Salem News Channel

WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - Maine Democrats shook off any misgivings they might have had about Graham Platner and overwhelmingly picked him to face Republican Senator Susan Collins in November. Meanwhile, in the South Carolina primary for governor, President Donald Trump successfully toppled U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, who tangled with party leaders and the president. Here are key takeaways from Tuesday's primaries: DEMOCRATS SHED WORRIES ABOUT PLATNER Democrats have high hopes of capturing a U.S. Senate seat from Republicans in Maine, where five-term Senator Susan Collins is running for reelection at a time when voters are soured by high consumer prices and the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Platner, a former combat Marine, built momentum on a pitch as a man of the people that resonated with moderates and progressives, drew substantial campaign funding and led Democratic Governor Janet Mills to suspend her primary bid. Now, the married Platner is fighting off reports he sent sexually explicit texts to multiple women last year as well as a Nazi-associated tattoo he had covered up last year. Platner, 41, has apologized for his past behavior and said he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression following combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. "I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from. I'm still far from perfect, but every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder than I was the day before," Platner told supporters in Blue Hill, Maine. On election night Maine Democrats appeared to be throwing off any misgivings they might have had about Platner, who was winning the race 72%-20% over Mills with 86% of the vote counted. Mills suspended her campaign in May but remained on the ballot. "In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. DEMOCRATS' NEVADA GAMBLE Marty O'Donnell sailed through the Republican primary election in Nevada's third congressional district with the help of Trump's endorsement. He will face incumbent Democratic Representative Susie Lee, who vanquished three primary opponents. The race in this Las Vegas-area district is among a handful across the country expected to be decisive in determining the balance of power in Congress, with Republicans currently holding a narrow House majority. Of note: Trump narrowly won this district in the 2024 presidential election. O'Donnell, a video game composer who loaned his campaign $3 million, handily defeated three Republican primary opponents. Lee won re-election in 2024 by nearly 3 percentage points -- an accomplishment in the face of Trump's victory that year. This race is likely to draw national attention and streams of campaign contributions to both campaigns. TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENTS MATTERED IN SOUTH CAROLINA Already in this year's primary elections, Trump-backed candidates have defeated Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas as well as Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky. This time, Trump appears to have ended the political career of Mace, who failed to make the top two vote-getters and will not advance to a June 23 runoff. Trump’s late endorsement of South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette pushed her atop a crowded primary field. Evette, who ran on an “America First” platform, will face second-place finisher Attorney General Alan Wilson. The Republican primary winner is expected to also win the November general election as it has been nearly three decades since a Democrat has been elected governor in this Republican-leaning state. Trump also endorsed four-term Senator Lindsey Graham, who faced several primary challengers including from hard-right Greenville-area businessman Mark Lynch, whom Trump called a "lunatic." Graham will avoid a runoff, as he captured nearly 58% of the vote with 90% of votes counted. GOLDEN MOMENT FOR REPUBLICANS? Representative Jared Golden, one of the most moderate Democrats in the U.S. Congress, is retiring and Republicans can taste victory in the race for his replacement. Former Republican Governor Paul LePage ran unopposed in his primary for the seat in a district Trump won in 2024, and he has Trump's "complete and total endorsement." With 42% of the vote counted, three Democrats - Jordan Wood, Joseph Baldacci and Matthew Dunlap - remained locked in a three-way battle to take on LePage. This is another race that could help define whether Republicans hold onto their narrow U.S. House majority.

Read More...

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Police in Ohio were searching for a 20-year-old man in connection with a shooting between two rival groups that wounded 12 people at a crowded neighborhood festival, while authorities asked for help identifying a person they called a “second shooter.” Ka Nye Taylor is wanted on 11 counts of felonious assault, the Toledo Police Department said Wednesday, four days after the shooting in a park filled with event tents, a music stage and food trucks. Police on Wednesday released a photo of a second male suspect dressed in all black at the festival. Phone numbers for Taylor or his family members were not immediately available or found in online directories. The shooting erupted after someone was tackled and assaulted at the festival, leading one person to open fire and a second to respond with more gunshots, Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle said at a news conference Tuesday. Three of the 12 people shot were involved in the altercation, authorities said, while the rest were bystanders. The wounded ranged in age from teenagers to one person in their 60s. All but three had been released from the hospital by Tuesday. The police chief and other city officials praised officers and good Samaritans who quickly helped the victims. “We saw strangers who were shocked and frightened by the violence they just saw, they jumped into action,” said Chief of Fire and Rescue Allison Armstrong. “They helped others by placing tourniquets, dressing wounds, applying pressure and comforting those victims until additional help could arrive.” Half the victims arrived at hospitals with tourniquets applied by either police or bystanders, Armstrong said. Hundreds of people were at the Old West End Festival, an annual two-day celebration in Toledo’s historic district that covers several city blocks and features live music, vendors and home tours. Toledo is located in northwest Ohio near the western edge of Lake Erie, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of Detroit. The remainder of the festival was canceled Sunday. Organizers said it would not have been "compassionate, responsible or possible” to continue through he weekend.

Read More...

LIVONIA, Mich. (AP) — A 25-year-old man killed four people at a house in suburban Detroit, including his parents and brother, and quickly surrendered when police arrived, authorities said Wednesday. “We don't know why this happened,” though the suspect had a “contentious relationship” with his parents, said Livonia police Chief Tom Goralski. “Whether that had anything to do with what occurred, we don't know yet,” he said. Officers who were dispatched to a house Tuesday afternoon found the parents, Sterling Pierce, 58, and Holly Kimball, 53, in the backyard with gunshot wounds, Goralski said. Tanner Pierce, 22, and Tanner's 21-year-old girlfriend were discovered shot in a bedroom, he said. When police arrived, the suspect emerged from the house “with his hands above his head and his fingers interlocked. ... The subject responded and indicated that he had shot his family,” Goralski said. The chief said police had no record of responding to any trouble calls at the home. “This is a tragic event for our city,” Goralski said.

Read More...

President Trump's Patience with Iran is Running Out

Read More...

Race Tensions Are too High in America

Read More...

WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States is going to attack Iran "very hard" if no peace deal is finalized. "We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," Trump told reporters at the White House, citing Iran's downing of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said on Wednesday Iran had taken too long to negotiate a deal and would now "have to pay the price", while Tehran said it would reassess diplomatic engagement with Washington after overnight tit-for-tat strikes. Iran launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain in what it called retaliation for American strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz. The exchange of fire, which came after Trump said Iran had downed a U.S. Apache helicopter near the strait, marks one of the most significant escalations since Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in April. "Iran is all talk and no action," Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday. "They've taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!"

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's immigration and deportation agenda is getting a nearly $70 billion boost through the end of his term. Trump signed a bill into law in the Oval Office on Wednesday giving $38 billion to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $26 billion to the Border Patrol. An additional $5 billion would cover unforeseen costs. The Republican president signed it a day after House Republicans pushed the measure through by a 214-212 vote. His signature ended a nearly six-month fight over Department of Homeland Security funding that began with shooting deaths in January of two U.S. citizens during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

Read More...

Mike ripped into the Democrat Party for its blatant hypocrisy and moral rot, starting with a Senatorial candidate, a sitting congresswoman, and a CNN commentator.

Read More...

Americans are fed up with the endless Iran conflict: soaring costs are crushing families, the defiant mullahs ignore all rules, and vague promises of “very close” to victory have worn thin. Enough is enough—decisive action for clear victory is the only sustainable path forward.

Read More...

President Trump invited the men who renovated the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to the Oval Office, and every one of them walked out with a signed hat and a presidential challenge coin.

Read More...

Vice President JD Vance on Monday announced that he is referring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison to the Justice Department for a criminal fraud investigation involving federal welfare programs.

Read More...

SPLC CEO Testifies Before House Committee

Read More...

US Strikes Iran After Helicopter Shot Down

Read More...

House Republicans have introduced articles of impeachment against a federal judge in Atlanta following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. The resolution targets U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross, who serves on the federal bench in Georgia. Lawmakers say the move comes after investigators concluded that Ross engaged in inappropriate conduct and was not truthful during the investigation. According to the findings, the allegations include inappropriate interactions with a law enforcement officer at the courthouse, attendance at a partisan political event, and providing misleading information to investigators. The impeachment effort marks the latest instance of congressional scrutiny of members of the federal judiciary. Federal judges are appointed for life under the U.S. Constitution and can only be removed through the impeachment process. The House Judiciary Committee will now review the articles of impeachment and determine whether to advance the measure for consideration by the full House of Representatives. If approved by the House, the matter would move to the Senate, which would hold a trial and determine whether the judge should be removed from office. The judge has not publicly responded to the latest impeachment effort.

Read More...

House Republicans have approved a nearly $70 billion funding package aimed at supporting federal immigration enforcement agencies through the remainder of President Donald Trump's term. The legislation provides funding for agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection over the next three years. Supporters say the measure will strengthen border security, enhance enforcement operations, and provide resources for personnel tasked with carrying out federal immigration laws. The bill now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it into law. Republican lawmakers described the legislation as a key component of the administration's immigration and border security agenda. They argued the funding will help secure the nation's borders and support law enforcement efforts across the country. Democrats opposed the measure, arguing it significantly expands immigration enforcement activities and raises concerns about the administration's deportation policies. The funding package comes in addition to billions of dollars previously approved by Congress for immigration and border security initiatives as part of broader federal spending legislation. If signed into law, the measure will provide long-term funding certainty for immigration enforcement agencies through the end of Trump's current term in office.

Read More...

A federal judge has blocked Alabama from carrying out an execution using nitrogen gas, ruling that the method violates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks issued the decision ahead of the scheduled execution of Jeffery Lee, an inmate convicted of capital murder in 1998. The ruling permanently prevents the state from using nitrogen gas to execute Lee. The decision follows a review of Alabama's execution procedures and comes after an appeals court directed the lower court to reconsider an earlier ruling in the case. In her order, Judge Marks noted that Alabama has other legally authorized methods available to carry out executions, including lethal injection and the electric chair. She also referenced the possibility of a firing squad, which Lee has indicated he would prefer over nitrogen gas. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's office has already announced plans to appeal the ruling, setting up a new legal battle over the state's use of the execution method. Alabama was among the first states in the nation to adopt nitrogen gas as an execution option, a method supporters have argued is more humane than other forms of capital punishment. Critics, however, have raised concerns about potential suffering and constitutional issues. The case is expected to continue through the appeals process as state officials seek to overturn the ruling.

Read More...

A new New York law requiring advertisers to disclose when artificial intelligence-generated people appear in advertisements is now officially in effect. The measure requires ads featuring so-called “synthetic performers” to clearly inform viewers when a person appearing in the advertisement was created using artificial intelligence rather than being a real actor or model. State officials say the law is designed to increase transparency as AI-generated images and videos become more common in marketing campaigns, social media content, and digital advertising. Under the law, advertisements that fail to provide the required disclosure could face financial penalties. Violators may be fined $1,000 for a first offense and $5,000 for subsequent violations. Supporters, including labor groups representing actors and performers, argue the law helps protect consumers and creative professionals by ensuring audiences know when AI-generated content is being used. Critics, however, contend the measure could create additional compliance requirements for advertisers and businesses while potentially slowing innovation in the rapidly evolving AI industry. The law includes several exemptions, including certain entertainment productions such as films, television programs, streaming content, and video games, as well as advertisements that use AI solely for language translation. New York officials describe the measure as one of the first laws in the nation aimed specifically at requiring disclosure of AI-generated performers in advertising.

Read More...

President Donald Trump is declaring that Iran has been defeated following months of conflict and U.S. military pressure. In posts on Truth Social, Trump said Iran's military is in disarray and argued that Tehran took too long to negotiate a deal that he said would have been beneficial to the country. The president warned that, quote, “now they will have to pay the price.” Trump also praised the U.S. naval blockade, calling it the most successful in the history of naval warfare. He said the blockade remains firmly in place and is putting significant economic pressure on Iran. The president's comments come as tensions remain high in the region and negotiations with Iran continue.

Read More...

A Trump administration initiative asking visitors to report national park displays they believe portray American history in a negative light has generated tens of thousands of responses from across the country. The effort is part of a broader push to ensure national parks present what the administration describes as a more uplifting and patriotic view of American history. Visitors were encouraged to submit feedback about exhibits, signs, and interpretive displays they encountered at park sites. According to reports, more than 35,000 responses have been submitted. While some visitors identified exhibits they viewed as politically motivated or overly critical of American history, many others used the opportunity to criticize the administration's review effort itself. The administration has provided limited details about how the feedback is being evaluated or what changes may ultimately result from the program. However, a preservation advocacy group known as Save Our Signs says at least 59 signs or interpretive displays at national park sites have already been modified, removed, or replaced since the initiative began. Supporters of the effort argue it promotes a more balanced presentation of American history, while critics contend it could lead to the removal of important historical context from public displays. The debate comes as national parks continue to serve millions of visitors each year and remain a focal point in broader discussions about how the nation's history is presented and interpreted.

Read More...

Hong Kong authorities have filed criminal charges against seven individuals and two companies in connection with the city's deadliest fire in decades. The massive blaze erupted in November and swept through seven apartment buildings, killing 168 people and leaving many others injured or displaced. The tragedy prompted a wide-ranging investigation into the cause of the fire and the renovation work being conducted at the property. On Wednesday, officials announced a total of 25 charges stemming from the investigation. The allegations include manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Authorities said the charges are linked to a major renovation project at Wang Fuk Court, where investigators have been examining construction practices, financial records, and business dealings associated with the work. The case is being jointly pursued by police and Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption, which investigates public and private sector corruption. The accused individuals and companies were scheduled to appear in court Wednesday as legal proceedings move forward. The fire remains one of the deadliest disasters in Hong Kong's modern history and has sparked renewed scrutiny of building safety regulations, construction oversight, and accountability measures.

Read More...