Midwest

RNC Chair Michael Whatley says 'politics is secondary' after Trump assassination attempt

Published

1 year ago

July 15, 2024

RNC Chair Michael Whatley says 'politics is secondary' after Trump assassination attempt

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said Sunday that “politics is secondary” after the assassination attempt on former President Trump.

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Whatley said he still expects Trump to attend the upcoming nominating convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that begins on Monday.

Host Shannon Bream asked Whatley about the Sunday editorial in the Wall Street Journal that the assassination attempt at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania presents an opportunity for Trump and his party to call for political unity at the Republican National Convention. The Journal editors argued that Trump “will make a mistake if he blames Democrats for the assassination attempt” on Saturday, and “if the Trump campaign is smart, and thinking about the country as well as the election, it will make the theme of Milwaukee a call to political unity and the better angels of American nature.”

The board added that “the country wants civil disagreement and discourse, not civil war.”

“Look, I think unity is obviously very important. I think strength is obviously very important. But right now, this morning, I think politics is secondary,” Whatley said in response.

RNC’S SECRET SERVICE CLASH THRUST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT AFTER DEADLY TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING

RNC co-chair Michael Whatley leaves Fiserv Forum, which will host the Republican National Convention, shortly after former President Trump was shot in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I think right now we need to be praying for these families that have been affected,” he added. “I think we need to be grateful that President Trump is alive and is actually going to be here, and certainly, we look forward to him being here in Milwaukee, and I think it’s going to be tremendously important for him to be here, and to deliver that message to America.”

Bream also asked the chairman whether he feels that the shooting “is a bit of a wake-up call that rhetoric has gotten so heated,” given Democrats have claimed Trump’s re-election would end democracy as we know it. Trump’s former attorney general, Bill Barr, told Fox News on Saturday night that Democrats must stop their “grossly irresponsible talk” about Trump being “an existential threat to democracy.”

Former President Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“Where do we go in our political conversation? I mean, this country is built on being able to disagree and do it in a very heated way, but what about this?” Bream posed to Whatley.

WOULD-BE TRUMP ASSASSIN HAD EXPLOSIVES IN CAR PARKED NEAR RALLY, BOMB MAKING MATERIALS AT HOME: SOURCES

“Well, it is, but there is no place in politics in any way, shape or form for this kind of violence, for these types of action,” Whatley said. “It’s a horrific act, and we certainly don’t know all of the details and we’re going to have time for investigations on it. But right now, I think everybody in America needs to stop. They need to pause. They need to reflect on what is actually important for us in this political process going forward.”

“And, you know, fortunately, we are here in Milwaukee and the show is going to take place,” he added. “I think it’s tremendously important for us as a country that the Republican Party is going to move forward. We are going to be strong. We are going to be resilient and certainly, President Trump is going to be strong and resilient.”

The Fiserv Forum ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On security at the convention, which had taken more than 18 months to plan, Whatley said the “arena’s set, the security is here, and we feel very comfortable that we’re working with the Secret Service.”

He said the RNC is working with 40 different law enforcement agencies on security for the convention.

“This is going to be a facility where we’re going to be able to have 50,000 delegates and alternates and guests and members of the media who are going to be here and who are going to be safe. That’s very critical for us,” he said. “Look, our business is critically important for the process, right? We’re going to be nominating President Trump for the president, and we’re going to be nominating a vice president. They’re going to give their speeches to accept those nominations, and then we’re going to move back into the field. We’re going to roll up our sleeves, and we’re going to go to work.”

Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on Twitter: @danimwallace.

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Detroit, MI

Blazers Fall to Detroit Pistons in Beautiful, Ugly Bout

Published

29 minutes ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Blazers Fall to Detroit Pistons in Beautiful, Ugly Bout

Despite a spirited 21-point comeback, the Portland Trail Blazers fell to the Detroit Pistons 102-110 on Monday night.

The first half was sloppy, to put it kindly. The Blazers, faced with a packed paint and limited outside shooting available, were effectively stonewalled. Moreover, despite a +19 advantage from the line, the Blazers were only able to capitalize on 67.4% of their free throws (which is marginally better than their average over the last three games of 66.3%).

The Pistons’ defensive activity and unrelenting physicality made the Blazers uncomfortable. So uncomfortable, in fact, that they turned the ball over 19(!) times. The Pistons crowded the lane, demanding that the Blazers beat them from beyond the arc. The Blazers responded “no, we will not beat you from beyond the arc” and proceeded to shoot 7 of 32 from downtown.

The only thing that spared the Blazers from a devastating blowout was the Detroit Pistons’ similarly terrible shooting splits, as well as a large disparity in “got that dawg in him per 36,” courtesy of Sidy Cissoko.

The second half saw Sidy Cissoko and Shaedon Sharpe lead a fourth-quarter charge, spawning a 24-point run. With eight minutes left in the game, Cissoko successfully baited Cade Cunningham into fouling out. At this point, the momentum had shifted towards the Blazers entirely. Continual downhill pressure and stalwart defense had the Moda Center believing in the improbable. It was a potentially-perfect ending to a night meant to honor the Blazer greats of the 1999-2000 roster.

Unfortunately, free throws, poor shooting and a little good-ol’-fashioned ref’ ball prevented the Blazers from securing their fourth win in a row. That said, the Blazers once again showed fight. They dragged the top seed in the Eastern Conference down into the mud and walloped them, but – again – weren’t able to clean things up during crunch time.

Shaedon Sharpe…? Shaedon Sharpe put in a polarizing performance. On one hand, Sharpe dropped 25 points and a career high five steals on 51.2% shooting. Yay! On the other hand, he had eight turnovers and shot 1 of 6 from three=point land. Boo! That said, Sharpe felt like the Blazers’ steadiest shot creator tonight, and, given his recent shooting splits, his poor performance from beyond the arc looks like an aberration.

Liability Throws. Until the Blazers shoot over 70% from the free throw line in a game, we cannot refer to them as “free.” Their lack of ability to convert free throws in the clutch was the nail in the coffin for the Blazers. For the game, Portland shot 67% from the line. A few nights ago, poor free throw shooting was the catalyst for an almost-super-embarrassing Sacramento Kings comeback. We all know what the Schonz would say.

Downhill Deni. The Blazers were able to hang in this contest through relentless downhill pressure. Oftentimes, this pressure was met with all five members of the Detroit Pistons sitting in the paint. Other times, though, it resulted in free throws or open looks from three. Unfortunately, as mentioned previously, the Blazers propensity to miss those very kinds of shots meant that they trailed for the vast majority of the game. There is still the possibility that, as players return from injury, they will improve in those departments.

Point Guards, We Miss You. The Blazers have officially claimed the title of “Most Turnovers Per Game” in the NBA. It does not come with a trophy. It does, however, demand the return of any one of the Blazers’ injured point guards. The Blazers’ lack of reliable ball handlers has placed undue strain on both Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe. The offensive burden shouldered by both players is unsustainable, made evident by a gradual increase in the Blazers’ turnovers per game.

Scoot Henderson’s hamstring; Jrue Holiday’s calf; Blake Wesley’s fifth metatarsal—If any of you are listening: please, figure it out.

Never Say Die! Moral victories generally start to feel a little less satisfying when they’re the majority of your victories. That said, the Blazers walked away with another moral victory tonight. Despite horrendous shooting, ball security, and rebounding, the Blazers went toe-to-toe with the top team in the Eastern Conference. Shaedon Sharpe, Sidy Cissoko and Donovan Clingan put in spirited, entertaining performances to ignite a scintillating 21-point comeback. In the end, the Blazers faltered, but fans can still walk away without hanging their heads.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee neighbors finally see massive leaf pile cleanup after months

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Milwaukee neighbors finally see massive leaf pile cleanup after months

MILWAUKEE — Christine LaMarre is finally getting used to a view she hasn’t seen clearly in months.

“I haven’t seen my street for forever… for months,” LaMarre said.

Outside her home on North 89th Street in the Cooper Park neighborhood sat a 150-foot-long leaf pile — frozen under snow and stretching down much of her block.

TMJ4

The massive pile posed safety concerns for elderly neighbors and made it tough for fire trucks and other vehicles to navigate what had essentially become a one-way street.

“It needed to be cleared for them… and my neighbors wanted it cleared also, because it was in front of three, four houses and they couldn’t get into park or anything,” LaMarre said.

TMJ4 first spoke to Christine last week after a viewer had reached out, sharing their frustration about the lack of cleanup. By Monday, Milwaukee Department of Public Works crews were out clearing that pile and others in the neighborhood.

Previous Coverage: https://www.tmj4.com/news/milwaukee-county/it-looks-terrible-milwaukee-residents-frustrated-as-massive-leaf-piles-block-streets-for-over-a-month

Previous Coverage: https://www.tmj4.com/news/milwaukee-county/milwaukee-residents-frustrated-as-leaf-piles-remain-buried-under-snow-dpw-has-plan-to-address-the-leaves

It was a welcome sight for Andy Butula, who also lives on 89th Street.

“It’ll be nice to be able to park in front of my house and just go in,” Butula said.

The city says a snowstorm in late November slowed leaf collection — and that both operations use the same crews and equipment. That’s why some piles sat for weeks, even months.

“It just seemed like it would have been easier if it would have been taken care of right away before the snow came,” Butula said.

The leaf pile on N 89th St. — The leaf pile on N 89th Street as crews began clearing it out.

Crews weren’t able to get to every leaf pile in Cooper Park and around the city on Monday. They plan to clean up remaining piles and are getting help from Mother Nature as warmer conditions are expected to carry on the rest of this week.

Related Coverage: https://www.tmj4.com/news/milwaukee-county/milwaukee-neighbors-frustrated-as-uncollected-leaves-create-hazardous-conditions-after-storm

As crews take advantage of the warmer weather, some neighbors on Milwaukee’s west side are thankful to have things back to normal before the holidays.

“I’m very pleased… mostly for my neighbors, because it was a front of their homes, but it was bothering all of us,” LaMarre said.

The city says about 90% of city-created piles have been cleared. Next, they’ll focus on large resident-created piles.

DPW crews out clearing leaf piles in the Cooper Park neighborhood.

According to a spokesperson with Milwaukee DPW, the deadline for residents to rake leaves to the curb was Sunday, November 30. After that date, crews begin collecting leaves citywide, a process that typically takes two to three weeks. This year, however, a significant early winter snowstorm on November 29 interrupted operations. As a result, crews expect to continue collecting larger leaf piles into the new year. Smaller piles will be addressed in the spring.

“We are thankful to residents for being patient with us as we navigating snow operations and leaf collection at the same time as both operations use same staff and equipment. We are currently lucky to have better weather conditions that our staff is taking advantage of for leaf collection,” the spokesperson said.

Approximately 90% of city-created piles have been collected. Once that work is completed, crews will shift their focus to large resident-created piles. Some of those resident piles have already been collected as part of the city-pile cleanup process.

Residents may report large leaf piles by submitting a request at milwaukee.gov/Click4Action, through the MKE Mobile app, or by calling 414-286-CITY (2489).

This story was reported on-air by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Minneapolis, MN

Jury finds man guilty of murder in Minneapolis homeless encampment shooting

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Jury finds man guilty of murder in Minneapolis homeless encampment shooting

A jury found a man guilty in the murders of three people at a Minneapolis homeless encampment, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

Earl Bennett was found guilty on three counts of second-degree intentional murder for the Oct. 27, 2024, shooting at a small encampment next to railroad tracks near Snelling Avenue and East 44th Street.

The victims were identified as 38-year-old Christopher Martell Washington of Fridley, 32-year-old Louis Mitchell Lemons Jr. of Brooklyn Center, and 35-year-old Samantha Jo Moss of St. Louis Park.

Charges say investigators obtained surveillance video from the area that allegedly captured the suspect, later identified as Bennett, arriving on an electric bike and entering a tent at the encampment. About 15 minutes later, video captured the sound of several gunshots before Bennett exited the tent and left on his bike.

The manager of a sober house in south Minneapolis, where Bennett is accused of severely injuring another man, identified Bennett as the suspect in the surveillance video from the encampment shooting.

Later that same night, officers in St. Paul responded to a shots fired call near Snelling and Charles avenues. Upon arrival, they found a man, later identified as Bennett, with a gun.

As officers approached, Bennett pointed the gun to his head, police said. Officers began talking with him, trying to get him to surrender, but he then started walking south down Snelling. Once he reached the Snelling and University area, he began walking around in the intersection, according to police.

Police said officers fired “less lethal” rounds at Bennett to try and get him to surrender, but he still would not.

Bennett then pointed his gun at police, according to the department and witnesses, and that’s when officers shot him.

The four officers who shot Bennett were all cleared of criminal charges, with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office concluding the use of deadly force was legally justified under state law.

Bennett also faces charges of second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection to the armed encounter with officers in Ramsey County.

In Hennepin County, Bennett was also convicted of illegally possessing a firearm.

Bennett’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 16.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.

In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text “HelpLine” to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.

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