Southeast
Longtime Democratic lawmaker challenges his North Carolina primary result
![Longtime Democratic lawmaker challenges his North Carolina primary result Longtime Democratic lawmaker challenges his North Carolina primary result](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NC-State-Capitol-Building-Raleigh.jpg)
A veteran North Carolina legislator filed protests Friday in his primary election in which he slightly trails, alleging that ballot distribution and counting mistakes along with unlawful voting-site campaigning cast doubt on the results.
Democratic Rep. Michael Wray, who joined the state House in 2005, filed the protests with elections boards in Halifax, Northampton and Warren counties, which are northeast of Raleigh and compose the 27th House District.
As of Friday afternoon, Rodney Pierce, a Halifax County teacher, led Wray by 35 votes from close to 12,000 ballots cast in last week’s primary. The winner faces no Republican opposition in the fall.
AG GARLAND PLEDGES TO FIGHT VOTER ID LAWS, ELECTION INTEGRITY MEASURES
Wray has been criticized by outside groups and other Democrats for aligning himself at times with leaders in the Republican-controlled House, where he’s been made one of the senior chairmen of the powerful finance committee.
Pierce called on Wray to concede, saying he “seems to want to change the rules more than a week after the contest ended, just because he lost.” And several groups favoring Pierce’s election put out news releases calling the accusations “bogus” and “dirty tricks.”
The North Carolina state Capitol is photographed in Raleigh, North Carolina. (LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images)
Wray challenges what happened with more than a dozen voters, several of whom received a ballot for the wrong primary, the protests say. He also alleges that a Democratic poll observer at a Halifax County precinct instructed voters to choose Pierce, violating laws against electioneering and coercion.
“We are not challenging any votes that were cast and counted. We are simply asking the county boards to ensure that they did not improperly reject any ballots,” Wray said in a news release. “We simply want to ensure that all valid ballots are counted.”
The boards in each county within the 27th District will meet to determine whether to dismiss each protest or call for a hearing in which evidence is received. The Warren and Halifax boards planned meetings for Tuesday to consider Wray’s protest.
The current vote margin between Pierce and Wray also would allow Wray to seek a recount — a decision that Wray said Friday would wait until race results are certified.
The protests were filed on the same day elections board in all 100 counties were scheduled to complete the final tabulations of ballot choices from the March 5 primaries. The Warren board delayed the completion of its canvass given the protest, elections director Debbie Formyduval said.
Leading up to Friday’s canvass, the county board examined details related to more than 11,000 provisional absentee or in-person ballots to determine whether they would be added to the initial counts. The State Board of Elections canvass is March 26.
Separate from Wray’s potential defeat, three other General Assembly incumbents lost their primary elections: Democratic Sen. Mike Woodard of Durham County and Republican Reps. George Cleveland of Onslow County and Kevin Crutchfield of Cabarrus County.
Read the full article from Here
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Southeast
Florida man stabbed off-duty police officer who tried to stop robbery, stole patrol car: court docs
![Florida man stabbed off-duty police officer who tried to stop robbery, stole patrol car: court docs Florida man stabbed off-duty police officer who tried to stop robbery, stole patrol car: court docs](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ThumbPB.jpg)
An off-duty Florida police officer who was picking up his laundry walked in on an attempted robbery at a dry cleaning business and was stabbed twice, authorities said.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, 73-year-old Glenn Gotell was in the process of robbing a clerk at Cost Less Dry Cleaners in Greenacres, Florida, around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when an off-duty deputy entered to pick up his clothes.
Authorities said that Gotell had entered the local business and approached the clerk at the cash register and demanded them to “open the box.” According to court documents, an unidentified off-duty Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene and entered the business and quickly became aware of the active crime situation.
When the deputy intervened, the suspect stabbed him twice, once in the torso and also in his hand. The officer was transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition, police said.
COLORADO DENTIST FLEW TO FLORIDA TO ARRANGE SEX WITH A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER, 8: PROSECUTORS
Glenn Gotell faces multiple charges including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, armed robbery, armed burglary and grand theft of a motor vehicle. (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities said that following the attack, Gotell allegedly stole the deputy’s patrol car, ditching it at a nearby intersection before hiding in a local library.
“The recovery of the stolen patrol vehicle was within minutes of the attempted robbery and less than a half-mile away,” court documents said.
During the search of the area, court documents said that local police spoke with witnesses, who said that Gotell was homeless.
One witness allegedly pointed to two shopping carts, which were located near the entrance of the public library, saying that one of them belonged to Gotell.
FLORIDA MOM CHARGED WITH 4-YEAR-OLD SON’S MURDER OVER DECADE AFTER HIS DEATH DURING UNSUPERVISED VISIT
Authorities also found a pair of blue jeans, a belt and a pair of Nike shoes that Gotell was observed wearing during the attempted robbery and later discarded during his escape.
![Palm Beach Police SUV](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725119835_379_Florida-man-stabbed-off-duty-police-officer-who-tried-to-stop.jpg)
Authorities in Florida said that Glenn Gottell allegedly stole an officer’s vehicle following the attempted robbery. (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities went inside the library and located and arrested Gotell.
Gotell faces multiple charges including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, armed robbery, armed burglary and grand theft of a motor vehicle. Police said the stabbing investigation is still active.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Trump opposes Florida's Amendment 4, which offers unfettered abortion access: 'It's radical'
![Trump opposes Florida's Amendment 4, which offers unfettered abortion access: 'It's radical' Trump opposes Florida's Amendment 4, which offers unfettered abortion access: 'It's radical'](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-2169508701.jpg)
Former President Trump called Florida’s proposed amendment to allow for unfettered abortion access across all nine months as “radical” in an exclusive interview with Fox News on Friday.
Amendment 4, up for vote in the Sunshine State, would end Florida’s 6-week abortion ban by enshrining abortion in the state’s constitution.
“No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” reads the ballot initiative.
PRO-LIFERS BLAST TRUMP ‘BETRAYAL’ WITH SHIFTING ABORTION STANCE, ANSWER ON FLORIDA AMENDMENT 4
“You need more time than six weeks. I’ve disagreed with that right from the early primaries. When I heard about it, I disagreed with it. At the same time, the Democrats are radical because the nine months is just a ridiculous situation,” said Trump.
“That way you can do an abortion in the ninth month. And, you know, some of the states, like Minnesota and other states have it where you can actually execute the baby after birth and all of that stuff is unacceptable. So I’ll be voting no for that reason,” the former president asserted.
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial on August 30, 2024, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Promising to cut energy bills in half, conduct the largest deportation operation in history and put a 200% tariff on foreign-made automobiles, Trump rallied his supporters in the all-important battleground state of Pennsylvania. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law in 2023 the Heartbeat Protection Act, which makes abortion after six weeks illegal in Florida.
“…Doing an abortion in the ninth month is unacceptable to anybody. And I think that, we’re going to have to do something about that. There’s some there’s something in between, but the six is too short. It’s just too short a period. And the nine months is unacceptable,” Trump said today before a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
JD VANCE VOWS TRUMP WOULD NOT IMPOSE FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, VETO IT IF IT COMES ACROSS HIS DESK
Trump previously caused confusion over where he stood on the proposed amendment, as his pro-life stance on the campaign trail has not been absolute.
“I will say this: You have to win elections,” Trump shared in a Fox News town hall earlier this year. “Otherwise, you’re going to be back where you were, and you can’t let that ever happen again. You’ve got to win elections.”
![Election 2024 Trump](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725081618_895_Trump-opposes-Floridax27s-Amendment-4-which-offers-unfettered-abortion-access.jpg)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial, in Johnstown, Pa., Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Droke)
The former president also takes credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
“Today’s decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation, along with other decisions that have been announced recently, were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court,” said Trump in 2022.
![Election 2024 Trump](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725081618_937_Trump-opposes-Floridax27s-Amendment-4-which-offers-unfettered-abortion-access.jpg)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally at 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial, in Johnstown, Pa., Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Droke)
Trump once called himself “the most pro-life president” in American history at the Faith & Freedom Coalition Gala in 2023.
Amendment 4 is sponsored by a group in Florida called “Floridians Protecting Freedom” based in Sarasota. According to the Florida Department of Elections, the amendment has more than the 8% of statewide registered voter-required signatures to make the ballot at 997,035.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Florida sheriff blasts DC over border after illegal immigrants allegedly steal over 9K pounds of berries
![Florida sheriff blasts DC over border after illegal immigrants allegedly steal over 9K pounds of berries Florida sheriff blasts DC over border after illegal immigrants allegedly steal over 9K pounds of berries](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/florida-illegal-immigrant-stolen-berries-thumb.jpg)
Multiple illegal immigrants were arrested in Florida last week on suspicion of unlawfully picking thousands of pounds of palmetto berries, leading one local sheriff to blast Washington, D.C., lawmakers over their “complete and total failure” to keep the U.S. border secure.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced in a video on Monday that eight suspects, four of whom are illegal immigrants, were arrested in connection to stealing about $7,300 worth of palmetto berries from a private property and loading the 9,000-pound harvest into the back of a U-Haul.
Ivey said that while this specific case “may not seem like a big deal to some, it is actually what this case revealed about the subjects who were arrested and the fact that they are in our country illegally that drives me absolutely insane and will most likely tick you off as well.”
Of the four illegal immigrants arrested, two were found to be applying for U.S. citizenship and cannot be deported due to pending court dates for immigration status, according to Ivey. He added that others had previously been deported and had prior felony arrests.
WATCH: RESIDENTS ALONG THE BORDER TRUST TRUMP OVER HARRIS ON BORDER SECURITY
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said that those arrested were loading 9,000 pounds of stolen palmetto berries into a U-Haul truck. The stolen berries were estimated to be worth about $7,300. (Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)
“The best part for me is that when we ask why this person can’t be deported or why is this person still in our country after committing multiple crimes,” Ivey said, “we’re told that unless they commit a violent felony, they’re not going to be deported no matter how many nonviolent crimes they’ve committed.”
![subjects arrested](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725021554_413_Florida-sheriff-blasts-DC-over-border-after-illegal-immigrants-allegedly.jpg)
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said that four of the eight people arrested were in the U.S. illegally, adding that some had been previously deported. (Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)
Ivey said that during multiple trips to the U.S. southern border, he has witnessed firsthand the surging influx of illegal immigrants and its subsequent impact on communities across the country.
DENVER SUBURB ROCKED BY ‘HUGE INCREASE’ IN MIGRANT GANG VIOLENCE: ‘BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION IS COMPLICIT’
“Please understand, this is not a failure on our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Border Patrol or even Department of Homeland Security,” Ivey said. “This is a complete and total failure on Washington, D.C., for not allowing the laws of our great nation to be enforced.”
![Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725021554_396_Florida-sheriff-blasts-DC-over-border-after-illegal-immigrants-allegedly.jpg)
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey called on Washington, D.C., to secure the border or to “get the hell out of the way” so that he and other sheriffs from across the country can do it themselves by enforcing laws. (Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)
Ivey asked when “we as a nation” are going to lose tolerance for people illegally entering the U.S. to “commit more crimes?”
“Why don’t you allow our Customs and Border Patrol agents to secure our damn border like our laws allow,” Ivey directed at Washintgton, D.C., officials, “or get the hell out of the way and I’ll do it with the help of sheriffs from across the country who actually believe in enforcing the law and are sick and tired of this crap.”
Read the full article from Here
-
Connecticut1 week ago
Oxford church provides sanctuary during Sunday's damaging storm
-
Technology1 week ago
Breakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip
-
Politics1 week ago
Clinton lauds Biden as modern-day George Washington and president who 'healed our sick' in DNC speech
-
Politics1 week ago
2024 showdown: What happens next in the Kamala Harris-Donald Trump face-off
-
News1 week ago
Who Are Kamala Harris’s 1.5 Million New Donors?
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump taunted over speculated RFK Jr endorsement: 'Weird as hell'
-
Politics1 week ago
Vivek Ramaswamy sounds off on potential RFK Jr. role in a Trump administration
-
World6 days ago
Portugal coast hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake