] was running for president, and you can't look too progressive in this political environment we're in."

The two bills, authored by members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, were pivotal for the reparations task force to carry out its atoning for what supporters said was a legacy of racist policies that drove disparities for Black people, from housing to education to health.

The Democrat-led California legislature passed a spate of other bills aimed at remedying past racial injustices, but none of them would provide direct payments to African Americans.

"I feel like the caucus and even Newsom were supportive of these bills, and there's evidence of that. The Black Caucus wrote that letter in June wanting to give $6 million to their friends, the Black freedom Fund, which is problematic," Moore said. "But the letter also said they wanted to give $6 million to the reparations agency, but then at the last minute, in August, they decided to kill the Reparations Agency Fund bill."

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At the time, then-Sen. Steven Bradford, who is now termed out, said the bills didn't move forward out of fear they wouldn't make it past Newsom's desk.

"We're at the finish line, and we as the Black Caucus owe it to the descendants of chattel slavery, to Black Californians and Black Americans to move this legislation forward," Bradford said, urging his colleagues to reconsider the bills.

When the bills got pulled, a group of protesters were outraged inside the Sacramento Capitol after being promised the bills would receive time.

State Republican Assemblyman Bill Essayli accused Democrats in a post on X of going "into hiding" and refusing to bring the bills up for a vote when it came time to pass them despite "promising to pay direct cash reparations to Americans who have been harmed by slavery" for years.

Essayli talked to supporters in the Capitol that day and clarified that he did not support California taxpayers paying for the wrongs of slave states but "believed there should be a debate and a recorded vote on the issue." He then urged the legislature to bring the bills for a floor debate.

"I don't think you can constitutionally justify cash payments based on race," Essayli told Fox News Digital in an interview this week. "[President-elect] Trump created opportunity zones, which resulted in direct investments into minority communities, so I think there's other [ways] we can get resources and investments to those who have been harmed by racist policies and slavery long ago."

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There are two new reparations bills on the California docket that were introduced during the Dec. 2 special session.

AB 7, introduced by Democrat Assemblymembers Isaac Bryan and Tina McKinnor, proposes allowing California's higher education institutions, including the California State University, the University of California, independent colleges and private postsecondary institutions, to consider giving admissions preference to applicants who are descendants of American slavery.

AB 57, introduced by McKinnor, seeks to allot a portion of California's Home Purchase Assistance Program funds for descendants of slaves.

Newsom has remained silent on most reparations bills introduced this year but approved a nearly $300 billion budget in June, which included up to $12 million for reparations. The budget did not detail which proposals the funds would support, and his administration has expressed opposition to some of the measures.

However, he signed some reparations-related bills, including a "formal apology for California’s historical role in the perpetuation of slavery and its enduring legacy."

"The State of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating, and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities," Newsom said in a statement in September. "Building on decades of work, California is now taking another important step forward in recognizing the grave injustices of the past – and making amends for the harms caused." 

Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul's approval and favorable ratings are edging up, but a new poll indicates a majority of New Yorkers would prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor in the Empire State.

According to a Siena College poll conducted Dec. 2-5 and released on Tuesday, only a third (33%) of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (57%) saying they wanted someone else.

Only 48% of Democrats said – at this extremely early point – that they're prepared to re-elect Hochul, with four in 10 Democrats saying they want "someone else."

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The percentage of voters who prefer another candidate jumps to 65% among independents and 85% among Republicans.

Hochul, who at the time was the state’s lieutenant governor, in August 2021 was sworn in as New York’s first female governor, after three-term Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals.

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She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002.

In July, Hochul announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026.

Apparently contributing to Hochul's polling woes is the governor's support for the New York City congestion pricing plan, which takes effect next month.

Most passenger cars entering Midtown and Lower Manhattan will now be charged $9 once a day to enter the congestion zone at peak hours, and $2.25 at other times.

According to the poll, voters by a 51%-29% margin oppose Hochul’s plan, 51-29%. That includes 56% of New York City voters and six in 10 downstate residents.

But Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg noted that "there’s some good news for the Governor. Her favorability rating improved for the second consecutive poll."

Hochul's favorable rating edged up from 36%-51% in October to 39%-49% now. And her job approval rating as governor also jumped from 41%-51% in October to 46%-49% now.

"The bad news is that both ratings remain stubbornly underwater. Hochul has not had a positive favorability rating since January of this year and she has never had 50% or more voters view her favorably," Greenberg added.

But he added that "voters say that all things being equal they’d prefer a Democrat over a Republican to be the next governor, 52-34%."

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, who is mulling a primary challenge against Hochul, late last month took to social media to argue that the governor is "in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years."

The Nevada Democratic Party is imploring its national party leaders to focus more on "diverse, working-class states" when it considers how to "rebuild" after this year's election. 

A Thursday press release from the state-level party in Nevada called on national party leaders and potential candidates under consideration to be the next Democratic National Committee Chair to "elevate" working-class states to the front of the presidential primary calendar for 2028. The press release cited a process that has typically started with states that are "overwhelmingly college-educated, white, or less competitive." 

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"If Democrats want to win back working class voters and rebuild our broad coalition of voters of color, we should elevate the most working class and most diverse battleground state in the nation to be the first presidential preference primary for the 2028 cycle," Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno said.

Selecting the Democratic Party's calendar for presidential primaries is a main responsibility of the Democratic National Committee. Nevada has historically been a caucus state, but in 2008, the state's Democratic Party ushered in a new era of state-run primaries, which the group said in its press release led to increased voter turnout.

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Nevada has historically been among the first few states to hold either a presidential primary or caucus during the last several elections, according to Federal Elections Commission data, but it has been preceded by states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Last month, after it became apparent that Democrats would not come out of the election with the upper hand, Democratic lawmakers, labor leaders, students and political pundits all came out with their own forensic analysis of what happened, with many suggesting the party needed to refocus on winning back working-class voters.

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"There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said following the election. "The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling."

Meanwhile, Brent Booker, the general president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, said that the party has not "fully embraced, and hasn’t for decades, really, working-class people." 

"We have to deconstruct and reconstruct the Democratic Party if they’re going to be the party of working people," Booker added.

In response to similar claims from progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., arguing that Democrats have lost the working class, former Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison called the idea "straight-up BS." 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic National Committee for comment on this story but did not hear back in time for publication.

Departing Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., focused on unity in an emotional farewell address to his colleagues in the Senate, marking the final floor speech of his 14-year term after not seeking re-election this cycle. 

"My friends and colleagues, today I rise with a full heart and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. It's been the honor of my life to represent my great state of West Virginia in this great country of ours," Manchin opened his final remarks on Tuesday. "Now, as my time here comes to an end. I want you to know that my belief in the potential of this institution, and each and every one of you that represent it, remains as strong as ever."

In his speech, Manchin urged his colleagues to put their differences aside and work together in an effort to bridge political differences.

The senator revealed that it "wasn't exactly my plan to join the Senate" at first, but that he "saw an opportunity to serve more people and tackle bigger challenges."

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Manchin, focusing on the theme of unity, recalled being asked to help recruit Democratic candidates to run against Republicans when he first entered the Senate, but vowing not to work against his colleagues.

"It didn't take long for me to see that the divisions here run pretty deep," he said. "I'm not going to raise money to attack my friends and colleagues just because they have an ‘R’ by their name. How do we expect to work together if I'm working against them when they're in cycle?"

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In his final speech, Manchin took the opportunity to highlight accomplishments in his state of West Virginia such as on energy, infrastructure, and job growth.

While Manchin is widely known for his memorable work in the senate, his career in West Virginia politics dates back decades.

Manchin served as a state delegate in the early 1980s, before being elected as a state senator until the late 90s. Manchin served as Secretary of State for four years, and then was elected as governor of West Virginia in 2005. 

Manchin was eventually elected to his longest held post of Democratic senator for West Virginia in 2010. Known for his moderate approach and bipartisan work on national issues, the senator left the Democratic Party to register as an independent in May 2024, but continued to caucus with Democrats in the months following his departure from the party. 

Manchin ended his speech urging his colleagues to fix inflation and the southern border crisis, emphasizing that "when each side could take a little step to find common ground, powerful things happen."

"I'm not going anywhere, gang," Manchin said, appearing to tear up as he thanked his staff and family for their support over the years.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., commended Manchin's service in the senate ahead of his farewell address.

"It fills me with great pleasure, and a little sadness, to say a few words here in his honor," Schumer said. "So today, I wish to pay tribute to a very dear friend, one of my closest friends in the Senate – even when we disagreed we stayed friendly and stayed good friends – and of course a longtime colleague: Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia."

Sen. Jon Tester is getting testy with reporters during his remaining weeks in Congress after being booted from his long-held Montana Senate seat.

President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, on Sunday, absolving him of any charges for crimes he "committed or may have committed" between January 2014 and December 2024.

On Monday, Tester was asked about Biden's controversial move to pardon his son, to which the senator offered a rather blunt response.

"I’m one month from getting the f--- out of here," he said with a smile, according to CNN and other outlets. "Ask somebody who counts."

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The comment comes nearly one month after the three-term Montana Democrat was ousted by Republican Navy SEAL Sen.-elect Tim Sheehy in one of the most closely watched races of the 2024 cycle.

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While Tester did not answer the question, Democrats on Capitol Hill have been speaking out against Biden's decision to relieve his son from facing any potential federal charges over the course of the past decade. 

"President Biden’s decision to pardon his son was wrong. A president's family and allies shouldn't get special treatment. This was an improper use of power, it erodes trust in our government, and it emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests," Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich, wrote in a post on X.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., also said that Biden's decision "further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all."

Efforts to reach Tester's office for comment at press time were unsuccessful. 

The mayor of Maryland’s second-largest city caused a firestorm after announcing his plan seeking the establishment of a taxpayer-funded "legal advocacy fund" to defend immigrants "who may be harmed by policies from the new (Trump) administration."

Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor, a Democrat, hearkened back to his ancestors’ arrival from Ireland in saying President-elect Donald Trump’s "first term is prologue" on how he will treat immigrants in announcing an appropriation request to "ensure [immigrants] have the legal support they need to stand strong and remain in this community they have chosen to call home."

"In many regards, this election did not go as I had hoped," said O’Connor, whose city of 86,000 sits halfway between Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

"As many residents know, our city council recently made a decision to provide voting rights to any resident that calls Frederick home, regardless of citizenship status. We will continue to make progress on implementation as it's our responsibility and not take any step that would seek to create division, target vulnerable populations or undermine the trust that we have worked hard to build in our community," O’Connor added.

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The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee criticized the move, saying O'Connor's "pledge to protect illegal aliens is particularly appalling." He highlighted the case of Walter Javier Martinez, an MS-13 gang member who was sentenced to 70 years for the rape, strangulation and murder of Kayla Hamilton, a young, autistic woman in nearby Harford County. Martinez, who was 17 at the time, had been released to a "sponsor" in Frederick before committing the crime. He pleaded guilty to Hamilton's murder in August. 

Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., said public officials at all levels of government have a responsibility to protect their citizens:

"I am confident the incoming Trump administration will disabuse these state and local leaders of the notion they are above federal immigration law." 

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins told Fox News Digital that O’Connor’s plan is "totally inappropriate."

"I think he's going to anger the taxpayers. And aside from that, I think it's unfair to the taxpayer," Jenkins said in a Monday interview.

He added there are enough private or non-profit advocacy groups that would front legal fees and such for migrants facing federal action.

Jenkins, whose department is responsible for enforcing laws outside Frederick city proper, predicts the move will invite increased criminal activity to the area under the "false perception" they’ll be protected.

"He’s not going to let the Frederick Police Department cooperate with ICE."

Jenkins praised incoming "border czar" Tom Homan, adding the ICE veteran doesn’t need Frederick city’s blessing to conduct federal operations.

He noted that local and county agencies don’t have jurisdiction to enforce immigration law, but reiterated he is fully supportive of Trump’s and Homan’s general policy plans.

"I am 100% supportive from the standpoint I want to do everything I can to keep my county safe, our citizens safe, reduce crime, remove a criminal element, and let's clean this country up."

In his remarks reported last week, O’Connor cited Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech, in which she said, "Now is the time we must be organized, energized and engaged." He said Frederick would add focusing on upholding the city's values to her sentiment.

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Fox News Digital reached out to O’Connor for further comment. Frederick notably hosts both the presidential Camp David retreat in the nearby Catoctin Mountains and the U.S. biological defense headquarters at Fort Detrick.

In his public remarks, O’Connor denied he was making a political message, but instead a "patriotic one."

"While we cannot predict every policy or action this administration may take. We have seen enough to know our path forward here in Frederick is clear. We will be steadfast in ensuring that our city continues to be a place where everyone feels safe, respected and protected."

O’Connor added that the Frederick Police Department — separate from Jenkins’ agency — is "committed to ensuring all residents feel safe in reporting crime and know that they will not be questioned about their immigration status."

"We refuse to aid and abet outside agencies attempting to detain, deport or remove any residents from our community," the mayor said.

Asked for first-hand comment, the FPD said it is committed to building trust and maintaining open lines of communication with all members of our diverse community."

"For years, we have focused solely on enforcing traffic and criminal laws, not immigration laws… Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of federal agencies, not the Frederick Police Department."

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In their statement sent to Fox News Digital, the department said it does not inquire about immigration status from residents who need help or are reporting a crime, and it wants everyone in Frederick to feel safe in their interactions with police.

In Anne Arundel County, which includes the capital Annapolis, Democratic County Executive Steuart Pittman suggested similar defenses to O'Connor's for immigrants facing deportation. FOXBaltimore reported Pittman said Anne Arundel will provide services to families of a deported breadwinner.

In Annapolis itself, Gov. Wes Moore told Fox News Digital the U.S. immigration system is broken and that Congress must fix it.

"Federal leaders need to set aside politics and work to ensure that our border is secure and that we have a fair and humane immigration system," he said, adding he comes from a family of immigrants and is "deeply connected to the immigrant story and contributions" of their communities.

Moore addressed "speculation" about how Trump will address immigration policy:

"As governor, I have an obligation to protect Marylanders, including members of our immigrant communities. I take that obligation seriously and will wait to see what actions the new administration takes."

Fox News Digital also reached out to potential Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., and a listed contact for Democratic Rep.-elect April McClain-Delaney, who will represent Frederick in the new term.

The White House turkey pardoning ceremony, a long-held Thanksgiving tradition formalized 77 years ago, traces its origins back decades further.

Since the 1800s, it has been customary for the sitting president to be gifted a turkey as a festive gesture, with several presidents hinting that the bird would be featured on their holiday menu.

However, in recent decades, sitting presidents launched a new tradition of "pardoning" the bird, essentially sparing its life and ensuring it will spend the remainder of its time on a farm.

The turkey is brought to Washington, D.C., during the week of Thanksgiving, gets a room at the five-star Willard Hotel and is eventually "pardoned" by the president. However, the history of exactly when the pardon began "gets tricky," as described by the Obama White House archives.

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According to the George Bush national archives, former President Lincoln spared the life of the Thanksgiving turkey upon request from his son, Tad Lincoln. 

The White House turkey was again spared in 1947, when former President Truman began an annual tradition of the animal being gifted by the National Turkey Federation. 

However, the Truman Library and Museum said they have "found no documents, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs, or other contemporary records in our holdings which refer to Truman pardoning a turkey that he received as a gift in 1947, or at any other time during his presidency." 

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In 1963, former President Kennedy also decided to spare the life of that year's Thanksgiving turkey, saying "we'll just let this one grow." 

Former President Reagan did it informally during the ceremony in 1987. Reagan was asked by reporters about potentially pardoning individuals from the Iran-Contra affair, but he pointed at the turkey and said he would "pardon him" instead.

However, it wasn't until 1989 when former President George H. W. Bush officially presented the turkey with a presidential "pardon," an annual tradition that has been honored in the decades since.

"Let me assure you and this fine Tom Turkey that he will not end up on anyone's dinner table, not this guy. He's granted a presidential pardon as of right now and allow him to live out his days on a children's farm not far from here," Bush said in 1989.

Since Bush, every president has participated in the turkey pardoning ceremony as part of the White House Thanksgiving week celebration.

President Biden has been pardoning two turkeys for the last three years. He participated in the 77th annual turkey pardon on Monday, the last one of his presidency, sparing "Peach" and "Blossom" in the Rose Garden on the South Lawn of the White House.

"This event marks the official start of the holiday season here in Washington. It's also my last time to speak here as your president during the season," Biden said during the ceremony. "It's been the honor of my life. I'm forever grateful that today my wife, Jill, and I will travel to Staten Island, New York, for a ‘friendsgiving’ with members of the Coast Guard and their families to demonstrate our gratitude for their service and sacrifice, like my son."

Some critics, such as animal rights group Farm Sanctuary, have called the tradition "little more than a photo op."

However, presidents and spectators have enjoyed the ceremony as a fun event for the holidays.

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., referred to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul as "the new Joe Biden," warning that Democrats could lose the 2026 gubernatorial election just like they lost the 2024 presidential contest.

"Kathy Hochul is the new Joe Biden. She may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee. A Democratic incumbent who is less popular in New York than Donald Trump is in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years," the congressman said in a post on X.

"Waiting until it’s too late gave us a Republican President in 2024 and could give us a Republican Governor in 2026. Let's avoid repeating history and avoid sleepwalking toward impending disaster and defeat," he suggested.

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Fox News Digital reached out to request comment from the offices of Hochul and Torres, but neither immediately responded.

Torres told Spectrum News NY 1 that he is considering a gubernatorial bid, and noted that he plans to do a "listening tour" beginning in December and January.

The congressman, who won re-election to the House of Representatives earlier this month, said in "mid-2025" he will make his "final decision." 

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The lawmaker has accused the "far left" of turning people off from the Democratic Party.

"Donald Trump has no greater friend than the far left, which has managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party with absurdities like ‘Defund the Police’ or ‘From the River to the Sea’ or ‘Latinx,’" the congressman opined in a post on X earlier this month.

"There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world. The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling," he added.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., acknowledged that Democrats had a major problem when it came to border security, resulting in Republicans securing control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.

Fetterman did not pull punches in reflecting on his party during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday."

"Well, one area where we kind of lost ourselves was the border," the Democratic senator stated. "And I've been on this network, you know, months, months ago saying, 'Hey, you know, it can't be controversial for our party to have pro-immigration, but we need a secure border.' And when we ask or demand people to not believe what they see, and see those kind of numbers, that that's not a problem. It's like, well, then you lose about that 100%," 

"I've tried to describe – you have up to 300,000 people – encounters – per month. And I put that in perspective with Pennsylvania. I'm like, that's the size of Pittsburgh showing up in one month," Fetterman told host Gillian Turner. "It's like, what's going to happen for those folks? If we want them [to have] the American Dream for those people, how can we possibly deliver that? Where do they go? And we can't pretend that that's not a significant issue. And we got to address that." 

Democrats have traditionally defined themselves as the anti-war party, but Fetterman seemed to suggest it lost its footing when progressives grew critical of Israel's war against Hamas terrorists following the Oct. 7 attacks. Fetterman said Israel's effort against Hamas and Ukraine's fight against Russia are two "just" wars that remain ongoing.

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In regard to Israel, Fetterman said he "never supported a cease-fire, and that was the right thing." 

"I said I was going to follow Israel. And since they refused to have that cease-fire, they have eliminated and broken Hamas, and Hezbollah, Hezbollah was supposed to be like the ultimate bada-- in the Middle East, and now they were a bunch of Keystone Cops, and Iran has just been exposed, as you know, they really can't fight about anything. So that's been a significant development here," Fetterman said. 

"And with respect to Ukraine, Ukraine was invaded, and for me, for me, it's about standing on the side of democracy," he continued. "And I was very supportive about that aid. And I don't understand if the other side would stop delivering that kind of aid. That's a disagreement, but I've been very, very clear supporting Israel and Ukraine." 

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Turner noted that President-elect Trump's transition team has touted their foreign policy and national security team as the most pro-Israel in American history. That includes Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tapped to become secretary of state, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., nominated for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Huckabee, chosen as U.S. ambassador to Israel, and Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., as national security adviser.  

"In terms of the incoming administration, I actually like what I see in terms of being very, very strong pro-Israel," Fetterman said, adding that Israel has made "magnificent kinds of progress… generating longer term peace by destroying Hamas, Hezbollah, and demonstrating that Iran, really, doesn’t have the kind of capability to deliver any kinds of damage." 

He indicated he would support Rubio, and potentially Dr. Mehmet Oz, who Fetterman defeated during a contentious Senate race. 

Fetterman said on Sunday that he knows "it got kinda ugly" in his race against Oz, but he "doesn't have any kind of bitterness" and "is open to dialogue," adding, "I'm not sure why that's controversial." 

 "I'm not going to pre-hate. I'm not going to pre-hate a lot of these things, and I'm not going to pre-hate this," Fetterman said. "I'm going to have an open conversation for anyone, that I'm open to having part of that conversation."

A Democratic Pennsylvania election official apologized on Wednesday for controversially claiming that court precedent "doesn't matter in this country," as the recount in the U.S. Senate race begins in the state. 

In a meeting last week, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, voted to count provisional ballots that were missing one of two required voter signatures. She did so after being told by a county attorney that the state Supreme Court had already ruled that such ballots cannot be counted.

"We all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country and people violate laws any time they want," Ellis-Marseglia said in a clip that has since gone viral on social media. "So for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it. There is nothing more important than counting votes."

Facing a packed meeting before an outraged public, Ellis-Marseglia read out her apology on Wednesday – in between jeering and calls for her to resign. 

"Last Thursday, when I spoke at the meeting that you’re all here about, the passion in my heart got the best of me, and I apologize again for that," she said. "That was a hearing, and we were talking about provisional ballots. We were specifically talking about the fact that there were certain provisional ballots where a judge of elections did not sign and did not make sure that a voter signed on the outside envelope. To me, it was frustrating and unconscionable that we would have to take away somebody’s vote not because they made a mistake, but because an employee, one of our members … one of the judges of elections didn’t know what to do or forgot or made a mistake. That issue that I spoke on has now gone viral from my comments. It was genuinely not the best words. I would do it all again. I feel terrible about it. I should have been more clear, please, I will be more clear in the future." 

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Ellis-Marseglia claimed her reference to court precedent related to the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v Wade – an assertion that drew loud groans from the crowd. 

"I remind you all that we all say things that are out of turn, we all made mistakes. I made a mistake! And because I am an election official, I am held to a far higher standard than everybody else," she said. "When I inartfully spoke and used the word precedent when I was talking about provisional ballots, I was referring to the United States Supreme Court, and the precedent that has been lost on many issues including Roe v. Wade."

The audience erupted in boos and groans, as Ellis-Marseglia pounded her gavel and responded, "If you would just bear with me for one more minute!" 

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"Unfortunately, I took my frustration out on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, many of whom are friends of mine who I respect, and whose decisions are complicated and difficult and important," she said. "We are all going to learn lessons from this new media landscape. And most of all, I am. I am a small fish in this big pond. I do not have a megaphone on Twitter or CNN, or I am not a secretary of state, I don't run a presidential campaign. This is the only opportunity that I have had to set the record straight." 

Ellis-Marseglia said she received messages from hundreds of people, and "all of them involved horrible, horrible expletives," and many of them included death threats against her and her family. 

The initial clip of the comment by Ellis-Marseglia garnered widespread condemnation by conservatives on social media. 

"This is a BLATANT violation of the law and we intend to fight it every step of the way," Lara Trump, President-elect Trump’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, wrote in a post on X that received 1.2 million views.

Pennsylvania's state Supreme Court on Monday weighed in on a flashpoint amid ongoing vote counting in the U.S. Senate election between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick, ordering counties not to count mail-in ballots that lack a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Casey has refused to concede the race, which The Associated Press called in favor of McCormick earlier this month.

In a statement, Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said a lack of legal clarity had surrounded the ballots, putting county officials in a position where they were "damned if they did and damned if they didn’t — likely facing legal action no matter which decision they made on counting."

McCormick currently leads by .24% as of Thursday morning, according to Pennsylvania's election results website. A recount is triggered under state law by a margin of .5% or lower. The statewide recount began Wednesday morning. It must conclude by Nov. 26. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A Midwestern state party chair is off to a fast start in his bid to chair the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 

"I am running to serve as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee," Ken Martin, head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, announced Tuesday in a social media post.

Martin becomes the second candidate to launch a bid to succeed current DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, who is not expected to seek a second four-year term early next year in the wake of this month's major election setbacks for the Democrats up and down the ballot.

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Former two-term Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate who for the past year has served as Social Security administration commissioner in President Biden's administration, announced his candidacy on Monday.

Martin, who has led the Minnesota Democrats for a dozen years, serves as a DNC vice chair and is also the leader of the association of state Democratic Party chairs.

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"When I took over @MinnesotaDFL, we were in debt and disarray. But we brought people together, built a winning coalition, and delivered results. I’m ready to get to work to rebuild our party," Martin said in his social media post.

In an accompanying video, Martin emphasized, "if you're looking for a creature of D.C., that's not me. But I do know how the DNC works and how it isn't working."

He stressed that Democrats "need to reconnect our ideas — which we know are popular in red, blue and purple states across this country — back to our party and to our candidates."

Martin said he started his bid for DNC chair with the backing of over 80 DNC members. The next DNC chair will be chosen by the roughly 450 voting members of the national party committee.

O'Malley, in launching his bid, highlighted that "we must connect our Party with the most important place in America — the kitchen table of every family’s home. Jobs, Opportunity, and Economic Security for all. Getting things done. Hope. A 50 state strategy. Now," O’Malley emphasized in a social media post.

While O'Malley and Martin are the first two candidates to launch bids, others are expected to follow, as the Democrats try to rebound after losing the White House and Senate in the 2024 elections and failing to recapture the House of Representatives.

Another potential contender is Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.