US NATIONAL NEWS

West Virginia lawmakers push to remove a suicide risk exemption from gender-affirming care bill

Published

1 year ago

February 24, 2024

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Some Republican lawmakers in West Virginia want to ban transgender youth at risk for self-harm or suicide from accessing medical interventions such as hormone therapy.

The GOP-controlled Legislature banned such interventions last year while allowing the self-harm and suicide exception. Now, a group of lawmakers want to eliminate that narrow definition, which requires parental consent and a diagnosis of severe gender dysphoria from two medical professionals, both of whom must provide written testimony that medical interventions are necessary to prevent or limit possible or actual self-harm.

Coming up against a major legislative deadline next week, lawmakers in the House Health and Human Resources Committee on Friday rushed to advance a bill to the full chamber that would completely ban interventions like hormone therapy and puberty blockers. Gender-affirming surgery, which physicians testified doesn’t occur in the state, was banned last year.

It’s unclear what the chances of passage are for the bill. The House of Delegates passed a similar measure last year, but it was significantly altered by Republican Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, a physician who expressed concern about the high suicide rate for transgender youth.

The bill’s lead sponsor, Republican Del. Geoff Foster, said Friday he thought last year’s bill — which he also sponsored — was better, “more clear and concise” without Takubo’s changes.

“These are very drastic solutions that aren’t fixing the problem,” he said of puberty blockers and hormone therapy, saying what’s needed is more treatment for depression. He may not believe in gender-affirming care, he said, but those 18 and older can make their own decisions, not kids.

No one spoke in support of the measure before the vote in House Health, but the committee defeated a motion by Democratic Del. Mike Pushkin to allow youth receiving treatment to continue, even if the interventions are banned for new patients.

No testimony was shared by patients who receive the care or the physicians who treat them. Fairness West Virginia, the state’s only LGBTQ advocacy organization, said a request submitted for a public hearing was denied Friday by Republican House Speaker Roger Hanshaw’s office.

“The argument for this bill is that these are irreversible decisions made by minors, but that’s not true,” Pushkin said, before the vote. “This type of treatment is reversible — what isn’t reversible is suicide.”

At least 23 states have now enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits. Lawmakers in West Virginia and other states advancing bans on transgender health care for youth and young adults often characterize gender-affirming treatments as medically unproven, potentially dangerous and a symptom of “woke” culture.

On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia said they wouldn’t hesitate to take legal action, too.

“If this bill becomes law, we’ll see the state in court,” the organization wrote on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.

Isabella Cortez, Gender Policy Manager for Fairness West Virginia, called the vote “abhorrent” and a “last-minute mad dash to eliminate” care that has already been significantly limited.

Every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association, supports gender-affirming care for youths.

Many doctors, mental health specialists and medical groups have argued that treatments for young transgender people are safe and beneficial, though rigorous long-term research is lacking. Federal health officials have described gender-affirming care as crucial to the health and wellbeing of transgender children and adolescents.

Last year, West Virginia University Medicine Pediatrician Dr. Kacie Kidd — one of the only physicians offering this care to minors in the state — said the effects of puberty-blocking medications are reversible, though it’s rare that a patient chooses to reverse treatment.

Kidd, who is medical director of West Virginia University Medicine’s Children’s Gender and Sexual Development Clinic, also said no patients are placed on hormone therapy before they reach puberty. When minors are placed on hormone therapy, it’s a careful decision made in conjunction with the patient and their family members.

She also said she feared the bill would put her patients’ lives at risk, noting that the percentage of transgender adolescents considering suicide is around 300% higher than the rate for all West Virginia young people, regardless of gender identity. But interventions like puberty blockers and hormone therapy drastically reduce that risk, she said.

Takubo, a physician, cited more than a dozen peer-reviewed studies showing a decrease in rates of suicide ideation and attempts among youth with severe gender dysphoria who had access to medication therapy.

Gender dysphoria is defined by medical professionals as severe psychological distress experienced by those whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth.

Del. Foster said the bill as it was written last year contained all other exemptions it needed: one for those who are born intersex and another for people taking treatments for infection, injury, disease or disorder that has been “caused by or exacerbated by the performance of gender transition procedures.”

He said that the bill “already took care of any exceptions that were not specifically for the intention of changing one’s biological sex to one that was different than that assigned at birth.”

During Friday’s meeting, Democratic Del. Anitra Hamilton said there have been plenty of data and studies that carefully considered gender-affirming care and deemed it legitimate.

“I think our ultimate goal is prevention of suicide,” she said.

US NATIONAL NEWS

Former Trump Impeachment Manager Val Demings Calls Trump Officials’ Response to War Plans Leak “A Shameless Mountain of Lies”

Published

14 hours ago

March 26, 2025

FNN NEWS

WASHINGTON (FNN) – A major national security scandal has erupted after top officials from President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly shared classified U.S. military strike plans in a private Signal chat, raising alarms about national security breaches and possible legal violations.

Former Trump Impeachment Manager Val Demings Speaks Out

Former U.S. Congresswoman Val Demings, who served as a Trump impeachment manager, strongly condemned the breach, describing it as “a shameless mountain of lies” and a reckless compromise of military strategy.

“As a former member of the Intelligence and Homeland Security committees, the thought of these people sharing strategic military operations on Signal is shocking. Those who testified before the Senate were under oath. Power built on endless lies is not power at all—it’s a house of cards. America, this will end badly unless you demand better,” Demings wrote in a statement on her personal Facebook page.

Val Demings is a former U.S. Congresswoman, former Trump Impeachment Manager, former member of the Intelligence and Homeland Security Committees, and retired Orlando Chief of Police.

Details of the Leaked War Plans

The National Security Council has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked messages, which included classified operational details of upcoming U.S. military strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The leaked documents allegedly contained:

Target locations for military strikes
Weapon deployment strategies
Attack sequencing and operational details

The sensitive war plans were reportedly shared with The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a private Signal group chat involving:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Vice President JD Vance
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz

Possible Violations of Federal Laws & National Security Rules

The unauthorized disclosure of sensitive military operations may violate multiple federal laws, including:

Espionage Act (18 U.S. Code § 793) – Unlawful disclosure of classified national defense information
Presidential Records Act – Mishandling of government records and sensitive communications
Federal Records Act – Unauthorized sharing of government communications
Insider Threat Program Violations – Breach of classified intelligence security measures
UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) Violations – If military personnel were involved in the leak

Congress Calls for Full Investigation

Bipartisan leaders in both the Senate and House are calling for an investigation into the war plans leak. Lawmakers are demanding:

Public hearings to address the security breach
Testimony from top Trump officials named in the leak
Legal consequences for those responsible

During the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) described the actions of the nation’s top intelligence officials as “sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior.”

“If this was the case of a military officer or an intelligence officer and they had this kind of behavior, they would be fired,” he said.

What’s Next?

Congressional Hearings on the national security breach
Potential criminal charges for those responsible
Wider political fallout for Trump’s national security team

_________________________________________________________________________

Florida National New
news@FloridaNationalNews.com

US NATIONAL NEWS

U.S. War Plans Leaked in Private Signal Chat – National Security Crisis Unfolds

Published

21 hours ago

March 25, 2025

FNN NEWS

WASHINGTON, D.C. (FNN) – A national security scandal has erupted after top officials in former President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly shared sensitive U.S. military plans for strikes on Yemen in a private Signal group chat—including with The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief. The Atlantic post story online Monday

LEAKED WAR PLANS SPARK OUTRAGE

The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the leaked messages, which included operational details of upcoming U.S. military strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen—such as target locations, weapon deployment, and attack sequencing. The revelations come amid heightened conflict in the Red Sea region.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz were part of the chat, along with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. The Atlantic reported that within two hours of receiving the attack details on March 15, the U.S. launched airstrikes against Houthi targets.

FALLOUT AND POLITICAL BACKLASH

Democratic leaders condemned the leak as a grave breach of military intelligence. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence in decades.” Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) warned that “American lives are on the line” and vowed an immediate investigation.

Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said, “If a lower-ranking official did this, they would likely lose their clearance and face criminal investigation.”

Some Republicans also raised concerns. Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) stated, “We’ll be looking into it on a bipartisan basis.”

TRUMP, HEGSETH RESPOND AMID GROWING PROBE

Trump distanced himself from the controversy, telling reporters, “I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me for the first time.” He later mocked the story, amplifying a satirical post suggesting The Atlantic’s readership was too small for the leak to matter.

Hegseth, facing intense scrutiny, lashed out at Goldberg, calling him “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” but did not deny the leak’s existence. He also dodged questions on why an unsecured, hackable messaging app was used for military planning.

WHAT’S NEXT? POSSIBLE ESPIONAGE ACT VIOLATION

The Justice Department may investigate whether sharing these war plans violated the Espionage Act, which criminalizes the removal of sensitive national defense information from its “proper place of custody”—even through negligence.

Meanwhile, Hegseth’s office has just announced a crackdown on leaks, including possible polygraph tests for defense personnel—a move critics say is ironic given the current scandal.

FINAL TAKEAWAY

The leak raises urgent questions about security failures, potential legal violations, and the Trump administration’s handling of classified military intelligence. As the fallout grows, lawmakers from both parties demand accountability, setting the stage for high-profile hearings and potential criminal probes.

US NATIONAL NEWS

Mia Love, First Black Republican Woman in Congress, Passes Away at 49

Published

3 days ago

March 24, 2025

Willie David

U.S. Congresswoman Mia Love of Utah speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. Credit: Gage Skidmore

SALT LAKE CITY (FNN) — Former U.S. Representative Mia Love, a trailblazing Republican and the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, passed away Sunday at the age of 49 following a battle with brain cancer.

Her family confirmed the news on her official X account, stating that she passed away peacefully at her home in Saratoga Springs, Utah.

Family’s Statement & Public Reactions

“With grateful hearts filled to overflowing for the profound influence of Mia on our lives, we want you to know that she passed away peacefully,” the statement read. “We are thankful for the many good wishes, prayers, and condolences.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox expressed his condolences, referring to Love as a “true friend” whose legacy of service inspired all who knew her.

Her Political Legacy

Love, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, made history in 2014 when she won Utah’s 4th Congressional District seat, making her the first Black Republican woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

She first entered politics in 2003, winning a seat on the city council in Saratoga Springs before becoming the city’s mayor. Her rise in the Republican Party was marked by her conservative views, strong stance on fiscal responsibility, and emphasis on self-reliance.

Battle with Brain Cancer

Earlier this year, Love had been undergoing treatment for brain cancer at Duke University’s Brain Tumor Center, receiving immunotherapy as part of a clinical trial. However, earlier this month, her daughter revealed that she was no longer responding to treatment.

What’s Next?

Utah leaders are expected to hold a public tribute to honor Mia Love’s legacy.
Congressional colleagues and former political opponents are offering tributes, recognizing her impact on politics and her community.
Arrangements for memorial services will be announced soon.