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NYC liberals rip Adams’ homelessness directive to forcibly hospitalize mentally ill living on streets, subways

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Liberal organizations and politicians in New York City blasted Democratic Mayor Eric Adams for addressing the homelessness crisis with a new plan to forcibly hospitalize the untreated extremely mentally ill living in subways and on the streets ahead of the cold winter months. 

Adams, at a press conference on Tuesday, announced the new directive aimed toward unsheltered individuals with “untreated psychotic disorders who pose a risk of harm to themselves even if they are not an imminent threat to the public.” The mayor framed the plan as a “moral obligation,” stressing for “too long, there’s been a gray area where policy, law and accountability has not been clear.” 

Yet, councilmember Tiffany Cabán, who describes herself as a queer abolitionist, criticized Adams’ directive. It instructs the NYPD, FDNY and the Department of Housing to involuntarily transport homeless people to hospitals if severe mental illness leaves them unable to meet their basic needs to the extent that they are a danger to themselves – not only if they’re outwardly violent. 

“This is deeply problematic,” Cabán tweeted. “I’ve visited trained, dedicated professional mental health first responders across the US. They consistently point out a couple of truths. Often the wrong responder & response is what creates a deadly situation, not the mental health crisis itself.” 

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams said "untreated psychosis can be a cruel and all consuming condition that often requires involuntary intervention" when rolling out new homelessness directive. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said “untreated psychosis can be a cruel and all consuming condition that often requires involuntary intervention” when rolling out new homelessness directive. 
(NYC Mayor’s Office)

Housing Works, a New York City-based non-profit fighting AIDS and homelessness, ripped Adams’ plan. 

“What happens when someone refuses hospitalization? This seems like it boils down to letting the NYPD hospitalize people by force, an escalation of @NYCMayor’s sweeps,” it tweeted. 

“The Mayor’s attempt to police away homelessness and sweep individuals out of sight is a page from the failed Giuliani playbook,” NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. “With no real plan for housing, services, or supports, the administration is choosing handcuffs and coercion.” 

Lieberman contended that Adams’ proposal will “likely violate” federal and state constitutions’ strict limitations on the government’s ability to detain people experiencing mental illness. 

A homeless person sits in the street on November 30, 2022 in New York City. 

A homeless person sits in the street on November 30, 2022 in New York City. 
(Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress)

Adams “is playing fast and loose with the legal rights of New Yorkers and is not dedicating the resources necessary to address the mental health crises that affect our communities,” Lieberman said. “Forcing people into treatment is a failed strategy for connecting people to long-term treatment and care. 

“Unless we adequately invest in the long-term health and well-being of New Yorkers facing mental illness and our chronic lack of housing, the current mental health crisis will continue,” according to the New York Civil Liberties Union executive director. “The decades-old practice of sweeping deep-seated problems out of public view may play well for the politicians, but the problems will persist – for vulnerable people in desperate need of government services and for New Yorkers.” 

A homeless man sleeps inside a subway station in Midtown Manhattan. 

A homeless man sleeps inside a subway station in Midtown Manhattan. 
(Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Adams’ administration said the directive – focused on “action, care and compassion” – seeks to “dispel a persistent myth that the legal standard for involuntary intervention requires an ‘overt act’ demonstrating that the person is violent, suicidal, or engaging in outrageously dangerous behavior likely to result in imminent harm.” 

The city is also developing a tele-consult line to provide police officers in the field considering whether to transport a homeless person with direct access to clinicians. 

The New York Post reported that a source said that the NYPD was “blindsided” by the announcement that its officers would begin taking homeless people into custody for evaluations and possibly to be involuntarily committed. 

A homeless person sits at Times Square on November 30, 2022 in New York City. 

A homeless person sits at Times Square on November 30, 2022 in New York City. 
(Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress)

Describing the rollout as a “hot mess,” the source told the Post NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, acting Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey and other top brass met with NYPD’s lawyers Wednesday to review the new directive. 

“Like everything else, it gets dumped in our lap, and we’re expected to solve the problem without any guidance,” another police source added. Sewell was notably absent from Adams’ press conference Tuesday. 

Yet, the mayor attempted to illustrate the “psychiatric crisis” New Yorkers witness daily. 

“The man standing on the street all day across from the building he was evicted from 25 years ago waiting to be let in. The shadow boxer on the street corner in midtown mumbling to himself as he jabs at an invisible adversary,” Adams said Tuesday. “The unresponsive man unable to get off the train at the end of the line without assistance from our mobile crisis team. These New Yorkers, and hundreds of others like them, are in urgent need of treatment, yet often refuse it when offered.”

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“The very nature of their illnesses keeps them from realizing they need intervention and support,” the mayor added. “Without that intervention, they remain lost and isolated from society, tormented by delusions and disordered thinking. They cycle in and out of hospitals and jails. But New Yorkers rightly expect our city to help them.” 

In addition to the new directive, Adams also laid out an 11-point legislative agenda that will be among his top priorities in Albany during the upcoming legislative session. According to the mayor’s office, the agenda takes aim at gaps in New York State’s Mental Hygiene Law “that intensify the city’s challenges in meeting the needs of its most vulnerable residents with severe mental illness.”

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nyc-liberals-rip-adams-homelessness-directive-forcibly-hospitalize-mentally-ill-living-streets-subways

Politics

NY Times article on Biden’s age ripped as ‘slobbering,’ ‘embarrassing’ after latest fall

The New York Times is facing ridicule on Twitter after an article Sunday painted President Biden’s old age in a positive light, describing the 80-year-old president as “sharp,” “fit” and having “striking stamina.”

The Times article by White House reporters Peter Baker, Michael Shear, Katie Rogers and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, titled, “Inside the Complicated Reality of Being America’s Oldest President,” claimed Biden’s aides have been purposely limiting his exposure to the media to avoid any potential gaffes.

“The two Joe Bidens coexist in the same octogenarian president: Sharp and wise at critical moments, the product of decades of seasoning, able to rise to the occasion even in the dead of night to confront a dangerous world,” the article said. “Yet a little slower, a little softer, a little harder of hearing, a little more tentative in his walk, a little more prone to occasional lapses of memory in ways that feel familiar to anyone who has reached their ninth decade or has a parent who has.”

“Like many his age, Mr. Biden repeats phrases and retells the same story, often fact-challenged stories again and again,” the article continued. “He can be quirky; when children visit, he may randomly pull a book of William Butler Yeats off his desk and start reading Irish poetry to them.”

Biden falls at Air Force Academy

President Joe Biden is helped up after falling during the graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, on June 1, 2023. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

“At the same time, he is trim and fit, exercises five days a week and does not drink,” it added. “He has at times exhibited striking stamina, such as when he flew to Poland then boarded a nine-hour train ride to make a secret visit to Kyiv, spent hours on the ground, then endured another nine-hour train ride and a flight to Warsaw. A study of his schedule by Mr. Biden’s aides shows that he has traveled slightly more in the first few months of his third year in office than Mr. Obama did in his.”

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Steve Guest, a special adviser for communications for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the article “embarrassing.”

News Cycle Media President Jon Nicosia called the article “slobbering.”

Former Obama speechwriter Jonathan Favreau, who now co-hosts “Pod Save America,” said the article was “pretty positive.”

National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker said the article was “not totally objective” but at least opened the door for questioning the president’s capabilities.

“Good for the Times to actually write this… It’s still not totally objective, but it’s a solid effort at least,” Shanker wrote. “I mean those is a positive spin at best. What’s more likely is that many, many of the presidential level decisions are not being made by Biden at all.”

Biden tripped and fell during a U.S. Air Force Academy commencement ceremony Thursday, prompting three Secret Service agents to rush to help the president up.

Biden fall

US President Joe Biden fell during the graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy on June 1, 2023. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

Air Force Academy salutes Biden

President Joe Biden arrives to deliver the commencement address at the Air Force Academy on June 1, 2023. (Getty Images)

The White House said Thursday that Biden tripped over a sandbag and was not injured by the fall. 

The fall reignited concerns about Biden’s age, prompting a number of media outlets to pounce and seize on Republicans voicing concerns about Biden’s physical health.

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Capitol Police stop youth choir during national anthem performance, sparking outrage: ‘I was shocked’

Video footage showing a South Carolina-based children’s choir being stopped by a Capitol Police officer from singing the national anthem in the U.S. Capitol has gone viral with millions of views.

Capitol Police said singers with the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir from Greenville were stopped because of a “miscommunication,” which occurred May 26.

Capitol Police initially issued a statement that said they were under the impression the group didn’t have permission to perform in the building but clarified later that they “were not aware that the Speaker’s Office had approved this performance.”

Choir director David Rasbach and another choir leader said the visit was approved by the office of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., which the speaker’s office confirmed.

Rushingbrook Children’s Choir

In this image taken from video, the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir sings the “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall on May 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Farnoush Amiri)

“I was shocked, I was dismayed, I was stunned,” Rasbach, who said he secured permission from three congressional offices to perform at the U.S. Capitol, told the Daily Signal. “I couldn’t believe that was happening, that they would stop the national anthem, of all songs.”

Video of the event showed the children singing as a Capitol Police officer spoke with two other men. One of the men, who appears to be a congressional staffer, then approached Rasbach. A few seconds later, Rasbach motioned to the choir and cut them off to stop singing.

A patch for a United States Capitol Police Officer

Capitol Police said singers with the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir from Greenville were stopped because of a “miscommunication,” which occurred May 26. (U.S. Capitol Police)

Capitol police officers at the capitol building

Police arrive by bus at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez/File)

Some Republicans accused Capitol Police of taking action against the kids due to political bias, but the Capitol Police said that is untrue and accused the congressional staffer of lying “to the officers multiple times about having permission from various offices” in one emailed statement to the Daily Signal.

“Recently somebody posted a video of a children’s choir singing the Star-Spangled Banner in the U.S. Capitol Building and wrongfully claimed we stopped the performance because it ‘might offend someone,’” the Capitol Police said. “Here is the truth. Demonstrations and musical performances are not allowed in the U.S. Capitol.”

“Of course, because the singers in this situation were children, our officers were reasonable and allowed the children to finish their beautiful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner,” the statement added. “The Congressional staff member who was accompanying the group knew the rules, yet lied to the officers multiple times about having permission from various offices. The staffer put both the choir and our officers, who were simply doing their jobs, in an awkward and embarrassing position.”

McCarthy and three Republican members of Congress involved in inviting the group to the Capitol issued a joint statement, saying they were “very disappointed” that the performance was cut short.

“We recently learned that schoolchildren from South Carolina were interrupted while singing our National Anthem at the Capitol. These children were welcomed by the Speaker’s Office to joyfully express their love of this nation while visiting the Capitol, and we are all very disappointed to learn their celebration was cut short,” McCarthy and three House Republicans said. “We are delighted that the People’s House has been reopened particularly for our children and we look forward to welcoming more Americans back to the halls of Congress.”

Capitol Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Biden admin slammed as granting ‘major coup’ to China after top officials visit on Tiananmen massacre date

EXCLUSIVE: The Biden administration is getting slammed as handing a “major coup” to Chinese President Xi Jinping after two senior officials made a trip to China on Sunday in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries.

Critics immediately pointed out that Sunday, June 4, marks the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, when the Chinese military slaughtered hundreds, possibly thousands, of pro-democracy protesters.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, and Sarah Beran, the National Security Council’s senior director for China and Taiwan affairs, arrived in Beijing to discuss “key issues in the bilateral relationship,” the State Department said in a press release.

Tiananmen Square in Beijing

Demonstration at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, on June 1, 1989. (Eric Bouvet/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Wang Yi and Antony Blinken shake hands

Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on July 9, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., called attention to the timing of the trip on Twitter.

“Is the Biden Administration sending senior officials to China as we remember the anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square?” he wrote.

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Issa, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Digital that the trip only benefits China and Chinese President Xi Jinping while weakening the United States’ position on the world stage.

“This is no ordinary foreign policy stumble,” he said. “It’s a concession demanded by the Chinese and granted by a White House and State Department willing to bend. It’s a major coup for Xi, and America’s position in the world just got weaker – where it matters most.” 

“There’s no way the Congress can just look away and let this go,” he added.

Darrell Issa

Rep. Darrell Issa during a House Judiciary Committee field hearing in New York on April 17, 2023. (Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Nearly two hours after the first press release, the State Department issued another one honoring the Tiananmen Square anniversary.

“Tomorrow, we observe the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre,” the release said. “On June 4th, 1989, the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) sent tanks into Tiananmen Square to brutally repress peaceful Chinese pro-democracy protesters and bystanders alike.” 

“The victims’ bravery will not be forgotten and continues to inspire advocates for these principles around the world,” it added. “The United States will continue advocating for people’s human rights and fundamental freedoms in China and around the world.”

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Issa’s office said he plans to send a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding answers about the China trip.

A State Department spokesperson told Reuters that Kritenbrink’s official meetings will begin Monday, and that he would raise the issue of human rights in the communist country.

Blinken

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint news conference after the 32nd annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations, Dec. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Michael Sobolik, a fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council, responded to the press release about the China visit by asking, “Is this a joke?”

Isaac Stone Fish, the CEO of Strategic Risks, which “quantifies corporate exposure to China,” and a visiting fellow at the Atlantic Council, offered a “pro-tip” on Twitter, saying, “Don’t be a senior government official visiting China on the anniversary of Tiananmen Square.”

Fox News Digital asked the State Department and the White House whether the Tiananmen Square massacre would be discussed, but neither responded.

Dialogue between the Biden administration and Beijing has been nearly dormant in recent months as attempts at interactions have been shuttered since the U.S. shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that traversed the country earlier this year.

A previously scheduled trip by Blinken, where he was expected to meet with Xi, was canceled because of the China spy balloon incident.

The U.S.-China relationship has been further strained over China’s military activity in the South China Sea and the United States’ support of Taiwan.

34th anniversary of Beijing Tiananmen crackdown

People take part in a vigil at the Liberty Square of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to mark the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sunday, June 4, 2023. (Lam Yik Fei/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Additionally, Beijing has taken umbrage after the U.S. warned China against arming Russia to help its war in Ukraine. 

CIA Director William Burns secretly visited China last month in an effort to restore relations, meeting with his Chinese counterparts to emphasize “the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels,” according to the Financial Times, which first reported the visit. 

Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

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